DISCLAIMER: I own absolutely none of the wonderfulness that is Once Upon A Time and their characters or other later-mentioned characters (non-related to OUAT).
This is my first fic therefore, there is obviously no prequel but if you'd like a reference as to what I'm going to use as canon for most of Emma and Jeff's past then I'd recommend "Happily Never After" by L3ftOfCent3r. Plus, I think it's a rather brilliant fic in general so you should just read it anyways if you haven't. (Due to recent updates in "Happily Never After" I have to inform you that the Wonderland situation will be drastically different [because in my story, Regina was locked up/killed in The Enchanted Forest not sent to and stuck in Wonderland and The Looking Glass is still there as the door to Wonderland.])
Thank you so very much to everyone for all of your wonderfully lovely reviews! Because of them (and a little focus on my part) I was able to finish this chapter pretty quickly and am even more excited to keep updating. In this chapter we get to explore the mysteries of another realm so without further ado I welcome you to WONDERLAND! :D
Chapter 7: Oh My Friend Jefferson Is So, So Funny
Only a few seconds passed before the quartet found themselves surrounded by a plethora of doors in The Realm Room. Henry and Grace stood with their mouths agape as Belle's tight-lipped smile grew. Jefferson stared over his shoulder at The Looking Glass that stood twenty feet from their party in the middle of the room.
Grace glanced up to her father with a smile and followed his gaze to the mirror not too far from them and questioned, "Is that it Papa?"
"Yeah..." He answered slowly with a mix of nostalgia, remorse, and pain in his voice.
"Let's go!" Grace shouted running towards the mirror, pulling her brother with her.
"Wait!" Jefferson screamed, causing his two kids to come to a halt abruptly. "Let me lead the way and first, there are a few rules… Rule number one, none of this running off, you must stay close to me or Bella at all times. Rule number two, do not draw attention to yourselves. And rule number three, never talk to anyone unless I say you can."
"Yes papa." They replied in unison with a nod of their heads.
"Alright, let's go." He finished, turning away from them and slowly took a step through the looking glass.
Grace and Henry looked to one another with satisfied grins before simultaneously stepping through the mirror as Belle followed close behind. For a split second they passed through what felt like slime and a flash of light but once the light had gone they found themselves surrounded by a sea of over-sized grass, mushrooms, and flowers. They slowly took in their surroundings as their eyes wondered to every inch of this new world that they could see before them.
Jefferson stared ahead at a white-spotted, peach-colored mushroom that lied just a few feet from where they entered. He was expecting to see the old, hookah-smoking caterpillar lying atop the rock that always greeted him unwelcomingly to this horrid place yet all he found on top of it was nothingness. Well that was a stroke of luck, maybe he was liking Wonderland better already.
"This way." Jefferson called over his shoulder to his fellow travelers, ushering them to follow him.
He led his children and dear friend down the cobblestone pathway lined with dirt and an array of signs that pointed in varied directions (some even up and down) leading to places with untold mysteries that lied beyond them. As they walked, leisurely, taking in everything they saw, odd creatures of all shapes and sizes that fluttered about or tapped you on the shoulder one moment and be gone the next came to inspect the new inhabitants of Wonderland. The three pairs of eyes that were otherwise enthralled with their new surroundings were startled as they all came to an abrupt stop, bumping into one another just as they reached a clearing in the dense sea of grass.
Within this clearing sat a small cottage whose walls were made of stones and its roof made of straw and wooden beams. The chimney puffed out a steady stream of smoke and someone bustling about within it could be heard from the outside.
"This is where he lives." Jefferson remarked with a half-smile and a small gesture of his hands towards the cottage.
Henry's grin grew large as his sister questioned, "Can we go say 'hi' Papa?"
"Yeah, I guess. Just make sure you don't startle him… he's a bit, jumpy." Jefferson reminded.
Henry and Grace hesitantly made their way to the opening that was just large enough for them to fit through and peered their heads in the doorway calling softly for The White Rabbit, as not to scare him. Alas, The White Rabbit still jumped at the call of his name causing the tea he was pouring to spill all over the small table the teacups sat on. He jerked around to yell at whoever had startled him but saw it was Grace with a strange boy and his expression softened.
"Oh Grace, Grace, it is just you. Why, whatever are you doing here in Wonderland?" he questioned growing curious as he hopped towards the children twice his size standing in the doorway.
"Papa brought us here to visit because my brother wanted to meet you." She answered with a smile as the rabbit stood cautiously a few feet from his guests.
"Well, it is very, very nice to see you again. And what might your-ur brother's name be?" he asked with a stutter taking over his frantic tone.
"I'm Henry!" Henry exclaimed with a grin and stuck out his right hand for the small animal to shake.
The White Rabbit took one more hop to reach a distance that was far enough away but close enough to tentatively take the boy's hand and give it a small yet spastic shake. "N-nice to meet you Henry. And lovely to see you as well Grace but where, where is your father?" The Rabbit questioned as he hopped back to the tea table to clean up his mess.
"Right here," Jefferson answered, crouching through the doorway as Belle followed suit. "And this is a dear friend, Belle."
"Oh-oh. As always, you startled me hatter." The Rabbit jumped as he turned around to see Jefferson and Belle, accidentally knocking over two of the cups on the table.
"Please," Jefferson snapped sternly, "my name, is Jefferson."
"Oh right, right. I apologize Jefferson." The White Rabbit remarked, waving an apologetic hand towards Jefferson as he knelt to pick up the now cracked teacups.
"Oh please, let me help you with that." Belle interrupted as she scurried over to The White Rabbit and bent down to pick up the teacups.
"Oh th-thank you, Belle. How kind of you." The White Rabbit acknowledged as he reached out his paw for her to shake, "Please, please let me formally introduce myself. I, I am The White Rabbit."
"What a pleasure to meet you Mister Rabbit." Belle greeted as she grabbed his paw and gave it a firm shake.
As Belle walked towards the kitchen sink The White Rabbit suddenly stiffened and hastily reached inside his waistcoat. He pulled out a small pocket watch and as he quickly glanced at it his eyes widened and he shoved it back into his coat as he muttered, "Oh dear, oh dear. I'm late."
Grace and Henry caught each other's eyes as they looked to one another with knowing smiles before looking back to their host.
"I am so so sorry but I must be off. I am t-terribly afraid that I am late as usual. Please, please make yourself at home but I have no idea when I might be back so do not feel you have to wait around." The White Rabbit sputtered as he made his way to his doorway then disappeared down the cobblestone path shouting, "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"
The visitors all glanced awkwardly at one another before Jefferson broke the silence and apologized somewhat sardonically, "Sorry you didn't really get to talk him Henry but… he kind of always does that."
"Are you kidding?" Henry exclaimed with a shout, "that was so cool!"
The rest of the party let out a chorus of laughter at Henry's unexpected enthusiasm.
Jefferson settled down his laughter then insisted to his son, "Well I'm glad you enjoyed merely seeing him but I do not see any reason for us to stay here any longer so—"
"But Papa we haven't even been here for an hour and I know we just said we wanted to come to see The White Rabbit but—" Grace interrupted, whining, but was then interrupted herself.
"Whoa, whoa! I simply meant that we leave here, as in, The White Rabbit's house," Jefferson remarked, gesturing to the small cottage they still stood crouched under. "Who says you were the only one who wanted to visit someone while in Wonderland?" he questioned with a mysterious smirk.
"Oh really Papa? Who are we going to go see now?" Grace questioned with renewed excitement.
"Follow me and you shall find out." Jefferson teased as he sauntered over to the doorway and out onto the path as his children chased behind him, incessantly questioning him about where and who they were off to see.
Belle followed behind them within a respectable distance as to let Jefferson have some time with just his kids. She smiled satisfied, as they weaved their way along the path, watching Jefferson tell tales of history in Wonderland to his fascinated children and forget about his worries that had filled his mind earlier that day. Belle was suddenly taken aback from her own thoughts as she heard a low purring noise that seemed to come from thin air. She slowly glanced in every direction as she continued walking but then the purr came again, now drifting around her, encircling her. She grew worried as the mysterious sound with no visible source continued but she did not utter a sound herself. She loudly gasped as a shadow appeared on her shoulder that transformed into a puff of smoke then the head of a dark blue and hot pink, striped cat.
Jefferson and his children quickly spun on their heels to discern the source of Belle's sudden fright and found a now whole cat with thick, tousled fur floating just above her right shoulder.
"The Cheshire Cat!" Grace shouted with glee.
"Oh please, do just call me Cheshire." He purred in a low, gruff yet smooth voice as he revealed his many sharp, white teeth with a sly grin.
"Well hello there Cheshire." Belle greeted with a curious look as she stared down the cat who laid on her shoulder. "I am Belle."
"Oh, lovely to meet you Belle." He replied with a slight whisper as he floated around her head, lounging with one leg propped under the side of his head for support. "Where are you heading to Belle?" he mused, dragging out each word with his wondrous voice.
"Oh well I'm not exactly sure… You would have to ask Jefferson." She replied confidently as she smiled at the cat becoming more comfortable in his presence.
"Ooooohhh, Jefferson…" the cat laughed as he flipped upside down to look in Jefferson's direction. Then in a second, The Cheshire Cat vanished from Belle's side and lay atop Jefferson's head and teased as he stroked Jefferson's hair like a pet, "You know you look rather different without a hat on Jefferson. Your hairstyle is of good taste but I personally think you would look much better with an elegant top hat covering it."
"You do realize you are not funny Cheshire?" Jefferson snapped as he swatted at the cat atop his head but The Cheshire Cat was too quick and in a flash showed up, floating between Grace and Henry.
"Oh but I think I am," Cheshire quipped back as Henry and Grace let out a small laugh. "See, even your children think I am humorous." He teased, revealing his sneaky grin. "Now do tell, who are you off to see?"
"An old friend," Jefferson informed with a grunt as he fixed his hair the cat had been petting.
"Aaaahh I see. I have not seen Mister Hare in quite a long time either, maybe I should accompany you to pay a visit to that dear, crazy fellow." Cheshire suggested with a wink.
"Whatever Cheshire, just please do your best not to pester me or my family, or my friend." Jefferson responded with a roll of his eyes as he turned on his heel and started back down the cobblestone pathway.
"Don't worry Cheshire; you would never be a bother." Grace expressed with a smile a she turned in her father's direction.
"Please come with us!" Henry urged as he looked down to the Cheshire who know stood as any normal cat would on the ground.
"If you insist." The grinning cat replied playfully.
They strolled down the path for another ten minutes or so all the while, making conversation with their new traveler who had taken quite a liking to Belle and chose to float most often next to or above her. They followed Jefferson as he veered slightly off the path and through a thick of shrubs. As they stepped through to the other side of the greenery they found a long dining table filled with broken and mismatched cups surrounded by a variety of multi-colored dining chairs spaced awkwardly around the table. The table was accompanied by colorful lanterns and streamers hanging from the surrounding trees, seeming just as out of place as all of the other details in the scene. Suddenly a small teacup came flying in their direction and a frantic yell that shouted, "You're late for tea!"
Jefferson, with a quick reach of his arm in front of the other travelers, swiftly caught the cup and replied all too calmly and jokingly, "Good day to you too."
The yell with a broken English accent that had thrown the cup came from an elderly man, roughly sixty, who stood at the far end of the disarrayed table with the palms of his hands planted firmly on the table standing before him. His stern look was replaced with one of curiosity and disbelief as he looked to the party standing before him as he questioned in voice a bit too high-pitched for a man of his age, "You're back?"
"Just for a visit my old friend," Jefferson replied with a genuine smile.
The man's expression now changed to one of excitement as he half-ran, half-stumbled over to Jefferson and pulled him into a hug muttering to himself with a smile, "Oh Jeff. Jeffy Hatter Jefferson. Oh dear Jeffers. Me old friend is back for a visit!"
The man skipped around in a circle as Jefferson awkwardly hugged back then Mister Hare jerked back with his hands now on Jefferson's shoulder and shouted far too loudly for the close proximity of his guests, "Oh please, sit down! Sit, down!"
The man gestured towards the table, allowing his visitors to walk past him but warned with a worried look taking over his face, "Oh but please, do not take my seat! I rather enjoy my seat!"
Belle slowly followed as Jefferson took a seat in an ornate, bright pink chair, taking her own seat across from him in a multi-colored simple dining table chair that had carved flamingoes as chair legs. Henry and Grace excitedly took seats opposite of one another further down the table and helped themselves to a broken teapot in between them as the Cheshire Cat vanished then appeared sitting upright, sipping at a cup of tea, at the seat on the far end of the table.
"So I'm assuming that's The March Hare…?" Belle whispered questioningly as she leaned across the table.
"Good assumption." Jefferson whispered back playfully with a smirk.
"But he is… a man, not a hare." Belle replied with growing curiosity while at the end of the table The March Hare had just shouted at Cheshire to get out of his seat but as he grabbed for him the cat disappeared in a small puff of smoke, causing the children to laugh at the man who had just fallen face-first into his chair.
"I'll let him explain that one." Jefferson teased with a quick wink before reaching for an already full cup of tea and lounging back into his chair as he crossed his legs and sipped it slowly.
"Oh yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea." The Cheshire encouraged, appearing out of thin air in the seat next to Jefferson. Belle jumped at the sudden sight of the cat but Jefferson did not flinch and Cheshire continued, now speaking loud enough for The March Hare to hear at the table's end, "I do love that tale. Please take a few moments to tell us all, March."
"Oh yes, no problem! Anything for my guests." He replied with glee as he clanked a fork dramatically against an already broken glass to get everyone's attention though their eyes were all already fixed on him. He then explained his story with great pride, beaming with excitement despite the parts of it that were rather upsetting, "So I am not sure if you are aware but there is an old tale many know of a tortoise and a hare. And well, I am that hare." He giggled at his own words and continued, "I bet the Queen I could beat her old tortoise, for I am a rather fast one, but sadly I let my cockiness get the best of me and I had lost the race. I was sentenced to work for the bloody Queen forever. I had met my old lad Jefferson long before that when he used to visit here during his younger days and we would drink tea for hours on end but once he met Alice he didn't come back until he got stuck here and his wee head was chopped off." The last comment caused Grace to wince slightly at the mention of her mother and Jefferson to wince at the mention of his beheading during his dreadful time spent here longing for Grace. "He disappeared a few months after his entrapment with the Queen but now he's back! My old friend Jefferson is back!"
"But how come you are no longer working for the Queen?" Belle questioned as she gathered her thoughts that ran a mile a minute after hearing his story.
"Oh, dear!" he exclaimed as he slapped his hands to cheeks, "Did I forget to explain that?... Well my apologies nice lady. You see, not long after Jeffy disappeared the Queen went on a rampage. She went around beheading nearly anyone she saw, even her guards, so she was left without very many of them making it too, too easy to escape."
The visitors all nodded in understanding as they pondered the story the old man had just told.
Jefferson then took the quiet moment to not so silently whisper to Belle, "If you couldn't tell, he's a bit mad."
"Oh my friend Jefferson is so, so funny!" The March Hare exclaimed as he stood himself on top of the table and walked down it, not caring about the dishware he broke along the way. He then leaned downed to whisper to his guests with a grin, "I may be mad, but we're all mad here!"
Everyone but Jefferson, who sat with stern sneer, roared with laughter at The March Hare's joke. The rest of the tea party continued, after proper introductions of the guests were made, with much laughter. Much of the laughter and guffawing at tricks (unimaginable in The Enchanted Forest) came from from Henry and Grace who were fascinated by The March Hare's ability to cut dishes and cups in half in order to hold half of their normal portion without any of their contents spilling about. The Cheshire dismissed himself with a puff of smoke after he grew tired of the tea party but not before whispering to Belle how it would be a pleasure to her see her again, causing her stifle a giggle. Once Cheshire had left Jefferson noticed how long they had spent there and quickly gathered up the rest of his party and wished his old friend "farewell, for now."
They practically ran back down the path to The Looking Glass as Jefferson pushed them quickly along, not wanting to be any later then he had promised his wife they would be. Belle and Grace were the last ones to step towards the mirror and just as Belle was about to touch the glass she saw Grace turn around out of the corner of her eye.
Grace's eyes and smile grew wide as she thought of the day's wondrous events and whispered just loud enough for Belle to hear, "Goodbye Wonderland."
Belle turned around and placed a gentle hand on the young girl's shoulder as she smiled down at her and suggested, "Let's get home Grace."
Grace simply smiled back and took Belle's hand as she quickly turned and pulled the older woman through The Looking Glass into the Realm Room and through the door that led home.
I hope you had fun reading this slightly 'mad' chapter and enjoyed my little references to other tellings of Wonderland as well as the chipped cup and my own little spin on some of their stories! ;D If you get the chance please review but if not, thank you sooooo much for reading anyways, all of you readers are simply lovely! The next chapter is the Mad Swan reunion and some interesting news in The Charming castle so stay tuned!