Cooks hurrying about carrying trays of food and servants ducking underneath flying pepper dominated the kitchens. Alice stared after she finished sneezing from the primary pepper assault, eyes watering in the sweltering heat emanating from the open furnaces where chefs cooked whole boars and pigs.

Hatter grabbed her shoulder and steered her forward, grimly determined to get through this without getting burned, cut, or spilt on, as it always seemed to happen. "Bread's fine, right?"

Nodding, Alice walked along with Hatter till he halted her in front of a lady kneading on some dough in front of a kiln.

Hatter coughed, catching the woman's attention, who stared up at him with large frightened gray eyes, "Um. Do you have any bread, miss?"

The lady's eyes traveled down to Alice, who shyly waved, then gazed back up to Hatter. Swallowing, she nodded and turned to the kiln, "Yes, sir…" She opened the kiln's door and peered inside. Grabbing a paddled stick, she stuck it in and withdrew a golden loaf of warm bread. Quickly, she took it from the tip of the oar and held it out to Hatter, face pale, "Here, sir."

Hatter took the bread and grabbed Alice as soon as he had handed it to her, intent on leaving this tempting place of food. As he took a step forward, a porter boy carrying a bowl of soup bumped into him with a yelp, and the broth slammed up and over Hatter with a splash.

Hatter froze, dripping soup and shocked.

Ah… not again!

Wiping the liquid from his forehead, he glared at the shuddering porter, baring his teeth, "You wretch!"

The kitchen descended to silence as all the cooks and servants turned to watch the spectacle with grim eyes.

The porter bowed his head in horrified fear, "I-I-I'm sorry, sir! It was an accident, I swear!"

Stepping forward, Hatter lifted the boy's chin with a sneer crossing his lips. His tongue snaked out as he gazed into the boy's trembling eyes, "I just had this suit cleaned of blood." His eye twitched, "But I won't mind adding a bit more…"

"I'm sorry, sir!" The boy fell to his knees as his nerves failed him, "Please! Don't eat me!"

Alice grabbed Hatter's back with one small white hand, "Hatter! Stop it! He said he was sorry!"

Snarling, Hatter stiffened and blinked furiously. He took one last glare and spat down on him before gripping Alice's hand and pulling her past the porter and the mess of soup on the ground.

As soon as they left the kitchens, Hatter dropped Alice's hand and pinched at his soaking wet clothes, sighing, "Darn it… I really did just have this cleaned…"

Alice crossed her arms, "That was bad, Hatter."

Glancing at her, Hatter cocked his head, "What?"

"Threatening to eat the guy in there! It' just a bit of soup!"

Hatter sniffed at his collar and grimaced, "Exactly."

"You don't eat people for spilling stuff on you!"

"Bit late on that note."

Alice stared at him, eyes widening, "You've done it before?"

Strolling down the hall with Alice trailing him, Hatter shrugged, "Every time. Every time, something has to be spilled on me. Last time, some girl dumped pasta all over me. Took her with me and ate her. Before that, a stupid little boy threw wine all over me. Had myself a little meal right then and there. Of course, the cooks didn't like it. Said I got blood everywhere."

Alice stared at Hatter's back, stunned, then hurried to his side to glare up into his face, "You can't do that!"

Growling, Hatter shook his sopping black hair and pulled a small piece of chicken from his bangs. He flicked it off his finger as he replied, "And there you go again with the "you can't"s."

"But-"

Hatter stopped and turned to Alice, eyes glinting with a somewhat savage but gentle light, "Look, Alice. This is what I am. I eat people. Same as March, except he eats animals. So, stop saying what I can't do and what I can. It annoys me."

Alice gazed at his eyes for a minute before turning away with a sigh, "Okay… but try not to kill people…"

Nodding with no definite agreement, Hatter started walking again, "Are you going to eat your bread?"

Alice smiled and, tearing a small piece from the still-warm loaf, popped it into her mouth, "Uh huh."

Smiling, Hatter felt his own stomach clench in hunger, but ignored it. He could go back after and get at the cook-boy…

He could do that…

Alice sat on her bed, swinging her legs against the mattress as she ate the last of the bread.

Hatter had brought her back from the kitchens, telling her that 'there was somewhere he needed to be.'

Besides her on the covers, the rook ran about, waving his sword in mock battle. Alice grinned and glanced at the chessman, "You feeling better?"

Whooping, the rook brandished his needle with escalating bravado, "Take me back to the board and I'll whip the white regulars to shape!"

"Okay." Alice cupped her hands around the rook and, exiting the room, strolled over to the chess board, where the chess pieces were having a cease-battle. Setting the rook down, she watched him as he hurried over to his king and saluted before running gaily among the ranks, recounting his adventure.

Alice turned and gazed at the empty desk and chair that Jabberwocky was absent from. Curious, she walked to the table and sat with an oomph on the cushioned chair, running her hands over the papers still on the desk, scribbled over in bold cursive. She wriggled herself deeper into the cushioned comfort of the chair and sat quietly, eyes flickering open and shut in a sudden bout of sleepiness. Yawning, she nestled her head against the slight curve on the back and closed her eyes.

In minutes, she was asleep.

Alice walked along a gated garden path, listening to the birds sing with gilded notes. In the distance, she saw a purple mountain covered in flowers, and, to her right, her mother sat with a small Alice. Alice could recognize her younger self anywhere and watched as her mom unfolded a story.

She gazed at them with a smile as the younger Alice scampered up and around in time with the story, converting from a happy heroine to a dastardly villain to the lonely steed in seconds.

Alice's grin grew bigger as the story ended and stepped forward, reaching out with her hand…

Next second, her dream exploded into pieces.

All of the scenery began wrenching away, disappearing in grotesque forms. Alice screamed in pain as her own body was whipped away to some painful end.

Her head! Her head! An invisible nail was driving through her brain, tearing out parts and ripping them to shreds!

Eyes flickering open with tears streaming down, Alice lurched forward, feeling the hands around her throat unlatch, and the Jabberwock gave a coarse growl, " Alice!"

Alice wheeled around, tears staining her cheek as she stared at Jabberwock, "W-w-what did you…?" Her legs failed her, and she slipped to ground with a sob.

Jabberwock stood behind the chair, arms leaning on the back as he gazed at her calmly, "That was some of the best imagination I've had for a while."

"You-you-you ate my imagination?" Alice sobbed, "How could you?"

"You were just there. Dreaming. Purest imagination there can be, don't you think?"
Lurching up, Alice stuttered, "S-s-stay away from my dreams!"

Jabberwock bounded down the steps and gripped Alice's arm while smiling pointedly, "Then give me more! More imagination!"

Alice ripped herself from his grasp and turned, only to be grabbed violently from behind. As she struggled weakly and helplessly, Jabberwock put his mouth against her neck and kissed her gently as his hands slid up and down her body, "Imagine. For me."

Alice knew that he was just playing romantic with her to try and start her imagination up again. She tried to push him away, but he refused to be escaped. Grasping her firmly, he licked her neck, sliding his tongue up to her ear with a chuckle as she shuddered, "No imagination? Please, Alice?"

A lone image wandered into her mind without a thought. Her mom reading to the smaller Alice, gesturing gently with her hands to show the story.

Jabberwock pounced upon it, ripping the imagination right out her mind and into himself with a growl of satisfaction.

Alice screamed as the pain replaced the empty space and burst away from Jabberwocky, who stood with a smirk on his face, licking his lips in excitement, "What a delicious thought, Alice! More? More?" His face was anxious, like a boy waiting for candy that he loved.

Alice crawled away, shuddering violently. So this is why March had said no imagining!

Oh, the pain! The pulsing pain in her head!

She felt Jabberwock kneel next to her and glared up at him with red eyes, "No!"

Jabberwock's smile faded to a scowl, and he pulled her up roughly and tugged her over to her room. Leading her stumbling in, he placed her firmly on the bed and backed away, smiling, "Watch your dreams then, Alice!" He turned and hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.

Alice raspy breath came extra loud in the darkness as she tried to force down the pain. The pain relented to give way to tiredness, and a black, dreamless sleep took hold of Alice, forcing her into a realm of safety of imagination-eaters.