A/N: While watching for the millionth time, I all of a sudden wondered: How does Hatter know about pizza and that oysters don't live to be 150? *This story is also had threads based on what I call 'The Arthurian Paradox' (King Arthur is portrayed as a king/knight in Roman times and both Early and Late Medieval Times. What if he, his band, and ideas have shown up in different parts of history when we need them? )

Disclaimer: I do not own SyFy's 'Alice', one day maybe…one day…

Hatter nodded to the last friend and accepted their silent condolence. At least the day had been pretty for her, Alice had hated the rain. She hated to be wet, she had once confessed to him. Hatter smiled at the first memory of her, drenched from the waters of Wonderland. He thought he was in for a pleasant surprise, not an adventure, and certainly not love.

"What do you mean? A pleasant surprise?" Alice twisted around in Hatter's arms to look at him. She had asked what his life was like, before she came to him with Ratty. They were enjoying what Alice had called the 'weeks end' where no one had to go to work (Although he didn't start his first job until next week)cuddled on the couch watching the Oyster's version of his Wonderland on something called Disney. Hatter continued to watch the cartoon perversion of his life with great intensity to stall for time. What could he possibly say? He had never told anyone for both their safety's that he and Alice of Legend had been childhood sweethearts.

When his beautiful golden Alice had first come to Wonderland, a small girl of eight, she had blown down the whole house of cards and had taken refuge in his father's tea shop before her return home. Curious about her world he left with her and her sister had taken him in as a foster child and he and Alice did everything together. His favorite pastimes were going to the Italian restaurant in the city and gorge himself on pizza and reading to each other in the garden. Time passed, and Alice started to grow up, but he simply didn't. Three years and Dinah's foster son was not maturing like other eleven year old boys were. Alice became afraid for him, since most people do not like what they do not understand and brought him back to Wonderland. She would come back, she had promised, perhaps when she was older and they could match ages for a time. His father had told him not to hope. Oyster time was different, and Wonderlandians lived the years differently too.

Twenty Wonderland years went by, one hundred and fifty for Oysters. Hatter took over his father's tea shop and pushed the Queen's new kind of tea. He lived on the edge of two worlds, the resistance and the Court. But he always said that he didn't become someone, someone who mattered, until the new Alice appeared in his life. She made him care. She made him want to fight for something, anything, everything. She made him fall in love with her (Alice was quick to point out at this point in the story, that she could never make him do anything!). Hatter had no reservations about going to his Alice's world to be with her once he had watched her go.

No, telling his Alice about Alice of Legend would not do. A man certainly does not tell the love of his life now about the love of his life back then. Yes, Hatter had hoped for a moment that it was Alice of Legend and he had merely lost track of her time, but he had grown up as did she apparently. His Alice made him a better person and he would not jeopardize their new and growing relationship. Hatter flashed her a dimpled grin, "Oh, you know, I never knew what bits of information or contraband ol' Ratty would bring me, now do you want me to finish to story or…" Alice tried to hold back a smile, "Or what?" Hatter smiled back and began to kiss her, they had plenty of time for storytelling later.

Ten years had come and gone before Alice asked him why he didn't seem to age. It would be another thirty before she removed her wedding band and began to call Hatter a very good friend to new acquaintances. It bothered him a bit, but he could not bring himself to leave her, he loved her still. No one questioned what appeared to be a unique relationship between Sensei Hamilton and the man who was passionately devoted to her. No one would question an older woman about anything in her private life when she cold still kick a twenty year old's ass at the age of fifty. Age seemed to matter to these Oysters, but never to Hatter. His Alice always was as beautiful as the day she showed up in a very wet dress telling him about stories from a kid's book.

Hatter knelt down at the grave in front of him. Her gravestone had certainly raised a few eyebrows and probably would for many years to come. But with no children or relatives to question, Hatter had it made as she requested:

Hatter's Alice

Born to a world of children's stories August 12, 1988

Died having known Wonders October 23, 2061

He placed her favorite tea cup at its' base and rose to his feet. With his hat in his hands he bowed his head and began to sob. When the tears would no longer come he began to walk. He would find a working Looking Glass and return to Wonderland. Perhaps he would set up a proper tea shop, age, and wait to give help to the next Alice.