Jefferson had a bit of a breakdown at the news that his wife wanted to enlist Queen Regina for help. The same Regina that was going to be under attack by the majority of Storybrooke – excluding some of her former guards, who Jefferson had heard were back in her service. Jefferson suspected her magic was back at work.
That was beside the point.
If Jefferson had any say in the situation, he would have chosen to lock Alice away to keep her from the ridiculous plan forming in her head.
Too bad for him, he had no say in the matter. He was only her husband, after all. Hmph.
What made the entire thing worse was the fact that Alice wouldn't tell him why she needed Regina.
Well, it was more like she couldn't tell him.
Every time that Jefferson would ask, Alice would clam up and attempt to change the subject… or she would just leave the room until she settled down.
There was one time when Byron and Elijah attempted to answer and Jefferson was close to the truth. That ended in Elijah scurrying away in fear while Alice held Byron to a wall by his throat with a sharp look in her eyes.
The pair didn't attempt to answer again.
Alice left the topic alone for as much as she could over the next few days, just wanting to spend as much time as she could with Grace. From morning to night, she rarely left the child's side. Even in sleep, when both would be worn out from the day's activities, Alice and Grace would curl up together on the couch until Jefferson came to move them.
They looked like the picturesque family that they had never been allowed to be – Father, Mother, Daughter… and two crazy Uncles.
Grace was taken with Byron and Elijah almost immediately – once she got over the shock of them, of course. They became the newest partners for her tea parties, which they enjoyed immensely. With Byron's ever changing persona, Grace was constantly entertained.
It was barely over a week when Alice came down in the middle of the day looking far sturdier than Jefferson had ever seen her. Grace was being watched by Byron and Elijah after Jefferson put her down for a nap. He was leaning against the mantle when Alice made her presence know, and he turned with a small gasp, "What is it?"
Alice had her hair in a loose braid down her back to allow her features to appear sharp and defined. Her makeup – one thing she thoroughly enjoyed purchasing in this new day and age – was intricate and carefully painted on, almost making her appear like that of a fairy. A pair of skintight black pants clung to her thighs, tucked into heavy boots of the same color. Her torso was wrapped in a flowing top the shade of blood covered her torso and fully exposed the scar around her throat.
The thing that topped off her look of menace was the fact that the Queen of Hearts poker was firmly grasped one of her hands.
Alice gave a dark smile – something reminiscent of the smile's that Jefferson wore after he lost both her and Grace, "It's time to see Regina."
Jefferson couldn't help but steal glances at his wife as they walked through the town and down the long stretch of street to reach Regina's home.
Alice was a far cry – physically and mentally – from who she was.
Jefferson could perfectly recall every detail about Alice when they met. She was open and carefree – an attitude that matched her light blue baby doll dress and windblown curls. Her eyes sparkled with every word and laugh. She didn't speak much about her family or where she was from. She only said that her dreams were too big for her life, and now that she had seen true fantasy she would never be going back.
He should have asked more questions.
Jefferson had to understand that Alice was no longer a girl. She was a woman who had been through the darkest of trials and tribulations. They were the kinds of things that were bound to change a person, regardless of who they were.
Had she been the Alice of old, she wouldn't have fit with the Jefferson that he was now. They were both damaged and changed. The only thing that pulled the darkness from them was Grace. Without her, they would have constantly appeared as they did now.
Dark. Powerful. Scarred.
"Jefferson," Alice's voice cut through the silence between them. "I'm normally not opposed to your staring, but it's not feeling particularly pleasant this time."
"It wasn't intentional," Jefferson admitted as he tightened his grip on her free hand. "I was lost in my thoughts of how things have changed."
Alice tilted her eyes towards Jefferson without questioning his thoughts – for they were hers as well, "We'll be back to that one day. I have faith."
"You were never a girl of faith," Jefferson countered.
Alice shrugged, "It seems like it can't hurt to have now."
As the couple neared Regina's residence, the air around them thickened like poisonous smog. Alice was thankful that the other residents in town were not there for the day. This wasn't something that she wanted to explain to Prince James or Princess Snow.
It wouldn't have been the simplest of explanations.
Jefferson pulled at the scarf from around his neck and tossed it to the ground in a fit, as if it was choking him, "Are you going to explain things to me now?"
"It's all about to be revealed," Alice said dryly. "Don't be afraid; I'm further from what you remember than you previously thought."
Jefferson opened his mouth to question, but let it drop shut at her next actions.
Alice strode forward up the walkway as two guards emerged from inside the home – both unarmed, but built like houses. Jefferson vaguely recognized them from one of his rare stints in town as construction workers. They weren't major players like the others from Henry's book.
He wanted to advance to help her fend off an attack aimed towards the both of them, but soon found it unnecessary.
It was unlike anything Jefferson ever could have expected.
Alice moved with the poker – which seemed better to call a weapon now – as if it was an extension of her arm. The end slashed through the throat of one man before the other grabbed her from behind. The most damage she obtained with an elbow to the center of her spine before she was able to flip their positions, and the sharp end of her weapon stabbed straight into his heart.
Jefferson was stiff as the two bodies hit the ground and Alice turned back around with a splatter of blood across her face, "You have been keeping secrets."
"Are you repulsed?" Alice asked in a quiet voice – as if what just happened had yet to sink in.
"No," Jefferson shook his head with a slight laugh. "I'm worried."
Alice quirked her lip, "Don't worry about me. This is all part of the puzzle." She paid no attention to the staining to her cheeks as she looked back at the house. "That was fun, Your Majesty!" Alice's voice was full of so much sarcasm that it nearly hurt to hear. "Since I would rather not do that all day, how about you open up? It's been a while."
It wasn't long before the door swung open and Regina came gliding out with a look of irritation, "Jefferson." She turned her eyes to meet her caller. "Hello, Alice."
Jefferson scowled as he moved up behind his wife with a small whisper of, "I hope this is worth it." He lifted his gave to Regina. "I'm here for Alice. But don't forget that you and I have unfinished business and I would be happy to have your head… should it remain intact in time for me to take it."
"I'll remember that," Regina sneered before turning to the blonde. "Not that the reunion isn't lovely, but I have more important things to do. What do you want?"
Alice smirked as her eyes darkened, "Have you forgotten already?"
"Forgotten what?" Regina asked through a clenched jaw.
"There's nothing more important than family."