Title - Far Away.
Author - OblivionsGarden.
Genre - Romance/Fantasy.
Disclaimer - I do not own Alice In Wonderland in anyway shape or form. I only own the plot for this one shot.
This time, This place. Misused, Mistakes .Too long, too late. Who was I to make you wait? Just one chance, Just one breath. Just in case there's just one left. 'Cause you know, you know, you know.
It had been eight years since that legendary day. Alice Kingsley had sleighed the Jabberwocky and returned Underland to it's rightful ruler. Iracebeth and Stayne were long gone by now, probably having killed each other in the midst of a quarrel. But it wasn't the battle that Alice though on most. Nor was it Mirana, or Chess or Mally or Thackery or McTwisp. Or even Absolem, or the Tweedle's. The only person Alice could ever focus on was her closest Underlanian friend. Tarrant Hightopp.
She found, as the months went by, that her memory of Underland faded, bit by bit. Tarrant was the only thing left she could recall in full. His odd outfits, pale face, gapped teeth and mad ginger hair. And of course her favorite feature of his, his ever changing eyes. And of all the feelings that crowded her head and heart when she thought of him, only one seemed important to her now. Guilt. He had almost asked her to stay. wording it as a choice but she knew it was his question. A plea, if you like. And she had left him and his world behind.
She'd thought her world needed her more. Which it had for a while. She was a worthy apprentice to Lord Ascot and assured Lowell never strayed from her sisters side. Her mothers mind was eased by Alice's ambition to be something other than a housewife and baby maker for Hamish. Her Aunt Imogene had stopped having delusions and had found a lover. A real one this time. And Lady Ascot...Well, she busied herself by trying to find Hamish a wife. She was after one of the Chattaway Twins.
But it had been eight years and Alice was twenty seven years of age. She knew there was not a husband for her in her world and most were already assuming she would be a spinster. But she had decided otherwise. Her sister had her own family, the business was a success and her mother had passed on two years previous. She was free to live her remaining years in her own world full of all things mad and curious.
Part of her wondered if Tarrant thought of her. If, as before, time had stopped ticking until she returned. She always dismissed these thoughts. She didn't have a jabberwocky to slay anymore, she wasn't the important champion she was before.
That I love you. I have loved you all along. And I miss you. Been far away for far too long. I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go. Stop breathing if. I don't see you anymore.
It had been eight years since that sad day. Alice Kingsley had sleighed the Jabberwocky and left Underland. Of course, Underland was back under the rightful ruling of the White Queen but what was that supposed to mean to a man whose clocks had stopped ticking. Tarrant Hightopp had thought about almost nothing but Alice. She was the savior of Underland, of his world and of his madness. And she'd left him behind to go on to greater things. In her world, above. He wished he could go back and ask her to stay rather than wording it the way he had. He should've confessed his feelings to her, should've done anything to get her to stay.
He found, that as the months went by, his brain was on a constant loop of her most recent visit to Underland. Or Wonderland as she had so charmingly called it.
He returned to his post as Milliner to the White Queen, but almost everything he made had that splash of blue. That colour that was so... Alice. Mirana of course always had her garments made of only the finest white materials, but in his workshop, there were creations of all kinds with bits of the curious girl weaved into the stitching. The most prominent, a large silver and royal blue top hat, not to different from his own. Feather tucked in at the brim, ivory topped pins and pearls, lace and the like. He had made it, hoping desperately that somehow it could bring Alice back.
But it had been eight years and Tarrant couldn't keep deluding himself. Alice would be twenty seven by now. More than likely married to a suitor with children. He knew, of course, that Alice being Alice, the man who had won her heart would be just as odd and as curious as she. He'd have to be or they'd never get along. But Tarrant couldn't help but let that little green monster overtake his thoughts sometimes. He thought that there was no one more suited for Alice than himself.
Sometimes he wondered if Alice remembered him like she had promised to. But, she had also said she'd be back before he knew it and he did know it and had know it for years so where on earth was she? Late. For a very important date. Perhaps she had spent to much time with McTwisp in her time in Underland.
On my knees, I'll ask. Last chance for one last dance. 'Cause with you, I'd withstand all of hell to hold your hand. I'd give it all, I'd give for us. Give anything but I won't give up. 'Cause you know, you know, you know.
Bordering on Christmas, Alice had set everything in order. Selling her share of the business she'd come to own, selling her house, writing loving letters to her sister and her three nieces. She told them she wanted to spend the rest of her life traveling. Which, in one way, wasn't entirely a lie. But it also wasn't entirely true.
The Ascot mansion was now owned by Hamish and whichever Chattaway twin he had married. Alice hadn't seen either of them since that fateful day she first took the tumble down the rabbit hole. And now, as she took the familiar path, she found herself wondering what she would've become if she had accepted Hamish's proposal, having never been to Underland. Perhaps she would've had children with problematic digestive systems and whimsical senses of wonder. She chuckled at the thought when suddenly her mind was over run with other imaginary beings. Little ones she had dreamt of before. A little boy and a little girl. The boy with slightly wavy blonde hair and the girl with waist length, curled red locks. Each with eyes that change to match their mood and the boy with a gap in his front teeth just like his father.
It was a tighter squeeze now that Alice was a woman. But eventually she was falling back to her real home. She hit the ceiling with a thud and braced herself for another as she landed right way up on the floor. There was no confusion in which door to open and drinking and eating things to grow and shrink. She was running as soon as she was through the door, stopping only in the forest when she heard that familiar drawling voice. Chessuer. Alice found it very amusing to see the witty cat at a loss for words. By the time she reached the mill she was exhausted and collapsed to her knees at the foot of the table. She panted, gasping for her breath when she heard his soft voice.
"It couldn't be."
She heard his boots hitting the table as he moved closer, hoping down and kneeling in front of her, just as he had eight years ago. She lifted her head, brown eyes meeting green. He tentatively reached forward, his calloused fingers brushing her cheek.
"You're real." His voice was tinged with disbelief.
"Tarrant." She whispered. "I'm sorry for leaving."
He pulled her to her feet, leading her to her chair beside his at the head of the table. Mally popped her head out of the teapot, sewing needled poised and ready for battle. The mouse dropped her weapon when she saw Alice. Thackery was twitching too, spoon in hand. Both friends were waiting for more words to be spoken.
"I never should've left. I'm never leaving again. Well... Unless you want me to. And I'd understand if you did I mean I have been gone for eight years without so much as a little visit or a message or anything. I never even came near the rabbit hole since that day and-"
"Alice!" Tarrant was smiling, revealing his gapped teeth. "You never really left. Not really."
"You forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive."
He stood abruptly as Chess appeared. Holding out a hand, he pulled Alice a few paces away from the table. A beat of silence passed before he began to dance. Alice erupted into a laugh she hadn't laughed anywhere but there. She lifted the skirt of her dress, joining in the Hatter's futterwacken. Mally, Chess and Thackery hopped about the table, chuckling and throwing teacups.
That I love you. I have loved you all along. And I miss you. Been far away for far too long. I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go. Stop breathing if. I don't see you anymore.
"It's so good to have you back, my Alice." Hatter beamed at her as they drank their tea in the White Queen's court yard. Each wearing their top hats made by him.
Alice slipped her hand into his, no longer afraid of letting her feelings be known. His fingers squoze hers as she leant closer, capturing his pink lips in hers. "My mad hatter." She smiled fondly. "I was wondering... Perhaps we could take a little walk before this evening." The White Queen had insisted on having a celebration for the return of Underlands Champion.
"That would be marvelous."
"Tarrant?" Alice smiled innocently, pulling out a small cake and a small bottle from her dress pocket. "Could I travel by hat?"
On the walk Alice swung from the brim as she had before, earning a chuckle from Tarrant. She dropped onto his shoulder and slid down until she was sat in his breast pocket.
"Hatter?"
"Yes love?"
"I forgot to ask..." She smirked up at him. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"