Alice and What Came After

Disclaimer: The usual. Nada.

Chapter Fifty-two: Emergency

Strained. That's what their relationship had become.

Sarah wanted to spend the holidays in Wonderland. Chase simply refused to have anything to do with that "piece of shit assbackwards world" and he told her to forget about it. He had parted ways with his home and adjusted to life on this side of the Glass. She couldn't adjust.

There was a pain in her heart—one that made her feel like she was being torn in two pieces. Part of her craved the insanity of her father's world. The other part of her wanted to stay with Chase, even if it meant staying in New York.

"I'm going away for a while," she said one night as they closed up the shop. They were the only ones inside A Taste of Wonderland. Her father was across town closing up the other shop with Connor's help. Alice was teaching a class at her dojo.

"Why?"

"I need some time to think. About me. About what I want from life."

"Are we breaking up?" Chase asked, his eyes meeting hers. "Sarah…"

She put her hand out to stop him. "I just need a little space. This is about me… not you."

"What about Christmas?"

"I won't be here. I'll be unreachable."

He sighed. "You're going to Wonderland, aren't you?"

Sarah looked at the man she loved—or at least, the man she thought she loved. When had things gotten complicated? When had she started to doubt their relationship?

"Yes," she said softly.

"Damnit, Sarah!" One of the tables wobbled underneath his fist. "I thought we'd talked about this…this nonsense!"

"No—you talked about it. You decided not to go. I never said that. I never promised not to go."

"Wonderland's dangerous. It's no place for you—"

"It's part of me, Chase. You of all people should understand that. I can't deny who I am. Can you? How long do you think you can cut Wonderland out of your life? Don't you have regrets?" she questioned, knowing that she was pushing him. She didn't even care.

"Of course I have regrets! I lost my father and my brother to the Madness that is Wonderland! I thought you understand. You lost your parents to Wonderland once before. Did it ever occur to you that one day you might just not come back? This isn't a beach vacation!"

"I won't let your fears stop me. It's my world, too. I thought you… I thought we…"

He scoffed. "What? You thought one day that we'd move there, start a family, and be the bloody king and queen? Fuck no, Sarah. I love you too much to do that to you."

"Why are you so against Wonderland?" she demanded, frustrated as hell with his one-sided decision. "So what if your family's nuts? I have a freaking prehistoric-ish creature sharing my room, and I'm not even talking about Connor…"

Chase closed the gap between them, his hands pulling her body against his. He towered over her by several inches. "Sarah, if you go back to Wonderland, you will die. Maybe not this time, but one of these times you will die. Wonderland will kill you. I won't let that happen."

"What makes you think—"

"I've seen it. I've seen your grave in my nightmares. I won't let you die there."

"Then come with me!"

She could see the sadness in his eyes. Sarah already knew the answer. Chase would rather die than set foot back in Wonderland. No matter how much she begged, he would never follow her through the Looking Glass.

Sarah took a step back, trying to control her tears. She could feel her heart breaking. Chase wasn't going to let her chose between the worlds. If she wanted to be with him, she would have to stop traveling. She would have to give up Wonderland forever.

Shaking her head, Sarah ran off into the night, her stomach unsettled.


On December 22nd, Connor took his sister's hand and they stepped through the Glass. Sarah hadn't left the flat even for work since coming home in tears the week before.

It hurt him to see her in such obvious pain. Chase had hurt her.

But she kept him from killing the blond prick. Sarah needed him at the moment. She needed him more than Chase needed a lesson.

So he stayed with her. For the first time since they were infants, they shared the same bed. Nancy slept on Connor's head, snuggled between him and her mistress while Sid lay curled up at his feet. Rex surveyed the strange sleeping arrangements from overhead—he slept perched on a bookcase underneath a heat lamp.

Connor couldn't help himself. He'd planned their trip to Wonderland. He'd packed food and clothes for both of them. He coordinated with his dad, trying to figure out how much time they could spend on the otherside and still be home on New Year's Eve.

He finished the preparations while his twin slept fitfully. She wouldn't talk to him about her fight with Chase and Chase wouldn't talk, period.

He had to abuse their bond in order to make sure that Chase hadn't hit or physically abused his sister. It wasn't like Sarah to crawl inside herself. She was loud and annoying, but she was still his sister. He loved her despite that.

Which was why he helped her cross through the Looking Glass into Wonderland. No matter what was on Sarah's mind, being in Wonderland would help erase her mood. She would be the pain in the ass that he loved and respected.

And when they got back home, he was going to kick the crap out of Chase Heart.


Over two months passed since they'd landed in the tea shop. Dormie and Ratty were delighted to have company once again. The four of them cleaned up the tea shop and repaired some of the damage done by vandals over the years.

Even the overgrown grass in the office was trimmed with a pair of strange looking scissors by the Ratcatcher. While Dormouse ventured out to secure more provisions, including what he assured the twins would be a fabulous "welcome home" dinner, the siblings set about airing out and dusting their rooms. The upper levels of the Tea House had converted living areas, including separate bedrooms for each of the twins. Even their father ended up making a bedroom in the living area instead of crashing in his office.

But time passed fast after that first night. Sarah reconnected with her father's old friends. She settled into a routine until she started feeling sick.

It was at Connor's insistence that she ended up seeing a Wonderland doctor—an ally of her father's who came to the tea shop to see his patient.

After a battery of tests that included blood work, the doctor came back to see her. Sarah sat in her father's white chair, a pair of headphones hanging over one of the fabric wings. Her brother was out in the main part of the shop with their two bodyguards, chatting.

The doctor, a wizened old man close to Charlie's age, cleared his throat.

"Well? What did you find?" she asked impatiently.

"The first batch of results were confusing. You see, I've never treated a half-blood before. People like yourself and your brother are very rare, Miss Hatter. The very essence of Wonderland runs through your blood," he explained.

"So?"

"I took a second look and ran some more tests. It seems that you are pregnant. Because conception occurred on the other side of the Glass, the time difference is wrecking havoc on your body. The pregnancy is progressing rapidly. The side effects are going to worsen."

"Worsen how?"

The doctor took off his eyeglasses and looked directly at her. "No one knows. No Oyster has ever given birth here. No Wonderlander has ever had a child in your world either. There's no way of knowing if returning to your world will ease the pain or cause complications."

"Like what? When you say complications…"

"Miss Hatter, you are young and healthy. You're strong. But I'm afraid you might not be strong enough to survive this pregnancy. It's risky both for you and the baby."

"What are you saying?"

He sighed, his head hung. "I would talk to the baby's father. He's an Oyster, correct?"

Sarah shook her head. "No. He's a Wonderlander."

This news seemed to surprise him.

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"My professional advice, my dear, is to terminate the pregnancy."


"She's pregnant? Are you sure?" Alice Hatter asked her husband later that night on the otherside of the Glass.

Hatter had one arm wrapped around his wife. They lay tangled together in bed. "That's what the letter said. It's Chase's baby, luv."

"She's too young…"

"The doctor already recommended an abortion."

She turned over, facing her husband. "An abortion? But Sarah's so young…"

"There's a high risk for complications, Alice. The doctor doesn't think it's safe at all. It's not a matter of her age. It's because of what she is."

"What do you mean? I didn't have any trouble with Sarah and Connor."

"I know." He kissed her nose. "But you're special. You got lucky. Remember when we tried again?"

Alice closed her eyes. She remembered the pain and heartache all too well. She'd cried herself to sleep so many nights because of their inability to have more children. Every specialist they saw—on both sides of the Looking Glass—were surprised that Alice had even had children—let alone a healthy set of twins.

Somehow, jumping through the Glass or having the twins changed Alice's body. She was infertile. Hatter wasn't—he could have children with someone else if he chose to. But he was too loyal to her. He loved her body and soul.

He reminded her of that every single time she miscarried. He eventually asked her to stop trying. Losing six children was hard on him as well, especially as the twins grew older.

"What might happen?" Alice asked. She didn't like the idea of an abortion—not when so many couples would leap at a chance to adopt a healthy infant. Hell, she would raise her grandchild if she had to.

"Connor said she could die. Or the baby could. No one knows. Sarah and Connor are the only half-Oysters, half-Wonderlanders on either side of the Glass. Add to it that Chase is a Wonderlander… there's no telling what all that magic could do to Sarah."

"Magic?"

Hatter sighed, pulling her closer. "Ya know how I have a very strong fist? It's Wonderland magic. All Wonderlanders have some bit of magic in them. It's different for each one. It's dangerous. Sarah inherited my magic and yours—the Liddell touch. She's like a connection to Wonderland. A live wire filled with magic."

"Is this my fault?"

"No, luv… no…" he promised, stroking her cheek. "It's not your fault. No one knew any better. Don't blame yourself…"

"But it is…"

"Ssh, ssh, Alice, my love…"

Her Hatter's touch soothed her, distracting her from the problem on her mind. She couldn't help it. Sarah was her only daughter. Her baby girl.

"Does Chase know?" Alice asked in a low whisper.

"No. Sarah doesn't want to tell him."

"He would marry her, wouldn't he?"

"In a heartbeat. He'd give his life for her. Just like I would for you," he murmured, his whiskers brushing her skin. He continued to kiss and caress her.

"He should know."

"Sarah's afraid. Connor can feel it. She's terrified. There's no point in telling Chase. He'll just blame himself."

Alice sat up, pushing her husband away. "He deserves to know."

"I agree, but do we need to add extra stress on both of them? There's nothing he could see or do that would change her mind."

"Lying to him will just drive them apart," Alice insisted. "I'm going to tell him."

"Don't—"

She was already gone from their bed. If she was in Sarah's spot, she would tell her lover. Hell, she'd told Hatter when she'd ended up pregnant. Chase had a right to know. Even if Sarah terminated the pregnancy, Chase should be there with her. He would want to be with her.


"Are you sure?" Connor asked.

Sarah lay on a gurney, dressed in a hospital gown. There was already an IV drip going in one pale arm.

"I have to. You heard the doctor."

"I know. But we could always wait."

"No, it's not fair. Conn, I don't want to even do this."

"Then don't."

She shook her head as best she could. Her hand squeezed his. "It's not that simple. You know it."

"Sarah—"

"Trust me, Conn. This is how it has to be. I'm not cut out to be a mother. I can barely find my keys to the flat half the time. I can't care for another human."

"We'd all be there to help. Me, mum, da… even Chase."

"I don't want him to know. He'll hate me forever if he knows."

"Sarah—"

She let go of his hand. "I'll see you in a bit. Okay?"

He nodded, his brown eyes as sad as she felt. She didn't want to have an abortion either, but the doctor knew best. The side effects were too gruesome. Her baby was growing too fast.

But Sarah didn't even make to the operating room. She never had to sign consent forms. She didn't have to make a choice. Her body chose for her.


Chase ran into the waiting room. "Where the hell is she?" he demanded, spotting Connor. "How could you let her do this?"

The young man didn't try to fight back as Chase grabbed him by the shoulders. "Where is Sarah?"

"They're… they're operating."

"How could you let her do this? Huh? I knew you hated me, but this is low!"

Connor looked right into him, his eyes empty and haunted. "She didn't. She never got to that part. She miscarried. The baby's dead."

"What?"

"The baby died on its own. Sarah didn't kill it. No one killed it. It almost killed her. Don't you get it? Sarah almost died!" Connor snapped, wrenching free.

"She… she…?"

"Yeah. She's in emergency surgery so they can stop the bleeding. They think it was severe stress."

"What?"

"Your stupid little fight stressed her out. She was catatonic when I got her to Wonderland," Connor said, his tone angry and filled with hatred. "Then she got sick. That's when she found out about the pregnancy. She wanted to keep the baby, but she didn't like the risks. She told me that she didn't want to do this—even as they were about to wheel her in! She didn't want to hurt you…"

He spun around, his hands raking through his dark hair. Sarah's little brother looked as tormented as Chase felt.

"Is she going to be okay?" he tried again, this time softer.

"She's strong. If she didn't love you, I'd kill you," Connor spat. "This is your fault. From now on, I want you to stay away from her. I want you to break up with her. Understand?"

"What?"

"Look, asshole. I don't care if you're King of the bleedin' Hearts or whatever the hell you are. It doesn't mean shit to me. But my sister, my only sister, almost died again today. That's the second time she's been in trouble because of you. If you don't break up with her, I'm going to slit your throat."

Chase looked at her brother, seeing the full-fledged Madness lurking in the youngest Hatter. The people of Wonderland were right to fear the Hatters. They were dangerous. Even tame Connor looked like a starving predator at the moment.

He had seen what Connor could do. He'd watched the other man murder Damon without hesitation. Damon had threatened Connor's family. He had shot Sarah. Connor snapped. Even if the Vorpal Blade hadn't been lying there, Chase knew Connor would have still killed his brother.

He didn't doubt that Connor would kill him.

"Fine. As soon as she'd out of danger..."

Author's Notes:

Woah, this chapter got rather dramatic. I didn't intend for her pregnancy to be life-threatening at the outset, but it makes more sense. I know abortion is a sore subject—which is why most of my characters were against it.

The whole "magic" affecting the baby bit is slightly inspired by the fabulous book by Audrey Niffenneggler (I know I spelled that wrong) and the movie starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams—The Time Traveler's Wife. One of the main characters is a time-traveler, but he doesn't do mirror travel like my characters. He just vanishes. His disorder causes lots of complications in his marriage, including multiple miscarriages.

Besides, I can't make things very easy for the Hatters, can I? It's just not normal. As always, reviews and comments are more than welcome! The countdown to end continues—three more chapters and an epilogue to bridge the gap to Between the Glass.

Look for a new chapter of Glass in the next few days. Thanks for reading and reviewing as always! Have a great weekend—I'm looking forward to mine, despite the forecast of rain. I'm going to a Games Rally for Pony Club. I'm not personally riding—I'm going to watch my family.