AANNND here's chapter four updated and beautiful. I hope you all like it. I've been workning really hard, but I sprained my knee and had to get surgery, so Alyce has been on hold for a bit. Anyways, enjoy!

The first thing Alyce noticed when she woke again was that she was sore and stiff from sleeping so long. The next thing was that her face hurt. She grimaced and brushed her hand against her right cheek, where the pain was pulsating, and felt a gauzy substance covering it. Alyce attempted to remove what she assumed was a bandage, only to yelp as a large hand grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She froze and looked up, afraid she would have to see Jack again, but was met with someone else entirely. His wavy black hair was a mess, as if he had just rolled out of bed, and his eyes were a startling emerald green. His tattered, bloody trench coat shifted noiselessly as he took a step forward, revealing a clean dark grey shirt and nice black pants. But all of that, even the ratty coat, she hardly had time to acknowledge, because her gaze was transfixed on the two, rather large tan rabbit ears sticking out from the top of his head. The rabbit man noticed her staring and gave an undignified cough to get her attention.
"Rather rude to stare, don't ya think," he asked, a smirk playing on his lips and eyes swirling with malevolent intent. Alyce whimpered quietly and backed away.

"Anyway," he drawled, "I wouldn't take that bandage off just yet. Jack wouldn't like it too much, and it would hurt," his mouth pulled into a grin, "like a bitch."

"Who are you," Alyce asked, trying her hardest not to have a panic attack and burst into tears. "Why are you here? What are you gonna do to me?"

The rabbit man chuckled malevolently.

"Well, dearie," he answered, "Jack told me to keep an eye on you while he took care of...things. He specifically told me to make sure you didn't get into anytrouble in case you woke up before he returned." The way that evil intent laced every word he said caused her to shudder. She looked up at his face again, and recoiled at the purely demonic look on his face.

Alyce tried to pull her hand away, but the rabbit man only tightened his grip. She yelped in pain and began thrashing in a desperate attempt to free herself. The rabbit man threw back his head and laughed. He was laughing so hard that he didn't see her foot shoot out, straight for his groin.

"GOD DAMMIT!"

The rabbit man immediately released Alyce, doubling over in pain, tears forming in his eyes. Alyce scrambled away from him, going as far as the chain would allow. She shook and and tried to keep herself from crying as she curled into a little ball. The rabbit man looked up and glared viciously at Alyce. He lunged towards her and wrapped his hand in her umber colored hair. He yanked her head back, ripping her long hair as he did. Alyce screamed clawed weakly at him, trying in vain to remove his hand from her hair.

"You're gonna pay for that, you little brat!"

He raised his hand to slap her. Alyce moved her hands to shield herself, crying as she waited for the blow. But it never came. Alyce peered through her bangs up at the rabbit man, only to see that his angry expression was now directed at Jack, who was holding his wrist and preventing the blow from falling. Jack held a fierce expression, as if silently warning the rabbit man to watch his step.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Kaleb?"

Kaleb's expression immediately shifted from rage to pure fear. He gulped, and Alyce saw him shake slightly. Without turning back to face her, Kaleb slowly released his hold on Alyce's hair. She held her throbbing head and furiously rubbed the tears from her eyes, turning her attention away from the duo. I have to get outta here, these people are crazy.She looked around, desperate to find some way out.

A sharp slap sounded through the air, jolting Alyce from her thoughts. She immediately turned to the hatter and hare. Kaleb's head was turned sharply towards Alyce, an angry red handprint on his cheek. Jack had that impossible grin again, yet his eyes held a silent fury so powerful that made Alyce sick to her stomach. The hatter wrapped his hand around Kaleb's throat, and threw him out the door, with the parting words, "I'll deal with you later."

Alyce shook violently as Jack slammed the door shut, slowly turning back to face her.

"Well, Miss Alyce," he sneered, " you seem to be causing me quite a bit of trouble. And to think that you haven't even been here a day."

Tears started streaming down Alyce's face, small hiccups escaping her throat. The hatter stalked forward, continuing as Alyce sat frozen in a petrifying fear, "First, you attract the attention of Cheshire, who is always a thorn in my side and very difficult to get rid of."

He was right in front of the bed now; he climbed on top and moved towards her. Alyce sobbed violently, positive that he was going to do something horrible. She scrambled out of his path, but Jack caught her by Alyce hair and turned her to face him. Underneath that gigantic smile, Alyce could tell he was furious; he was practically growling and his eyes held such an anger that her breath caught in her throat.

"Then," he continued, "you went and riled up Kaleb, and he's so obnoxious that if he wasn't my second in command I'd kill him. Plus he keeps that revolting Queen of Hearts away from me."

He yanked Alyce's hair harshly in emphasis. Why does everyone keep pulling my hair, Alyce cried mentally, It feels as if my scalp will rip off.She also vaguely wondered who the Queen of Hearts was.

"So perhaps, Alyce," the size of his angry grin increased, "I should lay down some rules."

With that, Jack ripped the bandage from Alyce's face, and a bloodcurdling scream tore from her throat. Jack chuckled and brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face as tears of pain and fear blurred Alyce vision, leaving hot trails down her cheeks.