Mad found himself blinking in a pale light. He looked around, taking in the empty field and endless sky. A soft breeze rustled through pale gold grass that came up just to Mad's knees.

"I was surprised too. No bright light or tunnel or whatever they tell ya," Gene's voice said.

Mad frowned, turning. No. Not Gene's voice.

Gene.

Gene walked toward him, hands in the pockets of a grey day suit, hat at an angle over his eyes. When he got close enough, he shook Mad's hand and said, "Been a while cowboy."

Mad looked around again, watching as the gold turned to silver the closer the grass got to the sky at the horizon. He shook his head. "I'm dead."

It wasn't a question.

He looked at Gene who shrugged. "You feel dead Mad?"

Mad flexed his fingers. "Not particularly. Is it supposed to feel like anything?"

Gene paused, considering, watching the long grass move in golden waves around them.

"Light," he finally answered. "You feel light. On the inside. You're not worried or upset or angry. You're not happy or excited or anything. You're just light. Free and easy."

Gene looked at Mad then. "You feel light Mad?"

Mad closed his eyes and thought for a moment before he realized that he didn't.

He didn't feel light.

He felt heavy. Like invisible strings were trying to pull him down through the earth under his feet.

He opened his eyes to find Gene watching him with that cocky smile. He clapped Mad on the shoulder and said, "It was good to see ya buddy. But you got someone waitin' for ya back there."

Gene laughed a little sadly and said, "Stay where you are Mad. There's nothing to go back to anymore. Those two need you and you need them more than you'll ever know. Don't ruin a good thing."

Mad looked out toward the horizon, then turned to tell Gene to wait.

But Gene was gone.

                                                               ~~~

Mad was almost surprised when he opened his eyes. His chest felt heavy and his fingers were stiff. He was terribly sore and horribly tired for having just woken up.

Mad turned his head, puzzled by the dark stone of the walls around him. He tried to sit up, found out that was a bad idea and lay back down, trying to figure out what had happened.

He remembered most of it. His execution. Rakta dying. Tamsus dying. The Queen.

Chants of 'Long live King Killian' flooding through an open window and the look of astonishment on Killian's face when he'd heard it.

Vaguely he recalled what had to have been a dream.

A door creaked and he turned his head, only to find a figure flying at him from across the room. Mad flinched, lifting his arms to ward off an attack then frowned when none came.

He looked up then to find a furious Alice glaring down at him and a shiver of worry crawled up his spine. Her hands balled into fists and she was perilously close to angry tears when she said, "How dare you! You horrible, horrible man. How dare you make us worry like that! Why do you think you can just do that Madison? Why?!"

Mad blinked, then looked back toward the door when a dry voice said, "Alice, I'm sure if Mad had had a choice, he would have elected not to get shot. It wasn't to spite you."

"I don't care Killian!" Alice cried, a tear managing to escape. She swiped at it and said, "He'll be the death of me. I swear it!"

"Ignore her Mad," Killian said, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. "She's just angry because she and Dinah have had a hell of a time with Cheshire."

"Which is one of the reasons he'll be the death of me!" Alice glared at Killian and Mad relaxed once her anger had been aimed elsewhere.

Almost to himself, Mad muttered, "Used to be a man got shot, he'd get a little care. Some attention. Sympathy maybe."

Alice turned back to him, hands on her hips. She rolled her eyes and said, "Maybe later Madison. I'm too angry right now."

Then, just to blatantly contradict herself and confuse both Mad and Killian, she hugged him carefully, kissing his cheek before she left. She wiped at her face again and Mad wanted to run after her and apologize profusely.

Mad looked at Killian for answers, but Killian just shook his head in bewilderment. They were quiet for a moment too long and Mad started to feel a little drowsy again.

What Killian said next though had him wide awake. "I want to marry Alice."

Mad blinked. Slowly, a little confused, he asked, "So why haven't you?"

Killian shrugged, obviously a little frustrated. "She said I had to wait until I could ask you. I don't know why."

Mad laughed then groaned, his chest aching. He felt his heart warm and said, "Real World tradition."

Killian frowned at that but nodded. They were quiet again until Killian said, "I'm glad you're not dead."

"That makes two of us," Mad responded, stifling a yawn.

Killian sat in a nearby chair and leaning forward, he asked, "How did you do it Mad?"

Tamsus' empty eyes flashed in Mad's head and he shrugged. "Just lucky I guess."

"You don't believe in luck," Killian pointed out, then obviously decided to let it go.

"Where are we?" Mad asked suddenly. "How long was I..."

"Two weeks," Killian answered, the strain evident in his voice for the first time. "She cried every night Mad. When she thought I wasn't around."

Guilt twisted like a dull knife in Mad's stomach and he rubbed at his eyes, knowing it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try and get up to go find Alice. He sighed and looked around again.

"Home, Mad." Killian said, his voice hoarse. "We're home. This is Spade Castle. I never thought I'd see it again."

Mad smiled. "Congratulations kid." He raised an eyebrow. "Or should I say King?"

Killian just shook his head, knowing it was more than highly unlikely that Mad would address him by his rank. Killian started to speak, but was cut off by an ear splitting yowl and he bolted to his feet.

Mad ignored the pain in his chest and sat up with a sigh. He might as well get it all done with.

He watched, a little amused when Cheshire came raging through the door, Dinah trying to stop him and said, "Hey Chesh."

"Don't you 'hey Chesh' me you son of a bitch," Cheshire growled, his fangs garbling his words. "I'm going to kill you! I told you I would, didn't I?"

Killian took a step forward but Mad waved him off. With a heavy sigh, he said, "All right Chesh. If that's what you've gotta do, go ahead. I won't stop you."

Chesh skidded to a stop, absolutely livid. His ears twitched spastically and he growled before turning around, giving Mad his back. He crossed his arms and hissed, "Wouldn't be fair. I'll kill you when you're better."

Mad grinned as Chesh stalked back across the room, flashing his teeth at Dinah, who waved and smiled at Mad before she batted Chesh' ear and ran past him out the door, making Chesh yowl and chase after her down the hall.

Killian shook his head and Mad lay back down with a groan. He sighed, then asked, "The Hearts?"

Killian sat back down and rubbed at the rank mark on his neck, which was now proudly displayed for all to see. "Keeping to themselves mostly. I have some people there, a few loyal Diamonds. I think it'll be easier if a Red Deck is there instead of a heavy Black presence. The Hearts, they're angry, but..."

"Of course they're angry, " Mad said nodding, though unease rippled through him. "No tyrant likes being overthrown and they've had the run of Wonderland for a long time. It'll take time."

Killian shook his head, "I'd like to make peace with them if I can."

"That's because you're an idealist," Mad scoffed lightly. "But if anyone can do it, it's you Killian."

Killian smiled, a little absently, obviously still thinking about the Hearts. He sighed and said, "For now though, I'll keep an eye on them." His voice softening, he said, "I've given orders to search for the new Aces."

Mad blanched a little, remembering what Tamsus had said about how there would always be an Ace of Hearts. Looking toward half closed windows, Mad asked, "What are you going to do with them if you find them?"

Killian chewed at his lip and said, "I honestly have no idea Mad. I don't know what happens if the Hearts get an Ace before I do. We're all still just building, trying to put everything back together. Nobody's expecting many children to be born over the next few years."

"That doesn't answer my question Killian," Mad said quietly, wondering why Killian had avoided the question.

Killian walked over to the windows and opened the curtains completely, a clear, early evening light seeping into the room. "I suppose you're always going to keep me honest aren't you?"

"For as long as I'm around," Mad answered. "What are you going to do with them Killian?"

Killian turned back to him and sighed again. "I don't know Mad. I just plain don't know. Part of me knows that the new Ace isn't going to be Tamsus. But the truth of the matter is that I can't convince the other half of me that he or she's not going to be just as bad or worse, especially if some Heart fanatic gets to them before I can."

"You can always just make them swear loyalty," Mad said, his voice hardening a little.

But Killian shook his head. "No. No I wouldn't do that. She did that to Rakta and we both saw how that ended. Forced loyalty is not loyalty. At least not any kind that I want a part of."

Mad nodded, pleased by this answer and decided to drop the subject for now. They would worry about that when and if it ever came up.

Then Mad asked about another of the things that was on his mind. "Maris?"

Killian's smile faded. "I'm sorry Mad."

"How?" Mad asked stiffly.

Killian hesitated, then said, "The Queen."

Mad covered his eyes with a hand. "You damned fool," he said softly, his throat tight. "You poor, damned fool."

"I'm sorry Mad," Killian repeated.

"Alice knows?" Mad asked.

Killian sighed, "Yeah."

"She's okay?"

"As okay as can be expected." Killian paused. "She was more worried about you."

Mad again had the urge to go and find Alice, to see for himself that she was okay after all of this, but his chest told him that would be an unfortunate decision on his part. He rubbed at his mouth, down his jaw and asked, "What happened with the Queen and the Ace?"

"Burned them," Killian said. "I didn't want them martyred. I didn't want a place where people could go and pay their respects and let ghosts lure them into another war."

Killian had made a solid decision and it wasn't one driven purely by vengeance, which impressed Mad greatly. Mad shifted, the bandages making him a little itchy and asked about the last of them. "Rakta?"

"Buried." Killian said, his voice heavy again. "Buried with his Princess."

Mad nodded, satisfied. After that, they didn't talk. There was nothing more to say.

Finally, Killian got up and went to the door. Opening it, he turned back and said, "We're all waiting on you Mad."

Mad smirked as Killian left, then shut his eyes.

He probably shouldn't have been able to sleep, but if guilt had ever kept Mad up, he wouldn't have slept in over seven years.

So he slept. And he dreamed.

But, somehow, it was more bearable.