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Description
After a long day of fighting chains, ordering servants, and being rewarded with meat, Alice decided to go to sleep.  Unknown to her and those around her, tonight would be a very eventful night for Alice.

As usual, Alice fell asleep as soon as she was within a foot of her bed without changing into proper sleeping attire, though Sharon had provided her with more than enough nightgowns.  Somehow she always managed to land right on her bed after collapsing from exhaustion.

The night steadily grew darker.  The stars were bright, like millions of candles lit across the sky.  All was silent throughout the Rainsworth residence, except for the small snores from Alice every few moments.

Abruptly, Alice sat up in bed.  Her eyes were wide open and her face showed no emotion.  She turned towards the edge, put one foot down and then the other.  Slowly, she stood up and began to walk forward.  She steadily made her way to the door and stepped outside.  She stepped lightly as she wandered through moonlit halls.

Oz had gone to bed a few hours ago.  Now he sat up by the window, having woken up after a very strange dream.  He couldn't even remember what the dream was, but when he had awakened he was drenched in a cold sweat with a racing heart.

Meanwhile, outside Alice had begun to walk faster.  Her speed began to increase until she had broken into a run.  Her footfalls resounded throughout the halls and her breathing grew heavy.

The sound of feet hitting the floor woke Oz from his trancelike state.  Curiosity taking over, he came to the door and stuck his head out.  Only one word escaped his lips.

"Alice?"

He had been too quiet for her to hear.  She ran on blindly through the halls.

"Alice!" he called.  He began to run after her.  "Alice!"

Something was wrong.  He could feel it.  She would've stopped by now.  Something was definitely wrong.  Why was she running away from him?

Oz pushed on until he caught up with her.

"Alice!"  Her eyes were shut tightly, and he could see tears streaming down her face.  She was breathing heavily.

"Alice!"  He stepped in front of her in an attempt to stop her.  She ran right into him, knocking him over.

"No!" she cried.  Her eyes flew open as she and Oz hit the ground.  She landed promptly on Oz's chest.

"Oof!"  Oz landed on the floor with a thud.  He began to sit up, taking Alice up with him.  She cooperated, sitting herself up.  Silently, she hugged her knees to her chest.  Oz rubbed the back of his head where he had hit the floor.  Then, he heard something.  It was a quiet sob, barely audible.

"Alice?"  Her hair had covered her eyes, but he could still see the tears rolling down her cheeks.  "Alice, what's wrong?"

"Oz," she choked out between sobs.

"It's alright, Alice," he whispered.  He put one arm around her shoulders.  He could feel her trembling with sobs.

"I…" she began.  "…was back in Abyss.  It was dark and empty.  There was nothing.  No floating objects, no dolls, not even chains.  It was just darkness everywhere.  And then there was her.  She laughed at me.  Then I saw you.  You were just floating away from me.  So I ran to you, but you just kept floating away from me."

Alice burst into tears again.  Oz, who had been listening intently, turned towards her.

"It's alright now," he said softly, wiping away her tears.  "I'm here with you, and I always will be."

Alice lifted her head to see him.  He wiped away a few more tears from her face.

"I promise," he said, "that I will always be here with you, Alice."

Alice's eyes grew wide like a child's eyes.  Oz smiled warmly at her.  Then, he leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips.  After a few moments, Alice pulled away and whispered, "I love you, Oz."

"I love you too, Alice," he whispered before drawing her back into another kiss.

Description
After a long day of fighting chains, ordering servants, and being rewarded with meat, Alice decided to go to sleep.  Unknown to her and those around her, tonight would be a very eventful night for Alice.

As usual, Alice fell asleep as soon as she was within a foot of her bed without changing into proper sleeping attire, though Sharon had provided her with more than enough nightgowns.  Somehow she always managed to land right on her bed after collapsing from exhaustion.

The night steadily grew darker.  The stars were bright, like millions of candles lit across the sky.  All was silent throughout the Rainsworth residence, except for the small snores from Alice every few moments.

Abruptly, Alice sat up in bed.  Her eyes were wide open and her face showed no emotion.  She turned towards the edge, put one foot down and then the other.  Slowly, she stood up and began to walk forward.  She steadily made her way to the door and stepped outside.  She stepped lightly as she wandered through moonlit halls.

Oz had gone to bed a few hours ago.  Now he sat up by the window, having woken up after a very strange dream.  He couldn't even remember what the dream was, but when he had awakened he was drenched in a cold sweat with a racing heart.

Meanwhile, outside Alice had begun to walk faster.  Her speed began to increase until she had broken into a run.  Her footfalls resounded throughout the halls and her breathing grew heavy.

The sound of feet hitting the floor woke Oz from his trancelike state.  Curiosity taking over, he came to the door and stuck his head out.  Only one word escaped his lips.

"Alice?"

He had been too quiet for her to hear.  She ran on blindly through the halls.

"Alice!" he called.  He began to run after her.  "Alice!"

Something was wrong.  He could feel it.  She would've stopped by now.  Something was definitely wrong.  Why was she running away from him?

Oz pushed on until he caught up with her.

"Alice!"  Her eyes were shut tightly, and he could see tears streaming down her face.  She was breathing heavily.

"Alice!"  He stepped in front of her in an attempt to stop her.  She ran right into him, knocking him over.

"No!" she cried.  Her eyes flew open as she and Oz hit the ground.  She landed promptly on Oz's chest.

"Oof!"  Oz landed on the floor with a thud.  He began to sit up, taking Alice up with him.  She cooperated, sitting herself up.  Silently, she hugged her knees to her chest.  Oz rubbed the back of his head where he had hit the floor.  Then, he heard something.  It was a quiet sob, barely audible.

"Alice?"  Her hair had covered her eyes, but he could still see the tears rolling down her cheeks.  "Alice, what's wrong?"

"Oz," she choked out between sobs.

"It's alright, Alice," he whispered.  He put one arm around her shoulders.  He could feel her trembling with sobs.

"I…" she began.  "…was back in Abyss.  It was dark and empty.  There was nothing.  No floating objects, no dolls, not even chains.  It was just darkness everywhere.  And then there was her.  She laughed at me.  Then I saw you.  You were just floating away from me.  So I ran to you, but you just kept floating away from me."

Alice burst into tears again.  Oz, who had been listening intently, turned towards her.

"It's alright now," he said softly, wiping away her tears.  "I'm here with you, and I always will be."

Alice lifted her head to see him.  He wiped away a few more tears from her face.

"I promise," he said, "that I will always be here with you, Alice."

Alice's eyes grew wide like a child's eyes.  Oz smiled warmly at her.  Then, he leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips.  After a few moments, Alice pulled away and whispered, "I love you, Oz."

"I love you too, Alice," he whispered before drawing her back into another kiss.