Title: So Unaware of The World

Chapter: 2/?

Disclaimer: I don't own Cold Mountain, or any of the characters, because if I did, you'd better believe this is how the story would go. ;)

Pairing: Ada/Ruby

Thanks: Again, to my wonderful beta readers, Alicia, Kimmie and Katie. You guys are awesome.

Notes: Here I go again. Thanks, Katie, for reviewing. It means a lot to me =) I realize these chapters are pretty short, the third one is quite long so far, and things start getting interesting ;) Another random note, I received a $15 Barnes and Noble gift card for my birthday yesterday, so later today I am off to B&N to purchase the Cold Mountain book for myself. I doubt reading it will change anything I have written so far, but at least I'll be more aware of what the difference between the book and film were.

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"The Worker"

Several weeks passed, the men had gone out to war. Shortly after she heard of Revered Monroe's passing. She didn't think much of it, just kept tending to her own property. She had enough hogs, sheep and wheat to make it through the winter, with surplus, as usual.

On occasion, she'd saddle up her old mare and ride by the plantation where Ada still resided. Still had her eye on it. Sally Swanger had told her to leave Ada some hog meat at her doorstep, but it would seem awkward. They didn't know each other. They'd never spoken, and their first exchanges hadn't exactly been on the most pleasant of terms.

On that particular morning, she saw Ada for the first time since they had made knowledge of each other's existence. There she was, in the field, scrounging around for wheat or berries in the dead of winter. Ruby chuckled her herself and patted her old mare on the neck.

"Not sure if rich bitch is gonna make it through th' winter," she continued chuckling to her mare, almost expecting an answer.

But somehow, she had. With help from the Swanger's and others help, constantly giving her food and blankets. Ruby watched them, day after day, going up to her doorstep and leaving whatever they could to help. It was her fault for letting the slaves go. She didn't deserve this help. She'd seen Ada go down to the shop several times a week, often bringing her family's riches to trade for food. She somehow always managed to return with both what she had came with and some more rations. It was sickening the way she was living off other people's work, but it was probably how she had done it in Charleston, too. After all, she was just the poor, defenseless, rich girl who just happened to be friendly enough for everyone to take a quick liking to.

Sally had invited Ruby over for dinner one evening, saying she wanted to ask a favor of her. Not knowing what she was getting herself into, she obliged, joining Sally and Esco for vegetable soup and hog meat that night. Sally seemed nervous about something, constantly stirring her soup and avoiding eye contact.

"I'm getting worried about Ada, she hasn't been looking well lately, have you passed by, Ruby?"

She raised an eyebrow; it was the only thing to stop her from laughing. So she just wanted her to pass by and check up on Ada. Again. It was just odd, she honestly didn't give a damn if she lived or died this winter. Though if she died, she would probably save a lot of people a lot of extra rations. Of course, she wasn't about to point that out to Sally.

"No, ma'm, ever since m' mare died, I ain't had any time to get anywhere. She was old, that mare, plowed a whole lotta' of fields in her day." Ruby replied quickly before shoving more ham into her mouth.

Sally nodded slightly, "I was wondering, Ruby, would you consider goin' over and helpin' her out? She's real kind, Ada, she'll let you stay with her if you tell her you want to. Just don't ask for any money, she ain't got any anymore. She's got a horse you could plow with, cows that need milkin', lots of work to get done. You're the only one around these parts that can plow a field that didn't go off to that silly war and all."

Ruby chewed on the ham a while, figuring the more time she gnawed on it, the more time she'd have to spend at Sally's before heading over to Ada's. This was a favor for Sally, and everyone else in town. If she taught Ada how to take care of herself, no one else would have to sacrifice their own rations for her anymore. It seemed fair. Might as well save someone else the grief. Though she lacked patience.

"I guess so, got nothin' t' do anyway, no way to plow until I can get m'self another horse."

About two weeks had passed since the day she headed over to Ada's. At first, Ada just looked on, dumbfounded at everything Ruby showed her, all the while trying to take notes on how to do everything. Except decapitating the rooster, she didn't seem to care to take notes on that. It didn't take her long to see how Ada did things. Ada was very careful not to get dirty, as she didn't exactly have any clothes fit out for the job. She found some old dresses that served their purpose, but even then she didn't like the dirty work. She did the easier bits of the work, standing at the bottom of the ladder, handing Ruby the shingles for the top of the house and shed, sometimes trying to write letters while doing so. She'd rather groom the horse than plow with it any day, except after it was done plowing. She'd just end up slicing off the mare's feet feathers rather than brushing through them, eliminating the risk of getting mud on her hands and under her nails. Sometimes she'd braid the mane and tail, depending how much mud was glopped between the hairs.

The letters she wrote, as Ruby quickly found out, were all to the same man, a man she hardly knew who had gone off to war just shortly before Ruby had showed up. Her determination amused Ruby, constantly writing letters to a man who never cared to send one in return. Inman, his name was. That wasn't even really his first name. Just went to show how well she knew him, not even knowing his first name. Alas, her determination prevailed, continuing to write the letters though receiving nothing in return. She may as well be writing to a dead man.

But what she couldn't do on the farm, she made up for on the piano. Her long fingers struck each ivory key with care, her eyes never leaving the songbook in front of her. Ruby could of told her all their hogs got eaten by a grizzly bear, but as long as she had the piano at her fingertips, it didn't matter. She'd rather starve than be without her music. Sometimes Ruby believed it was what had gotten Ada through the harsh winter before, just knowing that after her long walk home from the shop in the cold, she had a piano waiting at home for her, in the warmth of a fire. Watching her play was a spectacle within itself. She knew most of the songs off by heart, having spent days on one tune at a time, perfecting each strike of her finger, even though no one was watching. But Ruby was watching her now. Each night, after she had gone up the stairs to get ready for bed, she'd hear the soft chords striking a melody. It reminded her of songbirds in the morning, each note sung with care. Ruby thought about asking her to teach her how to play, after all, she had helped her stock up for the coming winter, but it was asking too much. She'd rather watch from the stairway every night, yearning to be in her place. She never had the patience to do such a thing; she was better off butchering cows and sowing the seeds in the soil. She could never adapt to Ada's lifestyle, of pawning over a man she hardly knew, playing the piano, and braiding horsehairs.

And it was then she realized, she didn't want to be Ada, she wanted to have Ada.