Hello everyone. First off I want to thank everyone who subscribed to an alert, added this story as a favorite, you make me want to write another chapter even fast :)

Second I would like to say that I am sorry for taking so long to update. First I just got writers block but then I had some personal things that came up that I hade to deal with so it took me even longer to finish the chapter. I hope that this one was worth waiting for :)

Kuki200
No, because Abby was not born in Underland she cannot talk thought I will have small bits from her perspective. :)

XPhantomanna
Sometimes but I'm usually too busy

The hatter handed the guard the small rabbit and began to walk towards Alice rather quickly. Alice on the other hand had gone into a full sprint running towards the hatter. Tarrant reached his hand forward expecting to shake Alice's hand but to his surprise as soon as she reached him she threw her arms around him, laughing with a joy that floats through the air, the innocence of it. It was much like the laugh she had as a child.

The hatters' eyes widened as he adjusted to what had happened, his hands now pinned to his chest by the strength of Alice's hug.

"It's so wonderful to see you again!" She said as she pulled away looking up into his eyes. A smile replaced the look of surprise on the hatters face as he looked down pleasantly at Alice.

"As it is to see you Alice, very good indeed. In fact, many of us were hoping you would return but were not sure you would ever return what with all your questions needing answering and having things to do, but you're here! You're here and your with us and the proper size an-"

"Hatter." Alice said with a small giggle. It's so good to be back she thought.

The hatter shook his head slightly "sorry, I'm quite alright."

"You haven't changed at all, I'm so glad." He smiled his usual tooth grin and she smiled more as the guard walked up holding the small rabbit, which upon seeing Alice struggled furiously in an attempt to get to her, even biting the guards hand.

"Abby!" She exclaimed as she took the rabbit into her hands holding her close. Abby breathed heavenly but her breathing slowed as she was held against the heat of Alice's chest.

"So you did have a name! And here I thought perhaps they had stolen that as well. Your majesty! This little one appears to need your help desperately!" Hatter said as he looked at the calming rabbit in Alice's hands. The White Queen pulled away from her table and walked gracefully over to the rabbit. Upon seeing it she did look taken a back , holding one of her hands to her ivory white chest.

"What in all of Underland is wrong with her?" She said looking from the tiny rabbit to the hatter. He began to open his mouth when Alice looked away from Abby and instead to the White Queen looking somewhat upset.

"There is nothing wrong with her, she's a wonderful little rabbit."

"But she's so terribly small! And when I approached her for tea she couldn't tell me her name. And look at her, she has no clothes!" The hatter protested franticly. Alice felt a sting of anger a she heard the hatters words but she tried to remind herself that it was much like culture shock like when she was in china. She took a deep breath and held Abby out slightly for both the queen and the hatter to see.

"There is nothing wrong with her; this is what many of the rabbits are like where I come from. They don't speak and they don't where clothes. While I will admit she appears to be a runt of the litter she is none the less perfectly healthy."

The hatter and the queen stared intensely at the small rabbit. They both looked rather perplexed by the idea of a rabbit so different from the ones they were used to. The queen was the first to calm down from this surprised state and regain herself.

"How do you know her? Where are her parents?" She said calmly lifting her hand ever so gently, letting Abby sniff her fingers.

"Well..." Alice thought back to the horrid stand in china that she had saved Abby from. "…she is an orphan, and I took her in."

Both the queen and he hatter took on a rather sad look, as they looked at the little rabbit. The White Queen gently scratched Abby's head with the utmost care. Hatter looked at Abby with sad eyes, a gloomy look appearing on his face as the colors around his eyes darkened slightly. The White Queen however looked now to Alice, much a warm expression on hr face.

"I would expect no less of you Alice, I'm sure you have been a wonderful mother to her."

"Your majesty!"

The queen turned her head to see a guard walking up to her saluting, Mallymkun on his shoulder "Your needed inside your majesty." The White Queen smiled at Mallymkun "would you be so kind as to accompany me dear Mallymkun? "

"It would be a pleasure your majesty" She said with a small bow. The queen turned elegantly to Alice and the hatter, "feel free to do as you please, you are both very welcomed. All of the grounds as well as the castle are open to you."

The two bowed slightly and the queen tilted hr heard in their direction before turning back towards the castle. The guard and the queen began to walk off into the castle, bits of their conversation could be heard as they left.

"That hatter had to jump to the guards shoulder or I would have fallen off. That's what I get for having mad friends I suppose." The White Queens soft laugh could be heard as they walked farther and farther away until their voice faded from a faint murmur to silence.

Alice and Tarrant watched as the two faded then looked back to each other. Alice was the first to speak as they turned back to each other.

"Well the queen and I were just chatting, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you took her seat while she was away." With that Alice began to walk back to her seat, cooing to Abby in her hand and she put her back with her free hand. The hatter followed sitting in the chair across from Alice's, a guard rushing in, taking away the queens dishes and giving him his own pastry and tea.

"Thank you" he murmured as the knight rushed off with the used dishes. Alice was still standing pulling three leaves off of a bush nearby before sitting down. She places the leaves on the table and placed Abby on top of the table. She hopped to them and began to nibble on them. With that she turned her attention back to the hatter as he continued to look at the rabbit.

"Are you quite sure this is normal where you come from?" The hatter said watching as the rabbit ate the leaves looking somewhat revolted by the concept. "Nivens has had lettuce before but I've never seen such a peculiar thing as a rabbit eating leaves off of a bush."

Alice laughed slightly to herself before nodding reassuringly. "Yes, I'm quite sure."

The hatter continued to look at the rabbit strangely, "maybe if you pet her you would see she's just fine?"

Tarrant's attention turned from the rabbit to Alice. "Pet?"

"Yes, she seems to love to be help, I'm sure if you're just very gentle, she won't mind at all." Alice said, moving her hands around little Abby who had just finished one of her leaves.

"This is a very good friend of mine Abby, his name is Tarrant and he's very nice so don't be afraid." She whispered gently to Abby, but loud enough that the hatter could hear. He beamed at hearing her words, and in such a sweet voice, she really was a good mother. Alice put Abby in the middle of the small table, one hand on her side and her other stroking her back.

"Just put out your fingers, let her sniff you."

The hatter did as she instructed and the rabbit know as Abby sniffed his hands as they approached her. She backed up slightly, causing the hatter to frown believe he had been rejected. However she then hopped closer to his hand, underneath of it to be precise.

"My goodness she really seems to like you! She wants you to pet her." Alice exclaimed with a bright smile. The hatter gently placed his hand on the rabbits back and cautiously moved it to stroke her back, and Abby stayed perfectly still to receive the pets. "Good girl Abby." She cooed quietly to the rabbit scratching her head. She leaned back into her seat taking a sip of her tea.

"How have you been hatter? What have you been doing in Wonderland? Did you ever make up with time?" She asked now leaning in slightly.

The hatter continued to pet the rabbit and giggled slightly "Why Alice, you left to find answers but you're still full of questions! I can see you're still as curious as ever. Well to answer you, I have been rather well. Since you have left the queen has done a brilliant job of restoring Underland and with all that work on her hands she has needed quite a few hats. So I was employed once again and it has been ever so delightful. As far as my relationship with time we are still on shaky ground but it does appear to fluctuate for me by a few hours earlier to tea time. I'm perfectly happy with that, I work better in the earlier hours anyway. "He finished with a sip of his tea, then looking up in a thinking motion then shrugging and taking another sip before placing it down on the table. He removed his hand from Abby and she hopped back to Alice who picked her up and held her to her chest.

"What was that about?"

"What was what?"

"You looked up and shrugged as if deciding on something."

"Oh that! I was just contemplating things that begin with the letter M and can also describe tea, can't think of anything at the moment."

Alice looked up as if thinking before looking back at the hatter, "Marvelous, or perhaps merely ok?" She said in a questioning tone. The hatter brightened instantly.

"An excellent idea Alice! As merely can be used with many things like merely ok or merely outstanding or merely bitter or-"

"Hatter?"

The hatter bit his lip then looked at her pleasantly "what do you think of the tea here Alice?"

"I like it, it's rather sweet though. I would much prefer to have yours to be honest, if it's as good as I remember." The hatter merely smiled at her response she looked off to the side looking at the water cascade down the waterfalls.

"It's been so long since I'd wandered around in Wonderland, I can barely remember a lot of it. What are the grounds like here?"

"well to be perfectly honest," the hatter started," I never actually took the time to look at them." He looked out towards the falls before announcing in a rather uncharacteristically calm manner "Would you care to go look at them now?"

Alice looked back at him abruptly, "But what if we get lost?"

"There are guards virtually everywhere, they could always show us the way out." This now said in his usual delightful way of speaking.

Alice pondered for a moment, considering that she ha just gotten here so there was really no rush to look around just now. Time appeared to be much different here. She could remember that she had been in Wonderland a last and had been here for an entire day night and the next day. But when she had come back she had appeared to have only been gone for ea few minutes. Having remembered all thus she assumed that she could, at the very least, have a few days or so back in Wonderland. She did however, already happen to be at the queens castle and she happened to have a friend to explore with.

"I believe that's a marvelous idea hatter, I should very much like to explore the grounds together."

The hatter beamed brightly at Alice as he placed his tea on the saucer and stood from his seat. Alice stood as well taking Abby up in her arms. The hatter waited for her to walk up next to him before turning to walk out, leading the way. As they walked away from the balcony Alice turned to the hatter.

"Tell me Hatter, do you know if the queen happens to have a maze? I do miss exploring them, and they haven't anything similar to the one I remember from when I was young."

"I do believe she does, however it is far finer then the one you visited, with that dreadful sore loser of a usurper, big headed murderer-"

"Hatter!" Alice said firmly as she began to hear the accent on the hatters tongue and see his eyes turn a horrid shade of orange with anger. Tarrant took a deep breath and attempted to relax, he looked back at Alice with his usual lovely green eyes, looking somewhat upset.

"I'm fine, terribly sorry Alice."

"It's quite alright Hatter."

She smiled lightly, patting her hand on his shoulder, her other hand holding onto Abby who seemed rather upset at being moved yet again. The hatter smiled again as he felt the hand on his shoulder, knowing that she wasn't upset. While they walked towards the exit of the castle and the entrance to the grounds a small pawn guard rushed up to them. He saluted the hatter and bowed furiously to Alice repeatedly, making Alice feel rather awkward. In a tiny voice he anxiously shouted.

"The queen has requested that your adopted child be tended to by her best servants!"

With that he extended his small hands in anticipation of receiving the rabbit, however Alice held Abby a bit tighter now.

"I would much rather keep her with me if you don't mind."

"But I do Lady Alice! It has been insisted that your adopted daughter Abby be pampered and made to feel at home while you become reacquainted with the castle! She shall be placed in your room after being tended to."

Alice looked skeptical as she stared down at the pawn, turning her head to the hatter, looking in his eyes as if asking for his advice. The hatter smiled calmly.

"I am sure she will love it, nothing would be allowed to happen to her considering who her mother is, besides that the queen can be very insistent and when she is it's best to indulge her."

Alice looked from the hatter to Abby and sighed, I suppose some pampering might be nice after all she's been through.With that Alice reluctantly handed her little rabbit to the pawn that gently took her in its hands and walked off into the castle. Alice watched the pawn walk away worrying if Abby would be comfortable but hoped for the best. The hatter giggled slightly as he noticed Alice's worried look.

"You a mother, I never thought I would see it! Thought I should think that if someone were to make a good mother it would be you, I'm sure you shall instill a great deal of muchness into that little one, impaired as she is."

Alice turned back to the hatter looking slightly annoyed but brushed it off as she began to walk again.

"She is not impaired, she's normal for my worlds rabbits. And you should know that where I come from, we don't consider rabbits to be children, so I don't see why everyone needs to keep calling me a mother. It's not unusual for small children to have animals in my world. There we call them pets."

The hatter hurried to catch up to Alice as she continued to walk "Alice I must say, you world sounds more and more peculiar as you tell more about it.

Alice laughed a bit and the hatter smiled brightly as they continued to walk out towards the maze.

Abby found herself in yet another pair of unfamiliar hands being hurried into yet another strange room where there were far too many people. The hands placed her on top of a pillow on a table in the middle of the room before running off. . They crowded around her, all of them with different strange tools. One had several combs and brushed tucked away in different areas, a comb with a long thin handle holding up the bun in her hair, another two small combs tucked beneath hair on either side of her head and a ridiculous amount of pockets with little bottles and several brushes all along the front of her apron. In one of her hands she held a single pair of scissors, opening and closing them rather quickly. Another appeared with a large chef's hat and had a large pot with a large assortment of vegetables, he too wearing an apron. Others still were in the back of the room holding up fabrics examining them, on of them coming up to Abby and putting a measuring tape around her stomach, head and arms, regardless of how much Abby struggled. She didn't like this at all, all these people poking and prodding her, made her thing far too much of that horrible place she had been saved from so far away.

Soon the rest of the people came in on her, and she feared that she may be eaten much like other rabbits she had know but to her surprise they began to wash her, putting strange smelling liquids on her fur that mad her skin feel exquisite, washing her off and drying her gently with an incredibly fluffy towel. Soon the woman with combs was apron her, cutting little bits of fur, evening things out, then combing and brushing her thoroughly, the brush it's self feeling much like soft feathers as it moved against her skin but somehow strong enough to straighten out some of the peculiar tangles in her fur. After a few more minutes of the brushing the woman stepped away looking very pleased. Abby felt more pleasant then she could ever recall feeling as she shook a bit after the brushing and looked around the room a bit less frightened.

The chef now came up to her, with a small bowl, and placed it before her standing and waiting patiently for her response. Abby curiously looked into the bowl, seeing what appeared to be a much of things with some peculiar smelling spice sprinkled over it. While she didn't believe this to look particularly appetizing she was still very hungry having only been allowed to eat one leaf since arriving here. She cautiously took a nibble of the food and to her surprise it was wonderful, far better then the leaves that she had just had, and the leaves were not bad by any means. She began to much furiously on the food, to the delight of the chef who smiled brilliantly and clapped their hands quietly before taking the pot and walking out along with the woman with the combs and brushes.

Abby finished the bowl of food and felt just wonderful. With a belly full of food and a now shining and lovely clean coat she soon felt the weight of all she had been through that day fall on her all at once. She suddenly felt very tired and she let out a small yawn. She snuggled down in the pillow as she watched several people in the room cut and manipulates the fabric in their hands looking from her to the fabric then speaking in some peculiar language. Abby's eyes grew heavy as she watched the people move about working with the fabric and in a short time she found herself falling sleep.

Alice and the hatter arrived at the gates of the maze, the lightly slowly fading in the background as the sun started to set. Alice was the first to enter the gate, getting more and more curious about the maze as she began to enter it, the hatter following her closely. She walked quickly through the maze, looking behind each corner, but never going on until she looked back to see that the hatter was still with her. She would smile upon seeing him then continue through the maze.

The hatter delighted in exploring with Alice, she had all of the muchness that she had upon leaving wonderland last, all of the muchness he had seen in her as a child. She was however, not a child, but into a lovely young lady now. Time can be so very strange when it's constantly 6 o clock, or when you can only move between a few hours. Tarrant continued to ponder this as he followed Alice further into the maze where her voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Hatter?"

"Yes, Alice?"

"How is it I've come 3 times, several years apart, yet you always seem the same age?" She said as she popped her head around yet another corner before waiting for the hatter to catch up to her. The hatter looked up putting his hand on his chin considering the thought, then shrugging his shoulders. "I haven't the slightest, but have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Alice smiled and laughed slightly "give me more time to work on that one, I'll come up with something." She said as she turned and continued to walk around through the maze and the hatter followed on her heals.

They continued to walk for some time as the light faded more and more until it was dusk. They came to the center of the maze were a stone bench sat behind a large bush of white roses. Alice sat down first and the hatter sat down as well, leaving some space between them as he looked up at the sky.

"My my, I believe we have been in this maze for some time, it's become rather dark. " He said still staring off into the sky as the stars began to appear as the sunlight grew even fainter.

"Indeed we have, and it's nearly dark, but I haven't the slightest idea of how to get back. Also, I haven't seen any guards aside form the ones at the front entrance." Alice sighed, looking up at the sky as well before closing her eyes, face still facing the heavens. She smiled slightly thinking to herself, Getting lost in a maze, having conversations with a mad hatter, am I mad to find this normal? She thought as she took in a deep breath of the sweet wonderland air. It seemed so much clearer then the air back in London, but a lot of things seemed different in a good way here. The hatter looked down from the sky and looked to Alice with concern at her sigh. She felt his eyes on her and opened her own, then smiled waving a hand. "I'm quite alright there's no need for concern."

The hatter relaxed a bit and looked about them, listening for any guards that might be walking through, perhaps looking for them. Not hearing anything he thought this might be a good opportunity to ask a question.

"Alice? Would it be quite alright if I were to ask you a question?"

Alice laughed slightly to herself That is a question silly.

"yes Hatter, by all means."

"…why did you come back to Underland?"

"Well..." She said considering the events that lead her back to wonderland, "To be honest, it happened the same way it always has, I just happened to find a way here. Don't know what makes me so special that I keep finding my way here.."

The hatter looked at her with abrupt shock, "How could you say such a thing? Your Alice! The Alice, there is no other Alice that could be the Alice because you're the Alice, the only one like you, and if I do say so myself I'm rather glade you are the Alice, I can't imagine a better Alice fore the job." Alice smiled looking at the hatter, as mad as he was he was still a good friend to have.

"How many Alice's have you meet?"

The hatter thought for a moment then stood closing his eyes and turning as if in a pout, "I've only meet one and I don't care to meet any others as I as well as the rest of Underland, are very happy with our Alice." Alice couldn't help but laugh out loud warmly as she looked at the hatter who continued to pout. He was very sweet in an odd sort of way, it was good to hear his strange logic again. As the hatter turned back looking at Alice with a mix of confusion and continued pouting as she stood as well.

"Well, I'm glad I'm a satisfactory Alice." She said calming down now but still smiling, the hatter looked rather stern but somehow in a joking sort of way I wasn't sure that was possible, Alice thought to herself.

"I should dare to say you are a marvelous Alice as well as a marvelous friend." He looked up for a moment thinking " mmm..Marvelous, another M word and a lovely one at that, wouldn't you agree Alice?"

Alice merely smiled up at hatter and nodded when she heard the faint sound of people running and talking in the maze, and the sound seemed to be getting closer. Both she and the hatter looked in the direction of the noise and as it got closer it appeared to be the vice of guards asking if they had sounds someone. Within moments 2 guards had entered the area where Alice and the hatter stood, and upon seeing them breathed a sigh of what appeared to be relief. "We've found her!" One of the guards shouted.

"What ever is the matter? "said the hatter stepping closer to the guards still catching their breath.

"Her majesty has requested we bring Alice back to the castle so that she may be shown her quarters before it gets too late. The maze is awful hard to get out of at night.

With that the guards began to walk back towards the castle, leading the way for Alice and the hatter who were both relatively quite on the walk back. Alice was spending far too much of her time looking about at the beauty of Wonderland as it was bathed in the calming pale blue moonlight and the hatter became lost in thoughts occasionally come back from them to notice Alice looking around.

They were finally brought to the front doors of the castle where the queen stood hands poised in the air, her face with its usual calm soft expression. She breathed lightly and smiled extending a hand elegantly as Alice approached. "My dear, allow me the delight of showing you to your room." Alice smiled yet again as she took the queens hand, it felt so strange to be treated with such high regard, and she was so used to people looking down on her because she was a woman. It was yet another nice change from London, though she did wish people wouldn't treat her as if she were royalty. As she walked up the steps, the queen turn now to the guards and the hatter who stood at the bottom of the steps, "Guards you are dismissed, thank you for your services." With this the guards bowed and walked away leaving the hatter standing alone at the end of the steps looking upon his queen and Alice. "Shall I bid you both goodnight my queen?"

"No, if you could come with me to see Alice off to her room I would be very much obliged." She said with a faint smile in her floating sing son voice. The hatter smiled brightly as he jumped up the steps to join them, before they all walked into the castle and after a few minutes of walking through corridors, up stairs and down more corridors the queen had lead them to a seemingly ordinary door, it was an ivory white much like the entire castle. There was the usual marble flooring as there was in the rest of the castle and there were etchings in the door of very light blue showing fantastic creatures of Wonderland.

The queen looked to Alice then gesture towards the door as if to tell her to open it. Alice grabbed the silver door knob turning it and opening the door to see a room that caused her to gasp slightly. It was stunning, it was layered in different shades of blue , and a vast room indeed. A king size bed sat against a wall at the far end of the room with at least a dozen pillows all with dark blue embroidery on light blue pillow cases, and an exquisite sky blue duvet cover on top of the bed. To the left were a dresser and a closet door, along with a small balcony with a table and two chairs overlooking the maze that Alice and the hatter had just been in. Beautiful turquoise blue cartons hung from the entrance to the balcony covering the French doors that could be closed to keep out the wind from outside. To the right were a rather nice grandfather clock and a small table with a large velvet pillow on it. On the pillow lay Abby, asleep in a small dress of a raspberry color, lace coming out of the sleeves. Alice couldn't help but laugh a little to herself as she looked at Abby asleep in her little dress, it looked adorable but she doubted she liked being put in the dress. Alice went to the closet door while the queen and the hatter looked on as Alice explored her new room. To Alice's great surprise there were clothes in the closet and she turned to the queen in confusion.

"We have prepared for this day, I had my tailors make some clothes for you so what when you returned you would want for nothing." The queen looked as calm as ever as she spoke, her smile soft her hands still poised in the air, the hatter looking about the room from the doorway. The queen then stepped into the room, leaving the hatter in the doorway, gently taking hold of Alice's hands, "I cannot say what great joy your return shall bring to all of Underland, We hope that you shall find yourself very happy with us." With that, to Alice's great surprise, the queen gave a small bow to Alice and Alice bowed back. The queen then twirled back to face to door way exiting the room , leaving Alice and turning back to face her once more after she was just outside the room. " Good night Alice."

"Goodnight your majesty."

With that the queen closed the door and left Alice in her new room. Alice continued to look about, walking around touching the walls, the frames of portraits on the walls, admiring the mirror over the dressing table. She wandered over to the bed, feeling the soft silk cover as she gently pull herself up top of the bed. The grandfather clock rang softly as she looked at her new room from the bed, ten chimes echoed through the air. It is rather late, how long was I in the maze? She stretched her arms and yawned softly, feeling the chill of a breeze flow in through the balcony. She undid the covers and pulled them over her body and as she did so she felt her eye lids begin to feel very heaven. Within moments Alice found her head snuggled against a pillow enveloped by the warmth of the bed as she drifted off to sleep.

The queen and the hatter walked back down towards the throw room, not speaking as they walked. However the queen changed course mid way through, heading now towards what the hatter recognized to be his hat making room that the queen had had set up for him. As she approached the door she stopped and turned to face the hatter. HE could see the worry in her eyes.

"Tarrant I need to speak with you, about Alice." She said in almost a whisper as the hatter leaned in to hear her a bit better before she continued.

"I would like to ask you to do me a great service."

"Of course your majesty, what do you require?"

The queen paused for a moment taking a deep breath before continuing,

"I wish for you to accompany Alice, for the time being, while she settles into things back in Underland. There have been some…upsetting events and I should like to have someone protecting her. I don't wish to have any of the guards protect her; she's far the clever and will know something is going on. I do not wish for her to know she is being protected, lest she regret coming back and leave us yet again. With you she may feel at peace, you can accompany her as a friend. "

"But what dangers might befall- ?"

"Please Hatter; will you do this for me?"

He bite his lip for a moment before nodding and the queen smiled, putting a hand softly upon her chest in relief. She looked back up at the hatter now with her usual regal look ands floating up into the air once again.

"I greatly appreciate it hatter. While you are in my service in this task I think it best that you stay here so you may be close." With that she opened the door to his room and turned walking a few steps down the hall before turning once more the face the hatter,

"Mallymkun should already be in your room. I bid you goodnight hatter."

"Goodnight your majesty."

A/N: so did you like it? Was it worth the wait? Did all the characters seem right? please tell me in review I jump for joy when I see I have a new review, thank you all for reading!! :)