When Tomcat and Cinder entered his tent with Alice bound and gagged, Dodgson did not even attempt to hide his pleasure. With a grin on his face, he approached them slowly and looked Alice up and down. There was a snarl hidden behind her gag, and her eyes were filled with fire. How very much like her mother she was.

This would be like killing Alice Chataway a second time.

"Well done," he said to his two underlings. "Where did you find her?"

"Trying to sneak in again," Cinder said. "Caught her before she even knew what had hit her."

Chuckling softly, Dodgson motioned for them to set her in the middle of the tent. They did so, and he then dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Once they were gone, he took his time pacing the tent before finally glancing in Alice's direction.

"I can't believe you were stupid enough to actually come back here," he said. "Stubborn. Just like your mother."

She narrowed her eyes at him but did not try to respond or struggle against her bindings.

"Well, soon enough you'll hold something else in common with her," he continued as he stooped down to pull out a long knife from the chest by his bed. "You'll both be dead."

He made his way over to her and crouched down so that he could meet her eyes. Though they held a fire similar to her mother's, they were the same color as her father's. However, there had never been any fire in his eyes. Only softness and tears. It hadn't been much of a challenge to do away with him.

Just like this Alice's husband.

Holding the knife up so that Alice could see it clearly, he admired his reflection in the blade. "Did you know that this is the very same knife that killed your mother?" he said. He angled it slightly and caught a glimpse of the clock scorched onto his neck and frowned. "I kept it safe in hopes that I would one day be able to use it on you."

Alice's gaze wavered as she looked at the blade, and he thought he saw tears forming. But she tore her eyes away and glanced up at him, cocking an eyebrow in such an infuriatingly casual manner that it took every ounce of restraint to not plunge the weapon into her chest right then and there.

But no, he needed to be patient. First, find the watch. Then he could slit her throat.

He rose and paced the tent again, playing with the blade as he considered her thoughtfully. "Should I be expecting another intruder like last time? Surely not your darling husband," he flashed a grin, "but my daughter perhaps? Or one of those pathetic Swans?"

She mumbled something behind her gag.

Stooping down, he cupped his ear. "What was that?"

She glared at him, and he chuckled as he removed the gag. "I said, Are you afraid of facing off with your former allies?" she said.

"Afraid? That's a laughable suggestion. I was only curious as to how long we're going to have to prolong this."

"Then stop stalling and kill me already."

Clucking his tongue, he pinched her cheek. Her eye twitched, and she pulled away from his touch. "You haven't the slightest idea what it's like to take another person's life. Which is why you are so unfit to be the Queen of Thieves." Rising to his feet once again, he twirled the knife about in his fingers. "These things can't be rushed, especially when one is taking the life of someone they have hunted for years."

"I can't believe it's taken you this long to find a little girl. For a thief, you're not very good."

His lip lifted in a snarl at her mocking tone, and he turned on his heel. "Where is it?" he asked, pointing the knife at her.

"Where is what?"

"You know what, now hand it over and I'll make this quick."

She laughed, taking him by surprise. How could she be so unafraid? Again, her behavior called to mind her mother, and he became slightly unnerved, wondering if somehow this girl was Alice Chataway reborn. But that was ridiculous. Not only was that impossible in a general sense, but she had been born before Alice died.

"You really think I'm going to believe that you'll let me die quickly after that speech about savoring this moment?" she said. "I may be young, but I'm not stupid."

"The sheer fact that you returned proves your stupidity. Now," he pulled her up by the collar of her blouse, "where is it?"

Her eyes squeezed closed as she dangled in midair, but she managed to open one eye and give him a crooked smile. "How is a raven like a writing desk?"

Furrowing his brow, he shook his head, thinking he had heard her wrong. "What?"

"How is a raven like a writing desk?" she repeated more slowly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You tell me. If you can answer this riddle, I'll gladly tell you where to find the item you so desperately desire."

The girl's audacity stunned him momentarily. "Are you for real?"

She shrugged. "When I got up this morning I was. But who knows? I've changed so many times in these past years. And yet I'm still the same Alice. Puzzling, isn't it?"

Fed up with her inane rambling, Dodgson tossed her back onto the ground. She let out a wince but did not cry out, even as he kneeled beside her and began rifling through her many pockets. All she did was raise her eyebrows and shake her head.

"Did your mother teach you no manners?" she said. "Don't you know it's rude to go through a lady's belongings?"

"You are no lady," he said as he dug his hand into her purse.

Something sharp stuck him, and he let out a yelp, bringing his bleeding finger to his mouth. A tiny creature crawled out of the purse, chirping and hissing at him. It looked like a hedgehog, but it was only the size of a thimble.

Grabbing it, he tossed it at one of the tent walls, and it rolled into a little ball before hitting the ground. It bounced slightly and then unfurled itself, continuing its chattering.

"Now, now, there's no need to go throwing hedgehogs just because you're not getting your way," Alice said.

Seething with anger, Dodgson scrambled to his feet. He stormed over to the tiny creature and attempted to crush it beneath his boots. Alice shouted something at him, but he couldn't hear her over the stomping of his feet. Somehow the blasted animal escaped, and this only stoked his rage. Turning back to Alice, Dodgson found her watching him with an amused expression on her face.

"I find it very funny that you expect me to be afraid of a man who can't even squash a little defenseless hedgehog."

Dodgson clenched his teeth and gripped the handle of his knife. Rushing at her, he pushed her to the ground and raised his weapon, aiming for her throat so that he would never have to hear her infuriating voice again.

"You know, if you kill me now, you may never find your little trinket," Alice said calmly.

His arm slowed as it plunged towards her until it stopped altogether. Nostrils flaring, he stared down at her, wanting nothing more than to cut that smile from her face. But she was right. What if the watch wasn't on her person? What if she had hidden it? He needed her alive. At least for now.

But he didn't need her in one piece.

Gripping the knife again, he stabbed her in the shoulder. The cry that escaped her lips warmed him to his very core, and he pulled the blade out to admire the blood that stained it. Even their blood looked the same, and it brought back to lovely memory of killing her mother so many years ago.

"All right, I'll play your little game," he said as he sat back on his knees and pushed her onto her side so that he could get to her hands. "But you should know that I don't play fair."

He pried her index finger away from her palm and traced it with the point of the knife. Alice's heavy breathing hitched, and despite the bravado she had been putting on earlier, he knew that now he had her frightened.

"Which finger do you like the least?" he asked as he forced her hand onto the ground, spreading each finger out. "Or maybe which do you have the least need for? Perhaps your ring finger, seeing as your little husband is dead. Won't be needing that, will you? Oh, how precious, you still have your wedding ring on. Allow me to remove it for you."

Just as he positioned the blade over her finger, his hip bumped against something hanging from Alice's belt. He turned and realized that she had another purse. How had he missed it?

Releasing her hand, he cut the bag's strap and began to rifle through it. He dug deeper and deeper until he realized he was up to his elbow in it. Quickly removing his arm, he glanced from the bag to Alice who regarded him with a cautious gaze.

"Well, this is something interesting," he said.

Her eyes widened, and she swallowed hard. A smile spread across his face. How fortunate that this silly girl wore her heart on her sleeve.

Chuckling, he dug his hand in once more, reaching farther and farther until his entire arm was inside. He could feel all sorts of things, but none felt like a watch. His muscles ached as he stretched them more than was comfortable, desperately searching for that pocket watch.

And then there it was. A metal chain and what felt like a miniature rib cage. He grasped the item and pulled it out along with his arm. Yes, this was it. Alice Chataway's pocket watch. The same watch he was convinced was the key to removing the ominous mark on his neck and defeating Time once and for all.

He grinned at Alice who was watching him with terror in her eyes. Holding the watch up for her to see, he waved it at her. "Oh, look what I found."

"That doesn't belong to you," she whispered.

"It does now," he said as he brought it closer to his face, watching the tiny hands count down the passing seconds.

"Dodgson, you don't understand. That was a gift. You don't want to take that from me. Trust me."

Ignoring her, he rose to his feet, still admiring the treasure he had sought so hard to find. Finally, it was in his possession, after all the years he had struggled and searched, fearing his time would be up before he found it.

At last, it was his.

Time was no match for him now.

"Well, I suppose now I can take my time doing away with you," he said with a chuckle.

"Was that a time pun? I do so loathe time puns."

Dodgson tore his eyes away from the watch and turned to find a finely dressed man leaning against a walking stick behind him. He was watching Dodgson with a shadow of a smile on his lips. Something about him seemed familiar. Had he met him before? It seemed like he had. But where?

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Dodgson demanded.

The man gave a soft laugh and moved slowly towards him. "My, my, I must not make much an impression if no one seems to remember who I am. Again, though, it's mostly my fault. I like to leave no trace of myself in people's minds. Makes it easier to do my work."

He was right in from of him now. Though not that much taller than himself, something about this man made Dodgson feel small and insignificant.

He didn't like feeling small and insignificant.

In one swift movement, Dodgson made to thrust the knife into the man's gut, but something stopped him. He glanced down and found that his arm had gone completely still just inches from the man's stomach. He tried to move it but to no avail. It was frozen in place.

Dodgson raised his eyes to the stranger and glared. "Who are you?"

The shadow of a smile grew into a smirk. "An old friend, Dodgson."

"Friend? Pray tell, when did we meet?"

"When you received this."

The man brushed his fingers against Dodgson's neck, right where the clock mark was. And in that gentle touch, Dodgson realized who this was. Panic seized him, and he grabbed at his arm with his free hand, desperately trying to get it to budge. The more he struggled, the more Time's smile grew. Shaking his head, he clucked his tongue and stooped down to meet Dodgson's eyes.

"Don't strain yourself, old chap," he said, flashing him a smile before leaning in close to whisper in his ear. "Your time is up."

Without even seeing it, Dodgson knew that the final minute on his clock had passed. Midnight had arrived.

Time pulled away, his expression now twisted into something vicious and hateful. "You never deserved her, you piece of scum."

Dodgson opened his mouth to respond, but the words would not come. He felt himself unraveling from the inside out, and before he could even glance down to see what was becoming of his body, his vision began to fade.

The last thing he heard was Time whisper tearfully, "I'm so sorry, Alice. I should have done this sooner."