I had this chapter all typed up and...THEN my laptop battery died on me while I was out (I thought it was plugged up to the charger.) and I had not saved it. So I lost the chapter completly and had to write it again from memory which always messes me up. So it took me a while to come up with the inspiration to write it again. That's why it took some time for me to complete this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Alice and Tarrant where still chatting on the balcony while everyone left the party. Tarrant noticed that there were no sounds coming from the Ballroom. He looked over the balcony and saw all the guests leaving.

"Oh my, leave it to a Mad Hatter to lose track of time!" He said and pulled out his pocket watch and looked sadly at the time.

"And a woman madly in love, to lose track of it as well." Alice said to him.

A smile spread across Tarrant's face, ripe and full. He still gushed with pride every time Alice said she loved him.

"Silly Alice, agreeing to marry someone as mad as me. You haven't even asked about your ring." Tarrant was so excited when Alice accepted his proposal that he had forgotten all about the ring, but he had just realized that Alice's hand was missing something important.

"I'm not worried about the ring Tarrant. I would marry you even if you never gave me a ring or any possessions at all." Alice said, and meant every word of it. She wasn't concerned about material things. All she wanted was Tarrant. "But I do have one." Tarrant said, and reached into his front suit pocket. He grabbed Alice's hand and slid it onto her finger.

Alice couldn't believe how stunning it was. It had a silver band with filigree, and the biggest diamond Alice had ever seen. "Tarrant, it's beautiful! Where did you find a Diamond in Underland?"

Tarrant looked at Alice curiously. "I don't know this, diamond thing you speak of, but the stone in the middle is a glimmer stone. The best in all of Underland. Nothing less for my Alice. I struck a deal with Mirana's jewel maker, and he made me this." Alice held her hand up starring at her ring. The reds and blues glittering inside the ring had her hypnotized. Tarrant knew as curious as Alice was she would have been prying about the deal between the jewel maker and himself if she wasn't so captivated by her ring. Tarrant was so pleased that she liked it, but there was one thought inside his head that he couldn't quite.

Alice jerked her head up and looked at Tarrant's distressed face. His eyes were gray, and the corners of his mouth slumped down in a frown. She was not entranced by her ring enough to not notice her dear Tarrant in distress.

"Tarrant what's the matter?"

"Alice. I can't help thinking that I am hurting you."

"Why on earth would you think that?" Alice said strongly. She was so upset that he could even think for a second that he was hurting her in any way.

"I have seen where you come from Alice. You had a big house and attendants to cater every need, like a Queen. I feel that if you were to stay in Aboveground, you could meet someone who has many riches, and could take care of you better than me. You could have a life more, full. I have no riches, my house is small, I have no family, I have n,"

"Tarrant stop it!" Alice demanded.

"Sorry." Tarrant croaked.

"I can't stand to hear you speak like that! Yes, it's true that I had a big house and riches, but it didn't matter to me. Those things don't make me happy Tarrant, you do. Just you speaking of your little house, I picture myself living there with you as your wife and it makes me so unbelievably happy. Words can't describe what I feel. Do you understand?"

Alice looked at him assuredly. Tarrant's eyes returned to their brilliant orange. "I suppose I do understand what you're saying, but I will never understand how someone as wonderful as you Alice, could love someone like me."

"Well, after we are married I can show you, in ways that can't be shown now, just how much I care about you. Maybe then you'll understand." Alice raised her brow and the corner of her lip at him invitingly.

Tarrant blushed at her come-hither words. "Alice don't speak that way now, naughty" He had never heard Alice speak in such a way. It was making him think of doing things with her, he had never even thought of. He started fidgeting nervously. Alice giggled at the look on his face.

"Oh Hatter, " Alice immediately covered her mouth. She thought that maybe Tarrant would be offended by calling him Hatter now.

"I'm so sorry Tarrant, it's just a habit."

"Don't you worry your precious head." He approached her slowly and ran his fingers through her hair. Gently placing his hand on her cheek he said to her, "Anything that comes from this mouth, is absolutely perfect to me." and kissed her lips softly. Alice closed her eyes and felt chills run down, from her head to her toes. Tarrant really did know how to make her melt.

"Now it's time for me to go home." The way he spoke sounded different that usual. There was no lisp, or brogue, or silly sounds to it. He sounded completely precise and comfortable. "I'll arrange for tea and strudels in the garden tomorrow morning if you wish Love."

"Of course. At 8:30...We have lots to plan."

"I'll be waiting. I love you." He kissed her once more, this time longer and stronger leaving Alice's knees weak.

She watched him walk into the darkness from the balcony. Her heart resounded a million times over and over 'I love him, I love him, I love him,'. Alice has always found the normal dreadfully boring. Her Hatter was more than out of the ordinary, he was mad and extraordinary to her. Don't forget strikingly handsome.

"So," a voice said behind Alice giving her a scare. She gasped and quickly tuned around to see it was just Mirana. Her footsteps were too light Alice didn't hear her approaching.

"Oh my Alice. It's just me. Sorry to have frightened you."

"It's alright Mirana, no harm done. How was your evening?"

"It was lovely. All thanks to you Alice. I can never thank you enough for what you have done for Underland." The Queen put up her arms awkwardly and put them around Alice. It seemed to Alice that the Queen was attempting to hug her. It was ultimately the worst hug she had even been given, but she knew that the Queen was just doing her best to try to thank Alice in a way she would appreciate. "Thank you Mirana." The Queen still had her arms around her. "Ok you can let go now." Alice said to her.

"Sorry, that was my first time." Mirana said looking down, embarrassed.

"It was lovely, don't worry about it." Alice smiled.

Mirana wondered around the balcony. "So Alice, how was your evening?"

This was Mirana's way of prying. She was into gossip and wanted to know everything that went on in her kingdom. She had to do something with her time after all. She suspected that Hatter had proposed to Alice, so she wanted to know for sure before she spread it around to her attendants.

"It was magnificent. I was asked a question that will change my life forever."

"So he proposed?" Asked the Queen.

"Yes, look!" Alice held up her hand for her to see her ring.

"Oh what a beautiful Glimmer stone. I hoped that he would make a deal with my jewel maker. Good man you have Alice. Treat him well." Mirana was playing her role as protective big sister.

"I am confident that we will make each other happy forever." Alice said proud and confidently.

"To you it might seem like forever you know. Time goes by faster here than Aboveground, but we don't age as quickly you see. That's another advantage to staying here." Mirana tried to sweeten the idea of staying there with Tarrant. She didn't want Alice changing her mind and running out on him. Mirana would be tempted to break one of her vows and be very violent against Alice if she broke Hatter's heart.

Alice recalled the first time she had come to Wonderland. Tarrant looked as if he only aged a year or two, and she had aged 13 years.

"Your right! Isn't that funny. Underland never ceases to amaze me. I can't wait to learn more. Tomorrow, Tarrant is setting up a tea party in the garden. We are going to discuss wedding details. It should be very exciting. Planning a wedding in wonderland." Alice took a deep breath. All her dreams were coming true. There was something that was weighing on her mind though. The fact that her Mother would be no part of her wedding, and that she would never be a part of anything in her life anymore.

"What's the matter Alice?"

"Well, I'm a little sad about something. If that's even possible right now."

"You can tell me. I'd like to think that we are very good friends. You can confide in me."

Alice looked up at her, and saw in her eyes that she meant what she said.

"My Mother will not be a party of anything in my life anymore. Tarrant promised that we would visit her, but with the way time goes by here my Mother might not even be around to see me have my first child."

The Queen took a big gulp after Alice said 'First child.'. Having a baby was something she had never even pictured Hatter doing.

"Have you spoken to Hatter about having children?"

Alice looked at Mirana strangely, she thought her comment was very much off topic. "I have not. But, I know my Tarrant will be the best Father. He is caring and kind. A true protector. His silly antics will make for good humor to a child too. That's besides the point though. The point of the matter is that my mother will probably never know my children. She will not see me get married, and she will die...Very, very soon."

Mirana starred off into the distance in deep thought. Then a thought came to her mind which she pushed to her lips. "Your Mother loves you I'm sure. So she surely wants you to be happy. If she knew that you were happy here she wouldn't want you to leave would she?"

Alice honestly didn't know if that were true or not. Her Mother always wanted her to be proper and not be a silly girl, even if that meant she would be unhappy. Alice realized that's not love at all.

"My Mother loves rules and prestige. Underland would probably give her a heart attack. It's too unpredictable for her. I do think though, that my Father would want me to stay here. He would want me to do what made me happy. Being true to myself would please him so much. When and if me and Tarrant have children, I know that whatever path they choose in life that makes them happy, I would support them. That's real love." Alice realized for the first time at that moment, that maybe it was time for her to let her Mother go. Her Mother wanted her to go down a path she didn't want to lead so she would never live up to her expectations.

"Thanks Mirana. You helped me a lot." Alice said and hugged Mirana tightly.

The Queen didn't know what she did, but she was glad that her being there was enough to help Alice.

"Anytime Alice. I also wanted to tell you that you are welcome to have your wedding here at Marmoreal. I could make it a royal occasion for you. If not, I won't push it, but I would enjoy to hear wedding bells around here again."

If Alice and Tarrant chose to wed at Marmoreal, it would be the first wedding at Marmoreal since her last reign.

"I will talk to Tarrant tomorrow, but I'm sure he will agree to that idea and so would I. I will make sure and let you know. Thank you." Alice's dimples on her cheeks were more visible now than ever with a sweet smile on her face.

Next up,

Is Alice right? Will Tarrant agree to a royal wedding at Marmoreal? & Alice takes a trip with Tarrant to visit ol' Mommy Dearest. How in the world will Alice explain herself to her Mother?