And here we go...for the last time

"Hey," Noah's voice greeted from behind her as the Duchess grabbed some ointments and things from a makeshift supply closet. The 'hospital' was made up in a slightly aged mansion, so there was enough space for the little things. To bad human beings weren't as small as tubes and bottles.

"Hey, what are you doing here? You should be in bed recovering."

"So should you…but I think we both can agree that here with these lovely people is better than there with my sister. Plus, I'm almost completely healed." he replied with a grin whilst he took a few of the objects that she was juggling out of her hands.

She couldn't help but relate the gesture to what Jack tried to do a few days earlier, except it wasn't really the same. Noah was offering help without taking everything, "Thanks,"

"You're welcome, Sophie." he was still hesitant with using her name and to be honest she wasn't completely used to the fact that people would actually call her that. She had been 'The Duchess' since she could remember. It was sort of a fake title anyway, created by her conman of a father and used by the Queen of Hearts, but still, it grew on her.

"You know, you really shouldn't talk about you sister like that. She's a great kid."

"She is, but it doesn't mean that she isn't annoying when she's trying to be. Where are we taking this stuff?"

"Third floor nurses station. Umm, I hope this isn't too personal but can I ask-"

"Anything," he interrupted eagerly.

"Okay," she said with a laugh before sobering, "Can ask…its just, you said she was all that you had…."

"Oh. After my father died my mother just kinda floated around for awhile, I think she became lost you know. And that's how she was until she met Sarah's dad…yeah, the story really isn't anything new. He's was there til the baby was born, then he split. After that she did the best on her own with to two of us, but she wasn't really there. She died when I was sixteen and Sarah was four."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well it could've been worse." he stopped at a thought that he didn't voice, "At least we had each other and my mom's sister was good about doing what she could for us. So, here we are."

"Well, she's lucky to have you."

"We're both lucky to have met you. I really appreciate what you're doing for us."

"Its nothing. I'm never there anyway, I basically lived at the casino for…a while. Its good that someone's getting some sort of use out of it."

"If you need me to do anything, you only have to ask."

"I know." she mumbled when they finally reached their destination. "But, did you come here for something?"

"I was gonna drop in to see Hatter."

"You didn't hear?"

"Hear what? Sophie at the moment my social circle consists of you, my sister, and the crazy old guy that comes to baby sit every now and again and he doesn't really like me."

"He left."

"Hatter? But he was in a coma or something."

"Yes, I know, but apparently he woke up last night and just left. I'm sure if he was here he would've been happy that you came." She knew the whole story where it concerned Noah and Hatter. She knew that the man in front of her felt like he screwed up, but looking through her own life showed that a person could forgive anything if you let them.

"Does anyone know where he is? How's Alice taking it?"

"I think I heard something about him returning to his shop. Alice raced out of here like an hour ago, so I think she was going to see him."

"Oh…I guess I should, ah wait then."

"Probably, I wouldn't want to walk in on that argument….It looks like think you're off the hook for the time being. So I'll see you later." the Duchess said as she started to walk away. She thought the next words she'd hear would be a goodbye, but she was wrong.

"Sophie," he started the moment he came to her side, "Well…you-you ah don't seem to be that busy at the moment and I was wondering if you….would like to go get some food or something?"

"Noah…"

"Okay, I completely get it. I'll just, go and ah I'll just…see you later." he barely give her a chance to say anything, before he darted down the hall.

"Damn it," Why do I always do that? With Noah…and Jack….Stop thinking about Jack…. Noah isn't Jack. He' s sweet…not that Jack isn't sweet, but Noah is different….I like him. I do…so why don't I just give him a chance?

"Noah!" she called when she finally decided to follow him. He stopped at her voice and waited. "Look, I'm-" she wanted to say damaged, screwed up, confused, anything that could change his mind, but she didn't have the will to. Too many warnings and he would run away and she didn't want that. Something just felt right with him and that's how it should be. Plus, she and Jack had already made an agreement. "Never mind…where are we going?"

"Really?"

"Yes really. I need a break from this place anyway."

"Okay, do you have anywhere in mind?"

"A few places…"

**************

"Who knew being King of Wonderland could be so damn frustrating." Jack joked sarcastically while he thumbed through paperwork.

"Didn't you ever wonder why your predecessors did things the way they did?"

"Yes Caterpillar, I did. Now I'm stuck with the task of running this place without the aid of instant gratification." Jack replied as he pulled his hands away from the papers to run them through his hair. Few people had ever seen him this riled, but the Caterpillar was a teacher an adviser so he was used to Jack's frustration.

"You are helping to bring about a better age." the Caterpillar said from behind his spectacles.

"I know, but that doesn't make it any simpler."

"Its not going to be. This process is going to be a hard and tiring one. Many people aren't going to like or agree with you, but when they look back they'll be all the better for having had you." Jack knew the Caterpillar was right, but who wants to set off down a path that will probably make him the most hated man around.

Sighing, Jack leaned back on his chair and looked around his study before letting his eyes linger on the one object that could change his situation. The Red King's sword was held in a special glass container which hung on the wall. The science allowed it to be accessible to only a limited number of people. At present that short list contained the names of three people; himself, Alice, and Charlie. Alice on principle and Charlie because he had already guarded the thing so long that it would be almost torture to refuse him. He contemplated putting Hatter on the list, but considering past events it didn't seem like a wise course of action.

Jack refused to let the thing out of his sight, especially after what happened with the ring, but now it just seemed to laugh at him from its position. Opening that portal could fix almost everything, but that wasn't an option, not after everything that had happened…they didn't have the manpower or morale to fight a war.

"You're right. I just hope they don't despise me too much."

************

"Hatter!" she called once she pushed the door open, but no one was around.

The Tea Shoppe felt different without its crazy hustle and bustle. Alice could hear her footsteps as she crossed the room and followed the hallways to Hatter's office door.

Once again she pushed it open only to be met with an empty room, but a teacup on his desk told her that Hatter was wondering around somewhere.

Alice couldn't help going to his closet and pulling out the purple velvet jacket that he had given her when she first arrived. She slipped it on and breathed in his scent that clung to the fabric even after everything it had been through. Without really realizing it, her eyes fell on his 'oh so Hatter' hat rack. The sight of the old tan one made her smile and her fingers itched to take it, so she did. It was a little big, but it didn't fall off so she kept it on knowing that she must look like a little girl playing dress up.

Once her apparel was in place, she let herself look at all of his hats; some old, some new, some quiet hues, other practically screaming. Every space was filled that should've been... all but one.

She wanted to think about this, to work out the reason in her mind, mainly because she didn't see the one she bought him anywhere, but a sound stopped her thoughts. Whatever it was that made said sound came from outside. So, she willed herself to got to the window to see what it was.

And there stood Hatter, she would recognize his hat wearing head anywhere even is she wasn't looking at him straight on. Apparently he had built a decent sized trashcan fire on one of the wider ledges.

Great, now I just have to get to him…without falling to my death….

*************

Hatter heard her coming up behind him, he wasn't dumb enough to suspect anyone else and she was moving remarkably slow.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked in a not so nice tone when she was finally standing close enough to him.

"Well," he sighed as he through another envelop on the fire, "I figured, if I couldn't get me head straight I could at least get me paperwork sorted. It tends to back up and with only Dormie here nothin's been done with it."

"You left they hospital to go through your paperwork…?"

"Yeah, sort of…"

"Please tell me you're kidding….I watched you for days, just waiting, and then you wake up and sneak out of the hospital to come here and go through paperwork! That's unbelievable and I've been through my share of unbelievable things." she said as she moved away from the wall to come close enough to hit him, but it was too hard because, well…ledge.

"Alice,"

"Don't Alice me, or look me, or joke with me Hatter. You left! You woke up and you left!"

"I'm sorry. I just…I'm sorry okay. I just needed somethin' familiar, somethin' big and solid that was me….I floated around in this mess of a head and you kept me here, but I need to remind myself of who I am…pieces feel like they're missin'." his speech came out messy and jumbled, but it came out and he hated it.

And for the first time since he met her, Alice was speechless. Literally, he watched as she opened her mouth several times, but nothing seemed able to come out.

He didn't want her to watch him. He didn't want her to see him as he was now, but he couldn't stop her so he lowered his head and his body so he could pick up the final thing that he wanted to burn.

"What are you doing?" she asked when she saw what he had in his hand.

"It was my father's. It's the only thing I ever had that was his…and I'm burnin' it."

"Are you sure that's something you want to do? I mean, here you are talking about how you need to remind yourself of who you are and you're going to try and burn away a memory?…Whether you like it or not Hatter, everything you learned is true and getting rid of what you have isn't going to change that."

"I know…but who they were, or what they were, doesn't make me who I am. Besides, I only have so many hat racks and I already have one to take its place." he replied with a grin and a tilt of the hat, her hat, that was currently on his head. And with that he threw the tattered old hat into the fire.

"That wasn't nearly as dramatic as I thought it would be." he muttered as he turned to her and at that moment it started to rain.

"Come on," Alice said with a laugh as she took his hand and led him back toward the ladder to his shop.

**************

"Great, now sit there and take your shirt off,"

"Why Alice-"

"Don't get any ideas."

"If you had moved faster we wouldn't be wet, now would we? I'm startin' to think you planned the whole thing."

Alice ignored him as she shrugged off her wet coat and hat while searching his office for a towel or a blanket or something, "Ah!" she sighed when she finally found the door to the bathroom. Grabbing a towel she went to where he sat in his large white chair and started to dry his now hatless head.

"Alice…?" he mumbled under the fabric.

"Do I need a reason to help a man whose missing a very wet shirt?" she whispered when she moved the towel to bare skin of his chest. She wasn't going to deny that at the moment she was having a lot of fun. Or that she was clearly admiring him.

Of course she was still pissed, but she was going to get over it. Hatter didn't wake up and leave because of her and neither did her father. She had been so absorbed by that possibility in the past that she didn't even think that maybe Hatter just needed a second alone. Though he could've told her or someone where he was going, but he did just wake up from a magically induced coma after all.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she was taken off guard when he pulled her into his lap and placed his lips to hers. And that's how they stayed for an uncountable length of time, their lips moving in tandem. It was passionate and sweet and it ended way to fast.

"You have to go," he whispered when he finally pulled away.

"What do you mean? I just got here."

"No, I mean you have to go back. Back to your world."

"Hatter," she murmured as she took her face in her hands, "I don't think I can."

"They'll get the ring and the glass'll be opened, even if its just for you. I'm sure Jack already has everythin' plan-"

"Hatter, do you remember what I told you in the forest?"

"Yes, but that's not the point. I can't go with you, no matter how much I want to…and I'm not gonna ask you to leave your mother."

"Shhh," the sound escaped her once she placed her finger to his lips so he would stop talking, "You don't have to. Chess mentioned something-"

"Don't-"

"Stop, she mentioned something when I was locked in that cell; 'Home is where the heart is'…and I love my mother, I do, but my heart belongs to you now and there's no way I can change that. I don't want to."

"I…Alice, you don't know the things I've done and now after everythin' I don't know what's goin' to happen in my future and I'm not puttin' you through that."

"And I'm telling you that you don't have a choice. You're stuck with me, remember?...And I'll make sure you're okay." she said the last part with a smile as she remembered the time he said the same words to her.

"Quotin' me isn't gonna to change my mind."

"Yeah while it better."

"What are you goin' to tell your mum? Never mind that, how are you gonna tell your mum?"

It took Alice a moment to think of answer. Its not like she could go back through the Looking Glass without knowing how much time would pass before she came back, "…The mirrors."

"What?"

"Jack's telephone mirror things. I'm sure he'll let me use them. I'll have him send someone through that can deliver it to her."

"Alice, you do realize that your mother has never been around anythin' from Wonderland? She won't know how to use it."

"She's a fast learner. Besides, I'll have a lot of time to teach her."

Once the words left her mouth Hatter stood up with her in his arms, "I'm not too sure about the last bit." he said slyly as he began walking toward what must've been his bedroom, he did live there after all.

"I don't think you can keep me occupied all the time."

"Wouldn't be too sure about that." he said in such away that sent shivers down her spine. A moment later he was kicking in the door to his bedroom and placing her on his bed. She thought that would be it, that this was the moment…

"Wait," he sighed as he hurried out the door only to return a second later with the tan hat in his hands.

"What are you-" she started until he placed the hat on her head and a kiss on her lips as he leaned into her. "Wait,"

"Alice," Hatter mumbled against her lips his voiced a little frustrated. Expertly she flipped him over and placed the hat on his head and seeing, as he was The Hatter, it stayed there.

"It looks better on you."

THE END

Hehe, I couldn't resist the title.

Thank you, all of you that have reviewed, favorited, and everything else. Thank you so much for giving my first fic a chance and for staying on for the entire ride. This story has been on my mind for a long time and now that its over I hope I didn't disappoint :).