First of all, we have to get solemn for a moment. I'm posting this on 9/11 and have to ask you all to pray for the Americans that lost their lives on this day a decade ago. I don't carewhat your religion is, where you live, or what you look like, but those people had no reason to die and therefore should be remembered. Thank you, God Bless You All.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Alice in Wonderland.

Inspirational Song: "The Star-Spangled Banner" - Francis Scott Key (writer)

. . . . .

"You can't just go through the window!" Alice shrieked. She pulled roughly on Hatter's pant leg, causing him to fall to a bruised heap on the grass below.

He looked up at her irritably. "And why not?" he asked as if speaking to a child.

Alice struggled to get him back up. Once they were eye level she spoke. "Because. . . Because. . ." she said slowly, searching her brain for a logical reason to not go leaping through the Ascots' open window. She could see their large and elegant dining room inside from where she stood. The whole place looked exactly how she remembered it. Really, it hadn't changed in years.

Hatter snapped his fingers with a confused look on his face, beckoning for Alice's attention. "You're doing that more and more often," he said matter-of-factly.

"Must be picking it up." She gave a small smile. "But please, no changing the subject. We cannot enter through the window."

"This isn't the type of situation in which we can casually walk through their door," he whispered harshly. "We can't risk being seen."

"I know," she debated, attempting to draw calmness from the surrounding environment. "But as you can plainly see, there is no one else around besides us, so we would be able to-"

"No, no, this will not do! I asked for a completely different pattern of roses!"

Alice and Hatter stared at each other with widened eyes and open mouths. Alice knew that voice, and it was getting only louder and clearer as it neared. "So sorry, I could have sworn you asked for this one," was the reply. It sounded like a younger male.

"Quickly, quickly!" Hatter whispered to her. He came closer, lifted her up in his arms, and placed a hand over Alice's mouth to stifle her gasp. He hurdled her over the windowsill as gently and quietly as possible, although it did still hurt a bit. She landed on the wooden floor in the burgundy-colored dining room with a huff.

Hatter nearly launched himself through the window, causing Alice to wince. She waited for the crash of Hatter smacking his head on the dark wooden table, but instead got punched in the gut. She bit her lip to suppress a groan and looked up. Hatter, in the form of a completely different man, was looming over her with an apologetic smile on his face and shy eyes. They lay there, practically on top of each other, waiting below the window, out of sight.

Soon enough, the voices were right outside the window. And of course, they chose to stand right there and stop to chat about the garden. Although she desperately wanted to see what Lady Ascot was looking like today, Alice fought the urge to glance up a few inches to see over the windowsill. Hatter must have guessed what she was thinking and pressed more of his weight against her, keeping themselves out of sight. Her white hood feel down and Alice blushed, Hatter's eyes delving deeply into hers. His body was unfamiliar to her, but the warmth she felt from him was not.

Now was probably not the time for this.

"Really, the task is not that difficult," they heard Lady Ascot say, breaking the connection of heat. "At least, for most it is not. Where were you schooled?"

They heard a male's quite voice reply. "Down the road, at Burbenge's."

Lady Ascot sniffed. "Well, that is rather prosperous. Nonetheless, I would expect the correct pattern of greenery next time. Replant them and do it again."

"Of course, terribly sorry, of course." They heard one pair of footsteps walk away and assumed it was Lady Ascot. This was confirmed when they heard the servant mutter, "Numbskull," under his breath before walking away in the opposite direction. Hatter giggled quietly once he was out of earshot.

Once they were sure that they were now alone, Hatter crawled off Alice and stood up to offer a hand to her. Alice closed the window once they were up. "That was close," she said.

Hatter shushed her urgently. "Whispers, dear! How are we to know that this house is empty?"

Alice looked around the rich home knowingly. "Chances are Lord Ascot is at work and Lady Ascot would never spend time alone in the house. That's precious time of socialization wasted to her. And Hamish is bound to know that we're here sooner or later, of course."

Hatter's brow furrowed. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Well, we're going to have to speak with him, aren't we?" At Hatter's bemused silence, she went on. "Don't you realize what Stayne is planning?" she asked with a tilted head.

Hatter frowned at her. "Should I?"

Alice sighed with a smile, but it disappeared as she began to speak. "Stayne's come back for Hamish," she said gently.

Hatter's eyes widened in realization. "How do you know? Can you be sure? That's an awful assumption, Alice."

She nodded, taking one of his hands. He looked down at them as she continued. "I am sure, I can promise you that. It's the only reason that certain Underlanian would come up here. He wants revenge, Hatter," she said with soft eyes. "He'll make sure he gets it. Which is why we have to stop him," she added forcefully.

He nodded slowly, the gears turning faster and faster in his brain. "Then what are we waiting for?"

A loud crash and a man's scream from above caused them to look up.

Alice dropped Hatter's hand, looking at him. "That." She whirled around and raced through the rooms of the house. She remembered it perfectly. Hatter caught up with her as they ran past Lord Ascot's study and flew up the staircase. They met a hallway with doors on the right and doors on the left. They were in the dining room when they heard the crash, so Alice chose to go right. She picked a door at random, but it was only an empty bedroom. A smaller crash sounded from the next room over. Alice left that door ajar and flung the other one open only to come to a sudden halt.

There was a large gash in the bedding, as if a sword had slashed through it. Feathers were still falling from the impact. A table was knocked over with a broken lamp laying next to it. The window was shattered with its remains on the floor. A small chandelier was swinging from its hinges. She heard a gasp from her right and looked over. Hamish crouched cowering in a corner, looking almost exactly as Alice had last seen him. Except this time, he was scared to death. His red hair was disheveled and his skin deathly pale. "Alice?"

He was gaping at her with eyes of both fear and admiration. But Alice didn't look at him long, for it was the tall man in black that was turning around to face her.

Stayne sneered at her through his one good eye, running his gloved hand through his black, greasy hair. "Alice. . ." He said appraisingly, stepping closer. He hadn't changed, and if anything, only gained muscle. "So nice to see you again." He looked behind her to see a very angry and unfamiliar-looking man. "And who might this be?" His sword was already unsheathed.

"Th' man ye took everythin' frae," he growled.* Alice looked back to see that his fists were shaking.

Stayne looked mildly confused for a moment before the realization hit him. "Oh! Tarrant Hightopp! My, have you done something with your hair? You look a tad bit different."

"I'll kill yae," he said gravely. Alice had never seen him look so shaken. If his eyes were able to change color just about now, she'd be sure they were the color of the most powerful storm. She placed a delicate hand on his arm, but he didn't seem to notice.

Stayne grinned and stepped even more closer. There were only a few feet between him and Alice, with Hatter behind her. "Last time I saw you two. . . you were happy," he said simply, before looking back at Hatter. "Hurt." Back to Alice. "But overjoyed." One more step. Hatter had already unsheathed his sword, but Alice didn't have one. She looked around for something to use as a weapon.

Stayne's wry smile stretched to a wretched grin. He raised his blade. "Ah, ah, ah," he said tauntingly to Alice.

It happened very quickly and came out of nowhere. Stayne lunged forward and ducked under Hatter's heavy blow, causing Hatter to stumble over Stayne's body. He rolled onto the floor, cursing. Stayne quickly lashed out at Alice's heel. She shrieked as an explosion of pain erupted. Being the place where you may bleed the most, blood was already seeping through. She thought she heard Hamish scream her name, but couldn't be so sure.

Her vision was blurry as she stumbled around. She reached out with both hands, searching for anything to hold onto. She groaned again as something large hit her on the back of the head. She fell to the floor, only seeing fuzzy figures and swirling colors. She attempted to prop herself up, but her arms turned shaky as she collapsed. She was losing too much blood. What had he hit her with, a grand piano?

She felt more than heard someone crawling on all fours to get to her. She felt a pressure on her back. A hand. It was attempting to sooth her. She tried to look up, but couldn't find her eyes. "Wha. . .?"

"Shh, it's Hamish. Be quiet. I'm taking you behind the table."

She felt herself sliding across a surface. She didn't care. She was calm, relaxed. She was awfully tired, though. She wanted to nap. To dream. To be in Wonderland, where Hatter was waiting for her at the Mad Tea Party. And so was Absolem, and the Tweedles, and the White Queen. She hoped the Red Queen was still in the Outlands, being punished for her wrong-doings.

Where was she? What were those noises?

"Alice, open your eyes. Look at me."

Look at who? She curled up into fetal position. Comfortable.

"Don't you dare," a voice said sternly. "Open your eyes, Alice."

Alice. . .?

"Wake up!" it said emotionally. "Up!"

Up. . . Up to. . .Up to Wonderland? No, that's down. What lay up?

"You're the. . . " The voice seemed reluctant. "You're. . . You are the Champion of Underland. You can open your eyes."

Her eyes flew open in confusion. Hamish remembered? Hamish remembered!

"You remember?" she asked weakly. She heard noises of a struggle behind her, but couldn't find the strength to look. It was coming back, though. She was in the Ascots' manor. Hatter, who did not look like Hatter, was fighting Stayne. Stayne wanted to capture Hamish. . .but, why?

Hamish nodded. "You've been in my dreams, Alice," he whispered. "We were in a magical place, and you had been there before. I made some mistakes, I know that, and whenever I wake up, you've gone."

Made some mistakes. . . Hamish had killed the Red Queen. Stayne wanted revenge. He'd been forced to flee. "I'm gone," she said numbly.

Hamish nodded. Alice vaguely realized that she was in his arms, which made her quite nervous, but was unable to stand. She squirmed around, making herself dizzy. Hamish helped her sit up. She heard the fight behind her intensify. A loud snap caused her to flinch.

"Alice, are these dreams. . . or more? Maybe. . . memories?" Hamish's eyes were wide with excitement. "I know it seems impossible, but lately I've been thinking about what you said many times ago, about six impossible things each morning." His eyes scanned her face for any sign of answers.

Alice looked back in sadness and fear. Had she made Hamish go. . .loopy?

He shook her arm a bit in impatience. "Alice, please! Were they real?"

"I. . . " She didn't know how to answer. "You don't. . . " If she told him yes, who knew what he would do? If she told him no, he could be crushed and become confused. There was still the chance that not all the memories had been accumulated. He was unstable now. What would her answer mean to him if he began to collect more information about what had happened?

Thankfully, she didn't have to answer that one. A blade sliced the table they were hiding behind in half, the sword parting Alice from Hamish. She quickly stumbled to her feet. She clutched her head as the world spun, but she wasn't titled Champion for nothing. When the room ceased its spinning, she took in her surroundings.

The room was an utter disaster. All the pillows were reduced to feathers, the curtains to shreds, and the wooden furniture to slivers. Hatter and Stayne were both panting and Alice could see them bleeding from their wounds. They were minor, though, so she could tell that they'd both been putting up a good fight. Stayne's back was facing her.

Alice met Hatter's eyes, trying to communicate through silence. He nodded at her. Stayne didn't know she was up and behind him. She slowly and silently picked up a dismembered post from the bed and raised it above her head. With a low grunt, she pounded it against Stayne's back. He moaned and turned around, swiftly grasping the piece of wood that Alice still held. With a painful smile, he flung it away from her. She stumbled back, the dizziness taking over once again.

But she had done all she needed to do. Hatter lunged forward and flung his sword underneath Stayne's chin. Hatter pressed all his weight on top of him, bringing him to his knees. Hatter kneeled on Stayne's hands, rendering them useless. Hatter had trapped him.

Stayne closed his eyes and sighed. "Think you'll have ended the evil once you've sliced my throat, do you, Mad Hatter?" He chuckled darkly. "There are two sides to any story, and even after the ending, there's such a thing as sequels."

Alice could see Hatter sweating. "Ye deserve agony an' sufferin," he said thickly. "It'd be nice and slow, so I cood eat mah meal as aye watched. You're lucky the warld wants rid of you as strongly as she does. It'll be quick for you, an endin' unfit, but necessary for a case as burnin' as yoors."

Alice looked curiously and in fear as Hatter spoke to this man. She'd never heard him seem so cruelly. It was. . . unnerving. She could see Stayne thought so, as well. He swallowed uncomfortably. "Hatter," she said softly.

"Aye wonder if th' Queen will hae me th' honur myselfBottom of Form," he said shakily. Yet despite his cold words, Hatter had made no move to kill Stayne. He was sweating an awful amount and his whole form was trembling. His eyes scanned the room, looking for what, Alice did not know.

She saw the mistake as it happened. Hatter shifted his weight anxiously and Stayne's eyes opened in alarm. He grinned and reclaimed the use of his hands. He punched Hatter's jaw and knocked him backwards. He picked up his sword, began to run, winked at Alice, and was through the door. She heard him crash through the window of the room she'd looked in earlier.

She limped across the room with Hatter right behind her. The pain was coming back slowly, but she tried not to think of it as they watched Ilosovic Stayne run across the Ascots' yard and enter the maze leading to the forest.

The forest that contained the Rabbit Hole.

"He's returning to Underland," Hatter said numbly, looking at the horizon.

Alice sighed wearily and glanced at Hatter. A shadow rested across the right half of his face. The sun was preparing itself for sunset somewhere far, far away from them.

She held his hand gently. "Are you alright?"

He slowly turned to face her. She stifled the urge to flinch at his angered expression. "You are hurt," he said thickly. "And the Knave is gone. I am not alright. As of this moment, no one is. It's my fault."

Alice looked down shamefacedly. Of course, he's not alright. I shouldn't have asked that. "It's not your-"

"Alice!" a foolish voiced exclaimed. Alice cringed and let go of Hatter; Hamish was bounding his way to her with even wider eyes. "That was the Knave, Stayne! I remember him, I do! And I think I know-"

"I'm so sorry, Hamish," Alice gushed.

Hamish's rambles cut off. He looked at her confusedly. "Whatever for?"

"This," she said apologetically. She grabbed another piece of wood from the floor and banged him on the head with it. She winced at the loud thud he made as he feel to the floor. "So sorry," she whispered to his unconscious form.

"Alice!" Hatter exclaimed. "What was that for?" He kept looking back and forth between the guilt-stricken Alice and the cataleptic Hamish.

"He was remembering more and more," she explained. "He seemed. . . off, to me." She sniffed. "I feel so. . . so guilty. Hamish fit in perfectly with this world before he followed me down the Rabbit Hole. I can only imagine how they must treat him now. . . I hope he hasn't been voicing his dreams."

Hatter studied her for a moment. Then, he gently took the piece of wood from her hands and placed it on the floor. He collected her into his arms and began to rub circles on her back. "We both know that right now it's safer for him here," he told her.

She leaned back to look at him. "But, what now? He may wake up alone, but he'll remember what happened, surely."

Hatter thought for a while before exclaiming, "A-ha!" He left her at the window and turned to lift Hamish. He grunted, "My, this one is a tad bit heavier than he looks," and dragged him out the door. Curious, Alice followed to see Hatter placing him on the bed in the next room over. He grunted once again as he flopped the passed out Hamish on the bed. "There. Now, what about that mess? We could clean it up, but the furniture. . . "

"Burglary!" Alice proclaimed. "The Ascots are a very wealthy family, we can set it up as if they were stolen from."

Hatter tapped her on the nose. "Such a wise, little girl."

Alice giggled. "But, if they were robbed, Hamish wouldn't necessarily have to be in bed."

He stared at her. "I'm not lifting him up again."

Hatter was forced to do all the work, for Alice was still weak from her injuries and only getting weaker. It was because of this that he hurried in his task. She laid down on the floor as Hatter opened all the drawers in that particular bedroom and stuffed some of the jewelry in his pockets. Alice thought he was a bit too happy to be doing it; he kept giggling and examining the things they'd be taking. He'd quiet down after a stern look from Alice, though.

After they had taken enough for others to realize that a robbery had taken place, they decided to leave. Alice felt a bit bad, stealing from Lord Ascot, but really, all the items were those of Lady Ascot's.

She couldn't help but feel a teeny bit of guilty pleasure.

. . . . .

Rachel: *As we all know, Scottish accents vary extremely well on this site. It is for this reason that I've decided to just go the heck with guesswork and begin to use a Scottish translator site. I'll make sure everything can be understood, but this, I believe, will be so much easier for everyone.

Insanity: Well put.

Rachel: Thank You.

~ For those who were pained by the 9/11 tragedy ~