It had been some time after the slaying of the Jabberwocky on the glorious Frabjous Day, Alice had chosen to stay in Underland to serve the White Queen. The Hatter insisted that Alice live with him, his madness both intrigued and concerned her. She remembered him being a friendly, joyous sort when she had visited him as a child but now she saw him in a different light. He had started working at his trade again, serving the White Queen and her court. He looked at Alice quite often, it was obvious to her. Perhaps he feels that she completes his existence but she did not know if he thought of her in terms of love, the romantic kind of love. After all, how could such compassion exist among madness?

Alice stepped out of her decadent room in the Hatter's home, it was early morning. Birds chirped at her as she passed by the window in the hallway, she could hear Tarrant lightly snoring, he slept in very late most days. Alice made her way to the kitchen and put a kettle on, there were many strewn about the place. She left it on the stove to heat as she went about making herself a small breakfast of a couple blueberry pancakes.

"Such a well stocked kitchen." She said to herself.

Soon the kettle was whistling wildly and she placed it on a cool burner and got herself a pink tea cup that was sitting on the window sill. She poured herself a cup and sat down to eat. The sun shone brightly into the kitchen and all was quiet that morning. Alice sat and wondered about the sleeping hatter upstairs, perhaps he did love her or perhaps he just loved the idea of her.

"A fine morning!" An energetic voice said behind her. She turned to see a vibrant Tarrant, wide eyed and smiling.

"Indeed it is. I have some tea made, how is it you are up at this hour?" Alice inquired getting up to put her plate in the sink.

"Must be the time, perhaps he is not so angry with me anymore." He eagerly poured a cup of tea and grabbed a muffin from a platter on the counter.

"Perhaps a new leaf has been turned." She remarked.

"Don't be so silly my dear, leaves are turned so easily. Why I could turn over a new leaf every day, until I ran out of leaves." Tarrant stepped outside and sat at a small table on the front deck. Alice followed and sat across from him.

"How did you sleep?" She asked trying to make pleasant conversation.

"Fine. They say sleep makes you beautiful but I find myself looking the same every morning." He took a large bite out of the muffin.

"You look just as handsome as you did yesterday if not more so." She smiled and looked off into the countryside.

"Oh Alice, I really do like you living here. The March Hare doesn't provide such good conversation and Maliumpkin is much to brass and not the shiny kind either that makes for good decoration." Excitement ran through his voice as his eyes grew brighter. "You're the perfect touch Alice and you make tea."

Alice looked upon the man, how strange it has been living with him. Underland people are odd in general but no one stood out like the Hatter. The more she looked at him the more she saw him as what he is. "Hatter?" She placed her hand on his.

"Yes Alice? What's wrong? Have I done something?" His eyes lost some light.

Alice looked down and thought a moment then met with his eyes. "You really are quite handsome." She said softly.

She saw a warmness consume him but it wasn't a bright, obvious feeling. He seemed to glow and was silent as he smiled at her.