Fraser House in Lallybroch —
The sun shone in through the window, bathing the room with light. Claire lay on her side with her back to Jamie. She was still asleep when he glanced over, the sight of her making a small smile curve his lips. Her brown locks were splayed over her bare shoulder, and lay tangled on the pillow. She had the covers tucked up under her chin, leaving the expanse of her back bare, causing Jamie's throat to dry as he licked his lips. It was the same very sight which rouses him from sleep every morning, and he felt himself waking fully as he mapped the faint freckles on her back, before snaking his arm around her waist and humming as he drew himself closer. He pressed his lips to her shoulder and smiled against the crook of her neck as she instinctively settled back against him. He heard her release a content little sigh from the warmth of his chest against her cold back.
"G'mornin' Sassenach…" Jamie whispered huskily in her ear, before trailing kisses from her shoulder, up her neck. His fingertips were tracing patterns over her stomach when he felt her hand reach up to twine her fingers with his.
"Hmm… Morning." Claire hummed as she turned her head to grin sleepily up at him.
The suns rays cast an almost angelic glow over her and Jamie's breath hitched audibly.
Claire felt his velvet length harden against her and bit her lip. She peeked up at him through one eye, as her free hand slowly reached up to caress his cheek. His pupils dilated as her thumb swiped against his lower lip gently.
Jamie slid their twined hands lower, settling between her thighs before he captured her lips in a desperate kiss.
An involuntary moan escaped her as he bit down playfully on her lower lip, and stroked her delicately.
—
Murtagh stood outside on the front steps of the Fraser House and stretched in the cool morning air. He was just about to go around to the stables to check on the horses when a young boy came barrelling towards him looking frantic.
"Woah, woah, woah, slow down Lad. Ye'll hurt yerself if ye're no' careful." Murtagh held his hands up to stop the lad from knocking into him.
"Where's the Laird?" the boy asked panting, hunched over with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Murtagh's back straightened, his eyes narrowing as he looked the boy once over.
"Who's askin'?" he lifted his chin in a silent threat, his hand coming to rest on the hilt of his sword at his side.
"Mi father sent me to warn him! He got back early this mornin' and said I had to warn him!" the boy's chest heaved as he struggled to regain his breathing properly.
"And what was it yer father saw, lad?" Murtagh's brow raised in question as his arms folded across his chest.
"A camp… no' far from here." the boy stood to his full height then, eye level with Murtagh's chest, and his eyes filled with dread as he uttered the words, "Full o' red coats!"
Murtagh grimaced and grabbed the boy by the shoulder before hauling him into the house.
"Jamie!" he yelled from the bottom of the stairs, "JAMIE!" he did again, a little louder this time.
"Just what do ye think yer doing?" Jenny's voice came from the door to the dining room. Murtagh turned to find her standing there scowling at him with her hands on her hips. Clearly not appreciative of his raise of voice this early in the morning.
"What's this?" she asked motioning to the boy under his grasp, taking a step closer to the lad.
Murtagh pushed the boy toward her and stood behind him. "Tell her, Lad." he commanded and the boy retold his tale to her.
Jenny's face hardened and her jaw clenched as the boy mentioned the red coats.
"Ian!" she called behind her, her eyes not leaving the young lad.
Sh heard a faint "Aye?" come from the dining room and placed her hand gently on the boy's shoulder. "Fix up a plate for this wee bairn. I'll be back in a moment." she nodded toward the dining room for the lad to go and have something to eat, ruffling his hair before he made his way to the room and closed the door behind him.
"You wait here. I'll tell him." she gave Murtagh a pointed look before ascending the stairs.
—
Jamie watched fascinated as his wife lay in his arms, writhing against his skilful hands.
She dragged her nails across the stubble on his cheek, making him hiss as she came apart in his arms. Jamie kissed her sweetly and felt a swell of pride spread throughout him, as she smiled against his lips.
He rest his forehead against hers, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.
Claire stared into his eyes, the love and adoration she found there was something she'd never get used to. Goosebumps raised on her arms from the cheeky smile on his face, his boyish glee making her heart stutter.
"Mo nighean donn" he breathed, the look on his face utter disbelief that she was his.
A blush crept filled the apples of her cheeks and a slight shudder ran down Claire's spine as his fingertips caressed her cheek gently. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him sweetly. Jamie traced her lips with the tip of his tongue and smirked when she moaned once more.
"Jamie!" he heard Jenny shout from somewhere in the house, followed by a pounding of footsteps.
He groaned and hugged Claire tighter, devouring her lips in a desperate effort to drain out any drama the day was about to bring.
"Jamie Fraser, if ye don't open this door right now!" her voice rang loud and threatening on the other side of the bedroom door. An erratic rhythm of sharp knocks to the door followed then, causing Jamie to resign his ministrations and sigh angrily, staring up at the ceiling.
Claire curled into his side, pressing her lips just over his heart and smiled up at him. "If you don't answer her now, she'll only keep knocking." she bit her lip to stifle a laugh.
"Aye." Jamie huffed, leaving a kiss on her forehead before sliding out from under her touch and reaching for the nearest shirt.
"James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser!" Jenny all but growled, her patience with her brother growing thinner by the second.
Jamie flung the door open and narrowed his eyes at her. "This better be a matter of life or death." he spoke through his teeth annoyed, glaring at her.
Jenny raised on her tiptoes to get into his face, "You tell me." she seethed before bustling past him and entering the room.
She waved off Claire's embarrassed look as her sister-in-law tried to make herself look a little more decent.
"What is goin' on?" Jamie had shut the door and was making his way over to his sister wearily now.
"Red coats." she spat the words and watched as Jamie's shoulders tensed. The look as if he'd seen a ghost masking his features. "They're back." she said gravely, her eyes wandering to Claire who was sat on the bed in shock. "About three days ride from 'ere… they can only be coming for you, Jamie." she turned her attention back to her brother and watched as his kneels buckled beneath him and he sat on the edge of the bed.
Jamie drew his hands up, rubbing his eyes irritatedly with the heels of both his palms.
The bed beneath him shifted and he felt Claire's lips against his shoulder, her thumb massing the tension at the nape of his neck.
Claire sighed, she hated seeing him like this, all tense, aggravated and worried. "So, what's the plan? What do we do?" she looked up at Jenny, instinctively leaning against Jamie's side a little more.
"We?" Jamie turned to look at her, his brows pinched in confusion. "No, Claire. I'm gon' have ta go into hiding. I canna ask ye…" he began before he was interrupted.
Claire grabbed his chin, effectively silencing him as her eyes narrowed at him. "James Fraser, if you think there is even a chance of me not going with you… you're sorely mistaken." she said confidently. Her grip on his chin loosening as she caressed his cheek again.
"What if I told ye that I've got a plan." Jenny's arms were folded across her chest as she sat down on the wooden chair opposite them.
Jamie and Claire both looked up at her, eyes both searching and pleading for a way out of this mess before it even begins.
There was a long silence as Jamie and Jenny had a silent conversation. Claire's nerves pricked from the sibling's intense eye contact.
"Out with it then… what's your plan?" she asked impatiently.
Looking between the two of them, Claire watched as Jamie's brow raised ever so slightly, and her attention turned back to Jenny.
"I had a friend once as a child. We were very close until we moved away, to here actually." Claire listened as Jenny explained. "She's got a powerful influence, up here in the highlands… but only amongst those who are respected by her clan."
Claire's face grew confused, but Jenny continued, "She's somewhat of a royal and had a crush on Jamie for years when we were just wee bairns." she laughed at the memory.
Jamie's shoulders relaxed when the realisation hit him and he sighed, holding his head in his hands. "Do ye think she'd help though?" he mumbled.
"Who?" Claire asked nudging him slightly.
"I don't think she'd even have ta think twice about it. We may not've seen her for years, Jamie… but we're still friends." Jenny reassured her brother and Claire felt her last nerve break.
"Who? Who is this friend your talking about?" she asked her sister-in-law, too on edge to care about her little outburst.
Jamie turned to Claire, taking hold of her free hand and placing a kiss to the back of it. "Merida." he uttered the name and Claire nodded slowly.
"Her father is a very well respected man. Fergus. He and our father were very close." Jenny elaborated, a strange sort of unsettling calm surrounded them then, and another awkward silence followed.
Jamie spoke up first this time. "It'll only take us two days t' get there, if I remember correctly." he said.
"In the opposite way to the where yer red coats are comin' too!" Jenny said distractedly, smiling as she thought through her plan, "Ian'll stay here t' keep everything runnin' smoothly, then Murtagh, you, Claire and I will go to Dunbroch." she said with a tone of finality to her voice as she nodded once.
Jamie sat in thought for a few moments, scrubbing his hand over the stubble on his chin as he calculated the success of his sister's plan.
"Well?" Claire asked him, her hand sliding from his neck down his back gently.
Jamie nodded just once and Jenny grinned in triumph. He turned to Claire and took her face between his hands. "I think our best bet is t' ask for Merida's help." he searched her gaze.
Jenny slipped out of the room leaving them be, so she could inform the others.
"Then what are we waiting for?" she asked and watched the last of the tension melt from his shoulders. His smirk mirrored that of her own. Her heart stutter as she grinned up at him and leant in closer, "Let's get rid of these bastards, once and for all." she spoke the words as a promise. Her hand finding his way back up to tangle in his red curls.
"I love you, Sassenach." he said huskily, his lips hovering a hairsbreadth away from hers.
A jolt of warmth shot straight to her core, from the sound of his voice and the way he was staring at her alone.
The words raised goosebumps on her arms, and she hummed happily "Good." she whispered grinning as she closed the distance.
—
Storybrooke, Maine: Granny's Diner —
Emma sat in her usual booth in Granny's diner, holding her head up with her hands as she waited for Killian to get back from the bathroom.
Granny approached the table with their usual orders in hand. She watched as Emma's eyelids drooped shut and smiled sadly to herself. She placed the mug down on the table quietly, but the sound still startled Emma, and she opened her eyes wide before rubbing them.
"Have you gotten any sleep these past two weeks you've been back?" Granny asked tentatively, as she slid into the bench opposite Emma.
The genuine concern on Granny's face made Emma smile slightly. "Some." she nodded, lying.
The grey haired woman reached across the table and held one of Emma's hands, squeezing gently. "If you need a change of scenery, I've got a room free at Granny's for yourself and the pirate to use, free of charge." she offered.
Emma's house, their house, was beautiful, it really was… but it held too many memories for them. The mixed emotions on the sensitive subject made it hard for Emma to know what Killian needed in order to start to heal. For them both to. She knew that perhaps being in that house wasn't exactly ideal at this moment in time, but didn't want to bring it up in case it were just her with the problem. She didn't want to cause Killian any more undue stress.
"Thank you, I really do appreciate it but…" Emma began to explain why until Killian reappeared beside her.
Her eyes scanned his face as he looked down at the owner of the establishment, the dark circles under his eyes punctuating the fake 'put-on' smile he'd been wearing for the past two weeks, whenever someone would come up and asked him how he was.
They couldn't tell it was in-genuine, but she could and her heart ached for him.
Granny squeezed her hand once more and Emma tore her gaze away from Killian to meet hers.
Apparently there was one other person who could see through Killian's facade.
Granny gave Emma a pointed look before standing and placing her hand on Killian's shoulder.
"I was just telling Miss Swan here that I've a room at the inn available… free of charge of course. I just thought it might be a welcome change to that big house of yours, just for a couple of days." she offered tentatively, not wanting to overstep on any account. The poor man had cleared suffered down in the Underworld and endured enough, without people riling him with stupid questions like 'how are you?'.
Killian's mask slipped and his eyes sought out Emma's. She could tell that they both felt the same way about their big house, just hadn't had the courage to discuss the matter.
Emma found a silent pleading in his eyes and her hand instinctively reached out to hold his hook.
"I think it's a good idea." Emma bit her lip, gauging his reaction. She noticed the tense set of his shoulders ease just a little and a small shy smile formed on her lips.
"Aye, I agree." his voice sounded distant as he nodded.
"It's settled then. I'll have your room ready for when you stop by later." she smiled warmly and pat the pirate's shoulder before turning to leave.
"Thank you." she heard Killian mumble from behind her as she made her way back into the kitchen.
Emma scooted along a bit and pulled Killian down beside her, placing her hand on his leg before taking a sip of her hot cocoa.
Killian's arm was draped across the back of the booth behind her. He placed an quick kiss to her temple as she set the mug in her hands down. A silent thank you which she reciprocated with a gentle pat to his thigh.
She sighed and leant her head back, looking up at him. She watched as he drank a swig of rum from his flask.
His eyes casting downward to the table, as he fumbled with the lid to the flask between his thumb and forefinger.
The same pained and lost look in his eyes was there and Emma's heart throbbed with guilt. She wanted nothing more than to help him, to see him smile properly, to hear his laugh again.
She snuggled closer into his side, abandoning the grilled cheese before her and hid her face in the crook of his neck. She felt him rest his cheek atop of her head and sigh somewhat contently, which made a small smile quirk her lips. They needed this, this quiet moment to just be. No one interrupting them, no new crisis to avert their attention and efforts to, but most importantly they weren't cooped up in their house, treading on eggshells around each other.
They sat like that for some time, eventually sharing the grilled cheese after awhile before deciding to head back to the house to pack an overnight bag.
It was getting dark out as Emma and Killian walked with linked arms toward the inn.
Killian had their overnight bag slung over his left shoulder with his hook, cradling Emma's arm snugly in the crook of his right arm.
The stars were out, Killian could only see them faintly when he glanced up before standing still on in front of the small iron gate that lead a path up to the inn.
Emma unlinked her arm from his and raised on her tiptoes instead, moving Killian's hair out of his eyes. "Thank you for this." she said quietly, a smile curving her lips as she watched Killian close his eyes and lean into her palm.
He hummed and a flicker of his old smirk appeared on his face, "I think I should be the one thanking you, Swan." he started to say, before he opened his eyes and found her head tilted adorably in confusion. "You risked everything to go down to that hell-hole and save me, and I've been nothing but-" he was cut off then with a sudden press of her lips to his.
"Shh. We can talk about this some other time. Right now we both need sleep and I don't want to waste another minute out here in the cold, arguing with you about the fact I didn't have a choice. I wasn't going to leave you down there, and I didn't leave you down there. You're here, you're back and you're with me. Now can we please go and get settled before my parents ring me in a panic because we're not home and I forgot to cancel dinner plans with them?" she rest her forehead against his, her breath mingling with his they were stood so close.
Killian sighed, it sounded relieved to Emma's ears, and her smile returned.
"Skipping out on your parents to spend the night with a pirate…" he teased and Emma huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes.
It was the first time he'd joked since they made it back to Storybrooke and Emma felt her insides turn to mush as his dimples surfaced on his stubble covered cheeks.
"We live together, y'know." she bit her lip, to keep from grinning at him.
"Aye, we do." he breathed and the look he gave her was utter disbelief.
She felt a blush creep up, the way it always automatically did whenever he'd look at her this way. The promise to cherish her and what they have, all too clear as his gaze bore into her.
"I love you." Emma whispered, closing her eyes as she nudged her nose against his playfully, biting her lip to stop herself from smiling so much.
"As I love you." she heard him say before his lips captured hers in a desperate kiss.
Killian pulled back and reached for her hand, twining his fingers with hers as he lead the way up to the inn.
Emma pulled the door opened and shuddered as the heat enveloped them and the door closed behind them.
Granny looked pleased to see them, which made Emma smile. She was still getting used to having not only her family care about her, but the friends she'd made in town too.
Killian squeezed her hand and smiled down at her. They thanked the elderly lady, each time she waved off their gratitude, saying this was the least she could do.
After exchanging goodnights with her and getting ready for bed themselves, Emma found that this was exactly what they both needed. A night away from everyone and everything.
Her lips curled into a smile as Killian draped his arm over her waist and pulled her back against his chest, hiding his face in her hair. Only moments later did she feel his even breaths on the back of her neck, making her heart skip a beat from the thought that he could finally relax here with her in his arms.
Emma leant into his embrace more and hugged his arm around her, twining her fingers with his before drifting off to sleep with an easy smile on her lips.