Disclaimer, you know.

When alex and his father finally got home he found himself on the couch and his burned leg propped up on a footstool. He found that Annabella was sitting on the floor showing Eliza all of her stuffed animals she had gotten since the last time they saw her.

"So, lightning struck you, I've heard of it happening to people, but I never thought I'd be related to someone who survived it." Eliza said finally turning to him.

"yea, please don't talk about it." Alex said.

"you're worried about dorothy aren't you?" Eliza asked curiously.

"he's always worried about her." Annabella said.

"Alex, she knows you're all right, your mother told me she was assured by Glinda." Eliza said picking up a stuffed lamb that Annabella had discarded.

Alex sighed and shushed both his sister and cousin. For a moment, he heard his parents talking to Eliza's parents. Then he spoke.

"Eliza, I've been thinking, we need to find a way to get dorothy back to her house, her parent's house I mean." Alex said.

"Alex, you know she utterly refuses to go back, she misses them too much." Eliza said.

"tell me something I don't know, but dad and I drove by it earlier, I had never actually seen that house before today, at least not in conscious memory." Alex said.

"Really, I could swear you visited at least once?" Eliza said.

"I think I just saw a mouse." Annabella said.

"oh great, and no, not according to dad." Alex replied looking over the arm of the couch.

"alex, do you have any of those potion bottles upstairs? I know it's late but we might be able to contact dorothy." Eliza said.

"If I know dorothy, she's either asleep, not seeing anyone, or at the clearing in oz." Alex said.

"Well, at least the rain finally stopped." Annabella said looking outside.

"yes, it would have made it one heck of a task for your father to bring Alex's bags and suitcases in were it still raining." Eliza said.

"To bad he doesn't have the key to my room, and I'll have to put everything back into its proper place in the morning." Alex replied.

"your sister said you gave the spare key to dorothy." Eliza said.

"I did indeed." Alex replied reaching over and grabbing the bag that had been left down there with him.

He rummaged through it for a moment and produced a key. Which he put on the table beside him. He then yawned rather loudly.

"Tired?" Annabella asked.

"very." Alex replied.

"Come on Eliza, let's not bother my dear brother any longer." Annabella said grabbing a few stuffed animals and walking out of the room.

Eliza got up and was about to follow her when she turned to alex.

"need anything?" She asked.

"peace of mind, otherwise, nothing in particular." Alex replied.

"All right, well if you need anything, or decide to go upstairs don't hesitate to call." Eliza said

Alex smiled and closed his eyes. Eventually he dozed off. He was awoken, however by the sound of the clock striking three. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end and he felt like he was being watched. Sitting up he found that a thick blanket had been put over him. Looking around the room he saw no one, looking at the mirror he saw himself reflected in it but no one else.

"Strange, normally when I'm up this early it's Dorothy's doing." Alex said.

He shook his head and grabbed the crutches he had been given. Going to the kitchen he grabbed himself a glass of water and an orange from the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table. Taking time to peel the orange and throw away the peel he sighed and wished dorothy were here with him. When he finished is food and drink and made his way back to the living room to find the light on. Curious he approached slowly and soon found Madeline, sitting in one of the arm chairs, with a cup of tea.

"Madeline, it's too early for your tricks." Alex whispered sternly.

"Tell that to your sister, and your cousin, I was watching you and heard your sister talking about me to your cousin, Eliza, I think she said, so I introduced myself at around nine last night, don't worry, your parents are still blissfully unaware of who and what I am." Madeline said taking a sip of tea.

"well, since you're here, tell me what I want to know." Alex said going back over to his spot on the couch.

"Dorothy? Oh, she's fine, she asked me to give her that collar I used to disguise her as a kitten, as far as I'm aware she's still asleep in the chambers curled up in a cute little ball." Madeline said.

Alex shook his head, he knew he should have seen that coming. Dorothy said she'd like to become a kitten again to relax.

"Madeline, I know I'm injured, and I still have to put my stuff back in my bedroom at some point." Alex said before Madeline cut him off.

"I took care of that already, everything is in the order which you prefer it, down to the T." Madeline said.

"how did you…never mind…I know I'm injured and all, but can you bring me to Oz?" Alex asked.

"I could, but not now, too early, don't want to disturb anyone, another hour." Madeline said.

"Why make me wait?" Alex asked.

"I want to finish my tea." Madeline said smiling.

Alex groaned and sighed. He was getting impatient with Madeline, but that fact that she was Dorothy's mirror image made it hard for him to argue.

Meanwhile In emerald city.

Dorothy awoke to a squeaking sound. Opening her eyes, she found herself on a pillow on her own throne. Stretching she let out a loud meow which caused a sound of skittering along the floor to be heard. Looking around dorothy saw a little field mouse.

"I see you over there!" dorothy called out.

"Rats!" came a familiar sounding rough voice

"no, you're a mouse, and I'm a kitten." Dorothy called out.

"Anyways, I'm biter, are you Ozma's royal cat?" Biter asked curiously.

"Biter!? Don't you recognize me?" Dorothy asked shocked that one of the queen of the field mice's children was here now.

Biter was one of the sons of the queen of the field mice. His real name was Charles, but because he liked biting things, people, other animals, and the like, he earned the name biter. His reputation wasn't the best around the city, but he knew his way around more than any of the other field mice in Oz since he always ran away from his mother.

"Should I? I've been going on little journeys, my mother hates it, she's…" Was as far as biter got before dorothy cut him off.

"the queen of the field mice." Dorothy replied jumping off the throne.

"Oh, you've heard of us then? Hm, you know, dorothy would like you, she's Ozma friend, and another princess." Biter said sitting on his hind legs and looking at the kitten approaching.

"Biter isn't your real name." Dorothy said.

"no, it isn't, but I'm not telling you, very few people know my real name." Biter said.

"It's Charles, biter, it's me dorothy." Dorothy finally said

"Dorothy, but, huh?" Biter asked now confused.

Dorothy titled her head to the side to look at biter for a moment. Then she remembered she was still a kitten, as she had even stated it earlier.

"Oh, right, I'm a kitten, sorry I lost myself there for a moment, Biter, it's this collar, Maddie got it to disguise me as a kitten to get me passed Evanora, I'm using it to help me relax." Dorothy replied.

"Maddie? Oh, you mean the hatter, Madeline Madigan Hatter, I've heard a lot about her from Ozma, she's your mirror image." Biter said.

Dorothy growled, she didn't like that Ozma was sharing her personal information, not that she could blame her.

"Has Ozma told you anything else?" Dorothy asked.

"Concerning you or your friends, no, suggesting places I can go, many times." Biter said.

Dorothy opened her mouth to say something when suddenly the chambers became lit up with light, then there was a loud thud. Turning around dorothy saw alex, now sitting on the throne just as the clock struck four. A pair of crutches clattered next to him. Dorothy was about to run over to him when she was picked up by Madeline.

"Maddie! Put me down!" dorothy shouted.

"Just let me get the collar off you." Madeline said trying to hold dorothy still.

Dorothy growled and watched as alex struggled to his feet and picked up the crutches. Within a moment, Madeline had removed the collar and rapidly she began changing back. When she was on her own two feet again she ran to alex and embraced him tightly.

"I see I've been missed." Alex said,

"alex, shut up, and don't ever let me talk you into something again." Dorothy said.

"How touching." Madeline said.

"Miss hatter?" Biter asked curiously.

"Oh, biter, I didn't see you." Madeline said kneeling down and letting him crawl onto her hand.

"gee don't I feel loved." He said.

"hey, I'll give you a nice piece of cheese later biter." Madeline said placing him on her shoulder and walking over dorothy and alex.

Alex sighed and hugged dorothy tightly.

"the watch redirected the brunt of the blast." Came Glinda's voice.

Alex sighed and removed the burnt watch from his pocket.

"sorry." Alex said.

"alex I don't care about the watch, I care about you." Dorothy said releasing him.

Alex smiled and sat down on the throne once again, wincing.

"I've got one heck of a blister on my leg though." Alex said.

"It will heal, in due time, Elena can take care of the dressing, and pop it later if you'd like." Madeline said.

"Is Elena here?" Dorothy asked.

Madeline nodded, dorothy smiled and kissed Alex's cheek before hugging him again. she was glad he was safe.

"not a moment went by that I didn't think about you, even though it was only two days." Alex said.

"and I was busy worrying about you." Dorothy said releasing him.

"Dorothy?" Biter asked curiously.

"Yes biter?" Dorothy asked.

"what happened?" Biter asked.

"Alex was struck by lightning Biter." Glinda said.

"Oh." Was his response.

"Glinda, is it okay if alex and I stay in Oz for a while?" Dorothy asked.

"dorothy, you know you don't have to ask that, you're free to come and go as you please." Glinda said chuckling.

"I know, but since I don't have the scepter or the slippers, I figured I may as well ask." Dorothy replied.

"Oh, hello Finley." Madeline said as Finley flew into the room.

"Miss Hatter." Finley said landing and bowing.

"Finley, I told you to call me Madeline." Madeline said.

"Yes ma'am." He said.

"Finley, where have you been?" Dorothy asked curiously.

"I've been around, helping, where needed." Finley said turning to her.

Dorothy opened her mouth to say something but shut it again and shook her head. Finley looked back at Madeline and saw biter. Immediately he yelped and flew onto dorothy Dorothy's shoulder causing everyone to laugh.

"Finley, why don't you get Brianna up if she's not already, we've got more people for breakfast this morning, oh, and see if she can arrange a cheese platter for biter." Glinda said.

"Oh, you mean it?" Biter asked

"yes biter, as much as you've irritated me in the past, you've grown on me." Glinda said.

Finley tipped his little bellhop hat to everyone and immediately flew out of the room. Dorothy smiled and walked over to Madeline. Holding her hand out to biter she allowed him to crawl onto her hand.

"Biter, what's your favorite type of cheese?" Dorothy asked.

"any, I don't have a personal preference, to me cheese is cheese, it may have different colors, tastes, smells, and so on." Biter said.

"Close minded." Alex said.

"says the guy who's afraid of mice." Biter said.

"hey, you little things have freaked me out since I was a little, it's the only thing that ever really scared me as kid." Alex said.

"and I'm going to accuse you of lying." Dorothy said.

"not counting my father at the time?" Alex said.

"I withdraw my statement." Dorothy replied.

"as I got older, I found more things that scare or at least intimidate me, one of those things you can probably guess." Alex said.

"Dorothy, giving you a glare?" Madeline asked.

"yes." Alex replied.

Dorothy rolled her eyes and set biter on her shoulder. Walking back over to alex she pecked him on the lips.

"okay, keep the mushy stuff to a minimum while I'm around, please." Biter said causing everyone to laugh.

"Sorry, but no." Dorothy said.

Biter squeaked and let out a snort.

"well, I guess I can't really force you." Biter said.

Dorothy opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Brianna and Alyssa.

"Good morning your majesty, is Ozma awake?" Brianna asked.

"Not a clue, I've only been up for about 20 minutes." Dorothy replied, "and please don't call me that." She added.

"sorry." Brianna said giggling.

"I'll go see if her royal highness is awake." Glinda said leaving the room.

Alyssa smiled and then walked over to dorothy. Going to attention and saluting, she smiled.

"at ease Alyssa." Dorothy said.

"your maj… oops, I mean, dorothy." Alyssa said giggling.

Dorothy smiled and curtsied, giggling the whole time.

"so, I was wondering, if you would accept my offer to be maid of honor." Alyssa said smiling.

Dorothy smiled and looked at alex who's mouth was now hanging wide open. Dorothy turned and walked over, placing a hand under his chin and pushing his mouth shut. She then turned back to Alyssa.

"It would be an honor Alyssa." Dorothy finally said.

Alyssa let out a squeal of delight and then hugged dorothy tightly, nearly causing biter to be thrown from Dorothy's shoulder

"Oh, I was hoping you'd say that, Glinda insisted that I ask the rest of the army first, but I wanted you." Alyssa said.

"and I was asked to be best man." Alex said.

Alyssa immediately released dorothy and walked over to alex.

"yes, I suggested that, looking at some wedding customs insist that the best man and the maid of honor share a dance, and I know how much you two love to dance." Alyssa said.

"and the fact that when we start people seem quite literally locked in place staring at us." Dorothy said.

"well if it's any help, I accept as well, you can tell Terrance." Alex said.

"oh, I will, believe me." Alyssa said rummaging through her and produced a pad of paper and a pencil.

"do you just naturally carry that around now?" Madeline asked.

"yes, you never know when something may be needed to be written down." Alyssa said.

"is this the part where we tell her not to get too over worked with the wedding stuff?" alex asked.

"fat chance she'll listen." Brianna said stretching.

Dorothy opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Glinda and Ozma walking into the chambers. With lightning fast speed Alyssa took biter from Dorothy's shoulder. No more than a few seconds later Ozma ran into dorothy hugging her tightly.

"Oh, I missed you." She said.

"Ozma, I've been away for less than two months." Dorothy said.

"just over two months." Alex said.

Dorothy turned and glared at alex. he shrugged and shrunk back.

"so, how long are you planning on staying dear?" Glinda asked

"I don't know, I'm going to have to pop back every now and again, and I need to get the scepter and the slippers, unless Maddie wants to do it." Dorothy said.

"after breakfast." Madeline replied

Dorothy smiled and suddenly had her attention drawn to a window. She could see Wiser, the owl, flying by. A few moments later an audible thud was heard.

"he still hasn't quite mastered the landings yet." Brianna said running over to the window and looking out.

"he'll get it eventually." Ozma said.

"anyways, I should go, I have breakfast to work on, and a cheese platter to arrange." Brianna said leaving the chambers.

So, how will alex take to his injury while in the emerald city? Will Betsy and trot find out about the land of Oz soon? Will dorothy ever get used to being called "your majesty"? find out in the coming chapters.