I do not own Syfy's Alice.

But I frequently tend to get the sillies when I write for Hatter and Alice.

Sweet Shots

They were experiencing the rare occurrence of a multi-block electrical blackout. Happened sometimes during the summer. Randomly fried squirrel on a power line. One too many air conditioners turned on all at once. They didn't know.

What they did know was there wasn't a drifting cloud or looming moon to obscure the vast night sky. And there were multitudes of sparkling, distant stars.

The apartment had been stiflingly hot and somewhat boring. Carol had been reading by flickering candlelight. Something by Michael Crichton. At least it's not 50 Shades of Grey, Alice had thought, relieved.

Hatter and his Alice had decided to take blankets, snacks, and themselves up on the roof for some exceptional quality star-gazing.

So here they were, laying head to head with their bodies stretched out opposite each other. Apparently they were not the only ones with the notion to star gaze. Romantic couples, parents with kids, solitary individuals. All gazing at the stars, bright and twinkling beautiful.

The roof wasn't crowded exactly, but they weren't alone. Quiet murmurs drifted here and there on the light, refreshing breezes. The atmosphere was peaceful, pleasant. A welcome change from the hectic world below.

Alice and Hatter lay there watching the stars and whispering quietly about everything and nothing at all. Eventually, their conversations tapered off and subsided. They simply lay quiet, their hands folded across their flat upper stomachs, head to head.

Then Alice felt a soft touch. It was Hatter, stroking her hair with his right hand extended out over his head. She smiled and closed her eyes. His hand reached further and now he was caressing her face slowly, lovingly. As if he were kissing her tenderly, only not with his lips.

As his fingers brushed over her eyes, her strong nose, and her cheeks, she felt a swelling of emotion within her chest. She kissed his fingertips lightly as they grazed her lips. He made a small sound in his throat and she couldn't repress a shiver. She slowly and languidly began stroking his face in return.

Though they were not touching any private areas of one another's bodies, only head hair and faces, the connection between the two of them felt close, intimate. She had never experienced an interlude like this before. It was definitely a singularly unique experience.

She drifted along, semi-conscious, with the stars overhead and her Hatter lovingly melting her bones.

As it turned out, Hatter loved tortilla chips and spicy salsa. Something about the flavor, the accompanying crunchiness, the way he could just pick it up with his hands and walk off with it.

Alice sat perched on the edge of the sofa that early afternoon, not really committed to fully sitting and relaxing just yet. She was temporarily lost in thought. For the moment, she was content. Just happy to be in the world.

Hatter plopped down comfortably on a sofa cushion and shoved part of a salsa-laden chip into his mouth, crunching contentedly. Alice glanced down at her arm. He had accidently dropped a blob of salsa on her forearm near the inner elbow.

After a moment, Hatter swallowed his mouthful of salsa-chip and noticed the spill too. He leaned over and licked the salsa right off her sensitive skin with his tongue. She blinked, shocked, and stared at him.

He grinned mischievously and quipped, "Well, you don't waste the salsa!"

She stared fixedly at him for a moment and he eyeballed her right back, licking his lips free of lingering food stuffs.

Then she launched herself over the couch at him and his salsa-y lips, knocking his hat right off his head and lost onto the floor. He didn't even notice. Taken pleasantly by surprise, he caught his girlfriend clumsily in his arms as she landed on top of him, pushing him down onto the cushions. And just tried to keep up with her. Friday seemed a long way off.

Yup, he definitely liked salsa.

"When is your birthday, Hatter?"

He looked up momentarily from his tea preparations. Alice sat on a kitchen stool in her mother's apartment, watching him work.

"Dunno." he answered her casually. "Me mum never really paid much attention to stuff like that. Never really got around to it. Too much Tea, I suppose."

"Oh."

She thought that sounded a bit sad. Hatter remained pensive for a moment, then smirked impishly.

"Got loads of unbirthdays though."

Alice glowered playfully at him.

"Don't you dare . . ."

He grinned in innocent mischief.

"What?"

She had forced him, practically at karate-point, to watch the Disney cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland a few days ago. The movie had given him fits virtually the whole way through, particularly the relentless singing. He had been playfully needling her on points of it ever since.

"Well, actually, let's see . . ."

Hatter dug King Jack's gifted Social Security card out from his newly gotten wallet and peered at the lines of information speculatively.

"Hmm, appears to be . . . April 1."

Alice burst into giggles, not really too surprised. Oh, Jack.

"Huh? Why you laughing? What's so funny?"

Alice attempted to stifle her giggles.

"Um, nothing. I'll tell you later."

Hatter snorted quietly in derision, tossing a mildly irritated expression at her. Then he glanced at the paper again.

"Hey, apparently I'm 30 years old. Hmm, interestin'."

"How old are you really?"

Hatter cocked his head, appearing to think carefully for a moment.

"Well, let's see. Wonderland times your world, um . . ."

He considered this for a moment, wiggled his fingers a bit, and then looked at her.

"Do you have an abacus?"

"Oh, hush."

She smiled affectionately as he adamantly pretended he wasn't goading her.

"What?"

Alice's mother, Carol, walked into their banter and smiled. Alice never had been so relaxed and happy with any of her previous boyfriends. She felt hopeful about this one. She glanced at the young man pouring delicious smelling tea into cups for each of them.

After the initial shocking encounter of Alice appearing to passionately kiss a complete stranger, Carol found herself growing fond of David Hatter. She liked how affable and relaxed he was toward her. He was friendly and engaging, but didn't seem to be trying too hard to impress "the mother". But he was impressing her all the same. He seemed, well, genuine.

Hatter smiled casually at her, setting the first cup of tea before her, then moving around and setting one before Alice with an open smile that she returned easily. Finally, he leaned against the counter with his own cup of steaming warmth.

Carol carefully sipped the tea and smiled. Mm, delightful. Yes, she definitely liked this unique young man.

"So," she said conversationally. "What are we talking about?"

Hatter grinned cheekily at her.

"Unbirthdays."

"Pardon?"

This takes place before some of my other Alice and Hatter stories, I know. But it just seemed more "dating" material than "married" material. Anywho, hope you enjoyed!

ALP was 30 years old when he brought the Hatter to quirky life. April Fool's Day is not his birthday, but hey, this is supposed to be silly, yes?

Thanks to sleepHAwhoneedsit, Gotta Dance 88, ChiefPam, and Rammy-x for your kind reviews ~ I appreciate you very much! :)

Thanks to Lizzy Lynn Holmes, CalypsoSoul, and HeroofTwilight'sgf for adding your support to this story as well. :)

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