AN: I'm posting this chapter earlier than I had planned, because I know you all have been anxious about Hatter. This is one of my fave chapters of this story so far – you'll see why – and I hope you all like it too!

Chapter Eight

Charlie's camp hadn't changed at all. His early warning systems were all still in place, and his hammock still swung between two trees. The Red King's skeleton was still in place on the vine-covered throne. By the time Charlie and Alice half-carried Hatter down there, Toby had a campfire roaring away and a pot of water nearly on the boil. Charlie directed Alice to the bed she had slept in when she was here last, and that's where they set Hatter down.

"Quickly, Toby, give me the herbs!"

Charlie measured out some blue powder and added it to the boiling water, along with three pointy green leaves and a drop of clear liquid. While that was cooking up, he gave one of the blankets to Toby with instructions to tear it into strips.

"What are those for?" Alice asked, hovering over Hatter.

"We'll have to secure him to the bed," Charlie explained.

"No. No! We're not tying him down!"

"It's for his own safety, Alice. He needs to purge his system, and it will be unpleasant." Charlie pointed to her face, where Hatter's errant hand had caught her. "Your safety as well."

"I don't like it," Alice said. But she helped Toby tie Hatter's arms and legs down to the bed, and it was a mark of how weak Hatter was that he didn't try to fight them.

"Here we go!" Charlie removed the pot from the fire and poured it through dented metal colander into a wooden cup. He added a dollop of cold water to it and stirred it around with his finger.

"He has to drink all of it," he instructed Alice, handing her the cup.

Taking a deep breath and marshaling her strength, Alice sat next to Hatter on the bed and lifted his head with one hand. "You need to drink this, Hatter."

She held the cup to his lips and poured some of Charlie's concoction down his throat. Hatter choked and thrashed. Alice waited, and then poured more into his mouth.

"This tea is soured," Hatter moaned. "I don't want any more."

"You have to finish it. I'm sorry." Alice blinked back tears and made Hatter drink the rest of what was in the cup. Some of it spilled out the side of his mouth, and she wiped it away with her sleeve.

"What do we do now?" Alice asked, handing the cup back to Charlie.

"We wait."

"I'll sit with him," Alice said. No-one argued with her. "Charlie, can you get word to Jack? I need to see him. Right away."

"Well…he's very busy you know…all that monarchy business."

"Charlie. I need to see him."

The White Knight sighed. "Toby, fetch Gerald. Tell him I have a message for him to deliver to the King."

"Thank you." Alice gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"What should it say?" Charlie asked her.

"Just tell him I'm back, and that it's important that I see him right away. That's all he needs to know."

"Yes. Of course. I shan't be long!" Charlie hurried off to do Alice's bidding.

Alice sat back on the bed, smoothing Hatter's damp hair off his forehead. He was still clearly in pain. She hoped whatever Charlie had boiled up would help him. If this didn't work, or if Jack didn't know what to do for him…well, she didn't want to think about that. Instead, she thought of all the ways she could inflict bodily damage on the King of Hearts.

*o*o*o*

Charlie had been right; Hatter's cure was extremely unpleasant. Hatter wailed, he burned with fever while simultaneously shaking with chills, he talked gibberish and sometimes he screamed decidedly rude things. Alice stayed by his side all day and night, barely tasting the soup that Toby brought her for dinner. She snatched bits of sleep here and there, nothing substantial.

"No! Alice!" Hatter cried. He pulled at the restraints, but they didn't budge. Alice didn't know if he knew where he was or if he was in the throes of a dream, but he sounded completely bereft.

"Please, Alice! Please, please…"

Alice murmured in his ear and wiped his tears away. What was he seeing? Was he reliving the visions he'd had in the Truth Room? Or was he begging her to untie him? Either way, she hurt along with him.

When dawn came, Charlie was sleeping soundly in his hammock, his old rag bear clutched to his chest. Alice's eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep. Hatter had quieted, finally, but now he was so still that Alice was alarmed. He looked like he was barely breathing. She was curled up next to him on the bed, her head resting on his chest to mark every rise and fall.

"Sir Charles!" Toby came running into camp and skidded to a stop next to Charlie's hammock. "Sir Charles!"

Charlie came awake with a snort, and tipped out onto the ground. He came up spluttering. "How many times have I told you not to shout me awake?"

"I'm sorry, Sir. But…well, the King is here!"

That had Alice up and on her feet. "Jack? Where is he?"

"He's inspecting the dormitory, Lady Alice."

"Give me a minute to get cleaned up," Alice said to Charlie. "Toby, you stay with Hatter. If there's any change, come get me immediately."

It took Alice a bit longer to get herself ready, since she was so fatigued. She washed her face and brushed her teeth and made a feeble attempt at combing her hair. She wished Charlie had some coffee. Even a cup of tea would have been welcome, but she'd just have to make do. By the time she was ready to go face Jack, he was already at the camp and talking to a fully-armored Charlie.

"Hello Jack." Alice looked him over. Same old Jack. His blonde hair was a bit longer, but he wore the same red suit jacket and had the same look of cool detachment on his face. It was another moment before Alice realized that he hadn't come alone; Duchess stood nearby, looking fairly demure in a white sleeveless dress with red accents down the front.

"Alice. I was surprised to hear that you were back."

"Yeah, well, I was surprised that I had to come back." Alice looked at his face, wondering how she could ever have felt anything for him.

"How did you get here? The mirror was shut down months ago."

"I came down a rabbit hole. Any idea why I might have had to do that, Jack?"

The King of Wonderland had the decency to look uncomfortable. Duchess looked between them, clearly confused. Alice just stared at Jack, watching him get more and more fidgety.

"You have to understand," he said finally. "I wasn't myself then. I was…angry. And hurt."

"Do you have any idea what we've been through because of you, you arrogant, self-centered ass?"

"I don't understand," Duchess said.

"Hatter has Homesickness," Alice said bitingly, never taking her eyes off Jack. Duchess gasped.

"Jack! You didn't!"

"Please understand; it was just bad timing."

In a flash, Alice had crossed the distance between them and had Jack up against a tree, her arm across his throat. The King's face turned red but he made no move to push her away.

"You have put Hatter through hell," she snarled. "He has been in pain. And all because you were…what? Jealous? Angry? Wanting to get even because I didn't want you?"

Jack flinched at the venom in her tone, and at her choice of words. Alice dropped her arm and backed up a step. Jack coughed and rubbed his throat.

"You know, Jack, you treated Hatter badly from the day you met him. And I let you get away with it. That's on me. But it ends now." Alice held up her left hand and her sapphire ring sparkled. "Hatter and I are getting married. I have never regretted for one minute being with him. He's done nothing but look out for me and love me. He's never once asked for anything from me. Not once!"

Alice's heart was racing. She was so angry with Jack, and all the past wrongs felt fresh in her mind. Back then she'd accused Hatter of using her, but it had been Jack that had ulterior motives all along.

"Alice, I did love you. You have to believe that."

Without thinking about it, without even realizing what she was going to do, Alice pulled her arm back and let her fist fly at Jack's face. It connected with his nose and she heard a satisfying crunch. Jack clapped his hands to his face, but already blood was dripping.

"That's for Hatter," Alice said. "You keep talking, and you'll get one for me too."

Jack stared at her over his hands, incredulous. Duchess had gone as white as her dress. Luckily for Jack, Alice could feel her anger melting away, leaving her trembling.

"Perhaps we should head over to the infirmary," Charlie suggested. He looked over at Alice, frowning, and then led Jack and Duchess out of the Throne Room. Alice watched them leave and ran a hand through her hair.

"That was quite a show."

Alice whirled around. Hatter was sitting up in the bed, his hands and legs freed from the strips of blanket. Toby stood beside him, his mouth hanging open as he stared wide-eyed at Alice.

"Hatter!" Alice ran to the bed and threw herself at him.

"Ow! Easy there!"

Alice shifted, trying not to hurt him. "I'm sorry. Oh, Hatter!" She clung to him, crying, and he rubbed her back.

"It's okay, Alice. Shh. No more crying now. I'm fine."

"I'll just…go." Toby took off at a very fast walk, leaving the same direction Charlie had.

"I punched Jack," Alice said. "I punched the King of Wonderland."

"A good shot, too." Hatter grinned. He took Alice's face in his hands and moved in to kiss her. And then he froze.

"It's nothing," Alice said, knowing that he'd seen the bruise on her cheek. "Hatter, it's really nothing."

"I did that. Didn't I."

"No you didn't. You probably don't remember, but we fell out of a tree." Alice and Hatter had promised each other no lies, but in this instance she didn't hesitate to tell one. It's not like he'd hit her on purpose, and she could see no reason to cause him any more pain.

"A tree?" Hatter sounded skeptical, but Alice could see in his eyes that he desperately wanted to believe her.

"Yes. We got caught in one of Charlie's traps, a big net. Toby cut us down, but we fell pretty far. I've probably got more bruises on my arms and legs. You too." That, at least, was probably true.

"Are you sure? If you're trying to spare my feelings…"

Alice put her finger to his lips. "Don't you trust me?" she asked him softly.

A slow smile spread across Hatter's face, bringing out his dimple. He kissed her then, a soft, sweet, wonderful kiss. And Alice silently thanked Charlie and the powers that be for bringing her Hatter back to her. When they broke the kiss, Alice was unable to stifle her yawn.

"You look awful," Hatter remarked.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Have a lie down with me?" Hatter asked. Alice sighed happily.

"Best offer I've had in days." She curled up next to him, her arm draped over his waist and her head pillowed on his shoulder.

"My Alice. I do so love you."

"I love you, too, Hatter," Alice murmured, already half asleep.

AN: Okay, so I had way too much fun inflicting pain and hurtful words on Jack, who has reformed a bit from the opening scene. But really, he was overdue for a butt kicking, in my opinion. And with all my faithful reviewers clamoring for justice, what else could I do? ::grins::

So Hatter is cured, and they can go back home. Or can they? Dun da dun dun!