There and Back Again

by Lady of Spain

Chapter 1: Stonewalled

Disclaimer: D. Gabaldon owns Outlander

That stubborn spouse of mine had it in that clot-headed brain of his to seek out this man, Horrocks to supposedly clear his name. Caution was not one of Jamie's virtues, so it was up to me to knock some sense into his thick, Scottish skull.

I pulled on his boot, already seated in the stirrup, and peered up at him. "Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ! You don't know a thing about this man. Jamie, he's a deserter, with no honor or even a shred of decency. What's to stop him from slitting your throat?"

He lowered his head and locked eyes with me. "I take your meanin', Sassenach, and it's the verra reason why I'm leavin' ye here under the watchful eyes o' young Willy."

"Rum nonsense. What help will that be to me when I'm widowed? Can he protect me as you have done?"

"I dinna plan to make ye a widow—leastwise, no yet."

Rupert snickered at that remark. Would no one take this situation seriously? With a roll of my eyes, I shot back, "Small comfort, that."

"Anaways, ye'll stay put 'til I come for ye, aye?"

I thrust out my hands, and rasped, "Perhaps you'd like to truss me up to prevent my larking about."

He grunted in that annoying way of his, then nodded to my jailer. "See to it, Willy." Turning to the others with him, he brayed, "Druit!"

They kicked at the flanks of their steeds and clip-clopped off to meet with the elusive deserter.

Glancing about at my surroundings, I noticed the outline of the standing stones in the distance. We were not that far from the vicinity. It seemed this would be my lucky day. If I could distract Willy somehow, I'd surely be able to cover the distance spit-spot. As it turned out, there was no need, as Willy was desperate to relieve himself, and trotted off into the thicket to escape my innocent eyes.

When I was certain he was out of range, I ran as fast as I could toward the stones. I had a perfectly good husband two centuries in the future. I was determined to return to Frank. Stay put, indeed …

We came opon the appointed place where we were to meet, but the man was nowhere to be found. We e'en searched the bushes and such, and the hills 'bout us, but nay.

Murtagh shook his heid. "Are ye for certain this is the place, Jamie?"

"Aye. I read the missive. I canna understand why he's no here."

"Weel, he's no here now, so's we best get back to Willy and yer wife afore somethin' befalls them."

"I dinna take yer meanin', Murtagh."

Rupert cut in. "And what might that mean? He means as he spotted some smoke from cook-fires o'er the next rise. Filthy redcoats, most likely. I imagine as Horrocks got a wind o' it as weel. Savin' his skin, he was, aye? They're no too friendly wi' deserters."

"Ah … we'll move fast then."

I pulled Donas up short, ye ken, as Willy was wavin' his arms 'bout like a daft bugger. Dismountin' from my charge, I felt fear fillin' the depths o' my chest.

"Where's Claire?"

"I … I … I swear to ye, Jamie. I just went a wee parts away into the brush to take me a piss, and when I returned. She was gone as a puff o' smoke."

"Gone? Ye were to keep a close eye on her, and now ye say ye've gone and lost her?"

"Aye. I'm sorry, but there it is."

I grabbed the sorry lad by his coat lapels, shakin' him. "Stars and stones, why did ye no chase after her?"

"I stayed here, hopin' as ye'd be back soon. Didna want ye should wonder where the both o' us had vanished."

Ifrinn … Leave a lad to do a man's job …

Disgusted with Willy, I released him, and remountin' Donas, I gestured to my godfather. "Murtagh, ye'll be comin' wi' me. She canna be far."

Craigh na Dun loomed before me, and I felt almost giddy. I'd be with my Frank shortly, returning to my own era. As I walked toward the time portal, I heard voices shouting behind me. Turning to ascertain how close they were, my eyes beheld the worst possible scenario. Bloody hell, British soldiers, no doubt an appendage of Black Jack's dragoons. I made a mad dash at the rock, and poof, I was on the other side of the hill. The familiar highway and landscape greeted me. With a sigh of relief, I began walking to the town. I was home, well, maybe not London, but at least as far as Inverness.

It wasna hard to follow Claire's trail. I surmised quick as ye please, as she was headin' straight to Craig na Dun, for what purpose I couldna puzzle out.

Murtagh was right in his assumption, as those cook-fires did belong to the redcoats. And there they were like a bluidy swarm o' bees, climbing the hill, chasin' after my reckless wife. But didna my own eyes deceive me, for Claire vanished afore their verra noses. One moment she was touchin' the stone, and the next, only the circlin' air remained. So, the legends were true? I couldna believe it, and yet, Murtagh and I were witnesses to the fact. I wanted to follow after her but the soldiers prevented my doin' so, mind.

My heart was breakin' in pieces at the thought of losin' mo nighean donn, and it was wi' a bit o' reluctance as I waited for the Sassenachs to finish searchin' the grounds for her.

They scoured the hill o'er and o'er. Christ—would they ne'er finish? Ye'd suppose it was wee nits they were lookin' for.

By and by, the filthy redcoats retreated back to their campsite. When I was sure they were truly gone, I handed Murtagh the reins to Donas.

He grabbed my shoulder, turnin' me 'round. "Jamie, ye're no thinkin' o' goin' thru' those stones, are ye?"

"Aye. I canna lose her now, Murtagh."

"But dinna ye see, Lad? She left o' her own free will."

"I expect it's so, but I'll give her the chance to come back to me. If she will or no, I havta find out for myself."

My gpdfather grunted, then muttered, "Womenfolk … there's nay understandin' them."

I patted the rump o' my beast, and peered at Murtagh. "Take care o' Donas for me, aye?"

"There's nay need to ask." Murtagh nodded, then said, "I wish ye luck, Jamie."

"Ah … thank ye, truly, Murtagh."

We embraced, and then I walked toward the stones, bent on findin' my love, my Claire.