AN: Well my friends, we have come to the end. It feels both wonderful, and very bitter sweet. I can't write a long AN because I've got to things to do, and most of them have to do with Christmas eve dinner. Also, an update on my sister. There is something wrong with the baby. Alexis (my unborn niece,) has a problem, which means the things in her chest, (Lungs, heart,) have shifted and her organs are now up in her chest.

She's going to be born two weeks early at a hospital in Tampa. I'm nervous for my sister. I know this will break her heart if anything goes wrong. So please give some prayers (if you do that stuff,) her way. Thank you!

Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye!

Chapter Fourteen

--

"Mom?" Alice repeated, stumbling forward. Her eyes were wide, her chest suddenly felt tight, and she knew she was about to burst into tears. It was her mother standing there, dressed in a beautiful black dress that swept the floor, swirling around her legs. A red corset was around her stomach and chest. Black, lacy gloves went to her shoulders. Her brown hair was darker than Alice remembered, it was done in ringlets that bounced around as she moved. Her eyes were green and sparkled brightly as she looked at Alice. Her skin was pale white, the color of skin that only those who were born in Wonderland could have.

Or those who'd spent enough time here.

"Alice," Crystal, whispered, holding out her hand. "My sweet little Alice,"

Alice stumbled forward, almost falling as her knees threatened to buckle. All thought's of fear and loathing were forgotten, she didn't remember that this woman was the 'evil' queen that she'd been fighting against, all she saw was her mother standing there.
She moved forward until she met her mother at the bottom of the steps that led up to the dais where the throne was kept. She sobbed when those willowy arms curled themselves around her.

"Mom… you're dead," Alice hide her face against her mother's shoulder.

"No," Crystal whispered stoking her fingers down her daughter's cheek, letting the black nails leave tiny white trails. "I'm right here, I'm right here." She kissed Alice's hair, smiling ever so slightly.

Alice lifted her head and looked into her eyes. "I saw… I saw you're body, I watched them bury you!" she shook her head and pushed away. "I know you died!"

"In that world, but I'm alive in wonderland…" Crystal smiled and cocked her head, "didn't they tell you?"

Alice slowly shook her head. "No…" she whispered. She thought of the words that Cheshire had first said, about adults in wonderland.

"It's not a true death." Cheshire had said. "It's the death of their entire childhood. They will never be able to visit wonderland again once they've been drained of that amount of power it takes to destroy someone's dreams. It's a very adult thing to do." They way he'd looked at her, so sad, and so judgmental.

He'd known. He'd known all along that Alice's own mother was the person destroying wonderland.

Alice shook her head, "You've destroyed wonderland" she snapped.

"Wonderland destroyed me!" Crystal snapped back, "They killed me, Alice, they took me from my home, my life!"

Alice eye's widened. "What?"

"Ah, they really didn't tell you a thing did they?" Crystal chuckled and walked towards the windows that overlooked the battlefield outside the gates. "They didn't tell you that when you left they began searching for a new queen, and they decided, with Gryphon's help I might add," she gave him a seething look, to which he lowered his head. "that I would make a good queen, because I had helped you create what wonderland had become, a beautiful, wholesome place where nobody ever hurts." She chuckled darkly.

"They made me sick Alice, they killed me to bring me here!" she rounded on Alice, "The same way they'll kill you to keep you here!" she pointed at Alice, "Don't you see, they're a selfish lot, they only want to keep the ones they like or the ones they need. Your body is still alive, you can still go home, but they've been telling you lies, haven't they? They've told you that you're trapped. You're stuck." She chuckled, "They told me the same thing, up until the day my body died. I saw your father's face, Anna's face, but not yours… you weren't there…" she closed her eyes. "Why weren't you there?"

"I couldn't watch you die…" Alice looked away and toward Gryphon, saw the raw pain on his face. "Is this true?" she asked.

"Yes. We killed her to trap her here as our new queen…" Gryphon whispered. He looked at Alice and sighed. "It is the same thing we did to Rose, and it's the same thing that White has done to you. If you don't use the looking glasses to return home your body will wither and die, you'll be trapped here forever, never aging, never dying… simply living a lie."

Alice's knees gave out and she slumped to the floor. She stared blankly at the floor for a moment until a black swirl of fabric in her line of sight made her lift her head. Her mother reached down and cupped her chin. "It's not too late," she whispered, "We'll make them all pay for this, you can return home!"

"Why did you take the dream energy?" she asked softly, pulling free from her mother's hold.

Crystal sighed and turned so quickly that the fabric of her dress swirled against Alice's arms. She walked quickly and grabbed a hold of Gryphon's chin, jerking his face closer to her own. "Because, Alice dear, the only way to kill these creatures is to destroy the world they live in." she chuckled and turned her head to look at Alice. "They all should die."

Alice stood slowly, arms hanging limply at her sides. She lifted her head and looked at her mother's eyes, so alike to her own. Finally she spoke, her words empty and pain filled. "You're not my mother, you can't be my mother! my mother helped me create wonderland, she wouldn't destroy it! and… I will do my best to save the world that I created with my mother!" she screamed the last part and raised her hand.

Gryphon put himself in the way of the hot energy coming off of her hand. "Alice!" he screamed as blood began to flow down his nose and chin. He reached up and touched it.

Alice drew back, releasing the energy.

"You can't hurt any of them… can you?" Crystal chuckled, she reached up and jerked Gryphon back by his hair. He collapsed at her feet, his hand reaching up to grab a hold his own hair, bloody tears dripping down his face. "Please," he begged.

Crystal reached into the tie of her dress and drew out a dagger. "Silly," she whispered, lowering her hand until the point of the knife rested against Gryphon's gray skin, the tip of it drawing a little more blood.

Alice looked at Gryphon, who had something in his eyes, an unspoken question, or plea. "Gryphon… why protect her?" she asked blankly.

"Because… she made me who I am!" Gryphon hissed through the pain. He was breathing quickly, his chest moving up and down in quick secession.

"Would you die for her?" Alice asked, her voice was suddenly very soft. She looked into his eyes and stared, waiting to see his answer.

"Yes."

Alice closed her eyes and breathed slowly. "Then… die." She raised her hand and squeezed. She felt the beating of his heart, watched the pain cross his face. His eyes widened, he reached up and laid his hand against his heart and slowly he looked down at it. The bloody tears ran down his face and dripped onto his hand. A slow, hesitant smile formed over his lips and his eyes closed, real tears were mixed in with the blood.

Crystal cursed and jerked her hand back, leaving his neck uncut. "What a waste!" she snapped in a very childish way. She threw his body from her as if he were suddenly a broken toy that she didn't need anymore.

Alice waited until the fluttering heart stopped beating before she raised her head. "No life is a waste, mother, it's special and unique to each person. Each person lives their life as they will, and they should have the chance to live it from start to finish. To take it from them as I just did is a selfish and sinful thing. I will not forgive myself for it. I am not like you, I cannot destroy the people I love." She smiled, "you should have treated him better, mother, because he was the only thing standing between us. I'm going to kill you… because you're already dead."

"Alice!" Crystal reached her hands out, pleading. "I'm your mother… perhaps I was a little… rash… selfish even… but I love you!" her eyes began to water.

Alice stared at the woman and shook her head slowly. "My mother is dead… you are not her anymore, you are just a ghost. My mother loved wonderland, she helped me record each trip to wonderland, and she even said she wished she could go there. I used to imagine that when she died… that she did come to wonderland, that she finally got to share a tea party with my insane Hatter, and March, and even Dormy with his sleepy smile." Alice shook her head, "I know she'd love wonderland and care for it, and each tiny flower that bloomed. You destroy and murder each thing that makes wonderland my world. You ordered Mock to kill a man that I loved. You forced my hand and made me strike another of my friends down… right now, for all I know, my true love is lying dead in that field. My mother would never want to cause me pain…"

Crystal shook her head, "Alice, you don't understand what you're saying! They took me from you!" she screamed, dropping to her knees, her skirt spreading around her, parts of it soaking up the blood.

"I understand enough, I understand that you only want to hurt people… to make them suffer because you believe that you suffered… and I know that I suffered because of your choices. You are dead to me, Mother, even if you were her… you aren't anymore…" Alice sighed and focused her gaze on the past face. "If only you weren't who you are… we could've been very happy… in wonderland… together…" she sent out the power and felt it latch on, felt the bird like fluttering of her mother's heart. "Die." She squeezed her hand as hard as she could.

There was a moment, when Alice watched the wide, shocked expression fill those eyes, where the anger and bitterness fell away, that she saw her mother gazing back at her. instantly she released her grip, but from the faint fluttering she'd just felt, she knew it was too late to undo what she'd gone.

She ran forward, catching her mother before she hit the ground. "Mom!"

Crystal smiled faintly and reached up, "I-I wanted so badly for it to stop hurting… I-I let m-myself forget who I was… I didn't want to be myself anymore." She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. When she opened her eyes again, she was fully crying. "T-thank you, my Alice, you m-made me remember who I really am…." She paused again to take another breath. "I'm sorry…"

Alice held her mother, tears dripping down her face. "M-mom… I…" she didn't know what to say. She wasn't sorry, the woman she'd attacked hadn't been her mother, but this woman was. It was as if they were two sides to the same coin, much like White was with his split personality thing. She reached down and touched her mother's blood stained face. "I don't want you to go," she whispered.

A smile moved over the former queen's lips. "I've already gone," she whispered, "I'm only a ghost in this world."

Alice closed her eyes and lowered her head to her mother's face, "Please," she begged, "I don't want to lose you again!"

"Goodbye… my Alice,"

Alice lifted her head, eyes wide as she watched her mother take a shaky, shallow breath, and suddenly it flowed out of her, leaving her empty and lifeless. Alice stared for a long time. "Goodbye," she finally whispered.

--

It was sometime before the sound of footsteps made Alice aware that she was no longer alone in the room.

"Alice…"

Alice lifted her head. "I thought…" she trailed off as she started in Caterpillar's eyes.

He studied the scene before him and nodded slowly, "You were meant to think I was dead… Mock… thought it would weaken you, but he didn't realize that I have my own brand of magic."

"Yeah," Alice said blankly. She turned away from him.

"I'm sorry," Caterpillar walked over and dropped to his knees beside her. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his head resting against her cheek. "I'm so sorry," he was crying now.

Alice didn't say anything for a moment, "Why did you do this to her?" she whispered.

"W-we didn't know what would happen…" Caterpillar admitted, "We thought it would be like it was when we brought you here… but it wasn't. She was sick. So sick. I-I knew her body was dying, because a body cannot live without a soul. White transplanted a lesser soul into it, hoping that it would sustain her body but it failed… When her body died she changed into this person, cruel and unable to care." He broke off into weak sobs.

Alice reached one of her blood hands up and laid it against his hands. "Did you intend to kill me?" she questioned.

"We're selfish, Alice," Hatter said from the doorway. He was leaning heavily on the doorframe, his leg sliced open. Hare was supporting him as well as he could.

"I'll take that as a yes." She closed her eyes and looked at her mother. "You destroyed my whole world," she whispered, knowing they would understand. "You took my mother from me, stole me from my own world, asked me to save your own, and then you planned to let me die… let me become a monster like this." Anger filled her and she pushed Caterpillar away from her, she laid her mother's head carefully on the floor and stood. She marched over to White, who'd just joined the group. She drew back her hand and slapped him across the face. "You bastard!"

White flinched back. Shock overcoming all other emotions. "A-Alice." He stuttered.

"Don't tell me you didn't have a part to play in this!"

White lowered his eyes, "I've had a part to play in taking every queen from their home, and implanting the false souls… to give us more time." He dropped to his knees in front of her. "I'm sorry… my queen."

Alice would have hit him again if she hadn't seen Cheshire standing there. "Did you know what they planned?" she demanded.

"I did," Cheshire nodded, "But that doesn't mean I agreed with it. It doesn't mean that what I feel for you is false or-"

"Everything you've spoken to me in this world is based on a lie, Cheshire, everything all of you have said is a bunch of bullshit lies!" She spun around and walked away from them, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth.

They'd tricked her, they'd lied to her… they'd ruined everything. And yet… she loved them. She loved Cheshire's wicked grin, Hatter's insane love of tea and hats, Hare's cooking, Caterpillar's goofy smile, even Dormy's laughter.

"I told them it was a bad idea," said Dormouse laughed.

Alice turned and looked at him for a moment, "At least someone had a brain," she whispered.

Dormouse walked over to her, a look on his face. "It's not too late…" he whispered. "You can still go home, the soul has been keeping your body alive… but it'll die today when there is no power left in wonderland." He looked at the snow storm that raged outside.

Alice watched the snow for a moment, "What'll happen to you guys?" she asked suddenly.

Caterpillar sighed from his place on the floor, "It doesn't matter, Alice, we've caused you enough grief for one lifetime…" he smiled faintly. "Go home,"

Those two words were echoed by all, even Cheshire.

Alice looked into his lilac eyes. "I can't… I can't leave you!" she snapped, she flung her arms around his neck.

Cheshire wrapped his arms tightly around her and shook his head. "You have to, I won't allow you to stay here and die!" he snapped, he pushed her away and held her face in his hands. "I wont let you die here Alice, in this cold empty place!" he grabbed her arm and started dragging her behind him.

"W-where are we going?" Alice demanded, struggling to keep up with him.

"The Looking Glass tower," Cheshire answered.

"I said I'm not leaving!" Alice snapped.

"Yes," Cheshire said crossly, "You are!"

"You're such a jerk!"

--

Alice waited until they all stood in the hallway of the tower. She turned to Caterpillar and stared into his eyes. "The Jabberwock told me to break the mirrors, that there was enough power inside them to restore wonderland." So the last part wasn't true, but Alice was hoping that that would be the ending.

Caterpillar closed his eyes. "When one of the mirror's broke… over a hundred years ago, the resulting power surge created at least two new lands, with fully formed people. Wonderland's main city was also created. We built the castle to insure that no mirror would ever break again." He sighed, "I can't believe I'm about to tell you to break them," he laughed loudly.

Cheshire stepped forward and touched his fingers to Alice's face. "The mirror's are your only way home, Alice, if you break them you can never leave." He looked sad, angry, and depressed.

Alice closed her eyes. She thought about everything that had just happened. Thought about having to destroy her mother, even if it was just a ghostly memory, and that was what she believed it to be, she could never admit to herself that it had been her mother she killed.

She thought about her father, probably sitting beside a hospital bed, watching his daughter die the same way he'd watched his wife die. How many months had passed in her own world? How long had she been away?

Would she be able to go back to her old life anyway? The idea of stepping back into a pair of shoes she'd long imagined impossible to wear, it frightened her beyond belief. She didn't want her old life back. She wanted to keep this strangely wonderful life. She wanted to stay with the people she'd come to love, even if they were a set of devious assholes.

Alice lifted her head, reached her hand up and touched Cheshire's cheek. She leaned forward and kissed him, kissed him in a way that was both the first kiss, and the last kiss. "I don't know what'll happen, but I know that right now… right now I'm happy. I know that I love you, even if you are an ass, and that spending whatever time I'll have left in this life will be well worth it." she sighed. "I look and White and Rose, and I know that not everyone turns out like my mother. My mother wasn't with to someone like Rose and I are, so maybe… maybe that's what it takes. I don't know, but I'd rather do it and find out that I was wrong than not do it at all and never known. I made a promise to myself, I promised that I would protect wonderland, and I will do so… even if I die doing it."

Cheshire nodded slowly, his lilac eyes shimmered with tears. "Damn, aren't you the one supposed to be crying?" he asked, wiping his eyes quickly with the back of his hand.

Alice wiped her own eyes. "I am crying, stupid." She muttered.

Hatter and Caterpillar exchanged looks. "We don't know what will happen to the people in the room when the mirror's break." He sounded scared. "You might be lost, Alice, are you prepared for that?"

Alice nodded. "I said I'm ready for whatever left throws at me, and I meant it," she held out a hand to Caterpillar, who took it gently. "Don't worry about me. If everything works out and wonderland is saved, than my life will be lived perfectly. I got to come back here, and I got to fall madly in love with someone. That is all I could have asked for." And, she added to herself, I got to say goodbye to mom.

"You're not thinking I'm going to let you go alone, now are you?" Cheshire said sharply. "If you're going to die, than I'm going to be right beside you. Are bond means that we are together forever. And before you point out that I have no reason to be with you, our bond means that if one of us dies, the other dies too. I will not have you dying alone, and I don't want to die alone either."

"Have any of you thought about, oh I dunno, the fact that this might all work out as a happily ever after?" Dormouse said from beside Hatter. He had Hatter's other arm and was supporting him.

Alice sighed and chuckled. "I don't want to get my hopes up, Dormy, but I would very much like a happily ever after." She turned and looked at Cheshire, "I should like it very much."

Cheshire nodded his head, "Maybe we'll get one, maybe not. But we'll be together. Is that a good enough ending?"

Alice laughed, "It is a perfect ending in my book."

"is this all your book?" Hare asked.

"Someday I might record it, but now, it's happening as we go. I don't know the ending any better than any of you do." Alice said, shaking her head. "Just as I still don't know the answer to Hatter's riddle."

Hatter laughed, "I don't know it either, when… when this is all said and done, we'll make an answer together. At a tea party of course."

Alice smiled, "and Time shall be there to help with it, and we wont keep having to move down. And perhaps I'll finally be able to drink some tea without Hare trying to steal it from me."

"and perhaps my watch will be free of breadcrumbs." White snorted. He reached out and touched Alice's cheek. "I'm holding you to this tea party, Alice, you must promise you wont be late."

Alice saw the raw pain in his gaze. "I'll try." She whispered, kissing him softly. She stepped back into Cheshire's arms and turned toward the heavily locked door.

"I, Alice, Queen of wonderland, ask you to allow me and mine passage." Alice said.

The locks began to click open. Finally it swung open.

Alice looked into the inside of the room and saw… nothing. "It's… so dark." She whispered.

"The whole room is a mirror," Caterpillar explained. "Mirrors reflect eternity," he sighed and closed his eyes. "One of the few reasons that the mirrors are so useful is that when one steps inside the room the mirrors show themselves into eternity and it shows all possible outcomes of a persons life. They are double edged though, they'll show all possible outcomes, even those leading to death and failure. But they also so life and happiness. If one reads them right they can live a life of peace and happiness, but knowing everything is dangerous indeed." He trailed off and looked at Alice, "I would never have wished this path on you when we first met, I would never have asked you as our young queen to come to this room and see your whole future"

"It is a fate that we don't wish on any of the young queens," Hatter said, adding his two bits. "Rose herself didn't see the mirror room until she had been in wonderland almost twenty years." He looked at Alice, panic raw on his face. "I… I don't want to loose you." He admitted.

Cheshire reached out and laid his hand on Hatter's arm. "I'll look after her," he whispered.

Hatter and Cheshire shared a look, one that Alice couldn't quite understand. It was almost as if, for the first time, Hatter was giving up his place in Alice's life. He was finally saying 'Ok, I understand, she's yours, take care of her'.

Alice closed her eyes and smiled. "Cheshire… can we do this before I chicken out?" she whispered, it was for his ears only.

Cheshire nodded, he removed his hand from Hatter's arm and took Alice's hand.

They all stood there in the hallway. And Alice looked into each of their faces, memorizing each little detail. She didn't want to ever forget how wonderful they were, how insanely beautiful… and just how much she loved each of them.

"I…" Alice swallowed, "I love you all," she bowed and lifted her head to look at them all. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

Caterpillar lost it, he started laughing. "Alice, we've messed up your life. You should have lived a long, happy life in your own world and we took that from you," he had tears in his eyes.

Alice swallowed again, "I know you guys are a bunch of selfish jerks but if you hadn't made me come back… I would never have met Cheshire, I would never have been able to save you all, and I wouldn't have been able to say goodbye to my mom. All of that is enough for me to thank you for." She looked at Cheshire, "I love you," she added.

Cheshire laughed softly, "I know," he said, closing his eyes, a smile moving over his face. "I know you love me, and I know I love you beyond what I should be able to feel."

"It's strange," Alice admitted.

"It's completely nutty, but I love it." Cheshire opened his eyes. "I love you,"

Alice beamed. She looked at the others and gave them a nod. "I'll hold you to that tea party," she said as she and Cheshire started towards the door.

"Two sugars or one?" Hare called after her.

"Three!" Alice laughed.

They stepped into the darkness.

--

The door swung closed behind them, plunging them into what should have been total darkness, but strangely enough, their reflections were glowing on the floor. Alice studied it for a moment and smiled. "Nice,"

Cheshire snorted, "It's creepy,"

They stepped further into the room, and than suddenly the floor creaked loudly.

Alice reached out and seized the sleeve of Cheshire's shirt, her fingers digging into the fabric, "is that supposed to happen?" she asked.

"I don't know," Cheshire said meekly. He looked just as frightened as Alice.

'It's been a while, Cheshire Cat.'

Alice jumped. She looked around but there was no one else in the room. "Who…"

'I am all, and nothing at all,' The voice said, 'I am the one who plans, and understands, and yet allows things to change. So much has changed.'

"What changed?" Cheshire asked.

'Everything,´ The voice said, 'Alice was never meant to leave, and she was never meant to return. You were never meant to fall in love, but you have…'

Alice looked at Cheshire, "I wouldn't change that." She said.

'I would not ask you to. I ask that you be happy.'

"What are you really?" Alice asked.

'I am Wonderland, the heart and soul of wonderland.'

"Nice to meet you," Alice snorted.

'You're still a silly little girl, but you are queen. They choose you and I respect them all the more for it. But you know what you must do… you must destroy me.'

"But if you are the heart of wonderland, what will destroying you do?" Alice asked.

'A new heart must be given, a new mind and a new soul must become wonderland.' The voice explained. 'You must become wonderland,'

Cheshire's hand clung tightly to Alice's, "What will that do to her?" he demanded.

'Don't worry about such things, little cat, you will both be fine. You will both arrive at the banquet on time.' The voice chuckled at it's own joke.

"Oh," Cheshire looked at Alice, "The choice is yours."

'It has always been hers,' The voice added, 'I have never taken the choice from her, I have allowed her to make her mistakes, and allowed her to step with her own feet, and her own mind. I ask only for her to take the weight of wonderland upon her mind. But be warned. You will never be allowed to leave wonderland, whatever happens, you must remain here or wonderland will die.'

"I couldn't leave, even if I wanted to. Wonderland is my home, it's where my heart is most in love, and it's the place when I feel loved and can love in return." Alice explained.

'Good,'

A light filled the room, growing brighter and brighter.

'I am sorry that you must see this. Alice.'

A series of visions flashed before Alice's eyes. She knew that it was the lives she could have lived.

She saw herself in her own world, living, going to school, becoming a lawyer, watching her niece and nephews, watching her sister's bright smiling face, watching herself getting married, watching the love in her eyes as she looked into the face of a man whose name was completely unknown, she watched her body change with pregnancy, watched the birth, and watched the love fill her eyes as she stared into the eyes of a child she would never know.

The image changed again. She saw herself standing in that hallway, watched the snow began to flit through the broken windows. She watched Cheshire wrap his arms around her and hold her as they both froze to death, clinging to the idea of someone saving them.

The next image was of herself and Cheshire, setting on the wonderland thrones, King and Queen, happy, loved. She watched herself pregnant again, watched the birth, and watched as she held a child with lovely lilac eyes. Her child.

The next image was of Caterpillar and herself, sitting outside his house, he was holding her hand and they were talking softly. She watched herself lean forward and kiss him. Happy and in love. Forever.

The image that followed that was of herself, Hatter, and Hare, laughing at a tea party, talking about nonsense, both Hatter and Hare held her hands, they were happy together like that.

An image of herself in a lonely castle, staring down at wonderland, alone. So alone.

The final image was of herself and White, laughing about something. Rose was sitting in a window seat, glaring.

The images faded and Alice could breathe again. "What was that?" she whispered.

"The paths of life," Cheshire answered, he was breathing hard. "I never thought my life could go so many ways." He slid to the ground and shivered. "That was horrible."

"Did you see the one of us in the hallway…?" Alice whispered.

"We died," he answered.

"It was cold,"

"Very."

'It was a possibility if you weren't brave enough to enter the room. Just as all of those are possible, and you must think carefully of each of them before you act. The outcomes are uncertain, but they could all happen still. Think carefully of your heart. I give wonderland to you, Alice, treat her well.'

Alice felt a surge of warmth washing over her body. She sighed loudly and smiled. "Summer," she said softly.

Cheshire shivered and took Alice's hand, "You're warm,"

'She is your sunlight, your air, your everything. Treat her well, my cat.' The voice faded and was gone.

Alice sat on the floor next to Cheshire. The mirror's underneath them began to break. Cracking loudly.

A rain of sparkles danced around them.

Alice leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Cheshire, and Cheshire held her tightly. "I love you,"

"I love you."

The world faded.

--

Alice opened her eyes and stared up at the crystal blue sky. The air smelled of a rich summer day, and it was hot. She sat up and groaned. "I'd gotten used to cold," she admitted.

"What a silly thing to do," Cheshire mumbled, sitting up. They stared at each other for a moment, and than they both cracked up.

"You're very late, Alice, Cheshire."

Alice turned and smiled at White, but her smile faded when she noticed little details, like the fact that his hair was much longer than it should have been.

Rose stood beside him, smiling, her stomach huge, behind her were the twins, both had twin grins on their faces. "Welcome back," she said softly.

Hatter stepped forward, "Figures," he mumbled, "You're always late."

Alice looked at Cheshire, "How long were we gone?" she asked.

"Two years," White mumbled, "It was horrible."

Alice stood up and launched herself into Hatter's arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Hatter suddenly sank to his knees, holding her. "My god, Alice, you're warm!" he shivered and pushed her away gently. "I… what happened?"

"I guess, in a nutshell, I'm the heart of wonderland." She snorted at the insanity of it. "Or something like that."

Hatter rubbed his hands together, "I think you just shocked me." He mumbled.

"Heh,"

Cheshire stood up and stretched. "I feel like I took a really good nap."

Alice frowned and thought about it for a moment, "It does doesn't it?" she smiled and stood up. "Where are they? The others?"

"They're all waiting, we told them you were back and they went to start the tea and stuff." Hatter explained, "Gryphon was most upset when a year went by without you."

"Gryphon… he's back?"

"They're all back, though there are some who are causing problems." Hatter admitted.

Alice reached up and touched her neck, felt the mark that was still on her skin. "I think I know what to do with them," she smiled wickedly.

Hatter mirrored her smile. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because I took most of your evil side,"

Hatter laughed loudly.

He held out his hand.

Alice stared at it and remembered the vision she'd had. She smiled and tucked her hands behind her back playfully. "I'll walk on my own, thanks."

Hatter smiled. "Have it your way, your highness."

"Oh, I don't know about all that queen stuff. Maybe wonderland should take a break from me being queen. I think being the heart of wonderland will be enough trouble." Alice admitted. "Can't we choose a new one?"

"Of course, of course." White said, smiling. "I'll get you the list of people who might fit the bill. You wouldn't believe the amount of children who've joined our list of wonderland creators."

Alice smiled knowingly. "I think I can image."

Cheshire reached forward and touched Alice's hand, he looked at her.

Alice smiled and shook her head. "Later," she said softly.

Cheshire sighed and nodded his head. "Why am I not surprised?" he mumbled, "You still owe me though,"

"Am I missing something?" Hatter asked, turning so he was walking backwards.

"You miss very little, Hatta," Cheshire groaned.

Hatter's grin widened. "You'd think you'd have already gotten around to that, what with being gone two years."

"Oh shove off!" Cheshire stumped away.

Alice giggled and shook her head. She looked up at the clouds that were beginning to float through the sky.

This was her wonderland. Completely hers. If she wanted, she could be selfish and keep it all to herself. But she knew that keeping wonderland alive was more important that keeping the doors closed.

She couldn't be both the heart of wonderland and it's queen, she just didn't know how to express it to the others.

But before she worried about the future, she was going to have some tea, enjoy Hare's wonderful food, and take a nap under the oak tree. Than she'd have a nice long talk with Gryphon and find out everything that the others weren't going to tell her.

She absolutely wasn't going to handle the relationship factors at the moment. There were too many options floating in front of her. Hatter and Hare, Caterpillar, Cheshire, and some she wasn't even thinking about when she stood in front of the mirror. Dormouse, Gryphon was also slightly on the list. White… well, White came with something else, and Alice was pretty sure she didn't bend that way.

She giggled at the thought.

"What are you laughing about?" Cheshire called back to her.

"Nothing!" she laughed.

Nothing at all.

Just her life. Her wonderful and insane life.

The end

--

EN: I'm so grateful to type those two words. LOL. Alice's story is over! Yay!

I had a blast writing this for you all, and I will come back to do edits, but for now the story is over. Have a happy Christmas, and a great new year!

Story finished 12/24/08