Alice shook the memory away; she wondered how Mad remembered that moment. The reality of their relationship began to bubble up all around them as Mad pulled her towards the house. First innocent scenes of them playing. Others showed mundane day to day life, bits, and pieces of their life together. Alice gradually growing while Mad stayed ageless. Some memories were of her professing her love towards him, unyielding and unrelenting. They were embarrassing forms of display, but he must have found them amusing to remember them so fondly.

“Let’s see what else we can remember,” Mad said, holding the door open to her. She took a step in through the threshold and into the eclectic home. The air felt like rushing water, cool and refreshing against her warm cheeks as the familiar, unplaced smell of flowers, mixed with a slight musk welcomed her in a warm embrace. This familiar smell she would sometimes pick up in the mortal world. One in which she could never quite place, but one that always gave her a strong sense of nostalgia. Now she knew where it came from.

Her eyes followed the layout of the room. Falling across the mismatched furniture and up towards the dim lighting that emanated from weightless fixtures hovering in the rafters. She scanned the colorful rugs that rested against the hardwood flooring, providing comfort as it accented the room with soft color and whimsy. The various knick-knacks nestled into various nooks and crannies. Overpacked shelves arranged with meaning and care, disorderly in a way that was purposeful; colored in a mixture of warmth and cool tones that worked well in cohesion. Although it was a bit chaotic, it was cluttered, but comfortable.

More memories began to flutter their way into the home. Filtering through the open windows, the golden wisps wrapped their airy tendrils around Mad and Alice’s bodies as the glitter danced through the rooms. Alice followed them in their waltz, one after another a new memory formed. Misty, golden hazes created clear cut movies between her and Mad. She adored him for everything he had done for her. At every milestone he was a friend, a neighbor, a crush and eventually her lover. They played games, had gone on adventures, argued, danced, and flirted. He had been her world for so long, he was her everything.

Alice felt tears begin to well up behind her eyes, they felt heavy and cumbersome until the first orb rolled off her eyelash and down her face. The cascade was unrestrained as the memories poured back into her consciousness. Gifts of shimmering nostalgia reenacted right before her eyes. The forms surrounded her in every direction, rooms filled with memories, care and above all love.

“You remember all this?” Alice whispered in amazement.

“They’re some of my most cherished memories. The moments I had spent with you are some of the best memories I have.” Mad responded, leaning against the doorway between rooms.

Her lip quivered as a new round of tears beaded the corners of her eyes. She had always had a home here. She always had a longing for togetherness and family, searching for something she didn’t believe existed. Yet, it had always been here in Wonderland. How crazy was she to forget all this. Insane wanting to give this up a second time. How foolish, absolutely foolish.

A lingering worry held tightly, gripped her though, this ghost of Alice was different. She was no longer the same person she was back then. The Alice who physically stood amongst the nostalgia had been hardened, changed; lost her innocence, her whimsy and joy. Would Mad still feel the same for this new rendition of her? Could the new her love him the same way as before?

She began to question herself, challenging the reasoning her heart was trying to procure in debate against her logic. Even if she were to stay, could she be happy like this again, or was she tarnished, soiled, and ruined now? She was filled with humanity, mortality, struggles, gripes, and fears. Oh, how nice it would be to go back, become that innocent woman once more. Worried by nothing. Living a simple life. Requiring nothing more than living moment by moment. She had been at peace back then, gone with the ebb and flow each new day brought. She wished she could be claimed by an unchanging, magical, timeless world once more.

Could she? Could it work?

Mad chuckled, “You’re so sappy,” Mad mused as he walked forward, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms around her frame. He hesitated, his hands fell back down towards his waist, choosing instead to stand side by side with her.

Alice noticed the hesitation in his hand. She wanted him to grab hold of her, she swallowed that desire, and let it grow in heat within her stomach. “I’d forgotten how much I loved being here.” Alice paused, her facial expression changed for a moment, a wash of cloudiness pulled away the happy memories. The sting of troubled reminiscence stabbed her stomach. “I had to forget in order to survive.” Alice responded. Survive may have been too strong of a word, she thought immediately as it slipped from her lips, noticing the slight twitch in Mad’s expression. To rightfully adapt back into the mortal world, others had convinced her she was mentally unwell. That she was delusional. That all these memories had been a coping mechanism—a product of trauma.

Alice believed it.

So, she forgot.

Go away. Alice ordered the sad memories to flee, she wanted the happy ones back. She looked up at Mad, his brows knitted together, confusion and concern draped across his most handsome face. Go away, she reminded herself as she flipped the script, reverting to a role she knew how to fill. Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheek. Big doe eyes looked up at Mad, “but I’m here now, and if I stay, we can create new memories. New memories together, and new memories with you.” Alice said, flirtation slithered across her voice. A glimpse of memory sparkled into existence behind Mad. It was the two of them embracing in an intimate moment. The scene gave her a boost of adrenaline and confidence. Alice teasingly pointed towards the vision of themselves. Mad turned around.

A rush of embarrassment ran like a million needle pricks across his skin as the illusion illuminated and glowed with bright passion completely out of his control. It was completely shameless. The past couple were entangled together, bodies embraced in heavenly ecstasy and pleaded with love on top of the coffee table. Mad rushed over and tried to wipe the image away, fanning at it wildly. The image disappeared like the flame of a candle being blown out. The smoke wafted into the air and became a remnant of the past.

BANG! BANG! BANG! The thundering clamor at the front door suddenly ripped the two from their reunion. Alice jumped with a yelp and an expression of seriousness slated Mad’s face as his adrenaline homed in on the intruder.

“Did they find us?” Alice asked, rightfully paranoid that their pursuers had followed them back. Alice paused and gasped as a much more sinister thought attacked her senses, “Did that thing from the rabbit hole find us!?” The panic was evident in her voice as they both stood guarded in the adjacent room, waiting to see what followed.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Alice grabbed Mad. The noise startled her again, and the reflexive action caught Mad’s heart, distracting him for just a moment from the serious event that threatened them.

The fists behind the door screamed at them, “I know you’re in there!” The person growled and continued to bang. “Open up now!”

Mad laughed, a strong hearty laugh, as recognition took over the initial fear and worry. Alice looked at him alarmed. “There's nothing to worry about.” he casually said, sauntering over to the screaming door.

“You stupid, foolish man-child! Open this door now!” The voice continued while fist banged against the door.

“It’s an old friend.” Mad said as he put his hand on the doorknob. He gave Alice a cheeky smile and a wink before opening it.

As soon as Mad turned the doorknob, the door was pushed in on the two, and there stood a person, short, sweating and slightly disheveled. Their brows were strung together in worry yet continued to berate Mad. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!? Do you know the whole forest is in an uproar over what you did to those Card Soldiers!” The person pushed their way in. “The whole forest is now crawling with Cards.”

A cat. No, a person. A person with both cat and human features walked through the door. Silver hair grew from their scalp in tight curls and bloomed around their face. Their complexion contrasted with the silver in a dark brown that was reminiscent of starlight in a night sky. The hint of blush rosied their complexion. Heated and out of breath, they struggled to maintain the volume of their reprimanding, having rushed over as soon as the news broke. A non-human creature now stood in their doorway, short but strong.

“I told you to lay low!” the tail between their legs swished back and forth with intense irritation as they continued to scold Mad. Alice’s face lit up as recognition ignited her brain. The person continued to yell, the height difference was astonishing, yet the ferocity of their obscenities regarding Mad’s irresponsibility made Mad look much smaller. Alice braved the lion and called out their name.

“CC!?” CC, a nickname, an acronym for their real name, one Alice had always struggled with pronouncing as a child.

 Cheshire Cat.

Alice waved her hand in an attempt to grab their attention. The humanoid cat person shot them a harsh glance, only now just realizing there had been another person standing at attention all along.

A quick hiss exploded from CC’s cat like features, surprised by the presence of another. Slowly, recognition replaced their stern expression.

“Alice!?” CC called; their face illuminated with joy. CC lunged forward like a cat. Their excitement was untamable as they squeezed and easily lifted Alice into the air with a weightless twirl. This person who stood a foot shorter than Alice had the strength of three men, lifting Alice as easily as Mad had done prior. Alice laughed at the feeling. CC embraced her tightly, “I can’t believe it! You’re back!”

Holding her tightly, CC was afraid she would disappear once released. Questions bubbled up one after another. “But how!? When!? I’m so glad you’re here!” CC continued, one thought running into another, providing no chance to answer. Flabbergasted and flustered over reuniting with their long-lost friend.

Alice giggled, “I’m not sure how, and just now really. And I’m glad to see you too. I’m still really processing the whole thing.” The two stood smiling at one another as CC tightened their hug. CC pushed her back yet kept her at arm's length. Their cat-like golden eyes scanned the mortal up and down, aggressively taking in Alice’s disheveled appearance. “What happened to you?” CC asked shooting Mad a quick angry glare knowing he was to blame. “What did you drag her through?” Not allowing a moment to respond, their eyes darted down Alice’s body. Her hair was a tangled mess, body nude except for the coat that wasn't her size and wrapped haphazardly around her torso. Legs bruised and scraped, with feet bare, lacerated, dirty, and bloody.

“Are you hurt anywhere else? What did you drag her into!?” CC asked sweetly with the first half, angrily the second as the target of the question changed course. Kind consideration towards Alice, while shots of blame and accusations directed at Mad. Before he could respond Alice jumped into telling the story.

“I’m not hurt anywhere else. Don’t worry, I'm fine. I guess I didn’t even notice. The adrenaline from being chased, I guess it just didn’t register. Then my body changed the way it did, and then the thing with the door. I didn’t really have the chance to notice my feet so banged up.” Alice held her hands up in requital.

Silenced by shock, CC finally asked, “Chased? What happened to your body and what door?” CC’s voice became bleaker with each point of follow up.

“Yeah, it was insane, I just figured out I was here, then there was an explosion, then these soldiers and dog things chased after us and we jumped off a cliff to get away from them!” Alice said so matter-of-factly, her tone gave way to feelings of disbelief and annoyance. “I was so scared! And then can you believe it, the flowers here are so mean! I don’t remember them ever being like that. I don’t remember, they never spoke to me before, but I couldn’t believe it!” Alice said, using her hands to add exposition to the story. CC glanced over at Mad, golden orbs filled with a fiery glow of red-hot emotions.

“Oh, and then the door, you know the one that I used to leave Wonderland with. Well, that suddenly decided it didn’t want to exist or something. So, I’m stuck in Wonderland now I guess.” Alice started laughing. The happy laugh soon fell into a nervous one and then a silent chuckle until tears started to well up in her eyes. “I don’t even know if I belong here anymore, and I’m stuck.” Alice mumbled between ugly sobs. Oh yeah. Was all she could think while the words spilled out of her mouth. They had started to come out, and once they started, she couldn’t stop.

The feline snapped back to Mad, “You don’t see Alice all this while, complaining about missing her nonstop, and as soon as you get her back, you drag her into your mess! You could have gotten her killed! Mad she’s mortal remember; she's not built like us!” CC grabbed Alice’s arm tenderly and with comfort, while the unyielding shame assaulted Mad. Burying him with its weighted meaning.

That’s right. A voice repeated the sentiment inside of Alice’s head, echoing CC’s words within her skull.

Mad’s face shot a look of hurt and confusion, “I was keeping her safe though! Nothing was going to happen to her.”

Alice locked eyes with him, sorrow filled her body. Her heart clenched. He was keeping her safe, but he also put her in danger. Alice felt a lurch in her body and a sob escaped her lips with much more force than intended. Mad launched himself forward, wanting to comfort. But CC side stepped his affection and shielded Alice behind their frame.

“Everything happened to her!” CC shot back. CC let out a groan followed by a sigh. “Listen, I know you don’t understand this right now because your brain is floating in the clouds. We can talk about this later. I’m going to take her and get her washed up and bandaged. Why don’t you give March a call, let him know what’s happened and put on some tea or something.” CC led Alice down the hallway toward the bathing area. “Come on, let's relax and get you taken care of,” their voice turned back to comfort, attempting to ease the anxiety that poured from Alice’s skin.

“Yeah! Sounds good.” Mad muttered, his voice trailed off as the two walked away, shutting him out with a slammed door.

A heavy sigh parted his lips. Lifting his hands to his face, he wiped at it as if he could physically remove the shame that had suddenly been applied to his skin.