Alice and What Came After: Between the Glass

Disclaimer: Nothing. Just the original characters.

Chapter Twenty-eight: Bittersweet Victory

"Ow."

A pair of brown eyes opened.

"Delayed reaction much?" Sarah taunted as Connor blinked.

"What? It hurt…"

She punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Wimp."

"Sarah, be nice," Alice said, pulling her back. "How are you feeling, Connor?"

"Sore…"

"You're alive. Be thankful for that much," Sarah said.

"Oi!"

"Chase," Alice said with a sigh.

"Got it," the other man said, tossing Sarah over his shoulder.

"Hey! Put me down!" the twenty-year-old hissed.

Connor sat up, watching her disappear into the trees. "Getting shot really doesn't help her temper…"

"Not at all," Alice agreed.

He stuck out a hand. "You must be Alice. I'm Connor… Connor Temple."

She didn't take his hand. "Temple?"

"Oh… sorry, I thought Sarah told you… I'm not her brother. Just a bloke with similar features. I'm from London."

"But you look…"

"I know. She showed me pictures of her brother and her dad. It's uncanny."

"How did you get here… if you're from London?"

"Long story," Connor said, trying to stand up. "Did you see a lady with dark hair, a gun, and a crazy look in her eye around here?"

"Why?"

"We need to find her… before she destroys the world." Connor clutched his chest. "Gah, that really knocks the air outta ya…"

"She shot you?"

"Hit a vest. Your daughter's idea. A very good one."

Alice smiled at him. "Sometimes her smarts are debatable. But she knows when she's likely to end up shot. She's saved more than one life that way."

"Her brother?" Connor guessed.

"Yeah…"


"Put me down!" Sarah hissed.

Chase flipped her back onto her feet. "Don't run. I really don't feel like chasing you today."

"Give me one good reason."

He touched her cheek, his eyes staring into hers. "I love you."

Her hand cracked across his face. The slap echoed in the dense trees. "Stop lying."

"I'm not."

She took a step back as he tried to take her hand. "I don't love you."

"Sarah…"

"I hate you."

"Please…"

"I don't want to see you."

"You don't mean that."

She took another step back, ending up pressed against a tree. "I do. I hate you."

Chase stepped closer, less than a foot of air separating them.

"I love you, Sarah Hatter. I don't care what you say or do. I still love you. I've loved you for years…"

"Stop it. Stop saying that…"

He took another step closer. His lips were only a few millimeters apart from hers.

"I love you. I'm sick of running away from you. I'm sick of this game we've been playing. I don't care about the past. I just want you in my future."

She opened her mouth to protest, only to feel his lips against hers. She closed her eyes, about to push him away. Instead, she pulled him closer, her arms winding around his neck. It had been so long since she'd kissed him.

All of her little flings paled in comparison to this one moment.

This was what she wanted. She'd missed this.

She'd missed him.


After a restless night's sleep, Connor ended up perched in a tree, looking down at the Suits surrounding the palace. Kyle was beside him.

"So, what's the plan, little brother?"

Connor looked at the scarred face of his double. "We're going to let them capture me again. Damon won't be able to resist another chance to kill me. This time he'll want to kill me himself. I'm going to go alone."

"Why?"

"Because I'm the distraction. You need to get inside with the troops and meet up with Chase. Coordinate an attack on Damon. I'm going to do my best to keep him busy."

"That's suicide."

Connor sighed. "Probably, yeah. But I don't care. Damon thinks I'm you. We need to use that."

"Let me do it."

"No, I need to this. I need to stop running and hiding. Just tell my family I love 'em, would you?"

"Connor…"

"I mean it, Kyle. Tell 'em I love 'em. And tell Sarah to stay outta trouble."

"I can't—"

"You have to. Wait for them to take me inside and go. They'll all be focused on me. Take out all the Suits you can. Use Chase to get into the throne room and kill Damon. I'm trusting you to do this. You're going to save Wonderland," Connor said, his hand on his double's shoulder. "Don't let me down."

He climbed down, walking determinedly across the grass toward the palace. He kept his head held high, despite the fact that he was facing death. Damon would kill him, probably before Kyle made it inside the palace. But Connor didn't care. He had to do this.

For Sarah…

He had to face Damon again. He had to try and kill the man who murdered his sister—even if it was his double's sister, not his own. He had to.

Forgive me…


Hatter opened his eyes slowly.

"Jessica?" he mumbled, remembering the blonde version of his daughter kicking her legs in the air, hands wrapped around her slender neck.

"I'm here," she said, appearing in his field of vision. "I'm here, dad."

He smiled. "What happened?"

"Helen's dead."

"How?"

"You don't remember?"

He shook his head. His last memory was her struggling to breathe.

"You killed Helen. The Madness…it came over you. I had to knock you out."

Hatter took a deep breath. "Is everyone okay? Connor? Abby?"

"They're fine. Cutter, too. Everyone's fine."

"Except Sarah."

Jessica went quiet. Hatter wasn't surprised. Mentioning Sarah to her wasn't fair. Even if they were both versions of the same person, rubbing in Sarah's disappearance and his concern for her was cruel.

"I'm sorry, luv. I just…"

"I understand. You look at me and see her."

"It's not that simple. None of it is. But that's not important right now. We need to get to Wonderland. Did Connor figure out the device yet?"

Jessica helped him stand up. They moved toward the doors of the lab he'd been resting in.

"I'm not sure."

"Well then, now's as good a time as any!"


Sarah, Chase, Alice, and Connor Temple observed the palace from a distance. They watched as a small group of men infiltrated the palace, led by a rugged, yet familiar figure.

"Connor!" Sarah cried, Chase's hand stifling her scream.

Her brother disappeared with his troops. The Resistance. Her little brother was the leader of the Resistance. Her heart swelled with pride.

"C'mon," Connor said, leading the way down the small incline. All of the guards were gone—either dispatched by the Resistance or currently inside the palace.

Sarah took the lead, Chase following her closely. Connor stayed with Alice. None of them let their fear show.

The hallways were a maze. Sarah expected it. She planned for it.

She listened to the subdued sounds of battle. The Resistance was overwhelming the Suits with the element of surprise. Connor had taught his men well.

The Resistance let Sarah and her group through, each of the members bowing to her. Some of them even whispered "princess" as she passed. They all thought she was the missing Princess Jessica—their rightful queen.

She didn't bother to correct them as they were escorted through to the throne room.

Two Resistance men opened the heavy doors. The Resistance went in first, coming up against the remaining Suits guarding the king. Sarah threw a few punches and kicks before resorting to the gun and knife she'd taken from the ARC. Her mother fought beside her, expertly flipping her opponents.

Chase and Connor fought back to back, Connor wielding a staff he'd snatched from a corner of the room. Chase used his fists.

"If anyone moves another muscle I'll slit his throat!" a rough voice shouted over the din.

All eyes turned to the throne were Damon stood. He had one arm locked around a man's shoulders and a knife to his throat.

Sarah's heart leapt into her throat. The man Damon was holding hostage was her brother. Connor was Damon's hostage.

Author's Notes:

Almost there, almost there! All we need to do is have one more big showdown. Thanks!