"If you're trying to beg for you're life, then this is going to be a waist of time for the both of us." Hatter said dryly as she entered the room, letting the door swing shut behind her.

"You know that's not what I'm here to ask you." Jack's voice portrayed no emotion.

"Then, what do you want. I haven't got all day." Hatter looked into the eyes of a man that she used to know. She couldn't see fear in them, only a deep sadness, that slightly frightened her.

"What happened to you? You're not like this, you never were." Jack's words didn't make Hatter let her guard down. She had been prepared for him to say this, she knew that Jack thought he could see good in everyone.

"Actually, I am. I always was." She said coldly.

"You shouldn't argue when you know that I'm right."

"I see you're just as arrogant as you were years ago." Hatter hadn't meant to say that but the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Jack grinned inwardly, she had at least admitted that they did know each other.
"No, the thing is, I happen to be even more arrogant then I was back then."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, in fact, I would even say that I'm arrogant enough to believe that you are not really going to kill me." He smiled smugly as he said this.

"So you are here to beg you're life."

"I don't need to beg. I know that you can't kill me."

"It's cute that you actually think that", Hatter said with a sneer.

"Why are you really doing this? What do you gain from hurting Alice?"

"I gain the loss of an enemy." Hatter wished that she didn't feel compelled to answer him. Why did he still have such a strong effect on her?

"That sentence doesn't make any sense." Jack sated plainly, Hatter rolled her eyes.

"Do you have anything else to say?" She asked impatiently. "I don't have time to bicker with you."

"Why do you really want to kill Alice? You owe me an answer."

"I don't owe you anything", Hatter said darkly.

"But you'll answer anyway."

"Stop acting like you know what I'm about to do and say!"

"Hatter, please", Jack's voice was soft. "If you're going to kill me, at least tell me why."

"Why are you helping Alice? You don't even know her." Hatter tried to will all emotion from her voice, but she knew that Jack could read her like a book.
"Just because I just met her doesn't mean that I don't know her." Jack said stubbornly.

"Now, who's not making sense", Hatter said in an icy tone.

"Why can't you just tell me why you hate her so much?" Hatter didn't know why, but she felt compelled to actually tell him the truth.

"Because you're my prisoner, so you have to answer me, I don't have to answer you." She said, trying to keep her temper from flaring up.

Jack looked at her sadly. "You know that you're going to loose."

"I should say the same thing to you." She turned and opened the door to leave the room, but paused for a moment when she heard Jack's next words.

"I'm sorry. You should know that I still wish things were different."

"I do to", Hatter didn't turn around to face Jack as she said this. She lingered in the doorway for a few seconds, but neither of them said anything more.

Jack tired to keep tears from streaming down his cheeks, when Hatter did leave the room, letting the door swing closed behind her. This was the the last time that he would be taunted by what could have been. In the end they hadn't belonged together, they didn't belong together.