AN: Well, here we are, my friends. This is the end. I know I've taken way too long to update this story, but with final exams and all, I was a tad distracted. But now, hot off the press is the epilogue to Just a Dream and Nothing More. What can I say? It's been a wild ride for me, and hopefully for the readers too. It's been an amazing experience, and I thank you all for your reviews and favourites (author/story) etc. This story would not have even come close to being finished without all of your love and support.

Just to give you all an idea of how long this thing is:

Words: 38,739 (without author's notes)

Pages: 74

Yeah, I'm surprised too. But you know what? It's all been worth it. I may write a sequel if I have the time and/or plot ideas, but otherwise I am pleased with the way this story came to a close.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Claire and the other unnamed maids. Otherwise, all credit is due to Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton.

Now, for the epilogue!

"Are you ready, miss?"

Alice slipped the elegant blue-white dress up over her shoulders and told the maid she was now decent. The other woman came up behind the privacy screen and proceeded to lace up the back of the gown. Alice was thankful that the dress Mirana had commissioned for her had only a slight corset in it. That made getting into it all the easier, as the servant had to only pull slightly to make the dress fit.

It was a lovely thing as well. Though Alice had her suspicions that Tarrant had made it, the White Queen hadn't been forthcoming. The dress was a lovely shade of light blue with white lace trim running around every seam of the dress. The cap sleeves were also mad of the elegant lace, and the modest corset was wrapped with a layer of the material as well. The skirt was simple, with a few pleats to make it fancier and some lace at the bottom to finish it off.

It had been placed on her bed with a note that said to wear it at the upcoming ball later that night. It was an extravagant affair that was supposedly being held to honour her return and recovery in Underland. While Alice had insisted that she didn't need a large party filled with people she didn't know, Mirana had been adamant that the Champion needed to meet some of Underland's dignitaries at least once.

Alice had eventually acquiesced to the Queen's request and now she stood behind a screen with a maid fitted her into a beautiful dress that Alice thought was much too pretty to actually wear. Another couple of maids fretted about her room, making sure that they weren't interrupted as they tried to figure out what to do with Alice's hair. They were on edge enough because the young woman had insisted on dressing herself to some degree.

They still thought her too weak to move a lot on her own.

It had been two weeks since Alice had recklessly run through the castle and out to the gardens. Since then she had spent the time alternating between resting in bed, regaining her strength and taking walks with Tarrant when Mirana would allow it. She felt infinitely better, and thanks were due to the Bandersnatch above all else. The creature had sped up the healing of her arm by a week at least.

Alice would no longer feel faint when she walked and there was just a slight scar on her arm from Stayne's blade cutting her. She had also eaten a great deal of food over the past weeks and the colour had returned to her face. Everyone had noticed that she had brightened considerably, and many thought the Hatter had helped Alice to regain her health.

And the Champion couldn't exactly argue with them. After their meaningful conversation in the gardens, Tarrant was almost always by Alice's side. He would accompany her everywhere, and the smile on her face was proof that Alice didn't mind his presence at all. Mirana grinned softly every time she saw her two closest friends together. They made each other happy, and that was all that mattered.

While she could have done without all of the undoubted expense that Mirana was going to, Alice couldn't help but smile at the thought of the dinner and dancing. In the Otherworld such an even would have made her cringe, but here in Underland she was actually looking forward to the festivities. Especially since a certain Hatter would be there to brighten her otherwise drab disposition.

Alice couldn't wait to see all of her friends that night, but she was missing Tarrant the most. Mirana had banned him from the Champion's presence for the afternoon as Alice had to get ready for the ball. He had protested slightly, but after seeing that she would be in good hands, he reluctantly left Alice to the care of the servants.

The maids had also taken a liking to the curious young woman under their charge. They questioned her about life in the Otherworld and how different it was than Underland. They also tried to worm an answer out of her concerning Tarrant, but Alice was tight-lipped about that. A flush trailed up her face and she refused to speak.

She was brought back to the present by a final gentle tug as one of the maids finished lacing up the back of the dress. The older woman clucked her tongue in appreciation of her handiwork. She was evidently pleased with how the dress had turned out.

"It fits you like a second skin, Miss Alice," the maid, Claire, said. "And you look absolutely beautiful in it. If you don't turn any heads at the ball, then those people have very poor taste." She smoothed out the back of the dress before stepping back and allowing Alice to walk out to the mirror in her room.

Alice gathered up the hem of the dress in her hands as she stepped lightly out from behind the screen. The other maids, who had been waiting anxiously for her, cooed in admiration once they caught sight of the younger woman.

"Oh Miss Alice, you look wonderful!" one said enthusiastically while another nodded from across the room.

Once Alice caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, she had to agree with the maids' praise. She gazed in shock as two other women circled her, debating whether or not to weave ribbons into her hair. Alice ignored them for a few moments while she observed the young woman in the mirror that couldn't be her.

There was no mistaking the face that was staring back at her, though. The longer Alice gazed at the mirror the more she admired the time and effort that had gone into making the dress that she now wore. It fit her perfectly, making Alice wonder how that was possible without anyone measuring her.

"Here, miss, let's see about your hair," Claire called as she too walked out from her place behind the screen. The other two maids in the room perked up at her words and scattered to try and find ribbons and other hair accessories.

Alice smiled at them absentmindedly as she was whisked over to the dressing table. She felt a slight tug at her head and realized that the maids had begun to brush her hair out. The action was oddly relaxing, and Alice found herself drifting off to the far reaches of her mind.

Her stomach was fluttering with bread-and-butterflies at the thought of what was awaiting her in mere minutes. She hadn't thought of the ball with such reservations before, but now she knew that it was going to be a life-changing event, whether or not she wanted it to be.

She'd had her fill of insanity over the past few weeks, but now the sea of chaos was calming. That was, until a final wave of uneasiness washed over her in the form of the dance. She tried to reassure herself that it would be fine and the Hatter would probably stand guard over her for the rest of the night.

If only all her worries were that easily dispelled.

There was the matter of Alice's relationship with Tarrant. They were no longer mere friends or comrades fighting in the name of the White Queen. Something had changed between them that day in the garden, and it was making Alice nervous. She had never allowed a man to court her before. Hamish was the closest anyone had come to it.

Perhaps she would…talk to him tonight at the ball? Yes, that was what she would do. Putting it off for any longer period of time would make Tarrant worried. He was the person she was the most familiar with, and she didn't want to sever their friendship.

"There you go, miss Alice. Our work is complete," Claire said with an air of pride.

Alice was jolted out of her thoughts and the mirror suddenly came into sharp focus. She gasped as she stared at her reflection. The maids had truly outdone themselves. They had woven strands of blue and white ribbon through several braids that had been tied at the back of her head while the rest of her hair was left in ringlets. It looked like she was wearing a blue and white crown.

"Claire, it looks wonderful!" Alice cried, standing up and nearly knocking the maid over when she hugged her. Claire seemed shocked at first, but then she hugged the Champion back.

"It was no problem, miss. And I'm sure a certain Hatter will have a similar reaction upon seeing you," the maid said with a twinkle of conspiracy in her eye once she had positioned Alice a few feet from her. "Now you must go! If you're late to your own ball, Mirana will not be pleased."

Alice opened her mouth to respond, but Claire was obstinate. "No time, miss! Off you go!" With a final push Claire shoved Alice to the door as the other two maids opened it. Alice nearly fell as she stumbled through the doorway, but she quickly righted herself. She turned to thank the maids once more, but Claire promptly shut the wooden door in her face.

Just as Alice began looking around to figure out which way she should go as she was unfamiliar with this part of the castle, someone gently tugged on the hem of her dress. Alice barely started at all before looking down and seeing an old friend ready to guide her to the ball.

Nivens looked at her frantically before bringing his pocket watch out to check the time. He gulped at the device before stashing it in his coat. "We must be on our way, Alice. The ball's due to start at any minute." With that the rabbit pulled once more on her dress before hopping down the hallway to the left of Alice.

The Champion stepped lightly over the marble tiles of Marmoreal, following the twists and turns of the hallway as quickly as Nivens. He paused every now and then to allow her to catch up before disappearing out of sight again. Then, and quite abruptly, they both came upon a door.

Nivens stopped hopping and turned around. With a final glance at his watch, he nodded to himself. He glanced up at Alice with wide eyes. "We have arrived at the White Queen's Great Hall. Are you ready to enter the ball, Alice?"

Alice gulped. She could hear faint noises emanating from behind the closed door, but they weren't doing anything to comfort her. She suddenly felt like she was going to faint. Why was it that this party frightened her more than facing the Jabberwocky?

Taking a breath to steady herself, she answered, "Yes, Nivens, if I must. Let's get this over with."

The White Rabbit nodded more to reassure himself than Alice and he turned back to face the door. Reaching up with a trembling paw, he rapped three times upon the wood. The sound echoed loudly in the quiet of the hall and Alice feared that no one had heard the White Rabbit knocking.

She was proved wrong as the door slowly creaked open as if of its own accord and swung back to reveal the entirety of the Great Hall. The brightness of the white room blinded Alice slightly before her eyes adjusted to the glare of the marble.

Taking one last steadying breath, Alice stepped out into the light.

The ball turned out to be tamer than Alice had first thought. In fact, the whole Great Hall looked the same as Alice had ever seen it, with the exception of innumerable lanterns set up to illuminate the Hall. Since it was after sunset, the room would have otherwise been very dark.

The door she had walked through was a side door not visible to people who were in the centre of the room. This gave her some relief, as she knew Mirana had planned her entrance so she wouldn't be put in the spotlight.

That didn't stop the Queen from coming up and whisking Alice off to meet Underlandian dignitaries almost as soon as she was out from the shadow of the door. Mirana had a bright smile in place as she introduced Alice to too many people to actually remember, but her eyes were downcast.

Before Alice could ask the Queen anything, Mirana spun away and the Champion was left with the Tweedle brothers. While the two bickered over who would dance with her first, Alice tried to locate Mirana. It would appear the Queen had some evaporating skills of her own, for she was nowhere to be found.

"Contrariwise, I talked to her first!" Tweedle Dee argued.

"And as you didn't, I did," Tweedle Dum retorted, elbowing his bother when he stuck his tongue out.

Alice's attention snapped back from her search for the Queen and to the two people in front of her. While she loved the Tweedles terribly, their squabbling was starting to fray her nerves. She was high strung enough without the other two adding more tension to the mix.

"Boys! You can both dance with me. Now, will you please stop your fighting?"

Both of the brothers cocked their heads to the side as they observed her with pure confusion. Alice's statement had truly perplexed them.

"But that ain't possible, nohow," they both chorused.

"Oh, I'm sure it is," Alice reassured them. She grasped their hands and then urged them to do the same. Soon enough they were dancing in a circle and trying for the entire world to look dignified. Alice turned her head to look around the Hall once more. There was still no sight of Mirana. How fast could that woman move?

"If you're lookin' for the Hatter, he ain't here, nohow," Tweedle Dum said as he noticed Alice was moving her head back and forth.

His statement made Alice stop dead in her tracks as a chill ran through her body. The Tweedles bumped into each other and they glanced in fear at the Champion. Alice slowly released her hands from their grip and she stepped shakily away from them.

Her world was falling to pieces all over again. Why was the Hatter not there? He had been so excited for this event, and now he was nowhere to be found. She clenched her hands to stop them from shaking as tears pooled in her eyes. While she didn't know why the Hatter wasn't there, she knew someone who would know where he was.

"I'm sorry, boys. I have to find Mallymkun," Alice whispered as she spun dazedly away from the Tweedles. She nearly fell into another man and she hastily apologized as she picked up the hem of her dress and began to run through the throngs of people.

She hoped that the dormouse was at the party; after all, if Tarrant was supposed to be there then Mally would have automatically come. If she had known the Hatter wasn't going, however, then perhaps she was absent as well. Alice whirled her head back and forth as she looked through the crowds of people. A flash of white told her she had found Mirana, but in another instant Alice had her gaze on the front entrance to Marmoreal.

And with a twist of her heart, she found the mouse she was looking for.

Mallymkun was sitting atop the Bandersnatch, and the both of them were standing guard at the main doors. Alice assumed it was for security of sorts, although she was uncertain as to why they would need it. Marmoreal was perfectly safe now that the Red Queen was gone.

Alice heaved a sigh of relief as she ran as ladylike as she could over to her two friends. As she neared them Mally caught sight of her and smiled, but that look was quickly removed from her face once she saw how lost Alice looked. She hung her head in sadness and even the Bandersnatch seemed forlorn.

"Mallymkun," Alice said with a voice so strained the mouse's name came out as a squeak. "Mallymkun, where is Tarrant?" the lantern light flickering on her face made her cheekbones stand out, making Alice look even more desperate than before.

"A-Alice," Mally said with a voice dripping with shame and regret. "Tarrant was going ta come, he swore he would, but then somethin' came over him. I can't explain it, but all the happiness went away from 'im like a candle that had been blown out."

Alice stared in complete disbelief at the dormouse in front of her. What in Underland was she talking about? Tarrant had been completely fine just earlier that day, so he shouldn't have had any reason to be unhappy.

Alice suddenly found her mouth to be very dry as she spoke to Mally. "But where is he?"

The dormouse's eyes widened substantially and she gulped. She looked to the left and right of Alice, but never actually at her. The Bandersnatch growled lightly at Mally's lack of speech and then the mouse's glance found Alice.

"He's sulkin' at the same spot he sat at for so many years waitin' for your return. He sat down at th' head o' tha' table and refused ta move," Mally spat out quickly before moving her attention elsewhere.

When Alice gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, the dormouse snapped her head back to the Champion. What she saw was Alice's attempt to stay in control of her emotions, but her body was shaking from the effort. Mally was reminded of the window she and the Bandersnatch had leaped through weeks ago.

Alice was as fragile as a pane of glass, and now she was breaking.

Mally tapped the beast's head and the Bandersnatch stood up. Making up her mind in an instant, the dormouse addressed the trembling young woman in front of her. If seeing her in a dress that he had made wasn't enough of a slap in the face, watching her nerves fray was enough of a reason to leave Marmoreal.

"Come now, Alice. I think Tarrant needs your help," Mally began gently.

If words were magical, then Mally's were pure gold. Alice gazed at the tiny mouse with a newfound respect as she walked around to the Bandersnatch's side. With a final nod from Mally, Alice swung herself up and clung to the beast's thick fur.

"Take me to Thackery's, please. And quickly."

Alice walked cautiously over the rough ground and toward a familiar bleak clearing. She was careful not to step on any piece of debris; shattered teacups, saucers and the remains of a batch of scones littered the ground. If Alice hadn't known any better, she would have said a battle had taken place at the tea table. However, she knew that all of the mess was most likely Thackery's fault. The mad hare had taken to throwing things pell-mell whenever anyone spoke.

The table was empty of the jittery creature at the moment, though. In fact, there was no one at the table except for a certain milliner. And the man didn't seem very happy, either. Everything looked like the colour had been leached out of it and even the Hatter himself appeared lifeless. His hair was dull and his clothes were equally drab.

Alice vaguely heard Mallymkun curse as the dormouse hopped onto the heavily laden table. The mammal scurried across the surface of it, avoiding teacup after saucer after spoon as she made her way to the man that was sitting forlornly at the end of the table.

The Champion froze on the spot as she found her feet no longer obeyed her. The Bandersnatch whined slightly and pressed his warm body against hers for support. Alice reached down and patted the creature on his head. She needed all the stability possible right now.

When Mally was a foot from Tarrant she drew her hatpin sword out and tapped it on the rim of the nearest teacup. Tarrant's reaction was so violent that Mally had to duck as the Hatter was jolted from his reverie and he sent a saucer flying.

Alice moved her head to the side to avoid it but as it soared by her she felt the lightest of touches graze along her face. The saucer hit a tree behind her and it shattered into countless shards. Even as Mally was trying to talk sense into Tarrant, Alice reached up and brushed a hand across her face.

When she drew it back, a thin line of red was smeared across her palm.

"Tarrant! Tarrant, will you listen ta me? Alice is here ta see you, so you can-" Mally's voice died in her throat as she turned and looked at the Champion. Moving her eyes from Alice's face to her bloodied hand, all other traces of thought left her brain. Mally was completely dumbstruck and she realized that their situation had just become a lot more complicated.

A tiny groan like an aftershock of an earthquake ran through the Hatter as he gazed at Alice. He had hurt her. He had hurt Alice. Those were the only thoughts swirling through his muddled mind as he tried to keep a hold on his sanity. Numerous voices were screaming at him from the inside of his skull, berating him for what he had done and telling him to leave right now.

Alice looked between her hand and Tarrant and made the connection in an instant. The poor man must be breaking from the inside out because of what he had done to her, albeit accidentally. He didn't know that she was in no pain; that the blood had dried on her face by now. She motioned for Mally to step back from the Hatter and she obliged, running off the table and over to the safety of the Bandersnatch.

Once Alice was sure Mally was far enough away, she hesitantly began to approach the Hatter. He was completely ignoring her for the moment, as his eyes were glued to the spot where the saucer had exploded in a shower of porcelain shards. Even when she stepped over stale scones that crunched under her feet, his attention didn't shift.

When she reached the end of the table and drew up a chair to sit beside him he seemed to snap back to reality, glancing at her for a few seconds before diverting his gaze to the empty teacup sitting in front of him. His hands were trembling where they were placed on the edge of the table and his eyes had trouble deciding what colour to settle on.

Using the hand not smeared with her blood, Alice reached up and gently touched the Hatter's bandaged hands. He barely gave her any reaction at all, apart from staring at her unscathed hand. He started to tremble now and tears pooled in his eyes.

"A-Alice…" he whispered. "You need to leave now. You must leave…"

The Champion shook her head. Squeezing his hand reassuringly, she brought her other hand onto the table and placed it palm up in front of him. "Tarrant, I'm completely fine. The cut is tiny; the blood's already dry. I won't even have a scar." And, adding it as an afterthought, she murmured, "I'm not angry with you."

Tarrant stared long and hard at the thin line of red on her palm before looking up at the cut on the side of her face. He was still scared of what he had done, or could do to her, but he could see now that Alice wasn't that injured. When his gaze wandered from her face to the dress she was wearing his brain nearly stopped working altogether.

Alice was wearing the dress; the dress that Mirana had commissioned him to make for the ball in the Champion's honour. It had haunted him ever since he had begun work on it. He had already half-heartedly started on a dress for when Alice would return to Underland, but it had stayed in his workshop for two years.

Every time he walked into that room, there it stood; mocking him of the fact that Alice was gone and would never return. It had hurt him too much to work on it; it reminded him too much of a pair of bright eyes and a swish of golden hair. It was during the making of that dress that he was sure he had become mad.

But then he had found her in the Otherworld and, after a long and painful struggle, brought her back to Marmoreal. When Mirana had requested he make a dress for the ball, he knew what dress he would use. He brushed the dust off the blue dress and began to fervently finish it for her.

By now he wasn't afraid of the dress or the memories it stirred up, but he still wasn't prepared to see Alice wearing it. She looked even lovelier in it than he could ever have imagined; blue and white suited her perfectly.

"I'd already had one in mind, you see, for your return," Tarrant murmured more to himself than to Alice as he continued to gaze at the dress. "I was afraid that I would never see you again, much less wear the dress I had made…"

Alice smiled. So he had made it after all. She was infinitely glad of that; it made her feel even closer to him than before. He had so much talent that it was unbelievable. Taking both of his hands in hers, she gently tugged at them. He gazed worriedly at her for one more moment before standing with her.

When Alice had pulled him to the side of the table with her and they were clear of the litter on the ground, they both stood still. Her gaze, shining brightly despite the semi-darkness they were in, was fixed on Tarrant's.

"You know, I never had a proper dance at my ball," Alice said cautiously, smiling softly at Tarrant. She hoped that this would cheer him up significantly, but all she got in response was a frown and a quick glance at her from worried grey eyes.

"I'm not sure that would be a good thing," Tarrant murmured. "I don't think you should be this close to me, Alice. I'm afraid…"

"Tarrant?" Alice asked. She brought a hand up to touch his face, but he moved his head aside to avoid her. A sudden thought struck her. It was, after all, the reason she had come to see him. "Why didn't you come to the ball?"

Tarrant let out a sigh and moved his head back long enough for Alice to gently brush her fingers across his face. "I was going to come, but then I remembered the conversation we had in the garden. I know how you feel about me, and I know you know how I feel about you, but I'm afraid, Alice. What happened earlier, when I hurt you…" he paused for a moment and looked at the cut on her face. "What if it happened again? I've never let someone become this close to me, and it scares me…"

Alice smiled. Bringing her hand down from his face to grip his hands again, she allowed herself a small laugh. "Tarrant, you could never hurt me, at least not intentionally. What happened earlier was an accident and nothing more. You saved my life when we were in Crims; I'm here today thanks to you. My feelings haven't changed, Tarrant. If anything, they've grown stronger over these past weeks."

Alice heard a shuffling sound from behind her, and she knew without looking that Mally and the Bandersnatch were giving them some much-needed privacy. She looked up into Tarrant's face and saw that his eyes had finally shifted to the deep green that she loved. His grip on her hands tightened slightly and that gave her more of an answer than any words could.

"Now," she smiled. "What about that dance?"

Tarrant grinned softly back at her, removing his hands from hers and placing one at her back and the other at her waist. Gently drawing her closer to him, he bent his head down and brushed his lips against hers. Alice's eyes fluttered shut and for a few precious seconds it was just the two of them in the world.

When Tarrant leaned back, Alice thought it was over too soon, but one look at his emerald eyes was all it took to quash that thought. He tilted his head to look at her, and this time the grin stayed on his face.

"It would be my honour to dance with you, my Alice," he said in answer to her earlier question. Her heart nearly stopped as he kept one hand at her waist, but brought the other one up to hold one of hers.

Alice smiled gently and held onto his hand while she kept balance by placing the other hand on his chest. She vaguely noticed that the phonograph music that had always been in the background was growing in volume as the Hatter began to slowly dance with her.

Alice couldn't keep her happiness closed in any longer. With a contented sigh, she rested her head against Tarrant's shoulder and let him lead. As they swayed back and forth a thought floated through her head. It was one that made the last piece of the puzzle that was her life fall into place.

He wasn't just a dream and nothing more.

He was real, and nothing less.

AN: Well, there you have it. I may do a one-shot about Tarrant making the dress Alice was wearing, but until then I'm taking a break.

'Til next time, read and review!

:)fancyfarmer