Almost Alice

Strange maze, what is this place? I hear voices over my shoulders. Nothings making sense at all. Wonder, why do we race? And every day we're running in circles. Such a funny way to fall. Try to open up my eyes I'm hopin for the chance to make it alright. When I wake up The dream isn't done I wanna see your face and know I made it home. If nothing is true What more can I do? I am still painting flowers for you. WoahThrow my cards, give you my heart. Wish we could start all over. Nothings making sense at all. Try to open up my eyes, I'm hopin for a chance to make it alright. When I wake up The dream isn't done I wanna see your face and know I made it home. If nothing is true What more can I do? I am still painting flowers for you. I am still painting flowers for you. (I heard everything you said. I don't wanna lose my head.) When I wake up The dream isn't done I wanna see your face and know I made it home. If nothing is true What more can I do? I am still painting flowers for you. I am still painting flowers for you. I am still painting flowers for you.

Painting Flowers - All Time Low

Alice gasped and shivered, feeling sore all over. Her knees and elbows hurt, her head stung a little. But there was a warm, tea scented presence and she opened her eyes to blink upwards as she was gently rolled. Greener than green eyes stared back at her. Tarrant noticed a small trickle of blood on her forehead. He slapped his hand to it.

"Ow" she grumped, "That stings." She must have bumped it in her journey.

He pulled his hand back looking contrite and elated at the same time.

She let her eyes rove over him, taking in his bright hair, his tired expression, the dark smudged beneath his eyes more prominent now. She lifted her hand to cup his cheek and he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes for a moment. "You haven't been sleeping have you?" She asked. Her heart warmed at the worry in his gaze.

He gave a wobbly smile, "Not very much, no. You were gone for such a long time."

"Only three days." she reminded him.

"An eternity" he insisted, "Are you really back?"

She nodded, "For good" she told him, "I've taken care of everything."

He hugged her tightly, pressing his nose to her wet hair and inhaled. He coughed slightly and drew back. His nose wrinkled. Cocking his head he eyed her curiously, "Alice…." he said softly lifting his hand between them, "You've seaweed in your hair."

He pulled a clump free, letting it hang between them.

"Fell in the harbor" she admitted. He blinked, finally taking in her lack of proper clothing.

His chuckle bubbled up madly, "Oh. Oh! That's why you smell like that."

She glared at him for a long moment as he teetered to himself then gave up, "Fine. I stink. Bath please?"

He nodded gaining his feet and gently tugging her up with him, anchoring her with a strong arm around her waist to steady her. "Of course my lady. For you anything." He set her on a stool in the corner, "But first, you are chilled through. Hot tea and a blanket."

He dropped a heavy blanket over her shoulders, ran to flip the taps in the tub and saw to tea. He came back in the room short time later, a steaming pot on a tray. He set the cup before Alice and then turned away mumbling

of all the things his Alice would need.

"Night dress, hot bath, hot tea, blankets, slippers, stockings, ribbons, bubbles, towels, tea…."

"Hatter!"

He turned back to her, "I'm fine."

"And so am I" she told him, "Really."

He drew himself to his full height and stared down at her looking mightily affronted. "Really Alice, you ought to understand."

She blinked and he went on as though instructing her on something of dread importance.

"You are my one chosen lady, I simply must take care of you." His male pride was wounded.

She smiled at him and nodded, "Alright. But it works both ways."

He chuckled, "O'Course lass. I'd be happy to let you see to my needs. Alll o em"

She blushed but set her cup aside and rose to her feet, holding her hand out to him. He moved to take it in his own. "I missed you Tarrant" she whispered, her voice dreadfully serious, "So very much."

He pressed a kiss to her little hand, not caring that she smelled of harbor or the skin was sticky with salt. "I could barely breathe when you were away" he told her, nodding so she understood he meant it. His free hand moving to rub absently at his chest, "The watches and clocks kept ticking, but this, in here. Well, it really didn't want to beat anymore."

"Tarrant?" she asked softly.

"Yes Alice?"

"Never change?"

"I'm mad" he reminded her, lifting his orange stained hands for her to see.

"And wonderful" she countered, "Promise me?"

His eyes sparkled, the green growing deeper. "Promise."

She nodded and slowly made her way to the tub, "I can't wait to get this stink off of me" she said aloud. She eyed him as she began to work the stiff garments from her body, "Will you join me?"

His eyes went wide at the invitation and he swallowed hard.

"I feel like I might crumble away to dust if you aren't near me" she breathed to him through the sweet smelling steam.

She might have laughed at his rapid, jerky motions to shed his clothing, if her own hadn't been similar.

She stepped into the hot water, sinking her chin as she folded her legs to sit. Tarrant stepped in to face her sinking to match her position. His hat still perched atop his head.

Alice lifted her wet hands to her face and washed the saltiness away, laughing lightly at the hatter as she did so. When she was done she met his gaze and asked, "Whatever are you doing with your hat in the bath?"

He nodded once, "As this is the first time I have shared your bath" he admitted, "I do wish to look my best."

She held his eyes as reached to take his coveted hat and placed it atop her head, then brushed her nose against his, "You are always the best thing I see."

His eyes turned devious and he lowered his voice, "Ye will make a lovely Hightopp" he purred. Then the hat fell to the floor and rolled to the door as he pressed their mouths together. Both so needy for the other.

He pulled back from her, drinking in the sight, like a starving man. Then he noticed the silver chain and a rather large ring hanging between her breasts. A man's ring. Arching a brow, he reached forward and caught it in his fingers. "A man's ring Alice?"

She blushed, "I meant it to be a surprise but I forgot it was there."

He cocked his head and she blushed redder, "Its for you…. A wedding ring."

He blinked at her, then at the ring.

She looked away, "If you don't like it I can find something better here I am sure."

With gentle fingers he unhooked the chain and slid the ring onto the proper finger. "it's the bonniest ring I ha e'er seen lass." Then he kissed the ring and leaned forward to kiss her once more.

Pulling back he licked his lips, "I 've yet to bathe ye love. Turn round."

His voice was husky and Alice complied, letting him draw her back against his chest. He cupped water over her head, and she moaned when he began to work the shampoo through her curls. His blunt snails scraping her scalp in a most enticing way.

"That is heaven" she sighed aloud. The familiar warm, fuzzy burn sparking to life in her stomach, "I also brought some bolts of fabric and tea from China. I thought you might like them."

Against her back, his chest rumbled happily.

"Tell me of your adventures in Overland." he suggested, trying to keep his mind on the task of cleaning and not taking.

She closed her eyes against him, as his soapy hands roved over her neck and shoulders, massaging away tensions. "Well, Chess dropped me into a carriage accident, that's how I hurt my head."

"Tha damnable feline!"

She patted his thigh, "I'm sure he didn't mean to. How could he have known? Then I woke to find John, his awful wife, Hamish and my sister standing over me."

There was a grunt behind her, "And who is this Hammy?"

"Hamish" she correctly softly, "The man my mother wanted me to marry."

His grip at her waist tightened, "Ye were betrothed?"

She shook her head, "No." she told him, "It was something my mother wanted to see me taken care of."

"I'll see to that" he growled softly.

She leaned back against him as he rinsed her hair and then soaped her arms. "It was before I came back and killed the Jabberwocky. I knew then that I could never, ever be with someone like him."

"Tell me" he commanded.

'Well, once I told him I wondered what it would be like to fly and he asked why I would think of such an impossible thing."

"Why wouldn't you?" Tarrant asked, clearly confused.

Alice laughed sweetly, "That was my answer."

Tarrant stroked his fingers down her arms, "And… When he kissed ye?" Had she melted for him too? He couldn't help but wonder.

Alice laughed outright, "Oh he never did, that's not proper you see? We only ever danced the quadrille. I hate that dance."

Tarrant relaxed a great degree, "Ye doona belong up there" he murmured in her ear, scooping water to rinse away the soaps he'd used on her, "I'll ne'er make you dance the quadrille, even if I knew wha it was." This hammy Hamish was not a threat to him.

Alice sighed sadly and his ears tuned to it. "My sister though, Tarrant, I worry for her."

He pressed soft kisses to the column of her neck, "Why lass?"

So she told him all she had come to know. Of her poor, sweet, trusting Margret and lecherous Lowell, who'd broken her heart. "It really isn't fait" she groused, "Above they tell a woman to be sweet and compliant and then they will marry well and their lives will be perfect."

"None of those things make perfection Alice" he said and his tone was calm and logical.

"I know that Tarrant but what a horrid lesson for her to learn now."

"He's a codwadger of a lowlife" Tarrant announced in his brogue, "Spineless." He felt roaring anger on her behalf, "Thas no kind of mon lass, I promise ye tha."

She nodded, "Do you know what I find most sad?" she asked him

He shook his head holding her eyes.

"She never enjoyed it Tarrant. Not once. Not ever!"

"Wha lass?"

She let her eyes trail down through the water to the jutting evidence of his need and then back to his eyes. "Well…. You … you know."

His eyes went wide and then darkened, "Well now, thas just no right. A mon isna really a mon if he canna keep his woman happy, in all ways. Thas just one o the many duties a mon takes on when he claims a woman fer his own."

"Claim?" she asked, sounded barbaric.

"Aye Alice" he said softly, "When ye claim a lass, that means ye want her fer ever and always. And ye must only ever claim fer love or it fades away. Well, tha makes all the difference."

"I said something very similar" Alice admitted. Then she told him of her plan for Margret to find her own happiness.

"It's a fine plan lass" he told her.

She told him of the wealth she left behind for Margret. "It wouldn't have done any good here anyway."

He bit down softly on her lobe, "I can gie ye everything ye want love." he assured her.

"You already do" she announced.

Once Alice was washed to his satisfaction and smelling sweet again they rose from the rub and he gently dried her form. Being apart had been very hard for them. Now that they felt the completeness that came with the other, to be apart was hardly an option.

Tarrant knelt and lifted one small foot after the other, patting the wetness away. He skirted his hands up her calves to lean in and press a kiss to her stomach. She shivered and he urged her lean back against the wall. The cold made her hiss, but Tarrant was already lifting one thigh over his shoulder.

And then his hot mouth was on her. Her hands driving into his hair as he made love to her slowly with his mouth. His tongue dipping into molten folds to tease the pearl hidden there. She arched her back, biting her fist to keep from crying out too loudly lest the others here.

He growled against her core, "Dinna hide yer sounds from me Alice. I want them." And he lashed her harshly with his tongue. The sound tore free. A high throaty whine.

"Oh… Oh gods Tarrant!"

"Aye" he rumbled to her, "Thas me and this is me lovin ye."

It didn't take long. Her need for him to great, his touch too expert and she shattered against the wall. He pressed his forehead to her stomach as she came down slowly, breathing in the scent of well sexed woman and groaned.

"Tarrant?" she breathed.

He kissed his way up her body, stopping to pay homage to her aching breasts and then he fused his mouth to hers.

"Tarrant?" she whined again.

"Aye love?" he murmured between kisses.

"I need you" she whimpered against his throat, biting down lightly for merit.

He pressed his body to hers, pinning her to the wall and lifted her thighs around his waist. She arched and cried out when he shoved inside of her. Groaning at the hot wetness he was surrounded by.

Her nails dug into his shoulders, feeling the muscles of his back rippled under her hands. One arm slid under her bottom the other hand braced on the wall beside her head. Then he began to move. Every thrust forcing her tightly against the wall, lifting her against the cool stone.

Her mouth fell open as he pumped upwards into her. He watched her for long moments, taking in the bliss of her expression and he angled his hips just so and slammed forward. Her eyes flew wide and she gave a strangled gasp as he hit some tender area within that made the flower of fire explode with violent force.

Her orgasm took her by surprise but he kept moving, slower now, bring her back up. His face pressed to her shoulder as he worked for their combined joy. Her mouth kissed everywhere she could reach. Her hands stoked down to his clenching cheeks and she dragged her nails lightly over his skin. He jerked against her and groaned.

"You feel so good inside of me." she whispered to him and Tarrant lost it. He felt his release rocket through him and shoved his hand between them to pinch and pull at her pebble until she tightened and arched again. She cried out his name as he latched onto the tender flesh of her shoulder, biting down in a firm grip.

Long seconds later, he let her slide down the wall to drape across his lap.

"What exactly is that?" he asked a long while later, looking over at the barrel. The fabrics had been washed in clean water so any lingering odor of harbor would leave them.

"Black powder" she replied sleepily, "I truly hope it counts as the fire of Underland."

"What does it do?" he asked.

"Explodes quite nicely." she returned and snuggled against him.

"Yes, but.. How?"

She kissed his chest, "I'll show you… on the battlefield."

He pouted until she kissed his chin and then he shrugged and smiled again.