A/N: I love my readers. You all are seriously the best. And those of you who leave me reviews are even bester. You've got muchness coming out of your ears! I adore reading each and every one of them, so please everyone, leave me a note and tell me what you're thinking. It really makes my day!

I wanted this chapter to be a flipside of the last one (Charlotte being like Alice this time, etc.), but a baby Will just kept popping up in my head. So, here is a part of Will's first day.

As I lay in the bed after giving birth to Will, I felt like our family was complete. I was lost in thought until I heard a mumbling from next to me.

Tarrant was holding our son and he was whispering to him in Outlandish. I didn't know much of what he was saying, but I did pick out words like father, son, love, family and mother. I assumed he was giving Will the same talk he gave to Charlotte when she was born. It was peaceful just to hear the one-sided conversation.

As I let my thoughts wander again, I realized that Charlotte now had a sibling. (Not that this was news to me.) I wondered what she would think of Will.

Being the youngest of the family, I didn't remember meeting my sister for the first time. The first memory I have of Margaret is of her telling me to get off the chair because I "absolutely could not fly."

I knew that news spread like wildfire in Underland and especially so in the palace. So, I knew that most of the castle's inhabitants would know that baby Hightopp was finally here. I eagerly awaited when Charlotte would be brought in to meet her baby brother. I was very intrigued to see where this would go.

I didn't have to wait very long before the door opened a crack. Her orange curls the first thing I saw.

"Come in, Lottie. There is someone we would like you to meet," I said softly. Behind her was Mirana, who obviously wanted to meet the newest Hightopp as well.

Tarrant eagerly beckoned our daughter to see him.

"Is that my baby brother?" she asked quietly.

"Aye, it is. This is William Tarrant Hightopp," he answered. "Come closer and see him. He's been anxious to meet you."

She hurried over to see what was in the bundle of blankets in Tarrant's lap. He bent down a bit to make it easier for him.

The second she saw him, it was love.

"Daddy! He's so cute!"

"Yes, he is, buttercup."

At that moment, Will woke up and looked directly at his big sister. And if we didn't know better, we would have sworn he smiled at her.

"He likes me!" she squealed happily.

"Of course he does, sweetheart," I said. "You're his big sister. He loves you."

"And I love him. May I hold him?" she asked so timidly.

"Yes, yes. Come here and sit down," Tarrant told her, rising from the rocking chair.

Mirana helped her into it and Tarrant put Will into her waiting arms.

"Hello, baby Will," she said. "I'm Charlotte, your big sister. I will watch over you and always be there for you."

Tears filled the eyes of all the adults in the room.

As she wiped her eyes, Mirana turned to me. "So, Alice, how are you feeling?"

"About the same. Sore, but wonderful."

"And Tarrant?" she said with a smirk.

"I'm better this time around. Less of a shock, you know. Knowing what to expect really helped."

"Auntie Mirana, do you want to hold my brother?" Charlotte asked, with a maturity beyond her few years.

"Why yes, Lottie, I would love to hold your brother." Mirana bent and lifted the baby from Charlotte. "Oh my. William, you are so handsome. Tarrant, those are definitely your eyes."

"Aren't they beautiful?" I asked.

"Oh yes. I do see some of Mummy, though." She smiled at me. "Will, I think you will be a very handsome young man. And I'm sure you will be a perfect gentleman, just like your father," Mirana said softly to the baby.

Tarrant blushed slightly.

"It really is amazing to see things changing in Underland now," Mirana mused as she bounced slightly with the newborn. "Now that my sister has lost her choke-hold on the land, and time has passed, things are blooming again, happiness is spreading … lives are beginning," she added with a kiss to the crown of Will's head.

"It is a change for the better. And with you on the throne, things will only continue to recover," Tarrant told her.

She merely smiled at his compliment. And again, Will seemed to grin as well. Perhaps this child was just as much like Tarrant as I predicted.

I smiled at all of this. I didn't know all the horrors that Iracebeth created during her time with the crown, but even I could see improvements. Hatter and Mirana must have seen even more that I did.

"Charlotte, would you like to have a slumber party tonight?" Mirana asked, obviously trying to give us as peaceful of a first night as she could.

"Ooh, yes! Mummy, can I?" Lottie asked, bouncing in her seat.

"Yes, you can. And thank you, Mirana," I said, smiling at her.

"You are very welcome. Come, Lottie. Let us pack you a bag."

And with that, Mirana gave Will back to Hatter and they went to Lottie's room.

"She's a good friend," Tarrant said.

"She really is," I agreed. "We're lucky to have her. Just as all of Underland is."

He nodded as he stared at little Will.

"What are you thinking?" I asked.

"It's amazing. I saw it in Charlotte, but it's more pronounced in Will. He looks so much like my family. I mean, obviously he is my family. Of course, he is my son. And your son, that was obvious a few hours ago what with the screaming and him actually coming out and –"

"Hatter…"

"Thank you." He paused, trying to get a hold of his thoughts once more. "But it's so much more than that. I can see my father's chin. And my mother's eyebrows. It's so strange to see them again."

I loved watching Tarrant with Charlotte and now with William … his children. There was a fascination there. After that terrible day, and all that loss, I think he began to forget what family was like. He had his friends, and they were wonderful, loyal friends, but they weren't a blood relation. They weren't kin. And for as much as he loved me, and as much as I am family, I am not a Hightopp by birth. These two children are his. They have that biological connection. There's a relationship there that cannot be severed. It was a relief, I'm sure, to know that there were others now. That he was not the end of the line.

**POV Change***

Staring into Will's green eyes, I was lost. But not like the ways I would normally get lost. This was love in its purest form. This was my child.

Just then, he began to cry. He was hungry and that was not my department. I (somewhat reluctantly) passed him to his mother.

As I watched our baby son nurse, I was mesmerized by my life now.

For quite some time after the Horunvendush Day, I felt that I was alone. There wasn't another Hightopp left … just me. I would be the last of my clan. I knew perfectly well that no one would want to love the crazy man who made hats, let alone actually have children with him. So, I resigned myself to being the last link.

But then one day, a beautiful blond Alice walked towards our tea party. I would have known her anywhere (and told her as such). And before I knew it, I was in love with that Alice. It was like nothing else I had ever experienced. I doubted it for a while, but as I spoke with her on the balcony of the castle, I began to realize it was the truth. And then I somehow came up with the muchness to ask her to be my wife. And for some strange reason, she said yes (she yells at me when I say this. "It's because I love you, you idiot," she'll tell me).

And then we had two wonderful children. A continuation of my family line. I'm no longer alone. Someday, they'll have their own families and there will be even more Hightopps. The clan lives through me and now through them. I'm not the last and hopefully they won't be either. What a wonderful feeling to finally have family back in my life, with my children.

My children. What a strange concept. Even after having Charlotte with us for seven years, it's still foreign for me to say that I'm a father. Not that I'm not adoring every minute, but I was so caught up in believing it would never happen. And here I am, watching my wife and our second child. It's amazing. It's more than I ever could have hoped for. And it's all because of my Alice. My love. My strength. The keeper of my heart. The mother of my children. The one who makes me whole and calms the storms in my head. What would I do without her?

"You'd get more sleep, probably," she said with a laugh.

I looked down. "How much of that was out loud?"

"Just 'what would I do without her?' But I get the feeling there were a lot more thoughts before that."

"Well, yes."

"Your family?" she asked, as if she could see into my mind.

I looked back at her. "Aye. I wish they could see us."

"They can, Tarrant. I'm a firm believer that our loved ones are never far. I wish I could see him, but I know my father has seen Charlotte and Will. He was with me when I walked down the aisle to marry you. It's the same with your family."

***Back to Alice's POV***

He nodded sadly at me.

There was no easy way to console Tarrant. I was quite serious when I said that our loved ones were always near us and that I knew Daddy was with me all those times. But it was probably more difficult to believe in Hatter's case.

"I do hope you're right, cricket. I would love to believe that my family, especially my mother and my father, could see us. Could see their grandchildren."

"Then they can. As long as you believe it."

Will finished nursing then.

"Shall I burp him for you?" Hatter asked.

He was such a doting father, even willing to take on the messy tasks such as burping and diapers.

"If you wish," I replied, passing the baby back.

Just then, Mirana and Charlotte returned. "Mummy! This will be so much fun!" Charlotte said, almost dancing as she came towards us. "Auntie Mirana is going to invite Mally to stay with us too!"

"That sounds wonderful, Lottie," I said, beckoning her closer. "Now, you be on your best behavior, all right?" I instructed quietly. She nodded. "And mind whatever Auntie Mirana says. And be sure to thank her as well."

"Yes Mummy."

"Good girl," I said, leaning over to give her a hug. "Have fun, sweetheart. We shall see you in the morning. I love you."

"I love you too, Mummy!" We kissed each other's cheeks and then she ran over to Tarrant. "I love you, Daddy. And I love you, baby Will."

She kissed each of their cheeks as well before running to the door with Mirana.

"We both love you too, buttercup. Have a wonderful time," Tarrant said.

"Good night, all," Mirana said with a wink as she closed the door behind them.

"Well, it seems as though bean is ready for another nap. Shall we take one as well?" Tarrant asked me.

"Yes, that sounds lovely. But … Bean?" I questioned.

He chuckled softly. "I was trying to figure out what nickname I could give Will, since Charlotte is buttercup and you are … well, you're a myriad of names. I can't decide on just one. And since you craved those jelly beans so much while you were carrying him, I decided on 'bean'."

I smiled. Only my Hatter.

"So, because I planted the buttercups in the garden …"

"The day we … um, made her … yes. That's where I got her nickname," he said, somewhat embarrassed and yet somewhat smug.

"Tarrant, you are a wonder."

"So you tell me."

He got up and put Will into his cradle, then returned to me on the bed.

"Sleep now, my love. You deserve all the rest you can get."

"Thank you so much, Hatter."

"You're welcome. Wait … for what?"

"For giving me this amazing life. For being the husband I always dreamed of. For helping me find my muchness. For all of this."

"Sweetness, you never have to thank me. It is I who should be thanking you. You being the wonderful Alice that you are and –"

I didn't think this was turning into a ramble, but I interrupted anyway. "Hatter. Hush. Let's just sleep now."

He smiled. "Fair enough, poppet. Tha gradh agam orti, Alice."

"Tha gradh agam orti, Tarrant," I replied, as best I could.

He pulled me close and I fell asleep quickly, feeling safe and loved, and knowing that our family was finally whole.

End note:

Tha gradh agam orti = I love you always (at least I hope so. The internet told me that one. If only my Scottish relatives were alive to help me with those translations!)