The Hatter paused, time had lost its meaning so it seemed, and his breath on the air was barely noticeable despite it being so cold. Parts of dandelions blew past Alice towards the direction of the Hatter, he saw one so small and insignificant but beautiful, for on the light breeze it could have been a fairy.
"Hatter?" Alice asked softly.
She turned to see the others were watching her and politely shooed them away, she believed matters like this were to be kept in private and with them there she didn't think it would help the delicate situation.
He shut his eyes and let out a peaceful sigh, bringing his hand up just in time to clasp one of the dandelion seeds, he opened his eyes and hand in unison.
"Yes, Alice you didn't forget I see that now," Hatter replied.
"Please come down," Alice pleaded.
"But what if you leave again, what if I cannot ever have you forever." Hatter said.
"Forever is a very long time...things change," she said sadly.
"Exactly but I know my feelings for you never will and if yours do for me then I am forever doomed, a victim of the thing I once swore to never fall victim of." He replied.
The Hatter was afraid...he always had been, it wasn't a fear of falling in love but a fear of losing the one he fell in love with. He felt that if he came back off the edge onto the balcony with Alice, to smell her sweet scent and to nuzzle into her hair, he would eventually be prolonging the inevitable.
"Good bye Alice..." he said as he put one foot forward.
Alice yelped so that it threw the Hatter off guard, he wobbled for a second and Alice had jumped forward so to catch him but he managed to grasp the rail tightly. He looked down onto the valley, nothing but loneliness within there lay. As he stopped, heart beating heavily and pounding against his ribcage he felt something brush up against him. He looked to his side and saw Alice; she looked straight ahead, with head held high and took in a deep breath
Alice didn't say a word she just shut her eyes and breathed in deeply, her mind was full of thoughts and emotions, she knew she didn't have long to make her decision. Eternity seemed like a very long time but on the other hand she didn't feel like she belonged back in England, all her previously un-finished business was now finished.
"I'll ask you once more Alice...stay with me?" Hatter asked.
Alice paused then looked into the Hatter's deep green eyes; she lifted her hand and stroked his chin.
"How could I say no?" she said as she leaned in to kiss him.
Their lips touched softly at first they were careful not to get too involved as they were still perched in a precarious position. As their lips parted the Hatter gave Alice his hand and helped her back over the other side and then joined her smiling happily. As his second boot reached the ground Alice giggled and twirled her hair, she knew then that she'd made the right decision.
"Come on," the Hatter said with a cheeky grin on his face as he grabbed her hand.
"Where are we going!" Alice laughed as they ran off through the doors and up the winding staircase.
It seemed to Alice that it was like a labyrinth running up various stairs and along corridors; she could have sworn some were upside down and that at times they were going round in circus.
"Does nothing make sense in this place," she muttered under her breath.
"Almost there," the Hatter replied.
Suddenly Alice was flung into a dimly lit corridor she leant forward and held her knees tightly as she caught her breath and breathed deeply. As she looked up she could see roses scattered all over the floor and candles on ledges which was where the dim light was coming from. At the end of the corridor was a door shaped like a giant rabbit hole and it was lined with fairy lights and had small insects flittering about around it.
"Wow," Alice said as she stumbled forward.
The Hatter was just enjoying looking at the expression on her face, how happy she suddenly looked, he studied her intently. Alice walked forwards slowly in awe of what the Hatter had done for her.
"What if I'd said no," she said.
"I knew you wouldn't..." he replied.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the corridor, at the end he stopped and waved his hand into the rabbit hole before bowing.
"After you my sweet," he said.
She entered the rabbit hole and immediately appeared in an open-spaced bedroom, the hatter followed shortly after.
"This is where I want you...this is where I'll take you," he said.
She felt strong hands push against her body, his hot lips caressing hers and then his tongue gently and slowly entering her mouth. She let out a small moan and he continued to kiss her getting for passionate. They both wanted it and needed it. He pushed her up against a wall and started to move his hand up her milky thigh, higher and higher...
"Wait..." Alice said.
She looked across the room to the bed; the Hatter picked her up and quickly walked over to the bed and placed her gently in the middle before climbing on top. He started to kiss her neck gently and she ran her hands down his back. It wasn't long before their clothes were in a messy heap on the floor and in the moments that followed Alice knew; yes she KNEW she'd made the right decision to stay.
Outside the room a sign had appeared floating in front of the rabbit hole, it said simply, "Do not disturb".
The End