Alice Unlocked Chapter 14 Dedication, an alice in wonderland fanfic

"There you are rabbit," Hatter hissed beneath his breath, staring at White's spotless ivory Cadillac. Without hesitation or reservation he stomped to the house's front door and pounded on the wood. When a timid house maid answered, Hatter pushed past her and grabbed her by her shoulders, shoving her roughly into a nearby wall.

"Where is she?!" he screamed at her. "Where is Alice?!"

"Outside in the maze," the maid cried in fear. "Please don't hurt me!"

"Take me there," Hatter commanded, pushing her away from the wall and shoving her to the center of the room. The terrified maid lost her balance but caught herself quickly, taking off in the direction of the garden. Hatter was hot on her heels.

Alice, my precious Alice, how silly of you to run from me my dear. But White, you miserable vermin, how dare you take her! I will take great pleasure in gouging out those eyes that always stare so passionately at my Alice.

The maid opened the set of French doors which led to the maze and cringed as Hatter passed her, completely ignoring her now that his target was in sight. The tall walls of jasmine which he could smell from just a few steps out the door hid his precious love, his gorgeous Alice, and now he needed a plan. I cannot find them in that maze; White has the upper hand. Hatter slowly sank onto the step he was standing on and spread his legs out before him, withdrawing the straight razor from his trench coat's pocket and staring down at the beautiful silver handle.

It had been a gift—from Alice—that Hatter treasured more than his own hat, and as he gazed down at the beautifully molded silver vines that wove around numerous blooming roses, he felt his rage slowly leave him to be replaced with patience. I will wait for them here, he grinned, slowly setting his razor down on his lap and taking his time to roll up his sleeves. Silently he raised the blade and ran it across his left wrist, then pressed the dull side of the blade to his mouth and ran his other wrist across the metal. He spit the silver out onto the cement beside him and laid his head back on the elongated stairs, staring up at the clouds that shielded him from the sun.

This is what holding her feels like, Hatter smiled to himself, turning his head to stare at the seemingly infinite rose bushes stained with red buds all around the garden. The intricacy of such beautiful creatures made him want to weep; a single, small bud wrapped in elongated and disfigured petals, opening to experience and see the cruel world around them. How beautiful. How ugly. How tragic when those hideous petals fall. When I hold Alice, the world is beautiful again. The pain dulls so that life is important again. No one can hurt me as I am holding her. Her scent, her breath, the feel of her skin, the sound of her voice, it pierces through the anger and the pain. Hatter kept his grin as he closed his eyes. If she is truly Alice, if she is my love, she will come before I finish bleeding out. If it is Alice, she will save me.

Hatter listened to the sound of the slightly rough breeze blow through the trees and bushes around him, and as it followed the path of the maze a strangely familiar sound of feet crushing grass caught his attention. Hatter's smirk practically went ear to ear. She's coming. It's only been a few minutes and she's coming.

"Hatter?!" Alice gasped, her footsteps running toward him. He could hear her bare feet on the cement as she rushed to him, and the moment she collapsed beside him, holding his wrists, he opened his eyes.

"I found you my love," he whispered, unable to move. He traced her glorious pale face with his always steady gaze. He wanted to reach up and cradle her cheeks, to sit up and suck delicately at her lips, but he'd lost too much blood. "My Alice."

"Hatter why would you do this?!" Alice cried, staring down into his eyes and trying to stop the bleeding of his wrists. Her head snapped up the moment she heard sirens, and as men started rushing into the garden Alice's eyes locked on the straight blade beside him. Her arm lashed out and grabbed it, burying it in the pocket of the new burgundy coat she wore. How significant, Hatter thought happily, we both wore red today.

"No," she breathed, tears cascading endlessly down her gorgeous cheeks. Hatter felt his eyes sting.

"You love me," Hatter breathed happily. "You really love me."

"Ma'am, we need you to step away," a medic told her sternly. Hatter watched as she was pulled gently away by a fireman and let himself be tended to, closing his eyes and slowly losing consciousness. The sound of Alice crying kept him from completely going under.

Indistinct talking. Pain. Gentle murmurs. Cold metal in his hand. Hatter experienced everything until a single sensation prevailed. Alice's presence. She's here. She's sitting beside me. I can feel her! A warm body cuddled in the hospital bed beside him. She's in my arms. Alice, my precious Alice.

"Please wake up Hatter," she was brokenly whispering to him as Hatter slowly opened his eyes. Alice had pulled him onto his side and her face was buried in his chest, one of his arms beneath her head and the other draped over her waist protectively. In the hand beneath her head he held his straight blade.

"I'm awake my love," Hatter cooed, pulling her closer. As he moved his wrists Hatter could feel the stitches, but he ignored the discomfort and began stroking her hair. Alice began to sob.

"Why would you do that?" she cried into him, her arms tight around his torso. "I was terrified you would die!"

"Alice you are mine," Hatter whispered in his soothing voice. "No amount of rabbits or cats or queens can take you from me."

"Hatter I was so scared," Alice wept. "You were so pale when we found you. Your blood was trickling down the stairs."

"I was holding you," Hatter smiled into her hair. "Alice, dying feels like this." He pulled her closer and breathed in her sacred scent. "It feels whole. Like the world cannot harm you anymore. Like I don't need Wonderland. It makes the world beautiful again. It makes me want to cry and smile at the same time. It makes me notice everything around me; the soft divots of the cement, the dew drops on the petals of roses, the intricacy of silver and the wonder of breath. It gives me a few more reasons to want to live."

"Hatter I love you," Alice breathed, her tears falling on his chin as she reached up and kissed him passionately. Hatter's eyes rolled and he relished in the sensations only she could offer him; the feel of her waist pressing against his in desire, the delightful taste of her tongue as it swept through his mouth, the pleasure of her fingers as they pushed through his hair and massaged his scalp, the sound of her gentle moans. All of it, every second of their passion and every inch of her, was utterly and undeniably Alice.

"I love you Hatter," Alice whispered again and again as she slid her black cotton and lace skirt up her thighs and climbed onto his lap. She had already pushed his gown up and was passionately stroking him, making his head swim and his senses heighten.

"Show me Alice," he smirked, thrusting upward and penetrating her. Alice shivered in ecstasy and descended upon him, leaning down and covering his lips with her own. "Show me every inch of your love." The minutes passed like moments, and as Hatter and Alice climaxed and fell on one another they buried their faces in the others flesh and sighed.

"I am complete here," Alice whispered, still connected to Hatter at his waist. Hatter rubbed the side of his face against hers, loving the sensation of her silky hair on his skin.