[jQuery] Set input value in html()

I hope I explain this well!

I want to pass a form to a server script (to be saved and reloaded
later, but that's besides the point) with all the changes reflected in
passed data.

I have the following:

<script type="text/javascript" src="jquery.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
        $(function() {
                $("#save").click(function() {
                        $("#input").attr("value", "Hella Cool!");
                        $("#input").attr("align", "bottom");
                        alert($("form").clone().html());
                });
        });
</script>

<form>
        <input id="input" type="text" value="" />
</form>

<button id="save">Save</button>

When I click on Save I want to see the form HTML in the alert with the
value filled out with whatever I have typed into the input field. I
have tried using val() instead but the same thing happens, I always
get value="" which reflects the original markup!

Notice also that I can change another of the inputs attributes, align
(was the first one that srung to mind :O).

I gave clone a go to. Maybe I have to reconstruct the input and set
the value in that and THEN replace the original.

Any other ideas?

Cheers.

Adrian