"But he lives outside of the kingdom?" Alice asked as they neared the edge of the jungle. After their brush-in with the Jackalope, Chester had told her he knew someone who could provide a safe place to stay and a decent cup of tea. A young man from a long line of Milliners, who had been famous for designing for the royal family, until an incident occurred leaving the current queen blind as a bat and wanting his head. Alice could understand why the Queen wanted the hatter to pay for his crimes...but chopping off his head seemed a bit too extreme. But Alice was slowly beginning to learn everything was a bit too extreme or better yet mad in this place.

"So long as Jefferson lives outside of the Red Queen's territory he's safe from losing his head, "Chester drawled as he leisurely floated, not watching where he was going, without any hurry in his pace. His fluffy tail laid gently across his stomach while his arms stayed tucked behind his head. If it wasn't for his constant floating, Alice would assume that he was asleep.

"He really does act like a cat." She thought trying to smother her fond smile that grew upon her face. Even though she wouldn't consider the two of them friends, at least not yet in any way, she did find it admirable that he would take her somewhere safe. And stay with her as she fought the Jackalope. Even if it was just to watch. However, a small part of her couldn't help but be suspicious of him. What were his motives?

"Chester?" She called out making the cat-boy stop and look at her quizzically.

"Yes, Alice?"

"Why are you helping me?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him hoping it would make him crack, but his quizzical expression became of amusement as he grinned wickedly evaporating into the air. The grinning cat appeared again in front of her leaning close to her face. Making sure his striking eyes met hers.

"How were you able to slay that wicked creature?" He asked in return, being sure to sound as sultry as he had when she met him a few hours ago, which made her huff in annoyance.

"I told you." She sighed. "I was born with the gift to shine light onto creatures of evil. Making them turn into dust or stone in some cases."

It was true that she could do such a thing, but that wasn't all she could do. She could create portals to other worlds, like this one, and banish the creatures of Grimm to these worlds. Which meant that she had faced that particular Jackalope before and like many other Grimm that had turned out to be too much for her, she had sent them away just so she could run.

"How many lives have been lost here because of my cowardness?" She thought, feeling herself beginning to frown. Mentally shaking herself from her misery she asked a different question since clearly, Chester wasn't going to answer the other.

"Are there many of those dark creatures much like the one we faced earlier?" She asked, being sure to leave out any information that may elude to her coming from the same place that the Grimm were from. The less he or anyone else knew the better.

"Quite a few, but if we come across any they shouldn't be a problem for you." He replied floating away drawing a snort from the little rose.

"You sound awfully confidant, cat." She said earning only a wicked grin from the feline.

When they were clear of the jungle they soon were in a small forest of tall glowing mushrooms of different colors, trees much like the giant one that she had first seen when she first came here, and talking flowers that hummed blissfully beautiful tunes. Other harmless creatures such as a fly that looked like a dragon and a rocking horse with wings whizzed past her, unaware that their land was being crossed by two trespassers.

"Curiousier and Curiouser." Alice thought in marvel while Chester watched the hooded girl with a small smile on his face. If was willing to admit it he would say the girl was indeed a small beauty. Even with her pink hooded cloak hiding her face and clothes well enough. At certain angles, he could catch a glimpse of her long rose gold hair and curious silver eyes from under her hood, but the constant look of wonder that adorned her pale face was something else in Chester's opinion. If he knew it wouldn't protect her, though she probably didn't need it, he was almost inclined to keep her all to himself, but the rebellion would need someone like her.

"We're almost there," he called drawing Alice's attention from her surroundings to the growing music that played from what sounded like an old record player. The two of them reach a clearing finding a tiny village of a few houses, one was oddly shaped like a hat of different colors of brick and various shapes of windows that seemed old and dusty. The second house, across the hat-shaped house, was round-shaped with mossy limestone walls and a black thatched roof where a delicious smell wafted from the chimney. The final home was a wooden treehouse where various color bottles that housed fireflies glowing in the now night sky hung from the branches of the tree. The warm light that glowed from the bottles; cascaded onto the iridescent leaves from the tree that housed the cozy home and the surrounding area. Making Alice feel for the first time since she arrived here at home. That is until a strong distinctive accent disrupted the peace.

"Oi Chester, yer late for tea laddy!" An old man called out who much like Chester also had animal-like features but his were more of a greyish brown hare. His long ears that poke out of his head seemed in need of brushing, much like his scraggy hair and bushy mustache. He wore an orange waistcoat patched together with various patterns of fabric scrapes.

He along with two others sat in the middle of the clearing where various round and square tables covered by a long patched up tablecloth in order to create the illusion of a long dining room table. Different varieties of freshly baked goods and mouth-watering sandwiches sat on the table just waiting to be devoured by their guests. Chester wasting no time disappeared away from Alice, who stood still unsure of whether or not to join him, only to reappear on one of the various chairs that surrounded the tea party. The old hare poured the cat some tea while two others had finally noticed the girl.

A tall young man whose face was hidden underneath the brim of his dark green, gold-embroidered top hat, decorated with strange colored feathers and ancient-looking hat pins all held together by a tattered faded red scarf, raised a hand beckoning Alice to come join them in their tea party. With a small exhale of breath, Alice walked over to hopefully sit in a chair near Chester. However, the other guest, a spirited dwarf girl with large grey mouse ears and short grey hair to match, sat on each and every chair claiming they were occupied by 'other' guests. Her accent was also strange and cockney, but her clothes were fairly simple of a pair of tan trousers and a velvet red and gold tunic. However, she wore a very expensive-looking green cloak with gold trim. Most likely stolen if anyone dared to accuse someone of such a crime.

Alice decided best not to question the spirited girl and searched for another place to sit. When she tried to sit on the other side the old hare did the same thing exposing more than just his blue and green striped sock-covered legs and tail when his brown kilt swayed with him when he moved. The girl averted her eyes from the sight look at Chester who grinned while he sipped his tea. He would definitely not be of any help this time. All that left was the tall young man who sat at the head of the tables.

He was trying to fight a smile as he looked at Alice as he leaned his head against his hand. He wore an eyepatch over one of his eyes, which one could only assume was courtesy of the Red Queen. But his other eye was perfectly healthy yet slightly bigger than an average human's. However, glowed like burning amber. He was pale, but not ghastly like Alice expected him to be nor wearing any makeup either. But the long luscious wavy tawny hair framed his face making him look older than he probably was. He wore a brown velvet coat that looked to be a hand-me-down from a family member and a teal checkered vest. Underneath the coat and vest was a cream button-up long-sleeved shirt with lace that peeked out from the coat sleeves. However aside from the hat, he was also wearing a multicolored flower pattern silk bow tie probably just as large as his head.

He fit the description that Chester had provided so it was safe to assume that he was Jefferson Hightopp or the Mad Hatter as some preferred to call him. To Alice, he seemed full of himself and frankly harmless. That it was hard to believe that he had blinded the queen.

So when he stood up to pull up a chair revealing the rest of his ridiculous ensemble of blue pinstriped trousers and brown leather shoes, she sat quietly and thank him. Better to make friends rather than enemies.

The hatter poured her some tea then preceded her a plate of red tart and two sandwiches. Alice quickly ate the meal and drank the tea when her hunger resurfaced as the Hatter watched her smiling.

"Someone's hungry." He said revealing a husky Brummie accent that only added to how handsome he was. The others laughed while Alice pulled her hood even further over her face trying to hide her embarrassment, but the old man thought overwise.

"Aye Jefferson, but there nothing wrong with being a bit famished. Eat as much as you want lassie, does me heart proud seeing someone enjoying my cooking, unlike these ungrateful lot." He said as he patted Alice's back hard making the girl cough. He then laughed loudly earning only head shakes and playful glares from the others.

"Martii, even you're cooking doesn't kill her, yer clumsy hands will!" The mouse girl retorted in a joking manner. Alice pretended not to hear that first part as she reached for another sandwich this time eating slowly.

"And yet we've not asked the fair lady's name." Jefferson drawled still keeping his eyes expectantly on Alice who was still chewing a bite. Once she swallowed she answered his underlined question.

"Alice Rose. Who are you all?"

"Martii Cottontail, at your service!" The old man replied as he took a ridiculous bow revealing what Alice had seen earlier to Chester who evaporated the moment his gaze met with the hare's behind. Served him right.

"Dorma Maus." The spirited mouse girl replied curtly making Alice take note of her displeasure of Alice being here.

"Jefferson Hightopp." The hatter said as he took Alice's hand, placing a kiss on top of it. "Also at your service." He then winked at the girl making her blush as pink as her cloak when she took her hand out of Jefferson's grasp. He chuckled before once again returning to his formal posture of leaning against his hand. "So what's brings you here to our humble little exile of a home?" He asked.

"Chester brought me here." She replied as the cat in question appeared above the table lazily floating down as if he was lying on his stomach with his arms crossed. "He...said you could provide me a place to stay for the time being." This made Jefferson glare slightly at Alice but then his fury switched over Chester whose wicked grin became even wider at his old friend. Whereas Martii and Dorma shriveled back into their seats scared to even speak up.

"Did he now?" He said.

"Oh come now Jeffy."Chester drawled. "I wouldn't have brought such a frail flower to your home if I didn't think she would tip the scales into our favor." Jefferson's glare only worsened clearly upset with the cat for within minutes he's up, standing onto the tables heading straight for Chester, ready to skin him. Alice on the other hand still sat in the chair dwelling on what the cat had let out of the bag. They needed her or at the very least Chester thought they did. For what she couldn't guess, but it seemed she would soon find out.

"What would you need me for?" She asked, but her voice fell on deaf ears as Martii and Dorma were doing their best trying to keep the hatter, who was shouting madly at Chester, from killing him. Chester on the other hand continued to pester Jefferson to the point he had shoved both the hare and the mouse from him, making them fall off the table back into their chairs. He then draws a pair of silver daggers that like looked like they belonged together as a pair of scissors. By this time Chester was high up in the air avoiding the mad hatter.

"Get down here ye bloody damn cat!" He yelled.

"No….I think I'll stay up here." Chester said as he floated lazily and unafraid, for he figured Jefferson would calm down soon enough. But once a dagger flew past his ears nicking one of them he then glared down as his tail swished back and forth in annoyance at the smirking hatter.

"Here kitty kitty," Hatter sneered as Chester disappeared. Within seconds Chester has the dagger that Jefferson had just thrown at him. The daggers clash creating sparks as the two young men glare at each other in eagerness to rip each other apart. Alice is up and ready to put a stop to the fight and the negativity that could possibly draw the Grimm towards them, but before she could even try a childish mad laughter cut through the tension like a knife.

They all followed the sound only to discover a pair of gangly-looking deranged identical teenaged twins standing from the clearing that both Alice and Chester had come from. They both wore red pinstripe suits and black combat boots. Their jet black hair was styled in a bowl-shaped haircut but was shaved underneath making it more defined. The only difference between the two where the small tattoo of a black heart on the opposite sides of their cheeks.

"Well well well look what we 'ave here, Dee." The one on the right said his voice high and cockney yet sadistic all the same.

"I see, Dum. The Hatter and his friends are havin' a tea party" The one on the left said his voice sounding just like his brother as they both grinned even more wickedly.

"Shame we didn't receive an invitation," Dum hummed.

"Perhaps a form of miscommunication?" Dee asked as Hatter and Chester both nodded to each other in a truce. Their feud whatever it may be could wait for later. For now, there was another matter at hand.

"And to what do we owe the pleasure, Dear blood brothers?" Jefferson asked making the teenagers chuckle.

"Well, Hatta we've been hired-" Dee said looking at his painted black nails out of boredom while Dum licked his lips. "To give the Queen what she desires."

"And what would that be?" Dorma asked as she took out her saber ready for a fight. Chester handed Jefferson back his dagger before going to Martii and Alice. She watched as Jefferson laid his hat down onto the table of smashed scones and sandwiches long forgotten.

"We best go and hide inside Jefferson's home." He whispered to Alice as he beckoned the grumpy old man towards the door.

"But why?" She asked.

"It's best not to get in the middle of this one," Chester answered taking her wrist as Martii went inside the hat-shaped home. She soon followed but still felt a need to help. "Besides they can take of themselves. Dum and Dee might be good fighters but they are mad." Once they made it inside Martii locked the door behind them but they all still piled around to watch from a window inside the Hatter's home. Dee and Dum by this point had both pulled out a pair of heart-shaped sickles each marred with blood, most likely from their last victims. They walked in tune with each other's steps looking even more menacing than when they had first appeared.

'Who are they?" She asked.

"The Blood Brothers, Dee and Dum," Martii answered his voice barely above a whisper. "They're assassins for hire, who kill whatever needs killin, lassie. Most of the time though it's for the bloody big head 'erself."

"Bloody big head?" She asked puzzled by the name.

"The Red Queen." Chester clarified keeping a steady eye on Jefferson and Dorma. Which Alice found odd since not but a few minutes ago he and Hatter had tried to kill one another. So why try to protect him now.

"Why was Jefferson so mad at you earlier?" She asked drawing his attention away for a second. His green eyes peered into her silver ones but it seemed all the grandeur and secrets were replaced with only seriousness. Still, he smiled sadly and turned his gaze forward once more.

"Let's just say I ran away to save my own skin." He mumbled guilty, earning a look of sympathy from the girl who understood more than anyone of feeling guilty for abandoning people in need. Like how she was beginning to feel now...

"But-" She began but the cat was quick to cut her off.

"Please Alice...I promise I'll tell you more, but for now please leave it be." He begged and all Alice could do was obey his request. So she turn to the window to watch Jefferson and Dorma face the blood brothers praying to the god's if they could hear her from this world to keep them safe.

"Our dear queen wants the Hatter's head." Dee said.

"And the rest of you dead." Dum cheered.

Then the two brothers leaped into the air with bloodlust in their eyes and in their hearts.