AN: Well, I'm not dead, that has to count for something! and I come bring an update, there's good news. The bad news is that this writers block is still going strong and the problems in my personal life are building to a lovely song and dance set.

Anyway, tomorrow I had hoped to get some writing done, seeing as it's my day off, but I ended up being asked to baby sit a little longer, my sister is working late, and after that I'm going to see a play with my mom and grandmother (Little Shop of Horrors, lol).

Also, the style of writing has changed a little, if you can't tell. I ended up getting the Lord of the Rings audio books from the library and somehow its been sucked into my writing style, though I admit that I don't mind that all too much.

So, ending this long authors note. I'm still working on this story and the others. But I'm a little worn out lately, I wont say I'm burned out because I think, or at least I hope, I will always have a love for writing. It's one of the few things in life that I can do and, normally, no one will bother me or care about it. The only time I've gotten in trouble for writing was when my mom snooped and found some of my more... adult, taboo stories lol.

So, enjoy the story!

Chapter Six

A few minutes later Alice was sitting in a chair, the chair was located in Hatter's office, and the office itself felt like a room that would belong to the slightly insane man.

The floor was a dark wood. Mahogany maybe? The desk and the wood details of the furniture were also made out of the same wood. Alice studied all this for a moment. Her brain was still a little fuzzy, not working as sharply as it should have.
The tea, which was so warm that she could feel it burning her hands as she lifted it to her lips, was helping a little.

"So, explain this to me one more time," Alice said as she set the tea down on the end table.

"All queens have the ability to change their people, but the knife cuts both ways. Some are better at hiding that second cut, some aren't. And some are like Hearts, where the knife cuts only one way." Hatter explained as he set his own cup down. The cup clinked against the white, silver lined plate.

Alice gave a nod of understanding. That would also explain why all of the friends she had made in wonderland on her first visit had been so cruel and calculating. Heart's must have changed their personalities quite a bit.

Still thinking about this, Alice reached out and took one of the pieces of sweet bread. She held it between two fingers for a moment, studied the swirling pattern on top of it, and popped it into her mouth. The bread was as sweet as anything she'd ever tasted; and it had a sweet buttery feeling to it, It rolled across her tongue. Even before she'd finished swallowing the first piece, she'd already begun to reach for the second.

Hatter watched her with bright amusement on his face. "Do you like it?" he questioned when she'd finished her second piece.

"Is it that obvious?" Alice asked, shyly looked him in the eye.

Hatter's lips twitched, "Only a little," he lied.

"Who made them?" Alice questioned, "I know you're a good cook; but you're nowhere near as good as the person who made these." She leaned back in the chair and waited for an answer.

Hatter couldn't help the soft laugh that bubbled up from somewhere inside of him. It had been a long time since he'd had a good reason to laugh. When he'd calmed himself down again he looked at Alice, amazed that she was so innocently adorable. "March cooked it, and as you should very well know, he is a fine cook." He explained.

Alice's eyes went wide. "Ma- oh! You mean Hare, right?" she questioned. She'd never heard Hatter use a nick-name toward Hare before.

Hatter looked just as surprised as Alice at his slip up. "Of course I mean Hare," he said in diligently. He crossed his arms against his chest and made a very funny face.

Or at least Alice found it funny. She giggled slightly and shook her head. "How is he these days?" she questioned.

"Fine," Hatter remarked. He seemed to look away from her, as if knowing she'd see something of the contrary in his eyes.

Alice sat a little straighter and leaned forward, her elbows resting on the desk. She cocked her head to the side and gave him a very hard look.

Hatter looked sideways at her and flinched. He chewed his bottom lip for a moment before he finally looked her in the eye, "He's fine, Alice." He stated. "Don't you believe me?" there was a pleading note in his voice. It was the same note that Alice had taken with her father when she'd thrown a baseball through the downstairs window: Please believe me, trust me! I'm only lying a little.

Alice cocked her head to the side, eyebrow raising. "I trust you as much as you deserve, Hatter."

"That's not a proper answer at all!" Hatter exclaimed, his annoyance rising.

"It's as proper as your answer, is it not?" Alice remarked. Her amusement in this conversation was growing the longer it continued. They were trading lies and insults as if they were either very good friends, or very childish children.

Hatter sighed, raised his hands into the air for a moment and then let them drop back to his sides. "March is somewhere around here," he said, forgoing his attempt to stop the use of the nick-name.

If Alice caught or minded the use of a nick-name she ignored it for the moment. "Can I see him?" she probed, remembering Dormouse's tale.

Hatter sighed and pushed his chair out, he stood, a tall figure on a normal day, when he was angry and annoyed; it seemed that he grew a little in height. But perhaps that was because he continued to frighten Alice a little bit. He was like a tiger at a zoo, beautiful, lovely, graceful, but as dangerous as they come. There was no getting around the fact that he could kill you if it suited him.

Alice kept telling herself that she should mention the fact that Time was still alive; she really should mention it to him. But every time opened her mouth to say those fateful words. Her voice failed her. She didn't know how he would react to it, whether he would be pleased or angry. She didn't want to hand him that bout of bad/good news.

Alice stood as well, pushing her chair back a little more calmly than her host had managed. "Why are you in a bad moon now?" she questioned.

Hatter looked at her, "Do you want to see March or not?" he replied sharply.

Alice sighed, "Yes, I do." She snapped in returned.

Hatter gestured toward the door, "Than let's go. Or have you something else you'd rather do?"

Alice gave an 'after you' gesture. Hatter groaned and stalked out the door.

--

The hallways of the hospital, or at least Alice thought it looked like a hospital, were a pale white color. The whole place in fact was all rather colorless and boring. She studied the lack of color for a moment and tried to reflect on whether this was Hatter's choice or if it was just lack of caring. There was the typical hospital smell to the area, a thick smell that was hiding something, most likely death. It wouldn't have been a surprise to Alice to learn that many people had lost their lives in this place. In fact she was sure she already knew it to be truth.

"What are you thinking?" Hatter questioned.

"Don't you know?" Alice replied.

This confused Hatter for a moment and caused him to falter in his step. "Why would I know what you're thinking?" he questioned. The confusion in his voice made him seem a little more human, a little more normal and not something that was completely out of reach.

Alice studied his face for a moment, she was surprised that he had forgotten. "When I ran away from the tea party, after you and March threatened to cut my head off for insulting you…" Alice began, she faulted and almost laughed at the memory. Wonderland had never been a safe place, but she'd only ever cried when someone threatened her life, which wasn't often, but had happened enough to bother her as a child. "You came and found me, I thought I had hidden myself quite well, I asked you how you fond me and you picked me up like I was a much smaller child, you set me in your lap and told me 'Alice, my dear little Alice, you and I are very much alike, I know where I would go, therefore I know where you will go. It stands to reason, my dear, that I know you better than you know yourself, and you know me better than anyone!' I believed you. You know me well enough to know what I think of your hospital." she finished.

Hatter stared at her in amazement. Finally he closed his eyes and smiled, tears held war with the corners of his eyes, but his will won that fight. He opened his eyes and smiled. "You think I'm lazy for not putting more color in these hallways." He stated.

Alice smiled, "Yep," she answered.

Hatter chuckled and shook his head, "Glad to know something's never change."

Alice smiled even brighter. Hatter had just mirror her previous thought. In ways of that nature the two were still very much alike, though Alice was beginning to see that they both had changed quite a bit. Alice had grown up into the body of an adult, though she still had a few years to adjust to the strangeness of some of the emotions that were part of the package. Hatter had also changed, whether for good or bad; Alice didn't feel it her place to say.

The continued down the corridors, a comfortable silence had fallen over the two. It was as if the remembering of older days had awaken something, or stolen something away. Perhaps that tense silence had been broken by the fact that both of them really did know each other better than almost anyone in wonderland could (or Would) claim.

"Here we are," Hatter said at last, the stopped in front of a plain wooden door. When Hatter turned the knob and pushed the door inwards; it revealed a set of stairs that twisted down and out of sight.

Hatter stepped into the stair well first and waited for Alice to join him. "Close the door if it pleases you," Hatter requested.

Alice wondered what he would have said if she had told him that it didn't please her to close the door, though she was far too polite towards him to tease him like that. They were getting along as well as any old friends could, the spending of so many years apart had really effected something about them, and Alice wasn't quite comfortable enough with Hatter yet, teasing him was something she might do when they were a little better on with each other.

Hatter reached to his left and pulled one of the lanterns off the wall. The flame instead it hissed at the sudden movement. He turned and cast a look back at the teenager, "Ready?" he questioned.

"As I'm ever going to be." Was Alice's answer.

--

The stairwell seemed to stretch on for miles. Whatever room or rooms were at the bottom of it had to be at least a hundred feet underneath the hospital. Though if Alice remembered correctly, they had gone up a large mountain on the way to the hospital. she remembered this because whatever drugs had been floating through the air had made her feel tired and stupid; and when they'd reached the incline she'd ended up leaning heavily against another person.

So perhaps they were winding their way through the mountainside and out to somewhere else? It was a thought, and it wouldn't have surprised Alice to learn that that this staircase was Hatter's idea.

It was true that Hatter was very much like White in the way that he preferred to save as much time as possible. It he didn't want Hare living in the hospital, it stood to reason that he would want him near enough. The idea that Hatter would have some place to live outside the dull white walls of the hospital was normal enough.

Alice wouldn't have blamed him for not wishing to dwell inside that strange place. The hospital had left a bitter feeling in Alice's chest, as if it had sucked some bit of happiness out of her soul and taken it deep inside. It was a living, breathing monster, one that would never be defeated until spring returned to Wonderland.

"Watch your step," Hatter called to Alice. He glanced back at her and was quickly grateful that he'd decided to warn Alice about the next few steps, which were much narrower than the previous steps. The teenager had a distracted, glazed look over her face. she was so far in her own thoughts that she might have stumbled and gone tumbling down the stairs, it would be his luck after all.

Alice caught herself just before the fist change of step size. She blinked at this and lifted her head up to look at Hatter questioningly. "Why do they change?" she questioned.

Hatter gave a tiny shrug of his narrow shoulders. "I can't say I know," he admitted, "These stairs were here long before I found them. They go up into the mountain, I only added the steps that go into the hospital." he explained.

"Where does the other staircase go?" Alice questioned.

Hatter's eyes darkened for a moment, an expression passed over his face and he fell completely silent. He didn't answer the question and the previously thick silence that had vanished in the hospital suddenly came back and wrapped dark arms around them both.

Alice knew that whatever was at the top of that other staircase; it wasn't pleasant. She had a sudden flash of memory. Sharp teeth, a harsh mocking voice, and the sound of wings, She shivered.

"There are something's that should only be spoken of after the sun is high in the sky and you're comfortable inside a house, with a fire burning brightly to warm the chill out of the air." Hatter finally whispered. "We'll do best not to speak of it or think about it. sometimes just a stray thought is enough to bring such monsters roaring back to life and out of the darkness. This place is far to dark for my liking."

Alice gave a small nod of her head, "I very much agree with you, Hatter." She commented. She stepped a little closer, picking up her pace to keep within touching rang of him. if something did spring out of the darkness, she'd be damned if she didn't drag Hatter along for the ride.

Finally though, the darkness began to break away, rays of light began to shine through from somewhere at the bottom of the stairs. It took a little more walking before Alice was able to see that the darkness gave way to a door.

The door was opened and framed in a warm light, though it seemed to be fading, which caused large shadows to move about the ground.

They stepped through the doorway and the smell of fresh air washed over Alice. She breathed through her nose and realized with a jolt that she was sweaty and a little tired. Somehow, walking through the darkness, she hadn't realized just how tired she'd begun to feel. Now though, with the fresh air and fading sunlight drifting down on her, she felt every ache and pain.

Hatter glanced back at her, a kindly smile on his lips, "As much as I dislike you right now, you'll be allowed to rest at my house when we reach there. But you've got to walk on your own feet for a time, I won't be carrying you, even if you are a queen."

Alice snorted, "Believe me, Hatter. If this is what being queen means; I'm sure I would gladly give it to someone else. It's far too much work for my liking, tiring as well. And having my life be put in danger isn't what I imagined being queen to be like." She smiled and shook her head gently. "It certainly is a change of pace from my old life."

"I can only imagine." Hatter commented, "Your world is strange and bizarre, in my option."

"You've been there?" Alice asked, suddenly feeling surprised.

Hatter looked back at her, a confused expression on his face. "No… wait… I'm not sure…" he trailed off and shook his head, "These aren't my memories… I think I'm seeing some of your memories. How odd."

Odd didn't quite cover it, and it was quite discerning for Alice to imagine Hatter getting a look inside her head like that. It was just another check on the list of strange things that had happened since Alice had arrived.

One: She was now queen of a world that she'd believe to be a made up place.
Two: She had powers coming on line that made little sense to her and took away most of her previously enjoyed modesty, kissing men was one thing, making out with them was another.
Three: Hatter was now seeing memories from inside her head. That was just wrong in so many ways.

The landscape that they were now looking at was strangely bare. A lonely looking house stood alone on the flat land. A few willow trees surrounded it, and just outside the front door was a large flower bed. the flowers were blooming in bright reds and cheerful yellows.

Alice studied this scene and smiled, "It stands to reason," she mumbled.

Hatter glanced over at her, "What's that?" he asked.

"The flowers. It stands to reason that Hare would keep flowers or something near him. he always was good at growing things." Alice explained, "I think Caterpillar is the only one who can boast a greener thumb than him."

Hatter smiled at that, there was almost a kind of loving pride in his eyes. But as soon as Alice saw it she realized that she must have misunderstood the look in his eyes, why would he be proud of Hare?

"March loves things that grow," Hatter agreed, "He always has, since as long as I've known him that is."

"When did you two meet?" Alice questioned as they started down stone paved path that lead up to the front door of the house.

"It was so long ago… I don't remember the date, or even the year, but I know that I was still young, and Hearts hadn't yet become queen." Hatter looked over at Alice with a smile. "March comes from the outer isles, I met him when he'd just arrived in wonderland, he'd been aboard one of the cargo ships that came in during those years. He was about the same age that you were when you first arrived. Thin and ill kept. For some reason he gravitated toward me, though heaven knew I didn't want him." Hatter tilted his head back and laughed loudly, "He wasn't going to let me get away that easily, and no matter what I did… he stayed."

Alice smiled, "You're… fond of him aren't you?" she questioned.

Hatter gave a small nod, "and I grow more and more fond of him as the days go by. Though not even I understand the reason behind it." his voice fell quite at that last part. He was thinking too hard about something, almost as if the 'something' worried him.

Alice let him keep his silence; she wasn't pressing him on the oddness that was his and Hare's relationship. She wasn't sure if she was ready to understand the truth behind it, because her brain told her what it knew of the two, and her heart knew it to be true.

But that was something she wouldn't think to hard on.

They reached the door of the house, a soft pale wood door that opened into a brightly lit entry hall. The smell of something cooking reached their noses and both had a sudden urge to eat again.

"March!" Hatter called out, closing the door behind Alice, "We've a guest!"

Alice glanced around the hall, the place was covered in pretty paintings, a soft fluffy carpet, and the walls were painted a soft lily-white color. It was lit by softly glowing lanterns.

The sound of things being set down reached Alice's ears, she turned towards a doorway to the left of the entry hall and her heart fluttered in her chest when Hare walked out, looking calm, and completely unharmed.

"Who-" Hare trailed off when he saw Alice, for a moment his mouth opened and closed, then at last, he started laughing. "Alice!" he cried joyously.

Alice couldn't contain the strange feeling of happiness that soared through her body at the sight of him. she ran forward and flung her arms around him, holding his tightly. "Hare!" she sobbed against his chest.

If there was one person in wonderland that she'd gotten along with from the start, besides Dormouse that is, it was Hare. He'd been one of the few Wonderlanders that had welcomed her with open arms.

He wasn't tall, but he wasn't short either, a normal height that suited his build perfectly. He was older that Dormouse, but not by much. But the extra years made a large difference in his body. While Dormouse was forever stuck at that boyish point of the late teenage years where the body was still waiting to fill out, Hare had passed that point.
His body was level and evened out, shoulders broad, narrow waist, and a head full of shaggy brown hair, the hair could be sleek looking if he took the time to brush it and tie it back after a shower, but at the moment it was left as it normally was, though it had grown longer since Alice had last seen him. the bangs, which had once been proper, were now longer and kept falling over his eyes.
His mouth was generous and nice looking, nose was narrow, and his eyes were poppy blue.

He was dressed in a loose fitting white shirt that was a couple sizes too bit and draped off his shoulder a little bit. his pants were brown and fit him nicely, they looked like riding pants. He was barefoot.

He regarded Alice with complete surprise, but he laughed gently and wrapped his arms around her, though not before shooting Hatter a very confused look.

Finally when Alice had gained some control over herself again; she dislodged herself from Hare and took a careful step back, looking him up and down. She approved of the changes in him, they suited him, and the aging that had taken place was careful and very well done, bringing him just enough into adulthood to give him that look, that look that spoke very clearly of a more mature nature. Careful, wise, but still playful and sweet at the same time.

Hatter smiled and shook his head, "Do you fling yourself at every male you meet?" he teased, winking at Alice.

Alice crossed her arms against her chest, "Forgive me for being happy to see an old friend who doesn't appear to have gone all evil on me!" she shot back.

Hare laughed and wrapped his arms around Alice's shoulders, pulling her against his chest, "Hatta' be nice!" he pleaded, laughing gently at the expression on his friends face.

Hatter frowned at the use of his nickname, "Whatever," he said dismissively. Though a small smile curled over the corner of his lips. "I should have known you'd hit it off like that!"

Hare smiled brightly and snuggled into Alice's shoulder, pressing him mouth teasingly to the skin, "You should," he agreed softly.

Hatter's smile vanished, "March, enough. You won't do any good by teasing our new queen."

Hare jerked back from Alice and looked down at her, "Queen?" he questioned.

Alice snorted, "It's a very long story."

--

The story was told over a sponge cake and more tea. Hare sat silently through the whole thing until it came to the part of Alice kissing Hatter, and the only thing he did was look sideways at Hatter, eyes narrowing slightly.

When Alice finished she took along sip of her lukewarm tea. "What do you think?" she questioned.

Hare was silent, he looked towards Hatter for a moment before he spoke, "I don't know what to think Alice, it seems to me like you've gotten yourself in over your head but there is no escaping this mess." He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. "I wish I could be of more help, but I'm no king, I've never ruled and I don't even belong to wonderland, the laws that are held here are strange to me."

"What do you mean by that?" Alice questioned, resting her elbows on the table.

"I was born on the outer Islands, they are ruled by their own kings and queens. The laws of those islands are different from wonderland and I was never one for causing trouble so I never had to read up on all the laws, that and Hatter was always a favorite of the queen except in the later days. If I ever caused grief by being ignorant of the laws, Hatta' was always there to get me out of it. I've never studied law." He finished.

Alice almost rolled her yes, "Hare, can I be honest?" she asked. He nodded. "You could have summed that all up by saying 'I don't have a clue what's going on' it would have saved you a lot of wind."

Hatter snorted loudly and patted Hare's shoulder as a hurt look crossed over the younger ones face. "There, there," he said teasingly, "you did allow her to be honest."

Hare gave a nod of his head, "That I did, that I did. It's my own fault and I know better now!" he laughed loudly.

Alice picked her tea up and sipped it for a moment, "I had hoped that at least one of you would be able to help fix me." She admitted.

"You cannot fix what is not broken," said Hare, frowning deeply. "You are queen Alice, everything that must now take place has already taken place with thousands of rulers before you."

"That's not very comforting. None of this has happened to me, and I don't very much enjoy any of it!" Alice muttered, her shoulders slumping and her eyes threatening tears.

Hatter reached across the table and took Alice's hand in his own, "No more tears, Alice, I hate knowing that you cry because of us,"

"You take too much Credit, Hatter." Alice whispered, she lifted her head and looked up at him, a small smile curling over her lips. "I cry because I'm starting to understand something."

"And what are you understanding?" Hare questioned.

"That I can't go back. There's no regaining my old life, and I can only move forward with this life… whether I wish to or not."