Chapter 7 - "Curiouser and Curiouser"

London: 1904

"They won't let you out of your room?"

"No. Something happened earlier. I was in the park with my sister when we ran into an old friend of hers from school."

"So?"

"So they recognized me! My sister has aged decades and I haven't!."

"What did you do?"

"She said I was her younger cousin and that her sister Alice was visiting our relatives in the country."

"Well, that's good, right?" He adjusted his feet on the trellis. "Problem solved."

"Bae, no." Alice slowly shook her head. "We might have to move again..."

"What?! Alice, no!"

"There's not much I can do, Bae."

He nervously tapped the windowsill and looked at the ground below. "Alice, sneak out."

"What?"

"If you might move away then we should at least have some fun first. You deserve that much."

"But my parents are in the parlor. I can't sneak by them."

"Climb out this way."

"Wha- down the trellis?"

"Sure! I do it every night. Don't you trust me?"

"...I trust you, Bae. More than anyone."

Present Day

Jefferson and Grace walked hand-in-hand up the sidewalk. Grace liked watching the sun go down, but the trees around their home always blocked the view so Jefferson walked her to the docks to watch. It was their favorite part of the day, but today was not as pleasant for some reason. "P- Papa?" Jefferson mumbled a slight, "Hm?" back to the small girl without looking down at her. "Why are we walking so fast?"

"Are we?" He still didn't look down at her. He kept his eyes up and looked around the streets as if searching for something. Grace, who was practically being dragged alongside him, replied, "Yes! Can't we slow down a bit? I'm getting sort of exhausted." Her father said nothing, for he wasn't paying attention. Then Grace pulled her hand from him and gave a frustrated glare, "Papa!" He stopped and looked down at her with a shocked expression. "I... I'm sorry, Grace." He then extended his hand again. "I'll go slower, I promise." She stood quietly for a second without taking his hand and tilted her head when she asked, "Papa, why are you acting so strange? Who was that woman earlier?" Jefferson let out a sigh as he kneeled on the pavement so he would be on eye level with his daughter. Grace added on to her question, "Why did she upset you so much?"

"Grace... she didn't upset me." The child looked confused and Jefferson smiled as he fixed some misplaced hairs on her forehead. "I upset myself. I behaved poorly in front of an old friend, and I'm afraid it might have cost me that friend." Grace nodded. "I think I understand. I got into a fight with a friend at school once and we aren't friends anymore. Is it like that?" Jefferson nodded but Grace didn't seem convinced. There was something more about this so-called 'friend' than met the eye. Her father was so troubled about it that it had to be deeper than that. "Don't worry, Papa. I'm sure she will forgive you." Jefferson grinned and took her hand again. "I'm sure she will." He then stood and kissed the top of her head. As they continued to walk towards the docks, the smile faded from Jefferson's face. The truth was that he didn't expect Alice to forgive him. She had called him a monster. Perhaps he was one. Perhaps the mad man that he once was still lived inside of him. Why did he care so much? What was it about Alice that made him want to set things right? What could he do to make it up to her?

A knock at the door caused Alice and Perdie to both lift their heads. They sat silently as if they had heard wrong, but the knock came again. Alice stood and approached the door. "W-who is it?"

"It's the big bad wolf..."

"..."

"It's Ruby, Alexis, now open up."

"Oh." Alice opened the door and Ruby was leaning on the door frame with her arms crossed. Before Alice could even say hello, Ruby started speaking, "Don't worry. You're time isn't up. You can still think about my offer. But while you're doing that I was wondering how you knew Archie."

"Dr. Hopper? I don't really, I just met him today."

"Oh..." She looked disappointed. "For a moment there I thought I was going to be a regular Sherlock Holmes and figure out who you are."

"Actually, Sherlock Holmes investigates. He doesn't interrogate."

"Well aren't you a real expert on British lit... I should have figured with that accent. London?" Alice nodded and Ruby grinned. "Well, there's one new thing I know about you."

"Well done, Sherlock."

"So... why did you run out of the diner so quickly earlier? Archie said he had given you directions to someone's house."

"Well," Alice sighed, "Archie certainly likes to talk, doesn't he?"

"Most shrinks do. He said it was Mad Man Jefferson's place."

"So?"

"So you are British... You know the one they call Mad Hatter..." Ruby's eyebrow curled up and Alice's face fell further with a sigh. "Well, it appears you have solved your mystery, detective Ruby." But Ruby didn't seemed satisfied. Alice left the door open but went back to the bed and sat on the side of it as she petted Perdie's head. "Anything else?" Ruby nodded. "Mhmm... I still don't know why you're here."

"... I'm looking for a white rabbit."

"Funny. But something tells me there's more to your story than what the books and movies say." Alice fell back on the bed and groaned. "Oh, please don't remind me of those flicks..."

"Hey, you don't have to tell me about it," she said as she walked in and shut the door behind her. "They got my story mixed up too." Alice rolled her head sideways to face Ruby. "You're story?" Ruby nodded. "Ruby... big bad wolf... heh, I get it." Mr. Gold had told the truth about Storybrooke. They all were fairy-tale characters just like him. Just like her. Maybe that's why she recognized Henry. Maybe that's why Ruby was so understanding. "Old codger was right about this place..."

"The old who-now?" Alice looked up at Ruby who had overheard her. "Oh, um..." She didn't answer and Ruby just rolled her eyes. "Fine. If you don't want to tell me then I guess you've made up your mind and you're leaving tomorrow?" Alice didn't respond again. "Whatever..." Ruby then walked towards the door, frustrated. "Ruby?" She turned and faced Alice who had called her. "If someone had to sell something in this town, where would they take it?" Ruby hesitated before answering as if questioning whether or not to trust Alice, but after a moment she replied with, "Gold's I guess. Most stuff ends up over there." Alice nodded and added a, "Thank You." Ruby slightly grinned and closed the door behind her. As soon as the door was closed Alice snatched the phone book up once more and found the address for Gold's Pawn Shop. "Main street. Easy enough." She sprung from the bed and grabbed the handle of her door. She paused. She didn't want Ruby too see her leave. It might raise questions about where she was going. Perdita whimpered from the bed. "I can't tell her what I'm up to, Perdie. Even if she understands... she would be very understanding when she finds out I'm an old acquaintance of Rumpelstiltskin's." Perdita dropped her head between her paws. Alice bit her lip while she though. "The window..." She walked across the floors and opened it. Looking outside she saw a rose trellis beside her. "Perfect." She sat on the ledge of the window and swung her legs over. Perdita lifted her head and whimpered from the bed. "No, Perdie. Stay, girl." The dalmatian reluctantly laid her head back down as Alice reached for the trellis filled with dead roses and overgrown thorns. She slid off the windowsill and nearly fell as she hung from the wooden planks. With a small grunt she lifted herself and planted her feet below her. "I am far to old for this sort of thing." Once she had her footing, Alice began to climb down. It took great patience and focus but she managed to make it to the ground. A few barbs had stuck to her pale sleeve. She plucked them off and brushed her hands on her jeans while walking back towards the street. "Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop... here I come."

Henry Mills took rapid steps up the sidewalk. He had just waved goodnight to Archie and was hurrying home to find out what his family was up to. He was quite proud of them. They were anything but boring, and even though that could be stressful, he still loved them. He had been asked by his adoptive mother to be home before dark. Rumors of the "Author" in town had caused her to worry about him. His steps came to a halt when he saw an older blonde woman jumping from the bottom of a rose trellis onto the ground. Had she just climbed out of that upper window? She turned to brush herself off and started to walk towards the street. "Alexis?" She stopped with a gasp and looked at him with surprised eyes. "H- Henry!"

"What are you doing?" He directed the question at her but his eyes were focused on the window she had just come from. "Are you staying here?"

"Um, no! I was just... visiting someone."

"You're a really bad liar." Alice's shoulders fell to match the frown on her face. She didn't have time for this. She walked ahead of Henry without responding to him. Secretly in her mind she was wishing for him to just walk away, but her hopes were shattered when he appeared next to her and asked, "So... you don't live here?" Alice didn't look at him as she let out a sigh. "Look, kid, I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Most people have told me that my whole life."

"Oh don't try to make me pity you. I've lived too long for that old trick to work."

"What are you talking about? You're only... what... 23?"

"I'm 22!" She flashed an offended glance at him. Then she realized, "Did I actually just get offended that someone thinks I'm older than I look?"

"Ok, 22 then. Still, you don't have to act like a know-it-all." Alice cringed at the comment. She had grown up surrounded by nothing but "know-it-alls" and she didn't want to be like them. She softened her voice and muttered, "Sorry..."

"So, where do you live? I mean you clearly aren't from storybrooke or the Enchanted forest."

"What makes you think I'm not from the Enchanted Forest?"

"You would have appeared in the book." Alice stopped and Henry did the same. She stared down at him with a curious look. "What book?" He narrowed his eyes. With a smirk he replied, "That's not fair. You can't answer my question with a question."

"Fair enough... I'm from here and there. Your turn. What book are you talking about?"

"That wasn't a good enough answer." Alice let out a chuckle and continued walking. "Hey, I don't make the rules kids." She heard the stop of his feet as he ran a couple steps to catch up to her. "You are really in a hurry, aren't you?"

"Well, I guess you could say I have a schedule to keep." She did, in a way. She had to find this ingredient and get out of Storybrooke so she wouldn't have to explain herself to Ruby. Henry nodded, "Me too. I have to be home before it get's darker."

"Well," Alice pointed at the sky. The sun had vanished and all that remained was the glow of dusk. "You might want to hurry then. Goodnight, Henry." She walked in front of him, leaving him alone on the sidewalk. Her steps slowed down after a moment when she got the feeling that he was still behind her. Sure enough, upon turning around she saw him following. "What are you doing? I said go home!"

"This is my way home." Alice narrowed her eyes to try and figure out if he was telling the truth. He cocked his head at her and asked, "Don't you trust me?" A memory of someone else saying that to her years ago flashed before her eyes. The way he said it, down to the detail of the inflection in his voice, was so familiar. "Wha- what did you say?"

"I said, don't you trust me?" Now she was sure she recognized him. She knew she didn't know the name Henry from anywhere. She didn't know the clothes or the sound of that voice. But she knew she recognized those eyes, that grin, the personality. "Henry, did you ever have family outside of the Enchanted forest?"

"No. I'm the one who was born here." So he wasn't from a world of magic, just like her. "And your family from that world... did any of them every live outside of Storybrooke? Anybody in London?" she asked. Henry got distracted by the word 'London' and asked, "You're from London? I guessed the UK with that accent." Realizing that she had relieved too much about herself to this, supposed, stranger she turned without response and continued down the street. Henry skipped up beside her and she picked up the pace. Alice tensed in frustration. "Henry, look, I know how curiosity can be a real beast sometimes. I know you want to get to know the mysterious stranger that appeared in this rinky-dink magical town. But I'm a bit more complicated than that and don't need you to-" She stopped when she caught sight of Jefferson and Grace approaching. Fortunately for her, they were talking to one another so they didn't notice Alice or Henry. Henry looked up to see why she had stopped talking. "It's Jefferson..." He lifted his arm to wave only for Alice to firmly snatch it and pull him in between the buildings. "What are you-"

"Shh!"

"Alexis?"

"Shh!" She gently pushed Henry behind her and peered around the corner to see Jefferson and Grace still approaching. She whispered over her shoulder, "Kid, will you please just run along home now?"

"Do... you not want Jefferson to see you?" She didn't respond, for she was focusing on the father and daughter who were walking hand-in-hand closer to them. Henry smirked as an idea came to his mind. "Let's make a deal."

"Sorry, but I am still paying for the last deal I made." Henry ignored her vague comment and continued. "Let me stick around with you until I have to go home, and I wont wave Jefferson and Grace over here." She whipped her head around at his face. She saw a very familiar smirk upon it. "What? Absolutely not!"

"Ok." Henry exaggerated a shrug and sigh and attempted to step in front of Alice and onto the sidewalk. "ooooooh Jefferson..." Alice tensed up once again and grabbed Henry. She clapped a hand over his mouth and pulled him back into the shadows of the buildings. She harshly and desperately whispered. "Alrightalrightalright. You can come, ya maggot." He slipped out of her grasp and nodded in satisfaction. Alice held her breath as Jefferson and Grace passed them. She let it out as soon as the coast was clear. Henry tilted his head and examined her behavior with a confused look on his face. "Dont... take this the wrong way but, you don't have a lot of friends... do you?" Alice's countenance looked a bit defensive as she stepped out of the ally. "What makes you think that?"

"You don't really seem like a people person." They both started up the sidewalk and Alice shoved her hands in her pockets. She contemplated whether or not to continue the conversation. However, there was something she felt she could trust about Henry. "Relationships... never really came easy to me, I supposed."

"So you don't have any close friends?"

"No. I had a very close one though. Just once and for a brief time... a long time ago."

Next Time:

- Will Jefferson find a way to prove to Alice that he isn't the monster he once was?

- Will Gold's pawn shop have the missing ingredient Alice needs?

- Is Gold still waiting for Alice outside of Storybrooke?

- Will she ever make the connection between Baelfire and Henry?

Keep reading to find out and please, please, please leave a comment/review. Ta-ta for now and Merry Christmas!