A/N: Ok, seems like not as many people liked the last chapter. Sorry about that, but I definitely needed to write it. It's back to the fluff now, I promise!!

***

"Alice, I need you to stay. You don't have to go back. What is there but stuffy rules and even stuffier people?"

"Well, my family. And Hamish, of course. It's rude of me to keep him hanging on like this. I need to get back to him and tell him I'll marry him."

"Marry him? Alice, why would you do that?"

"Oh Hatter, I don't belong here and I don't belong with you. But I will miss your funny antics." And with that, she downed the jabberwocky blood and disappeared.

It didn't matter that I was surrounded by so many, I crumpled to the ground and sobbed.

She was gone.

"Alice! Come back! Why would you go back? Alice!"

"Hatter! Wake up! What on earth is the matter? Tarrant!"

Alice?

"Hatter, it's just a nightmare. Please wake up!"

Oh my sweet Alice.

"Alice!" I cried as my eyes snapped open and I sat straight up.

"I'm right here, Tarrant. I never left. I stayed … with you."

I've had this nightmare before. Countless times. But never with Alice telling me that she didn't belong with me. That she belonged with … him.

I turned to her to make sure she was with me. My eyes must have changed a bit, because Alice gasped and clutched my arm. "Hatter, what's wrong? Please calm down!"

"It was terrible. You left."

"Darling, you know I didn't go. I'm right here."

"Yes, but this time you went back … to him. And I didn't know what to do. I knew that I was crushed and would never be the same, but I couldn't even stand and everyone was looking and I just wanted to follow you and ask you why but you were –"

"Hatter!"

"Thank you. It was dreadful."

"It must have been. I feel so bad that there is nothing I can do to stop these terrible dreams."

"Well, cricket, it's no different than when I can't stop yours."

"Technically yes. But let's focus on you. You're the one who just woke up screaming."

"Embarrassingly un-masculine."

Alice rolled her eyes at me and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

"You do know that I could never leave, right?"

"Of course. You've told me many times."

"But yet you still worry about it apparently. And in the worst possible way. Hamish? Really? Tarrant, if there is one scenario you should never concern yourself with, it is that one."

I stared intently at the comforter on the bed. "I am jealous you know."

"Jealous? Good grief, of what?"

"He got to propose to you first."

"Hatter, that is the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time."

I glanced up at her, not sure if I should be offended or not.

"Seriously? You do realize that I married you? I actually ran away from him. Perhaps just one step away from running away screaming. I couldn't bear to think of marrying him, so I physically removed myself from the situation. Does that mean nothing?"

"I'm sorry, love. I know it sounds absurd …"

"Mad, even," she said with a smirk on her face.

"Fine, it sounds mad, but I'm still jealous of that."

"Tarrant, I hope this is the last time we'll discuss this. But you, my love, were the first person I agreed to marry. You were the first (and only) person to: marry me, make love to me, live a happy life with me. Is that not enough?"

She had me there. I sighed. "Alice, you are absolutely right. It's just the dream. It's not easy to watch you disappear like that, especially knowing you were going to him. I don't think I could have continued if you would have gone back to the Otherworld. I would have just given into the madness. Probably wouldn't have left the battlefield. Would have just curled up with the jabberwocky because we both would have been just as—"

"Hatter."

"Thank you," I whispered.

It was her turn to sigh now. She put her hands on either side of my face, forcing me to keep eye contact with her. "Tarrant Hightopp, you are my husband. I love you with every fiber of my being. No other man will ever be to me what you are. I will never leave you. You are stuck with me. Do you understand?"

I smiled. It felt good to smile after all of that. "I understand. But I'm certainly not stuck with you. It is an honor and a joy to have you at my side." I paused. "Alice, how do you fare so well with your nightmares?"

"Not as well as you give me credit for. How long do you normally have to hold me before I calm down? I wake up screaming and you most often have to comfort me for some time. I've just come to accept them. I was always scolded for my dreams. After my father was gone, I had no one to console me after my strange dreams. I just learned to deal with them."

"Yes, but nightmares about the jabberwocky, or the … bloody … Red …" I needed to stay focused for her. "the Red Queen, or any of the awfulness you've seen, well, those are much different than having strange dreams as a girl."

She thought for a moment and I knew she would have an answer that would win. She usually did. "I didn't have you then."

Checkmate.

"When I wake from a nightmare about slaying the jabberwocky, or hearing the Red Queen delight in speaking of torture, you are there. You hold me, and stroke my hair, and whisper soothing words in my ear. I know all is right and that it was just a terrible memory. It's over and my life is wonderful now."

I love when she says things like that.

"Why do you fear that I'll leave so much?" she asked.

I almost couldn't answer. "Why do I fear that? Alice, sweetness, poppet, love of my life, because I wouldn't know where to go without you. You are the only person, ever, to be able to bring me out of my ramblings. You are the only person that I have felt truly safe with. You are the only person that I can remember telling me that I am loved. You are my life. I think I would cease to exist without you."

Tears began to fill her eyes.

"Oh! Oh no. Lovely, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry! Please don't be angry with me. But you asked and I certainly didn't want to make you upset, but I answered with the truth, because you've always said that if you aren't going to say the truth then don't even bother to—"

"Hatter," she interrupted through her sobs. But she didn't give me time to thank her. "I'm not angry with you. I'm just so grateful that I can finally give you the love you deserve. You're not alone anymore and if I have anything to say about it, then you never will be again."

My Alice, ever the protector – even without the Vorpal Sword.

"Now, I think you need to get back to sleep. I promise you, I swear it, I will be here when you wake. I am never leaving. Got it?"

I yawned, knowing she was right. "Yes, my love, I do."

She gently nudged me toward the bed and laid her head on my chest. I absentmindedly stroked her hair until I knew she was back asleep. I pondered at how life had changed since she returned. She wondered why I still worried about losing all this. If only she could see the importance she held. I kissed the top of her head as I felt the exhaustion finally winning out. I held her close, hoping that would chase away the dreams.

***

"Will you not tell where she is?" the Red Queen screeched.

"Why should I tell you? More information will just make your head even bigger," he said with his thick brogue.

"Hatter, I know you know where she is. Why not save us both the trouble."

"I'll never tell you anything. Her secret shall die with me."

He gave me a meaningful glance before the first blow connected.

I screamed as he silently took the punishment.

"Hatter!"

"Cricket, what is wrong?" he asked, strong arms instantly around me.

"She … that woman … and you … they were …oh Hatter ... I can't believe they ..."

"Alice!"

"Thank you."

"I'm right here, my sweet, and I'm fine. It's all over now."

"No, no, it's not. They were killing you right in front of me."

Tarrant was quiet for a moment.

"But they didn't. Love, you saved me. You and your muchness came out of nowhere and got me out of there. It's quite over now."

I pulled back to look at him. I stared very intently at him, as if after all these years those bruises would reappear. He gave me a bright smile.

"Lovely, you know I'm perfectly fine now, right? Well, not perfectly fine. I mean, there's what's always wrong with me and then we are awake in the middle of the night and for certainly no fun purposes. Not to mention, I'm saddened that you are saddened. So, I suppose to say that is –"

"Hatter."

"I'm fine. Sorry, I shouldn't be losing it with you in this state. Are you feeling better?"

"I will be. I wish there was something to stop these dreams."

"Alice, unfortunately, even in Underland, the mind will keep what it needs to keep."

"Why would I want to keep that?"

"I am often one to never ask why the mind does what it does, poppet," he said with a chuckle. "But the fact remains, there must be a reason. Maybe it just makes you appreciate me more." His smile appeared again and he knew he would win with it.

Just knowing that he was here in front of me, safe, sound and happy, made things good again. Maybe he was right.

"All right, Hightopp, you win this round."

"Good. I so rarely get to, so I shall cherish this one. Now, lay back. I shall hold you until morning."

We laid back together and I rested my head on his chest. He stroked my hair and recited poetry to me in his Outlandish accent. Even though it usually meant anger, sometimes it was actually quite soothing.

"Sleep well, my bonnie lass. I love you."

"I love you, too, Tarrant," I murmured as I finally drifted off to happy dreams.

***

A/N: Next chapter … the trip to the Kingsley house… Just sayin'