AN: Once again, thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! Please know that your reviews keep me smiling (and often laughing... :). Without further ado... this is the chapter that a lot of you have been waiting for!

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BACK TO YOU BRYAN ADAMS

I've been down - I've been beat
I've been so tired - that I could not speak
I've been so lost that - I could not see
I wanted things that were out of reach
Then I found you and you helped me through
And you showed me what to do
That's why I'm comin' back to you...

Like a star that guides a ship across the ocean
That's how your love can take me home back to you
And if I wish upon that star - that someday I'll be where you are
I know that day is comin' soon - ya I'l comin' back to you

You've been alone but ya did not show it
You've been in pain when you did not know it
You let me do what I needed to - You were there when I needed you
Mighta let you down - mighta messed you around
But ya never changed your point of view
Thats why I'm comin' back to you

…

Alice stood, gaping at the looking glass. Or rather, what had been the looking glass.

The once-pristine mirror, the one that had stood as a doorway between Wonderland and her world for nearly one hundred and fifty years, was broken. Cracks radiated outwards from the center of the glass to the frame, and one large shard had fallen and shattered on the ground.

Hatter hadn't left, hadn't gone back to Wonderland. Alice could have cried with relief. Not only had he not gone back, but he had left her a clear message.

He was never going to.

Her heart ached as she remembered the fight they had, right here in the storage locker, where she had accused him of wanting to abandon her. Her eyes flitted over to the still-visible set of handprints – hers within his – and she gasped.

That piece of glass remained unbroken. The two handprints had been spared the destruction of the mirror. And she wasn't exactly sure how. The prints were in the direct path of a large crack, but the crack veered to the left at the last moment, leaving them unmarred.

She had pulled the piece of glass free, ignoring the small cuts that formed in her fingertips from the sharp edge, and had borne it back home. She placed it on the kitchen table and gazed at it for a long moment, knowing it was important.

"Where are you Hatter?" she asked out loud. More then anything, she wanted to hold him, hold the hand that had made the print, and let him know that she loved him. But she didn't know where he was.

She pulled her phone from her pocket, and the napkin fluttered to the ground. She reached down to pick it up as she dialed Hatter's number.

It went straight to voicemail again. Frustrated, she shoved it back in her pocket, and started to pocket the napkin too, when she paused. Waffles Cafe. She knew that the restaurant was not far. It might not be anything, but at least it was a place to start her search.

…

Alice saw the familiar blonde through the window, a second before said blonde saw her. Sami's eyes widened, and she looked uncomfortable. Alice thought she almost looked a little scared, and she turned quickly back toward the restaurant kitchen as Alice rushed toward the door.

"Sami!" It came out almost as a yell, although that wasn't intended. Sami hesitated slightly before turning to face her.

"Hi Alice." Sami wasn't sure what to expect. She noticed that Davey wasn't with Alice, so the hope that they had reconciled went out the window. But what was Alice doing here?

She soon had her answer as Alice pulled a rumpled napkin out of her pocket. "You wrote this, didn't you?" Alice was staring at her intently, and Sami nodded, instantly regretted having left the note on a work napkin. Of course that is how Alice found her.

"Why?"

Sami looked around, realizing that several patrons were watching them. She sighed. "Alice, can you sit down for a minute? I'll be right back."

Alice slid into a booth, and watched as Sami talked for a moment with the cook and the other waitress. Then she nodded, and walked back to where Alice was.

"Because he is miserable without you, that's why," Sami responded as she slid into the other seat.

"You're not..." Alice couldn't quite say it.

But Sami knew. "No, we're not." She smirked slightly. "Trust me, I don't compare to Alice of Legend."

Alice flushed at the name, unsure if Sami was poking fun of her. But the other girl's eyes were serious, in spite of her grin. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Had Hatter told her?

Avoiding Alice's confused look, Sami motioned to the napkin that was still balled in Alice's hand. "Did you call him?"

Alice's face fell, and her eyes filled with concern. "His phone is off. Do you know where he is?"

Sami shook her head. "I tried calling him too. And he didn't come home last night."

"Home?" Alice felt a surge of jealousy, and Sami cringed. "You're living together?" Her voice had gone tense and high pitched.

"Not like that, no," Sami protested. "He's been staying with me and my boys." She emphasized boys. "He's been sleeping on the pullout in our living room and helping with rent is all." She sighed in relief as Alice's features softened. "He's our friend." Then she looked at Alice, concern on her features. "But I haven't seen him since he left you a message last night. He was upset, and he took off."

"I need to find him," Alice whispered. But then she noticed that Sami wasn't looking at her anymore. She was looking over the edge of the booth, with a bit of a look of shock.

Alice wheeled around.

Hatter stood in the door, dark circles around his eyes and his hair standing in a thousand directions under his hat, his clothes dusty and his right hand swollen and bloodied.

…

Hatter's whole body ached, and he knew he badly needed sleep, but he had to let Sami know that he was alright before he went home to bed. He could see her, sitting at a booth with someone, and when she looked up at him, her eyes went wide with shock, and he realized that he was probably a horrible mess.

It took him a moment longer to realize who it was that Sami was sitting with.

…

"Hatter!" Alice launched herself out of her seat and into Hatter's arms. Hatter froze for a moment, before his arms came up and crushed her into him and he buried his head into her shoulder.

"Alice?" His voice was hoarse and muffled. "Alice." He started shaking, feeling completely overwhelmed. Alice was here. Alice was holding him. She hadn't held him in so long. He clung to her for a long moment, before sighing and pulling back slightly. "Oh, that feels good," he murmured, and Alice giggled. When they broke the hug, his eyes were clear and bright.

"Hatter, I am so sorry." Alice reached up and stroked his cheek. "I'm so sorry. I love you. I don't want to fight."

"I don't want to fight either. I need you Alice. I love you." He pulled her in again, only this time he pressed his lips to hers.

…

Sami watched awkwardly for a moment, before walking up to the oblivious couple, who's reunion was being watched in interest by every person in the restaurant.

With a smirk, she grabbed Hatter by one arm, Alice by the other, and pulled them toward the corner booth. They both looked at her in surprise. "I don't think the whole restaurant needs to be seeing this," she chided, with a laugh, releasing them. They both slid into one side of the booth. "Now, talk to each other."

Sami walked over to Mags with a bit of a grin on her face. "Two plates of waffles, a pot of tea, then leave them alone. I'll pay for it from my tips."

…

Alice linked her fingers with Hatter's, then looked down at his rather mangled hand. She looked back up at him, her eyes widening.

"Just a few cuts and bruises," he said softly.

Alice shot him a disbelieving look. "The last time you told me that, it was a hell of a lot more then a few cuts and bruises."

Hatter chuckled slightly. "Needed to blow off steam."

"I tried to call you. Your phone is off."

"Not off actually." Hatter felt his face start to flush. "I'm going to need a new one." At Alice's quizzical look, he looked a bit ashamed. "Shouldn't hold things in me right hand when I'm upset."

Alice laughed slightly, before sobering again. "You broke the looking glass."

"I know." Hatter nodded.

"It was an antique. Probably worth a fortune," Alice pointed out.

"If it was worth a fortune, I doubt it would have been left like it was in that warehouse for so long."

"I don't think it could be removed – not while it was a doorway. Otherwise it would probably have been long gone."

"I don't care about the looking glass, Alice." He gazed into her eyes. "I'm never going back to Wonderland. Not unless you come with me."

Alice's eyes got bright, and she leaned in and kissed him again.

Hatter was the first to pull back. "I'm sorry I left, Alice." The miserable look was back in his eyes. "I want to work it out."

"I do to, Hatter. I don't want to fight with you anymore. I want to fight for you instead."

Hatter looked at her, a question in his eyes.

"Tim, he gave me some good advice."

"The cop from the dojo?" Hatter wrinkled his forehead.

"Yeah." Alice cringed slightly. "I kind of went on a date with him last night." At Hatter's jealous look, she quickly added, "Only I ended up talking about you and crying instead." She hesitated. "I did kiss him though. I'm sorry Hatter. I was angry. I thought you and Sami were..."

"We're not," Hatter informed her hastily.

"I know... now."

Hatter glanced over at Sami, who was obviously doing her best to ignore them as she worked her tables on the other side of the restaurant. But she stole a glance over, and saw Hatter watching her, and gave a slight smirk before turning back to her customer.

"I kissed her too," Hatter admitted finally. Alice's eyebrow shot up. "In my defense, I barely remember it. I was very drunk, and I apparently almost kissed Nick too."

"Nick?"

"Yeah. Nick and Matt. They're great. You've got to meet them." He was grateful that she hadn't dwelled on the kiss. Then he pondered what she had told him, before their admissions. "What do you mean by wanting to fight for me?"

"I want to make this work. And I will do whatever it takes to make it work." Alice turned Hatter's face so that he was looking straight into her eyes. "When we were in Wonderland, all we did was fight for each other. Literally." He smiled, understanding. "But when we came back here, I think we stopped fighting for each other, and started fighting against each other instead." Alice bowed her head slightly, but Hatter pulled her chin back up, forcing eye contact again. His warm brown eyes were full of emotion. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

A tear spilled from her eye, and Hatter wiped it away with his thumb. "I'm sorry for leaving, Alice. I won't do it again. I want to fight for you too." He leaned forward, his lips almost on hers. "Whatever it takes."

Then his lips were on hers again.

…

Sami leaned on the counter, counting out her tips for the day and separating the cook's share, when Mags walked up to her. "I think this is for you," she said softly, pressing a napkin into Sami's hand.

She unfolded it. Scrawled across it in two sets of handwriting, were the words Thank You!

…

AN: There ya go! The long-awaited rise!

One chapter to go. Thanks very much for all the wonderful reviews, and to everyone who has been along for their journey. Much love!