-1 I begged for him not to leave. For him to let me just go and confront the queen. Leave him out of this. He had done enough. He shouldn't have to hide for the rest of his life because of me. Yet, he left.

He said that talking to the Caterpillar was the best idea. If hadn't returned before night fall I was given permission to do as I wished. He went off to send the message leaving me and Charlie at the camp.

Charlie tried to keep me entertained for a while telling me stories about the knights and about his experience as a squire to the original White Knight. He seemed so happy living in the past. I could see the sparkle in his eye as he explained to me how he had created all these inventions too to help the knights.

After some time I could no longer sit through another one of Charlie's stories about his glorious years as a night. So as politely as I could manage I excused myself from his presence, which he very generously granted me. He didn't seem to have any offence to my leaving.

I started to walk down a path on the edge of the camp. I wasn't planning to go very far. I just needed to be able to think without Charlie asking me what was wrong.

I wanted Jack back. I know that Hatter was not in agreement with me. He wanted me to forget about Jack. The problem was that I had already lost one man that I truly cared about, I was not going to lose this one.

I wanted for me to be able to go home where everything made sense. To no longer stand in this world that was based on a fairytale. Though Hatter made it very clear that what I was experiencing was far from a fairytale. But I had no other way of explaining what was happening to me.

I wanted to be able to allow Hatter and Charlie with the life they had before I arrived. I just needed to find a way to get back home.

At the top of the hill I could see all of Wonderland. It was amazing. I couldn't even describe the scene if I tried. It was perfect. The exact image that could only be created for a fairytale.

The sun was slowly climbing in the sky down to hide behind the trees. Ruins of Charlie's once beautiful chess board kingdom peaking above the leafy treetops.

This place was a whole lot different than New York. New York was always cold and people were constantly in a rush to get somewhere. Wonderland was warm and very serene, well, when there was no Mad March chasing after you.

I lost all train in thought looking out over Wonderland. I had even forgotten why I had come up here to begin with. I wish that I could capture this one moment forever because within this one moment I felt free and calm. Nothing in the world seemed to be able to bother me. A great escape for me.

"Boy that hills steep." And there he was. He had returned as promised. I could see accomplishment on his face. Behind that I could also read some worry. Was he really worried about me? I couldn't think of why. If it wasn't for me he wouldn't have to deal with Mad March or even having to leave his tea shop.

"Are you really going to fight?" He was easy as reading a book. I could see the bravery and certainty in his face. He knew it was what he was meant to do. However, he wasn't that type of person.

Hatter was more of the type to be deceiving, not the front of the line fighter. Though, he would do anything to protect me. Like Jack never did.

Maybe I was looking for the wrong person. Maybe to one person a really needed was helping me all along.