Trustworthy?

The ground came faster than Alice expected and her legs gave out on impact. Looking around she noticed she was in the same abandoned building she landed in during her first visit to Wonderland. Slowly she picked herself off the ground and started down the hallway.

Alice's brain didn't catch up to her until she stepped out onto the ledge that was Wonderland's version of a sidewalk, but her own personal hell. Why am I even here! She couldn't help but mentally yell at herself, she had followed a man who she has known for all of three months into another world to save him after she caught him cheating on her.

The kicker was she wasn't even angry with Hatter any more. She was however furious at Jack for letting this happen. As King of Wonderland he should have stopped March from being resurrected and then Hatter would still be home safe.

With her brain lost in thought Alice's heart took control yet again and led her through Wonderland to a familiar building. The site of the Tea Shoppe snapped her back into reality, the last time she saw it March had been ransacking it but now it seemed to be up and running.

Entering the Tea Shoppe she noticed a big difference, it was no longer sold emotion teas but normal ones and the inside décor was defiantly different. One side had tables set up with mismatched chairs and people laughing, the other side had couches and lounge chairs set up to be more of a seating area and a bar with different types of teas behind it ran along the back wall.

She didn't know why she was there; if Hatter was taken by March he certainly wouldn't be in his Tea Shoppe. She looked at the back corner of the shop and saw the white door that she knew lead to an office, she wasn't sure who would be there but something told her that whoever was would have some answers.

The office was almost identical to how she saw it last except there were a few minor changes like the emotion teas that ran along the back wall had been replaced with jars of spices, the glass wardrobe was now mirrored and instead of Hatter sitting on the white swivel chair a young woman sat writing.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" The woman had the same accent as Hatter and seemed to be in a good mood. That changed however when she looked up and saw Alice. It took a second for the women to recognize each other but once they did Alice had no doubt that it was the same person she had saw Hatter hugging.

"Oh no. What do you think you are doing here?" Anger filled her voice and her pleasant mood was definitely gone for good. "You were supposed to stay there." The venom in her voice dissipated and sorrow seemed to fill the void it left.

"I came to find Hatter." Alice's meek response wasn't what she had planned to say. She was planning on keeping her hunt for Hatter private just in case he was a wanted man all over Wonderland and being on a mission to break him out would land her in prison.

"You're in over your head." A warning was the only thing that the wonderlander could think of to tell the oyster. She leaned back in her chair and seemed to be going over options in her head. "You're not going to leave without him are you Alice?" Alice could only nod. Whoever this person was she never did what Alice thought she would, and she seemed to know too much for Alice's liking.

The two sat in silence for a few seconds before there was a loud knock on the door. The color drained out of the stranger's already pale face as she looked at Alice, then the door then back to Alice. Quickly she stood up and ushered Alice into the wardrobe and put her finger to her lips to tell her to stay quiet.

This was the first time Alice got a good look at the woman. She seemed to be either in her late teens or early 20s and stood a little over five feet tall. Her brown hair was pulled back sloppily on top of her head but Alice could tell it was very long. She wore a gray leather jacket over a purple paisley shirt and tan capris. Her eyes caught Alice's attention though. They were almost identical to Hatter's but they were a sparkling green.

The wardrobe, Alice found out, was a two-way mirror; from the inside she could see everything going on in the office. The small woman went cautiously to the door and gently opened it. A tall man walked in wearing a black suit, the only way Alice could only describe his features was rabbit-like.

"March, I didn't expect you so soon." Alice was surprised to hear the pleasant tone return to the wonderlander's voice so quickly.

"Come on Madelyn, of course I would come back as quick as possible." March's voice sounded the kindest Alice had ever heard. "Thanks to you Hatter has been captured and soon he won't be a threat anymore. With him out of the way the crown is as good as ours." Even when happy March's voice still had under tones of maliciousness was another thing Alice observed.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me." The small woman ran over and jumped into March's arms that hugged her right back. The couple shared a quick kiss and Alice was shocked, whoever this woman was who lead on Hatter was very close to March, and she knew where Alice was.

"But- you know I would never doubt you- But, could we do anything else? We don't even know what it would do to him if we tried to take his magic? Not knowing was causes it and all. It could kill him." Worry had crept into her voice and she refused to look March in the eye.

"Of course there is no other way!" His voice was rising and anger became clear on his face. Apparently Madelyn wasn't the only one with mood swings. "If he can still punch he is a threat. He is the only one who could ever get the better of me; if I can steal his magic I will be unstoppable. Hatter's death could only be a good thing for us." By now March was screaming in Madelyn's face.

"March, please don't yell. I was just-"

"Just what? You wanna go back to him? Get protection from dear old Hatter?" He was now lifting Madelyn by the neck. "Well guess what, he can't help you. And even if he could he wouldn't. You know why? 'Cause he doesn't care anymore, even if he did he found a new damsel in distress to take care of." He then dropped her and she fell to a heap on the floor by his feet. He then leaned down and spoke at a normal volume again. "Think about it. I have been there for you since he decided you weren't worth it. I'll give you a day to figure out where your loyalties lie, and if you pick him, you can share a cell."

Alice watched as March stormed out of the office. As the sound of the slamming door faded Madelyn's sobs filled the air, and Alice was shocked to realize that she felt no pity for the wonderlander. In Alice's mind she deserved it for selling out Hatter. It did not change the fact that Hatter let himself get lead on by another woman while dating her.

She stepped out of the closet grabbing the same purple jacket she wore during her last adventure and quietly walked out into the crowded Tea Shoppe. She couldn't tell if it was the sound of happy chatting or the door closing that drowned out Madelyn's crying but it didn't matter either way.

For the first time she was completely alone in Wonderland and had no plan. She knew she had two options, go find Charlie or go find Jack. Given her present relationship status of pissed at her cheating boyfriend she chose the latter.