"Oh, this place is wonderful," Hatter spoke out as he looked around the room he was in. It had many colors, many things he have never seen before. He wondered if the place he was in had tea. He hadn't had tea for awhile and now that just Alice was there, he could start once more with his tea drink habit. But what if she leaves, Tarrant's other self asked. She won't, I know she wont't.

"Well, we do I best," Min spoke from the doorway. Tarrant noticed the man at that moment with funny eyes. He was curious indeed. Have I just rhymed, Tarrant asked himself and stifled a smile.

"Why are your eyes like that?" Tarrant asked. "And why your voice different?" Alice giggled behind her hand at Min's also confused look. Min was curious period about the Underlandian in his children's room. This man was dressed odd and looked completely mad, but how his friend Alice looked at the man showed she cared great deal of this man. That was all Min needed to know himself. Alice was a great judge of character and if this man was important, then Min should know him also.

"Because, I am different," Min answered only, still curious about the red headed man in front of him. Tarrant looked to Alice, still unsure.

"Tarrant, don't you have people or creatures who talk different, or look different?" Alice asked. Tarrant scratched his head, making his already wild hair, wilder.

"Why, yes we do indeed just Alice," Tarrant finally answered. "But only those who have permission to travel to those areas can."

"And why is that?" Min asked, he wanted to know more of Underland. His grandfather's story didn't tell much.

"Because it has always been," Tarrant answered with a large smile. He skipped, literally skipped, to Min and hugged the man. "It is nice to see others." Alice this time couldn't stifle her laughter and laughed.

"Oh, you are nippin' nuts you are. Never seen others, well we shall, shall indeed my Hatter as we have no choice," Alice was able to say between her laughter. Tarrant watched her laughter die and then eyes turn orange. "I nippin' have to go. Go where all calls. Go to face the destiny. The war of wars. Evil. Can't live me own life. No not indeed…"

"Alice," Tarrant called out like the others did for him. Alice shook her head and looked apologetically at him.

"Sorry," Alice said and ran out. Tarrant wanted to go after him but was stopped by Min who had placed a hand on his shoulder.

"She has much to worry," Min told him.

"But why run?" Tarrant asked as he remembered Alice's confused face turn to anguish as she ran. Tarrant wanted to go after her, hold her, and never let her go.

"Do you love her?" Min asked. Tarrant looked at Min, confused.

"Love, what is love?" Tarrant asked. His mother and father said they loved him. His siblings said the same thing to him before they had all died from the Jabberwocky. But he himself never understood love.

"Love," Min just said. "Don't you know what it is?" Tarrant looked confused.

"I love my friends," Tarrant said. "I loved my family." Min heard Tarrant say 'loved my family'. Min understood as he used to tell people that he loved his grandparents.

"Love and in love," Min started. "Is different. When you love your family, you die and mourn their death inside. When you love your friends, it is almost the same. But when you are in love with somebody, you would give them everything, even die for them Mr. Hightopp."

"Hightopp," Tarrant muttered.

"Yes, Miss Kingsley was cursing your name when we had brought you into my home," Min said with a smile which turned serious. "So, are you in love with Alice Kingsley, sir?"

Would I protect her?, Hatter thought to himself. Yes. Would I die for her? Yes. Would I do anything to just see her smile? Yes. So, am I in love with her? Yes.

"Yes," Tarrant said as he looked to Min. Min saw the insane mad look leave the Hatter's eyes. "I am in love with Alice."

"Good," Min said.

"Now go tell her you stupid mad hatter," Absolem said.

"And when you both return, we must get ready to leave," Min said excited. Tarrant was confused but didn't ask as he was allowed quickly to leave.

Alice was confused. Too many thoughts in her mind. Memories that weren't hers that she had received from the Hatter were still there. She remember the look of his little sister, the little girl afraid but knowing she was going to die, but still hoping that maybe she might be saved by Tarrant. She heard the screams.

"Alice!" a male voice shouted. Alice felt tears on her face as she turned to face Tarrant. He was running after her and quickly she felt herself in his arms. "Why do you cry just Alice? Was it I?" Tarrant felt his mind change. "Ye little lass, wouldn't ye know, I would never hurt thee. I love ye." Alice smiled.

"I could hear them," Alice mumbled. Tarrant heard and pulled her away. "I hear your family cry, scream. The fire, the pain…" Tarrant watched Alice's eyes turn orange again, full with hatred. "Off the bloody big head," Alice growled out in Scottish like him. "Off her head. She would killed so many."

"You hear them?" Tarrant asked. Tarrant realized that Alice had been with him during his rage, during his memory. He felt bad for hurting her but would never intentionally. Alice's orange eyes looked at him intently.

"Clear," Alice said in the same tone. "So clear. Such a big family and all dead." Alice placed her hand on Tarrant's chest where his heart was. "I feel the pain. Damn her, damn the bloody big head!"

"You are sounding like me," Tarrant said with a small laugh. "Hm…did I just rhyme?" Alice's eyes were once more blue as she laughed. "Now, no more cryin'. I just said I loved ye, in love with ye."

Alice has always heard her sister and mother say they loved her. Her father had said it to her during the morning and night. Her suitors her mother had sent to her would say the same thing but Alice learned from Lowell that suitors were lairs. But this mad man in front of her said it and she believed him. She watched Tarrant stare and lower his head to her. Alice was shocked as she knew he might kiss her. She never have been kissed but as her eyes lowered to his lips, a great feeling in the pit of her stomach and in her heart asked for those lips, asked for the misery to be put out. For the feelings to be quenched. She raised her head also, seeking those lips that beckoned her, wanting to be closer to the man in front of her…

"Alice, Tarrant!" a squeaky voice shouted….and the moment was broken between the two. Alice and Tarrant's eyes flared orange and quickly returned normal as they faced Mallymkuns.

"Dormouse has bad timin'," Alice growled out in rogue Scottish accent. Tarrant only laughed. He quickly kissed her on the forehead, Alice feeling the imprint and the heat of lips there.

"Later," Tarrant growled out also in his rogue way, lisp gone. Alice felt a wave of shocked heat, and good heat it was as it filled her body. He faced Mally properly. "Ello' Mally," Tarrant lisped out gently. "Is there tea?" Mally was laughed.

"Nay, but I will have our host set some up," Mally answered. "Now, to business we must get to."

"Nay!" Tarrant shouted as a child. Alice laughed as she wiped the wetness of her tears off her face. "Tea first then business. I can't think without my tea, need my tea…and then probable a fudderwack."

"For what?" Mally asked, curious to what needed to be celebrated.

"I am no longer that bonkers," Tarrant answered. "And just Alice has returned to me and I to her. Muchness back and all so I need to have tea and then fudderwack." Alice giggled at the pointless attempt to understand Tarrant as Mally was trying to do.

"Come on," Alice said to Tarrant as she pulled him toward Mally and Min's home. "Tea."

"Yea!" Tarrant said jumping up and down with glee.

Sorry it took me so long to post the next Chapter…damn quantum physics exam had to be studied for. REVIEW!!! And with those reviews, I shall fudderwack (or futterwack) vigorously…LOL. XD