Summary: Just the way I would have liked the movie to have ended with a twist.
Set right after the last scene of the movie. (SPOILER!)
O Captain! My Captain!
"Good day, Absolem", Alice heard herself say and watched the blue butterfly fly away into the soft breeze that now caressed her face.
It had been a year since she'd returned from Underland and she hadn't forgotten. How could she? Every night her mind brought her back to the colorful, mad, curious but wonderful land that she'd saved. And each night she saw his face.
The Mad Hatter, Tarrant Hightopp, oh yes, she remembered. How could she forget him? He'd been the best friend she'd ever had and even though he was completely bonkers, no one had ever touched her heart like he did. How many times had she woken and just wanted to jump up and go back, find him and tell him what she hadn't even realized when she left. That he might be the only one she could ever truly love.
"O Captain, my Captain", she heard a voice behind her.
"I'm no captain", she said, still facing the ocean in front of her but not really seeing it as her head was still with the Hatter.
"Well, I'm to your service anyway", the voice said again and she heard he person approach.
Finally, she turned around and at first, a second after the air returned back to her lungs as she'd remembered to breath she thought her mind was playing a trick on her but now, taking a closer look she was dead sure.
This was him. And then again, not. His hair was black, slick, short, his eyes a warm chocolaty brown, his skin was pale but not white, his clothes was a simple gray suit but that face...these cheek-bones, the smile, the look in his eyes.
"Hatter", Alice almost hadn't noticed that she'd spoken until she heard the word come out and caused her opposite to look puzzled.
"Excuse me?", the man said.
"You're the Mad Hatter", she repeated, she insisted. Had he forgotten her?
"Er...Miss Kingsley, I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about", he said wryly.
"Then who are you?", she snapped before she could hold it back.
"My name is Charles Winters, I'm assigned to be your assistant for the length of this journey and beyond if you are pleased with my work", he informed her kindly and held out his hand for her to shake.
After a second of hesitation she took it and stepped down to be closer to him. She took a good look at his features and was as sure as ever that she stood before the 'normal' version of her Hatter and his eyes were ever so vividly, as if they were talking to her, telling her she was right.
She was sure it was him, but what were the odds? Maybe he'd come up and, just like she did before, had forgotten all about her. Maybe she needed to make him remember.
"Tell me, Mr. Winters, are you bonkers?", she asked narrowing her eyes, piercing him with her stare.
"I guess I am, Miss Kingsley, as I have once been told that all the best people are"
FIN