Sorry this chapter is so short!

Chapter 9

London: 1904

"Bae! Bae!"

Alice tossed some hair pins from her window across the garden to the Darling's household next door.

Hearing the tap of the pins against the window, Baelfire hurried to open the window.

"Alice? What are you doing up so late?"

"I just listened to my parents talking downstairs. They said we aren't going to move!"

"Really?"

"Yes! Because of you!"

"Me?"

"I told them I had a friend who didn't ask questions about my age. They said we will stay in London longer so I can spend time with you."

"Really, with me?"

"So I can be someone of a regular child!"

"Alice," He laughed, "We aren't regular children."

"But they don't need to know that. Just promise me you will never go away. Then I wont have to go away. We will be friends forever!"

"Forever? You sound like Wendy. All this talk of forever."

"So she's still talking about that magical world on the star."

"Yes. And I'm getting worried about her..."

"Don't be worried, Bae! What could possibly happen?"

Present Day

"Get away from me, Jefferson!"

"Alex, please. Please forgive me for before. The person you saw, the person I was in wonderland. It wasn't me! It wasn't! My mind was so twisted by the words of the Queen of Hearts. I thought that she was going to rid me of the curse of being trapped in wonderland forever that I was too blind to see the mad man I was becoming." Alice was quiet. She felt sympathy for him. His words made her think long and hard about what she was doing, herself. Was the promise Rumpelstiltskin gave her an empty one? What exactly would happen when she broke this curse? Would she grow old normally? Or would the years catch up to her and kill her instantly. Most likely, it would be the latter. For all magic comes at a price. Jefferson's voice calmed and he spoke sweetly and rested his hands on her shoulders, "Alex... Alice... please forgive me. I wish to make it up to you. And I think I know how."

"How?" She looked up at him. His face was so stern. His eyebrows shaded his dark eyes in a way that made it appear he was looking into your soul, but Alice didn't find that scary anymore. His jaw remained tight, like he was on the verge of anger... or maybe tears. But the mismatched gentleness in his voice and touch soothed Alice as she looked him in the eye. It made her feel like the timid child she once was, standing before a man... but not a mad man. She took a breath before proposing, "By stopping you from going through with this."

"Mr. Hatter," She shrugged and it caused his hands to fall from her shoulders. "I can't... wait... how did you know about that?" She looked back to him in surprise as she recalled not sharing the details of her visit to Storybrooke. "Henry called me. He was wondering if I had done something to upset you. Apparently you avoided me in the street today."

"That boy is too curious for his own good..."

"You're one to talk, Alice." He laughed as he said it then added, "The only thing keeping you young is that magic. If you get rid of it... you'll die." She had no reaction when he said that. She just stood there. After being silent for so long Perdita let out a whimper and nudged Alice's leg with her nose. "So... so what if I die? We all have to eventually don't we?"

"But alone? Nobody should die alone. They should live as long as they can with people who love them and die peacefully... surrounded by people who will remember them."

"..."

"Alice. Tell me what I can do to change your mind." Alice was quiet for a long time before stepping away from him. "Take care, Jefferson." She turned and barely heard him say "Alice!" before stepping over the town line. She turned and saw no-one there. The Storybrooke sign was gone. One second later, Perdita followed with her head hanging low. "It's alright girl... c'mon." She felt like Jefferson was still standing there, watching. She couldn't bare the thought of that. She started to walk down the road.

"Alice! Please stay!" It was too late. She was over the town line. She couldn't see him or heard him. Jefferson watched as she turned and faced him. She was looking him directly in the eye but saw nothing. He was used to that look. So many people had looked at him and seen nothing, but that was just because of the mad man he once was. He felt like he had failed her. He knew that feeling all too well. He had failed Grace by leaving her and going to Wonderland. Now he had failed Alice by letting her go to her death. He watched her crouch to pet Perdita. He couldn't bare to watch anymore and he walked back to town.

Alice heard a twig snap in the trees? "H-Hello?" Nobody answered and Alice walked faster. "C'mon gal..." The noise came again. "W-who's there?" No response. Perdita began to growl and Alice immediately knew what that meant. Before she could finish her thought, she felt someone come up behind her and wrap an arm around her with a cane pressed against her neck to choke her. A familiar voice hissed in her ear. "Nobody breaks a deal with me, Dearie! Nobody!" Perdita arched her back and barked hysterically. Before Alice could even attempt to run, the cane knocked against the back of her head and everything went black.

"Papa? Is that you."

"It's me, Grace." Jefferson lazily closed the door to his mansion as his daughter ran to the top of the steps from her room and looked down on him. "Where... Where is Alexis?"

"She wouldn't come back."

"Is she still afraid of you?"

"I don't know." He slipped of his jacket and sat on the bottom step. Grace trotted down the steps and hugged his neck from behind him. "I don't understand why. You're not scary." Jefferson grinned then stood up, his daughter clung tightly to him as she was lifted from the floor and hung down his back. "Alright, let's get you to bed."

"She's not going to help us, she's proven that already."

"Will you shut up, Cruella. Or do you want to go back to your life of debt and bankruptcy with nothing but a name to cling to?"

"Oh don't get your cane in a twist, Rumple. She has that magical ingredient or whatever it is you sent her to get so she wouldn't help us now." Alice heard the voices around her as her eyes fluttered open. She was laying with her back on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. "H-Hello?" She sat up. It appeared that they were in a large house. Very empty but with a few lavish furnishings. "Where am I?"

"Back in Storybrooke, dearie." Alice whipped her head to the side and saw Gold standing there without the assistance of his cane. He walked towards her and she scooted back a bit on the floor. "Did you think it would be that easy to leave?"

"H-how did you-"

"How did I get in? The way I should have tried in the first place. Once you were blacked out, I dragged you across the town line. The same magic that lets you through, let us through as well."

"Then let me go. You're in the town now. I have what I need, just let me go back to New York so I can make this bloody thing that will break my curse!"

"But I'm not done with you, Alice." He towered over her now. "I didn't just pick you for the task of getting us into Storybrooke. There is someone I need your help with. She's the only person who has the power to get rid of me again. You are going to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Who?" Alice's heart was racing now. She couldn't imagine that she would possess the ability to stop someone more powerful than Gold. He kneeled to Alice's side and took her jaw to lift her face. "They call her 'The Savior.'

Sorry I took so long to write this chapter! I've just been so busy. I'm sorry for how short it is. I just didn't want to make you guys wait anymore for an update. Hoping to have the rest of this scene finished soon!

- CC