Chapter 9: New Starts
Notes: I think this is the first time I'm writing a part from Jamie's POV but I got this great review that gave me this idea so thank you.
Jamie POV
Me and Claire had been engaged for over a week now but we decided to wait until Chris came back before announcing anything about it firstly because I wanted to be respectful and ask his permission and more importantly I wanted to see if I could get the price lifted from my head before we get married, it would be nice if I was able to provide my new bride and stepson with a proper home, hopefully it being Lallybroch. I just reached the surgery to see my Sassenach hard at work with a patient, stitching up a wound on his arm, and Harry was watching her with intense fascination.
I spoke up then, Claire looked up at the sound of my voice and gave me a brief smile before going back to her work and I had Harry's undivided attention, "Well Sassenach I see ye're hard at work."
I saw her smile again at my observation but keep her head turned to her stitches but answered with, "Obviously."
I turned to Harry then and said "Well lad seeing as yer mother is too busy, how do ye feel about keepin' me company today"
Harry then turned back to Claire and ask "Mama, is it alright for me to go with Jamie?"
"Of course it is but try to stay out of mischief" she said seriously
"Didna worry lass I'll be with him" I told her reassuringly
" That's what I'm worried about, but off you go you two" she said shooing us away.
The two of us decided to go to that meadow where we had our picnic together so we could continue our shinty lessons although we couldn't get much of a game going with just the two of us so we promised that next time we'd bring Murtagh and Hamish to play. We took a quick break when Harry turned to me and asked, "Jamie, do you think you could teach me how to speak gaelic?"
I was mildly surprised by this request but answered quickly "Aye, if ye want me to, we can start tomorrow if ye dinna mind helping me with the stables?"
Harry happy with this response said eagerly "No I don't mind and thank you, Jamie."
"Ye're very welcome, laddy" I said reaching over and ruffling his hair then after a few moments of silence I spoke up again "Although I have something I need to ask ye, but ye can't tell anyone until your Uncle Chris comes back from his trip"
"Oh, can I at least tell Hamish?" he asked a little confused
"No, ye can't tell no one it's a secret, alright?" I said seriously
"Alright" He agreed trying to sound just as serious.
"Well," I started out still sounding serious "I would like to ask ye're permission to marry your mother?" I asked my voice turning happier and laughing at the end.
Harry face broke out into a shocked smile then launched himself at me giving me a tight hug around the waist and I put my arms around him and lightly patted his back, then realising he hadn't really answered he looked up at my face with a huge smile matching my own and answered, "You have it," and turned more serious again "I'll be a good son, I promise"
I smiled a little wider at this and said "I ken ye will," I pulled him away slightly so I could kneel down to him so we were at eye level and continued "And I promise I'll always be there to take care of ye and yer mother."
"I know you will" he said with such faith.
Chris POV
I'm finally a lawyer, it's been two weeks since I got my legal degree and I was already hard at work on my first big case but to be honest since I already had most of the work done it took no time at all to put together a good case for Jamie Fraser's pardon. It was also relatively simple to put together a good defence since Jamie had never been formerly tried and charged in court it should make things go much smoother and with Doctor Gregory's testimony about Jamie's physical condition and his stories about Captain Randall should discredit anything the 'good captain' could say about the matter.
Again because Jamie never been formerly charged it didn't even need a proper court case in a court room especially since this involved a high-ranking officer in the army they wanted as few people to know about all this as possible. So it was small hearing in Judge Moore's office with just me, him, Doctor Gregory and a servant to write down everything that was said.
Judge Moore started by outlining the charges and circumstances of the murder in question when he'd finished he turned to me and said in a stern voice "Mister Balfe, you stated that you have new evidence that would prove James Fraser's innocence, would you please outline it for me?"
I straighted myself even more and started with my perpared statement "Yes, your honour, I have gotten a sworn testimony from Doctor Gregory here who was Fort William's main physician at the time of the murder in question, who stated that Mister Fraser was still so weaked from his second flogging that he was in no fit state to be able to shoot anyone during his escape."
The Judge seemed to take all this in and turned to Doctor Gregory and asked "Well is what this man said true and that you are prepared to swear by it?"
The Doctor gave out a brief "Yes, your honour." he took a breath and then proceeded to explain everything to do with Jamie's condition at time of the escape and some of what he knew about Captain Randall 'extra-curricular activities'.
Judge turned back to me, still stern but I hear in his voice that he was disturbed by the doctor's story about Randall and the floggings then asked me "Well Mister Balfe, you seem to have put together a compelling case for Mister Fraser and I assume you want to request a formal investagation against this Captain Randall?"
"Yes, your honour."
"Well, based on the convincing testimony on Doctor Gregory's part I hereby clear Mister James Fraser on the charge to murder and I myself will want to open a formal investigation into Captain Jonathon Randall."
Endnotes: Yes I named the Judge after Ron D. Moore, Outlander's producer. Mainly because I couldn't think of a better name myself.
