Short, I know and I'm sorry. A lot of things are happening, I have absolutely no idea how to continue this and I'm just kind of buying time, sorry. Plus my wrist is messed up and I cannot write with it that well. Sorry, but enough about me! Chapter 28 coming at you, Enjoy!

"Aunt Imogene," Alice whispered, covering her mouth with her hand. "How?"

"I don't know, Alice." Margret admitted. "She'd hadn't even started the story when Hamish interrupted, and I doubt she'll remember now, even if she could tell us."

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

Margret let her head hang low; she had to tell her sister a lot of bad things tonight. "She's not well. Not like you or I or mother, she's perfectly mad, so we had to take certain…precautions."

"Margret," Alice said testing, biting of her anger. "What did you do?"

"We sent away," Her sister said in a small voice. "To, a ward."

. . .

Alice sat at the front castle steps with her head in her hands.

To much had happened tonight, and no one would be in a partying mood after what Alice would have to tell them. Not only was a battle going to commence in Underland without Alice actually knowing when, but her mother was in a coma, and the only possible way like Margret had explained of waking her was if Alice came back to London and did it herself.

And what of Aunt Imogene, what if her story was true and she had been to Underland? It was uncommon for people to find this place the white queen had once explained, but it would make more sense of how Alice had managed to find it.

But still, so many questions were left unanswered for Alice. How had Aunt Imogene gotten here? How long had she stayed? what had she seen? Would Alice go mad in the real world like she had?

The doors to the front palace opened, and Alice turned around, ready to tell whoever it was to leave her alone, but Irisa walked out, still wearing the clothes form her party and sat down next to Alice.

"I knew I'd find you out here," She said in a quiet voice.

"How would you?" Alice asked.

"You needed an escape, and the first place everyone would look would be the garden or your room, and none would think you would leave the castle grounds after the first time so they wouldn't need to check the front." Irisa stated. "So, I knew I'd find you here."

"Well you're too smart for your own good." Alice told her, and leaned back, lying against the cool marble floor. "I'm sorry about your party."

"It's alright," Irisa replied, and mimicked Alice's action, staring up at the stars. "It's still going on, you know. But most of our friends stopped to look for you."

"Won't they realize that you're missing too?" Alice asked.

Irisa smiled, slyly. "They probably believe I'm still dancing the night away."

Alice grinned at that, and stared back up at the stars. Neither girl spoke for a few moments, but ten Irisa broke the silence. "What's a ward?"

Alice blinked, and then sighed. "A stupid place where they trap people who they think have lost their minds and will never get better."

Irisa nodded, and turned to Alice and said in a small voice. "Is your aunt like that?"

Alice shook her head, but stopped. "I don't know." She admitted, and sat back up, while turning to Irisa with a sad expression. "You heard me and my sister didn't you?"

Irisa nodded solemnly, turning back onto her back and staring up. "I never really had a sister growing up but I wished I did. It always seemed like of sweet, fighting with someone over the stupidest things but still they would always be there when you needed them." She turned back to Alice. "And it seems like now she really needs you, Alice."

Alice shook her head. "But,"

"I know you want to stay, Alice." Irisa interrupted, making Alice wonder how many times she could be interrupted in one night. "But, what we want and what we need aren't always the same. I really wanted to stay that day in the clearing, but I needed to leave and get something for my father. And if I hadn't, I would be dead." At Alice's scared expression, she gave her a wistful grin. "I know it isn't the best example, but what can I say? The things we want aren't always fulfilled, but the things we need to do are almost always for the better in the future. Even if we never want to do them."

Alice stared at her friend, her eyes wide but knew her words were true. She needed to find Stayne, she needed to help her mother and she needed to find answers. But what she wanted was to stay here, stay with The Hatter and Mirana and Irisa and everyone else, but she had to go. "I have to help her, don't I?"

Irisa nodded. "Like I said, we don't always want to do them, but we have to."

Alice nodded in agreement, and looked back up at the sky, absolutely lost in her own mind.

"You want to go inside?" Irisa asked.

"No," Alice shook her head, and laid back down. "Let's stay out here."

"We'll be missing the party," Irisa pointed pout, but made no action to leave.

"Mmhmm." Alice replied, still staring up at the sky.

"Nicholas will be wondering where you are," Irisa told her.

"Mmhmm." Alice repeated, absentmindedly.

"And," Irisa said, sitting up and smiling. "You missed me when I jumped onto one of the tables and ripped off all my clothes and started singing at the top of my lungs while everybody stared and started to sing along."

"Mmm-" Alice stopped and sat up, staring at Irisa. "What did you say?"

Irisa started laughing, wrapping her arms around herself and falling back with a grin. "God, I thought you would never say any real words."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Thanks, you just scarred me for the rest of my life in order for me to pay attention."

Irisa nodded, and said, "It was worth it," then she stared back up at the night sky, when someone appeared next to her, with eyes as bright as the stars above.

"Chess," Irisa said without looked next to her. "So you've finally found us."

"Yes, you're both excellent at hiding but that doesn't matter now." The Cat said quickly, turning towards Alice as well. "You both need to get up to Iracebeth's room immediately."

"Why?" Alice asked. "What happened?"

"There's no time to explain, both of you need to get up there right now." He told them. "Now go."

They went.

Chapter over, don't hate me cause it's short nor hate me because of the cliff hanger. I'm seriously inspiration-ed out. Sorry, give me time and caffeine and
I can fix this issue. Love you all, and please review!