Up From Wonderland

Full Summary: Everyday, people go missing. Sometimes they return and sometimes they do not. Sometimes people ran away of their own accord and sometimes people were kidnapped. Just this one time, this person was found. She was found by a Hatter, and he was in a place that he truly did not belong in. AxH

A couple of years have passed since Alice's last trip to Wonderland, and she has managed to accept the hand of a business man who is much more to her liking than Hamish. But what happens if, closer to their wedding day, Alice starts acting 'curiouser and curiouser' before completely disappearing? And why does her fiancé keep seeing flashes of orange and a bedraggled-looking hat after the announcement of their engagement?

A/N: Due to popular request, I have written an epilogue for this story. This will be the last chapter for this fanfic, but it also gives me an opportunity to ask you guys something. A lot of you want me to write another A/H fanfic, but I fear that it may not match up to this one. Wouldn't it be overkill for me to write two of them and expect the same support? Or should I give it a shot anyway? I've got an idea in mind for what I might want to do if I do decide to write another A/H fic [Though it will have mature themes in it] – I just want all of your input first. What do you think? Should I write another A/H fanfic or simply leave everything as it is?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Alice in Wonderland characters; just my OC's.

Epilogue: Welcome to Wonderland

Alice had always wanted to get married in a church.

Unfortunately, Wonderland did not have a church. When she asked of God and their beliefs, the Wonderlandians simply shrugged and claimed to have no idea what she was talking about. She turned to the Hatter in desperation, trying to spark a thought by mentioning higher powers and how everything came to be. The Hatter looked very unclear as to what Alice was getting at.

"Wonderland just is, Alice," he answered.

Alice was going to protest, but when she looked around and thought about it, she realized the Hatter was right. Was there really an explanation behind this other world? When you looked at Wonderland, one didn't get much out of it by asking a surplus of questions. Alice simply had to accept it for what it was.

She was slowly starting to get used to not asking so many questions.

In preparation for the wedding, Alice was pulled this way and that, every Wonderland creature trying to give their valuable input for the wedding. She rarely had the opportunity to see the Hatter during the day, only meeting up with him in his home at night. Apparently their morals were not quite the same here as they were in London. Living with a fiancé was not scandalous at all. She was so used to London, where one was not to set foot in a home with their soon-to-be spouse until the wedding was entirely legal.

Alice smiled as she remembered the first night spent with the Hatter in his home. He had offered to sleep on the couch so she could remain comfortable on his bed. She of course pointed out that they would be sharing a bed soon enough and that it did not make a difference if they started sharing it a tad earlier than usual.

"But – but you do not think that I would actually bed you before I married you?"

The Hatter's expression was in earnest and innocence, and his face turned beet red when Alice assured him that she had simply meant sleeping side by side. So after changing into his incredibly bright purple pajamas, he slid in beside her. It was awkward, but it was, Alice decided in the end, cute, for at one point in the nighttime the Hatter had wrapped his arm around her, and they woke up the next morning in each other's embrace.

That first night was the ice breaker and they shared a bed every night after that, each night more comfortable than the next. The good mood of the Hatter was not to go unnoticed by his friends, all of whom, when Alice was not around, offered extravagant, if not slightly inappropriate advice for the big wedding night. The Hatter would simply clear his throat when he saw Alice approaching, and all the creatures would lapse into rambles about the number twenty-two and the letter F.

Alice wondered just how different a wedding was in Wonderland. It had been decided that the wedding ceremony would be held just outside of the March Hare and the Hatter's homes, by the tea table. It was a place of great significance to the Hatter and many of his friends, so Alice did not protest. Besides, she found the idea cute. The Hatter was talking to various creatures about how the ceremony would be set up decoratively, and one night Alice had come home to him talking to a large, purple, polk-a-dot toadstool that nodded enthusiastically before hopping away to its proper place by the bank.

Unlike in London, the wedding had no rehearsal. Alice placed her trust in Hatter and all the others that they could set up everything successfully without practice. Alice found herself in the company of the White Queen much of the time, picking out dresses and hair styles and make up artists. When Alice inquired of the writing of one's own vows, Mirana assured her that the Aeriethack (the equivalent to an ordained minister or a priest) would have vows for them to repeat to each other.

Thank the Heavens, a similarity!

Knowing that she no longer had to worry about the daunting task of writing wedding vows, Alice simply followed along. Weddings were supposed to be a stressful event, but Alice was happy enough with everyone helping her with the workload. Justly so, the White Rabbit had told her, seeing as she knew nothing proper of the traditional Wonderland wedding and required all the help she could get.

The morning of the wedding dawned fast on Wonderland, and almost every creature was to attend the wondrous event. The White Queen rode out early on horseback with some of her guards the morning of the wedding, helping Alice in getting ready for the wedding. The Hatter was to get ready in the March Hare's home, while Alice got the mill to herself for preparations. The White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat were taking care of the setting up of the ceremony and the reception.

"How are you feeling, my dear Alice?" asked Mirana as she helped dry Alice's hair. Alice had just stepped out of the shower and was still wrapped in a towel.

"A little nervous," Alice admitted with a smile. "What if I trip and fall on my face?"

"Then everyone will laugh and it will be a most memorable moment."

"Yes," Alice smiled. "I do suppose you're right."

Alice allowed Mirana and her assistant to fix Alice's hair. Part of it was twisted up into a cinnamon-bun-like roll, while the rest was left long, crimped, and tossed over one shoulder.

"Now, sit still, and we will make you a most beautiful Wonderland bride."

The Hatter grinned when he stepped outside. Birds were flying and holding up decorative cloths and signs, and there were many tea tables organized neatly across the grass. His own dilapidated tea table was at the center top, strongly contrasting with the clean, neat, white tea tables the White Queen had helped move in. The Aeriethack was reading from a thick book at the flowery arch where the Hatter and Alice were to stand and be joined in wedlock. The ceremonious teapot was set up on the small stand in front of him, as were the rings. Everything was prepared beautifully, and the Hatter's heart was pounding.

"Why Tarrant, I do believe that you look more dashing than ever."

"Thank you, Chess," said the Hatter delightfully. He was wearing another boldly cut suit, the fabric of which was light blue and checkered, not unlike the dress Alice wore in Wonderland. His top hat was light blue to match, and his neatly washed and combed hair – still orange – stood wonderfully out against the suit.

"Do you have green feet?" asked the Cat, floating harmlessly in the air.

"Why should I?" asked the Hatter with a smile. "She is absolutely, positively, the Alice. Nothing to obtain green feet over. I can only hope she still wants me."

The flowers sang and everyone moved into their seats. The Hatter took his place at the arch, glancing over to their dilapidated tea table. The Cheshire Cat, the March Hare, the White Rabbit, and the Tweedles all sat happily around it, waving at him as everyone settled down. Even the blue butterfly could be seen crouching on the edge of a teacup. The Hatter tipped his hat to them cheerfully. He could see the large, ceremonious polk-a-dot toadstools waiting at the table to be sat on by the bride and groom.

Once silence fell upon the crowd, the trees played their branches and a violin-like sound flew through the air. The door to the Hatter's mill opened, and Alice emerged, a bouquet of cards in her hand, the White Queen following behind her with a dignified smile.

The Hatter's eyes became a pale, shining lavender.

Alice's dress looked as though it were made of the rare cloud fabric, floating and airy. Her dress, of a pale blue colour, had but one long sleeve on the left arm, her right arm bare save for a pearl-coloured glove. Her shoes were made of the strongest and finest white petals, but these were not the main articles of her attire. Upon her hair bun, angled and slightly to the side, was a small peter pan-like hat, of eccentric, dark green fabric, with a bright orange feather sticking out, almost identical in personality to the Hatter's usual tea-time suit.

A perfect Alice hat.

Each wearing clothing like that of their almost-spouse, Alice slowly walked down the grassy aisle to the Hatter at the arch. The flowers sang in rich chords, and the ceremony began. The Aeriethack talked, the party laughed, cried, and gasped in pleasant surprise. Time, as a wedding gift, had made up with the Hatter, allowing him to finally move away from tea time to wedding time: it was time for them to make their marriage vows official.

"Tarrant, if you would so kindly take the teapot and pour the tea into the cup."

The Hatter did as instructed, and Alice watched him with that curious look on her face he had grown to love.

"Please pick up the cup and take a sip."

He sipped at the tea. His entire body grew warm against the breeze, and he felt instilled with a new, almost inspiring feeling.

"Do you, Tarrant Hightopp, take Alice as your wife and promise to love her for as long as time allows?"

"Ooh," said the Hatter, lowering his tea cup with a smile. "I do."

"Please pass the teacup to Alice," the Aeriethack instructed, and he did as he was told.

"Have a sip, Alice. Do you, Alice Kingsley, take Tarrant as your husband and promise to love him as long as time allows?"

Alice swallowed the tea, memorizing the warmth that spread all the way to her petal-covered toes.

"I do."

"Then by the power vested in the tea and by the witnesses here today, I pronounce you both husband and wife. Fairfarren to Alice and Tarrant Hightopp: May you both travel far under fair skies!"

There were cheers as cards were thrown like confetti into the air. The Hatter and Alice leaned forward to kiss, each tasting the lingering flavour of sweet tea as they slid the rings onto each other's fingers.

"Alice Hightopp," the Hatter whispered to her once they broke apart, "Welcome to Wonderland."

A/N: There you have it! The epilogue! I hope you all enjoyed it. :B