A/N: What's this? An early update? Perish the thought! I'm going out of town for the weekend, and wanted to get this up before I went.

The situation: What if Alice had been convinced to stay behind for Jack's coronation, and there was a ball afterward?

I disclaim.

Alice sat on the circular bed in her room at Jack's stand-in palace, contemplating the four gowns laid out before her. Each had been custom made for her, and each was equally lovely.

Unable to decide, Alice called over the Two of Diamonds who had been set to attend her (a thought that still made her vaguely uncomfortable); Two was a girl not much older than herself, and she looked supremely nervous. "Would you pick one for me? I just...I can't decide."

The Two furrowed her brow and examined closely the four dresses, concentrating as though her choice were life or death. Which, as Alice thought about it, could very well could have been the case under the previous Queen. Finally, she pointed to the middle one. "That one, my Lady Alice. The shade will compliment your skin nicely, and set off your eyes."

That particular failure still irked--she hadn't been able to get people just to call her "Alice." In the three days since the mad queen's deposition, she'd corrected people an innumerable number of times, and only ever received a nod, a knowing smile, and an "as the Lady Alice says," in response. It made her want to scream.

Drawing herself back to the present with a shake of her head, Alice studied the dress Two had indicated more closely. It shimmered faintly, the embroidery spilling down the bodice narrowing as it reached her hips. Even without seeing it on herself, Alice knew the dress would emphasize what needed emphasizing, and erase any flaws.

"Good choice, um...Two." Alice was proud of only stumbling slightly over the girl's title. "Erm...would you help me put it on? I don't think I could do up all those tiny buttons on my own."

Two bobbed a small curtsy, and smiled. "Of course, Lady Alice. That is why I'm here."


Trust Wonderland to make a coronation ceremony no one will ever forget, Alice thought as she entered the ballroom after said ceremony. Jack had radiated pride and happiness, knowing that he would, finally, be able to bring peace and stability back to his home.

In a surprising turn of events, Jack's re-engagement to the Duchess had also been announced this evening. Despite the amount of confidence each always exuded, the seemed almost shy around one another, and Alice found it absolutely adorable.

While attempting to find a quiet corner to watch the proceedings, Alice was waylaid by numerous Wonderlandians, all attempting to congratulate her, or take advantage of her close relationship with the new King (though some were obviously still mistaken about how close that relationship was, despite the evening's announcement). Excusing herself from yet another a group of former Suits , Alice snagged a glass of some sort of fruit juice from a passing tray, and ensconced herself in a corner.

Gazing around the room, she spotted Hatter, his ever-messy hair curling around the brim of his very tall top hat. She raised her eyebrows, feigning nonchalance as her heart picked up speed at the sight of him in his tux and tails (remarkably subdued for him, but still unbelievably sexy). Catching her eye, he grinned crookedly, making his way across the room to her side.

"Who would've guessed you'd clean up so nice?" she teased.

He smiled absently, tugging lightly at his jacket cuffs, mock-debonair, and eyed her up and down "One might say the same about you, Lady Alice. Blue, though? You, my dear, are running the risk of becoming a cliché."

She punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I told you not to call me that. You know better than anyone that I'm just, plain, simple Alice. And, yes, blue. I don't think the people here would let me dress in anything else. All of the choices they gave me were one shade of it or another."

He just looked at her for another moment, then, out of nowhere, said "Dance with me?"

"I don't dance," she said, recoiling slightly.

"But I do. Quite well, actually."

She smiled inwardly, still as cocky as ever. "That's beside the point. I still can't dance. You'll just have to find someone else." Only half-teasing, her heart sank a little at the prospect.

"But I don't want to dance with anyone else. Are you really going to deny the hero of Wonderland?" He took her hand, walking backwards toward the dance floor. Alice was reminded forcibly of the time he'd done the same thing on the ledge in the city just after they'd met. She even felt the same near-paralyzing fear this time. I'll look like a fool. Would he really let me, though?

She followed him reluctantly. "I thought I was the hero of Wonderland."

"No, you're the heroine. Every good heroine needs a hero, don't you think? For comic relief, maybe, or for someone to get her out of trouble when she can't herself, despite her extraordinary skills?" One eyebrow rose.

Hatter led them to the middle of the dance floor--of course he would, she thought--and twirled her once, before bringing the hand not holding hers to her waist. She hesitated. "Now yours on my shoulder," he instructed, voice gentle.

She obeyed, perhaps less reluctantly that she would have a moment ago, and then he was moving in time to the music, and she found she liked dancing with Hatter. His strong, graceful movements removed some of her insecurities, and her skin tingled where he touched it, despite the layers of cloth between them. Regaining her voice, Alice said "So you're saying you're my hero...?" It was her turn to smirk.

His face remained serious. "If you want me to be."

She considered. "Yeah, that might be nice." She smiled.

And he smiled.

And they danced.

A/N 2: The story behind this: I watched Carrie for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and it got me thinking (besides the usual "Oh holy crap, what's going on?!"): What if Alice and Hatter were to go to a prom? Oh no, wait, that would involve putting them in High School, and that's just a mess I don't want to get into. So, it morphed into this.

I hope you liked it.

Till next time,
HeadPhones.

P.S. I just want to thank all of you for sticking with this, especially those of you who have been here from the beginning. You know who you are.