Chapter 32 and I'm excited! You'll find out soon, not this soon though soon. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Aiw. Abbreviations are so much easier.

After two days of silence, Alice awoke to someone banging on her front door.

"Go away," Alice groaned, pulling her arms closer around her as she willed the knocking to stop, but it kept going and eventually, it did stop. Then, there was a noise like gears moving and then the sound of a door swinging open and then someone was walking into her room.

"Alice," Irisa said softly. "You need to get up."

Alice shook her head not facing Irisa. "Irisa, leave me alone."

Irisa sighed and then flopped down onto the bed next to Alice, her dark hair spraying across the pillow. "Alice, I need to tell you something. Very important."

Alice turned to Irisa. "What?"

"You need to get up and get out of your room, now." Irisa demanded. "And you're going to go downstairs and get on with your life."

Alice turned away from Irisa again. "Leave me alone."

"No, you're going to get out of this room today," Irisa said, standing up and putting her hand son her hips. "Now up, Alice."

Alice sighed. "Irisa, I just want to-"

"You're not the only one who's lost someone," Irisa said, softly. "Remember your sister? She's been waiting for you to come out of your room for days."

Alice pulled her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around them. "I don't want to."

"You know, you're not the first one to lose someone you loved." Irisa said, still in the soft tone of voice. "At least you still have some of your family."

Alice sat up and stared at her friend. "You lost your entire family."

Irisa nodded. "On the day that was supposed to be the happiest one of my life."

Alice dropped her gaze. 'What did you do?"

Irisa sighed, and crossed her legs. "Well, after Stayne locked me into my room, I laid around in my bedroom and didn't really do anything either."

Alice gave her friend a look, and Irisa smiled. "Yes, but then, I got up and I realized they wouldn't want me to do this. I needed to get on with my life, even though I was being held against my own will. I still went on with your life. And you need to too."

Alice shook her head. "I know I do, but….I just…."

"I know it's hard that she's gone," Irisa said with a knowing look. "But, eventually you're going to realize that while she's gone, you're still around to remember her."

Alice smiled for the first time in days. "You a good friend, Irisa."

Irisa nodded. "That's why I'm your best friend."

Alice nodded when someone else knocked on the door and Nicholas's head popped in. "So you're alive,"

Alice opened her mouth to speak while Irisa grabbed a pillow and tossed it at the door. "Not funny, Nicholas."

Nicholas smiled and walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Are you okay?"

For some reason Alice thought that the joke was directed at both o mf them, and she nodded.

"We're both fine," Irisa said, and the she turned to Alice. "I'm going to round everybody up, okay? We have things to discuss." She grinned at her friend and stood up, walking to the door and delicately squeezing herself through the doorway, leaving Alice and Nicholas alone.

Alice smiled at him, a hesitant but warm smile and Nicholas flashed his own slightly crooked smile and walked over to her bed where he sat on the end and coked his head at her.

"You know it's like looking at a ghost," He admitted.

Alice nodded, and pulled off the rest of her blankets and crawled over to where Nicholas sat, wrapping her arms around him. "I've missed you so much, Nicholas."

Nicholas returned Alice's hug with a tight one of his own. "Me too, Alice. What have you been doing up there, anyway? See Hamish lately?"

Alice grinned, crossing her arms across her chest. "And what if I have? Don't tell me you'd be jealous."

Nicholas grabbed his chest in mock horror. "Me? Jealous? Honestly."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I have seen Hamish; he's changed a little bit." She smiled at Nicholas. "But he's pretty much given up all hope of me being his bride."

Nicholas grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Took him long enough." He reached into his pocket and pulled out something. "I believe this is yours."

Alice smiled and took the piece of appear from his hand, unfolding it and then nearly dropping the thing entirely. One it was a drawing of Alice, when she'd fallen on the stairs. Except now instead of staring back she was staring forward. But what made her want to drop the paper was what was standing in front of her.

Her aunt looked like she had when she'd appeared out of nowhere telling Alice to get up and fight. Now she stood in front of her niece with her sword in and, her brown curls flying back as if the Jabberwocky was breathing its warm breath onto the two women.

"Nicholas…." Alice was at a loss for words.

"I saw you when you were eon your back, and I couldn't forget it." Nicholas explained. "I thought you would like it. "

Alice turned to her friend with tears in her eyes. "You have no idea what this means to me,"

Nicholas shrugged. "I can assume,"

Alice sighed and stared at the picture, the memory of that day in battle still fresh in her mind. "You should do this for a living."

Nicholas laughed. "My father would have a heart attack."

Alice turned to her friend suddenly. "Why?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Don't you remember? He's been building me up to take over the family business. Ever since I was born he's told me that when I grow up I'll be a doctor. His great grandfather was one and his son and then my father and so, I have to be."

Alice sighed. "That's not fair."

Nicholas nodded. "I know, but, it's something I'll have to do, if I ever decide to go back that is."

Alice nodded in agreement. "You know that they all think we've run off and gotten married. Or at least they did until I came back, that is."

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Alice nodded and then she stood, walking over to her closet and pulling out a blue dress that she always enjoyed. "You should leave now, Nicholas."

"Why?" Nicholas asked, starting to stand.

"Because," Alice explained. "Just because they think we're engaged doesn't mean you can see me undress."

A little joke here and it's sweet, awkward and corny, but sweet. Review please!