A/N: This takes place inside chapter 39 of 'Forever'… you'll know where. I included a bit of text from that chapter to set the stage. I very much hope you like this… has been a while since I did one of these, but Alice and Hatter needed this… in more ways than one. You'll see what I mean.


Sorted

Alice and Hatter lay back on the bed in what used to be Alice's bedroom. It was largely unchanged from when she'd lived here, aside from being stripped bare of all of the things that identified it as hers. It now seemed more like a guest room than anything else, but then again, that's what it was now. At least some of here things were still around… it had come in handy. It seemed like disaster and tragedy were so much a part of their lives that keeping a spare set of clothes at her mother's wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"Is it always going to be like this with us? One horrible thing after another? It seems like every time we have something going well for us, you get hurt, or I get kidnapped-"

"Was me this time, love," Hatter countered.

She sighed, not taking the opportunity to lighten the mood as had been his intent, "You know what I mean."

Hatter cleared his throat, but didn't speak. After a long minute he answered, "I'm sorry."

"No! No, that's not what I meant at all. I just wish that life didn't have to always be so hard for us," Alice hurried to explain.

Hatter scoffed, "Alice, as long as I've got you, nothin' is all that hard, okay? We'll get through this, like we do everything, won't we? Damage in the shop isn't that serious, our flat is fine, and Dodo is safely banged up." He stroked his hand through her hair, hoping that his touch calmed her as much as her touch calmed him.

"Yeah," She turned her head up to kiss his stubbled jaw, "You're right… this time," she groused. She smiled to herself, "This is a little bit different than the first time you stayed the night."

He hummed his agreement, smiled wickedly and ran his hand up her thigh, "Yep. Now you'll let me do this."

She stilled his hand, "Not when my mom is home!"

Hatter traced circles on her thigh with his fingertips, "Of course not, love," he murmured in her ear, his voice pitched low.

"No. I mean it. Don't try that low sexy voice with me," Alice admonished.

He chuckled, brushed his lips over her earlobe, "Sexy voice? M' just talking to ya, Alice," he countered, his accent thickening.

"See… you're doing it now… and if my mother hears us-"

"You'll not want me to do this, then?" he asked as his fingertips ran up the inside of her thigh and brushed over her tiny blue knickers.

Alice's breath caught in her throat, "Hatter…" She tried for a chastising tone, but it came out as more of a plea.

He purred happily and traced a circular pattern on the thin fabric as he proceeded to tell her exactly what he wanted to do to her in exquisite detail. Alice found her reluctance fading with each heavily accented word, his hot breath warming her already flushed skin. He knew it drove her wild when he talked dirty to her… this really was not playing fair. If her mother heard them, she'd never be able to look her in the face again. Carol was progressive, and she fully understood what went on between the two of them, but that did not equate to her wanting to hear it actually transpire. If Alice were honest, it was more about having to face her mother than the other way around. The end result was the same, though. She did not want her mother to overhear her having sex. Period. Ever.

Hatter kissed a trail down the line of her throat, his perpetual two-day stubble scratching deliciously against her delicate flesh. His fingers feathered and teased, although they stayed outside of her underwear, the pressure so light that it wakened desire but gave not a modicum of relief. She thought about warning him off again, but couldn't find it within her to tell him no. His body was hard and hot, pressed to hers, his lips so soft against her skin, and he knew just how and where to kiss her. She shivered at the murmured words against her neck; his spare hand ghosted up the line of her hip, over her ribcage and then cupped her breast. He gently thumbed her nipple, teasing the head peak.

"You still want me to stop?" he asked.

Alice fisted her hand in his thick hair and gave it a playful tug, "Would you?"

He made a noise of amusement, "You first."

She stared at the throbbing vein in the side of his neck.. a blatant declaration of the desire beating in his veins, and gave a long lick up the line of his throat to his ear. She caught the lobe in her teeth and bit gently. His breath quickened, gooseflesh broke out on his body as she gave a wet open-mouthed kiss to the sensitive skin just behind his ear, "If my mother hears us… you will pay," she warned.

He gave a breathless chuckle, "And that's a bad thing?"

Alice tweaked his nipple hard enough to make him yelp, "Your turn," she reminded him as she licked his nipple to take away the sting.

"I… what was the question?"

She smiled wickedly and took his nipple between her teeth and tugged. His hips thrust upwards in a small motion of their own accord as he breathed a soft curse.

"I asked if you'd stop."

"Alice, love… I think I might explode if I did." He flashed a dimpled grin, "Besides... you want this."

Alice bit down again, startling a cry from him before she raised her head to meet his gaze. His eyes shined in the semi-dark, the color swallowed in the darkness, but she could see plain enough to read the bemused expression on his face. "That's not what I asked. If I told you to stop…" she ground herself against the rock-hard erection straining against the fabric of his sweatpants, "right now… would you stop?" she challenged.

He squeezed his eyes shut but when he opened them again, his face was serious, "What game is this, Alice? You know I would. What is this about?"

"Just checking…" she pressed a sweet kiss to his lips, and then deepened it to take that slightly confused and worried look off his face. She knew she'd have to explain it later, because Hatter never missed a thing.

God, the man could kiss, soft lips and talented tongue… she always felt a little lightheaded afterwards. His arms tightened around her as he kissed her like she was his air. Need and desire and love warmed her from the inside out and she couldn't imagine ever telling him no when he was like this. It made her feel a little foolish that this man could so easily render her pliant and incapable of ever denying him. He just had to touch her or give her one of those hot looks with those dark chocolate brown eyes, and she melted instantly. It made her feel a little better about her self-respect that he'd said he would stop if she asked… and she believed him absolutely, but she'd never put it to the test in all the time she'd been with him.

He broke off, sensing the conflict going on inside of her, "Alice… I meant it. If you don't want this-"

He felt like he was drowning in the wake of what had happened to them, and Alice was his lifeline. He needed to touch her, to feel her, in order to reassure himself that he still possessed what was truly important. Alice. He'd built himself up so many times in the past only to see his entire life destroyed; he'd gotten to the point where he'd not even believed he had a right to it, but the one thing he could not bear losing was Alice. He'd leave it all behind all over again, as long as he had her.

He pulled her down to rest on his chest and sighed, "S'okay love."

He told his body to calm down, they had all the time they needed. His cock was so hard it was painful, but he'd not hurt Alice for the world. If this was all she wanted from him, he would give it.

She heard him struggle to slow his breathing; he'd meant it. Her body was still tingling and needy and she wondered why she was choosing here and now to make a point to herself, and why she was making Hatter pay the price of it. She thought back to all the times she'd initially told Hatter no; it was a mere handful. Of all those times she'd given in, she'd not once ever truly wanted to say it; it had always been more a matter of being at an inconvenient time. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her… and maybe that was okay. She was being stupid about this, and she knew it. She wanted him. No. She needed him, and she knew he needed her.

She pressed a soft kiss to his chest, then another and another… this time opening her mouth so she could taste his skin, salty and smooth beneath her tongue.

"Alice…" he shuddered, "Please… I'm not made of stone."

She swirled her tongue around his small flat nipple as she traced a path down his body to his rock hard cock, "I beg to differ." He growled low in his throat as her hand closed around him through far too many layers of clothing.

"You want me?" she asked.

"Every second of every day…" he rasped, his reply immediate and decisive. His fingers dug into her back, "Alice please, if you don't want me don't-"

"I want you."

He froze at her words, the air slamming out of his lungs. He pulled her fully over top of him. His arms came around her like a vice as he fastened his mouth over hers, kissing her hungrily. He didn't know what that had been about, and at the moment, he was finding it difficult to care. All he wanted was to be inside Alice, and he fervently wished they were in their own home so he could do so properly… so thoroughly and so completely that she'd scream his name loud enough to shake the pictures from the walls. As it was, he planned to do his best to keep it quiet, as he'd promised. He hoped he could fulfill his end of it.

He tugged her t-shirt off, his mouth feeding upon her before he'd even gotten it all the way removed. Alice ground against his hard erection, his moan of pleasure vibrating against her skin. She wanted to be skin on skin with him, to feel his lean body against hers, his clever hands touching her. Alice pushed away long enough to quickly divest Hatter of his clothing, tear off her panties, and then she straddled him again. She stifled her moans of pleasure as Hatter laved the expanse of her chest with his tongue, almost forgetting where she was.

His hands moved on her body, kneading and caressing as they traded hot kisses on mouths and bare skin, coming together in a frenzy of need. Alice bit back a whimper when his clever fingers found her hot core… he circled and flicked, an intricate pattern that left her gasping. She shifted so that her arousal-slick labia was pressed against his cock. This was something she knew drove him wild… to feel how wet and ready she was for him. His eyes rolled back in his head, he gave a bone deep shudder, a low moan escaped through his clenched jaw. He resumed his ministrations in earnest… he would not be able to hold back for long at this rate, but he wanted her more than ready for him. Alice rolled her hips, riding him harder. He had to bite his fist to keep from crying out her name.

Alice took advantage of the distraction to impale herself onto his thick shaft. She knew if Hatter had his way, she'd be on orgasm number two or three before he entered her. She couldn't wait for it. Not this time. She heard the tendons in his hand pop as he clenched his fist tighter; she worried he might draw blood as he bit down harder. He filled her completely, his girth stretching her deliciously, almost to the point of pain. His brow creased in concentration as he struggled for some semblance of control; she'd taken him completely by surprise. After a moment, he gripped her hips and surged into her, slow and deep.

His name fell from her lips; she loved to watch him. Unashamed of her fascination, she watched the play of muscle under soft flesh as he moved beneath her. His stomach bunched as he thrust into her, the cords of wiry muscle stood out on his upper arms and chest as he tilted her hips to meet his in that perfect angle. Sweat beaded on his smooth chest, gathered on his upper lip and dripped down his forehead, sticking dark wet strands of hair in place. Still, he kept the same torturously slow and deep rhythm. Alice didn't think she could smother her cries of pleasure for much longer. Little breathy whimpers escaped her each time he ground his pelvic bone against her clit at the apex of each stroke. It was maddening, intoxicating, and she was nearly delirious with ecstasy.

Hatter fought the urge to close his eyes and let the pleasure wash through him. He wanted to see Alice come undone; he loved seeing her body move with his, loved watching as he slid inside of her, loved seeing waves of pleasure course through her body, seeing it transform her face into something ethereal and more beautiful than this world had a right to hold… and she was his.

"Mine," he breathed, giving voice to the thought.

Alice laughed softly, planted the palm of her hand flat against his chest, locked his gaze with hers and squeezed his cock as tightly as she was able with her internal muscles.

"Fuck! Alice…" he pleaded.

"Mine," she countered and squeezed him tightly again.

His body convulsed, his fingers digging into her hips so hard she felt the crescents of his short fingernails parting her skin, "Yes," he conceded helplessly. If she did that to him again he'd be shouting whether her mum heard or not.

He pulled her down flush against his body and slanted his mouth over hers to swallow both her cries and his own. He winced as her arm came in contact with his injured shoulder; she began to pull away, but he held her tightly against him.

"S'nothing. Kiss me," he whispered, his lips a hairsbreadth from hers.

Alice pressed her lips to his, breathed his air into her lungs and lost herself to his embrace. The new angle turned the slowly building warmth into an inferno. Her whole body flushed and tingled, heat burning through her veins. Hatter spoke her name against her lips, a soft keening cry that told her he was holding on by a thread. One more deep thrust and she was spiraling out of control, with the first ripple of orgasm Hatter joined her. Hatter shook beneath her, his iron control slipping away completely. If it were not for Alice's mouth on his to muffle their cries, not only would Alice's mum hear them both, but likely the neighbors, as well. They rode through it together, their joining powerful, tender and fierce. Hatter had been right to want this, Alice mused.

Alice rested her forehead on his, wrung through but happy and sated. "You've made my bedroom smell like sex and sweat," she complained.

Hatter laughed, not his usual amused chuckle but an all out laugh, "There are worse things, love."

Alice giggled, "I say we raid the shower and blame it on smoke smell from the fire."

"Sorted," Hatter agreed, and kissed her again.

Alice echoed his declaration with a soft smile. Yes. She'd certainly gotten herself 'sorted.'

END


A/N: Hope you enjoyed this! So, much needed internal revelations and silly expectations, yeah? Remember, smut needs love, too (and reviews.) I take anon posts *grins* if you're a wee bit shy.