poison all in your veins.

Alice was sitting in a corner, away from the other residents of Wonderland. After the incident with Pan and Hatter, she didn’t like getting too close to anyone anymore. She didn’t want them to get hurt because of her, and she knew how protective her best friend could be. Her eyes glanced up at the door when a man walked through it. He looked very official and stood out as soon as he walked into the house. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, making it hard for her to hear whatever he and David were talking about. Not that she minded -- she never liked eavesdropping. It could lead to hearing something that you’d rather know nothing about.

After they’d finished talking, the stranger seemed to stick around for a bit. Alice wondered why. Was he going to be joining Wonderland? Perhaps he was the White Rabbit! It would explain why he was wearing such a fancy suit. “Excuse me,” she said, walking up to him, then tapped him on the shoulder. “Are you an old friend of mine? I’m sorry if you are, and I don’t remember. That’s awfully rude of me.” Her cheeks felt flushed. “My name is Alice, but the people here call me something different.” 

Alice shook her head at Pan, declining to try the blue stuff. Ever since arriving in Wonderland, she’d been offered the same drug over and over again. She didn’t want it, though. It wasn’t something that interested her, just like it didn’t when she’d first seen Absolem smoking it. “No, I don’t want any. Thanks for asking, though,” she said to him, with a smile. When he leaned in to hug her, she wrapped her arms around him in return, enjoying the physical contact. The only other person she got to hug was Hatter. Speaking of him, she could see him marching towards her and Pan. “Hi, Hatter,” she said, pulling away from the hug, but leaving a hand on the small of the boy’s back. “I was looking for you this morning. I saved you a piece of fruit at breakfast.” She looked up at Pan, grinning. “Thank you for the hug, my good friend.” 

“Do you have any tea. Do you know who’s apartment you live in? Any tea…” Jervis said with a shake of his head. He moved over to the kitchen and put on one of his many kettles. It felt like a blue kettle day, so that was the one he chose. None of them were better at heating water than the others. He just liked the variety. While the water heated, he returned to Alice and gave her a smile. “What is it you’d like to talk to me about, my dear?” He questioned. Eyes widening a bit as she spoke about how she’d like to move into Wonderland. He himself wanted to make the transition. His friend, The Caterpillar, wanted him there but he wouldn’t dare go without Alice. It seemed that David successfully convinced his sweet sister. 

“Yes!” He said quickly, before trying to contain himself. “Yes. I would love that. It’s clearly where we belong. What we deserve. I think it’ll suite us quite well. But my dear, is this truly what you want? Because once we’re down the rabbit hole, we’re down…” He had to make sure. 

Alice laughed at Hatter’s reaction to her question, crossing her legs. “How silly of me, Hatter. I should know that you probably have cupboards full of it.” She watched as he walked to the kitchen to boil the water, and thought about how lonely she would be if she didn’t have him. He was the truest friend -- the very best person she had ever known. Moving to Wonderland with him would be an honour. They were going to have so much fun together again, along with Absolem. There would be tea parties and nonsense until the early hours. Nothing would ever be too impossible for them. 

She was relieved to hear that Hatter was as enthusiastic about the idea as she was. “This is what I want more than anything in the world, dear friend. I want to be back with the people who understand me. People who don’t think my thoughts are crazy. Going down the rabbit hole was the best adventure of my life as a young girl. I think I’d quite like to do it again, with you.” 

David was used to spending time with sick people. He’d done it for six years, hanging out with schizo’s and manic depressives and neurotics. And, on good days, when Farouk had left him alone, he’d actually been able to think. So, when Alice mentioned the Jabberwocky (whatever that was) he kept his expression politely interested, and nodded once. “That’s very brave,” he said. “But we’re not under threat here. No one’s gonna find us.” He was protecting his family, always keeping an eye out for D3 and Syd (no matter what happened, he had to think of them as separate. Syd and D3.) They weren’t going to catch up to him here.

Alice said she’d been decapitated, and he remembered what Jervis had told him. She fell down, down, right? She’d been impaled. But her delusion, her sickness, protected her from remembering what had happened. He smiled a little when she said she believed in impossible things, because she obviously wanted him to. “That’s awful,” he said, gently. “Thank you for telling me, Alice.” He was used to hearing their stories – the girls who came here had done things that hurt them, or they’d had things done to them. So much pain, so much sadness. But he took it away. He healed them. Just like he wanted to heal Alice and her brother.

She’d said her life had been perfect, but he sensed her flightiness, a kind of mental fragility. Like a butterfly. “I’m glad you found each other. He loves you very much.” He looked up at the stars, and was quiet for a few seconds, choosing his words carefully. “You know, I want you and Jervis to come live with us, in Wonderland,” he said, still looking at the sky. “But he’ll only come if you will.” He turned to her, and smiled. “D’you miss living in Wonderland?”

Alice wondered how David could be so sure that they were safe, but she trusted him. The Caterpillar was very wise whenever she visited Wonderland, so why would now be any different? She never wanted to get hurt again -- never wanted to feel that dark, depressing, emptiness that she felt when the Red Queen took her head. Nothing was exciting after death, just a feeling of being trapped. It was like she couldn’t leave her body and go to that better place that everybody talked about. Something was anchoring her to this earth and didn’t want to let her go. In a way, she was glad about that. If dying was as much of an adventure as she thought it was going to be, she would’ve been angry about being brought back to life by the professor. 

He said that what had happened to her was awful, and Alice smiled at him. It was kind of him to say so. “I can trust an old friend, can’t I? It isn’t really something that many people would believe, besides you and Hatter. If I told them a queen beheaded me, they’d want to send me to one of those awful asylums.” She wouldn’t be able to cope if she was locked up. Alice needed to be around people who understood her and be able to spread her wings whenever she needed to.  Being forced to take meds she didn’t need, and see therapists who just wanted to diagnose her, would surely be enough to actually drive her mad. 

Hearing that Hatter loved her made her feel so special. “I appreciate his love more than he’ll ever know, and I love him just as much.” Her gaze followed David’s, now looking up at the beautiful, twinkling stars above them. “Do you really?” she asked, with childlike curiosity. “I don’t want to force Hatter to stay with me, if he’d rather be here with you, Absolem. That wouldn’t be very fair of me, would it?” When asked if she missed living in Wonderland, she nodded. “Why, of course. Nowhere else has ever accepted me the way Wonderland did. I miss everything about it. My friends, the colours, the smells... Nowhere else will ever measure up, or feel like home.”

Alice walked into the living room, a smile on her face as she looked at her old friend. “Hello, Hatter,” she said, before sitting down beside him. “Do you have any tea?” She’d declined his invitation to have tea with him earlier -- she had a lot of things to think about. “I think it would be good to have some while we talk.” She’d been thinking about Wonderland ever since she’d seen it. It was magical, and everyone there was so lovely. Especially the Caterpillar. He had taken her outside to see the stars, showed her kindness and beauty. She would never forget that experience, and she was ever so grateful for it. 

“I think I’d like to move into Wonderland. I liked it when we visited, and I like Absolem, too. He’s a little different these days, but who isn’t? I think we’d be very happy there, you and I. It’s our home, we deserve to be there. What do you think?”

continued with @alicestetch, from here!

David knew he had to be careful with Alice. She was fragile – Jervis had made that obvious – and he sensed it as soon as they met. She seemed younger than she was, and naive. So, he’d decided to take her outside, to talk to her under the stars, where no one could disturb them. People didn’t usually come into his room when he was talking to potential new members, but it was better to be safe. He glanced at her as she stared at the shooting star, and he knew he’d made the right choice.

“Yeah, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked, and he remembered his father showing him the stars. They talk to me. But he didn’t hear anything now. Just the peaceful quiet of the night. “You’re welcome, Alice. I knew you’d like it.” He smiled a little when she called him Absolem. Jervis called him the Caterpillar sometimes. He’d never read Alice in Wonderland, but she obviously had the same sickness as her brother. The same delusion. Like an egg. He looked back up at the sky. “We moved around a lot,” he said. “There were… bad people after me. But they’re gone now.” He didn’t want to talk about D3. He wanted to focus on her. “What about you? What brought you to New York?”

Alice nodded, a faint smile on her lips as she continued to stare up at the sky. She felt like she was dreaming, and that none of this was real. Everything was too good to be true. She was back in Wonderland, and she was having a conversation with an old friend, even if he was going by a different name now. It was all so peculiar, but in a way that excited her. It wasn’t like anything she’d ever experienced before. Seeing Wonderland for the first time had messed with her mind, and had her believing impossible things. But this time around? This time, it was even better. It was like coming home after spending years around people who didn’t understand you -- people who assumed you were mentally unwell. Alice knew that she wasn’t insane. It was the normal people who were sick. They didn’t understand how extraordinary the world could be. 

When David brought up bad people, Alice felt uneasy. She’d seen too many bad things and had slain evil creatures. She didn’t want to be involved in anything like that again. “I’m glad they’re gone. It would be a shame if Wonderland were under threat again. I killed the Jabberwocky once. It was awful, but I saved all my friends.” She pursed her lips at his question, thinking about how she could answer it. Should she tell him about Professor Strange, and how he’d saved her from death? “The Red Queen took my head,” she said. “She took it, and I died. It was awful, David. Everything was dark, and I was scared. But a brilliant man saved me. He found me and brought me back to life. I didn’t even know things like that were possible! And I believe very impossible things, you know.” With a shy smile, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I woke up in his laboratory, and he helped me remember all my friends and the things I’d been through. After I was all caught up, he let me go. Then I found Hatter, and life has been indescribably perfect ever since.”

symbol starters // always accepting 

Alice stared up at the night sky, her eyes wide as she watched stars shooting across it. “I’ve seen some curious things in my lifetime, but I have never seen anything quite as beautiful as this.” It was more breathtaking than the White Queen herself. Not that Alice would ever say something so disloyal aloud. “Thank you for letting me see Wonderland again, and for bringing me outside to see this.” The professor had told her that Wonderland was well hidden, and that she might never be able to find it again. How wrong he was. Hatter had found their home for her. He really was the best person she had ever met. The Blue Caterpillar was quickly becoming a close second, though. “So, Absolem – sorry, I mean David... How did Wonderland find its way to New York City?”

He watched as she got up and moved towards him, sitting in the chair right beside him. The man held his breath, in all honesty, he wasn’t used to Alice actually wanted to be closer to him and he was relishing the moment while he could. “Shh, it’s okay.” He said, reaching over and pushing her hair from her face. He couldn’t be more grateful for her. His sweet sister. His Alice. “I don’t think you’re ungrateful. It- it is hard. You’re one of my only friends, you know. The Marsh Hare and the Dormouse? Why… compared to you, they don’t mean nearly as much. It’s my duty to protect you.” He nodded at her words, “That’s good because, Alice… my dear. Don’t hate me but there’s something I’ve been keeping from you. Something I really should tell you…” 

Alice smiled when Hatter pushed her hair away from her face, leaning into his touch. She couldn’t explain why she felt so safe around him. They had such a strong connection, and finding him was like finding the glue that held her together. He was her Hatter -- her most wonderful, and treasured friend. There was nobody quite like him. Who else would’ve offered to keep her safe, and a place to stay after she was gone so long? “You know I feel the same way about you. I am not sure how useful I’d be when it comes to protecting you, but I’d give it a try.” When he said he’d been keeping something from her, her brow furrowed. “I could never hate you, Hatter. What is it? You can tell me anything.”

misc sentence starters // always accepting // @ofriddler

“Oh, have I?” Alice asked, looking down at her white blouse. “It must be from a nosebleed I had earlier. I got it all over the table at Starbucks, too.” Luckily, she didn’t have any memories of the damage her blood could cause, so she was very calm about it. “Thank you for pointing it out.” She reached into the pocket of her jeans, pulling out a tissue and dabbing at the spots on her shirt. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re very tall?” she asked, tossing the used tissue into a trash can. “Like the Knave of Hearts. You’re not him, are you?” She backed away a little, in case he was. 

Gadreel noticed the women long before she’d made her way over, she had been watching him for what felt like hours even though he was sure only minutes had passed. Waiting for Adriel at their planned meeting spot had been overcrowded lately, he’d been thinking about possibly changing the spot up when she’d finally decided to come up to him. She looked normal by all accounts of course so did he until he took off his glasses. 

He found himself tilting his head in confusion looking around a moment to see if maybe someone had stepped up behind him or appeared at the last minute. When he found none he knew the women was speaking to him “Chess? Darling girl are you alright?” He questioned before freezing slightly at the other somewhat clinging to him before moving to give her a light pat on the back. Where had he heard Hatter and Chess from…it sounded so familiar he thought for a moment before letting a word slip from his lips “Alice?” Alice in Wonderland wasn’t that the book that Adriel spent a night telling him about its wonder and happiness? Was the human living our a fairytale now making him a star?

Alice nodded when Chess asked if she was alright, melting into the hug as he patted her back. “I’m fine, Chess. I died, and it was a terrible adventure. Not at all as fun as I’d hoped.” There was an ecstatic smile on her face as she pulled away. “Yes! It is me! I’m so glad you remember. I know it has been an awfully long time since we last embraced each other, or even talked.” She couldn’t put into words how elated she was to see both him and Hatter. It felt like she was home. The city wasn’t as beautiful as Wonderland, and there were certainly fewer creatures wandering around. She didn’t have to worry about Bandersnatches scratching her, or the Jabberwocky coming for her. Hatter had warned her that they still existed, but she assumed that they were walking around disguised as humans, like Chess.

“How have you been? I have to say, you look splendid as a human.” She looked at his hair, tilting her head to the side, before reaching out to stroke it. “I do think you’d suit purple hair better, though. It’s your signature colour.” Was that an offensive thing to say? She hoped not. “I mean, I like the red, too! Change can be good.” She took her hand off his head, letting it drop to her side. “Your smile is still big and bright. And that’s what matters.”  

@alicestetch​ from here 

Jervis clenched his jaw, unsure if he was satisfied with her answer. The last thing he wanted was someone swooping in and stealing his dear, sweet sister from him- but how could he believe that no one hit on her? How could he believe that her beauty didn’t attract any men? Or women, for that matter? She called him a friend again and he smiled, wishing she would refer to him as her older brother. But Jervis wasn’t an idiot, he wasn’t going to correct her in fear that she would remember everything. His lips twitched and his wide dark blue eyes stared into hers. “I’m just worried for you, is all.” He replied. “Can’t I be worried?” 

When Hatter said he was worried, Alice gave him a grateful smile. She could understand why he felt so protective -- she’d only just returned to him, after being beheaded by the Red Queen. He had spent months believing she was dead. “Yes, you can be. I’m sorry, Hatter. I didn’t mean to seem so ungrateful.” She got up from her chair, moving to sit on the one next to him, rather than the one opposite. “I appreciate your care and love. I know it’s hard to trust other people around me after you spent so long missing me,” she said, taking his hand and squeezing it. “But, I can assure you that I am not interested in pursuing a relationship with anyone. I am quite happy by myself. I don’t need anything romantic.” 

new girl sentence starters // always accepting // @blayzcit

Alice laughed softly, shaking her head. “I haven’t heard many of her songs, but she seems pretty trustworthy,” she said, pulling out her phone and opening Spotify to search for her music. “I like the song about single women. I listened to it a few times, back in the lab.” She wasn’t allowed to watch television, but the professor did allow her to listen to music. She could learn while listening, which was why he approved of it. “I think I enjoy Fleetwood Mac’s music more, though. And Frank Sinatra. I guess I have an old soul. Sometimes I feel like I’m from another time. It’s quite curious.”

new girl sentence starters // always accepting // @ofhatters​

Alice’s brows furrowed as she looked at Jervis. His question was a little confusing, and she wasn’t sure how to answer it. From what she could remember, nobody had hit on her since she’d left Hugo Strange’s lab. She wasn’t exactly the sexy type. If anything, she looked too angelic – too innocent. “I don’t think anybody has hit on me, Hatter. I’ve been spending a lot of time with you, so I haven’t had the chance to go out and meet people. And the men I do meet… I don’t think they look at me like that.” Feeling a little uncomfortable, she folded her arms across her chest and looked down at the ground. “Why do you want to know? Is it bothering you, my dear friend?”