Disclaimer: I do not own the original 'Alice in Wonderland.'

Now, on with the story!

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The long, rectangular table was set. The mismatching chairs and their cushions were plumped. The silverware and the pottery had been shined to an immaculate finish. And most importantly, the tea was hot and ready. To complete the picture; Alice sat at the head of the table, seated on the large, red wingback. It seemed finished with Alice there, seated just as she was all those years ago; it was like the missing piece of the puzzle had returned, finally.

The Hare grinned at her briefly from across the table. "Let the tea party begin!" The Hare cried out in excitement. Both the Hatter and the Hare threw up their hands in delight. The two wasted no time.

"You said something strange before, in the hay fields," began Alice, recalling while she sipped tea, also not wasting any time.

"That doesn't sound out of character, dear. I am mad, you'll recall. We all are." The Hare nodded once in the Hatter's general direction.

"Not strange in that way, you said something interesting."

"Strange things can often be interesting." The Hare looked confused.

"I suppose so, yes," replied Alice hastily, clearing it up, "but you mentioned the Queen? Please, I'm curious." Alice waited impatiently as the Hare poured himself another cup.

"I'm not surprised," the Hatter cut in unexpectedly, almost bitter in his tone.

Alice was taken aback, more from the harsh glare that accompanied the sentence than the actual comment. When it came to the new Hatter, Alice was completely mystified as to what his problem was, except for him being mad, of course.

The Hare, however, did not seem to hear his friend, but concentrated deeply on his tea, or assembling his reply, or even both. At any rate, he ignored them both.

"The Queen," the Hare began thoughtfully after a long, awkward silence, "yes – the Queen. I do remember now. Can you tell me if you remember anything before we, err, found you?"

Alice thought for a moment. There was a woman. An old woman. Alice began to recall her odd encounter. "There was an older lady there, with me. Although she had not been with me – she just appeared out of thin air. She had cats, and looked very poor..."

Alice shuddered as she thought of the woman's sinister smile. "She acted...off. She seemed kind enough at first, but then..."

Alice shuddered involuntarily again.

She doubted her account made any sense. Did anything in Wonderland?

But the Hare was nodding, his ears bouncing up and down. "Cats, you say?"

Alice frowned. Perhaps she was asking the wrong people. She was trying to find the answers to a vicious encounter, and here a mad bunny was concerned about cats.

"Yes," Alice said slowly, wishing she hadn't brought it up now at all, "there were cats – three – but I'm failing to see the significance." Was it too late to make up an excuse and leave?

"There are only three types of cat in Wonderland," the Hare began, looking tired and strained. It didn't suit him, this mood; it made him look so old, "there is, of course, the Cheshire cat – who I doubt would have such poor taste to go running around with a little old lady – let alone have the capacity to duplicate, no, triplicate, himself three times over."

Alice nodded, not quite understanding where this was going.

"There are the average house cats. Average, I suppose in the way meaning they are common. The horrid thing is they fly overhead constantly and steal my cream puffs; small, ghastly things that unfortunately ate the dormouse last week."

"My sympathies," Alice murmured, not sure what else to say, or do. Well, she had one idea in mind – to get up and leave for a more helpful informer. Good manners made her stay.

"And then," the Hare stopped, choosing his next words carefully. He lowered his voice, "there are the Queen's cats. Horrible looking creatures that have the ability to transform into any of the other two cats they choose. They are hunters, and obey no one but the Queen."

Alice froze, her heart beat quickening. "I-I saw one, one of those cats. It was horrible."

The Hare nodded, while the Hatter continued to stay silent in the background. "Well, let's not jump to conclusions. They could have truly been house cats. There is no real way to be sure."

"No-no, that's not what I meant," Alice stammered, shaking her head furiously, "I saw one, the beast-looking thing; just as I got here it was the first thing I saw. It had a mask on. It looked ghastly, but it acted, well, normal enough for Wonderland."

This time the Hare and the Hatter both looked up from their tea, startled.

"You saw it like that?" The Hare asked incredulously.

Alice didn't say anything, only nodded.

The Hare now sounded bleak, "the Queen must have some business with you, Alice. I'd be careful if I were you."

"If it is the Queen who wants me, why have a poor, old woman out for me? And none of this explains how I was, well, knocked out, I guess you could say."

"My dear, the Queen no longer controls her kingdom by be-heading her adversaries," the Hare looked about him warily, as if watching for spies, "she has developed the Plague."

"The Plague?" Alice too, felt wary. The Wonderland she once knew, it seems, had grown far more sinister.

"The most efficient way to control one's people is through the spreading of disease. It promotes fear, her majesty's power, and death when necessary. I believe you were exposed to it by this woman in a lesser degree."

"But why?"

The Hare said nothing, only looked away.

"I'm afraid you will have to figure that out for yourself," the unfamiliar voice of the Hatter came ringing over the table, sending chills down Alice's spine. It was clearly a hint to go.

Alice nodded slightly, rising from the table. "I guess that means – uh, I'll leave you now. Please excuse me." Alice left with a dazed look on her face.

"Be careful," the Hare called out after her. He had no idea whether she had heard or not; she was already out the gate.

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The Hare turned to give the Hatter a hard stare, knowing Alice was now gone.

"And what is your problem?"

The hatter's head snapped up defensively. He had been concentrating on his tea, which was now spilt over his waistcoat in shock. "What do you mean, what's my problem?"

"Don't answer my question with one of your own. It confuses me."

The Hatter saw an opportunity to avoid the whole discussion, but thought it better to be truthful with his old friend.

"Are you sure it's Alice?" He asked all of a sudden.

"How can it not be?" The Hare was genuinely surprised.

"Let me remind you that Alice happens to be this tall," at this point the Hatter held his hand up to his waist to illustrate, "and happened to have the voice of a child."

The Hare sighed, already guessing where this was going. "She was a child. She was a child then. She has grown."

"Then what has happened to me?"

The Hare shrugged nonchalantly. "How should I know? You're a mystery of modern-day science. Quite the Benjamin Button."

The Hatter glared, not appreciating his humor in the slightest. "Perhaps I am wrong."

The Hare nodded, not surprised.

"It's unlikely though," the Hatter continued.

His best friend sighed. "The real issue is, though, is what to do with Alice."

The Hatter pointed to the gate, "she's gone. Not our problem anymore. We can't afford to get mixed up in this. Think of what will happen to us."

"But it's wrong."

The Hatter shook his head. "If she truly is Alice, she can take care of herself. Besides, what help would we be to her? Have you forgotten the last time we tried to face down the Queen's army?"

The Hare considered this, his courage depleted a little. "Perhaps you are right, to some degree. We will wait till she needs our help. Then we shall decide what to do."

The Hatter snorted, but agreed.

"No good will come of this, you know," the Hatter prophesied dramatically.

The Hare nodded, casting his eyes toward the empty chair where Alice had sat with a resigned sigh. "Yeah, I know."