YES, CHAPPY 20! FEW, THIS IS GETTING LONG, AND WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN! _ JUST WHO IS ALISTER AND WHAT IS HIS ROLE IN THIS NEW GAME? HMM….

Ch.20: Homeward Bound

Bright sunlight shone through my eyelashes as me eyes fluttered open. I sat up gingerly, having slept in a tree making my muscles sore. I stretched, arousing Patch from his sleep. "Pun." He swiped a paw at his face, as though he were groggy. I smiled and plucked him up, "Another day." I set him under my hat and proceeded to climb down the tree. I touched my toes to the ground and allowed myself to drop down. I turned to survey the camp sight. Ace was asleep on the log Alister had been on last night, and it would seem Alister got the tent.

I put my fingers up to my lips and let out a shrill whistle. Ace jerked awake, Alister poking his head out of the tent. "Alright boys, suns up, so let's get going!" Ace pulled himself to his feet and yawned. "Gezz C.J, you think you could have woken us up a bit nicer?" I walked over and, though he protested, helped Alister up out of the tent. I turned and grinned at Ace, "Nope. Get your tent together and lets go." Ace walked over and started putting his tent away, to where, I will never know.

Alister gave me a sidelong glance, "M…C.J. May I ask you who lives at the tower?" I looked at him. You mean he doesn't already know? Fishy…. "Well, there's Nightmare, Gray, Julius, and, if you count her, Alice. Nightmares an incubus and Grays his assistant. Julius is the clock maker. You know, brings everyone back to life and all. Alice is another foreigner, like me." His eyes widened a bit, "There is another foreigner?" I nodded, "Yup. And to my knowledge, we're the only ones." He was silent. Ace walked up, "Hey, camps picked up, so let's go!" He started walking in a random direction. I looked down at my map to see he was ALREADY going the wrong way. I sighed and marched over to him, grabbing the back of his collar. "The towers that way. You help Alister and I'll lead the way." He gave me puppy eyes. "Aww, do I have to?" I glared at him, "Yes. Do it." He grinned and helped Alister up, slinging his arm over his shoulder. I

I looked at the map again and found our route. "Alister, if he starts trying to go the wrong way again, whack him hard." "Aww, that's real mean C.J!" "I don't care." I set off in the correct direction. The three of us all walked in silence. Ace broke the ice, "Hey C.J, I had this really weird dream last night. And you were there! And so were Alice, and Sir Peter, and Julius, and Blood, and the rat, and the Jokers!" I put on a tea party air of interest, "Really? What were we all doing?" Ace laughed, "Well, Alice was running away from something, and she tripped and fell. Sir Peter tried to save her, but he got blasted into nothing. Then you came in and pulled Alice away from the thing and started running. Then the rat, Blood and Julius all tried to stall it, but they all got eaten. You two were still running from it when the Jokers showed up and shot you. Alice tried to pull you away, but then these black shadow things grabbed her ankles and pulled her right through the ground! And then the thing came right up to you. You had this knife looking thing in your hand and you slashed at it, but then someone I didn't recognize showed up and all of Wonderland went up in flames! It actually pretty realistic!"

All was silent as the two of us stared at Ace. Alister's face was blank as stone, but mine was heavy with disturbance. "Ace, you should really talk to a doctor. Dreams really aren't supposed to be THAT demented. And you shouldn't laugh about it, psycho!" "Sorry, it's just that I think I've seen a lot of the stuff from that dream somewhere before!" I rolled my eyes and kept walking. "C.J, what kind of stuff do you dream about?" I twitched, "None of your chiz." "Oh come on. What, do you have nightmares?" I glanced back at them, "Shut the hell up Ace." I turned to face the road again. Alister spoke just as Ace was about to continue the conversation, "…I think you mightn't wish to grind her temper anymore friend. You've already got her wound up right tight." We both looked back at him. He turned his head, flushing. Ace laughed, "You know, you talk funny! Where'd you say you were from?" He muttered, looking down, "I'm sure I'm from somewhere." I raised an eyebrow. Ace continued to grin, "What was that? I didn't catch that." Alister turned his head again, "That's my business now, is it not?" I turned my head back in front of me. Yup, there's defiantly SOMETHING suspicious about him.

A familiar building rose from the horizon. I pointed up ahead, "Look! We're almost there guys!" I was very excited about this because if I had to spend so much as another hour alone with these two, I was going to lose it. Our trio eventually came to the gate. I entered and ran past the other 2 up to the door. I shoved it open to see the usual hectic scene of Gray chasing Nightmare around. Just as they were about to run past me without noticing me, I raised my hand to my mouth, "I'm baaaaacccckkk!" Nightmare yelped, tripped, and face planted. Hard. He raised his head up, "You don't have to yell." I smiled, "Yes I do. Nightmare, just do what Grays telling you to do." I turned to Gray just as Ace and Alister were coming in, "We need a first aid kit. You have one?" He nodded, giving Alister a look over. "Yes. Upstairs in Julius's office. Who…." The dark eyed boy looked up, "Alister Demos." Gray nodded again, slowly. Ace grinned, "C.J found him in the woods!" I smacked my forehead and shook my head at his bluntness.

I start up the stairs. "Gray, could you do me a huge favor and watch Alister for me? Ace, you needed to talk to Julius, right? I'm pretty sure Alister can't get up these stairs." Gray nodded. I smiled my nicest. "Thanks Gray! Oh, and can you watch Patch for me? Thanks! Come on Ace!" I start to hop up the stairs, Ace on my heels.

I somehow got to the office faster than last time. Maybe because Ace didn't trail behind me. I pushed open the office door to see Julius fixing his clocks and Alice sitting in a chair watching him. Alice turned to me and her face lit up, "C.J!" She practically jumped me in an airtight hug. "I was so worried! The Jokers didn't do anything, did they? I'm so sorry I didn't come visit you!" I laughed and patted her head as she moved away, "I'm fine! And it's alright; you made clear you didn't like those two." Ace leaned on Julius's desk, "Well, their good friends, eh?" Julius muttered something about being too loud.

I looked over to the clock maker, "Julius, I need the first aid kit. Where is it?" He pointed over to a box on the wall. Alice's turquoise eyes widened, "First aid kit? Are you hurt?" I waved my hand, "No, no, I'm fine. But I ran into an injured guy on the way here. He's down stairs with Gray and he needs antibacterial." I trotted over and grabbed the kit, "Thanks Julius! Later Ace. Come on Alice, I want you to meet him." I left the room quickly, Alice hot on my heels.

The two of us reached the room where I'd left Alister and Gray, they were both still in the same place I'd left them. They both looked up. I came to a stop near them and introduced them all. "Alister, this is Alice Liddel. Alice, this is Alister Demos. And I trust you both know Gray." Alice smiled at Alister, "It's nice to meet you! There's a bathroom over there, you can treat your wound in it." Alister nodded, "Yes, thank you very much." I helped him up and walked over to the bathroom Alice had pointed out. I walked in, set him down, and opened up the kit. "Umm, w-w-what are you doing?" I glanced over to him, "Eh?" His face was red. Oh yeah, he's shy. I sighed and handed him the kit. "Alright. Just don't hurt yourself." He nodded as I walked out and closed the door. Weirdo. Then again, I suppose I don't want anyone picking at a hole in my side. I came back to Gray; still holding Patch, and Alice, whom had a thoughtful look on her face. "C.J, I thought we'd already met all of the role holders." Gray nodded in agreement, "So did I. What's his role?" I paused, not sure if I should reveal this about him. Hey, he told Ace right out. "…He says he doesn't know." Gray's topaz eyes widened, "What? How can he…." I shrug, "I don't know, maybe he hit his head or something. …Or maybe he's hiding something. Nightmare warned me to be careful around him. I think you should do the same." Alice nodded.

I turned to Gray, "Speaking of him, where did Nightmare go?" "Right here." We all turned around to see Nightmare sitting in a chair. I raised an eyebrow, "I figured you ran off. You have a shirt Alister could use? His is wreaked and you look closest to his size." Nightmare nodded, "Right. Come with me." He got up and started heading up the stairs. I turned to Alice and Gray, "You two stay here in case he comes out, 'k?" They both nodded. I followed Nightmare up.

We ascended the stairs in silence, reaching our destination much faster than Julius's study. Nightmare opened the door to a large room with a bed. I guess that this was his bed room. He turned and opened the closet, rummaging about till he came out with a plain white shirt. He looked over to me, eyes narrow. "C.J…about those dreams…." I gave him a death glare that would have made Blood cringe. "It's none of your business Nightmare. Just drop it." He irked, "It IS my business! Any dream that takes place in Wonderland is my business! And when someone has issues that inhibit me abilities, it's my job to put a stop to it!" I glare burned into his, "I don't have issues. Their just stupid dreams and it's my problem, not yours." "I'm making it my problem. What happened to you? Maybe if you talk about it, the dreams will stop." I was getting rash, "I don't want to talk about it! The past is the past, and no one else should have to listen to my sob story!" His eye widened, "So it is something that happened!" Now I was pissed.

"UGG! WHAT IS IT WITH YOU PEOPLE? EVER SINCE I GOT HERE, ALL THAT'S HAPPENED IS PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE ME REMEMBER WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FORGET FOR MY WHOLE LIFE! THE SECOND THIS DAMNDED VIAL IS FULL, I'M OUT OF THIS F****** HELL HOLE!" I stomped over to him and snatched the shirt from him, then stormed out. I hopped down the stairs two at a time, reaching the bottom in no time. Alice and Gray turned their eyes up at me. Alister was sitting near them, a bandage neatly wrapped around his chest. I stalked over and threw the shirt in his face, "Tell that damned bastard thanks." I turned and ran up the stairs. I caught a bit of the three's conversation. "What is the matter with her?" "My moneys on a fight with Nightmare-sama." "It's ok Alister, I'm sure she's not angry at you. I just hope things are alright between her and Nightmare…."

I finally got out of hearing. I bounded up the steps to my room and slammed the door behind me, locking it. I tossed myself onto the bed, buried my head into a pillow, and screamed. Ok, I know some people may think I over reacted. But not only had I had a long and frustrating day, but the fact remained that I didnt want to talk about what happened. I just wanted to get on with my life and maybe someday forget it.

I rolled over and squeezed the pillow. Sure, just forget it. 12 years and I can still remember every detail about my big brother. His dirty blonde hair, like mine, that always got blown back whenever a big gust hit. His large, ultramarine blue eyes. The kind way he always spoke to me, and how patient he always was. The liveliness in his eyes when I made him laugh. The way that no matter what had happened, I'd always know that my Ni-chan would protect me. I felt a lump in my throat. I shoved it down. I would not cry. I wouldn't.

I rolled over and removed the vial from my hat. The liquid was a little over a quarter the way there. It had barely freaking moved. I groaned, damn. How much longer is this going to be? I don't know how much more of this crazy ass world I can take. I replaced the vial and put my hat on the night stand. I pulled myself upright and changed into a long black night gown. I was pleased to see that this one fit. I was about to crawl into bed when my eyes landed on my bag. I walked over to it and pulled Haru out. I clutched him to my chest and lay down, pulling the covers over my head. I curled up into a ball like a child and closed my eyes. I felt Patch's paws making tiny pressure points on my thigh as he sat down and curled up on me. Funny, when did he follow me in? I drifted off into the dream that I knew awaited me.

YAY, CHAPPY 20 IS FINITO! I'M NOT SURE, BUT FROM HOW LONG IT IS ALREADY, I'M GUESSTIMATING A 40 CHAPTER FINISH! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED! PLEASE REVIEW, RATE, COMMENT, AND VOTE! I DON'T OWN NOTHIN BUT C.J AND ALISTER. AND, IF YOU COUNT HIM, PATCH.