Chapter XI

Alice awoke in the hospital, but it was far from the strangest thing. It didn't even bother her, in fact. But the moment she saw her mother, everything that had happened in Wonderland, everything she never had a chance to cope with, flooded her in an instant. She cried while her mom held her.

The hospital wanted to hold her overnight to make sure she was okay. They said that because she couldn't remember what happened to her, they couldn't dismiss her having a concussion or some kind of head trauma. She didn't, but again, they wanted to be sure.

The following morning she was allowed to go home and it felt strange. It was all so mundane that she wasn't sure what to really do. The only thing that she could think of was to just move on.

Alice made her way to her room and slowly but surely began to pack away her mementoes, the things she'd collected through a decade of searching for her father. It was cathartic, but hurt just the same.

As she did, she heard her mom say that the guy who found her in the building was there to see how she was doing. Alice still felt like she was a haze. She put the rolled world map under her bed and noticed a copy of Alice in Wonderland sitting on the mattress. She smiled a little. The book would never be the same to her.

Eventually, Alice left her bedroom and prepared herself for the conversation she was about to have, the thanks that she would offer and forced smiles. That was until she saw who stood in her living room. A wave of relief and happiness hit her, so strong it nearly took her off her feet.

"Hatter!" She declared.

Alice didn't hesitate. She ran for him and hugged him tightly. Hatter did the same, holding her to him just as hard.

"Finally," He breathed the word.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

They remained that way for a moment longer before they finally parted just a bit. She couldn't stop smiling. It hurt, but she didn't care.

Hatter let his forehead rest against hers and on a sigh, he whispered, "I've missed you."

And then he kissed her. All Alice could think was, finally.

They kissed one another without a care. She was so happy that he was there, happy that he'd come for her. It wasn't until her mother cleared her throat that they finally parted. Alice saw her mother eying her suspiciously. Alice blushed and ducked away from the 'Mother Stare' she was getting.

She had no idea how she was going to explain this.

It's complicated was the best Alice could offer, but it bought her some time. Thankfully, her mother gave her and Hatter some room, too. Alice knew she was still lingering in the background though. Knowing her mom, she was standing just around the corner of the hall, out of sight, but within earshot.

"You look so much better." Alice said as her eyes danced over Hatter's face. "There isn't a mark left."

He seemed confused for a second, but only a second. "Oh, yeah." He chuckled a little. "I forgot, it hasn't been that long here."

Alice's brows tugged together curiously. "What does that mean?"

"Uh," He paused as he fumbled over the words. "It's been a couple weeks, for me."

She couldn't hide her surprise. "Really?" Hatter nodded and then Alice remembered what Leah said, time moves differently here. "Wow," she muttered. "Uh, mom said you and Randy found me?"

Hatter nodded. "We wanted to make sure you got home okay."

She smiled softly. "How is Ran- Leah?"

Alice kicked herself for the slip. She'd grown as accustomed to calling her lifelong friend Leah as she could (something that helped when the Mystic underneath came through) but in her world, for some reason, old habits resurfaced.

"Good, she's good. She gave me this."

Hatter reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small cloth bag. Alice heard it jingle, which she thought was odd. Hatter opened it and pulled out some folded cash and a set of keys. There were two keys on the ring, one to a door and another to a mailbox, but it was the bobble hanging from the ring that made her stomach flutter and sink all at once. It was a TARDIS, a flat, stamped sheet of bright blue metal from one of Randy's favorite Science Fiction shows.

"Those are Randy's keys." Alice felt the slip after it happened, but reasoned that it was accurate. After all, Randy had the apartment, not Leah.

"Yeah," he said. "Leah told me I could stay there."

"Makes sense, I guess." Alice replied. The sinking feeling got worse. "Is she coming back?"

Hatter was hesitant to reply, which Alice felt was all the answer she needed, but he spoke anyway.

"I don't know." He said heavily. "Jack took the ring back. With all the Oysters home, he doesn't want to risk someone else usin' it."

Alice nodded. It made sense.

Her head dipped and her eyes fell to the keys in his hand. She reached for them and Hatter let her take them. Alice toyed with them briefly before giving him a heavy smile.

"Want to see her place?"

"Sure," He nodded.

Alice grabbed her coat and called out to her mom that she was going out. Like she thought, Carol poked her head out from the place Alice assumed she was hiding. She waved to the pair, but Alice saw the way she eyed Hatter.

Randy's apartment was a fifteen-minute taxi ride from Alice's place. Hatter was unsure the whole time. It was then Alice realized that she hadn't seen a single car in Wonderland. The closest to it was Scarab. The cab had been a first for Hatter.

They made the journey, Alice paid, and they got out. Hatter watched it drive off then turned a wide, uncertain smile to Alice.

"Loads better than horses." He chuckled.

She giggled a little, nodded, and then guided him into Randy's building. It was a five-floor walkup, but Randy lived on the third story, so they made it to her door relatively quickly. Once there, Alice unlocked the door and they walked inside.

Alice was immediately filled with every warm feeling she had associated with Miranda Harris since they met years ago.

Randy lived in a very basic studio apartment that couldn't have been much more than eight-hundred square feet. It was a cubby compared to the palatial flat Alice shared with her mom, but it felt bigger.

The small kitchen was to your immediate left when you opened the door and in the shape of an L. The longest part was on the wall with the door before it bent and behind that bend was the bathroom. Everything else was open.

The space was divided almost down the middle, the left side nearest the bathroom was the bedroom, and the right was the living room. Her bed was up against the far left wall facing out. A few feet from the foot of it was a long, short dresser. The couch was backed up against the back of the dresser and faced the television that was set up on the far right wall. The wall directly across from the door and the kitchen had three large windows that let in a lot of light when the thick curtains weren't closed, like they were when they arrived.

There were small pieces of furniture like a glass coffee table, a pair of bedside tables, and a couple lamps that Randy had found at a second-hand store, but there were some pieces that she made, like a pair of very narrow 'end tables' that fit perfectly against the couch and were still somehow out of the way. Because the kitchen was open to the rest of the apartment, Randy had also made a small butcher's block island.

One thing that was a bit odd was a large mirror, too big for the spot, and leaning awkwardly against the wall to her right, in between the door and the TV. It took up almost the whole space. It looked familiar, but she couldn't place why. Alice moved beyond it.

But as she looked over everything, her internal smile began to fade. Alice noticed that some things were missing. The houseplants were still there, and so were most of the pieces of art on the walls, but stuff that she knew meant something to Randy was gone. On the dresser used to be a record player and a small handful of albums that rested between a pair of bookends. The bookends were still there, though.

On the entertainment center, which was nothing more than a short bookcase, were not only books, but pictures of Randy and Alice through the years. They were gone, too. Most of the books were still there, but the pictures and Randy's favorites were gone.

Filled with confusion, Alice went to toss the keys onto the butcher's block when she noticed an envelope with her name on it. The confusion deepened, which she hadn't thought was possible.

Alice grabbed it.

"What's that?" Hatter asked.

"I don't know." Alice opened the envelope and found a letter inside. It was addressed to her, like the envelope, and in Randy's handwriting. She read it out loud.

"Alice,

"It sounds cliché, but I don't know if you'll ever find this. If you do, that means Hatter finally made up his mind, and returned to Other World."

Hatter perked at the mention of his name and stood closer while she continued on.

"For the last couple of days, I can see how badly he wants to go back. I'm not even certain he realizes it. If he does, I've decided that he can stay in my apartment. I won't be needing it, and Carol would lose her mind if you ask her to let him move in." Alice laughed despite the itch forming in the back of her throat. "I did come back without him, clearly. I checked on you in hospital and spoke to your mom a little, then… well, there were some things I wanted to take with me. I made a life in Other World, and I couldn't leave it all behind. Too many good memories captured in pictures and can you believe it, Wonderland has a terrible music selection."

The itch in Alice's throat grew worse. The longer she read, the thicker it became and the closer she knew she was to tears.

"I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you. It wasn't on purpose, but if you can't forgive me for it, I understand. God only knows how strange and confusing everything was when it finally came out.

"I know I said I would visit, but the longer that passes here, the less I think it will happen." Alice blinked and sure enough, she felt a tear trickle down her cheek. "Jack, forgive me, The King of Hearts, is reticent about opening the Looking Glass again. He has plans to lock the ring away indefinitely. I wouldn't blame him. If Hatter doesn't make up his mind in the next few days, he may lose his chance.

"The truth is, Alice, I don't think I can jump back and forth, even if I wanted to. It isn't the same as flying to another state to visit someone. Wonderland and Other World are, basically, two different universes. No one is meant to live half in and half out.

"You were and always will be my best friend. You're my sister and I wish you nothing but happiness. I wish you could have seen Wonderland how it used to be, the way it was in the books. You would have loved it. Hopefully it'll return to that someday.

"If you are reading this, then tell Hatter the rent is paid for the next three months, and the utilities should automatically withdraw from my account. Help him acclimate. It's a hell of a culture shock. Think of it as being Amish, then suddenly thrust into the Western world without warning.

"Oh, and I had the mirror brought to my apartment." Alice looked up at the mirror that was awkwardly leaning against the wall. Now she understood why it was familiar, but she didn't remember it ever being in Randy's place. "Just in case. Wouldn't want anyone else to stumble into it.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again someday. Love you."

She signed it Leah, which Alice expected, but it was still odd to see.

Silence filled the room. A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the moment. She looked up at Hatter and saw his sad expression. It brought the waterworks forward.

Alice hugged him and he hugged her back. She cried. Not only had she lost her dad, but now her best friend, too.

One Month in Other World

Everything was so bizarre, but he'd been growing more and more accustomed to it. Hatter always considered himself adaptive. He was glad for that ability now.

Most days, he found himself sitting in Leah's apartment. Now that he knew who she was, he all but refused to call her anything else, even though it technically belonged to Miranda.

It became evident to him early on that Oysters had their own version of Wonders –things that distract and pacify. Television. It was a small miracle that he was both glad and disappointed that Wonderland didn't have. On the one hand, some of the "shows" were absolutely entertaining. On the other, he would spend hours doing absolutely nothing, glued to the television as though he were a mindless zombie.

He hated it, hated being inactive. Hatter had always been on the go. True, it was mostly running for his life, but even when things were calm in Wonderland, he had things to do. He didn't have that in Other World. He needed to find his place, find something that would give him purpose.

As he sat on the couch, which was not as comfortable as the white leather couches he had in his Tea Shop, but not bad, Hatter's eyes drifted from the cooking show he'd been watching. The ingredients never made sense to him, but the end products generally looked quite delicious. Apparently Oyster's chickens are birds. They weren't birds in Wonderland. It was a person. Maybe it was like a goose?

As his gaze drifted, he noticed a picture on the bookshelf the TV rested on. Leah left one behind, possibly on purpose. It was a picture of her and Alice in the middle of a body of water, probably on a boat. There was a statue in the background, a green woman standing on a platform with her arm in the air and a torch in hand. The monument meant nothing to him, but they looked happy. Their faces were smashed together and they were smiling wide. It made him smile too, and think back to the day he left.

Hatter was anxious. His entire body vibrated with excitement as the new King placed the Stone of Wonderland into the little box that helped it power the Looking Glass. It had been just over three weeks since Alice left, and that was far too long. He never missed anyone like he missed her. Friends had come and gone through the years one way or another, and some of them hurt, but it wasn't the same. It was so much worse when he watched Alice disappear through that rippling glass.

He knew without asking that Leah had been the one to convince Jack to let him go. He could tell by the way the King looked at him. It seemed as though Jack was jealous that he couldn't. While he might not like the monarch, Hatter had developed an undeniable respect for him. Through the last few weeks, it'd become clear that Jack cared about repairing Wonderland despite his own desires.

There was a hum the Looking Glass emanated the moment it was powered up. Hatter could see the glass shiver.

"Ready?" Jack asked.

"M-hm," Hatter nodded, but he wasn't entirely certain.

It was a big step and it wasn't that he was afraid of what laid on the other side of the Looking Glass, it was making his feet move that he found difficult. He turned to Leah and smiled excitedly. He still wasn't used to looking at her. Even though he'd become used to the odd features -silver hair, pale skin, fluorescent eyes, and pointed (yes, pointed) ears- it was the clothing. She might have looked the part of mythical being, but she dressed like a normal person with jeans, t-shirts, a leather jacket, and her hair worn up.

She looked him over once, his casual outfit of an army jacket, plain shirt, and dark jeans. She nodded her approval with her choice of clothing, and reached forward. Leah grabbed his lapels and gave them a small tug, straightening his jacket for him to make sure he looked his best. Hatter couldn't help but let out a weak laugh. When she looked up at him, he saw Leah's eyes were glistening despite her smile. He knew his were the same. Over the last few weeks, they'd become good friends.

"Very handsome," She told him.

"Yeah?" He asked with a grin.

Leah chuckled and rolled her eyes at him. She sniffed when she looked away, but didn't linger on the fact that she was about to cry. If he had one regret about what he was doing, it was that he'd be leaving Leah alone. If she hadn't been so insistent that he should go, he wasn't certain he could.

"Before I forget," Leah lifted the square block of plastic and popped it open.

She'd showed it to Hatter a while back. It was called a Polaroid Camera and spit out pictures. It was amazing, miniature portraits that took seconds to appear. She lifted it and, a bit sarcastically, Hatter smirk, arched a brow, and held his hands out to the side. There was a flash and the Polaroid spat out its square. He stepped to her side and waited for the image to clear. As it did, Hatter couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. Oysters might have been little more than sheep when they'd been brought to Wonderland, but they did create some interesting things.

"There," She said as she showed it to him briefly before putting it in her back pocket, "Now I have something to remember you by."

His smile turned heavy. "Don't I get one?"

"You want a picture of yourself?" She teased. He gave her a look which made her smile again. "Okay, fine."

Leah handed over the Polaroid. She'd shown him how to use it before, so Hatter did as he was supposed to. There was a flash and then a groan as it spit out his picture. He took it and handed her back the object. Hatter stowed it in his pocket when he was sure the faint outline would be Leah.

They stared at one another and he felt the awkwardness seep in. It was as bad as it'd been when Alice left, but with different undertones. Leah was one of the only friends that he'd made in his life where he could say he trusted her implicitly.

Her brows twitched only briefly, a precursor to her possibly crying, but she didn't linger. Instead, she quickly reached forward and hugged him. Hatter wrapped his arms around her body and held her close. Her hair tickled the side of his face, but he'd grown accustomed to how she hugged. Even weeks later, she still wasn't willing to let their skin touch. It bothered him, especially since it was only directed at him. She had no such reservations about anyone else.

They hugged one another for a good few minutes. He almost didn't want to let her go because he knew she'd force a smile, but there would be no joy in it. He didn't want to see her sad.

In that split second, Hatter knew what he had to do, and do quickly. He loosened his hold, a silent indication that the hug should end, and she did the same. Before he could think better on it, Hatter kissed Leah's cheek, and walked away quickly.

Jack offered him a nod that spoke volumes, he returned it, and that was it.

Hatter stepped into the Looking Glass without turning back because he didn't want to see Leah's face.

It'd been a month. How could that feel like such a short, but long amount of time simultaneously?

Hatter reached for the book on the coffee table. It was a copy of Alice in Wonderland that Alice thought he might enjoy. He assumed it was more as a joke, but also that she wanted to know how accurate it was. Hatter didn't have the heart to tell her he wouldn't be the best source. From what little he'd read thus far, it was fairly clear that the book took place long before the war. He hadn't been born then.

He opened the book to the marker, which was his picture of Leah. She was in focus, but being so fair, the flash made her glow and some of her features blend together, except her eyes and smile. In truth, that was really all that mattered, anyway. It was still the essence of the person in the picture. She had told him a long time ago that Polaroids weren't really known for being the best quality in the first place.

Running his fingers through his hair, Hatter scratched the back of his head while he stared at the picture. He missed her. He missed home. He missed his Tea Shop and the way sun set in the South behind the Wailing Mountains.

Hatter didn't regret moving to Other World to be with Alice, but he wondered when it would start to feel like home.