Eeek, it's been a while since I updated. My apologies! Anyway, I have decided against naming chapters. I thought about it, and I knew that I would be super-lazy numerous times and not feel like coming up with a good chapter name, or I'd be at a loss. I know people have been dying for some hint of fluff if anything, and I felt as though I wanted to do that very thing now. I hope you'll enjoy this longer installment. Also, I want to thank everyone for nearly 100 reviews! I never thought it'd get this much attention, really. I think that I'll recognize people once I hit the 100 mark, since I'm so incredibly thankful. You guys inspire me and make me stick to it, since it's easy to let go of these things as many fanfic authors have done (which is sad). Enough of my stupid talking. Enjoy!

I own nothing of Alice in Wonderland.

The path they were traveling was awfully jagged, going this way and that. It simply couldn't seem to make its mind on which way to go! If anything, she far preferred it over a dreadfully boring straight walkway. Alice began to tire, however. She quickly brought her hands to her mouth, yawning quietly. How long had it been since dinner? She never went to sleep afterward, had she? It was only but sunset now. Her legs, rather used to the route, continued to walk without a thought given to them. Alice rubbed her eyelids in tiredness. She thought they very well could have been dipped in lead.

The Hatter, on the other hand, was simply indefatigable. He still strode on several paces ahead of her, the fabric on his hat billowing slightly behind him. Alice thought he could very well go about this road indefinitely, through snow, rain, sleet, or what have you. It annoyed her, really. How could he be so full of vim and vigor when she struggled to keep her eyes open? She huffed quietly in annoyance.

"Hatter," her voice finally rang out.

He spun around rather quickly, surprised to hear her call him. Why, he had been so focused upon his task, he'd noticed little else. He couldn't focus properly, trying still to break his semi-trance. "Ah, yes?"

How grateful she was to stop walking! Her feet still felt as though they were moving onward, however. She crossed her arms on her chest, not really knowing what else to do with them.

"I'm just dreadfully tired. I haven't slept in I don't know how long, and then there was that frightful storm…" He still listened attentively, so she continued. "Perhaps we could stop and rest somewhere around here…?"

He brought a hand to his face in thought and began to chew a nail slightly. The Hatter's gaze went all about their present location, searching for she didn't have the slightest idea of what. He walked around as well, occasionally turning a small stone over to look under or something else that she thought was peculiar. Without any real warning, he began to stray from the dirt path into the thick bushes. He seemed as intent as a bloodhound on a trail. Not really wanting to be left behind and in fear that in his focus he'd forget go back to her, Alice hurried after him.

How dark it was now! It was if the fairy Robin Goodfellow was part of this land, causing mischief and stirring up more thick fog. All she could make out in the brush was the pinkish cloth on his hat that whipped in the air behind him, as well as his electric orange hair. The nasty fingers of the branches grabbed at her clothes and hair. Occasionally they scratched across her soft skin, causing her lips to curl downward into a frown. Curious, she glanced over her shoulder at her attackers only to see that they had dreadful cavernous faces, leering at her with glowing eyes and fanged mouths. Alice now went significantly faster, bumping into the Hatter's back. He had stopped all of a sudden, focused on whatever was in front of him.

Alice regained her balance and peered around him. Her eyes widened in wonder; it was a ravishing sight. There before them stood a magnificent Weeping Willow, its branches flowing and long, tears flowing down its stricken features. It sobbed heavily, waving its branches all about like whips. Its flower petals and leaves fluttered through the air. The tree tried desperately to ward off a collection of pesky Fire Flies who threatened to make if become aflame. Alice had to admit, however, that they held a beauty of their own. They were small little candles that flitted about like fallen embers. Oh, but how the wretched tree wailed!

"Hatter," Alice said again, voice cracking. "How are we going to help this poor tree? It's in agony! I can't stand to hear its pitiful shrieks…"

His eyes flickered from her face back to the small swarm of Fire Flies. He had not responded, but he held a seriousness about his countenance. His hands were at his sides, twitching nervously on his legs. The willow only continued to get louder and louder, more horrified and panicked. She could only look back and forth at them, each becoming increasingly distressed. One Fire Fly latched itself onto one of the tree's whip-like branches, its flame spreading to the leaves. Alice yelped at the horrid sound the willow released into the night, her hands over her ears. It was a blood-curdling scream that she expected to hear from a mother losing her child, but magnified through the echo chamber inside of it. Her heart felt as though it very well was going to break for the poor dear.

He seemed nearly as stricken as she was. Heart beating madly in her chest, she grasped onto his shoulders and shook him. The Hatter's gaze was finally pulled from the growing fire to her blue eyes that threatened to bring forth tears. She would very well weep herself.

"Do something, anything, please Hatter! I don't know what to do!" she choked.

"Fire Flies…are like, like candles…" he answered, still slightly in a stupor. "You just blow them out…"

Her face was incredulous, as she hadn't even considered the idea at all. All it took was another scream from the tree to let her return to her senses, head whipping around. Her feet carried her to where it was rooted, perhaps twenty or thirty feet away from where they had been. Once one unfortunate Fire Fly fluttered to where she stood, she drew in a deep breath and blew with as much force as her diaphragm would allow. A small squeak came from the Fly, then its flame disappeared and it dropped to the ground. Smoke came up from its tiny, charred body.

He still stood! Alice was fuming with anger at this realization and her cheeks were certainly a cherry red.

"Are you going to help or what, Hatter?! You look like a stupid codfish, gaping like that!"

He frowned. "I am not a codfish!"

Alice promptly fell down upon the ground, arms and legs where ever they chose to be. Her chest heaved as her lungs tried to pull as much oxygen as they could from the air. What exhausting work it had been! The Hatter, once he had regained some of his senses, had proved to be rather good at extinguishing the Fire Flies. He, however, had also become thoroughly exhausted. His hands rested upon his knees as he steadied his breathing as well. The tree only whimpered slightly, nursing the branch that had been a victim to one of the insects.

Alice closed her eyes, happy to feel the earth still beneath her. It was very cool and her toes curled into the soil like roots. She felt something play with her hair, and she supposed it was the wind…until that something began to yank rudely. Her lids shot open at once, now seeing a branch wrapped around her tresses.

"Dearie…" the tree whispered, its voice floating through the wind, "I am so grateful to you, and that wonderfully brave man."

Alice delicately removed the branch from her hair, not wanting to offend the willow. "It wasn't right, the way those things were frightening you… You're very welcome, though." She curtsied a bit.

"So polite…" The tree let out a soft sigh. Alice supposed it was a female tree. "Is there anything that I may be able to do for you two, my child…?"

She nodded. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, might we be able to stay here for the night? It's been awfully long since we've slept."

A smile came upon the willow's face, its bark creaking. "But of course… I too am tired, and plan on resting straightaway. You may still rest under my branches. Goodnight, dears…" It was then her face faded back into her trunk. The Weeping Willow was nothing more than a tree now.

"Now…" Alice spoke, mostly to herself, "if only I had something to eat."

"That is something that I can alleviate."

Alice poked her head through the tree's branches, thinking that she had heard his voice from there. Lo and behold, he sat on the mossy earth, cross-legged and making a nighttime pot of tea (without fire, no less). As irrational as it was, she simply strode over to seat herself across from him, legs tucked to the side. She adjusted her dress as to not be indecent. Her nose drank in the heavenly scent, which warmed her insides. It was a delightful brew of blackberry tea, she thought. It may not have been food, but…

"Of course, one cannot get rid of hunger in this way. Therefore, I also have this." From out of nowhere, or somewhere in his jacket perhaps, he drew a delightful platter of pastries. She let out a small gasp. There were scones, tarts, muffins, cookies… Her mouth was watering. How difficult it would be to be ladylike and feed her growling belly!

"Oh, thank you so much!" Carefully she took an orange scone from the tray, nibbling on its sweet surface. Never had dessert been quite this heavenly.

He smiled, quite pleased that he saw a happy Alice. He poured them both a cup of tea, dropping in a few cubes of sugar and stirring. Delicately he placed it down before her on the mossy earth.

"Hatter…" she mumbled through a bite of the scone, "how long were you out of Underland, looking for me?" While walking the question had eaten at her a bit, as she'd never told him where she lived or to where she planned on going. England must have been such a foreign place to the excitable haberdasher.

"Hmm…how long…" He paused from stirring sugar in his own cup. "When I did arrive, you calendar said July the first… Correct me if I am wrong, but I think we just left July the sixteenth? My memory is so foggy, you see…"

With this she stopped chewing altogether. He had searched her out for over two weeks? He was in a land he didn't know, no one there he could call a friend, not a single pence in his pocket, yet he had become a ship captain on her vessel? Where had he lived, how did he eat? Did he even know how to run a ship prior? She simply balked at this, unable to even swallow the wad of food in her mouth which became more and more liquefied by the second. He had risked it all just to find her. He could have returned home at any moment with the Jabberwocky blood.

"But, I did find you! Everyone called be a lunatic, but I just knew I could find you. I'm quite excited to tell Chessur that he owes me one of his nine lives. An awfully terrible bet, but all the better for me!" It didn't seem to bother him at the slightest…

Finally she swallowed her food, shivering at the disturbing conglomeration that slithered down her throat. The tea was incredibly scrumptious. How had he fixed piping hot tea with no flame? There was probably some nonsensical answer, so she dismissed it completely.

"You know, Alice, I think it is proper that I get the chance to ask something to you for each question you present to me. I've certainly had time to ponder a few things myself since I had seen you last." He took another sip of tea. His clothes were a calm shade of warm brown.

"I suppose there's nothing wrong with that. Go right ahead." She had to admit, she hadn't expected this. Alice was incredibly interested to hear what the Hatter had on his mind.

He tilted his head to the side, seeming to try to figure out what exactly it was that he wanted to ask. Finally a smile graced his lips once more. "What was your father like?"

Alice blinked. "Why does my father interest you?"

He shrugged slightly. "Well, I overheard that he was the one who created your trading company, wasn't he? Moreover, I find it hard to believe you got your muchness from your mother. I met her briefly." The Hatter shook his head at the memory.

She couldn't help much laugh slightly. He looked so serious! "Yes, I do think I got my muchness from him. He always said to me that he could think of six impossible things before breakfast time. At night, when I was a little girl (before my original days in Underland, you see) I had the same sort of frightening dream every night…"

The Hatter's smile faded visibly and he stopped drinking tea completely. He seemed to lean in slightly, engrossed by her story.

"It was of Underland, but of the not so nice parts. I dreamt of the Red Queen, of the croquet games, of the trial…" She shook her head. "Dreadful, dreadful things. I would go into his room on those nights and ask him to help me fall asleep. All these magnificent disillusions terrified me. I thought I'd gone bonkers, you know. Normal people surely didn't have those sorts of dreams, or the same ones for that matter. But you know what he said to me?"

Still wrapped in her story, he could only shake his head by small degrees.

"Well, I would first ask him if he thought I was mad, which I suspected I was. Then, he would say to me, tucking me snug into my bed, 'I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.' I could always go back to sleep afterwards and maybe dream of tea parties or unbirthdays or talking flowers…" It made her feel warm, thinking on these things. Now it occurred to her that it was a rather lovely night. The stars were bright in the sky through the Weeping Willow's branches, a soft wind blew through the summer night air…

It was then that she focused on his gaze again. She'd become so involved that she could only fiddle with the flora on the earth or maybe the fabric on her dress. Never had she really shared such an intimate story with anyone; it was so incredibly personal for her. However, she saw that he was regarding her with such….adoration? Suddenly she remembered that she had said those very words to him. Her heart quickened a bit.

Recovering from this, she said, "You two would have been very good friends…"

The Hatter nodded, retaining his grin. "Your turn, Alice."

"Oh! Right then…" She drew her legs closer, hands clasped together. After a moment or so of silent deliberation and sips of tea with both parties, she returned her focus to the Hatter. "Can you tell me what's happened to Underland since I left?"

With this he frowned deeply. "I would prefer to answer this tomorrow. I don't want to waste a perfectly pleasant evening on that business. Moreover, I want to organize what I need to tell you. I would end up talking myself in circles and then become thoroughly cross-eyed. Not a lovely sight, I can assure you." He took a bite out of a razzleberry muffin. "Something different, if you will."

This time she decided it was best to bring up the first thing that popped into her mind. Surely there wasn't any harm in that. She had so much on her mind that it was proper to start where ever she could. Fingering a slender Weeping Willow leaf she inquired softly, without much thought, "Did you go to England to find the Underland Champion or to find me, just Alice?"

He choked on his tea, pounding on his chest to clear his airway. "Who…did I come for…?"

She was quite surprised by her question herself. Alice felt a bit of warmth in her cheeks. What had she gotten herself into this time? She bit her lip, scolding herself inwardly.

"Why, I would think that would be obvious…" He cleaned his mouth, dabbing his handkerchief upon it. "I sought out you, Alice. It was completely horrible having an Underland without an Alice."

It was her turn to smile now, the corners of her mouth pulling upward prettily. She attempted to hide her face by looking sideways, but it still brought delight to the Hatter.

"It's indisputably true! I think such a thing should be a crime. Moreover, it is also a crime to hide such a lovely smile." His cup made a soft "tink" noise as he set it down upon its saucer.

Trying to distract herself, she resumed eating that orange scone she'd taken from the tray. What a fine kettle of fish she'd gotten herself into!

"Hatter, I do think it's your turn to ask a question," Alice said.

"Oooh, right you are." His hands were placed upon his knees, drumming silently. "Have you figured out yet how a raven is like a writing desk?"

A short moment of silence paused. Alice then broke out in unrestrained laughter. He always seemed to have the most serious expression when he said the silliest things. Her sides ached, causing her to fall onto the soft ground, hair every which way and on her face. This was by far her most favorite tea party, she concluded.

Unable to help himself, he began to laugh uncontrollably himself. He, however, delighted far more in her reaction that what he had said. This was certainly an evening not to be tarnished by somber questions like the one she had proposed prior. It was a lovely night.

"I dare say, Alice," he said between bursts of laughter, "on your last visit we hadn't the time to throw you an unbirthday party!"

"No!" she agreed, taken by giggles again.

"I have something…for your unbirthday…today…if you'd like it!" Guffawing all the way, he dug into his jacket pockets, searching for whatever gift he had hidden. Alice managed to return to an upright position, wiping the tears from her eyes.

There in his hands she saw a delightful, dainty blue hat. It was incredibly close to the same shade as her dress and it was made of fine materials and lace ribbon. She gasped at how sublime it was!

"It's beautiful…" she whispered.

He grinned broadly. "I had so hoped you would like it! Allow me."

The Hatter hopped up, walking over to where she was seated. Carefully he set it upon her head, his fingers only slightly brushing across the hair on her scalp. She shivered slightly, not quite expecting his touch.

"I made it while I was on my quest to find you in England."

"Thank you ever so much…" She reached up to touch it, feeling the soft fabric.

"Now, it seems I must break the rules and pose another question." He began to pack up his things, looking over his shoulder as he spoke to her. She looked to him in wonder as he stuffed everything into his jacket. "Are you sleepy?"

Another radiant smile came to her lips.