Disclaimer: I do not own AiW, no matter how much I wish I did....

Note: This is a fluffy sequel/bonus chapter to my fanfic, Letter A, My Letter A. So if you haven't read it, you might be a little confused but it only has slight spoilers. So everyone feel free to read it and comment! ^_^

Title: Purrtector

Pairing: Alice/Tarrant

Rating: G

Genre: Humor/Fluff, Oneshot

Summary: Chess has deemed himself the protector of Tarrant and Alice's child, even before it was born. Witness the adventures he shares with pregnant!Alice and the child as it grows.

Purrtector

The months following Tarrant and Alice's final union were filled with joy and bliss. That happiness only grew even stronger when they discovered the growing life inside Alice's womb. Chessur had been there for the announcement, and silently took it upon himself to be the unborn babe's protector. Everyday Chess stayed with Alice while Tarrant was away making hats and clothes for the White Queen's court. And week by week he watched the beautiful woman's stomach expand as she took on a heavenly glow. He always at Alice's side, wanting to be as close to the babe as possible while still giving Alice her space. Only when Alice would lay on the couch and nap did he curl around her protruding belly. How could he help himself? It was so warm and calming, especially with the knowledge that nothing could happen to the human kitten while he was around.

It was on one of those naps that the baby first kicked. Chess vaguely felt it through his fur, and his sleep-fogged brain was about to dismiss it until it happened again. Only harder and more obvious. Alice awoke and placed a hand on where the babe laid, a look of confusion fell onto her face before being replaced with a largest smile Chess had ever seen on a human. That was until Tarrant came home and felt the baby kick against his hand. Chessur watched the private moment between parents and their still-growing child. And he himself couldn't stop from grinning when hearing Tarrant coo in his native brogue at his wife's belly. He knew already the baby was more than special, and was going to be a fellow mischief-maker.

That notion only rang more true when the White Queen used her magic to check the health of the fetus. Not only was it in perfect heath, but it was also a they. Twins, a girl and boy. This news made Tarrant grin like a fool before proudly fainting on the palace floor. Alice went to revive her husband as Chess floated there, grinning madly.

'Troublemakers indeed,' he happily thought before leaving the couple to attend to his own business.

As Alice drew closer to her due date, Chessur made sure to increase the watching his charges tenfold. Only when Alice was in the bathroom or changing was she not followed. Everywhere the blond went the Cheshire Cat was in tow. No mercy was given to anyone or thing that stupidly tried something to harm them. Tarrant put his foot down however when Chess tried to sleep with them at night. So, instead he took residence in the tree outside their window, grumbling slightly at not even being given the couch. He threw this selfish thought away when noticing that outside he had better vantage point to catch beings intent on harm.

Alice went into labor less than a month later, it was not an easy one. All were worried because it happened weeks earlier than expected. For nearly a day Tarrant paced, worrying at his hat and hands. Many times he had tried to get to Alice so he could hold her hand and comfort her, only to be shooed away by some nursemaid or another. Mallymkun was in the constant goings and comings, bearing news with the White Rabbit being unable to do so. Chessur tried to calm his friend, but even he was filled with anxiety and fear.

Everyone sighed in relief when hearing the first one, the boy, give out a cry as he was taken away to be cleaned. In anticipation they waited for the girl to be born. Minutes flew by, long enough for her to have become acquainted with this new world, but still they were only met with silence. That once relieved sigh was taken away from them when Malymkun rounded around the corner, her ears laid flat against her head as she gave a grief-filled shake. Chessur lowered his eyes to the floor as he sunk with agony. A sense of failure washed over him as his heart ached for the little girl he had sworn and tried so hard to protect.

That was he heard it, a slight shift of fabric in the delivery room accompanied by a small sniffle. One short breath was taken followed by another. That was when a wail penetrated the air, the little girl's. It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. She was carried by the large group of gatherers as she went to be bathed as well.

'I'll have to keep a closer eye on that one,' he mentally noted as he waited for his turn to see the newly-bundled additions of Underland.

And a closer eye he did need. Four or five of them for both the girl and the boy, to be exact. That number only seem to increase year by year as the children grew. Anywhere the two went trouble followed them, much like their father and Tyme. If it wasn't blood-thristy daisies, it was battle-ready insects or some crazy critter or another. Even the most innocent of meadows held danger. And if trouble wasn't following them, they were causing it. Chess remembered one time that Aidan, the son, set out to the Outlands with his sister right behind. The reason dare you ask? To teach a certain re-banished Knave a lesson.

'As if his father hadn't done that already,' he thought sarcastically. That was one adventure he didn't wish to repeat. He wasn't even their parent, and he yet found specks of white in his fur. He still loved every minute of being with the two tykes. Even though he had known them both before their birth, he still couldn't help but be fascinated by them.

Where Aidan was strong and warrior-like, his sister, Nadia was agile and sly. Both were incredibly intelligent and curious just like their mother, and just as outgoing and passionate as their father. A deadly mix it proved to be sometimes. However just as Nadia was the hopeless romantic, her brother was the fear-less knight. Sometimes their personalities switched to fit the mood or for whatever caught their interest at the moment. Chessur would like to think he them both down to the last letter, that was until they both started showing to have evaporation powers.

Chess knew something was up between the two as the whispered constantly to each other behind concealing hands. Neither was going to let him on this secret though. Where and when they found the time to practice their act was beyond him, let alone where they discovered this skill. He only found out with their parents on one particular outing. In play they climbed a steep hill, reaching the top as the adults talked about this and that.

"Watch this," one had cried from above. Chess, Tarrant and Alice did, and watched in horror as each grabbed the other's hand before jumping off.

"No!," Tarrant had shouted, trying to catch them only to find them disappearing in a veil of smoke. He looked at Chess in confusion, only to receive one just as equally confused. Two giggles then sounded the attack before they reappeared onto their father, sending him to the floor as they bounced on him. They then rushed to their mother, quite happy to have fooled and scared them all. Tarrant then gave Chess a glare as he dusted himself off.

"It wasn't my doing," the Cheshire Cat told him, trying to hide the pride he felt at the display. The thought of the children taking on one of his skills made him want to grin everyday for the rest of his nine lives. They weren't even cats, and they still did it better than any natural kitten could. And on their own to boot. He was more than proud.

Despite all the mischief, bickering, and fur-tearing schemes there was always one peaceful ground they shared... Story time. It was the only thing in the world that could make the twins sit still for longer than five minutes. Currently, Chess was sharing the tale of their mother's third return, and the trials their parents faced to create them.

"But why didn't Dad just go through the mirror in the first place?" Aidan asked in a lisp. Scratching his head of blond and orange-highlighted curls. "He could have brought Mum back no problem, right?"

"Because it wouldn't have been so romantic, silly," said Nadia, twirling a blade of grass between her finger as her more reddish hair blew in the breeze. Her brother stuck his tongue out at her which she returned without hesitation.

"Actually, it was because her choice," answered Chessur before another fight could start. Two curious eyes fell on him in attention. Another attribute they acquired from their father, as they swirled with their emotions. Currently jade was their color as flecks of yellow shined in the light. "It had been her choice to leave, and so it had to be her choice to return."

The siblings looked to one another, confused by this "adult logic." Even in Underland, children didn't understand grown-ups. Chessur could just see their mental link buzzing with even more questions and theories.

"Now that's silly," they said in union before spilling over with laughter. He could only smile and shake his head at the two. They always seemed to know how to keep his attention.

"Well, Fathah bettah have apologized to Mummy fow acting the way he did," Nadia huffed as she crossed her arms, stubbornly. Aidan only nodded in agreement to his sister's statement.

"Oh, he most certainly did," Chess boasted, remembering the fine day well. "At their wedding, it had been in one of his vows. Right there he apologized to her in front of all of Underland. He then promised her to never act like suck a jack-"

'Oh dear,' Chess thought, catching himself. 'Can't repeat that one to the kiddies.'

His mind ran marathons, trying to come up with the perfect cover-up. The children leaned forward in anticipation, waiting for him to finish his answer.

"Jack...wabbit?" little Nadia supplied. Chess' eyes brightened and his smile broadened before telling them,

"Why, yes! A jackrabbit. He was a vicious one while your mother was away."

'A very vicious one', he thought with a small frown.

His ears caught the gasp the little ones shared along with the whispering at the notion of their father having been a jackrabbit.

"Well, it's getting dark," he noted to them. "Best be getting you home."

He floated behind them as they ran home with giggles and squeals. Even though they could evaporate, they preferred the feel of grass and mud beneath their bare feet. They made it to the little hut with no problem. Both ran to their waiting father, giving him hugs that was until Nadia gave him a smack on his arm. She glared and pouted up at his towering form, arms crossing again as she declared,

"That was fow being such a jackwabbit to Mummy!"

She then scampered off to greet her mother, leaving Tarrant standing there, looking dumbfounded as he rubbed his arm. He turned to Chess for an explanation.

"It was better than the actual thing you were being," he told the Mad Hatter simply.

Still the madman stood there, mouthing the word 'jackrabbit' over and over again until it finally hit him. Before he could say a word, a laugh across the room drew his attention. Looking over he saw Alice's smiling eyes upon him, filled with mirth as she tried to suppress her giggles with the book she was reading. The sight of her caused love to fill his being and he couldn't stop the fit of laughter bubbling from him. Still smiling he walked over to her and kissed her passionately, using that same book as a screen. Quietly, he whispered in her ear and kissed her temple almost sadly. She returned with a whisper of her own before taking his lips with hers again.

The children then gave an all expected 'ew' at the display. Tarrant broke the kiss and rounded upon his offspring with a playful roar before starting a tickle fight. Together they rolled in a pile of squeals and laughs and Alice watched it all with happy eyes. Chessur slithered over to her and asked her in a hushed voice, curiosity getting the best of him like always,

"What did he tell you?"

"He didn't tell me anything. He just asked for forgiveness once more," she told him with a small smile before joining in on the fun. The Cheshire Cat watched for a while, content with the family's joy. He then disappeared into the night, to take care of things so he can make ready for a new day.

[End]

Random Author's Note At the End: Hope you guys enjoyed it! ^_^ Really happy I did this :D (especially since it gave me a chance to fill in a couple of loopholes I never got to in the story.) Thank you all again to those who have stuck with them through my first fic, and helped me out with my writing! All of you are awesome sauce^infinity!! :)

PS: This little fluff was also in dedication to my cat, Wonderful. (Yes, that is her name.) When I was pregnant with my son, she did practically everything listed above. She never once left my side (even stayed right outside the bathroom door). Slept around my growing belly both at night and through my naps (this was especially interesting since never before has she gone up past my knees). And when I went into labor, she stayed right by me through the 13 hours I stayed home before I went to the hospital. All the while she purred and tried to comfort me through contraction after contraction.

She never talks to him, but the first weeks my son was home, she would watch him anytime I left the room. Even today, she'll keep an eye on him haha XD

Again, hoped you liked! Please review~