Title: Firefly
Pairing: Hatter/Alice
Rating : T for suggestive themes, violence, and language
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Alice belongs to syfy…the only thing I own is the mind that came up with this story. Kthxbai
Summary: A/U. David "Hatter" Maddison and Alice Hamilton were childhood friends and lovers once upon a time, but fates cruel ways tore them apart. Years later, David is a successful business owner, running a local jazz club in downtown New York, and Alice is living with her abusive boyfriend. As fate would have it, they meet again, but David quickly realizes this Alice is not the same Alice he once knew…this one was shy, reserved, and skiddish thanks to the years of abuse she's kept hidden deep inside. After so many years spent in the darkness, will David be able to bring her back out into the light again? will they be able to pick up where they left off?
A/N: I'm still writing "A candle in the dark"…This idea hit me real hard the other day, though, and its been on my mind like crazy so I have to write it down before it drives me bloody mad. I hope you enjoy it! Please review! It inspires me! :D
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Hatter!" A familiar voice called an equally familiar nickname. He turned around to see the form of a girl running towards him at full sprint. He couldn't believe his eyes. Had she really come all this way just to see him off? He dropped his bag and opened his arms just in time to catch her as she jumped into his embrace. He felt warm tears stream down his face as he held her. He knew his flight would be leaving soon and his parents wouldn't wait, so unfortunately, he couldn't hold her as long as he would have liked to. Hesitantly he pulled back from her, but her arms didn't leave their place. She seemed to have been fumbling with something. "Alice?" He asked curiously as her hands finally slipped their way around his neck and down his chest revealing what she had so cleverly hooked around his neck; a rope-like chain with the pendant of a Raven. At first he was slightly puzzled until she reached into her shirt, pulling out an identical chain only hers carried the pendant of a Top hat. He couldn't help but laugh incredulously. The story of Alices Adventures in Wonderland was the very thing that had brought them together in the beginning and was the reason for the nickname she had bestowed on him. She was his Alice and he was her Hatter…To others, it may have seemed odd but to them it made more than perfect sense.
God he would miss her…
"David! Lets go, honey, the flights about to take off!" He heard his mother call.
Without hesitating, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on her cheek and whispered "I'll come find you, someday…I promise."
"I'll be waiting." She responded and with a final hug, the young teenaged boy turned on his heel and walked away without looking back.
The Alarm rang loudly from his nightstand. Out of reflex, his arm darted out and slapped the accursed thing off, successfully knocking it to the floor in the process. Oh how he dreaded mornings…
With a groan, he climbed out of bed and stumbled his way into the bathroom.
The routine began.
Toilet, shower, brush teeth, brush hair, dress…
It was the same repetitive thing every day, but that's how life was when youre living in the Big Apple. Sure, living in a big city, there was pleanty of excitement, but these days he was a lone wolf, doing things on his own just trying to get by in this wilderness.
He finished dressing and took a moment to examine himself in the mirror. He was dressed rather casually in converse, dark jeans, a beige t-shirt and a brown open vest. Only one thing missing…ah yes! His ever present hat!
He opened his closet to reveal quite a large collection of hats…one to go with every possible combination of clothing. He settled with a brown fedora and returned to the mirror, observing himself as he placed it on his head. He looked good, but there was something else missing…what was it?
He scanned himself. He had everything so far…hat, shirt, vest, pants, wallet, pocket watch, car keys, cell phone…necklace!
How could he forget!
He quickly ran to his dresser and opened up the top left drawer. The drawer was empty, save for one small box he kept tucked away in hit. He removed the box and opened it, revealing a faded silver chain with the oh so familiar Raven charm. He smiled warmly at the trinket and removed it from its box to hook it around his neck. He had long ago switched the chain to something more masculine, but the Raven was the same. It was the charm that mattered after all.
He stared at it for a moment as it hung around his neck before tucking it away beneath his shirt.
After one last glance at himself in the mirror, he turned on his heel and headed towards the doorway.
The beauty of owning a nightclub was that he did not have to work until evening, but much like his morning routine he had a few things to take care of…like breakfast. Yes, breakfast was VERY important.
He shut the door to his apartment.
'Here we go again,' He thought to himself as he made his way outside.
David's morning went by as repetitive as always; Breakfast, shopping around for new teas, coffee's, and liquors for his business, Lunch, then off to his club to manage a few things such as checking stock and making sure the place was in good shape for the evening. Tonight was his busiest night. Every Friday night there would be live performances usually from local musicians or Jazz ensembles. Fridays were his favorite nights for that reason. Of course, the bar wasn't that busy on those nights because everyone was dancing, but he didn't mind. He loved kicking back, sipping a drink and watching his customers dance happily to the live music. In fact, thinking of it now put a smile on his face.
The roads were surprisingly clear for a Friday afternoon, but David was in no rush to get anywhere. He simply cruised down the road on the way to his club in his convertible BMW with the top pulled down. It was too nice of an afternoon to not use the fresh air.
He was a very well known and very well respected man in these parts. People recognized him almost everywhere he went and even now as he drove down the road he would receive greeting smiles and waves. A perfect way to make his day so much brighter than it already was.
The telltale sign which read "Black Cat Jazz Club and Lounge" came into view. He smiled and picked up the pace.
As he pulled into the employee parking lot, he noticed the vehicle of is assistant manager. Good, at least he wouldn't be alone. He entered through the back door and flipped on the lights.
The club was a fairly decent size. It could comfortably fit at least 400 people, but it was very rare that they had that many guests in one night. The bar area was separate from the dance floor, stage, and various seating areas. The bar was equipped with a wide variety of drinks, and one end was kept specifically for hot beverages such as coffee or tea. Perpendicular to the bar was a small stage set up with a single Microphone and a grand piano. In front of the stage was a wide open area, the dance floor, which was connected to the seating area equipped with small round tables and chairs, and against the wall were long couches and coffeetables. The walls were painted dark, earthy colors, giving it a humble and cozy look. The lighting was not too bright, not too dim, but just enough to set a calming mood. Artwork from local artists and photographers lined the walls, some of which were photographs David himself had taken. He was quite a talented photographer and loved taking pictures in his spare time, mostly of Natural scenery.
"March?" he called as he entered, "You here?"
"One blasted second!" a rugged voice called back he recognized as that of his assistant manager and good friend March McHarrigan. He was an Irishman with quite a rough tongue, but the thin man was all bark and no bite and David knew that very well. David was an Englishman himself and an extremely well mannered one at that, yet despite his gentle disposition, he did his bark justice with ten times more bite.
David busied himself with setting up the chairs and wiping down tables as he waited for his loudmouthed friend to finish up with god knows what the hell he was doing.
By the time he finished cleaning and organizing the last table, March emerged from a door in the far end of the building with a clipboard in his hand. David looked up at him with a cocked eyebrow, "now what were you doing in the wine cellar?"
The skinny man slapped his clipboard, "Just checkin the stocks, man. Ah do it at least once a week to make sure the goods are in order. You never notice cuz yous always poking around town and I finish before you get here, but its thanks to me none o' that's gotten stolen. We've got some valuable shit in here, somebody's gotta keep an eye on it ya know."
David rolled his eyes and chuckled, moving on to the bar, "Well come on. We've got some cleaning to do before we open this place up."
A/N: Please R & R! I knows it was probably boring, but I cant just jump into it, ya know, gotta lead the puppy slowly onto the road by the leash before taking it for a jog.