No rush though I need your touch

I won't rush your heart

Until you feel on solid ground

Until your strength is found, girlI'll fill those canyons in your soul

Like a river lead you home

And I'll walk a step behind

In the shadows so you shine

Just ask it will be done

And I will prove my love

Until you're sure that I'm "The One"

Okay, so normal stuff. I do NOT own Alice, any of the characters ( though I'll take a Hatter if anyone has one? *looks around hopefully* *sigh* worth a shot ) , don't own "The one" by Gary Allan, but that's an amazing song and I recommend it to anyone ^_^ So, basically, I own nothing. Not even a house. Or clothes. I run around naked in the streets then fall into a cardboard box at night.

Tragic, ain't it?

"Force yourself to breathe." Hatter heard the dreaded sentence. He was looking away from the looking glass, eyes closed. Alice's-His coat hung from one limp hand by a finger and he could feel tears well up behind his eyelids.

Hatter waited, then let a tear escape. One tear. There were too many people for him to break down. There was complete and utter silence and then a woman gasped. This was followed by many sharp intakes of breath and a whirring noise. Hatter frowned.

He turned around and dropped the coat onto the floor. His mouth fell open. The Looking Glass had turned bright blue, and was vibrating.

Was that… Oh, crumbs, there was steam coming off it.

"Everyone! Everyone back!" Hatter heard Jack yell. He felt the people stampede past him but he stood there, practically in shock.

There was a hand on Hatter's elbow and then Jack's voice.

"Hatter, come on." But Hatter pulled himself free and pushed Jack into the crowd. He glared at him for a second.

"Keep the 'ands off the coat." He warned, voice low, then turned back to the Looking Glass. Black swirls were circling the blue and he could feel his stomach clench. Something had gone wrong.

What about Alice? Was Alice okay? Maybe she was hurt.

Hatter found himself moving before he knew he was doing it. Then he was leaping through the Looking Glass. He screamed as his body began aching, and felt blood run down his face.

There she was!

Hatter forced himself to keep going then reached out and grabbed onto Alice's hand. She was limp and lifeless and he swore. He concentrated, grunting under his breath, then ,miraculously, they began to move in the opposite direction. The blue began to turn purple, streaked with black and brown and red, and swirled around him nauseatingly.

Suddenly they were thrown from the Looking Glass, Hatter first.

He pulled Alice's unresponsive body to him, holding her close as they rushed towards the ground.

Then they hit it.

Hatter's back hit the floor first, then his head, then his legs. He felt pain flood through his body again, and heard his head smack horribly off the floor. He gritted his teeth, holding back a yell. It was fine in the Looking Glass. But not out here.

"Alice!"

"They're out!"

"Are they hurt!"

"Someone call a doctor!"

"Quickly, fetch the Suits."

"Just Alice!"

"He's bleeding!"

Alice was unhurt, mercifully, clasped to his chest. He panted, groaning in pain. He couldn't hold back fully, and felt his body tremble under hers. She was still out cold, not even realising what he'd just done for her.

The Looking Glass shattered.

Shards of glass shot across the room, and Hatter was rewarded seconds later, with Jack's girlish shriek as one chopped off a bit of his hair.

Hatter held Alice tighter, feeling someone try to take her from him.

"'M' Alice. Leave her 'lone. M'ne…" He whispered, raising one hand to slap away the reaching hands. They shrieked again, proving it was Jack, and then there was a familiar voice.

"Harbinger," Charlie said ", You must let go of Just Alice. The medics wish to look her over, and , if I may say so, my lad, you do not look to good yourself. You look like nug face, over there." Jack muttered something foul and Hatter felt himself smirk.

"Fine… Fine, Charlie… But I'm stayin' with 'er. I ain't trusting anyone 'round here. 'Cept you. Leave m' wi' 'er, Charlie."

"Very well." Then Charlie's armour creaked as he straightened up "Fetch a medic. Harb-Hatter and Just Alice shall remain together, and anyone who tries to separate them will soon meet my steel. Understand? That means you too, nug face. Do you understand?" There was a mumble. "What was that, you lying, cheating, two faced little weasel?"

"I understand, White Knight." Jack's voice was sour and Hatter could practically see his 'I'm-a-constipated-Jabberwock' expression, complete with Lady Jabberwock draped over his arm like… Like drapes.

"Good. Hup-hup!" Hatter felt himself being lifted and he realised he hadn't heard the medics arrive. He was placed on a stretcher and smiled again, stroking Alice's hair. This wasn't exactly how he'd envisioned it, but she was laying in his arms and not resisting.