Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. All I'm doing is mixing Stephenie Meyer and Lewis Carroll's characters in Tim Burton's world while adding a dark splash of my own imagination.
Chapter Three: Reunited
All three of Alice's childhood friends were seated at a long table. Edward sat at its head in his green, high armchair while the March Hare sat to his right and Mallymkun to his left. Suddenly, Edward turned in Alice's direction, locking eyes with her as soon he saw her.
A huge grin spread across his face as Edward stood from the table, and exclaimed, "It's you! You're absolutely Alice—I'd know you anywhere."*
Alice ran up to greet him, grinning, too, while the March Hare and Mallymkun watched the exchange. Edward frantically climbed the table and stepped over the porcelain tea set that was in front of him, carelessly breaking everything in his path to get to her. When he was at the end of the table, Edward jumped down and rushed to Alice's side.
Alice stepped forth and enveloped Edward in a hug. "I'm so happy to see you!" she cried.
"So am I!" Edward enthusiastically clung to Alice as if he might never let go. "And I'm rather glad about that now that I'm seeing you again. I would have regretted not seeing you again, especially now that you're you and the proper size—and it's a good size—it's a great size. It's a right-proper Alice size."*
Alice pulled away from their embrace to take a moment to observe Edward. In doing so, she noticed that he looked practically the same with his wild copper hair and bright green eyes. His top hat looked just as worn as it had the first time she met him, and while his outfit had changed, it was fairly similar to the one she'd seen him in before. The only big difference was in the color of his clothing since his long velvet jacket and matching vest were in a duller shade now, although his scarf tie was dissimilar.
Edward turned and motioned behind him. "Well, as you can see, we are still having tea; and it's all because I was obliged to kill Time waiting for your return. You're terribly late, you know—naughty," Edward playfully chastised. "Well, anyway, Time became quite offended and stopped altogether."*
"Time stopped!" the March Hare cried as he wrung his ears. "What will we do to get it to start again?"
"Worry not," said Edward to him, taking out his ticking pocket watch, "for Time has already resumed."
The March Hare began laughing frenziedly. "Time has already resumed? We need to celebrate this!"
Edward nodded. "We do, indeed!" He took Alice by the hand and led her back to the table, guiding her to sit right next to him. Edward raised his teacup and toasted Alice's return, causing both Alice and the March Hare to chuckle.
Meanwhile, Mallymkun remained silent, crossing her arms over her chest as she observed Alice carefully.
Feeling Mallymkun's gaze on her, Alice shifted uncomfortably before she turned to look directly at the dormouse. Upon seeing Mallymkun's grim expression, Alice frowned. "What's wrong, Mally?" Alice asked her. "Aren't you glad to see me again?"
"I am, I just don't understand all the ballyhoo surrounding your arrival," Mallymkun honestly replied.
At that precise moment, a striped, floating cat that Alice remembered as Cheshire, appeared out of thin air as he usually did.
"Things are going to change now that she's here," Cheshire Cat announced while he sat next to the dormouse, grinning mischievously at her. "If Time restarting isn't proof of that, I don't know what will be."
"Hmm," Mallymkun quipped. "We'll see about that."
"Oh, little one," Cheshire taunted, "what's got your whiskers in a knot?"
Mallymkun ignored Cheshire, turning to face the March Hare instead. "What are we having for supper, March Hare?" she asked.
"Whatever Alice fancies, Mally," the March Hare replied. "After all, we are celebrating her return."
"That is correct," Edward agreed. "Today, whatever Alice desires, Alice will get!"
Grinning, Alice then decided that if they were to going to have a feast they should have an un-birthday party like the one they'd had the last time she had been at Wonderland.
Edward nodded, smiling excitedly. "An un-birthday party it is!" He looked over at the March Hare, and said, "Hare, I want you to bake us the biggest cake you have ever made."
The March Hare nodded, too, as he stood from his seat. "Come along now, Mally!" he told the dormouse. "We need to get started immediately."
Mallymkun groaned but didn't say anything else. She simply stood from the table and followed after her friend the hare, knowing she would find him in his kitchen because of the resounding the pots and pans made as the March Hare tossed them about as soon as he entered it.
"So, Alice," Cheshire began, "what do you plan on doing during your stay at Wonderland this time around?"
"I'm not sure yet since I don't know how long I'll be staying, but I would like for it to be a little bit longer than before."
Edward Hightopp's face lit up. "You could stay here forever if you'd like!" he exclaimed jovially.
"I suppose that you could stay here indefinitely," Cheshire said after taking a sip of his tea. "After all, everyone's been waiting for your return to Wonderland."
"They have?" Alice asked baffled. "Why?"
Cheshire Cat smirked haughtily. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that you'll find out during your stay."
* = Original quotes from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland by screenwriter Linda Woolverton.