Oops, forgot this in my intro – Standard Disclaimer: I own the rights to exactly nothing from the Wonderland universe, nor any of the songs contained here. All cool storylines belong to me and the probably ten other fan fic writers who inspire me every day. Also, March's sister is totally my construct – so there!

Welcome to the Family, by Avenged Sevenfold

Hey kids! (hey kids)
Do I have your attention?
I know the way you've been living
Life's so reckless, tragedy endless
Welcome to the family

Not long ago you find the answers were so crystal clear
Within a day you find yourself living in constant fear
Can you look at yourself now, can you look at yourself?
You can't win this fight

In a way it seems there's no one to call
When our thoughts are so numb
Our feelings unsure
We all have emptiness inside, we all have answers to find
But you can't win this fight!

Hey!
Why won't you listen?
Can't help the people you're missing
It's been done, a casualty rerun
Welcome to the family

March couldn't believe his good fortune. Hatter had turned out to be quite the goldmine. With very little practice, he became the best pickpocket March had ever seen. Beyond that, though, he had a way of getting random strangers to trust him. March didn't know if it was the puppy dog eyes or his innocent little face, but he could slip a ring off someone's finger, then claim to have found it and give it back to them; he sometimes made more in rewards than March could've made fencing the same items.

And even though he'd always tried to keep April separate from the thieving, it turned out that she and Hatter made a formidable team. April was petite, with a sweet little pixie face and a great mass of black curls. When she and Hatter worked a ledge together, the take was unbelievable. All they had to do was look a little pathetic, maybe work up some tears, and Wonderlanders fell all over themselves to help the poor kids out.

Hatter had fit nicely into March's life. He treated April like a princess and hung on March's every word, sucking up knowledge like a sponge. April had taken to him right away, and though she tended toward bossiness, Hatter didn't seem to mind. He still cried sometimes at night, when he thought everyone else was asleep, but March thought the boy was happy with them.

"Anyone home?" March asked, coming through the door. He'd been out to run a few errands, work a few deals. He knew Hatter and April were home, they never went out without him; March didn't want them getting scooped up by one of the roving gangs. He'd already been approached by two, asking to barter for Hatter and April. Apparently word of their skills had been getting around.

"Marchy!" Alice came running from the back room and hugged him round the middle. March hugged her back, then cast his eye round for Hatter. The boy was sitting in the corner, his wide brown eyes carefully assessing the situation; those eyes were keen, and missed nothing.

March set his parcel on the rickety kitchen table, causing it to rock, and kept April from poking at it. "C'mere, Hatter."

The boy was nothing if not obedient, and he came right over. He was wary and cautious, two qualities that March had been reinforcing with him. It would help to keep him alive.

"What is it?" April asked, because Hatter wouldn't. She was often his mouthpiece, though March tried to discourage her. Hatter needed to start speaking up for himself.

"Well, after carefully checking my records," March grinned. "I realized it was a special day today."

"It is? What is it?" April bounced up and down, her curls bobbing this way and that. March paused for effect, and also to study Hatter's face. The boy definitely looked interested, though he still didn't say anything.

"Today…is Hatter's un-Birthday!"

April squealed with as much delight as if it were her own. Hatter's eyes widened in surprise.

"Mine?" he asked.

"That's right," March said. He reached into the bag and pulled out a package wrapped in cloth. "Here's the cake to prove it."

April eagerly helped unwrap the cake. It was just a small-ish poppy seed cake, but the way Hatter was eyeing it you'd have thought it was a three tier cream cake.

"Wow!" April said. "That must've cost a fortune!"

March scowled at her. He didn't want Hatter thinking about the cost; he knew the boy fretted sometimes that he wasn't pulling his weight.

"It didn't cost anything," he said. "I know a guy who knows a girl that likes to bake."

"Can we eat it?" Hatter asked softly.

"Not until we sing!" April cried. She tugged on March's hand and though he rolled his eyes, he sang along.

"A very merry un-Birthday to you! To you! A very merry un-Birthday to you! It's true!"

Hatter blushed as April gave him a kiss on the cheek. March sent her in search of a knife to cut the cake with – he certainly wasn't going to use one of his good ones – and then he reached back into the bag.

"Let's don't forget your un-Birthday present." He pulled his hand out of the bag with a flourish and presented Hatter with a slightly-worn brown porkpie hat. He hadn't thought the boy's eyes could get any wider, but now they looked like saucers.

"That's for me?" Hatter said it so breathlessly that March almost didn't hear him. He set the hat on the boy's head and watched it slowly sink down until it almost covered his eyes.

"Well, I guess you'll grow into it," March said, laughing. "Now you can be a proper Hatter."

Hatter pushed the hat back so he could see, then moved in to give March a rib-cracking hug. March patted him on the back, glad the boy liked his present. Hopefully he wouldn't ask where it came from, because March didn't even know himself. He had a friend in acquisitions, and the hat had either been traded for something or more likely had been scavenged off a body; bodies tossed from ledges often made good pickings.

"Wow, you look good!" April said. She pushed the hat back over Hatter's eyes, and the boy actually laughed; March hadn't heard that sound come out of him before.

"Okay, let's eat this cake!" March said. April handed the knife to Hatter.

"You have to make a wish, Hatter."

The boy solemnly took the knife and winched his eyes shut while he contemplated his wish. When he'd finally settled on something, he very carefully cut the cake into three equal pieces.

"What did you wish for?" April asked. Hatter shrugged, blushing again.

"If he tells it won't come true," March said.

"Not if he tells me," April insisted.

Hatter leaned forward and whispered something in April's ear. She immediately began to giggle and clapped her hand over her mouth. Hatter had a wide grin on his face now. March just shook his head. He hoped this made Hatter feel more a part of the family. If anymore gangs came round, trying to woo him, hopefully his loyalty to March would keep him from leaving. And besides, he really did like the kid.

Before Hatter went to bed that night, he sought out March and gave him another hug.

"Thanks," he said.

March put his hand on the boy's head. "You're welcome, Hatter."

That night, there was no crying.

AN: That March…so nice, but still working all the angles. But hey, he was good enough to get Hatter a hat! Gotta like him a little for that!