Hatter walked only one step ahead of Mad March. The gun digging in his back hurt, but not as much as the searing pain in his already scarred heart for what March was doing to him. Hatter felt so defeated and didn't know what to do. He knew for sure that March would end him if he didn't comply, but was it worth betraying all those he's spent years trying to help? They were heading towards White Rabbit. Mad March was looking for an escape. He felt he could find a way to hide there. But they would still be looking for him, Hatter was sure of that. Not to mention, March's tendency towards criminal acts would surely not earn him anything but a prison cell on the other side anyway. Perhaps it was best to help him cross through the looking glass. It may mean Wonderland would be rid of him forever.

"Wait," Mad March said. "Sit down for a moment."

"What the hell for? Don't you want to get out of here, out of Wonderland?" Hatter said sitting on the sidewalk and looking into the water canal.

"You suddenly ready to be rid of me, Hatsy?"

"Uh, yes. Considering you have betrayed me... us. I lost my brother and friend long ago." Hatter looked March directly into his eyes, those black eyes that he was sorry he ever trusted to start with. He shook his head and looked back into the water.

"Ya know, Hatsy. If you had joined with me then we'd have it made."

"You mean we'd both be running from Wonderland."

"I sometimes wish I could've stayed and run the tea shop with you."

"Why didn't you?" Hatter asked blankly. He was beginning to feel numb. Numb was better than hate. If you hate someone, then you still have feeling for them. But if you are numb to them, then you can't be hurt by them anymore. Well, not emotionally anyway.

"The Queen liked my... other... skills better. Besides, I think you were destined to have your hands dipped in the Resistance."

Hatter remained silent. He was only half listening to Mad March at this point. He watched the water and gazed at his own face, breaking in the ripples and reforming over and over again. What was he doing with his life? Should he care? Wonderland, he felt, would forever be stuck in this cycle. There would never be real peace. He would spend the rest of his life, working for the suits, selling their poison but then turning around and trying to help the few that ran. Why was he doing it? Was he trying to settle his conscience or did he really care after all? Was there any hope at all?

"Hatter, are you listening to me?" Mad March interrupted Hatter's self reflection.

"No, not really." Hatter felt the jab of the gun in his back again.

"Get up," March demanded. "I was trying to tell you I wish things had been different and that we could've saved our brotherhood but you don't even care, do you?"

"No." Hatter was just so blank to March. It infuriated him even more.

Hatter took one more look in the canal, but something caught his eye in the reflection. Three figures about two floors higher than they. Dressed in black. Must be suits. He smiled but only in his mind. He looked back at March, with his lips pursed.

"So," Hatter said. "Onward?" The second jab in his back told him yes. "Ow!" Hatter turned and walked forward in compliance. Hopefully, the suits now following them would stop them soon.

Sure enough, Ace of Clubs and his Ten and Nine were following them and planning to stop them. They had watched Hatter and Mad March rest and saw March waving a gun at Hatter. They had received a call from One of Diamonds a few moments ago and they knew now that the Queen wanted March back alive. They were infuriated that this woman would do this to them. March had crossed a line to them – he murdered a suit. And the Duchess's brother no less. They would not let him escape his fate this time. They would just have to be sure that the Queen didn't know how it went down.

Meanwhile, Agent White wasted no time in getting to White Rabbit and preparing his forces to look for March on the other side. He wanted to win the Queen over by being successful in this quest. Surely this would secure his future and he wouldn't have to worry about loosing his head. As he and a group of White Rabbit agents and suits walked down from their debriefing to the looking glass, they were confronted by Jack.

"Jack, how do you do?" Agent White asked, not sure what to think of Jack's presence.

"I'm fine. I am to join you in your search on the other side."

"I've not heard word of this."

"Do you really want to call my mother and ask her?"

Agent White thought about that question. He furrowed his brow at Jack then nodded. "Very well."

Agent White and the group headed through the mirror, but when it came Jack's turn, he struck one of the men stationed at the mirror and knocked him out. The second man at the mirror jumped on him but Jack threw him to the ground and stuck him out. He grabbed the ring from the starter and put it securely in its box, then in his inside jacket pocket. He looked around behind him to see if anyone saw and when he didn't see anyone, he stepped through the looking glass.

But someone had been watching and they jumped through the mirror to inform Agent White of this event. Jack had slipped away from the White Rabbit force on the other side and disappeared into the night. Agent White's informant told him about Jack taking the ring. With much rage, he changed his game plan. If the Queen knew he had let Jack and the ring slip away, surely he'd loose his head.

"We're going to need more oysters. I'll try to find Jack and the ring, the rest of you get more people to take back before the mirror shuts down."

"What about Mad March, sir?" a suit asked.

"If he's here, it won't be long before he messes up here as well. With so many people here, there are even less places to hide. Let the oysters have him."

"Yes, sir."

"Go back and inform the King of this." The informant nodded and stepped once again through the mirror. He hoped he wouldn't be sent back through again. So many trips in such a short time was making him ill.

When he got back to Wonderland, the two men Jack had struck out were rousing. They started to take in what had just happened. One of them saw the empty starter and panicked. The informant explained briefly what had happened with Jack and instructed them to not let anyone else through the looking glass.

He left White Rabbit and headed for the Casino to tell the King of Jack's betrayal.

Hatter and March watched this informant leaving White Rabbit. Hatter wondered how long before the suits following them would intervene. They still had a bit of a walk to the crosswalk that connected the sidewalk they were on to the sidewalk that led to the door of White Rabbit. The gun kept hitting his spine the wrong way and he was beyond irritated. He was having a hard time not acting out but he knew trying to turn and punch March now would only end in him being shot. 'I need to wear my body armor if I live through this,' he thought to himself.

"Do you mind? You keep jabbing that thing into my spine and I won't be of any use to you at all."

"Quiet, Hatsy. We're almost there. You take out anyone in my way of the looking glass with that right hook of yours and I'll be out of your life forever."

Hatter saw some shadows on the ground coming from in between buildings just a few steps in front of them.

"Ya know what, Mad March?"

"What?"

"I don't think so!" Hatter ducked just as Ace swung his arm out, catching March in the throat. He stumbled to back and took aim at Ace. Just as he pulled the trigger, Hatter swung his leg knocking March's knees out from under him and Ace tried to move out of the way. The bullet caught him cross his cheek, leaving only a small scratch. Ten and Nine came out from behind Ace and pinned March to the ground. Hatter grabbed his gun and handed it to Ace, who turned it on March.

Ten and Nine had him by the arms and brought him to his feet. Ace wiped the wound on his face and said to March, "You need to come with us. Now!"

March looked at them. It was over. He did not want to face the executioner, although none of the suits there were about to reveal that the Queen was going to pardon him. He sighed heavily and Ten and Nine let go of his arms.

"Ya know what, Hatter?" March asked.

"What?"

"I don't think so either." In one last attempt at revenge at Hatter, March lunged at him. Ace shot and struck March but it didn't bring him down. He and Hatter fell against the building and then Hatter threw him off of him. March flew through a glass door and... well... the breaking glass suddenly became his executioner. Hatter breathed in heavy heaves and Ten put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It was over. Well, at least this chapter was.

Ace, Ten and Nine returned with what was left of March telling her that he tried to kill them, though they tried to pardon him. They knew Hatter would never tell that there was no pardon offered him. He had been held captive by Mad March and was expected to help him no matter what, even if it meant his own death. The Queen ordered Mad March's remains be taken to Carpenter and Walrus and for him to be brought back alive as soon as possible.

News buzzed about Jack's sudden disappearance with the ring, though the true reason for it was unknown. It was assumed his coming marriage shook him and he wanted to explore before settling down with Duchess. Duchess kept her mouth shut about telling Jack the truth, as did the King. He wasn't about turn himself or the Duchess in. And the wild card, Mad March, was finally ended. He was the joker of the Casino and no one ever knew what he was truly up to. Most, if not all (except the Queen), were glad to be rid of him.

And Hatter. Hatter returned to the tea shop.

"Hatter!" Dormy exclaimed when he walked in, disturbing the customers.

"Hello, Dormy. How's the shop?"

"Just fine, Hatter." She followed him down the hall to his office. He smiled when he walked in, seeing that the mess March left behind was cleaned up. Even the grass sod had been put back into place. He looked back at Dormy and smiled.

"I knew you'd be back," she said. "I knew you'd stop him. I knew he could never stop you."

"Thanks, Dormy."

"What did happen to Mad March?" she asked.

Hatter paused for a moment. Then he said, "He lost his head while trying to get away." He left out every single detail. Nothing else was needed to be known.

She nodded and went back down the hall. Hatter would need some time alone. He cleaned himself up a bit and put on some fresh clothes, including a bulletproof vest. He fiddled with his hats until he found one he liked.

He went to his shelf with his personal stock of teas and looked them over. What should he drink? He picked up a jar containing a golden colored liquid and poured a cup. He sat back in his favorite chair and began sipping on this sweet tea. It warmed him as is went down his tired throat. He smiled to himself and continued to enjoy this tea.

Suddenly a knock came at his door,

"Who is it?" Hatter called out.

"It's Ratty, Hatter. I got something real important to tell you! Please let me in! You won't believe who I've found!"

"Really?" Hatter turned back to the bottle of golden liquid he had poured into his cup. That simple, four letter word said it all – Hope.