Chapter 4

"Shirley!"

"Oh, hel-lo! Though, technically, it's 'Your Majesty'. And you must be An-nie." The Shirley-double was dressed in a brocade gown of red, gold and hints of ivory, like the designs of a playing card. She bustled to them and hooked her arm around Annie's, pulling her from March.

"Um, right, yes. Your Majesty. Sorry," Annie said, looking back at March as the Red Queen led them away.

"You know An-nie, I've heard an awful lot about you."

"You…have?" Annie asked, and March gave her a warning look.
"Yes! Little ears are everywhere! Oh, but don't worry! I'm very pleased. Since you've been here it's been a much more heart-y place, mm!"

"I…um…that's great, Your Majesty. But, actually, I was just leaving to go back home."

"What? Oh no, no! No, sweetie, you can't go anywhere. You are meant to be here! Just look at the wonderful job you've done with March Hair! And there are so many other lost souls out there, wandering in the wilderness." The Queen stopped, looking up at Annie with her sad eyes.

"What Annie is trying to say, Your Majesty, is that she is needed back where she came from," March interjected, slipping something into the pocket of Annie's jacket.

"Well, March, I'm sure there are many important people where Annie comes from. Probably has a tall, handsome boyfriend that misses her terribly and has realized, since she's been gone, how much he loves her."

"Oh, I don't have a boyfriend," Annie said, laughing awkwardly and feeling a blush warm her cheeks. She glanced up at March, but found him glaring at the Queen.

"Your ploys aren't going to work, Your Majesty. Annie is not going to become one of your little 'missionaries'. She's going back to Greendale."

"Oh, well I'm sure she is. Of course, I'm sure it's a long, long journey and I just don't know if she's going to be able to come back and visit – "

"Your Majesty!" The Queen was interrupted by a guard rushing to them, a broken white rose in his hand.

"What? What is it?"

"It's the West Wall, Your Majesty. Someone has planted white roses."

"They planted what?" the Queen cried, immediately rushing after the guard without releasing Annie's arm so that she was dragged along.

They walked through the main gate in the shrubs and around the castle wall, the Queen shrieking when they reached a section of hedges blooming stunning white blossoms.

"Who the hell did this?" The Queen growled, finally releasing Annie's arm. She immediately ran to March, hiding behind him as the Queen snatched a rose from the wall, the petals crumpling in her hand.

"We don't know, Your Majesty. They seemed to have been planted last night and just bloomed. We believe it was an attack from the Hawthornes, probably from an inside man."

"I want his head! We'll paint these roses red with his blood! Who is he?"

"We…we don't know, ma'am."

"Annie, I think now would be a good time for us to get out of here," March whispered to her, slowly backing them toward the red brick road.

"You! Stop!"

They froze, the Queen rounding on them, her eyes ablaze. Annie clutched the back of March's tee shirt, peering around his arm at the furious royal.

"Listen, Your Majesty, we aren't – "

"What's in the box, Hair?" she asked, her voice low and threatening.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," he said waving the shoebox as he spoke.

"Oh really. Well if it's nothing, then you wouldn't mind us taking a look inside it."

"There's no point. It's nothing but an empty shoebox. No reason to get your tiara in a twist."

"Gimme the package, Hair," she threatened and March hesitated for a moment as he shot a quick wink to Annie.

"You asked for it. Catch, Queen." He tossed the box over the heads of the Queen and her guard, grabbing Annie's hand and sprinting down the hill.

Annie looked over his shoulder as they ran, gasping at the size of the army running behind them. She focused on the brick road again, letting March clear a path through the people still milling about in the market as they ran through. Her heel caught between bricks, but March grabbed her before she could fall, practically carrying her as they ran out of the village and into the poppy fields. Annie thought her lungs were going to explode in her chest when they finally reached the end of the poppy fields and burst into the forest. He immediately pulled her off the path and into the brush, only stopping when they reached a small clearing between fallen trees.

Annie collapsed on the ground, her side cramping painfully, the cold air of the woods burning her throat. March sat, his back resting against one of the fallen logs, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Do you…always run…this much?" she panted, looking to March from where she was laying on the ground. He grinned, chuckling as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"You know, since I met you? I've been doing a hell of a lot more of it."

Annie smiled at him, then slowly her face dropped and her eyes widened with fear.

"What about the Jabberwock? Shouldn't we – "

"Relax. We should hear him coming. And typically he only attacks when he's provoked. Besides, we'll have a better shot with him than with the army that is, no doubt, surrounding that side of the Wood."

"And they won't come in?"

"Not for a while. Entering the Tulgey would be an official declaration of war. The Queen's pissed, but she's not that mad. Yet. Anyway, we should have plenty of time to get you clicking your heels and on your way home before the crap hits the fan."

"But, March! The box! You threw the shoes at the Queen."

"No, I threw the shoebox above the Queen. Check your pocket."

Annie sat up, reaching her hands into the large pockets of his jacket, her face lighting up when her fingers curled around a pair of slippers. She pulled out the shoes, her mouth dropping slightly when she saw the bright, sparkly red ballet flats with tiny studded bows on the toes. She beamed at March, then launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Thank you so much!"

"Hey, I wasn't going to go all that way for nothing," he said as she pulled back slightly so she could look at him.

Annie's breath caught in her throat and her heart began pounding again as his hands landed on her waist and slid up her back, pulling her closer until her lips brushed his. In a moment the kiss was deeper, his tongue sliding over the seam of her lips until she allowed him entrance. Their breaths mingled as their tongues wrestled and explored, Annie surprised to find his taste was not like she had remembered. She shifted on his lap, trying to pull him closer when he moaned into her mouth and suddenly pulled away. She felt herself being lifted from his lap and onto the ground and when she opened her eyes, he stood and walked away.

"March – " she began as she tried to understand what had just happened.

"You need to go home, Annie. You need to put on those slippers and go back where you belong." He was pacing the small grassy area, running his hand through his hair and over his floppy ear.

"I don't understand."

"It's simple: you have to go back to Greendale. And the sooner you get there the better, okay? So put on your magic red shoes and…" his voice trailed off as the ear perked back up.

"And…?" Annie asked, annoyance weighing in her voice as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Get the shoes on, Annie. You need to get out of here." His voice became serious, but Annie still wasn't budging.

"Why? What's the sudden rush – "

"God! We don't have time to argue right now, Annie! Just put on the shoes and go back home to your Greendale and your Jeff!" He pulled her from the ground and sat her on the log roughly, then immediately walked a few paces into the forest, looking around.

Annie bit her lip trying to hold back the anger and hurt as she started unhooking the buttons on her boots, pulling them off and setting them next to her as she slipped on the flats.

"Okay. Well, shoes on. Your job's done so feel free to head home and don't let the bushes hit you on the way out!" she cried as she crossed her arms over her chest again and blinked away the tears that were threatening.

March finally turned back to her and his face softened.

"Annie – "

"No, save it. It's fine. I get it. See, all versions of you get what you want, and then you just – "

"Annie, please, be quiet!" He crossed to her, grabbing her arms but looking over his shoulder.

"Ugh! I will not be quiet. I am so sick of…" Annie stopped when she heard a familiar rustling in the woods. "Was that…"

"Don't say its name. But yes, I think it is. So, please, click your heels or whatever it is you have to do, and get somewhere safe." He ran his finger over her cheek, his thumb resting under her chin.

"But what about you? "

"I'll be fine. I promise. Click your heels, Annie."

She clung to his shirt and closed her eyes as the sound of the burbling grew louder. She tried not to scream as she clicked her heels together.

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's – eep! There's no place like home!"

Silence fell and Annie froze, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes and staring into the teal cotton-clad chest of March Hair. She looked up and met his eyes.

"It didn't work," she said quietly, her emotions a twist of disappointment and relief.

"It didn't work," he repeated, a pained smile on his face.

"Maybe she didn't click hard enough. I once helped a lost orphan get home with just a ball of yarn and bountiful hope."

Annie yelped and jumped, March grabbing her protectively as they spun around to see a handsome man with a dimpled chin standing just behind the fallen log.

"Rich?"

"Hi! It's Jabberwockenrich actually, but just Rich is fine." He offered his hand but March backed away, moving Annie to stand behind him.

"Get away from us, Jabberwock," he threatened, glaring at the other man.

"Hey now, guy! No need to be unfriendly. I was just – ow!" Rich began to take a step closer but March snatched one of Annie's boots and threw it at him, nailing him on the forehead.

"March!" Annie cried as Rich rubbed the spot her heel had hit, shaking his head.

"Hey! That wasn't ve…ry…niiiiice," Rich said, his voice slurring and slowing down as sudden dark circles formed under his eyes. He began to shamble toward them and Annie didn't need March to tell her to run.

They sprinted into the woods, the monster following behind them. After a few minutes Annie realized that she was too exhausted to keep up the pace, and though the Jabberwock was still on their heels there was no way she would be able to out run it. It was then that Annie smelled a familiar sweet scent and had an idea.

"March! This way!" she called, grabbing his arm and pulling her deeper into the woods, finally gaining some distance between themselves and the monster.

"Annie, we should be going – "

"Trust me! I have an idea!" she cut him off as wisps of purple smoke began to float around them. "Where's that mushroom?" she asked him, slowing down to view the toadstools that now lined the path they were on.

"What mush – oh, the moral morel? Here!" He pulled two toadstools from the ground, handing her one before taking a bite out of the cap of his own. Annie broke off a piece of the cap and popped it into her mouth, immediately feeling the small fuzzy sensation at the edge of her mind fade. Her thinking clear, she easily formed a plan.

"Okay, we need to lure him further in, make sure he gets enough smoke to knock him out. Then we can high tail it to the cottage."

"Yes ma'am," March responded with a smirk, but he quickly complied with her plan, walking deeper into the haze noisily, attracting the approaching Jabberwock to their location.

"I'm…gonna…nap…you…" Annie heard the fearsome creature moan and she immediately nodded to March.

The pair slipped quietly through the purple fog and back into the Wood, continuing their silent sneaking until they were confident that the creature wasn't following them.

"You know, we probably should have warned Brittapillar," March commented as they slowly walked down the main path.

"Well, I figured with all the running, he'd probably knock himself out with the smoke before he ever found her," Annie explained evenly, although she couldn't deny feeling some small sense of satisfaction when she imagined Brittapillar being eaten by the Jabberwock.

"Annie! March! Oh thank goodness! Hatter they're over here!" White Rabbit suddenly appeared behind a bush and rushed toward them.

"Rabbit? What are you doing – " March began, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Hatter, his clothing disheveled and his hat squashed.

"Hatter! What happened?"

"Our cottage was raided. Rabbit and I went out to gather noodle vines and when we came back the Red Guard was there."

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Annie asked, concern shining in her eyes as she tried to assess them for injuries.

"No, the Red Guard was cool, except for letting Toddmouse out. It was when the White Knights came that the fighting started."

"Wait, whoa, what were the White Knights doing in the Wood? And why were they raiding our cottage? And what the hell are you doing wearing my blazer?" March directed his last question to Rabbit, who made a vain attempt at looking nonchalant.

"I was just…saving it. From the fighting." March glared at him until he slipped off the blazer, handing it to March who brushed it off before putting it on.

"From what I gathered from what they were shouting at each other when they were fighting, the Red Queen wants Annie because she thinks she can use her as a super weapon to convert others to her side and take control of Wonderland. The White Queen, of course, now wants Annie because the Red Queen wants Annie," Hatter explained quickly.

"Then we've got no time to lose. Annie, we need to get you home now," March declared.

"But…I don't know how. The slippers didn't work, and I can't go back the way I came."

"Sure you can!" Rabbit spoke up and Annie shot him an incredulous look.

"You said there was no way back, since there wasn't a ladder or anything."

"Oh! My bad! Yeah, what I meant was you can come back the way you came, you just need to find another rabbit hole," Rabbit spoke up, his ears drooping slightly.

"Another…but doesn't it have to connect?" Annie asked, but March shook his head.

"All rabbit holes connect. It's a giant labyrinth of insanity, which is why no rabbit in his right mind would ever try to use it."

"Unless he was in a really big hurry and scared of the White Wipes and, you know, certain species of creatures that shall not be named that live under certain bridges in the Hawthorne," Rabbit interjected, looking mildly ashamed.

"Well, great! Where's another hole then?" Annie looked to March and Rabbit who exchanged awkward glances.

"Um, the rabbits kind of sort of only made holes in the Hawthorne, so…that's where you would need to go." Rabbit looked at March, refusing to meet Annie's eyes.

"Okay, then, let's get going."

"Annie, stop. You can't. The White Knights are looking for you and, as bad as the Red Queen is, the White Queen is ten times worse," March explained.

"Actually, statistically speaking the White Queen is 78% worse than the Red Queen, which is only – "

"Shut up, Hatter."

"March, we don't have a choice! The longer I stay the more danger I put you all in by just being with me."

"Annie has a point, March. She's basically just started the second Color War," Hatter tilted his head to look at her and Annie felt a wave of guilt.

"Do you really think they're going to go to war, all because of me?"

"Well, you're really just the catalyst. Like Bridget of Burgundia."

"Briget of…who? Is that like Helen of…you know what? Nevermind. I don't need to know. So, if I'm the catalyst, couldn't I just make both sides get together for a negotiation? I mean, before we go to war?" The three men looked at each other, silently debating her argument until March spoke.

"It's not really that simple. The Queens are uncompromising. It took three weeks just to work out the wording of the first paragraph of the Tulgey Accord."

"Seriously? What are they even fighting about?"

"Um, we don't actually know? They used to be friends, but then the White Queen's insensitive and the Red Queen's overly sensitive, so eventually they got in a fight and it just kind of got out of hand," Rabbit explained and Annie groaned in frustration.

"So what am I supposed to do? I can't stay here, without putting you all in danger, and I can't exactly waltz into a warzone without…" Annie trailed off, an idea forming in her mind.

"Annie? What are you thinking?" March asked, suspicious of her sudden change in demeanor.

"If the White Queen is preparing for war, she's going to be busy getting ready and looking for an attack from the Heartland. They'll never notice us sneaking in! It's perfect!"

"It isn't perfect, it's insane! It's practically suicidal! Annie, you have to listen to me; there is no way we can go into the Hawthorne without getting caught and, trust me, the last thing you want is to get caught by the White Knights. I…I can't keep you safe if you want to go through with this." He crossed his arms over his chest but she stepped closer, putting her hand on his arm and looked up at him sadly.

"I know. But you can't protect me here much longer either. And I could never live with myself if you got hurt because of me. If any of you got hurt because of me. This is the only chance we've got, March."

"No, Annie. I won't let you do it. It's too dangerous." He brushed her hand away and took a few steps further down the path. "We'll come up with a new plan. Hatter can rebuild the cottage somewhere else and we'll devise a better security system…" he continued to talk about his plan but Annie didn't hear him as her temper flared.

"Let me? What do you mean you won't 'let me' do it? This may come as news to you, Bugs, but I'm an adult and can decide for myself what is too dangerous."

"Bugs?" March questioned, then shook his head and continued. "Annie, be realistic. You're out of your depth here, and you don't realize how dangerous this situation is. You're just going to have to trust us that we know better."

"Like hell I do! This is my life and I'm not just going to let someone else make my decisions for me. So you can do what you want, but I'm going into the Hawthorne and I'm finding my way home!"

"Fine! Go get yourself killed, but I'm not going to join you just so we can all get killed together! If you numbskulls want to join her, have fun." He stormed off in the opposite direction and Annie wanted to shout after him, but the hurt clogging her throat wouldn't let any sound escape. She felt her anger dissipate as March disappeared into the Wood, and she looked sadly at Hatter and Rabbit.

"You guys don't have to go with me. I understand."

The two men looked at each other before they patted their palms on their thighs twice and then clapped each other's hands.

"We're in," Hatter proclaimed.

"Yeah, we can't let you go out there all by yourself."

"Aw, you guys!" Annie exclaimed as she grabbed them both in a hug, although Rabbit could only reach her knees. She released them and then clasped her hands. "So, which way to certain death?"

"Certain Death is actually to the west, but we want to head north," Hatter answered as he began to walk down the path.

Annie looked curiously at Rabbit and he shrugged before hopping along behind Hatter. Annie quickly caught up and walked with the duo, asking questions about the first Color War and the various plant life they passed in the Tulgey. Hatter gave detailed explanations of everything, while Rabbit interjected his own anecdotes, eventually just carrying on a conversation with each other. Annie listened to them chat and suddenly felt a twinge of homesickness. She missed listening to Troy and Abed make up wild stories and talk about the amazing adventures they pretended to have. The more she thought about her study group, the more intense the longing she began to feel for each of them.

She was just beginning to feel like she would never leave Wonderland when Hatter and Rabbit suddenly stopped and motioned for her to be quiet.

"This is the edge of the Wood on the Hawthorne side. We'll need to be extra sneaky from here," Hatter whispered and Annie nodded anxiously as Rabbit took the lead. He crouched as he stepped out of the forest and dropped his ears so that he completely disappeared into the tall grass. Annie and Hatter had to crawl behind him to stay hidden in the open field, but Annie was able to keep sight of Rabbit's fluffy tale as he wound his way through the grass. Annie began to feel like they were traveling in circles, and her hands were becoming tired from so much crawling.

"Are we almost there?" she whispered.

"Totally! I just…need to figure out where we are…"

"Rabbit! You were supposed to know where we were going!" Annie fought to keep her voice at a whisper as frustration rankled her nerves.

"I do! I'm just not used to creeping through the grass and there's just so much of it!"

"Great! Ugh, maybe March was right," Annie sighed as she took child's pose, resting for a moment with her forehead on the back of her hands.

"We are lost in hostile territory. Which means either one of us is going to die in a sudden attack, or we'll manage to overcome seemingly forced obstacles to heroically find our way." Hatter's voice spoke softly behind her, though Annie didn't bother to look back at him.

"Course you could always just ask for directions."

Annie and Rabbit screamed as a fourth voice spoke at a normal volume. Annie looked up and was shocked to see Pierce standing flanked by two guards and wearing a frilly white and silver gown.

"Hey Your Highness! Yeah, this…this isn't what it looks like," Rabbit said as Annie gaped at the cross-dressed Pierce.

"Really? This isn't you sneaking a fugitive into my kingdom?"

"No! No it's us sneaking a…f…friend into your kingdom!"

"Blasphemy! You know the rules Rabbit," Pierce spoke, gesturing wildly with a small white scepter.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. No friends or any other emotional attachments allowed in the Hawthorne, period."

"That's right. Trust me, kid, they only disappoint and hurt you in the end. So you should just hand over this backstabbing strumpet now."

"Ugh! Pierce! I mean…Your Highness…I'm just a tourist. Rabbit was giving me a tour of your fair land and he just wanted to let me see it without interruption. That's why we were sneaking," Annie explained, standing and trying her best to sound convincing.

"A likely story. Tell me, tourist, you wouldn't happen to be from the Red Queen's kingdom would you? And this little 'tour' you're going one wouldn't be a spy mission would it?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Ha! Exactly what a spy would say! Admit it! You're scouting for her, learning the lay of the land and using your feminine wiles to distract and confuse these loyal Hawthorne citizens? Well sorry boys but the only thing that's getting blown around here is her cover!"

"Ew – "

"Gross – "

"Bad pun – " The three spoke over each other and Annie was growing convinced that they should have listened to March after all. The White Queen was becoming increasingly agitated and Annie nervously shifted her gaze between him and the White Knights on either side of him, suspicious of the spray cans the white-caped young men carried.

"Silence! The three of you have been found to be conspiring with the Red Queen – the sworn enemy of the Hawthorne! Guards you will take them into custody. Throw them in my dungeon."

"Um, Your Highness? You don't have a dungeon," one of the guards spoke up, earning him a glare from his monarch.

"Well, then find me a dungeon and throw them in that one once I buy it."

"Sir, none of the cottages of the Hawthorne will have a dungeon. There might be a couple cellars, but they really aren't designed to keep people in."

"Fine! Then put them in my torture chamber!"

"Highness, you converted your torture chamber into a trampoline room, remember?"

Annie looked between Hatter and Rabbit as the Queen and guards became absorbed with their discussion. The trio began to slowly back away and Annie looked for the safest direction to make a run for it as the sun was starting to set. With a quick nod to the others they sprinted off toward a rocky hill with an expanse of trees. They could hear the Queen shouting after them and Annie struggled to keep up with the two men ahead of her as she stumbled on the rocks making up the hill. She scrambled the rest of the way up the hill, but her shoe slipped on a slick rock at the top of the hill and she fell hard, landing under a natural overhang. Annie turned to look at the approaching guards, but when she curled under the shelf she saw the two men stop in their tracks, terror draining their faces. They spun on their heels and very quickly retreated down the hill as Annie heard a familiar burble.

Annie pulled her knees tight to her chest in her stone crevice as the Jabberwock descended from above her, shambling toward the guards. Once it was well past her she peeked out from her shelf and started to climb up the rest of the hill when a hand suddenly appeared in front of her face. She looked up and grinned when she saw March smiling down at her. She took his hand and accepted his assistance to pull her to the peak of the hill.

"What are you doing here?" she asked when she stood in front of him, straightening her dress self-consciously.

"Well, I realized you were still wearing my favorite jacket, and I didn't really want you to get blood stains and corpse juice on it so…" he trailed off and shrugged and Annie launched herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"I knew you wouldn't let us down."

"Yeah, yeah. Just here for the jacket, remember? You're still a dummy for coming here." He pulled away from the hug, burying his hands in his pockets and looking off to where Hatter and Rabbit stood waiting for them. "But since I'm here, I guess I could help you find that rabbit hole. Milady?" he gestured for her to go in front of him and she beamed at him before practically skipping towards her other friends.

"How did you get the Jabberwock to leave the Tulgey?" Hatter asked when they approached.

"Well, he's still pretty disoriented from Brittapillar's smoke. Plus I think she might have caused him to have an existential crisis. Apparently he had a very uncomfortable relationship with his mother. I convinced him out here there were plenty of mother's all dressed in white for him to eat."

"That's diabolical. You're developing, March."

"Thanks, Hatter, but it's only temporary, I promise. So, Rabbit. Where's the nearest hole? Rabbit hole," March corrected as Rabbit started giggling.

"Oh, right. Yeah there should be one right about…here! Right here!" Rabbit hopped to a small tree with a foot-square opening between its roots and the ground. Annie, March and Hatter looked at Rabbit as he grinned at them.

"Um, Rabbit?" Annie began, but Rabbit cut her off, growing misty-eyed and clenching his fist against his mouth.

"I just hate goodbyes."

"Rabbit, you don't need to say goodbye when Annie isn't going anywhere," March spoke up, his voice growling with annoyance. Rabbit raised an eyebrow, clearly confused, and Annie sighed.

"I'm going to need a bigger hole, Rabbit."

He looked at her, his brow furrowed, then looked at the hole and back at her once more before understanding lit his face. "Well, you didn't say what size you wanted!" he exclaimed before hopping into the woods.

"Sorry. He has issues with spatial reasoning. He's gifted in other ways," Hatter explained before following Rabbit.

Annie and March exchanged shrugs before they followed the duo, and after a few minutes Annie felt, once again, that they were traveling in circles.

"Are you sure you know where we're going, Rabbit?"

"Do you want to drive? It's just a little further," he called back to her and Annie bit back a retort.

By now, the sun was low in the sky, the first hints of green appearing in the air. Annie was hungry, exhausted and becoming sick of all the odd aspects of this world that differed from hers. She felt a warm hand suddenly close around hers and she looked up and found March smiling bashfully at her.

Then again, maybe I could get used to a green sunset, she thought as she squeezed his hand.

"Uh, guys? Do you hear something?" Hatter asked, holding up his hand for them to stop. The smile faded from Annie's face as she listened to the still air. After a moment she heard what sounded like hundreds of marching feet. Their faces fell as the four moved toward the sound, walking toward the edge of the rocky outcropping they were standing on. They peered out and found they had a clear view of the valley below them, which was filled with hundreds of soldiers, dressed in long white robes.

"What the – "

"Those are the White Wipes," March interrupted, backing away from the ledge. The army was beginning to make its way toward them, ascending the long slope that made up one side of the hill they were standing on.

"White Wipes?"

"The elite army. We need to get going." March began to pull her away and back in the direction they had been traveling.

"Wait! That's the wrong way!" Rabbit called after them, hopping in place near the crop of rocks they had been standing on.

"What? But this is the way – "

"Yeah, I know, it's weird that I was wrong, but there's a rabbit hole over there! And it's big enough for Annie!" Rabbit pointed off toward another ledge of rocks, this one with a hole in the center of it. It also happened to be directly in the path of the White Wipes.

"Rabbit, there's no way we can get there before the White Wipes," March argued.

"I think you might want to reconsider that," Hatter said.

"What? Why…oh crap!"

"He-llo!" the Red Queen greeted with a smile, and Annie gasped when she saw Hatter held by two Red Guards.

"Hey! Let him go!" Rabbit called, heading forward until March grabbed his ears.

"What do you want, Queen?" he growled.

"Oh, now, March, is that anyway to speak to the woman who has the life of your friend in the palm of her hand?" she asked sweetly, and Annie felt her stomach drop in fear of what this twisted Shirley might do to Hatter.

"Whatever it is, we'll do it. Just don't hurt him, okay?" Annie spoke, despite the look March shot her.

"Oh, An-nie! I would never hurt anyone! Unless, of course, they betray me and do awful things that make me put my plans to conquer the Hawthorne into effect way sooner than I intended." She continued smiling, but Annie could see her grip on her scepter was tightening.

"Your Majesty, please. There's no need to do anything rash here. Annie is on her way out of Wonderland, so she won't be a problem anymore. Just let us go and you won't have to see her ever again."

"Oh, but March, I do want to see her again. That girl's got powers that I'm gonna find very useful in this little war you made me start. And I know you don't really want her to go, either, so I'm sure you'll help me keep her here."

"That's where your wrong, Queen, because I'm going to help Annie get home."

"But March? Do you really want to be left all alone again? Sitting in your little shack in the woods with these heathens?"

"Hey!" Rabbit objected as Hatter shrugged, but the Queen breezed on.

"You can't deny that you want to keep this little girl around. That you have feelings for her."

"What do you know about feelings?" Annie asked, snapping at the Queen loudly enough to raise the other woman's eyebrows. Annie chose to ignore the warning in the queen's eyes and continued. "The only thing you know about people's feelings is how to manipulate them to gain control."

"Feelings and emotions are powerful weapons, little girl. You're a fool if you think I'm not going to take advantage of my God-given talents to manipulate and destroy others using their own weaknesses. And just for that? I'm going to start with your friend over here!"

She started to turn to Hatter but at that moment White Rabbit snapped.

"No!" he yelled as he charged forward, tackling the Queen and bringing her to the ground hard. Hatter took the opportunity to plant his elbow in the belly of one of the guards holding him.

"Annie, March, run!" Hatter called to them as the kerfuffle began, with the Red Guards forming a chaotic mass trying to help their fallen leader as Rabbit and Hatter put up a fight. March grabbed Annie's hand and pulled her away from the army, heading in the direction of the rabbit hole. Some of the Red Guard had the presence of mind to pursue them, and Annie thought she heard the Queen's voice in the distance shouting about taking their heads.

Annie and March only made it a couple of yards before they rounded a corner and came face to face with the white army. The White Queen looked at them and pointed his scepter as they froze.

"There! They have the Red Guard with them! I knew they were spies! Get them!" he shouted and the White Wipes rushed toward them. March shoved through them as the Red Guard abandoned their pursuit to engage with their sworn enemies in battle. By this time, however, there were more Red Guard approaching and the skirmish was turning into true war. Some of each side broke from their ranks and pursued Annie and March as they stumbled and climbed their way up the tall rocky overhang that led to the cliff where Rabbit had seen the hole.

"Annie, come on!" March shouted at her as she stumbled on the small plants and leaves creeping over the stones they were climbing. Annie pushed away her fear and grit her teeth, her face a mask of determination as she managed to pull loose a few large rocks and let them fall on the guards below her. She watched as the stones connected and knocked away a couple of their pursuers.

"Nice shot," she heard March say and grinned up at him as they made it to the top of the formation.

The moment was short-lived, however, as Annie crossed to the hole and realized that it was the opening to an abyss that seemed to have no bottom. Her stomach turned as she had a moment of vertigo looking down as far as she could into the void, the twilight penetrating far enough to see that it was unlikely she would ever find a bottom before she was exhausted from climbing.

"I can't do it," she muttered, looking to March as her eyes widened with panic.

"You have to, Annie. We're trapped up here, and this is your only way home."

"But I can't climb that! And, besides, I can't leave you here!"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Once you're down the hole I'll make a break for it and it'll be okay."

She could tell he was lying; she knew it from the way he tilted his head, and from the clamor of the armies that had them cornered. Tears began to well in her eyes as she realized that these strange versions of her friends had sacrificed themselves for her, and yet it was all for nothing. She looked down toward the hole again as she heard rocks tumbling by the ledge where the armies were climbing. Suddenly March's hands took her arms and she looked up at him as the first tears fell down her cheeks.

"Annie. You need to go home. Please."

"I can't. I can't just leave you. I'll stay here and fight and maybe we – "

"No, Annie," he whispered as he bent forward and kissed her forehead. "You have to go. Just…remember what I said. There's no way in any world any version of me is just a friend. He has to love you as much as…as much as I do. And when I think about what he must be going through…no matter how I feel about you, I can't take you away from him. And no matter what you think you might feel for me…I'll never really be your Jeff. I'm sorry, Annie."

"March – NO!" she screamed as he pushed her down the hole.

She saw him looking down at her as she fell and could see his mouth move before hands seized him from behind. She heard her screams echo around her, a deafening cacophony that continued after the darkness enveloped her and Annie was no longer aware of anything.