"Mally… wake up, Mally!"

Mallymkun the Dormouse heard the urgent voice as if from very far away. He squinched his eyes more tightly shut. Waking up was never something that he enjoyed, or at least it hadn't been lately, though the reason why eluded his sleep clouded mind.

"Mally!"

"No…" Mally felt himself hurtling towards awareness as part of his mind tried to tell him who was waking him up and why it was important that he do so. "Thackery…"

"Mally – we're back," Thackery whispered.

Mally's heart skipped a beat. He opened his eyes and stared. His vision blurred then came sharply into focus all at once. A set of mismatched green and purple eyes were shining in the semi-darkness. Evening was falling and moonbeams through the window lit Thackery's face. Dark hair spilled over his forehead and cheeks. His sweet, pink lips curved into a smile, and frantic excitement lit those dazzling eyes.

Thackery Earwicket, the March Hare. Mally's husband. A surge of affection flooded Mally and helped clear the cobwebs from his mind. He lifted his hand to touch one of Thack's long, soft teal bunny ears, listening with satisfaction as the Hare's breath hitched. Catching a glimpse of his own pale fingers, Mally came to a stunning realization.

"You're human. I'm human! Thack – we're human again!"

"Well," said Thackery, flicking his ear under Mally's touch, "Mostly."

"This means—this means—"

"It means I can do this again," Thackery whispered. He pressed his mouth down on the Dormouse's. Wet heat spiraled through Mally as he parted his lips and kissed Thackery back with abandon, grabbing on, holding him tightly. Joy engulfed him as a rush of memory flashed through him, bringing back every step they had taken to arrive at this moment.

This was the second time. Mally wasn't quite sure when they had changed from mouse and hare to people the first time, but it had happened so that Alice could bring them out of Wonderland to play in the Mad T Party band, at the California Adventure park. He was the guitarist and Thackery played the bass. Alice and Tarrant, the Mad Hatter, sang. The caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat played keyboards and drums respectively.

Mally cringed at the thought of Chessur. The cat had tried to kill him more than once. Apparently Mally was irresistibly delicious.

The band had lasted two and a half years. He and Thack had fallen in love and gone through many trials and tribulations to be together (many of which caused by the cat.) They had survived, they had settled down, and then… then…

Mally trembled.

Winter had arrived.

It had started off as a joyous time. There was Christmas on the way, and carols to sing, and snow that filled the air during their shows. Alice and Tarrant had planned a Christmas wedding, since their first wedding had been…interrupted. There was going to be a huge party, and champagne, and Thackery had promised to get him a wheel of the fanciest cheese he could find. Everyone had seemed happy, even the taciturn caterpillar and the horrible cat.

Then came the meeting.

The band had been called to the Lily Room in the Conference Center of the Grand Californian Hotel where they lived in between band shows. Managers from the park had been waiting, some dour faced, others with genuine pity reflected in their faces. The band's contract had ended and they were to return home at once. Only Wonderland wasn't home any more, and Mally didn't want to go back. He remembered clutching Thack's hand, fear making him tremble.

"At least we will be together," Thackery had said. "All of us."

"I'm not allowed to go," Alice had whispered.

Chessur and Absolem had to hold Tarrant back from the managers. The Hatter's fury burned as brightly as his red hair.

"No!" he had cried, "I won't leave you, Alice."

The managers opened the portal. A swirl of green and purple fog blasted through, and Mally felt himself staggering towards it against his will. Thackery squeezed his hand even tighter, trying to hang on.

"I can renegotiate the contact!" Mally heard Alice shout. "Don't lose hope, Tarrant! Wait for me! Wait!"

Absolem turned and walked into the portal, disappearing into the fog, leaving Chessur to steer Tarrant through. Mally saw tears on the March Hare's cheeks. Alice was his best friend.

"This is wrong!" Mally shouted over the roar of the wind. Thackery tripped over his own feet, letting go of Mally's hand. He stumbled backwards and disappeared into the fog. Mally cried out his name, then began to follow. He turned back and looked at Alice. Her face was stamped with fear and she took a step towards him. "Alice! Do it! Just come!"

He began to recede into the fog, his eyes locked on the pale young woman. Alice took another step, then bolted across the conference room towards Mally. Mally felt the force of the wind dragging him through the portal, but he reached out his hand to Alice, trying to grab hold of her.

In the same instant, there came an icy blast of blinding white. Mally couldn't say if it had come from Alice, or himself, or the Return to Wonderland. He saw a bright light flash and envelop Alice, then he was falling backwards and down…down… down…

The fall seemed to last an eternity. Mally wasn't even sure if he had been conscious the whole time. He opened his eyes, looked up to see the others looming around him… but something was wrong.

Alice had not come through.

Even worse, they had all changed.

The animals became animals. The caterpillar was a small blue insect. Only Tarrant remained as he had been in California. Mally wiggled his tail, and ran his paws over his large, round ears. He looked up at the March Hare, more than twice his size, and came to a terrible realization.

"Thack," he squeaked, "This is really going to ruin our sex life!"