Title: So Unaware of the World

Chapter: 8?

Pairing: Ada/Ruby

Disclaimer: Still not mine, sadly.

Notes: Many, many, many thanks to those who kept pestering me about this. And another many, many thanks to those who have reviewed the last few chapters.

The majority of this was hand written in a notebook while sitting in by the window in the Barnes & Noble café, sipping mint frappachino. Hardly ever home anymore, let alone time to sit down and write anything coherent…plus this story is sort of…I don't know. I haven't lost interest in it, just the ability to write it as I want…once I finish it, or get nearer to, I plan on going over every chapter & fixing all the little things…maybe it's just me…I'm just never pleased with anything I write, and I find it necessary to do such things. I'm just impressed with myself that I've started a chaptered story that I actually intend to finish…usually I'm one to forget things/lose interest, but this has held my interest for a year and a half now, and it would just be a waste of time for me to put this much effort into something to just drop it now. I think because I honestly came up with the end before I even wrote the first words has been the drive to finish it. But with summertime here once again, I have time to sit and clear my head…thus, more fanfics…whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know.

Also, at this point I am just glad I'm writing again. I know some of this doesn't make sense, but…at least I'm getting somewhere. …is it sad that I haven't watched the movie is almost 6 months? But I still love it as much as I always have.

Oh, and for whatever reason, this chapter & the following were the most difficult to write, the rest of the fic is completely hand written out in my notebook from over a year ago. It's all down hill from here

Sorry for the long wait. Enjoy :)

I can't explain what I feel but I know it's for real

Don't let me go back down

Something as simple as sewing several pieces of material together shouldn't have taken as long as it had. Even between the two of them, it seemed as if by the time the coat was completed there would be no need for it. They had both kept unusually silent throughout the evening, trying to stay concentrated on their work.

After a bit, Ruby sat still, neglecting to thread the needle any longer. She got up and left without warning, leaving the needle and horsehair to drop to the floor.

Ada paused only for a second, not even batting an eye to acknowledge Ruby's sudden absence before going back to sewing the coat. There was a period of time in which she thought Ruby Thewes knew no other emotion other than anger, but it was more frustration than anger. After that day, she could truly say she had seen her angry. She had kept close watch on her in the kitchen while she was cutting the ham for her father, as if at any moment she'd take the butcher knife and cut his throat. When she had finished slicing the ham, when she finally had enough confidence to make eye contact with him, Ada stood behind her, gripping her at the wrist at intervals. She, too, managed to keep a stern visage. She found herself in the awkward position of protecting Ruby from whatever was upsetting her, though it was no more than words and past events. Ever after she had stopped screaming and shaking, and he had left with nothing more than a request of a coat for his friend, she held herself together. Biting her lip and bloodshot eyes remained the only sign of weakness.

Ada had stayed up long into the night sewing, finishing quicker than she had thought, even without Ruby. There wasn't that much that had needed done to begin with. Something she had come to realize about Ruby that night was that she had shown not to be as unforgiving as she put forward. When she had talked of her father before, it was always bitterly, not that Ada blamed her. Maybe it wasn't forgiveness she had offered in asking if he had a coat, but Ada's own mannerisms wearing off on her. She shrugged to herself at the thought before holding up the coat. It was just a bit taller than she was, but at least four times wider. They had used one of her fathers' coats for the pattern, and an old quilt for the rest of it. There were patches of other bits of scrap they had found laying about to patch it together as well. They were sure the deserters would find this as a source of amusement, something to do around the fire at night, attach back stories to the various patches on the coat. At least that's what she would be doing.

When she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she was surprised to see Ruby sitting at the dinner table, facing down, holding her head in her hands. For whatever reason, she had thought she has gone to bed. She decided it was best to leave her be rather than to instigate her. Ada opened the front door, surprised to see the deserter's seated on the front steps, waiting for the coat. She stepped out, smiling warmly and presented the coat to them. The big one smiled his toothy grin and tried it on, smiling and twirling about. Ada turned to return to the warmth of the house, but was instead met by Ruby standing at the front door, smiling to the deserters. She leaned against the doorframe, smiling, but her eyes remained cold. Ada left her to say whatever it was she wanted to say to them, not wanting to get involved.

She had read quite a bit of her novel and had blown out the candles long before she heard the stairs creak and Ruby walk past her door. She heard her let out an exasperated sigh as her shadow crept under the doorway, walking past her door and into her room. Ada sat up, though she wasn't able to see anything except what the moonlight chose to highlight and disregard. She let out a deep breath and rolled over on her back so that she could stare at the ceiling clouded by darkness. There was part of her that wasn't sure as to what she had been feeling lately, drifting through life, only half believing that her Inman was alive at all. It was only then that she realized how much she missed Ruby's company at night. She had someone to talk to who listened to her. She found herself wishing Ruby would come back, to talk to her about what had gone on when she had left.

She began blindly searching for the matches on the night stand. After a few moments of struggle, she successfully lit one of the candles and picked up her novel again, knowing it would be a while before she would be able to sleep properly.

The light must have drawn her near, because she heard Ruby's footsteps once again, approaching her door. She knocked twice before twisting the door handle and standing in the doorway plainly, her hands at her sides.

"What happened?" Ada finally questioned after the silence, closing the book and setting it aside.

"Nothin'. I tol' them they couldn't stay 'round here, 'd be best off if they'd go up in the woods or somethin'…." Ruby trailed off, now resting her hand on the doorknob, preparing to shut the door and take her leave.

"No, I mean…how are things? I heard you laughing, I'm assuming it went well…"

Ruby rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Their tales jus' kept getting' wilder and wilder by the minute…I couldn' stan' another secon' of their bullshit."

Ada nodded and moved over as a motion for to settle beside her. Ruby looked to the floor than at her, raising her eyebrows slightly. Ada was transfixed on her novel once again, not paying any attention. Ruby came to rest next to her, propping herself up on her elbows, leaning over Ada's shoulder slightly. Ada inched over more and look her in the eye.

"Never did finish this one…" Ada sighed, turning the page back to where she and Ruby had stopped so many nights ago before she began to read out loud, as she used to. Ruby lay contently on her side, hardly listening to the story, looking over Ada's face, her long hair falling in front of her eyes. She was too absorbed in her reading to push it back herself. She wanted it to go back the way it was just the night before. Ada had been distant with her since that afternoon, and she didn't like it. They had always been somewhat distant with each other, but they had their moments. The other night, by the fireplace. They both sat on the rug in front on the fire, Ada with her book, Ruby with her head on Ada's shoulder, her arm around her waist, her fingers running over her hand. It had always been like that between then. It angered her when Ada would talk of her Inman, but she listened, because it made her happy. Just like that moment. She hadn't the slightest clue what had been happening in the novel. Any other night, she would have cared. Because she knew she'd awake beside her the next morning. Yet each time there was a sense of uncertainty. She was waiting for Ada to have a breaking point. She supposed this was it. Watching her eyes move about the page and her lips take the shape of the words she was reading ever so precisely. Ruby sat up, stretching before falling on her back, staring at the ceiling.

Ruby reached over and ran her fingers along Ada's wrist until she came to her fingers. Without missing a syllable, Ada twisted her wrist so that she could entwine their fingers. She kept a firm hold on her hand and raised their hands up to her lips, planting a light kiss on the back of Ruby's hand. Ruby turned away, watching the candle flame flicker.

After a few more minutes, Ada said something of pausing for the night. Ruby looked to her, confused, and took up the reading herself. She didn't want to leave her side that night. Even if she awoke and Ada was on the far end of the bed, or even already awake without her. She still wasn't sure what this feeling was, love or something other than, but she didn't approve of it at the moment.

Note - I know they're in seperate rooms when they're awake in the morning. Don't worry, I stick to the story, as you will see in the next chapter.