Disclaimer, you know.
Quick A/N: this is another one that's been on the docket for a while, its one that in its original draft kinda fits anywhere after the necessary starting point, but never really been sure where to throw it.
After that week, the palace had been in slightly better spirits than it had been when the group had sent Ellie and Jude to Colwen grounds for their little vacation. Well, for almost everyone. Aislynn lay on the floor of her bedroom, her nose in a book. Eve was purring idly in a corner. Aislynn felt uneasy about something, she knew what that something was, but she wasn't sure if it was just an insecurity or what. As lay there, unnoticed by her, her grandfather was stood in the doorway, but hadn't said a word. She turned to look at Eve.
"Eve?" Aislynn asked looking over to the cat.
"Yes Ace?" She asked yawning.
"You ever just get a weird thought in your head about something? But have no idea if you should voice that as a concern?" she asked curiously.
"What's on your mind?" Eve asked curiously.
Aislynn dogeared the page of her book and closed it. setting it aside and pushing herself into a proper sitting position. She wasn't sure where this thought had sprung from, but it had wiggled its way into her brain.
"Well…I'm kind of worried about Dorothy." She said looking over at the cat.
"Like everyone else is? Or in a different fashion?" she said uncurling herself and sitting up to look at her.
"Different fashion, I think this is more a personal insecurity I have rather than a legitimate concern" she said sighing.
"well, you could always talk to her about it, especially if it does concern her, she cares about you." Eve said coming over to her.
"and then she'll start worrying about it…" Aislynn said trailing off "I guess I could talk to grandfather about it"
"Talk to me about what?" Oscar asked, giving his granddaughter quite a start.
"Jeez, Grandfather DON'T DO THAT!" Aislynn said panting, "how long have you been standing there?"
"The entire time, My child, you just haven't looked over here." He said joining her on the floor, "So what's this concerning dorothy?"
"Well, it sort of concerns you as well." She said sighing "And the fact that you're back." She finished.
"Oh?" he asked looking at her curiously.
"its just…I'm worried she might start to…get jealous." Aislynn said a little sheepishly.
"Jealous?" Oscar asked with a laugh "Now why in the world would she become jealous?"
"Because, honestly, if anyone deserved something like this to happen to them, to get someone back." Aislynn said looking her grandfather in the eyes "Its her."
"but you know she doesn't think like that" Oscar said looking at her "From what I've seen Dorothy will always put you guys, and your wants and needs well before her own"
"I know that, but the thought keeps floating back to the surface and I don't know why." Aislynn said resting her head on her grandfather's shoulders, "I want to talk to her about it, but I don't want to ruin anything either."
At this point Eve chose this moment to take her leave. Slinking rapidly out of the room. Knowing full well Ace wasn't likely to take the initiative and just go around in circles she decided to take the initiative herself.
He looked at his granddaughter curiously, wondering where this insecurity might have come from. He had considered just getting up and getting dorothy himself to address this. But felt that this would be a bit brash at least in the moment. He had to admit, it would probably be a potential thought that could have crossed Dorothy's mind. But admitted that even if she had gotten that, based on everything he knew and had been brought up to speed on that she would also never act on those thoughts.
Even if they were there, Madeline wasn't exactly known for keeping those thoughts a secret in civil conversation. As everyone knew this was much to Dorothy's dismay. As they sat there in silence for a few minutes he tried to think of the right thing to say.
"Has she done or said anything directly to you, or has the Hatter said anything to the extent of that?" Oscar asked curiously.
Aislynn shook her head.
"So this is just something random, an insecurity that has lodged itself somewhere in that intelligent brain of yours?" He asked.
"I guess so…" She trailed off and embraced her grandfather tightly.
"Ace, my darling, ask…" Was as far as Oscar got before the sound of footsteps reached the door.
They both turned and saw Dorothy coming up to the doorway, knocking on it before stepping in.
"eve told me something was up, but didn't specify more than that" she said "I'm not interrupting am I?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"No, actually, this is perfect timing" he said looking at her.
Aislynn had gone a bit pale at this. Dorothy, however, nodded looking at Aislynn worriedly, and joined the two of them on the floor.
"Ace do you want to tell her or shall i?" he asked, genuine concern for both of them in his voice "because I don't want this to fester and become something that drives a wedge in everything."
Aislynn stared at her grandfather again, squeezing her eyes shut tight for a moment as she contemplated her own move here. She sighed.
"Dorothy, I don't know where this thought has sprung from, or why it's chosen now to start gnawing at me." She said sighing "But I've kinda started to grow a bit worried, that you might start to become a bit…well jealous." She said not meeting her gaze.
"Jealous of what exactly?" Dorothy asked concerned, but also rather confused.
"of me, and the fact that I got my grandfather back." She said under her breath.
Dorothy stared at Aislynn for a moment, then looked at Oscar. she wracked her brain for a moment trying to figure out how, let alone why she would ever get an idea like that in her head.
"She thinks that, of all the people this situation could have happened to, there is really no one more deserving of this than you." Oscar said plainly "and lets face it, a lot of people would definitely agree with her on that."
Dorothy nodded, this made sense. It didn't make sense that this insecurity was just rearing its head now, however but she shook that part off. She wrapped her arms around Aislynn and hugged her tightly.
"Ace, I'm honestly more put off by the fact that you could even think that I would be jealous" she said sighing "I wont lie, there have been, and there will be more times where I've wished I could have my parents back, it still hurts to think about them, but that has honestly always been one of the last things on my mind. You guys, my friends, are here, in the now, and that's more important to me." She said releasing her.
"I know, I know" she said embracing dorothy tightly
"Ace, when have you ever seen me jealous of anything or anyone?" Dorothy asked curiously
Aislynn sighed and released her. still not meeting her gaze.
"I know its irrational for me to even consider the idea, but…it's just kinda been somewhere on my mind for a while." Aislynn said keeping her gaze downward.
Dorothy smiled and gently took Aislynn's chin in her hand, raising her face to meet her eyes. Ace's eyes had worry, and the glisten of tears to them. A look that said, 'I think if the situation were reversed, I know I'd be jealous' while Aislynn saw Dorothy's compassion, her caring for her, for them. She broke down and hugged her tightly again. Ace unable to say the words that weighed in her. both knew full well they weren't needed.
"Aislynn, you've been my charge for a while, you know you can talk to me about anything that's troubling you." Dorothy said reassuringly, "And even if I'm not available odds are good that your grandfather, or even my aunt and uncle, heck, even Maddie will hear your concerns." She said
"I'm sorry, I just…I just didn't know what to say about it, if I could even face the idea" Aislynn said sighing "worried I might just bring the idea to life by just bringing it up." She didn't release her
"and that, at least is a natural concern, because I'm sure if many others were in this spot that would certainly be the case." Dorothy said sighing "whether that be myself, uncle henry, or even Mr. Teak."
"Horace?" Oscar asked curiously
"he had a very strained relationship with his father, I'm sure you've been told multiple times by now" Dorothy said looking at him, "recently, with what's been going on, I get the same impression from him that I get from my uncle henry as of late, If his father were here, he'd try to make amends…just like uncle henry would love to make amends with my father, his brother."
Oscar nodded, for he could see the logic in all of that.
"They want that closure, to close the book on a more sweeter note." He said
Dorothy nodded
"I know the last conversation my uncle and father had was an argument between the two." She added "they wouldn't see each other again, and I know deep down he would also give anything to make amends."
Ace finally released her, finally meeting her gaze of her own volition. She had some desperation there, hoping she hadn't opened a wound. But the look in Dorothy's eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"this has shown me that I was not mistaken in my choice of guardian for you" Oscar said with a grin
Dorothy nodded, though this statement had loosened a cog in her mind, causing something to start turning, a thought she hadn't really considered floated to the surface. It reminded her of the consistent danger she was often in and had often put her friends and family in, because they would all follow her.
"Dorothy has always been pretty selfless" Madeline said appearing in the room, making them all jump, "but I can feel a new question coming to the surface of your mind now Dorothy" she said looking at her, "and it's a pretty good one, that you inspired, Oscar."
"Oh?" The Wizard asked a bit sheepishly.
"Now she's wondering what her parent's plan for her was if anything ever happened to her aunt and uncle." Madeline said, causing dorothy to glare at her.
"honestly its kind of strange that I HAVENT considered that idea before with everything going on" Dorothy sighed "I suppose i should ask auntie em and uncle henry what the full plan was."
"Maybe at dinner?" Aislynn suggested.
"I guess that would be at least somewhat Ideal, easier to bridge the subject if I have more people present." Dorothy said closing her eyes "all of you there…"
Madeline chose at this time to vanish. Dorothy felt the shift, and felt she was probably going to warn alex about the question going to be bridged.
"because now I'm starting to wonder if they had a plan, I know the primary plan was my aunt and uncle" Dorothy said getting to her feet.
"but as far as any of us have been concerned, that's it" Aislynn said still sitting there.
"Oh I'm sure they had something, just based on the amount of history your parents had with the parents of most of your Kansas friends" Oscar said chuckling
"But based on how sudden it was." Dorothy said sighing, "Its just curious to think about"