givingback | open post

[ Bree successfully gets her way down to her shift and looks triumphantly at the pile. Hopefully, Claire didn't time her because it took forever, but still - she did it. ]

He's nice, and kind, and getting to know him is--

[ She pauses, thinking about her words. ]

It's easy to see how much he loves you.

[Don't make your mother blush, Bree.]

Don't tell him I told you this, but he went into a faint when he first saw me. Hit the floor and everything. I thought I might have killed him.

[ Bree looks shocked, then can't help but laugh, because she didn't realize fainting dramatically was an actual thing people did outside of movies. ]

Well, what's the expression? Knock 'em dead?

[ Okay, she can't help but tease her mom a little. ]

Have you ever seen a man of his height and build go into a complete flop? Thank god he didn't hit his head on any machinery or else we'd be finding a place to put his body right now.

[She laughs, and it's so much easier to laugh these days.]

I've never seen anyone completely flop.

[ It's so good to see her laughing and smiling, it's only now that she realizes it didn't happen as often at home. It happened, but not as much. ]

I'm glad that you're happy.

[Nothing is perfect here. There's still a lot of unknowns. She can tell Jamie's not telling them a lot, and there must have been a lot of that's happened to him in the past twenty years. But Brianna being here helps. Claire opens her mouth to say something when there's a knock at the door.

Ma'am? Mister Malcolm paid for the room to the left of ye, so feel free to head on in. He said he'd be returnin' to ye shortly.

Claire lifts her brows--all right, so he was in a hurry to let Fergus know where he was--and she looks to Bree with a shrug.]

Looks like he got the room. Shall we?

[ Brianna gives her mother an identical look before they go to the other room, Bree with her things in hand. Bare feet cold, she climbs up onto one of the beds and covers up, though she's still sitting, wanting to be awake when Jamie returns. She wonders, too, what secrets he has, but until they come to light, she doesn't question it out loud. She knows there's another life he must have, and how they fit into it, she doesn't know yet. ]

How did you adjust to all of this the first time? How different it all is?

[Once they're in the room, Claire decides to undress now. By the time Jamie comes back she'll be under the covers.]

Well, I'm less terrified, this time. I had no idea what the hell was going on, before. [She unbuttons the front of her outfit, considering the questions some more.]

I know what to expect, now. How to act. How to avoid answering things I don't want to, or at the very least, make up something believable on the spot.

[Sort of. She's had 20 years to practice her fibbing.]

And it does help that he's here. Jamie was always a help.

Did he always believe you?

[ Brianna hadn't, but maybe that had just been her anger talking, and for a second she looks a little regretful for a second, but it passes, looking up and mentally taking notes on how effortlessly her mother takes off all that fabric. ]

[Layer by layer comes off, and she drapes each piece over a chair.]

Yes. [She smiles to herself, thinking back as she unbuttons the blouse she borrowed from Bree.] I never thought he would. I didn't tell him until after we were married, and only because it came to a point where I couldn't hold it in anymore. I thought he would think me mad, or drag me back to the pyre. But he listened, and he told me he believed me. That he didn't understand, but he believed I was telling the truth.

[Much like Bree that night at the stones.]

[ Bree listens intently, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. ]

I couldn't imagine trying to explain this to someone. I can see why it might stress you and Jamie out, going to Lallybroch to try and explain this. Explain me. And I can explain it but this feels...right. We're not going back, are we? Back through the stones?

[Claire stiffens a little at that question. It's a valid one--so far, everything has been all right, but it will get much more complicated very shortly.]

No. I don't think so--not unless you want to. You do know that, don't you, Bree? You can always go if you'd like.

[Assuming she can get back at all.]

You're not obligated to stay here.

I know, but that's not why I asked. I want to stay here. For starters, I couldn't leave you. And Jamie's...well, I want to keep getting to know him. It feels like as long as we're all together, things will be okay. Besides, he already lost both of us once.

[ Young enough to still have a strong sense of optimism - or maybe that's Jamie coming through. ]

[The smile she has is full of relief. She doesn't want Bree to go anywhere. The thought of her leaving is a scary one, and she understands how Jamie must have felt that day he gave her the choice to go or stay.

Claire climbs into the bed beside Bree, and wraps her arms around her. She can't say she remembers them being this affectionate before, not this consistently, and she's certainly not complaining. Things have changed a lot recently.]

Neither of us could take losing you.

[ This is the relationship she always wanted with her mother, the one she envied in other girls with their mothers. And it's only now that she's beginning to realize that might have been her fault. She leans right against her, closing her eyes. ]

You don't have to worry about that. I promise, mama.

Thank god.

[She strokes her hair for a few moments, enjoying the closeness. In time, maybe Jamie will have this too. Bree was always a daddy's girl, attached to Frank, but she hopes that she and Jamie will find something wonderful together as well.]

Rest a bit. I'm sure you'll want to talk to Jamie more when he gets back for the night, hmm?

Mhmm.

[ She's going to be out in ten minutes with Claire stroking her hair like that. ]

I hope he's back soon.

[ But it's all for naught, even if he's back in the next five minutes, she underestimates herself and is out like a light. ]

Me too.

[She smiles, gently lowering Bree to her lap like she's done so many times when she was a little girl and stubbornly insisted she could stay up for a movie or story.

That's how Jamie finds them, quietly stepping into the room and shutting the door.]

[He all but sprints out of the inn to the brothel. He leaves word that if Fergus, or anyone, is looking for him to come back tomorrow. He'll return to business then. Tonight, he wants to be with his family. Christ. His family. He does leave an address for Fergus and Ian in case of death or the end of days, but otherwise he needs to be left alone.

He looks a little disheveled when he returns, coming into the new room and taking off his hat. The sight he sees is one he only ever dreamed of.

After taking off his cloak, he quietly moves to sit on the edge of the bed. His weight makes it creak--but with a nod from Claire, he finds his courage to reach out and tuck some of Bree's hair behind her ear.

If only he hadn't missed a lifetime of this.]

[ It's the creak of the bed that wakes Bree from that half-asleep state, but she doesn't move until her hair is tucked, and she shifts in Claire's arms before opening her eyes. Then, she smiles at Jamie in front of her. Promise kept. ]

Can you stay here tonight?

[ She doesn't move from Claire's lap, too warm and content. ]

[Claire looks at Jamie, Bree between them, and she thinks she's only ever been happier when Brianna was first born. She's longed for this for so many years.]

Aye, lassie. I'm here. Go back to sleep. I'll be here in the morning, too.

[He smiles at Claire, but as it's been since he's set eyes on Bree, it's her to which his gaze keeps returning. He strokes her hair, much like Claire had been--but he had only so briefly seen it. It comes naturally.]

Ye've had a long journey.

[ She's helpless when it comes to her hair being stroked, but her eyes linger on Jamie as long as she can hold out. But before she does go to sleep, her hand rests lightly on his wrist. ]

I'm glad you're here.

[ Then, she lets her eyes close, falling asleep again. ]

[Their sweet girl. Claire watches Jamie's smile, one that grows fonder when Bree slips off into dreamland. It's then that they speak to one another, talking quietly, both staying close to Bree and one another. They tell stories of the past twenty years, of things that happened, filling in the details here and there and trying to figure out what's changed and what's stayed the same. The hour grows late before they know it, and there's a silence for a time as they simply look at one another.

It's Claire that breaks the silence with a small laugh.]

You should sleep. You look worn, James Fraser.

[She wonders why. Certainly nothing to do with a very long, incredible day.]

Do I? [He smiles back, knowing she's teasing. God, he'd never though he'd hear that humor in her voice again. Never thought he'd see her. He very much wants to sleep next to her, but he can't bring himself to separate mother and child. Though his daughter is very much grown, now.

Standing, Jamie does allow himself to lean in and give Claire a soft kiss on the lips. One that lasts maybe a few seconds too long, and he presses one more to her forehead before leaning down and daring to press a quick one to Bree's temple.]

Goodnight.

[With that, he goes to blow out the candles in the room, only removing his jacket and boots before climbing into his bed and listening to Claire getting situated with Bree.

He's not going to be able to sleep for fear of them disappearing when his eyes close.]

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