Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter! I promise more fun mischievous adventures!

BTW, Hats-For-Alice yes, i bet that would come up in one of their conversations one day... or maybe an instance of role reversal for Alice and Hatter, seeing as Hatter got a peek maybe Alice will one of these days (UH-OH Spoilers!) LOL. Watch out for it soon LOL.

Summary: The Hatter has a brilliant idea to Court his Alice the proper way, but proves to be a little problematic.

A gentleman should never wear his hat around a lady... well I've already mucked that up haven't I?


Alice

It's very early in the morning in Marmoreal, so early in fact, that the first rays of the sun have yet to graze the soft white curtains that drape in front of Alice Kingsley's window. Alice, on the other hand, has been awake for hours. It has been four days since her and Ronald's permanent move to Underland, and she hasn't quite gotten the grasp of Time yet. Sometimes, the day would seem to drone along, getting longer and longer, certain times, Time went by too quickly and before she knew it, it was time for sleep once more. So now she sits on her bed, three hours (maybe) before the sun rises, just waiting. She rubs her tired eyes gently, a small smile appearing on her lips before plopping her head back down on her pillow.

"When will morning come?" she whispers to herself. She smiles widely at the thought of spending the day with Her Hatter, Tarrant Hightop. Since the night of their "Welcome Home" Ball, she hasn't been able to spend as much time with him as she had hoped. He was working most of the day, but would take little breaks to walk the gardens with her, and there would be their daily Mad Tea Parties at the windmill, but they haven't really been able to spend so much time alone together. Alice had also been noticing that The Hatter has been quite shy around her as of late, never standing too close, watching everything he says, being particularly polite, once he even gasped loudly, lifted his hat, said "Excuse Me, Lady Alice" and walked at least three paces ahead of her when his hand accidentally brushed upon hers on one of their walks.

"You are an enigma, Tarrant" she laughed to herself. "Why do you always leave me so… utterly confused" she giggled again. She sighs softly as she turned to her side, quietly willing the sun to finally rise. Today would be the first time in the four days since her return that they would spend the whole day together. He had asked her the day before, during tea if she could spend the day with him and she eagerly agreed. Alice laughed to herself as she remembered how he tried his hardest to ask her over March's loud ramblings, and Mally and Ron's pestilent arguing. He had to dodge a few teacups before he finally grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the chaos in order to speak with her. Alice sighed once more and turned to her back shaking her head lightly as she thought of The Hatter's constant apologies at taking her hand. "Why so proper all of a sudden Hatter?" she wondered, "Why, when I got back, all he could do was hug me, and hold my hand and… Kiss" she said to herself, blushing a deep red at the last remark. She giggled like a schoolgirl and buried her face in her pillow, remembering their moment in the balcony with the fireworks. A small frown came upon her face as she realized that it was also the last time that he had kissed her, or held her hand or hugged her in the last four days.

"He owes me an explanation" she huffed, before smiling once again. "Morning is here!" she whispered excitedly as she felt the warm rays of the sun finally touch her cheek.

Tarrant

"It is still dark" The Hatter whispers to himself as his eyes slowly open. "Why are you waking up already?" he whispered once more. He sighs deeply as he brings his eyes to the ceiling. "You need to sleep so you won't be tired today! You are spending the day with Alice" he scolded himself. "But how could I sleep knowing that were separated by a mere wall!" he said. Butterflies flutter excitedly in his stomach at the mere thought of Alice, and he smiles a gap toothed grin at the image of her sleeping in bed. He turns a bright shade of red before slapping his hand as if to scold himself. "Naughty! I mustn't think of My Alice sleeping in bed! That is highly inappropriate!" he whispered. He shook his head and put his palm to his face before pushing back the covers impatiently and glaring out the window. "When will morning come" he whispered to himself. Finally he sighed, looked around the room suspiciously and slipped a tome from under his pillow.

"Mrs. Humphry's Manners for Men" he recited as he read the cover of the book. He sighed once more before turning to a folded page. "Romance, and Courtship" he read out loud. "A gentleman should always remove his hat while talking to a lady… well I've already mucked that one up" he said shaking his fist angrily. The day after Alice and Ronald's arrival, The Hatter had the brilliant idea to court Alice properly. He had requested to speak with Ronald alone that night in order to figure out what exactly was the proper way to court her. The Hatter huffed angrily as he remembered Ronald laughing madly at him.

"Hatter you can't possibly think that Alice wants to be properly courted? Oh yes, everything about our Alice just screams proper" Ronald said sarcastically before laughing. He gently patted The Hatter in the back reassuringly. "Just be yourself Hatter, she wouldn't be the type to ask for more than that, honestly Tarrant, just be yourself" he advised before leaving with The Tweedles.

"Just be myself indeed!" The Hatter whispered sarcastically. "I want to do everything right!" He said strong-mindedly before turning to the book once more. "It's a good thing Nivens was able to procure this for me! Seeing as Ronald was no help at all" he mumbled before reading once again.

"A gentleman should never remove his coat while standing, sitting, riding, or walking with a lady." He recited nervously. "I sure hope it isn't hot today" he giggled. He sits up straight at suddenly hearing a soft giggle. He looks around his room nervously before hearing it again. "Alice?" he wondered. He shook his head in disapproval right before hearing her voice once more. He jumped onto his bed and quickly put his ear to the wall. "This is naughty, a gentleman would never… Ah forget it! Is she awake?" he muttered to himself as he listened intently.

"Morning is here!" he hears her say before turning his eyes to the window.

"Morning is here" he repeated nervously as he took the book in his hands. "Courtship is quite difficult in My Alice's world." He sighed before returning to his reading.

Later on that day...

"Tarrant?" Alice asked as they silently walked down a small path in the garden.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Why is that…" she started turning to face him. Suddenly she gave him a confused look and pointed to the hat in his hands. "Why aren't you wearing your hat?" she asked.

"Um, well you see…" he started; Alice gently takes the hat from his hands and placed it back atop his mess of orange hair.

"Much better," she smiled shyly. The Hatter returned the smile and slowly reached up his hand to touch her cheek before abruptly yanking it back and shoving it in his pockets. Alice's smile faded at the action, as she continued their walk.

"I'm sorry" he whispered gently. She gave him a small nod and looked to the floor before speaking once again.

"Tarrant, why is it that, you've seemed a bit… distant as of late?" Alice finally asked.

"Distant?" Tarrant said, trying to sound casual.

"Yes. I thought you said you missed me, and yet… you act uneasy around me, you don't hold my hand, just right now, you aren't standing close to me… did… I do something?" she asked.

"NO! You didn't do anything; in fact you've been perfect! Just the same perfect Alice as ever! It's… just, me." The Hatter said sounding defeated. Alice gave him a questioning look. "Alice, I've been trying to learn how to properly court you." He blurted. "Everything is different here in Underland, and I asked Ronald how to court a woman in your world, and he laughed at me and told me "to be myself" which doesn't really help me in any way! So I told Nivens to go up to your world and find out, and he ended up getting me this book, which told me that I was doing everything wrong! And…"

"Hatter!" Alice said, snapping him out of his crazy rambling. She smiled at him brightly before taking his hand in hers. "Ronald was right, you know" she said as she stepped closer to him. "Tarrant, I don't need you to learn any of those things, I like everything about you and I wouldn't change a thing! I already… love you" she said shyly.

"But I want to do this right Alice, you are so very important to me, that I don't want to muck anything up…" he explained.

"Then how do you court a lady in Underland?" She asked.

"Well, I've never done it" he said defensively "but the first thing a gentleman does is give her a token, if she accepts, they are allowed time to get to know each other, and if there is any mutual attraction then… well… it just goes on like that" he finished.

"That is so much easier than what they have us do!" Alice said. "We had to have dance cards, and chaperones, and all these rules!" she exclaimed. She squeezed Tarrant's hand lightly before gazing into his light pink eyes. "I like your way better" she giggled.

"Thank heavens" he breathed, finally allowing his hand to touch her cheek. "So let's see…" he whispered, his husky voice laced in his outlandish accent, "I've given you a token, and you accepted…" he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "And we are trying to get to know each other better" he said as his lips lightly graze her cheek. "And I can tell My Alice, that there is mutual attraction between us" he whispered in her ear sending shivers down her spine, "That just leaves us with… the rest of it" he said finally pulling her in for a kiss. He pulled away and smiled widely as he sees Alice still with her eyes closed, lips pursed. After taking a breath she opened her eyes and blushed at The Hatter staring at her. "Should I tell you what else happens during Underlandian Courtship?" Tarrant asked his voice still touched with hints of his accent.

"In time… but for now, I would love to just get to know you better" Alice chimed as he took her hand and resumed their walk.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, my sweet Alice" Tarrant said before kissing her hand.


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