Ch.6
She lay in bed that night with The Hatter, her Hatter, content and full. The meal had been splendid, all sorts of crumpets, pies, meats, breads, soups and drinks to choose from. The Hatter had even invited all her old friends to come and enjoy the meal with her. They had spent hours catching up on the events that had passed since she had left. Wonderland, she had been told, was doing wonderfully, and everything was almost back to the way it was. It was still going to take some time to re-grow the grass on the Milky White Plains but other then the occasional thunderstorm everything was in good order. The Cheshire Cat had been put to death by the Queen herself and all his minions chased down and "taken care of", which from what she figured meant slaughtered.
She felt his arm, strong and warm, wrap around her waist and pull her closer, rousing her from her thoughts. She cuddled up closer to him and looked up into his beautiful dark violet orbs. So dark in fact, that they were almost black.
"I hope you're feeling much better?" The Hatter said, as more of a question then a statement.
Alice nodded her head and reached up to plant a small but tender kiss on his cheek.
"I am. Thank you." she said, her voice still a bit weak.
The Hatter nuzzled her neck and took in the scent of her. How he had missed the simple things about her. The way she smelled, the way she laughed at him when he made a complete fool of himself, even her smile, though infrequent as it might (and very well could) be now.
Carefully he ran his hand down her arm. When his fingers slid across her wrist he stopped and raised her arm up to the light. Small scars ran from one side of her wrist to the other. He looked down into Alice's eyes and found small tear forming in her beautiful green orbs.
"Oh Alice," he said softly, pulling her closer to him.
"I wish I could have done something, anything to help you."
"You did help me. You got me out of there and back where I belong." She whispered, burying her face in his chest.
The Hatter had nothing to say to that so he just held her close and kissed the top of her head. Things in her world must have been worse for her then he had originally thought.
They lay like that for hours, and he continued to hold her even after she fell asleep. It wasn't until three in the morning that he too drifted off to sleep, still holding her in his arms.