Chapter Sixteen – Through the Glass

Hatter sat amid the wreckage that was his flat. His floor was littered with books – his usual cut from Dodo, who really had little else to offer in exchange for services – as well as clothes yanked from his wardrobe. Mad March and the Suits had made a right mess of things, particularly down in the office, but he was beyond caring. Alice's jacket lay across his lap and his fingers idly stroked the soft velvet.

He didn't know what to do with himself. Jack Heart – King of Hearts now – had called a meeting for all Tea Shop proprietors in three day's time, probably to work out a plan for switching them over to a different form of commerce. Hatter didn't care. He would sit there until the end of time, wallowing in his loss.

And lots of other things. He couldn't get Alice's last words out of his head. What had she meant by that? She'd never had trouble saying what was on her mind, except when Hatter desperately needed to know.

He kept telling himself that you couldn't build a meaningful relationship on several day of dodging Suits, fleeing Jabberwocks, and being scared out of your wits. Hatter sighed and lifted the coat, picturing in his mind how Alice had looked wearing it. There was still a faint scent clinging to the velvet, an Alice scent. Hatter buried his face in the coat and, for the first time since he was a child, he wept.

*o*o*o*

The next two days passed in a blur for Hatter. He was only dimly aware that Dormie had gathered a little crew of people to help clean up the Tea Shop. Jack had sent over some Spades to keep back the increasingly restless clientele that wanted whatever Tea was left, which wasn't very much truth be told. Hatter still had some of his private stash, but the front room had been completely cleaned out.

Hatter couldn't get Alice out of his mind. He'd try to focus on something, like putting his files to rights, and then a memory would pop up, unbidden. Like having her pressed snugly against him on the horse, or the way she'd looked by firelight. He kept the coat near him all the time, and would sometimes just sit for an hour or more, running his hand over it.

Mostly he worried about how Alice was doing back in the Oyster world. Had she made it back alright? Did she miss him, even a little? Worse, he worried that maybe she'd forgotten about him. About Wonderland. He knew the other Oysters had been dosed, so they'd think everything that had happened to them was a dream. Is that what Alice thought too? He couldn't bear it.

On the third day, Hatter made a decision. He wrote a note for Dormie, leaving him the Tea Shop…or whatever Jack would turn it into. He didn't want to be there anymore, and even if Jack denied the request he was going to make of him, he'd find something else to do. Somewhere else in Wonderland. There were too many memories here, too much of Alice.

Hatter showed up at the Palace early, and was able to get an audience with the new King. He was shown right into Jack's office, a large room tastefully appointed with beige walls and carpeting. The only spot of color was the large heart on the wall behind Jack's desk.

"I'm surprised to see you," Jack said. He gestured Hatter into a chair. "The meeting won't be until later today."

"I'm not here to discuss my Shop," Hatter said. Nerves danced under his skin. "I want to go through the Glass."

Jack sat back, his face betraying nothing. In contrast to his stillness, Hatter took off his hat and fidgeted with it.

"You want to go to Alice."

"Yeah." Hatter hated this. Hated having to ask this man for what he wanted.

"Why?" Jack asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"I…I need to be with her," was all that Hatter could say. He looked Jack in the eye, beseeching.

Jack was thoughtful for several long minutes, and then he nodded. "Be in the Hall tomorrow morning. We're keeping the Glass open for several weeks while we contact our agents who have been living in the Oyster world. After that, it will only be open once a month."

Hatter nodded, relief flooding through him.

"Take care of your affairs," Jack ordered. "And clean yourself up."

Hatter took no notice of Jack's parting shot. He flipped his hat back up on his head and left. There were no affairs he needed to settle. Anything he owed, or that was owed to him, was no longer part of the new regime. There was nothing at his flat he needed. Who would he miss here, besides Charlie?

It was the old man he went to see, the only one he felt the need to say goodbye to. And if that wasn't a commentary on the sad state of his life, he wasn't sure what was. Hatter was a man with hundreds of contacts and acquaintances, but no real friends. Just Charlie…and his Alice.

"Ah, you are going on a quest!" Charlie said when Hatter walked into the knight's new flat. Jack was keeping him in the city for now, until they could restart the knight training program and make the necessary repairs to the Lost Kingdom. Still, Hatter smirked when he saw that Charlie had set up his hammock in the corner instead of using the bed.

"Yeah. Sort of. I wanted to say goodbye. And thanks."

"I'm sorry…" Charlie started to say, but Hatter waved him off. They'd been over this already. They all had their demons to face, he knew, and Charlie had done right by them in the end.

"You are a good man, Harbinger," Charlie said. He clasped Hatter on the shoulder. "Alice of Legend is lucky to have you for a protector."

"I'm not sure she needs protecting, Charlie," Hatter said. He sat down in one of parlor chairs. "I'm not even sure she'll want to see me."

Charlie merely huffed out a chuckle. "I don't need to use the Black Arts to see what's between the two of you. My Nan used to say, where there's sparks there's fire, and you have plenty of sparks with Just Alice."

"Well, I guess I'll find out either way," Hatter said. He looked at his hands. "If she doesn't…want me, I'll be back."

"I wish you Godspeed on your Journey, Harbinger," Charlie said. And just like that, Hatter had gotten his affairs in order.

*o*o*o*

Hatter arrived at the Hall a full half hour before the King. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and his favorite brown porkpie hat. A thrill of excitement coursed through him, made it impossible for him to be still. He could only think of seeing Alice, his Alice.

By the time Jack arrived, Hatter was half out of his skin. "About time!"

"Take this." Hatter was handed a parcel.

"Parting gift?" Hatter snorted. "And here I am with nothing for you."

"New ID, Oyster money, cell phone, and the key to my old flat."

Hatter turned the package over in his hands. The King had given him a new life. Curious, he asked what his new name was.

"David Hatter."

Hatter tried it out. "David. David. That'll do. Yeah."

"Take care of her," Jack said.

"If she wants me," Hatter mumbled. That niggle of doubt refused to leave him alone. Jack just smiled and led the way to the mirror.

"Remember to breathe, and just let it carry you." Jack pressed a piece of paper into Hatter's palm. "Your new address and Alice's."

"Thank you," Hatter said, finding he actually meant it.

"The Looking Glass will take you to Alice's world, shortly after she was sent back herself. You shouldn't have any trouble finding her." Jack grasped Hatter's shoulder. "Take care of her."

Hatter nodded. Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the Looking Glass and found himself sliding through a swirling vortex that made him dizzy and disoriented. A painful burning in his chest reminded him that he needed to breathe, and he started gasping. Hatter had no idea how long he traveled through the shimmering tunnel between his world and Alice's, but eventually he landed on a hard surface and rolled.

It was night in the Oyster world, and Hatter couldn't make out much of the building he'd landed in, except it appeared to be under construction. When his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw something on the ground in front of him. Moving cautiously forward, he saw it was a person, a person in a blue dress…

"Alice!" Icy fear flowed through him. She was still, so still. Afraid to move her, he put one trembling hand to her neck. Yes! She was alive! She must've hit her head, he reasoned. The panic calmed but still buzzed a bit through his skin.

"I'll get some help," he whispered in Alice's ear. He brushed a kiss on her forehead, then ran out of the building calling for help. As soon as someone arrived, Hatter stayed by Alice's side and let everyone assume he was a construction worker who'd forgotten something on the site and had stumbled over her. He insisted on riding with her in the ambulance, his worry increasing the longer she remained unconscious.

At the hospital, a place much smaller than the Hospital of Dreams, Hatter was forced to stay in the Waiting Room. He found it equaled the Truth Room in terms of torture, as he had to sit there helplessly, wondering what was happening with Alice. He turned his hat over and over in his hands, eyes blankly focused on the far wall.

When the woman came, Hatter didn't pay her any mind until his brain registered the fact that she was saying his name.

"David? Are you David Hatter?"

Hatter was on his feet instantly. "How is she? Is she alright?" Even in his anxiety he remembered not to say her name – he wasn't supposed to know her.

"I'm Carol Hamilton. My daughter, Alice, is the girl you saved." Carol held out her hand and, after a moment's hesitation, Hatter shook it. It was such a strange Oyster custom.

"Is she okay?" Hatter asked again.

"She hit her head, but the doctor says she'll be fine. I'll be able to take her home tomorrow."

"Brilliant!" Hatter couldn't help his grin. He flipped his hat back on his head with an extra touch of theatrics.

"I just wanted to thank you. If you hadn't found her…well…I don't even want to think of what might have happened."

"I'm just glad she's okay," Hatter said. "Do you think…could I…could I see her?"

Carol studied him for a moment. "Yes, of course. I'm sure Alice would like to thank you herself."

Alice's mother gave him the address – which he already had – and told him what time to stop by. Hatter thanked her profusely and left the hospital to find Jack Heart's flat.

*o*o*o*

Hatter was so nervous, he couldn't keep still. He was dressed more conservatively than usual, had even tried combing his hair into submission. He stood outside the door of Alice's flat, working up the nerve to press the buzzer.

He told himself he was here to make certain Alice was okay. He told himself whatever reception he received, it didn't matter. And in his mind he could hear Alice saying, I don't believe you.

Summoning his nerve, Hatter pushed the buzzer. Another anxious moment while he fretted over who would answer the door. It was with both relief and disappointment that he found himself facing Carol.

"David. Come in." Carol showed him into the open living area, and he quickly pulled off his new black fedora.

"Alice is much better today," Carol said. Hatter could only nod dumbly. He could smell Alice here; her scent pervaded the air of the flat.

"Alice!" Carol called. "Come meet David!"

Hatter turned towards the hall and his breath caught in his throat. Alice, his Alice, was coming towards him. Her hair looked different, and she was wearing trousers instead of the blue dress. Her eyes were downcast and Hatter thought she looked sad. And then she looked up and saw him standing there, and her entire face brightened.

"Hatter!" she cried, closing the space between them at a run. She threw herself into his arms and Hatter hugged her tightly, all of his fears and doubts melting away. He had made the right choice. This is where he belonged.

"Finally," Hatter said softly, letting himself sink into the hug. A new feeling was blooming inside him, impossibly big. He felt so good he feared he might burst.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," Alice whispered. Hatter grinned.

Alice pulled away to look up at him. Hatter returned her gaze, the tenderness in her eyes momentarily making him catch his breath, and then he dipped his head for a kiss. Her lips were so soft, and she tasted as sweet as she smelled. He couldn't believe he'd been without this for so long.

This time it was Hatter who pulled away, a bare inch this time. He kept his eyes closed, breathing in the delicious scent of his Alice. "I missed you."

Then they were kissing again, and Hatter knew that Charlie was right. He didn't know what the next day, or even the next five minutes, would bring but for once he didn't feel the need to formulate a plan. All that mattered was that his Alice was in his arms, and he didn't intend to ever let her go. He could finally name that feeling, that powerful, painfully wonderful feeling that was flowing through his veins. The most sought after Tea in Wonderland, the most elusive Emotion of all – Love.

AN: Oh, I love a happy ending! But of course Hatter had to be a little stubborn before he could get his happy.

I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. This wouldn't have been as much fun if not for the support of my fellow Hatter fans, so thank you! Special shout-out to the little birdy who made me smile each and every day!

Until next time…