Chapter 10, now I'm not going to say anything, just read!

As the sun started to set and the day started to end, Lord Ascot appeared in Alice's doorway, his eyes soft and wearily, but not without the fierce flicker of the protectiveness that her father had had.

"Mr. Hightopp." He said calmly, his eyes narrowing at the fact that they were both sitting on the same bed, and noting the fact that dusk had already come. "We have prepared your room for you, if you would like to see it now."

Something in his voice told Alice that it wasn't a question and she wanted to smile. The differences between London and Underland were quite different, and she'd almost forgot it wasn't polite to have a man who isn't related to you or not your husband in your bedroom at night. Honestly, if her mother was here she could only imagine what she would have done.

The would be smile died on her lips and she watched as Hatter stood and gave her a small smile and a wink before he followed Lord Ascot, and as both men wished her goodnight, she knew she didn't have to be in Underland to be in safe hands.

As the door softly shut behind them, Alice stood and ran a hand through her twisted curls absent mindedly. She wanted nothing more to take a long bath and let her thoughts drift away, but she knew she had to do other things. So she into her bathroom and drew a hot bath and while the tub started to fill, attempted to write a note to Mirana explaining what she'd found today. She was so wrapped up in her writing in fact that she'd almost let the tub over fill with hot water but quickly ran to it and turned the hot water off.

After undressing, she sat down into the hot steaming water, shut her eyes and for once her mind was calm. She felt every worry, every need and every fear drift and float away like stream.

. . .

A half an hour later Alice was dressed, her wild blonde curls slightly damp but brushed and wearing a comfortable white night gown that she'd found in her closet when she'd come back to Underland. Pulling the fabric close to her body she could almost smell the soft vanilla scent of the castle she'd grown so accustomed to.

Alice walked back to her bed and picked up the stiff piece of paper that she'd wrote on before she'd gotten back into the bath and read it over to herself.

Mirana,

It was very good to hear from you and I'm happy that everyone is doing well in Underland. Things are alright here I suppose.

My mother wasn't able to wake up like I'd hope she would and I'm sorry to say that my mother didn't wake up when I visited her. I'm alright though, Lord Ascot has allowed me to stay in my Aunt's old room and I'm going to try to figure out what happened to her so many years ago.

In fact, today I found that her name was engraved on the necklace I'd worn to Irisa's party. But I'm afraid that it might not have even been her because Hatter told me that the name Imogene belonged to Iracebeth's mother in law. Did you ever know the queen or another girl name Imogene?

Today I also found out that Stayne has taken it upon himself to pretend to be Nigel Doyle, a business partner of my employer. He's also convinced the others that I'm not fit to be an apprentice of Lord Ascot and now I have to prove to him and the other for business men that I am. It isn't going to be easy, but I have to try. This was one of the reasons why I'd returned to London the first time, to live out my father's dream and find my own.

I haven't seen Margret or Lowell yet either, and I hope they're alright. Maybe they're taking more precautions then I thought against Stayne, but I'm sure he'll leave them alone now. He'd already done his damage to them and I'm sure he has many more people to torment here.

Are things alright in Underland? How are Iracebeth, Nicholas and Irisa doing? I miss them and everyone else terribly and I'm sure Hatter can agree with me that we both can't wait to come back home.

Love, Alice

Alice put the letter back down at the table and read through it gain. It seemed so much simpler on paper then it did in real life. She wondered what Mirana was doing right now. Could she be making a sleeping potion of one of her subjects whom been having nightmares of the terrors to come? Or could she be planning out strategy of Stayne's army, if he even has one.

Something tapped the glass behind her door and Alice's head shot up, her eyes narrowed and her body already tense and ready to spring.

The tapping continued and Alice moved to the edge of her bed, her feet lading softly on the hard wood floor and she took a hesitant step towards the door. More tapping, louder and more persistent and Alice kept walking toward the sound until she was only a few inches away from it.

Alice grabbed the edge of the curtain, its soft fabric nearly slipping through her tense fingers as she pulled it away and looked behind the glass door to see…

Hatter.

He was standing outside on her balcony. It could barley hold one person and he was their, his hat in his hands much like the first time they'd been on the balcony other and his green eyes filled with a curious flicker of something Alice couldn't guess.

"Hatter?" Alice asked but the Hatter didn't respond he just pointed at the door handle. He must not be able to hear me, Alice thought and reached for the door handle. She pushed down on the golden handle and pulled it open, shivering as the night air ran up her bar arms. "Hatter, what are you doing here? Do you know what time it is-"

The last of her question was cut off though, because at that moment the Hatter grabbed Alice and pulled her into his arms as his lips crushed against hers.

There you go you crazy fan peoples, more Alice and hatter moments. Are you as confused as I am? Well you should be! Review!