The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Heart no Kuni no Alice and Doctor Who. Some of the elements in the story have been incorporated belong to chaos-dark-lord but I have received permission to use them from her works Wonderful Wonderful Science and its sequel Wonderful Wonderful Science: Diamond Dust due to the fact that we are co-writers in this project. In addition, the character mentioned in this segment, Jackie Penski that belongs to peekodemeeko12.

Geronimo!

Leo took a small step back from the granite kitchen counter and stared at the food he had set out on four bone-white plates: fruit salad, a quiche, some sweetbreads, and chilaquiles, a personal favorite of the Lady. Even though he preferred to have a light breakfast with either a cup of coffee or orange juice depending on how well he slept through the evening, he had an unexpected guest in his home. Not to mention he had no idea how hungry she would be, and he certainly wasn't going to wake her up just to ask if she wanted anything special. If his memory served right, Erin was comfortable with almost anything that would be placed in front of her except tea. The Lullaby foot-soldier frowned at the thought and put the spatula in the sink, twisting the knob to the left before lathering his hands with soap. Maybe I should have prepared some hot chocolate instead of a pot with coffee? Well, it's too late to do that now so I guess we'll have to see if orange juice is a suitable substitute. A few seconds later he turned the water off and wiped his hands on a red towel. Wished she came over to my place under more...desirable circumstances.

Since the Berceuse had removed him from his regular duties within the Lullaby, Leo had to take a full-time position at The Laughing Peacock as a dancing instructor to pay for the rent. He also earned a little money under the table by doing small tasks for other Lullaby groups, but not too often; despite being the former leader of the special contingencies group, in Clover Country, he didn't want to raise suspicion in the town or catch the attention of another Role Holder. Other than teaching denizens the proper footwork in a salsa, he had a lot of free time on his hands until exams for being promoted to the next tier within the Lullaby hierarchy came around.

When she had stripped him of his rank, Leo felt as if he had damned himself from the favor of his Lady by acting so reckless and ignorant to the consequences of his actions. Now that he had been reduced to being nothing more than a novice soldier who had no internal power within the organization. What could he do to help his 'family' if they were in grave danger? And about Erin? How could he support the Outsider properly if something were to happen to her or if she needed his help aside from hand-to-hand combat?

Nothing.

And it pissed him off.

Truth be told, he had the utmost desire to simply waltz through the bookstore and inquire about his student with Amadore, especially since his Lady had stated in the hospital wing that Erin was to also be punished for nearly endangering her organization. However, Leo also knew that it could also cause a bigger hassle if Elliot spotted him within the vicinity of the Outsider's workplace. That damned bastard had spies all over the place.

But when the skies of Wonderland changed to evening five time changes ago, after the foot-soldier had gone to the town and apologized to the owner of the nail salon for the bloodstains he had made on her floors, Leo came home to find Erin sitting on his doorstep. She was cradling her right arm while dressed in an outfit that looked all too familiar to the one that Miss Alice Liddell wore.

A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat at the thought of that atrocious gown as the faceless bloke placed eating utensils on the dining room table. Leo had absolutely no idea where Erin had gotten it, but he could say flat-out that it didn't suit the college graduate at all. It made the Outsider look like a childish doll rather than the young woman she was. The three-piece suit Erin had religiously worn since coming to Wonderland was much more fitting; A new, more professional suit would be even better because it would emit a professional aura and seductively hugged her petite frame in a subtle manner. Not to mention it would also tell the Lullaby that she had the potential to become their little moon in the near future. Or, in his personal opinion, an emerald dancing dress that pronounced the womanly curves he knew Erin hid beneath her trademark clothing would also be quite fitting to her body.

He blushed hotly at the image and almost slapped the back of his head before those innocent thoughts turned lewd when a small, tired voice echoed throughout the apartment.

"Morning."

Leo swiveled his head to the side and saw Erin leaning against the doorway of the kitchen, out of the nightclothes he loaned her last night and back in that blasted dress. He bit back a remark and instead flashed a sunny grin at the groggy foreigner. "Well, good morning to you as well! How are you feeling? Did you get enough sleep? Would you like me to lend you some other clothes?"

"Y-Yeah." Bright green orbs looked over at the food on the kitchen counter with veiled curiosity and obvious hunger. "W-What is all of this?"

Leo's smile grew even larger as he explained he had made while pulling out two more plates for them to use. The foot-soldier could have sworn a few ticks skipped in his clock as Erin took a hearty portion from each plate and thanked him profusely for the meal with a glass of orange juice in one hand.

But once the two of them had sat down at the dining room table, a heavy silence fell upon their quiet meal till Leo decided to break it with a concerned frown stretched across his mouth as he asked her what was wrong. He almost cursed himself for being tactless until Erin answered him in a soft voice.

"Due to being...recklessly impulsive that almost compromised the Lullaby, Lady A punished me with a shopping trip in the town for new clothes with Ava."

Leo cringed at her words. He knew all too well how much the bartender from A Lazy Flamingo loved to shop, especially when it came to shoes. "Ouch. My Lady can certainly come up with...unique punishments." The faceless foot-soldier stared at the Outsider. "But that shopping trip wasn't the only thing that happened in the town, was it?"

Erin shook her head. "No. I...unintentionally crossed paths with the March Hare."

"Go on… what happened?"

He watched the young woman inhale a deep breath before she continued her story. Almost as if she was preparing herself to pour everything that plagued her mind out on the dining room table. "Against my better judgement, I allowed him to buy this dress for me as a thank-you present for shooting that woman. We ended up getting a table at a vegetarian pub when a bomb decided to go off somewhere nearby. I don't know where it exactly detonated, but it was enough to shatter a few windows and have Mister Elliot leave the establishment with a gun in his hand. When things began to get dicey, a faceless waiter gave me a torn piece of paper before pushing me under a secret passageway beneath the bar.

Leo stiffened. A Role Holder had intentionally allowed an Outsider to be left alone in the middle of an obvious catastrophe, with no one to protect her against people who would either kill or sell Erin, an outsider with a beating heart, to the highest bidder in the underworld? The foot-soldier inwardly swore under his breath. If he had known what was going on, instead of being an errand-boy for Giovanni at his museum, he would have made sure Erin was safe from harm. He felt he had neglected his duty this time, but he definitely was not going to do it again. "That was when you got hit in the arm, right?"

Erin's right arm had been was grazed by a stray bullet, just deep enough to bleed rapidly until Leo had properly treated it with a first-aid kit.

Erin nodded. "Yes. The tunnel eventually led me to an avenue that was almost three blocks away from your home, Leo. At least, according to the address written on the paper." She released a small sigh and placed her fork on the edge of her half-eaten plate. "But despite everything that has happened...it makes me wonder if I truly belong here. In this not-so wonderful wonder world where there is no common sense and even time is screwed up." The college graduate said, concluding her story with a languid sip of her orange juice.

It took a split second for Leo to place his own eating utensil down on the table and grab both of Erin's own hands with a single large palm.

"...Erin, you belong where your heart desires to be. Even having breakfast with me...if this is what you want, then you're in the right place. And an Outsider has the right to decide where she wants to be. Think about the Berceuse; Lady A has a place where she belongs, and possess a large role not in just my life or those of my comrades. She is a mechanic of the Game as much as she is a designer for it, and an architect of this world while still being an Outsider. She is the Berceuse, and her home is with the Lullaby. It isn't a territory because her heart chose to embrace the dispersed lowly cards who will gladly give up their lives to serve her. Just as much as Wonderland has embraced her as a Game programmer and wants her with all the force of the game as its rightful partner and contender. "

Her bright green orbs widened slightly at his words. "What does that even mean?" To his knowledge, Erin had seen bits and pieces of the Lullaby's...fanaticism, yet did not know the whole truth of His Lady's Role in Wonderland or what she had become to this world.

Leo exhaled a deep breath and looked down at their joined hands, gently running a padded thumb against the smooth leather. "My Lady has reshaped aspects of this world. She is a force of change through either chaos or order. So far she has revived the forgotten dimension of 'The Looking Glass' on the other side of Wonderland's mirror, the countries of Diamond and Spades, and is planning to reach them again." He then looked up and gave Erin a warm and devoted smile that tinged with pride. "And yet despite this goal, she still claims to be only a foreigner when she is even beyond the power of all and any Roles in this world. She is frail and vulnerable despite being so strong, but she is smart and knowledgeable beyond our comprehension. She chose to create change."

Erin remained silent for a couple of minutes until she asked quietly, "If this is Lady A's goal...then what has been done to achieve it?"

"We have already contacted our forces that followed her to the other side of the Looking Glass. Almost three time change ago, Lady A converted one of those clocks that had an afterimage trapped inside to a pseudo-relic, otherwise known as talen or nemurenai. By storing a few droplets from the Medicine of Heart inside the relic, it can serve as a battery of sorts to give her shadows autonomy for a short period of time. She theorized that by using one of her devices to give time and a body to her shadows, she could sent them through a portal to run around and seek the Lullaby in Diamond Country in case they were still alive."

"But how could Lady A get her hands on something that connects to the Looking Glass in the first place? Through the black market or the laboratories?"

Leo shook his head. "Joker has a shard of the Looking Glass that connects to the other dimension in his territory, though we prefer to call it a 'mirror' instead of the former. To be blunt, there are two fragments. One in the Circus and the other is in the Prison. They normally connect both places, but it is also used to connect to another mirror in Diamond and maybe at some point to Spades too. My Lady used a bit more of her Medicine and a few mementos from there to unlock its mechanisms. From what we know or have heard through the grapevine, her shadow took the form of a small jackal with that bore a few feline traits. It managed to easily locate the lullaby in Diamond because we are connected to Aria by our tattoos, so her shadows were able to seek out the others who share the same mark as us."

"...And do you think that trying to reconnect with these countries here in Clover Country…is really a good idea?"

It did not take Leo even a split second to answer that question. "Absolutely. Long ago, they were connected. While Spade had been lost for thousands of time changes, Diamond met its demise barely two generations of Role Holders ago." He grinned sunnily at Erin. "She intends to accomplish all of this, and yet Lady A still says that she is still just an Outsider."

Erin blinked at him owlishly. "But even what you've just said, I am neither strong nor knowledgeable like Miss Jackie, much less capable leading others in the bloodshed with my head held high as your Lady would do without a second thought."

He just smiled and tightened his grip on her hands. "But that's all right. You are your own person. And in my opinion...you have so much potential. Just as the Lady is the everlasting Sun and Shadow of the Lullaby, you are our Moon. And unlike the previous Outsiders who have entered Wonderland, you are determined to take everything in stride and ask even more questions about this world. Far more than Alice Liddell ever could since the Prime Minister first brought her here. While I admit the girl has determination, she relies completely on the Role Holders for help. And even after accepting to stay here, she doesn't decide on what she even wants. That is another significant difference between the two of you. You could have easily asked the Lullaby for shelter and protection, but instead you decided to work and live on your own while taking the initiative to learn. To continue moving forward and making progress not only with myself or the Role Holders you encounter, but for your own sake. That in itself proves you're a strong person. And for that alone, you have my utmost respect." He took a sip of his coffee. "As an Outsider, you have the ability to decide what future you will have: to return home or stay here. But since you know the truth, you decide to adapt and make the most of it despite being in an area where most of the Role Holders' domain disputes take place."

"…I may not be like Miss Alice, but what about Miss Jackie? She is also strong and dedicated. Why didn't the Lullaby asked her for help instead of me back when I was still adjusting to this dimension?"

Leo playfully tapped the tip of his finger on Erin's nose. "While Miss Jackie Penski, the third Outsider, is strong in her own way, she simply buries her emotions through work at the Amusement Park and denies to accept the reality of this world. Of course, she desperately wishes to return home just as much as Miss Alice Liddell says she wants, retreat back to peaceful and comfortable moments that do not even exist. But at the same time, she is also too afraid to move forward because the 'home' she knows about...is not a pleasant one, to say the least but she lacks the courage to learn and live anything else."

When he retracted his gaze back onto the Outsider, Leo noticed that her hands no longer trembled under his touch. Good. It seemed that what he said was more than enough to soothe the anxieties that plagued.

"Leo... if the Berceuse ordered you to kill me for whatever reason she saw fit, would you do it?"

...At least, until she brought up that particular question.

Leo stared long and hard at the dark-haired Outsider for a few seconds before he replied in a low, husky voice. "Erin, Lady A is our life and purpose. This damned place has allowed myself and the Lullaby to be made as her cards. We are happy because she acknowledges us, our very existence, whereas the Role Holders would not think twice about replacing us if we ended up dying on the streets. And it's not just being taken into consideration...she has given us an opportunity to become more than we could even dream about. Expanding our skills in the workforce, learning more than just the basics of reading and math. She has taught us to learn and to use what we learned. Her presence makes us stronger in every way and happiness makes our clocks keep ticking. We love her more far more than the Game demands. But...if the Berceuse would ever ask me to kill you on her orders...I would rather take my own life than betray my Lady or you, Erin."

Seeing an uncomfortable frown stretch across her face at his proclamation, he decided to change the subject and excused himself from the table to retrieve something he received from Paulina before he left the nail salon. Less than a few seconds later, he returned with a brightly-colored flyer and bold lettering. The foot-soldier watch Erin give him a deadpanned expression.

"A dancing contest, Leo?"

He pouted at her lack of enthusiasm. "Why not? True won't happen until the Spring festival comes around, but you might like it. And it can serve as your final test in our dancing lessons!"

"I dislike crowds, much less performing a tango in front of them."

Erin flushed at the close proximity between them and tried to push the foot-soldier off. "I-I still don't like the idea!" A shudder instantly crawled down her spine when she felt a gloved hand on gently stroke her waist, almost mimicking the pawing of an innocent kitten. "Please~?"

"No." The college graduate responded curtly, though she could feel her resolve was wavering when a pleasant scent assaulted her senses. I-Is...that Leo's cologne? I usually hate that stuff...so why does it makes me feel warm, and even comforting? She felt her face turn red at the thought that just went through her mind, and perhaps much more so when Leo tilted his head and began to pout. Then does it feel like my stomach is tied in a knot? T-That must be it. The scent is making my stomach upset.

"But donna mia~!"

"What are you even saying? Is it Spanish?" Erin asked with a bit of suspicion in her shaky voice.

Unbeknownst to her however, Leo realized that what he said to the Outsider were actually terms of endearment. But despite the red-hot scarlet hue of embarrassment that was stretched across his skin, it was already too late. He might as well answer Erin's question. "What I said…querida means 'dear' and donna mia…. it means 'my lady'. Erin, I respect you very much, and I wish to call you that from now on. If it's alright with you." He smiled charmingly at the befuddled foreigner before gently lifting her to an upright position, but did not relent his grip on her frame. "Erin… I...I…I really would like us to go and have fun."

Judging from the surprised expression dancing in her bright green orbs, Leo surmised that Erin at least understood how much he valued and respected her as a person and not a rare commodity with a 'real' heart. Even the coffee-haired woman could hear that the way he addressed her as 'my lady' like that there was not the usual fanatic tone for the Berceuse, where someone could practically hear the capitalization on the words 'My Lady'. It was low, husky...and caring.

The foot-soldier silently stared at her fidget slightly before swallowing the lump in her throat. "Um, i-it's fine. As long as you do not wear the cologne you're using now." She replied, turning her head to the side, only to see a torrent of red and orange-colored leaves dance vigorously through an adjacent window.

"I-It's...Fall?"

Leo looked in the same direction and nodded. "Yes. It's still April Season."

Erin massaged her temples with a weary frown. "Then I will need to go back to work soon. But first, I need to ask Joker if he can change the season back to Winter when I am not the star of the Game. And neither is Alice."

Leo did not hesitate when he spoke again to the Outsider. "Would you like me to accompany you?" Erin shook her head. "I will be all right, but thank you."

Leo stiffened at the answer and clenched his hand into a fight fist resting by his side. He did not like the thought of leaving Erin by herself, especially after the bombing in the town. Nonetheless, his presence could compromise the young woman or the Lullaby once more. And there was no telling what the Berceuse would do if she had found that he risked the wellbeing of his 'family' for the second time. The least he could do now would be to respect her decision.

Once the two of them quickly cleaned up the dining room table, the Outsider made her way to the door with Leo close behind. But when he opened it for her, the foot-soldier was caught off when a pair of soft lips briefly pressed against his cheek and then heard a murmured farewell. He felt his face heat up again as the door quickly closed.

Leo placed a palm on the affected area and grinned goofily. If he had eyes, they would be blinking as well as wide with surprise. From that single gesture he felt warm, strong, and alive. He did not care if this was an effect due to her being an Outsider, because Leo knew that Erin was the sole reason behind the quick ticking in his clock. As he wobbled to the kitchen to wash the dishes, the foot-soldier could not help but be grateful to Lady A. The Berceuse must have foreseen this happening, and that was why she had chosen a complete demotion for his punishment. It was a chance to renew his loyalty to the Lullaby and capture the affection of his Little Moon.

And that is what exactly he would do.

Thanks to Momochan77, snm1, LucianKnight, Quiet Harmony-chan, BigHam, ChikenatSchool, Guest, and xXxSebastian-MichaelisxXx for not taking the time to read and review the last chapter, but being patient with the publication of this one! Work is starting to get busy with the holidays close to being around the corner, so updates might become sporadic from this point forward. See you soon!

Allon-sy!