PREVIOUSLY:

First, my sight became blurry and the ground came up to meet my face, thus imbedding the dart further in my chest.

Then, sounds became faint.

"Hatter, it's over. Dodo got away though," I heard a female voice say. "Hatter? Hatter!" I thought I heard someone scream in the distance.

And then the world went black.

I awoke lying in a fluffy bed.

I don't know how I got there.

And my shirt was wide open. The dart was gone, and there was a small hickey where the dart had been.

"Alice? Violet?" After a few moments of silence, I weakly added, "Jack?"

I was sore all over and my muscles ached. It didn't matter to me though; I had to find my friends.

"Hatter! You're awake!" Alice rushed into the room as soon as she heard the bed squeak. "You wanna sit up and I'll get you some tea?"

I nodded weakly. I felt like a toddler, the way she spoke to me. It seemed best to play along.

Alice disappeared again and was back in an instant carrying a tray with two teacups and a teapot as well as some toast.

Then I realized how hungry I was. I waited for some kind of sign from Alice that I could start stuffing my face.

"Go ahead." She seemed to read my mind. "You've been asleep for two days. I hope the tea is okay, Violet found it in your sock. Why do you keep tea in your sock?"

"Just in case," I said through bites of toast.

She gave me a strange look.

"What?"

"Normal people don't keep tea in their socks."

"Oh." I took a sip of tea. "What's with this?" I asked, pointing to the hickey on my chest.

"Um," she began awkwardly. "I sucked out the poison from the dart. It's a girl scout trick."

"Girl scout?"

"It's a club. For girls."

"Oh. How did you, Violet and Jack fair from the fight?"

"I'm fine. Just a few cuts and bruises. Jack got shot in the arm and Violet's taking care of him. Violet broke the heel of her shoe and sprained her wrist." Alice explained the whole situation. "I think you were the worst hurt."

"Great." I rubbed my head. I had a splitting headache. "Where are we?"

"Dodo's place. You're sleeping in his bed."

"That, my dear," I said. "is disgusting." And I made a face.

Alice giggled and helped me out of bed.

"Where's my hat?" I asked, buttoning up my shirt.

"Uh, that didn't fair too well…" She rifled through a drawer in a dresser and pulled out my hat.

It was full of holes and it was charred in parts.

"Doesn't look that bad," I said hopefully and slapped it on my head. "Does it look okay?"

Alice laughed again. "It'll do. Let's go find Violet and Jack."

We walked into the living room, in which Jack and Violet were mid make-out.

"Sorry," I said, turning bright red. "Didn't mean to interfere…"

Violet broke off her kiss and stood up to hug me. I accepted it awkwardly. "I missed you! I'm very glad you're okay!"

I clumsily joined the hug. "Yeah, I hope you're wrist's okay."

Meanwhile, Alice practically turned green with envy. I could see it in her expression.

I broke out of Violet's bear hug and walked over to Alice. "Jealous much?"

"No." She turned red. "Okay, maybe."

"Don't be." And I kissed her. Right there. "Which brings me to another point. Can I talk to you? In private?"

"Yeah, in the bedroom."

"What'd you want to tell me?" asked Alice.

"Well," I began. "I've never done this before."

Alice braced herself.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. When I ran off in a huff. None of this mess would've happened and we'd gotten the Dodo by now, instead of in his house."

Alice looked at me. She waited a beat before attacking me with a kiss. It was long, sweet and passionate.

I came up with my hair messier than usual and hat eskew. "All forgiven then?"

"Mmhmm."

"Good. Now, what are we going to do about Dodo?" I asked, getting to the point.

"We need to discuss this with Violet and Jack."

"I say we find him and shoot him." I told the others my opinion of the situation.

"Sounds good." Jack agreed with me, if only just this once.

"No," said Violet and Alice simultaneously.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because it isn't morally nor legally right." Alice glared at Jack and me.

"So? His shooting us isn't morally or legally right either!" I exclaimed. "And I don't have body armor!"

"Yes, but we aren't Dodo. We're going to take over in a perfectly morally, but possibly not legally, way," Violet explained.

"Oh, there's one slightly important thing I need to tell you," Jack began. "Dodo's working with my mother."

"Dear God."

"Oh no."

A chorus of curses rose from us all.

"No offense to you, Jack, but I despise your mother," said Alice. "Why's she working with Dodo? They hate each other."

"If she can avoid jail again, she'll work with anyone, even if it be her enemy."

"Well, your mother is not all that hard to beat," I said. "At least Dodo is an action kind of guy."

"What about the Suits?" asked Violet. "Are they working with him?"

"No, luckily."

"Why do you know this?" I accused.

"I have my sources," replied Jack. "Namely, the Caterpillar. He's a bit of a spy."

"Well, at least we have an secret agent," Alice said, attempting to be helpful.

"So, what are we gonna do?" asked Violet.

"Well, Jack, your mother is a greedy pig, right?" asked Alice.

Jack nodded.

"I think I have a plan…" Alice began to tell us the plan.

Okay, sorry for the delay. But I made it sorta long, so I hope that makes up for it.