He burst through the door and stopped, eyes widening in shock. Before him stood Jack Heart, and Hatter's lip curled in a snarl at the sight of him.
What really stopped him, though, what somehow managed to tear him to pieces and make him seem like the world had ended, was the sight of Alice, Jack's arms wrapped around her, and her looking for all the world like there was nowhere else she'd rather be.
Hatter bit his lip and closed his eyes. His hand dropped the duffel bag that he'd been carrying, half empty but carrying a change of clothes and what little of the paper that Alice's world called money he'd been able to get his hands on from the black market.
Hatter opened his eyes and jerked his head, trying to shake the image of Alice and Jack standing together out of his head. He turned on his feet, starting to stalk back towards the door, when a voice stopped him.
"Hatter!" Alice called, and he heard the soft pitter-patter of her feet as she traipsed towards him. Hatter stopped, biting his lip and fighting the tears that he felt coming, before taking a deep breath and turning, a forced smile on his face. He couldn't hurt her, he wouldn't let her see how much she had hurt him.
Hatter wasn't entirely sure what he said to her - his world was still in a daze. He knew that she asked him if he wanted her to stay, only because it added more pain to his world as he lied to her, telling her no. If she wanted to go back to her world with Jack, he wouldn't be what stopped her. Holding her back would only hurt her more. Hatter did wonder how she didn't see the lie on his face. It was so obvious to him that there was no world for him without her.
At some point, she took off his coat and handed it back to him, and it only brought Hatter more agony. He didn't remember when it happened - he just knew that one minute she was wearing it, and the next it was in his hand. Hatter tried to stop her, but wound up stopping himself instead. Why leave her any memory of what she didn't want to remember?
He remembered thinking that her face didn't seem right, that she looked sad, but maybe it was just because his vision was so blurry. Hatter knew he said something about pizza, and immediately cursed himself as a bloody idiot as her face fell. She obviously didn't want him to come to her world, and doing so would only hurt her more. Why did he have to fall in love with the one girl he could never have?
Hatter's world came back to him sharply when Alice turned, still trying to talk to him, her elbow firmly in the grip of one of the Looking Glass' operators. The sight of her, leaving him behind, slapped him in the face, and he sucked in a deep breath.
"I just -" he started, but it was too late. Alice was pushed through the Looking Glass without any time left to look back at him, to wave, to smile, to say something, anything! and Hatter finally closed his eyes and let the first of the tears fall.
He turned, his vision too blurry to see anything before him, and started to walk through the crowd behind him, not bothering to apologize to those he ran into. He had to get away, couldn't bear to be near where she had last stood in Wonderland…
And then a sudden jolt stopped him, and Hatter fell to the ground, feeling as though he had run into a wall. He sat up, running a hand over his eyes and blinking hastily, and saw Jack standing before him, a strange mix of pity and envy on his face.
Hatter met his gaze, his jaw locked, as he stood, ignoring Jack's hand that offered to help him up. Something clicked within Hatter, and he nodded suddenly, not caring about the consequences.
"I want to go after her," he said, not asking for it but demanding it.
Jack quirked his head at Hatter. "And why should I do you any favors?" he replied coolly.
"Because I gave you your bloody kingdom, and if I didn't, Alice did. I want to go!"
Jack shook his head. "What makes you think she'd want you with her?" Hatter flinched, but kept his gaze on the new King of Hearts.
"If she doesn't, I'll make my own way in her world. I have to go," he said, his composure fleeing and his voice breaking. "I have to see her again." She's been gone for just over a minute, and already I'm losing myself, Hatter added silently. I can't live without her…
Jack looked at him, running his eyes up and down Hatter, before nodding slowly. "You'll take my place - have my apartment and what money I have in her world. If you go fast, you can find her before anyone else does - the journey to her world isn't pleasant. She may need help." Hatter looked at Jack with gratitude, and started to thank him, but Jack cut him off with a sharp look. "Go fast, Hatter, before I change my mind," the king spat at him, and then turned and walked towards the Glass, calling out orders.
Hatter took a deep breath and let it out, picking up his bag. He walked towards the Looking Glass, to be met by Jack, who looked at him appraisingly before handing him a piece of paper with what looked like an address on it and a key before shoving him through the Glass.
Jack was right - the trip through the Glass was not pleasant. Hatter fell through time and space, bright colours swirling around him in a brilliant, neon vortex. He couldn't tell the difference between up and down, and the bottom - or the top - of the fall couldn't be seen. Hatter grimaced and closed his eyes, imagining what this had to have been like for Alice, with her fear of heights, and suddenly thinking that his trip wasn't all that bad.
When Hatter finally landed, it was surprisingly gentle. He stood, blinking slightly in an attempt to grow used to the dark that surrounded him after the brilliance of his fall. After a moment he began to make out shapes, and Hatter gasped at the sight of Alice lying on the ground before him, unmoving, surrounded by debris.
"Alice!" he cried out, falling to his knees as he picked her up with one arm, cradling her to his chest as his other hand brushed her hair from her face. Fear filled Hatter, only to slowly drain away as he felt her pulse and saw her breathing. He closed his eyes, holding her tightly to him, and let his breathing slow a bit before he put his other hand under her legs and stood, carrying her.
Hatter looked around, and found himself in a small hallway that seemed to lead out of wherever they were. Bright flashing lights reflected against the walls of the hall, and he started to walk towards them, hoping help was nearby.
He kept following the lights, and finally emerged from what appeared to be a small alleyway. Hatter was blinded as lights suddenly shifted to focus on them, and he blinked and scrunched his eyes, trying to see what was happening.
"Freeze!" yelled a harsh voice, and he heard a noise he recognized over the sirens that wailed near them. Hatter stood up straighter as the sounds of pistols being cocked echoed around him, determined to protect Alice. "Drop the girl and put your hands in the air!"
Hatter relaxed slightly. "She's hurt!" he yelled back, taking a hesitant step forward. "I found her back there!" He gestured towards where they had come from with his head, and a few of the lights lowered. Hatter could make out a man dressed all in blue, pistol held in his hand, as the man walked toward them.
"What would she be doing in the alley?" he muttered to himself as he approached Hatter, who watched him, biting his lip and holding Alice tightly. "What's your name, son?" the man asked, a bit more loudly.
Hatter thought fast, and said the first name he thought of. "David, sir," he replied, and the man looked at him.
The man nodded. "You a construction worker, David?" he asked, looking up and down Hatter's clothes. Hatter nodded swiftly, hoping that it was the correct response. The man seemed satisfied, and he held out his arms. "Give her to me, then. We'll get her to a hospital."
Hatter bit his lip again, but nodded and relinquished Alice to the man. "Sir, I'd like to see her when she's awake," he said slowly, and the man looked at him in surprise.
"I'll take you to meet her mom," he said, nodding at Alice. "It's up to her, but I think she'd be happy to let you see her daughter again."
"Thank you, sir," Hatter said fervently, and followed the man as he walked to a strange vehicle that rested on the ground, seemingly unable to fly.
The next several hours passed in a daze for Hatter. He was dimly aware of meeting Alice's mother, and of her heartfelt gratitude to him for finding his daughter. He remembered sitting in a chair somewhere in a hospital, waiting to see if Alice was alright. He knew they carried her past him again and let her mother take her home, saying she'd sleep for a while but be alright. He remembered the relief he felt, both then and when her mom told him to come to their house the next day at noon, giving him directions.
Hatter remembered watching Alice drive away in the back of her mom's car, still asleep. He remembered walking down the street, Jack's piece of paper clutched tightly in his hand, until he found the apartment. He remembered walking into it and collapsing on the bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
Hatter remembered leaving the apartment, walking down the streets again, and arriving at Alice's house half an hour early. He remembered pacing outside until he was merely ten minutes early, before racing up the stairs to the apartment number Alice's mom had given him.
Hatter knew he rang the doorbell, and that Alice's mom answered, letting him in while she again expressed her thanks. Hatter remembered thinking that he ought to pay more attention and be more polite to her, but at the moment, Alice was all that mattered. No, he corrected himself, Alice was all that had ever mattered. He knew he took off his hat, remembering that in polite company you didn't wear hats indoors.
Hatter snapped back to attention when Alice's mom leaned around the corner, and called out, "Alice! Come meet David!" He braced himself, ready for her to see him and reject him, to shove him out the door and tell him that she never wanted to see him again…
And then Alice was there, and the shattered pieces of Hatter's heart melted together again at the sight of her, happy and alive. She froze in the doorway, staring at him, and Hatter knew that the sight of her was worth the rejection that would surely follow.
"Hatter!" she cried out, and he was amazed to see a smile burst over her face. She looked radiant as she ran towards him, and he had just enough control of his mind left to open his arms and envelope her in a hug as she wrapped her arms around him, Hatter dropping his hat in the process.
He closed his eyes, the feel of her in his arms erasing all of his fears and doubts, and said, "Finally." Alice smiled slightly, and he squeezed her as they stood, holding each other close.
"You have no idea how badly I missed you," he heard her say, and Hatter smiled slightly, thinking, I do, actually…
He pulled back, but they kept their arms on each others shoulders. The rest of the world - of both worlds, Hatter thought - seemed to melt away as he stared into her eyes, and her smile gave him the courage to lean forward and kiss her. He felt her arms move up to his face as she leaned into him, their eyes closed, and all that mattered to Hatter was her.
He pulled back, his arms around her waist, holding her to him, and whispered, "I missed you," before leaning forward and kissing her again. He felt her smile, and Hatter was happy.
"Alice!" came the shocked voice of her mother, bringing them back to reality. Hatter pulled back guiltily but kept his arms around her, and they shared a smile before looking at her mom. "Wha - who is this?" she demanded, confused.
Alice looked at her in surprise, wondering how her mother could not know Hatter, and then Hatter said, "I'm…an old friend of Alice's, actually."
Alice laughed quietly, and her mom looked between the two of them.
"What happened to Jack?" she asked.
"He went back to his home," Alice replied honestly, and then she looked at Hatter again and kissed him lightly. Her mother's jaw dropped, but she hastily closed her mouth and shook her head, muttering under her breath as she walked out of the room and down the hallway. Alice and Hatter heard a door close, and they grinned at each other.
Hatter looked at Alice, pulling back gently. "I believe I promised you pizza?" he asked quietly, and she grinned and nodded, grabbing his hand. He started to walk towards the door, but Alice tugged on his arm, stopping him as she bent and picked up his hat.
"Hold still for a minute," she said, letting go of his hand and reaching up, tousling his hair that Hatter had painstakingly combed in an attempt to pass the time. Hatter looked at her in confusion as she set the hat on his head and stepped back, nodding in satisfaction.
"Much better," she said after a moment, and Hatter grinned, holding out his hand. She took it with an answering smile, and they walked out the door hand in hand.