A/N: Hello! Sorry I took so long to post this! The descriptions took forever to come up with, but once they did, boy did they come. Please Read & Review!

xoxo

KK

Anna made her way slowly out of the bedroom, gasping in wonder at the artistic design of the house; at the sheer oddity that it was. The hallway leading from Mad's room to the stairs had been built in a wavy pattern, and everything was painted and built to give the illusion that the entire hallway was melting.

"It's a good thing I'm not a drug addict," Anna muttered to herself. "This place would screw up my mind pretty bad."

The stairs themselves were fairly normal, other than the fact that they seemed to be made of solid gold with jewels embedded in the steps. Has to be fake, she thought.

At the bottom of the stairs lay the living room, and beyond that, the entryway and the door. In the living room, Anna was almost deafened by the tick-tocking of hundreds of clocks. They covered every inch of wall, table and shelf space. A few pocket watches even lay on the worn sofa.

She covered her ears the best she could and hurried through into the entryway. There, by some blessed miracle, lay her Nike running sneakers. Putting them on, Anna grimaced in a show of vanity that they didn't match the dress that the Hatter had let her borrow.

"What I wouldn't give for my worn Phish t-shirt and a pair of old jeans," she quietly moaned. Yes the dress was cute, in and odd, gothic way, but you couldn't relax. You had to constantly watch where the hemline was at every moment lest it reveal a bit more than one likes to show.

Anna reached for the handle of the door, leaping back in surprise as the face carved into it began talking to her.

"I never in all my years met a young lady so rude as to grab my face without even a 'by-your-leave'. Of all the inconsiderate things…Even the Hatter has more manners than that!"

Anna stared in shock for a moment and crouched down to examine the talking doorknob. Her fascinated gaze didn't go unnoticed by the animated object.

"What? Never seen a talking doorknob before?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head apologetically. "I'm sorry if I've offended you. Where I come from, doorknobs don't speak at all, so you just gave me a bit of a start is all."

The doorknob huffed a bit and blustered to make a good show, but eventually turned and the door swung silently outward, revealing the Mad Hatter and his companions at the largest table Anna had ever seen.

What looked to be a mouse was half-way out of one teapot, sleeping on his folded arms. The Hatter and a….well, Rabbit-man would be the only description for him. He stood on his hind legs at what Anna would guess to be about five and a half feet, but he looked entirely like an overgrown rabbit wearing a suit.

"Ah! So you've decided to join us, my dear. Sit down, have a cup of tea."

Anna felt a sudden and unexpected wave of shyness pass over her as she let Mad help her to a chair. She shivered a little when he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Is the dress still not to your liking? It looks quite fabulous."

To cover her lack of composure, Anna glared at the Hatter, which only made him chuckle. He sat her down in a comfortable armchair and she started sipping her tea.

Before long, their small party was joined by the Cheshire Cat, who promptly seated himself on Anna's left; Mad glared at Cheshire from the chair on her right.

"Cheshire."

"Mad my good friend! Thought I'd drop in for tea, a little chat. How is our friend here doing?" Cheshire asked, his hungry eyes on Anna.

She thought she heard a growl come from the Hatter, but when she looked at him, his face was composed and maybe even a little bit disinterested.

"She's fine, Cheshire. Stop looking at her as if you want to devour her. It's making her uncomfortable."

It was true, but Anna didn't say anything. It was interesting to watch the two in a verbal tennis match.

"So what if I do?"

There it was. That was definitely a growl that came from Mad. Anna thought it rather resembled a wolf's warning rumble. Her face flushed as she realized what Cheshire had been referring to.

"Move down!" The March Hare called, and everyone shuffled down the table. More tea was poured into fresh cups and cakes placed on the clean plates.

"Really, what is with this whole 'Move down' business?" Anna asked, totally confused as to why they needed to keep moving around the table every ten minutes.

Everyone present looked at her as if she were mad; even Dormy.

"It was just a question," she mumbled into her cup.

"I know!" The Hatter exclaimed, clapping his hands together, rather as if he were a child getting presents Christmas morning. "I'll take Anna around for a little tour."

Ready to go anywhere except the insane tea party, Anna hurriedly agreed. After all, she needed to find a way to get home, and Mad might know about it.

"Capital idea, Mad. I'll just tag along," Cheshire said, feline smile all innocence. Mad growled again. "Or maybe I'll be going along to harass Bunny. It's all the same to me."

So saying, he vanished, his taunting smile fading last.

It was eerie, seeing that smile floating in the air all by itself, and Anna shivered a little. When the Hatter held out his arm for her to take as they strolled, Anna wondered whether this had been such a good idea after all. She barely knew the man. Yes, she was attracted to him, but that didn't mean anything.

As they started walking, Mad glanced at her and read her trepidation in her eyes. In a moment of pure mischief, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, knowing that having him so close rattled her.

"Don't worry, I won't bite. Not unless you want me to, that is."

Anna glared at him unconvincingly, trying not to laugh at the sheer outrageousness of it all.

"You, Mad Hatter, think far to much of yourself. I am not attracted to you," she lied.

He laughed lightly. "I think the lady protests too much."

His only reply was her letting go of his arm and leaving about five feet in between them. He laughed again when he thought he heard her mutter:

"Great, strolling with a nutter who quotes Shakespeare. This has got to be a concussion-induced dream, or else maybe I'm the one who's insane."