I was reading a fic when the opening line popped in my head, and I haven't been able to stop since. I have the first seven chapters written at this point. I just have to get them typed up. I have an almost 13 month old daughter to take care of, and of course getting more the story written! I actually have to admit that when I was a kid I grew up with the cartoon Disney version of Alice in Wonderland, and it always seemed to scare me. It wasn't until the Tim Burton version came out that I found that I actually loved this world, and wanted to write a story about it, and now this is my chance. X3 please Read and Review. I really want to know what people think about this.

Finding Wonderland

Chapter One

"Why should we deem you sane, Alice?" An older male wearing a white doctor's coat asks as he crosses his hands atop a table in front of him and the pile of cream colored folders, one of them open showing papers that seems to belong to someone.

She gives a shrug of her shoulders. She's always thought that everyone was insane, therefore sane, but society doesn't see it that way, and thus lock people away that they deem too insane to mingle within in the "normal" human population. They had diagnosed her with schizophrenia. Alice had thought that meant hearing malicious voices in one's head, not having such vivid memories that they play out as if they were actually happening. Memories of tea parties with Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse, and sometimes even Cheshire. Playing tricks on the Queen of Hearts with the Tweedle twins, only to be scolded by the White Rabbit, or having deep-thought conversations with Caterpillar. The only thing she misses the most are the nights she'd spend alone with Hatter, looking up at the stars as she rested in his arms, wrapped in his warmth as if she were some kind of precious irreplaceable jewel.

"Alice Liddle, you have been here for eight years. Brought in here claiming that a place called Wonderland existed and the people that supposedly reside there are just as real. We, the doctors here, have done everything we can short of electric-shock therapy to cure you of such notions. You claim that the medication, the one to cure schizophrenia, is working, so please tell us why we should deem you sane enough to return to society?" The same male that had spoken before asks now.

"What makes anyone sane?" Alice answers in a calm voice, her hands placed gently in her lap. None of their medications had worked on her, but she got sick and tired of them trying to "cure" her, that she kept her memoires of Wonderland to herself, and acted as if she didn't get them anymore. All that she wants is to be set free and hopefully find a way to return to Wonderland so that she can be with her friends again, and spend her nights with Hatter once again.

"I no longer hear the voices if that is what you're asking me." Not that she ever heard voices in the first place, but that's what the doctors here claim; is that Wonderland is nothing but voices in her head. "But isn't that why you gave me the medication to begin with?" She inquires and resists the urge to cock a sunny blonde brow at them. That would only make them see her as defiant, and make them think that she's lying.

"Yes, that is what the medication is for, but that still doesn't answer the question, Alice. Why should we deem you sane?"

Again Alice shrugs her shoulders. There is no right way to answer that. At least not without answering with her own questions. "Doctor, am I viewed as a threat to myself or to others? Is not the medication you prescribed for me working as it should? Are those no the requirements to be deemed sane and fit to reside with the rest of the populace?" She tosses back and tries desperately to hide the smug smile from her plump full lips. Lips that hatter had loved to steal kisses from. Would he still love to do such a thing once she returns to Wonderland after such a long absence?

"No you are not seen as a threat to yourself, or to others, and it does say in the reports that the medication is working as it should. But how would you provide for yourself, Alice?"

"I received notice that my illing grandmother has passed away and that she has left her home and money to me, knowing that I would need it to support myself should I ever be released, especially following the event of my parents' death." Alice answers without hesitation. The doctors know that if she has money to support herself on that she won't be living on the streets and that she won't have to get a job, thus keeping out of society's way, and keeping her from having to interact with strangers on a regular basis. "Does that deem me safe enough to be released?" Alice presses. She's always hated this blasted dance. This stupid doctors love to hang freedom where their patience can see it, but can't quite reach it, and depending on the answers given freedom is either granted or taken away until another date to have this dance repeated all over again.

The doctor that had been conversing with her reaches away from himself to grab a stamp that will either grant her release or entrap her longer in this drab hellhole of an asylum. Two ink pads are opened with their color facing away from her. The doctor presses the stamp into one of the ink pads before pressing it against the paper.

Alice's heart pounds in her chest in rapid succession as she waits for the doctor to hand her the paper he had just stamped. One he does, Alice takes it and expects to see red. At the sight of green, it takes everything within herself not to jump to her feet and dance with joy at finally having freedom. Alice schools her features into a calm mask, there will be time for dancing, like when she returns to Wonderland and reunites with Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse, where she can have another tea party with her friends. The Queen of Hearts will probably be even happy to see her once again. Maybe it's been too quiet at the palace without her and Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum playing tricks on her and her Knave of Hearts? Alice can only hope. She kind of misses White Rabbit's scolding over the tricks that she's played.

"You will be released once we have all the proper papers in order. Until then you may collect your things and reside in the recreation center." The head doctor states in his cold calm voice. Alice gives a solemn nod of her head before climbing to her feet and is escorted away by one of the guard acting orderlies.

ALICE

Alice sits in the recreation center of the asylum, the small bag of personal belongings from her room resting in her lap as she watches a mindless television show with a twitchy patient that talks to themselves, and seemingly about the show. Their fingers twiddling mindlessly together while their head jerks violently at random moments. The violent force of each jerk makes Alice wonder how they manage not to break their neck.

"Alice Liddle." She hears someone call. She almost sighs with relief and climbs to her feet and heads over to the orderly that called her name.

"Present." Alice comments looking up at the orderly. The gentleman just looks at her with a stern look that doesn't faze Alice in the slightest.

He holds out a small brown paper bag to her. "Here is the rest of your personal belongings, and prescription slip for your medication. It is to be filled on your way home." The orderly says in a stern voice. Alice gives a quick nod in answers and takes the bag.

"There's a cab waiting for you outside." The orderly adds before easing Alice towards freedom. He follows her to the doors before easing her to a stop.

"You've come a long way, Alice Liddle. Don't give anyone any reason to send you back here; relapses aren't taken well by the board of doctor's here." The orderly says. Alice gives a solemn nod. She won't have to worry about relapse since she has no desire to return to this place once she finds her way back to Wonderland. Unless of course her Wonderland friends don't wish for her return, then she will return to this drab world and reside in it.

"I promise you won't see me here again." Alice answers before giving a small smile and exits the building to enter the cab. Once inside she gives the cabby her grandmother's address. She would go find a pharmacy and get her prescription filled, but that would involve Alice knowing where a pharmacy was.

The cabby doesn't bother trying to strike up conversation with Alice on the way to her grandmother's home, so Alice just sits calmly in the back seat with her bags beside her as she stares out the window and watches the world go by in a whirlwind of steal, brick, and fabric.

All too soon the yellow cab pulls up the long winding driveway of her grandmother's old Victorian Mansion. Alice grips the handle to the door before remembering that the cabby needs to be paid. She opens her mouth to say something only to have the cabby raises a hand to stop her.

"The institution already paid me for your ride home. You have a nice day now, Miss." The cabby says in a gentle voice and tips his hat to her. Alice gives him a kind smile in return as well as a nod of her head.

"You too." Alice manages to reply before slipping out of the vehicle and closing the door behind herself. She listens to the cab drive away as she looks up at her new home. Alice honestly can't remember the last time that she was at this place. She has plenty of memories of her grandmother, but most of them are at the asylum, especially after her parents died in the fire that consumed her home. The fire is mostly why Alice inherited this home from her grandmother. The money because she had no one else in the family to pass it onto.

"You could have given me pictures of the place, Grandma. I'll never figure this place out. I'll always be getting lost. Most likely just to find the bathroom." Alice says to herself. After a moment she pushes herself forward to her new home though she'd much rather find her old rabbit hole and return to Wonderland and the fun filled days and the warm cozy cuddle filled nights that if offers. The one that Alice desires to return to the most is her sweet mischievous Mad Hatter. It was from Hatter that Alice learned most of the pranks that she and the Tweedle twins played on the Queen and Knave of Hearts. Not that Queenie would ever know that, if she ever found out she would demand that Hatter pay for it by losing his head at the hand of one of Queenie's executioners and their heavy axe.

Alice shakes her head to dislodge the unpleasant though of losing her Mad Hatter in such a way. She presses forward towards her new home. First she'll explore the mansion and hopefully figure her way around the huge place and find a place to get her prescription filled.

As she steps towards the heavy oak door, it swings open by itself right before a male dressed in, what Alice can best describe as a butler's suit, comes into view. He gives a gentleman like bow and keeps his gaze downcast.

"Welcome home, Lady Alice." The elder looking male says in a formal voice. His image feels familiar to Alice the longer she looks at him.

"May I ask your name?" Alice requests of the older gentleman, surprised that she remembers such manners.

"My name, Lady Alice, is Hector." The elderly man answers. At the name something clicks inside Alice's mind. She squints her eyes slightly at the man and then remembers his face from her childhood.

"You were my grandmother's favorite butler, weren't you?"

The man, Hector, gives a slow bow like nod of his head. "Indeed I was. Your grandmother, Lady Emmaline, was a very kind hearted woman, and generous in all ways possible. She requested it of me on her deathbed that I stay and help you adjust to society and the take care of you should you ever be released from that mental institution that your parents locked you away inside of. Lady Emmaline never once thought that you were inside. She rather enjoyed the stories you told her during her visits."

Alice certainly remembers that and the memories bring tears to her eyes. She quickly dashes them away as she gives a nod of her head. "Yes, I do remember that she would always laugh in glee or cry in sorrow depending on the stories I told her, but that's all she thought that they were."

Her grandmother was honestly the only reason that she would return from Wonderland. Her mother gave her the benefit of the doubt, thought that everyone in Wonderland were just her imaginary friends. Her father thought her delusional and demanded that she stop with the stories and grow up. When she was a teen of sixteen, and she still hadn't given up on Wonderland, that's when he demanded that Alice seek help and quickly had her checked into the asylum before she could give a proper rebuttle.

"Please come inside, Lady Alice. Let me show you to your room. Before Lady Emmaline died she had a present prepared for when you were released." Hector says and lead Alice inside. He closes the door before he begins to lead her upstairs to where her room must reside.

"Um… Hector, you don't have to call me Lady Alice. I actually prefer it if you don't call me that."

"Would you mind Miss Alice instead of Lady?" Hector asks.

"Miss Alice is fine, but if you wanted to call me Alice that would be fine as well." Alice answers and makes sure to remember the way they were traveling so that she can refind her room later. Eventually Hector comes to a stop in front of the many doors along the hallway.

"Your room, Miss Alice." Hector states formally as he opens the door for her and gives another one of those formal bows.

"Thank you, Hector."

"My pleasure, Miss Alice. Dinner will be ready at eight o'clock. Until then feel free to explore as your heart desires. When the institution called to inform me of your release they mentioned a prescription that needs to be filled. I will have that taken care of for you so that you don't have to worry about it."

Alice gives a nod before digging into the brown paper bag quickly to produce the slip and hands it over to Hector. "Thank you again, Hector."

The elder man gives a nod of his head. "Please let me know should you need anything else." He says in a reply before giving a bow and walks off.

Alice doesn't bother watching Hector go before stepping into her new room. It's spacious with a four post king sized bed. She walks further into her room and notices something resting on the mattress. Her curiosity peaked, she drops her bags in the nearest chair and closes the distance to her bed.

Resting on the bed is a book with a picture of a girl that looks strangely like Alice herself sitting at a table littered with tea cups and saucers and teapots with a man wearing a top hat, a mouse, a hare, and a widely grinning cat. Writing in elegant script and gold foil The Many Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. By Alice Grace Liddle.

Alice feels new tears prick at her eyes. Her grandmother knew how much Wonderland means to her and because of that has given her one of the best gifts ever given. She opens the book and starts flipping through it, but stills when she sees a folded piece of paper tucked into the binding. Alice takes it out and unfolds the page to find her grandmother's careful cursive handwriting. Handwriting that Alice had thought that she would never see again.

My dear sweet Alice,

I know that your father was wrong to lock you away inside that awful place, but I also know that place would never be able to crush your love for the place you fondly call Wonderland. Every single one of your stories brought light into my heart and the love for Wonderland that you have always burned bright. I also know that the only reason that you returned from Wonderland was the love you had for me.

Knowing that I wrote down all of your stories and had them bound. I even had blank pages added so that you can continue you adventures with the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse, Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, The White Rabbit, the Knave of Hearts, Caterpillar, and of course the Queen of Hearts. Now that I'm gone and you're free from that dreadful asylum, don't feel guilty about returning to Wonderland.

I know that's where your heart is, not here in this world. I know that it's in Wonderland with your playful Hatter, and with all the friends that you've made there. All that I've ever hoped for and continue to hope for is nothing but your happiness.

And from the way that you've spoken about Wonderland and the people that reside there, that your true happiness isn't here but in Wonderland. My home will always be yours until the end of your days for you to use as you see fit should you ever desire to return from Wonderland for a visit. My only regrets in my life is that my son thought you inside and locked you away, that there had been nothing I could do to stop it, and that I never got to meet your delightful Hatter in person.

Will all my love,

Your grandmother

Emmaline Marie Liddle

Alice feels tears prick at her eyes more strongly before slipping free down her pale cheeks. She pulls the letter close to her chest in a weak attempt to hug her grandmother, and lets the tears fall.

"I love you too, Grandma. You will forever be in my heart." Alice whispers to herself. She tenderly refolds the letter and returns it to her book. Hatter will love to see it once she returns to Wonderland. "I promise the next time I return from Wonderland that I'll bring Hatter with me so that he can meet you."

Well that was chapter one. I should hopefully have chapter two up soon! Please Review!