Okay, part 3 is up. Thanks to those who reviewed.
I had a bit of a harder time writing this then the first two parts, but I think it turned out okay. Enjoy, and please review :)
Hatter was quickly coming to a couple of realizations.
The first, and perhaps the most shocking to him, was that Jack was actually not a bad guy. In the two days since the apartment, Jack had spent much time with him, teaching him about Alice's world, and how to make his way in it. And whereas Hatter knew that he and Jack would never truly like each other, let alone be friends, they had developed a respectful alliance and understanding of each other.
The other was that Caterpillar's emotionless monotone was very difficult to concentrate on, especially when he was droning for over an hour about what Hatter must do and could not do for the first six weeks that he was in Alice's world.
Hatter fought to not let his eyes glaze over, fought to concentrate, but more and more, he found himself instead daydreaming about Alice.
"Ahem."
Hatter's head jerked up. Caterpillar was watching him, annoyance written clearly on his face. Hatter groaned slightly.
"Sorry, I was listening," Hatter quickly blurted. "I can't be seen by Alice, under any circumstances, or she'll recognize me when she comes here."
Nice save, he congratulated himself as Caterpillar continued.
"Jack must be followed, but you must be invisible..."
It had been a whirlwind two days. He had been moved to the make-shift "palace", a series of apartments near the looking glass room. He had been well fed, given medical treatment, given a haircut (much to his dismay – he consoled himself with the thought that it had six weeks to grow back before he would see Alice), and given lesson after lesson about Alice's world, the pieces of paper that formed their currency (the thought of little pieces of paper having any value was still amusing to him), how to use a cell phone (and how to text), and what the different cards in his wallet all meant.
Most of them were identification – a birth certificate from Britain (stating his name as David James Hatter), a green card to make him legal in the States, a driver's license (although that came with a strict warning for him to not actually go driving). And there were cards that could be used as money – a credit card (which he understood was borrowed money), and a bank card.
Jack told him that he would find enough money in the bank account to last him for quite some time, though he would eventually need to get a job. Jack told him that the account would be set up in present time, so for the first six weeks he was there, he would have to use the pieces of paper (which there were plenty of in his wallet as well).
And for the first six weeks, he would have to rent a hotel room (there was one across the street from Jack's flat), but after that, Jack would sign his apartment over, to be Hatter's new home. He already had the key.
Hatter mentally went over the time line once again as he lay on the bed that night. He knew he couldn't afford to make any mistakes (or "the consequences could be terrible" as Caterpillar had put it, in his best monotone).
He knew that tomorrow he would face the looking glass. And he would have been excited, if it weren't that he knew it would be another six weeks before he would even be allowed to see Alice.
None the less, a combination of nerves and an over-stimulated brain robbed him of sleep for most of the night. He lay in the dark, flipping his hat around in his hands, mentally reciting his "lessons" until finally his brain could not take any more, and shut down for the night.
...
He stared at his reflection, wavering ever so slightly, as the looking glass powered up. He still thought short hair looked ridiculous on him, and he was thankful for the black fedora. He hated the gray shirt and blue trousers (Jack had called them jeans) that had been picked out for him to wear, but he had been told that this was clothing that oysters wore all the time in Alice's world.
He could see Jack and his suits, and further back, Charlie in his full white armor and Dormie (who was sound asleep), reflected behind him. The scientist in the white jacket stood before him, making some final adjustments to the looking glass.
Hatter just stood there, staring, much as he had the day that Alice had been pushed through.
He was leaving Wonderland... for good. He would go through the looking glass, and then the looking glass would be powered down and the ring locked away. Already the news of the coup and the oysters being sent home and tea production ending, was causing widespread panic and rioting among the tea addicts. There were fears that they would try to storm the looking glass and get to the oyster's world to get emotions from their source. So Jack and his advisers had determined that the only thing to be done was to shut down the portal permanently.
The looking glass was ready. The scientist in the white jacket approached Hatter and took him by the arm, strangely reminiscent of how he had days earlier, with Alice. He led him to the edge of the gilded frame.
"Just remember to..."
Hatter panicked. At the last second, he broke free of the scientist's grasp and backed away from the looking glass, struggling to breathe, trying to control his sudden fear, and trying desperately to resist curling up in a fetal position on the floor in front of everyone.
Hatter, who had punched a jabberwock without even thinking, who had stormed a group of armed suits with only a horse and a dull sword, found himself now facing a realization that terrified him far more.
A firm hand gripped his shoulder and turned him around. Jack stood there, looking concerned.
"Hatter?"
Hatter tried to steady his breathing. "I just need a minute," he said, cursing his voice for coming out so weak
"What's wrong Hatter?"
Hatter stared at his feet, color building in his cheeks. "I'm scared," he blurted, then cursed himself again, especially when he saw a bit of a smug look flit across Jack's face.
Jack said nothing, but his lip twitched upwards slightly. He hadn't thought twice about stepping through the looking glass when he had gone to find Alice. Finally, he thought, he had proven he was braver then this man. But the thought was only fleeting.
Hatter quickly tried to collect himself. But now a flood of fear flowed through his mind and out of his mouth before he could stop it. "I know I have to go to Alice's world, but what if I do something wrong? What will happen to Wonderland? And what if it doesn't work out between Alice and me? I could be stuck in her strange world forever, by myself, with no way to get back home." His voice was ragged and raw emotion spilled out, and he felt horribly embarrassed.
It had been the first time he had allowed himself to think about losing Alice, and it terrified him. They had only known each other for less than a week... and although it had been no normal week, it had still been a week. And he had spent much of it just trying to get her to trust him.
Trust him.
"I'm sorry that I didn't trust you."
"Do you trust me now?"
"Completely."
Hatter's chest loosened and he took a deep breath.
"You know, you could always visit my world. You might like it."
Hatter raised his head.
"She said no. She said she wanted something else. Someone else."
He looked at Jack, his calm returning.
Jack had to admire the strength of Hatter's will. He had gone from frantic to fully composed again in mere seconds. Still, Jack had one more offer to make.
"We have to shut down the looking glass, but before we do, I will set it to a month from today, and come visit you. If you want to then, you can come back, to Wonderland."
There was another quick round of goodbyes, between Hatter and Charlie, and Hatter and Dormie, who was once again awake. The suits nodded respectfully at him as he walked back up to the looking glass. It shimmered at him, expectantly. He touched the surface lightly with his fingers and felt it ripple.
The scientist in the white jacket came up beside him. "Try to..."
"Yeah, yeah. Try to remember to breathe. I know." And with that, Hatter jumped through the looking glass and disappeared from Wonderland.
So how will Hatter fare in Alice's world? And how will he react to having to watch Jack woo her? Stay tuned!
