A/N: Uh, no one is surprised that a) I'll always be bitter when it comes to Outlander and b) I friendship Claire and Jenny harder than I ship anything in this fandom. No, seriously, I even wrote a whole fic about it. It's called Weeping Willow. Anyways: enjoy!
"She's a bonnie lassie, aye?" That's one of the first things Jenny has said to Claire that isn't plain rude or passive aggressive. Her hands hold the picture of her only niece, and in it, Bree's celebrating her first birthday. There's chocolate cake smeared all over the place - her chubby hands and chubby cheeks, as well as all over her arms, and at the sight of the recurring memory, Claire chuckles.
Nowadays, Bree is closer to twenty than to ten, and is hardly a lassie herself.
"That she is," The one holding the picture is Jenny, but that doesn't stop Claire from reaching out and touching it. First, what would've been Bree's soft, curly red locks, and then, what would've been her cheeks, and Claire can almost feel the soft baby skin underneath. Two decades had passed since then, had flied away from her and escaped from her hands, really, and Claire almost wishes she could relive all of it. Almost.
Taking another look at her sister-in-law, Claire can't help herself but beam at the sight. She's completely focused on the picture she's holding, hypnotized, even, eyes glowing and all. Right then, in that exact moment, Claire isn't sure what fascinates Jenny the most: technology, of being able to watch a moment frozen in time, or the thought of Jamie having his own daughter. Her only niece.
"Looks a lot like Mam, too," Claire had arrived a bit too late, and never had the pleasure of meeting Ellen Fraser, but at Jenny's statement, she couldn't help but wholeheartedly disagree. To her, Bree would always resemble Jamie first and foremost, but can't blame Jenny for comparing Bree to her mother, either, and judging by the paintings and by the things Claire has heard, it isn't like Jenny's statement is wrong, "D'ye mind if I keep 'tis one?"
It takes a moment, but at the end of the day, Claire realizes other people's judgment doesn't really matter. She knows she did the right choice - for both her and her daughter. Claire doesn't need anyone's forgiveness, especially not Jenny's, but at her smile, Claire can't help but let the warmth spread all over her body and, right then, Claire knows she's forgiven and that she gained her family back.
"That… you have to ask your brother," She had, after all, brought the pictures to Jamie, but at her sister's happiness, Claire can't find the strength to deny her, "But I'm sure he'll be more than glad to let you have it.