China had been marvelous. As a business venture, her trip had been incredibly successful. She had been fearless and triumphant, everything her father had taught her she could be; everything Wonderland had inspired in her. Even so, her hands gripped the ship's railing more tightly, and she swayed backwards, feeling restless. She had traveled as far as she could think to, had seen wonders, experienced life abroad and life at sea, and…

… she still missed him.

She still scanned the crowds for a pair of vivid green eyes, still felt her heart race at the sight of a top hat, still ached whenever she held a teacup.

Worst of all, she never had nightmares any more. All her dreams were of him. Sometimes she imagined he missed her, others times she saw him happy, content with the new reign and carrying on as if he hadn't a care in the world. Alice couldn't understand why the latter bothered her most.

Alice raised her eyes, seeing first the stretch of land, and eventually the lengthy dock.

They were pulling into port.

Brace yourself, she thought, before plunging into the darkness. The light blinded her, oddities and objects swirled dizzily around her.

She gripped the key.

Drank the poison.

And once outside, in the beautiful and bizarrely tranquil forest, she set a crumb of cake on her tongue, and swallowed.

The tablecloth was pure, the dishes new, the cakes bright, the tea steaming.

Alice walked uncertainly towards it.

Towards him.

"ALICE!" Hare cried, tugging joyously at his ears. The dormouse mirrored, raising his spoon in welcome.

The Hatter stood abruptly, looking solemn and frightened.

She stared back, and everything else blurred.

Suddenly, his green eyes were everything. The sadness, the aching, the unprecedented feeling that nothing in her world would ever make her whole - his eyes silenced them all.

Nervously, he gripped the tablecloth, looking pained. "You -" he paused, tightening his grip. "You haven't… forgotten me?"

Her vision blurred entirely, and she shook her head softly, blinking to clear her sight.

"I could never forget you," she whispered, coming to stand in front of him. Anxiously, she lifted a hand, as though to touch him. "Never you."

And before she realized what she was doing, her arms wrapped around his neck, and she held him tightly, laying her head on the top of his well-worn coat.

The Hatter let out a shaky breath, crushing her against him to quell his trembling. "Alice…"

"I missed you so," she whispered, rubbing her cheek against his. "It took all my muchness not sail back, sometimes. Not to return…"

That was all he needed to hear.

And in a blur of shaking limbs and tears that poured like tea, he kissed her.