AN: So here it is... last chapter, then I am back to my other stories (don't worry, there are chapters underway for both of them). Thanks so much for reading and for reviewing. You all rock! And Happy New Year!

...

On December 23rd, Alice and Hatter had their first big fight since their reunion.

They were both stressed from last minute shopping and preparations for Christmas, and it just happened. Bickering escalated to yelling, and drawer slamming in the kitchen. And it culminated in the two staring darkly at each other from either side of the room.

Then Alice took a deep breath. "Hatter," she started, "I love you."

She watched the fight drain from his eyes in an instant, and his eyes grow bright as he crossed the room in two steps and fiercely pressed his lips against hers. "I love you too, Alice," he gasped back when they broke for air.

…

Alice gaped in amazement when she pushed the apartment door open.

Hatter had been busy. She had gone out with her mother, who wanted to buy a new outfit for her New Year's date, and when she came home, the apartment was completely redecorated.

The greens and reds of Christmas had been replaced with blue and silver ribbons and streamers. The Christmas tree was still standing, but was now decorated with silver tassles and blue lights. Food of every description was piled up on one fold-out table, and another was set up for drinks. And hanging, prominently, in the middle of the ceiling, was a large bunch of mistletoe.

"What do you think?" Hatter's eager face appeared around the kitchen door.

"You went overboard again," Alice said, laughing slightly when Hatter made a face at her.

"It's the first time we're having a party. I wanted everything to be perfect!"

"We're just having a few friends over..." Alice's voice trailed off. It was true. They had rarely had anyone other then her mother over, in the year that Hatter had been here. This really was the first time they were hosting a party of any sort. And right there she determined not to ruin it for Hatter. If he was that excited, she was going to be too.

She grabbed Hatter's hand and pulled him into the middle of the room, directly under the mistletoe. "It is perfect," she told him, pointedly looking up. He grinned and pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss that left her wanting more.

But he pulled back, a grin on his face. "We don't have time for that now. We still have to get dressed."

She eyed the blue and silver patterned shirt he was wearing, and quirked an eyebrow. "You already match the decorations," she told him.

But he shook his head. "I laid the clothes out on the bed. If you hurry, you'll have time for a quick shower before the guests get here."

Alice shook her head, and headed for the bedroom. Sure enough, there were two sets of clothing laid out on the bed. She reached for hers, then paused and drew a breath. It was her blue dress, the one she had worn in Wonderland, and a pair of raspberry tights. He had even pulled out her brown boots. And on his side of the bed was a pair of dark velvet pants, a burgundy tie, and the brown paisley shirt. It wasn't the original – that had been too bloodied and tattered to be saved - but eight months ago she had, to her utter shock, found the identical shirt in a second-hand store, and she had immediately purchased it for him.

She turned to look at Hatter, who had walked up behind her, a question in her eyes.

"For good luck," he whispered softly, a strange look in his eyes. "And a better New Year." Then his dimpled grin reappeared. "Hurry, they'll be here soon." He grabbed his pork pie hat, rolled it around in his hands for a few moments, before flipping it into the air. It landed perfectly atop his chaotic hair.

They managed another moment under the mistletoe before their first guests started to arrive. Alice couldn't resist it when she saw him standing there, only the jacket missing from the way he looked when she first met him. She had rarely seen him look so unbelievably sexy. And the look of awe, of unbridled desire in his eyes when he looked at her nearly undid Alice completely.

Had the first guest not arrived, she might have taken him right then and there.

…

Hatter was grateful to see that Matt and Nick had done their part. Sami looked decidedly sexy in fitted jeans and a purple low-cut blouse. Her hair was loose and she was wearing a little more makeup then she usually did. He grinned his approval at her "boys" as they followed her in.

Alice noticed that Tim's eyes were on Sami from the moment she walked in, and she chuckled slightly to herself. This could be easier then she thought. She had no doubt that Sami would find Tim attractive – she would have to be blind not to. Especially the way that his black jeans and steel-blue button down complimented his very fit body.

Hatter's eyes met Alice's, and she nodded, grinning.

Hatter grabbed Sami by the arm. "There's someone I want you to meet," he told her, smirking slightly as he drew her across the room. She looked at him a little suspiciously, and his smirk turned into a full grin.

"Sami, I'd like you to meet Tim." He and Alice exchanged grins once again.

Tim smiled at the attractive blonde as she, rather obviously, checked him out. Sami most definitely was checking him out – and doing her best not to drool – but Tim was a bit unsure of what to make of it, when, instead of saying anything to him, she turned back toward Hatter, with just a hint of a groan.

"You're setting me up?"

Hatter's grin just got wider, and Alice appeared at his side, grinning like a Cheshire. "Setting you both up."

"Davey, Davey, Davey," Sami moaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment, but with a bit of a laugh. Then she looked at Hatter, and placed a hand on his chest. "Next time a little warning, yeah? I didn't shave my legs."

She grinned impishly as Hatter went a bit pink, and muttered something under his breath about oysters.

She winked at Alice, then turned back to Tim, and extended her hand. "Hi, Tim, I'm Sami. Nice to meet you."

Tim chuckled slightly. Sami obviously had a good sense of humor, and he was relieved that she didn't seem actually bothered by Hatter and Alice's matchmaking. "So, Sami. Is that short for Samantha?"

"Samira, actually," she responded.

"Pretty."

"Thanks."

"Oh, the name is too." Tim grinned, a bit of mischief appearing in his eyes too.

Sami laughed through her groan. "Please tell me that line doesn't actually work."

"Not often," Tim laughed. "Can I get you a drink?"

Sami and Tim had made use of the mistletoe a few times before the party ended, and Tim had offered to walk her home as they left. Sami had whispered a thank-you into Hatter's ear when she had hugged him at the end of the night.

…

"We're going to be eating leftovers for a week," Alice teased Hatter as she packed the extra party food into containers in the fridge. It was past one in the morning, and most of the cleaning up would wait until tomorrow, but she wanted to at least get the edibles put away.

"I wanted everything to be perfect," Hatter stated, bringing another plate of goodies into the kitchen. "That wouldn't have happened if we had run out of brownies."

"It was perfect, Hatter. Everyone had fun. I think Tim and Sami really enjoyed themselves... and each other." She turned around to wink at Hatter, but he wasn't looking at her. He was staring out the kitchen window.

"It's snowing!" he said, watching the large flakes fall past the window.

"It's pretty," Alice agreed, joining him for a moment and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"We should go to the roof and watch it for a while," Hatter stated.

"Hatter, it's late... and cold..." Alice trailed off. There was something in Hatter's eyes, something that silenced her protests and made her feel a little fluttery. "Okay," she murmured.

"I'll get our coats!" Hatter bounded out of the room, reappearing a few moments later. Alice caught her breath, and the fluttering in her stomach increased. He was wearing his tan leather jacket, and looked every bit the man she had met in Wonderland. And held in his outstretched arms was her purple velvet coat.

Neither of them were dressed warmly enough for a New York winter night, but somehow it was... perfect.

Hatter took her hand, the way he had when he had lead her along the ledge in Wonderland, and slowly led her up the fire escape toward the roof. Only this time, it was his hand that was shaking, not hers. And his eyes, which never left her face, were full of love and happiness, but they betrayed Hatter's anxiety. No, this was not just a trip to the roof to watch the snow. Not in their Wonderland outfits, not in the early hours of New Years Day.

Alice caught her breath as they reached the top of the fire escape. The rooftop had been transformed. Large flakes of snow fell past sparkling Christmas lights that had been affixed to almost every imaginable surface. As Hatter continued to pull her onward, she found herself mesmerized by the swirling snow and twinkling lights. It almost didn't feel real but for the warm presence of Hatter's hand in hers.

They rounded a corner, and there was what looked like a park bench, and to the left of it... an inflatable penguin? holding a present wrapped in blue and silver.

"It was supposed to be a snowman, but it didn't snow enough for that," Hatter mumbled, a bit self-consciously when he noticed her staring at it. Alice chuckled lightly.

Hatter pushed her down onto the bench, and smiled at her as he turned and grabbed the present from the penguin. His hands were shaking, even more noticeably, as he placed it in her lap, and watched her expectantly.

Alice felt her hands start to tremble as she pulled the paper off, and opened the box. Inside was another box, a small blue velvet one. She cautiously lifted it out, and looked up at Hatter, before opening it. For the half-dozenth time in the course of a few minutes, she caught her breath. Inside the box was a white gold ring, set with a square diamond flanked by two small blue sapphires that just added a touch of color to it. It was beautiful.

Alice's eyes filled up with tears, and she looked back at Hatter, just as he dropped to one knee in front of her. He took both of her hands, and the ring box in his, and stared into her eyes. "Alice, I..." He paused and took a deep breath. "Alice Hamilton, I would be honored if..." He paused again, a look of frustration crossing his face.

"Hatter?" Alice looked at him, a little concerned now.

Hatter let go of her hands, and stood up. "I had it all worked out before, what I was going to say and how this is supposed to go..." He heaved another sigh of frustration. "I wanted it to be perfect for you, Alice, but..."

Alice stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist again. He wrapped his arms around her and crushed her into him, and buried his face on her shoulder. "Alice, I love you so much. I started to love you the first day I met you, when you rescued me from Dodo instead of running away. And you saved me, Alice. If you hadn't come along... loving you has changed me more then you know." He pulled back, only enough to look her in the eyes, his own eyes bright and wet. "I don't regret, not for a moment, following you here. When you left, there was nothing in Wonderland for me anymore."

Alice could feel tears starting to pool in her eyes as she stared into the eyes of the man in front of her. The man she loved.

He released her, and gently took the ring box from her hand. He looked at it sadly, as he pulled the ring out, and let the box fall to the ground. "I've had this ring for a while now. I was going to give it to you on the anniversary of the day we met." At the pained look in Alice's eyes, his heart wrenched once again, and tears spilled from his eyes. "I'm sorry I left, Alice. But I won't leave again. I promised you my forever, and I meant it. I love you, Alice."

The tears were streaming down Alice's face now, and a sob was lodged in her throat, making her unable to do anything but nod. She knew it had been her fault too, but they were working things through now, and not walking away. And she knew that her forever belonged to him too.

Hatter took off his hat and laid it aside, then he dropped to his knees – not one knee, both, and took Alice's hands in his. He gazed up into her eyes, and saw the love that shone there through the tears. "Will you be my wife, Alice?"

"Yes." It came out as a whisper, choked with emotion. Alice dropped to her knees too, and pulled Hatter's face to hers in a long, passionate kiss.

When they finally pulled away, Hatter took her hand, gently, in his own, and slipped the ring onto her finger, before pressing her hand to his lips. Then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. "Happy New Year," he whispered, as they kissed again, amidst the falling snow and twinkling lights, in the moments before the cold drove them back inside.

…

AN: Happy New Year everyone! And I hope this was a satisfying story. Thanks so much for reading.

Thanks especially to my wonderful reviewers: Brumeier, Alaina Downs, duchessfaleen, Catesy, Rue Mo, smiles2go, Miles 333, Weasley430, CupofTeaforAliceandHatter, BlueEyes444, Spunkalovely, Angelbaby214, hatters-girl-belial, Higashikaze, Rezmutt, TamieH, and .

* raises glass of champagne and toasts *