I do not own any of Alice in Wonderland.

~Carriage~

"Alex...Alex...Alexis...Alexis Mainsfield!" Alex snapped out of her nightmare. She looked around remembering she was in a carriage heading to a party. Her mother stared at her. "Honestly, don't fall asleep while I. Speaking to you. Where are your color lenses?"

Alex reached into her bag and pulled out a small case filled with a liquid and two blue discs. Her mother had gotten them for her. They were annoying at times, but they made Alex's eyes purple instead of red. People complimented her on her eyes quite often. She placed them on her finger and placed them onto her eye. She had gotten very good at putting them in, in any situation.

"There. Happy?" They weren't bothering her today. 'Thank goodness.'

"Sit up straight. We have arrived. Take the valet's hand this time." Her mother nagged her, but she didn't pay attention.

The valet opened the door. Alex let her mother get out first. Then jumped out once her mother was out of the way and the valet hadn't gotten back to the door yet. Her mother rolled her eyes at her daughter's action. Alex didn't care, she thought of everyone who needed help to get out of a carriage stupid. Except for her mother, her mother was 'proper'.

"Can't you act like a proper lady once an and a while? For me at the very least." Elizabeth Mainsfield had tried many things to get her daughter to act proper, but none of them worked. "Now remember, we're in mourning. Don't flirt too much, but don't be too withdrawn." She sent her daughter off to mingle. She headed for the main hall, she had a mission to accomplish.

Alex wasn't interested in flirting. All the men that ever courted were just after her family's fortune. Her family was the second wealthiest family in London other than the Royal Family. She was the only daughter and her father's will had yet to be read, but she and her mother knew that her father had left her with a substantial inheritance. So all of the men wanted to have her. She felt like a prize that everyone had set out to win.

"May I have this dance, Lady Alexis?" A young Duke had taken her hand and was leaded her to the dance floor.

'This should be fun.' Alex had taken dance lessons since she could walk. So far no one could make her skill and most left after the dance feeling self conscious and inadequate as a dance partner. Her mother mostly insisted that Alex refrain from dancing, but sometimes she just couldn't help it. She still had a bet to keep, but her opponent hadn't challenged her for sometime.

The music began for a waltz. They began off count, that pissed her off. He didn't lead well, strike two. He stepped on her foot. He was out.

A resounding slap stopped the music and drew everyone's attention. "If you intend to dance with a girl, Duke Bromoss, then lead and don't step on her feet." Alex walked off the dance floor and headed in the direction of the marquis.

Under the marquis there were plush chairs and tea being served. Alex sat down in a black velvet chair and asked for her favorit tea, Cherry and Peach. She also asked if they could serve it on ice. It was fairly hot and she had recently discovered how delicious tea was when served cold. The waiter looked puzzled but did as she requested. He came back out with a tall glass filled with a pink creamy liquid. She tasted it to see if it had been done right, and it had. She thanked the waiter and dismissed him.

"Quite the scene you caused on the dance floor, Miss Mainsfield." A well dressed man sat in the chair across from her.

"It's not my fault he has two left feet and no sense of rhythm." She took a sip of her tea. "Now why would the great Lord Hainsworth be doing away from the pretty ladies of the court?" Alex crossed her legs at her knees. She enjoyed the feeling of power it gave her.

"I though I would grace the women outside the court with my presence. Allow me to offer my condolences. The loss of your father must be great." Alex could tell he meant his word. Her father had been a good man and had many friends.

"Thank you." The waiter came by to ask the Lord what he would like to drink. "I would suggest you try it on ice." She got up to leave. "It's quite refreshing." She left the marquis hoping to find some quiet.

She soon found herself in front of the garden maze. She ventured inside, curious to see if she could navigate her way through it.

~Ten minutes later~

Alex sat down on a bench in the inner circle of the maze. She had come across a few other circles, but this was the only one with a bench. Several of the others had holes in the hedges and others were in need of trimming. She was pleased that she had been able to find a quiet place, but that was short lived.

"Isn't that the girl who yelled at Edward?" An obviously drunk man staggered into the circle. His companion didn't look drunk, but didn't try to stop his companion. "You didn't have to do that. It was his first dance."

"Not my fault he didn't practice enough." Alex got up to find a new spot.

The drunk man grabbed her arm. "Where you think you're going? I'm not finished yet."

"Easy there Franklin. You don't want to bruise such a pretty face." The other man had walked up and was standing behind his friend.

"Franklin Boenar. That makes you Evan Brightan. You both don't even know who you're dealing with do you? Or do you want a repeat of last years spring dance?" Alex took out one of her lenses to reveal her bright red eye colour.

Franklin released her arm and swung his fist at her. Alex easily dodged it while taking out her other lens and throwing them both away. 'Time for a new pair anyway.' She moved away from the two men.

She hated being restricted by her dress. With a smile she held up the knife that had been on Evan's hip. "What the!" Evan hadn't even seen her steal it from him.

She cut down the front of her dress and let the heavy purple fabric hit the ground. Under her dress she had worn her most comfortable red dress. It had a fabric corset and the skirt only went to her knees. She let her hair loose from its up do and braided it. She tied it off with a black ribbon from her discarded dress.

She turned back to the two men. "Now. Where were we?" She ran at both men, neither wanting to face the demonic looking girl.

~Five minutes later~

"That was fun." Alex stretched. She hadn't gotten a scratch on her during her little fight. The two men who had interrupted her quiet moment laid unconscious at her feet. "Probably should leave. Mother would hate to see I got into another fight."

"Still the same old Alexis." She turned to find a tall blond staring at her with his piercing blue eyes. "And here I was trying to find you on the dance when you're off beating up my drunk friends."

"Then you should find better friends, Jonathan." Alex turned to her dance opponent. It had been almost a year since they last dance. "Finally going to challenge me again, or do you give up?"

"Oh I would never give up. I just thought I should tell you what I want my prize to be." Jonathan Thompson moved closer to Alex.

"What would that be? A trophy? Money? Land?" Alex liked negotiating. It gave her a chance to insult people without actually insulting them.

"No. None of that. I was hoping to have your heart. If you were willing to give it." Jonathan broke eye contact with her.

Alex could have sworn she saw him blush, but before she could bring it up his words hit her. "What? Why would you want that? There are plenty if other girls your mother would rather have you marry than me." Alex could feel herself blush. 'Why am I blushing? He's my dancing opponent. Sure he's the only guy who accepts me, but he's also the one who took my friends away from me.'

Jonathan and his mother had passed her playing with Ollie, Roger, and Lily one day in their carriage. They had told her mother and her mother had made them move farther into the 'Rich' part of the city. Far away from anyone that she could act like herself around. She couldn't forgive him for that.

"The reason I want you, is because you act like you. You smile when you're happy and you don't care what others think about you." Alex glared at him. "I'm sorry for what my mother did all those years ago." Alex was surprised by his words. She didn't believe him. "You looked so happy playing with those kids, and I took that away from you. No words can describe how sorry I am."

"I don't want your apology. How about you show me how well you've improved?" Alex wanted to get him off his depressing train ride he was on. 'Or else he'll be crying and begging me to forgive him.'

"You won't be disappointed. Today I will be victorious, and you will be my fiancé. If you agree to it." He held out his hand.

"I'll agree." She took his hand. 'Let's see if he can fulfill his words.'

"Luckily there is a phonograph in another one of these courtyards." He led her to a circle that she hadn't visited yet. On the side under a stone awning was a phonograph and a trunk. "We make sure the gardeners keep it from rusting or breaking." He selected a record and placed the needle on the disc. A waltz began to play.

"We always seem to be waltzing." Alex placed her hand on his shoulder. The count began and Jonathan moved in time with the music. 'Perfect. Some one who can actually waltz.' Alex lost herself in the dance.

The music ended long before the two stopped dancing and realized a tango was now playing. They easily switched to the new dance and continued on. They went through five more songs when the phonograph stopped playing music.

Alex was surprised to find herself slightly out of breath. "Shall we stop?" Jonathan had a childish grin on his face.

Alex returned the smile. "Why would we do that? I'm only starting to enjoy myself."

Jonathan went back to the phonograph and chose another disc. They danced for almost an hour before they were both out of breath.

"Had enough?" Alex was exhausted, but refused to lose.

"Yes. I've had enough of waiting for you." Jonathan pulled Alex closer to him.

She could feel her self blush. She was to tired to resist his embrace, or was it that she didn't want to. 'I don't hate him. I actually quite like him.' Alex looked up into his ocean blue eyes. She loved those eyes ever since she first saw them at her 7th birthday party.

"I love you Alexis. Please be my wife." Alex saw something in Jonathan's eyes that she had seen countless times while they danced.

'Is it love?' Alex didn't know if she felt the same way. No one had ever treated her with any sort of kindness, let alone love. "I don't know if I can do that." Alex couldn't look into his eyes.

"You can do anything you set your mind to, because that's who you are, Alex." Jonathan had used her nickname a few times, but never at a party. And certainly never with a compliment. "Please say yes." He released her and got down on one knee. He opened a box with a ring that held a black jewel in the shape of a rose.

Alex had tears in her eyes. She didn't know why she was crying, she was happier than she had ever been. "Yes. Yes I'll marry you." Jonathan picked her up and spun her around. "But I'm still the better dancer."

They both laughed as they continued spinning. When Jonathan put Alex back down he slipped the ring onto her finger. To Alex's surprise it fit perfectly. "I asked your mother for your ring size. I'm guessing she already knows my intentions."

"I'm sure she'll still be surprised. Either by my answer or by my dress. Or rather, what's become of my dress." Alex spun around in her red dress. Her mother would be expecting her to be in her purple dress.

"Red suits you much better than any other colour." Jonathan pulled Alex close to himself and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"She'll probably scold me though, and that's never fun." Jonathan was going to reply, but a sound interrupted him.

"Alexis! Alexis Mainfield Where are you!?" Alex froze. Her mother was close.

"I have to go." She pulled herself out of the embrace and turned to runaway from the sound of her mother's voice.

Jonathan grabbed her arm as she turned away. "Why do you have to run?" He knew he wouldn't get an answer. "Fine, but not before this." He pulled her close to him again, but this time he tilted her head up and kissed her lips. "Now you may go my sweet."

Alex staggered off but soon gained her footing. She heard a scream a few moments later coming fro. The direction of where her discarded dress was. She tried to stop, but the gardeners seemed to have recently watered the grass in the area she was in. She didn't remember walking through this part of the maze. Her foot caught on something. She fell forward, but still didn't stop.

Alex stopped once she slid through a little hole in the hedge.

So cute, but so short.

I am going to be taking a break on writing this story. I have writers block on this story and I currently have another story itching in my brain. So I will come back to this once I get an idea of how I want to make the story go And flow through my story chart.