Daniel's POV

The steady rhythm of Avalon's slow lope soothed me into a dull daze. I had to report to my brother without Alice. I dreaded facing his wrath.

I hated my brother! He was stupid and manipulative and always got the best of the best. As children he always got the best toys and the most attention from mother and father.

"Give me that!" he ordered me. I had just gotten a new toy boat. It sailed like a beauty and was the first I had ever seen that had a remote.

"No! It's mine!" I was smaller then him but I knew how to fight.

"Just give it here, DeDe." He grinned cruelly at me.

"No!" I repeated and he tried to grab the small boat from my hands. When I wouldn't let go he decided to go in a different direction.

"MOTHER!" he screamed and smirked.

"Yes, darling." My tall leggy mother came into view. She was thin and never the mothering type.

"Tell Daniel to give me the boat." He ordered

"Daniel give your brother the boat." She immediately said.

"But its mine!" I exclaimed.

"Not any more." Ilosovic pulled it from me

"Share boys." Her voice was soft, she was already walking away. Hours later my brother returned the toy. Its sail was falling off and it had a large crack in its hull.

As teens he always got the girls.

"DeDe! Your girl is awfully pretty. Mind if I steal her away?" he grinned at me. I had one arm around my lovely blonde finance. She giggled and stepped away from me.

"Yes I do actually" I reached for her hand but she pulled away.

"Daniel! You never told me you had such a handsome brother!" her laughter was sign enough. I knew I had lost another thing to my brother. Another thing that would be returned hours later, broken and ruined.

He got to work for the Red Queen, and when her husband died he won her favor. How I hated him and I would forever be stuck sitting under him, working for him!

Alice's POV

I never left the Hatter's side. I sat in an anxious vigil at his bedside all through the evening.

Mabel came in and rewrapped Tarrant's grievous wounds. He lay bare-chested in a small cot. The cream bandages wrapped around his waist were stained with his son blood. His bright green eyes would flicker open at times but it wasn't until it was nearly morning that he spoke again.

"Why is a Raven like a Writing desk?" he whispered.

"I do not know." I leaned over him, smiling. He chuckled to himself for a moment then grew sober again.

"How much longer will I hurt Alice?" his voice was pained and sad.

"I do not know, Hatter." I touched his cheek lightly. It was just a little longer and he would be safe.

"Sometimes I want the dreams to stop." He murmured to me in a serious voice.

"Never stop dreaming, Tarrant." I whispered to him expecting his eyes to flicker closed once again.

"Say it again." His lovely eyes had become a mysterious lavender again.

"Never stop dreaming." I smiled down at him.

"Not that.. my name" his fingers rubbed small circles on the back of my hand.

"Hatter?" I was confused, what had I called him? I nibbled my lip.

"My other name." I could hear his amused frustration. It hit me like an on coming freight train.

"Oh," I could feel my face warm, "Tarrant"

I called him by his name. He moved to sit up but I placed my hand on his bare chest.

"You have to stay laying down." My voice was gentle but firm, he didn't reply. His hand curled around mine and sat up. The way his lavender eyes bore into mine prevented me from complaining. He was moving ever closer to me and my heart betrayed me by racing.

"You are the perfect Alice size." He commented. His face was bathed in morning light.

"It's morning" I gazed into his face. His cheek bones were more hollow then normal.

"Yes it is." He brought my hand to his pained face. There were dark circles under his light sparkling eyes. The brown dye in his hair was wearing away and light caught the orange tint of his frizzy hair. Mabel had removed his hat and he looked odd without it. His hands were resting softly on my waist. My heart was fluttering.

He closed the space between our lips. I was kissing the Hatter. My arms wrapped around his neck without my permission. He pulled me closer to his body. The world spun and disappeared. The world was him, and nothing else. I felt like I was flying through sea mist. Air whooshed around me and my soul sighed with contentment.

I felt him smile into my lips and I was jerked back to reality. The Hatter had just been through a lot, he nearly lost himself, and here I was letting him kiss me. I was taking advantage of weak moment. I pulled myself from the kiss and ran.

My feet moved me through the house and out the door. I could see the Inn before me but I did not go there, I turned towards the forest and continued running.

I could still feel his lips upon my own. The feelings were brand new; they were unlike anything I had ever felt. I had only been kissed a few times but never had I wanted it. Daniel forced his kisses on me and Hamish… well I hadn't wanted to kiss him.

We had played together as children. Our fathers worked together so we didn't really have a choice. Once he had been nearly creative but we always played house. That was what was expected of us. He was always a husband, and I a wife.

"You should kiss me." He told me.

"Why?" I was always a curious child.

"Because you are my wife?" he rolled his eyes.

"So?"

"That's what husband and wife do!"

"Oh" so I did. Hamish had never been good looking and he smelled like garlic and potatoes. I pressed my lips to his for a briefest moment and he was sated.

"Now we have to marry someday!" he told me and grabbed my hand.

I know that Alice has been running far to much! (This chapter was short and mostly flash backs and for that I am very sorry)