Page 92 of Madness

The moment the rumours started to circle Wonderland, I knew it would only be a moment before the news got back to White.

The need to protect Red thrums through my veins as I drag her back to my office, the others dragging along, and Hare rushes to get Bander from solitary.

I can’t chance bringing Al up, even if every part of me is screaming to do so.

This could be his baby, after all… it could be any of ours.

Red’s feet drag across the tiled floors, her face a pale white, and her hand clutched tightly in mine feels clammy.

“Red, my love, you need to try to stay calm until you take the test,” I say as we reach my office, “We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

Her eyes, wide with fear and confusion, lock onto mine. “I don’t know how this possibly could have happened. I get the shot. I can’t be pregnant, Jameson, I can’t. Wonderland is no place for a baby.”

“We’ll figure it oot, Mo ghràdh. We won’t let our baby grow up here in Wonderland,” Harry closes the door to my office once the twins are inside, and they all sit down, weighing our options.

I tighten my grip on Red’s hand, leading her around my desk and pull open the bottom drawer. The pregnancy test there glares back at me, and I fold it into her hands, nodding my head to the bathroom for her to take it, “I’ll be right behind you,” I say softly, kissing her forehead tenderly.

Bander arrives with Hare a moment later, his eyes darting around the room with worry.

“She’s in the bathroom,” I reassure him.

“She’s ok?”

I don’t answer him, instead making my way to the bathroom to check on Red.

I have no idea how we got here or how this happened, but I won’t let our baby be born inWonderland for White to take from us the moment it’s born.

She’s done everything she can to ruin Red’s life, and I can’t watch her do this to her – it would kill her, and I would lose her forever regardless.

I knock on the door, not waiting for an answer and enter my ensuite, where a terrified-looking Red sits on the toilet seat with the test clutched in her hand, “It’s positive,” she whispers in awe and terror, “It’s positive Jameson. I’m going to have a baby and I can’t be in here when I do…” her breathing picks up, coming in choppy pants, “I can’t… she’s going to take it from me… from us.”

I clasp her face in my hands, “Red, listen to me. I won’t let that happen, I promise you. I have a plan, but I need you to trust me.”

She stands and looks me in my eyes, “Always.”

“So?” the twins speak in unison, sitting side by side.

“Positive,” Red murmurs, just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

“Shit.”

“Shite.”

“We need to get you out.”

“What about Al?”

All the voices blend into one, and I can feel a migraine probing at the edges of my brain, “One thing at a time, please.” I guide Red over to the couch, settling her between Bander and Harry, and return to my desk, “I have a plan.”

“Well, whit is it?” Harry makes a rolling motion with his hand.

“First, we need to make sure no one suspects anything,” I continue, my voice steady despite the chaos brewing inside of me, “We’ll need to keep everything as normal as possible for the next few days while I plan everything.”

Bander nods, “I can get some of my odium poppy to knock the guards out if need be.”

I open the left side desk drawer, something I swore never to do, and punch in the code for Red’s birthday into the safe.

The obnoxious beep sounds throughout the room, gaining everyone’s attention, and I pull the safe door open, the book entrusted to the warden before me staring back at me.

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