Lost in Wonderland, Ever After

A sly smile crept unto Carolina's flawless face.

"Oh Jack," The queen started

"I've missed seeing humans so much. Especially the good looking ones."

Jack wasn't sure what Carolina was going at. Was she flirting with him? Was she trying to seduce him just like what she did to Rian? But what would she get out of this. He wasn't the king or the prince. So instead, he ignored the comment and opted to ask her about something else

"Where am I?"

"I think the question should be where I am right now." Carolina smirked

Jack cocked his head to one side and raised his eyebrow

"Well?"

"I'm in your dreams right now. Actually, I am your dream, to be more accurate." The beautiful queen explained

Jack was completely confused right now. Much like how he has been ever since stumbling into Toyland.

"I'm here to proposition you" Carolina spoke softly as she walked closer towards Jack. Placing her hands on his neck, the place right under his ear. It was surprisingly comfortable to be under Carolina's touch, Jack thought.

"About what?" Jack asked carefully after a minute's thought

"You can be my new king. You can do whatever you want in Toyland. You can have whatever you want. You can have me. Just come to me. Nobody has to know. It'll be our dirty little secret. Then you can be the new king." The heartless queen convinced

In all honesty, being a king and being on top of everyone was really tempting for Jack. But then he was feeling skeptical as to why Carolina would want him as king. It would mean he would be the ruler. He would have the powers of controlling everyone. Then his mind drifted to Alex.

Of course.

Without Jack, Alex wouldn't be able to complete the quest. Nobody will save Toyland. Carolina would still be queen.

He couldn't leave Alex. Not after 11 years of life without his best friend.

Jack stepped back, away from Carolina's touch. It felt like needles pricking his neck instead of the comfort he felt not too long ago.

"I think I'm good. I can't take on the responsibility of a king." Jack tried to act nonchalant.

The queen visibly tensed, like she was scared of what will happen with the answer; but it was only for a moment before returning back to her heartless façade.

She intertwined her long fingers together and rested them above her ribs.

"If that's what you want for now." She started to fade

"But keep in mind; this isn't over yet." And she was gone. All that Jack could see was darkness.

Jack woke up in the limited amount of light from dawn. Alex was still sleeping soundly beside him with a peaceful face. A layer of sweat was covering Jack's forehead and he felt two drops slide down his neck. Three.

Brown eyes scanned the outskirt they were currently resting in. He couldn't see much due to the lack of light but it was enough for him to notice some form of a shadow hovering over his own.

The skunk hair boy whipped his head around to see a toy that was towering over him. He wore trouser shorts and a simple grey t shirt. He was kind of big as compared to Alex and Jack, which wasn't saying much, and his hair was cut into a buzz cut.

"Thank you for taking care of our prince, Jack" The toy then broke out into a blinding grin. Although Jack knew the teeth were fake as well, he couldn't help but admire how white it was.

Jack was taken aback with what the toy had just said. That was the last thing he expected to hear. But nonetheless, it made Jack swell with pride because even though he'd only been here for two days, he did get Alex to escape the Factory.

Jack stumbled upon his words

"I, oh uh, I-it's not a huge deal. I me-mean I was only here for two days. There wasn't much taking care of. If anything, Alex was taking care of me." Jack blushed

“How’d you know my name anyways?” Jack questioned

"Everybody in the Kingdom knows about you. Alex always talks about you. I'm Zack, by the way. I was King Matthew’s 'guardian', or bodyguard as you people on the other side would say, when he was in the Castle until Carolina took over. Alex and I got on really well and Alex, Zack and I became close friends but I didn’t spend a lot of time with them since I was usually by the King’s side.”

Jack swore he saw Zack’s cheeks tint a shade of red

“I was given the last order from the King to protect Alex. I’ve been secretly checking on Alex ever since he was moved to the Factory. Carolina let me continue being the leading member of the millinery after she overthrew King Matthew." The toy, concluded the short introduction.

Jack noticed Zack was holding a top hat in his right hand.

"What's this?" Jack pointed to the accessory

"This?" Zack raised the hat

"This hat was given to me by Alex. He thought it was ridiculous that I was the only toy in the Millinery that didn’t have a hat, which is really ironic considering the actual meaning of that word; but the Millinery was actually Toyland’s ‘elite security force’, as King Matthew would like to call it. I never wear it but he forced me to at least carry it around." He then proceed to make a swinging motion with the hat and different kinds of weapons came out.

"I thought since I had to carry this stupid hat around I'll make good use of this. I put these different tools in just in case some toys attacked the prince. It never came to use," Zack paused

"Until now."

Jack reached out tentatively for the top hat.

The weapons immediately shrank back to their respective hiding places. He turned the hat around in his hands. It looked like any other top hat you would find in those costume shops, nothing special.

The human then mirrored the bodyguard's actions previously and the weapons protruded out the hat again.

"Dude!" Jack exclaimed

"This is so sick! How'd you do it?" Curiosity covered his face

"I had a lot of time on my hands ever since becoming the King's bodyguard. Alex used to watch me work on it as well, so he knows how all this works. After being transferred back to being in the millinery full time I had more access to the higher technology after Carolina's reign."

Jack nodded

"Well you're really smart to be able to do this. This hat would be really useful at times."

Zack grinned again. He was starting to like Jack already. And him getting Alex out was just a plus.

"I actually have more hats like this. In fact, I think I own the most hats now out of all of Toyland. That's why the guys in the Millinery call me the Mad Hatter or Hatter because I have so many hats and I give really crazy activities when it came to training. They never knew what I was actually doing though." Zack smirked

"What were you doing?" Jack asked

Zack told him that after after Carolina overthrew King Matthew she put him back in the millinery as an instructor as well as the leading member. He was one of the few toys that still had their hearts because Carolina knew Zack would need his heart to have the fire in him to train the soldiers. But she disregarded the fact that if Zack had his heart, it would always be for the King. He made good use of the time he could train the heartless soldiers. He gave out ridiculous training activities so they would only be half assed soldiers and the heartless army would never be strong enough.

"Damn Zack, never saw you as the devious kind" Jack laughed after listening intently what Zack did.

"When you experience seeing Carolina seduce Zack, oh man do you get smart." Zack laughed as well

"Well now I wanna see the show! God it must've been something huh?" Jack chuckled, laughter dying down

"It was quite a scene at the beginning." Zack's laughter deceased as well

Jack felt a sudden shift behind him and he turned around to meet Alex's sleepy smile.

"Morning" Alex croaked while he rubbed the sleep from his eyes

"Morning"

The prince couldn't see his father's bodyguard due to the angle he was in. Jack and Zack's figure had morphed together which became a messed up silhouette but Alex was too hazed to notice

"What were you talking to yourself about? Heard something about Zack." Alex stated as he started to sit up

"I wasn't talking to myself." Jack grinned

Alex didn't have time to ask that simple 'what' after he sat up because he jumped to his feet and was throwing himself at the Millinery leader once he caught sight of him.

Zack fell down on the ground with Alex on top of him after Alex crashed their bodies together.

"ZACK ZACK ZACKY! OH MY GOD I MISSED YOU!" Alex screeched

Zack chuckled heartily

"Chill your balls Alex! I came to help, by the way, if you were wondering"

Alex then turned his attention back to Jack

"You asshole! Why didn't you wake me! You were talking to Zack the whole time and never thought you should wake me up?!" Alex whined and lightly punched at his sides

The skunk hair boy turned his body sideways to dodge Alex's 'punches' and the sun shone on his left side, which  was when Alex saw it.

"Jack?" Alex stopped abruptly

Said boy turned to face Alex directly again.

"Yeah?"

Alex raised his right hand and reached out, touching the side of Jack's neck

"You saw Carolina." The young prince stated simply after two minutes of silence. Jack wasn't sure what Alex's expression was. It actually wasn't any emotion. He didn't feel anything

"Uh yeah, she was my dream?" Jack repeated what the Queen told him. Was it really such a big deal? Jack had no fucking idea but seeing Alex’s reaction, it probably was.

"How'd you know?" Did Jack sleep talk? Was Alex awake then?

"You have a mark on your neck. I assume she touched there?" But it came out as more of a statement

"She did. What's wrong?" Jack noted how significantly paler Alex got. It definitely wasn’t a healthy shade to have on your skin, Jack concluded

"Zack, you know what this means right?" Alex ignored Jack, instead turning to his father’s bodyguard for confirmation

Jack looked at Zack and he had a somewhat scared and confused face

"Yeah, I do.” the toy agreed nervously

“But Alex, are you sure you can handle it though?" Zack's voice full of concern

Jack was lost. What was going on?

"Alex what can't you handle?" Jack pushed

The shaking prince closed his eyes. He didn’t want to admit it, didn’t want to tell Jack. He wanted Jack by his side through all this. But he can’t have that. No. Not after knowing Carolina has found Jack.

"You can't come with us to save Toyland." Alex finally said

Jack's jaw dropped to the floor. Does Alex know what he was saying? Jack can’t help save Toyland? Jack was the one that started this, this means just as much to him as it did to Alex. It was his way home. But he couldn't really say that anymore because he already got home. He got Alex back. He really didn’t care where he was as long as Alex was with him.

"Why?" It came out much weaker then Jack had intended to, but who gave a fuck, he was going to lose his home, again.

"I can't trust you Jack. I don't know what Carolina did you to you. I don't know if you complied to her or not." Alex admitted.

"You know I didn’t! She coming to me doesn't mean anything!" Jack scoffed

"SHE MARKED YOU! She only did that when she really wanted it. I think that does mean something." Alex looked away. He didn’t want to acknowledge the fact. He wanted to believe Jack; but after seeing what Carolina could do to Zack, he’ll never be sure. Never again.

"Are you just going to leave me?" Jack asked. His voice was broken. Heart was broken ,too.

"I think I have to." Alex responded, voice cracking

He was already walking away with Zack trailing behind him when he finished the barely there sentence. He was shaking, crying, and ready to run.

"Alex! Don't!" Jack called trying to catch up but Alex took Zack’s hat, turned around and swung the hat so the weapons came out

"Jack," Alex spoke softly, tone warning

"Don't."

And he didn't.

Jack stayed where he was. Foot locking onto the ground. He couldn't believe it. After so many agonizing years without Alex, he only got two days with him and Alex was walking away from him again. It was like Alex and Jack were meant to be together, but they never will. All the fucked up things had to happen to Jack Barakat. He had to be in the dark about Alex for 11 years. He had to stumble upon the rabbit hole. He had to be the one to start the quest. He had to let Carolina be his dream. It was always fucking Jack Barakat that ended up being the one to fuck everything up. If he hand’t opened the drawer he wouldn’t have need the walk then he wouldn’t have have fell which meant he would never have found Toyland and Alex. If only.

He was only pulled away from his deprecating thoughts when the ground behind him blew up.

Another blow. Jack ran. He could see those heartless heart card soldiers behind him in the distance.

He ran until he got to someplace in the woods. And he fell down again, only this time, he did fall face flat on the ground. Not falling down a bottomless hole like he had partially hoped.

Today, Jack’s been blown up, chewed on and he broke his heart. His heart hurts. The only difference this was from last time was, he knew he had the cure. He’s just not sure if this time he’ll be diagnosed in time.