Lizzie's POV

I woke up just before dawn and quickly threw on the dress from yesterday on and quickly grabbed the box containing my father's heart before I started to tip-toeing out of the castle finding it easy with the fact that everyone was still sleeping, the only ones that would be up is the servants in the kitchen which was easily enough to avoid and once I was out in the fresh air I started the trek to the Red Castle.

In my tour yesterday I decided to go the long way just to make Ace suffer a little longer without his heart just for old time wicked sake and went through the Tulgey Woods since I didn't get to see enough yesterday and it really was quite beautiful when you thought about it, all green and enchanting...to be honest Wonderland was growing on me as it wasn't so bad as my mother had made it out to be but I could never live here as the nightmares which also surrounded the place was too great and I couldn't picture Harry living so far from the sea and honestly neither could I as the sea was just as much apart of me as it was him as it was my home and that'll never change.

So after I determined to bargain Ace's heart for the looking glass he had since maybe I could get it to work again and take me home as I've been away from Harry for far too long and I just hoped it was all before my supposed coronation which was set for three days' time because I couldn't be crowned otherwise I'll never leave this place.

After my wander I decided to start heading in the direction of the Red Castle getting their fairly quickly and walked in loudly just because I could and to announce my presence while calling out Ace's name but there was no reply which had me frowning as I told him to stay here.

"Ace!" still no reply so I went searching checking all the rooms but he was nowhere. "Where the hell did he go?" I shook my head a bit annoyed since I told him to stay here, did he honestly give up when I got it as fast as I could, I knew it was getting late and my Aunt would start to wonder where I was so I had no choice but to return to the White Castle managing to slip inside undetected and hid the heart in my room once again and changed when I found clothes waiting rolled my eyes at the white, I was still having to endure wearing.

It was a white off one shoulder dress that fell just above my knees as usual with a different pair of white heels to match which I quickly put on after freshening up after my walk through the woods then put my jewelry back on and secured the crown on top of my head before I went in search of my Aunt, finding Ace would now have to wait until later when I was able to slip away again, I went into the kitchen grabbing a croissant which has become my new favorite breakfast before I headed out into the gardens when I saw a small hoard of people out there and saw them setting up for what looked like an add-on to the ballroom party.

"Lizzie" I turned seeing my Aunt gracing her way towards me. "Isn't this all just lovely?" she asked gesturing towards the garden.

"It's nice" I nodded trying to be polite but really I could care less about the decorations although I was glad to see they'd added red lanterns to the string of lights which had been hung up between the cherry blossom trees.

"Your highness" someone suddenly called and we turned around seeing one of her guards which was dressed up like a chess piece, this one was a knight. "We've apprehended the trespasser" I furrowed my brows as that caught my attention, my mind immediately thinking about Ace...maybe they found him.

"Oh" my Aunt said before she turned towards me. "Excuse me Lizzie"

"Can I help with whoever it is" I tried to include myself.

"No, no...stay and make any changes you want, it'll only take me a moment...this isn't for you to worry about just yet" she argued then went with her guard and I frowned since I had to get down there, they would turn him over to Ben and I can't have that, not until I can get his heart to him.

Once I was sure they were gone I ran into the castle to get Ace's heart before I made it my business to find out where they kept prisoners and break my good for nothing father out and I was going to need a portal hat for that so after I got the heart and hid it in the bag I'd been using I started looking for Jefferson.

I ran to the kitchens hoping they would be having tea but he wasn't there, the gardens...not there, the ballroom...not there...I was about to think he wasn't around when I ran past a separate garden and saw a bloodhound running around with the dormouse and the Cheshire Cat looking like they were playing.

"Mallymkun!" I called out and they all stopped. "Have you seen the Hatter?" I asked since they had to know where he was.

"Not today, no dear" she replied and my hope fell. "You could try his place" they all suddenly pointed towards a hill where a house shaped like a top hat sat and I raised an eye since why hadn't I ever seen that before.

"Thank you" I nodded at them and went towards it quickly knocking on the door. "Jefferson, Hatter?!" I called out when there was no answer. "Come on, please I need your help!" I called in one last desperate attempt and the door was suddenly opened and I was pulled inside quickly. "Thank god-"

"What a small world this is hello my dear, have you come for tea?" he asked and I frowned. "What's the matter my dear, don't you care for tea?"

"Of course not-"

"Make a note of that, Marchy, it might come in useful!" he called out cutting me off and I frowned wondering who he was talking to before I sighed realizing it was no one when there wasn't a reply...not now he couldn't be under the madness spell right now. "I've been considering words that start with the letter M...moron...mutiny...murder...mmm-malice-"

"Hatter come on, please I need your help so I need the un-madness you"

"One to be a murderer, the other to be martyred, one to be a monarch, the other to go mad-"

"Hatter!" I yelled since I didn't have time for this and his eyes snapped to meet mine.

"Have I gone mad?" he asked and I raised an eye at him.

"You're absolutely bonkers but all the best people are" I smirked at him and somehow I saw that change in him.

"Your naughtiness!" he shouted like he was finally seeing me. "Have you come for tea?" he asked.

"Afraid not Hatter, I think my Aunt captured my father and I need to rescue him but I'll need you and your hat for a quick getaway, I dare say I need your help again and I will owe you once more a favor" I explained quickly as I was running out of time. "Please help me"

"Yes, yes no time to waste" he stood and grabbed his hat setting it atop his head so I stood and we quickly left his house going back into the White Castle and he lead me towards the dungeons where I immediately began searching the cells for Ace but couldn't find him.

"Where else could he be?" I asked Jefferson.

"I don't know" he replied and my face fell since this couldn't be happening, I can't just let this happen knowing that Ben would imprison him again without me ever finding out what he was like with his heart or worse that he'd be sentenced to death.

"I have to go to my Aunt, I have to convince her" I ran off and he was still with me as I ran towards the throne room knowing that had to be where she was but as soon as I ran in I froze when I not only found my Aunt but the fact that I recognized the figure standing with her. "H...Harry?" he turned around and my eyes widened when I saw it was him, it was actually him but it couldn't be. "Oh god I've honestly gone mad, I finally gone bonkers"

"Liza!" he yelled and before I knew it his arms were around me and as soon as they were the familiar feeling of being safe...loved...of home overwhelmed me and I knew this wasn't my mind playing tricks and it wasn't a hallucination.

"Harry, how are you here?" I asked him stepping back since I just couldn't believe it.

"I went through a looking glass, I had to rescue you me damsel" I laughed crashing myself into him again feeling the tears building up in my eyes since I just couldn't believe that he was really here, that he'd come for me...I mean I never doubted that he wouldn't have but I'd thought it was hopeless.

"I can't believe you're here" I cried against his chest tightening my arms around him more never feeling so complete in my entire life. "I've missed you so much"

"Aye love, I've missed you too...more than I could bare" I lifted my head from his chest and looked into his eyes.

"I didn't know when I was going to see you again"

"I'm here now" he cupped my cheeks and brought me into a kiss and I felt my entire body relax into it, not caring about the eyes of Jefferson and my Aunt who was watching this because I was finally with the love of my life again and that's all that mattered to me. "I love you"

"I love you" I replied instantly and kissed him again until we heard a throat clearing which finally brought us apart and I turned to my Aunt who was looking apprehensive at us.

"This must be the Harry I've heard so much about" she nodded towards him and I nodded my head linking my hand with Harry's as I turned towards my Aunt. "I'm sorry about my guards, if they had known"

"It's alright, I'm just glad to be reunited with Lizzie" Harry smiled replying to my Aunt but his eyes never left mine which made me smile as he made me feel like the only person in the room but I was curious to what they were talking about.

"Still, I'm apologize especially now that I know you're my niece's fiancé"

"Niece?" Harry suddenly asked finally looking at her and I nodded my head when he turned back to me.

"This is my Aunt, Mirana Marmoreal or better known as the White Queen and that's Jefferson aka The Mad Hatter...he's my friend" I smiled at Jefferson who was wearing a wide grin especially when Harry turned to look at him a little surprised.

"Well it's certainly a surprise to meet you both" Harry nodded trying to be polite which made me smile but I suddenly remembered why I'd come in here, before my eyes had met Harry and got distracted.

"Was Harry the trespasser you were worried about?" I asked turning to my Aunt.

"Yes, my guards found him walking towards the castle, we weren't expecting the company" she nodded and I tried not to let my relief show since that meant that they hadn't found Ace. "I'm sure you two would like to catch up, Mr Hook your welcome to stay in Underland as long as you'd like and certainly you wouldn't want to miss my niece's coronation or the ball which I do hope you attend as her escort seeing as you are her betrothed"

"Coronation?" Harry asked turning to me with surprised and I quickly shot him a look that said I'd explain later. "I look forward to it" he replied clearly reading it nodding towards my Aunt who exited the room and I nodded at Jefferson that I was okay and that I wouldn't be needing his help after all and he followed her out. "What's she talking about?" Harry asked the moment the doors shut.

"You wouldn't believe the week I've been having" I sighed entwining our fingers again just needing his hand in mine to keep myself grounded and to keep reminding myself that he was actually here and that this was real.

"What was she talking about Liza?" he asked me again and I frowned not sure how to even start to explain the situation but I guess the beginning would be a start.

"At Ben and Mal's wedding, I stepped outside to get some air when I saw a flash through the gardens, I thought it was a rabbit and being the idiot that I am even knowing what a white rabbit meant I followed it to a hill where I saw a patch of roses, they were painted red and I'd jumped back and stumbled down a rabbit hole which ended me up here"

"We figured as much" Harry nodded which told me he'd found the roses.

"Well when I came out I found my mothers old castle, toured it a little before I went looking for help and ended up here finally meeting my Aunt who you just met...then long story short she pretty much told me that I'm the next in line for the throne to Underland which is what Wonderland's real name is"

"And your taking the throne?" he asked a little shocked.

"No" I replied watching his eyes narrow in confusion. "It's complicated okay but I don't actually want the crown or anything to do with this place" I sighed knowing this next part would probably get a mixed reaction out of him. "A couple of days ago I went back to my mothers castle hoping there would be a way out of here since that's where I came through when I got here but instead I found Ace" I whispered not trusting there wasn't someone listening to this conversation.

"What?!" he yelled and I quickly shushed him.

"He found me there and he told me about the time before I was born when he and my mother were still here before the Isle of the Lost, Harry she stole his heart and that's why he's so loyal to her"

"He's lying" he spat angrily, he hated my father as much as I did so it was understandable that he would think that way as it's exactly how I felt when Ace told me.

"He's not, believe me I wish he was but he's not lying" i reached to my side grabbing the bag and pulled out the box. "He asked me to find his heart and I went all the way to the Badlands with Jefferson and found it" I lifted the lid and showed him the heart and his eyes widened at the sight of it. "He can't feel anything without it, it explains everything Harry...all that time on the Isle...he couldn't feel any emotion-"

"Liza, I know you want to believe that but whose to say with his heart that he'll be the father you want-"

"I don't want or expect him to suddenly be a father to me, this isn't about that but I have to get it to him"

"Why what's he ever done for you?" he snapped bitterly.

"Nothing I know that and really he doesn't deserve my help but I feel that without him you and I wouldn't be where we are today, we wouldn't be as close as we are but more importantly he has a small looking glass, possibly the only one that's gonna get us home and I was planning on bargaining his heart for it so that I could get out of this nightmare place" I explained and his lips tugged into a small smirk.

"There's the Lizzie I know and love, thought I lost her especially beneath that god awful white dress" he replied and I hit his shoulder.

"Believe me I hate it as much as you do, all this white as been giving me a headache"

"Gotta say I love the tiara though" he pointed out and I rolled my eyes. "You really do look like a princess"

"It's just a ruse, I've been going along with this whole coronation nonsense in order to find out where my mothers things had been kept so that I could find the heart, Jefferson had led me to it and taken me there yesterday in his portal hat-"

"A portal hat?" he questioned and I nodded. "Why can't-"

"It can only travel within Wonderland, it's powers limited" I cut him off already knowing his question.

"Wonderful" he sighed deeply. "You and the Mad Hatter, that's a weird combination" he added and for a minute I'd almost say he sounded jealous.

"What can I say, we're kindred spirits in madness" I snickered a little. "He's alright when he isn't suffering beneath the madness, he's like me half the time...except he has sane moments where as I have madness moments"

"Imagine my delight"

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were jealous of the Mad Hatter" I laughed and he glared at me which actually made me think that he was. "Harry come on, one he's like...twice my age and two...I prefer my men in more leather and definitely prefer my roguishly handsome pirate" I leant up and kissed his cheek. "You don't need to ever be jealous of anyone else, your all I'll ever want for a partner"

"Good" he smirked before pulling me into a kiss. "So where do we find your father to give him the heart and get the hell out of here, because my way in was also a one way trip"

"How did you find a way in?" I questioned.

"There's a looking glass in the museum of cultural history used by yeh mothers enemy Alice but it's magic was nearly gone and only one trip left in it, I bravely dared the trip to come rescue yeh"

"My hero" I smiled at him. "Anyway as for getting the heart to my father, I have no idea since I'd gone back to my mothers castle this morning since I told him to wait for me there as he's not supposed to be in Wonderland anymore than my mother is allowed her but he wasn't there and I thought the trespasser my Aunt had captured was him that's why I'd raced in here"

"So any idea on where he went?" he asked but I frowned.

"Not a clue, I haven't really seen that much of Wonderland except for a small tour of the neighboring villages around the White Castle and he clearly knows the place better, I was at a stalemate until you got here"

"What happens if we can't find him before your coronation, are you going through with it?" he asked and I hesitated.

"I would rather go on the run with you than be crowned the next heir to the throne Harry, I don't want this...it's all just been for show" I explained to him. "I want our life on the Jolly Rodger, not one sitting on a throne...that's not me, I favor adventure with pirates because I am one"

"Aye, yeh are my pirate princess" he nodded and I laughed a little.

"We'll find him and get the hell out of Wonderland as soon as we can, I promise and hopefully it's before the coronation which gives us two days"

"Then we better get looking" he nodded at me and we left the room to search for my wayward father since he could never make it easy for me but at least I finally had Harry at my side once again.