Jefferson sat around the table with Alice, Snow, Leroy and Charming. David talked about how Anton thought he was his brother, James, and that's why Anton tried to kill him. Jefferson thought for a second and groaned into his hands.

Jefferson looked up at Alice, "Jack was there too."

Alice narrowed her eyes in thought, "Jack as in the giant slayer or one of your dalliances?"

Jefferson looked at his wife critically, "I know you know they're the same person. So stop playing stupid."

Alice shrugged, "Playing stupid's a lot more fun, people underestimate you."

David looked between the two of them confused, "You slept with a man?"

Jefferson looked taken aback, "Jack is short for Jacqueline. Very feminine."

Alice's voice was muffled behind her hand, "He didn't sleep with a man this time."

Jefferson snorted back a laugh, "Anyway, knowing your father or whatever the hell he is, he sent James and Jack to kill the giants. Pillage the treasury, the beans all of it. And rumor has it Jack got hurt and James left her there to die."

David looked at him. "I'm sorry."

Jefferson looked confused, "Why I didn't love her, she was a….. What's the word?"

Alice thought for a second, "Distraction?"

Jefferson nodded, "Thank you. She hired me to take her to Wonderland and we agreed on some gold and a more physical payment. With her, I was just killing time."

Snow blushed at this while Leroy looked shocked, "You're kidding right?"

Jefferson made a nonchalant gesture, "There is a reason back home I was called the Lord of Love."

Alice rolled her eyes, "Can we get back on topic or are we going to keep talking about what Jefferson did as a teenager."

David shrank under Alice's gaze as Jefferson kissed her cheek, "Forgive me, jalan atthirari anni."

Alice tried to be angry, "You're forgiven, shekh ma shieraki anni."

Leroy looked between the two of them, "So what's the plan?"

Alice grinned widely, "Why we give him our dear prince, of course."

Snow looked upset, "Would you do that to Jefferson?"

Alice nodded, "Yes, I have a plan no harm will come to your dear prince. Trust me."

(Alice called Jefferson her sun and stars)

Jefferson looked at Charming tying the rope around his waist, "I will never understand you people. You want to save someone who's dangerous from bleeding to death now you want to save a giant who wants you dead. Makes perfect sense."

Charming scowled at Jefferson, "It's the right thing to do."

Jefferson watched as Charming repelled down to Anton, and mumbled, "Doesn't mean it's the best thing."

Jefferson helped pull Anton up when he climbed out of the hole,"Hey, no need to go around with a vendetta, right?"

Anton ignored him looking at Snow and Charming, "You saved my life."

Alice leaned into Jefferson to protect herself from the cold whispering to Jefferson, "But at the expense of whom?"

Jefferson pressed his face to her hair, "Don't worry she's at your sister's."

Alice nodded as the group start to smile and lead Anton away from the hole. Jefferson ignored the sinking pit in his stomach the feeling of being watched as he turned Alice toward him, "Let's go to Granny's, my love."

Alice knew he was withholding something but confronting him worked half the time, "Led the way, my lord."

(Short chapter I know. Sorry. Oh and this is apparent on the Ao3 version, Alice has a younger brother, and where Jefferson is from is called the Lusnyae Providence. Next chapter might be the flashback Jefferson talks about or not)

Alice buried herself into Jefferson's chest and jacket, "I hate cold weather."

Jefferson laughed as he rubbed her back trying to warm her up, "I know but until we go home you gotta get used to it."

Alice grumbled something unintelligible, and moved her face, "I hate it when you're right. Hatter?"

Blue eyes met brown questioningly,"Hmm?"

Alice's voice was hesitant something that only happened when she was nervous and scared, "What did the Queen do to you exactly? You don't have to tell me."

Jefferson blanched and led her over to a bench, "But I should. Regina wanted me for a job and she abandoned me in Wonderland to save her father leaving me in the clutches of that god-awful whore."

Alice snorted, as she sat in his lap, her head resting in the crook of his neck and shoulder, "That's offensive to whores everywhere."

Jefferson smiled, "It really is."