His eyes slowly opened.

It took a minute while his eyes accustomed to such brightness. He blinked once more.

Somebody was leaning over him and was calling something.

He blinked again.

"Hatter!" he heard this time clearly and opened his eyes again.

Now, he clearly saw her. Her beautiful eyes and pain and tears burning in them.

"ALICE!" he screamed out loud.

The second he said that Alice jumped on him and hugged him tightly, forgetting about his wounds.

"Thanks heaven, I was so afraid!" – Alice breathed into his hair.

He felt that again. Her beautiful scent and her beautiful smile.

"CRAP! That hurts!" Hatter screamed suddenly when his pain hit him with full power.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Hatter. I totally forgot about your wounds.." apologized Alice and slowly leaned backward.

"What wounds? Wha…What happened, Alice? Where am I?" And then it hit him.

Doctors. He tied up to the chair. A cuddle prod. The pain. And then nothing. Alice looked at him with worried face.

"Ssshhh.. It's okay.. Just lay down… A doctors.. Seem to do this to you.." explained Alice as Hatter looked over him and discover a reasons of his pain.

"Yeah… Now.. I remember.." he breathed out of tremendous pain.

"Here.. Drink this.." Alice helped him to sit and gave him a cup of water.

"Thanks.." was all he could say out of his pain.

"Shh…It will be okay… Charlie is here by the minute…Hold on…" Alice comforted him as she slowly rubbed his forehead.

" How did I get out of Casino? I don't remember anything.." Hatter asked after a while still fighting with big pain.

"Well.. I kind of came for you and bring you here…" Alice started and told him whole story. Hatter just listened fighting with pain.

"Wait what? You saved me? But.. What for? I mean. You should be home by now.. With Jack.." Hatter wanted to continue but he was cut off by Alice.

"Do you really think that I would just leave you there? That I will let you die?!" Alice stated and looked deeply in his were suddenly so thankful and gentle.

" I mean.. You risked a lot for me…" he answered after a while.

" Thank you..." said and rubbed her hand with his slowly, not even realizing he was doing it.

"There's no need…" said Alice slowly and continued barely in whisper : "I was worried that I've lost you…"

Hatter looked at her once again to see how worried she was. Gosh.. He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve her worry. He doesn't deserve someone as amazing as she is. He. He is nothing. He doesn't have anything to offer her. He is nothing. But.. A thought about her being worried about him made his heartbeat five times faster.

"I'm sure that you'd do the same for me…" said Alice again after a while.

Hatter was still fighting with his pain and all he could do was look her in the eyes and whisper : "You're damn right I would…"

Alice was about to speak again but was interrupted by Charlie.

"Sweet God! He woke up!" Charlie shouted as soon as he saw them carrying a some kind of big fat bird on his shoulder and ran next to them.

"It's relieve to see you waken up, finally…" "Thank you, Charlie..." Hatter answered thankfully.

"I'll take a look at your wounds in a minute…" said and hurried up to place his weapons and bird on the ground.

Charlie started to look at his wounds. Carefully, he checked each one of his wounds while Hatter was still fighting with his pain and slowly stopping to perceived everything around him again. Then Charle got up and went for something. He came back with a needle and thread. Alice look at Charle with horror and then at Hatter moaning out of pain next to her.

"Alice, I'm afraid you'll have to help me a little bit.." started Charlie and came behind Hatter.

"He's not gonna like this. His all wounds will be fine but I'm afraid the one at side not… You'll have to hold him…"

Alice nodded and leaned down beside Hatter and slowly turned him to face her.

"Hatter.. HATTER… Do you hear me? " called Alice until he opened his eyed and looked at her.

"This is going to hurt a bit…" explained Alice . Hatter chuckled.

"It can't be any worse as it is now…" answered. Alice sighted and pulled him close to her.

His head rested in the place between her neck and chin and his arms lightly hugging her back.

"Shhhh…It'll be over soon.. Hold on.." said Alice as Charlie came closer and started to mend his wound at his side.

Hatter screamed out of pain. Alice hold him even tighter. "Hatter… Hatter… Do you hear me? I'm here… I'm here with you.. Just few more seconds…"

Alice was whispering to him again and again and he seemed to relax little bit. When was Charlie done Hatter sighted out in relieve still breathing heavily.

"I'm so sorry my friend.. I had to.. I'll be getting better and better I promise.." apologized Charlie and left Hatter and Alice alone while he started to make a dinner.

Nor Alice or Hatter bothered to break their hug so they were lying, hugging each other. Alice never felt more amazing feeling before. Hatters strong arms around her made her feel the best feeling she ever had. And she never wanted Hatter to stop hugging her. He was so gentle. Sometimes, he smoothed her back and she felt those stupid Goosebumps. None of them could describe how much they enjoyed this very intimate feeling. After a while Alice leaned backward and looked at him. She saw Hatter's tired face and some of teardrops which didn't dry until now. She took his face into her palms and slowly wiped tears away. As she did it, Hatter leaned into her touch.

"Thank you, Alice.. You risked a lot for me. You and Jack should be home by now and you wouldn't even remember about this terrible place…"

"Oh, come on Hatter.. How could I forget? I don't say that I like this place but I've met here amazing people who I would never want to forget…"

Hatter smiled back at her. His pain was slowly going away and he could finally see everything clearly.

"Guys, come on… We have a delicious dinner!" called Charlie from distance.

Alice helped Hatter to stand and Alice hold him by his less wounded side, protecting him from falling. A plate with beautiful well done meat was waiting for them when they came.

"Thank you Charlie, it was delicious…" thanked Hatter.

"You're welcome, my friend… I'm glad you're better now…" answered Charlie.

"Okay guys.. I'm so tired.. I think I'll go to the bed.. Are you coming too?" asked Alice.

"Ew.. I think I'll stay here for a while. I'm not sleepy." Said Hatter..

" Me too… Just go Alice. Have a rest. We can handle this alone.." said Charlie.

Alice said goodnight and went to the bed. As soon as she laid down she fell asleep. Hatter and Charlie stayed around the fireplace for a while.

"So…"Charlie started.

"So?" Hatter ask, because he didn't understand what Charlie meant.

"What are you going to do?" Charlie asked quietly.

" I don't know.. When I get recovered I think I will go back and restart my tea shop again…" answered Hatter trying not to imagine what happened to his shop.

"You know that I'm not talking about that…"said Charlie in disbelief.

"You're not?" asked Hatter surprised. "What about, then?"

Charlie rolled his eyes and nodded to the place where Alice was sleeping. Then Hatter finally understood what Charlie meant.

"It's too late for that, now.." said Hatter fighting with his sudden sadness.

Charlie smiled and sit closer to him.

"My dear friend. Let me tell you one thing..." Hatter looked up at Charlie, trying to look as cool as he could. " You may have hundreds of stupid tea shops but you'll never be happy when you let go someone you fell in love with…" Charlie was cut off by Hatter.

" No.. Charlie.. Please.. Stop.. She wants Jack.. I am nothing. I have nothing to offer her… You think she would stay here?... Come on, Charlie, she hates this place and wants to be home as soon as possible. I won't be the one who will prevent her from leaving…" Hatter said, tears burning in his eyes.

" I didn't say anything about HER staying here…" Charlie smiled.

" If you let her just go you'll regret it in your entire life here, trying to find someone who could at least remind you of her. But... Believe me. You're never going to find anyone like her. I know what I am talking about…"

Hatter didn't know what to say. He knew that Charlie is probably right but he just couldn't accept it. For a while he was considering that he is going to deny his love for Alice before Charlie, but then he decided that it wouldn't work .Charlie already knew everything.

"But still. She wants Jack. Remember who she came her rescue. It wasn't me, Charlie. It was a coincidence that we met. Her journey here isn't about me, it's about Jack. Just think about that for a minute. She must love him so much, if she decided to come here and help him. And besides he is a prince. Who wouldn't want a prince? I am just a simple tea seller.. You understand Charlie?"

Charlie remained quiet for a moment.

"Coincidence doesn't exist…" Charlie sighted and continued : "The fact that you two met has some reason. Think about that, my friend. She might came here for rescue Jack, but that doesn't mean she loves him. Tell me who would you fall in love with? A person, who instantly lied to you and bring you a lots of trouble or a person who stood beside you and helped you all the time, risking own life?"

Two of them remained quiet.

"Believe me. She cares for you more than for anybody else. All you have to do is to tell her that you care too...But until then.. Good night, Hatter"

Charlie stood quietly disappeared into night leaving speechless Hatter with his thoughts alone.