I don't own Alice in Wonderland.

I spent the rest of the evening acting as though nothing was amiss. My grandfather called me down for dinner and I simply asked if I could take it up and eat in my room, seeing as I was feeling particularly tired. He seemed to understand and soon I was on my way upstairs with a plate full of corn beef, cabbage and potatoes. I slipped into the room and smiled at Charles who was sitting on my bed, leaning back against the headboard. I sat at the foot of the bed, setting the plate between us and we shared the dinner in companionable silence.

Once we were done, we began to discuss how to go about breaking into that secret room, otherwise known as our 'battle plans'.

"We could just go now?" I suggested, practically dying from curiosity.

He shook his head. "N-No, that wouldn't be wise. What if we were caught? We should just wait until he's asleep, then sneak in. W-we'll have to be quick. Quiet, too."

I let out an unhappy sigh and flopped onto my back, sprawling across the bed. "I hate waiting."

He chuckled softly. "I can tell." His eyes wandered around my room, taking in his surroundings. His gaze landed on the folded clothes on my dresser. It seemed that my grandfather had washed my clothes from yesterday and put them there. "I-Is that a dress?" He asked, barely stifling a laugh.

I frowned over at him. "Yeah, you got a problem?"

He shook his head. "N-not at all, you just don't strike me as the dress type..."

I grinned. "You don't think I can pull it off, huh? That sounds like a challenge."

His eyes widened as I stood up and snatched the yellow dress from it's place. "Wh-what? Where are you going?"

I went to the door, brushing my bangs out of my face. My normal spikes had wilted and now my hair fell flat, barely reaching my neck. "To change and prove you wrong." I walked out of my room with the dress, making sure to shut the door behind me.

Some odd minutes later, I walked back inside, tying the lacy white ribbon in a bow around my waist. Charles was still sitting on my bed, writing in his notebook with a fixated attention. I smoothed out the flouncy golden skirt and cleared my throat.

He jumped and looked over at my. His eyes widened and his face tinted red. "A-Alice! You look...Y-y-you l-look..." He swallowed hard. "You look very nice..."

I chuckled and curtseyed clumsily. "Thank you, good sir."

His face turned a darker shade of red and I laughed, sitting back down on the bed. "Hey, isn't it getting a bit late? Won't your parents be worried?"

The warm, subtle happiness in his eyes vanished, to be replaced by a stoney sadness that almost hurt to see. "I don't have parents."

It wasn't usually in my nature to pry but...Aw, who am I kidding, I was curious. "What do you mean?"

"I-I..." He took a deep breath. "I was placed in foster care when I was 12...The couple I'm with now couldn't care less about me...they're just in it for the money and to make them look good...I'm sure they're glad I'm gone..." He let out a shaky laugh. "I'm glad for that too..."

I tilted my head, wondering how a guy like Charles had gotten into foster care. I was about to ask when my thought process was sharply interrupted by the grandfather clock downstairs chiming 10 O'clock.

Charles cleverly changed the subject. "Only a few more minutes now."

I sent him a look of exasperation. "Come ooooooooon! Let's just go now! I'm sure he's asleep!"

He sighed. "A-alright, alright..." He stood up and went to the door. "ready to go?"

"wait a second." I went to my suitcase and pulled out a long, heavy flashlight. "Alright, let's go."

On that note, we slipped out of my room as quiet as could be. I went along barefoot to avoid making to much noise but Charles had retained his scoffed up brown sneakers just in case. In case of what, I had no idea.

I held my flashlight tightly in my right hand, switched off for now, as I opened the door to my grandfather's room. I flinched as it creaked a bit and Charles took a step back.

My eyes were peeled wide open, staring into the almost blackness and heart was beating right out of my chest as He and I slipped along the wall. I kept my eyes on my grandpa's sleeping silhouette, watching for any movement. We reached the bathroom and crept towards the door.

This time, I heard no voice. I turned my back to the bedroom and reached for the knob. I was so transfixed that I didn't hear Charles whisper my name frantically. He tapped my shoulder to get my attention and whispered in my ear.

"I think we've been caught."

I spun around to come face to face with my grandfather standing in the doorway. "Alice. Step away from the door."

I shook my head. "What's in there?"

"It's for your own good. Step away."

"No!" I grabbed Charles' hand tightly.

"Alice Prudence Laurel, take your hand off that doorknob!"

"I will not!"

I yanked the door open just as my grandfather made a dash towards us. I pulled Charles through the doorway after me and slammed the door hard in my grandpa's face. We both leaned against it heavily but mere seconds later, he slammed his fists on the door and managed to shove it open, sending both Charles and me to the floor. The flashlight flew out of my hand and rolled away.

Charles got up first and grabbed it off the floor. He rushed over and stood between my grandfather and myself, holding the flashlight aloft threateningly. I got to my feet unsteadily and looked around the room, searching for whatever it was that my grandfather was so desperate to hide.

The room was small, like a secret annex of sorts, almost pitch black if not for the moonlight streaming from the small window on the wall. The only thing in the room was a large rectangular shape covered by a white sheet. I walked over slowly while the two men were staring each other down and lifted the vale. It fell away and I was gazing into my own eyes.

It was a mirror. A large rectangular mirror. "This is it?" I spun back around to glare at my grandparent. "This is what you were hiding? Nothing but this mirror?"

"I did it to protect you. Please, come away from there...You're in terrible danger."

I scowled. "What do you mean...? It's just a mirror!"

"Not quite." I spun around at the sound of another voice and gasped in terror as my reflection was replaced by that of young man. He was about 2 years older than me with long white hair tied in two low pony tails that floated around him weightlessly. His eyes were large and ruby red, shielded by rectangular glasses. Two long white rabbit ears poked out of the top of his head and he wore blue waist coat and a red and gold tie along with tan slacks.

I was too awestruck to speak and so the mysterious rabbit continued to speak. "Don't dawdle, Alice. We've all been waiting for you for a very long time." He pulled a golden pocket watch from his waistcoat pocket, tapping the clock face impatiently. "you're late. Come through the mirror now, dear and save us."

"Th-through the mirror?"

"Alice!"

I spun around to see my grandfather lifting Charles off the ground. I glanced back but the rabbit-man had vanished. I watched helplessly as Charles was hurled through the air and slammed right into me. I staggered back and braced myself, expecting to fall back against the mirror.

The impact never came. Instead, I felt an icy wave wash over me and my eyes widened as I continued to fall backwards, unhindered. Charles gasped as he clutched onto my hand, falling with me.

Something I never thought possible had just happened. We just fell through the glass. We were falling inside the mirror!

I clung onto Charles' hand and shut my eyes tight as we fell faster and faster. When I opened them, I gasped as I was met with a familiar vertical tunnel full of colors. I began to panic. This was my dream.

"Alice!" I looked over to Charles, falling right beside me. "Hold on tight, okay? We'll b-be f-fine, I promise...!"

"Why the fear, Alice?"

I looked over to my other side quickly and came face to face with the rabbit-man's intense, crimson stare.

I stared at him in shock. "How the hell do you know my name? Who are you?"

He gave me a slight smile. "My name is Theodore. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

I frowned. "Uh huh, right. So where are we going exactly?"

"This is one of the passages to Wonderland. A world that you will save."

My eyes widened. "You...you've got the wrong person, I'm no hero..."

He laughed and took my free hand. "Nonsense, you're precisely what we need." he looked past me and his gaze settled on Charles. "And you are, sir?" He asked politely.

"Erm...Ch-Charles Carroll..."

Theodore smiled softly. "I see. Lovely to meet you as well. I'd shake your hand but..." He trailed off gesturing to the tunnel we were falling through.

Charles nodded, face white with fear, unable to speak any longer.

We continued our downward spiral in silence.

AN:

I'm three chapters in already and not one review. I'd really appreciate at least one per chapter, even a 'good job' or 'I like this' I'm not that picky, just give me some feedback if you're reading this, please?

Much love,

Evan