I felt like I had to tell someone immediately, so I ran back to the house, my scraped knee totally forgotten in my panic. "Rab!" I said as I pushed the door open and ran inside. He was sitting on the couch with a book, a pair of glasses resting on his nose. He looked up quickly when I entered and ran to him. "Rab, I have to tell you something," I said urgently.

Before I had the chance to speak, however, Rab gasped and stood up. "Alice! Your knee is a mess!" he said.

I glanced down momentarily and saw my whole leg was covered in blood and it was dripping onto the wood floors. "Oh, yeah..." I murmured, remembering when I fell. Then I shook my head and started to talk again. "But never mind that. Something happened in the woods-"

"Never mind it? It could get infected!" Rab said, stopping me mid-sentence. "Stay here. Let me go get the first aid kit."

I tried to tell him it was fine, but he ignored me and ran into another room, coming back with a box of medical supplies. I shook my head as he told me to sit. "Rab, I'm fine. This is really important," I urged.

"Not more important than your health. It'll have to wait. I need to clean your cut and make sure it's bandaged properly," Rab said.

He made me sit down on the couch and told me to be quiet while he worked. I fidgeted nervously while he pulled out various types of creams and started to apply them to my knee. They stung a bit when they touched the open wound, and I bit my lip. I wanted to tell him what had happened, but he wouldn't let me speak until he was finished. After tying the last bandage around my knee, Rab sat back. "What on earth were you doing? That's a really bad cut," he said.

I didn't answer that question ad dove right into telling him about my encounter with the stranger. "There was someone out in the woods," I said.

"Out in the woods? At this hour?" Rab looked concerned. "I wonder who it was..."

"He didn't tell me his name, but he said that he was a watcher. He also said-" I stopped suddenly. He told me to be careful who my friends were... Did that include Rab?

"He said what?" Rab asked quizzically.

I looked back up and blinked, unsure. "He said... he said that he would be watching me..." I improvised.

Rab's frown deepened. "That sounds strange... I'll have to look into it. I'm glad you told me."

Guilt rushed through me as I thought of my lie and I looked away. I wanted to tell him everything the stranger had said, but what if Rab was who he was talking about? I didn't really know anyone here in Wonderland. For all I knew, these creatures were plotting against my safety.

As I sat fretting over what to do, Rab seemed to notice my discomfort and quickly got up. He went into the kitchen and returned with a bag of ice. "Keep it on your knee to reduce the swelling," he said.

I nodded, hoping he couldn't see the worry of my face. Rab helped me to my room and told me to get some sleep. I frowned. Why didn't I tell him, I wondered. It's not like Rab had ever done something untrustworthy. He was even helping me with my Cheshire problem. Still... why should I trust him?

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. I was probably being too wary. Rab wouldn't do anything to hurt me... right? I shook my head and laid down, stuffing my face in my pillow. I just needed to stop thinking about it and go to sleep, I told myself. I'd forget about it in the morning, I was sure.

*******

Tap... Tap... Tap...

Something woke me late into the night. I stirred in my sleep and rolled over to look at my door. I could hear something as I lay there, but I couldn't make out exactly what it was. It sounded close by, but echo-y, like it was coming from another room.

I rolled over a second time and sighed in my sleep. It was probably nothing... Just and animal outside looking for food, or something... maybe it was a woodpecker out for some sap or a late-night worm.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I moved to laying on my back, trying to block out the noise as it began again at a new location. I covered my ears with my pillow, desperate to get rid of the annoying sound. It only got louder.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

This time it sounded close enough for me to see. My eyes opened quickly and I sat up. What was that? I looked around and rubbed my eyes to try and see through the darkness of my room. It was almost pitch black, but I squinted to see.

Tap!

The final noise made me turn to my window and my eyes widened. Chesh sat there, peering in with almost glowing eyes. I stared at him, shocked and a little relieved to see it was him. But then I remembered why he was outside the window and I was in, and I turned away.

"Alice, let me in! Please?" he called through the window.

I glanced at him and laid back down. He wasn't being forgiven that easily.

Cheshire tapped on the window again. "Alice, I'm sorry. I want to talk, okay?" He pressed forward on the window and gave me puppy eyes, which was ridiculous considering he was a cat.

I sighed in aggravation and stood up. I would never get any sleep with him right there. Cheshire called me to wait, but I ignored him and walked into the living room. He ran around the side of the house and to a window in the living room, trying to keep sight of me. "Alice, I'm serious!" he begged.

I pulled the shade down so that he couldn't see into the house or see me. His shadow was visible on the other side and I saw him slouch as he muttered a swear word. I waited a few moments to see if he would leave before I went over to the front door and opened it a crack. He turned his head towards me and his eyes questioned my decision, waiting to move closer for fear I would reject him again. I waved a hand of approval as I pulled my head back inside and went to the couch, sitting down and crossing my arms.

He hurried inside but, I noticed he kept his distance, giving me space. "Thank you for letting me talk," he said, playing with his fingers. I stayed silent and continued to stare at him. He cleared his throat. "Um... I'm sorry for avoiding you. I was just... nervous about getting close."

I raised a wordless eyebrow and he hurried to explain. "I felt like if I got too close it would be dangerous for you. I've always been one for bad luck and I didn't want it to rub off on you," he said.

The room went silent and I took a slow breath. That was the sorriest excuse I'd ever heard. He hadn't had one bit of bad luck since I came here. "That's a lie," I said flatly.

He met my eyes for a second, flushing red. "Uh..." He gave a short, nervous laugh. "Yeah..."

He shifted from foot to foot, awkward and uncomfortable. I wondered how long he'd stand there before he admitted the truth or left. If he wasn't going to say it, I wished he would admit that and leave so I could go back to sleep.

I waited many minutes until finally, he started to try and explain again. "Well, you see..." he started, looking all around the room. He mumbled this and that, hopping around the topic time and again until his eyes finally met mine and he saw the absolute frustration written on my face. He had two second to admit it or get the fuck out before I kicked him out myself; and I think he knew that because he suddenly flattened his ears and clenched his fists. "I was avoiding you because... I'm in love with you!" he said, eyes shut tightly.

The room fell into a dead silence, my eyes never leaving his face. He peeked out of one eye at me and winced when I uncrossed my arms and braced myself against the couch seat, my eyes traveling down to the floor. Of all the things I had prepared myself to hear, that was the one thing I hadn't expected.

Cheshire stepped towards me "Alice...?" he said quietly.

I stood up slowly and glared at him. "Get out," I said. He didn't move and I started to shout. "Get out right now!" I said. He looked shocked and stumbled backwards as I stormed towards him. He tried to ask what was wrong but, I just shoved him out the door hard enough to make him trip and slammed it in his face. For the first few seconds, I leaned on the door with both arms and breathed in and out through my nose. "That's... another lie. It has to be..." I murmured.

I dropped to my knees and covered my face with my hands. That was another lie. I knew it was. Every cell that made up my body screamed the deceit. There was no way in Wonderland or my land that Cheshire was in love with me. But even as I thought that, my heart told me different. I covered my ears with my hands as the words rang in my head over and over again. I prayed morning would come quickly.

*******

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