Usual Disclaimer - I do not have rights to Alice in Wonderland, or any characters from it. I make no cash on this.

Thanks all for sticking with me! I am sincerely sorry for the delay, my information lady was unavailable for a few days, and I didn't want to mess up facts. Thanks Wanderer, for the much needed time line.

Chapter Four

Now

Stitching on the fabric, Tarrant hummed to himself. The orderlies standing at the door looked bored with the entire situation, but that did not fool anyone. Even with the hobby room cleared of other patients for an hour or so, there was always the chance that Tarrant could manage to get into mischief. It had happened before, so it could happen again.

A doctor stood off to one side, making notes on a clipboard. Finally, the doctor broke the relative silence. "Not your usual crafting there. Anything you want to talk about?"

"Oh, everyone needs a change of pace now and again, even me. And I guess that I could talk to you, with that polite priestly person down with a horrid flu. It certainly beats talking to the orderlies, all they ask me is if I need more salt on my mashed potatoes. What is so interesting to you about my project?"

"Well, if I'm seeing the pieces together as they're set out on the table, you're making a stuffed animal. A rabbit, if those parts there are ears." Taking a quick look at his clipboard, he continued. "You like rabbits?"

"McTwisp was a bit high strung, but yes, in general I love rabbits. Such wonderful conversationalists, when they're not worried about being on time." Reaching for the button sorting container, Tarrant started rummaging for the just the right pair. "But this is not for me, oh no. Making something for yourself is the height of selfishness. This is for a patient. As I understand it, there is a young girl in the youth wing that suffers from horrid nightmares. Every child should have a stuffed animal, to keep the bad thoughts away." Taking a breath, he sighed. "I managed to lose my rabbit. But it was worn out, I can understand why the nurse took it and threw it away by accident. Or on purpose, one never knows with nurses and orderlies, they like messing with peoples' belongings."

The doctor glanced over to one of the orderlies, to receive a confused shrug. "You had a stuffed rabbit in this institution? I don't remember that being in your box of belongings when you transferred here."

"Oh, it was before America became my home away from Underland. I had that rabbit in England, I received it from a young girl in a desperate situation. I was only too happy to try to ease her suffering."

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it now, if you don't mind. It's not a good memory, and I would not want my hobby time cut short due to an unfortunate outburst on my part." Tarrant returned his attention to stitching the buttons in their right place. He then took a long look at the stitches holding the cloth together. "Ah, perfect! Would it be possible that I could give it to the unfortunate little girl in person?"

"That's not policy, I'm afraid to say. What's her name? I'll personally deliver it to her, and let her know who made it for her. Would that work for you?"

Picking an errant bit of fluff off a floppy ear, Tarrant smiled. "Her name is Rachel, and she is in need of finding her muchness."

Then

"That's the third Hightopp to make an appearance at court this month, your Majesty. Some of Tarrant's family is still alive in spite of it all, and there's no way to let the bloody lump know. He can't seem to be bothered to make an appearance in any of the mirrors, and Alice doesn't seem to be looking for him either." Mallymkun fumed, resettling her hatpin sword against her belt. "They keep asking for Tarrant. What should we tell them?"

"We tell them the truth. We can't being him back at this time, or for the foreseeable future. Let them comfort each other, and decide what to do. I can not hold them here in the castle just to tease them with the possibility that the Hatter might return, it would not be fair to the Clan that remains." Mirana sighed, and set her eyes on her hands. "All we can do is help them rebuild their lives here, and not pester them into distraction about kin that is out of reach."

"One thing I've noticed, your Majesty." McTwisp took the momentary silence to speak up. "Of the Hightopp Clan that have returned, there is one thing missing."

"Oh? What would that be?" asked Mally, not bothering with giving the White Queen a chance to ask her own questions.

"There is not a single child amongst them. No one younger than a teenager or young adult."

Mirana nodded. "My sister managed to murder an entire generation. I do not know what to do, either about the lost children or the missing Hatter. With Absolem up Above, searching for Tarrant and Alice, options have become limited. I think it is time to consult the Oraculum."

Between One

"And you must be the Ms. Kingsley that has been mentioned to me so many times. You are just as... preserved... as was explained to me." The pastor took a quick glance down the dress of the apparently young woman in front of him, not out of naughty thoughts, but more out of curiosity. She caught the glance, and smiled.

"And they've mentioned to you that I'm heading towards eighty years old, correct? It is slightly startling, I know that even I have a bit of confusion in the mirror some mornings." Alice rested a hand on the pastor's arm. "And please, call me Alice. This is more than I care to take in, and I don't want to stand on formalities today."

"Please accept my condolences, Alice. Your elder sister was a great woman, and lived a full life. As I understand it, you'll be taking over the care of her children and grandchildren?"

"Yes, it's the least I can do for Margaret. Her husband, Lowell, passed a few years ago, and I don't want the family to think there's no one for them." Alice gave a shaky sigh. "It didn't bother me, the not aging, until I've watched my friends and family pass on. This is... well, it's hard on the heart."

"What are your plans, with the family? One of her grandchildren mentioned that the entire family was moving?"

"We're heading to America, this country has too many memories for me lately. With my company's headquarters heading to New York, it makes sense for us to leave England. The young ones consider this move a grand adventure, and I think it would do the family good. We need new winds, new lands. Places that are not filled with memories of those that have left us behind..." She fought the tears for a moment, until one slid free of her eyes.

The pastor offered open arms, and Alice accepted the offer, giving up on fighting back the tears. As she silently cried out her pain, the pastor held her. "Life is a series of ups and downs. But everything happens for a reason, I do believe that. I think this move to the States will do you and your family good."

She found her muchness, and stopped crying so hard. Much to the pastor's shock, she had a small smile on her face. "Tarrant would laugh at me, and let me know I'm late for tea. I miss him so much..."

"Is that your husband? Has he already passed?"

Alice laughed. "We never married. And I don't know if he's dead or alive, it's been so long since I've seen him. But I'll wait for him, for as long as it takes."

Between Two

The orderly glances into the room, debating on how to handle the upcoming situation. Two others stood in the hall, one of them holding a straitjacket. Finally, one of them spoke. "Are we going to be intimidated by an old man? I don't care how young he looks, he's just one old guy sitting in a cell."

The lead orderly raised an eyebrow at the speaker. "I know you're new here, but there's no telling with this man. I've seen him shred leather in his bare hands. Do you want to be the first one into that room, and be the one to explain to him that he gets to wear this restraint?" He sighed. "I think this new doctor is crazier than some of our patients, to want to talk to that madman, but he's the boss."

Reaching for the keys on his belt, the lead orderly unlocked the metal door and took a quick look into the room. An apparently young man was sitting on the cot, staring at the ceiling with rapt contemplation. He blinked a few times when the door opened, then turned his attention to the three men entering his cell.

"Am I in trouble? I've not harmed a soul in months, purposely or otherwise. What seems to be the problem?"

The shorter orderly motioned to the straitjacket. "There's a new doctor, that wants to speak to you. For his safety, you're going to be restrained while in his office. That's all, you're not in trouble for once."

Tarrant took a long look at the straitjacket, apparently considering his options. Then he stood. "If that is all that is to be asked of me today, that sounds like a novel idea. I am not in a mood for trouble, so let us get this over with as painless as possible."

After he was strapped into the straitjacket, the three orderlies led Tarrant down the hallways to an office that he did not remember there being in that location. Many of the halls had changed in the years since his original incarceration, and he wondered just how much the world outside these walls had changed as well. Time kept moving, for most people at least.

After being settled on a couch, Tarrant was left alone in the office. Taking the available moment, he looked around. Books lined one wall, while pictures were in frames on another side of the room. The overstuffed swivel chair sat at a heavy wood desk, which was covered in papers. Just as he repressed the urge to take a look at said papers, the person he figured was the doctor entered the room and sat in the only other available chair.

The older man pulled out a silver cigarette case and a lighter. Taking a moment to light a cigarette and set the case to one side on the table in front of him, he broke the silence in the room. "Good afternoon, Tarrant. I'm your new doctor. My name is Stevenson, and I'm sure we'll be the best of friends."

"If you say so. As long as this doesn't end with me hanging from chains and getting whipped for no real reason, I'll try to behave."

Stevenson laughed. "Oh, those days are long gone, mister Tarrant. There are better ways to help those that are mentally disturbed, much better techniques are now available." Tapping the ash from his cigarette in an ashtray, he continued. "Now, today I would like to talk to you about your family, your parents in particular. Tell me about your father, please."

"I'd rather not think on my family, if that is alright by you."

"Did your father beat and abuse you?"

"Never! How dare you say such things about him! He was insane there at the end, but that was understandable, considering how long he was a milliner. The mercury, it took his mind. He never hurt me, never ever! Children are precious."

"Then, how about your mother? Did she ever touch you in an unacceptable way? Did you ever feel urges for your mother that were not considered... healthy?"

"By the Gods, never! My mother was a kind and caring soul, you perverted little man! I loved my mother, as a good child would, with all my heart. I do not like you, mister Stevenson, saying such things about the dead! How dare you!" Tarrant struggled with the straitjacket for a moment, then settled down to fume. "You've a sick mind, to think such things. What in the world did they teach you in your schooling, to think that the world is like that?"

The door to the office cut off Tarrant's words as it opened, revealing a young girl holding a stuffed rabbit. Tarrant didn't want to disturb the child with his talking, and immediately fell silent. The doctor however took the momentary silence to rail at the young girl.

"I've told you a dozen times Lisa, to not disturb me when I am working! How dare you wander these halls, in range of these human monsters!" The doctor rose to his feet, and Lisa was shocked into complete lack of movement. Lashing out, the doctor smacked the child across the face. "Get out of here, you little wretch! I don't have time for you and your little games, I am working, and that takes priority!" He leveled a few more smacks across her face, leaving one lip seeping blood.

That was when someone grabbed the doctor from behind, and Stevenson was thrown to the floor. Lisa watched with eyes as wide as saucers, as the man in the now broken straitjacket leveled his own set of blows on her father. His eyes fairly glowed with amber light, as in between blows Tarrant snarled at the doctor. "Ye don' hurt children, yer tha wretch! Children are precious, yer not deservin' ta even look at that wee lass, let alone be her father!"

Lisa took that moment to scream in terror, bringing several orderlies running to save the doctor from the enraged madman. It took several minutes to restrain Tarrant, who continued his own ranting as he was wrestled to the floor and fastened back into the straps he had worked free. The doctor lay curled up on the floor of his plush office, blood flowing from his mouth and nose. As Tarrant was pulled from the office and back into the halls leading to his cell, the young girl reached out for him.

"Thank you, mister Tarrant. For trying to protect me."

The rage faded from his face in an instant, and a wan smile graced his white face. "Your father needed some correction. I am sincerely sorry you had to witness this outburst of mine. Rest well, little lass, and know that he won't live forever."

She took bravery in hand, and quickly reached out and kissed the madman on the forehead. "Get some sleep, mister Tarrant."

As he settled in his cell, the orderlies didn't bother to remove the straitjacket. Sitting on the floor to one side, he continued to smile. The other men left the small room, leaving Tarrant to wriggle his way out of the restraints himself. He freed himself from the contraption of canvas and leather, then returned to his musings from the floor.

"Now, there is a young lady with plenty of muchness to spare."

When he awoke the next morning, on his tray of breakfast was a small wrapped package. Not bothering with the abysmal food and tea, Tarrant carefully unwrapped the small package.

It was a small stuffed rabbit, and a note. "Don't let the nightmares take you away, mister Tarrant. Thank you for caring about me, I will be strong for you."