A/N: Thank you sung-me, LittleFairyMaiden, WishFlower, ShelBeexLee, Jen Lewis, Stardino, xXjadeXcullenXx, BlueNewt113 and JessTheGeek for the reviews! I got them actually more than I expected, so thank you again! Anyways, as I promised, in this chapter Alice will meet Hatter, who was gone… sane. Warning: angst and probably slight OOC-ness ahead! Enjoy!

Chapter 2


Hatter stared at the ceiling, some of his orange-red hair on his face. He wasn't asleep. Well, he had tried to sleep, but failed at that. He just… couldn't. The voices in his head were louder than ever, they had been already for couple of days. Strange enough, they made him somehow sane. They didn't actually calm him, they were telling him to forget. Forget about her.

''Forget her already, Tarrant! You know she isn't coming back, she broke her promise!''

''What good it will do to you if you just lay down thinking about her, Tarrant?''

''You should try to be happy!''

''She isn't coming back, you have to believe us!''

''Believe us, Tarrant, believe us!''

Those voices would've made anyone else mad, but Tarrant Hightopp already was. Or had been.

True, what good it will do to him, if he just lies down thinking about her? Nothing, just pain. He wanted to believe the voices. He wanted to drink tea again, and be mad. But something in his heart was telling him not to forget. Telling him to wait. Wait for her at last for this day.

''Alice…''


Hatter saw Alice standing alone in the balcony. She looked pretty the moon shining against her hair and skin. He walked to her and asked:

''Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing-desk?''

It was one of his favorite riddles. Actually he didn't even himself know the answer. That's why he liked it. Because it was mad.

Alice turned her head to look at him.

''Let me think about it'', she said and looked back at the sight spreading in front of them.

He smiled.

''You know what tomorrow is, don't you?''

''Frabjous Day, how could I forget'', she said sadly, still looking at the view.

''I wish I would wake up.''

Hatter looked at her asking:

''You still believe this is a dream?''

''Of course, this all came from my own mind'', Alice answered and turned her head to him.

''It would mean that… I'm not real'', he said quiet.

''I'm afraid so. You're just a figment of my imagination.''

They remained in a comfortable silent for a moment, and she said:

''I'm going to miss you when I wake up.''


Alice had finally made her way to the end of the forest. She saw tea-tables, and March Hare was sleeping on one of them, snoring. She asked:

''March Hare?''

No effect. Wait, what was his real name? Tack… Tham… Thack… Thackery!

''Thackery'', she tried again.

This time, the Hare woke up, his eyes big. He looked at her surprised.

''Alice, are you the Alice?''

''Yes, it's me-...''

Suddenly, a tea-cup was flying at her. She ducked just in time.

''You're late for tea, Alice'', he shouted.

''I'm sorry, Thackery. I'm not here for tea; I'm looking for the Hatter. Do you know where he is?''

Hare's eyes twitched at her words. Then they went big again.

''He's over there'', pointing at the wind-mill.

Alice thanked him and turned to leave, but he put his paw on her shoulder, like Cheshire had done.

''Please, make him be himself again. He's making me sane too.''

''Don't worry, I'll try my best'', Alice said with a smile.


Alice stood at the door, and knocked.

Knock knock.

No answer. Do I have to do everything twice?

Knock knock knock.

''Maybe he's asleep'', she said to herself.

''I know this may be rude and selfish, but I'm going in.''

She looked at his house in awe. It was very… Hatter-like. There weren't just two or three colors; there was orange, yellow, purple, white, red, green, brown, blue and many others. The house wasn't very clean. Dishes weren't washed, they were still dirty. Plates, spoons, forks, cups, cans; lying around the kitchen-tables. On the couch there was even an orange-…

Wait.

Alice took a closer look, and her thoughts had been right.

It was Hatter, lying and staring at the ceiling, like Cheshire had told her.

''Alice…''

But he wasn't looking at her. Then she noticed his eyes, which were normally beautiful light-green. Now they were dark-blue. It was giving him a sad look. Alice almost started to pity him, but remembered it was because of her.

She took his hand.

''Hatter'', she called his name.

She had always called him Hatter; she had never used his other name. She had heard only Cheshire to use it once, when she came to Underland for the second time. The cat had used it at the tea-party. She hoped that she would remember it right.

''Tarrant.''

Something seemed to click in his mind. His eyes snapped at her. The time he looked at her, his eyes were turning slowly back to their normal color, beautiful light-green.

He opened his mouth first few times, but then he whispered:

''A-Alice, is it really you?''

It was a hoarse, desperate whisper. Alice could feel her eyes begin to water.

''Yes, it's me, Hatter. I'm so sorry it took so long, you have every right to blame me, of cou-''

She was cut off by his white finger. She looked back at the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.

''Alice, why a raven is like a writing-desk?''

''I have no idea'', came her silent answer.

''Then you have answered right'', the orange-haired man said and smiled his mad grin, which he was finally able to do again.

She blinked few times, before clasping her arms around his neck.

''Hatter, I'm sorry'', she murmured in his shoulder for the second time.

He hugged her back.

''Nothing to forgive, dear Alice, as long you are back.''


She was back.

Tarrant Hightopp hadn't been happier in years. In six years, indeed. And he finally was able to do his mad smile again. His heart was whole again, so was his mind; there weren't any voices anymore, telling him to forget. All thanks to Alice Kingsleigh.

Hatter stepped out of his bath and put his green towel around his waist. After he had dressed in clothes he had on the day Alice had showed up the second time, he went to look for his favorite hat. He hoped that Cheshire wouldn't have stolen it.

''Looking for this'', asked a sweet voice from his bedroom's door.

Alice was holding his hat.

''Why, yes. Thank you, dearest Alice'', the man said.

Alice stepped in front of him and placed it on his head.

''There, you look yourself again.''

Hatter had a mad grin over his fade. He was sure that even the cat would have been jealous of that grin.


A/N: Another chapter finished! I try write more tomorrow, I probably have all day to write, because of my flu. It wasn't very much longer than the first chapter, put I had to cut it at that part, 'cause I didn't want it to end for a cliffhanger. ;) Oh, and if you notice any typos, please let me know of them!

Review please, I appreciate them very much! ^^3