I am terribly sorry about the delay. Real life has been rather hectic lately. I also had to do some real thinking on whether I was really ready for lemons just yet….and I decided no. Maybe just some lemonade or heck just some sugar. Anyway, please don't be too mad at me. I just couldn't force them in to bed yet. The Hatter was simply not having it, I tell you, he is a gentleman and is going to wait. Not for too long, mind you, but a bit longer than I promised. I treasure every review and am amazed that the reviews are now over 100! Also, for those who wanted the links, I posted them in the reviews somewhere around 90 I think. The carpet bag purses are a mix of Harry Potter and Mary Poppins.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine…

Chapter 7: Keep Breathing

Alice was still on the balcony where Mirana left her. The Hatter admired her for a moment, looking across the gardens out to the lands beyond the wall that surrounded the castle. She was smiling wistfully and he decided she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He slowly moved to where she stood.

His footsteps took her out of her reverie and she turned in surprise to see him there before her when he had just been occupying her thoughts.

"It is a splendid evening out, would you agree dear Alice?"

She smiled, trying to keep the sadness from her face, but it crept through in her eyes.

"You are unhappy…"he stated, wrapping his hands around her forearms while trying to get her to meet his eyes.

"No, never unhappy. How could I be? I'm here finally reunited with my friends, regardless of the precarious situation that approaches. Just a little disappointed I suppose," she spoke while pulling away from his grasp to resume gazing across the sprawling gardens and hedge-maze of the castle.

The Hatter was at a loss as to what the proper response would be to that. As he contemplated, a soft melody wafted out to greet them.

He heard her sigh and saw the sight sway she made at the sound.

"I'm sorry you are disappointed Alice. I shall find someone suitable to entertain you then, excuse me," he spoke hurriedly, losing all the confidence he had thought he gained.

Find someone suitable? Was he implying…

"Wait!" she called as she began to walk after him.

He stopped and turned to Alice, surprised at almost knocking into her.

"Y..yes Alice?"

He WAS implying…

"Hatter, you don't need to find someone suitable to entertain me. I have no interest in anything anyone in there could offer me."

His eyes brightened a bit at that, and he seemed to stand taller.

She decided to go out on a limb.

"Hatter, why have you not asked to dance with me all evening?"

He looked down at his feet then, and she placed her comforting hand on his cheek, now seemingly her signature gesture of comfort to him.

"I did not think that you would want…I did not think I was worthy of such an honor. I am half mad, a hatter, not a rich man, but a good man, not like Stayne who was not a good man, and you Alice are innocent and good, not deserving to be tainted by my madness, and…"

"Hatter."

His eyes were back to their normal emerald green and he refocused on Alice's face.

"I'm fine." He spoke softly, noticing she still had her hand on his cheek.

"Never think that you will taint me, my fabulous Hatter, for there is nothing to taint me with. There is nothing wrong with you." She spoke with great conviction that had the Hatter finally believing that she saw him for who he truly was.

"Would you care to dance Alice?"

She smiled genuinely before removing her hand from his cheek to put it out palm up for him to take.

They twirled gracefully around the balcony and Alice rested her head on the Hatter's shoulder. This is what she had been wanting all evening.

"It is what I have wanted as well. I'm sorry I have been such a bad escort Alice."

Alice's eyes grew wide when she realized she must have vocalized her last thought.

"Oh Hatter, it is of no importance. You are here now and that makes all the difference."

She pulled back a little to gaze into his eyes.

"All that is left is for you to compliment on my appearance and I daresay we shall be right again" she said with a smirk.

The Hatter smiled.

"Well then, I need to get a proper look at you. Stand over there. Yes, now turn. Aha…pose just there. Hmmm…" he said with a thoughtful look on his face.

Alice laughed.

"Yes, it is just as I thought. You are positively radiant. Possibly more so than the moon itself."

She stared at him, mouth agape and slightly blushing, while he closed the gap between them.

The Hatter gathered up his courage and whispered into Alice's ear.

"Would you care to walk the gardens with me?"

They stopped dancing and Alice shyly smiled.

"I would love that."

"Wonderful! Come along then!"He spoke happily while grabbing her hand to rush back into the ballroom, exiting out the back doors towards the beautiful gardens.

They walked in silence casually, and Alice noticed he had not released her hand.

She squeezed his hand slightly and he dropped hers nervously.

She felt the loss immediately.

"Where are we going exactly Hatter?"

"Just a bit further…then you'll see."

She remembered what Mirana said when they spoke earlier and became determined to get him to open up. She reached out and grasped his hand in hers again while continuing to walk.

He looked at her in shock for a brief moment before schooling his features back.

They reached a white fenced in circular area that was surrounded by white rose bushes.

"Hatter, shouldn't these be black roses?"

"The groundskeeper did this by design I think. Something for the queen to remember her days as the White Queen. "
"How sad and yet strangely a great idea."

The Hatter nodded.

"I wonder what color my roses will be when I am queen."

"Whatever you desire of course." He spoke with a smile.

"Come along, through the gate so we can go inside."

Alice opened the gate and heard the hinges protest.

The Hatter bent low and swept his hat off his head.

Alice went through first, not letting go of the Hatter's hand.

"Oh Hatter…this is beautiful!"

It was a beautiful peach orchard.

"The ones in the outer ring are just blossoming, the middle ring is beginning to bear fruit, and the center ring is ripe."

The peach blossoms were a beautiful pink, like the pink of a sunset. They walked together, still hand in hand to the center of the orchard where a gazebo sat in matching white from the gate and fencing. It briefly made her think back to the gazebo at Hamish's home but she shook that thought away. He led her to a bench in the middle and she sat.

"Would you like one?"
"I'd love that, thank you."

The Hatter bowed slightly before trotting down the stairs to the nearest peach tree, picking two large fuzzy peaches and bringing them back to where Alice sat.

He seated himself next to her and then passed her a peach.

She took it gratefully, biting in and marveling at the wonderfully sweet flavor that enveloped her mouth.

The Hatter ate his peach as well with great enthusiasm.

"This is exquisite Tarrant." she said with a smile.

The Hatter's eyes glazed and unfocused as he experienced a flash of memory.

A body pressed against the wall in front of him, that body's warm mouth being explored by his, hands in his hair, his hands in places…

"Tarrant!"

His eyes snapped to hers and his brain kicked to life as it recognized whose body that was and where that memory was from.

"Sweet blueberry scones!" he exclaimed before enveloping her in a hug. He had hurt his Alice, and then taken advantage of her.

"Hatter, are you alright? Your eyes were so far away just now…what's going on?" she spoke while pulling away from him before taking another bite of her peach.

"I'm so sorry Alice. My memories decided now was a good time to come back from their holiday. I can't believe I molested you like that! How ungentlemanly, highly inappropriate of me! How you can stand to be within a foot of me I can't understand." He moved to get up, but she caught his wrist and pulled hard.

"Tarrant Hightopp, I'm only going to say this once so listen closely. You were not yourself when you grabbed my wrist, and I should have known better but I had no desire to hurt you so I did the only other thing I could think of. I kissed you. In that state that you were in, it is understandable that you had such an unexpected reaction to it."

She breathed in deep, gathering all the courage that she had, and said what she had been denying to herself at first.

He looked at her with apologetic eyes still, which solidified her decision.

"Plus, no reason to get angry with someone for doing something to them they liked." A blush formed on her cheeks and she took another bite of peach after a moment

She saw the change register in his eyes before his mouth grew to a smirk. Her butterflies were back and in full force.

"Aye lass, you've gotten yourself a bit messy." He spoke in his Scottish brogue, trailing his finger down the side of her mouth, wiping at the peach juice there. Her stomach did a somersault when he took that finger to his mouth to clean it.

She licked her lips unconsciously when he trailed that finger down the other side of her mouth. Instinct from somewhere came forth and she grabbed his hand as it made its trek back to his mouth. She mimicked his movement from earlier, placing his finger in his mouth to clean it.

His eyes were steadily becoming lavender and she watched his facial expression with great pride. His eyes fluttered closed and his breathing hitched. She released his finger and his eyes snapped open, locking with hers.

"Naughty…" he spoke softly before leaning in towards her.

Alice felt like her skin was tingling, like her body was on high alert, her heart rate was accelerating, and her breathing was becoming shallow and fast.

When his mouth touched hers, it was as if something slipped into place and then snapped.

Her hands were immediately in his hair, cupping the back of his head as she attacked his mouth.

His left hand went around her back to pull her flush against him, while his right hand cradled her face, sliding up into her hair.

Alice felt so many things at once she didn't know what to feel first.

It felt so right to be in his arms and she relished the trail of shivers he left as he kissed up from her neck to her ear.

"Tarrant…" she whispered huskily while tugging at his ascot to gain access to his neck. His hands were roaming everywhere and she felt truly desired, wanted, and beautiful.

Suddenly he pulled away with a stricken look on his face.

"Alice...I…"

She shook her head and pressed a finger to his lips.

"Don't you dare apologize again." She spoke breathlessly, her chest heaving.

His eyes were drawn to said chest, mesmerized for a moment before he was focused back on her face.

She grinned mischievously before moving in and claiming his lips for herself this time. He was shocked into stillness for a moment, but when her tongue swiped at his bottom lip he groaned and she was in and he was lost.

He pressed her flat against the bench, straddled over her, and her hands went inside his jacket and up his back. His arms were rigid support beams on either side of her body. She boldly took one of her hands and tugged at his arm until it gave way to her, guiding it to her chest and placing it there. She covered his hand with hers and squeezed, whimpering her delight as he caught on and moved his hand on his own.

Her head was spinning, he was is heaven, and they both knew this had to stop before it went where they weren't ready yet.

She deliberately slowed her mouth to begin giving more gentle kisses and he followed her cue until they gave each other two slow, intoxicating kisses and pulled back from each other slightly. Their breaths still coming in dwindling heaves, they stared at each other in awe until they were more calmed. She let her head relax against the bench and he laid his forehead against hers.

"Alice, that was magical. I've never felt…it's never been like..." He stammered to find the right words to express the magnitude of what he felt in that moment.

She shook her head slightly.

"For me either."

They both sighed.

"I think I might love you Alice Kingsleigh."

Alice smiled and kissed his temple.

"I think I might love you too Tarrant Hightopp."

His heart fluttered and he closed his eyes to stop the tears of joy from filling them.

They sat up and fixed each other's clothing.

"Alice, I want you to know that I will do everything I can to protect you on your journey for the crown."

He placed his arm around her and she placed her face in the crook of his neck.

"I know."

They sat there for a while longer, before returning to the castle to retire for the evening.

The Hatter walked her to her room.

She kissed him on the cheek and opened her door, but stopped and turned back to face him.

"I enjoyed our evening."

"Would you care to take breakfast with me tomorrow morning?"

"I would love to Tarrant."

He would never tire of hearing his given name coming from her mouth.

"Wonderful. Alice, I want to say, that is ... tonight was something I have only dared to dream about."

She stepped closer to him and reached out to grab him by the lapel. She pulled hard and he crashed into her form just as her mouth crashed into his.

Before he could wrap his arms around her she was back by her door. She gave him a sultry look.

" Goodnight Tarrant."

The door closed and he drew in a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Just keep breathing…" was the mantra in his head all the way back to his rooms.