Alice was remarkably quick to dress when she woke the next morning, pulling a green dress over her head and brushing her hair before using a new green and gold ribbon to pull her hair back. She pulled on a pair of white stockings and slipped on a new pair of black shoes before heading down stairs. Not knowing what to do to keep herself busy until the others woke up, she began to head for the kitchen. She was still determined to achieve a perfect score on her coffee, after all. As she passed the drawing room she heard something unusual. Was that...snoring?
Cautiously, she pushed the door open and approached the couch. Sleeping there was none other than the Knight of Hearts, clad only in his black trousers. He looked so naked without his knight uniform and heavy red coat that for a moment Alice didn't even recognize him. With a sigh she reached out a hand and shook him awake. At first you'd have thought he was a corpse if it weren't for his snoring for all the reaction he gave. But then as the shaking increased he began to make small noises of protest before waving his hand at her, trying to brush her off.
"Ace," She hissed in his ear. The Knight of Hearts bolted upright, making Alice flinch and barely avoid hitting their heads together.
"Huh? Oh, hey Alice!" He smiled.
"Good morning Ace, what are you doing down here?" She laughed at the goofy smile on his half-awake face.
"Well, I got thirsty last night and I didn't want to bug any one so I went to the kitchens myself. It took me a while, but I found the kitchens and got some water. Then I couldn't find the stairs, and when I did I kept going down them not up. When I finally got up the stairs I couldn't find my room. So I kept looking until I found the stairs and accidentally went down again. The stairs disappeared so I kept looking. Then I found the Drawing Room and decided to sleep on the couch until you or Julius could rescue me!" He smiled and sat up.
Alice shook her head in dismay. "I'm not even going to ask about the stairs." Ace shrugged in response, a light blush staining his cheeks.
"I was about to make some coffee, want to come with?" Ace nodded, rather like a little child eager to help his mother with a task. Alice led him to the kitchens directing him to sit at the table and began to make the morning coffee.
Half way through, Edith came down into the kitchen, still dressed in her night gown, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She took the empty seat across from Ace and smiled groggily at him. "Good morning Ace-nii-san." She yawned.
"Good morning Edith-chan." He replied with a broad smile and a wave of his right hand. They sat in silence for a long moment before Alice came over to Ace with a mug of coffee in her hands.
"Try it." She said. Ace grabbed the mug and lifted it to his lips, blowing softly to cool down the black liquid and took a swig. "Well?" Alice said eagerly.
Ace smiled and laughed at her. "I think Julius will finally give you that perfect score you've been working so hard for!" Alice smiled triumphantly at the Knight and returned to the still scalding pot.
"Perfect! Now all that needs to be done is to keep the coffee warm until he wakes up."
"That won't be an issue at all." The blue haired man mumbled sleepily as he walked in and took the empty seat between Ace and Edith. "I smell coffee." He mumbled again, his head already beginning to fall again and his eyelids half closed.
Alice poured the coffee into a fresh mug and placed it in front of him on the table. "Here, it's black, just how you like it." Julius lifted the coffee to his lips and blew then took a drink, much slower about it than Ace had and gave Alice a small smile.
Ace turned his attention back to Edith and began telling her a story about when he got lost, making her giggle madly at the twists and turns he experienced.
"Your top score, ninety-eight points."
"What?" Alice wanted to shriek and tear her hair out. She was so close! "How is this only worth ninety-eight?" She was half tempted to stomp her foot in aggravation.
"It's too hot. More suited to night or evening coffee. But not first thing in the morning when one's taste buds are still adjusting to taste, the taste is welcoming, but the heat is too strong a wakeup call." He said bluntly.
Alice slumped where she stood, her head hung low. "I thought it was perfect this time." She mumbled.
Julius gave a soft chuckle and stood. "Never the less, I look forward to your next effort before we leave."
"What?" The other three occupants of the room asked in unison.
Julius looked at Ace and Edith, and then locked eyes with Alice. "We must return before the portal closes. Nightmare has been having trouble keeping the gate open since the defeat of Micrurus, we have absolutely no idea how much longer he can keep it open. I woke up immediately after he told me. I went to Ace's room, but he wasn't there. As soon as I smelled the coffee I knew he would be down here with you." The Clockmaker then turned to face the Knight. "Ace, get dressed and get your sword. We must leave before noon."
The knight nodded and stood. He gave Edith's bed hair a ruffle and then ran out of the room, only to turn right in a full circle and moved toward the front door instead. Julius sighed and turned to face Edith. "Edith-chan, would you mind helping Ace?"
Edith nodded eagerly and raced after Ace, a few moments later you could hear his protests as Edith dragged him back toward the stairs. Julius shook his head, exasperated with the Knight's inability to find a simple set of stairs.
"Do you really have to go?" Alice whispered sadly, holding back the forming tears. Julius faced her with a frown and took a deep breath to steady himself before he stood and walked closer to her.
"This isn't our world. Ace and I don't belong here. I doubt we could even really survive here, what with Ace having no sense of direction and I being so anti-social. The best thing to do would be to return home."
Alice fisted her hands and clenched tightly to her dress, each word he spoke drilling a deeper hole into her chest. "But, I thought the game ended with Micrurus's death!"
"It did. Ace is free of his role and is now able to do as he wishes."
"Then what about you, Julius? You spent your whole life fixing clocks and running the game! What are you going to do now?" She wished she could reach out and touch him, but her hands shook too much with fear as realization hit her that she was losing her best friends and the only man she ever believed she could truly give her heart to.
Julius gave her a soft smile and was about to reach out and touch her, but restrained himself. "I hear there's a hot spring in my former territory. It might be nice to take a vacation for a few months; I certainly deserve it."
"And after that?"
Julius shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe I'll travel, maybe I'll continue being a Clockmaker, though it's not like many people would have use of my services these days." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Nightmare has also offered me a job since he's still running his territory."
"What would that job be?" Alice asked curiously.
Julius gave a small smirk before answering, "To help him hide from Gray and avoid his work and trips to the hospital." Despite the atmosphere that was heavy with sorrow and goodbyes Alice couldn't help but laugh, Julius joining in softly. "But I'll likely have to decline."
After their laughter died down Alice looked at him with a sad smile. "It doesn't sound like you have anything waiting back in your world." Julius nodded sadly and looked down, staring at the polished black shoes he wore. "Then why return? You could stay here! People in my world are always in need of a good clock or pocket watch. We could help you start your own store or shop!" Alice was growing more excited at the thought of Julius staying and being able to see more of him and knowing that he'd finally have something worth doing.
Julius shook his head. "Then who would watch out for Ace? He's an annoyance to me, but he's still my friend and I can't just abandon him, at least not before I teach him how to read a map."
Alice sighed and looked down at her feet as well. There was one more thing she could try, but she'd feel so selfish saying it. She didn't want to guilt Julius into staying, but she didn't want him to leave when she knew he really had nothing waiting for him when he returned. She looked up and met his eyes defiantly, her teal orbs already filling with tears that begged to be released, but she denied them the satisfaction. "Then… what about me?" She whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.
Julius took a deep breath and reached out to touch her cheek with a shaky hand. "What you do is your choice. I will not stop you." He then turned and walked to the door, then turned his head to glance at her from over his shoulder. "Wonderland is always welcome to Outsiders, Alice. You'll find that getting there is easy; it's returning here that is the hard part. If you ever decide to visit, speak with Nightmare. He'll be keeping a close eye on you." And with that, her left to check on Ace.