Yay! 2nd one-shot is up! I hope you guys like this one. I just got the Alice dvd and I'm so happy! Did you guys know that there were more scenes!? Anyway, do you guys think I should just stick to fluff and romance or should I also add in angst and hurt?
Tell me what you honestly think or if you have any ideas for a one-shot!
2. More Than a Friend
"I've missed you too." Alice said smiling, once she was released from his grasp.
Hatter returned the smile and was about to pull her into another hug, but they were interrupted.
Carol, Alice's forgotten mother, stood near the couple. She seemed to have finally recovered from her shocked state, and cleared her throat, reminding them of her presence.
The couple quickly jumped apart, embarrassed at the fact that they had a 'moment' while Carlo was in the room. Hatter scratched the back of his head, trying his best to avoid Carol's intense gaze. He, as well as Alice, had gotten caught up in the moment when they saw each other again.
There were millions of questions buzzing through both Alice's and Carol's heads, but neither could really get it together. Both were still astonished and in a bit of a daze because of what had just transpired.
"H-how do you know each other?" Carol asked in the calmest voice she could muster under the circumstances.
"Well, " Hatter began, while sneaking a glance at Alice. "I'm more than a friend, I hope."
Hatter watched from the corner of his eye as a small smile broke out onto Alice's previously worried face. She remembered the words he used when he first greeted her, 'A friend, I hope.'
Carol had a different reaction than Alice did. Carol seemed to be even more confused than before. First her daughter chases her boyfriend, probably now ex, to return a ring, disappears then reappears only to be kissing another man, who is apparently not a stranger. A mother can only handle so much.
Just as Carol was about to interrogate Hatter and Alice until she would get the truth, Alice noticed the time.
"Mom, don't you need to work?" Alice asked, grateful for the time.
Carol sighed as she realized the time. She looked back and forth, from Alice to Hatter, not sure if it was alright to leave them alone together. Carol decided to give them a chance, seeing as how Hatter had found Alice when she was missing.
"Alright, but I'm going to have a serious talk with you when I get back." Then she paused before adding, "The both of you."
Alice smiled, thanking her mother mentally for being so understanding, while Hatter sill seemed nervous, despite the fact that Carol was already heading for the door.
He finally relaxed and let out a breath of air after he heard her close the door. He turned his attention back to Alice who was looking at him strangely.
"Is there anything wrong?" He asked.
Wordlessly, Alice walked up to him, grabbed that hat he had hidden behind his back and began to dishevel his neat hair. Once she thought it was good enough, she promptly put the hat onto his head.
"Perfect." She whispered, while she stepped back to examine her work.
Hatter began to chuckle, but then it turned into a yawn. Alice then realized the other reason Hatter looked different. He looked as if he hadn't gotten an ounce of sleep for days. Sure, Wonderland, at the time, wasn't the best place for a night's rest, with the constant fear of being caught or killed, but didn't Hatter have most of yesterday to sleep?
"Are you okay?"
Hatter nodded, "I'm fine, just a bit… out of sorts is all."
Alice, although not believing a word he said, went along with it. "I'll make some tea, real tea. Then we can talk about… everything." As she walked into the kitchen she said, "You can sit on the couch or any chair, if you want."
Her reply was a small grunting sound. As Alice prepared the tea her mind began to wander. Was this really happening? Did Hatter really leave Wonderland? For her no less? What's going to happen next? What will she tell her mother? All these questions and more popped into head, searching for answers.
When Alice finished making the tea she walked into the living room, only to find it vacant. No trace of Hatter in sight. Where did he go?
Alice looked in every room, and then finally came to her own. She opened the door to reveal a sleeping Hatter, cozily lying in her bed. He looked so peaceful, and she could tell he was tired because he was still wearing his shoes and jacket.
She smiled as she heard him softly snore. Slowly, Alice backed away, intending to let him sleep soundly. Unfortunately, it seemed the door had other plans, while Alice was about to shut the door it creaked loudly. She winced as she heard the noise and mentally cursed the door in her head.
"Alice?" Hatter began to straighten up from her bed.
She turned around, feeling guilty for waking him up. Hatter stretched his arms out and let out another yawn. He wiped his eyes and smiled up at her.
"Sorry, I'm a wake now." Hatter said, "Come 'ere"
"Are you sure? We can just talk later." Alice suggested, but she still walked closer to him.
"Yeah, no time like the present, right?"
Alice grabbed the chair that was near her desk, and placed it beside the bed. She sat down and looked at him. He still looked exhausted, but he was fighting it.
"Why are you so tired?" She asked, not understanding his lack of sleep.
"Well, first, there's the fact that in Wonderland we were being chased and hunted down." Alice nodded remembering all too well. "Then, there's the whole situation with you being unconscious and in the hospital yesterday."
Alice didn't know what his reasons, but she hadn't expected it to be because of her. "You didn't get any sleep because… you were worried… about me?"
Hatter laughed at the puzzled and, almost angry, look on her face. He had missed her so much, even though only a day had passed.
"Is that so hard to believe?" He asked, trying to conceal his amusement, "I was worried about you."
"Stupid." She muttered as she turned her head, but Hatter saw she was trying to conceal her growing blush.
She turned back to him, when she heard him yawn. Again.
"Go to sleep." She said softly.
"I don't wanna." He said, pretending to act like a child.
Alice raised her eyebrows at his comment. She began to stand, trying to walk out, but something, or rather someone, grabbed her wrist.
Alice whipped around, thinking she was going to face his childish behavior again, but was mistaken. Hatter looked her in the eyes and in an almost pleading voice said, "Stay."
She thought it over for a moment, but she noticed how Hatter's eyelids began to droop and said one word.
"Move."
Immediately, Hatter's eyes snapped open. Not sure if he heard correctly he asked, "What?"
"Move." Alice repeated, sounding confident but her blush retuned.
Hatter smiled as he scooted over, giving her space on the bed. Hatter thought to himself, 'It's a good thing she's so small.'
"I'm tired too." She said simply when Hatter looked at hew with questioning eyes.
He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her, before slowly drifting back into slumber. Alice smiled and followed suit, enjoying the feeling of Hatter's arms wrapped around her.
--
Carol sighed, exhausted from work, but she knew she still had things to do. Things like find out the truth from her only daughter.
Carol opened the door and walked in, only to find nothing. No sign of her daughter or the mysterious man, who had saved her. On the table in the kitchen were two cold cup of tea, but still no people. Where had they disappeared too?
She opened the door that lead to her daughter's room, shocked at what she had found. Alice and Hatter lying in the bed, together. Carol was relieved to find them both soundly sleep, and not doing anything else. She was torn between waking them up and letting them rest, but when she her daughter's peaceful face she decided to leave them, for now anyway. Once they wake up, it will be an entirely different story.
As Carol shut the door, she quietly said, "I certainly hope he's more than a friend.
