I have just been dealt a strong case of déjà vu.

Falling in infinite darkness feels like an eternity, especially if you don't know where you're falling to. If it wasn't for my heavy breathing and quick, breathless screams, I wouldn't believe I was still a living being. The inky blackness all around me felt like a suffocating blanket.

Finally, approaching closer and closer, a bright heavenly light.

"Yes!" I let out a relieved laugh at coming to the end of this experience.

It's not until I'm about to reach the light that my slow mind catches up.

"Wait- no, no, no, no."

It's too late to brace myself for impact- whatever impact that may be- so I grit my teeth and pray to God my guardian angel isn't on their lunch break.

Below, I can quickly make out something mainly green to be my landing point. I don't realize what it is until crashing into it.

"Oh God!"

I must've hit every branch on my way to the ground, but they do break my fall and slow me down so I don't crash onto the ground.

Luckily the last tree branch isn't too far from the ground and I land in a crunchy pile of leaves. Luck can't be too kind to me, though, and I land face down.

"Oh God." I moan.

I feel too bruised to even lift my head up, but groggily I do. My vision is a blur as I survey the area. One thing's for sure- I've landed in a forest of some sorts.

"Great. Where am I now?"

Forcing myself to stand on shaky, painful legs, I lean on the base of the tree for support. Closing my eyes to refocus them for a second, I rub the bridge of my nose then reopen my eyes to properly scan the area.

Yes, I was definitely in a forest of some sort, but it appeared startlingly familiar the more I stared at it. Giving into my intuition, I crane my head and peer around the tree. A small meadow surrounded by the forest and in the middle the most beautiful sight in the world: a small, aging trailer home on cement blocks.

For a second I thought my eyes were deceiving me. I must've hit my head so hard on the way down my vision is showing me grand illusions. But I blink and blink again then stare, but there it remains, pure reality.

"How- Wha?" Giving a tired laugh, I try not to cry for joy. I don't care how or why, all that matters is I'm home.

After such an uphill battle, after a discouraging defeat, I'm finally back where I belong. Back on Earth, back in Cauldron, back on my own property in my own universe.

I feel like George Bailey or Dorothy when they realize they've returned from such a supernatural dream.

"I knew I'd miss my home, but I can't believe I've missed Cauldron this much."

Tears finally spring to my eyes and I laugh, the pain previously felt, fading away.

"Thank you, God! I'm home, I'm actually, finally-"

My excited rambling stops when I hear rustling and a moan behind me. Going on the defensive, I whip around and scan the area for the source. My eyes land on something a few feet from where I stand.

"Xalale?"

Oh God, no.

I rush over to him, bending down to inspect him. He didn't seem to have as easy as a landing as me (if you could call mine easy). There's a gash running from his temple across his right eye nearly to his nose. He's muttering something, but I don't think he's fully conscious.

"Xalale?"

He doesn't respond, only continuing to mumble something.

"Peachy." I face palm myself. "Well, I should've expected this. Stupid me, of course I can't leave without being accompanied by extra luggage."

It's actually phenomenal how fast my excitement drains from me.

"I didn't need any souvenirs from my trip and yet...this happens. Where do I even begin?"

First things first, I need to get him inside, but carrying someone over my weight capacity- unconscious mind you- is not a challenge I'm up for at the moment. I need to wake him up somehow.

"Xalale." I kneel down and nudge him. "Come on, you have to wake up."

Nothing.

"Okay, back-up plan...what's the back-up plan?"

I have no back-up plan other than wait there till he wakes up. It's actually a rather helpful plan because it allows me some quiet thinking time to catch up with everything.

The first thing that comes to mind is how long had I been gone. Long enough for my parents to send out a missing person's report? I don't know.

Where were my parents? I didn't see my dad's truck or my mom's compact car in the gravel driveway.

It still feels like summer, so maybe I hadn't gone too long. I don't know what tale to spin for everybody if they asked where I'd been. What could I say? I fell down Alice's rabbit hole and was transported to a different realm? They'd have me locked up in the nut house over in the next town before I could even get to the explanation for Xalale's presence.

"Calm down Mal, you're overthinking this."

Overthinking! My mind is a strange thing even to me. If anything, I'm underthinking this.

How will I explain to everyone the reason I have a twenty year old man with me? Gossip will spread faster than the blast of an atomic bomb.

I would have to come up with a clever way to avoid that topic. (My parents would have a heart attack if they knew about Xalale).

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by his moaning which is more responsive than before.

"Xalale?"

"Mallory?" His voice is weak and he doesn't look in my direction.

"How are you feeling?"

I breathe a sigh of relief knowing I wouldn't have to lug him into the house.

He tries to open his right eye but inhales a sharp breath before covering his eye.

"You got a gash on that eye from the fall," I explain.

"Where are we? Where's my mother?"

I let out a weak chuckle. "Well...not Edalirwen and definitely nowhere close to your mother."

"Where am I?" He growls menacingly.

"We're where I'm from. This is my universe."

I don't know how he processes this since his facial expression doesn't reveal anything. After a moment he attempts to get to his feet, but staggers and falls. I try to help, but he rejects my assistance.

"What have you done?" He accuses.

"What have I done!?" I cry in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"My mother sent me here on purpose so she could steal my crown and you've betrayed me by helping her."

"What!? You're delusional. I didn't even know this was going to happen. She threw me into that portal as well."

He attempts, a second time, to stand on his feet and succeeds but with shaky footing.

"Here, let me help," I say offering my hand.

His hostile demeanor is in no wounded condition and he moves away from me.

"You lied to me, Mallory."

"I haven't lied to you at all. I didn't know this was going to happen."

He still isn't getting the message though.

"You lie all the time and deceive to no end."

"God, how I don't need this right now." And I didn't need to. This wasn't Edalirwen anymore, I'm back on my home turf and he's out of his element. I finally had the advantage.

"You know what? I'm not chained by any law to help you anymore, so I'm walking away and if you want to believe I'm a consecutive liar then be my guest, but I don't have to help you if I don't feel like it. Figure it out yourself."

I begin to walk away, disgusted at him.

"Let him try to do it his way and see how well that turns out. He's clueless to how this world works."

I'm halfway to the house- slightly surprised he hasn't called me back. I glance back. He's still there fuming over nothing.

Entering my home feels like being welcomed back into heaven; the angels are sing and God Almighty is giving me a pat on the back. I do have one thing to thank Aelita for. I thought it be near impossible to send me home after my first opportunity eluded me, but with one mysterious potion, I'm able to be here.

It's stupid and cliqué, but I tour the small trailer as if it's the first time seeing it. Every room looked the same. The worn out couch still appears tired as a horse, the kitchen is a retro disaster, my room a Disney propaganda explosion- just how I loved it. It finally felt true, I'm home.

First course of action is taking a shower. A simple action I would've never thought twice about before, but now returning from a place with no plumbing, it was a gift from heaven.

After my long, steamy shower I dig around in my dresser for some clothes- normal clothes. As I slide on a cotton tee and denims, I couldn't help but sigh blissfully.

"Back in my own clothes."

One thing's for sure. That experience definitely opened my eyes to how much I really have and often take for granted.

Finally, I settle down in front of my computer and log onto my blog, ready to fully return to normalcy.

"That's...odd."

Looking at the bottom of my screen at the date and time, I'm surprised to see the exact same date I left on. If I'm correct in my readings, it seems I've only been gone for three hours- even though it felt I'd been gone three years.

"Guess time runs differently between dimensions." I shrug it off with a smile.

I'm home and get to come back where I left off.

For the next few minutes or so, I type on my blog then wander the Web until I get sucked into YouTube videos for the next hour and a half. By the time I log off it's nearing six.

Even though I didn't want to, I can't help but wonder where Xalale might have wandered off. Usually he would grudgingly accept my help and comply, but it's been an hour or so and I haven't heard from him.

"Finally out of my hair."

He could worry about himself- no use in me doing so. Besides, when I fell in his dimension I had to figure out what to do on my own. Luckily for me, Elle and Coxen were there and open to helping me.

Elle and Coxen.

"They don't even know that I've left. They should be leaving tonight."

How were they going to leave? I wasn't there and the castle is under a new ruler now. My mind went to Sephora and how this might affect her as well.

The painful truth is there isn't anything I can do about their situation. I'm here and they're there. Coxen is crafty, he'll figure something out.

It didn't ease my mind completely, just enough to where I could concentrate on making my way to the kitchen and wondering about what I can eat.

Even opening the fridge and staring in awe at familiar foods is a magical experience.

Eventually, I settle on a TV dinner. Preheating the oven and waiting for it to click, I stare out the window.

"I can't worry about something I can't control. Elle and Coxen will be okay- they have each other. Sephora will make it out fine as well- she has magic for crying out loud. They're smart, they'll-"

Leaning closer to the window, I can't believe what I'm seeing.

Leaving behind my frozen dinner, I march outside with slight annoyance readable on my face.

"What are you doing?"

I address the demanding question to Xalale, who's leaning against a tree still cupping his hand over his right eye. The agitated expression he gives me matches with my clear annoyance.

"Thinking."

"On my property?" I say tersely.

"Where do you expect me to go? I need to collect my bearings before acting."

How new of him to be thinking before acting.

"It's been an hour, how long do you need to think?"

His glare could cut steel, but it only annoys me more.

"Fine, take as long as you need," I throw my hands up in the air. "Just be gone before nightfall."

He doesn't respond so I begin to walk away.

"Don't look back, don't look back, don't look-"

I'm only about four feet away when I turn around and march back to him.

"Are you that stubborn!?" I cry.

Glancing up, his stone hard glare returns, but still no response.

I let out a strangled sigh. "Are you that prideful that you can't even admit when you're wrong?"

Pushing off the tree, he approaches me.

"What are you talking about?"

"You!" I exclaim, frustrated. "Just admit it. You're wrong, you're at a disadvantage, and you need my help."

"I believe those are the things you want to me to admit, though, I have no need to do so. You said so yourself. You are under no obligation to help me here."

I hate how he's using my words against me, and so calculated in his response.

"I guess this is what I get for trying to be a good person," I say, throwing my hands in the air again.

"You want me to need your help." His eyes drill into mine. So certain and confident, it takes everything in me not to glance away. "You feel like a failure in everything and apparently I must the one thing you actually haven't failed at- yet- and you enjoy not feeling like a disappointment, so if I don't need your help, you go back to making foolish mistakes again."

"Dammit! He's not too far from the truth- dammit!"

I try not to let his comment eat at me too much, but he's pushing all the right buttons to get me to lose it.

"Look, we both know that gash is going to get infected if it's not cleaned and treated properly. Once it gets infected, you're dead, so maybe if you stop acting like a jackass we can actually work together."

I can feel my body heating up. I'm still fuming over that half-truth he pounded me with.

"Breathe, Mal, just breathe."

He turns his back on me but doesn't move away.

"Let's forget about whatever happened between then and now. Okay?"

I wait for his reply but receive silence. I'm about to throw my hands in the air again and storm off, but he finally faces me, not saying anything then sighing.

"You are right about one aspect of this situation," He begins slightly disgruntled. "I am at a disadvantage. I'm willing to put our disagreement behind us, I just need to know if I can trust you."

I let out a tired sigh of my own, glad this can finally be put behind us.

"Fine. Let's trust each other from now on. Okay?"

His eyes avoid mine, but I ignore that. Instead, I wave him forward as we make our way to the house.

Once we're inside, I sit him down at the kitchen table then rummage around in the bathroom closet for some medical supplies. I return to the table with a wash rag, rubbing alcohol, and cotton balls.

Running the rag under warm water for a second then squeezing out most of the moisture, I turn to him.

"I need to clean the cut."

Another razor blade glare but he cooperates and lows his hand from his eye.

I try not to wince at the wound, but this is the main reason why I couldn't be a nurse. I hate seeing pus and blood and other body fluid- especially if it's not mine. But I put on a brave face and gently clean the gash.

Truth be told, I don't know if this is how you're supposed to treat a deeper wound, but it's worth a shot.

Once I'm done cleaning, I set aside the rag and move onto the cotton balls and rubbing alcohol.

"This might sting a little," I warn before applying it.

No response. I let out an internal sigh then begin dabbing the wound.

He lets out a sharp breath, but that's all he does. I envy such composer. I usually make a riot out of this process.

It only takes about two minutes for me to finish and once I do I head back to the bathroom closet and take out the band-aids.

"I'll only be able to bandage the top of the wound," I say.

"Why did it have to at such a difficult angle?" I wonder.

After applying the band-aid I return all the supplies back to the closet then venture into my parents' room, digging around until I find what I'm looking for and return to the kitchen.

I toss the clothes, I had pulled out, at him. He gives me a stoney, questioning look as if to ask what to do with them.

"You can change into those. They're my dad's old clothes and they'll be a little big, but it's not too bad. It's something at least."

"If you don't mind, I would prefer the garments I'm wearing." He sets aside the clothing.

"I don't care what you prefer. People here don't dress like you, so get with the program."

I could be a billionaire just by the sheer number of times he gives me hostile glares.

"Before you change," I add. "Follow me."

I lead him to the small bathroom and flip on the lights, filling the room in a urinary yellow.

"You'll need to bathe before you change." I motion to the shower.

Narrowing his eyes, he glances between me and the shower acting as if it were a trap.

"This is how you turn it on and off. See?" I demonstrate by turning the knob.

As the water sprouted out, I glance back. For a moment his scowl becomes replaced with awe and interest, but that only last for a few seconds before his usual dour expression returns.

"If you want the water to get hotter than turn it right, colder is left. If it starts to become cold when it's on hot then that's it's way of telling you to get out. Lastly, push the knob down to turn it off. Make sure it's completely off, sometimes it likes to jam."

I'm about to back out of the cramped space, but pause.

"Also, if you need to use the toilet," I point to it. "Just push the silver lever thing down when you're done. But not too much or it'll break off."

Now that I've covered everything, I back out of the cramped space and stand in the doorway.

"If need me, just call, this place isn't too big."

Shifting there for a few seconds, I finally begin to walk away and I hear the door close. As I enter my bedroom I stop and think.

"Did I tell him which wash cloth to use? Does he even understand the meaning of bar soap?"

I'm tempted to go back and inform him, but stop myself figuring he was undressed by this point.

"Does he know to undress before getting in?" He's a foreigner, not stupid.

Entering my room again and collapsing on the sheets, I rest my eyes, letting myself drift between the world of awareness and blissful ignorance.