Hatter's Point of View Part 9

Alice nodded, and turned away from the tree, starting forward.

"Um, the Tea Shop is this way." Hatter said, pointing his thumb back over his shoulder at the corridor they had just left. Alice turned to face him, a slightly sheepish look crossed her face, but it disappeared almost immediately.

"Alright then, lead on." She replied sarcastically. Hatter shook his head, a slight smile on his face, and turned back the way they had come. They had passed thorough the corridor, and by the front door to the Resistance before the silence between them was broken again.

"So, what use is this Looking Glass?" Alice asked Hatter, nonchalantly.

Hatter was secretly glad that she had broken the silence between them, and he hadn't had to do it. "The Looking Glass is the only way to get you back home." He paused. "It is here in the city, but it's the most heavily guarded piece of kit in Wonderland." Naturally. He thought

"I've gotta find Jack first." Alice replied.

Hatter stopped walking and turned to face her. "Have you not heard a single word i've said?" She stared at him, on hand on the wall beside her. Oh yea, fear of heights. Hatter remembered.

"N- I don't know how he got mixed up in this, but I know that he's not a thief." She insisted. She was shaking her head, and her hair caught the light as it moved through the air. "He was trying to surprise me, or... sweep me off my feet, and, so, somehow he got ahold of this ring and it has landed him in a pile of trouble." She fell silent for a moment. She's justifying this? He thought. "If it wasn't for me, he would be home safe." She concluded.

How is this your fault? He wanted to ask. Instead, what came out was, "How did he get ahold of it?"

"Well, i don't know." She said after a few moments passed. She crossed in front of him, and he caught a wiff of her hair. He felt that strange feeling in his stomach again. She continued down the path, still talking. "The point is," Hatter followed her. "I'm the only one who can get him out of this mess."

"How'd you figure that out?" Hatter asked her skeptically.

"Well, i've got the ring, I can use it to negotiate his release." She stated, matter-of-factly.

"Alright- No. No,"

"No?" Alice stopped walking, and turned to face him, her arms stretched out, grabbing the wall behind her.

"No, you can't negotiate with the Queen, she's crazy!" Hatter stated. "You have to cut your losses. You get the hell out of here while you still can!"

"No, I can't just abandon Jack, i mean, he's innocent." She said. He's probably not as innocent as you think. Hatter thought. "And besides, I like him."

"Oh, you like him?" he scoffed. Like I hadn't noticed. He thought, bitterly. he walked around Alice, continuing towards his Tea Shop.

"Yes!" Alice replied. "Alot!"

Hatter stopped walking again. he took a deep breath, and turned to face her. "trust me, I- I know a thing or two about liking people." Oh no... He thought. Do I...? "and in time," he continued, "after much chocolate and cream cake, 'like' turns into 'what was his name again'." That's what I need, chocolate and cream cake. i think i have some in the Tea Shop.

"No-" Alice insisted. "Not in my world. Look, I have a bad record with liking guys-"

"There's a shock..." Hatter interrupted. he turned, and continued onward.

"and this is the first one that actually has meant anything." Hatter could hear he familiar gait following him. "There is no way that I am going to give him up now!"

Hatter shook his head slightly. and glanced up. There was some kid of commotion going on at the Tea Shop. He couldn't make out any faces, but he recognized many of the suits' uniforms. He held out an arm to stop Alice. "Stay close." he said after a moment. Then he continued forward.