Dark Horse

Author's Note: Whew! It has taken me longer than expected to get this chapter up. I have to send a huge thank you to Brumeier, who has been e-mailing consistently with me since Sunday as I've been throwing ideas and what if's at her. Thank you so much for helping me! Enjoy, everybody!

Two Months Later: October

Alice struggled against the wire bonds holding her arms against her back. She was blindfolded, and duct tape covered her mouth. Tears were running down her face; drips hanging off her nose, and chin.

Jack glanced over at her, and shook his head. "This would have gone over much smoother if just accepted the ring, Alice. If you just accepted the ring, and agreed to come with me then I wouldn't have had to force you." He gunned the car, and drove around the corner. "You have no idea how long I've been working on this."

He parked the vehicle, leaning over to remove the tape. "I am very sorry about this, Alice. You did put up quite the fight."

"Would you have expected any less?" Alice replied. She tilted her head in his direction as he exited the driver's side, and opened her door. "Just tell me where you're taking me."

Jack pulled her up, and untied the blindfold. "It's a place that you've heard of before."

Alice's eyes flared at him. "I don't know what you're talking about. I just know that you're insane."

"Oh, no. I'm not insane. We need you, Alice. You don't understand, we need you to wake everybody up." Jack's voice was frantic. "You're a means to an end, Alice."

She veered her eyes to the right. She drew a sharp intake of breath at the sight of the large mirror resting against the brick wall. "Why is there a mirror?"

"That's the way in."

Alice's face paled, and she slowly turned towards Jack. "Hatter was right…wasn't he?"

"Well…kind of." Jack shrugged. "It won't be long."

"What won't be long?" Alice asked.

"The ride." They were standing in front of the glass. Jack had his arms wrapped tightly around Alice's waist. "Don't forget to breathe," he muttered into her ear. Alice opened her mouth to scream as they jumped through.


Hatter was bent over his desk, his eyes never moving off the paper. "This better be important, Dormie," he called out to the diminutive man who was in the process of maneuvering his way into Hatter's office.

"Just the record of sales for today, boss," Dormie said, scampering over.

"Thank you." Hatter tapped his pen against the sheet. "Is there something else, Dormie?"

Dormie eagerly walked over to the desk, and plopped down on the edge. "The Prince is back."

Hatter paused. "He hasn't been back for a while. When did he return?"

"Two days ago. Apparently, he has been gone on a project for the Resistance." Dormie's eyes lit up. "I heard it when I saw Dodo at the Library this afternoon. The Prince has returned with an Oyster, and apparently she's not being brought to the Casino or the Library."

"She?" Hatter repeated. "What do you know?" He lifted his eyes up, and pursed his lips.

"Nothing. Nothing," Dormie stuttered. He struggled to get up from the desk as Hatter flew over to him. "I swear! I don't know anything!"

"Don't get cute. I don't got the time." Hatter took a deep breath in. "Tell me everything you know."

Dormie flinched. "She's being kept at the Hospital. Caterpillar has an interest in her."

Hatter's ears were ringing; his face flushed. "An interest in her? What kind of interest?"

"I don't know! She's an Oyster! We're trying to get rid of them, so why do you even care?"

Hatter straightened his hat. "I'm just curious. I mean, this could be very important to the Resistance, yeah?"

Dormie pulled his jacket down. And fixed his tie. "She's not anything important. Dodo says that once they get their use out of her, they'll probably throw her away with the rest of the Oysters."

"They're going to kill her?" Hatter asked quietly.

Dormie shrugged. "I dunno, boss. Pure speculation here. All I know is that the Prince came back with a kicking, and screaming brunette Oyster girl who's being kept at the Hospital."

Hatter skidded back over, and pushed Dormie against the wall. "Brunette? Are you sure?"

"That's what Dodo said. He saw her, not me."

"Do you know her name? Please…did he say her name?" he whispered.

"She's an Oyster, Hatter. What difference does it make what her name is? We are trying to get the Oysters out of Wonderland," Dormie said skeptically. "What are you doing?"

Hatter was frantically scrambling through his coat rack. He pulled out a purple velvet coat, and held it in front of him. "I have to go. Just…don't mention this to anybody."

"Hatter…?"

Hatter slipped a loaded gun into his leather jacket pocket. "Don't tell anybody about this, and if I hear that someone knows…" His eyes darkened. "Don't think that I wouldn't kill you."

Dormie gulped. "I-I know you would."

"Yeah." Hatter opened his mouth as if he had something more to add before clamping it shut. He slung the purple coat over his arm, and dashed out the back door.


Jack waited as the guard unlocked the door to the private room at the end of the long hall. Alice was sitting on the bed, thumbing through a thick book.

"Alice, I have brought you dinner," he said, plastering a smile on his face.

"Fine," she replied, listlessly.

"I want to apologize, Alice. It's taking us longer then expected."

She lowered the book, and glowered at him. "You know, drop the act, Jack. I know that you've been pretending for the past few months about caring for me. I know you don't care for me, about what happens to me. I just…I want to know why I'm here."

"I told you. You're the means to an end, that's all. Nothing more." Jack placed the plate of food on the table next to her, and settled down on the chair. "You're important to the movement, Alice. We are just having trouble getting the man here."

"Man? Who are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you, Alice. That would be considered a breach in the ranks. Only Caterpillar can tell you," Jack replied.

Alice crossed her arms over her chest. "A breach in the ranks? That's funny, especially coming from you, the Prince, who, if I understand correctly, is basically doing this to overthrow your own mother."

Jack stiffened. "My mother has the wrong idea of how to run a kingdom. Constant beheadings don't do well for morale. You don't understand, Alice. The Resistance doesn't want you Oysters here anymore, and only you can wake them up."

"And you're not going to tell me anymore than that?"

"I can't, Alice. Caterpillar will tell you in due time. I'm only a messenger." Jack kept a stoic look on his face, even though Alice was practically seething at him. "I am sorry, Alice."

"No. No you're not. If you were really sorry then you wouldn't have done what you did in Virginia that day. You sent me to the alley on purpose," Alice stated.

"I had to speed things up, Alice. Hatter was a detriment to my assignment."

Alice scoffed. "Oh, really? A detriment? And that's why you moved so quickly in making me believe that you fell for me afterwards, right?" She shook her head. "He loved me, didn't he?"

"If you say so." Jack looked around the room uncomfortably. "Well, too bad. Alice, I must dash, but, please…get some rest."

"Oh." Alice could barely keep the venom out of her voice. "I'll definitely be getting some rest." She picked up the book, and lifted it up to her eyes. "Go on. Get out."

Jack stood up, walking out to the hall. "Notify me the minute you get word that Carpenter has been brought in," he told the Suit. "The sooner we get done, the better."


Hatter stood outside the Hospital of Dreams. He patted the pocket where his gun was, as if to reassure himself. He swallowed, and adjusted his hat.

The girl at the welcome desk didn't look up as he attempted to skirt past her. "Where do you think you're going?" she called out in a bored voice.

"Just…ah, well, um, you see I have a friend here. She, um, she loves this jacket so much, and when I…" Hatter stuttered.

"Whatever," she muttered, and waved him on.

"Right then." He groaned as he watched her stab at the dead beetle one more time, before making his way up the stairs. The first hallway was empty minus the row of recovering Tea heads put on display for everybody to see. Nobody was watching them; no doctors, or nurses roamed the halls.

Hatter removed his gun, and held it out at the ready. He walked up another flight of stairs, and turned the corner. A Suit was standing watch by the entrance to the third floor.

Hatter growled, and quietly walked over, pressing the gun to the Suit's back. "Give…me…the…sword…" he hissed.

"And why would I do that?"

"So I wouldn't have to do this." The guard was quite a bit taller than Hatter, but he managed to flip the man over, pressing his boot to the Suit's throat. "Where are they keeping her?"

"Who?" The man could barely choke the word out for his face was turning red.

"Don't play stupid. The Oyster girl. Where are they keeping her?"

"I don't know who you're talking about."

Hatter dug the heel of his boot further down. "I have no qualms about killing you. Now…where is the Oyster being kept?"

"On-one floor up," he rasped.

Hatter removed his foot. "Give me your sword."

The Suit was jerky as he unhooked his sword from the holder. "You're not going to kill me now, are you?"

Hatter shook his head. "No. You're not worth killing But, you're probably worth a punch." He lifted his right hand, and forced it square against the man's jaw. "That makes me feel a little better." He picked up the sword, and transferred the gun to his right; keeping both out as he ran up the stairs. The purple coat was still laced over his arm.

He stopped, and darted behind a doorway when he spied the lone guard standing in front of the last door at the end of the hallway. "Apparently not many of the Suits are too eager to join the Resistance," he muttered to himself. "Here goes nothing."

Hatter stepped out, and whistled. The guard turned his head towards Hatter, and drew his sword. "Stay back."

"I don't think I'm going to, mate," Hatter replied. "And you could never beat me in a sword fight, so I don't think that you should even try."

The Suit smirked. "Wanna bet?"

Hatter ran forward, and jabbed the man in the head with the edge of his sword. "I win," he said simply, watching the guard fall. He peered through the small window, letting out a sigh of relief as he spied Alice lying on the bed.

He tried to open the door, only to find it locked. "Fuck." Hatter glanced down at the fallen Suit, and shook his head. He took a deep breath in, and punched his right hand through the door. He leaned into the side, and pushed it all the way open.

"Alice…" Hatter whispered, and dropped everything he was carrying onto the ground.

"Hatter…?" she stood up, covering her mouth with her hands. "Hatter!"

"Alice!"

Alice ran towards him, and leapt into his arms. "Hatter!" she exclaimed.

He wrapped his arms around her, shutting his eyes as he breathed in her scent. "Oh, god, that feels good," he murmured. "We should save that till we're safe."

"No." Alice pressed her lips against his, eliciting a moan from him as he gave in. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you about Jack."

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you the whole truth that summer." Hatter drew Alice back against him, kissing her again. "I never stopped loving you," he said, sounding hopeful.

"I never stopped loving you either," she whispered.

They both startled as the alarm went off in the building. "Fuck. That guy I knocked out downstairs must've come to. Okay, put this on," Hatter said, and handed her the coat.

"What's this for?"

"The minute we leave, everybody in the Resistance is going to be looking for you. The jacket will help a little to prevent you from getting marked, just keep your head down," Hatter said. "Okay, we need to go up."

"Up? Why up?" Alice exclaimed.

"We don't have much choice, Alice. I need you to run, okay?" He looked at her, and pressed another kiss to her mouth. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded determinedly. "Completely."

"Good." Hatter picked up the sword, and gun, holding them out once more.

"Did you break that door yourself?" Alice asked, awe showing through.

"Yes. I'll tell you more about that later." Hatter nodded towards the staircase. "Run, Alice!"

She didn't hesitate. The jumped over the stairs, and Alice flung the door to the rooftop open. "Oh, god," she whimpered as they skidded to a stop.

"We're going to get off on those," Hatter said, pointing to the pink flamingos parked by the edge of the roof.

"What? What do they do?"

"They fly. It's our only way off, Alice. They're perfectly safe." He winced at her. "Safe-ish."

"Fly? I don't like flying, there-"

The door shut, and Alice and Hatter turned around. "I should've known," Jack chuckled. "It's been a year here, but, I should've known that the minute you heard that there was an Oyster being held here, you would make your way to the rescue, Hatter."

"What do you mean? A year?" Alice asked.

"Time runs a bit differently here, Alice," Hatter explained. "You're going to let us go, Jackie boy. And you're going to give us the ring. Saves me another trip of trying to get it."

"What makes you think that I have the ring?" Jack smirked.

"It's on your pinky finger," Hatter pointed out. "Give us the ring, or I will cut your finger off."

Jack paled. "You wouldn't."

"Don't be so sure, Jackie boy." Hatter moved towards him, swinging out his sword. "I might even cut off your whole hand."

"Fine, fine," Jack muttered. He angrily tore the ring off, throwing it down at Hatter's feet. "You're making a mistake, Hatter. The minute you take off, the Resistance will be after you."

"No, they wont," Hatter picked up the ring, and handed it to Alice. "The Resistance doesn't know everything."

"We know enough."

"You've forgotten. I'm part of the Resistance too, Your Highness. I'm aware of what you do and don't know."

"We need Alice, Hatter. Believe it or not, taking down my mother rests of that dirty Oyster," Jack said.

Hatter's eyes burned, and he dropped his weapons. "Oi!" he yelled, and rammed himself directly into Jack.

"Oh, god," Alice whispered as she watched Hatter straddle Jack's waist, delivering vicious blows to Jack's face and torso. "Hatter, stop! Stop!"

Hatter trembled. "Part of me thinks that you deserve the worst of everything for how you treated Alice."

"The you deserve the worst of everything too," Jack spat out.

"I know I do." Hatter stood up. "I know what I'm doing, Jackie boy. Call everybody off."

"Never."

Hatter took Alice's hands, leading her over to the flamingos. "Then I can't promise you the next time I see you, I won't kill you to stop you." He lumbered over the seat. "Get in back of me, Alice."

"Oh, god," she moaned.

"Just hold onto me. I won't let you fall." Hatter gave one more glance towards Jack who was struggling to get up. "I don't know how much longer we have before the whole of the Resistance is looking for us."

"Okay. You have a plan?" Alice asked.

"Yep. And, bloody hell, Alice. I'm going to make it work."

Alice let out a scream as Hatter pressed the button, and they flew off.


Alice trudged in the darkness behind Hatter. They were deep in the woods, with no light except for the mood and the stars. "I thought you told me once that being out in the woods was dangerous," Alice said.

He turned back to smile at her. "It is. But, this is one of the few safe places I know of where the Resistance can't get you. We're almost there anyways."

"And then what?"

"I'll tell you when we get there." Hatter took her hand. "Don't worry, Alice. I'll get you out of here safely."

"I'm glad that I'm with you, Hatter," Alice said quietly.

"Me too." He pushed past some of the leaves. "This is it."

A small stone house stood in the middle of a field. "What is this?"

"This is the Kingdom of Knights, Alice. Well, what's left of it. It's been abandoned for…I don't know, a hundred years. I keep things here, and come here sometimes to think."

Alice bit her lower lip. "Has it really been a year since you've seen me?"

"Yeah," he murmured.

"Hatter…"

He shook his head. "There's a bed in there. You can get some sleep." He opened the door to the one room building. There were books crammed into almost every free space. A queen sized bed was off in the corner, and a table with a bench was in the center piled with papers and random pieces of equipment. "I'm going to light a fire."

Hatter moved over to the fireplace, and began to arrange the wood. "Hatter?" Alice asked.

He swallowed. "Yeah?"

"We can talk in the morning." Alice glanced at the bed. "It's a big bed. I don't want to sleep in it alone."

Hatter watched as the flames rose up into the chimney. "No?"

"No," Alice whimpered.

He scrambled up, and pushed her onto the bed. "Alice."

"I need to feel you inside of me tonight."

Hatter placed hot kisses along her neck. "I love you, Alice," he muttered, his voice husky. "I never stopped."

"I never stopped either." Alice watched as the flames flickered against his cheek. "What are you waiting for?"

He chuckled nervously. "Just want to make sure this isn't a dream."

Alice slipped off the jacket, and started to unzip her blue dress. "Show me that you're not."

"Oh, Alice," he breathed out, shakily. "You have no idea how often I've dreamed of this."

Her eyes widened as she felt the heat fill her stomach. Hatter unbuttoned his shirt. "Me too. Forget everything that's happening out there, and just make love to me.'

"Gladly," Hatter growled as their bodies alit on fire.


Hatter stretched, and reached for Alice only to find the space beside him empty. "Alice?"

"I'm here," she replied. Alice was sitting at the table reading a piece of paper. She had Hatter's paisley shirt on. "I'm just…you kept everything from the summer." Alice showed him the paper. "You have my New York address on here."

"Of course I kept everything." Hatter walked over, and sat next to her. "I still have the stupid cell phone."

"Hatter, what happens now?"

He lifted her hand. "That ring you have on is the Stone of Wonderland. It powers the Looking Glass. We're going to use it to restart the Glass, and get you home, and…you're taking the ring back with you."

Alice stared at the ring. "Why?"

"Because, if the ring is in your world then the Looking Glass will cease to work. I mean, it works for a short time without the ring, but once it stops working then no more Oy-I mean the people from your world will stop being taken," Hatter replied. "I don't know what Jack was talking about, but…at least this way, the Resistance would have achieved its goal."

Alice nodded. "Will it work? Getting there, getting me home?"

"I will make it work."

"You told me last night that I had to wear the coat. Why?"

"Wonderland light is different on Oyster's skin. Normally when the White Rabbit brings them over, they mark them on their faces, like a tattoo, but you being exposed out in the open like that, well, it could form one on your arm or something," Hatter explained. "If anyone followed us, if anyone saw…"

"I understand," Alice sighed. "The way that time moves here. I can't believe it. It's only been two months since I last saw you." She fidgeted with the sleeves of Hatter's shirt. "I did get involved with Jack. I didn't know. I found out about you, and, he was so attentive, and…I did have sex with him, and…"

"Alice…I wasn't exactly a model of clean living either. After a while, when I didn't see you, I…well, I mean, I had sex with a couple of people. I didn't have relationships with them though, I couldn't."

"Was Carlotta one of them?"

"Alice…"

"No, that was stupid of me to ask." She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. I thought of you every day. Thought about jumping through the mirror to New York, and showing up at your door."

"You should've," Alice said quietly.

"You would've kicked me out."

"I hope I wouldn't have." Alice smiled, and kissed him. 'I knew you were the right one that summer. And when you walked through the door…"

Hater reached for a box on the table, and opened it. "This still belongs to you, if you want it." He took out the locket. "I don't want to see it on anybody else but you."

"And you never will." Alice slipped the necklace on, the locket falling in the valley of her breasts. "How does it look?"

He gazed at her. "Perfect. In fact, I think I need to show you just how perfect one more time."

She blushed. "I suppose we have a lot of time to make up for. You especially."

"Yes. We don't really have the time now, but, I think it's worth it if we try, yeah?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Alice smiled. "Yeah, one more time."


Hatter held his arm out, his hand accidentally grazing her breast. "Oh. Sorry," he said, smirking.

Alice looked down to where Hatter had lightly touched. "I didn't mind."

"Keep your gun out," Hatter whispered.

"I don't even know how to use it," Alice hissed. She awkwardly held the small shooter in her hand.

They were standing behind the corner of the ornate building where the Looking Glass was housed. "The Looking Glass in the most heavily guarded kit in all of Wonderland. Look, I'll shoot first if needed."

Alice grabbed his arm. "You would really do that?"

"For you…yes. I would do anything to get you home safely, Alice." He stopped to gently stroke her cheek. "Remember when we talked about Wonderland in your world? I meant it, Alice. It's not a good place anymore."

"I always thought that you were joking."

"Speaking of your world, whatever happened to that mirror project that were working on?" he asked.

"Oh." Alice shrugged, and looked down. "I'm not doing it. How could I? I mean, I know the truth about it, and I can't exactly tell them, I mean it's a bit too odd, even for folklore."

"I'm sorry. I know you were looking forward to writing it."

"Well, now I'm living it."

Hatter pulled her close to him by the waist, and kissed her. "Stay next to me. I'm going to get you home."

"Okay."

They pulled the double doors open. "I have a question. If this place is so heavily guarded, how did you and Jack managed to travel so much between my world and here?" Alice asked.

"Oh. Simple. Some of the Resistance workers kept their job working for the Queen, and they would allow us passage, at least, that's how it worked for me." Hatter peeked around the corner. "Shit. It's not him. Okay." He cocked his gun. "Behind me, Alice."

Alice peered over Hatter's shoulder. "It's one man. I thought you said it was heavily guarded."

"The Queen must be cutting costs. Or, maybe because the ring has been gone from the Looking Glass for so long, that they're not worried as much."

"What?" she exclaimed.

Hatter lifted the gun up, and pointed it at the technician. "Step away from the Looking Glass," he called out.

The man held out his own gun. "I will shoot you if you come any closer."

Hatter glanced at Alice, then back at the mirror. "I will shoot you first. Drop your gun, and step away." His face muscles twitched as the technician didn't move. "Back off, Alice." Hatter shot off two rounds, hitting the man in the arm and leg. "I told you that I was going to shoot."

The technician groaned. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am." Hatter sauntered over, and picked up the dropped gun. "I'm the Hatter. You know what comes from fucking around with me. Pain." He let another shot off towards the man's other leg. "Now you can't move."

Hatter grabbed Alice's hand, and led her over to the console, turning the machine on. "I need the ring. Just place it in here," he instructed her, pointing to the white box/

"You won't get away with this!" the technician moaned.

"You have no idea what I'm trying to get away with, mate," Hatter muttered. He let his fingers fly over the keys. "Okay, Alice."

"What?"

He removed the ring, placing it back in her hand. "Take it with you. I have it set up. I mean…it'll be an hour or so later there, but , it's set to get you home."

Alice bit her lip. "Me? What about you?"

"I can't go, Alice. I have to stay here to destroy the mirror."

"Hatter…" she pleaded.

He hugged her, kissing every inch of skin he could reach. "I'm going to come back to you. I promise."

She let the tears run down her cheeks. "How?"

"I'll find a rabbit hole. I'll do whatever it takes, Alice, now-" Hatter was interrupted by the sound of several pairs of feet running down the stairs. "Break the mirror on your side when you get there. Throw a rock, anything."

"No! I just got you back!"

"I know. I love you, Alice. I'll come back for you. Now, don't forget to breathe." Hatter shut his eyes, and pushed her through. He sobbed freely as he raised his right fist, and broke the mirror.


Alice fell onto the cement ground. "No, no, no, no!" she screamed. "Hatter! Hatter!"

She let out an ear piercing moan as the rain began to fall. "No! No!" Alice ran over to the mirror, and tried to push through. "No!"

Alice picked up a rock, and threw it against the glass, watching as it splintered into thousands of little pieces. "Hatter…"