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From All of Us Here (To ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hart_on_sleeve)
Aug. 20th, 2012 11:10 amHappy birthday, John! We hope it's a good one!
-Doc, Marty, Victor & Alice
-Doc, Marty, Victor & Alice
From All of Us Here (To
Aug. 20th, 2012 11:10 am
Alice supposed she should have known better than to hope this would go smoothly. But then again, she’d thought she was adequately prepared. She’d told her friends of the day and time she intended to bring her aunt and uncle to see them, and they’d promised to be ready to greet them. She’d rehearsed her speech over and over until she was quite certain her aunt and uncle would indeed listen. She’d pre-programmed her PINpoint so they could go directly to the pocket dimension. She’d even chosen to wear one of her better dresses for the occasion. Everything had seemed to be under control.
And then she actually told her aunt and uncle. They were baffled of course, and shocked to learn that she apparently had an “intimate friend” outside of her own world. Uncle Charles had started to make that face, the one that said, “Maybe she needs some time in care again,” and Alice had immediately brought out her PINpoint to convince them. And Aunt Susan, not believing her when she said what it was, had grabbed it and accidentally transported them. Which wouldn’t have been so bad, if she hadn’t also messed up the programming so that they arrived a hour early.
And if they hadn’t landed straight in Victor’s apartment.
While he was taking a shower.
What a first impression. Alice supposed she should thank God or somebody that he’d only been seen for a moment in that state – and that he’d been wearing a towel. The poor boy had opened his bathroom door, seen them, screamed, and immediately slammed it. Doc had come running over to see what the fuss was about, and somehow – despite his gears being on full display – had smoothed things over with her aunt and uncle. Victor calling apologies through the bathroom door and her own stammered explanation about the time probably helped.
Oddly enough, after that the visit had gone rather well. After getting over their initial shock, Aunt Susan and Uncle Charles had warmed to her peculiar friends, asking stories about the future (they were just as pleasantly shocked as she had been to discover Mr. Dodgson’s books’ popularity even decades later) and sympathizing with their twisted pasts. They’d even liked Victor once they saw him fully clothed (though they’d gotten confirmation he wasn’t the one from their universe – Uncle Charles, upon hearing his last name, mentioned that he thought Victor was married to Victoria Everglot. The discussion about alternates had been a strange one). All in all, the trip was a success, with her aunt and uncle giving their blessing for future visits and wishing her and Victor every happiness. Which was very good news.
Except that she’d barely heard a word of it. The entire time they had been visiting, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what she’d seen when they first arrived. That chest, those shoulders, those arms. . .bloody hell, he’d been so pale, so fragile-looking, and yet so handsome. . . . Part of her just wanted to pin him to his bed and cover his skin with her lips, tasting every last inch of his beautiful flesh. The other part was desperately trying to figure out why, what was wrong with her, she’d always known he was good-looking but this was completely unexpected –
She groaned and flopped down on her bed. And she’d thought love was confusing. Lust brought it to a whole new level.
And then she actually told her aunt and uncle. They were baffled of course, and shocked to learn that she apparently had an “intimate friend” outside of her own world. Uncle Charles had started to make that face, the one that said, “Maybe she needs some time in care again,” and Alice had immediately brought out her PINpoint to convince them. And Aunt Susan, not believing her when she said what it was, had grabbed it and accidentally transported them. Which wouldn’t have been so bad, if she hadn’t also messed up the programming so that they arrived a hour early.
And if they hadn’t landed straight in Victor’s apartment.
While he was taking a shower.
What a first impression. Alice supposed she should thank God or somebody that he’d only been seen for a moment in that state – and that he’d been wearing a towel. The poor boy had opened his bathroom door, seen them, screamed, and immediately slammed it. Doc had come running over to see what the fuss was about, and somehow – despite his gears being on full display – had smoothed things over with her aunt and uncle. Victor calling apologies through the bathroom door and her own stammered explanation about the time probably helped.
Oddly enough, after that the visit had gone rather well. After getting over their initial shock, Aunt Susan and Uncle Charles had warmed to her peculiar friends, asking stories about the future (they were just as pleasantly shocked as she had been to discover Mr. Dodgson’s books’ popularity even decades later) and sympathizing with their twisted pasts. They’d even liked Victor once they saw him fully clothed (though they’d gotten confirmation he wasn’t the one from their universe – Uncle Charles, upon hearing his last name, mentioned that he thought Victor was married to Victoria Everglot. The discussion about alternates had been a strange one). All in all, the trip was a success, with her aunt and uncle giving their blessing for future visits and wishing her and Victor every happiness. Which was very good news.
Except that she’d barely heard a word of it. The entire time they had been visiting, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what she’d seen when they first arrived. That chest, those shoulders, those arms. . .bloody hell, he’d been so pale, so fragile-looking, and yet so handsome. . . . Part of her just wanted to pin him to his bed and cover his skin with her lips, tasting every last inch of his beautiful flesh. The other part was desperately trying to figure out why, what was wrong with her, she’d always known he was good-looking but this was completely unexpected –
She groaned and flopped down on her bed. And she’d thought love was confusing. Lust brought it to a whole new level.
(OOC: Alice's friend April ended up in the Nexus after some major shit went down in Smallville. Alice ended up offering the services of her and her friends, and ended up in Smallville with Doc, Marty, and Victor, ready to help save the day.)
They arrive home to Dee in her car form, waiting for them in the parking lot. She promptly transmogrifies back into a girl and gives her Dad a hug, asking how everyone is and if Clark is okay. Doc assures her that things are all right and that Clark's back and in good health (so far as anyone knows). Knowing that permanent disaster has been averted calms the little girl down, and she proceeds to give out hugs while Doc decides everyone ought to have a bite to eat.
Alice watches her friends as they all settle down in Doc's 'living room' area in his apartment. They're all still a little on-edge -- seeing the destruction in Smallville and DC and watching the Fortress go dead was hardly a pleasant experience. To feel so helpless at times, wanting to help but unable to find a way to do so. . . . And she knows that some of what happened hit them harder than they let on while working to set things right. Marty and Doc have told her of their forced separation, and how they'd feared it was permanent. To hear of that nearly happening to Clark and April -- well, that had to have brought up some old terrors. Marty is certainly sticking a little closer to his best friend than usual. And the issue with Lex. . .it's obvious how much it bothered Victor. To know someone else is trapped in the same situation you were once in, and not being able to help. . . . And the part where it seemed that Lex would have to be killed. . .Alice can't stop herself from picturing Victor in that position, with herself in Clark's place, having to drive a knife into his heart. . . .
She shudders and forces the image out of her mind. It didn't come to that, in either case. Both Lex and her boyfriend are safe. She reaches over and takes his hand in hers, squeezing lightly. Victor looks over at her and squeezes back. No words need to be said. It's enough to know that he's here, with a beating heart and his mind his own. She hopes April and Clark are getting their share of quiet time together as well. God, if she were ever in April's position -- it was bad enough when she thought she had to give him up. To have him taken from her. . . . And that of course leads to thoughts of her house, her parents, all consumed in the flames. . . .
Victor pulls her a little closer. "Are you all right?" he whispers.
She looks up into those big brown eyes. She wants to say "Promise me you won't ever leave me," but it's a promise she knows he can't make. Even if he stays with her the rest of his life, he'll still die one day. That he can't help. Instead, she leans up against him. "I can't stop thinking about all the bad things," she murmurs. "All the ways in which what happened in Smallville. . . ." She trails off, unable to quite put it into words.
Victor understands, though. "I know," he says, brushing a bit of her hair away from her face. "But Clark's back, and Lex is all right. Just like with us, nothing was permanent." He smiles a little. "And we saved Clark's mother and his friend. That must count for something."
Alice smiles too at that. Yes, it does. She may not have been able to save her own parents, but helping Clark's mother and Lois like that balances the scales in her mind a little. And Victor's right -- Clark came home, and Lex was freed without having to be killed. Just like with their situations, the good and the right triumphed. It was a hard day -- but it was ultimately a good day.
But she thinks it'll take her a little while to stop being so embarrassed at being the one to greet Clark with her Vorpal Blade.
They arrive home to Dee in her car form, waiting for them in the parking lot. She promptly transmogrifies back into a girl and gives her Dad a hug, asking how everyone is and if Clark is okay. Doc assures her that things are all right and that Clark's back and in good health (so far as anyone knows). Knowing that permanent disaster has been averted calms the little girl down, and she proceeds to give out hugs while Doc decides everyone ought to have a bite to eat.
Alice watches her friends as they all settle down in Doc's 'living room' area in his apartment. They're all still a little on-edge -- seeing the destruction in Smallville and DC and watching the Fortress go dead was hardly a pleasant experience. To feel so helpless at times, wanting to help but unable to find a way to do so. . . . And she knows that some of what happened hit them harder than they let on while working to set things right. Marty and Doc have told her of their forced separation, and how they'd feared it was permanent. To hear of that nearly happening to Clark and April -- well, that had to have brought up some old terrors. Marty is certainly sticking a little closer to his best friend than usual. And the issue with Lex. . .it's obvious how much it bothered Victor. To know someone else is trapped in the same situation you were once in, and not being able to help. . . . And the part where it seemed that Lex would have to be killed. . .Alice can't stop herself from picturing Victor in that position, with herself in Clark's place, having to drive a knife into his heart. . . .
She shudders and forces the image out of her mind. It didn't come to that, in either case. Both Lex and her boyfriend are safe. She reaches over and takes his hand in hers, squeezing lightly. Victor looks over at her and squeezes back. No words need to be said. It's enough to know that he's here, with a beating heart and his mind his own. She hopes April and Clark are getting their share of quiet time together as well. God, if she were ever in April's position -- it was bad enough when she thought she had to give him up. To have him taken from her. . . . And that of course leads to thoughts of her house, her parents, all consumed in the flames. . . .
Victor pulls her a little closer. "Are you all right?" he whispers.
She looks up into those big brown eyes. She wants to say "Promise me you won't ever leave me," but it's a promise she knows he can't make. Even if he stays with her the rest of his life, he'll still die one day. That he can't help. Instead, she leans up against him. "I can't stop thinking about all the bad things," she murmurs. "All the ways in which what happened in Smallville. . . ." She trails off, unable to quite put it into words.
Victor understands, though. "I know," he says, brushing a bit of her hair away from her face. "But Clark's back, and Lex is all right. Just like with us, nothing was permanent." He smiles a little. "And we saved Clark's mother and his friend. That must count for something."
Alice smiles too at that. Yes, it does. She may not have been able to save her own parents, but helping Clark's mother and Lois like that balances the scales in her mind a little. And Victor's right -- Clark came home, and Lex was freed without having to be killed. Just like with their situations, the good and the right triumphed. It was a hard day -- but it was ultimately a good day.
But she thinks it'll take her a little while to stop being so embarrassed at being the one to greet Clark with her Vorpal Blade.
Return To Wonderland
Feb. 26th, 2011 09:55 pm(Happens after Alice's trip to the Nexus post-breakup with Victor. Further reading can be done under the "return of the king" tag for both Alice and Victor.)
They’ve been delaying this for a while – they’d be the first to admit it. Both of them have been nervous about taking this step. But they need to see if they can settle this somehow. Victor really can’t live with the King of Hearts always in the back of his head, even if said King has stopped trying to hurt him. Victor misses the days when it was just his own thoughts inside of his mind – and he’s started having some rather frightening nightmares. Ones that involve burning castles and painful last kisses. . . . My death, the King had explained somberly. As you may have gathered, it was quite unpleasant.
Alice knows far too much about nightmares to let Victor suffer unnecessarily. So here they are, standing at the mirror in Victor’s room. “Are you ready?” Alice asks.
Victor swallows. “I don’t know,” he admits. “Part of me still feels that – we’re asking for trouble, doing this.” He shakes his head. “But this can’t go on. And if your friends there think this is the best way to get him out. . . .”
Alice nods. “Then let’s be off.” She places one hand through the mirror, then extends the other to Victor. He takes it, and together they step back through into Wonderland.
They’ve been delaying this for a while – they’d be the first to admit it. Both of them have been nervous about taking this step. But they need to see if they can settle this somehow. Victor really can’t live with the King of Hearts always in the back of his head, even if said King has stopped trying to hurt him. Victor misses the days when it was just his own thoughts inside of his mind – and he’s started having some rather frightening nightmares. Ones that involve burning castles and painful last kisses. . . . My death, the King had explained somberly. As you may have gathered, it was quite unpleasant.
Alice knows far too much about nightmares to let Victor suffer unnecessarily. So here they are, standing at the mirror in Victor’s room. “Are you ready?” Alice asks.
Victor swallows. “I don’t know,” he admits. “Part of me still feels that – we’re asking for trouble, doing this.” He shakes his head. “But this can’t go on. And if your friends there think this is the best way to get him out. . . .”
Alice nods. “Then let’s be off.” She places one hand through the mirror, then extends the other to Victor. He takes it, and together they step back through into Wonderland.
What's Wrong, Alice?
Feb. 10th, 2011 07:14 pm(Victor's possession by the King of Hearts, The King's trip to the Nexus, Alice learning about this horribleness from Captain John Hart. Takes place the day after the King's Nexus visit.)
Alice sits miserably in her room, holding her PINpoint in her hands and trying not to cry. She can hardly believe she has to do this. But after what she heard from Cheshire, and confirmed via the Caterpillar. . . .
She had no idea it could hurt so much. She hasn't even done it yet, and already her heart feels painfully tight inside her chest. She hadn't realized -- when had he become so important to her? When had the thought of life without him become so -- so terrible? She had been prepared to life her life as a spinster before, hadn't she?
Oh God, she can still remember that ghost of the future, her in a wedding dress and him. . . .
She doesn't want to do this. Or, if she has to, she wants to do it as a message over the PINpoint. But she knows that wouldn't be fair to him. If she's going to do this, she's going to do it in person. "I am a fighter," she tells herself. "I slayed the Jabberwock. I destroyed the Queen of Hearts. I saved Wonderland. I can do this."
But as she stands up and prepares to PINpoint out, she thinks that this is going to be harder than any of that.
Alice sits miserably in her room, holding her PINpoint in her hands and trying not to cry. She can hardly believe she has to do this. But after what she heard from Cheshire, and confirmed via the Caterpillar. . . .
She had no idea it could hurt so much. She hasn't even done it yet, and already her heart feels painfully tight inside her chest. She hadn't realized -- when had he become so important to her? When had the thought of life without him become so -- so terrible? She had been prepared to life her life as a spinster before, hadn't she?
Oh God, she can still remember that ghost of the future, her in a wedding dress and him. . . .
She doesn't want to do this. Or, if she has to, she wants to do it as a message over the PINpoint. But she knows that wouldn't be fair to him. If she's going to do this, she's going to do it in person. "I am a fighter," she tells herself. "I slayed the Jabberwock. I destroyed the Queen of Hearts. I saved Wonderland. I can do this."
But as she stands up and prepares to PINpoint out, she thinks that this is going to be harder than any of that.
(She promised him this trip as a Christmas present, and after a little preparation, they're finally ready to go and paint the town red. Er, metaphorically, that is.)
“Good morning, Victor – ready to see Wonderland?”
“Very much so, Alice. Though I do have to admit, I’m wondering how we’re going to get there from here. I don’t think there’s any rabbit holes here in Chicago.”
“Maybe not, but you DO have a full-length mirror here in your room. So long as you don’t mind entering the Pale Realm or the Crimson Realm first, we should be fine.”
“Oh, I have no objections to that. But what if whatever keeps this pocket world separate prevents us from going through the looking glass?”
“Then we adjourn to the Nexus – I know I can find my way to Wonderland from there. I just thought it would be more convenient to go directly there from here. There’s no harm in trying, right?”
“None at all. Go ahead, Alice.”
*a moment’s pause*
“Perfect!”
“. . .Oh my God.”
“What? I thought you read the books.”
“Reading the books and seeing you put your hand through the m-mirror like it was water are two rather d-different things!”
( Continued Down The Rabbit Hole )
“Good morning, Victor – ready to see Wonderland?”
“Very much so, Alice. Though I do have to admit, I’m wondering how we’re going to get there from here. I don’t think there’s any rabbit holes here in Chicago.”
“Maybe not, but you DO have a full-length mirror here in your room. So long as you don’t mind entering the Pale Realm or the Crimson Realm first, we should be fine.”
“Oh, I have no objections to that. But what if whatever keeps this pocket world separate prevents us from going through the looking glass?”
“Then we adjourn to the Nexus – I know I can find my way to Wonderland from there. I just thought it would be more convenient to go directly there from here. There’s no harm in trying, right?”
“None at all. Go ahead, Alice.”
*a moment’s pause*
“Perfect!”
“. . .Oh my God.”
“What? I thought you read the books.”
“Reading the books and seeing you put your hand through the m-mirror like it was water are two rather d-different things!”
( Continued Down The Rabbit Hole )
Christmas Time
Dec. 24th, 2010 07:05 pmAlice is feeling a lot more festive than she usually does around this time of year. As such, there are gifts to hand out, if she can:
For John (hart_on_sleeve), there's a couple of brightly colored ball ornaments for his tree (or wherever he'd like to put them). Alina gets some candy canes (we'll see if John says anything about them supposed to be striped, as Victorian candy canes were just plain white).
For April (slayers_desire), there's a couple of balls of yarn in cheerful colors. Since April makes her own clothes and such, Alice thought that would be appreciated.
For "Nice Wonderland" Hatter (strtwearinpurpl), Alice has a hat-shaped teapot. It's actually from her own Hatter's collection, but he was happy enough to part with it once he learned it was going to an alternate of his (aka, a good home).
As for her other friends: Doc's getting what she thinks is a funny pamphlet on the state of technology in her era; Marty's getting the sheet music to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (she'd like to hear his take on it); and Dee's getting a miniature tea set.
Oh, and Victor? He's getting a promise that he's going to Wonderland in the near future.
And there's always room for a little more generosity, if anyone feels they are deserving (or that they ought to get Alice something :p).
For John (
hart_on_sleeve), there's a couple of brightly colored ball ornaments for his tree (or wherever he'd like to put them). Alina gets some candy canes (we'll see if John says anything about them supposed to be striped, as Victorian candy canes were just plain white).For April (
slayers_desire), there's a couple of balls of yarn in cheerful colors. Since April makes her own clothes and such, Alice thought that would be appreciated.For "Nice Wonderland" Hatter (
strtwearinpurpl), Alice has a hat-shaped teapot. It's actually from her own Hatter's collection, but he was happy enough to part with it once he learned it was going to an alternate of his (aka, a good home).As for her other friends: Doc's getting what she thinks is a funny pamphlet on the state of technology in her era; Marty's getting the sheet music to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (she'd like to hear his take on it); and Dee's getting a miniature tea set.
Oh, and Victor? He's getting a promise that he's going to Wonderland in the near future.
And there's always room for a little more generosity, if anyone feels they are deserving (or that they ought to get Alice something :p).
Nexus: A Little Knowledge
Sep. 8th, 2010 08:38 pmAlice is worried. Just a few minutes ago, Victor sent her a message via PINpoint asking her to meet him in the Nexus to discuss something "of grave importance." She doesn't know what he wants to talk about, though it's obviously quite serious. Nervous, she makes her way over to the meeting spot he assigned. What on earth could he have to say?
