A/N: Best chapter yet. Plz Review if you can!! Enjoy!
"What were you doing last night?" Hatter asked her the next morning. She was in a dreamy state all day, and Hatter was a little baffled. He could never explain girls.
"A walk, to put it simply," Alice said, and that was the answer he got, no matter how many times he asked her that day. Even when he walked with her to the house. Until Hatter suggested he go inside.
"Are you sure?" she asked. He nodded. "I'm sure." She knocked on the door, and Maggie answered, a cigarette in hand. She said nothing and Alice ushered Hatter inside. Hatter looked around the room with disgust. The smell was even more horrid inside than it was outside. He tried looking past the kitchen, but the smell was too strong.
"Whoa," he said, completely overwhelmed. "You live like this?" Alice didn't answer him and instead led him to her room. She shut the door, turning on a dim lighting she had. He looked around, shocked at the cans and then to Alice.
"They're not mine, I swear," she said. "Watch." She grabbed the cans and threw them out the door, hitting a drunk Steph.
"Keep your shit out of my room!" she yelled.
"Whatev," Steph said, speech slurred. She closed the door again, Hatter was in a speechless mood. He could only look around at the room he was in.
"These aren't mine either. They're really Crista and Steph's, but this is technically the guest room, so I'm just using it."
"Does anything in this room define you?" Hatter asked finally, cracking the window. "I mean, if it does, I completely apolo-"
"Just one thing," she interrupted. She went into the drawer, pulling out a stuffed animal. It was a rabbit, a white rabbit, Hatter noticed. It was almost brand new.
"It's my one and only stuffed animal. My father apparently gave it to me when I was younger. I never knew him though, died when I was little," she explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, looking at the rabbit. "That's the only thing in here that is really yours besides schoolwork?" She nodded. He had to lean into the window to get fresh air. "This is crazy."
"What?" she asked.
"Come on, I have an idea," he climbed out the window, holding a hand out to her.
"What?!" she said, realizing what he was implying. "You're insane!"
"That's not the first time that topic has been brought up," he said with a smile on his face, showing his gap. Her head jerked up at Hatter's words.
"Huh?" she was confused.
"Alice," he whispered, and she could hear the care curiousness in his voice and the noise was no longer around. They must have moved around the house or outside. "Take my hand. You'll be fine. Trust me." She didn't know what to do, honestly. His pale face and his emerald eyes staring into her. She felt as if he knew her completely, even though they'd only known each other for a few weeks. She took his hand, and used him as balance as she made her way onto the roof. They stood on the roof until Hatter sat down, tugging on Alice to do the same. She put her hands on Hatter's shoulders to keep balance again. She sat next to him, and they heard loud laughs and then a bright light lit up their backs. Alice looked behind her, telling Hatter that her "friends" lit a fire in the burn pit and that it might be hazardous. She almost got up, but Hatter grabbed her arm, gently though.
"You can, but I'd like it much better if you stayed here with me," he said. He said that with such mystery and comfort that Alice sat back down, looking him straight in the eye.
"Sure, I can stay. Hatter, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Why, nothing is wrong, Alice," he said.
"Liar," she said plainly. She could read him like a book now.
"Not lying, just refusing to tell you," he said simply. Truthfully, he wanted to just be around her. She was so nice and proper, despite her awful surroundings. She was his only friend. He was quite crazy, and Alice had just realized that a matter of minutes ago. He was protective of her, whether he wanted to recognize it or not. He liked how she could be so nice to anyone, she wasn't judgmental towards anybody. he liked looking into her bright blue eyes, though the dark hair didn't suit her at all. Her light skin glistened under the stars as they watched the twilight from the roof. Alice returned his gaze and the two were in silence. Alice couldn't find it in herself to look away from him. He dressed so oddly, it was intriguing to her. His unique hat rested atop his head, and his smile was irresistible, at least, that's what she thought. Hatter cleared his throat.
"Say, do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" he asked. That was random, she thought.
"Um, no," she said. "No idea. How?"
"Oh, me either," he said, brushing off the topic completely. "Anyways, I have a friend who I wish you to met. His name is...well...actually I've called him March for so long, I can't recall his real name."
"March? Is he like some kind of friend from another school?" Alice asked.
"That's one way to put it," Hatter said. "I talk with him through the internet now, but he is coming up this weekend. I was hoping you could drop by and met him. He is a very nice fellow, though I do sometimes question his sanity."
"You question his sanity?" she asked, this time playfully, implying he was mad as well. "Why does that shock me?" Hatter started laughing almost uncontrollably, causing him to lean back on the roof, hitting his back with a THUD. He was still laughing and Alice found herself joining him, though more controlled.
"I would be more than happy to met March," she finally said, calming herself as well as Hatter.
"Good, next week then," he said, calming himself. She agreed.
"My hair was originally blond, you know," she said.
"Really? I knew it wasn't black. It looked to...out of pace. But blond...interesting," he said thoughtfully. I guess it's not entirely implausible, he thought. "Why did you dye it?"
"We all went out one day, and we all got our hair done. It was the cool thing to do, I guess," she confessed.
"You guess?" Hatter repeated. "I would hope you would know." She shrugged.
"Guess I didn't want to be the odd girl in the group. I stuck with 'em, ya know?" she said. It was the only answer she could muster up for something she hadn't though about in a long time.
"No, I don't," he replied, inching closer to her, their hands touching. Alice gasped at his chilling touch.
"Hatter," she said, breathlessly. "Your hands are frozen!"
"Just like the rest of me," he mumbled, but Alice caught this.
"What do you mean?" she asked, making him jump.
"Nothing," he said, withdrawing his hand back from her. She was sad on the inside he did this, but she didn't dare show it.
"Hatter..." she started.
"It doesn't matter," he said, slightly angry.
"I'm...I'm sorry, for whatever it is," she said. She wouldn't miss this opportunity. She drew herself closer to him and, with him not rejecting her, she pulled him into a hug. He didn't react at first, but Alice was warm. He was extremely cold for once and she was comfortable. He slowly wrapped his arms around her. He rested his head on her shoulder, sighing. His eyes that were once slightly orange became green again.
"Thank you," he whispered, a hint of squeaking in his voice. They sat in silence for a few more moments. Hatter looked up at her with puppy dog eyes, which Alice had fallen for. He seemed so vulnerable at the moment. The idea of possibly assuming a relationship crossed her mind. The thought instantly disappeared when she thought of school. That would be a disaster, she thought. She smiled at him, comforting him just so.
"Do you like tea, Alice?" he asked her, those same eyes peering into hers.
"Of course I, I don't just like it, Hatter. I love it," she responded.
"Good, then. You'll meet March over tea. I must warn you though, when he gets too much, he can go...quite insane," he informed. Alice suggested they get off the roof before someone caught them up there. They climbed back through the window to Alice's room.
"Thank you for letting me come," he said, walking towards the door. "This place is disastrous. Forgive me when I say I can not return." She giggled softly; she could never blame him for that.
"Good night Hatter," she said as he stood on the porch. Alice in the doorway, for she was becoming colder and the air was chilly. He looked back at her.
"Good night, Alice," he returned. Throughout the entire walk back to his own place, he thought of Alice. That poor stuck in such an atrocious adobe. The place was simple unhealthy. Stepping onto his own porch, he decided that he would get her out of
there, one way or another. Even if his plan was mad, he would be perfect to execute it.
The next weekend came around, and things changed for Alice. She began talking with Jeff a lot more often than what she usually did. He was being so nice to her and he took her on walks around the neighborhood, took her to lunch once, even talked with her at home, or what she called home. Then, school came to a close on Friday. Hatter was waiting for her out in the front of the school. He sensed something was wrong when Alice wasn't there after fifteen minutes than she normally showed up. Alice faced Jeff at the other end of the school.
"Alice, come with me for a few seconds," he said, beckoning her to walk outside. She did so. There were six men outside.
"I want you to go with these men, Alice," Jeff said. Alice found this fishy.
"What? Why?" she asked curious.
"Remember our agreement," was all he said before the men pursued her. She struggled to be free of their grasps, but they were too strong for her. Then, she began screaming as loud as she possibly could. They covered her mouth, but no soon enough. This reached Hatter's ear as he walked down the hallways. He ran towards the noise, seeing Jeff and the men. There was Alice, fending for her life.
"Hey!" he shouted, eyes turning orange. "What are you doing to Alice?!"
"Well, well, if it isn't the crazy, freakish Tarrant," Jeff taunted. "What do you want with Alice?"
"I want her to be free..." he stepped forward, and Alice saw the flame in his eyes.
"Hatter, stop!" she yelled after breaking free of the man's hands who held her mouth. "Just stop! Let it go." Hatter's eyes turned a tint lighter as he saw Alice speaking to him.
"What?" he was throughly confused. "They're hurting you, Alice!"
"Just let it go. For me, Hatter. Let it go..." her face swelled up with tears. She realized the trouble she had gotten herself into. She remembered the agreement, and this was her fault. If Tarrant could stay out, she wanted him out. No exceptions. She looked down at her feet, the men's grasp continued. Tarrant couldn't believe what he was hearing. He held back, doing as she wished, despite his own belief.
"I'll give you a ten second head start. Go!" Jeff exclaimed. Hatter took one last look at his closest friend, but she didn't look back. He ran off, recalling Jeff's warning. He stormed down the hallways. She was supposed to met March tomorrow. Where would they take her? He was confound. They told each other almost everything, but she never mentioned a bet or agreement of any sort. He didn't even know the man who was talking to him. Apparently, the guy knew who he was. He left the school in a rush. Returning home, finding no one at home (probably best), he sat at his laptop. He contacted March via webcam.
"Marchie," Hatter greeted.
"What's down, Mad Hatter?" March said on the other end of the line, sipping tea.
"Alice isn't going to make it," he said, a worried expression dancing across his face. "She's...gone somewhere."
"That not good, not at all, this will simply not do! She'll be late for TEA! She can NOT be late for tea never. Are you sure, my friend. I am growing suspicious of you right now. Is Alice real? Wait, of course she is, I must be nuts. But, LATE!!! NO! Will not do will not...spoon," March rambled. Hatter sighed, knowing March was high on that new tea recipe. Oh well, he thought.
"Listen, I think she may be in trouble," Hatter explained. "March, you must help me tomorrow when you come. March!"
"Of course I'll help. Hey, want me to bring Nivens too?" he asked. "He's just over here."
"Ah, sure why not. I'll work with you both," he sighed. Naives appeared in the camera.
"Hatter!" he said eagerly, but sadly, he too was high. Damn that new recipe Hatter found before he left. Hatter disconnected them, and sat on his bed.
"This isn't right. Not at all. Alice," he whispered to himself. "I will get you out of there. Even if I don't know where there is because I am here. Sadly, here is not there, but I will get there somehow." He had watched her suffer by the hands of those men. He ran off like she told him to. However, he was not going to leave the situation untouched. No, he was too mad for that. Mad enough to go out in the world with two equally mad friends and find out what was going on. What's worth the prize is always worth the fight.