A/N: This will be the final chapter in the return to London. Back to Wonderland after this.
***
We reappeared in the dark hallway. I knew my father was in his own room during his last days, so it would be easy enough to sneak in and out.
"Love, are you alright to do this?" Hatter asked gently.
"Yes," I said, trying to convince myself. "It will be wonderful to see my father one more time. Even if it is the last time. I'll get to show off my wonderful family to him."
I tapped on the door. A faint, "Come in?" came from the other side.
"Father, I'm very sorry to wake you, but I needed to talk to you," I whispered.
"Another dream, Alice?" he asked.
"Well, perhaps a dream come true. Are you able to sit?"
"Yes, I think I can." I helped him sit up against his pillows.
"Alice, I must say, you haven't been gone for very long, but you seem older. A few years, forgive me for saying."
"No, Father, you are closer than you think. What I'm about to tell you will sound like nothing new." Hatter cleared his throat. "Well, all right, some of it will be new. But this is my proof, finally, that I was not dreaming."
My father looked very confused.
"Well, I shall start at the beginning, which is a very good place to start. Over 9 years ago, I was proposed to. Or, I suppose, a few months from now, I will be proposed to. Hmmm. Regardless, I ran away from the party and fell down a rabbit hole. I returned to the land I used to speak of when I was a girl."
"Wonderland?" my father asked.
"Yes! Wonderland. And I had an adventure like you wouldn't believe! Danger, betrayal, magic and … love. I was reunited with all my friends from Wonderland. Including the Hatter."
"Oh, the Mad Hatter. I do recall him sounding like so much fun," my father said with a smile.
"Yes, well, once my adventure was over, I realized I was in love with the Hatter. And he asked me to be his wife and I accepted and, well, Father, this is my husband."
"Tarrant Hightopp," Hatter cried as stepped forward. "Pleasure to meet you!" he said, sticking his hand out to shake my father's.
Father shook it, but still gave me a confused look. "How is it that you are here with a husband?"
"Father, I told you. Wonderland is real. It is full of magic! I'm an Alice that is 9 years older than the one you know from today. A married Alice."
"It was all true then?"
"I know it sounds impossible, but yes."
"Nothing wrong with the impossible, my dear. I shall add it to my list and have it believed before breakfast tomorrow."
I smiled. How I had missed this man. "That sounds wonderful."
"Now, Mr. Hightopp … or shall I call you Tarrant? Or Hatter?" Father began.
"Any of those is a name I go by, so which ever suits you the most will be the most fine with me."
"Fine, as my daughter often referred to you as the Hatter, I shall call you accordingly. Now, am I to understand that you take good care of my Alice?"
"Sir, I do my best on a daily basis to see that Alice is as well as ever."
"Good, good. And who is this lovely little one hiding behind … her mother?"
"Father, this is your granddaughter, Charlotte."
"Why, Charlotte! What a pretty name. It's very much like my name, Charles, that is," he said to Lottie.
"That's no coincidence," I explained.
He only smiled at me. "Charlotte, will you please come closer? I would very much like to see you better."
I nodded to her and she approached the bed.
"Are you my grandfather?" she asked.
"Yes, my little love, I am." He pulled her up to sit beside him. "And may I say what I beautiful little girl you are? Certainly no questioning who your parents are, is there?"
"Oh, she's quite the Hightopp," I said, chuckling.
"But your eyes, Alice. Your eyes are the first thing I noticed on her. Tell me, Charlotte. Do you enjoy where you live?"
"Oh yes, sir! I get to live in the palace and I am friends with rabbits and dogs and so many people!"
"Yes, it does sound lovely. Alice, I'm willing to bet that you have many stories now. A visit to Wonderland was one thing, but now you live there permanently."
"Father, you have no idea."
"Well, then, let us give him one!" Tarrant said. "We are here to give him a glimpse of us! Mr. Kingsley—"
"Charles, please," my father interrupted.
"Thank you, sir. If I may, I would like to tell you about your daughter and what she has done to Wonderland. First, she came to visit us, charmed us completely and then went home. But then, she returned and she became our champion. Charles, your Alice here actually fought a jabberwocky."
"A jabber-who now?"
"A jabberwocky. Consider it like a dragon," I explained.
"Brilliant! And how did she do this?"
"Why with her majesty's Vorpal sword, of course. There she was, decked out in the finest armor, carrying the Vorpal sword and marched right into battle. After a lengthy battle, she actually cut the bloody thing's head off!" Hatter said jovially.
"Alice! You of all people!" my father said with a laugh.
I blushed. "Well, I had to save Wonderland, didn't I?"
"And save us, she did. Now, Mirana the White Queen is back in power, peace runs through the land and Alice has now taken it upon herself to build our museum."
"A museum? Alice, how fascinating!"
"Yes, it's a fine place. Full of art and music and everything you could want. I'm very proud of it," I said.
"And it has a children's wing!" Charlotte said, bouncing on the bed. I made to stop her, but my father put his hand up.
"She shall bounce if she wishes."
"Fair enough," I said, smiling. He always let me bounce on the bed as well.
"So Hatter, how do you fare in your trade?"
"Well, sir. Quite well. I have always enjoyed being a hatter. Come from a long line of them. Well, I suppose that I couldn't say I always enjoyed it, there was that time when the bloody big head was in –"
"Hatter," I said calmly, not wanting to alarm my father.
"Thank you. In fact, I am the royal hatter at the palace."
"Ah, so you and Alice both are employed by the Queen?"
"Happily, yes."
"I like that. Knowing my girl is well taken care of makes an old ill man smile."
"I am happier than I ever thought possible," I said.
"I can see that. Leave it to my Alice to find her special someone in another world."
For the next few hours, we talked with my father. We told him everything we could, knowing that this would be the last chance. Charlotte loved telling him the little adventures she would have around the palace with her friend the Queen. Not many 6 year olds can say that!
As we were thinking of leaving, I had to ask my father one last question.
"Father, I know it's obviously too late now, and a bit of a moot point, but if I were to come home with Tarrant and he was to ask you for –"
"In a heartbeat, Alice. Even my ill eyes can see how you adore one another and how you were just made for each other. I would, and do, give you my blessing."
"Thank you! Thank you, so much!" I said, hugging him as tightly as I dared.
"No need to thank me. It's my duty as a father to see that you are happy. Eh, Hatter?"
"Right you are, Charles. My only hope is that I can be as good as a father as you. You raised a wonderful Alice."
"Thank you. She was a challenge at times, but always made us proud."
"Oh, she's still a challenge," Hatter said, smiling.
"Gets that from her father, she does," Father replied, smiling as well. It warmed my heart to see the two most important men in my life getting along so well.
My father sighed and I knew it was time to go. We had kept him up far too late.
"Father, we need to let you rest," I said, standing.
"I can rest when I'm dead, dear one. Which I think … Well, we shan't focus on that. I do think you need to get little Lottie home, though."
Charlotte was leaning on her grandfather, yawning.
"I think you're right. Charlotte, would you like to tell Grandfather good night?"
"Yes!"
"Lottie, it was an honor to meet you," Father said gently. "Be a good girl now, all right?"
"I will, Grandfather."
"I love you, sweet girl."
"I love you, too," she said before kissing his cheek. I felt the tears welling up.
"And Hatter, it was a pleasure to finally meet you. I feel like I've known you for years with all the stories Alice told me."
Hatter shook my father's hand and shocked us both as he kissed the top of Father's head. "Charles, the pleasure was all mine. Alice has told me much of you as well."
"Take good care of our girls, here."
"Yes, sir."
"And Alice… My dear Alice. I cannot thank you enough for this gift. I shall go on to the ever after knowing that you are fine. No need to worry, eh?"
"No worries at all," I sniffled.
"Good girl." He pulled me into another embrace. "Fairfarren, Alice."
I almost lost it.
"Fairfarren, Daddy. I love you."
"I love you, too, Alice. Always."
And with that, we stood to leave. A quick wave and a very quick check to sneak out. Once we were safe to leave, we quickly downed the blood and found ourselves back home.
Our home.
"That was amazing!" Lottie said as we put her down. "We had a great day! I can't wait to tell Mirana and Thackery, and Mally, and Bayard and –"
"Lottie!" Hatter and I said together.
She blushed. "Thank you."
I looked at Tarrant, once again wordlessly telling him, "she's all you."
"You can tell all your friends about your adventure tomorrow. For now, it's time for bed."
She put up very little protest. I knew she was exhausted after the long day we had.
Once she was in bed, Hatter and I returned to our room.
"Are you alright, cricket?" he asked.
"I think so. Today was a very up and down affair."
"Yes, but I think it was well worth the trip."
"Absolutely! My parents approve of you, my sister got to see that I am not bonkers, Lowell got his comeuppance, and Lottie had a fantastic time. It was wonderful." I gave a huge yawn then.
"All right, lass," he said softly with his Outlandish accent, knowing it would lull me to sleep. "Rest now and we'll talk more of it in the morning."
I smiled and got comfortable as he snuggled behind me. "I love you so much, Tarrant."
He kissed me gently. "And I love you too, my bonnie Alice. Good night."
"Good night."
I couldn't believe what a wonderful day this had turned out to be. And I got the satisfaction of knowing that it happened. All because of my Hatter. Brilliant.