So Not Good

Hatter

Hatter was beginning to get worried. He'd searched all of the lower levels. Alice never tried to go up too high if she could help it. You would think that after living here for a total of one year she'd be used to the height. Usually she spent her time here in the library, but no one had seen her. No one had seen her for hours.

But it was no reason to panic. She had probably gone to say hi to Duchess, they were probably gossiping away in her room already. He took the elevator up to the royal suite, but he still couldn't help feeling uneasy. Something was not right.

He knocked and popped his head in. the room for some reason was littered with toys. Duchess and Jack sat on the bed looking very serious. The looked up when he came in and their faces drained of colour.

"Is Alice here?" he asked.

"She's in the bathroom," Jack said quickly. "Why don't you come in and sit down… she shouldn't be long." There was something odd about the way he said that and the uneasy feeling got worse.

"What's with all the toys?" he said. "I didn't think the baby was due for another six months."

"Um..." Duchess said.

Suddenly something sprung from a pile of teddies and charged at him.

"Hatty!" the little girl cried attaching herself to his legs. She was about three years old and was dressed in a brand new blue dress. She looked up at him through her long dark hair with familiar blue eyes, a huge grin across her face.

"Well, hello," he smiled. He picked her up and sat the girl on his hip. "Hey, wanna wear my hat?" She nodded excitedly and he took of his hat, flipping it into the air. It landed on her head with a plop; it was far too big for her and fell over her eyes. "Woops, there you are," he said tipping it back. She laughed and he smiled even more.

He would never tell Alice, but he so wanted a kid! From what he'd heard, he was lucky enough that she didn't run for the hill she he proposed. He wasn't going to push it. If Alice was going to have a kid it would be in her own time. Perhaps they should get past the wedding first.

"You're amazing with kids," Duchess commented.

He laughed. "Don't tell Alice." The two of them twitched uncomfortably… what was going on?

"So where are her parents?" he asked, deciding to give it a few more minutes before he went of at them.

"Well, her mother is on the other side of the Looking Glass," Duchess said. "And her father is D – E – A –D," she spelled out 'dead' in a whisper. The little girl cocked her head to the side trying to figure out what it spelt, but she was probably too young to guess. The fact that it was obvious she wasn't meant to know that she'd said made her want to know it more. Her little brow crumpled adorably in concentration, but after a moment she gave up.

"I'm the princess today!" she said excitedly, lifting the hat up a bit so he could see the crown underneath.

"Are you now!" he said looking at her. He turned and looked right into her eyes, those familiar blue eyes at he knew so well. His face dropped and his whole body tensed. "Alice?" he asked hesitantly. She smiled at him.

"Yes Hatty?" he probably would have dropped her then if his body hadn't frozen into place. Slowly he turned and faced the King and Queen. They were looking at him in alarm. "Would someone care to explain why my fiancé is three years old?" he said slowly and quietly.

"I… I found her in the Tea Vault," Duchess stuttered. "She somehow drunk… quite a bit of the experimental 'Innocence'."

"How much?" he demeaned.

"We don't know, the glass was shattered."

"Well how long will it last?" he was trying to keep his voice calm so he didn't frighten Alice, but it was very hard. Duchess just shrugged apologetically. "Come on! We're meant to be getting married in a week!" he cried.

"Hatty?" the small voice distracted him.

"Yeah, Alice?"

"I Love you, Hatty!" she leaned over an planted a kiss on his cheek. He felt a tear well up in his eye.

"I love you too Sweetheart."

He had no idea how he was supposed to change her back. This was not good, this was so not good!