Look, medical treatment. And, no, Alice isn't going straight home. It's silly to think they just shoved everyone right back through the Looking Glass twenty minutes after the Queen was defeated.

Alice, her father, Hatter, and several of the oysters and casino workers were loaded into the three transports Jack's Suits managed to find and rushed off to the Hospital of Dreams in the city. Of course, they couldn't be cars, they had to be some kind of aircraft. So, there were no cars in Wonderland after all. Not that a car would have done any good in the termite's nest that was the city, with its narrow high wire pathways. Limiting people's means of conveyance would just be one more way for the Queen of Hearts to keep tight control over her subjects.

Hatter was uncharacteristically silent as they made the trip, sitting beside her. His eyes were squeezed shut tight against the pain, his skin too pale, which worried Alice quite a bit. She kept her eyes on him the entire flight. It was Hell seeing him suffer so and not be able to do a damned thing about it. When they reached the hospital the man was whisked away from her by the staff. The girl, herself, was hustled into an exam room where a lady doctor named Milligan and her nurse poked and prodded at her ribs and ankle, then used a huge machine that functioned as Wonderland's answer to an x-ray.

There was a knock on the door and the nurse went to see who it was and what they wanted. It was news. Charlie was safe and well, he and his undead soldiers were still at the casino sifting through the rubble for survivors. One down, the girl thought, two to go.

They moved on to her head. More weird x-ray machine, which made her hair stand on end and then following of fingers around the room. No, she didn't feel dizzy or lighted headed, yes she could hear and see properly. Alice had all but forgotten about the gash in her scalp. It hadn't really been hurting, until they started to clean it. She gritted her teeth against the stick of the needle in her skin as they gave her a local anesthetic to numb the area while they stitched her up. Regardless, her skull was throbbing by the time they finished and taped a gauze pad over the sixteen stitches. Her sliced palm and fingers were cleaned and covered with bandaids.

"Nothing is broken, but you have a rather bad sprain. You've got six bruised ribs," Milligan told her. "You crashed a flamingo?"

Alice nodded, wincing as the nurse wrapped her torso tightly with a bandage. "Yeah. Slid into a concrete wall."

"You're very lucky, Miss Alice," the doctor said.

"Don't I know it." As the nurse moved on to her ankle, the girl pulled her shirt back on. "I need to know about my father, Robert Hamil- er, Carpenter. He was shot? And my friend Hatter. I.. I don't know his full name."

"The one with the broken arm?" Alice nodded. The doctor ducked out of the room to get the information she had requested.

"So…." the nurse began timidly, looking up at her from under her long, dark lashes. "You're the Alice of Legend?"

Too weary to be annoyed by the mistake in identity, the oyster just shook her head. "No. I'm no Legend. Just got lucky, like she said."

The little brunette nurse didn't look convinced, but said no more, finishing up with the bandage on her patient's ankle quickly so she could move on to those with more serious injuries. Alice did not want to stay in the room, not alone, not at all. But she couldn't leave until Dr. Milligan came back and gave her the news she needed. It seemed like forever before the door to the exam room opened once more.

"Your father and friend are both in surgery," she said.

"Surgery?" Alice hopped off the table, favoring her injured leg. "Where?"

"If you'll wait, I can get an orderly to bring a wheel chair and take-"

The girl shook her head, cutting the physician off. "I'm fine. Give the chair to someone who needs it. Just point me in the right direction."

"But you're-"

"I'm the same as everyone else," Alice insisted. "Just tell me where to go."

Milligan nodded, giving her the directions she needed. The surgical floor was three levels above this one, she could follow the signs to the elevators. Limping along down the corridor Alice realize it wouldn't have hurt to ask for a pair of crutches, but it was too late now. The surgical unit was bustling with activity as the hospital staff rushed to treat those injured in the casino collapse. She wondered idly if the Queen was in one of the operating rooms having her finger reattached. She hoped not, the woman deserved the disfigurement.

"I thought I'd find you here." The girl turned to see Caterpillar meandering down the hallway towards her. He now wore a set of maroon scrubs instead of the dirty gray pants and a pair of hospital slippers.

"Do you know where my dad is?"

He nodded. "He's in Recovery. This way."

"That was fast," she remarked as he guided her through the unit. The tall man nodded.

"There are a lot of badly injured people to be tended to," he said. "It wasn't that bad a wound, really. He was very fortunate."

"Is he awake?" Caterpillar shook his head.

"He's still under anesthesia. He could wake up any time in the next hour or so."

"Where is Hatter?"

Caterpillar stopped at her question. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently led her off to the side of the corridor, speaking in a soft voice. This behavior brought a terrible sinking feeling into Alice's stomach.

"Hatter is still in surgery, Alice. The bones in his hand and arm weren't just broken, they shattered." She gasped softly, eyes rounding. God, Hatter. "The doctors are doing everything they can. We have the best in the city working on him now, but… he could lose the limb."

"Jesus…" It was fortuitous he had brought her close to the wall, because the girl had to lean on it to hold herself up after that bit of news.

He gave her a look of sympathy. "If it's any consolation, we have excellent prosthetics in Wonderland."

Alice scrubbed a hand over her face "Yeah. It's not." Her voice was a bit sarcastic as she added, "But thanks for trying." Caterpillar wasn't offended. He simply waited for her to get her bearings again. "Take me to Hatter."

"It could be several hours yet, Alice," the tall man said, dissuasively. She gave him a look.

"Like I have anything better to do?" She didn't. She couldn't talk to her father and Hatter was still under the knife. All she could do was sit across from the doors to the operating room in a hard plastic chair she had stolen from the nurse's station and wait. And wait. She'd started to doze off despite the gnawing worry in her gut, when an orderly approached her.

"Miss Hamilton?"

The girl jerked fully awake, eyes wide and anxious as she popped up from the chair. "What's happened?"

"Dr. Carpenter is awake," the man informed her. "I'm to take you to him."

Alice looked back at the doors to the operating room. She was torn. She needed to go to her father, be at his side, but she also needed to stay here and keep vigil. Neither was a desire, both were deep, physical needs. She looked to the orderly and licked her lips. The girl grabbed his arm and pulled him over, plunking him down in her chair.

"You know who I am?" He nodded. "Stay here," she ordered, not caring that it was unethical to use her fallacious Legend status against the man. "If anything changes, you tell me. You run to the nearest phone or whatever and you tell me, understand?" The man nodded. "Good. How do I get to Carpenter?"

Again wishing she had a pair of crutches, Alice hurried to her father in the Recovery Room. When she reached his bed, Hamilton looked up at her with slightly bleary eyes.

"Hey, Jellybean," he half breathed, his speech groggy and slurred. She sat on the edge of his bed and took hold of his hand.

"Hey, Daddy," she whispered, giving his hand a squeeze. "How do you feel?"

"Like I was hit by a train," he answered with a little smile. She shook her head.

"No, I got hit by the train," she argued softly. "You just got shot."

"You win." She chuckled very quietly. He was okay, he would be okay. Thank God.

"Soon, you'll be up and around," Alice assured him with a little smile. "And we can go home. Mom will be so happy to see you."

"Carol," her father sighed blissfully. She nodded.

"Yeah. And we'll have lasagna and garlic bread. I bet they don't have Mom's garlic bread here in Wonderland." He shook his head.

"Not even close." His eyes slipped shut and he sighed again. "Tired."

The girl nodded, patting his hand. "I know. You go ahead and sleep. I'll see you when you wake up."

"Thanks, sweetie," he whispered, his grip already loosening. He was out again before she even put his hand down and she just sat and watched him sleep. Her father. She had a father. After fourteen years, it was hard to believe. She rolled the words around in her mouth a bit, taking the time to appreciate them now as she had not been able to in the casino. My father… my father…

Eventually, a nurse came in, accompanied by an orderly, and rolled Hamilton/Carpenter into this own room. The nurse took is vitals and checked his IV, everything looking so similar to a hospital back home that she had to remind herself this was Wonderland. Just as they were finished getting the man settled, another nurse entered the room with news for Alice. Hatter would be out of surgery shortly.

Before the woman could say anything else, Alice was out the door. She reached the hall where Hatter's operating room was located just as they were pushing his gurney out the door. Her heart wrenched as she saw him, all wired up and helpless. His right arm was wrapped in thick, white bandages, but it was there. They hadn't taken it. She said a little prayer of thanks to whatever gods inhabited Wonderland.

"How is he?" she asked of the men who were pushing him along.

"Miss Hamilton?" called someone from the doorway to the surgical theatre. She looked up, but continued to move with the gurney. "I'm Dr. Powers. I can tell you about his condition."

"Then start walking," she told him, refusing to leave Hatter's side now that she was there again. The surgeon gave her a look of consternation, but did as she said, jogging a moment to catch up. "How bad is it?"

"Not so horrible as we originally thought," he told her.

"But Caterpillar said the bones shattered. That he might lose his arm," she said, confused. Had the leader of the Resistance been exaggerating or just misinformed?

"They were," the doctor conceded. "But, somehow, every fragment stayed right where it was. The bones were spider-webbed with fractures and should have - for lack of a better word - crumbled under the pull of the muscles. They didn't. Somehow, they retained their shape and integrity."

The girl's head was spinning all over again. She thought she understood what he was saying, for the most part. When the bones fractured, instead of each piece separating and destroying his arm, they had remained a whole. The doctor went on.

"I understand you are an oyster, so I won't go into the procedural details. We were able to fuse most of the fractures. Some of them were too severe, so your friend, Hatter, will have to wear a cast while nature takes over where we've left off. In a month or two, we'll see how it looks, but I think he should recover full use of his arm with minimal scarring."

This inexplicably good news made her legs stop working. The gurney went on, but the surgeon stayed with her. "So… he's going to be fine? His arm is…"

"It's the most incredible surgery I've ever performed and if it were anyone else, I'm certain we'd have had to amputate," he nodded. "I can almost guarantee you that, once we remove the cast, that man's limb will be as good as new."

Alice swayed on her feet, relief so profound she thought she might faint. Instead she threw her arms around the rather startled surgeon and hugged him tight. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

He chuckled uncomfortably and tried to extricate himself from her grasp. Clearing his throat, he went on, trying to distract her from her embarrassing display of gratitude. "His other injuries were relatively minor and should heal up in a week or two. Aside from the ribs."

"Ribs?" He got what he was aiming for as the girl pulled back and looked up at him.

"Yes. There were several that were fractured," he explain, smoothing out his hug-rumpled shirt. "But the cracks weren't serious and will mend fine on their own, so long as he takes it easy for a while. Also, his right eardrum ruptured, but we gave him some panacean drops, so it won't be an issue."

She nodded only partially hearing and half understanding what he was saying. She was too distracted by the words "good as new" echoing in her mind. He'd be fine. Miraculously, wonderfully, unexplainably fine. She could kiss that surgeon. She really could, but it would probably only fluster him more. A relieved, excited smile was forming on her lips as she turned to look at Hatter, only to find him gone. Of course, the others would not have waited around while she was getting a rundown of his condition. Crap.

"Where did they take him?"

"The Recovery Room, but you-" She was already moving. He hurried after her. "You can't go in there; they're putting his cast on. You're not sterile, you could cause an infection."

The way he said it made Alice think he didn't mean she hadn't washed her hands. She couldn't help but ponder what manner if unkind preconceptions Wonderlanders had about oysters. Legendary or not. It didn't stop her though, not until she reached the doors and could peer through the little window slit. The other doctors or nurses or whoever they are were, indeed, setting Hatter's arm in a cast. The girl hovered anxiously outside the door, waiting for them to finish. The plaster - what she assumed was plaster - wasn't white, but a pale, creamy sherbet color and covered his arm from shoulder to fingertips. She'd expected them to put one of those braces on him, to hold the limb out from his torso, but instead it was bent at the elbow so, when he lay down, it rested against his stomach. That had to be much more comfortable than the oyster way of doing things. She didn't even try to wrap her mind around Wonderland medicine for the time being, just trusted it would work. Though, she was a bit dubious when they pulled out little hair dryers and started blowing the plaster dry.

She was practically gnawing at the bit when the medical technicians finally finished. They checked him over one last time and left the room. Dr. Powers caught Alice's arm when she tried to enter as they exited.

"I told you, you can't-"

She gripped his wrist and snatched his hand off of her person, leveling a hard gaze on him. "I'm going in there. If you want to stop me, call security." Not that it would matter if he did. Nothing the man could do would stop her. She turned from him without a pause and entered the Recovery Unit, making her way quietly to Hatter's bedside.

Bare from the waist up and unconscious, he looked so heartbreakingly fragile. Wires trailed from his chest to a monitor next to the bed, which beeped with steady rhythm. An IV with an unfamiliarly blue liquid had been inserted into his left arm. There were still little lines of residual tape glue on his face where they had secured the breathing mask in place. The blood and dirt had all been washed away and his skin fairly glowed, looking smooth and soft even in the harsh industrial lighting. The abrasions on his forehead were covered with a gauze pad, the scratch held together with two tiny butterfly bandaids. His black eye was even darker than she remembered and there were other bruises on his face and shoulders than she had not been able to see before because of dirt and clothing. His torso was wrapped tightly in bandages, like her ankle, to keep the ribs stable as they healed. Her fingertips ghosted across the faintly orange cast, which felt more like hardened rubber than plaster.

Her knees shook slightly, but she didn't dare try to sit on the edge of his bed as she had her father's. Presently, her eyes fell on a mark so deep eggplant it was nearly black. Just below his collarbone, beneath his left shoulder. Dodo's bullet. The first time he'd put himself between her and death. Her own personal guardian angel, supporting her as she limped on a sprained ankle while he suffered cracked ribs and who knew what other painful injuries. Alice was a hazard to Hatter. She was so grateful to him to the point it could, quite reasonably, be mistaken for worship. Only fitting, as it was also mingled with a crushing sense of guilt. All she had taken from this man and he had asked nothing in return. The Stone notwithstanding, as that wasn't for himself, but to benefit his people. She was properly humbled.

Despite the overwhelming sense of fragility, he looked incredibly peaceful, as he had sleeping against the gate at Charlie's. His hair was still tousled charmingly, a few of the bangs curving lightly against his forehead. His chest rose and fell as steadily as the beating of his heart. Alice, deeply fatigued, both mentally and physically, was lulled by the constant rhythm, her eyes and limbs growing heavy to the point she swayed on her feet more than once before an orderly came in with another hard plastic chair. She vaguely wondered how many people were out there watching her watching over Hatter as she sank into the seat.

Unable to help herself, the girl reached out, touching the unconscious man's uninjured hand as though it were spun sugar and would crumble under her fingertips. His palm was as rough as she remembered, trailing her fingers over it reverently. The weight of her exhaustion and relief pulled her down, unwillingly, until her head rested on her forearm on the bed beside Hatter's hip. Her fingers were still tracing the lines of his hand as her eyes slipped shut and the world faded away to the sound of a single, regular beep.

"Alice…" The soft, hoarse grunt of her name brought the battered little oyster back to Wonderland as easily as the loudest shout. She sat up too quickly and her head spun for an instant because of it. Not that she cared. Her hands closed around the one resting on the thin mattress, holding it as firmly as she dared.

"Hatter?" the girl whispered, looking to the man's face. His brows were furrowed and he was frowning as he tried to open his eyes, wincing at the glare of the lights overhead.

"Alice…" he said again, his gaze searching for hers. She stood so he would not have to turn his head. Once his eyes found her, the frown faded just slightly. "You okay?"

She rolled her eyes and tried to decided between laughing and scowling at him. "You're out of your mind, you know that?" She settled for an admonishing comment and a soft smile. "You're the one in the hospital bed."

"Hospital?" His mouth and brows pinched in confusion and he shifted, as though trying to sit up. A soft groan of pain slipped from his lips as his broken arm moved and his abs tightened under the bandage, squeezing his cracked ribs. Alice quickly pressed a hand to his bare shoulder, the other laid across the cast.

"Don't try to sit up," she told him quickly, forgetting to whisper and catching herself. "Your arm is broken and your ribs. Just lay still."

She lightly brushed her fingers across his forehead, trying to sooth him into relaxing once more. It worked, his eyelids fluttering shut for a moment at her touch. A soft sigh raised and dropped his chest before his breathing returned to normal. He licked his lips, which even she could see were horribly dry, and swallowed. They needed some ice chips, she thought. Did they have ice chips in Wonderland? Surely the Queen would have allowed refrigerators and freezers through the Looking Glass. As Alice was looking for some way to call in a nurse, Hatter spoke again.

"What happened?" His voice was soft and sandpapery and she really needed to get him that ice.

"You shattered the Vorpal Blade," she told him. Chocolate eyes opened once more, looking up at her in a very weary version of incredulity. She scowled with gentle playfulness down at him. "Don't give me that look. You did. You saved me. Again."

This seemed to please the man and his lips formed a little, self-satisfied smile. "That's right. I remember." Her own smile widened. He had the right to feel a little smug, she thought. He'd saved the day.

Alice stayed by Hatter's side for the rest of the day and into the night, not budging until well after her friend had finally woken fully and eaten dinner - complaining about the hospital food the entire time. She was nice enough not to point out that he had wolfed down two entire meals of the "inedible slop". Wonder of wonders, the hospital staff had placed Hatter and Hamilton/Carpenter in the same double room so she didn't have to choose between them. This was too good to be a coincidence and, not for the first time, Alice wondered where Jack was and how closely he was keeping an eye on her and her affairs. Presently a knock sounded at the door and, low and behold, the White Knight entered.

"Charlie!" Alice shouted joyfully, leaping up from her place between the two beds and launching herself at the old paladin. He was wearing his mail coat and boots, but not the rest of the heavy armor so she was able to give him a proper hug. He smiled widely and squeezed her in return, patting her back as he had on the beach. Pulling back from the embrace, Alice glared up at the bandage wrapped around his head as though it were a parasite. "They told me you were okay."

He blushed under her concern. "Fit as a fiddle and twice as fine," the knight insisted, puffing up his chest. This move, however, seemed to send a twinge of pain to his skull and he winced, posture slumping once again. "I was wounded on the field of battle, but rest assured, My lady, that it is only a minor scrape. Nothing to fret over."

She didn't like it and didn't think he was telling her the whole truth, but let it go. He was obviously well enough to be up and moving around, so she just had to take his word for it. For now.

"Hey, Charlie," Hatter cast him a smile from the bed. The old paladin returned it.

"Greetings, Harbinger," he gave a little bow which raised the former-Tea Shop owner's eyebrows. "You appear a bit worse for the wear."

The darker man chuckled. "I may not be fit as a butcher's dog, but I'll live." Alice giggle softly at the comment. "That was quite a spectacle you put on today. Raising the army of the Red King? Impressive."

"How did you do that, Charlie?" the girl asked. Sir Charles's grin was wide as the Cheshire Cat's.

"I'm a knight." Should have guessed. "And I did tell you I dabble in the Black Arts."

"I don't think 'dabble' is the word for it," Hatter snarked, but was obviously impressed.

"You really showed 'em, Charlie," Alice praised softly, her throat tightening up just a touch. She was so proud of him.

His eyes softened with humility and gratitude. "Thanks to you, Alice."

It was the first time he had used her proper name and that touched her. She hugged him again, trying not to tear up. It was only the stress and exhaustion of the last few days that made her waterworks have such a hair trigger. That was her story and she was sticking to it.

"Charlie, this is my father," she said, smiling brightly, leading him to the foot of Hamilton's bed. The White Knight bowed as low as his head injury would permit.

"It is an honor, sir." Her father looked uncomfortable at the display of deference, but nodded in return.

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter," he said to the knight as he had to Hatter when Alice introduced them earlier. Charlie put a hand over his heart.

"My honor and pleasure, sir. The lady Alice is a joy to serve." Alice couldn't help but chuckle and shook her head.

"I wouldn't go that far, Charlie," she remarked, looking for a way to take the focus of conversation off of herself. "What happens to the knights now?"

The old gentleman's face fell so fast the girl wished she'd kept her mouth shut and let them continue to sing her praises. He cleared his throat and seemed to have trouble meting her eyes.

"I had meant to speak with you on that regard," he admitted with uncharacteristic timidity. "You see, now that their work is complete, the Knights must return to their rest. I… That is, would you…"

She got it. He wanted her to come back to the Kingdom with him as the skeletal soldiers went back to their eternal slumber. It was dark out and she was sore and exhausted, the last thing she wanted was to ride out to the ruined city and stand around while a bunch of walking piles of bones laid down for a dirt nap. So, of course, she clasped a hand to Charlie's shoulder.

"I'll go with you."

"Go where?" Hamilton asked. Hatter perked, spoonful of pudding pausing halfway between the cup and his mouth.

"The Kingdom of the Knights," Alice told him. The spoon clattered to the plate.

"The Hell you are," Hatter declared. "You're not riding all the way out there in the dark."

"Alice, you can't go anywhere," her father agreed. The girl shook her head at both of them.

"I can and I am," she stated firmly.

"Then, I'm coming with you," her friend announced, pushing his tray away and tossing back his blanket to reveal a pair of long, slightly pale legs protruding from beneath his hospital gown. Alice snorted with amusement even as she went to waylay him getting out of bed.

"You are staying right where you are," she insisted, putting her hands on his shoulders. As sore as he was, she didn't need to push him back. So long as she kept her hands firm, he couldn't manage the fortitude to push against them and rise. Finally, he flopped back against the bed, wincing at the twinge of pain it caused. She fussed over him, retucking the blankets around his hips.

He scowled up at her like a petulant child. "What's that smirk about? Cause I'm helpless?"

She shook her head and grinned at him fully. "Nice legs." She winked and he actually blushed, ears tingeing slightly pink.

"Alice, you really can't just go off on your own," her father continued to protest. She laughed, clutching her aching ribs.

"It's not funny," Hatter admonished. "There are hundreds of Suits out there runnin' about. There are people who support the Queen, you know. It's too dangerous."

The girl leaned on Hatter's bed, shaking her head as her outburst of mirth subsided. "I'm going to be surrounded by a thousand undead knights. I don't think anyone's gonna try anything," she pointed out. Neither her father or Hatter seemed to have connected those dots, but neither seemed mollified by the fact either. Not even when Charlie swore on his honor to keep her safe. But they both knew they couldn't stop her.

"Take my jacket, at least," Hatter told her. "It's bound to be freezing out."

Alice gave him a gentle, appreciative smile and patted the blanket over his shin. "Your jacket is covered in dirt and blood," she pointed out. To placate him, she added, "But I'll find something to wear before I leave, okay?"

He nodded grudgingly. Her reassurance that she would be fine did nothing to remove the frowns from either man's face as she left the room, walking with Charlie towards the elevators. As it happened, it was rather chilly out and she did not find anything before she left, but Hatter and her father need never know that. Not that she was disregarding their concerns, but she worried that if she hung around an extra moment or two, Jack would find out about her leaving and he had considerable more clout to use against her than the other two. He would no doubt insist that his Suits, if not himself, escort her along with the Knights. She couldn't allow that. This was something private. Alice wouldn't have a bunch of strangers gawking at the Knights as they returned to their graves.

Charlie was silent on the ride back to the Kingdom. The absence of his familiar, repetitious singing making the night seem that much more still. The only sounds as they traveled were the horses' footfalls and the soft clattering and clanking of bone and metal. Side by side she stood with the White Knight, watching by moonlight as his brethren returned from whence they came.

Each Knight removed their armor, setting it neatly in rows inside the cathedral before filing back behind the building to the massive graveyard Charlie had not shown her before. Every one saluted their general and moved on. It was horrifying to watch as each one climbed down into their own grave while others shoveled what dirt had been displaced back atop them. Yet, Alice's horror was well overshadowed by a feeling of profound honor at her presence having been not only allowed, but welcomed at this event.

She heard Charlie's softly hitching breath and curled her hand over his shoulder in a silent show of support. She could not even begin to imagine the tempest of emotion within him. He'd finally proven himself to the great Knights of the realm, but still had to watch them slip back into their final resting places. Graves, Alice knew, he had dug himself at only ten years old. The last man standing was the Red King himself. The noble ruler stood before Charlie and curled a bony hand around the knight's bicep. The king then touched his hand to Charlie's chest before thumping his fist once against his own sternum. The White Knight broke down completely at that, tear flowing freely. Alice had no real idea what the gesture meant, but could guess. The Red King looked to her, opening his hand against his ribs and bowing. He then turned and retook his place on the throne and the girl watched as the life flowed out of him, leaving nothing but bones behind.

When it was finished, the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. Charlie, worn and weary, did not protest when Alice put him to sleep in his own bed instead of the hammock. She hugged her arms in the frosty morning air, her body crying for rest but her mind too active to allow it. A fire would be just the thing to take the chill from her skin. As she crossed to the fire pit, she saw it. A drape of rich purple hanging from the ladder to the bathtub's water tank. Hatter's coat.

The girl went to it, running her fingers over the lush velvet material before pulling the garment from its perch. She pulled it on, marveling at how despite sitting out in the cold, damp night air, the coat was still beautifully warm against her skin. Alice sat at the foot of the ladder, leaning back against it and hugging the luxurious folds around her. She was wearing Hatter's jacket after all. That should make him happy. As the sun rose in the sky, the tired, little oyster dozed, a little smile on her face.

BTW, yes, those of you who wondered, this story will extend a bit beyond the kiss at the end of the mini.