Alice walked towards Uncas and halted in front of him, the top of her head brushing his chin. She reached up slowly to cup his jaw, "I'm sorry I'm late." She started to sob quietly, "So late… so late…" Her hand fell away from him as she collapsed on his bare chest, crying earnestly, her shoulders shaking with each breath she drew.

Uncas felt Alice's warm tears on his skin, his hands clenched at his sides. She remembered him. She finally remembered him. Agony ripped through his body and his knees almost crumbled underneath him. But at that moment, Alice slid her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "I love you. God, I love you," she whispered brokenly. Uncas looked down into her eyes as her words washed over him. His lips cracked open but he struggled to speak. He realised he did not what to say. Hell, he did not even know how he felt. Uncas knew he should be happy and relieved but bittersweet, paralysing pain was coursing through his veins instead.

Alice's heart squeezed when she saw the undisguised pain and confusion in Uncas' eyes. He had lived the past nine years thinking she had abandoned and betrayed him. He might have forgiven her when they had met again but now confronted with Alice and her regained memory, he did not know what to do, how to react. She was tearing all his carefully stitched wounds apart for the third time.

Alice tiptoed and kissed his cheek tenderly, "I never stopped loving you. Even though I didn't remember you – my heart did. From the first time we met at the party, I started getting remembering the past, remembering us. My heart never forgot you."

Uncas clutched her shoulders roughly and took a shattered breath, "I missed you. I missed you so goddamn much. Missed you so much I wanted to die when you didn't recognise me at the party…" He stopped talking as tears leaked from his eyes and splashed on Alice's face. Alice thumbed his tears away and pressed her mouth on his, kissing him deeply.

Uncas' breath caught in his throat as Alice kissed him with sweet passion. Alice. She had finally returned to him. His arms banded around her and he tumbled her backwards onto the couch. They continuing kissing even as Uncas slowly stripped Alice of her clothes as she shoved the towel off him. Uncas gazed into Alice's eyes as he crushed her to him, forging them together. Alice smiled and whispered, "Welcome home, darling…"

Hours later, they remained snuggled on the couch, in each other's arms. "Why did you come to London all those years ago? I recall I was really curious then," Alice asked quietly as she traced his collarbone with one finger. Uncas captured her hand and kissed her palm. He sighed heavily, "I was going to ask you to marry me. I had bought a ring and planned to propose when I met you. But…" "I ended up getting engaged and married to another man, "Alice finished for him.

There was a pause before Uncas said, "I met Ashleigh earlier today and he told me what happened that night. You were rushing to meet me when you got into the accident. If you think about it, it was my fault that you got into the accident and I – "Alice cut him off, "Rubbish. It was the fault of no one. I should have told you about Ashleigh from the beginning." Uncas squinted at her, "Why didn't you? Ashleigh told me the two of you agreed to break off the engagement anyway so why didn't you tell me about him?"

"I was going to tell you after I broke off the engagement with him. I had planned to tell my parents about you that summer but I didn't get a chance before the surprise engagement party happened. I was stupid, really. I should have just told you…" Alice explained haltingly, gnawing her bottom lip.

"It doesn't matter now. It really doesn't," he whispered hoarsely as he hugged her tightly. "Nine years. Now that I have my memory back, it is horrifying to think I lived nine years of my life without you… with you hating me without even knowing that you did. It is just… crazy," Alice sighed, kissing the warm skin of his shoulder. "That was how I felt when I first realised you had lost your memory. That you lived so many years without knowing me at all, like I never existed in your life at all, "he said quietly, nudging her ear gently his nose.

"It was awful, wasn't it? I can't imagine how awful you must have felt when I treated you like a stranger at the party," she responded despondently. "It felt like hell a thousand times over," he agreed, running his hands lovingly down her silky back. When tears started to fill her eyes again, Uncas gave her a quick squeeze, his mouth curling into a tiny grin, "But there was one thing I was thankful for that didn't change even when didn't remember me," Alice arched her head to look at him, "What was it?" "That you still thought I was hot enough to hit on me."

"Ash?" Ashleigh swivelled around at the sound of Alice's soft voice. She stood at the threshold of his apartment entrance, her face relaxed and glowing. Ashley knew immediately she had been with Uncas. It was the sight of a woman well-loved and contented in every way possible. She strolled in and to his surprise, threw her arms around him and hugged him warmly, "I cannot believe the password to your apartment is still the date of our wedding." Ashleigh affectionately returned her embrace, "I think that was the happiest day of my life." Alice took a step back and studied her ex-husband. He had been nothing but a pillar of support and a steadfast friend throughout the years, especially the first few months after her accident.

Ashleigh tossed her an amused grin as he moved towards the bar at the corner of his living room, intending to make her favourite drink. "What brings you here, Alice? " "I got my memory back, Ash," Alice interrupted abruptly. Ashleigh gaped at her, "What? When?" "A couple of days ago. Uncas called me and said he was in London. That was the trigger. He said the exact same thing to me nine years ago… when he arrived in London. I know you have met him. He told me."

Ashleigh tried to say something but he was truly rendered speechless. If Alice remembered the past, she would have remembered that they had wanted to break off the engagement because she had told him of her American lover. She would know that he had not said anything over the past nine years. He clutched the edge of the bar table and started haltingly, "God, Alice. I know I should have –"Alice gently put her hand on top of his hand. Lacing her fingers through his, she declared firmly, "Despite everything, I never regretted marrying you, Ash. You are a wonderful man, a wonderful friend. You were a wonderful husband to me. Thank you. Thank you so much for being there for me when I needed you. I understand why you did what you did and I don't blame you. I would have done the same in your shoes."

Ashleigh stared at her, torn by her heartfelt, sincere words, "Alice…" Alice hugged him again and whispered against his cheek, "I love you, Ash. I will always love you in my own special way. Thank you for loving me all these years." Ashleigh swallowed painfully as tears streaked down his cheeks. He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead tenderly, "It is my pleasure and joy. You… are a very easy woman to love, Alice." At that, Alice started to sob in earnest. Ashleigh hugged her tighter, "I will always love you, too… in my own special way."

By the time Alice returned to the hotel, it was nearly seven in the evening. She had spent the whole afternoon with Ashleigh, laughing and reminiscing over the happy memories they had created and shared together. Alice had not lied to Ashleigh – she did not blame him at all. She recalled she had told him nothing of Uncas except for the fact that she had someone waiting for her back in New York. Uncas had packed and left New York after and had not gone back since. It would have been difficult for Ashleigh to find out more about him.

Uncas was sprawled on the couch watching TV when she entered the hotel room. She dropped down next to him and grabbed the beer he held in his hand. Taking a swig, she raised an eyebrow at him, "I heard from Ash you are going to give him a discount when you design his new office in Zurich." Uncas snitched back the beer and took a huge gulp, "He's a good man. And I'm not giving him a discount. I'm just gonna waive the cost of installing the skylights." Alice rolled her eyes, "That's like the entire roof of the building."

Uncas just shrugged and draped an arm over her shoulder. Pulling her close, he kissed the side of her mouth and mumbled, "Missed you." Alice squinted at the shopping bags on the coffee table, "Missed me so much you just had to buy tea and chocolate to drown your misery in?" Uncas chuckled, "Those are for Steffi and my son. They just love these things. They are coming to Hong Kong next month." Alice sat up excitedly, "Can I meet them? I would love to meet them." Uncas smiled at her enthusiasm, "I would love for you to meet them, too. I called Steffi earlier and told her everything. She is really happy for me, for us. She is dying to meet you, too."

Alice nodded happily and Uncas reached into his pocket. Without fanfare, he slipped the diamond ring he had bought earlier – after buying the tea and chocolate - onto the fourth finger of her left hand. "About time," he teased huskily and kissed her palm lovingly. Alice glanced at the ring and gazed up at the man she loved more than anything, anyone in the world.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting, "she replied achingly as she framed his jaw. Uncas kissed her fingers, "I love waiting for you, sweetheart. Maybe deep inside, I never stopped believing you would come back to me. That's why I kept waiting. And waiting. Until the day we met again at the party in Hong Kong."

Alice bit her lip, "How could you endure waiting all these years..." Uncas' eyes glinted with resolve, "I just had to believe. Believe that you would come back to me one day." Alice lay her left hand on his heart, "Well, now you have to believe that I will never keep you waiting ever again."

"I do."

-The End-

Author's note: I'm soooo sorry I kept so many of you waiting for so long. It took me awhile - a very long while - but I finally finished the story. It just has been a really crazy year for me and I just didn't have the time to sit down proper to write the last chapter. Thank you for all the messages and notes of encouragement. I hope you guys will appreciate the ending and yet another Alice-Uncas re-imagined.