I'm thinking about only posting these like once a week, because this is really eating into my life time. Oh well, we shall see where his takes us! BTW any of you all Once Upon a Time fans, cause if you are then you probably realize why I never post on Sunday cause I usually write at night. Enjoy!

"Hello, Miss Alice." 'Nigel' said, crossing the room in a few easy strides and bowing in front of her quite formally. Alice, to stricken to do anything, stood there staring down at Stayne for a few moments before she stood up and gave her a dazzling smile. "It's lovely to finally meet you."

"Like wise," Alice replied, her eyes filled with hatred as the dark man, the very man that had tormented her friends, lied to her sister and put her mother in a coma, sit down across from her, the smile still plain on his face.

"So," Stayne asked, turning to face Lord Ascot. "If you will excuse my tardiness. I had some," He gave Alice a quick side long glance that only she could see. "Business, that needed to be attended to, could someone catch me up on our meeting?"

"We were discussing how we believe that Alice should remain n in charge of our company," Mr. Bitters explained, folding his hand under his chin and gazing at their fifth business partner wearily. "Care to elaborate on your views against the fact?"

"Oh, of course, of course." Stayne said, and he played his part flawlessly. If Alice hadn't known better, she would have thought he was an actually business partner instead of a conniving knave bent on revenge and murder. "You see," He said, standing up and walking over to the faire place where a dim fire was burning and played with a small picture e in a silver frame absent mindedly. "I was just wondering, are we really ready to take such a chance on someone so unreliable?"

"Unreliable?" Alice repeated, raising an eyebrow but Lord Ascot kept talking. "I believe you are mistaken, Mr. Doyle. Our Alice is-"

"Where has she been for the past few days then, Lord Ascot?" Stayne asked, turning suddenly. "And why hasn't she even been to visit her mother yet?"

"What does my mother have to do with ay of his?" Alice asked, and Stayne gave her an unamused glance.

"Well," Stayne said without missing a beat. "I have been appointed to watch over your mother by-"

"Excuse me!" Mr. Bitters interrupted. "Who has appointed you to watch over Miss Kingsley's mother? And wouldn't she be able to watch over her own parent in her current state?"

"On normal circumstances, yes." Mr. Doyle pointed out. "But, since Alice has not inf act been to see her mother since the accident and since Margret was out of town to look for her, I was appointed."

"Why you then?" Mr. Bitters wondered.

"I do, have a doctor's license and I know enough to make sure Mrs. Kingsley's vital sings are well, which miss Kingsley could have learn to do," He gave her a sad smile. "If she'd decided to actually visit her own mother. And Dr. Peters is a client of mine."

"I don't believe I follow your, line of thinking," Mr. Jackson said, but something in his eyes told Alice that he did. "Could you explain things a little more clearly?"

"Certainly, Jackson." Stayne replied cheerfully. "I just believe that putting the future of our company in the hands of such an irresponsible girl who has constantly flits around so much that she doesn't even have the time to visit her sick mother. If she can't do that, whose to say she won't be able to take care of our company?"

"But what about all the things that Alice has done?" Lord Ascot asked. "You can't just expect us to agree with you on a large chance of if's and could's."

"It's true," Bitters agreed. "The world could end tomorrow afternoon, but that doesn't mean it's true, now is it?"

"But do you have evidence that proves the world is going to end, Mr. Bitters?" Stayne asked, testily. "Because I certainly do have evidence that proves Alice Kingsley is quite irresponsible and possibly mad, much like her father was."

"Doyle!" Mr. Bitters snapped, at the same time that Lord Ascot said. "That wasn't at all necessary!"

Alice bit her lip, and stared down at her hands, revisiting the urge to jump up from her seat and strangle Stayne with her bare hands. She didn't need her vopal sword to cause him damage, but she bit back the thought. She wasn't in Underland right now, she was in London and she couldn't just run up to him and do what he deserved. Next to her she heard Hatter mutter and Stayne looked up and zoned in on her friend.

"Care to share something with us, sir?" The knave in disguise asked.

Hatter looked up and kept his face impassive. "No, I do not."

"You know," Stayne said, almost absent mindedly. I don't believe we've been properly introduced." He strode back towards Alice but this time stopped in front of Hatter and held out a hand. "Nigel Doyle."

Hatter grasped the knave's and. "Tarrant Hightopp."

A flicker of anger flecked into Stayne's eyes but he kept smiling and finally released Hatter's hand. "Hightopp, I do believe I've heard that name before. Were did you say your from?"

"He didn't," Alice said under her breath as Hatter spoke. "Umbridge, sir."

"Umbridge, you say." Stayne mused, and he looked over at Alice. "Well, I do believe that I've neverbeen there. Alice, is that where you've been this week?"

Alice glared at Stayne and but Mr. Evergreen interrupted her before she could speak. "Can you please get on with your opinion?"

Stayne grinned. "Gladly,"

He straightened his back and took a few steps back so that he was in the middle of the room and all eyes landed don him. "I wish for you gentlemen to reconsider your offer. I ask you to realize what you are about to do with your investments and your trust. Putting it in the hands of such an irresponsible girl would ruin everything we've so desperately build this company up for, and if she disappeared then who would we have to lead us?" He paused and looked over at Lord Ascot. "Sir, I know you don't have many years left, and I want you to be as calm as you can when you go. You need to know that this company is in good hands, and those hands are not Alice Kingsley's."

"Then what do you propose we do?" Lord Ascot asked, wearily.

And Stayne, being the cruelest and most evil being of all, just smiled a cunning smile. "It's funny you should ask."

I really hate Stayne! I DON'T KNOW WHY I MAKE HIM SO FREAKING EVIL BUT I DO! And this just pisses me off all the more. Anyone else sharing my Stayne hatred? Please review!