A/N: I have no idea how I got here with this one. I read "To Honor Thy Lady" by futrCSI1490 and really wanted to do something towards the naughtier side after reading about shirtless Tarrant. (Seriously, go read that story or anything by them! Good stuff.) But in the end, the romantic fluff lover came out and this chapter was the result. Please enjoy!

It was two days after my sister remarried and we were just getting ready to go back home. I was anxious to get back to all the work we left behind and I could tell that the children were homesick. We were just finishing up with the packing when there was a knock.

"Alice, may I speak with you for a moment?" my mother said from the door.

"Of course, Mother, come in."

"I have a favor to ask you. If you say no, or if you can't, I completely understand."

"Well, you'll have to ask first," I teased.

She smiled. "Yes, true. Well, it's just that I have seen Margaret marry twice now and have never seen you."

A pang of guilt struck me.

"I know, Mother. I'm sorry for that." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a sad expression cover Tarrant's face. The guilt must have hit him as well.

"No, no. I don't want you, either of you, to feel bad about it. The situation was what it was. But now, since things are different, I just want to watch my baby walk down the aisle. Do you think that would be possible? You could renew your vows right here at the house or outside or wherever. It has been 8 years now, at least for us here."

"Eight years?" I asked.

"Yes, has it been longer for you?"

Tarrant glanced to me. "No, it's just been eight for us as well," he replied.

"Curious," I mumbled. "Tarrant, perhaps Time has been playing with Underland but finally decided to stop?"

"Perhaps he was just as happy as I was when you stayed," he said with his wide grin.

"It makes sense now! Why Jacob has never seemed any younger than Charlotte. Time has been the same for us as it has been for you! Well that will make things much more convenient now."

Mother smiled in a way that let me know she didn't entirely follow, but it seemed like a good thing, so she was happy enough.

"Oh! Sorry, Mother, I forgot to answer your question. I would love to renew our vows. Tarrant, would that be alright with you?"

"Beloved, I would marry you everyday if presented with the chance."

I blushed and my mother hid her grin. What a romantic, my husband.

"Well, then that settles it. When would you like to do this?" I asked.

"Margaret returns in a week. Perhaps two weeks from now?" Mother replied.

"Two weeks? Won't that be stealing Margaret's thunder?"

"No. She and I actually discussed this. She's very excited at the thought."

"You sneaks! Very well then. There are a few things to prepare. I'll need to have my gown adjusted, I'm sure."

"Cricket, while I'm sure you'll barely need anything done to it, I'll be happy to do any alterations to your gown," Tarrant said sweetly.

"Thank you, darling. Though, I'm sure it's more than you are thinking."

"All right then," my mother interrupted. "Go and get things prepared. We shall write back and forth with the details. Let me know who you would like to invite… or not to invite."

"Anyone is fine. Even Hamish."

"Especially Hamish," Tarrant said.

I cast a questioning glance to him.

"I want him to see you walk down the aisle, to me."

"It sounds wonderful!" I said cheerfully as I smiled as big as I could and hugged my mother.

We finally made our way back to Underland and began the preparations. Since I already had almost everything, I wasn't too concerned. Mother was working on the invitations and the music and the food. All I had to worry about was bringing everything back. And getting some more work done since we would be taking another vacation to London soon.

After expressing my concerns for leaving again, Mirana laughed. "Oh, Alice, of course it's all right. As if I would deny my Champion, my esteemed Education Advisor and my sister the privilege of doing this for her family!" she told me.

"Sister. Oh, Mirana! Do you think you would be able to come with me? I would love for my family to meet you!"

She sat quietly for a moment. "No, I don't think I would be able to leave. Besides, this is for your London family. I was able to walk you down the aisle here. But someday, and very soon I hope, we should bring your family here. Well, at least your mother. I don't know if your new brother-in-law would be ready for this place."

"No, I wouldn't want to introduce him to all of this … just yet," I said with a laugh.

After our talk, I hurried back to our chambers. There was a lot to do. First and foremost, I wanted to get refitted for my gown. I got it out of the closet and headed down to Tarrant's workshop where he was with the children.

"All right," I said. "Let's see how bad this is."

"Oh, poppet, I'm sure it won't be that bad," Hatter replied as he helped me into my gown.

As I thought, the dress wouldn't button up.

"See?"

"Ah, but the problem isn't entirely where you thought it would be. I'll need to do a bit here," he said, indicating my somewhat larger belly. "But a lot of the challenge is here," he added, indicating my chest. "And frankly, Alice," he whispered to avoid the children hearing, "if there is a problem area to be had, I for one am grateful that it's here."

He waggled his eyebrows for effect.

I rolled my eyes, but to be honest, I had to agree with him. At least giving birth to two children had left me with that perk.

"So, you see? This won't be much of a problem at all. I'm grateful that the royal seamstress that made the gown, left me some wiggle room in the seams. I doubt I'll have to do much really."

"Well, that is encouraging. Now, I'll just need my hat. We'll get your mother's earrings and perhaps Mirana would let me borrow that necklace again. I think I'll need something new again."

"I have been working on that this morning." He walked over to the farside of his worktable and produced a small white and lacy garter. "I was hoping you could wear this as well."

"Tarrant! Naughty!" Somehow, it never seemed to have the same effect when I said it, but he got my point.

"Yes, my Alice, my thoughts always seem to go that way when you're involved."

I smiled as he continued to measure me, getting a few cheap grabs in along the way. Finally, once he was done, I was confident that my gown would be even more beautiful than before.

The week flew by. And the following one went even faster. Soon enough, it was two days before the "wedding." We were packing up to head back to London. Tarrant decided two trips were in order for him this time.

Once we were all together, my mother and sister fawned all over me in excitement to finally see me walk down the aisle. I felt bad that, once again, Tarrant would have no family at our wedding. He must have caught my expression.

"Dearheart, it's perfectly fine that you have family here. I do too. I have you and Charlotte and Will," he told me once he got me away from them.

"You're a wonderful man Tarrant Hightopp," I said, caressing his cheek.

"And you are a wonderful woman, Alice High—wait, are you Kingsleigh again?"

"Um, I don't think so. We're not getting married again, just renewing our vows. Besides, I prefer Alice Hightopp anyway."

"Aye, lass," he whispered in his brogue. "I prefer it as well."

I shivered at his tone but had to recover quickly as I heard Margaret call, "Alice! These plans won't finish themselves!"

"And now you know why I didn't mind not marrying here the first time," I sighed.

"Go, cricket. Let them have their fun." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and nudged me towards them.

Sooner than I would have expected (and forcing me to wonder if Time was playing tricks here in London), it was the big day. I was anxious to see Tarrant considering how my mother and sister kept him away the night before.

Tarrant was kept busy with Brandon and Will, while Mother and Margaret took over getting me and Charlotte ready.

"Alice! Your gown is beautiful!" Margaret cried as she uncovered it. "The style is unusual, but so lovely. Who designed it?"

"Tarrant, indirectly. He made me a dress very similar to it once."

"Well, it looks wonderful on you," my mother said. "And I'll assume he made the hat as well?"

"Oh yes, he was proud of that one."

Once we were all dressed, and Mother felt that her daughters and granddaughter couldn't look any more beautiful, it was finally time to start.

"Could you just give me a moment, please?" I asked as they tried to usher me out the door.

"Yes, but just a moment," Mother said. "We should get started soon! We shall see you out in the yard."

As they left, I finally took the breath I was needing. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked similar to my wedding day, but definitely older. Eight years and two children will do that to you. Not to mention the slaying of a jabberwocky. But then I realized what Tarrant had been trying to tell me. I was still the Alice. I was still his Alice. And that was perfectly fine.

I turned to leave when the heel of my shoe broke.

"Blast it all!" I cried, looking at the ruined shoe. "Well, there's no wearing you now!"

I looked at the other shoe. I could break the heel off of it, but I'm sure it would still feel strange to walk in them. Finally, I decided to just cast them off entirely. I took off my socks and felt very free in my bare feet. No sense not doing something odd, when everyone always seemed to expect it of me. I took one more look in the mirror.

"You, Alice Hightopp, are a lucky woman," I told the reflection and I left the room.

As I got to the bottom of the stairs, I realized that I had forgotten my bouquet. Which wouldn't have been a big problem, except that Margaret had worked so hard on it making it out of flowers from the gardens here. I hurried back up the stairs and grabbed the forgotten bunch.

Finally, I got to the doors where I found my mother looking terribly worried.

"Alice! I was afraid you ran off!"

"Ran off? Mother, this is the one man I wouldn't run from. I had a few snags along the way."

"From your room to here?"

I lifted my skirt a bit to show her my feet.

"I'll bet you don't have a corset on either?" she sighed.

I just smiled.

"Alice, what am I going to do with you?"

"Walk me to my husband, please?"

She returned my smile and waved to Margaret and Charlotte to begin walking. And then Mother and I made our way to the altar.

"Continue taking care of my baby," she said, as she placed my hand in Tarrant's.

"Always," he replied.

As we walked up to the minister, Tarrant leaned down and whispered, "You're terribly late, you know. Naughty."

I giggled at the memory. "Terribly sorry, but time can be funny in dreams," I replied.

"Still believe this is a dream, do you?"

"Dream come true," I said.

A sudden cough from the minister brought us back to the present. Oops.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we gather here to witness the renewing of Alice and Tarrant Hightopp's wedding vows. Please face each other and Alice, you may begin."

I handed my bouquet to Margaret and turned to my dashing husband. I knew I wanted to keep as much of my original vows as possible, without them going completely over the assembly's head.

"Tarrant, when I first met you, I was just a silly girl with a wild imagination. But then I fell in love. It was nothing that I was expecting. It was nothing that I was looking for. But it was everything I was expecting and everything I was looking for. I just didn't know it. I barely knew who I was, let alone who the right Alice was. But you helped me find her. You found my muchness and you gave me the strength to move forward. You helped me find my heart. Something I thought I wouldn't need. Something I never thought I wanted to give to anyone. And yet, there you were. And I handed that heart over before I even knew it. You've changed my life, Tarrant. I'm the right Alice now in so many ways, and it's all because of you. I thank you for eight wonderful years, two beautiful children and more hats than I know what to do with. I love you and I always will."

I winked at my husband and smiled as he blushed. Only my sister and mother knew what I meant with those hats, so the minister wasted no time in telling Tarrant to recite his vows.

"Alice. My only Alice. I knew you were the right Alice from the moment I laid eyes on you. I just knew it. But something felt different. I felt different around you. At first, I tried to blame it on my crazy life. But then I finally figured out that it was just you. You brought out of me, feelings I never had. You made my life feel less crowded. You are my anchor. You calm me. I've never felt so sensible than when I am with you. I don't know what I would do without you. And I am beyond grateful that I won't have to know because you stayed. You fantastic girl, you stayed with me. And now, just look at us. You are the champion of my heart, Alice. I will protect you with everything I have. You have given me everything I could ever ask for and more. A lifetime of love, our wonderful children, a reason to make hats. And I vow to love you for forever."

The minister presented us and the people cheered. Well, all except Hamish. I couldn't fathom why he showed up, other than his mother made him come for appearances sake. Didn't matter, though. I was on cloud nine.

The reception was held just a bit further over from the ceremony, reminding me much of our first wedding. As we walked over, Tarrant asked, "Cricket, what did make you so late? I was starting to worry when I saw everyone but you."

I showed him my bare feet.

"Ah, that's why you're shorter than I expected. The dress looks a bit too long and I didn't think I measured incorrectly. Not that I wasn't distracted, of course, I mean you were wearing the dress that I removed from you when we first made love and don't think that memory didn't come rushing back once you put this dress back on but I thought I had myself together enough –"

"Tarrant!"

"Sorry … I'm fine. So, why are you in your bare feet? With no stockings, young lady?" he teased.

"The heel broke off my shoe as I was getting ready to leave. And then I forgot my bouquet and had to go back. It was just a mess."

"Well, at least you made it. You do make it a nasty habit of always being late."

"Not always!" I protested. I stuck my tongue out at him as we sat at our table.

The rest of the night went so fast. I remember Tarrant dancing with Charlotte, my mother and Margaret. I remember thinking how lovely it was to see Margaret dancing with Brandon and looking so happy. And I remember seeing Jacob play with Charlotte so well, his father's influence obviously melting away quickly.

But most of all, I remember dancing with my husband. He was just as good at dancing as he was at making hats. He was nervous about learning dances from my world, but I couldn't see why. Tarrant twirled us around the dance floor like it was second nature. Perhaps it was by now. He guided us around the floor without missing a single step. And his smile at the pride of such talent made my world that much brighter.

It was just a fantastic feeling to be pulled so close to him (scandalously close if I'm being honest). I was safe and secure in his arms. I put my head against his chest as we swayed to a slower song and heard his heart thumping powerfully. I looked up into those dark emerald eyes and knew that he was having the same thoughts as me. Dancing always put us both in a very amorous mood.

I was grateful that my mother was keeping the children with her and leaving Tarrant and I alone. It wasn't as good as the far wing in the castle, but it would do.

In the words of that cute little girl from "Despicable Me": It's so fluffy! :-)