Haha... Wow... I didn't realize how much you guys despised Sir Lawrence until someone called him a "creepy, smooth-talking, rapist." O.O But AnYWaY... Thank you for the Reviews and such! P.S.-I have started a second fanfic, Welcome To Mystery! Soooo check it out if ya have time. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of AiW. Lewis Carroll, Disney, and Tim Burton do.

Inspirational Song: "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen

. . . . .

xX-ALICE'S POV-Xx

Alice sat on her bed, hugging a pillow, staring at the wall.

It had been several hours since Hatter's getaway when the White Queen's Guards finally got back from the search. When they got to the remains of the Red Castle at last, no one was there. The only thing they found that seemed suspicious was an area at the front of the castle. There were splashes of blood on the ground.

Alice refused to believe that the blood had been Hatter's. It was the Red Castle, for crying out loud! She was sure that if the Guards had gone inside, they would've found plenty of blood. (As much as that repulsed Alice, she thought it true.)

How were they even to know that Hatter had reached the Red Castle in time? Yes, he was a quick runner, but the sun was already starting to set when he first took off! Alice wanted to steer clear of the idea of Hatter actually getting there on time all together, but she couldn't stop the nagging thoughts that never ceased to attack her.

If he had gotten hurt, if that was truly his blood. . . She didn't even know how to finish the thought. Why had Hatter even gone off on his lonesome in the first place? Mad? Yes. Stupid? No. They had no idea who or what was to be waiting for Alice when, or if, she got there. And Hatter knew it.

Oh, how she had begged the White Queen to let her go and look for him! "You must stay here, Alice. . . " She repeated the Queen's words in a low tone. "You are too valuable, Alice. . ." Did she see the Hatter as worthless, then? He was a better fighter than her. He was stronger than her. He was braver than her. He had a better heart, too. And now he was gone. Possibly being questioned. Tortured. Beaten. Or worse.

"Dead," she whispered.

Alice fell back on the bed, now staring at the ceiling. Her room was completely black from the night. "Hatter," she said. "Please, please be alright."

. . . . .

xX-HATTER'S POV-Xx

Hatter's lungs were going to burst at any moment and the pain was getting harder and harder for him to ignore. He was panting hard and his sweat was so thick that you could possibly call it another layer of skin.

"Only. . . so much more land. . . to go," he rasped.

He could finally see the Red Castle in the distance and grinned. At least there was one good thing about that slurvish pile of shukrn, Sir Lawrence. He had great ideas. Except his first one! That was a horrible idea, sending Alice out as a spy! That idea claimed the Horrible Idea title, undoubtedly.

So close to the castle now, Hatter began having flashbacks. Flashbacks of his family and what they had nobly tried to do. Flashbacks of himself, and what he had to go through to protect Underland. To protect Alice. Flashbacks of Alice and the Red Castle. His eyes glowed red.

They would not harm her.

He ran faster to the castle as his rage broiled inside.

. . . . .

xX-HAMISH'S POV-Xx

"We've been sitting here for hours and Alice hasn't arrived. Can't we go back now?" Hamish's feet were aching and he was growing terribly bored of standing there, watching the horizon like his life depended on it. He gulped. He hoped his life didn't depend on it.

"Stop whining," Stayne said. "You sound like an insolent child." His eyes scanned the desert surrounding them for the hundredth time before looking at him. "We will leave soon. It's already pitch black out here."

"Yes, I've noticed," Hamish grumbled. Despite his behavior, Hamish was overcome with relief. Iracabeth had been furious when he'd told her about the critical information he had let slip. At first, he thought she was preparing to strike him, which Hamish couldn't help to find both frightening and amusing. Yes, Iracabeth could be very intimidating, but she was still a mere woman.

But in the end, Hamish was able to persuade Iracabeth to stay on spot with giving Alice a chance. Hamish couldn't be able to lay thoughts of her possible innocence aside. And where did that positive thinking that leave him?

Standing in the dark with Stayne at a crumbled-in-on castle.

The Knave sighed. "Alright, let's go. But don't expect much other than anger from our empty-handed arrival," he sneered and Hamish grimaced. Precious time had been lost, standing here, waiting for no one.

"Wait!" Stayne hissed. Hamish's eyes widened as Stayne stared intently at the path leading to the castle one last time. Something was actually happening! Alice had finally come!

He knew she would, of course. In the end, Alice always came to her senses. But really, why couldn't she have come a bit earlier, when he wasn't as hungry? Well, at least she had come at all-

"That's not Alice," Stayne said in a low tone, looking quizzically at the path.

Hamish stared at him. "What do you mean, that's not Alice?" Hamish looked down the pathway for himself now and realized Stayne was right. That was not Alice. It was clearly a man, and he was sprinting for them at a very high speed.

Stayne chuckled. "Does thatlook like your well-curved, blonde-haired maiden?"

Hamish swallowed and shook his head. "No, it certainly does not."

"Hide," Stayne told him.

"What?"

"Get behind that column over there by the rocks. Now!" he hissed. Hamish quickly did what he was told, scurrying behind the large rocks to get around the old pillar. Looking from behind it, he could only just see Stayne. He heard quick footsteps get louder and louder until they finally stopped. The runner was standing not too far from Stayne, he could tell. He heard rasping breaths and panting. Yet the man sounded very angry to him.

"Well, well. If it isn't the White Queen's Royal Hatter!" Stayne exclaimed.

Hatter? Why, that was Tarrant! He was that silly friend of Alice's! What was he doing here?

Answering his question, he heard Tarrant speak in a gruff tone. "Aye've come to kill yea, yea frumious Knave." Yes, definitely angry. "Don't yea play yer games with meh."

"Come to kill me, have you? That'd be quite a feat." Hamish saw Stayne unsheathe his sword and heard the same sound come from Tarrant. "This game actually turns out to be a very fun one, Hatter. So. Come play with me." He growled.

Hamish finally saw Tarrant come into view and was barely able to stifle his gasp. The man was a monster! His eyes blazed a vicious red and his wild hair was the darkest shade of orange he ever did see. He was breathing in raspy breaths, attempting to control his spasms of rueful power. Hamish saw him toss a hat on the ground.

He clashed his sword with Stayne and the two nearly smacked heads, which was certainly saying something, considering the height difference. The two yelled at each other, putting all their strength onto their blades. They finally broke apart, gasping for breath. Stayne tried to stab Tarrant in the ribs, but the man caught it with his sword and twisted it out of Stayne's hand with a menacing grin. Hamish scowled.

Tarrant jabbed at his opponent's ankle and Stayne fell to the ground, grunting. Tarrant made to finish him off, but Stayne managed to kick him in the chest, causing him to fly backwards and land on his rear. Stayne quickly grabbed his sword from behind him and got back on his feet.

Tarrant ran for him, screaming his life's worth out. Before Stayne could react properly and slice the monster's head off, Tarrant got a hold of him from behind. "No!" Stayne cried and struggled to get free. Tarrant's back was to Hamish and his arm was tightly slung around Stayne's neck. He could hear Stayne's strangled breaths; he could hear him gasping for air.

He had to do something! The life was being choked out of his partner and Hamish had to do something! He quickly picked up a large (and extremely heavy) rock from his side and limped over to the two men with it in his hands. He could hear Stayne's breaths become shallower and weaker with each gasp.

"Rahh!" Hamish lifted the rock up and slammed it down hard on top of Tarrant's head. The man let go of Stayne and immediately fell to the ground, unconscious. Stayne fell as well, clutching at his bruised throat. He gasped for air, glaring at Hamish.

"Couldn't. . . have done that. . . any sooner?" he managed.

Hamish's brow furrowed. "A very nice 'thank you' would work, too, you know."

Stayne got to his feet, sneering at Hamish. "Thanks," he said.

Only when the lethal rock rolled near his feet did Hamish notice that it was not just a rock; it was a sculpture of the Red Queen's abnormally large head.

The two men looked at the unconscious chap on the ground. Tarrant's eyes were closed and he began to look more so peaceful than gruesome. His features softened and his hair lightened. He no longer looked like a monster, but Hamish doubted he'd be acting so saintly when he woke up. "What do we do with him?" he asked Stayne.

Stayne looked around before finding something he liked. "Ah," he said. He walked over to a nearby wall, avoiding his and Tarrant's blood, and tore a thick vine away from it. He kneeled in front of Tarrant and tied him up, none being too gentle. "That should do it."

Hamish nodded. "And when we get back to the tunnels?"

Stayne shrugged. "We'll hand him over to the Queen. She'll do whatever she likes with him. Or, hopefully, to him." He grinned like a certain cat he knew. Hamish grmiaced.

"We better get going then, don't you think?"

Stayne lifted Tarrant's body up and threw him back over one shoulder. He dangled like a little worm, hanging here. "Let's get a move on, then. We have a battle tomorrow."

. . . . .

Insanity: I'm extremely nervous.

Rachel: Why?

Insanity: Do you see what we just did to Hatter? The readers are going to KILL us! D:

Rachel: Oh no... oh no oh no oh no oh no... NOoooOOOoooOOOooo!

~Please don't kill me, or I can't write any more?~