Alice woke very early the next morning, the sun was just beginning to rise over the distant hill. She looked up to see Tarrant sleeping peacefully, his arm was still around her. Slowly she slipped away from him being careful not to wake him up. She tip toed out of the room and into her own to get a leather bound notebook and ink pen. The house was very silent, not even a snore from Tarrant was audible. Alice went back into Tarrant's room and sat in the rocking chair by the window, being careful not to make too much noise. She fiddled with some rhymes and stories for awhile until she heard a stirring in the bed behind her.
"Alice?" The Hatter called rubbing his eyes.
"Right here. I didn't want to wake you." She stood up and set the notebook and pen on the chair.
"Good morning my dear." He said smiling.
Alice went over and kissed him on the cheek. "How are you feeling?" She sat down next to him.
"Little better every day." He hugged her.
Alice ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his back being careful not to be too rough. "What would you like for breakfast my sweet?"
"Tea, toast, eggs?" He looked up at her.
"I'll bring it all up to you." She kissed him. He pulled his head away and looked at her with a euphoric expression. "You're just precious."
Alice went downstairs and prepared Tarrant's breakfast, it was a tad chilly that morning so Alice made sure everything was nice and hot for him then made the same for herself. She put it all on a tray and took it up. They sat side by side and nibbled on toast, talking about nonsense and riddles. It was good to see him getting back to his old self.
After breakfast Alice took the dishes back to the kitchen then came back to see the hatter fiddling with some scissors and fabric that was on the nightstand next to him. "What are you doing?" She came closer to see that it was blue ribbon he was cutting.
Without a word the Hatter pulled something small and shiny from his trouser pocket and strung it onto the ribbon. As Alice leaned in closer he reached out and tied the ribbon behind her neck with great swiftness. She picked up the charm that was now resting on her chest to see that it was an old silver top hat, slightly worn but otherwise very shiny and elaborately made.
"It's a Hightopp pendant. The last Hightopp pendant… I want you to keep it as long as you love me." He said solemnly.
"I can't accept this." Alice protested about to untie the ribbon.
His eyes grew large and bright. "You must. It's tradition. You must keep it. As long as you love me you must keep it." He emphasized.
Alice looked at him for a moment and realized that he was giving her one of the few things he has left of his clan. How can one develop such compassion in so little time? It made her think that he had this planned for awhile. His eyes were begging her and he kept remouthing "Keep it".
She wrapped her arms around him again that morning. "I'll keep it forever then."