London: 1904
"Bae! Did you not hear what I said? The reason I wasn't allowed outside is because I was recognized in the park! Why would you bring us back to it?"
Baelfire kept a firm grip on her hand as he pulled her through the green hills of the park.
"Don't worry, Alice. I've got a special place."
"It doesn't involve Rabbit Holes does it?"
"Hahaha, no. I promise."
The two journeyed to the outskirts of the park near the edge of the woods. There, Bae revealed a lush patch of grass, populated with daisies.
"B-Bae, this place so enchanting!"
"I used to come out here all the time before moving in with the Darlings. It was my little hiding place."
The two sat and Alice began to make a daisy chain.
"I wish I could stay here forever with you Baelfire... I don't want to move away."
"I... I don't want you to go either, Alice."
"Then let's run away! We can go back to your world!"
"Alice, no! Even if I knew how to get back there I wouldn't go. I can't face him again!"
"Him? Him whom?"
"Rumpelstiltskin"
"So you DID know him personally?!"
Bae slowly nodded. Alice's curiousity peeked more as she set her daisy chain on her white lace pinafore.
"Tell me about him! He was a curious fellow when I met him in Wonderland. But maybe if I knew more about him..."
"Alice..."
"Y-yes, Baelfire?"
"Your curiosity is going to get in trouble. Don't go looking in dark corners, until you are willing to live with knowing what's hiding in them."
Present Day
The tiny bell above the door rang as they entered the dusty shop. It reminded Alice of her bakery back home. Her regulars would be getting curious as to why she had not opened shop all day. She then remembered a half-finished wedding cake still sitting on the counter that was supposed to be picked up this afternoon. But for some odd reason, she didn't care. Wedding cakes normally were thorns in her side. They were extravagant layers of hopes and dreams and happily ever after. That was something Alice knew she would never see. How could she? She was unable to grow old, so how could anyone expect her to grow old with someone? Is our situation not dismal? *cheshire cat laugh*
"Alexis?"
"Hmm?!" She snapped out of it and looked down at Henry, "Sorry, I was distracted. This place is very..."
"Crowded? Magical? Curious?"
"All of the above," she replied in an exhausted tone as she took in the overwhelming sight. How could she ever find what she was looking for in this mess? "Just when you think you've seen it all."
"So, what exactly are we looking for?"
"An ingredient."
"Well shouldn't you go to the grocery store for that?"
"I grocer won't have what I need. I need something..."
"Magical." She looked down at the boy who now had a smirk across his face. He walked to the desk and rung the bell. "Well you're in luck. It just so happens that I know the owner. In fact she's my gran-" Before he could finish, a petite brunette woman emerged from the back room. "Henry! Hello there. Who's this?" She smiled at Alice who couldn't wipe the petrified look from her face. She recognized that accent from the phone! It was Mrs. Gold! "This is Alexis Lyndell. She's... a friend."
"Any friend of Henry's is a friend of the town's, I suppose. What can I help you look for?" She was nothing like Mr. Gold. She was so kind and welcoming. No wonder she kicked him out. "Mrs. Lyndell?"
"Oh." Alice shook her head. "Yea, I'm a friend of Mr. Jefferson's. He's gotten rid of some things, one of which was an item of mine. I was hoping it would turn up here." She glanced down at Henry who had a cocky smirk on his face. He knew she was hiding from Jefferson for a reason! She held her breath hoping he wouldn't say anything then glanced back up to Mrs. Gold. Her head was slowly tilting like someone does when they sort our a puzzle. Then Alice realized... her voice! Mrs. Gold must recognize it from their phone call earlier. Alice cleared her voice of any tremors and spoke as clearly as she could. "I would be happy to pay whatever for it, Mrs. Gold." Mrs. Gold's face straightened and she smiled. "There's no need for that, if it's mistakenly here as you said. In fact I've had people in and out for days trying to reclaim old belongings. And please call me Belle."
"Alright, Belle then. Thank you." She grinned and Belle went to the back room. As soon as she was out of sight Alice whipped her head to Henry. "Belle? As in..."
"As in from the story." The entire town was beginning to make sense to Alice. "I see..." And if Belle was married to Mr. Gold then that meant "...beauty and the beast." Henry looked up at Alice hearing her mutter that. She knew who Gold was? Bell returned and set a box of trinkets on the ground. Alice's heart skipped a beat when she realized that her hope of breaking her curse could very well be in that box. She stepped up to it as if it was her redemption... and her casket... and peered over the edges. She reached in and pulled out a solid gold pocket watch. The problem, my dear friend, is that this watch is precisely two days slow! She then set it down and reached for the next item. It caused her to snicker a bit. It was an empty porcelain jar labeled "Mustard". Mustard!? Don't let's be silly! There were a couple other things. Some rusty silverware, a tablecloth, a sewing kit fit for a true hatter. Nothing that would quality as an ingredient. "I don't see anything that belongs to me." Belle frowned and reached for the box. "Wait!" Alice grabbed it and peered back inside. Tucked in the corner was a tea bag that must have fallen in when Jefferson was packing things up. It had no label from this world and it smelled the way the hatter's table did that day. Belle raised an eyebrow in confusion as Alice lifted it from the box. Alice tucked it in her pocket. "Oh... I just didn't want that to stay in there. The tea might stain those things." Belle nodded, not quite convinced that was the true reason for her taking it. "Thank you for your help, anyway Belle." Belle grinned back at her and hesitated before saying, "Do I... know you from somewhere? There's something familiar about your voice?" Alice shuddered a bit. "I... don't think so. Um, ta-ta." She turned and quickly walked out the door. The moment she was outside, she breathed in a large gulp of air. It was finally dark out. Alice had spent all day avoiding awkward moments and she finally was able to leave! Surely the tea in this small bag would work as the ingredient she needed. She was free. Free from Storybrooke. Free from the curse. Free from... Jefferson. "Hey, Alexis, wait!" The cling of the bell was heard as Henry burst through the door after her. "I think it's time for you to go home, Henry."
"Is that what you were looking for? A tea bag?"
"I... I'm not sure. But it might work."
"Work? What are you using it for?"
"Henry..."
"Look, I have lots of questions and you have lots of answers. We also have a long walk before my house so..."
"Questions are not always good Henry. Sometime curiosity can take you down a never-ending path. Then you find out things you wish you hadn't."
"Is that what happened to you?" Her feet scuffed the pavement as she came to a halt. Her jaw tightened in frustration then she relaxed it and looked at Henry. "Listen, Henry... I'm going to give you this advice and I suggest you take it." He stood there and looked up at her with eyes that she swore she had seen before and patiently waited for her next words. She opened her mouth and said, "Don't go looking in dark corners... unless you are alright with knowing what's hiding in them." The statement sent a chill up Henry's spine. The cold tone in Alice's voice didn't help at all either. He glanced down at his feet to think over what she had said. "That... That's good advice." Alice rolled her eyes a bit and sighed as she turned and walked up the sidewalk more. "I know... I often give myself very good advice but..." Henry followed her and asked, "...but... what?"
"But I very seldom follow it." She looked down at the boy who had now rejoined her on the side. "But that bit of advice wasn't mine... A friend told it to me a long time ago. He had seen some pretty dark corners of the world. Then there was me, who was so naive. I thought everything was full of Wonder and excitement but... every silver lining as a dark cloud."
"That's a pretty negative way of looking at things."
"I guess. But the world does that to people."
"Henry?!" The cry came from up the sidewalk a ways. Henry looked ahead and then checked his watch and mumbled, "oops."
"Henry, you were supposed to be back home half an hour ago. I've been worried sick not to mention Emma is roaming about looking for you." Alice assumed this must be Henry's mom. But who was Emma? The tall brunette hurried to Henry and set a protective hand on her shoulder and sternly asked, "Who is this?"
"Oh. Mom this is Alexis. Alexis, this is my mom Regina Mills."
"Mayor Mills." Regina put extra emphasis on that correction. Alexis wasn't sure what to say. So this was the evil queen. Other than the scar on her lip and the cold tone in her voice, nothing seemed 'evil' about her. Possessive seemed to be a more appropriate description. However, Alice noticed something in her eyes that reminded her of... OFF WITH YOUR HEAD! Alice took a shocked step backward at the realization. She remembered what Rumpelstiltskin said. Don't trust the Evil Queen. Just ask who her... mother was! The Queen of Hearts! Is that why Henry was so familiar? No... there was something else about him. He reminded Alice of someone else. "Alexis," Henry started as he noticed her unease, "Are you ok?" What started with a curious chase for this ingredient eventually lead to Mr. Hatter and now has lead to an evil Queen. She was on a journey through Wonderland all over again. She had to get out of here before she fell victim to more inescapable magic. "H-Henry. It was wonderful to meet you. Remember what I said... about dark corners." He nodded and Alice nodded to Regina saying, "Goodnight your Ma- Mayor Mills." She then forced herself to walk casually away, but once she fell out of their sight she sprinted back to the Hotel.
She hadn't even closed the door to the Inn when Ruby popped up from behind the counter. "About time. For a moment I thought you had actually left, but then I saw that your dog was still here. So, are you going to tell me why you're here?"
"No."
"Oh... so you've decided to leave in the morning."
"I'll do you one better, Ruby. I'm leaving now."
"W-what?" Alice bolted up the stairs and Ruby followed her while saying, "Look, it's ok if you stay here one night. I wont even charge you-"
"It's ok." Alice turned the key in the lock and opened the door. Perdita raised her head from the floor and panted happily when she saw her owner. "I don't belong here and I'm in a hurry."
"Oh, really? Are you late late for an important date date?"
"Don't start, Red." She narrowed a gaze at Ruby and clipped the leash on Perdie. "I just have to get back to my bakery."
"Why? Do you have a pie or something that must be baked before midnight?"
"...yea... or something." Now Ruby's curiosity was more peaked than ever. She saw the look on Alice's face. It wasn't really anxious. It was more... desperate. Like that look people have when all hope is lost. "Um... Alexis are you alright? Do you... need anything? Anything you want to tell me." Alice glanced up at Ruby. What was she rambling on about? It was as if she could tell Alice was on a mission to end her cursed life. "N-no... we will be just fine. C'mon gal." She tugged lightly on Perdita's leash and brushed by Ruby at the door. "Um... ok. Well, Bye Alice."
"So long, Red." Alice gave her a sad glance as she left. Lots of thoughts ran through her head. Was this the right choice? Living for centuries wasn't all bad. She had experienced so many wonderful things... but so many bad ones too. There she went, being negative again. What else could be expected of a child who hardly had a true friend, outlived her family, and couldn't get close to anyone for fear of them finding out her secret?
She made it to the edge of town. Before crossing the town line she took a breath. "Goodbye Storybrooke." Lifting her foot she attempted to step forward but was stopped when a firm hand grabbed her arm. "Alice! Wait... don't go." She turned with a look of surprise on her face. How did he know she would be here? What did he want now? Why was there a glimmer of excitement in her as she saw him. "J- Jefferson..."
- What does Jefferson want with Alice?
- Will the tea bag even work?
- Will Alice end the curse... and her life?
Thank you for the reviews everyone! Please keep reviewing so I know how you are liking it and what characters you want to hear more from. If there is anything particular you would like in the story then let me know and I'll try to work something out. :D