Author's Note: And now for something completely different! In my own mind, this story is a spin-off from my series of one-shots called The Happy in the Ever After, taking place shortly after the chapter called Partners.

Standard Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, or any references to the original Lewis Carroll story.

Chapter One

Jack Heart, new King of Wonderland, was always calm and cool and collected. One of the reasons that his new subjects respected him was that he was able to keep a level head no matter what the situation. He was not prone to tempers and outbursts and random executions, like his mother had been. But whatever his outward appearance, under the surface he was seething in emotions.

And sometimes he acted out, like a young child trying to get attention.

Jack had never loved Alice, not really, but it had hurt him none the less when she chose that conman Hatter over him. Alice would have been a valuable asset to him; everyone in Wonderland knew about her, and many considered her to be a savior. He'd offered to make her his queen, and she'd turned him down.

He'd been glad when Alice had left Hatter behind as well. It was petty, a feeling not becoming to a king, but there it was. If Jack couldn't have Alice, no-one could. So what if they clearly belonged together? It wasn't his job to play matchmaker.

And then Hatter had come to him, asking to go through the Glass and follow Alice to her world. He was willing to leave Wonderland to be with her, and all Jack could feel was hatred. After all, Jack was the reason Alice had come to Wonderland in the first place, and she should have been his.

Still, Jack Heart, King of Wonderland, wasn't one to miss an opportunity. So he was more than happy to help Hatter make the arrangements that would remove him from Wonderland permanently. And if he forgot to mention a thing or two to Hatter…well, it served him – and Alice – right. Let her deal with Hatter now. She'd regret her decision soon enough.

*o*o*o*

Alice felt like her life was finally starting. She'd let go of the chains that had held her back for so long – her fear of abandonment, the drive to find her father that had eclipsed everything else. She'd let it all go, purged it, and was ready for whatever life wanted to throw her way.

"What's that grin for?" Hatter asked. They were lounging at opposite ends of the couch in the apartment they shared, their legs tangled together.

"Just thinking how much I love," Alice said. She loved saying it. Those three words had always been so hard for her, but now she made sure she said them to Hatter with regularity. She never again wanted him to doubt her feelings.

"I love you too, Alice," Hatter said with a wide smile and a flash of dimple. He set his book aside and took her hand in his, turning it this way and that to make the sapphire ring sparkle. Hatter had quickly dismissed the idea of a diamond engagement ring – too ordinary. He told Alice he picked the sapphire because of her beautiful blue eyes, and memories of a little blue dress.

Hatter had proposed to Alice not two weeks ago, and Alice was still trying to get used to the idea of it. It was a mark of how much she'd changed during her brief stay in Wonderland that she had so readily and without hesitation said yes. So what if they'd only known each other three months? She had no doubt in her mind that she belonged with Hatter, and always would.

"You should wear a blue dress," Hatter suggested. "You look lovely in blue."

"It's a wedding, Hatter. The bride is supposed to wear white."

"What a boring lot you Oysters are," he grumbled good-naturedly.

Alice just smiled. They hadn't made any firm wedding plans as of yet, but she did have something in mind for the dress that she thought Hatter would like. But he'd have to wait until she was walking down the aisle to know what that something was.

Hatter picked his book back up and shifted himself around a bit. Alice saw a look of discomfort cross his face.

"You okay?" she asked, concerned. When he wasn't getting pummeled by Suits and evil doctors, Hatter had a remarkably sturdy constitution; she'd never seen him so much as get the sniffles.

"Fine," he reassured her. "Just a little stiff."

Alice let it go.

*o*o*o*

Alice woke up in the middle of the night, disoriented and fuzzy-headed. At first she wasn't sure what had woken her, but then she heard Hatter moaning next to her. She rolled over and put a hand on his arm.

"Hatter?" she whispered. He didn't answer, so she knew he was asleep. Was he having a bad dream? He did, sometimes, especially the first few weeks after he came to her world from Wonderland. He'd talked to her about them only once. Told her about the visions the Doctors had put in his head while he was in the Truth Room, visions of her dead. It was his biggest fear, and she tried to remember than when he got a bit overprotective from time to time. She'd had her own share of sleepless nights thanks to the bad doctors Dum and Dee and she knew what it was like to be afraid.

Hatter moaned again, and turned from his stomach to his side. The soft glow of the nightlight near the door let her see his face, which was tight and drawn. Alice put her hand to his head but he wasn't feverish or sweating, just naturally warm like he always was. She stroked his hair, and was happy to see his face relax a bit. Sometimes that was all he needed; just her touch to take him out of the bad memories.

The moaning stopped, and Alice found herself drifting back to sleep spooned up against Hatter. She loved these drowsy, cuddly moments. She wished she could make those moments last; keep out the worries of bills and family and work.

"I love you," she whispered against Hatter's shoulder. She felt him twitch, and wondered if he heard her. And then he mumbled something in his sleep. Alice was sure it was just the nonsense of dreaming, or perhaps she heard him wrong.

"…twinkling of the tea…"

AN: Okay, I know this is really short. But I promise that forthcoming chapters will be longer. Just setting the stage, so to speak. So…are you interested enough to read more? Please review and let me know!