Finding Normal, or Something Like That

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own. I'm only playing in this sandbox.

This is a multi-chapter fic chronicling the quest for the balance by Alice and Hatter, as they fall in love and make their lives in the Real World.

It was too quiet. Far too quiet for his own taste. Normally, he wouldn't have minded it being so quiet. That meant that there wasn't a lot of trouble pressing down on him and he didn't have to worry about the Queen of Hearts trying to come and chop off his head and take his lovely hat. But now?

He couldn't stand the quiet. The not knowing. The worry. That's what got him – worrying about Alice and her condition.

Had the trip back from Wonderland damaged her more than he had initially thought?

When he'd come out on her side of the Looking Glass, only to find her unconscious on the ground in a heap, his heart leapt to his throat and his stomach clenched in a very sickening manner. She looked so helpless, just lying there in a crumpled heap, all limbs and blue dress. He didn't like one bit and he swore that, once (because this was not permanent) she got better, he would never let her get into this state again.

And he had acted on instinct (with some advice from that snobby new King, Jack Heart).

He scooped her up, calling for help from any passersby who had a heart. Fortunately, someone had called the medical services, which was good because he didn't know anything about this world. He was the Oyster here.

When the carriage (finally) arrived, he had absolutely refused to leave her side. The medical people had asked if he was a relative – which he wasn't. Instead, in an attempt to buy time to develop his life here, he fibbed that he was a construction worker (that did seem plausible, especially since they were in an unfinished building and Jack had said that construction workers were the same in both worlds) and he had seen her fall and hit her head. They had accepted that easily. Apparently, he looked the part.

But, at the hospital, he wasn't allowed to go back with her. He had to wait – wait until the doctor-people had finished examining her. By and large, he didn't trust doctors, but these doctors supposedly were good people.

The nurse-ladies, he liked. One, an older woman named Rona, had taken pity on him and directed him to where Alice's mother had just arrived.

Carol Hamilton was a very strange woman, he had quickly realized. But he could see where Alice got so much of her personality and her strength. Alice probably didn't want to admit, but she so much like her mother, more so than she probably realized.

Rona had introduced him as the man who found Alice. That won Carol over real quick. The elder Hamilton had smiled brightly and asked him his name.

He told her his birth name, the one his mother had given him – David.

"David," Carol had said, appreciative tears forming in her eyes, "I owe you more than you realize. Alice is my angel."

He had smiled at her, twisting his hat in his hand a bit. "Mrs. Hamilton, I did what I had to do. Your daughter seems like someone special – someone important." His smile grew cheeky. "Someone legendary."

"Alice would disagree with you."

"I don't doubt that she would," Hatter had conceded, knowing that Alice didn't like to be compared to Alice of Legend. (She was "Just Alice.")

Carol had given him a warm smile as a nurse came up and told her that a doctor was ready to see her about Alice. Hatter had tried to tell her to keep him posted but Carol was led away too quickly. His stomach twisted at the familiarity of the scenario.

It was then that he had resolved to stay the whole night – just to hear about Alice.

Several hours later, when Carol emerged from Alice's room (Alice was sleeping), she had seemed quite surprised to see him in a nearby waiting room, two mugs of steaming tea at his feet. The nurses had donated the mugs (and directions to the nearest tea machine) to his cause when they realized that he wasn't leaving until he had heard about Alice (and Carol had sent him definitively away). After all, Carol had seemed like a tea person to him.

She had gaped at him briefly as he shot up out of his chair, hat falling askew off of his head (he wasn't sleeping – honest!). Adjusting his hat, he had rushed over to her and handed her the full mug of tea (his was mostly drunk, of course). He had told her that the tea wasn't great, but he hoped that she liked it. The look on her face when she sipped him told him that he had guessed right. Her affirmative response ("how did you know Darjeeling was my favorite?") only solidified that he was still in her good graces.

"How's Alice?" he had stammered out.

"Better," Carol had replied. "The doctors said she hit her head pretty hard, but there's not concussion. She has a few cuts and bruises, but nothing serious."

Relief had flooded through him. "That's good. I was worried about her. She seems like such a strong woman."

"She is." Carol gave him an once-over as she sipped her tea again. "David, go home. Get some rest. You've done enough for tonight." As he made to protest, saying he wasn't tired (okay, maybe he was, just a little), she cut him off with a raised hand. "Obviously, you're worried about Alice. I understand. How about you come by our apartment after Alice gets out of the hospital

He had visibly brightened at that idea. "Of course, Mrs. Hamilton. When would be best?"

"The doctors say that she should be fit to be released tomorrow – well today, technically. Why don't you stop by sometime, say in the early evening perhaps? I know that Alice would like to meet you. She's been going through some bad things lately."

He caught the underlying tone in her voice and refrained from talking about Jack. Even to a recent immigrant from Wonderland, that just seemed like a bad idea.

"Wonderful!" he had exclaimed.

Carol had laughed at his enthusiasm.

Ten minutes later, Hatter had been walking (quite joyfully and revived) out of the hospital clutching the Hamilton's address tightly in his hand. It took all of his might not to skip for joy. Jack had told him that the people in this world didn't necessarily take to kindly to a lot of Wonderland's eccentricities.

As the day progressed and his time to meeting Alice drew closer, Hatter was very worried. The voice in the back of his mind nagged that Alice wouldn't remember her adventures in Wonderland, that she wouldn't remember him. He didn't know if he could bear not being around her. And, if she ended up not remembering him, well he would stick around and re-court her – this time as the sweet, caring construction worker David, who had found her and brought her to safety.

And, as he spent most of the day in Jack Heart's old apartment as the new tenant, Hatter reflected (always over a nice mug of tea) that he did owe the new King of Wonderland a great deal. Jack, having seen the interactions between Alice and Hatter before her forced departure, was willing to let Hatter cross to the other side of the Looking Glass. The man (for all of his faults) had willed everything that "Jack Chase" had owned while in Alice's world over to him. So, much to Hatter's chagrin, he owed Jack Heart more than he cared to admit –that is to say, the most important thing in his life, Alice.

Now, if only she remembered him . . .

That single thought played through his mind incessantly as he made his way across town to the Hamilton's apartment and the only girl – woman – he could and would ever love – one "Just" Alice Hamilton.

I hope you liked it so far. Now go push the lovely little button that says 'review' and let me know what yo think. Much appreciated! I'll try and get the next chapter up soon.