It was nearer midnight when he reined in his exhausted stallion, who joyfully meandered over to the trough as Jamie carried Daniea over to the shop door. He pounded his fist hard against the wood, his urgency for help peaked. Finally he spotted a lantern flame moving towards the windows.

A short, silver haired frenchman opened the door, his appearances mussed with sleep.

"Monsieur?' Jamie began.

"Mon chérie!" Raymond exclaimed, spotting the debilitated Daniea in Jaime's embrace.

"Bring her in... quickly!" He ordered, urgently locking the door behind them. He gestured for Jamie to follow him into the back and up a flight of carefully disguised stairs.

"Here, set her down on the bed." Raymond ordered as they entered a sparse, spare room.

Jamie stood back watching as Raymond frantically surveyed Daniea.

"What were you doing before she became this way?" He asked, not turning to look at Jamie.

Jamie paused unsure how to answer, "Arguing… with blades." He finally spat out.

Raymond cursed under his breath and he made his way down the hall for supplies.

Once he returned he began to remove Daniea's corset, the release of it's pressure making it easier for her to breath and speak.

"Mon chérie, is he the.."

"Oui." Daniea grunted as he tugged on the corset strings.

"Do you want him to leave?" Raymond asked, glancing back at Jamie who had lost all his color due to worry.

"I don't care."

"James?" he questioned, Daniea nodded.

"Will she be alright? Is it poison?" Jamie finally asked, the suspense taking its toll.

"She will be fine in time, and of course not. This James was onset by stress and over exerting herself." Raymond groaned.

"The watch?" Daniea chirped, the same look of worry in her eyes as before, making her double back over in pain.

"You let me worry about them for the time being, you need to calm down, you are still healing thrice over."

She nodded releasing a deep breath.

"Good girl, now drink this." he gave her a cup of steaming tea. "It will help with the pain and calm your nerves."

After a few minutes she visually appeared much more relaxed, Raymond leaned down next to her ear and whispered, "Does he know?"

She shook her head no.

"You know I must check." He pressed. "I ask again, do you want him to leave?"

She thought for a long moment before shaking her head once again.

"James, I need you to hold her hand, this will get quite painful."

Jamie made his way to the bedside and gently grasped her hand as Raymond finished removing the corset; and then proceeded to lift her shirt exposing her abdomen.

Jamie's stood stunned as he looked on at the dainty protrusion that now was her stomach.

Raymond carefully felt around, making sure everything was in order before turning her on her side to investigate her ribs and back.

The tight squeezing of his hand snapped Jamie back to reality, drawing his attention now to the black and blue mess that was Daniea's entire torso.

"Well mon chérie, it looks alright for now but I need you to stay here so I may make sure you are healing… and before you begin arguing with me about the watch, don't... I will take care of that for the time being." Raymond warned, handing her a nightgown.

"Get some rest, I will check on you in the morning. And James, please use the door at the back of the shop when you leave, your horse is there waiting and I do not want to draw any unnecessary attention."

"Yes, of course." Jamie assured.

Once the door at Raymond's room clicked shut, Daniea moved off the bed and began removing her boots.

"I assume my nakedness won't affect your delicate senses?" Daniea teased.

Jamie stayed silent, his eyes darting from her to the ground as she slowly disrobed.

Her entire body, not just her back and torso were covered in new scars and blossoming bruises. The breath caught in his chest, she looked much like she had after her attack at Leoch. As she slipped into the soft gown, she walked over to Jamie and laid her hands on his shoulders; slowly snapping him back to reality.

"Jamie? Jamie?" She called, till he lifted his face to hers.

"You should probably head home and get some sleep. I promise I will be here tomorrow if you feel like scolding me."

"Daniea?"

"What is it?" she asked softly, his face worrying her like never before.

The words stuck in his throat, all the questions he wanted to ask yet he could only seem to softly ask one.

"Are ye carrying our child?"

Her head screamed to give him a sarcastic answer such as no, I swallowed a pumpkin seed. But the hurt on his face, the quaking in his voice made her soften. So she simply nodded.

Jamie's chest tightened further so he couldn't breath, his cheeks grew hot as scorching tears fell upon them.

"Jamie?" Daniea whispered, bending down in front of his slumped over form, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

His mind reeled, he had known there was a possibility, he thought he felt something when he grasped her in the brothel, yet he honestly thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him. That it was making him believe one of his worst fears had in fact come true. Now that it was right in front of him, he was inconsolable.

Once he finally regained some composure, he looked her in the eye once more.

"Jamie, you need sleep. Yer exhausted, we all are. Go home and rest."

"I don't…"

She cut him off, placing her finger on his lip.

"I promise I…. we will be here tomorrow whenever you rise. I won't be running anywhere for the time being."

"Will you actually talk to me?" He questioned.

"Aye, I promise."

When he stood, the day's events began catching up with him yet he turned down the bed and carefully helped Daniea slip in beneath the covers.

"Rest well lass."

As he got to the door she called him back,

"One thing before you go?"

"What's that?"

"Do… did you want to feel?" She asked, knowing it might mean a great deal to him.

A weak smile crept onto his tired face, "Aye… very much."

As he made his way back to the bed, she drew down the covers exposing the small bulge that she carefully kept hidden. She patted the space next to her, signaling Jamie is was alright to crawl over.

Timidly his shaking hand came to rest on her stomach.

"It's alright." She assured him, snuggling into the pile of pillows around her.

He kept his hand there, rubbing small circles over the nightgown. Looking up, he saw Daniea was peacefully asleep, her hair tumbling over her in dark waves.

He leaned down closer to her and softly whispered in gaelic to the unborn bairn words of apology and love for both it and Daniea.

Not wanting to leave but also heeding Raymond's warnings he gently kissed the bump, then Daniea's forehead before covering her up.

Slipping out the backdoor the weight of the world was on his shoulders, he had his freedom but the things that made his life worth living were now trapped in a life of violence, death and unforeseen dangers.