Jack stared at the floor, lost in thought. Alice had gone home, and now he was alone again. Now that it was over, he wondered if he had even loved her.
They had only met that day, and now she probably believed him to only be a dream. He had wanted to help her, but he would help anyone who was in trouble. Now someone that he used to care for was in trouble, but he wasn't sure if he should try to help.
Hatter was locked the cell next to the execution yard. She would be executed in a few hours. She wasn't innocent, but did she really deserve to die?
He had know Hatter before she had become corrupted by her lust for power and her hatred toward Alice. There had to still be good in her, but was there enough to over power the evil that had taken root inside her soul? He didn't want to watch her die, but he feared what she might do if she lived.
Jack knew that he had to make up his mind quickly.
Hatter shook like a leaf. Waiting was torture, why couldn't they just kill her already? She tried excepted that this was the end, because she wasn't going to try to beg for her life. If she had to loose, she wanted to loose with honor.
She was surprised to see Jack at the door to her cell. What was he doing here? His eyes were red and puffy, it looked like he had been crying. She looked him in the eye, hiding the mixed feeling that the sight of him had stirred up.
"What are you doing here?" She asked in a dark tone.
"I'm going to help you, if you'll let me." Jack said as he slipped the key into the lock and turned it.
"I don't understand..." Jack opened the door, but Hatter didn't move. Was this some sort of trick?
"There's nothing to understand. Come on, we need to move fast." Hatter decided to trust him. This seemed to be her only chance of escape, and she would be a fool not to take it.
Hatter followed Jack through the execution yard, and away from the cell. The was a wooded block, with an ax sitting on it, in middle of the small arena.
Apparently a guillotine was to fancy for the death of a traitor like her. They walking quickly, and were almost out yard.
Then they heard a shrill voice from out side of the arena. "Get down!" Jack rushed Hatter behind a row of seats. He pulled her hat off of here head and stuck it under one of the chairs.
"They know I'm not in the cell." Hatter tried to keep fear from her tone, but Jack could hear her voice waver.
"You know that there is a town next to this place, right?" Hatter nodded. "I'll cause a distraction, meet me out side of that town." Jack thought for a moment before standing up. "Here", he said, handing Hatter is coat. "I'm willing to bet that people recognize you by your clothes and your hat." Jack stood up and ran out of the execution yard before Hatter could reply.
Hatter was siting on a tree stump a few feet away from the town. She had been waiting almost an hour for Jack to come. She was starting to feel uneasy. What if someone had discovered that he had helped her? That meant that they could be looking for her that very moment. She wondered if she should just leave the area before it was to late.
Hatter decided against leaving. Jack had just saved her life, the least she could do was wait for him. Why had he saved her?
She had tried to kill him and Alice. She knew that, if she had won, she probably wouldn't have been able to end Jack's life, but did he realize that? He wouldn't be helping her if he didn't believe that she had good in her.
"Hatter?" Jack's voice broke Hatter train of thought. She looked up, startled, but was relieved to see him.
"Are you alright?" She asked before she could stop herself. Her voice was full of the concern that Jack hadn't heard from her in years.
"I'm ok, but we need to get you out of here as fast as possible." Hatter wanted to say something, but she found her self nodding instead.
"Why are you trying to save me?" She managed to ask. Jack hesitated for a moment, not sure how to answer that question.
"We used to be friends, didn't we? This is in the name of that friendship." Hatter knew that she should just take that answer, but it wasn't enough.
"Jack, I almost killed you." He laughed at that.
"We both know that you don't have the heart to kill me. Just like I don't have the heart to watch you die."
"Then it seems we are more alike than we care to mention."
"Yes, I think we are." Jack smiled at her, and she actually smiled back
"I'm sorry for what I tried to do to you and Alice." A bitter taste filled Hatter's mouth as she spoke the name of her enemy. Jack looked taken aback by her words.
"Is that a real apology, coming from The Mad Hatter?" She rolled her eyes as he asked this.
"You just ruined what could have been a nice moment."
"I know. Come on, let's get out of here." Jack held out his hand and Hatter took it. The two of them began walking in the direction away from the town.
"Just so you know, I missed our friendship." Hatter said, giving his hand a little squeeze.
"I did too", Jack said sadly before let out a sigh. "I did too."