Alice jumped a little as she awoke. She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep at all until she saw the first rays of sunlight shining through the forest. At first she felt okay until she remembered where she was and all of her pain. She laid still not wanting to get up and face the day until she heard soft rustling sounds coming from the camp.

She slowly sat up and looked towards the sound and couldn't believe her eyes. Hatter stood by the empty fire pit with Charlie's two horses. He must have brought them into camp for they were now saddled and also laden with a few bundles. Hatter didn't see her for he was concentrating on trying to untangle a bunch of rope. She didn't know what to do or say, and at first she thought she must have been dreaming because she couldn't believe he was actually here.

Hatter became frustrated with his task and ended up throwing the rope to the ground in anger and instead turned his attention to examining a bunch of objects he had laid out at his feet. She noticed there was a pile of blankets and rags, a few canteens and seemingly all the food in the camp he could find along with a few other nick knacks.

She slowly got up and approached him but he was too in his own head to hear someone approaching so she said his name quietly and he turned to her and smiled when he saw her. "Hey," he said approaching her slowly. "Sleep well?"

Before she knew it she was running at him and she threw herself into his arms and began crying because she was so happy to see him. He held her tightly to him and she swore she heard him whisper, "oh, that feels good." Then he heard her weeping and he immediately began rocking her back and forth as he asked, "what's wrong?"

"I thought you had left me." She cried into his shoulder. "I was afraid I'd never see you again."

"Oh Alice," he muttered. "I would never leave you."

She slowly pulled away from him but just enough to look into his face. "Where did you go?"

"I just took a walk. I needed to clear my head and think and I accidently ended up a lot further away than I had planned and a little lost too. But I eventually found my way back." He said smiling at her but he noticed she still looked upset so he stopped. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, I really shouldn't have. I don't know what I was thinking. You're right though, and it is a good plan. I just hope you can forgive me."

"No, you were right. It is a stupid idea and I'm sorry I snapped at you. I never meant to run you off."

"It's not a stupid idea. I was just upset, and I think we should go. At least for the part about a better hide out because I agree it is a little dangerous to stay here. I think we need to get away."

"You're coming with us then?"

"Of course. I could never let you go without me. Besides I don't trust Charlie to be able to look after you. He's a bit old and you're quite a lot of trouble you know." He said laughing slightly. "So you really missed me?"

She couldn't resist anymore and gave him a kiss instead of an answer. He kissed her back with vigor and they kissed like long lost lovers rediscovering each other after being apart for years. She felt her heart ignite with passion and her body yearn for him. She had never felt like this before and it was strange and new but she liked it all the same. The kiss engulfed them so that days could have passed and they wouldn't have known but eventually Hatter slowly pulled away from her and looked deeply in her eyes as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I never knew I could be missed so much." He said with a smile and she took hold of his hand that was rested gently against her cheek and he left her hold it.

"I missed you so much. Please don't ever leave me again."

"I promise. A heard of Jabberwocks couldn't drag me away from you." She felt her heart strain at the words she longed to say to him but didn't know how. She had always been too protective of her heart and didn't give it away easily but Hatter already had all her love, it was just letting him know that was difficult.

"Hatter… I…"

"I mean it. I'll always be here as long as you want me."

"I love you Hatter." She muttered quickly and she noticed how he froze at her words almost as if he didn't know how to comprehend them, so she continued. "I love you and I want to be with you, Hatter, and I really hope you feel the same."

Hatter remained still for a few more seconds before he seemingly regained consciousness and spoke. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to hear you say that. I want to be with you more than you know and I love you more than anything. I love you, Alice. I really do."

She felt a huge weight lift off of her chest and she was suddenly so happy she could scream but she settled for kissing him ravenously. They kissed each other like they were starving, and each others kisses were the only food that satisfied them. Suddenly each others lips meant so much more than before. Before they were only kissing each other to test the waters and to fulfill there own want but now they knew what they meant to each other and what it meant to kiss each other so lovingly. It was love and they were meant to be together.

Hatter held onto her with one hand on the small of her back and other on the side of her neck and was holding her to him so tightly that it was nearly painful. She realized then how much she meant to him. She had known how much she felt for him and she had felt the care in his actions towards her but she never knew how much of his love he had been keeping inside of him waiting to break free. Now his dam had broken and his love was washing over her in waves.

She had always been afraid of this moment with relationships before. This was the part where she usually turned and ran. Always when the dam of love broke free she felt like she was drowning and looked for the first rescue she could find but with Hatter it felt different. She wanted to swim in his love forever and she knew what was different this time. It was her own love that kept her head above water and helped her ride his waves and not drown but enjoy the ride.

She held onto him tightly too and rested her hand on the back of his neck and let her fingers run through the ends of his hair. Then she felt Hatters tongue snake between them and gently taste her bottom lip as it begged entrance. She didn't take much persuading and her lips slowly parted for him and if she thought his lips felt good his tongue made her see stars. Before she hadn't wanted to let him go, now she didn't think she could if she tried and she felt he shared that sentiment.

If she had any doubts she was in love before they were long gone now. They kissed for so long she felt their heartbeats must have synchronized by now. She never knew love could feel so good. Trusting the man she was kissing not to hurt her and protect her love and not break her heart felt amazing. She wondered if everyone who was in love felt this way or if she was just lucky.

She felt him beginning to pull away from her and as much as she didn't want him to she let him go, but not first without pulling him back to her a few times which worked for a few minutes each before he began retreating again.

When he parted from her it was only with his lips but he was still so close that when he spoke to her she felt his lips moving against hers still and his breath on her face. "I love you." He breathed between them.

"I love you too." She echoed back to him. He kissed her again but much less aggressively so that there lips just gently played with each others and it was much easier to break away when they finally did.

They simply gazed into each others eyes for a long time without saying anything and smiling at each other just happy to be with one another. "So…" He said smiling even wider as he broke the silence between them. "No more Jack then?" He asked with a false smile as he tried not to show his worry. She felt bad for he was still worried about where he stood with her despite her declaration of love. She felt his past experiences in relationships must have been terrible.

"No more Jack." She reassured him. "Only you."

He smiled at her genuinely and gave her a quick kiss. "We should probably get back to packing, just in case Charlie wakes up." He said glancing over his shoulder where she saw Charlie was lying in his hammock still snoring and fast asleep thankfully, although when they had been kissing anyone could have been watching and she wouldn't have cared. It was probably best they hadn't though.

"Yeah." She said smiling at him even though she never wanted to leave his arms. "I can make breakfast while you finish with…" She paused as she looked a the organized mess around them, "this."

"Good idea." He said and she started moving away from him to the food. "Hey," he called and she turned. "Try and make something we can eat on the move, I kind of want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Okay." She said and began to turn again and this time he reached out and grabbed her arm and turned her to back to him.

"Hey," he said again before he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her once more. "Love you," he quietly said after they parted.

"Love you too." She said before he reluctantly let her go and busy herself with breakfast.

They kept smiling at each other over their work. They were those special secret little smiles where they knew something the rest of the world didn't and there little secret was the best ever. They were in love and she had never known three little words could make her feel like this.

Author's Note: I decided to put this at the bottom because I knew with my ending from the last chapter my note at the top of this one would be run over in favor of the text. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reads this story and especially to everyone who left me such lovely reviews the past few weeks, your all amazing! ~hugs~ You all make my day and writing for you all is actually worth shirking a little homework... lol :D