Disclaimer: I don't own "Batman: The Animated Series", Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter, Alice Pleasance, Billy Travis, Commissioner Jim Gordon or Batman. The character of Detective James Lamont is my creation without intent to infringe on the copyrights of DC comics in relation to the DC Animated Universe. All characters canon and created are used without intent to profit.

"After Wonderland"
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

'Some days, I really could use a drink,' Detective James Lamont thought as he walked down the hall of the Gotham City Police Department's headquarters, 'Worst part of being a recovering alcoholic is that when I actually do need one, I can't have it because I can't alway tell the difference between needing it and wanting it... and I'm rambling again... in my thoughts... it's been a long day.'

Three hard raps on the door in front of him when he stopped brought a coarse, "What?" through the wall.

"Lamont, Commissioner, with the psych evals on the Tetch case."

"Come in."

After a moment's pause to make sure he wouldn't walk in on anyone, Lamont opened the door and stepped into his boss's office, glancing at the open window behind the seated Commissioner Gordon without a change in his expression.

"What do you have for me, Detective?"

"It's a mess, sir."

"You're telling me that? There's so many kidnapping, theft, and trespassing charges attached to this case that it's going to be a media circus come morning, and that's without the possible murder connections. Just tell me he's sane enough to stand trial."

There was a pause while Lamont sat down opposite Gordon and laid a folder on the desk between them, "That's for the experts to decide; I'm an investigator and profiler, not a psychologist... but..."

"What?"

"I think Tetch might be the sanest person in this whole mess," Lamont shook his head.

"What?" Gordon stood up and paced a few steps, "Are you joking, Lamont? I know, I know, if you were joking you'd start it off with 'two Irishmen walked into a bar'. Where do you get a guy who dresses up as an Alice in Wonderland character and kidnaps his assistant as being sane?"

Lamont reached into a pocket and pulled out one of the peppermint sticks he chewed in place of drinking, putting it in his mouth for a moment before answering, "I didn't say he was sane, just that he wasn't any crazier than anyone else. You know, I like it when Wayne Enterprises is involved, they have really in-depth employee fitness reports. Tetch's Lewis Carroll habit, by itself, isn't any different than say, someone chewing on a toothpick incessantly..."

Gordon grimaced at the indirect reference by the profiler to one of his fellow detectives.

"In fact, I knew a guy growing up who recited 'Henry the Fifth' much the same way. But as I was saying, Tetch passed the employee reviews on a regular basis with only the occasional note about a lack of social interaction before Ms. Pleasance was hired."

"What about Pleasance?"

"Calm, efficient, orderly, the 'perfect' - pardon the word - assistant... and according to review of her fitness reports, interviewing friends and relatives, and meeting with the lady herself..." Lamont bit down hard and chewed on the piece of peppermint in his mouth before continuing, "Socially naive, emotionally submissive and an enabling personality."

Gordon walked over to the window and leaned against the frame for a moment, "Don't tell me..."

"Mister..." Lamont opened the folder and flipped through it for the name, "Travis... A history of breaking up with Ms. Pleasance when she does something he disagrees with and refusing to discuss the matter or their relationship until she does what he wants. According to a cousin, he had decided that she would not work after they were married and planned for her to quit her job and keep house... Disliked the fact that she considered Tetch a friend..."

A sigh came from the police commissioner, "That's what I was afraid of. Abusive relationship?"

"Most likely," Lamont agreed, "Even at the moment, Ms. Pleasance is concerned about Tetch as a friend while Travis seems to insist that she should be angry with him."

"And your opinion?"

"Official as the department's profiler?"

"Off the record."

"Off the record, my opinion is what I said earlier. Tetch is no crazier than you, me or the man outside. He was afraid of losing his best friend, maybe even the woman he cared for and he reacted... overreacted... to try and give her a reason to stay," Lamont gestured with the peppermint stick stub in his hand, "Hell, Jim, the Alice in Wonderland thing is no different that some of 'theme' vacations or weddings in places like Vegas or Hawai'i.

"Those don't involve kidnapping your boss, her fiancee or people off the street and putting them under mind control," Gordon countered, turning back to Lamont.

"Did I say he wasn't a criminal? No, just that he was sane." Lamont stood up, "I understand that she was unharmed until Batman showed up and caused Tetch to panic and that when he realized what he'd done to her he stood down and came quietly. To me, that shows that he knew what he was doing, so legally he was sane. That's off the record, Sir. My official opinion is that the high security wing at Arkham will only further damage a mind made fragile by the possible loss of a friend and the fact that he had put her under mind control despite his original intentions otherwise. Arkham general population or even Blackgate would be better, but if you put him in with people like Crane and Joker... we're going to have another rogue on our hands, Commissioner. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish filing my report."

"Fine, fine, have a good night, Detective," Gordon waved him away and dropped into his seat as the door shut behind the profiler.

"He's not wrong."

"I know that," Gordon answered without turning, "That's the problem. Because of Tetch's present state he'll go to Arkham, because of what he did he'll end up in high security, the courts won't care if it's not best because it's the law. Just like even with all the evidence pointing to emotional and mental abuse in the Travis/Pleasance relationship, unless she comes to us we can't interfere. It's the law, not justice."

"That's where I come in," Batman commented.

"What do you-" Gordon turned around to see that his 'guest' was gone, "He does that every time."

Author's Note: I have no intentions at this time of continuing this any further, but if anyone wishes to pick up where I leave off, feel free to do so, just let me know so I can have a read.