Wonderland

"I'm late, I'm late," Alice muttered to herself. God, I sound like the rabbit from Alice in wonderland, although I would rather be meeting the Queen than my mum, Alice thought as she started to run. Her mum hated when she was late although her mum could be late, her mother made it fashionable, whatever that meant. I'd rather be falling down a hole into a new world. Since she became engaged, her mother had been like a dog with a bone, phoning at all hours, meeting up to look at ideas, venues, catering. My idea of a small wedding went out the window after she got involved. I really wanted to get married on a beach. The smell of the salt in the air from the big beautiful ocean, the sun beating down, the sand between my toes, a beautiful long gown, and my...prince charming. Well I'm not having any of the rest, so it makes sense I won't have the prince of my dreams either, she thought. Feeling down, her thoughts still on a dream wedding, she took a sharp right to get to the café, and ploughed right into a wall. Her head hit the pavement as she fell, and then everything went black.

*****

"Are you alright?" a dreamy voice asked her.

Slowly she opened her eyes, trying to find the person the voice belonged to. A man was leaning over her. He had deep forest green eyes, dark mahogany hair it was messy like he had just got out of bed, he was...

"Gorgeous," she blurted out, then dizziness and pain rushed through her and she closed her eyes again.

"Hey, come on now, open your eyes. Can you tell me your name?" the man asked.

"Go away," Alice mumbled. She felt like she had hundreds of rabbits thumping through her head.

"Gaway... Is that foreign?" he said laughing.

Opening her eyes again, she saw amusement in his expression. She took a deep breath and replied, "My name is Alice, and I told you to go away, which I think you heard the first time, dick."

Laughing, he said, "It's Dan, actually, but good guess." Looking into her light blue, and mysteriouseyes he thought, If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now.

Standing up and holding out his hand to her, he waited for her to take it, but instead she ignored it and scrambled up none too elegantly by herself. Giving him one last look, she turned and walked away.

Feisty, he thought with a smile. He was about to walk away, but decided to catch up with her instead, as she had looked a little unsteady.

"Hey, Alice, wait up," Dan called.

Turning to see who shouted made Alice dizzy. She would have crumbled to the ground if Dan hadn't reached her in time. He held her by the shoulders to keep her upright. She stared up at him, unable to do anything but blink as her head began to throb.

"You really are gorgeous," she said absently.

"So you said the first time, before calling me a Dick," he said. He hooked his arms under her knees to carry her just as she passed out. She looked so innocent, like a kitten, he thought. But then he remembered this particular kitten had claws. With that thought, he saw the two of them together -- biting, clawing and kissing each other like two sex-starved maniacs. By the way his jeans tightened, he knew his body enjoyed the fantasy as well, but he forced the thoughts down. For all he knew, Alice was taken.

*****

Not only was Alice taken, her fiancé was, at that moment, waiting with her mother and wondering where she was.

"I don't know where that girl has got to. She knew we were meeting at ten. She's never been very punctual, but I thought she would make an effort this time," Alice's mother said irritably, taping her nails against the table.

Yeah, well, when we're married that will change, Harry thought. This time next week, Alice would be his -- and so would her money. Harry had light blond hair, blue eyes, and kept his tall, skinny frame immaculately. "Not to worry, Mrs Sharp, I am sure she's just running late," he assured his future mother-in-law.

"Mary, call me Mary; Mrs. Sharp makes me feel old," she said, touching his hand. She thought how wonderful it was that her daughter had found such a nice young gentleman to marry.

*****

While Mary and Henry pondered Alice's whereabouts, Dan was hailing a taxi to take the unconscious girl to a hospital. He gently bundled her into the taxi and slid in beside her, laying her head on his lap. She was wearing jeans and a red jumper, casual clothes. He ran his hand through her hair it was wavy like a stream of fire around her face. Dan wondered if it was dyed; it was such a rich red, but the paleness of her skin suggested it was natural. It might account for her temper, he thought.

Maybe he would ask Alice when she woke up. He loved the way her name just rolled off his tongue, and started imagining shouting her name while thrusting into her. That got him going again until she stirred in his lap, bringing him back to the present.

I'm lying on something scratchy, was Alice's first thought. The next was, I'm moving. The last was, someone's stroking my hair. When she opened her eyes, she saw the back of a car seat.

What the hell? She thought. She lifted her head up only to have it gently nudged back down.

"It's okay, you're safe. I'm taking you to a hospital. You fainted," Dan said matter-of-factly.

"I don't faint," she mumbled in protest.

"Well, you don't hit your head every day, I bet. I've got a friend at the hospital and he can check you out just to make sure your not concussed or anything," Dan told her.

What could she say? No, let me go? She couldn't imagine he'd be taking her to the hospital if he had any ulterior motives. He's right, I should get checked out. Fine, he can win this one, she decided, relaxing into his lap.

When the taxi stopped, Dan told her to stay put, then ran to the other side and lifted her out again.

"I can walk you know," she said. She noticed he smelt nice. His scent was subtle, not overpowering like Harry's but strong enough that you could smell him.

"Yeah, but this makes me feel macho and heroic. Just let me play out my boyhood dream and you can be the damsel," Dan said, walking calmly into the hospital.

"I'm not used to that role," she said as she tried to get down.

"Come on, please? How many guys can say they became a spaceman or cowboy? Let me be your hero, just for today." He gave her an imploring look.

Alice couldn't help laughing. This guy is crazy, gorgeous and crazy, she thought as she looked at his face. He had great cheek bones, his nose had a bump where it must have been broken sometime in his life. She could feel he had a great body under his shirt and jacket. His hair was a mess, a sexy mess; completely different from Harry's, whose hair was always perfect with not a strand out of place.

"What do you say?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

"My hero," she said, laughing again. Dan grinned and entered the hospital, then went straight to the desk and asked for Alec.

Dan sat down, still holding her in his lap. She felt different with Dan than Harry, she realized. She had an urge to kiss Dan. Any time Harry kissed her, she tried to avoid it. She had never known a man like Dan. The kind of men her mother had introduced her never had a strand of hair out of place, wore suits... actually she couldn't recall ever seeing Harry in jeans. Dan has stubble, and muscles, he was for lack of a better word buff, his hands looked callus, he must work with those hands, Alice thought.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, a tall, sandy-haired man with brown eyes came striding down the hall towards them.

"Hey, Dan, what's up?" the man said glancing at the woman in Dan's arms.

"Hey. This is my... erm... friend, Alice. She fell and bumped her head. I was just wondering if you would check her out." He looked down at her. "Alice, this is my friend Alec. We went to high school together. He's an amazing doctor," he said, flattering his friend.

"Nice to meet you, Alice. And you, Dan, are a real kiss ass. Come this way," Alec said and led them down the hall to a small examination room.

When she entered the examination room, Alec told her to sit on the bed and told Dan to wait outside. After much poking and prodding, Alec declared she was fine but should watch out for signs of concussion. He explained that a concussion can be caused by any significant blunt force trauma to the head such as a fall like hers. He left to fetch Dan from outside.

"How is she?" Dan asked when Alec came out the room.

"She's fine. No dizziness, no sign of concussion, she can go home. I've told her what to look out for and if she feels dizzy or anything to just come back," Alec replied.

"I'll look after her," Dan said. "Just to be on the safe side, aren't you supposed to wake someone up if they have a concussion?" He felt very protective of her for some reason.

"Thats a myth. Who is this girl to you?" Alec asked. When Dan didn't answer, Alec blew out a breath. "Right okay, you owe me." With that, he walked back into the room.

"Miss Sharp, you need someone to wake you every few hours to make sure you're okay," Alec explained.

"I'll do it," Dan said catching on, and mentally thanking his friend.

"I don't need you to look after me," she said. She felt warm knowing that he wanted to look after her, but she didn't understand why he would. Alice had been independent since she was eleven; the last person to look after her was her dad. Her mother had been too busy modeling and touring to care for a child.

"Do you live alone?" Dan asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"What has that got to do with anything?" She was thrown off by the question. Why does he care? I'm a stranger to him and him to me, she thought, feeling that warm tingle again.

"Well, do you?" he asked again.

"Yes, I live alone," she said defensively. She was about to add she was engaged, but Dan started talking again.

"Well, that settles it. I'll come home with you, or you come with me," he said, like it was the obvious conclusion.

"Wait, what?" she said, thrown again. He keeps doing that, she thought irritably.

"It's like Alec said, so the question is," he said standing before her, "my place or yours?" He crossed his arms as he waited for her answer.

"Yours," she said before she could think. Truthfully, there was no-one to look after her. Her mother had paid a nanny to raise her, and her fiancé was nice but she couldn't see him playing nursemaid. The only reason she was marrying him was to get the money her dad left in the will; she had to marry to get it. The will was her father's way of protecting her. He wanted to see her settled, but she had always told her dad she would never marry without love. Her dad said people married for stability, like her mother had married her dad. But she wanted that money now to open her own business and Harry was an okay guy.

Harry knew that was the reason for the marriage. He was harmless and boring; she could do worse. "You could do better," a little voice said. I really must have hit my head, she thought, and then she was lifted up into Dan's arms again.

"I can set my alarm," she said.

"It would be better if someone was there, so if you don't wake you won't be alone," said Dan looking to Alec to back him up.

"Yes, it would be best," Alec said taking his cue. Whatever Dan was up to, he wished him luck. This woman was a fire cracker.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a nervous voice when he swooped her up in his arms again.

"Well, I should think that's obvious," Dan said going out the door that Alec was holding open.

"I meant, why are you carrying me? Didn't you live out your fantasy before?" she said, flustered.

"Yes."

With that he walked outside, slid her into a taxi and told the driver his address. Then he settled back and told her to relax.

He's kidding, she thought. How am I supposed to relax when his aftershave is turning me on?

"How long till we get there?" she asked, looking out the window in order to distract herself from his aftershave"

"Not long now. Why? Are you in pain? Alec gave me some pills...." He knew he was babbling, but then he wondered if she could swallow the pills without a drink, and that thought made him think of something else being swallowed or sucked...

"Your destination," the taxi driver said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Are you going to carry me again?" Alice asked.

"No," he said, a bit too fast.

"Ohh okay," she said, and got out of the taxi. I should not feel upset, okay it was nice being carried very princess like and Dan is strong but I can walk thats what I wanted. You got what you wanted didnt I? Yes it didnt matter one way or the other if he lifted me in his arms and held me close, so close I could feel his heart beat. Shaking her head to get hid of her thoughts she turned to look up at the house they had stopped at.

Dan got out the other side and paid the taxi driver. He then rearranged his clothes and zipped his jacket, pulling it over his crotch before walking around the other side for Alice.

"Is this yours?" Alice asked looking up. The house was beautiful. Brick stairs led up to the front door and a white balcony surrounding the cottage. The cottage was made of bricks, with white trimmings on the windows and door frames. She was delighted to see that it had a porch swing. I've always wanted to live somewhere that had a porch swing, she thought.

"Yeah, I'm fixing it up, then I'm going to sell it," he said as he led her up the stairs to the door.

"Wait, sell it? Why not keep it? It's beautiful!"she said, catching up to him at the door.

"It's too big for me alone. Why not sell to a family who can enjoy it?" hereplied, shrugging his shoulders. He unlocked the door and stood back to let her enter first.

"Well, why don't you get married?" she asked as she walked in. The house was as beautiful inside as out. The décor was creams and browns. The entry way looked like a show room. There was a book case full of books. She could tell they were murder novels from the spines of the books and some romances she had read herself. Closet romantic? she thought.

"It's a little too soon to ask you to marry me. Besides, I'd never know if you married me for myself or for the house," he answered with a twinkle in his eye.

"Funny guy," she said, punching him on the shoulder as she walked by.

"You punch like a girl," he retorted. He motioned her to follow him to the kitchen to get a drink.

"Well, I am a girl, if you haven't noticed," she said under her breath, following him and enjoying the view of his butt. Very nice; she thought.

"It hasn't escaped my notice," he said. He suddenly turned and walked back towards her.

Alice stayed where she was. He looked like he was going to kiss her. Alice knew all she had to say was she was engaged and he would back off; she got the feeling he was a sound guy. But she wanted him to kiss her. She didn't know why, but in that moment she needed him to kiss her.

Dan was standing in front of her now, looking down into her eyes. He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Is this colour natural?" he asked.

"Yes, I get it from my father," she said, struggling not to lean into him.

"It's beautiful," he said. He studied the hair in his hands, then let go and grabbed her chin and looked directly into her eyes. He leaned in, kissing her throat, her cheek, then her mouth.

He grabbed her waist to bring her closer and she fit his body perfectly. She wrapped her arms around his neck to get closer to him. He heard her moan, but then he stopped and let her go.

"I'm... bugger... Alice, I shouldn't have done that. You should be resting. Bugger. Come on, I'll show you where you can sleep," he said, running his hands through his hair confused , turning around before she could reply.

Alice followed him up the staircase, I'm not made of glass. I wouldn't have broken, she thought, feeling angry at him and then at herself for responding. I'm engaged and he is just helping me out. He's a gentleman for not taking advantage of me, so it's ridiculous. I'm mad at him for stopping, she thought. She just followed him up the stairs and enjoyed the view of his butt. He turned down a hall at the top of the stairs and opened a door to a large room. It was blue with a king-sized bed in the middle.

"There's a bathroom through there," he said, pointing to a door on the left. "I'll grab you something to wear."

"Can I use your phone?" she asked, gesturing at the phone on the bedside table.

"Sure," he yelled back, exiting like the hounds of hell were on his heels. Alice looked around then sat on the bed and picked up the phone to call her mum. Deep breath, she thought.

*****

Bloody hell, what was that? Dan thought as he went to his room. That kiss was like coming home. Oh God, that sounds like something out of a bad movie. He groaned, but that was how it had felt.

Dan didn't do commitments or long term relationships, and from that kiss Dan knew Alice was not a one-night-stand kind of girl. Opening his drawer, he grabbed a shirt and some boxers for her and headed back to her room. He couldn't help imagining her wearing his clothes. There was something intimate about it, that made him have to take a cold shower. He walked in, dumped the clothes on the bed and left without even glancing at her. As soon as he got back to his room he started to strip out of his own clothes. Jeans, shirt, boxers and socks were flung to the floor in a messy heap. He grabbed a towel from the hall closet and headed for a long cold shower.

*****

Alice was in the bedroom trying to explain to her mother why she missed dinner. But as always, her mother wasn't listening.

"I know, Mary... Yes... something... I realise... just... I'm at a friend's... MUM... yes, I know you don't like me calling you that, but... no, I wont be home... long story... Harry will get over it... yes, I know I'm lucky... yes, he's a great guy. Mary, I have to go," she said before hanging up and sighing. Some things never change, she thought.

Her mother had always been Mary, never 'Mum.' Alice had never been close to her mother. Mary had always been on fashion shoots when Alice was young, so Alice had been closer to her dad. When she was born, her father stopped working full-time in his business and raised her with the help of her nanny. He had died when she was eleven years old, a robbery gone wrong. She still had nightmares about it.

*****

Fourteen years ago

Alice woke up after hearing a noise down stairs. Her father came into her room to make sure she was okay. He told her to call the police and tell them someone was in the house. He instructed her to stay in her room and lock the door. Then he headed down stairs.

The operator asked for Alic'es name and address and the nature of the emergency. She told them, then ended the call. She was worried about her dad and decided to ignored his order. She followed after him, making sure to keep a distance so he didn't know. She knelt half way down the stairs and looked through the banister to see her father grab a knife from the kitchen drawer. She could hear someone in the living room, but couldn't see. There was a clicking noise. It sounded like the safe door. She silently walked to the doorway to get a better look.

Her father walked into the living room and, when close enough to the intruder, told stranger to leave, pointing the knife at the him threateningly. Another man, hiding in the shadows, then came up behind him and tried to get the weapon. Alice screamed a warning for her dad. Her father elbowed the guy behind him. The man in front spun and tried to grab the knife and they all went down.

"Hide Alice," her father shouted to her and she ran to the closet under the stairs. She heard a lot of crashing, glass being smashed then her father screamed, a man started shouting. Alice held her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. She closed her eyes and imagined being in the tree house her father had built for her. It was in a tree in the woods at the back of the house, next to a brook, where she had believed fairies lived. Her father had built her a swing. He would push her and tell her fairy-tales. When she heard the police sirens in the distance, she uncovered her ears. The sirens must have scared the robbers. She heard one call out, "Leave him, we gotta go." When she heard the back door close she came out of hiding and ran into the living room to find her dad. He was lying face down on the floor, eyes closed, and a puddle of red underneath him.