It seemed strange to Uncas to be back at the Cameron's homestead. The last two memories he had of this place were completely opposite from each other, and coming back to it now, when it was so empty and quiet, felt odd. The strangest part of those memories were what Alexandra had said that last, perfect night. "Why is Uncas with you? He should settled with a woman, started a family by now." As he walked down the field toward the Cameron's old home, one arm around a woman's waist, he smiled. Alice may be unused to life on the frontier, unused to the dangers, but he had the feeling that Alexandra would have approved of this woman. He would've continued with his reverie, but Alice's voice pulled him out of it.
"I don't know how to do any of this," she said staring up at the cabin.
"Do any of what?"
"Any of...this, living out here," she told him. "My whole life revolved around afternoon tea, learning the harpsichord, doing embroidery. I wasn't prepared for any of this."
She looked up with anxiety filling her large hazel eyes. A smile started playing about his own mouth.
"I don't how to have a life with a woman permanetly in it. But I think we can manage," he said.
"Really, do you think so?"
He looked down at her face, and for the first time, he thought he could see something in her eyes resembling hope.
"Yes, I do. Maybe even afternoon tea."
Alice smiled. He had yet to see her truly, hopefully happy. That one smile had made everything worth it. It made him fall in love with her all over again. In an instant, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. And then she pulled back, looking up at him with a smile.
"I think I could do without tea if I could be with you."
"Then with or without tea, we can manage. I promise," Uncas replied. He kissed her again and took her hand. "Let's go home."
Summer faded slowly, the warmth holding on until the beginning of October. It was enough time to build the house back up, with plans for another in the spring down the hill. Cora had inisted to Nathaniel about their own home day and night until she got her way and he agreed. Uncas had smiled and rolled his eyes at his brother the night he did, knowing that Nathaniel was settling down with the more hot tempered Munro sister. Alice had had been sitting at the fireplace that night, finishing a shirt for Chingachgook, and she had only smile at Nathaniel's eventual agreement. As stubborn as he was, Alice knew he was done for since her sister was just as stubborn and hot tempered. She almost felt sorry for her brother-in-law, but she knew they were happy. Just as she and Uncas were, even if they couldn't have the church wedding she had always imagined she would have. She had worried about the impropriety of the two of them sharing a bed together until his father had told her that among his own people, the intention to share a home made a marriage. And so, she and Uncas were married.
A/N: I am so, so sorry about the really long wait for something new on this story. Life was a little busy, and I was working on other projects. But while I was thinking about this story, I wrote "A Sister's thoughts." Which brought me back to this story. So here we are, Chapter 5. I hope that it was worth the wait. There WILL be a Chapter 6. I was going to make into one big chapter, but as I was writing it, it felt weird, so I'm splitting it up. I'm not sure if Chapter 6 will be the last one or not. I'm going away on vacation tomorrow, and I'll be gone for a week, so it'll be a while before the next chapter goes up. But I promise, it won't be a year wait for it! So here's hoping the rest of the world (and the Muse, of course) let's me make good on that promise.