Chapter 12, and I feel like this is just a filler. . . Sorry. I still think it's alright though. Enjoy!

Alice sat up in bed with a gasp, and the first thing she noticed was that her room smelled like blueberries.

An odd thing to notice first when you get up, she knew but it was. The moment her eyes opened she inhaled the deep scent of blueberries fresh and crisp. For a few moments she just stayed their, inhaling blueberries and taking a nice long deep breath, and then last nights events caught up to her.

"Good, you're awake." A voice said pleasantly, and Alice turned to see Hatter standing next to her. The moment she saw his green eyes, she flinched.

"Alice?" Hatter asked, rising from the chair he was sitting in and taking a step towards her. He was dressed in an average suit, though with bright orange buttons along the front instead of brown or black, but Alice was too afraid to ask why. "Are you alright?"

Alice froze, her mind moving a million miles per second, but she somehow managed to keep herself breathing calmly and say. "I...I had a bad dream. Sorry, you scared me."

"Oh," Hatter's face fell and filed with instant sympathy. "What was the dream about? Did Stayne come and,-"

"I don't remember much," Alice interrupted quickly, and the lie stopped Hatter in his tracks. "But…I'm going to go take a bath. To…clear my head."

She pushed the blankets off and jumped out of bed, walking towards the door quickly without looking back but turned quickly to stare back at him for one last moment.

"I'll find you after, alright?"

Hatter gave her a slow nod, obviously confused either by her abruptness, or maybe at why she wouldn't meet his eyes but just gave her a small smile.

As Alice turned to open the door to the bathroom she heard Hatter call out to her.

"Yes?" She asked softly.

"Alice, you might want to clean…here." He pointed to his shoulder. "Has something….scratched you?"

Alice turned, running a hand to her shoulder and shaking her head, saying that she probably had gotten it last night or when she'd fallen some time. And the moment Hater shut the door behind him, she threw the bathroom door open and ran inside.

Quickly, she pulled away her night gown and saw that there were indeed scratch marks on her shoulder, running down deep. They weren't injures like she'd seen on the boat. Claw marks from cats or stray raccoons like in London. These were much closer, and there was something almost….human about them.

Alice felt a chill go through her and she grabbed the edge of the sink for support, her eyes locking with her reflections and both girls had pure terror in their matching brown eyes'.

A sharp pain across her chest while she slept, twisting and turning away, desperate to get out of the thing's grasp. She placed a hand on her head, taking deep even breaths and trying to get a hand on the situation. Deep breath, She thought. Just keep breathing.

Somehow, she managed to get herself into the tub, carefully cleaning the wound and adding medication so it wouldn't become infected then put on a plain white dress and black boots which she laced up carefully. She was almost done when she heard a knock at her door and everything in her body told her to run away. Fast.

No, She thought stubbornly and took and deep breath he can't hut you. Hatter would never hurt you.

But what about last night? A tiny voice whispered and Alice wanted to squish it down so it wouldn't say another word. He hurt you last night and you know it. He left his mark on you.

Alice shook her head and walked over slowly to the door. Hatter wouldn't, couldn't hurt her.

He was her fried, and no matter what had happened to them in the past, they would always be friends. And friends never hurt each other.

"Alice?" A voice called, and Alice was surprised to hear it wasn't Hater's voice. She opened the door and saw a rather scared looking Hamish at her door. Hands folded in front of him and eyes cast downward like a school boy about to be punished.

"Hamish," Alice said quietly and Hamish's head snapped up.

"Alice," He said quickly. "My father has instructed me to fetch you and bring you tot he front gates where he will be accompanying you to visit your aunt."

"Really?" Alice asked and Hamish nodded quickly, tuning on his heel and stomping down the hall, not waiting to see if Alice was following.

"Hamish!" Alice called after him, running down the hall to keep in step with the fast moving man. "What are you doing?

"Escorting you to the front gates," He said swiftly.

"Chasing is more like it," Alice mumbled but Hamish didn't even flinch. "Hamish, what's wrong?"

"Why nothing, Alice." Hamish replied and gave her an unhappy side ways glance. "Nothing at all."

"Then why are you acting this way," Alice asked, stepping in front of Hamish's path.

Hamish shook his head and walked around her, never missing a beat as he strode down the hall and hung a left at the corner, and Alice had to run again to catch up with him.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong, Hamish?" Alice asked, walking next to Hamish. "I thought we were….."

"Friends?" Hamish stopped and stared at her dead on. "You thought we were friends? Are you mad? You, single handedly embarrassed me in front of my family, my friends and everyone at out engagement party by shooting me down. After, might I remind you, you left me standing there without an answer to run around in the woods. You've also taken my place as my father's apprentice. Mine. Even if I didn't wan tit, I should have never been replaced by a women of all people. And him picking you was even worse.

"You ruined me, Alice Kingsley." Hamish Ascot sneered. "And what Nigel says about you is right. I can' wait to see you fired and thorn out of her without a penny to your name. If you're lucky you'll end up in h asylum like your crazy aunt, but now all I have to do is wait." He cast a glance over his shoulder to the doors. "You can find the hates yourself."

He stormed away, and Alice was left alone, numb and brimming with remorse.

Hamish is annoying, Hatter is creepy an Alice is madder then ever. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO? Oh right, the craziness of my imagination. Please review and tell me exactly what you thought and you know the rest! ^ . ^ atter would never hurt her.
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