Why is a raven like a writing desk?

He stopped to converse for a bit. He had no where else to go in particular, and talking to a kind stranger seemed like a good way to spend some time. Reaching out a hand he gave a smile. "I'm Jefferson, I've seen you around Granny's, Ruby, if I'm not mistaken?"

It sounds like I should spend more time here during the later hours. I've been missing out on quite a lot of fun. *He did laugh louder than he planned to at the mention of Regina's not so wanted wake-up.* *Although he'd already suspected what the answer was, the confirmation was still hard to hear. But he also felt overjoyed that she atleast had a relationship to their daughter, instead of being strangers. She got to somewhat make up for the time that had been stolen from her, so many years ago.* Perhaps, something with rabbits? They're quite popular with children, I think? *His voice was weak as he mentioned it, thinking back to times where he'd thought his love was dead, and his entire world revolved around the daughter she'd left behind. And how Grace had loved rabbits, and would stay in the forest for hours searching for ones to feed flowers she'd picked to, and insisted they played a part in her nighttime stories every night.*

After his life had been turned upside down not long ago, sleep didn't come easily to Jefferson anymore, and he more often spent mornings walking aimlessly through Storybrooke than in his bed at home. He spotted the waitress from Granny's, Ruby he seemed to recall her name was, and gave her a polite smile and a generic "Good morning." Not sure if he should expect a reply from the brunette.

*He raised an eyebrow in amusement at her mention of 'Free Shot Friday'. At least he could tell that Alicia still had Alyss' love for a fun time, and not always considering the consequences. He couldn't count on two hands the number of times they'd been in tight situations, only barely making it out with their lives, due to both of them having a bad habit of getting into trouble, and finding it enjoyable.* Your niece must feel very lucky to get to experience such amazing looking places like these, even if only in stories. *He kept a smile on his face, but his entire insides felt chilled all of a sudden. He didn't ask for a name, but knowing Regina and her cruelty when it came to her curse, he was fairly sure he already knew the name of Alicia's niece.*

*He smiled again, greater than before. He would take any opportunity to spend time with her, hoping somehow it would help her remember him, and who she used to be.* I would love to see this place filled with more than two people. *Whether he wanted it to or not, the smile on his face would not falter. Being around Alyss had always had that effect on him. At her mention of decorations, he looked around the room, suddenly feeling an overflow of memories. All of her paintings, where places he'd been. With her. With his eyes still glued to the paintings, though they weren't really seeing the painting as much as reliving the memories they brought forth, he spoke again.* You have a real talent for painting, I must say. The places in your decorations seem so... Real. Like you could just jump straight into them. *He chose his words carefully, hoping they would trigger some reaction from her.*

*He reached for the glass as she handed it to him, accidentally touching her fingers in the process. A bolt of lightning ran through his arm, as if the touch had once and for all confirmed she was really there. He took the glass from her and took a large sip from it. He really hoped he wasn't giving the impression that he didn't like her presence, which was beyond the opposite of the actual truth. If it were up to him, he would simply sit there and look at her, reveling in the fact that he hadn't really lost her after all.* I guess I just didn't feel like being at home, that's all. I've spent too much time at that place lately, and I can't stand being there more than I need to. And on my walk I happened to come across this place, and thought I'd stick my head in. *He felt like he was rambling on and on, but he couldn't stop himself. Alyss (Alicia his mind tried to correct him, but he wasn't listening) was too easy to talk to. It felt as natural as breathing.*

*Realizing that she didn't recognize him, hit him harder than anything he'd tried. And he'd been knocked out by a firm swing of a telescope. It was his Al standing there in front of him, but it wasn't. Someone else had taken over her body, locked away the real Alyss, replaced her with this Alicia person. He thought Regina had been cruel, locking him up with all of his mistakes to taunt him for years and years. But this, making such a remarkable and thoroughly beautiful woman forget the wonders she caused, the bravery she'd shown, the good she'd caused, was truly cruel. Part of him wanted to hate Alicia, but at the same time he wanted to reach out and feel if her hair was as soft brown as it had been when blonde. To see if she still fit his arms as perfectly as she had back then. More horrible than realizing the love of his life didn't know who he was, was coming to the realization that she didn't know Grace either. She didn't know that she was the mother of the most amazing and gentle girl in all of the worlds. She didn't remember the greatest wonder she'd ever been part of. Feeling like he was about to burst, he bit the inside of his lips, trying not to show just how much sorrow his mind was filled with at the moment, he nodded stiffly* A glass of whatever is the strongest you have would be preferred, thank you.

*Jefferson narrowed his eyes at the voice calling back to him. It sounded so much like... Like her. He shook his head free of unpleasant memories. Feeling strangely uneasy, he tucked at the ever-present scarf around his neck, hiding his scar generously given to him by the blasted Queen of Hearts. He was watching the direction the voice had come from, not knowing who to expect. And the person who turned the corner was indeed unexpected. It was her. Alyss. Alyss he'd traveled worlds with. Alyss he'd fallen madly in love with. Alyss he'd had the most beautiful girl in the world with. Alyss he'd lost. 'She can't be here!' his mind shouted at him. 'She died!' But she was, so she hadn't. Her hair was brown instead of the white-blonde it had been, but it was her expressive eyes, her lips had that ever-present smile on them, just as he remembered. He stared at her in shock for a moment, knowing she'd asked a question, but he couldn't find his voice. He couldn't even blink, fearing she'd disappear if he did. After taking a couple of shallow breaths, he managed to speak. Although he felt like the world had stopped moving, and was spinning, at the same time. He stuttered and talked quickly* I'm Jefferson, and I... I felt like I should actually see this place, being an investor in it.

Al’s outfit, b/c why not? :3 (Though she has a paintbrush in her hair keeping it in a bun rather than a fancy pin)

Jefferson Harker. The Hatter. Investor for The Rabbit Hole. FC: Sebastian Stan. TAKEN.

Nobody seems quite sure just how Jefferson acquired his magical hat, or about just where he came from, but what a few people think they know, is the story of how the mysterious Hatter met his Alyss. Running into her in the Hall Between Worlds, Jefferson and Alyss became almost inseparable after numerous run-ins with one another. Their chosen line of work wasn’t exactly legal in any sense of the word, and they quickly built up quite a reputation in multiple worlds as experts in stealing magical artefacts, for a price. The two worked perfectly together, in sync every step of the way, and it wasn’t long before the young portal-jumpers came to the realization that they had fallen hard for one another, eventually marrying and giving up their life of crime when Alyss discovered she was pregnant with their daughter, Grace.This perfect happy ending was brought to an abrupt and heartbreaking end as “one last job” for Regina to Wonderland, which Alyss took on alone, apparently resulted in his wife’s demise, leaving Jefferson to raise their one year old daughter alone. Abandoning his criminal lifestyle, he chose a simpler life in the forest to bring up his daughter, filling her life with stories of the adventures he and her mother had shared once upon a time. But after some manipulation from Regina nine years later, he found himself stranded in Wonderland by the queen, Grace effectively orphaned and Jefferson without a way to return to his daughter. Left at the ‘mercy’ of the Queen of Hearts in the fractured remnants of the Wonderland he had once visited before Chernabog, he was slowly driven to the brink of his sanity in his desperate efforts to recreate the magic hat which had brought him to Wonderland in the first place. When Regina enacted the Dark Curse, he was pulled out of Wonderland and trapped in a house full of every luxury he had wanted for Grace, forced to watch his beloved little girl with a whole new family for twenty eight years before Emma arrived in town. Despite his best efforts during a tension filled night at his house when he took the Saviour and Snow White hostage in a last-ditch attempt at finding a way to take Grace home. The night culminated in a fight which left him kicked out of an upstairs window, a fall he only survived by falling into the hat Emma had made and reignited with just enough of a spark of magic. With the Enchanted Forest inaccessible, Jefferson briefly found himself in Wonderland once more, but was able to find a way back into Storybrooke through the cracks between worlds that had begun to grow since Emma had arrived. After being involved in Regina’s plot to send Emma under the sleeping curse, Jefferson retreated back to his house as the curse only fractured. Realising that he can’t hide in the house forever, he’s decided to start exploring the false life of somewhat eccentric millionaire playboy from New York the curse had built for him, namely one of the town’s bars he’d invested in, The Rabbit Hole…