'Did she hear me?' He wondered. 'Did she hear me every night? I called her name, I asked her to return. I begged her!' He thought, listening to the soft crunching of leaves beneath his feet. He had been calling to her for years without even a sign to show she had heard him. During the battle with that... creature... He had called out once more. It was a mere goodbye to her. He was hoping the beast would slay him and that all his madness would be laid to rest. His blank gaze slid up to the yellowing leaves on the trees. He remembered walking there with her so long ago... 'Oh, Alice...'

Then he could hear leaves crunching, but not under his own foot. He stopped altogether and gave a puzzled expression when the crunching of leaves didn't stop with him. "Hatter!" He nearly jumped at the word. He turned around to face her. She stopped her running and was now walking at a hastened pace. "Hatter, why won't you come to the castle?" Alice asked.

The mad man looked down at his shoes. "I'm not welcomed there anymore. The queen and Mallymkun are the only ones who are not angered with me." He nearly whispered.

Alice gave a concerned look, "What happened?" She made him look up, lifting his sorrow-filled emerald eyes to meet her own.

He looked away and started walking, "Well I suppose it is no use speaking of a gone past. I guess you'd better be," He paused and glanced over his shoulder, his Scottish brogue bubbling to the surface, "Headin' back tae th' castle."

Alice grabbed his hand to stop him, but he would have none of it. The hatter's eyes flashed red at her, "Gang awa'! yoo're naethin' but a seductress sent frae heel, ye stoat demon! yoo're naethin' mair than mah imagination toyin' wi' mah loove fur Ahlice. yoo're nae mair than," He paused and he returned to normal, "than a figment of my madness sent to torment me." He began walking again with a bowed head. He was absolutely certain that this blonde hallucination was not his Alice. She was gone. She was never coming back. She had broken her promise to him...

He heard her gasp, as most hallucinations did before they began laughing in his face. He looked up and turned as he heard the sound of leaves crunching, as if something had dropped into them. The hallucination had fallen to her knees and was... crying? That was mighty peculiar. Could she feel emotions?

'Well, of course, Tarrant! Or else she wouldn't be crying right now! Why did you have to go and make the poor dear cry, hm?' He thought to himself. He went back to her slowly. He felt so ashamed. "Um..." He was at a loss for words. He knelt down and awkwardly put his arms around the illusion. "There, there, now lass. I'm terribly sorry. You see, my hallucinations have been increasingly dreadful these past few days and they always laugh and poof away at me," He pulled a handkerchief from his coat pocket and offered it to her, "But you're different. You did not taunt me and poof away. You heard my words and took them to heart. Dry those tears," He pleaded, pushing the cloth into her hands. She looked up, puffy red eyes and a red nose, and dried her eyes. A gentle smile crossed his magenta lips. "There we are now." He took the cloth back and stuffed it into his pocket again, "This is rather odd, I've never been able to touch you before."

He helped her to stand and offered his arm as an escort, as a sensible man would do for such a lovely creature. "What shall I call you?" He asked her.

She took his arm gingerly and replied in a meek tone, "Alice shall be fine."

Suddenly the sky began to cry. He looked at the blonde beauty, "Come now, we have to get you inside now."

As the rain grew heavier, the Hatter gave "Alice" his coat and urged her to run faster. As they reached the old mill, a horrified look crossed his snow pale face. He ushered her inside. "My tea set! The rain will chip their paint if I don't get them in!"

Alice grabbed his sleeve and said, "Hatter, you mustn't! You'll catch a cold."

He gave her one of his adorable gap toothed smiles, "Nonsense, imagination! I'll be fine. Stay here." He was touched that she cared about his health, even if she wasn't the real Alice. He darted out into the pouring rain and started dumping tea cups, tea pots, saucers, and anything else he could get his hands on, into his hat.

He reached Thackery, The March Hare's, seat and grabbed the plates and one cup. He picked up the other, noticing it was broken and decided to carry it. He could probably fix it later. He suddenly felt a sharp sting in his hand and he dropped the broken tea cup. He jumped slightly at the sound of thunder and rushed back into the mill, uttering things in his other language.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked.

"Damn cup cut mah hain, lass." He growled. He suddenly began to unbutton his gold vest with one hand. He carefully let it slide to the floor and began unbuttoning his long sleeved shirt. He had not noticed the girl watching his every movement. He began to slide his shirt off, favoring his hand.

"What are you doing?" She shouted.

The mad man smirked, "I don't want my clothing stained. Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of clothes? Silly boy." He was too happy about that. After all, what else would he be doing?

She reached out and touched his hand, "Let me have a look."

He extended his hand a little and watched her as she ran her fingers over his mercury stained fingers. She gently slipped off a thimble that had been on his middle finger. Her fingertips brushed his skin in such a gentle manner. He felt as if heaven had crashed around him and he was in the middle of it.

She slowly and unnoticeably looked around for a cloth or something! Anything! He had to make her stop. He grabbed a cloth off the hat wrack in which he had undoubtedly cut to make a hat. She reached her hand for it but he said, "Oh no! I can manage."

She leaned forward and grabbed at it, "Nonsense, Hatter! I left you here alone for three years. This is the least I could do to repay the favor." She smiled.

He handed it to her and looked away quickly. "Tarrant."

"What was that?" She slowly wrapped it around his hand.

"Call me Tarrant. It's my name." He replied. She tied off the knot on his bandage and kisses his palm.

He gave a shocked expression. Why would she do that? Couldn't she see he was trying to distance himself from her as it was?

He suddenly had the epiphany that it was going to be a long night...