Author notes/disclaimer: I don’ own Alice, nor do I own any of the Rob Zombie/whatever else quotes that may pop up from time to time. Done after listening to White Zombie, Metallica, Papa Roach and a few others thrown in. It’s set after the game and well, just a little bit of sweetness for all those of us who’d like to know what happened to the Hatter afterwards. The hatter looks sort of like the original illustrations in the book and more like this picture of him I found on (elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/0/e/0eliza2/hattersmall.jpg.html)

Spookshow Dancin’

‘Sleep well in your killing bed
Give a jig and show some life
Favour for a favour
Don't separate the
Pain from the knife
All the doctors sing
You got to suffer for the cure
As the world fades away
You wonder where you were’- Ron Zombie, ‘The Ballad Of Resurrection Joe And Rosa Whore’

She hurried across the hall, the Hatter’s words echoed in her ears. She had once considered him her friend indeed, but now…

She pushed the thought from her mind and grasped a handful of jacks as an automaton rounded the corner. With little effort and less thought she hurled the toys at the mechanical monstrosities, watching with cold glee as they rebounded from the walls and struck home on their armoured bodies.

As they exploded, she pushed onward. Leaping over the smoking remains and dodging the few pieces of metal that littered the floor, Alice reached the door at the end if the hall and pushed it open. Examining the floor before she even considered entering (she had been in enough rooms where pieces fell away or moved out of here reach) then, cautiously, walked over the threshold in to the chamber.

A roaring fire burned cheerfully in the centre of the room, casting odd shapes on the walls. Shadows that appeared to writhe and twist in a display of frenzied dancing, Alice couldn’t repress a shiver at the sight as she proceeded forward.

She heard the faint click of the nightmare spider’s legs as it hit the floor. She spun around and drew the ice wand; frosting death was the best way to deal with these abominations she had discovered. As it rose high on its hind limbs, preparing to spray that blinding poison again, she let loose a ray of cold directly at the demented creature, watching the freakish face on its back shriek in pain and terror before the spider was encased in a block of ice.

Satisfied, Alice turned back towards the room, wand raised, and continued forward, watching the walls for any sine of trouble. As she bent down to examine a piece of bloody writing on the table, a massive form welled up behind her, Alice spun around to see the form of one of the Tweedles in the doorway. The things slobbering breaths made it almost sound asthmatic as it lumbered forward, snickering softly…

With a startled cry, Alice shot bolt upright in bed, she fast breathing seemed to echo in the room as she fumbled for the matches to light her beside candle. She had had so many horrifying dreams of wonderland it was impossible to count or remember them all, most of them focused on the red queen but a fair few would take place in the Chess realms, the Vale, the Duchesses’ home, the Skool and the Jabberwocky’s fiery dwelling. Her sister could never figure out why Alice seemed to lack sleep and Alice wouldn’t tell her, never would tell her, for fear of being sent back to that horrible asylum, that frightening building had more than driven her half mad in the first place!

Suddenly, the candle flared up as if lit by an unseen hand. Alice slipped her hand beneath the pillows to grasp a pair of scissors she had hidden there just in cases like this. She looked around the room, searching for any sign of danger, only to find none. Lifting herself from the bed, she walked towards the door; her anger now eating up the remanets of her fear. They had come into her house! The place where only her older sister now dwelt. For such trespassing only a swift death would be compensation.

Opening the door, she stared out into the hall. If there was anything else unnatural in her home, she would feel it. The opposite ends of the corridors were swallowed by darkness, Alice wasn’t afraid of the dark. She couldn’t be, to many dangerous things lived there and if you were scared you couldn’t kill them and make your home safe. Satisfied that no such creatures were lurking in her home, Alice shut the door and turned around.

There, sitting meekly on the end of her bed, was the Mad Hatter.

But, he no longer bore the gruesome visage she had seen on her previous visit. He now looked almost as he had on her first arrival to Wonderland. He sat with his legs crossed, his hat in his hands, rolling the brim over and over again. His head was cast down, eyes following his feet which were swinging slowly, the expression on his face mirrored that of a person in guilty sorrow. His cheeks were wet with tears. His straight dull brown hair was several inches now below the collar, less knotted and tangled than when she’d seen it last. He glanced up at her, large brown eyes began to tear over again and he let out a choked sob. His arms tightened around the hat, crushing it to his chest as if it was the only thing that kept him barely held together.

Alice walked slowly forward, cautiously coming to stand in front of the Mad Hatter, watching him carefully for any signs of danger or treachery. She bent down and examined him, he had changed! From her gleeful childhood, comical companion and from a monstrous, terrifying scarecrow-like horror to a youthful, strange, almost ageless, odd young man. His jacket was sepia toned and his under shirt had a black and white chess board pattern to it, the white collar was so high it touched his ears. The top hat was the smaller one he had worn at the first tea party, it’s tag of 10/4ths still remained. His mouth was large and looked as if it was made specifically for smirking and expressing the smugness he exuded when she had first encountered him. He had shrunk, or grown if you considered his original appearance, he was now a few inches shorter than she was. But at least, if he stood up, he would be eye level. Nearly.

“There now, stop that.” She stated, reaching over to the bed table an picking up a handkerchief. “Crying won’t do any good you know.” She didn’t say it unkindly, although it did seem rather harsh. Still sobbing, the Hatter hadn’t noticed the hankie held in the young woman’s hand so, with a defeated sigh Alice sat beside him on the bed, turned his face towards her (he tried to turn it away, but Alice’s grip was firm.) and began to wipe away his tears. “There, all done. Now, why are you here?” She asked tenderly.

The Hatter’s sobbing subsided slightly. “I-I-sniff wah-wanted to-to say ha-how sorry I snuck am…I-I..” He sniffed again, Alice handed him the handkerchief and asked him to blow. He blew his nose loudly and then, with a cough, handed it back to her (She took it rather reluctantly and placed it beside her) and attempted to continue.

“When…When it h-happened, I-I tried to resist. I-It didn’t work and…”Alice nodded when he looked as if he was about to burst into renewed crying. “I didn’t w-want to huh-hurt you…I never wanted to, I didn’t…” He began to shake, as if even the memory of it was painful. Alice didn’t hold any doubt that it was. Slowly she wrapped one arm around his shoulders and pulled him close, fitting his head under her chin. That seemed to break away all the restraints he had placed on himself and he burst into a fit of sobs. His tears began to soak through her nightgown but she took no notice, she had been covered in worse body fluids before, ones that hadn’t been so clear nor so liquid.

When his crying had subsided, he still remained where he was, breaths shivering in and out occasionally punctuated with a snuffling sob. Alice continued to hold him, running her fingers through his hair and murmuring soothing nonsense words. The Hatter slowly lifted his head, pulling away from her.

“I came…I came to ask if…if you would.” He looked down in shame, but quickly found his courage once more and closed his eyes tightly. “If you would forgive me.” those three finally words were whispered so softly she almost didn’t hear them.

“I forgive you.” She replied.

The effect was amazing. The Hatter looked up at her, large eyes wide with shock. He then lifted his hand touching her cheek reverently and stammered. “Y-you do?”

Alice smiled. “Yes.”

Looking as if he were about to burst into tears again, the Hatter threw his arms about her waist and buried his face into her neck again. Alice was nearly bowled off the bed in shock and he squeezed her, crying ‘thank you, thank you’ over and over again. When he had finally calmed down, his euphoria fading slightly, the Hatter stood up slowly and placed his hat on his head.

“Thank you again, Alice. I have always been so…proud of you.” Then he slowly bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Alice nearly jerked away in amazement, but the kiss was caste and the Hatter stepped back. His smile could have rivalled the Cat’s if it had gotten any larger.

“Good night, sweet Alice.” He reached over to the lamp. “Please visit me again sometime, I miss you.” All trace of the crying sad child-like man was gone as he dampened the flame, plunging the room into darkness.

As Alice lay back down into bed, face slightly flushed, she thought she heard his voice whispering to her.

“Tell me, sweet Alice, when is a board black?”

“I don’t know…” Alice murmured into the night as Sleep crept up on her.

There was a soft giggling sound. “Then I must help you seek the answer, over and over until you get it correct.” and a strange new weight slowly settled on her bed as soft lips covered her own once more. “Tell me when you see me again..” and Alice slipped into dreamland, the voice spiralling around and around her head as she did so.

END

Rather weird eh? Oh well, I hope you all like it. I might have to work the bugs out still…