I am back! And very happy to be! For those of you who read my little oneshot 'Blackbird' this is going to be the chapter story I promised. Right now I am not all that thrilled with it, but I am not sure where it's headed, so hopefully once I get things a little more fleshed out, I'll like it a bit more. Right now though, please enjoy chapter 1!

It had started out as a normal day. Alice and Hatter had woken up and prepared themselves for work. Alice had classes to teach and Hatter was working at the tea shop he'd found a job at.

It had been almost a year since Hatter had followed her through the looking glass. They had moved in together after about 6 months, Alice's mom wanted her to be absolutely sure.
So that morning they ate together, then gathered their things and went on their way like they did every morning.

The day turned strange around lunchtime. Alice was on break and walking to meet Hatter at their favorite pizza place when she felt it. A presence behind her, someone was following her, someone who shouldn't be.
She tried to ignore it, enjoy her lunch with Hatter without wondering if the person was in the restaurant, watching them.

They ate without interruption but Alice could feel the presence as she made her way back to work. She glanced around once or twice but couldn't see anyone. Hatter came to walk her home and the end of the day and all was quiet again.

She didn't want to ignore it though so as she and Hatter sat down to eat she let him know what was going on.

"And they've been following you all day?" Hatter asked as he walked around their apartment, drawing the curtains closed.

"It started before I met you for lunch but they weren't following us when we were walking home tonight." Alice said. Hatter nodded, checking out of one of the windows.

"I'll be okay Hatter; I am probably just being paranoid." Alice said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Yeah I guess so."Hatter wouldn't be so easily swayed though. He didn't want to worry Alice but he was sure someone had been following him lately as well.

"I am gonna go check outside, I'll be back in a few minutes." He told Alice, her gaze turned concerned but he smiled and kissed her.

"I'll be fine, get yourself ready for bed love."
she nodded and kissed him again, letting him slip out of the apartment.

The street was dark when Hatter stepped outside. He glanced around the sidewalks, checking the ally at the side of their building. Everything seemed quiet. He had just turned to go back inside when he heard a voice behind him.

"You should know better than to go into a dangerous situation unarmed David." Hatter froze, his hand on the door. He didn't want to believe who was behind him right now, but he knew without a doubt who it was.

"I am not unarmed." Hatter said, clenching his right fist.

"And my name is Hatter."

The man scoffed.

"If I remember right, David was the name mum gave." He said, moving to stand at Hatters side.

"It was probably the last thing she ever said,"
"What the hell are you doing here Blake?" Hatter interrupted him, glaring at him from where he stood.

"Well first let me say that it was hell trying to find you, no one even knew you'd left Wonderland." He said, leaning back against the wall.
"There were people I told." Hatter argued.

"I know, I had to find them to find you." Blake told him.

"Just answer my question, why are you here?" Blake smiled.

"Gonna invite me in?"

Hatter sighed. He didn't want to invite Blake in, he wanted to tell him to leave. But Alice would start to worry if he wasn't back soon and Blake was bound to draw his story out.

"Fine." Hatter said, opening the door and moving inside.

"Nice hat by the way." Blake said as they walked upstairs. Hatter glanced back and saw the stupid smug grin on his face; he turned around without saying anything. When they reached his apartment Hatter turned to face Blake.

"You make one stupid comment, or act like an arse and I will toss you out." Hatter threatened. Blake smiled and nodded.

Hatter opened the door and moved inside, Blake followed, walking into the living room and making himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Alice, can you come out here for a moment?" hatter called down the hall.

"Be right there." She called back.

"Alice of Legend huh?" Blake said.

"I am warning you." Hatter shot him a glare which Blake simply laughed at.

"What's going on?" Alice stopped short, taking in the new presence in the room.

"Who's this?" She asked, taking hold of Hatter's hand.

"The name's Blake, apparently my brother's never told you about me.

I leave you with a bit of a cliffhanger right of the bat there don't I? :D Hopefully I'll have the next chapter posted soon! I can't really give specific dates, my summer is PACKED! this year, so I don't have a whole lot of free time, but I am going to do my best! I love Alice to much to abandon this story so it will be finished! I can't say how long it'll be or anything yet but hopefully it'll be to you're liking!

If you enjoyed chapter 1, feel free to send me a little review! they make me quite happy and let me know that I am doin my job well!

Thanks for tuning in, get ready for a crazy ride!

~Tara~