A/N: I wrote this as soon as I saw the movie. It's just been sitting on my iPod waiting for me to upload it. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I hate hot weather. Especially the humidity. Ewww. I own nothing.


Where the Heart Is

Alice looked at the purple liquid in the vial for a while. She wanted to go home but that meant back to Hamish and her inevitable wedding.

"You could stay…" She turned to face the Mad Hatter who had a sad look on his usually cheerful face.

"What a crazy, mad, and wonderful idea." Alice grinned, trying not to cry. "But I can't. There are questions I need to answer." She saw his face fall and suddenly she had a great idea. "But may I give you all something to show my appreciation?" She looked at the White Queen first.

"May I have your signature? To always remind myself of you." She said and Alice smiled.

"Of course." As soon as she said it, a paper and quill appeared before her. Alice tried to sign her name as neatly as she could.

"March Hare?" She turned to the crazy hare next. He jumped upon being called on and thought hard.

"A lock of your lovely hair?" He smiled in his crazy way and Alice laughed. A pair of scissors appeared before her and she cut a short length of her long blond hair off.

"I want your sword!" Dormouse piped up next without being asked.

"If you can carry it, then I have no problem with it!" Alice giggled as the Dormouse figured the fault in her plan.

"Then a bit of your dress? I would like to dress like you!" Dormouse smiled in her cleverness. Alice cut a bit of the pastel blue fabric and handed it to the mouse.

"Hatter?" Alice turned back to the mad man. He had a thoughtful look on his face. Alice wondered why he wasn't acting as mad as he usually did.

"Well, I would like nothing more than for you to stay here." He said, his stunning green eyes meeting her startled blue ones. Alice pondered this for a moment.

"But where would I stay?"

"I-I have plenty of room in my house for you." He flashed a quick grin before becoming somber again.

"Well then, why should I stay?" She looked at him puzzled. Of all the strange things he could ask of her, why this?

"Well, uh, here's quite the mad idea." The Mad Hatter turned a shade of pink and stammered his way through answering Alice's question.

"I think I love you."

Alice stopped breathing. Had he really said so?

"Hatter… I-"

"I understand if you go now. Uh, have a good life!" He turned on his heel and hurried away. Alice stared after him, heartbroken. She glanced down at the vial in her hand.

"This will really take me home?" Alice wondered aloud.

"If you wish it." The White Queen replied, puzzled as to what Alice was thinking.

"And 'home' could not necessarily be London…?" Without waiting for a reply, Alice tipped the contents of the vial into her mouth. Slowly she disappeared in a cloud of gray smoke. The onlookers looked at one another in confusion.

"As they say, 'home is where the heart is.'" The White Queen smiled when she figured out Alice's plan.

"What a stupidly mad thing to say! Why would a beautiful, smart girl like Alice fall for someone like me? That would be positively mad!" The Mad Hatter muttered to himself as he walked home.

"You think I'm beautiful?" Her soft voice made the Mad Hatter freeze mid-step. He turned back and saw a shy Alice smiling at him.

"Why aren't you home?" He asked, confused. Alice held up the empty vial as she walked closer to him. She stood in front of him before she spoke.

"I am." And she leaned up to kiss him.