Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 16 Hatter

I'd stopped counting the days after Cheshire left. Though it was more difficult to tell time while Time himself was sleeping. It felt almost like time wasn't moving, but from the way the sun slightly kept rising I knew it was. Recently I've felt a tug towards the woods almost like my magic was reaching out to her, but I knew I had to be patient. Mainly because I didn't know which tree would lead me to her and I didn't know how to portal travel. If Cheshire came back and was unsuccessful then I'd bargain and beg for him to take me to her. I had to know she was at least safe and happy on her side, even if I could never be happy with her.
The ringing of my timer brings me out of my thoughts. Pulling the lemon scones of my oven I'm reminded of when I dreamt that I fed them to Alice before it ended with me licking the icing off of her perfect breasts. I know I could magically just have any food appear on my table, but baking always soothed me and helped take my mind off of what was bouncing around in my thoughts.
"Those smell amazing." For a brief moment I thought Alice was dream walking again, but was disappointed when I realized it was just Hare. I went to pick up the bowl of muffin batter before I warned him as he reached for a scone.
"They're too hot to eat yet so be patient. I'll ice them soon." I can't keep the disappointment from my voice and Hare scoffs.
"That girl is never going to come back, you know. Her world is far too detached from anything magic for her to believe anything that comes from Cheshire's mouth. And who's to say that hearing him talk won't drive her mad? Trust me Hatter, better to let go now than keep up this fool's hope. Dina said she's free this afternoon for a stroll by the lake." He nudges me before resting against the counter and taking one of the iced shortbread cookies off the serving plate. I'd baked those earlier today remembering they were Alice's favorite. Hearing Hare saying I should take Dina to the lake made my blood boil and I broke the wooden spoon I had in my hand.
"Just because you and Duchess sneak off to fool around by the lake doesn't mean I'm going to abandon Alice and fool around with another. And I will never take Dina anywhere again. Get it through your head Hare. Even if Alice was to reject me and never return, I will never take another. You and Duchess aren't a claimed pair so you will never know the agony of thinking of taking another when your perfect person is out there." I throw the broken spoon in the trash and set the bowl on the counter before I turn to go to my room to cool off before Hare stops me.
"I think Alice just dream walked into your garden again. She must be close to the tree because she almost looks like she's actually here. Ha. I'll give you a few minutes before she fades back to her world. I'll be back later with a surprise." He seems to be eager to leave when he walks out the back door. I ignore his promise to be back later, I'm far too eager to see her again. I know from her previous trips I won't have long before she's gone again. I hurry myself out to my front garden where I see her staring at the lemon trees again. Looking closer at her I realize she's in the same blue dress from her first trip here. I feel my cock harden as I take in her outfit, that blue dress with black and white striped stockings. Her hair is down this time with a light touch of makeup. She looks perfect, not that I didn't normally think she looked absolutely gorgeous every time I saw her, but something about the way she looks today seems more familiar.
"Welcome back Alice. I hope Cheshire has found you by now. If he hasn't then he needs to hurry his pace." I laugh as I walk to her. She never takes her eyes off the trees, but I can see her close her eyes and sigh when she hears my voice.
"He did find me. But now that I know I'm not completely crazy, what will you do now that I know you're more than a dream? Would you cross into my world and find me? Or will you wait for me to come to you again?"
I stopped a few paces away from her, taking in what she said. Cheshire found her. She knows I'm real now. Now there's no more doubt in her mind that I'm not a dream, but now she needs to know how far I'll go for her. She needs to understand my feelings for her are more than just a dream. That my feelings are as real for her as I am.
"My lovely Alice. There is no place in this world or yours I wouldn't travel to find you. Once Cheshire returns, if you wish for me to cross and find you, I will. Say the words and I will scour your world hunting for you." I move closer to her and I can smell her natural scent as the wind gently blows around us. I hold myself back from grabbing her and begging her to stay sleeping for just a while longer. I can't let her wake up doubting my devotion to her.
"I would hunt for a thousand years to find you. Though if you wish to come back to me here, I will have every treat your heart desires ready and on the table for you. If you are to walk through my gate again I will throw myself to the ground before you and beg you to stay for a while with me. Just to have a long tea time with you my love. And once we've had tea I'd ask you to stay with me or let me follow you to your home. Just let me have a real chance to prove myself worthy to stay by your side. In my world or yours. I will never leave your side again as long as you want me." She hums, content, as I beg for my chance to be by her side. I'm only a breath away from her when I see a flash of black fur run by the gate. Cheshire? Why was he here?
"Cheshire? Why are you back here? Shouldn't you be watching Alice as she sleeps? She's vulnerable like this! You're supposed to be protecting her!" I hate to tear my attention away from Alice's dream walking spirit, but how could Cheshire leave her when she needs him most? He jumps up on the table and grins at me. What the fuck is so funny? He looks at Alice and laughs.
"I don't think he's caught up just yet. Should we just tell him or continue this game? I must say it's rather fun." I look between them confused. What haven't I caught up with? What game? She laughs before she places her hand on my chest and it finally registers in my mind. She's actually here! She smiles at me.
"Hello Hatter. Sorry it took me so long to accept your invitation for tea, but it seems like the door leading here was locked for a bit. Am I too late?" I place my hand over hers, she feels solid, finally. There was no mistaking it now. She came for me. I grab her wrist and I feel her strong and steady heartbeat beneath my fingers.
"Oh my sweet Alice, you're never late for tea while you're here. For you it's always tea time." I gently led her to her seat at our table. She sits down in a seat she's spent countless hours with me in the dream scape. It feels familiar and yet still not quite real. She's finally back in our world and yet this feels more like a dream than anytime before. I can't find the will to sit down yet, something feels like it's missing. 
"What should we start with my dear? I've baked all your favorites today. The lemon scones may finally be ready to be iced then served." At the mention of the scones I see her blush a light pink, hopefully remembering the same dream I did as I baked them. I quickly lean close to her ear before I whisper.
"I remember the fun the last time we shared scones, but let's save that for when we are better acquainted again and also when we don't have an audience." She blushes a deep red now and I hear Cheshire laugh a few seats down from us.
"If you ever need some privacy then just tell me. I have a few errands I can run later if you want." He walks closer to Alice and rubs his head against her arm and she starts to pet him. I guess he was finally letting up on "royal protocol".
"Nice to see you more relaxed Cheshire. Guess you're finally easing up on the usual stuffiness. Took long enough, even the other guardians aren't as concerned with protocol anymore. Tea?" He laughs before he answers me.
"Tea would be lovely. And after everything that's happened over the last few hundred years, I'm guessing I'll keep the 'stuffiness' as you like to call it for the real formal occasions."
Alice doesn't wait for us before she's pouring everyone a cup of tea. She seems to have remembered everyone's preferences for tea. It must be second nature to her by now after spending so long sharing and serving tea with me for everyone.
"Let me go get the scones and you can tell me about what's going on in your world Alice and we can catch up properly." 


Alice

I watch as Hatter walks back into his home and Cheshire comes to sit in my lap as I continue to stroke behind his ears. Being back in the garden and feeling how right it feels to be back in Wonderland and I'm wondering if I ever want to go back to the other side. Cheshire warned me that he didn't know what would happen exactly when I came back here, but I was willing to take the risk. What did I have waiting for me back home? My cat, two friends and yes a family that thinks I'm completely off my rocker mentally. Here though, here I had an actual chance at love and a life where people don't look at me like I've lost my mind when they see my sketches or I talk about my dreams.
"Hatter is definitely pleased that you're actually here now. Though I'm surprised it took so long for him to realize you weren't dream walking." Cheshire grins at me and I continue to pet him. Feels more natural as I'm used to petting Marmalade whenever she's in my lap.
"You never did explain dream walking to me, Ches. How is it that it's so natural to me, but everyone is surprised when they see me." He looks off into the distance as he thinks of his answer. I just continue to stroke his fur as I enjoy the simple sounds of Hatters garden.
"I like it when you call me Ches. It's oddly familiar. As for the dream walking, it's probably how your magic is presented. It used to be a specialty of your line, but only the truly powerful could dream walk between worlds. The most basic explanation of it is that part of your soul wanders from your body and goes looking for something that you haven't found yet. That explains why you kept coming back here. Your mind was looking for proof that you didn't go mad. Especially as you got older and were starting to believe we weren't real. Your soul and your magic were trying so hard to show you that you were wrong. That we are real. You know, Beatrice was like you, magic wise at least, she crossed to the other side to find love. She often told me she dream walked to the other side and saw a man meant to be her claimed half so she left for the other world looking for him. And I know she did, she found the love she was hunting for, only she never returned like she said she would. So, I went hunting for years for her and then her descendants. That's how I found you on that spring day. I hunted for your family for 300 years, your time at least. I watched your world change so much faster than ours, which was a good thing, your side has kept immaculate records these last 100 years or so. It came down to a question of who was Beatrice's heir, you or Lorraine. That's why I was on the farm for a few weeks before you crossed. I had originally planned to take it slow and talk to you first and get you comfortable around me before I introduced you to our world, but as you know, you took the fast route and popped over before I had a chance to explain anything to you. You're very lucky you found Hatter first and not a Bandersnatch, though I suppose that claimed half's are more naturally drawn together when close." I stop petting him when he mentions I'm Hatters claimed half.
"Wait. What's a claimed half?" Ches stills at my question for a moment. He sighs.
"Guess cats out of the bag now. Hatter really should be the one to explain it, but it may be easier to hear it from your guardian first. Claimed halves are rare these days even with the magic going as strong as it is. Basically two or even rarer three people, are the pieces the other is missing. They make their magic stronger and are more likely to stay happy and together. Think of a perfect partner that makes you feel complete. Claimed half's are also something to be chosen. It's always an option to choose your claimed half. Once officially chosen it can be painful to sever the connection though." We're both quiet as I think of all the information he just told me. I was happy that I was finally getting the information I needed, but at the same time it was beginning to make more questions come to my mind. Hatter chose that moment to come back to the table with a large tray of treats. He smiles widely as he sees Ches in my lap.
"Making yourself comfortable Cheshire? You almost look like a normal cat." He laughs as he sets the tray down and starts to place serving plates of shortbread cookies, lemon scones, and my favorite tarts. He really did make all my favorites, but will they taste as good as they do in the dreams? Some people always say that food and drinks in dreams always seem more savory when its all in your mind. I watch as Hatter fills my plate with at least one of everything.
"If you want anything else my dear please say so and I'll have it for you before you can blink." I look at him for a moment, lost in a sea of feelings I haven't even considered trying to sort through.
"What, do cooking times not exist here?" Hatter merely laughs as he sits in the head seat and smiles at me.
"No, my dear. That's how my magic works. Like most of my family before me, my magic is tied to serving tea. Even as royals we've had a passion for feeding people. I don't know how much Cheshire has told you, but the magic presents itself in similar ways through a family line. My family has always felt drawn to food and drinks. My parents taught me how to cook by hand and not just to rely on my magic, but I can make any food I've tasted before with a flick of my wrist. If I remember my history lessons correctly, the Hearts line was always more inclined to the dream scape. The first records of your line were known for weaving perfectly wonderful dreams for those who asked. The Hearts were the line that people tended to try and use them for their own personal gain against the other lines, but those who tried to abuse your family's gifts found out quickly just as they could create pleasant dreams they could also weave nightmares that came to life practically." Ches quietly jumps onto the table and starts to eat something that almost looks like salmon, but is an odd shade of pink. After a few bites he looks at Hatter and smirks.
"It's nice to see your parents didn't waste their time with your education Hatter. Maybe I should quiz you later to see how much you actually remember. Or maybe you could help teach Alice our history." He laughs as Hatter looks at me and shrugs.
"Maybe, but I think her guardian would be better to tell her the history. I mean you lived through everything."
We're all quiet as we continue to enjoy the treats that are on the table. Hatter is the first one to break the silence.
"So, Alice, what's your favorite dish on the other side? It's been killing me that Cheshire has made all these trips and has yet to tell me anything of importance about the food." Ches just rolls his eyes at him.
"Well, I did have better things to do than trying the food to bring you may enjoy. I was more preoccupied with finding Alice than satisfying your stomach."  I can't hold my laugh at Ches's snarky comments. Hatter looks at me and I can see the longing in his eyes, I can't help myself and I wink at him. He looks at me almost shocked. I take another sip of my tea before I answer him.
"I don't know about a single favorite food, but the one I probably eat the most would be from the pizza place by my apartment.  Papa Leo makes the best homemade pizza that I've ever had. If you are ever close to my place I may have to take you to try it. Mamma Leo always said there was something special about me, she said I have magic in my soul. Ha. I guess she was right."
"You don't plan to stay here? You would go back again?" I can hear the disappointment in Hatter's voice. Hearing his disappointment makes me pause. The teacup is still pressed to my lips as I think. They're both silent as I think. Should I stay? Should I go back? What would I even do here? What about my life back home? There's to many questions and not enough solid answers. I know I'm not crazy, but could I even do both? Stay here and travel home. Or stay home and travel here?
"You don't have to answer right now. There's plenty of time to figure out your next steps before you decide." Ches's voice breaks me out of my thoughts thankfully. "You can just enjoy tea for now or if you like we could go for a stroll and I could show you around Wonderland." I place the teacup back on its saucer and take a deep breath.
"Let's finish tea first before we go exploring. Ches, you're sure that no one will miss me while I'm here?" He nods at me.
"Yes. Actually if you two will excuse me, I'm going to go check on Time and see if he's still sleeping. Don't worry though Alice, even if he wakes your side won't notice your absence."
We watch as he walks away from the tale and out of the garden.
"Well, now that we don't have an audience my dear. Do you have questions for me that you didn't want him to hear?"