I wake to Hatters voice "Jackie, come on love, we're here" I wake with a small smile as he helps me down and pulls away some bushes to reveal a old ruined kingdom. We walk as Charlie tells us what happened here and how the Hearts destroyed everything.

We walk into Charlie's camp and sit as he peepers dinner, Alice placing logs on the fire. Hatter comes over to me as I try to concentrate and says "what you doin?" I look to him and say "am tryin to get a something to grow, like I did with the Jabberwock" he nods his head and says "good, its good that your practising. God…look at this place" I stair with him as we look at the ruins as the sun begins to set and say "I know, it's beautiful and tragic all at once." he smiles to me and says "try to focus your emotions, Chester once told me that his heart was his key" I nod in understanding and ask "who are you Hatter? I mean you know all this stuff about me, and I only know your name"

he smiles to me and says "am no one, jus a kid no one wanted. Never had any parents, just my auntie Flora and her husband, mum left when I was born, didn't even care enough to name me. Flora was good to me, did her best, she was a strong headed women. Alice reminds me of her, she joined the resistant's when I was twelve, fightin the good fight, but she was found out when I was bout sixteen, hear and March Hear, her husband. So I joined up to, for her, but I was just a kid. They tortured and murdered her right in front of March, he went completely insane, homicidal, but she never broke, never told them anything. He changed his name to Mad March, an started workin for the queen as a hit man, that was till he pissed her off and she had him killed, but I think…I think that she brought him back. That weirdo, with the rabbit head, I think that's him. I wonder sometimes, what she'd think of me, Flora, how I turned out?" I look at him with sorrow filled tears and take his hand, "from the women she sounds like, am pretty sure she'd be proud. After all not everyone helps, takes a bullet, and gives up their livelihood, home and safety for two lost girls" he smiles at me weakly, teary eyed, squeezing my hand lightly. Then we look down to see a vibrant, glistering rose rise slowly from the Earth.

Later on after dinner, Alice and Hatters fight, when she and Charlie sleep. I sit with Hatter, not really talking, I'm gutted that he isn't coming back with us, but I get it. He leans against the wall and I curl myself between his legs resting on his chest, I take his hat from his head and examine it while he stairs at what I'm doing. I notice that the tan top hat has a small tare on the golden fabric inside and offer to fix it for him sometime, he smiles as I place it on his knee and we drift off quickly.

I wake to the sound of footsteps and see Alice as she walks to the throne and places the ring on the skeletons finger, then hangs up the jacket Hatter gave her and leaves. I stand quickly but quietly, as not to wake anyone else, I walk over to the red king and think of a better place to hide it. I remove the ring and walk over to Hatter, taking his hat and tucking the ring into the small tare I found earlier, then place it back on his knee.

I jog over to Charlie's home made table and grab a piece of paper and the old led pencil and write

'Hatter & Charlie

Alice ran, I'm going after her, she's my friend, I cant leave her to do this on her own. You know where we'll be.

Love Jackie

Oxox '

I take the note and place it on Alice's pillow, take one last look at my friends and run to catch up with Alice. By the time I find her it's morning and she's asleep against a tree. I nudge her and say "Al, Alice, come on wake up" she wake s with a jolt and asks "Jackie? What are you doing here?" I give her a knowing look, she just nods and stands, as we walk she explains the plan to me, I didn't bother to say I'd moved the ring.

Within the hour Mad March has us, and before we know it we're standing in front of the queen, who recites Alice's plan to us. When we discover the identity of Jack Chase, sorry Heart, I yell "what? Your fuckin kiddin! We came out here to save a poncy prince who didn't even need saving?" I look into Alice's heartbroken face as Jack basically calls her a bit of fun, and take a angered step with a raised fist "you fuckin twat" but before I can continue my assault Alice pulls out her arm to stop me. I look at her as she says, glaring at him "he isn't worth it" I lower my fist as Jack backs her up and slips her something. the queen orders Alice to the truth room and myself to another one.

As I enter I see a bald man smiling at me then suddenly I'm outside my old house, and he says "go in" I shake my head and say "I don't want to" but he pushes me through the front door. It's dark, I don't like the dark, I hear a voice shout "JJ, is that you?" on hearing my brothers old nickname for me I run to the voice coming from my room, but as I enter he isn't there. I take a step inside and ask "Michel?" the door is slammed shut behind me and I turn to see a tall, bearded, brunette man holding a bottle of whisky, and shake with fear as I say "daddy?" he just stares at me with hatred.