Faith.
[ It's his one-word answer as he rubs the back of Brianna's head. ]
I didna realize she had no knowledge of her.
[ Not said in accusation, just a reason why he felt the need to explain. ]
[ It's his one-word answer as he rubs the back of Brianna's head. ]
I didna realize she had no knowledge of her.
[ Not said in accusation, just a reason why he felt the need to explain. ]
Edited 2019-01-12 22:42 (UTC)
[There's a long silence from Claire. She's not still, not entirely, just thoughtfully stroking Bree's hair as they both rest against Jamie.]
Was she angry?
Was she angry?
No, Sassenach. Only sad for you, she said.
[ Jame reaches, to touch Claire's cheek softly. ]
I do think of her as well. Often.
[ But they so rarely speak her name aloud, a name they didn't give her. A name given because neither of them could. He wonders if she's in stasis somewhere like other dead, like Frank, but he doesn't dare ask. ]
[ Jame reaches, to touch Claire's cheek softly. ]
I do think of her as well. Often.
[ But they so rarely speak her name aloud, a name they didn't give her. A name given because neither of them could. He wonders if she's in stasis somewhere like other dead, like Frank, but he doesn't dare ask. ]
So do I. I thought of her every moment, it felt like, when Bree was little. They looked just the same.
[Most babies do, she knows, but the red hair did her in more than once.]
Are you upset I didn't tell her?
[Most babies do, she knows, but the red hair did her in more than once.]
Are you upset I didn't tell her?
Oh, Claire.
[ His hand cradles to her cheek now. ]
No. No, I'm no' upset, mo chridhe. I understand why. So does Brianna. Dinna fash.
[ He tries to soothe, the best he can, not wanting her to worry that he's angry. ]
[ His hand cradles to her cheek now. ]
No. No, I'm no' upset, mo chridhe. I understand why. So does Brianna. Dinna fash.
[ He tries to soothe, the best he can, not wanting her to worry that he's angry. ]
I just... I just didn't want her to have to swallow that on top of everything else. And--it was difficult to talk about her. I hadn't in so long. I didn't forget her. Or not want Bree to never know, I just...
[He understands, he says, and she believes him. Still.]
[He understands, he says, and she believes him. Still.]
I promise ye, Claire, ye dinna have to explain anythin' to either of us. An dtuigeann tú?
[ Do you understand? He needs her to, he needs her to know she will never have to explain herself surrounding the aftermath of Faith for as long as they live.
He wasn't there, and he has no right to tell her how to process, any of it. ]
[ Do you understand? He needs her to, he needs her to know she will never have to explain herself surrounding the aftermath of Faith for as long as they live.
He wasn't there, and he has no right to tell her how to process, any of it. ]
Edited 2019-01-12 23:16 (UTC)
[Lord John would not quite say that he hasn't been sleeping well, but. Well, he supposes he has not truly been sleeping well, of late. Perhaps it is the unfamiliar room, although truth be told he has slept in plenty of unfamiliar rooms in his life, and unfamiliar tents while on campaign, and he hasn't had quite the same trouble then as he is having now. No, if he were asked to put a finger on the matter, it would be a more specific matter of his environs. The land itself. And the owner of the mansion, for that matter.
The house is relatively quiet, at this hour of the night, despite the alarming number of people staying in it. John finds himself wandering towards a sitting room in search of some refreshment to help him calm his wandering mind -- perhaps some more of that whiskey Jamie's shared with him before? Stepping into the salon on quiet feet, only to find that there is someone else in the room already.]
I -- forgive me the interruption. [He offers her the dip of a bow in greeting.] I did not realize the room was occupied.
The house is relatively quiet, at this hour of the night, despite the alarming number of people staying in it. John finds himself wandering towards a sitting room in search of some refreshment to help him calm his wandering mind -- perhaps some more of that whiskey Jamie's shared with him before? Stepping into the salon on quiet feet, only to find that there is someone else in the room already.]
I -- forgive me the interruption. [He offers her the dip of a bow in greeting.] I did not realize the room was occupied.
[ Miraculously tonight, she's managed to wake on her own without panic, but she can't fall asleep again. That's why she's wrapped in a blanket, tea beside her as she sketches in a book. At the voice, she looks up and puts her pencil down. ]
No, it's alright. It's a large room and I'm only one person.
[ She smiles softly at him. ]
Please, it's your space as much as mine.
No, it's alright. It's a large room and I'm only one person.
[ She smiles softly at him. ]
Please, it's your space as much as mine.
[He glances down at the pencil she sets aside, but politeness has him keep his curiosity to himself for now. And his desire for a good stiff drink keeps him from giving in to his politeness and fully excusing himself from the interruption entirely. Offering her a smile instead in turn.]
Perhaps it is. Perhaps in time I will finally adjust to the idea of it as well.
[He steps across the room, reaching for the decanter and taking down a glass before turning to glance at her over his shoulder. Thinking of offering her a glass in turn, but then she already has a mug herself.]
I will be out of your hair, if that is how you would prefer it. Though I do apologize, I do not know your name.
Perhaps it is. Perhaps in time I will finally adjust to the idea of it as well.
[He steps across the room, reaching for the decanter and taking down a glass before turning to glance at her over his shoulder. Thinking of offering her a glass in turn, but then she already has a mug herself.]
I will be out of your hair, if that is how you would prefer it. Though I do apologize, I do not know your name.
Edited (missing words) 2019-01-13 21:45 (UTC)
No, the company is welcome.
[ It might keep her out of her own head for a while. ]
I'm Brianna.
[ She keeps her last name out of it; 'Randall' isn't popular in this house, after all. She doesn't stand, though, to be formal about the introduction. ]
My father has told me about you, though, Lord John Grey.
[ Not everything, and not much, beyond she need not be worried to have him in the house with her. ]
[ It might keep her out of her own head for a while. ]
I'm Brianna.
[ She keeps her last name out of it; 'Randall' isn't popular in this house, after all. She doesn't stand, though, to be formal about the introduction. ]
My father has told me about you, though, Lord John Grey.
[ Not everything, and not much, beyond she need not be worried to have him in the house with her. ]
[Lord John raises his eyebrows in response to that.]
Has he indeed?
[Well. She did say that the company was welcome. Grey takes a couple steps forward before moving to take a seat close to her, offering her a slightly embarrassed smile.]
In my experience as a soldier, to have one's reputation precede them is not necessarily a positive thing.
[Lord only knows what Jamie Fraser has said about him, for that matter, given the history between them.]
Dare I ask?
Has he indeed?
[Well. She did say that the company was welcome. Grey takes a couple steps forward before moving to take a seat close to her, offering her a slightly embarrassed smile.]
In my experience as a soldier, to have one's reputation precede them is not necessarily a positive thing.
[Lord only knows what Jamie Fraser has said about him, for that matter, given the history between them.]
Dare I ask?
during the fog but before claire abandons bree for theon
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nineteenfortyfive
2019-01-16 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[It can't just be calm. All she wants is some peace and fucking quiet so her daughter can heal, collect herself, and this whole end of the world thing is not helping. Claire feels helpless. Even more so than before. She can't promise anything.
All she can do is keep her daughter close. Which is what she does, letting Jamie take charge of most else while the world at large figures out what to do and where to go. She has no qualms about kissing her forehead and keeping an arm around her as they sit on the bed, the curtains drawn in the room, keeping the world outside at bay for now.]
You should eat something.
[Typical mom.]
All she can do is keep her daughter close. Which is what she does, letting Jamie take charge of most else while the world at large figures out what to do and where to go. She has no qualms about kissing her forehead and keeping an arm around her as they sit on the bed, the curtains drawn in the room, keeping the world outside at bay for now.]
You should eat something.
[Typical mom.]
All good, I promise.
[ In truth he hasn't told her much, but what Jamie has told her, was in high praise. ]
He did mention that you're from far in his past, according to your own timeline, so all the praise he sings may not make sense to you now.
[ In truth he hasn't told her much, but what Jamie has told her, was in high praise. ]
He did mention that you're from far in his past, according to your own timeline, so all the praise he sings may not make sense to you now.
I'm really not hungry, mama.
[ She's just tense with worry, unsure how this is supposed to play out. ]
I thought we were all brought here to avoid the end of the world? So what happens now, are we all going to die anyway?
[ She's just tense with worry, unsure how this is supposed to play out. ]
I thought we were all brought here to avoid the end of the world? So what happens now, are we all going to die anyway?
I don't know.
[She can't lie and promise everything will be fine when it's very much not looking so.]
The Storm caught up to us after all.
[She can't lie and promise everything will be fine when it's very much not looking so.]
The Storm caught up to us after all.
[ She's afraid, but she isn't sure what that fear will even accomplish, so she's trying to swallow it down. Even so. ]
I just got you back. I just got da back.
[ To her, at least, after her return trip to stasis. ]
Now I'm supposed to sit here while it all gets ripped away?
I just got you back. I just got da back.
[ To her, at least, after her return trip to stasis. ]
Now I'm supposed to sit here while it all gets ripped away?
I want to believe someone will figure something out. They did before, didn't they? To help us escape the Storm in the first place.
[She kisses her temple, holding her tighter. It's all she can say that holds truth.]
[She kisses her temple, holding her tighter. It's all she can say that holds truth.]
[ Bree looks at her, afraid of what happens if someone doesn't. But she doesn't say anything, she just hides her face against her mother's shoulder. ]
Right when I stop having terrible screaming nightmares. Go figure.
Right when I stop having terrible screaming nightmares. Go figure.
Now you're just back to snoring.
[Sorry, Bree. She doesn't care if anyone else hears that comment.]
[Sorry, Bree. She doesn't care if anyone else hears that comment.]
I do not snore and I resent the implication.
[ How rude? ]
Da. Da snores.
[ How rude? ]
Da. Da snores.
[Claire glances over at a little noise from Jamie, then gives Bree a playful squeeze, somehow mustered up despite... everything.]
I know his snoring. Yours sounds much more like a little bird trapped in a bottle.
I know his snoring. Yours sounds much more like a little bird trapped in a bottle.
[All good means he almost certainly left some things out. Which is probably for the best, for both Jamie and Lord John's sakes. He figures he'll just err on the side of caution as far as sharing any of Jamie's secrets are concerned. He would hope the same could have been said for Mr Fraser himself.]
Well. Then there is that, I suppose.
[He raises his eyebrows again, offering her a somewhat awkward smile, though he means well.]
It's an interesting position to find oneself in, I will admit. The idea that everyone should know my future but myself. And that now I am here, I may never live it.
Well. Then there is that, I suppose.
[He raises his eyebrows again, offering her a somewhat awkward smile, though he means well.]
It's an interesting position to find oneself in, I will admit. The idea that everyone should know my future but myself. And that now I am here, I may never live it.
[ A bird. Trapped in a bottle. Bree smiles just a little, then just leans against her again. ]
Better snoring that screaming.
Better snoring that screaming.
[ Bree won't make the same mistake she did with Fergus and assume John knows anything about time travel. Instead, she uses her own experience back to stasis to try and relate. ]
I'm further ahead now than my mother, and I can't tell really, where Jamie's from. I know I was traveling to their home from Boston, but when I came back from stasis, mama didn't even know about North Carolina yet.
[ It's confusing, really. How did the world not end for all of them at the same time? ]
The same thing could happen to you, maybe. A return trip to stasis.
I'm further ahead now than my mother, and I can't tell really, where Jamie's from. I know I was traveling to their home from Boston, but when I came back from stasis, mama didn't even know about North Carolina yet.
[ It's confusing, really. How did the world not end for all of them at the same time? ]
The same thing could happen to you, maybe. A return trip to stasis.
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