In the Still of the Night

Huge thanks to Ashley and Chelsea for all their help with this story!

She was running. She had no idea who from or where she was going, but she needed to get away. She needed to find him, them, anyone. Even though she had no idea who or what she was looking for. Everything felt wrong, jumbled, disjointed somehow. Nothing was making any sense to her.

The more she ran, the thicker the fog came down, casting a cold eery feel around the forest. She felt as if she had been here before, but she could not remember how or why. Her senses were on alert as the hair on her arms tingled. She needed to get out of here as the temperature dropped.

She stopped in a small clearing to catch her breath and walked over to the nearest tree, leaning against it as she took several deep breaths of the cool damp air. She closed her eyes briefly trying to get her bearings and figure where the hell she was. Was she in Scotland? Perhaps the woods surrounding Leoch? Or was she closer to home?

The sound of someone laughing made her open her eyes with a start. Someone was nearby. A second later, and the sound of people talking and laughing made her stand up straight, her left hand still resting on the tree. Something caught her eye and as she briefly looked at the tree, the bark had been carved "FR."

"What the hell does that mean?" she thought to herself as the sounds came closer and the fog was gradually starting to lift. "Jesus H Roosevelt Christ, what the hell is going on?"

Claire Fraser stood still as watched people walk towards her in a long line. She could not make out who they were. It was if her vision and mind were playing tricks on her as they all looked disjointed, almost as if she were wearing the wrong pair of reading glasses.

"Who are you? What do you want…" Claire asked as she stood and watched them, as it looked as if they were either going to walk past her or through her, she pulled her navy-blue cloak even closer around her to protect from the sudden drop in temperature.

Then it went dark. In a matter of a second, she was no longer standing in the forest; she was in a dark building that she quickly realised was the L'Hopital Des Anges in Paris as Mother Hildegard stepped forward towards her.

"I'm sorry, my dear," the older woman said softly and quietly. She was carrying a small lifeless baby in her arms and as she stood in front of Claire, lowering the blanket covering the baby.

"Faith…" Claire gasped "My baby, what is wrong with my baby?" she shrieked as she looked at the small lifeless body.

"She is with the angels."

No. No, she was not. She was a fit and healthy five-year-old who was the apple of her father's eye. Claire wanted to shout this out for everyone to hear only to stop when she heard footsteps approach from behind her and then stop. She was back in the forest again.

She turned round and watched as Jamie walked from behind her to approach the other people all standing watching and laughing at her.

"Jamie, please, what is happening?" she all but cried as the nun walked away with the baby still in her arms.

She was still outside, the air suddenly colder with a slight dusting of snow on the ground, and one glance confirmed her worst fear: she was back at the stones at Craigh na Dun. The stones were buzzing, active and waiting.

"Tell him what you will about me, about us. It's likely he'll no want to hear it but if he does, tell him I am grateful, and tell him I trust him, and tell him I hate him to the very marrow of his bones."

"The buzzing," Claire said still holding onto Jamie's hand. "It's so loud. I'm not ready Jamie, I'm not ready. Come with me, come with me through the stones."

"Na, I can't."

"You could try," Claire pleaded. "You hear it, right, the buzzing?"

"I don't hear anything, Claire," Jamie said as he walked over to the stone. "Even if I could go back through the stones, it is not my place. My destiny lies on Culloden Moor," Jamie said as he touched the stone and turned to look at her as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"But I will find you," Jamie continued. "I promise. If I have to endure two hundred years of purgatory, two hundred years without you," he said as he walked over to where she was standing. "Then that is my punishment that I have earned for my crimes, for I have lied, killed, stolen, betrayed, and broken trust."

He pulled her into his embrace, hand resting on her stomach and the life that rested there. "But when I stand before God, I'll have one thing to say, to weigh against all the rest," he said as he reached over and kissed her. "Lord, you gave me a rare woman," he muttered as he kissed her again "And God I loved her well."

One minute she was in his arms, and the next she was spinning again and back in foggy, damp forest as Jamie stood in the line of other people.

"You need to go Claire, back to him," Jamie replied his voice calm but stern as he nodded his head to a man at the end of the line. "Go back to your own time and place."

"But I love you!" Claire yelled more out of frustration for not knowing what was going on around her while Jamie was surrounded with two women on either side.

"Claire."

"Frank, is that you?" Claire asked wanting to make sure that it was Frank she was looking at and not the evil, twisted Black Jack Randall who stood in front of her.

Frank nodded his head and smiled. He wore glasses now, thick black frames giving him a studious and educated look. She was now in a large sitting room mid argument, "I want a divorce, Claire. I am returning to England and taking Brianna with me."

"You are not taking my daughter," Claire screamed as she stood back in the forest again "Brianna is my daughter, Frank, not yours!" Claire bit back a sob trying to keep the tears at bay as she looked at her husband. "Jamie, what is happening you have to stop this please."

She saw an image of her husband with long red curly hair and a beard living in a cave hiding from everyone. She blinked, and now he was in a prison cell with twenty other men, chained to wall as rats roamed the floor.

A woman's voice brought her back to the forest. When was the pain and torment going to stop? When would someone explain what the hell was happening to her?

"He is not yours," stated the blonde-haired woman standing at Jamie's side woman side rubbing his shoulder and clutching him to her body. "He is mine. He was always mine, until you stole him, you sassenach witch."

"Laoghaire?"

"Your potions and spells didnae work, witch. He never loved you. It was always me he wanted, not a whore like you. We were always supposed to be together. Now we are," Laoghaire continued until the woman standing on Jamie's other side started laughing.

She had no idea who the brown-haired woman was, but she was well-dressed and looked smug as she smiled at Claire and rubbed her very pregnant belly. "It is his son that I carry."

"I don't understand," Claire whispered as she wiped away a lone tear as the group of people continued to walk closer and closer to her with no sign of stopping.

"Sassenach."

"Stop this, please," Claire screamed as the people approached her and knocked her off her feet and onto the muddy and dirty ground.

"Sassenach…"

"Somebody help me, please…" Claire begged as she felt someone kick her stomach and she rolled in agony.

"Claire, lass, please…"

Claire opened her eyes and saw the large ceiling of the Laird's bedroom at Lallybroch. The shaking stopped as she blinked her eyes again, willing her heart to stop racing.

"Sassenach, are ye alright?" Jamie asked quietly as he rested his hand on her shoulder.

She looked over and found the worried eyes of her husband "Thank Christ, I thought ye would never waken, lass."

"Jamie?" she asked him slowly and carefully as she tried to figure out who and where she was. "Where am I?"

"In bed," he replied as his arm reached out and gently caressed her swollen belly. "Is it time? Is it the bairn?"

She looked at him and then down to where his large hand was resting and let go of the breath she had been holding. The kicking was not people kicking her; it was their unborn baby, due any day now. Relief coursed through her as the world began to right itself again and just as she was about to reassure her husband, one paralysing thought hit her. The girls.

She got out of bed as quickly as could, ignoring Jamie's questions as she walked or judging by how heavily pregnant, she was, waddled as quickly as she could out of their bedroom and into the nursery.

As soon as she opened the door, she released the breath that she had been holding. One hand rested on her swollen belly, the other was covering her mouth so that her tears of relief would not waken them. She tiptoed into the room to the sound of snores that were not quite in tune with each other but still beautiful to hear, nonetheless. Five-year-old Faith was fast asleep on the bed on the left-hand side of the room, her bright red hair curling around her face and her beloved doll Betsy.

Brianna was in the other bed, lying flat on her back like a star fish, her little arms and legs were all shapes, and she was fast asleep with her blanket lying on the floor and Claire could not help but laugh at the shape of her three-year-old. She walked closer to the bed only to hear Jamie quietly enter the room behind her and with one hand on her lower back he reached down, lifted the blanket, and placed carefully over their sleeping daughter.

"They are fine, Sassenach," he whispered as he took Claire's hand and quietly led her from the room, closing the door quietly behind them. As they walked out into the hallway, they saw Fergus standing waiting for them.

"M'lady?" the young boy asked as he walked over to them. "Are you okay, I heard you scream? The baby, is it time?"

"Oh, Fergus," Claire smiled as she wrapped her arms her him and pulled him in as close as possible for a hug. "I just had a silly dream. I am fine."

"M'Lord?" Fergus asked Jamie for reassurance.

"Tis fine, lad, go back to sleep."

Fergus looked at them both and nodded his head, accepting the fact that his new sibling would not be coming this night.

"Come, Sassenach, let's get you back to bed," Jamie said as he gently ushered her towards their room. The second he closed their bedroom door he could hear her sobs. "Claire?"

"I am fine," Claire sniffed. "Just a silly stupid dream."

Jamie frowned as he came and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissed her shoulder.

"You were tossing and turning all night lass, and ye flew from the bed as if the devil himself were after ye. Are you sure you're, okay?"

Claire took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I think he was, Jamie. I think I just had the nightmare from hell."

If possible, Jamie pulled her even closer to him. "It felt so real Jamie," Claire whispered as she turned round and faced him, tears now streaming down her face. Jamie lifted her chin and wiped away her tears.

"Get into bed Sassenach," he whispered and reacting to the look on her face, "and ye can tell me all about, otherwise ye will never settle."

"Jamie…."

"Bed. Now."

Claire carefully got back into bed, and she could not help but smile at the sight of her warrior husband tucking her in before lighting some candles and climbing into the bed and wrapping his arm around her, the other resting on her belly.

"Tell me."

"It was horrible…" Claire whispered as she started to shiver despite the golden flow of candlelight as she relived the nightmare. "I was in a forest, it was cold and damp and people starting walking from nowhere towards me, and they were laughing. At first, I had no idea who they were but as they came closer, I started to recognise them, Frank, Laoghaire, Mother Hildegard."

Jamie kissed her forehead as she took a deep breath before continuing. "Seeing her was the worst," Claire said quietly trying to hold back a sob. "She was carrying Faith in her arms. She was the size she was when she was born, small and tiny. But in my dream, she didn't make it. She told me she was the angels."

"Christ, Sassenach," Jamie muttered as he too remembered those dark days in Paris when Claire had collapsed, and Faith had been born far to early. By some miracle, he had escaped jail following the duel with Black Jack Randall and had rushed to the hospital where Claire was being treated. He spent days praying to every god and saint he had heard of to pray that his wife and daughter would live.

"It was so strange, thinking back on it now," Claire said. "I know now it was a dream, but at the time it felt so strange. I was standing looking at Mother Hildegard standing in front of me in the forest, yet I was also lying in a bed in the hospital screaming for my baby."

"I kept jumping from place to place, like opening a door into another room, instead I was opening or walking into a very different place than I was previously. After Faith died," Claire uttered the last words so quietly that Jamie barely heard them, "we were back here at Lallybroch when you discovered that someone had forged your signature on something and the next thing, I knew we were packing up and leaving Lallybroch to join the Jacobite cause. Agnus died in my arms after the battle at Prestonpans and we killed Dougal… oh god, Jamie, we killed him! And then… and then…" the tears that had been threatening to spill came as Jamie pulled her as close to him as possible rubbing her back and trying to calm her down.

"Hush, lass, it was a just dream."

"You sent me away…"

"What?"

"On the morning of Culloden, we realised I was pregnant with Brianna and you took me to the stones and sent me back to Frank. Jesus H Roosevelt Christ, Jamie, we were apart for twenty years."

Claire continued to tell him how in the dream she had returned to Frank and lived in a loveless marriage for twenty years whilst he lived in hiding in a cave before being taken to Ardsmuir prison and on to an estate called Helwater. There, he fathered a son with one of the estate owner's daughters and on his freedom and return to Lallybroch married Laoghaire. She explained how the dream ended when everyone appeared to walk through and over her.

"Look at me, I'm a blubbering, emotional, hormonal wreck all over a silly nightmare," she laughed in spite of her fears.

"You're beautiful, Sassenach."

"Really?" she asked arching her eyebrow as she turned her head to look at him "Seriously, Jamie, I cannot get any bigger. I was never this huge with the girls."

Jamie nodded his head, "As I told you then and I will remind you again now, the bigger you are then the healthier you and the bairn are."

"I feel as if I am going to burst!" Claire laughed as Jamie kissed her neck.

"All the more reason I say it's a wee laddie in there," Jamie joked as he kissed her nose as he lay down his side facing her, his hand rubbing her belly. A swift kick in his hand had him smiling and Claire taking a deep breath.

"He is active tonight."

"Yes, she is," Claire smiled as she tried to get in a comfortable position. "Please come soon, little one. My ribs cannot take any more kicking."

"Aye, do you hear that, laddie? Feel free to come anytime," Jamie whispered as he leant forward and lifted her shift enough for him to kiss her belly. As he did so, the baby kicked again, so strong this time that he could see the shape of the foot. "Christ almighty, I can see his wee foot, Sassenach!"

"At least he is in the correct position then," Claire smiled as she tried to put the events of her nightmare to the back of her mind.

"Claire, I love you and our girls and the family that we are and will have when this one finally arrives. I will never leave you; we are mated for life sassenach. The thought of being separated from you twenty minutes is bad enough but twenty years… I couldnae survive it. God forbid if something did happen, that made me even think about sending you back, I would put a knife to my own throat rather than live without you, without what we have. We were meant to be together, forever Sassenach. Do you trust me?"

"Off course I do," Claire smiled.

"Good, now get comfortable, cause you need to relax a bit more otherwise you never get to sleep this night."

"Oh, and how do you plan on doing that then?" she smirked as he lifted her shift and watched as he trailed his index finger along her thigh and gradually going higher and higher until he was gently rubbing her core.

"Very slowly."

Eleven Hours Later

The first twinge had started just after breakfast. Jamie, being the perfect husband, had served her the meal in bed and had insisted on carrying the tray downstairs on his way out to start working in the stables. It was only when Claire had carefully gotten out of bed and wrapped herself in the bed sheet and waddled over to the window smiling and watching Jamie and Ian play about with Fergus and wee Jamie that the first contraction hit.

It could have been Braxton Hicks, but she knew it was time as she smiled out the window and embraced the scene in front of her. It had been snowing and the crystal white sharpness of it created a beautiful, almost mystical, and serene image around Lallybroch. The snow had stopped, but it was still cold enough to see the men's breath in the air as they laughed and joked and prepared for the day ahead.

A calmness enveloped her as Faith and Brianna both came running into the room insisting that they all have a tea party and started playing in front of the fireplace. Claire smiled as she played the role of the Queen to her daughters being the princesses. As she listened to the girls chatting away to themselves and their dolls she remembered how previously when her labour pains started how she was anything but calm. With Faith, her labour had been months too early, and with Brianna there had the fear of a long and stressful birth. But this time she was calm. Call it a mother's intuition that everything was going to be okay.

'It is going to be okay,' Claire thought to herself when Jenny entered the room looking for the girls that the second contraction hit. She sat silently in the chair, her eyes closed, gripping the chair as she let the pain wash over her, Faith and Brianna were both completely unaware of what was happening.

Jenny knew without a saying word and silently went about preparing everything that would be needed, allowing Claire to simply enjoy some time with the girls before the labour progressed. Mrs Crook had eventually managed to get Faith and Brianna out of the room with the promise of helping to make some bannocks for dinner when the next contraction hit. This time, Claire was standing and held on tight to the bed post for support.

"How far apart was that one?" Jenny asked frowning at how calm her sister-in-law was.

"Fifteen minutes," Claire sighed as the pain eased. "Where is Jamie?"

"He is still out in the fields with Ian, he said he would be back for lunch," Jenny replied as she added more wood to the fire. "Mrs Crook just sent Fergus to fetch the midwife. I can send someone to go and find them?"

"No, he will be back in time," Claire smiled. "No point worrying him unnecessarily. You know how he gets."

Jenny smiled knowing what her brother was like the last time "Shouting at everyone and pacing about and getting in everyone's way," Jenny smiled as she watched Claire walk around the room.

Claire nodded and smiled as she walked back to the window. There was something about the snow that was soothing. With Brianna, both she and Jamie had been worried sick about the birth after everything that had happened with Faith. The labour had lasted two days, and they even had an invasion of redcoats before Brianna had made her loud appearance. This time though, she was not nervous, just excited and she knew Jamie felt the same way. She also had a feeling that was going to be a fast labour and all she wanted now was for Jamie to be here with her.

Thirty minutes and three contractions later, the men could be heard returning to the stables in the same happy and jovial mood they had been in when they left. At the same time Fergus returned from town and Claire, who was still standing at the window watched as the young boy ran over to Jamie and told him what was happening. It took less than thirty seconds for Jamie to run from the courtyard, into the house and race up the stairs to their bedroom.

Claire was smiling as he all but ran into the room to the amusement of Jenny who quickly left the room to gather her children for lunch.

"Claire?" he asked as he came and stood beside her, his hand on her belly. "Why didn't you fetch me sooner?"

"There was no rush. I knew you would make it back in time."

"Even so," Jamie said as he kissed her forehead. "You know I don't want you going through this alone."

"Jenny was here the entire time," Claire smiled as another contraction hit and she grabbed onto the windowsill for support.

"Breathe, Sassenach," Jamie whispered as he rubbed her back.

"They are getting closer," Claire frowned as the pain eased. "The midwife? I didn't see her return with Fergus?"

"She cannae make it," Jamie sighed "The young Mrs Douglas has been labouring for two days now, and she cannae leave her."

Claire nodded her head as she felt Jamie come and stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "I think I prefer that it is just going to be us: you, me and Jenny."

"Aye, Jenny knows what to do," Jamie replied kissing her shoulder.

"She does," Claire smiled as she remembered Brianna's birth "At least there are no sign of any redcoats this time."

"Thank Christ," Jamie muttered before smirking. "At least they never came back," Jamie smiled as Claire stepped forward and gasped. "Sassenach?"

Claire looked at him, then down at the floor, his gaze following hers. "My waters…"

Jamie looked down at the carpet and saw the puddle on the carpet. "The bairn's in a hurry, Jenny!" he shouted as another sharp contraction hit causing Claire to double over and grab hold of him for support.

JCJCJC

Ninety minutes later and the sound of a new-born baby crying echoed round the halls of Lallybroch.

"Ye did it, Sassenach," Jamie said whispering into her ear as they both stared in wonder at the baby in Jenny's arms.

"Ye have a bonny wee lad," Jenny said, smiling from ear to ear and trying to hide back her own tears.

"A boy," Claire smiled as Jenny placed the new-born in her arms as Jamie wrapped his arms even more tightly around her.

"Christ, Claire," he sniffed as he stared in wonder at his son. He had been present at Brianna's birth too and even second time round he was caught by such a wave of emotion for both Claire and the baby that it was difficult to hold back the tears. "He's got your dark hair."

"God help him," Claire laughed as she tenderly stroked his cheek and grabbed his tiny fist.

"Da, why don't you take the future Laird Broch Tuarach and get him cleaned up?" Jenny asked as she watched Claire pass the baby into his father's arms. "He has got your eyes, Claire."

"Aye, he does," Jamie said as he lifted the baby and held him close to his chest and carried over to the over side of the room to clean him up.

A short time later, after the afterbirth had been delivered and both mother and son had been washed and freshly dressed, Claire sighed as Jamie set her back down gently on the bed with Jenny setting the baby in her arms to be fed.

"I'll give you all some peace before everyone wants in to meet the new arrival," Jenny said quietly as she quickly left the room.

"He is so small," Claire smiled as she led his mouth to her breast and sighed as felt him latch on.

"There you go laddie," Jamie smiled as he sat on the bed facing Claire and reached over and gently stroked the soft dark hair on the baby's head. "Ten fingers, ten toes and an appetite to boot!" he laughed as the baby startled suckling.

"Like his father then," Claire smirked "So we are agreed on the name then? William?"

"Aye," Jamie sniffed

"William Brian Lambert Fraser, welcome to the world," Claire smiled at the baby and then at Jamie and frowned. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing, mo ghraidh," Jamie smiled, as he tried to hold back the tears of joy. "I once told ye that I can handle pain, but I could never cope with yours."

Claire nodded her head.

"Today, seeing you bring him into the world, Christ, I love you more than I ever thought possible," he said as he pulled a stray hair behind her ear and kissed her nose "You make my heart fit to burst with pride, Sassenach."

Jamie leant over and kissed her on the forehead and then softly on the lips.

"I love you."

"And I you, mo nighean donn," Jamie smiled as baby William let out a small whimper. "Ach, laddie," Jamie smiled as he cooed at the baby.

"That's him letting me know to switch sides," Claire laughed as she carefully changed arms and watched as he latched on to her other breast.

"The wee lad kens what he wants," Jamie smirked. "Don't want you getting lopsided ken."

"Not even funny, Fraser," Claire half smirked, and half glared at him.

Jamie was about to reply when there was a soft knock on the bedroom door, and he smiled as Fergus popped his head round. "Can we come in, M'Lord? M'Lady?"

"Course you can, lad," Jamie smiled as he sat back a bit and reached out and grabbed a bouncing Brianna before she could hurl herself into the bed. "Easy, lass!" he laughed as Fergus lifted Faith and set her to on the bed facing her mother.

"My baby!" Brianna smiled as she bounced on Jamie's knee.

"You're both going to be good girls and help your ma look after him now, aren't ye?" Jamie asked as he tickled both girls.

"Faith, Brianna, Fergus, we would like you to meet your brother, William," Jamie said proudly as Fergus came round to the other side of the bed and sat down.

"Brower?" Faith smiled her little arms already outstretched to hold him.

"Yes, Faith," Claire smiled at her daughter "You can hold him when he is finished feeding darling."

"Brother," Fergus smirked. "He has dark hair like moi. We are going to have so much fun!"

Claire and Jamie just looked at each and smiled.

"It will be a while before he is chasing you around a field, lad," Jamie laughed as he spotted Ian standing at the doorway. "Ian, you come to see your nephew?"

"Aye, I have and to send Fergus and the girls down for their dinner," Ian said as he walked into the room and kissed Claire. "Congratulations to you both. He is gonna be a heartbreaker."

"Thank you Ian," Claire smiled. "Bree, remember to hold your brother's hand going down the stairs."

"Yes. Mama!"

"I will fetch you a tray and bring it up, Sassenach," Jamie said as he too stood up and saw her start to burp wee William.

As he left the room Ian patted him on the back and whispered, "There's a wee dram of whiskey sitting on the desk in your study with yer name on it."

JCJCJCJC

Darkness fell over Lallybroch, and Claire smiled as she could hear Jamie and Ian say their goodnights. She was laying on her side looking on down at baby William as he lay on his back kicking and punching the air around him.

Jamie quietly opened the bedroom and smiled when he saw that they both were still awake. "Sorry, Sassenach, Ian wanted to celebrate the wee lad's arrival."

"Wetting the baby's head?" Claire smiled as she watched him take his jacket off and lay it across the chair.

"Aye," Jamie smiled. "I am no drunk though."

"Off course not," Claire smiled as the baby held her finger in a tight grip.

"He is a lively one," Jamie smiled as he came and sat down on the bed and grabbed William's other hand.

"Imagine how my ribs felt," Claire smiled "This time last night, I was asking him to hurry up and come and complaining at how I couldn't get comfortable, and now he is here."

"Aye," Jamie said as his hand cupped little William's small foot. "I saw his wee foot as he was moving about in your belly, and now he is here."

"The difference a day makes," Claire replied as she tried to hide the yawn.

"You're tired, lass," Jamie said as he reached over and cupped her face.

"I am. He has just had a feed."

"Then sleep," Jamie said as he kissed her cheek and pulled the bed sheet around her. "I can keep the wee lad company."

"You must be tired too."

"Nah, I am too happy to sleep, Sassenach," Jamie smiled as he lifted the baby blanket and lifted William, wrapping him carefully in it before lifting him into his arms and walked over to the window.

"Jamie," Claire sighed at the image in front of her. It was the same when Brianna was born, the image of Jamie holding their new-born baby was one she wanted to cherish forever. The happiness and love shone in his face and they smiled as their eyes met. They did not need to say anything as they both smiled at each other.

"Now, William…"

Claire heard Jamie talking to his son about how this was his home and how he would grow up farming the land and looking after the tenants just like he was and his grandfather before him. She smiled as she closed her eyes and let the sleep envelope her.

Six weeks later

"It's gonna be a cold one tonight, Sassenach," Jamie said as he came and placed a shawl over her shoulder. "I'm going to go and grab more wood for the fire. I'll be right back."

Claire was sitting in the large armchair beside the fire feeding little William as she watched the snow continue to fall. It had been a long hard and bitterly cold winter, the toughest they had experienced in years. The girls loved playing in the snow. They had no fear whatsoever. Claire, however, had managed to get as far as the stable before nearly slipping on a patch of ice. The highlands of Scotland were used to heavy snowfalls, but this year had been different. At dinner, Jenny and Ian had remarked that if any more snow fell, they would likely be snowed in, much to the girls' excitement and Claire's horror.

Claire looked down at William's happy little face as he stopped suckling and she lifted him and started to wind him, smiling as he cooed away to himself in her ear. She stood up and walked to the window and swore she saw icicles forming on the window outside.

"Just set them by the hearth, lad," Jamie said as he followed Fergus into the room and set down a huge pile of logs for the fire.

"It is nice and warm in here," Fergus smiled as he stood by the fire and warmed his hands.

"Why don't we bring the girls in with us tonight?" Claire asked. "If it is as cold outside as what I think it is they will never settle, the body heat will help keep us all warm."

"Aye, we'll go fetch them," Jamie said as he tilted his head to Fergus to come and help him.

Claire got into bed and lifted William back into her arms and set him down onto the bed and allow him to stretch about before the girls joined them. He was such a good baby. He rarely cried, and when he did it was more of a whimper than the screams Faith and Brianna used to produce. He was quiet but curious, his little head followed every noise and Claire often remarked that he would be the studious child.

Faith was still awake and was being led into the laird's bedroom by Fergus, who held the door open for Jamie who was carrying a sleeping Brianna in his arms. It took a few minutes of rearranging but eventually everyone was in the huge bed with extra shawls and blankets draped over them. Jamie lay at one end with Brianna fast asleep beside him with William stretched out beside Claire at the other end. Faith was lying in the middle of the bed with her head on Claire's tummy and was listening to a story that Fergus was animatedly telling her. Claire lay at one end with William in her arms.

"He loves his ma," Jamie grinned as he watched William gaze up at and play with Claire.

"He is going to be mummy's boy, aren't you?" Claire cooed. "Just like Faith and Brianna are wrapped around daddy's little fingers."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Sassenach," Jamie smiled as he reached over and stroked her cheek. He was just about to reach over and kiss her when he heard a whimper from the baby and looked down to see little William's lower lip start to tremble.

"Nearly feeding time, is it, little laddie?"

"Or time for a change," Claire sighed.

"Okay. William, no need to fuss," Jamie smiled as he stood up and picked up his son whose whimpers were getting louder.

"I can change him, Jamie."

"You feed him, Sassenach. Changing his clout is my way of helping," Jamie smiled as he cradled William in his arms and kissed him on his forehead. "Just please don't pee on your da this time."

Claire bit her lip as she watched father and son bond and thought back to that horrible nightmare she had the night before William had been born. To even think the scene in front of her would or could never have happened tore her heart into pieces. A few minutes later, and William was back in her arms and immediately rooting for her breast. She lowered her shift as his tiny hand rested on her breast and started suckling.

"Sassenach, ye all right, lass?" Jamie asked as he put some more wood on the fire before carefully climbed back into bed.

"Just thinking back to that dream, or rather nightmare when I think that all of this…"

"Don't go there, please," Jamie said he too looked around the occupants of their bed and smiled. "We have everything we want in this world in this very bed, Sassenach, and I am thankful."

"Me too," Claire said. "God, you really are the king of men, Jamie Fraser."

Jamie's response was a frown.

"Even in my time and as advanced as things and people are, if you were to say something like that, they would crown you the king of men."

"I shall take that as a compliment then."

"I love you," Claire smiled as she carefully lifted William onto her other breast.

"And I, you," Jamie smiled as he reached down to adjust the blankets over Faith and Brianna and ensuring they stayed warm. As Claire settled William to sleep, Jamie uttered a silent Gaelic prayer of thanks for the health of his family and the land they lived on.

My previous story (In the Wee small hours) had a twist in it that I wanted to make amends for! In that story in was Jamie having the dream so in this one i wanted it to be Claire and there was only one idea that came to mind, what if everything that had happened after Paris had been a horrible nightmare and never happened? No Culloden, no twenty year separation...

Thank you all so much for reading!