Chance wakes to find that she's in a chair. She tries to stand but finds her hands and feet are tied to the chair.
"Hello?"
Jervis walks into the room and stands to her left, happily watching her.
"Oh. Um, where am I?"
"My tea party, where else?"
Chance looks at the table before her, set up for an elaborate tea party. She gulps.
Oh crap. Maybe it isn't as bad as it looks.
She looks back over to Jervis.
"But how can I attend a tea party as extravagant as yours when my hair and outfit are attroatious?"
"Oh fear not my sweet Alice, I've already taken care of everything."
"How so?"
He picks a mirror up from the table and holds it out for chance to see her hair and get a good look at her outfit. Her hair has been dyed blonde and instead of her costume, she is in what else, a dress identical to the one in Alice in wonderland. She shivers slightly as an obvious thought crosses her mind.
"Did you...dress me?"
He nods and sets the mirror back down before stepping back beside chance and gently stroking her cheek.
"Oh my sweet inocent Alice, I've missed you so. But now that you're back here with me, you're finally safe. And your just in time for tea."
Why did you have to talk to this guy? Wait...what did he mean by inocent?! Oh crap. Play along and you'll get out alive.
"Um, mr hatter?"
"Yes Alice?"
"I'd love to enjoy your lovely tea, but I can't with my hands tied."
"No worries Alice, I'll help you."
"But a proper girl would feed herself."
He pauses for a moment before untying her hands and sitting down across from her. He points to her tea cup.
"Well, drink up while it's still warm. It's your favorite, raspberry."
"That sounds delightful. Can I ask for a favor?"
He gives her a warning stare before answering.
"What kind of favor, Alice?"
"After tea time, could you read to me of my many adventures in wonderland?"
"But surely you remember them in fine detail."
"True its just...oh never mind. It's stupid."
His expression softens.
"Tell me."
"Okay if you insist. It's just that I used to love being read to. It makes me feel like a little girl again. But I guess you don't have to. I just thought it would help me relax."
A smile spreads across his face.
"That sounds delightful. First thing after tea."
"Do you have it?"
"Of corse I do."
"Can you show me?"
Jervis stands up and turns to a bookcase behind his seat. Chance quickly dumps her tea into the teapot in front of her. Before he returns, she glances into her cup confirming her suspicions.
Date drugs are date drugs. Can't hide them from me.
She pretends to finish her tea while he sits back down holding up a worn out copy of Alice in wonderland. She yawns and looks into her cup.
"Mr hatter? I've finished all my tea. It was delicious."
He beams with delight and walks over to her seat. He examines her cup before untying her ankles and helping her up, chance faking drowsiness. She let's Jervis walk her over to a couch in the living room. She resists the urge to run, knowing that the house was probably booby trapped and he probably will just use some mind control on her. He pulls her closer to him, so that she's resting her head against his chest.
Of all the times I wish I looked my age... Damn you youthful looks!
He begins reading, chance ignores him and puts on a naive smile while she tries to think of a way out.
If I play along I can hold him off long enough so crane can find me and I won't end up like however many other girls named Alice he has under the floorboards...or worse.
Note to self: never name your kid Alice.
"Are you listening Alice?"
Chance snaps back to reality.
"I'm so sorry, I just got lost in happy thoughts."
He strokes her cheek again. She shivers under his touch.
"What about?"
Crap. Wing it.
"Flowers and colorful giant mushrooms."
"Sounds like wonderland."
"It looked like it too. You're so nice to me."
Chance yawns again.
"Are you alright Alice?"
"I'm fine mr hatter. Please continue, I'm so sorry for interrupting you."
"It's alright, just don't do it again. But I think you are getting tired."
"No I'm okay. Keep reading."
"I insist that I help escort you to bed."
Chance gulps.
"But...I'm scared to be wandering around a strange place. Can't we stay here until I fall asleep?"
Chance gives him her best pleading look with her eyes and he pets the back of her hair. Her lip begins to tremble.
"If that's what you want..."
Theres a knocking noise from a few rooms away. Jervis sits up, annoyed and sets chance so that she's leaning against the back of the couch. He gets up and gently grips her chin, pulling her into a deep kiss. She feels a wave of nausea.
Eww, eww, eww, get him away from me! I'd rather have pissed scarecrow than delusional creep tetch.
He pulls away and pushes a loose hair behind her ear.
"It seems we have a guest. I'll take care of them, you'll probably be asleep before I return. Sweet dreams my Alice."
He walks out of the room and chance looks around for something to use as a weapon. Unable to find anything, she sits back down on the couch as she hears footsteps.
Come on crane. Hurry up, you probably know this place better than me.
Five minutes ago.
"Listen Jervis, I know you've got her."
"Who?"
"Chance, Michelle. She belongs to me, so give her back."
"There isn't a Michelle here."
"She has dark brown hair, blue streaks in it, she's close to your height..."
"Dark brown? Was it Alices length?"
"Yes...is she here? I don't know what you've done to her, but if you return her in one piece, I won't use you as my latest test subject. Also if you haven't made her into a puppet...slave...or what ever you call them, I might let you live."
"No Michelles here."
"Are there any new girls here?"
"Just Alice."
Crane freezes for a brief moment.
"Has she gone to wonderland?"
"Almost, she drank the tea and she was on her way when you so rudely interrupted me. She's such a good Alice. So kind, so young, so small, so smart, so innocent...not tall and stubborn like the others..."
Crane pins Jervis against the wall by his neck with one hand and pulls out a syringe with the other.
"Take me to her right now and if you've so much as touched her so help me I'll send you on a nightmare so bad, you'll beg me to torture you to death."
"Oh very well then, I'll take you to visit my Alice. But don't be surprised if she is sleeping, she drank all of my special tea."
Crane releases him and Jervis points down a far hallway. He walks ahead, eager to get in and out as quickly as possible.
"Dr crane?! It's about time you got here." Chance runs to meet crane as he enters the room.
"Blonde doesn't suit you. Come, let's get back home..."
"Nobody takes away my Alice."
Before anybody can react, Jervis slips a headband on crane, making him frozen in place. Jervis walks around so that he's facing crane and standing next to Michelle. He smiles at crane who's glaring at him.
"Not even you, March. Don't fret, after Alice has had her nap, and I've had my fun, we can all have another tea party."
He returns to the couch and pulls chance into his lap despite her struggling against him.
"Alice, I'm begining to suspect that you never drank your tea."
Chance gulps and nervously bites her lip.
"No sir, I did. It's just that...spending time with mr hare has gotten me used to the tea."
"I was afraid of this. Oh well, I've got other means..."
He pulls a headband out of his coat pocket. Chance pushes away from him but his grip on her waist is too tight for her to move off of him.
Am I the biggest weakling ever or is there some gym for super criminals I don't know about?
"Please don't."
"You wanted to leave me, just relax, there isn't any pain in wonderland. Just bliss."
"I'm so sorry, I'll be good, just don't."
His brow furrows.
"That's what the others said."
"Please. You're older than me so don't I have to do what you say anyway?"
His expression relaxes slightly.
"You'll be a good Alice?"
"Yes sir. I...trust you." Chance forces out the last two words thru clenched teeth.
"I've never had a good Alice. They all tried to run."
"I'm not like the other ones."
"I suppose that as long as you're good, we won't be needing this."
He puts the headband back into his coat.
"Thank you so mu..."
He puts a finger to her lips, cutting her off.
"As long as you're good and do as you're told. But if you act like the others, I'll have to send you to wonderland. Although, I'm happy either way."
"Yes sir."
He begins lightly tracing his finger up and down her spine, making her shiver.
"Mr hatter?"
"Yes?"
"Is mr hare in wonderland?"
"No my sweet Alice. He is simply under my control, unless I say so, he can't move from that spot."
"Then can he sit down? Standing for hours can't be good for his feet."
He sighs in annoyance but doesn't break his gaze from chance.
"March, you may have a seat."
Crane sits down on a nearby chair still glaring at Jervis. He kisses into chances neck and she begins to panic.
"Um, can you slow down? I'm scared."
He pulls away and examines her face.
"I understand. But don't worry, everything's alright."
He returns to kissing her neck. She clears her throat and he pulls away once more.
"Um, I think mr hare wants to say something."
"Fine. You may speak up, march."
Crane let's out a gasp as he takes in gulps of air.
"Let her go. I've put too much work into her for you to corrupt and turn her into another one of your human puppets."
"Silence!"
Crane clamps his mouth shut.
"Now Alice, be a good girl and stop talking. I don't like it when my girls talk unless spoken to."
Chance let's her anger and frustration boil over.
"But I'm not Alice!"
Jervis tsks before reaching into his coat and pulling out the headband.
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
Chance gets wide eyed and tries to get away.
"Sorry sorry sorry sorry! That just slipped! I know I'm Alice just like your the mad hatter and he's the march hare! Please don't."
He pauses thoughtfully and smirks at her.
"Because you apologized for your outrageous outburst, I won't leave it on. Five minutes, for future knowledge of what happens when you don't watch your tongue. Please don't fight it. If you do, I'll have to call my other girls to help me get it on."
Chance squeezes her eyes shut and relaxes. She begins trembling slightly as he slips on the metal headband. Once on, she goes limp.
Wondering why Hatter has a fixation on Chance? Check out the tie in, The only treatment for fear is fear itself