Okay, this is Chapter Four. It's a bit different from my other chapters in that the time frame is shorter. I hope you like it! Oh, and on a random side note, the URL for Alice's dress is posted on my profile page. I haven't tested whether or not it actually works, so if it doesn't, let me know.

The Quiet Day

"Mom," Alice called after breakfast, "I'm going over to Hatter's. I'll be back soon." She started towards the door, but her mother's voice stopped her.

"Honey, you saw Hatter yesterday, and the day before. I can understand visiting a little, but you were at his apartment all day. Maybe you should just move in with him." Carol meant it as a joke, but for a moment Alice wondered if her mother was serious. She smiled half-heartedly.

"I promise you I'll stay here tomorrow and hang out with you, Mom. It's just that, um…I want to make up for the time that I wasn't with Hatter. And we're actually going out today. I just want to be with him. I mean, er, first stage of love, right? I'm sure it will wear off, or something…" Alice trailed off uncertainly. She really needed to get Hatter to teach her to lie. She was horrible at it.

Her mother waved her out, though, saying "I'll hold you to it, Alice." Based on her mother's expression, Alice was fairly certain she was serious. Alice tried not to gulp theatrically as she left. Walking down the street toward Hatter's, the little voice in Alice's head piped up again. Alice considered giving it a name, but that would mean acknowledging it. 'You know,' it said, 'you are moving quite fast. You see him every day. What will you do when he doesn't want to see you anymore? What will you do when he decides you're moving too fast? Where is that wonderful, cautious Alice that we know and love? She knew her boundaries and because of that, she was never hurt. This new Alice is going to be dropped on her head. So where is this old Alice? What happened to her?' Alice felt as though the voice was burrowing a hole in her brain. It was burrowing holes in her securities and love, leaving gaping holes of uncertainty.

"Shut up!" Alice hissed, prompting a few stares from people around her. Alice blushed and walked faster. Once she was in a less crowded area, Alice addressed the voice's last question. "Wonderland happened," she whispered truthfully. The old Alice couldn't survive in Wonderland. She was too caged up within herself to trust anyone else, and she had to trust other people, as she had no knowledge of Wonderland. I had to evolve, Alice thought. I couldn't lead all the time. She thought of all the times Hatter and Charlie and other people had saved her. Even her father had saved her, taking a the bullet that ended his life. A tear escaped at the thought, but the hurt was mostly gone. Even though she kept trying to find her father, he was kind of gone in her eyes. She knew he was there, though. Alice knew that their life would be very strange if her father was thrust back into it. Alice and her mother had evolved, just as Alice had evolved in the past few days. People had risked their lives for her. Hatter had risked his life for her, again and again. Why would someone do that if they didn't love the person they were saving? Alice realized that she had reached Hatter's door, and she felt uncomfortable and nervous all over again. What if he didn't want to see her? What if he needed more space? Alice clamped down on those thoughts before the Voice could come back. Those wheedling insecurities were the last thing she needed right now.

The door opened and Hatter swooped her in before she could even say hi. "What was that about?" She asked as soon as the door was closed and her feet were planted on the ground again. Hatter laughed, and Alice's heart warmed at the sound. Her doubts were once again shoved to the back of her mind.

"That, Alice my dear, was a belated celebration of our success at dinner last night. You mom believed every word we said." He swooped her up in another hug, causing her to shriek with laughter and surprise.

"Hatter, would you put me down? We actually have some work to do, you know. And the only reason we had such a good story was because we spent the better part of the afternoon working on it. Today, we have to decide what we're getting rid of here and you're going to explain to me, in great detail, what happened between my coming through the Looking Glass the second time and your coming through the Looking Glass. What did you get from Jack or whoever gave you all the stuff you need? We also need to get you a job. Do you have enough money to start a business?" Hatter pretended to pout at all the mature topics they were going to have to discuss. Alice rolled her eyes. "It's not going to be fun, but we have to do it. C'mon. We can start with tackling the apartment." Alice strode into the bedroom and Hatter, heaving a great sigh, followed.

"Alice, before you dismantle the apartment, please remember that I live here." Alice laughed and Hatter sighed again, acting for all the world as though he had to carry a great burden. Then Alice dove into the closet, and Hatter followed suit.

oXo8oXo

Three hours later, Jack's clothes had all been removed from the closet and put in a large garbage bag. Rugs, curtains, and other such things were in another garbage bag. Alice and Hatter had marked which pieces of furniture they were getting rid of, and the two of them slumped tiredly on the couch, which they were keeping. They just sat for a few minutes, not speaking. Hatter broke the silence.

"Where is all this stuff going to go?" He doubted they were going to throw the stuff away or burn it, as he wanted to. Alice turned to him.

"We're going to bring it to a thrift shop. People who don't have the resources to get new things can go there and buy used stuff for a lower price. We just donate the stuff." Hatter nodded; that made sense.

"Honestly, though, what kind of bloke would want these?" He pulled a pair of curtains, bright red and covered in black and white dots, from one of the garbage. "It hurts me eyes just to look at them!" He shoved the curtains back in the bag. Alice snickered.

"Well, maybe a blind person could use them." She tried to be serious, but it was hard with the face that Hatter was pulling. "Stop it!" She collapsed in laughter against Hatter's chest and he looked at her solemnly.

"Alice, darling, if you stare at those curtains for more than five seconds, you become blind." Alice laughed.

"Alright," she said when she had regained her composure, "No more jokes. You need to tell me where you got all of-" she gestured around the apartment. "-Everything." Hatter pulled her close to him.

"Okay, here's what happened. After the technician guy shoved you through the Looking Glass, I tried to leave. I wasn't actually sure where I was going to go, but I just wanted to get away. Then Jack appeared. I was ready to floor him right there, but he told me that he had an offer to make me. He told me the he had proposed to you, at which point I almost did punch him. He told me to stop and said that you didn't want him. That you wanted me. He said that if I wanted, he would set up all the necessary papers so I could follow you through the Glass. I said yes before he had even finished. It took him about four days to get everything in order. I didn't take part in the record creating, because I really didn't care. Then, on the fourth day, Jack called me back to his office-I was staying in the palace. He told me that the last step of the process was one that I would be included in. He gave me a piece of paper which he said bequeathed-his word, not mine-his bank account and apartment to me. He told me to give that piece of paper to the lady at the bank, so I did. He also gave me a key to his apartment and something called a 'wallet', which had a piece of plastic with my picture on it and lots of pieces of paper in it. Apparently they're not so pointless here."

"Wait," Alice interrupted, "You didn't know what a wallet is?" She tried not to laugh.

"Well, I know now. That's what counts," Hatter sniffed. Alice just laughed and kissed him. "Anyway, Jack led me to the Looking Glass and told me that it had been set for the same time you had gone through. He told me to take a deep breath, but before I could, he shoved me through. If we ever go back to Wonderland, I am going to clock him for that." Alice laughed at Hatter's murderous expression.

"So, you have a substantial bank account, huh? Is it enough to buy a piece of property? Because you could buy a shop and open a hat store or something." Hatter laughed.

"That's a pretty good idea, actually. Maybe I could even buy the warehouse. As far as I know, no one's using it. We could buy it and keep an eye of the Looking Glass, yeah?" Alice thought about it.

"I don't know, Hatter. I think that we should leave the Looking Glass alone, personally. In fact, Jack probably owns that property. Why don't we find a different, smaller place?" Hatter shrugged.

"Okay. Whatever you want, Alice. Hey, are you hungry? I am." Alice laughed.

"Hatter, you're always hungry. But, yes, I'm hungry too. Do you have any food here?" She looked up at Hatter. He rolled his eyes.

"No, no food, Alice. I've simply been eating pieces of the wall to sustain myself. Of course I have food! Come on, we'll have sandwiches." He lifted Alice off his lap and she followed him into the kitchen. He pulled out bread and sandwich meats, as well as the other things one would put in a sandwich. Alice grabbed a kettle, filled it with water, and put it on the stove. Then she and Hatter made their sandwiches and, once the water boiled, tea. As they sat on the couch afterwards, eating, Alice turned to Hater.

"You know, I could get used to this."

That's it. I know that it's a little short, but it was the best I could do on short notice. My internet is going to be iffy for about a week, so I don't know how much I'm going to be able to post. Remember to review! Reviews equal happiness and love...and cupcakes!