Chapter 11- Fish and Constellations

Alice awoke that morning to find her husband's arms draped around her at the waist, his face snuggled up against her neck.

Alice smiled outwardly, and then stroked his arms, coaxing him to wake up.

"Hmmm?" That Hatter poked his head up, and looked around, his eyes half opened.

"Calm down silly goose…." Alice sat up, placing her arm on his.

"I am not silly, I was just looking for danger that's all…. And I am not goose!" He said proudly, readjusting his hat on his head. He hadn't realized that he had feel asleep with it on… Well, it wasn't the first time.

"No your not…" Alice suppressed a smile, noticing a small little pout on the man's face. "I'm sorry…"

"Hph!" That Hatter said proudly once more, before breaking into a fit of mad laughter.

"What's so funny?" Alice giggled along with him anyway, though she had no clue what had caused his out burst.

"Oh! I was just considered what it would be like to be goose, you know. Having feathers and such, would be fun, though I don't think I would enjoy the goose bumps…" The Hatter explained, "But then I realized I already have feathers!"

He madly pointed to his peacock feather on his hat, and chuckled a bit more.

"I'm glad to see your back to you mad, old self…"

"First I was a goose and now I'm old?" He teased, pretending to be offended, before Alice reached over and tickled in on the side, telling him to stop.

"Alright, Alright…. but really, you're the one that's insulting people here…." And with that they gathered up their stuff and began to walk east towards the castle.

"You know what I was just thinking…"

"No, I don't, Alice dear…"Tarrant said bluntly.

"Well do you want to know?"

"Oh, yes, of course. I would very much like to know what is going on in that little noggin of yours!"

"Well, why don't you just use your mirror to tell the Queen I'm here? And why am I suppose to be here anyway?" Alice wrinkled her brow.

"Well, you see, with your little tantrum in the woods, I accidently broke it…and the other pestering question…there was a prophecy, just like the last time…" He explained as they walked down a trail though the woods.

"What sort of prophecy? What did it say? I don't have to slay another Jabberwocky, do I?" Alice sighed, thinking back to the battle.

"I hope not…" The Hatter said, worried.

"You mean you don't know?!?" Alice almost screamed, freaked out by the possibility of another battle.

"No!" He dropped the bags and put his hands up as in surrender, "I'm just an innocent bystander!" He yelped.

Alice took his hands down and gave a frustrated sigh, "I'm sorry Tarrant, it's just, I was hoping that you might know some answers. It's so maddening, not knowing what's expected of me, what I have to do, and who I have to be." They started Walking again, until Tarrant realized what she had said.

"No one wants you to be anybody but yourself!" He insisted, and stopped walking. "We just want you to be your fantastical, Alicey, self!"

"It's not that simple Hatter…What if I do have to be the champion again? I'm not sure if I can handle it again…all that pressure, all on me…." Alice said upset, a look of defeat on her face.

"You not alone Alice…." The Hatter said softly, moving closer to her, "I'm here now. I help you with what ever it is…. Whether the prophecy says we slay another Jabber or simply go swimming… I'll always be there…. Forever…"

Alice's eyes began to swim with tears during his small speech, and she quickly ran over to him to give him a large hug, kissing him in the lips.

"I love you…" She said tenderly, looking deeply into his eyes…

"Same here Alice…Same here…" He brushed his hand in circles across her back, calming her so that her tears were a thing of the pass.

"Shall we move on?" He ask joyously, lifting the mood, "There's a lovely large pond up ahead, full of the most magnificent," He raised his eyebrows knowingly at Alice, when she noticed the use of the M word, "fish in all of Underland."

"What kinds of fish?" Alice asked curiously as began to walk in towards a large lagoon in front of them.

"Oh, all sorts! Rainbow fish, cat fish…"

"Angelfish…." Alice said in astonishment.

"Yes! But how did you know that?" He asked confused.

Alice just pointed into the water once they arrived at the pond. There, in the deep lagoon, was a small, white fish with a golden halo that say upon its head, it's fins and scales looking as though they were made of nothing but a cloud.

"Look Alice!" The Hatter said excitedly as he spotted something else in the pond. It was a swordfish, quite literally, being a sword with fins and a tail.

"What's over there, Hatter?" Alice noticed a small cave near the end of the pond, not accessible but by water.

"I'm not sure. I've never noticed before…." He remarked as Alice lean over to touch one of the fish in the water, "Well, I guess we could always find out…" He said as she shoved a shocked Alice into the water.

"Ah!" Alice screamed as she went under, then gasped for air when she quickly came up, her eyes burning from the water that had gotten in them. They hurt so much she could barely see.

"Tarrant! That was really not funny!" Alice said, moving towards where he had been, covering her eyes with her hand. She kept moving in that direction on till she tripped on something on the floor of the lagoon.

Before she had time to scream once more, strong arms caught her under her knees, one arms securing her back. She could hear Tarrant chuckle behind her as he set her back down in the water.

"Ground feeder…." Hatter explained, pointing down to a fish that she had tripped over "Occupational hazard…."

Alice gave him a glare, noticing that he had removed his hat and jacket before coming in, while she was fully dress. But then a smile escaped between her lips. "Lets just go see what's in the cave…"

"Whatever you say dearest…." HE smiled mischievously, swimming behind her towards the cave.

"What do you think is in here anyway? A wondrous, undiscovered treasure for Captain Alice and her fearsome first mate?" He asked when they were drawing nearer to the cave.

"Who's my first mate?"

"Not funny…if you really want to use that kind of attitude, perhaps I ought to be the Captain then! I am the man after all, and infinitely much older and wiser!" He said as the stopped outside the entrance.

Alice laughed…. "What ever you say, Captain…."

Tarrant stood up in the water proudly, "Captain Hightopp…no…Captain Tarrant the Terrible…. I rather like that…."

"Come on Captain…." Alice rolled her eyes as she beckoned for him to follow her into the cave.

"Oh, my…." He said when he entered, looking up at the ceiling that was speckled with small stars, because of the large hole in the ceiling. Though it was perfectly sunny outside, the cave seemed to be in it's own world. The sides on the cave were a dark brown color, and small gems were speckled through the rock, so that the cave looked a mere extension of the sky, as though the night and stars were surrounding them….

"It's so beautiful, isn't it…." Alice sighed, cuddling up to Tarrant.

As they both looked up at the sky together, Alice remembered something.

"Dina!" Alice shouted, pointing up at the sky.

This confused the Hatter at first. What was Alice's cat doing in the sky?

"No…" Alice explained, turning his face up so he was staring at where she had been pointing, "My very own constellation…."

Sure enough, the Hatter could make out the shape of a small cat; it's tall standing erect as it faced side ways. He could even make out a bow around the cat's neck.

He smiled at her, "I can't believe you remember that…" He said, pulling her closer to him as he began to kiss her neck.

"Now, where's yours?" Alice asked, glancing back up at the sun.

He smiled on her neck. Even when he was kissing her, her curiosity still go the best of her. "Look over at the left hand side of the sky. Do you see large spoon?"

"But Hatter, that's the big dipper!"

"I know that," He smiled, "Look above it…."

Alice did, but noticed nothing.

"Do you see the large hat?" He chuckled, thinking himself mad for seeing it.

Alice squinted, looking for the so-called hat. "Actually…. wait…oh yes…I sort of see it…"

"The Mad Hatter…." He said simply, with a small smile. He wasn't very fond of that particular nickname.

Alice placed her arm around his shoulders and stroked the hairs on his neck. She knew he didn't like the name and was trying to calm him down.

"I'm not that mad am I?" He asked sadly.

"Well, I'm afraid you are a little. But it's a good thing though… For I'm madly in love with you…. it would be rather hard to be madly in love with some one who isn't half mad, wouldn't it?"

She shifted so that she was facing him and stroked his cheek softly.

He shivered slightly under her fingertips as a strange feeling of longing came into her. He then began to kiss her neck again.

Alice sighed in pleasure as he pulled her as close to him as possible, attaching her neck continuously, before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

The Hatter drew back suddenly, looking her in the eyes. "I think I got what you meant by 'just sleeping'…." He said as he touched her possessively with his hands and kissed her deeply on the mouth once more. Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, scrunching his hair in her hands.

"Hatter…" Alice said between kisses, trying to stop, for they were in water.

"I love you so much Alice…"He said, his eyes that lovely shade of lilac, the same color it had been when he first saw her in London, and the color they were at their wedding.

Alice smiled from ear to ear, then leaned forward and kissed him once more.

Finally they separated, Tarrant still holding onto her waist as they looked up at the sky on more time.

"Oh, look at that one!" Alice pointed out a bright star that was a slight shade of blue. "It's so beautiful. I can't believe I didn't notice it that whole time I was looking up there…it's the most beautiful star I've ever seen…"

"Alice…."

Alice turned to see why the hatter had called to her, only to see that he was still staring up at the sky.

"Its name is Alice…."