Hatter's eyes snapped open at the sound of the alarm clock going off on his bedside table. A little more forcefully than planed, he hit the snooze button and not only stopped the annoying buzzing sound but also created the need for him to buy a new alarm clock.

Slowly he pulled himself out of the messy bed and walked into the living area of his apartment. It had been almost six months since he and Alice returned from their second escapade into Wonderland. That meant they had been together about nine months.

He wished she had moved in with him, but he knew about her fears of abandonment so he never pushed her into anything. She knew the option was open to her but she opted to live with her mother for the time being.

Padding into the bathroom he started the shower. Stepping into the steaming hot water his mind drifted to the woman he had come to love in such a short time. He had fallen in love with Alice before they left Wonderland the first time and knew that nothing could ever change his feelings toward her.

After washing his body he turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. Living alone he didn't bother to put on anything more than his towel while he stepped out to start some tea.

He didn't notice the slender woman with long hair that matched his sitting on his couch as he crossed the room to his kitchen. She stayed undetected until Hatter turned to return to his bedroom to find some clothes.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" He instinctively grabbed his towel to make sure it was sure it was securely around him.

"I told you I'd be in touch." Madelyn said as she rolled her green eyes and gave him a small smile.

Not sure what to do Hatter quickly excused himself from the room and grabbed a pair of boxers and some sweat pants to slip on before returning to talk to his younger sister.

The situation was all too familiar with him. She had showed up six months ago and had kick started March's plan to take over the thrown. She had also fought with Alice and aimed a gun and both of them at one point or another.

He trusted her, he truly did, but he couldn't help but be a bit wary as he reentered his living room.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" He didn't even bother to wait for a response before he pulled out two matching teacups and brought them and the teapot to his small dining table.

"I need a place to stay." She stated. She just threw the fact out there to float between them. She wasn't asking for his help, just letting him know about her situation.

"Where have you been living?" He studied his sister looking for any cracks in her perfectly practiced mask.

"I would rather not say." Madelyn kept her eyes locked on his, challenging him to question her further.

"I only have one room here." The fact didn't change anything, if she were truly desperate he wouldn't hesitate to give her his bed and sleep on the couch. The trick was not letting her know that.

"I know. I was wondering if Alice had any room for me at her place." Hatter bit his lip and slowly rocked his head from one side to the other.

"I'm not sure if she would go for that."

"Then we should ask her."

"But I'm not gonna see her until-" Hatter's thought was cut short by a knock on the door. Giving Madelyn a questioning look he walked to the front door and opened it slightly. Alice's bright smile greeted him from the hallway.

"I know this is unexpected but I wanted to have breakfast with you before I have to leave for the weekend." She held up a small bag that he knew contained about a dozen scones from his favorite restaurant.

"Just so you know I have a visitor." He opened the door wide enough to show the kitchen table but Madelyn had already slithered her way by his side. Alice smiled at the sight; Madelyn was truly a female version of Hatter, just six inches shorter.

Hatter lead the two women to the table then busied himself with fixing Alice a cup of tea and put the scones she so thoughtfully brought on a plate.

Once they were all seated at the table Madelyn wasted no time telling Alice about her housing situation. Alice gave Madelyn a trusting look then quickly looked to Hatter to see if it was right to trust her. With a slight nod of his head he reassured her that Madelyn, mad as she was, was in fact trustworthy.

"My mom and I have an extra room in our apartment. It is pretty empty and only has a bed and some sheets in it but I'm sure you could stay in it until you can figure something else out."

Madelyn was visibly grateful for the black belt's kindness. The Wonderlander's face cracked into a smile that reached her ears and she practically jumped over the table to pull Alice into a huge hug.

Hatter sat watching Madelyn's happiest emotions shred her carefully manicured façade. Smiling to himself he found himself glad to see that the two women were getting along pretty well when they weren't in danger.

His mind drifted to see if Madelyn would fit into the friends that Alice already had. It was then when he realized the woman he loved more than anything didn't make many connections with people. Many were just acquaintances to her and the people she trusted enough to call them a friend came few and far between.

Glancing at his watch Hatter finally realized how long they had been talking. As much as he hated to do it he had to break up the small party and finish getting ready for work. The girls understood perfectly well and left without complaint.

Looking out his window he watched as the two small women walked down the busy New York streets towards Alice's apartment building. Part of him wanted to go with them and make sure they were safe but he knew that they could get themselves out of trouble if necessary, Alice being a black belt and Madelyn with her left punch.

He sighed as they disappeared into the distance. During his years of owning a teashop he had become quite good at reading people's emotions. The emotions he sensed between His girlfriend and his little sister were warm and caring. They trusted each other quickly and even though they could never get this emotion right for the teas he could name it. Friendship.

Turning away from the window Hatter was content with the fact that they would probably become close friends. Hopefully living with Maddie won't ruin Alice's opinion of her. He thought of Madelyn and how hard she was to live with. He made a mental note to apologize to Alice for making her have to live with the Mad Hatter.