The True Bloodstained Black Rabbit

Oz blinked open his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. He found himself lying upon a mattress with no idea how he got there. His last memory was of Jack telling Alice she was the one whom needed to get out of Oz's body. After that for some reason Jack decided to leave them alone for a while, saying that letting the new information sink in would do nothing to harm his plan. Everything after that was a haze. Still his dream hung before him, the horrifying remnant of a memory. In his dream he had remembered everything Jack hadn't the chance to say or explain. More importantly he remembered how he became Jack's chain…

Jack had snuck down, using Vincent to open the door so he may claim his chain during Gilbert's ceremony. To his surprise instead of B. Rabbit a young man with shaggy black hair and ruby colored eyes had walked out instead.

"I thought you were supposed to be a large scythe wielding black rabbit." Jack said amused.

"And I thought you would be manlier. Either way the reason I am in the form I am in now is to keep from exhausting your body too quickly. My power is too immense for a normal person like you to survive long exposure to. So rather than burden you, half of my power is sealed in here." Oz looked at him without much expression in his gaze. With quick movements he threw to Jack a pocket watch. Jack's very own pocket watch to be exact.

"Where did you get that?" Jack asked bewildered.

"Alice borrowed it. She felt it would be the perfect medium since you are very familiar with it."

"Is that so? Well either way it appears you will have to remain outside my body correct." Jack's response was distant; his gaze focused on the pocket watch which he had opened. In response Oz nodded curtly. With a snap Jack closed it before spinning around to face Oz once more.

"Well than you will have to simply pose as my footman. How does that sound? But first we will have to do something about those eyes. We would not want Glen mistaking you for a child of misfortune." Jack's eyes appeared to light up in excitement, but Oz knew better than to trust that man's expression. With his red eyes, unclouded by emotion, he could clearly see right through the flippant man. As he gazed at the man doubt swirled inside. Just how much resolve would the man have when it came down to the task at hand? Well he would have to find out later.

The days to come all the way leading to the event Oz had played the part of a footman Jack was training for higher nobility despite the boy's apparent blindness. Of course the blindness was just a ruse on his part, one to hide the boy's eyes. Yet luckily Oz was still able to function splendidly. So much so that he was greatly liked by the Baskervilles. He was their kind of person, one whom wasn't too curious for his own good. He was seen more than he was heard and never asked questions or showed interest in what was going on around him. He was not only considered well manner by the older Baskervilles, but was adored by Gilbert and his little brother. Jack often laughed at him, saying that Oz seemed to have a soft spot for children. Of course this was not true. He merely had been around Jack enough to learn how to laugh and smile even when he himself didn't feel such ways. He even got the rare pleasure of seeing Alice. His first time seeing her, he had greeted her as though it was their first meeting. Yet once Glen left she teased him, telling him she had seen from her window him getting along with the boys. He played along, knowing that the day he would prove just how wrong they were was close at hand. Three days later he had fought alongside Jack and got seal along with him as well. Since their contract was not officially ended he followed Jack's soul. When Jack gained a new body Oz had followed, developing his own personality and life in the body while Jack's soul and his memories were sealed.

Oz knew that even if Jack had not revealed the truth that triggered the return of his memories he would have still remembered, albeit slowly. Finally growing tired of laying down, he rose and staggered over to the mirror. Even though the reflection showed a short boy with golden hair, soft boyish features, and shining emerald eyes Oz saw differently. He saw a taller boy with shaggy hair, sharper features, and dull emotionless red eyes; whose body was highlighted with the blood of his victims. Looking at his hands, even though they were clean he could still picture the stains of countless murders. After all he wasn't the innocent boy he had pretended to be. No matter how hard he tried to remain the way he was before, the memories stole away all that childishness.

"I never thought I could ever become so human. It is funny. A killer like me masquerading as a foolish and soft child for so long. Part of me hoped I could stay suspended forever in the bliss of ignorance yet I know now such a thing could never happen. My past is stained with the blood of my countless victims for whom I am named." Oz smiled sadly, his voice cynical. Yet he knew he could not show the others this side of him. The real Oz would have to stay hidden.

Oz knew he only had to fake until his contract ended with Jack falling into the abyss. Still his thoughts drifted to Alice. What would she think of him? Of the truth? After all, the only goal he had ever possessed on his own was to see her smile once more. He would fight to the ends of the Earth for such a thing. Perhaps it was those very thoughts that transferred some of his power to Alice to revive her in the abyss. Such power made her into the B. Rabbit, if only a cheap copy of the original. If he were to reclaim the power the was fully his, would that make her disappear?

Oz sat in a chair near the fireplace. Alice was next to him asleep as he gazed at the flaring embers. How simple fire was. There was nothing complicated about it. It merely destroyed, making room for more things to be created out of the ashes. He could sit here studying the fire all night and learn nothing more or nothing less from it. As he leaned forward to shift the dying coals with the fire poker he heard the door open. Looking over he saw Break enter the room and head toward him.

"Hello, Oz-boy. What are you still doing up at this time of night?" Break asked with his usual smile.

"Couldn't sleep? What about you? Shouldn't you be asleep as well?"

"Hahaha, you're funny Oz. I am much older than you despite how I look. The question is why such a young fellow like you would have trouble sleeping? Is what you learned from Jack keeping you awake?" Break's voice was sly. At once anger flared inside of Oz, though he made sure to keep it off his face. That man had always unnerved him and now he seemed to act so much like Jack that it made Oz sick. He could very easily see that Break was trying to throw him off in hopes of getting more information, but that would not work so easily on him anymore.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Break. And even if I did, why would I tell you whom I obviously can't trust," Oz spoke curtly, his voice dripping with polite sweetness to cover up the sting behind his words.

"I think both of us know that the one who can't really be trusted is you, Oz-boy. I may have lost my sight, but I still have not lost my wits and though I can tell you are all here now something still doesn't feel quite right about you,"

"You must be joking, Break. Perhaps you've lost more than you originally thought, to be suspicious of the person you still so desperately wish to continue using," Oz spoke with a soft laugh in his voice.

"Oh, I am not so naïve to be convinced by something as simple as appearances. I know for a fact that you are hiding it and I will find out what that is if it is the death of me. You forget, Oz-boy, that I am not as unfamiliar with secrets as I may lead you to believe," Break's voice held an odd amusement in it, as though he thought the idea of Oz keeping a secret was funny. Yet beneath the chuckle that accompanied his words was a cool, genuinely threatening tone. Still Oz was not concerned. Even if Break learned the truth, what use would he have of sharing it with others? Still he could not help, but worry. If this man really did find out about Oz that would only make him even more powerful when it came to Oz's fate. Oz would simply just have to match the man's bluff. Though for how long, was a mystery. Oz knew the others were not idiots. They would eventually catch on to what was occurring.

"Well I better get going to sleep," Oz finally spoke, dropping the fire poker that he still had clenched in his fist. With quiet steps he walked over to Alice and hoisted her onto his back. With a nod at Break as he passed him, Oz exited the room. Walking the hallway in silence he began to head to his room. Just as he passed by the fifth door to the right, it opened and Gil walked out rubbing his eyes.

"What are you doing Oz? Are you still awake?" Gil mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah, I was just heading there now. Alice fell asleep in the sitting room so I was taking her to her room," Oz said softly so as to not wake Alice.

"Oz I have been meaning to ask you, are you alright? You haven't been acting quite yourself since that day," As Gil spoke he looked deeply into Oz's eyes, his expression serious.

"Yeah I am fine. You must be imagining it. Anyway I better get to bed," Oz mumbled, feinting exhaustion with a nice little yawn punctuating the end of his words.

"Alright then…" Gil still gazed at him suspiciously, but let Oz continue while he headed off in the direction of the bathroom.

Oz sighed when he got out of earshot. Gil probably wouldn't remember this small conversation in the morning, the one he had to worry about was Break.

"It seems I am going to have to play a game of chess with that clown. In the end, whether he wins or I, it won't matter. It will only decide how long this little game of acting will last," Oz mumbled to himself as he opened the door, disappearing into his room with Alice still asleep on his back.

Oz sighed as Alice paced at his side. Gil stood a few feet away, pretending to be examining his gun as an excuse to ignore Oz. He had been like that since the day before. Just as Oz had expected the clown had been with Alice waiting for him. Now the three of them were on another one of Break's missions. As the stood waiting in one of the Illegal Contractor's favorite spots an uneasy silence hung over them.

"That's it! Why do we have to sit here waiting for that coward! Why don't we just go and take it out now! This is so freaking annoying!" Alice broke the silence the best way she knew how, complaining.

"Shut up you Stupid Rabbit! It will come when it comes!" Gil of course snapped back. Oz couldn't help, but sigh once more at the predictability of it. Sure enough the second he said that the chain appeared with its master. Yet this time the chain's gaze was not focused on Alice, whom Gil just released. Its gaze was focused straight on Oz as it howled.

"It is B. Rabbit! B. Rabbit is here!"

Alice immediately jumped to attack the chain, who took the form of a large deformed black dog with drooping jowls and large glittering teeth. Oz merely stood and watched as Alice worked with Gil backing her up. That was when his attention was drawn to the Contractor whom had stood a foot away from him, a gun aimed at Oz.

The Contractor was a young girl with honey blond hair pulled into braided pig-tails and brilliant blue eyes. Yet those eyes were filled with a crazed darkness.

"If I kill you that chain will disappear," the girl cooed half-crazy with the power of her chain.

Oz merely stared at her unfazed as he side stepped a bullet that went wising past his shoulder. With a large lung he grabbed the barrel, plugging it with his hand.

"Go ahead and shoot if you want, but you will go down with me," Oz mumbled to her.

At once her grip loosened on the gun and Oz was able to pull it away. In the same instant the girl threw out her leg to kick him, obviously in an attempt to escape. Yet Oz was ready. He caught the kick on the trigger. With a shove her pushed her off balance and pinned her under his weight as she hit the ground. At the same time Alice finished off the chain.

"No!" The girl gapped as she too was pulled down with the dying chain, her seal already at 12 o'clock. Oz had already pushed himself up and gotten out of the way. It would be troublesome if he were to get taken down with her while still contracted to Jack. He was only going to go back when Jack came with him.

As Oz watched the seen, Gil came over to him. He hadn't seen Gil since the fight had begun and by the look on his face, he knew Gil had witnessed everything with the girl.

"Where did you learn those moves?"

"Break taught me!" Oz said with a laugh. He knew that unless it became necessary Gil wouldn't go out of his way to ask Break if he indeed taught Oz. Still this would only work for so long. Oz knew that he would not have survived if he had not acted.

"Why are you two standing there like idiots? We are done! Let's go home so we can eat! I am starving!" Alice declared, charging off in the direction she assumed was home.

"Hey slow down you Stupid Rabbit! It is the other way!" Gil called, hurrying after her. Oz followed the two in silence, not really caring enough to actually pretend to be happy or interested in what was going on. He knew the Break had probably been keeping an eye on what was going on. Even though he was blind, he had no problem seeing what he wanted. After all this whole thing reeked of a test and Break was written all over it!

"Knowing him he is probably trying to justify his suspicions. He has no proof after all, other than a gut feeling. He probably doesn't even know what he is searching for. He is merely poking around blind, just waiting to see what comes up in the end," Oz mumbled to himself, his eyes watching carefully for the presence that was sure to be there.

"Hey Oz, what are you doing? You are so slow! Do you want to get left behind?" Alice called from the lead, already halfway up the street.

"Coming!" He called back as he ran to catch up. Break won't be able to figure things out that easily.

Alice opened her eyes. This marked the first day since Oz had disappeared with Jack. Her heart shook with pain, yet she didn't understand why. Every time she thought of him, she felt herself shivering with grief. Gil was not in a much better state. He had been shocked to the point where he literally had to be dragged away.

"Why! Why did this have to happen!" he had cried, hitting the ground. Break, whom had been next to him, just continued to look forward with startled surprise. Sharon tried her best to comfort Gil despite her tears.

Alice looked across the room, her mind eye imagining the smiling Oz. Why was it that she felt so utterly alone now? She hated to admit it, but Oz's brightness had always cheered her up… made her smile… Now her light was gone. Things hadn't felt so cold since her time in the abyss. I wonder how Oz must be feeling right now…

She couldn't help, but wonder if Oz was feeling the same way. She couldn't get that sad look in his eyes out of her head. His real eyes… She reminded herself that. When she saw that, Alice knew she had to save Oz from Jack anyway she could. But, how would the others think of her plan? No! That doesn't matter! I will save Oz like Oz always saved me!

.oOo.

Oz closed his eyes. Sure enough it had not even been 24 hours and Jack had already given him a headache. He refused to shut up, but luckily Oz had regained his ability to block him out. Still that didn't change the fact that his voice was constantly thrumming in his ear. That voice was once mine… Oz shook his head, pushing that thought away. The body he had inhabited while he was sealed for a time had never been his. It had been Jack's.

Oz walked forward, keeping pace with Jack who was absolutely happy to be living once more. As Oz continued on in his usual silence he couldn't help, but think of Alice. He had succeeded in saving her, but he wasn't sure that would be a good thing or not. After all knowing Alice she would be stupid enough to try to "save" him. Knowing full well there was nothing he needed to be saved from. This was his destiny, dictated by the actions of long ago. Nothing could stop the wheels of fate from turning.

I was always the Blood-stained Black Rabbit and I will always be him… No amount of wishes or prayers can change who or what I truly am…

.oOo.

Alice finally had to leave the bedroom and what she found in the sitting room was far from normal. Gil was pacing and playing with his gun, Sharon was frantically writing in what appeared to be a journal, and Break sat contemplating something; leaving Emily discarded on the table. As Alice stared at the scene she felt as though she was perhaps the only sane one left.

Tension crackled in the air and turned the room suffocating. A great foreboding hung over everyone as she entered. At once a slight hint of fear raced up her spine. What are they planning on doing?

As Alice stared she couldn't help, but feel the events were starting to spin out of control. At once she flinched as a familiar voice echoed in her head. With surprise she recognized it to be the voice of the real Oz. I can hear his thoughts!

Fate is like a wild fire that can't be tamed.

Blazing across an open field,

It burns everything in its path.

Without discretion,

Without thought.

I doesn't care who it takes out,

What dreams it turns to ash.

It just simply keeps moving forward,

It is truly cruel…

Alice woke to the sound of loud bangs. It had been a month since the truth had been revealed and she had fallen asleep in a chair in Oscar's office. She and Gil had come to tell Oscar what had happened to Oz after finally tracking him down a few days before. He had left on business and just returned to the country.

Gil and Oscar, whom were still talking looked up in surprise at the loud crash, soon followed by yells. The shots of gunfire and the blaze of commands resonate throughout the place. It is then that they all run out together to see what was happening. To their surprise and the surprise of many unsuspecting Pandora members a familiar face is seen.

The large black body of B Rabbit takes out many members; Jack in Oz's body sitting upon the rabbit's shoulder. With more chains than Alice could ever summon, lives are claimed at an immaculate rate. The chains swirl about, attacking and backing up his attacks, which come at a very fast rate. As he moves Alice can't help, but be surprised by his skill.

Oz B. Rabbit's movements are fast despite his size. As she watches him work, she knows at once that this is indeed the B. Rabbit whom all those Pandora horror stories were about. Yet she is distracted from her thoughts by the click of the gun being set to be fire from right next to her. As she turns, she sees Gil standing to face the creature. His eyes are bitter with pain, grief, and hatred. He has really convinced himself that is not Oz. His face looks as though he is facing the monster that killed Oz rather than Oz himself.

With a slight grimace, Gil shot, the bullet piercing a whole into Oz B. Rabbit's ear. Jack flinches, touching his ear gingerly, before glaring wholeheartedly at Gil. As Alice stares into the blank eyes of Oz, she wills herself to hear his thoughts like she had done that one day. Ever since that day she had not heard it, yet that didn't stop her from praying that would. Yet all she got was emptiness.

Oz turned and faced Gil, his scythe held at ready to kill Gil where he stood. Switching hands, the black rabbit charged at Jack's apparent command. Alice flinched as she heard the grating noise of the scythe rubbing up against the gun. Sparks flew as Gil struggled to get the gun around to shoot him. It was then that Alice knew she had to stop this.

"Oz! What are you doing you idiot! Letting that fool control you, tsk, that is not the Oz I know! The Oz I know is not so weak minded!" Alice yelled, anger lacing her words and blocking out all the fear. You know taunting him is not a smart thing to do, right? Are you trying to get yourself kill? Alice gritted her teeth at those words. It appeared the Will of the Abyss decided now to be a good time to harass her. Not that it really matter, but it only pissed Alice off even more. Shut up! I don't have time to deal with you right now!

"What the hell are you doing! Are you really so stupid! This is a monster! There is no use in reasoning with him!" Gil growled at her. Alice flinched, feeling as though someone had just stabbed her with a frozen pin straight into the heart. With surprise she looked up at Oz. The pain was a visible gleam in her eyes. That surely got through to him!

Yet sure enough within minutes that feeling and that gaze was gone. Alice was shocked. How did he get over such a cruel thing so quickly! That was when she realized it. He must be blocking it out!

"Hey Gil," Alice spoke confidently with a smirk plastered onto her face.

"What!"

"I have a plan…"

.oOo.

Oz had closed his mind to the outside world. Whatever was said could not affect him. Or so he thought. Yet as he heard Gil's comment, he couldn't help the slip on that tight mental block he had built for himself. Pain flared through him white hot. But just as fast he was able to close that door right back up, his eyes regaining their blank contrast.

Even so, the tight control he had on his mind did nothing against the barrage of insults. That barrage threatened to knock down the wall in his mind completely. Every taunt about his short comings, every refusal aimed toward his existence, every cruel jab at what he was. All of them were like needles placed into his back. His anger threatened to over whelm him. It was then that everything broke apart. One comment from Alice, that was all it took for his wall to shatter completely, sweeping with it the slight understanding of his place in the world.

"I can't believe I ever trusted such a monster to be my manservant! What is worse is that I actually had feeling for that thing! That useless creature that is nothing more than an idiotic killing machine!" Alice spoke which a voice of pure ice.

That was when his whole world came crashing down.

.oOo.

Alice winced inwardly as the final insult left her lips. With eyes holding hard against tears, she saw his eyes. They were filled with horrified disbelief. The sorrow, too, was more prominent. It had been a pain to get Gil to agree to her plan, but when he did it, he did it well. Still she couldn't help the hollowness in her chest. His eyes. It makes it appear as though I just destroyed his world. Like I shattered his heart. Those eyes.

"Wow I never knew you could be so evil Alice. He has been fighting for you this whole time and you just said the cruelest thing you could to him." Jack chuckled as he spoke, his eyes sparkling with amusement and glee. Alice felt sick as she stared at him. He was obviously enjoying this.

Yet before she could think of anything else, she heard the scream. Oz's scream! Wheeling around she saw the large rabbit shifting into a young man once more. The young man's face was twisted in pain, clutching his head as though he had a headache.

"No… No. No. No. No. No. No…" he wailed, tears pouring from his ruby eyes that glittered with horror. Jack, who had landed next to him, just merely watched with curiosity.

"It seems he has lost it… again… He did the same thing when he learned of Alice's death. I surely hope he can get a hold of himself. It would be bad if he repeats what happened last time," Jack spoke, his voice far away and almost thoughtful. Alice felt a big lump form in her throat.

"W-what did he do last time?"

Jack's eyes glinted at her question, but he contented himself with merely saying, "You will see if things go that far."

.oOo.

"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why do you hate me?"

"It is because you are a monster! I didn't want this! I didn't want to be you! Yet I had to! Why did I even have to remember being you in the first place!"

"Because I am the real you, that is why you had to remember me!"

"That is not reason enough for it! Just admit it! You wanted to be acknowledged! Yet for that we both have been turned into killers!"

"We were killers all along! It is in our existence! So why must you blame me for doing what is natural!"

"I was a Chain from the beginning, yet I lived a life of a human! I didn't kill! So don't say it was natural! It is merely something you chose!"

"I didn't choose it! You think if I had a choice I would have ever followed the orders of that man!"

"Still it doesn't change the fact that you did!"

"It was not my fault!"

"If you were not doing everything you were told, you could have saved her!"

"No!"

"You were the one who used your power to revive her as a Chain!"

"No!"

"You were the one who tainted her!"

"No!"

"You are the reason she died!"

"No! No! No! No! NOOO!"

.oOo.

Alice grabbed Jack by the collar of his shirt.

"Tell me what is going on before I kill you!" Alice glared eye to eye with him. Yet even so he seemed unfazed.

"He is merely fighting with his human side,"

"What does that mean!"

"It is just as I said. His human memories and his Chain memories are clashing. Either one will win and come out in control or both will destroy each other in the clash. Basically he is self-destructing," Jack smiled and Alice resisted the urge to slap him! How dare he find amusement in this!

With anxiety reflecting in her eyes from her heart, she gazed over at Oz. Please make it out safe and still be you! That is my wish! I want you to be you again!

The boy looked at the girl with long brown hair. He had no idea who she was; nor who he was for that matter. Yet her face looked strikingly familiar and left him with a great sense of nostalgia. At his question the girl's shock was visible.

"This was what I feared. It seems that my guess was correct," A voice sighed from behind the girl.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" The girl asked in a worried tone.

"It seems that his human memories and his Chain memories destroyed each other in their clash,"

"What?"

"Basically he doesn't have memories anymore. They have all been shattered and will take a while to come back, if they ever do,"

The boy blinked at their words. Even though he understood what they were saying, the words made little sense to him. He longed to ask them what they were talking about, but there was another even more important question longing to be asked.

"Who am I?"

.oOo.

Alice's head snapped back over toward Oz as the he spoke. Oh no!

"Um… if it is your name you are talking about it is Oz," She mumbled uncomfortable. What a mess things had turned. At this rate I will never get Oz back!

Gil just stared at the boy, disbelief prominent in his face.

"What am I supposed to do about this?" He asked, his question directed at Glen yet he, along with Leo's body, were already gone. His annoyance flared and his cold glare found its way to Oz.

"U-um… If I did anything to you that I don't remember I am sorry! I am really sorry! Just please don't kill me!" Oz stammered his eyes filled with worry and fear. That seemed to soften Gil up, for he smirked with amusement flashing in his eyes.

"I won't kill you, at least not now… but don't think that puts you in the clear," Gil spoke sharply. In response Oz nodded vigorously. Meanwhile Alice had no idea how to react to this. This, this oddness, was almost too much for her.

"W-well, we better get out of here Gil, before things turn even more complicated," Alice elbowed Gil as she spoke, almost obnoxiously.

"Yeah, we probably should Alice," Gil growled back, pushing her away. Oz just simply stared at the two, wide eyed as they fought. Only when Oscar rose did the two quiet down.

"Are you alright Oz?" Oscar asked. His worried expression and obvious concern outweighed his unease. Yet, even so, Oz merely stared back blanking. He is not Oz! Right now he is little more than a vegetable! Alice's disbelief clung to her like super glue. Why couldn't things go right for once! She finally got Oz back and he is not even really Oz anymore. The disappointment was like a cloud that she couldn't push away. Still, it was better than nothing. At least he is no longer suffering… at least he can be himself again… that is all that really matters…

"Um… a… a… I am not sure…" Oz mumbled, bewildered, but he did recover himself rather quick. Jumping up, he ran over to Oscar.

"You don't look good sir! Let me help you!" he spoke panicked as he moved to help support Oscar's weight. Though Oscar did his fair share of denying the need for help, he finally gave in.

"Alright you can help me, but on one condition. You must call me Uncle Oscar, understand?" Oscar smiled as he spoke, his tone playful and working hard to mask his worry.

"Um… alright… Uncle Oscar?" The attentive nature in which he spoke left Alice unnerved, but she pushed those feelings away. Oscar, meanwhile, smiled despite the awkwardness. That was when Alice's patience ran out.

"Are we going to go or are we going to stay and chat like old maids!" Alice snorted, charging off, though on the inside she her stomach was churning. The whole place smelled of blood and it made her sick. The sooner she could leave this place, the sooner it would be nothing more than a terrible memory. Once she left she could push it away, but with it in front of her it just felt too recent. So, without care toward whether the others followed her or not, she left that place behind; hopefully forever.

In the middle of the night when all was silent, the silence was disrupted like a pebble cast into a stagnant pool. The ground quaked with the trepidation, as the ones with cloaks of blood descended upon the naked black sky. Time no longer held its breath waiting for them to make their move. Hiding was over. Now, with hearts of hatred, they would end the threat once and for all…

.oOo.

Oz quickly turned his head, his stomach churning with unease for a reason he didn't know. A great foreboding hung in the air. It reminded him of the calm before the final storm, the one to wash the world clean. Looking out the window, he could almost see the figures clad in shadow. How he knew they were coming, he didn't know. Heck he didn't even know who they were. Yet no matter how he berated himself, the feelings didn't end. This is the starting of a very long and dark night…

A scream pierced through the cold darkness, stirring Oz from his sleep. He didn't even realize he had dozed off. Panic filled him as he lay sprawled on the ground with night crowding his vision and a familiar scream echoing inside his ears. Jumping up, he made a run for the next room over. With urgency in his mind, he hoped he made it there in time while simultaneously not understanding the reason to hope such a thing.

With a grunt of effort, Oz slammed into the large oak door, forcing it open. What he saw playing out in front of him was something out of a nightmare. Alice was holding her shoulder where blood trickled from a deep gash. Gil was in the corner with his back against the wall. His head was bent, but Oz could see the clotting blood in his hair. In front of the two was a pretty woman with pink hair and eyes of the same rosy color. Yet there was nothing sweet about her.

"Hello brat. So glad you could make it," she purred with cold amusement. The very sound of it sent his blood on chill. Alice immediately turned to him, her eyes like two violet flames.

"Don't just stand there like an idiot! Run!" Alice called out before her shout were silenced by a slap to the face. The woman stood, brandishing a pair of ordinate scissors.

"Be quiet or do you wish for your life to end the same way as last time?"

The room spun, the ice turning to adrenaline as heat made him feel on fire. Whether it was from panic or fear, he didn't know. One minute he is watching the scene. The next he is before his wall, thrusting his fists against it. "You know what is going on, right!? You know why I feel the way I do, right!? So come out and help me! Stop hiding things from me!" he screamed out into the open space, hitting harder and harder until a voice answered him. It was low and resonated around him, the tones so new yet familiar at the same time. "Even without memories, you are still Oz, still me. Are you sure you want to give up ignorance so soon after regaining it? I, your true self, hold a very bloody name."

Oz felt about ready to burst. What the voice said made no sense and seems content to ramble on and on while Alice was thrown in danger. He didn't even try and question it. With stubborn persistence he continued to pound on the wall and plead for it to open. And slow, but sure, cracks began to spread, shattering the firm existence like glass. Coming through were so many thoughts and feelings that were his and his alone. Awakening as the person he was once more, he left the empty room behind.

.oOo.

Alice watched in awe as Oz's face morphed from the innocent mask to the Oz she knew. As he blinked his eyes and laid them on Lotti, cold fury poured from them. The sight worried her, but also reassured her. This is Oz alright.

Lotti appeared taken off guard by the change in him and he took that to his advantage. Alice watched as Oz drew his scythe and launched at Lotti. With the fight getting underway, she could sense the others of the Baskerville family moving about. She was only drawn back out of her thoughts when the woman clattered into the back walls. A large cut carved its way over her chest, slowly corroding her away.

"So easily? How?" Alice questioned under her breath, surprise at the quick and merciless defeat making her uneasy.

"Tonight it will all end. No more fighting. No more killing. Tonight peace will come from darkness at last," Oz's voice came from behind her. As she turned to look at Oz, she was surprised by the strength in his gaze. He seemed completely determined in a way that made her feel at ease. With him back, things will definitely be okay.

But Alice's reassurance was short lived. Energy rolled off of him in waves, his soul separating from his body. Beside her appeared the boy that was the human form of Oz when he was not in possession of Jack's body, his presence catching her off guard. She was even more shocked when Oz grabbed her hand, the two enveloped by dark violet light…

.oOo.

When Alice next opened her eyes she was in the Abyss, the broken fragments of the toy box splayed around her. Oz stood next to her, not meeting her gaze, but rather looking around. With a familiar anger bursting up in her, she kicked him. Even though he stayed upright, the message got through loud and clear.

"Why did you kick me Alice?"

"Why did you bring us here?" Alice answered, disregarding his question. She knew she was being difficult, but that didn't matter. The feeling here was all wrong. If he wanted to flee, why would he bring us to the Abyss of all places!?

"Like I said Alice, this all ends tonight,"