Hatter knew how to deal with a lot of things. He was a fairly adaptable man, throw him into almost any situation and he could make it work. Boring tea-party? Easy. Doomed to be beheaded? No problem.
Crying Alice? Heavens help him.
Hatter had managed to come out of his rage after face-planting into a chair (the result of lunging after a girl and a sword that had disappeared into thin air). The strange bird had just enough time to mutter "Time" by way of explanation, when Alice had reappeared, dropped the sword, and flung herself into him. Between the sobs he had heard something about "deal" and "Papa." That's when Hatter had noticed the older man was no longer in the room, and when Alice's pain began to make sense.
But that did not mean he knew how to fix it.
Think! What had she done to make him better? Distraction – that's right she had distracted him from his pain. But what to distract her with? Hatter looked down at the mass of blond hair on his shoulder, his arms awkwardly wrapped around her. Say anything, he thought, just show her you're here.
"Alice?"
She looked up at him bleary-eyed and a bit flushed from her grief. Come on Tarrant, first thing that comes to mind, just say something.
"I think I'd very much like to kiss you now."
Ok. So maybe not the first thing that came to mind.
"Yes that'd probably be a good idea."
Wait, what?
Alice went on, completely oblivious of Hatter's expression (which was something between deer-in-the-headlights and child-on-Christmas-morning). "I think I know what it is like to see hallucinations. They're there for a moment and your heart sings with joy, in the next they're gone and your heart with them." Her fingers dug into his shoulders, "show me that you will not disappear too."
"Ye canna hold hallucinations love," Hatter's voice gruff but it calmed almost immediately, "your father held you, and so his last wishes of love to you were real, you can hold onto them forever." He lowered his head, so that their foreheads were touching, green eyes peering into blue. "As I hold ye now, and as I plan to forever."
The kiss was light at first, lips barely brushing against lips – hers tear-stained, his a little dry. A soft touch, though, was all that was needed to remind them of what, and of who, they had almost lost. Their mouths met with desperation, seeking reassurance, which was feverishly granted, only to be sought again.
They might have stayed like that for hours, intertwined on the floor in comfort and pain, had not their lungs had this pressing, annoying need for oxygen.
"Are you alright?" Hatter half-whispered after a deep breath.
"No," Alice hadn't pulled away, so their foreheads were still touching, "but I will be."
Phillipe interrupted then, a large gray crane, offering both of them his wing to stand. "I am sorry it had to be this way – Charles was hoping you'd have a day or two before everything occurred, but…perhaps it is best this way." He met Alice's glare calmly, "you had already lost him once, this pain is not new to you. Had you had more time the parting would have only caused you more grief."
"Maybe there would have been a way to –"
The bird shook his head, falcon eyes narrowing, "no, there was none. He was not an Underlander and so once he revealed himself there was nothing to be done."
"There was no way to become an Underlander?" Alice asked.
"There is a way. You were given that choice and accepted. So was he – long ago, and refused. There is nothing more to it than that."
"How?"
"You gave your heart to an Underlander and accepted his in return."
"That's … that's just so…" Alice gestured as she reached for a word, "so cliche."
Hatter grinned, "I rather like it."
"Says the man who laughs at bad puns. You would." There was just enough of the proper Alice in her rebuke that Hatter thought maybe, just maybe, Alice would be alright sooner, rather than later.
"Come, there's a collection of people outside waiting for you. Escorts from the White Castle I believe."
"How did they know where to find us?"
"Absalom," Phillipe stated.
Mallymkun was waiting for them, the Bandersnatch in tow. The little warrior was overjoyed to see Hatter and even managed to admit she was glad Alice was alright. She had a million questions for the both of them, and a hearty scolding for Hatter. Alice was more than happy to let the mouse steal the conversation as silence too easily invited thought.
"Ah, one more thing before you go." Phillipe ruffled his feathers and produced an envelope from beneath them, "Charles wanted me to give this to you. He said it should explain everything and more if you ever feel the need to know."
Alice took the letter eagerly, thumb poised to slit the envelope open before she hesitated then tucked it away in her drawstring pouch. At the owl's questioning look she simply replied, "I don't have the frame of mind to read it properly right now."
They said their goodbyes to Phillipe, who tactfully avoided agreeing to any tea invitation ever, and yet somehow hinted he would not mind having them back while appearing to be more than happy to shoo them away as quickly as possible. Then it was onto the Bandersnatch and back to Marmoreal for some peace (thought certainly not for some quiet) and most definitely for some tea.
"You know," Hatter commented as he helped Alice onto the Bandersnatch, "you've really got quite the dramatic streak about you."
"And what do you mean by that?"
"Well coming into Underland and slaying things with swords and all. Very medieval of you."
"How else does one slay something?" Alice asked.
"I slew Time with a song myself. Quite by accident really."
Alice was silent.
Hatter raised an eyebrow, "You don't believe me?"
"No, I'm not surprised in the least," Alice replied, trying hard not to smirk.
It was Hatter who looked incredulous, "you're not?"
"I've heard your signing. "
Though he may be awesome at reading poems, I feel like Hatter would have more enthusiasm than skill in his singing.
As always thank you, thank you, thank you! to you amazing readers! Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter, it's really helpful to know if something reads well or just reads confusing.
Cheers,
- Savi
