Knowing his audience was fully gathered, he continued in the magnanimous character, “Attention please! Attention everyone in the audience. Please remain seated and clap when appropriate. The show will soon be starting.”

“Show?” Alice asked.

“How exhilarating.” March straightened up even more. CC said nothing.

Mad lifted his hand, rotating it in the air. Slowly, yet rhythmically, the tree above began to rustle its leaves, like the breeze had cast its own song to sing. A slithering tendril dropped down, a vine that held its own berries of light, slid its way in between the gracefully long fingers of the showman. With a quick flick of his wrist, Mad snapped the piece of the vine, enough to provide him with a wand sized segment that solidified instantly.

He held the wand in his hand, waved it in the space above his head, twirling it while his other hand swayed to match the rhythm. Conducting against the night air, he rhythmically attuned to the midnight birds and the singing crickets. The beads of lights blossomed and dropped from the vines one by one and began swirling around the nightly orchestra. Music bloomed between each wave of his hands, the different mechanisms began to blend together, bleeding into one another, creating a rhythmic tune of nature.

The night air was filled with joy as the song lifted the spirits of everyone at their private concert. The tune drifted into the space all around them, becoming melodious, musically, and sprightly; the plants that surrounded them began to listen. They opened from their sleep; eyes heavy from the dew that dripped upon their petals. They brushed it away as they felt the rhythm deep into their roots. The plants all around them began to rise, quiver and sway from side to side. Vines reached down from the trees and oscillated in the harmonic breeze. The plants embraced one another and melded until they became both player and instrument, joining the nightly orchestra.

The bugs sang out and provided a voice for the choir, their buzzing and chirping became a sing song, harmonizing with the uplifted beat. Combining with one another, they created a high spirited and festive song filled with rhythm and enthusiasm.

CC jolted from their chair, pulling March up by the arm and out of his seat with strength and vigor. Jubilation seemed to have found its way back into them once more. The cat pulled the hare away from the table, welcoming the dance with the swaying grass, dancing with abandon.

Mad took a long stride from atop his chair, never even glancing down at his feet for safety. He drifted towards Alice, who sat at the table, a smile glittered on her face as she watched the show. Her hands clapped, assisting the beat as the cat and hare danced together with the quickening pace of the song. Mad watched her with something dreamy in his eyes before she finally caught his presence in her peripherals. 

She looked away from the spectacle to cast a shy glance at Mad, who stood tall above her seated posture. He held his hand out to her. The music now composing and directing itself, he had let go of the vine, and it shimmered away into the nightly breeze.

With a meek smile Alice threw out her hand to catch his. A smile lit up against his cheeks as he pulled her into his body with a quick twirl, catching her as she laughed; he dipped her into the song. Their eyes fitted into each other’s. His belly pressed against hers with the swish and sway of a skillful lead. His body was fluid, unaffected by the drink slugging his veins, while Alice tried to keep up with clumsy steps. All the while laughing and drunk, the tea had her spinning twice as fast with every whirlwind he spun her in; her face heated by more than just the drink. 

With every playful touch, lingering fingers dug into each other’s bodies. Glances of quick shyness were caught and dismissed, saying nothing to each other, allowing only the push and pull of the music to conduct their bodies into dance. Unspoken, eyes told the truth of each passing step. Hips moved to sound, a desire burned in each of their bellies, Alice wanted more of his touch. Fire red caresses that trailed her body, moving it to sound, burned with pleasure. Instantly cooled by the night air as the next step took them away. His smile was large and blinding, his toothy grin crooked and imperfect, and their heavy panting had Alice’s mind delirious and wanting to press them together with her own. 

Mad took two steps, their bodies pressed and pulled, and just maybe, Alice swung her hip a bit too much, fitting perfectly into his own. Leading her own step, his eyes sparkled with something new. She swallowed hard, embarrassed by her boldness, as she moved her waist and raised her arms, dancing with freedom. Heart thundering, desperate touches, and unspoken desires had his hands lifted as she pulled from her modern repertoire of mortal dances. More sensual, more direct, the cusp of her back against his hips. Looking back, his face was flushed and his eyes glittered and a playful smile pulled from ear to ear. 

His hands wrapped around her waist; fingers dug in with a pleasant pressure. He pressed into her back, the heat of his breath against the cup of her ear, she shivered with fever. “You tease.” Mad breathed with a playful whisper, that was quick, and brief as he managed to two step her body in a graceful movement that had her spinning and crashing into his chest. Their eyes met, and their breaths heaved. He smiled with wicked playfulness; he was close, she could taste the air around him. 

Relaxed with drink, drunk off delirium the two’s hearts found rhythm with each other. The two had forgotten the presence of the others, their eyes widened and their faces beet red when CC bounded in. They grabbed hold of Mad, cutting in, they brisked him away as the song changed tempo. Alice stepped back, clapping in rhythm to their steps. A new dance that was much more erratic and paced with glee and energy had the other two kicking their feet. But a loss of sensuality had her mind reeling with the boldness of her steps. 

March took a place next to hers, Alice smiled, anticipating his request to join in the dance. “You can’t stay,” his voice was cold and collected, sending a shiver down her back. She glanced at him quickly, keeping tempo with her hands. “He’s happy but it’s too dangerous for you,” March finalized his thoughts.  

“You never told them?” Alice kept the pretend smile on her face, but her heart was pounding, following its own tempo fighting against the song.

“No,” March kept beat himself, the snap of its tune muffled by the gloves over his fingers. “We both know it’s too dangerous for you to stay. He’s not—” March trailed off, struggling to find the right words. “He dragged you into danger again today without thinking. If you stay, you’ll die, and that’ll destroy him.”

The music flowed, filling the space between them. Alice chewed on her lip, stopping as soon as she noticed the bad habit. “I’m not even sure I want to stay.” Alice said, bitterness pierced her tongue, a half-truth. She longed for Mad. The chemistry between the two had been re-ignited; just in these brief moments she could feel the tug of her heart, the heat in her body, the ache to hold him, to be caressed by him. She felt it so instantaneously, it was so demanding, a chemical call that had her craving more. Could she just give that up again? Did she want to? Could she manage to re-navigate a relationship with him? She could take that lead and walk a different path than before. It could work.

Was it worth her life?

Her meager, mortal life?

She had been dragged through the mud as soon as she stepped back into Wonderland. The past day and her screaming muscles and burning lacerations were a testament to that. Was it any worse than the hell she had been living in the mortal world?

One way of living over the other. Mortality was her downfall either way. Would it matter where she lived? How she lived? Where she died and with who by her side? 

“It’s for the best.” March said before sealing his lips with a sympathetic smile, he turned to look down at her. “I’ll help you find another way back.” Alice looked back at him, unsaid words ushered between them again, a private fire was burning in between their gaze. He wanted her gone, CC wanted her to stay, what about Mad? 

What did SHE want?

What was the right thing to do? Go. Don’t come back. Did she want to do the right thing? 

Save yourself. You have a life already. It’s dangerous. What has the right thing ever done for you? Never should have left—Take what you want. What do I want? No one will miss you. I missed him. They missed you. I want him. You’re scared of him. They hate you.

I hate you.

One thought after another assaulted her brain, speaking all at once, thundering out of tune against the whimsy that clung to the air like magic. Sounds quashed. Thoughts disjointed. Not hers, clashing together in her brain. She breathed and closed her eyes.

Be logical, she told herself, silencing the thoughts all at once.

“Join me in a dance?” March asked, breaking her from that cacophony of thoughts. She nodded. The two joined the others, dancing with the makeshift choir and band birthed from the beautiful mind of an eccentric man. Sounds that caressed and lit Alice’s heart. Mad’s eyes danced across her body, and her heart tangoed with his. Their senses lost, distracted in the drink, the whimsy; worries all but forgotten for the moment. Crazed thoughts, deep worry and uncertainty drifted away as they let their bodies meld into the music, into the wonder, the freedom of it all. The peace. They continued the show, they danced and sang, abandoned all reason and emotions until sleepiness befell the theater once more.

The night had grown longer, the air had grown tired. Those who were up dancing to the rhythm of the brisk night air had finally been caught by sleep. The drowsiness began to blanket the troupe. The crickets had grown groggy, the owls were now hungry, and the dancers and music makers were feeling the drag of sleepiness themselves.

Mad sat at the table, fanning himself with his hand, sweat dripped down his back. He rested against the garden chair, feet up on the table as he tried to catch his breath. Alice laid her head in wrapped arms, exhausted and on the verge of vomiting. Overexertion and the spiked tea were her downfall. 

“I think we’re out of tea,” Mad said mumbling to himself as he felt the heat roll down his back. He looked over at Alice and smiled. “I’ll go get some more if anyone else wants any.”

“Yes! More!” CC mumbled in excitement. The only one out of the group not exhausted in any way. March held his hand up indicating he too wanted more.

Mad got up, stumbling as his feet and brain failed to make a connection. CC and March watched in amusement as their friend tripped going up the deck, mis stepping, and landing with a heavy THUD! The two laughed in unison, mockingly with joy, much the way the flowers had done earlier in the day. Alice chuckled to herself but did not raise her head at the comparison; people were catty no matter who. And that she found amusing.

“Is she asleep?” CC whispered, changing the volume with uncoordinated grace after their eruption of laughter. Alice did not correct. 

“It’s been a long cycle for her, let her rest.” March reassured CC. “Do you feel any better yet? You’ve been quite harsh on her.” March's voice was filled with sympathy.

CC sighed and leaned on the table, cradling their own head in their arms, nestled snuggly like a nest. Protected from the vulnerabilities of drunken emotions. “I’m just so glad she’s back. I know I shouldn’t pry, but I kept going. Like my tongue moved on its own. I’m just glad she’s okay.”

“It doesn’t come off that way you know.” March pressed, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed over one another. “I know you don’t mean it, but why don’t you let her know how you feel?”

Alice hadn’t looked up in order to continue eavesdropping on their conversation. The silence hung in the air. Alice couldn’t see, but she knew CC was chewing on what to say.

“I just got overwhelmed. I’m glad she’s safe. I was worried for so long. I didn’t know what had happened to her. I know you said she must have went back to the mortal world, but I couldn’t help but worry something else happened. Then, suddenly, she’s standing there in the doorway!? Banged up and smiling like nothing happened. My body just became so heated. I missed her so much. I didn’t mean to make her upset. I just feel bad too.”

“Oh CC,” March ushered, wanting to reach out.

“You were just worried.” Alice spoke up, turning her head ever so to look at CC and March.

CC’s face flushed and turned their head away quickly. “We all were. Look, I’m sorry I got upset and hurt you. Let’s just put it behind us, you’re here now to stay and that’s what matters.”

“And you can choose to tell us or not tell us whatever and whenever you’re comfortable.” March continued leaning closer into the conversation.

“Thank you, both of you.” Alice said with a half-smile. “But I don’t know if I can stay.” Alice began fidgeting with the empty cup in front of her, the words spilling from her mouth before she had a moment to think about it. The words between her and March clung to her brain, directing her what to say. “The rabbit hole disappeared, but maybe there’s another way to leave. We never really ever checked. I just, I don’t know if I belong here anymore.”

CC scoffed, “So you just get here and you’re already thinking about leaving?”

“CC,” March hushed, shocked by the hissing cat, “We just talked about this.”

Ignoring March’s attempt at peace keeping, Alice continued, unable to make eye contact, so she traced the pattern on the cup with her finger. “Well, I mean, I don’t know really.” Alice stuttered. “I don’t know what I should do. It’s worrying as a mortal living here, with how chaotic Wonderland is, you know? How much danger is there really? Do I even belong here physically, but what about socially, or working. What about school? There’s so much I’m not even sure about anymore.”

“What happened with what you said earlier then? Was that just a lie about you doing everything to come back here?” CC asked, their face glowing hotter and hotter as their anger began to boil their blood.

Alice stood up abruptly, her hands slammed down against the table, bearing the weight of her anger, simultaneously catching her sway of drunkenness. The impact shook and toppled over one of the half-filled teacups, “Look, that was in the past. I’ve grown up a lot and I’ve realized I don’t belong here. That I’ve never belonged here. That all of this is dangerous to me, let alone how truly different I am from all of you. I just don’t know what to do right now, okay!?”