Breaking Wonderland: Alice in Chains
BTAS (Batman Animated Series)
(Sequel to Breaking Wonderland) After her breakdown, Alice is forced to seek psychiatric help. Though the criminals in Arkham have other things on mind, again.
PS: Sorry for any grammar mistakes, typos, anything else.
Chapter 11: Bombs Away
Jervis awoke the next day and immediately he pinched himself.
"Still alive," he realized. He had worried that the roller coaster of yesterday was just a dream. A very long and confusing dream, but a dream that ended well. He rolled to his side and hugged his extra pillow. He smiled as he remember gazing at Alice's lovely face in her peach dress with that beautiful rose in her hair. He could feel the butterflies in his stomach flutter up to his chest that made his heart ache with desire and angst. He rolled over to his back he didn't want to get up he was going to daydream about Alice the whole day. Then suddenly the phone rang bursting his Alice bubble into a wisp of smoke. Jervis grew angry as he got up and made it towards his phone.
"Yes, Hello?" he asked irritated.
"Again with the short temperateness," Ivy's voice was on the other line.
"Hey hows it goin' hot stuff?" this time it was Harley's voice that spoke.
"Harley? Pamela?" Jervis asked.
"Ding Ding Ding!" Harley blurted.
"Should of known," he said with a exasperated sigh.
"Hey Red told me all about your day with...Al-ice," Harley sung.
"What?" he blurted out.
"I told you he wasn't going to be happy," Ivy said just as exasperated.
"Oh phooey," Harley let out. "So how did it go?" Harley asked suddenly.
"How did what go?" Jervis asked suspiciously.
"You're day with you're most love sick crush of all time?" Harley clarified.
"Excuse me?" Jervis let out slightly offended.
"Oh don't play dumb, you spent the whole evening with her, I saw it!" Ivy said bluntly.
"Come on! Tell me, tell me, Tell me!" Harley squealed before laughing. Jervis cleared his throat.
"Harley, when did you become so intently interested in my love life?" Jervis asked seriously. Harley stopped laughing suddenly. Both Ivy and Harley were quiet.
…
"Should we tell him?" Ivy finally spoke.
"Tell me what?" Jervis noted slowly growing angry.
"I don't know... he's sounds pretty peeved already," Harley said a bit nervously.
"Tell me what?" he blurted obviously angry.
"Now don't get mad but there's something I need to tell you," Harley spoke cautiously. Jervis stayed quiet as did Ivy. "Well... there's a reason why you and Alice have been... accidentally bumping into each other lately," Harley started.
"Oh god please don't tell me," Jervis moaned with a tinge of clarity.
"Yep, I've been playing match maker, okay gotta-" Harley stated simply.
"Just like that?" Ivy asked Harley.
"Just like what?" Harley asked Ivy.
"That's all you're going to tell him?" Ivy asked Harley.
"If I tell him anymore he's just going to choke on his cheerios," Harley downplayed.
"What have you been up to?" Jervis spat out, "What have you done? You better tell me right this instant or I'm hanging up right now and never talking to the both of you ever again!" he wailed out threateningly he began to pace around the room. Though the cord of the phone didn't let him pace very far.
"That's fine with me," Ivy agreed simply.
"Hold your hats, Okay okay I'll tell you everything," Harley fretted.
"Everything?" Ivy asked Harley.
"Okay," Harley cleared her throat. "Well once upon a time Ivy and I stumbled across a very important room. It was a room that belong to a very important Doc, who had lots and lots of files," Harley said excitedly. "Well, one of the files belonged to a pretty little blonde named Alice," Harley continued like a bard telling a story.
"I can't believe-" Jervis said through gritted teeth.
"Uh-uh no interruptions please," Harley replied immediately, then cleared her throat again. "Now where was I, oh yeah. Well I being the compassionate person I am, felt pretty bad for dear old Jervy who had gotten a bad wrap by dear old Johnny boy. It was clearly evident that Jervy was lonely and sad-"
"And pathetic," Ivy added.
"Yes that too," Harley noted. "So I Harley took pity and decided to play a game!" Harley squealed.
"Play a game?" Jervis responded again through gritted teeth.
"Harley... don't say it like that," Ivy chided.
"Oh okay, well I wanted to play Match-Maker, somehow I knew they're were still hope for 'ya guys. Especially since her dear old husband cheated on nice innocent little Alice. So I decided to play Doctor and I gave Alice a little push," Harley finished.
"Harley," Ivy scolded once more.
"What?" she asked Ivy.
"You did what? Oh my... I think... I'm going to be sick, I can't believe ...it," Jervis knees weakened as he learned against the door and slid to the floor.
"You better believe it because I did it," Harley let out strongly.
"We did it," Ivy added proudly.
"Yes and so we kind of gave Alice a little push, that's all," Harley maintained.
"You tricked Alice and gave her a... push?" he responded his tone evident of becoming more and more ill.
"Uh-huh, who did you think suggested for her to apologize for what she did to you in Arkham? Who do you think opened her eyes to that cheatin' bastard Billy? Who do you think suggested to open up to you and who did you think sent you that flyer to the Spring Festival?" Harley said growing angry.
"I did," Ivy said stifling a yawn.
"Okay that last part was Ivy's idea," Harley corrected.
"This whole time... this my life has been a lie," Jervis choked weakly.
"Cut the melodramatics will you!" Ivy added. "Yes, we did rudely interrupted your life, we did lie to Alice about our true intentions. Besides we didn't brain wash her, we didn't force her to do anything she didn't want. She did it because she chose to," Ivy said sternly.
"That's right!" Harley added.
"Besides we only planned two real bump ins though honestly it seems you guys did the rest on your own," Ivy said impressed.
"Besides Alice is good girl you should be happy I even continued to push her towards you, you know Alice really could get anyone she wanted if she had a bit more spunk," Harley added.
"You mean confidence... and if I recall miss welcome mat, is a trait you also seem to lack," Ivy scolded Harley once again.
"I can't believe you two, what made you think you had the right?" Jervis questioned.
"We don't have any rights and besides according to Ivy you guys actually looked happy together!" Harley emphasized.
"But how would I ever know! What if you really did alter her frame of mind," Jervis continued. "The power of suggestion it's far dangerous than you realize it's stronger than-"
"Blah blah blah!" Harley interrupted. "If you can't figure out how she really feels then that's your problem not mine," Harley chided. Jervis growled in frustration.
"What about you Pamela? What role did you play? Especially since you gave me the rose yesterday. What did you do spike the rose with some chemical or pheromone?" Jervis reckoned.
"No I did not," Ivy started defensively, "All I did was grow a perfect rose...though that reminds me I do need someone to test out this new perfume I designed," Ivy strayed.
"Grrrrr!" Jervis let out.
"Well sorry if I try to give you a hand!" Harley spat out.
"I never asked for your help Harley!" Jervis spat back.
"Fine!" Harley yelled out.
"Good!" Jervis yelled back and there was a click. The phone beeped as Jervis was too ill to sit up immediately and hang up. He was torn, confused, and depressed. Harley just did not realize the power of suggestion had on people. What's even worse, how would he tell Alice? What if Alice doesn't even know about Harley or Ivy? How would she take it? Would she blame him? Jervis curled his knees up to himself he shook his head before covering it between his arms.
A week passed and Alice hadn't heard or seen any sign of Jervis. She wondered if she had scared him. Though, work kept her busy Alice would occasionally stroll around Hill park hoping for a chance to run into him. Alice smiled as she watched children chase each other about, flew kites, swung on swings, and ran after the rude Ice Cream man. Thoughts came to her as she remembered the daydreams she would have when Billy was still alive. Having a cute home and children of their own playing in the freshly cut backyard. Alice sighed as she swung her purse lazily about she remembered she needed groceries as she made her way towards the grocery store. Half ways through her stroll Alice had a strange feeling as she was being watched. She would constantly stop, looking around, increasing becoming paranoid. She caught a taxi back to her home she didn't want to risk being followed or chased with a bag full of groceries. The taxi stopped and she paid the driver, though she didn't expect to see Jervis sitting on the steps of the complex looking very sullen, his head propped up with his elbows and hands. Alice carefully stepped out with her bag of groceries.
"Jervis?" she asked carefully her voice came out her usual nasaly self. Jervis seemed to snap out of his reverie as he stood up suddenly.
"Alice, you startled me," he said as he took a deep breath.
"Hi, didn't expect to see you here," Alice said as she stepped up closer to the steps.
"I'm sorry... but I had to see you," he said seriously. Alice perked a brow as she readjusted her grip around her big brown bag of groceries.
"Oh, okay," Alice spoke her tone a bit saddened. Jervis shook his head.
"Where are my manners?" Jervis scolded himself as he stepped down and grabbed her bag of groceries. "There much better," he said smiling a bit.
"Thanks," she replied gratefully. "Do you mind carrying them into my apartment," she stated as she opened the entrance to the old building. It was a small hallway with two apartments one across each other and stairs. Alice walked up the stairs making sure Jervis was okay with the groceries. She walked down the hall towards the window her apartment was the one on the left. Alice unlocked the door and opened it she held the door letting him in. She closed it as she locked her door.
"You can put them on the counter if you like," Alice suggested as she looked through her mail. Jervis placed the bag on the small counter. The apartment was small almost similar to his. Which was sad considering he had enough money to afford a much larger place of his own. Though, the light blue room had tons of personal touches. It was obviously a female's apartment and to his surprise she too had Alice in Wonderland memorabilia, as she had a white rabbit clock, dressed in a Red Queens banner holding a large pocket watch. Alice placed her mail back down and smiled as she made her way towards her kitchen. She started to take out the groceries from her brown bag. "So what do you want to talk about?" Alice started happily. Jervis turned to face her giving her a brief smile.
"Alice I haven't been myself lately and I worry that you may not be completely your self either," he started. Alice giggled.
"What do you mean?" she said as she started placing things in the refrigerator. Jervis sighed.
"I mean... well I-" he paused, taking a deep breath, starting over. "Alice that night at the flower festival meant so much to me," he started looking desperately towards her. Alice slowly stopped putting away some apples as she stared at him seriously. "I was overjoyed when you said you meant the way felt towards me. Though, I worry that perhaps you may have been led into feeling that way... towards me," he mumbled. He looked down as he started to fidget. Alice tilted her head.
"What do you mean by led?" she asked seriously. Jervis shook his head.
"Alice when you ran to apologize to me was it because you were told to or did you really wanted to apologize?" Jervis spoke carefully choosing his words wisely. He was angry at Harley and Ivy after all, though he knew they meant well, however lack of tact they used to get their goal. Alice looked down towards her side. Her eyes seemed else where. She was quiet for a while then she took a deep breath.
"Well-" she started than exhaled. "Well I really did feel guilty for what I've done. It's true I was really scared of you but... since the incident at Arkham, I kind of almost..." Alice giggled nervously as she turned red. "I kind of almost did beat you up," she said turning bright red. "Since then I wasn't afraid of you as I always been," she paused looking down ashamed. "I know it sounds wrong but it's true, that's how I feel," she started. Jervis let out a small chuckle.
"That isn't exactly the answer I wanted to hear, however it does make me feel a bit better," Jervis let out rubbing his right forearm.
"Well what I'm saying Jervis, is... I trust you," she said from behind the counter. "I don't want to be alone anymore," she started her eyes becoming teary. "I'm sorry, I'm very confused right now," she said ripping down the brown bag from her counter forgetting she still had apple juice in the bag which fell and burst open on the floor. Alice heaved a heavy sigh as she looked up rolling her eyes. Jervis immediately made his way behind the counter helping Alice clean up the mess. Alice brought down some paper towels as Jervis tossed the wet bag aside. They both silently scrambled to clean the spilled juice. They're hands briefly touching for a second. They both turned red as they continued to clean a bit more carefully.
"If it means anything I'm just as confused as you are," Jervis spoke softly. Alice eyes watered up a bit as she let out a smile. She grabbed another paper towel and used it for her eyes and nose. They soon cleaned up the mess and Alice calmed herself she leaned against the counter.
"Why are you so kind to me?" she asked suddenly. Her blue eyes bright as she stared up at him searchingly. Jervis' breath stopped for a moment as he looked down at Alice.
"Isn't it obvious... my dear Alice," he said breathlessly as he leaned in closer. He wanted to continue but the words got stuck in the back of his throat. His mind yelled too soon! Too soon! But his heart yelled now! Now! Instead he closed his eyes as he grabbed her arms gently leaning in placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Alice eyes were wide for a second as she seemed to be in shock. Though a moment later she closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. Taking in the comfort she needed so badly.