Thank y'all so so much for the *amazing* response to the first chapter! It was supposed to be a one shot but I was encouraged to really make this into a multi-chapter fic! So far in my outline, it should be about 11 chapters so I hope y'all stick around for the journey!
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Chapter Two:
The next morning, Claire rolls over, feeling more rested than she has in… years.
Her presentation had gone well, and her date with Jamie had gone even better.
He'd taken her to a nice dinner, candlelit table with a beautiful view of the city. Jamie, as always, had been attentive, asking her about her time at the conference, even though she knew he didn't understand half the medical jargon she was spewing. But he'd listened anyway, a soft smile upon his face, staring into her whisky eyes as if she was the only person in the room.
It had made her stomach flutter, like a wave crashing upon the sand in a violent storm, and she couldn't help the shy way she kept biting on her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling quite so much.
They'd taken their time, savoring each other just as much as the meal before them. Having time to catch up, far more than they'd had that morning, had been wonderful.
Jamie told her more about his son, Fergus, and how he'd met him when the boy was just eleven years old. Jamie had been volunteering at the orphanage with his friend, John, when this brown, curly-haired little boy came barreling through the room, swiping toys from some of the big kids. Jamie had followed him as he ran from the room with a wicked grin on his face, only to witness the boy delivering the toys to the smaller children who didn't seem to have anything to play with.
His heart had swelled at how kind it was, and in that moment he knew he wanted to raise the boy to become a well rounded young man.
She reassured him that it seemed like he had, from what he'd told her thus far.
Jamie had grinned, shaking his head. "I canna take all the credit. Fergus has always had a good heid on his shoulders."
Opening up his camera roll, he'd spent the next few minutes showing off all the pictures he had of a young Fergus, teenage Fergus, and the more recent photographs of the strapping twenty-one year old that he was now.
She'd talked more about Julia, beaming with pride as she told Jamie how she was graduating high school early and going to college at MIT like she'd told him that morning. Claire told him of her daughter's hobbies, like horseback riding and playing the piano. Her heart swelled with pride, which was clearly written all over her face based on how brightly Jamie was smiling at her.
"Well, other than raising the lovely Julia, and becoming a world renowned surgeon," he said with a grin, which she rolled her eyes at, "what else have ye been up to?"
Sighing, Claire thought for a moment. "Not much" is what she wanted her answer to be. Truthfully, between medical school, becoming a surgeon and raising Julia, she hadn't had much time for anything else.
She bit her lip, shrugging helplessly with a breathless laugh. "That's about it, to be truthful," she admitted. She told Jamie how much time medical school took while also trying to balance being a good, single mother. "I mean, I have friends, of course, so I spend time with them." He nodded in understanding, saying he's much the same way. "Most of my friends, like my best friend, Joe, are doctors as well. It makes it easier because they understand the hectic schedule of working in a hospital." She smiled, nervous to admit the next part for some reason. "I dated here and there after my divorce, but with my schedule and… well, it just never worked out."
Jamie admitted to much the same when it came to his dating life post-divorce, joking that at thirty-eight, they should know how the dating game works. She knew it was unspoken, but that they were both thinking how no one ever made them feel the way they did with each other.
They both agreed, however, that adult life seems to be just working, spending time with friends and family, and not really having much time for hobbies.
"I will admit," she said, eyes lighting up, "that I do still love gardening and growing all types of plants."
Jamie reached across the table, taking her hand in his. His thumb began to rub the silver band on her right hand absentmindedly. "Good. Ye were always so good at that. Always had a green thumb." He smiled, adding, "And, I have tae say, I've tried tae continue learning different languages."
"Of course you have," she laughed. "You were always so good at them. I'll never understand how an eighteen year old knew English, Gaelic, French, and Latin fluently. I was always quite impressed by that."
"I ken," he said with a sly grin. "But ye ken the first two were spoken fluently in my house as a lad, so I naturally learned those. My mam knew Latin and always wanted her bairns to know the old language, too." He laughed at a memory, his eyes twinkling. "And Da, weel, he was always a bit jealous Mam could teach us something he couldna, so he took it upon himself to teach us all French."
She laughed, imagining his father determined to teach them the language only he knew in the house. "I remember you telling me that," she said. They'd shared so much back then. The loss of her parents when she was five, and his mother's death when he was fourteen had bonded them in a morbid way that only the two of them could understand. "Still very impressive." She smiled in his direction, her foot running along his under the table. "You'd think Lamb would have taught me all the languages he knows from his travels, but," she scoffed a laugh, "I could never really pick it up. Just enough French to get by but that's about it." She sighed, wistfully thinking about how she wished other languages had come easily for her. "Julia knows some French; she's taken it all throughout her schooling. She's not fluent like you by any means," she grinned, "but she can get by better than I could in France."
Claire smiles to herself as she thinks about the previous night, burying her face into the pillow to sigh contentedly.
After dinner, they'd walked around downtown, stopping for ice cream and enjoying the beautiful night. It was quaint, despite being a busy city; it almost felt like a town from the past frozen in time, and she loved it. The temperature, however, was starting to get to her. It was March, in Scotland, so it was still quite chilly outside. She was thankful for the leather jacket she'd grabbed, but it still wasn't enough to keep her sufficiently warm. She'd worn black leggings, but not thick ones, so the cold air was hitting her legs more than anything.
She wasn't planning on saying anything, wanting to soak up as much time with Jamie as possible, but he'd noticed her shivering and decided it was time to head back to her hotel.
He'd dropped her off with a long hug, long enough to let her bury her face into his neck and smell his cologne that hadn't seemed to change in all these years. Or maybe it was just his natural scent that hadn't changed.
It was too soon for a kiss, despite how desperately her body longed to feel his lips against hers. Craved it. But no, they'd only been back in each other's lives for a day. And she was leaving the day after tomorrow.
It couldn't happen.
So she'd stood outside his car, their hands intertwined, unable to say goodnight. Jamie had smiled, admitting he didn't want to leave either, but he must. So with one more final hug, and a promise to text her in the morning, Jamie climbed back in his car and left.
Thinking of his promise, Claire reaches over quickly, grabbing her phone from the nightstand and unplugging it.
Want to go sightseeing today? Then lunch and a surprise.
Smiling, she responds back in the affirmative, and hopping out of bed to get ready for the day.
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He picks her up, and her breath is lost to her once again at the sight of Jamie Fraser.
He's in a pair of dark wash denim jeans, but he's swapped the flannel shirt of yesterday for a dark beige sweater, and damn he looks good.
Claire runs her hands down her front, hoping she looks okay in her jeans and long sleeve black t-shirt. She'd grabbed her olive green pea coat to throw over it, knowing the day would probably be just as chilly as last night.
"Ye look bonny, Sassenach," he murmurs, wrapping her in his strong embrace.
She buries her nose into his chest, grinning wildly to herself where he can't see. "Thank you," she replies, pulling back from his hug. "You look wonderful too; very cozy," she says, tapping the brown button on the collar of his sweater.
They climb into his car, well, a truck today, she notes, and he cranks up the heat to warm her.
Over the next few hours, Jamie takes her to see different sites around Inverness, letting her see and take pictures of places like Inverness Castle and the River Ness. Although only the north tower is still open to the public, they were able to walk around the grounds and view the castle's beauty from the outside.
"I feel like I've been transported back in time," she laughs, looking up at the tall structure.
"Aye," he chuckles, "I forget how majestic it is tae people who dinna live here. 'Tis just a regular thing fer me to see."
Grinning, she pinches his bicep, mumbling about how he's spoiled living here to which he just laughs.
"Take my picture?" she asks, handing him her phone. "Julia would love to see that I'm actually out enjoying the country."
He grins, snapping a few pictures as she poses, smiling for the camera and then pointing behind her to show off the castle.
"Beautiful," he breathes, almost to himself as he hands the phone back to her while a blush warms her cheeks.
After the castle, Jamie drives them further from town, showing her Castle Leoch and then the battlefield of Culloden. They walk around, looking at the gravestones of all the fallen clans, all the while talking about any and everything from the history of Scotland to memories of their past they hadn't gotten to share over dinner. Conversation was easy with Jamie, and she enjoys how seamlessly they flow from one topic to the next.
When conversation does halt, it's not awkward. It's a peaceful sort of silence, letting Claire take in the sights and history around her. "I love how much history is here, and all over Europe," she notes, looking over her shoulder to Jamie. He's standing back, enjoying the view, and she can't help but to notice that the view his eyes were on was not that of the Scottish Highlands. She grins but tries to contain it. "I keep telling Julia she needs to come explore this side of the world and really immerse herself in the culture."
"Aye," he agrees easily, "it would be a lovely experience fer her. Let her see the castles and old world that's still preserved in Europe." She nods. "Ye canna beat it. America is beautiful in it's own way, ken, but no' like here."
Smiling, she walks over to him and takes his hand. "I agree."
They climb back into the truck, and Jamie drives a little ways down to the Cawdor Castle and Gardens.
Her eyes light up when she sees the beautiful garden, or what's just now starting to grow at the very start of spring. As they walk through, Claire taking pictures of the vibrant purple and blue flowers she sees, Jamie gives her a history lesson, telling her all about the castle and how it's the place where William Shakespeare's version of Macbeth murdered Duncan.
She tilts her head, narrowing her eyes at him. "That's… not historically accurate."
"No?" he asks with a smirk.
"Duncan was murdered by Macbeth at the Battle of Elgin. Julia did a whole presentation on Macbeth two years ago for a Lit class, and that, I do remember," she chuckles.
"Och, well, 'tis a fun bit of made up history to share nonetheless."
Laughing, Jamie loops his arm around her shoulders, leading her through the rest of the garden.
She snaps more pictures of the beautiful plants, having Jamie take a few more of her surrounded by the vibrant colors.
As they walk, Claire names the plants she sees, apparently amusing Jamie based on the grin he keeps plastered on his face. "That one there," she says, pointing to a group of lavender plants, "can actually be crushed into a powder and used to heal the common cold."
"Och, no need fer all yer medicines then," he jokes, causing her to swat at his arm.
"The medicines have their uses too, smartass."
He laughs, pulling her closer to him as they continue their stroll.
After another half hour, Claire's stomach begins to rumble, causing her to laugh as she places her hand over her belly. "I guess I'm a little peckish," she says, shrugging in Jamie's direction.
He checks the time, noting that it's already one o'clock. "We've been all around today, mo nighean donn. Let's go back into town and get some lunch."
He'd called her that in their past, and the term still made her smile.
With a nod, she laces her fingers through his once more, walking back toward the truck.
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After their lunch has been cleared away, Jamie and Claire sit at the small cafe, sipping on their coffees and enjoying the people bustling around them in the village.
It's nice enough outside, their jackets keeping them sufficiently warm, and Claire is just thankful the Scottish rain she always hears so much about has kept away. The sun is providing a nice, much needed bit of warmth.
They take a few moments, enjoying the silence as they both people watch.
Claire's eyes travel back over to Jamie, and she grins when she realizes he's already looking at her. "What?" she giggles, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Nothin'," he mumbles, his ears growing pink. "I just still canna believe ye're here. Wi' me. Truly."
She smiles, nodding. "It's quite amazing how it's all worked out. What are the odds of running into you of all people while waiting in a cafe?"
Jamie smiles again, making her stomach flutter. She doesn't ever think she'll get over how gorgeous he is.
"So," he says, placing his cup back on the saucer. "I ken we've done a lot today, so if ye're tired and want tae just go relax in yer hotel, I can drop ye off. But… I'd love tae show you Fraser's Ridge."
She lights up, excited to see the business he's grown over the years. "Of course I want to see it!"
He beams across the table at her, looking like an excited child on Christmas morning. With one last sip of their drinks, they pay and make their way to his truck.
When they arrive at Fraser's Ridge, she has to say that she is very impressed. It's far larger than she originally thought it would be.
She looks out the window as he drives them down the long gravel road, taking in the beauty of the seemingly endless miles of rolling green hills littered with trees. She can spot some workers out in the distance, and a truck with families in the back, obviously getting a tour of the place.
"Jamie, it's beautiful," she says in awe, turning away from the window to look at him.
He's smiling, eyes still on the road as he thanks her.
He parks the truck in front of the largest building, aptly adorned with a large "Fraser's Ridge" sign and comes around to open the door for her.
Reaching out his hand, he helps her from the vehicle and looks down at her feet. "Good," he says with a chuckle, "I'm glad ye've got those on." He points at her black booties she'd worn the night before as well. "It'll make it easier tae walk the land versus those wee heels ye wore tae the conference."
Chuckling, she quips, "A girl always knows how to dress for the occasion."
He grins, taking her hand and leading her inside.
They're greeted by Jamie's brother-in-law, Ian. She takes a mental note of the limp and cane he walks with, remembering how Jamie had mentioned he was trampled by a horse right before Jamie came back to Scotland.
Ian lights up, his smile just as welcoming as Jamie's always is. "Dinna expect tae see ye today, mo dheartáir," he announces, clapping him on the shoulder and drawing him in for a hug. "And ye must be Claire."
Ian turns to her with a warm smile, and she blushes at him already knowing about her, but she confirms it nonetheless, reaching out to shake his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Ian."
Ian laughs, "A right ol' Sassenach, ye weren't kidding, Jamie."
She rolls her eyes playfully and they all laugh before Jamie tells Ian he just wants to show Claire the farm and take her around. "I know it's my day off, but ye ken I canna stay away fer too long."
Ian chuckles, shaking his head before telling Claire that it was lovely to meet her. "Perhaps I'll see ye again soon."
"Perhaps," she replies, smiling over to Jamie.
He takes her hand, leading her out of the building. "In there," he says, pointing to the building that they just left, "are just our offices and a lobby fer guests who are waiting fer the next hay ride."
She nods, listening as he explains the different parts of his business, glad to see that he actually seems happy with the path his life has taken.
Jamie points out into the distance, to those hills she'd seen earlier. "Those are our apple trees," he explains. "No' much tae see now, ken, because of the weather, but come summer, there'll be plenty o' apples fer people tae come and pick. We also sell them tae local stores, and we've got several accounts wi' restaurants and grocery stores all o'er Scotland that we sell to."
She smiles, telling him how wonderful it all is. "You've grown this into a very impressive business, Jamie."
He blushes, but thanks her, taking her around the back of the main building to show her the stables. "And here's the horses. We use them mostly fer the workers tae get around the land, but we also do riding lessons for kids and teens. We do it year round, but the fall seems tae be the more popular time fer it. People come tae pick pumpkins and ride horses."
Jamie takes her hand, silently walking her to see the paddock for the horses. She meets and pets a few, feeding one a carrot before he nudges her to the next part of her tour.
He continues on, showing her the other parts of the ridge, all the while chatting away about his work on a day to day basis.
She finds herself smiling the whole time, just simply happy to be in his company and to see him so passionate about his vocation.
After two hours of walking and driving all around the property, Jamie parks his truck underneath some apple trees. Climbing out, he beckons her to join him in the bed of the truck.
With a grin, she climbs down, walking around to the back of the truck. He helps her climb in, and she chuckles to herself at the blankets already spread out in the back. "Had this all planned, did you?"
He snickers, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just figured it'd be a nice place tae end our day."
Smiling, she lays back, resting her head on her bent elbow. It's later in the day now, nearing five o'clock, so the sun has started to go down, casting the sky in an array of pinks and oranges.
It's beautiful. And romantic. And she feels nervous, but happy, as Jamie settles in next to her.
They lay there, wrapped under a second blanket, talking and laughing as the sun sets above them.
Jamie reaches over, taking her hand in his, and she sighs contentedly. "Today has been really wonderful, Jamie," she tells him softly, turning her head to look at him.
"Aye," he huffs, "One o' the best days I've had in a while."
She sits up, propping her back against the truck, and he follows suit, bringing one of the blankets up with him to place around their legs.
"I only have one more day left," she says, giving him an exaggerated pout.
He smiles reassuringly, obviously trying to make her feel better. He takes her hand again, rubbing his thumb over the top of it and giving it a light squeeze. "I'm going tae miss ye, Sassenach. I ken it's only been two days, but it feels like no time has passed."
"I know," she whispers, emotion taking over. There's a lump in her throat, but she swallows, pushing it away. She will not cry. She won't. She can't.
Silence fills the space between them, the only sounds coming from the peaceful nature that surrounds them.
Jamie sighs, resting his head against the rearview window they're propped against. His hand is still holding hers, still gently caressing the soft skin there, and she doesn't want to speak, doesn't want to burst this moment. No matter how weighted it may feel.
Looking down at his watch, Jamie sighs again. "It's getting late. Let me get you back tae yer hotel."
She nods, unsure of why she feels a knot in her stomach.
It's almost half past seven when he parks at her hotel. They both sit there, unsure of what else to say. She doesn't want to move, doesn't want to leave just yet. "Are you hungry?" she inquires, grinning at him.
He snickers, "Aye, it's been a while since we ate lunch, hasn't it?"
Biting her lip, she tells him the hotel has a restaurant that she ate at her first night in town. "It's pretty decent if you want that. Or we could go somewhere."
He nods, putting the car in reverse. "While ye're here, I'll no' have ye eatin' hotel food when there's plenty o' pubs around here tae give ye some authentic, Scottish food."
"Lead the way, then," she laughs, sitting back and enjoying her last few moments with Jamie.
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After dinner is said and done, Jamie finally drops her off at her hotel with another lingering hug just like the night before.
They'd walked around downtown for a while again, stopping in a bakery to share a cranachan. They'd sat by a water fountain, soaking up their time together like sponges absorbing water.
It was colder tonight than last night, but Claire didn't care. She'd sit outside in a blizzard if it meant she got to spend more time with Jamie.
When she gets to her room, she sends Jamie a text, letting him know she made it upstairs safely.
Thanks for a lovely day, Jamie. I had so much fun!
She hits send, then walks to her bathroom, taking off her clothes and readying for a shower.
Her phone buzzes and she looks down, smiling at his reply.
You're welcome, Sassenach. Let me know if you need a ride to the airport tomorrow. I don't mind.
Without thinking, knowing she wants as much time with him as she can get, she sends a text confirming that she would love that. She tells him her flight is at noon, so she needs to be there around nine in the morning.
Not a problem. How about I pick you up at 7:30 and we get breakfast before we go?
She tells him that that sounds amazing, then adds I'll see you then. Goodnight, Jamie.
With that, she climbs into the shower, washing the grime from the day away, and readies herself for bed.
As she's laying there, the last two days keep playing in her mind on a loop. She turns on her left side, and images of Jamie's smiling face pop into her mind. Sighing, she flips to the right, the castles she'd seen today and the carefree way in which she laughed and joked with Jamie fill her senses.
Huffing, she turns onto her back, slapping her hands down on either side of her body as his voice, his blue eyes, his warm touch, all overwhelm her.
She doesn't want to leave. Isn't ready to say goodbye. Not yet.
Groaning, she sits up, grabbing her laptop from the other bed.
She knows it's stupid, and rash, and probably the dumbest, most last minute decision she's ever made, but she opens her email and pulls up her flight information.
From there, she clicks on the airline's main page and researches her options.
Without much more thought, in the heat of the moment, Claire cancels her flight and changes her departure to be four days from now.
Because fuck this. She can't give up this feeling so soon. She needs more time… just four more days. She has the next week off of work anyway. Then she can go back to reality.
She grabs her phone, sending Julia a text to let her know that her flight has changed and tells her daughter that she loves her.
After that, she clicks over to Jamie's text, rereading his message about their plans for tomorrow and sends a text back.
Change of plans. She writes. 7:30 is a little early now that I'm staying four more days. How about you pick me up at 9:00 instead? Maybe now we can make it to all the places we didn't get to see today. :)
She smiles wickedly to herself, feeling a rush of adrenaline as she tries to sleep. Her phone buzzes with a response from Julia, saying she's glad her mother is taking more time for herself and to enjoy it.
I'll see you on Thursday. Love you!
Claire beams, turning to lay on her side. She feels like she's breaking a rule or something with the way her stomach twists and turns, but she sets her alarm early enough that she can get up and get ready before Jamie arrives. Thank god her indecisiveness when packing for a three day trip caused her to pack more than enough clothes.
Just before she falls asleep, she gets one more text message.
What?! Oh, Sassenach, I'm so happy. I'll see you in the morning!
Reading it, she grins, thoughts of Jamie Fraser and what the next four days may hold on her mind as she drifts off to sleep.
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I tried looking up things close to Inverness, but don't come for me if where all they go isn't possible all in a few hours… just go with it lol
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought 3