The Hatter laughed, pushing the Hare along the table.

"Move down! Move down!" He exclaimed joyfully.

New seats, new cups, fresh tea.

The Hatter sipped from him fragile white teacup, allowing some of the sticky moisture to drip upon his already filthy coat. (He had been spilling his tea quite a lot these days.)

As a drop hit his chin he felt a stabbing pain rush through him.

Alice.

The delightful child he so enjoyed was gone.

She was so, so, sane.

But it hardly mattered, the Hatter decided firmly,

Alice was gone, she had disappeared that day and he'd never seen her again.

Perhaps he should have been a bit more civil at the party he had with her.

His mother had always told him (or so he made himself believe) that women needed to be treated with more care then men.

"Move down! Move down!"

The Hare pushed him down the table now, to an oversized blue chair.

Another nearly crippling pain, the chair was the same shade as her dress.

Such a beautiful dress, it so reminded him of the sky he only dreamt about.

The Hatter forgot to add sugar to this cup, forgot to add cream, he simply drank it, allowing the delightful feeling of physical pain to engulf him.

The burning was so very pleasant.

"My dear Hatter, whatever is the matter?"

The March Hare was watching his rapidly changing expression with much amusement,

"Nothing, nothing at all! Move down! Move down!"

The Hatter gratefully followed his own instructions, moving to a small purple chair.

How could such a little girl have such an effect on his happiness?

He wondered mournfully, not bothering with tea this time.

Then he realized he hated this Alice…

He reached for a cake, very satisfied with himself.

As he bit into the white frosting, he reveled in the sweetness filling his mouth.

"Move down! Move down!"

The March Hare once more was pushing on the Hatter.

"Oh stop it will you!"

The Hatter snapped angrily,

"Don't you see I'm trying to eat my cake?"

The Hare didn't pay one bit of mind to the Hatter's odd outburst,

"Move down! Move down!"

He crowed again, pushing on the Hatter more violently,

"No."

"What was that Hatter, dear?"

"No. I'm tired of this…ridiculous party."

The Hare once more ignored the statement, rushing past the road block (which was the Hatter) and getting a fresh cup of tea.

The Hatter smiled darkly, turning to walk out of the white gates forever.

Alice.

As he took his first step into the unsafe world of Wonderland,

He realized something else,

He also loved her.