Okay so again I took a little longer in posting this than I wanted to, sorry about that. This is kind of a short one, I am not sure where it came from, just this odd little idea that was floting around and I felt something might come from it. So enjoy!
It had been about four days, or at least he thought it'd been four days. He hadn't left his room since he got back home after watching Alice get launched through the Looking Glass. He was confused, which was something new for him. He didn't know what to do, follow her through? What if she'd already forgot about him, what if she had already found someone else, what if she didn't love him the way he thought she did? He sighed, or he could just stay here and wallow in what if's for the rest of his life. He shut his eyes and started replaying their conversations in his head; at least here he could hear her voice. He was only a few conversations in when something new hit him, a conversation he'd forgotten all about.
It was during their first day in the Fortress, Charlie had left to go find supper and she wanted to explore, he wouldn't let her go out on her own though so he went with her. They ended up atop a hill overlooking the kingdom. She'd sighed and sat down on the grass, complaining about how bad her feet hurt and how the next time she fell through a mirror she'd be sure to wear sensible shoes. He sat down next to her; he was a bit tired himself. She glanced over at him and smiled then lay down on her back. He sat watching her for a while as her eyes scanned the sky.
"There like angels." She whispered.
"What?" he asked confused.
"The clouds." She said pulling him down next to her so he could see what she meant.
"What about them?"
"They look like angels." She said.
"What's that?" He questioned.
"You don't know what an angel is?" She said a bit stunned. He shrugged.
"There like spirits, of loved ones, who watch over you and protect you. There white, with big wings and they glow just a bit." She said closing her eyes.
"Do you have one of these angels?" He asked seriously. She didn't say anything for a while.
"I like to think my dad's watching over me, where ever he is." She said opening her eyes and glancing at him.
"Do I have on?" He said a bit more serious this time.
"I don't know, I suppose we all have one." She said, not really sure.
"You have your parents, right?" She asked. He didn't answer, just turned away. She figured that was something he didn't want to talk about so she let it go.
"Hatter I am sure somewhere you have someone watching over you." She said, looking back up at the sky.
They stayed on that hill for a while, gazing at the clouds. That might have been the longest they were together without arguing with one another.
The subject of angels never came up again but now lying in his bed he wondered if maybe Alice was watching over him. He thought of how she had described what an angel was. He supposed she was a spirit now, I mean she wasn't technically in Wonderland anymore, maybe she had some kind of spirit that stayed here.
She was a loved one, at least to him anyway. However he couldn't picture her with wings, that was a bit of a stretch.
He needed to know more. He thought for a bit. Charlie had said something about angels, when they were on the flamingos. He couldn't remember exactly what was said but he was sure the word angel was in there somewhere. Maybe Charlie new something that Hatter didn't about these angel things. He decided he'd pay him a visit. He changed clothes and washed up a bit and then headed to his boat, directing it to the forest.
It didn't take him long to find the fortress, he remembered exactly where it was. Charlie was there, preparing some kind of meal he supposed. He greeted him warmly and offered him a seat.
"Charlie I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?" Charlie said glancing at him.
"What do you know about angels?" He said.
"Ah, the great celestial beings." Charlie said, not looking away from the meal he was preparing.
"Yeah, those." Hatter said, he wasn't sure what the word celestial meant, or even how to pronounce it but it sounded right.
"Well, there the spirits of those who have passed on, they stay here and watch over us, guide us in the right direction, so to speak." Charlie told him.
"So, say, Alice, is she an angel?" Hatter asked, trying not to sound too desperate.
"Good heavens I hope not." Charlie said looking at him.
"Why?"
"Because, when I say passed on, I mean died." Charlie said.
"Oh, okay." Hatter was a bit disappointed at this. Not that he wanted Alice dead, he just thought if she had some kind of spirit here, maybe there was a way for him to talk to her.
"But Charlie you don't think that maybe some of her spirit is still here?" he asked, getting a little desperate now. Charlie thought for a while.
"I suppose it's logical, this is a place of great importance for her, maybe a bit of her spirit stayed behind." He said.
"So is there any way for you to contact her? I mean, with your, black arts skills." Hatter couldn't believe he was asking this but Charlie might be his only hope.
"I could try." He said sitting down next to Hatter and closing his eyes. He began mumbling something and then he smiled.
"Ah, Alice of Legend." He said to himself. Hatter's heart skipped a beat, he'd found her.
"There's someone here who'd like to talk to you." Charlie said to the Alice in his head.
"Yes, alright I'll let him know. Good to see you too." And then he opened his eyes and looked at Hatter.
"Well?" He said, a bit impatiently. Charlie smiled.
"She said she'll meet you on the hill."
"I'll be able to see her?" Hatter asked.
"She seemed to think so." He said getting back to preparing his meal.
"But one thing, remember this is only Alice's spirit, not really her. There's no telling what she can or cannot relay to the real Alice." Charlie warned. Hatter nodded.
"Thank you Charlie." Charlie smiled and waved him off. Hatter left quickly, knowing exactly where he was heading.
He reached the hill in a matter of minutes; he'd known exactly what she meant. The same hill that they laid on to look at the clouds, the same hill where they met after he came back from the city. He climbed up it now hoping to see her at the top, and he did.
The same Alice he'd seen only a few days ago, bright blue dress and deep red tights. The only thing missing was his purple velvet jacket over her shoulders but she'd given that back to him before she left so he supposed that fit. She didn't see him though; she was looking the other way.
"Alice?" He called. She turned around and smiled brightly.
"Hatter." She said with a bit of what Hatter thought was relief. She ran towards him, closing the short distance between them and he wrapped her up in his arms, surprised that he could hold her, he figured spirits weren't something that could be touched. He felt her sigh against him and he leaned back holding her face in his hands.
"You're not real are you?" He asked, slightly worried that he could feel her, like she was really right here. He didn't want her to have fallen back through the mirror. She put her hand over his and smiled.
"No, I am not real Hatter, I am sorry." She said.
"No, it's fine. I am just." He stopped. "god I missed you." He said pulling her in for another hug. She smiled and closed her eyes, resting contentedly against his chest.
"Why haven't you come yet?" She asked a few seconds later.
"What do you mean?" He questioned.
"You haven't followed me through the looking glass, why?" She asked.
"To tell the truth Alice, I am scared to." She was confused, Hatter and scared were two things that should never be put together in the same sentence.
"Why?"
"Because I am scared you may have forgotten me, or found someone else. Or maybe you don't love me as much as I think you do." He said, being completely truthful. The spirit Alice shook her head.
"None of that is true Hatter. I would never forget you, first of all. Second, with the way time differs between here and my world, I am still lying at the construction site in front of the mirror, I haven't found anyone. And third, I love you a lot more than you think." She finished, stroking his face gently. Hatter thought for a while.
"No one's found you yet?" He asked, completely missing the part about how much she loved him, she laughed.
"I just landed a little while ago Hatter."
"But it's been days." He said.
"For you, for me it's only been a little while." She confessed.
"I'll go, I'll find you, I'll make sure you're alright." He told her. She smiled and nodded.
"I'll be waiting." She said. He wrapped her up in another tight hug and held her for as long as he could before she vanished.
He rushed off the hill and back to Charlie.
"Did you find her?" He asked.
"Yeah, I did, thank you Charlie." Hatter said patting him on the back.
"Where are you off to?" Charlie called as Hatter started out.
"I am going after Alice." He said.
Charlie smiled and laughed. "Finally." He muttered.
Hatter made his way back to the city quickly. He stopped at the tea shop first to pick up a few things and lock the shop up for good. He left with a single bag full of everything he figured he'd need in her world. This consisted of a few of his favorite outfits, 3 hats and a pair of boots, whatever else he needed he was sure Alice would help him find. He reached the building where the Looking Glass was held and pushed the doors open, walking up to the mirror and pressing his hand against it but it didn't give, he didn't fall through. He stood back and looked at it then caught sight of the small box off to the right. He opened it and found no ring. The Looking Glass was closed. He shouted and tossed his bag down, sitting on the stairs with his head in his hands.
"I was wondering when you'd show up." A voice said. He looked up and saw Jack standing in front of him.
"What do you want?"Hatter asked.
"You finally decided to go after her." He said, ignoring Hatter's question.
"Well I was going to but as you can tell, the glass is shut." He snipped.
"Yes I know." Jack said walking up to the small box and placing the ring inside. Hatter stood and looked at him.
"Your just gonna let me leave?" He asked. Jack smiled, or at least Hatter assumed it was a smile, probably as close to a smile as Jack could get.
"Here." Jack said handing him a large envelope.
"What's this?" Hatter asked.
"Everything you need to travel to her world. Money, bank account numbers, social security, home address." Jack listed off. Hatter wasn't sure what any of it was but he assumed it was important.
"Thank you?" Hatter said questionably, putting the envelope in his bag.
"Hatter I am not blind, I realize that Alice cares for you a lot more than she ever did for me. You make her happy and I am not one to stand between that. I wish you the best." Jack said. Hatter nodded and offered his hand; Jack shook it, a mutual truce. Hatter turned to the Looking Glass and Jack stepped back, letting him have his space. Jack nodded at him and Hatter did the same, then he jumped, remembering to breath.
Alright well thank you for reading, please review, even if it's just something short and sweet it keeps me wrighting! The next little oneshot should be posted by the end of the week. Thanks again!
~Tara~