Four knocks.

Time's heart swelled, and he tried to swallow down his excitement as he turned to see Alice walking through the door. She grinned and waved at him with the loaf of spiced bread in her hand.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"Hunger is not something I experience," he said as he paced over to her. He smiled nonetheless as he took the bread, his fingers brushing against hers and sending a thrill through his body. "But I'm always happy to eat."

They settled down on the blanket that she had brought to Nowhere—how long ago had that been now? He couldn't be sure. Being Time and living away from the real world, he could never be certain how many days or weeks or years had passed. At this point, he'd lost count of the number of times she had visited him. All he knew was that it felt like she had always been here. He had, in fact, forgotten a time when she was not in his life.

"I can't imagine what it would be like to not feel hungry," she said as she broke off a piece of bread and handed it to him.

"When you don't experience something, you often forget it even exists."

Smiling through a mouthful of bread, she ran her fingers up his chest and tapped him on the nose. "Well, it's a good thing you have me here to remind you of what you're missing out on."

His heart beat wildly, but he popped a piece of bread into his mouth to distract himself from it. "How kind of you."

"Hey, you should be very grateful to me," she said, leaning back and glancing about. "Look at all the interesting things I've brought you."

She was right. Ever since she had started coming to Nowhere, she had been leaving him "gifts." Aside from the blanket and the bread, there were various trinkets scattered about his office. Over the course of their friendship, she had given him oyster shells, ceiling wax, snowglobes, thimbles, and several dodo feathers. They were simple things that were likely commonplace to anyone else. And honestly, they would be commonplace to him as well.

If they hadn't come from her.

"Do you steal all of these gifts?" he asked as he brought his attention back to her.

"If I say 'yes,' will you make me take them back?"

He smiled. "No. I'm just curious if all you steal are silly little trinkets or if you ever aim for bigger game."

"Hey, I am a fabulous thief. I once stole the hat right off the head of Hickory Dickory's mayor. Didn't even realize it was gone til he looked in the mirror."

"Hickory Dickory's mayor is incredible nearsighted."

"Did I mention I did it while he was giving a speech in front of the entire town?"

Raising his hands up, Time gave a mocking gasp. "Stealing hats. How frightening."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but there was a playful smile tugging at her lips. He loved that smile. It meant she was up to no good, and that's when she was most fascinating.

"I once stole a Bandersnatch's dinner."

This confession startled him. "You what? Why would you do that?"

Shrugging, she picked at her piece of bread. "I was only six and I was lost in the forest. I was so hungry, I probably would have tried eating the Bandersnatch if he hadn't had a jelly bird in his mouth."

"You stole from a Bandersnatch when you were six?"

She turned to him and smiled at his disbelief. "What else was I going to do? You should know by now that I'm not the type to just lay down and die."

"But how?"

Shaking her head, she glanced up at the ceiling of swirling clouds. "Honestly, it's a little fuzzy. Maybe I was delirious from hunger. I just remember stumbling across the Bandersnatch, seeing the jelly bird, and before I knew it, I had jelly all over my hands and mouth."

"And the Bandersnatch didn't eat you?"

She grinned. "Oh, it tried. But I'm faster than any Bandersnatch."

He shook his head slowly. "You are really something else, Alice."

"What? You hadn't realized that yet?"

"No, I just didn't realize you were so bold even as a child."

"Of course. One doesn't become this amazing overnight. It takes time and work."

Chuckling softly, Time tried to picture Alice as a little girl training to steal jelly birds from Bandersnatches. While it seemed a ridiculous notion, it wasn't too difficult to imagine a miniature version of her lording it over a vicious beast as she munched on its dinner, her face and hands sticky with raspberry jelly. And then it occurred to him that he could, in fact, see that moment replayed. Perhaps he would have to call up the scene later.

"But I have gone after larger prey," Alice said.

He returned his attention to her. "Oh?"

Her eyes were on the bread in her hand, and her demeanor had suddenly turned shy and uncertain. Time had never seen her like this before. It was strange and completely unlike her.

And it made his heart pound wildly.

"Yes," she said, her eyes still on her bread. "Haven't been successful just yet, though."

He swallowed hard. "I find that hard to believe."

A soft smile pulled at her lips. "Maybe it's because hearts can't exactly be stolen. They must be given."

She looked up at him and caught his eyes, and the intensity behind her gaze took his breath away. There was a sudden softness to her that he had never seen before. Though she was still the strong, brilliant girl he had come to know, there was something new about her. Was it weakness? No, Alice wasn't weak. Vulnerability? Maybe.

Taking a sharp breath, she clenched her hands into fists, and somehow her gaze became even more intense. It was as though she were trying to send him a message through her eyes alone.

And then he realized what it was that he saw in her.

And his heart stopped.

After what felt like an eternity, he clear his throat and looked away. "How long have you been coming here, Alice?" he asked softly.

"Three years."

Three years. He wasn't even sure how to gauge that, really. Years and seconds were all the same to him. But he knew enough to realize that three years was a good long time for two people to be friends. Perhaps not as long as some, but still respectable.

"I was sixteen when we first met," she continued. "I'm nineteen now."

Nineteen? Had she aged at all? She was young enough that aging didn't take quite that much of a toll. Still, even if it had, he's not sure he would have noticed.

"How old are you, Time?"

"I've told you before, I don't know."

"Take a guess."

He sighed. "More than likely? Very, very old."

"You don't look 'very, very old.'"

He felt her shift beside him, and when he turned, he found her so close that she was nearly in his lap. She gazed up at him imploringly, those green eyes shining with that new look he had never seen before. Was he looking at her the same way? He wouldn't doubt it.

"You look very, very handsome to me," she said, the corners of her mouth lifting into a hesitant smile.

His gaze wandered back and forth across her face, unable to choose between concentrating on her eyes or her lips. "Even without a mustache?" he asked.

Her smile gained more confidence, and she moved closer as she lifted a finger to his mouth, tracing his upper lip. "A mustache wouldn't be bad. But I think you're rather dashing without one."

Every inch of his body was on fire. "Alice—"

"Is there a rule about love?"

He let out a trembling breath. "There are rules about everything."

"Including love?"

Closing his eyes, he tried to pull himself out of her spell. "It's rather clear that I'm not allowed to fraternize with others."

"But you already do. So what harm would loving someone do?"

Licking his lips, he opened his eyes once again. She was still in front of him, her kaleidoscope eyes watching him carefully as she waited for an answer. He knew what answer he should give. He knew what was right. He knew what the powers that be would say.

But he couldn't seem to put it into words.

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his and taking a deep breath. His hands moved on their own, sliding up her back and toying with the ends of her soft, tangled hair. Oh, how he wished to tangle it more.

Now she really was in his lap, snaking her arms around his neck and pulling herself closer and closer. Every touch, every movement made his entire body come to life. And not just his body; his mind. Suddenly he was imagining the future, something he had never done before. As she combed her fingers through his hair, he pictured her waking up by his side. While her breath mingled with his, he saw the two of them eating spiced bread together for years to come. And as her lips hovered just above his own—

And then he saw the true reality of what the future would hold.

Alice giving up the chance to raise a family, to bear an Heir to her throne. Alice resenting him for keeping her from living a normal, happy life. And more selfishly, Alice growing old and dying while he remained.

He pulled back.

Alice blinked in surprise, and then hurt flashed across her face. "I...I thought—"

He shook his head and pushed her away, untangling himself from her embrace. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I just..."

His heart was still racing, and that new feeling was still pulsing through his veins, making it impossible for him to gather his thoughts.

"Time, I—"

"Alice, you don't seem to understand," he said through gritted teeth, still unable to look at her. "There are rules I have to live by."

A sharp intake of breath. "I hate your stupid rules."

"They're not my rules, Alice. They're rules that were forced upon me—great pendulum, I don't even know how long ago it was. But they're rules nonetheless, and I must obey them."

"And what exactly would happen if you were to break them?"

He set his hard gaze on her. "For all I know, existence as we know it may be destroyed. And if not that, then I would be."

Her face fell, and she looked away. His heart ached, and more than anything he wanted to reach out to her and pull her back into his arms. But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "You wouldn't want me, anyhow, Alice. For all you know, I'm thousands of years old. You're young and full of life. What would you do with an old man like me?"

"I don't care about your age," she said, angrily swiping at the tears streaming down her cheeks.

It was like his heart was caught in a vice. He had to find some way to comfort her. Something. Anything.

"Listen, Alice, it's not that I don't care about you," he said. "You're my friend. My only friend. But I don't think I'm even capable of falling in love."

She scoffed and looked away.

"No, I'm serious," he said, leaning in towards her. "I think that along with my memories, the powers that be took that capability away from me."

Raising an eyebrow, she turned her eyes to him. "You really expect me to believe that?"

He shrugged. "I'm just telling you what I know. As you're well aware, my state of being is almost as much a mystery to me as it is to you."

Her expression softened, but there was still a trace of lingering pain. Swallowing, she glanced down at her hands. "What if you tried—"

He shook his head. "I can't do that to you, Alice. I can't risk hurting you."

There was a long, heavy silence in which Time could hear her heart breaking. Or was that his?

Finally, Alice heaved a sigh and flashed him a sad smile. "All right. I understand."

Leaning forward, he hesitated before gently grasping her hand. "Please, Alice, I—"

"No, no, it's fine. I get it." She pulled her hand from his and rose to her feet. "It's just, I've been harboring these feelings for you for quite a while now, so it's not going to be easy to just get over them. I'm going to need some time. Alone."

Alone. The word echoed in his head, reminding him that there had indeed been a time when she hadn't been in his life. And also that, someday in the future, there would again be a time without her.

But not yet.

Forcing a smile, he swallowed down his own pain. "Take all the time you need."

Nodding, she pulled open the door and made to leave.

"Alice."

She glanced over her shoulder.

"Friends?"

Another sad smile spread across her face. "Always," she whispered.

The door closed and disappeared, as if neither it nor Alice had ever been there. But as Time looked about his office, he realized that wasn't completely true. All of her gifts and trinkets were still scattered about the place. She had surely left her mark on Nowhere.

Laying a hand on his chest, he squeezed his eyes shut and replayed all the lies he had just told her. Had they been to protect her? Or had they been to protect himself?

Because Alice hadn't just left her mark on Nowhere. She had left it on him.

And now that he knew he loved her—and that he could never have her—he knew he would never be the same again.