Hello and thank you again for all the support, especially for those who review :) here is a slightly descriptive but necessary chapter, which will be followed by a pivotal moment in Alice and Vaas' relationship. Please do not hesitate to comment, as long as you're being gentle of course ;) any suggestions are welcome.

In this chapter, Alice meets the white rabbit.

Disclaimer : still applies.

Alice's nights became as nightmarish as her days.

She had yet to understand why she was not tied up with her companions. The crazy pirate she'd saved had been keeping her in his shack, where he himself hardly seemed to spend any time. She guessed that it was her saving the psycho which meant she was relatively better treated than the others, but surely this would not last. Not knowing what he had in store for her was the worst. Alice was someone who liked to know what was coming, liked to be prepared, liked to brace herself. She hated surprises. Was she to become the pirate's next head in the sand? Would he get another girl after her, introduce that girl to Alice's dead head? Weirdly, Alice felt she could have dealt better with knowing this was her fate, rather than remain free to imagine it.

One night, as she'd fallen asleep on the floor, her head resting on her arm and her arm on the settee, she dreamt that the pirate named Vaas walked into the shack, and suddenly Alice could see that it was filled with heads, blue, dead heads, with flies crawling out of their mouths. Heads on the settee, the TV, in the fridge... The pirate spoke to them, had full, one sided conversations with them. The room was dark and damp, the door was wide open and some horrid smell came into the shack and filled Alice's nostrils. The noises of the jungle sounded threatening and she could hear some sort of growling, as if a beast was lurking around the shack. Should she shut the door? The pirate was walking around, talking to his dead heads, then suddenly he froze, his eyes grew huge and he stared at Alice. His teeth showed and growed, sharpening, and he said: "I need your head, nena. I need your head. I need the mermaid's head." Alice made for the door but her legs refused to follow her, and her whole body felt heavy and unresponsive. Raging, she fought the dream to reach the door, crawling, and as her hands grasped the threshold she turned back and saw the pirate crouch then jump to her, all teeth out. She screamed her terror but it got stuck in her throat.

A whimper escaped Alice as she woke. It was daylight. The jungle noises were as normal. There was no beast, no heads, and most importantly there was no pirate. The filtering sunbeams had not moved, they were still shining on the exact same stripes of the room. Her guard had not even shifted foot. She couldn't have been asleep long.

"That's five minutes sleep in about two days now nena."

Alice's head hit the back wall. The pirate was standing by his bedroom, looking at her with a scowl on his cruel face.

"That's no good." He stepped further into the room, contemplating. Alice shuffled to the corner. Had the moment come?

"Why aren't you sleeping well?" He was hardly asking her, it was more like he was thinking aloud. "You don't want the bed. You don't want the settee. Why not, huh?" He addressed her this time, and Alice shrugged weakly. She did not want to be on anything that resembled a bed in fear that he might join her there. Of course, she couldn't say that. She blinked and it felt painful. Her eyes burnt with exhaustion. Everything was starting to feel a bit distant. Only the nightmares felt real. She was having more and more trouble focusing on single thoughts. Realising that he was waiting for her to say something, but having forgotten what he'd asked, she said :

"I'm having nightmares and they wake me up before I can rest."

"What nightmares?"

"Um... I see um, heads everywhere. Dead heads, with flies coming out of their mouths." She was not daring to face him as she said that. Surely he would work out where that sordid image had come from. "And I hear a beast lurking around the shack, like it's hunting me."

"Dead heads huh?" He looked down to his feet, looking a bit sheepish. "You know, McLovin wasn't just a head. I mean, his body was still attached to his head. See," his arms moved up, showing what he meant. "I buried him whole in the sand. He was stood up except underground. And he was alive... For a while. I didn't know he was dead then, he's done this little trick a few times already. He acts all dead and I get shit scared, but then a bit of electricity, a bit of spider, a bit of piss... And he wakes up. Ok now this time it's not a trick, I see that now. Good thing is he was already about 90% buried so it was quick to clean up."

Alice's foggy mind was trying to imagine the body under the sand. Was sand that solid you couldn't move at all? Strangely, she was becoming vaguely aware of the fact that this revelation, that she'd seen a dead body and not a detached head, was actually succeeding in giving her some relief.

"What beast is it? Lurking around in your dreams?" Maybe he'd said head, not dreams.

"A tiger."

"A tiger's fine, they don't come into the camp. They'd have to eat about 20 dogs first. Tigers are ok, as long as it's not the ink monster."

"The...?"

"You leave me no choice, Alice." He crouched, his face serious. The use of her actual name instead of some silly endearment sobered her up a bit. "If you don't sleep, you don't rest. If you don't rest, you will die. Sleep is very important for your health." He was staring into her eyes. She stared back, confused.

"Get up, come on let's go." He said, jumping up. "Come" he extended his hand, grabbed her forearm and brought her to her feet.

"Wha-where..."

"We're going to see the doctor. You," he pointed his finger at her face, "are scaring the shit out of me, nena, you know that? Let's go."

When they arrived at the doctor's house, Alice awoke with a start and subsequently realised that she'd fallen asleep on the way, although 'passed out' might have been a more accurate way to describe it.

Rubbing her eyes, she did not even bother looking around but simply let the pirate grab her arm again and lead her towards a house. Ironically, no that he'd gone through the trouble of taking her to see a doctor, Alice felt ready to sleep.

When she next opened her eyes, they were standing in what looked like a greenhouse, and he pirate was speaking to some white haired man. There was a strong smell in the air, earthy and wet. The air was hot. It was like the island itself was sweating onto her. She rubbed her eyes again.

There were steps, steep steps, and two voices talking around her. She could recognise the iron grip on her forearm.

A pink bed. Pink walls, dolls. All that's missing is the posters on the wall, the ones with all the different types of fish, and the world map. The bed is so soft and comfortable and clean and soft and so soft that Alice starts sobbing. She is crying because the room is like hers used to be and she feels like telling her mum that she is feeling sick so she can stay in this clean soft warm bed all day. She whimpers as her eyes search the room for the posters.

A gentle hand was caressing her face, shushing her. She drank something.

When Alice awakes, the sun seems high up in the sky. She stirs in her bed, buries her face in the soft pillow. She realises that she is under the duvet and it is unbearably hot. There is a fan hanging from the ceiling and all the windows are open. Alice sits up in bed, and everything comes back to her in a sickening wave. This isn't her room.

Electrified with a sudden panic, Alice yanks the duvet off and inspects herself. She is still dressed, the very same clothes she wore that fateful day when the pirate jumped on their boat. She doesn't feel any sort of soreness which would suggest that she'd been touched inappropriately. Well, she may have been touched, but at least not raped. Hopefully.

There is a pair of sneakers by the bed, they look roughly her size. The girl puts them on, has a walk around the room. It is truly amazing how much of a difference sleep can make, and she marvels at her newfound energy, calm, hunger, and all round optimism. She thinks back to what the pirate told her: 'I'm really grumpy when I don't sleep' he'd said, and she'd dismissed it. Now, with her mind at rest, she could appreciate the implications of that declaration. So far he had been kind of nice to her, feeding her, talking to her, even taking her to see a doctor when she was unwell.

Oh yes, snickers her mind, what a kind soul, abducting you and doing God knows what to your friends...taking you on a nice stroll to the beach to look at at dismembered head...

It was a body, not a head.

And that makes it all so much better.

The point is, she tells herself, if this is him being sociable, she does not want to think of what he's like when he is 'grumpy'.

Pushed by hunger, Alice wanders downstairs where she starts realising that this house is, in fact, her dream house. There are tall, wide windows everywhere and an impressive amount of things all over the floor and furniture. Each set of windows seems to have a comfy chair of some sort facing out, and there are books,mainly about tropical plants and their properties, absolutely everywhere. The sunlight floods the whole room,and Alice remains still for a few seconds, struck by awe.

The kitchen is wide and has an armchair at the back. A half empty cup of coffee so resting on the arm. There is food all over the place, gorgeous fruit and vegetables and bread. She walks past a big locker thing displaying different types of guns and tries opening it, not at all surprised to find it shut. Alice cuts herself a slice of bread and peels a mango. She pours herself a big class of fresh water and takes her breakfast to the armchair. Sitting there, she is once again struck by awe at the amazing, insanely beautiful view that spreads before her.

The island is gorgeous. It is emerald hills and turquoise water, shimmering in the sun. Flocks of white birds occasionally cross the azure skyline, and there are bright, exotic flowers all around the doctor's house. For a moment, Alice allows herself to imagine that it was it was all a bad dream, that she is on a holiday with her family and they have rented this gorgeous property for a whole year. No pirates, no nasty dogs, no screams in the night.

Alice stays in the armchair even after she has finished eating, then, growing bolder, she decides to explore the grounds a bit further. Outside the house - mansion - there is a greenhouse, and some sort of porch thing overlooking the sea, with a long chair on it. Aloce takes a few steps back, looking up at the house. It is white, wooden, one of these colonial houses for which Alice had always had a secret fondness.

She straightens her back and opens her arms for the first time in days, feels the breeze, enjoys the light.

Something is shuffling around in the greenhouse and Alice, still oddly brave, decides to go and have a look. Perhaps she will finally meet the good doctor who gave her a most amazing bed.

"Hello?" She calls out.

The greenhouse is overcrowded with plants and mushrooms of all shapes and sizes. The girl recognises the earthy, wet smell.

A skinny, white haired man appears from behind a tall plant with spiky leaves.

"Ah!"'he says. He shuffles awfully close to her. He smells of something strong.

"You are awake, at last! Have you rested well my dear?"

"Yes thank you" replies Alice as she tries to inch away from him without looking rude.

"It has been two days" says the doctor, and he is looking at her as if from above a pair of reading glasses, " and we were starting to wonder if you would ever wake."

" We?"

"Vaas and myself of course."

"Who's...?"

"Vaas" he repeats, and the smile has gone from his face. "The uh, the pirate who brought you here. With the Mohawk."

"Ah yes, of course, Vaas... Is he here?"

"No, no," the doctor waves his hand dismissively, turning to his pots and shrooms. "He's a busy man. He's been visiting you though, and quite frankly my dear you did well waking up when you did because Vaas was starting to suggest new ways of bringing you back to us." He chuckles.

"New ways?" Pushes Alice.

"Yes... I believe the words 'true love's kiss' is what he called his miraculous treatment."

"Wow, well... Is he, is he coming back?"

He must have heard the worry in her voice, because the doctor throws her an inquisitive look from above his non existent glasses.

"He will do. He most certainly will do."

He continues to stare at her, and Alice shifts awkwardly under his knowing eyes.

"Well,thank you very much Mr...?"

"Dr Earnhardt, my dear."

"I'm Alice" she says. " I've had such a good night sleep. I've helped myself to some breakfast, I hope that's alright. You... You have a really beautiful home."

At these words the doctor breaks his gaze and laughs good heartedly.

"Thank you,thank you... This old thing is crumbling to the ground!"

She laughs with him, hoping it doesn't sound too forced.

As the laughter dies out, Dr Earnhardt gives her another suspicious look.

"Tell me, Alice, where did..."

He does not finish his sentence, however. An engine can be heard stalking up the hill, and within seconds the car stops outside the house. They hear the door slam shut, heavy footsteps approaching. The doctor gently pushes Alice outside, pretending not to notice her resistance.

"Hello, nena, how are you today?"

He is there, joyful as usual.

"I've had a rough day so far." He continues, walking to them. "I am glad to see you are better. I have big plans for you today, I have a surprise."

There is a long streak of blood accross his forehead and splattered on his top, and instantly Alice knows.

It isn't his blood.

It is her friends'.