A/N: Ok, so I got a lot of people saying, "wait I'm really confused," and then I realized that there are just some times when I totally know what is going on in my head and I forget that other people would probably get very lost in there. So all of you that were like what the hell is Stayne up to? Your question is answered in this chapter.

I wrote a one shot about Margaret after her sister disappeared. It isn't necessary that you all read it, but I think A) you would enjoy it and B) it might be a good idea to read it.

As always, thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I've gotten a much better response than I ever expected. 244 reviews is absolutely Marvelous, Magnificent, and Miraculous (thanks for the M word, jcd4evea). I hope I can get to 300!

Aras

"And you are positive it was a Jabberwocky?" asked Queen Mirana.

"Aye!" cried the March Hare, tossing the teacup he was holding on the ground.

"I need some time to discuss this with my court," muttered the Queen. Alice turned to leave with Thackery and Mallymkun, but the Queen quickly said, "Alice, stay."

Chessur appeared and two courtiers that Alice did not know came through the door.

"I think I realize what Stayne is doing," muttered Queen Mirana. She looked closely at the Hatter and Alice. "He wanted you both to the Jabberwocky. And he wanted you to escape, so you could tell others. It is just as he said, he wishes to weaken us. Perhaps he believes that once I know of the Jabberwocky, I will give up my throne to him."

"Majesty," began Alice quickly, but the Queen held up one finger to show not to interrupt her.

"Or perhaps he believes that my most loyal followers will run scared."

"Never," muttered the Hatter in his low, dangerous voice.

"Either way, I see what he is doing," continued Mirana. "He wishes to tear apart my court. Weaken Underland. Then when I and Underland are most vulnerable," she looked up in worry, "he will take it."

"You majesty," said Alice quickly. "You know that will not happen."

The Hatter also stepped forward, taking Alice's hand to show he was right along with her. "We will stay with you through anything," he said firmly. "Or maybe nothing will happen after all, in which case we will stay with you through nothing. Wait, that can't possibly be right…"

Alice squeezed his hand and he trailed off.

The Queen was smiling, obviously touched by his speech, no matter how confusing it was.

"I'd prefer," drawled the Cheshire cat, his smile curling, "not to have to be under the rule of the Knave. My support is with you, Your Majesty."

Alice glanced at the two courtiers. They muttered a quick response, but somehow Alice was not convinced. Was the Queen perhaps right? Would she be abandoned by almost everyone but a few?

The Queen, however, didn't seem to catch the hesitancy in the courtiers voices. She smiled.

"Thank you all. It is good to know that if it comes to a war, I will have friends by my side."

The Red Palace at Salazen Grum was in an uproar.

"You let them live," hissed a Red Knight. He was an Ace card, Stayne's right hand man.

"I know I did," replied Stayne, moving pieces on his chess board calmly. "And now, everyone is about to know that I have the essential piece." He placed a miniature Jabberwocky on the board. "Very soon, the White Queen's precious Underlanders will turn on her to save their own skins."

He gathered up a handful of white pawns and placed them on the red side, turning them to face the white queen.

Alice realized that things would never necessarily be completely ordinary in Underland (or at least as ordinary as Underland got) with the threat of Stayne and the Jabberwocky weighing heavily in everyone's hearts. But she had hoped that things would at least be a little normal.

However, her life in Underland could not be normal with the Hatter acting the way he was. The Hatter had been rather silent all the time. He often locked himself up in his work shop, and no matter how everyone strained to hear, there was no sounds of him working on his hats. He came out seldom, mostly for meals and, of course, tea. However, he was subdued and didn't talk much.

Even around Alice he was… odd. He would occasionally glance at her and give her a small smile that would remind her of their time together in the woods. At other times, however, she wondered if he did still feel the way he'd confessed he did.

It was on a day nearly a week after they had saved their friends that Alice was found by the White Queen, staring at the brightly colored door that led into the Hatter's workshop.

"Something you wish to talk about dear?" asked the Queen quietly, so as not to let the Hatter know they were talking right outside his door.

Alice nodded and began to walk. "He told me he loved me," she said, after there was some distance between them and the door. "Everything seemed fine, but now… I'm worried, your majesty."

The Queen nodded. "I am as well. I think that there are some things going on in his mad but brilliant head that we will never quite comprehend."

Alice nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps you need to talk to him," suggested the Queen quietly. "No one could bring the Hatter back like you could."

Alice smiled in response to this. It was utterly true. There was one thing, however, that seemed to stop her.

"Don't you think that, perhaps, I should be more focused on preparing for the revolt?" she asked.

The Queen sighed and shook her head. "I refuse to let the revolt tear the two of you apart. The two of you are the only things that keep me going and I can't stand to see either of you upset." She touched Alice's cheek. "Go talk to him."