After walking for hours, Alison was exhausted. Her legs aches along with her arms from holding up Loretta in her jar. Alison panted tiredly, her pace slowing to a stop. She set Loretta down and leaned on her knees.

"You okay Alison?" Loretta asked, worry in her voice. Alison winced at the pain in her chest. Her chest felt really tight.

"I...can't..breathe...!" she gasped. Loretta's eyes widened.

"Cheshire!" she yelled. "Help!"

Cheshire turned and rushed over. "What's wrong with her?" he asked Loretta, grabbing Alison's shoulders.

"I think she has asthma!" Loretta said, touching Alison's hand. Alison nodded, leaning against Cheshire. Alison regretted forgetting her inhaler at home, she never thought she would need it.

"Damn!" Cheshire cursed. He made Alison look at him. "Deep breaths, calm down." he said. Alison nodded and tried to take deep breaths but her chest was too tight. Cheshire saw this and took her hand in his and put it over his heart. His chest was warm and firm against her palm.

"Breathe when I breathe, okay?" he told her, his voice calm and soothing. Alison nodded, not even knowing how she hadn't collapsed by now.

Cheshire took a deep breath and held it for a second, before letting it out. Alison copied him, breathing in and holding it for a moment before letting it out. Cheshire did it again, and Alison too. Soon, Alison was pretty much calm and it was getting easier to breathe. Cheshire saw this but it wasn't enough for him, she needed to be 100% okay before he let her do anything. Cheshire took her face in his hands and pressed his mouth to hers, but performing something similar to mouth-to-mouth. A moment later, when he was sure she was okay, he pulled back and looked in her eyes.

"Better?" he asked. Alison, whose face was bright red, nodded. Cheshire sighed with relief and rested his forehead against hers. "Don't scare me like that..."

"I'm sorry..." Alison mumbled, feeling a little guilty for not telling him. Alison felt Loretta's leaf on her hand and gently closed the tips of her fingers over it. "I'm sorry, Loretta."

"Don't be, it's not like either of us thought to ask." Loretta said. Loretta looked at Cheshire and gave him a sympathetic look. Alison didn't understand why but she did notice that Cheshire had gone very pale.

"C'mon, we should keep going." Cheshire said. He picked up Alison with one arm supporting her butt and legs. Alison wrapped her arms around Cheshire's neck, nervous about his weird behavior. She was so used to him being a smart mouthed asshole, but now he was being so nice about it...

Cheshire used his tail to pick up Loretta in her jar, and started walking.

A little while later, the trio arrived at a small town shortly before the sun had set. Cheshire sniffed the air, his ears twitching.

"He's in this town." Cheshire said. Alison touched Cheshire's ears, marveling at how cute they were. They twitched under her touch, Cheshire blushed ever so slightly. Her fingers gently stroked his soft fur, making him purr a little.

"You're purring?" Alison giggled. Cheshire cleared his throat and flattened his ears.

"No way! That was a misunderstood low growl." he huffed. Alison kissed one of Cheshire's ears and mimicked his purr. Cheshire let out a low growl, a real growl. Cheshire set Alison down and walked toward an inn. Alison snickered and followed him.

Cheshire held open the door for her, not looking her in the eye. A plump man, wearing brown pants and a white and brown striped shirt, stood behind the desk. He looked up at us, he had little hair with eyes that were too small for his head.

"What you want, Cheshire?" he asked, raising a brow. "Who's the lady?"

"None of you're business," Cheshire snapped. "All you need to know is that you need to live up to our deal. you owe me a favor, Dum."

The man sighed and grabbed a key off a rack behind him. "Fine."

Cheshire took the key. "Where's Dee?" he asked. Dum scratched the back of his head nervously.

"He's in the back." he said. Cheshire jabbed his thumb over his shoulder to Alison.

"Make sure he keeps his paws off her, alright?" he said, his voice a little icy. Dum nodded, his eyes scared. Alison saw some sweat dripping down his forehead.

Cheshire nodded and gave Dum a pat on his shoulder before escorting Alison upstairs. He opened up the third door on the left and pushed Alison in. Alison stumbled in, glaring at Cheshire after straightening up. Then she looked around and smiled. The room was similar to her bedroom. Plain tan walls and wood floor, a decent sized bed and a dresser, and a closet. And beside the bed was a window.

Cheshire set Loretta on the dresser and sighed.

"You should rest, goodnight." he said.

"What about you?" Loretta asked. Cheshire shook his head.

"I have to talk to Dee, I'll come back afterword."

Loretta nodded even though she looked like she wanted to say something. Cheshire turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Alison walked over to the door.

"Alison, what are you doing?" Loretta asked.

"I'm gonna find out what's going on." she said.

"Don't, what he's doing is dangerous." Loretta warned. Alison shook her head.

"I think I can handle it." Alison said. She reached and took the doorknob in her hand, giving it a twist. Locked. "That bastard! He knew!"

Alison walked to the window and opened it. She climbed up until she was standing on the window sill, reaching up and climbing onto the roof. Alison could hear Loretta calling her name but ignored it. She found a little door in the roof and opened it, it led to a room that was lined with red walls and a floor with gold designs along them.

Cheshire stood in front of Dum, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Where is he, Dum?" asked Cheshire, his voice low and threatening. Dum shook a little, making him look small for his big size.

"I don't know, he was here...then he left.." Dum said nervously. Cheshire growled, a fierce one that made even Alison nervous.

"Did he say anything?" Cheshire asked. Dum nodded nervously, his shaking showing even more.

"That he smelled a girl...and he wanted to eat her.." Dum said.

"That makes no sense, you guys don't eat people. I mean you're Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum for God sake!"

"It's the curse," Dum said. "It's corrupting us. The songs Diamond sings makes people lose their minds! It changes them!"