Alice's POV:

Today was the day, I was going to Underland, I had it all planned out; I was going to leave a note on my space on the lunch table while everyone danced (I didn't want to join in, unless they were Futterwackening which is highly unlikely, especially at this frigid git's idea of a party) the note read that I was going to a place I discovered a while ago and wished to go back, permanently and was offered a one way ticket but I had to rush off, the note was vaguely half-true, they'd have me locked up in an asylum if I were to tell them the full truth. Then I'd slip off to the rabbit hole and hallelujah I'm home. I slipped the note into the envelope and left it on the table before slipping off into the maze to find my ticket home.

I'd found it on my own, no help from dear old McTwisp this time. I knelt down above the rabbit hole and threw myself in headfirst before the memory of all the flying objects and rational thought made me chicken out! As I dodged the levitating objects I couldn't help but get a strangely welcoming sense of de ja vu.

I became distracted by this and so it came as a shock as I made impact with a very hard ceiling. I'd forgotten how brutally solid this ceiling was, being outweighed by other, happier memories. I was pleased that I'd never have to smack into it again. At that moment the room flipped the right way up, consequently throwing me to the floor below, leaving me sprawled on the floor; my hair askew. I groaned; my joints cracking as I stood up.

I grabbed the key on the table, drank the vile Pishalver, (hopefully for the last time) secured one of my last remaining undergarments after shrinking to the size of about 3 feet tall and opened the door into a much brighter Underland.

I heard all the plants whispering my name excitedly.

"Alice, so nice to see you again, love." I heard a low voice say though I could not pinpoint a location to where the voice had come from. "Chess, it would be nice if I could see YOU too." I replied. The cat materialised in front of me, the grin on his face so wide I'm surprised his jaw didn't drop off from the strain!

"Happy now, love?" he asked "Yes, you know how it disorients me when you evaporate!" I scolded him half-heartedly "My apologies." he said, if it was possible, the grin on his face widened. I rolled my eyes.

"Chess?" I chanted sweetly, elongating the "e" in his name. "Yes, love?" He replied smirking. "I was wondering if you could guide me to a friend or something to help find my way around." I requested. "Not that you're not my friend, but all your disappearing and reappearing gives me a headache." I added.

"I'll take you to the hatter, I know for a fact that he's eager to see you again." He said. "That and you want to see his hat again." I stated. "It is a marvellous hat!" He sighed wistfully.

"No stealing of his hat while I'm here, or my battle with the jabberwocky will look tame compared to your punishment." I joke. "You wound me with your words." He responded in faux woe. I giggled and began to follow his floating form.

Hatter's POV:

I groaned; that meddlesome cat was floating towards us; me, Thackery and Mally that is. Hang on; I could see him, that's unusual. I don't know he's here until I feel my beautiful hat being pulled off my head by some seemingly invisible force. Only after Mally or Thackery has dragged me out of an outlandish swearing fit will I thereby tell him to sod off unless he has something important to say.

"Hello Tarrant and your sweet hat." He greeted me with a hint of longing in his voice when he mentioned my hat. I clutched my hat protectively, aside from Alice; my hat was the thing I treasured most.

"I'm sure that you will be pleased to meet today's guest and this time she's here to stay apparently." Stated the smug creature before melting away to reveal none other than a 3 foot tall Alice, stood there; my heart Futterwackened at the mere sight of her, in the time she had gone she'd only gotten more beautiful.

"Hatter, March hare, Mally it's so good to see you all again!" she said joyously. "Hullo there Alice." Squeaked Mally who had grown fond of Alice over the time she was away – not that she'd admit it – she'd claim she was being pleasant because I loved her and out of respect to me was being kind. This being her protest during the conversations we had about her together.

"Gae, you're late for tea!" Shrieked Thackery, who had thrown a saucer at her which she swiftly ducked.

"Alice, dear." I giggled excitedly. Perfect just what I needed; the love of your life returns after god knows how long and rather than announcing your undying love for her your prize winning greeting answer is "Alice, dear." I thought sarcastically.

"Thanks Chess." Called Alice.

"Wanna brew, Chess?" Asked Mally.

"No thank you, Mallymkun, I'd best be on my way." The irksome cat replied. "I'll let you take it from here. And I do adore that hat." He whispered in my ear before vanishing. I glared at the spot where the little minx had been moments before.

"Care for some tea, Alice?" I asked politely, barely hiding my excitement. "Yes please." She replied. Once she was seated with a cup of tea and some scones she asked how things had been since she'd left. We launched recounting all that had happened since she left.

When we told her about the knave she exclaimed. "So he wasn't the scumbag everyone reckoned he was, it's good he's got his life sorted, I wonder if it's improved his personality, working for the white queen. The last time we meet he was the definition of the term creep!" Me and the rest of our company laughed at her last comment.

"He is nicer than he was." I admitted.

"You said he mentioned that Iracebeth wanted to create another Jabberwocky..." She said trailing off, but I got the gist. I frowned. I told her how one goes about creating a Jabberwocky, her face paled as I explained. "That's horrible..." she whispered quietly, her voice breaking at the end. "Isn't it." I agreed darkly.

At that moment A bloodhound bounded towards us. "Bayard." Exclaimed Alice jumping up, forgetting our previous conversation.

"Hello Alice, the queen wishes to speak with you, news travels fast in underland. You're all invited too." He explained and gestured towards us.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's be going." I concluded jumping up. We were going to Marmoreal.

A/N: Alice is back guys and Hatter's happy again. The plot thickens! Did you enjoy this chapter, I wont know, unless I get reveiws. Don't be shy; good, bad IDRK, I just want your opinion. Vixter-twihard ;)