Author's note: I didn't really think this would be the last chapter to the story, but I guess all good adventures need to have an ending. Here's mine…

Previously on Diana in Wonderland:

I raised an eyebrow. "But what? Do you need help with something else?"

"No, but once you leave, all memories of us will drain. It happened to the first Alice, and it will happen to you. You'll never think of us again, and you can't come back if you don't remember."

This was like a stab in the gut. It had been a nightmare here for the most part, but it had been the best adventure of my life, as well. I didn't want to lose that, and I really didn't want to lose the Hatter… Pagan…

But I also wanted to go home, to television and democracy, and the family I wanted to thank for being normal. I took in a shaky breath, and smiled. "Don't worry. If I can make anything happen here, then certainly I can make myself remember this." I could tell he didn't believe me, so I gave him a hard punch on the arm.

He blinked in shock and massaged the spot. "What was that for, Diana?"

"For being rude." Then I stepped forwards and gave him a small kiss. "And that," I breathed, "Is for being yourself." And as I felt this wonderful peace, I concentrated on taking this feeling home with me…

I opened my eyes slowly, and breathed deeply. I had never had a dream so real, or so ridiculous. Why on earth would there be any need for my imagination? And why would I be silly enough to follow a clown and his magic rabbit anywhere in the first place?

I stood and stretched, feeling oddly stiff, like I had run a marathon. The dream had felt so real I was feeling it in reality. Tonight I would have to take Nyquil, and lots of it. And as I was heading for my kitchen, I noticed a small purple hat with a small royal blue ribbon tied around it; I knew it was impossible that it was from Wonderland, but for the life of me I couldn't remember when I had bought it.

As I sat in my kitchen drinking tea, I happened to look out the window, and sitting on my windowsill was a fat white rabbit with a twitchy nose. I blinked and looked away for a moment, and it was gone.

I went about my usual routine, getting the yard fixed and laundry done, and even remembered to call my parents. But as the weeks went by I felt more and more uneasy, sure there was something I was supposed to do. I went through every corner of the house, and nothing was missing. I called everyone and I hadn't missed any important events. And still something nagged the back of my head like a tiny headache, which I couldn't figure out.

When the phone rang one dull Tuesday, I almost didn't pick up, sure it was my mother asking to visit and check if I was doing my laundry. But the ringing bothered me, and I answered with a sharp, "Yes?"

"Hello," said a strange man's voice. "I'm calling on behalf of one of my patients. Is this Diana?"

This was what I got for answering without checking the caller ID. Hopefully it wasn't an hour-long survey. "Yes. What is this about?"

The man sighed in relief. "So you do exist. I would like to ask you some questions in person. Could you stop by Highland Hospital around three today?"

This was very strange. If I wasn't so bored I would have declined. "Sure. Who are you?"

"I'm Doctor Reynolds. Ask for me at the desk and I'll be right with you."

Half an hour later I was sitting in a white office of a small Hospital, looking at the white walls and squeaky furniture with curiosity. I squinted at the name plate over the glass desk. "Doctor Martin Reynolds… of the Psych Ward?"

I blinked several times and stood, ready to leave, just as the small balding man walked in. "Thank you for coming, Miss Diana. I now this must all seem strange to you-"

"More than a little. Why am I talking to a man in the psychological department?" I didn't want to sit, but did so anyways. "Am I going to end up in a straight-jacket?"

He chuckled, sitting across from me. "No. In fact, you might be able to help me with a patient who claims to know you. We found him running around on the expressway not far from your home, saying quite a few impossible things."

I frowned, unsure what to think. "So, who is it? Can I see him?"

He nodded. "Just let me get down a few notes. You've been in this town for how long?"

I frowned. "About six months now, give or take a week."

"Amazing… and I see you are wearing a rather unusual hat. Do you know where that came from?"

I shrugged, feeling peculiar that he asked me about that specifically. I had been wearing that hat every day since my unusual dream, for comfort. "I really can't remember. But can I see this person now?"

The doctor smiled and nodded. "Of course you can. Just follow me. And mind you, this man is insane." He led me down a white corridor that stank of sanitizer and Pine-sol, and then opened the door to a common room.

The room was just as sickly white as the corridor, with large men in scrubs by every door. There were no windows, and the half-dozen men in hospital gowns all looked miserable. Two were playing ping-pong, one was singing "Mary had a little lamb" very off-tune, one was scribbling, one was rocking back and forth, and the last was sitting with his back to me.

The last man had a thick head of brown hair and his shoulders were more firmly set than the rest, almost like a respected businessman just accused of fraud. Dr. Reynolds brought me back to reality, saying, "If you'll allow me…"

But I shook my head and stepped forth, the knot in my stomach telling me this man was someone I knew. I could feel the doctor and two of the nurses watching in anxiety, but I felt no fear. Once I was next to the man, I placed my hand on his shoulder.

He turned, and a huge wave of memories hit, like a dam in my mind had been breeched. I remembered that same face, frowning at me when I walked too slowly, smiling when the hat he gave me fit, and saddened just before I had to leave…

How could I have forgotten? I fell to my knees next to him, and threw my arms around his neck. "Pagan," I whispered, and for the first time in a long while I felt like everything was finally right.

He hugged me back for a moment then drew back with a frown. "What took you so long?"

And then Dr Reynolds had to ruin the moment, asking, "So his name is really Pagan?"

I tried to put on an arrogant face. "I cannot believe you kept this poor man locked up for being a bit eccentric." I had to come up with an excuse for his general oddness. "He happens to have a problem confusing dreams with reality, but all you have to do is make sure he has Nyquil before bed and he's fine."

"So you do know him?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I know him. He's my fiancé, but he wasn't supposed to arrive until next week." I shook my head. "He always tries to surprise me, and then messes like this happen. Could you let him come home now?"

An hour later, Hatter was back in his clothes and we walked hand-in-hand on the streets. I couldn't contain my curiosity for long. "How did you get here?"

He grinned. "Through a rabbit hole, of course. I wasn't sure quite how to do it, and then I realized that if you could do it without knowing how, then not knowing had to be the way."

I pretended to understand. "And why did you decide to visit?"

His hand on mine tightened. "There seemed to be something off about Wonderland once you'd gone. A t first I thought you might have changed something you shouldn't have, but that wasn't it. And then I thought perhaps I might have lost a bit of my madness, but Cheshire said I was as Mad as ever. And then Cotton told me that if the only thing missing was you, then that must be what was bothering me."

This only confused me. "So what are you doing here?"

"Do you know, I don't know? I simply found myself saying I had to see you, and then I stepped into Cotton's home for tea and ended up here instead. And now I'm here, even though almost everything I know is gone, I feel like I'm in my proper place." His green eyes sparked for a moment, and I almost leaned in to kiss him.

Actually, I did, but at the last second he turned away and pointed to the streets. Ignoring my frustration, I listened as he said, "Do you know, when I got here there were these unusually large, shiny shoes on wheels that made strange noises as they passed? And when I looked in the holes, there were other Alices inside? I thought they were in trouble, so I jumped on one to rescue them. But the shoe was very hard, and I bounced right off it. And then the person talked into a pink stone, and then some other Alices all in white kidnapped me and put me to sleep? And then I spent quite a lot of time telling them to find you, my Alice Diana, and finally you came?"

He talked much faster than I remembered, and I was still laughing about his mistaking cars for shoes when I realized he had a point to his monologue. "I don't understand what you're trying to say," I admitted.

"I am trying to say that I would go through that all over again as long as you were there at the end of the story. And now that we are here, I wanted to ask you something rather important."

I looked at his dead-serious face and felt my heart accelerate. Was he about to propose?

He took off his hat and stopped walking, standing and looking down at me with a very serious, almost nervous expression. "Diana, you have proved time and again to be very smart, in your own way. So I was hoping you might guide me in the human world, and let me stay with you?"

This was not the proposal I had been expecting. I didn't want to be a guide, but if that was what it took to be close to him… I tried to hide my disappointment. "Yes, I will be your guide, until you no longer need me."

He looked around as a car passed, and laughed. "There is no danger of that any time soon." And, still laughing, he swooped down and gave me a surprisingly expert kiss, which left me giggly and confused. "I still remembered that from before you left, and I was wondering if there were other things like that you could teach me as well. They feel rather fantastic, but I only want to try them with you."

Feeling much better than a few seconds ago, I remembered the final image the mirror had shown us: me pregnant with the Hatter talking to my belly. I grinned up at him. "Don't worry. I have plenty left to guide you on." With that happy note, I took his hand and we continued our lazy stroll to my house. There was no hurry though, because I knew I had plenty of time with him.

10 months later…

No, I did not get knocked up that fast. The Hatter and I were still living together, and still definitely virgins. But I finally got to visit my Godfather who made all those unusual and wonderful things possible. Smiling at him from across the visitation table, he still managed to look happy in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit. "I'm very happy to say that if I'm good, I can get parole in twenty years." He didn't seem to mind the fact that he would be sixty by then.

He squinted at me from across the table. "It seems living on your own agrees with you. You've got this glow around you…"

"Well," I said, not sure what he knew about the place, "It's been really great. I can eat and sleep whenever I want, and I made loads of new friends." I decided not to mention most of them were not human, or supposed to exist at all.

"Maybe I'll get to meet them once I'm free. After all, there's nothing like being around young people to keep me feeling happy."

I had to agree with him. And so I finish by passing down a little wisdom from a good friend:

Never lose your child-like enthusiasm, and good things will come your way…

Thanks for reading and being patient with my updates. I love all my loyal readers. Unfortunately, I've only got one thing left to say.

THE END!