A/N: AH! You my dear wondrous readers are amazing! Thank you for all the favs, alerts and the reviews! Cookies and hugs from Hatter for all of you! Anywho, because of the downtime on here this took longer to post than I had hoped but here it is your chapter one. Please do enjoy and thank you! Your wonderfulness makes Hatter less... * looks over at Hatter who is trying to break the chain off the "Tea" cabinet * Such trouble he is, on ward!

Sledgehammer

A Syfy Mini-Series Alice Fanfic

Chapter One- Dinner Parties and Theatrics

Hatter stared blankly at Charlie as he described his latest encounter with the Jabberwock to the full dinner table at the castles weekly dinner party. It had been several months since Alice made the choice to become Queen and she seemed happy, happier than Hatter had ever seen her. Hatter only attended the parties to make Alice feel better about hurting him. It didn't really matter to him anymore, she was if nothing else still his friend and after all the time he'd grown numb to ache in his stomach and chest. Alice laughed whole heartedly as Charlie spoke her fingers laced with Jack's as the sat at the far end of the table. When Charlie finished his story and sat back down Jack cleared his throat calling everyones attention towards royalty.

"Unlike most evenings we actually have something of great importance to discuss," Jack began as Alice nodded and took over. "I know this sounds," she paused thinking of the right words to say. "Bad coming from me but Caterpillar spoke of a prophecy the other day one involving an Oyster well girl if you will from my world coming here to Wonderland."

"What are you saying exactly, Alice?" Hatter snapped in a harsh tone pouring the contents of his tea cup back into the tea pot.

Alice glared at him for a moment before continuing, "If she does fall through the looking glass we will need someone to watch over her and since you seem so eager Hatter why don't you do us the honor of looking after her and no, you can not decline."

Hatter glared back at her as she settled into a smug smirk.

Our World

"Elle, we're going to be late. Hurry up."

Elle sighed as she shut off the shower in defeat and got out. She knew she looked like a wreck even with the mirror covered by a towel. Mirrors had started to creep her out a few weeks prior when she swore her reflection was watching her, staring back and not just because she was staring into it. She'd stopped wearing make up all together the cover up, the shadow and the eyeliner didn't help draw the attention away from the bags under her dull green eyes if anything it only enhanced them. She hadn't slept in days not because she didn't want to but because she was afraid of her dreams. They'd become more of outer body experiences than just average nightmares. Even in the deepest of sleep she'd still wake up the next morning exhausted her legs aching from all the running she did in her dream. Quickly she pulled the towel from the mirror so she could check to make sure she looked at least some what presentable. Her recently dyed red hair fell in waves around her face, cut short just below her chin. She dressed quickly in a black lace dress, honey mustard leggings and a dark pair of high heel boots before running out the door.

"About time," laughed Elle's best friend and roommate Briana as she watched Elle scurry around the room scooping up her purse and putting on her coat. Briana was tall blond and beautiful. She was an actress at the local community theater and tonight was the opening of the community theaters yearly story book production this years choice being Alice in Wonderland, Briana starring as the lead, Alice. Briana and Elle nearly ran out the door and made a mad dash down a few blocks to the theater. Once they reached the theater Briana said a quick goodbye and hurried off to the dressing room.

Elle took her seat in the first row and waited as she always did. Elle went to every play at the community theater, not just because Briana was in most of them but when she was little her father used to take her. This production was especially meaningful to her considering it was her fathers favorite story, the man could even recite it word for word. Her father died when she was sixteen and after that Elle made it a point to memorize and every year on the day he died recite the story before going to bed. Only this year that day fell on the same day as the theaters production of Alice in Wonderland.

"Elle!"

Elle quickly snapped out of her thoughts with a quiet, "Huh?" but when she looked up she was greeted with the familiar face of her long time friend and Briana's high school sweetheart, Henry.

"Oh, Henry it's great to see you!" she replied rising to her feet and embracing him in a warm hug.

"Elle, darling you looks smashing," Henry said as he placed a kiss on each of her cheeks.

Henry had been her friend since she was in kindergarten and she only became friends with Briana after he started dating her late freshman year. They talked for while catching up after not seeing one another for a couple weeks and talked about Briana but soon the lights dimmed and the curtain parted. Briana's performance was flawless as always, she never once missed a cue or stumbled on a line. Briana in full character, finished talking with the Cheshire Cat and the lights died for a set change.

Elle's breath caught in her throat, the memory of her father acting out the next scene with such enthusiasm it was hard not to think him the Mad Hatter himself. As the lights rose and settled on the far left of the stage Elle knew she couldn't watch so she quickly excused herself to Henry and ran towards the exit doors leaving her coat behind. Tears had already filled her eyes blinding her as the cold night air of late November hit her face. She knew couldn't sit there and watch as her fathers favorite character was butchered by some amateur actor, for in her eyes only one man played the role of the Mad Hatter and that was her father.

That's when out the corner of her eye she saw something a bit off, an alley cat grinning up at her.