Chapter 4: Without

Watching Alice walk out of his life, for the first time that day and the hundredth in his life time, Hatter ran after her. He jumped over his desk and darted out of the office.

"Alice!" he shouted over the loud and annoying tea heads in the show room. She's gone. Again. "Ugh…. Fuck, fuck, fuck." He shouts before running out of the tea shop and to the mirror hall.

He ran as fast as he could down the walkways of the city, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"I can't mess up again. I have to find her." Hatter thought, mentally yelling at himself.

After five minutes of running, he reached the hall. It wasn't crowded but there were a decent amount of refugee's in the room. And from the outside, he could see her. He could see his Alice.

"Alice." He breathed.

He quietly entered the room, adjusting his hat to make himself seem neater or something.

"My dear boy," Charlie said upon seeing him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for Alice. I need to find her Charlie." Hatter said, skimming the people for her.

"Well, she's at the front of the room with the soon to be king. I'd hurry if I were you Hatter." Charlie said, patting his younger friend on the back.

Hatter moved through the crowd until her found her… in the arms of Jack. And she looked happy.

"Shit." He thought. "I was wrong. She didn't really want me. She's always been his."

He began to walk away, beaten and not remembering why he was here. There was something, the reason he had come up with from long ago to why, that brought him here. And it was gone.

"Hatter!" Alice exclaimed when she saw him. She broke away from Jack and ran after him. Repeating his name when she reached him. "I thought that you weren't coming. I thought…"

"Hello, my darling." He said sweetly, catching her off guard. He simply stared at her, unsure of how to continue. "I-I mean, hello Alice. I… I decided to come see you off." He shook his head. Wrong. "I came… oh fuck it. Alice, I want to go with you. I need to. I can't exist without you anymore. Trust me, I tried."

"Hatter." She said softly. He pulled her into him in a hug. Hatter held her like she would fly away at any moment.

"I missed you…" he whispered into her hair. "It felt like years since I had seen you and I missed you. I just wanted to be beside you."

Alice looked up into her knight's eyes and knew all of his words were true and meaning full. Somehow, he was different though she couldn't tell how.

"So, you're coming with me?" Alice asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Alice, I can fly when I am here with you. I can turn iron to gold." He looked into her eyes. "Alice, did you know that I was left without you… because—"

Alice stopped him with a kiss. "I know." She said simply. There was something in her that made her completely understand him.

He rested his forehead on hers and spoke his heart to her.

"It must have been only moments in your eyes but I was stuck here without you and… and I came for you. The world was just too cold without you. I need you in my life Alice. And god forbid that I am ever left here or in your world without you. I don't know what I would do. Alice, I love you."

Alice just looked at him for a moment before pulling him into a passionate kiss. It was the one that was always meant to be. This was the one that had been brewing since they met. Everything was leading to this very moment.

"I love you too." She whispered. And they were both silent. There were no more words to be said. They were all out on the table.

"Alice!" called the mirror operator. "It's time."

Alice was pulled away from Hatter with a bit of force but her followed, unwilling to let her go. He would not be stuck without her.

"Ah, Hatter, what are you doing here?" asked Jack, standing next to the operator.

"I'm going with Alice." Hatter said bluntly.

"Ah," Jack said with a smile. "I figured you would. Here." He finished, handing Hatter a large envelope. "You'll need these."

"Thanks." Hatter said, slightly grateful and unaware of what was given to him.

"Remember, deep breath." The operator said.

Alice gave one last look at Hatter, took a breath and then was pushed through the mirror. Hatter followed only seconds after. He would never be separated from her again. He would never be without her. Ever.

End.