Chapter Six

The alarm went off at ten o'clock, but Alice was already awake. She hadn't been able to get more than three hours of sleep; she was too anxious and her mind was too busy thinking of everything she needed to do. She checked and re-checked the backpack. She changed into a pair of jeans, and layered a long-sleeved shirt over a tank top. After some careful consideration she slipped on her good pair of sneakers, wishing she had hiking shoes instead.

"Come on, Hatter. Let's get you dressed."

He groaned, complaining of pain in his knees. Alice gave him some ibuprofen, which he dry swallowed. Hatter didn't own a single pair of jeans, so Alice had to make do with what he did have. Dark brown trousers, a black t-shirt, and a silk paisley dress shirt in shades of green. He owned only boots, and Alice picked the sturdiest pair he had.

"I can't do it," Hatter moaned. He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his knees.

"I know it hurts, Hatter, but we have to go. Tonight." Alice called for a cab and slung the backpack over her shoulder. She took a quick look around the apartment, feeling like she might never see it again.

Alice helped Hatter limp to the elevator, and they made it out front just as the cab pulled up. She pushed Hatter in, then slid in beside him.

"Central Park," she told the cabbie. "East 74th Street entrance."

"Lady, you don't want to be there at this time of night."

"Just drive," Alice said.

"Suit yourself," the cabbie grumbled.

"Central Park?" Hatter asked. His eyes were shut and he was rubbing his knees again.

"There's an Alice in Wonderland statue there. That's where we're going."

"You never told me. About the statue."

Alice shrugged. "I would have, eventually. It's just, I know you don't like how they make the Mad Hatter look, and the statue is based on the Tenniel illustrations."

"Big head."

"Yeah."

They didn't talk anymore after that, just sat quietly in the back of the cab. When they arrived at Central Park, they had half an hour to find the statue and get ready. Alice ignored the cabbie's continued warnings and gave him an extra large tip.

"Come on, Hatter." Alice looped his arm over her shoulders and bore some of his weight as they made their way through the park. There was some lighting, but more shadows, and Alice listened hard for sounds of anyone following them.

Hatter limped along beside her, occasionally letting out a soft groan, but mostly clenching his jaw tightly to keep himself quiet. When they finally reached the statue, Alice almost wept with joy.

"How much longer?" she asked Hatter, hoping his internal clock was still running properly.

"Fifteen minutes," said a strange voice. Alice shook out from under Hatter's arm and whirled, taking on a defensive stance. Two people stepped out of the shadows, one a petit woman with an elfin face and spiky blue hair, the other a rotund man with sagging jowls.

"What do you want?"

"We just came to see you off, Alice." The woman smiled shyly. "I'm Turtle."

"Dog," said the man by way of greeting.

Alice relaxed. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hardly. But Turtle insisted."

"Alice…" Hatter groaned. Alice turned and saw him swaying on his feet. She immediately propped him back up on her shoulder.

"He looks awful," Turtle whispered, her eyes wide.

"There but for the grace of inoculation go I." Dog crossed his arms, resting them on the swell of his stomach. "I hope the King didn't send anyone else over without it. It's criminal."

"Yeah, well, I'll be taking care of that," Alice said, darkly. Turtle laughed.

"You are definitely the Alice of Legend! It's such an honor to be here, in your presence!"

"Wipe the drool off your chin, Turtle." Dog shook his head at her. "She's a fan of sexy vampires too, just so you know."

"So…what are we supposed to do?" Alice asked. She turned back to look at the statue. Even in the gloom of the night, she could see where the bronze had been rubbed smooth by generations of young children who climbed all over Alice and her giant mushroom.

"At midnight, you must summon your muchness. The rabbit hole will open for you then." Dog said.

"What does that mean, muchness?"

"I'm thinking of things that begin with A," Hatter said. "Alice. Adventure. Alone. Agony. Abomination."

"Hatter!" Alice tightened her grip around his waist, and he stopped talking.

"Wow," Turtle whispered.

"Your muchness, it's what you used to bring down the Casino."

"Dog means it's like your mojo. The stuff that makes you Alice of Legend," Turtle said, trying to clarify.

"Mojo," Dog sniffed derisively. "But first you must read the inscription."

"What inscription?" Alice felt stupid, like she should already know all of this. But she wanted to get it right, and that meant asking questions.

"The inscription round the statue."

Alice looked down, saw words chiseled into the stone at the base of the statue. She couldn't make them all out.

"What…"

And then somewhere a church bell pealed, faintly. Turtle clapped her hands and jumped up and down.

"It's time, Alice! It's time!"

Alice looked again at the words, struggling to see them in the darkness.

"Twas…twas brillig…"

"Twas brillig, and the slithey toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe," Hatter said, startling her; his voice was loud in the still night.

Now all Alice had to do was summon her muchness, whatever that was. She looked up at Hatter, and suddenly she knew. She turned into him, pulled his face down, and kissed him. And for the first time in days he actually kissed her back, his arms closing around her.

"Awww!" Alice heard Turtle say. And then suddenly the ground dropped away under their feet and they were falling down the rabbit hole.

*o*o*o*

Alice screamed. She was falling, too fast, and when she looked down she couldn't see the bottom. Dirt walls rose up on every side, and she half expected to see furniture just kind of floating there like in the movies. But it was all dirt and rocks, and was she even now falling faster?

"Alice!"

She looked up and saw Hatter tumbling wildly above her. He had his hand out and she struggled to reach it. Their fingertips touched, and then Alice bounced off one wall and was sent spinning. She didn't know which way was up or down, and she was getting dizzy and nauseous. Alice closed her eyes, and that's why she didn't see the ground rushing up to meet her until she hit it with full force. Her head snapped back and there was pain. And then, blessedly, darkness.

*o*o*o*

Alice came back to herself in pieces. First was smell, all damp earth and decaying leaves. A musty, cave smell. Next was the feel of her body lying on something hard, though her head was cradled more softly. The blackness came again for a while, and when she woke again she could hear a voice, and feel a hand stroking across her forehead.

"Alice? Please wake up. My sweet Alice."

Hatter. Alice smiled, knowing that everything would be alright. Hatter was here with her.

"That's it, my girl."

Alice felt lips on her forehead. She wanted to wallow in the moment, in the feel and scent of her Hatter. But her mind was clearing, and she started to remember that she had something more important to do. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and found herself looking up into Hatter's worried face.

"Alice."

"How long was I out?" Alice sat up, with Hatter's help, and shut her eyes when everything started to spin. Her head was pounding, and when she reached up to touch the back of it her hair was sticky with blood.

"Too long," Hatter replied.

Alice took a few deep breaths, and cautiously opened her eyes again. Everything had stopped spinning, thankfully. She looked around. They were in some kind of round chamber, the walls all dirt and roots. The rabbit hole loomed above them, a ragged round hole in the ceiling. There was a plain wooden door in one wall.

"You alright then?" Hatter asked. Alice turned back to look at him. His sleeve was torn and there was dirt in his hair, but his eyes were clear.

"I'll live. How about you? Knees still hurt?"

"Not so much as a twinge." Hatter grinned and Alice felt her heart lighten. It was true! Wonderland was already making him better. That horrible trip down the rabbit hole had been completely worthwhile.

"Let's get out of here," Alice suggested. Hatter helped her up, and steadied her when she got a bit wobbly again. She reached for the backpack, but Hatter slung it over his shoulder.

"I can carry it for a while."

Alice didn't argue. Instead, she went to the door and tried the knob. It didn't move. She applied more force, pushed and pulled, but it didn't so much as jiggle in its frame.

"Don't tell me – this is when the drink me bottle appears."

"I've no intention of shrinking myself." Hatter walked up to the door, studied it for a minute, then flexed his right hand. "Stand back."

Alice did as he said, and watched as he let his sledgehammer hand fly. He hit the door even with the knob and the whole thing buckled. The door swung in, hanging drunkenly on its hinges.

"Nice shot!" Alice said. Hatter held his hand out and she grabbed hold of it. Together they stepped through the door and into a forest. Alice looked back, saw that the door they'd just come through was set into a large tree trunk.

"I know this," she murmured.

"What?"

"This door. I've seen it before, in a dream." Alice looked around, breathed in the familiar scents of the forest. A wave of nostalgia hit her so strongly that she couldn't believe she was still on her feet. She looked up at Hatter, unable to stop the grin that spread across her face.

"We're in the Forest of Wabe."

AN: Let me first say that I have never been to the Alice in Wonderland statue, or even to Central Park for that matter. I have no idea what the lighting is like there at night, or how long a walk it is. I just made it all up. The statue is real, though.

I will also admit that when writing dialogue for Dog, I heard Alan Rickman's voice in my head. ::blushes::

Well, Alice and Hatter have made it back to Wonderland. Is Hatter cured? Will Alice beat Jack to a bloody pulp? Stay tuned to find out!