Hello everyone! I am alive in case you were wondering! School has been a real time consumer though! Hopefully I'll have another chap up soon! So I hope you like this one, it has a bit of comedy, fluff and friendship! Tell me what you think!

Anyone have any requests for a plot? Please tell me!

Disclaimer: I still don't own "Alice" or Hatter… life is so cruel


7. Problem

Not to sound conceited, but Hatter had always known he was a great guy. Actually, he was funny, handsome, heroic, and sensitive, but that was defiantly conceited. Even if it was true. Anyway, the point was that he was a great guy. He could tell jokes, make fantastic tea, and charm his way out of anything, well almost anything. But apparently he could still have problems.

Hatter grunted, he didn't know whether he was frustrated at himself or frustrated in general. He was leaning more toward in general because this problem wasn't his fault for once. At least not completely, right?

Lately, he had been more self-conscious and clumsy around her. He was never sure of what to do or if they were moving too fast or too slow. He was at a loss for everything. It wasn't like him at all! He was having trouble in his relationship already. How in Wonderland did this happen?

"Maybe you subconsciously realized how inadequate you are for her. You are just a harpenger after all."

Hatter nearly jumper from where he was sitting, causing his hat to fall off. He picked it up, but not before sending a glare to Charlie, who merely shrugged and gave an 'innocent' look.

"Great. If I'm saying my thoughts out loud, I'm becoming as loony as you! No wonder I'm having relationship problems." Hatter grumbled, more to himself rather than Charlie.

"Well, no need to be rude about it." Charlie said, turning his head away, but he was still looking at Hatter from the corner of his eye.

Hatter took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm his nerves. He was in wonderland because this was familiar. It wasn't home anymore, not since he met Alice, but it was a nostalgic place for him. But it seemed as though it was having a negative effect on him rather than a positive one.

Hatter reached out and gently grabbed Charlie's shoulder. "Listen Charlie, I'm sorry. Really. It's just," He sighed and let himself plop onto the ground, "I don't know anymore!"

"Don't know what?" Charlie asked, slowly giving his full attention to the depressed man on the couch.

"Anything. Everything. Pick something." He said waving his hand about.

"Well, that certainly narrows things down." Charlie said quietly, and his expression suddenly changed into a serious one. With a finally nod to himself he stood up and put a hand on Hatter's shoulder.

"My dear harpenger, I see you are in much distress, and although you may not be worthy of Just Alice's affections I will aid you through your problems." He then put his hands on the sides of his head, looking as if he was concentrating deeply.

"I will call upon the dark forces of the universe to guide us onto the path of enlightenment! From there we will find the answers to fix your failed relationship! That way-"

"Charlie," Hatter interrupted, "it's fine. You don't need to call upon the Dark spirits-"

"Dark forces! Forces!" Charlie interjected.

Hatter merely rolled his eyes, but continued nevertheless. "You don't need to call upon the Dark Forces, I'll figure this out by myself." He emphasized 'myself' loudly.

Charlie raised an eyebrow at this, "Then what do you need me for?"

"Because, as strange as it may seem and although I'm pretty sure I'll regret saying this later, you're my friend Charlie. And I really need a friend right now."

Charlie was stunned. Normally Hatter would have made another rude remark to cover his embarrassment, but instead he was letting his feelings out openly. Hatter was in utter turmoil about his relationship.

He was never the relationship kind of guy, but that didn't mean he like women. He did. Very much so, but it was never anything serious. And that was how he lived until he met Alice. He could never treat Alice the way he treated those other girls. He knew that much, but that was it. He didn't know how to be anyone's boyfriend let alone Alice's. Then, as if he didn't have enough problems, her previous boyfriend was Jack, the KING of Wonderland. The guy she went to Wonderland for!

How could he compete?

He was brought out of his thoughts again by Charlie patting his shoulder sympathetically. Hatter could only smile wryly in return.

"Maybe we could ask Jack or Alice's mother for advice." Charlie suggested as he sat next to Hatter.

Hatter gave him a disbelieving look. "For some reason, I don't think I'm the favorite person of either of those two."

"Well, I'm afraid that I'll be no help to you." Charlie said apologetically.

Hatter chuckled a bit, "Still haven't found a women to 'polish your viscochen', Charlie?"

Charlie's reply was a few mumbled words, but Hatter was pretty sure he heard the word harpenger thrown in there.

"Consider yourself lucky, Charlie. At least you don't have the problem known as women." Hatter lied back entirely, looking to the sky.

"Are women really that bad?" Curiosity overcoming Charlie.

"Worse. You can never tell what they want and they always tell you what to do. They even get mad at you for doing nothing! Nothing!"

"Wait," Charlie said getting up, "then why are you trying so hard."

"Because even with all those problems they cause, and no matter how many times I fight with Alice I still love her. I just don't know how to show that."

"I'm sure she already knows."

Hatter was about to respond but then he realized Charlie wasn't the one who said that. Both men turned around simultaneously to only to find…

"Alice."Hatter said shocked and a bit embarrassed.

Charlie immediately ran toward the tiny girl, clobbering her in a hug. Hatter stood up, watching from his spot. He honestly didn't know what to say, especially when he didn't know who long she had been there. Or how much she heard.

This day was just kept getting longer and longer.

Hatter couldn't look either of them in the eye when the came towards him. Alice reached out and grabbed his hand and smiled tenderly at him. Charlie, sensing the mood of the couple, backed away muttering something about knightly duties.

Alice began pulling Hatter as they walked around the Kingdom of the White Knights. They walked in silence, which Hatter loved but hated at the same time.

"Listen, Alice, I'm-"

"A big idiot." She turned to him just in time to see his confused expression.

He said the only thing he could think of, "What?"

She looked at him, and then she spoke slowly as if he was a two year old, "You are a big idiot."

"What?" He said suddenly feeling angry, "I have been driving myself mad for the past week, asked Charlie for relationship advice, and I was close to even asking Jack for help and you're calling me an idiot? I was just trying to be a better boyfriend!"

He took a deep breath, feeling better for letting everything out in the open. He then regained his composer and waited to hear what she was going to say.

She stared at him for a while before breaking out into a fit of laughter. He could even see a few tears in her eyes. After she calmed down a bit he raised an eyebrow, "Are you done?"

"Hatter," She said gently, "that's why you're an idiot. You didn't need to do that, any of that!"

"You're not my boyfriend," She said seriously, "you're my Hatter, which is something I wouldn't ever want to change."

"I'm an ex-con from another world, who hasn't got a clue about relationships." He said quietly.

"So? Listen Hatter, first off d no one is perfect and second is that I'm not exactly an expert on relationships. All I know is that I love you and although we argue and don't always see eye to eye, we're together. No matter what."

Hatter caressed her face with his hand, "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you"

"I know, you're a hopeless mess." She teased.

"Really though Alice, I... I just want to be worthy of being your boyfriend." He looked down on the ground in an attempt to hide his blush.

Alice, who was also blushing, slowly came closer to him, grabbed his collar and pulled him down for a kiss. Hatter responded immediately, wrapping his hands around her waist and deepened the kiss.

Hatter kept his hands around her waist after they broke the kiss. He let his head rest on her shoulder, breathing in her scent.

"Tired?" Alice asked bemused.

"More like emotionally drained." And it was true. He had been beating himself up, had tried to think of ways to be a better boyfriend, and much more. Hatter was still experiencing so many emotions and it wasn't easy for him to express and handle that.

"Ready to go home?" Alice asked.

"You have no idea, Love." He said as she was once again dragging him away.

She rolled her eyes and reached up to take his hat. She placed it on her head and ran off ahead.

"Oi! That's mine Alice!" He said as he chased her. He caught her from behind and held her tight.

She turned her head to face him, "Got a problem with that?" she teased.

He smiled back and touched the rim of the hat, feeling a little lighter and much happier, "No. No problem at all."