I've been watching too many videos of the Mad T Party at Disneyland! This chapter comes inspired by those. The exact inspiration titles and uploaders are included in case you'd like to search for them and watch to be a part of the "concert." :-) It seemed easier than putting (and then removing) spaces from the URLs. (But if you want the URLs, just ask)

Again, I own nothing here (including any videos mentioned) and I'm not making a single penny (or any other type of currancy) from this.

It was a harsh day full of meetings and paperwork. As the day progressed, I felt increasingly terrible. I stopped in to see Tarrant in his workshop in the middle of my very busy day and flopped onto his couch and sighed.

"Today is dragging! I just want to climb into bed and sleep for days," I said before yawning.

"Soon and very soon," Hatter said. "The day is half over and then you can relax."

"It feels as though the end of the day will never get here. I've been getting more and more drained since my first meeting this morning."

"You work too hard."

"That is the pot calling the kettle black, my darling," I told him with a smile and a sternly pointed finger.

"Mayhaps, but I'm not the one falling asleep on the couch right now."

I suppose he had me there.

Nonetheless, I groaned at the thought of the rest of the day. "Well, I'll rest after this last meeting. The paperwork can wait."

"Good to hear. Maybe sleep for a few minutes there before you must go back to the grind."

"A lovely idea..."

After a very quick nap and another meeting, my day finally ended. Dinner and bedtime for the children were a blur for me.

"Sweetness, are you feeling well?" Tarrant asked as we got ready for bed.

"No, actually. Is it cold in here?"

"Well, not really. Shall I put another log on the fire?"

"Could you, please? I'm just so chilly."

Tarrant went to the fireplace and put some more wood into the flames. "I do hope you haven't come down with the nebble."

"The nebble? But that's an Underland illness. I thought I couldn't catch it."

"Think about it, poppet. You saved Underland from destruction, you are a Lady of the White Queen's court, you bore the first child born in Underland in longer than anyone can remember. You might not have been born in Underland, but, lovely, you are Underland. I think the downside is that now you can have the nebble. I'm frankly surprised it took you this long to come down with it."

"Someone from my meetings must have given it to me. I knew I should have skipped those! Well, I don't have time for this. I have too much to do tomorrow."

Hatter had the nerve to chuckle. "Alice, I don't think you'll be going anywhere." He joined me on the bed and put his hand to my forehead. "Oh yes, you are quite fevered. Tomorrow, you will be restricted to bed. I'm beginning to fear that your Overland side is making this last a bit longer than usual."

"That's not fair!" I sneezed 3 times in a row.

Tarrant gave a half smile. "Bless you." (I finally corrected him from earlier.) "There's the sneezies. You already have the fever. And now it's time for the sleepies."

"I don't think I can sleep. I feel too sick. I'm so cold and uncomfortable."

"Beloved, sleep will do you a world of good. Just close your eyes and I shall stay right with you."

"What of the children? I don't want them catching this!"

"No worries about Lottie and Will. My parents will be glad to watch them. And I shall watch you."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Well, I'm taking tomorrow off, aren't I?"

"No, I'll be fine. You have too much to do."

"And taking care of my wife is at the top of that list."

"What if you get sick?"

"Then I shall do my best to not get sick. Hush, my dearheart. Just relax and sleep." My sweet husband stroked my hair and sang Outlandish lullabies to me until I finally succumbed to sleep.

Suddenly, I could hear voices. They were yelling, but they didn't sound angry or in pain. What was going on?

"Alice, are you ready, beautiful?" I heard a familiar voice calling me.

"Tarrant?"

"Come on, sweetness! It's showtime!" he said as he began dragging me along.

"Showtime? What on earth are you talking about?"

"Always a kidder! I shall see you at your cue!"

And with that, we were on a stage. What was I wearing? What was Hatter wearing? It looked slightly like his hat, but were those sunglasses upon it? Was that Mally and Thackery holding guitars? Absolem on a keyboard? Chess on the drums? Was that Nivens? The animals appeared to be more human here and Mally seemed more ... masculine?

Then I looked down at my own attire. I was dressed in the same blue I always seem to be in when traveling to Underland, but still much, much different.

Yes, I believe it's Nivens. He introduced the Mad Hatter and Tarrant began to sing a song I didn't recognize. Every little thing she does is magic? He had told me that before. Was it a song about me? What was happening? ("Mouse Fever - Mad Tea Party Band - Police Cover :: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by Mouse Fever).

The crowd in front of the stage was going positively mad for Tarrant and the band. Curiouser and curiouser.

After that, Tarrant told the audience that it was Tea Time and invited me to join him. Somehow I seemed to know what was going on and together we sang the Unbirthday song he sang to me so many years before. ("Mad T Party "Merry Unbirthday/Hey Ya" 4/2/13" by CokeandTeaTime)

He asked me to sing a song, and I miraculously knew what to sing. I sang a song about Hatter making me feel like the only girl in the world ("Mad T Party - Only Girl" from Nick Turchen [Go with the one taken at the November 25th show]). I had to admit, I sounded better than I expected. It was fun and I even played it up a bit with Mally and Thackery.

Tarrant and I then began a series of duets and it was wonderful singing with him and so much fun to just act up on stage. We stalked each other across the stage ("Mad T Party - Domino" from Nick Turchen). I would grab his scarves and drag him along ("Mad T Party Band Moves Like Jagger" from TheSexyKatKashi). We sang directly to each other ("Mad T Party - Baby one more time/It's Gonna Be Me" from Nick Turchen). We even got a little bold! ("MAD T PARTY BAND ~ Pour Some Sugar On Me March 22, 2013" by Magic Gypsy )

Before I knew it, it was time for the show to be over. We had one final song to sing. It was a beautiful love song. Tarrant sang directly to me and kissed my hand. I almost swooned on stage! ("Mad T Party "Faithfully" 1/5/13 Encore" by CokeandTeaTime)

Hatter thanked the band and we were off, apparently giving the stage to the Tweedles.

"Tarrant! That was so much fun!" I yelled as we were out of sight of the audience. "What was that all about?"

"Precious, we do this every night! Are you feeling well?"

"What? I ..."

"Dearheart, are you feeling well?" he repeated.

"Alice! Are you feeling well?" I heard him say again, but from very far away.

"We don't sing!" I cried, sitting straight up.

"Not as a rule, no. Lovely, what's wrong?" Hatter said, holding me close.

"Where am I?"

"In bed, beloved. You were having a dream. Your fever still seems quite high."

Fever? Dream? Oh! The nebble.

"It was a dream?" I asked.

"Depends what "it" was, but I'm thinking yes."

"It was so strange. We were singers in a band. And Thackery and Mally played guitars, Chess played the drums, Absolem played the keyboard. Nivens was there, as well, but they were all human. And you seemed to be in charge of it all. We sang songs I have never heard before, but we had so much fun! Our clothes were so different! You're shirt said "We're all mad here" and your jacket was so shiny! My dress was frilly and it would be scandalously low cut in London!"

"Well, I do wish I could have seen that dress! Did I at least have my hat?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course! Though it looked a bit different too. How curious of a dream..."

"I think perhaps you need to go back to sleep, dearest. You were singing in your sleep, so I doubt you were resting to your full ability. You have a beautiful voice, you know."

"I did in my dream. And so did you! Oh, Tarrant, I couldn't believe what a showman you were! And you had no problem flirting on stage, you cad, you!"

My husband giggled. "I never miss an opportunity to make advancements on you!" He paused. "Well, maybe except now. Get back to sleep, my dear. Perhaps dream of walks in the garden instead of bands of musicians. Or dream of sleeping, even better!"

"All right. I am feeling quite sleepy." I gave a big yawn. "Hatter ... do you think we could sing to each other more often?"

"Of course, poppet."

"And ... if I gave you a description, could you make clothes similar to my dream?"

"Alice! Naughty!" I blushed a bit and he waggled those eyebrows at me, making me suddenly all the more disappointed to be sick. "Of course, my love. I'll make any clothes you want."

"Thank you, darling. I love you, Hatter."

"I love you as well, sweetness, faithfully."

What?

Many, many thanks to those who are still with me over 60 chapters into this crazy story. It's SO much longer than I ever expected and is probably my favorite thing I've ever written. I have all of you amazing readers to thank for that. Muchness just isn't the word for how awesome you are! This story has 1200 reviews at the moment (shout out to narugirl2003 for being #1200) and I am completely floored and absolutely humbled by that. There isn't a word to sum up my gratitude. Rock on, readers! Keep being muchy!