givingback | open post

[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.]

[ When Bree wakes in the morning, it's to her parents still sleeping - or so she assumes, anyway. Laying there for a while, she decides she can be useful, she can do something. So, she gets up and begins getting dressed as quietly as she can, planning to simply go downstairs and see about getting a tray of breakfast. She can do that, it has to be simple, not even thinking about how it might go over if she's simply not in the room when and if they wake in the meantime. ]

[When Claire wakes, she sleepily reaches over to check that Bree is where she should be.

Her heart leaps into her throat when she only touches empty space. Sitting up abruptly, she tries not to panic, but it's too late.]

Jamie. Jamie, wake up!

[She's already getting out of bed to throw on her clothes. Maybe if she stopped and gave it a few seconds of thought she might guess she'd gone to get them a meal, but sometimes the mother brain can't make those connections.]

[Despite himself, he does drift off. Not for long, though, as he's jolted awake by Claire's panic. Sitting up, he sees why.]

Christ, where'd she go off to? [He's doing his best not to feed Claire's fear, but as he hurriedly shoves his feet into his boots, he feels his heart racing. She's a young, pretty lass. She shouldn't be wandering around, especially if she's unfamiliar with... well, everything.]

Stay here, Claire. I'll go look for her downstairs. Probably got hungry and dinna want to wake us, is all.

[ All in all, Bree's pretty proud of herself for finding the kitchen and getting an entire tray of breakfast items but together. She coming back up the stairs just as Jamie's coming down and nearly drops all of their food but manages to hold on as she startles. She knows, right away from his face, something's wrong. So, she smiles hoping to delay any anger. ]

I got us breakfast. I was hoping to surprise you both before you woke up.

[She'll come to learn that her mother is far scarier than any giant Scot. Jamie might be on the stairs, but Claire's not listening to his request for her to stay put and is on the landing, outer layer tossed on for modesty's sake. Not that she isn't making a scene the moment she sets eyes on Bree.]

Brianna, what on earth were you thinking? Going out without a word!

[Like she's a teenager that snuck out to the cinema.]

[Jamie's about to open his mouth to say something when Claire cuts him off. Well, then. He's not really sure where he is in this--he wasn't there to raise Bree, and he's just met her, not even a full day ago. It's not his place, is it? Willie, he had no issue in lecturing and teaching the ways of things because he had no one else. Bree has Claire, and he's a little alarmed at her anger. Yes, she's frightened, but yelling at the girl in the hall isn't helping anyone.]

Aye, ye scairt us half to death. We dinna think we'd wake to ye gone, ye ken.

[He presses himself to the railing, making room for Bree to go up into the jaws of the lion. Though if there's a quarrel about to happen, he might just leap over and save himself.]

But everyone's all right.

[A pointed look at Claire.]

[ Bree looks up at Claire as if the tray of food isn't obvious. ]

I wanted to do something nice for you. For both of you, so I got breakfast. Everything's fine, you don't have to shout.

[ She marches herself up the stairs and stands in front of Claire. ]

Bread, fruit, eggs, and something that looks like wallpaper paste in a bowl.

[ She's still hoping the fact that she got the food at all will help. ]

[Jamie's trying to help. So is Bree, in her way, and Claire knows she shouldn't be shouting in a public place like this, especially in front of Jamie. No need to embarrass the girl.

Just--God, she was scared. How are they going to manage the outside world?

Taking a breath, Claire steps away to open the door for Bree.]

Inside.

[He might have been told about Bree's stubbornness, but he can actually see a flash of everything Fraser, himself, and Claire in this moment. Not frightened by her mother's anger, not deterred.

It shouldn't make him smile. He looks away so that Claire doesn't see it and scalp his arse for it.

Crises averted, he makes his way up the stairs and touches Claire's back as she goes into the room.]

Everyone is fine, Sassenach. And I dinna know about you, but I'm starved.

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