Y/N

_

IT TURNS OUT ALICE WAS THE FIRST GIRL, AFTER ALL.

While I was the one who got beat up, battered, nearly killed, and had a wound the size of a baguette down my arm, she was the one to kill the Jabberwocky. I couldn't be mad though, she saved my life. It was just less than fortunate that she had the final blow.

But where am I?

I don't remember anything after that, considering I passed out, but wherever I've been taken is familiar. That smell of birch wood, basil, and lavender tickled my nose, as the warmth of the sun shone upon where I was laying on a pillowy surface.

I slowly opened my eyes, only to realize I was back in my old room (or Louis' old room, but now's not the time for that debate). The warm glow streaming in through the mint shutters told me it was sometime in the early afternoon, bird calls already dying down into a lazy haze. But something caught my attention. From where I lay, staring up at the ceiling, I could feel warm puffs of air gliding against my neck like waves.

I turned my head.

Louis was curled up on top of the blankets next to me, his mouth hung open slightly as he slept. His head was nearly falling off the pillow, but his arms were clutched around it as if he was afraid of letting it go. Shifting my body to face him, I winced at the feeling of my wound pressing into the mattress as I looked at him.

The boy's eyes fluttered open at the sound of my pain.

Now we were laying on our sides, staring at each other with groggy smiles on our faces. Looking at his familiar face now was enough to distract me from the memories of yesterday's battle.

"Hi," he breathed out.

"Hello," I said back.

I wondered how I got here. All I remembered was fighting the Jabberwocky, getting saved by Alice, and passing out in his arms. He must have carried me back then—and the feeling of bandages wrapped around my arm told me he played 'doctor' at one point.

"Did we win?" I mumbled, not breaking my gaze.

He nodded his head. "We won."

"Are you okay?"

"Physically, yes," he smiled softly, pressing his cheek further into his pillow, "mentally, a bit mad."

I laughed at his joke, before slowly sitting up, my right arm braced around my stomach uncomfortably. I could feel the gash running from along my neck to my elbow, and it was probably the most painful thing I'd ever felt. I winced again, and Louis shuffled out from his spot on the bed, grabbing my hand and pulling me gently back down.

"No," he said sharply, "you're not getting up."

I let my back hit the bed. "I'm hungry."

"I'll get you something."

"Why can't I get myself something?"

"Because you're hurt, and you need to rest for another hour or so," he said, pinning me down by my shoulders. At his demanding tone, I stopped wriggling around, deciding to give him a sarcastic pout instead. He chuckled under his breath, "cranberry scone?"

I pouted again. "Cranberry scone."

"Skipper tea?"

"No, I'm in the mood for Jester."

"Alright, darling, I'll get it for you," he said, bending down and kissing my forehead lightly. Rolling off the mattress, he made his way to the door, but stopped to give me a stern glare. "If I see you out of bed before I tell you so, I'm locking you in this room."

"But—" I began to protest, but I was cut off.

"You nearly died yesterday, I don't want to hear it," he said.

"You're mean."

"I'm taking care of you."

And then he shut the door, leaving me to stare out the window longingly as I thought about how grateful I was for everything. For getting a second chance in this world, for winning a battle, for having someone who would take care of me...

...for having him.

✯

A few hours later, I found myself sitting in the familiar grass field, leaning against Louis' chest as he picked at the cast around my arm.

The rest of my friends were gathered around us, all of them with injuries of their own. The twins had their wrists hurt, Emma and Daniel had a few nasty bruises, and the rest had a couple cuts and scars from the Card's spears. It made me sad to see them hurt, but I was glad no one died.

I almost did.

And that was scary.

"At least we chased that nasty Queen out," Emma noted, playing with a band-aid on her finger, "it's only a matter of finding someone new to lead Wonderland."

"Why doesn't the White Queen take over?" I suggested, "I have some friends there, and everyone's nice."

"She's got her own realm for a reason," Daniel said.

"Why?"

"Her aesthetic doesn't match ours," James added in, "we like a bit of abstract and crazy more than her white castle type-beat."

"Makes sense."

Another bit of awkward silence fell around the space, and I turned to look at Louis for comfort. He shrugged, nuzzling his head into my shoulder and pulling me tighter into his chest. Apparently, post-war battles made everyone a little more cuddlier—but I wasn't complaining.

A few moments later, a familiar girl came striding into a field, a small wicker basket hanging from her shoulders as she walked. We all turned our heads to see Alice coming to a sheepish stop.

"Hello," she greeted, smiling cutely, "I've only come to say goodbye."

Goodbye?

At those words, we all gasped a little, straightening ourselves to look at her in confusion. She was leaving? She literally killed the Jabberwocky not even a day ago, and now she was taking her departure from Wonderland.

"What?" I said, squirming out of Louis' grip and standing up, "Alice, you can't leave."

She blinked. "I have to."

"You do?"

"Yes," she nodded, "and so do you."

I was about to question what she meant by that, but stopped myself. She was right. She came from the real world like I did, and that meant she had a family to return to. A school to return to. A life to return to. I'd gotten so caught up in the prophecy, I forgot that we were only here to complete it.

"I packed us a bag of sweets for the journey," she said, holding up the basket, "Draco told me it was going to be a long ride back up the Rabbit Hole."

I just stared at her wordlessly, trying to process what I was going to say. I couldn't just leave now, could I? I knew I had the boarding school waiting for me on Earth, and a mother who would freak out if she knew if I was missing, but it was happening so suddenly. Why couldn't we wait a week or so?

I had to say my goodbyes.

"Thank you, Alice," I said, sliding my tongue over the front of my teeth, "can you wait a little longer, though?"

She shrugged, "an hour or so."

"Any longer?"

"I left my governess in the park, and I don't think I should keep her waiting," she noted, tapping her chin in thought, "she might tell my father, and he'll throw a fit."

"Right."

Turning around, I realized everyone was looking at me with broken expressions. It was like they realized the truth too. I had a family, a school, a life to return to, and even though I hated it, I couldn't just disappear. I didn't want to leave Wonderland.

But I had to make a choice.

_

I published a Timothee Chalamet book if you guys want to read :)
only if you want :)

heh

hehehehe

okay I'll stop :0