Disclaimer: Sadly none of it belongs to me.. wouldn't mind having my own Hatter though
Notes: this is intended to be from Jack's POV at the Looking Glass when the Oysters are going home. There are definite Alice/Hatter undertones as I am most decidedly an Alice/Hatter shipper.
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He feels as though he is once again intruding on a very private moment, and this in spite of the others at the Looking Glass, the Oysters waiting to go home, the Suits who accompanied him, the scientists operating the Looking Glass and that eccentric knight Charlie.
But they aren't all looking at them, not like he is, maybe they've glanced here and there, but Jack, Jack Hearts – the King of Wonderland - he is looking directly at them.
And he can see a bit of himself in Hatter, the way Hatter looks at Alice greatly mirrors how he looked at the brunette. The nervousness of Hatter's demeanor, Jack can most certainly relate to that. Alice just has that way about her, it seems. And Jack is trying not to eavesdrop, partially because it's rude and un-befitting of a King, but because he simply doesn't want to hear it.
Having just recently been rejected – again - by Alice, combined with the way she's acting with Hatter, the way Hatter is looking at her and the way that Alice is very likely looking at Hatter.
She has changed, as she stated, and Jack will agree to that statement without much argument, because she has changed.
She wants something else and Jack will slightly disagree with that statement, because it's quite obviously a someone and not just a something.
And he envies Hatter for a moment, because he is on the receiving end of Alice's affections.
Then she is being lead away, and a very bitter part of the blond is doing a victory dance when Hatter doesn't do much else but sputter like a fool. Then, just like that, she is gone.
He does not envy Hatter in this moment because Jack realizes how difficult it is to let her go, because Alice – not the Alice of Legend – but this Alice, is still very special.
But unlike Hatter, the blond didn't have too much of a choice in the matter, because he had to return to Wonderland eventually. And unlike Hatter, he can not go after her because now he has a kingdom to rebuild.
A small part of Jack doesn't want to help Hatter, a tiny part of him that's jealous and dark, full of spite and indifference.. a part of him that so resembles his mother that it almost nearly frightens him. But, the more reasonable and compassionate side of him (and coincidentally the side that still cares very much for Alice) wants to help Hatter, because by helping Hatter, the blond is also helping Alice.
So that is why, in spite of the fresh sting of rejection and the jealousy in his veins; Jack helps Hatter reach the Other Side of the Looking Glass.
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FIN