Starring up at the grand entrance to the endless maze, Harry couldn't help but remember the first time he had found this place. When he met Artemis under the stars and she told him she didn't want to be Queen. He tried to remind her of that, the night before her coronation.

Tried to remind her of the girl who dreamed of sailing the seas with him rather than ruling Wonderland.

He supposed that was the beginning of their falling out. That one fight would lead to him never coming back to Wonderland, that was until tonight.

"And this is the only way to the castle?" Mal asked with big eyes.

Matt nodded, fixing the dark green top hat that sat on his ginger locks. "Yep, don't worry. I know the way." Harry snorted at that, but didn't say anything. He'd better hope so, or else they'd be stuck in there forever. They would lose this battle before it really began.

The moon shone bright overhead, being the only source of light that the six had to guide the way. They had lost track of how long they'd been travelling through the large hedges, but it had been quite a long time. Their feet grew sore and their eyelids began to turn heavy.

"Maybe we should stop for the night," Ben suggest when Mal yawned.

Alison looked back at the couple and nodded, seeing how tired the two really were. "Come. I know where we can rest." She hurried ahead, leaving the others to jog to catch up.

Harry felt like the wind had been knocked out of him when he realized where they were. His eyes landed on the cement bench he spent many nights perched on with Artemis, just talking.

His fingers reached out to brush along the red petals of the roses that decorated the landscape. He remembered when Artemis told him she preferred the red roses to the white ones her mother always planted.

Even when she was the White Angel, she was still the Red Queen. He smirked at that, plucking the flower from it's home in the tangled bush. He always did think red suited her better.

He felt eyes on him and he looked up to see Alison watching him with a knowing look in her Hazel eyes. "Don't start," he scoffed, tossing the flower aside, letting it haphazardly hit the grass below his feet.

Alison frowned, picking up the red flower as he brushed passed her. Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth she turned to look at the other four with her. She didn't understand why he was being so stubborn about it, why he wouldn't even entertain the idea of him being someone's true love. The true love to the Queen of Wonderland of all people.

When she got no response from any of them - because they were honestly just as stumped as her, about what they were going to do - she turned to see Harry standing up on the cement bench, his eyes on the distant castle.

"No chance. No way. I won't say I'm in love," He sung, crossing his arms across each other at the forearm and throwing them out to the side.

"You swoon and you sigh, why deny it. Uh-oh," the others chorused from behind him, the four exchanging a glance as Alison took a step toward the Pirate who was destined to save her sister.

Harry rolled his eyes, jumping off the bench, "It's too cliche, I won't say I'm in love," he landed heavily and headed away from them, going to the small bird bath, his hands pressed up against the sides as he leaned heavily on it.

Alison and Mal shared a defeated look. He just needed to realize he did in face love Artemis and then, Alison truly believed, everything would be okay. Artemis would be okay. All of Wonderland would be okay.

"I thought my heart had learned it's lesson," he had his one arm wrapped around the trunk of the tree as he hung from it. His eyes never once left the Red Castle. "It feels so good when you start out. My head is screaming-"

"Get a grip boy," Ben and the two wonderland boys chimed with him.

"Unless you're dying to cry your heart out," He finished, turning on his toes swiftly and his red vest flapping around him like mighty wings as he did so.

"You keep on denying, who you are and how your feeling," Mal and Alison came up on either side of him, much to his annoyance. "Baby, we're not buying. Hun, we saw you hit the ceiling."

Harry shrugged off Alison's touch, her hand that was once laying on his exposed bicep fell to her side. He tried to get away from them, but he only ran right into Matt, Ben, and William - the three boys blocking his escape route with crossed arms. "Face it like a grown up, when you gonna own up. That you got-"

"Got it." Ben shrugged.

"Got it bad."

Harry rolled his eyes, turning his back on the five people pestering him and threw his arms out to the side in frustration, "Oh! No chance. No way. I won't say it. No, no!"

"Give up or give in," Mal hummed, shrugging helplessly.

Alison peeked around him on the other side, holding up the discarded plant for him to see. "Check the queue, you're in love."

Harry smacked her hand away, "this scene won't play. I won't say I'm in love."

The son of Captain Hook dragged out the last note as the others chimed in with, "Just come to grips, read our lips; you're in love."

"No way. Not a chance. I won't say it," He spun sharply on his toes and retook his seat on the bench, waving the others off. "Get off my case, I won't say it."

"Now, don't be proud it's okay you're in love," Alison was the one to step forward and place the rose next to him and the bench top.

They watched as he sat back, his hands resting flat on the seat on either side of him. His fingers brushed the steam, catching his attention immediately. Slowly, he picked it up, swirling the stem lightly between his fingertips.

"Woah! At least out loud, I won't say I'm in love." And just when they thought they had gotten through to him, he tossed the flower aside, huffing out an almost inaudible sigh.

Ben and Mal shared a defeated look, not noticing the pirate stand to his feet until he spoke up, "I want to save Artemis and Wonderland," Harry admitted, his back to them. "But, my own way."

"You have to kiss her, it's been foretold," William spoke up, shaking his head at the pirate's stubbornness. "If you diverge from the path-"

"I make the path," He cut the rabbit boy off. He turned, smiling wickedly at the son of the White Rabbit with the same glint in his eyes that first drew the Queen of Wonderland in. "If we can't break the spell, we'll just have to stop the one casting it. Yeah?"

Ben's eyes widened as he realized just what he was suggesting, "you mean take on Cheney?"

"That's impossible," Matt shot down his high hopes immediately. There was no way they could take on Cheney when he had Wonderlands whole Army at his disposal. It'd be six against a million soldiers. It was suicide.

"Arty used to believe she could do six impossible things before breakfast," Harry used the words of Matt's twin sister against him. The Hatter's face instantly sobered.

Alison let out a humorless chuckle, the action not quite reaching her Whiskey eyes, "She got it from our mom. She hated the word impossible."

"That's because you live in the impossible Kingdom," Ben jumped back into the conversation. His eyes darted between the five other sets of eyes that were starring at him. "I believe we can do this, as long as we stick together.

Mal nodded, smiling at her boyfriend. "How about we start with getting to the castle first."

"Right."

They'd set out the following morning for the Red Castle. As soon as the sun came out of it's hiding place behind the horizon to kiss the sky good morning. Harry lay as still as night in the grass, his head propped up on his arms. Above him was a blanket of constellations. it was a different view here than on the Isle, he couldn't help but notice. On the Isle you could hardly see the sky passed the pollution that rotted the air. Here, it was so clear. Beautiful.

The day after tomorrow would be Artemis' birthday. Her 17th year. He couldn't believe it had actually been a full year since he last saw her. He could only imagine how ruling a kingdom would change a person.

He couldn't really describe how it felt to know as soon as he woke, he would see her again. Excited? Maybe. Definitely nervous, especially knowing she was under Cheney's control. It explained why she had been so cold towards him as soon as she took the throne. It all made sense now, he just couldn't understand how he didn't notice before.

He should've known.

He couldn't help but curse himself for not noticing the change. Here, everyone was, spouting out how he was supposed to be her true love, and he didn't even notice she wasn't herself. He didn't even notice that she needed him.

She needed him, and he wasn't there. What kind of true love did that?

Footsteps caught his attention and he sat up on his elbows in time to see a mess of blonde hair disappear behind the hedge across from him.

Alison.

He was quick to get up, trying to find where the blonde had disappeared to. His boots crunched against the grass and dirt beneath his soles, making his footsteps not as silent as he would've like. Anyone could hear him coming. "Alison where are ya going?" He called after her.

"To save my sister, because you've made it clear you won't." She spat at him, just peeking over her shoulder long enough to glare at him before disappearing into the night once more, around the hedges.

Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation. It wasn't that he didn't want to save Artemis, he did. He just knew that he couldn't do it in the way they all said he needed to do. He had to do it his way.

He heard a growl and a gasp in the distant. The noise forced him to pick up his pace.

"Alison?" He hissed. He rounded a corner to see the daughter of Alice on the ground. The same Bandersnatch that he had claimed a trophy from that same morning and held at his hip in a pouch, hovered over her. His sword was quickly released from it's prison at his hip, "Back," he slashed at the beast, causing it to jerk back and growl darkly at him.

"Harry, don't," Alison grabbed his arm, simultaneously pulling herself up and pulling him back from the beast. "Look."

Harry followed her finger to the key hanging around it's neck from the chain of his collar. His brow furrowed in confusion, "what's that?"

"I don't know?" Alison admitted, "But, it has to be pretty important." She reasoned. She wouldn't expect for a key to be protected by a beast as ferocious as this Bandersnatch for no reason. it had to hold some value - knowing Cheney, it did. And if it did, they needed it.

Alison looked up at Harry and silently, with her brown eyes, told him what they needed to do. And he understood. Slowly, he tucked the sword back into the hilt around his hips his eyes never leaving the beast's one beady black eye.

He wrapped his fingers delicately around the pouch holding it up like a soldier would a white flag on the battle line. His feet pivoted forward hesitantly, like one wrong move would mean the end of his life. And he knew that, that wasn't an exaggeration.

The Bandersnatch growled at him, it's top lip curling back to reveal his rows and rows of razor sharp teeth. Harry froze in his spot, as still as a statue. His hand was still outstretched as a sign of peace and slowly, with hesitant movements he released the dislodged eye from the bag he once held.

It fit snugly in the palm of his hand, like a baseball for the star pitcher. The son of Captain Hook held it up for the beast to see slowly inching forward to give it to him. He felt his breath get caught in his throat, a large, unbreakable lump that wouldn't budge.

With it's big paw, the Bandersnatch reclaimed his eye and pushed it back into it's home in his eye socket. Alison made a noise of disgust from behind the Pirate, but it went unnoticed as the beast that resembled that of a large bear and a leopard blinked it's renewed eyes at Harry.

It must have recognized him, cause it was at that moment it let out a loud growl that sent a rumble through the ground. No doubt everyone in Wonderland could hear it. Harry jerked back, his whole body jolting and sending a shock of pain up his arm. He stumbled in both the shock and the pain and fell back into the slightly damp grass with a cry of pain.

Alison's eyes widened, dropping to try and help him, but with the Bandersnatch hovering over them like a predator ready to pounce she could hardly make herself move. Harry sucked in a sharp breath through his clenched teeth and slowly undid the bind around his arm. Three, large, jagged claw marks stared back at him - much worse than they were before. A pink hue colored his skin around the cuts and it stung when the wind hit it like a soft blow.

The Beast stepped forward, his large paws padding against the dirt, but something shifted in it's eyes. It seemed almost docile as it approached. Harry starred up at the creature with wide eyes, hesitantly reaching out a hand to try again to claim the key around it's neck. When it did nothing - not a growl or a snarl - Harry snatched the key from the hook on it's collar.

The Bandersnatch purred, actually purred, like a domestic cat curling up next to you on the couch for a sunny day. In confusion, Harry felt his eyebrows furrow, not backing away or flinching as the creatures long tongue rolled out of it's mouth. It licked along the cut like gentle kisses from a butterfly, slurping up juice from your palm. It healed over to light scabs like magic, just before their eyes.

Alison's eyes widened at the sight, "oh, my God." She whispered, her eyes darting back to the creature who sat back on it's hind legs. "How did you-" the question fell silent against her pink lips when she looked at the pirate on the ground next to her.

He shrugged, his charcoal locks swaying as he shook his head. He was just as confused as she was. "I have no idea."

The Bandersnatch purred again, as soon as Harry's eyes returned to his, "I guess where even now then, mate?" He bounced his eyebrows, only getting a huff of air through it's wide nostrils in response. Harry sat back with a huff against Alison's folded legs, turning halfway to hand her the key, "there's yer key."

Alison smiled madly, looking it over. This just may be the key to saving Wonderland. Pun intended. She laughed wildly at her inner thoughts, getting a startled look from Harry. She didn't bother to give him an explanation, just tucked it into the front pocket of her dress and pushed up out of the dirt.

She brushed away the left over blades of grass on her black and white striped tights, before holding out a hand to help Harry to his feet just the same, though he didn't need it. He took it anyway. Harry let out a huff, dusting himself off in the same way that Alison did.

His bright blue eyes found hers in the pale moonlight, "that'd better be worth it. I nearly lost an arm."

Alison tossed him a secret smirk, looping both her arms around his one, "it will be. Trust me." And with that she led him back to camp. They'd need to be well rested if they planned to take on Cheney the way Harry wanted to. Because it wasn't just against a cat now, it was against all of Wonderland.

She only hoped Harry knew the measures he may need to take to do it his way. To stray from the foretold path.

Because if he didn't, it could be catastrophic for all kingdoms alike.