As Alice fought her way through the garden, the sound of conversation drifted closer, and she could almost swear she heard the clanking of tea cups. She advanced through the green wilderness, clutching her too-large dress to her chest. A faint smell of tea entered her nose and prompted her to walk faster. Just as she reached the edge of the clearing, the sound of laughter reached her ears.
She'd know that laugh anywhere.
She stumbled out from behind the trees, and got her first look at a very familiar tea party. Hatter and the March Hare were seated at a long table of which the surface was completely occupied by tea pots, cups, spoons and sugar bowls. The very image of the scene was enough to bring a smile to her face.
The conversation died as the two madmen caught sight of their visitor. The March Hare let out a strangled cry and hid beneath the table. Hatter, on the other hand, jumped up, almost losing his hat in the process.
'Alice!' he exclaimed, a big grin starting to appear on his face. She grinned back, taking in Hatter's comfortingly familiar appearance – the shockingly orange hair, the crazy hat, the bright green eyes. She took in the delight, the absolute joy radiating from his face, and once again wondered how she had got it into her head to leave Wonderland at all, to leave this unbelievably perfect place, to leave her very own Hatter –
And then she was crushed to his chest and it all didn't matter anymore.
'Hatter,' she choked out as he began to run his hand through her hair. 'I've missed you so much.'
'I've missed you too, my dear Alice,' he whispered back. Then he pulled away and looked into her face. 'Why is it that you're always late?'
She smiled at that, an insane joy taking possession of her once more. She was back in Wonderland, back where she belonged, and it all felt so incredibly right...
She closed her eyes and leaned toward Hatter, their lips nearly touching ...
Alice woke up with a gasp and shot up, gazing around her bedroom in bewilderment. When she touched her cheek, her fingers were wet.