Author's Note - The following is my 50th story to be published to FFN! And to think I've been here since 2005 (that's only like 10 stories a year, lol). So, I hope everyone enjoys this little oneshot as much as I enjoyed writing it. Honestly, I couldn't be more thrilled that this was the thought I was inspired with for my 50th piece to be published. In case there's any confusion, in this piece, Alice has returned to Underland and she and Tarrant are already a romantic item. I guess given the time period, courting would be the appropriate term :) BTW, sorry if the section dividers are ugly. FFN really makes it so difficult to "professionally" divide off sections and I'm so anal that I don't like it when it all runs together.

Disclaimer: By now everyone should know that anyone posting on FFN probably doesn't own anything they are writing about. I don't even claim to know if this plot, any of the specific details, etc. have already been used somewhere in this vast section as I haven't read everything. So, my apologies if you feel I have stolen something from you. I promise it was unintentional!

A Hat for Chessur

"I can't do it, Chessur," Alice looked at the cat as he floated beside her. He had asked to join her as she strolled through the woods and she had been glad for the company until now. "I won't do it."

"But, Alice, you must know how much it would mean to me," Chess gave her a large grin and hopeful eyes. He was not above using the "adorable" factor when it came to this particular situation.

Alice narrowed her eyes at him incredulously. "And you must know how much it means to Tarrant." She kept walking, now avoiding eye contact with him. He was dangerously hard to resist with those large round eyes of his. She felt as though she were a mother whose son had come to her after not getting his way with his father. However, this was a matter she could not ever budge on.

"But he has you now, my dear," Alice couldn't believe Chessur would sink so low as to imply she was a good enough trade off just in order to get what he wanted.

"Yes, he does have me," she smiled at the Thought. Such a lovely Thought that would never get old. She had returned to Underland and it was quite obvious the reason why. "And I would not like him half as much without it for he would only be half as much the Hatter he was with it." Alice mused that perhaps she had been spending too much time with the Tweedles.

"But, Alice," Chessur was truly a persistent one, but Alice would hear no more of it.

"No, Chess," she tried not to sound too cross. After all, she still loved the dear feline in spite of his determination. "The hat makes the man." That was her last word on the matter. He could not have Tarrant's hat.

"But it doesn't make the cat?" Chess crossed his two front legs in offense.

Alice shook her head and then walked ahead a little, noticing that Chessur was still somewhere behind her, if he hadn't evaporated in a huff already. No wonder Tarrant doesn't always get along with Chess. This thought brought her feet to a stop. She suddenly felt guilty, although she knew giving into his request was still out of the question.

She didn't blame Chessur for having been too frightened to help on the Horunvendush Day. After all, he'd proven himself loyal when she'd met him again on her second trip. He was a good friend and she couldn't blame him for an event she hadn't even been there to witness. On the other hand, she didn't blame Tarrant for his stance either. He had lost so much and there must have been some deeper reason he accused Chessur specifically for not being there for him on the Horunvendush Day – although they were admittedly less at odds than they had been before Frabjous Day. For the most part, she never felt inclined to bother in either side of the affair.

Just keep walking. She tried her best to get her feet to continue on their path. You told him no and that's that. However, her feet and mind were against reason and instead of moving forward, she spun back around. "Chess, I…" he wasn't there. As she suspected, he had evaporated. It was probably for the best that he had disappeared.

Or maybe he hadn't. "Yes?" Alice flinched a little as she turned around and saw the Chesire Cat directly in front of her again.

"Chessur, don't do that," she wasn't angry, well perhaps a bit at herself for having let him startle her, although she looked at him with slight annoyance. Meanwhile, he just sat there with a very mischievous, very cat-like smirk on his face. "Listen, Chess, I can't ask Tarrant to give you his hat."

"Yes, I heard you the first time." Chessur looked as though he were insulted that he had rematerialized only to have his dream dashed again.

"Hear me out." Alice hoped he would at least give her a chance to tell him the wonderful idea that had just popped into her head. "I wouldn't dare ask Tarrant to give you the very last thing he has left of his family. It is special to him. It is a piece of him. And it's sure to remain a family heirloom once the Hightopp Clan is restored." Chessur's eyes widened a little at this and Alice immediately realized what she had implied. The color rushed to her cheeks a little and she hurried to move away from the subject. After all, while it was no secret that she and the Hatter were very much in love and no longer oblivious to their feelings, marriage hadn't yet been discussed! In fact, Alice was not even certain if marriage worked the same in Underland as Otherland, proving she had at least pondered the subject. "What I mean to say, Chess, is you should have your own hat," she hoped spitting out the rest of her idea would help take away the focus from her previous statement.

To her relief it did. "My own hat?" Chessur echoed questioningly. He wasn't sure if he should be intrigued or put off by the suggestion.

"Yes, just imagine it," Alice had begun walking again, her imagination beginning to take flight as she pictured Tarrant hard at work on a lovely new creation. "It could be everything you love about Tarrant's hat only better. Not better in the sense that it would outdo Tarrant's, for they would be equally brilliant," although Alice secretly believed no hat would ever be equally as brilliant as Tarrant's. "But it would be better in the sense that it would be its own perfect hat made for only you," she tried her best to explain it. "It would be for your head and your head alone." She looked over to see Chessur beside her, a strange glow in his eyes. However, it suddenly faded.

"There's only one problem," there was a mixture of emotions in his voice as he spoke. "He will never make me a hat. I hate to break it to you, Alice, but your love is a just a tad bit prideful," This time the tone of his voice was malicious and, again, Alice couldn't help but wonder what kept Tarrant and Chessur at such odds when they were clearly closer than they cared to accept.

"You are both prideful," Alice corrected, sensing pride, not fear of Tarrant's negative response, was what would keep the Chesire Cat from asking for a new hat himself. Then again, perhaps it would be more in Chessur's favor if she did the asking. "Alright, Chess. If a hat all your own is what you want…"

"It is," he purred, his affections for Tarrant's hat alone finally negated.

"Then, I'll ask Tarrant for you." Alice was satisfied that she could now continue her leisurely walk without further interruption.

- Marmoreal's Royal Milliner Workroom -

Alice adored the way Tarrant literally brightened every time she returned to him after an extended period of time. She couldn't be sure, but perhaps he was always relieved she hadn't taken up the notion to leave Underland again when his back was turned. She had entered the Royal Milliner's workroom quietly as to not interrupt him, and yet he had somehow noticed, without even looking at her, that she had joined him. And as usual, his clothes had given away his suddenly more cheerful disposition: the proof that he knew she was there with him again.

Maybe someday she should ask him about how his clothes changed as soon as she arrived, she thought momentarily before turning her attention to watching him work. Ever since seeing him work during her last adventure in Underland – even if it had been for the Red Queen – Alice had fallen in love with watching his skilled hands create something extraordinary from various materials that were only ordinary prior to his making use of them.

"How was your walk, Alice?" Tarrant finally found a satisfactory resting point and looked up at her eagerly. He had been disappointed to not have been able to join her when she'd asked him. He had wanted and had nearly begged to join her, but she had insisted that he should put business before pleasure. The White Queen desired a lovely new hat and matching gown to wear to the diplomatic ball she was hosting for the Lords and Ladies of the various regions of Underland.

"It was lovely," Alice sighed contentedly. Now that she was back, she relished in taking in all the sights of Underland that she had missed so dearly. No amount of strolling through the woods or elsewhere would become monotonous as it would in Otherland. "Chess kept me company," she finally reached the subject she knew had to be brought up sooner than later.

"I thought you said it was lovely," Tarrant's response was close to what Alice had expected. He saw the somewhat disapproving look on her face. "I'm sorry," he immediately responded. His guilt was from having disappointed her though and not necessarily for having said what he did.

"I might as well tell you now," Alice knew there was no point in delaying, but before she continued, she moved closer to Tarrant. She wanted to prepare for a fit of madness should his reason not like what she had to say. "I promised Chess that I would ask you to make him a hat."

"A hat! A hat for Chessur? That no good…" Memories flooded Tarrant's mind and Alice only wished she could reach in and pluck them out never to bother him again.

"Tarrant," she could only say calmly, but it was always enough to put the madness back in its place.

"I'm fine," he barely squeaked. It always sounded to Alice as though it pained him to say those words. It sounded as if the very air had been stolen from his lungs and he was desperately trying to find it again. "But why did you promise him that?"

Alice forgot about her concern for Tarrant for the time being. "Because I think he deserves one," Alice answered firmly. She was glad that he was able to discuss the subject at least semi-rationally now that the madness had had its moment. "And because it would stop him from wanting your hat," she added. Perhaps she was even being slightly slurvish, she thought to herself, so that she would never again have to face Chessur's asking her for the impossible. She didn't want a reason to dislike Chess the way Tarrant did.

"He asked for my hat again, didn't he?" Tarrant studied Alice's features more doggedly than usual, as though trying to focus on her so he could keep his madness from making a return appearance. He could tell Alice wanted to discuss the issue and he wanted more than anything to give her what she wanted. "Why does he want it so badly?"

Alice took the opportunity to move even closer. "Because it's a fine hat." Now she was close enough to reach out and softly brush the brim of it with her fingers as she admired the many intricate details of it like she had at least a thousand times before.

As for Tarrant, her deep and sincere admiration for his prized possession made him love her even more than he thought possible. He suddenly felt his heart beat faster as she lovingly and very delicately – so as not to cause any damage – held the pink ribbon that hung from the top hat within one hand. His eyes darkened just a little, several emotions and thoughts vying for attention in his already crowded mind. He finally settled on what felt like the safest one at the moment, "C-c-chess w-wan's a…ha'?"

Alice let go of the ribbon, perhaps coming back to the moment a little herself, and looked at Tarrant with pure delight. She remained silent for a moment, watching his eyes brighten from the curious dark green they had been back to lime, proof of his happiness in making her happy. "He would wear it as proudly as any of your hats deserves. Perhaps more," she kept her voice low, almost fearing anything too loud would break the spell that had settled over the room. "And it's the least we can do for him since he brought you back to me," Alice meant Chessur's having saved him from a horrible beheading. Alice took Tarrant's hands into her own, her eyes locked on his unwaveringly.

There was thick silence before Tarrant added, "And since he brought you back to me," the Hatter recalled clearly that it had been Chessur who had known to bring Alice to him when she'd returned to Underland before. For all their disagreements, Chess had known how much he had been waiting more than all others to see Alice again. That settled it. "Alright, I'll do it!" A delightfully mad grin spread across his face as he swung Alice's arms back and forth a little like a giddy child.

The previous spell was broken, but Alice was glad for it as she looked at the joy on her Hatter's face (not realizing he was admiring the joy on her face at that same exact moment). "I'm so glad to hear it," she smiled radiantly as he finally let go of her hands and set to work on the project with an enthusiasm that wouldn't let it wait until later.

"It shall be a hat fit for a cat!" Tarrant exclaimed as he began thumbing through his various fabrics, looking for what would be just right for his…friend.

Alice noticed him pause and saw the smile fade from his face, and she waited with baited breath to see what would be the outcome of his hesitancy. However, to her relief and somewhat curiosity, the smile returned to his face nearly twice the strength it had been previously. She was certain now that nothing could keep him from creating the perfect hat she had promised Chessur.

- Marmoreal's Gardens -

"Hello, Chess," Tarrant narrowed his eyes as the feline suddenly appeared in the third seat arranged at their private tea party in an area of Marmoreal's gardens.

Alice tried to hold back a fit of giggles, knowing Tarrant was only purposely teasing. There really was no ill will at this meeting because they had invited Chessur especially to give him the finished hat.

However, Chessur was used to the greeting and took it the same way he always did: not as a pleasant one. "I suppose you expect me to apologize for even asking for a hat in the first place," Chess swirled one claw around the rim of his tea cup, not making eye contact with either of the pair. He had guessed the invitation had something to do with the hat. Then again, he was almost certain Tarrant would have been angrier with him by now. Where was the madness he had expected? Silence, save a very small snicker, lingered until Chessur's feline curiosity could take no more. He looked up to see Tarrant holding a perfectly splendid top hat out towards him. "For me?" Chess could hardly believe it. Was he dreaming again?

The hat was charcoal grey, with a striking blue ribbon the same color as the Cheshire Cat's stripes which wrapped around the hat in an imitation of those stripes. There were green buttons which adorned it near the brim and they were placed as though they were in a grin. A few other odds and ends decorations, such as a cat's tail instead of a feather, graced the hat as well. All in all, it was a hat that represented nearly everything about the cat it was made for. And by the nearly lustful look on Chessur's face, he loved it, possibly more than he had ever loved Tarrant's hat.

"For you," Alice nodded. She carefully took the hat from Tarrant's hands and placed it on Chessur's head as he anticipated the feel of it. "And it looks absolutely perfect." She then held out a small looking glass for him to admire himself.

"It is like an extension of myself," Chess purred as he fawned over the way the hat sat seamlessly upon his head and flattered his already – in his mind – perfect cat body. He then evaporated so only his head and the hat was visible, falling even more in love with how it now looked on him. "It is without a doubt the most beautiful hat I have ever seen." All previous longings for Tarrant's hat flew out of his mind. "I'm not too prideful to say thank you," Alice understood what he meant. "However did you manage it?" Alice understood that as well, as the question was directed to her on how she'd gotten Tarrant to agree.

"Well, I…you see…" Alice stuttered a little, not sure how to answer the question. Thankfully, Chessur had already moved on.

"No matter. It is perfect just like you promised," Chess was nearing an uncharacteristic giddiness. He looked at the Hatter, who had been surprisingly silent during everything. "Your hat making is only surpassed by your Futterwacken," Chess gave a genuine grin, still slightly more impressed with the Tarrant's dancing skills in spite of a perfect hat. "Thank you, old friend."

"You deserve it," Tarrant gave an equally genuine smile before they continued with the rest of the tea party.

All the while, Alice could barely control her excitement at the sight of Tarrant and Chessur finally getting along. She almost wished Time would have allowed the moment to last longer, but the tea party ended dreadfully quick. Perhaps Time was just a little bit jealous he and Tarrant hadn't resolved their differences so beautifully yet. She had to stifle a laugh at the thought.

"Now that I have this divine piece of headwear, I promise I won't bother you for yours anymore," Chessur said as he reached caressed the brim of the hat with his tail just a bit. There was a brief moment of silence before a new mischievous thought came to his head. "But I do have a different request now."

"What's that, Chess?" Alice looked at him anxiously. She noticed the gleam in his eyes and only hoped he wouldn't ruin the amiability he and Tarrant had established.

"Whenever the Hightopp Clan is restored, maybe you two could consider naming one after me, yes?" Chessur waited only long enough to see the sudden shock upon Alice and Tarrant's faces before evaporating with a wink of his eye.

The End