A/N: I am continuing! Updates will be slow, but I am continuing!
"Jervis how could you?!"
Jervis held his hat in his hands, gripping the brim tightly as he looked at the ground almost sheepishly. Scarecrow and Riddler stood before him, chastising him for taking control of their minds.
"She deserves to be taught a lesson!" Riddler continued, "I am the master of puzzles, not that little-"
"I've waited too long for Alice!" Jervis exclaimed angrily, then pulled his hat back on before continuing, "I waited and waited and waited, and I won't lose her again!" Riddler fell silent, but Jonathan frowned.
"If you ever do something like that again-" He threatened, but was cut off by a noise in the next room. Riddler and Scarecrow were almost bowled over by Tetch as he pushed past them, running to see what had happened. He looked around, but Alice had moved from the corner where she had been crying. So where was she?
"Well…" Riddler remarked, suppressing a smirk as he stood behind Tetch, "That's one problem solved." Hatter's eyes widened as he looked around again, more frantically than before. She had run away? Oh no, oh no no no no no…
~O~
Crossword stayed as five-letter-word-for-silent as possible as she stayed on her hands and knees under the table. She hoped she was six-letter-word-for-concealed enough as she saw Hatter's legs move frantically all around the room.
"Oh no oh no oh no, the caucus race begins again!" Hatter four-letter-word-for-spoke woefully, and Crossword crouched down fearfully as Riddler's legs six-letter-word-for-moved over to Hatter.
"Jervis, she's gone."
Crossword listened as Jervis seven-letter-word-for-halted, then after a moment he sighed.
"March Hare…Caterpillar…the tea party has finished. Please leave." His voice was a-five-letter-word-for-quiet, and after a few minutes of silence she heard Scarecrow four-letter-word-for-exhale. Without another word, Scarecrow and Riddler left, and Crossword heard Hatter sigh again.
"If everybody minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster than it does."
Crossword jumped and had to cover her mouth with her hand to four-letter-word-for-stifle a shriek as a teapot smashed against the wall, and Hatter slumped into a seat at the table. Crossword's breath caught in her throat; his legs were only inches away from her face. Crossword nine-letter-word-for-withdrew, hoping to remain silent as she backed away. Her main nine-letter-word-for-goal now was to escape. Crossword held a hand to her head again for a moment. And a-three-letter-word-for-obtain more medication. But first, Mad Hatter would have to leave. Crossword barely breathed as she waited.
"Oh Alice, where could you be? I never wanted to hurt you, but you kept crying and crying. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a great girl like you to go on crying that way! Oh, Alice…"
Crossword slowly and nine-letter-word-for-cautiously pulled her mask off, almost unable to breathe through the six-letter-word-for-material. She wondered how long Hatter would four-letter-word-for-remain sitting in his chair eight-letter-word-for-talking to himself, and she considered running for the door. She probably wouldn't make it. Crossword heard a six-letter-word-for-fluid being poured, and she almost frowned. Was he serving himself tea? God she would never leave. She could already feel her legs turning into jelly.
She just had to four-letter-word-for-stay, and eventually the Mad Hatter would leave and she would be able to escape.