Song I listened to for this chapter: Everything by Lifehouse. 

The morning light creeps across the bed, showing the two people wrapped around each other.  The light can’t tell where one starts and the other leaves off, they are so entangled. But, knowing what almost happened to these two people, and how bad Wonderland would have been if these two hadn’t gotten better, the light recedes.

Deciding to give the two more time to each other, Light talks to Time, and they both agree to give Alice and Hatter more time with each other. Light leaves the room in a twilight haze and Time holds off from marching on. Determining this will give the two more time to heal and to be with each other, they are happy.

Though time passes, Time himself does not. Later when Hatter wakes, he reflexively grips Alice closer to him. As he wakes up more, he feels the Bond and is reassured by it and Wonderland that Alice is better.  Hatter lies there in bed, thankful for his friends. They helped both Alice and himself when they needed it the most. If either had lost the other, or even thought about it…well, since it didn’t happen, Hatter refuses to head down that path.

He untangles himself enough to be able to lie beside her, looking down at the love of his life. His one arm is holding his head up, the other holding Alice to him. His eyes are dark, they will not fade until Alice wakes, and he verifies she is okay. Hatter spends awhile, gazing at his Alice, content to wait for her, knowing that this is making sure she will be better.

Alice slowly wakes, amazed that the pain is gone. She can also feel Hatter, beside her and through the Bond. She sighs in contentment and opens her eyes to him. Seeing his face above hers, watching her with worry and love, Alice reaches up and cups his face, calmly murmuring, “Hatter.”

Hatter sighs in relief as she wakes and is no longer in pain. He realizes he should have known better, he had been pain free when he woke as well. But, she is the light to his soul, his everything. Hatter has no issue admitting that he has been falling apart since the second he realized she was dying in his arms.  There was no potion to heal her, no wounds to clean of the poison that was killing her. It was all because of his wounds and body that she was dying. The torture of that knowledge still pains him.

Alice can feel Hatter’s anguish and she quickly moves towards him. She gently tells him, as he holds her tightly to him, “I am here, Hatter. I’m fine. We are both fine. We are here tog-.” Her face turns white and she stammers out, “Oh God, Hatter-” As the previous day, or has it been a couple of days, catch up to Alice, she falls apart in his arms with him.

The two of them seek assurance from the other that they are not hurt. Alice had felt Hatter dying as she raced to be with him, stuck in her world.  Hatter had felt her dying in his arms.  It is an experience that neither ever wants to feel again.

Both of them hold each other close. Feelings of revenge and the need to search out the other human beings that had hurt them and theirs, to cause to them the pain they had suffered, will wait. This is so much more important for the two of them. Bonding for the most part, is an amazing thing. But, there are downsides to everything, and what they had just suffered through is a perfect example of that.

Even though it was a wakeup call to both of them that not everything is sweetness, neither would give up their bond, or anything that has to do with the other. Between their bond and everything they have been through together, they always know where they stand with each other. In fact, they have to work to keep their hands to themselves, their emotions and love is so strong that they can barely keep them in check.

Hatter didn’t have the time away that Alice had from him, but he can understand her need for him to be as close as possible. He always has a need for her to be by him. He went centuries thinking that he would never have the feelings for another to the depth of his parents. Watching what they have, it was impossible not to want the same for himself.  Finding Alice – that was a shock and a joy that he feels so lucky to have – will never be something he takes for granted. To find that she always feels the same is a joy and amazement is a feeling he couldn’t explain to anyone else.

Holding Hatter as close as she can, she sends her love through the Bond. Alice cannot get enough of him; she chuckles as she remembers trying to explain to her mother what a Bond is. Now in Hatter’s arms, she finds the easiest explanation. He is her soul mate, her love. He is her other half in everything, the one who will love and be with her, forever. Here in Wonderland, that is a very real possibility.  Alice hopes it is, since she will be spending the rest of her life loving him, and forever just seems like it will not be enough.

Smiling as he hears Alice chuckle on his shoulder, he asks her softly, “What’s funny, Alice?”

Relaxing further as she feels his hands rub along her back, she answers just as softly, “Your father and I was trying to explain Bonding to my mom. She needed to know since I was falling apart in front of her and she couldn’t understand why. But here in your arms, I found the perfect description for it.  I find it funny that before I couldn’t explain it.  It all sounded inadequate.  But it is so much closer.  Hatter, I love you so much.”

His arms tighten around her. “I love you too, Alice.  Gods, when you arrived yesterday…I never felt anything like that. I never want to feel something like that ever again. I can’t keep you wrapped up in cotton, nor can I lock you in a room. But, I wish to do all that and more, to make sure you are never hurt again. None of it’ll work, since the minute I get hurt, you’ll feel it too. Alice, how can I ever keep my promise to you?” He closes his eyes in despair as he holds her to him.

Realizing how much it must have hurt him to find her in that situation, then to find out he made her that way, must be agonizing to say the least. Alice softly comforts him, “Hatter, I felt the same for you. I was flying across the ocean, for seven hours, feeling like I was failing you by not being here. For sending Chess to you, and staying there. Then, if I had known about the Looking Glass, I would have sent Tarrant back. Oh, God.” Alice closes her eyes, knowing the truth. Even knowing what would happen, she would have changed nothing. She looks at Hatter with tears in her eyes telling him, “There was nothing I could have done right. So yes, I understand. But, all you or I can do is try to be with each other. To make sure we have each other’s backs. I can’t explain it, but every time we are together, we overcome everything.  When we are apart, it seems like everything goes wrong.”

Taking a deep breath, Hatter tells her, “You’re right.  And, if you think you are going anywhere without me for awhile, you’re sadly mistaken.  You’ll be lucky to be able to leave my sight for, I don’t know, the next 300 years?”

Not able to help it, Alice starts to laugh. She retorts back, “300?  I’m thinking more like thousands of years.”

Hatter laughs with her, “That sounds about right, but I didn’t want to scare you, luv.” He pulls back to look into her eyes, “I love you, Alice. I cannot say that enough. You are my everything. My life, love, my reason to keep breathing. What I was before was merely waiting for you to enter my life.”

Alice stares at him, and then unable to keep it in, she grins and tells him, “Actually, you were waiting for me to be born.”

Hatter couldn’t believe it, Alice is joking? He has never really seen this side of her and, he loves it. He pulls her close and kisses her. Sweetly, savoring his mate being here with him, he needs this as much as he needed the kiss at the lake.

Closing her eyes, Alice loses herself in the kiss with her mate. She needs this as much as she feels that he needs it. They have been through so much lately, the worst being when they were apart. But this, this sweetness, their lips touching and worshipping each other, this is a reaffirmation that the other is here with them.

Hatter deepens the kiss, bringing her closer to him, but it was never desperate, never more than love exemplified.  He just wants to worship her, show her his love for her.

Sighing, Alice opens her mouth willingly to Hatter. The love flowing through the Bond is making this more than just kisses; it is a merging of two souls that were torn apart.

Eventually, Alice breaks the kiss gasping for air; Hatter continues to kiss her, leaving open mouth kisses along her jaw line, and peppering her face with kisses. They both need this so much, the love they are sharing through the Bond is overwhelming, but there is no hurry, no roughness. There is no possessing, that has already been done and accepted.  This is them, just loving each other.

Hatter stops long enough to look into Alice’s blue eyes.  He tells her softly, “I love you so much, Alice.  There is no more me and you, just us.”  He wipes the tears from her eyes tenderly.

Alice can feel his emotions; feel his frustration that he cannot find the words to tell her what he feels.  She completely understands.  ‘I love you’ seems so little for what they feel for each other.  But, at the same time it is what they are – in love.  “I know. I love you so much; these words are both so little and so fitting.” Her tears keep running down her face as he tenderly wipes them away.

Hatter leans down and kisses her tears, then kisses her lips. He gathers her to him, holding her close as he soothes and comforts her. Once she is calm, needing more from him, Alice pushes him away, then kisses him.  She wants him and can feel his desire for their love to be more to each other.  To show each other their love, to reconnect physically.

Hovering over her, he moves down her lovely swan neck, leaving butterfly kisses.  The areas she loves him to pay attention to get his attention. Hearing her sighs of pleasure encourages him to do more to hear and feel more of her enjoyment.

Closing her eyes in pleasure at her mate’s ministrations, Alice is slightly surprised when he stops.  She opens her sapphire eyes to meet his chocolate brown ones.  He smiles at her and leans back, tugging her up with him. When she is vertical, he pulls off her tunic, leaving her in her underclothes. He stares at her lovingly, taking in everything. He glances at her eyes, seeing no embarrassment, no shyness at her partial nudity. He cups her face in his hands and kisses her as he lays her back on the bed.

Alice closes her eyes; trusting her mate completely. She looks up to him, and seeing him just staring at her, she draws him down. Hatter is in lounge pants, never having changed when they got back to their rooms last night.  He had taken the time to make Alice comfortable then had collapsed beside her in their bed.  Now he is glad that he hadn’t bothered, as he feels her hands on him, caressing his chest and then slipping to his back to pull him closer.

Kissing Hatter, running her hands up and down his body, Alice is in heaven.  Here she is with her mate, nothing rushing them, nothing but the two of them.  And the things he is doing with his mouth… Alice sighs in pleasure.

Hatter smiles to himself; he loves hearing her. He moves her bra straps off her shoulders, kissing where it touches her.  When he gets the straps as low as he can, he slides his hands around his Alice, as he kisses her neck. With a quick flick of his fingers, he unhooks her bra. Hatter looks up at Alice, smirking as he takes in her face, feeling her lust and love for him through the Bond.  He removes her bra, trailing his fingers across her body as he does so.

Alice looks down at him, feeling the mischievousness of him as well as his desire for her, all eclipsed by the pure love that he has for her.  She smiles, then arches her back as he teases one of her nipples.  Sensing the pure pleasure from his actions, then feeling the pleasure from him, at what he is doing to her makes this more intense.

Hatter closes his eyes in the shared joy they have between them, as he does what he can to please both of them.  He caresses her breast with one hand as he loves her other one with his mouth.  He is a breast man, as long as they are Alice’s.  He can never get enough of her perfect mounds, how they fit perfectly in his hands and in his mouth.  Though to be truthful, Alice and he fit together perfectly everywhere.  It is as though they are made for each other.

Not able to keep still, Alice moves under her Hatter, trying to relieve some of the pressure she is getting from his actions. She reaches down, and unties his pants, sliding her hand down to grasp him, shocked pleasantly, as always, at how well endowed her mate is.

Moaning, Hatter looks down at her.  Her hands on him are always pleasurable, especially right now when he is craving her.  He kisses her, his mouth moving sensuously with hers.  He lowers himself on her, needing the friction as much as she does.

But, before he can fully rest on her, Alice stops him. Hatter helps her remove his clothing, then reaches down to remove the only article that Alice has on.  He moves down her lovely legs, worshipping them, leaving open mouth kisses down to her dainty feet.  Crouched at her feet, he takes one and kisses it.  Then he slowly makes his way up, kissing her legs as he moves up to one of his favorite places.  He looks up as he feels her desire and love for him spike.

Looking down, Alice’s eyes meet Hatter’s brown eyes. She cannot contain her feelings, not when he is giving all his love and desire for her free reign.  Not that she is complaining. She gives as good as she gets, feeling the same as he does. She needs him to be what he is, the love of her life.

As always, Hatter is amazed by his woman.  He smiles at her  as he slowly makes his way up to her sex.  Then, glancing at her, he proceeds to lick her clit from top to bottom, then back the other way.  As her taste fills his mouth, his moan of pleasure is only surpassed by her feelings coming through the Bond.  He loves the taste of Alice.

Alice gasps and her hips move of their own volition. She feels one of his arms slide across her waist to hold her down as the other moves to help him.  She loves when he does this to her, it feels so amazing!

Hatter moves up, inserts his two fingers into her lower lips and pumps them in and out, searching for her g-spot. He teases her nub of nerves with his tongue until he hears her moan, “Hatter…oh God, yes!” He can feel her inner walls clamping down; he then gently nips her nub with his teeth and is rewarded by her coming apart. He moves down to lick all of her nectar.

Alice is coming out of her orgasm and opens her eyes when she feels Hatter move up her body.

He takes his time, licking and nipping his way up, paying special attention to her belly button, then her breasts. By the time he reaches her mouth, he has aroused her between his ministrations and through his own need for her.

Hatter hovers above her body, watching her with eyes dark with lust and love.  “I love you so much, Alice.”  With that, he lowers himself to her body, kissing her as he enters her gently.  They break the kiss as Hatter moans his pleasure at being inside his love.  ‘So tight and wet, how can anything be better than this?’

No words are needed as the Bond lets them feel everything.  They move slowly, making love to each other.  Alice moves her legs around Hatter, and feels him move deeper in her.  She breathes out a sigh.  She wraps her arms around him, needing to be close to him.

Hatter kisses everywhere he can, only stopping as he watches her face, making sure through her eyes and the Bond that it feels as good for her as it does for him.

Hatter soon sits back on his legs, drawing Alice with him. He watches her as he moves in and out of her, supporting her, as he goes into the hilt and back.  He can see the pleasure this position brings her.  He keeps it as long as he can, until the space between them is too much, and he lowers himself to her, pulling her legs up higher as he watches and feels her come around him.

Alice is gasping as Hatter makes love to her, she feels him sliding in and out of her slowly. When he moves, the feelings heighten; she can feel all of him inside her. The emotions are unreal, but eventually she feels herself start to come. Not wanting to end this, she tries to hold off until Hatter comes with her.  But, soon he shifts again and with this new position, she is unable to think, much less try to hold back her orgasm; Alice comes around him, her body shuddering as she gasps out his name, “Hatter…oh, hell yes, God!”

Enjoying the sight of her coming undone, Hatter slows down to help prolong her ecstasy. He loves nothing more than feeling her coming physically and through the Bond. He clamps down on his body, not allowing himself to come, until he can build her up again.

Breathing heavy, Alice looks into Hatter’s eyes. His endurance always amazes her. She can feel his genuine pleasure at making her come. But, at the same time, she can also feel the mounting pressure in him to have his own release. She flips them over, and starts moving her hips up and down.

Hatter closes his eyes in pleasure, only to open them quickly. He enjoys watching Alice ride him. Her body, glistening with sweat from their lovemaking, moving sensuously up and down his cock; her head thrown back, with her hair cascading down, in obvious pleasure of him inside of her. Her breasts bouncing with each movement from her.

Unable to resist, Hatter puts his hands on her hips, helping her move faster as he starts to thrust up into her.

Even with this, they still move languorously, enjoying reconnecting to each other.  The room sounds with their gasps and moans, their quiet words of love being told to each other, the sounds of their bodies. But, as always with them, their bodies give out before their desire for each other.

Hatter quickly turns them both, where he is on top, he moves quicker, harder in response to their bodies.  Alice groans outs, “Oh God, Hatter…faster, I need you!”

Leaning down to kiss her, Hatter complies all the while whispering, “Oh Gods.  Fuck me, Alice, you feel so good.”  Moving faster, Hatter can feels his release coming, and determined to have Alice come with him, he moves his hand down to her clit and pinches it.  Alice starts to orgasm around him, and he comes inside her, thrusting inside of her several times as her walls milk his seed from him.  Hatter and Alice gasp out each other’s name as they hold onto each other.

Hatter barely holds himself from collapsing on Alice as he comes down.  Reluctantly pulling out of her, he rolls to the side and collapses, but not before he pulls Alice over to him.  He sighs, and tells her softly, “I love you Alice.  So very much, and I thank Wonderland and the Gods themselves for bringing us together, for keeping us alive.”  He kisses her forehead, holding her tight to him.

Alice rests her head on his chest, completely relaxed.  She looks up as he begins murmuring to her his love.  She smiles, and just as softly answers him, “I am the lucky one here.  You fell in love with me.  Somehow, some way, we survived everything and all it did is bring us closer and closer together.  I love you so much Hatter and I bless every day for you and our Bond.  We’ll never have to worry if the other doesn’t love us with that.”

Hatter smiles and gently teases her, “Which is good, luv.  Since we never talk or show our emotions to each other.”  He chuckles.  Then his face grows serious and he fervently tells her, “I am always amazed by you, luv.  You are my strength, my hope.  You are everything to me, my better half. How can it be any better than this, this love between us?”

Alice moves up his body and he meets her, kissing her softly.  Then he holds her to him as they drowse in the light.

Time and Light look on the two of them and are happy.  Time moves off, giving them more of him for a while, they both deserve at least that.  Light moves over the two lovers, caressing them.  Then it also moves on, giving them what little privacy they can have in Wonderland.

Wonderland sighs contentedly.  Her Champions are all back where they belong.  Moreover, they will shortly know that others are moving against them.  However, for now, she will also leave Hatter and Alice alone, making sure everyone else does as well.

Fairfarren~