Interlude
By Shahrezad1
Summary: "Hatter…what are your plans for the future?" Future. Well, that was a curious question, which was just getting curiouser and curiouser.
Disclaimer: David Hatter, Alice Hamilton, and Jack Heart/Chase are their own beings (except for belonging to the Syfy channel). I just write what they tell me to. So have pity for the poor author-she's stuck at the mercy of the ones that hold her muses hostage. XD
~/~/~
Chapter 1
She was no sooner through the looking glass when blasted Jack was at his side, watching her leave with him, of all things. But when Hatter turned to offer up a biting remark it fell rather flat upon the realization of their shared emotions-the realization that the annoying fellow had been left behind just as much as he was, if not more, and that if they were united in any single thing it was their feelings towards Alice.
Namely possessiveness, yes, and maybe even something edging over 'like,' and falling into the boiling teakettle that was 'love.' Neither man knew how far it went, but just as their animosity was mutual so too was their fascination with the Oyster girl.
Which was why it was so surprising when the decorated prat of a Prince tapped him on the shoulder. He actually had to remember to pull his sledgehammer-punch, as automatic as it was to slug the red card; after all, it wouldn't exactly be the most politically…healthy act, to knock out the Heir Apparent and future King of Wonderland.
He still wanted to, though. Until Jack looked him in the eye and actually began saying something of interest. For once.
"Hatter…what are your plans for the future?"
Future. Well, that was a curious question, which was just getting curiouser and curiouser. But, well, there was no harm in answering honestly, now that the moment had arrived.
"I'm thinking of stopping by the shop to see what the damage is-and to make sure ol' Dormie doesn't make off wit' the wares himself. Then I think I'll check the likeliness of oh, say, selling the place now's I can't really, ah, take up my old profession," a wry smile and a shrug was all the concession he made to how abruptly his world had taken a turn, humor a thin, so very thin, mask over his upset and rising exhaustion.
And those burns weren't helping the situation, either. He hadn't had the heart (no pun intended, of course) to push Alice away each time she'd drawn him close to her, despite the pain. Because if it took him almost dying for her to clutch him in her arms for an embrace, then he was more than willing to let the two Brothers Doctor have another go at him. That is, if he ever got the chance to see her again.
Bringing him back to the moment at hand.
"Why do you ask?"
The heroic figure-curse him-pursed perfectly shaped lips-curse him twice-and looked at Hatter thoughtfully. Then when an unnerving moment had passed his rival finally spoke, "we-the former Resistance-believe we may have a job for you."
A job? How odd that the Resistance-pardon me, former Resistance-would want to give him a job. A lousy Tea-seller, from the upper-east side, and a carpetbagger to boot.
Repeating the thought out loud, the Hatter gained a moment of smug triumph as he saw true irritation flash in the blueblood's eyes before it disappeared in a heartbeat. Then the man merely smiled wryly, as though he somewhat deserved that after the play he'd made with Alice mere days ago, tricking her into abandoning the Hatter for a time.
He nodded in concession for irony, but continued on, "yes, I know. But I can't return to the other side now, not with…" he waved silently at their surroundings, including both the civilians and the suits within the wide path of his arm, "everything hanging over me. And you're the only one I trust to do this without any ulterior motive. Plus, you're the only one savvy enough to do this task blindly and on your own. The only one who can protect…those that need protecting."
Huh. Well, he was laying it on a bit thick but it was still a first. Impressed despite himself, the grungy smaller man tipped his dented cap up in interest, hands falling to his waist whereupon they simply rested in wait.
"Alright, yeah. What can I do you for then, Your Majesty?"
"I need you to escort the Oysters home."
"Um. Excuse me?" dark eyes peered up through cow-licked hair to a much more pristine image, caught off guard for one of the few times in his life. The other times all involved Alice.
The Prince motioned towards the milling crowds, a shuffle of Oyster and Wondlerlandian intermixing without thought for the markings that would have separated them in the past. While most seemed to have been taken from recent 'cullings,' a few dotted the place in clothing from at least ten years past, making him wonder just how long exactly that they'd been stuck in the Queen's Casino. Perhaps from the beginning of the Carpenter's delusion? And when his eyes tried to flicker apathetically past a set of children, sisters, they somehow stuck like glue; he couldn't move his gaze from them. They just seemed…to remind him of Alice somehow.
But his rival didn't allow him to focus on them long, beginning to speak rapidly but with experience, "The Looking Glass has a memory of each fixed point of origin. But the longer an Oyster has been in Wonderland the more the memory has faded from its frame of reference bank. So while we can just send all recent groups straight home, the minor cases need to be handled individually. Particularly as none of us in the Resis-the New Regime can leave at this time."
"Except for me. The expendable one, apparently."
"You're available to help," he clarified sharply. The lower-class man allowed himself a little smirk as he realized that the rich snob was letting Hatter's words get under his skin, "No ties, no worries, and you'd get a chance on the other side…to protect her."
Her.
Hatter thought about it for a second. Con: Leave Wonderland Indefinitely. Lose the shop (permanently). Might not be able to return. Won't have any familiarity with the world of the Oysters. Won't have any contacts or society 'in's. But then there were always the Pros: He would get to be with Alice. And, more importantly, he'd get to be with Alice and they would be far, far away from Jack Heart. The second passed swiftly, ending in a sharp nod, his features deadly serious, "Alright, what's the catch? What do I have to do?"
AN:
And here I go starting another one. –facepalms- Well, what can I say, Hatter's very persuasive. And I wanted to try something, based off the thought of, "what if he really IS a construction worker?" And when he says, "I missed you," how does time work in relation to Wonderland versus our world? You'll see what I mean later. ;)
This may end up being a crossover…but it'll be a crossover between three different miniserieses, with a touch of a movie reference or two. Soooo…I'm leaving this in the regular "Alice, 2009" area, for organization's sake. Since I can't really pick a secondary category when there are, you know, two I could pick from. :/ And they are somewhat minor crossovers, at that.