This is getting to be so hard...

"Can I go show Alice around now?" Nightmare asked. Alice was still sitting on his lap and her butt had finally gone numb.

"Did you finish your paperwork?" Gray answered with another question.

"Yes. So please, please, please, please, please."

"Fine. You did your job so now you can go out and play." Gray chuckled. 'At least with her gone I can light up again.'

"YAY!" Nightmare cheered. He picked Alice up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Don't I get a say in this…?" she mumbled.

"I already know what you want to do. Sitting here made your butt numb so we are going to go check out the world." Nightmare said happily.

"Well is this really necessary? Throwing me over your shoulder like this?"

"I don't want you to get lost."

"Well I can't see anything like this. If you don't want me lost why don't you-" she stopped talking as soon a Nightmare gently placed her down and took her hand. "I hate when you read my mind like that…." She muttered.

"But it's so convenient for me." He smiled. "Now come on." He then began to drag her through the tower. "This is the kitchen. If you ever see Gray in here, run…. Well… Except for hot cocoa. He makes the best." Many servants were in the kitchen making food and such. It made Alice wonder what Gray would be doing in the kitchen if he had no need to cook. "He likes to cook…" Nightmare mumbled. "But he is horrible at it… Moving on!"

"This will be your room, Alice. Look, it is right next to mine~" he chimed.

"You seem to expect me to stay here. Why?"

"Well there is no way I'm going to let you out of the tower to go see the other territories. After a move it's too unstable. They are probably busy with work, so you would only get in their way. And…"

"And…?" she asked.

"And I can talk to Julius when you want me to give him a message."

"W-what?! How?!"

"I can go into his dreams, silly." Nightmare laughed at her. She had completely forgotten that she first met him in her dreams. He was so kind…. "I'm not as kind as you think I am." Nightmare said, not even looking at her. "People are afraid of me…" He whispered.

"Well I'm not afraid of you." Alice announced. Nightmare looked at her with sad eyes.

"You probably should be… I am a nightmare…." He mumbled, looking away from her once more.

"Don't be sad, Nightmare. You were always a dream to me, never a nightmare." Nightmare looked at her and gave her a sad smile. She grinned right back and took his hand. "Come on. Let's check out more of this tower of yours."

Several hours later the two had gone through what seemed to be every room in the tower. They had snuck some ice cream out of the kitchen and were now resting on the roof. The sun was setting at this point.

"It's beautiful…."Alice whispered.

"Indeed…" Nightmare nodded.

"I… I'm glad to have finally met you in person, Nightmare." She said. He blushed.

"I-I'm glad to hear it. I'm also happy to see the real you." He paused, taking a bite of ice cream. He pointed out to the horizon "So…. over there is where the mansion is and…." He moved his finger to point in another direction. "That is where the castle should be."

"Hm…. Then what's that big forest over there?" She asked.

"That… That is the Joker's territory. I don't want you to go there…." He muttered. "He is creepy…"

"So that is kinda the place that replaced the Amusement Park?" She asked.

"You could say that, yeah. But it isn't fun. It is very easy to get lost there."

"Lord Nightmare. It is time to take your medicine." Gray interrupted.

"But I don't wanna." Nightmare moaned.

"Come on Nightmare. It's not like it's a shot, it won't hurt just to take the medicine. You might feel better after taking it."

"But it's disgusting…" he mumbled.

"Just take your medicine, for me?" she asked, flashing him a grin. Then Nightmare sighed and took the water and swallowed the pills down with a gulp of water.

"Fuuuu." He sighed after all the water was gone.

"There~. See? Isn't that better now?" She asked, smiling at him. He smiled back and gave Alice a hug.

"Incredible…" Gray whispered to himself.

Yes, yes. Short chapter. The next one is shorter I think.