Chapter Fourteen

Dr. Bee was a tall, thin man who wore thick glasses and sported a pencil thin moustache. He gave Alice a thorough examination – under Hatter's watchful eye – and made some notes on a pad that was hooked to his wrist by a thin chain. When he spoke, his voice was very high pitched.

"Yes, yes. Much better. You're greatly improved my dear." Dr. Bee consulted his notes. "Twenty-eight hours to push the Tea from your bloodstream, yes. Much better than expected."

Alice blinked up at him, tired and sore. "I had pain. In my chest."

"Yes, yes. Much more of that and you wouldn't have survived. The dosage was too high, the mixture too dangerous."

Alice closed her eyes, a vision of the Doctors rising up before her. They had very nearly succeeded in killing her. She didn't want to think what that would have done to Hatter.

"How much longer do I have to stay?" Alice asked.

"We'll keep you one more night, yes. And then your young man can take you home."

Home. Not their home in New York, but their home here in Wonderland. Dodo would try something again, and soon. Of this Alice was sure. She wished she could take Hatter away, back to her world, where he would be safe. She sent some silent curses in Jack's direction.

"I would like to have a word with you," Dr. Bee said to Hatter.

"I'm okay," Alice said when Hatter looked over at her, clearly not wanting to leave her alone.

"I'll keep watch," said a voice from the door. It was Sandro, wearing his official robes. "The King sent me to check on Alice."

"Thanks," Hatter said. He pressed a soft kiss to Alice's forehead. "I'll be right back, love."

"It's alright, Hatter." Alice gave him a weary grin.

Hatter and Dr. Bee stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them. Sandro pulled a chair to Alice's bedside and sat down. He seemed a bit uncomfortable, his eyes darting around the room looking at everything but Alice.

"You were there," Alice said. "On the ledge. I remember hearing your voice."

Sandro finally looked at her. "I was part of the search party."

"Tell me. Please. I can't ask Hatter, it's too hard for him."

"Lady Alice, you don't…"

"Sandro. Please." Alice put her hand on his arm. "I want to know what happened."

The Ten of Clubs sighed. He looked down at Alice's hand.

"Hatter went looking for you, at the club. He found your drink out on the porch, your hat on the ledge. He was…frightening. He thought maybe you had drunk too much. We were set to look for you, down below."

Alice bit her lip to stop it from trembling. Hatter thought she'd tumbled off the ledge. They'd have gone looking for her body.

"Dormouse discovered your drink had been tampered with."

"She put something in it," Alice muttered. Sandro nodded.

"Hatter was enraged. We went to the King and he gave us all available Suits and Spades to aid in the search."

"How did you know where to look?" Alice asked. Wonderland City was vast, as she well knew; it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"It was luck alone," Sandro said. "We started from the club and fanned out from there. We questioned everyone we came across. There was an old woman who had heard…screaming. She wasn't certain exactly where the sounds were coming from, but it gave us a better idea of where to look."

Alice could hear the screams in her head. She wondered if Hatter had hurt anyone while he was trying to find her; he rarely lost his temper, but Sandro had said he'd been enraged. She wondered how many things he'd broken with that fist of his.

"They put me out on the ledge," she murmured. "All dosed up. And left me there, to fall."

"I found you there, crawling through the grass." Sandro took Alice's hand in his and squeezed it; she was startled by the comfort in the gesture, but she appreciated it. "Hatter caught you before you fell off the ledge. When you passed out, we brought you here."

"And you don't know who did it."

"Lady Alice, you must tell us. It's too dangerous to keep your silence."

Alice shook her head. "It would be too dangerous for Hatter if he knew. He just got over his own madness, I'm not going to risk losing him again."

"That's foolish thinking, if you'll pardon my saying so. The King has resources and connections." Sandro stood, arms crossed and face looking stern. "We can find the person or persons responsible for what happened to you, and put them away. If you don't tell us, we can't protect either one of you."

"I know." Alice looked away. "Just…let me think about it, okay?"

"Don't think too long, Lady Alice," Sandro warned. "You won't be safe until these individuals are put away."

Alice was torn. If there was a way of telling Sandro and Jack about Dodo without Hatter finding out, maybe she could do that. She hated lying to Hatter, had in fact promised him she never would, but her fear for him was too big. In any case, she still felt too muddled to make a proper decision.

"Thank you, Sandro," she said after a long silence. "Thank you for helping Hatter."

"I'm here to help, Lady Alice. Any time." Sandro gave Alice a little bow, just as Hatter came back in the room.

"Sandro."

"Sir Hatter. I shall take my leave, and report back to the King. You know where to reach me."

The two men nodded at each other, and Sandro swept out. Hatter took the seat next to the bed and took Alice's hand in his. With his other hand he brushed her hair back from her forehead.

"You alright, love?"

"Fine. Just really tired." Alice closed her eyes. "What did Dr. Bee want?"

"Nothing. Just told me to keep an eye on you." Hatter stroked her cheek. "Get some sleep, love. I'll be right here."

Alice knew without being told that Hatter hadn't left her side, or slept, since she'd been brought to the Hospital of Dreams. He'd been through an emotional wringer thanks to Dodo and her own stupidity for trusting Owl. Alice opened her eyes and put her hand on Hatter's arm.

"You need to rest, too. Please."

"I just need some tea, love, and I'll be right as rain." Hatter grinned, but Alice could see the exhaustion, and the emotion, in his eyes.

"Hatter. Sleep."

Hatter stood, and leaned over Alice to press a soft kiss to her lips. "I will. You first."

Alice shifted on the bed and waited for Hatter to lay down next to her. She pressed herself against him, finally relaxing as his arms came around her. Never in her life did she feel more secure than when she was with Hatter. She'd do whatever it took to keep him safe.

"I love you, Hatter."

"I love you too, my Alice," Hatter murmured in her ear. "Go to sleep, love."

Once more Alice closed her eyes, and let Hatter's solid warmth and the steady beat of his heart lull her into a deep sleep.

*o*o*o*

Alice woke up, disoriented and frightened. The room was full of dark shadows, and everything looked distorted. She could feel the madness back in her head, suffocating her. Where was Hatter? Why wasn't he here?

He's left you all alone.

The voice was like a distant echo, but Alice heard it well enough and she felt sorrow washing over her again. And then, even worse than that, were the sounds that were coming out of the darkness. The slithy toves were back, chittering at her from the shadows.

"Hatter!" Alice cried. She had to get out of there. She slid clumsily out of bed, staggering a bit. The toves were coming, and Alice didn't waste any more time. She ran out the door and into the hall; it seemed to stretch out endlessly in either direction, stark white and blinding.

Alice picked a direction and ran, her bare feet slapping on the cold marble floors. She had to find Hatter. Only Hatter could make the toves go away, could make the madness go away.

"Hatter!" Alice screamed. "Where are you?"

She ran and ran, past glowing white balls and glass-fronted rooms filled with Tea addicts. The more she ran, the more her anxiety grew. Had Dodo found him? Is that why Hatter wasn't here?

Captured. Tortured. Killed.

"No!" Alice cried. She clapped her hands to her ears as she ran, trying to block out the voice. It wasn't true. It wasn't true! She ran until she could hardly feel her feet, they were so cold.

And then, like a switch had been thrown in her mind, the madness was gone. Alice collapsed, exhausted and shivering in her thin hospital gown. She had no idea where in the Hospital she was, or what had happened. They'd told her she was cured.

Alice hugged herself. She was so cold.

"Alice! Alice!" Hatter was calling. His voice echoed and carried. Alice didn't have the strength to call back to him, though she was immensely relieved to hear his voice. When the madness was on her, it was all too easy to believe the voices that told her he was gone.

"Alice!" Hatter was getting closer. Alice closed her eyes and huddled against the wall, waiting. She knew Hatter would find her.

A few minutes later Alice jerked awake to find Hatter putting his leather jacket over her shoulders. She pulled it close, thankful for its warmth. Hatter sat beside her and pulled her into his lap.

"You're frozen, love."

"Where were you?" Alice asked, shivering.

"I nipped off for some tea. I was only gone a moment."

"I'm sorry, Hatter. I don't know what happened."

"It's alright, Alice." Hatter kissed the top of her head. "Dr. Bee said this might happen. Flashbacks."

"What?"

"The Tea is out of your system. But what it did in your head, that'll take longer to clear out."

Alice pulled away. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was hoping…I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Alice." Hatter stood up, and pulled Alice up in his arms, carrying her back to her room. Alice put her arms around her neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

"No secrets, Hatter."

"Then stop keeping yours," Hatter shot back.

Alice ignored him. She knew what he wanted, but she couldn't give it to him. Setting him after Dodo would be a disaster, she just knew it. She didn't drag Hatter back to Wonderland just to lose him. Not to Dodo.

"Alice, please. Just tell me."

"You're not leaving me, Hatter," Alice said.

"Whoever it is…Alice, they won't give up. The only way to keep you safe is to find them and stop them."

"No," Alice insisted. "It's too dangerous. I'm not having you get killed on my behalf."

Not again, she thought. She remembered how she felt when Mad March had told her he'd killed Hatter. Now, after having him in her life and loving him so much more than she could ever have thought possible, that feeling would be a thousand times worse. She wouldn't be able to keep living herself. No. It was out of the question. She'd take her chances. As long as Dodo kept her in his sights, Hatter would be safe. Once her head cleared, she's think of something.

"Don't ask it of me, Alice." Hatter's tone had turned dangerous, and Alice could hear the knife's edge to it; she winced. "I'll not have you sacrifice yourself."

"Hatter…"

"No! Alice…" His voice thickened with emotion. "You're everything to me, love. Don't make me…I can't be without you."

"Don't you think I feel the same way? That's why I can't tell you!"

They were at a stalemate, and Alice wished Hatter would just leave things alone. In her mind, she kept seeing Dodo shoot Hatter. Kept seeing the burns that the Doctors have given him. She wasn't putting him through that again. Not if it was in her power to stop it. She'd think of something, she just needed more time.

AN: Alice still has some recovering to do, it seems. I had her talk to Sandro about what happened after she went missing, because I'd been toying with writing a fill-in chapter from Hatter's POV. But I thought that would disrupt the flow of the story, so I did the conversation instead.

The smart thing for Alice to do would be to tell Sandro about Dodo and the Doctors, but she's so scared that she's not thinking properly. Will Hatter find out anyway? I think it's a strong possibility, LOL!

Let me know how I'm doing! Your reviews make my day!