Thanks so much again for the awesome response to the last chapter! Your comments and retweets/quote tweets really brighten my day each time one comes through, so thank you!
And thank you for your patience. This time of year is crazy for me because I'm a teacher, so I went back to work at the end of July and have been so super busy and exhausted, and then I ended up getting a upper respiratory infection that kicked my butt lol but I want to take my time with this story and not rush it just to get something out. I want to make sure I have it exactly how I want it for y'all because I'm *really* enjoying writing this, so I hope that's ok! I have the next few chapters already written, I just need to sit down and work a few things out in them!
This chapter may be a little different than what some people are expecting. I just didn't feel like going through each and every detail of the four days was necessary to move the story along. But either way, I hope you enjoy it!
{*******************************}
Chapter Three:
Bliss.
That would be the only word Claire can think of to describe how the last four days have gone. And to know that today, standing here in the airport, is her last day, makes her feel uneasy—like there's a tug on her heart to stay here even longer. To never let him out of her sight.
On her first extra day in Scotland, Jamie had picked her up with a giant smile on his face and taken her to breakfast. They'd planned out all the sights she wanted to see, Jamie adding the secret gems in his country that he thought she'd enjoy.
He'd driven them out of the city for the day, all the while explaining to her the legend of the Loch Ness monster and how they could look for him. Jamie had booked them tickets on the Loch Ness and Highlands Day Tour. This gave her the opportunity to not only see Loch Ness itself, but also took them to Fort William where they could walk around, reading about the history of the place, Linlithgow Palace, as well as getting to see (and take plenty of pictures for Julia) the country's tallest mountain, Ben Nevis.
The tour ended back at Loch Ness, allowing the visitors to explore. They sat by the bank, holding hands and talking, Claire wrapped up in his stories once again as he spoke of the legend and how as children they would visit here every summer, he and his siblings always trying to see the monster.
She loved listening to him talk, always enamored with how entrancing his stories were. She blushed when he asked for tales from her life, saying she wasn't quite as interesting as him, which earned her an eyeroll.
That night when he dropped her off, her stomach fluttered like the wings of a dragonfly. She could tell he was nervous, though she didn't know why.
"Are you alright?" she asked, brushing a strand of hair from his face.
It had begun raining on their drive back to her hotel, and she then found herself standing underneath the awning at the hotel's entrance wrapped in Jamie's arms. The rain was pattering against the vinyl of the covering, hitting the pavement with little splashes, but she couldn't be bothered by it, not when she was so close to him, caught up in his warmth.
"Aye," he breathed, "I'm fine. It's just…"
"Just what?" Her brows furrowed as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Jamie dropped a kiss to the top of her head, exhaling as he pulled back and said, "I ken we've only known each other for a few days, but—"
"—bit more than a few, but yes," she grinned, knowing he meant as the grown ups they've become, the ones who have lived a life apart, experiencing things the other wasn't there for.
He chuckled softly, continuing, "but," he repeated, brows raising for effect, "I would really like to kiss ye… if that's alright with you."
She didn't think the feeling of your heart growing wings and trying to fly out of your chest was real, but there, standing so close to him, the rain a sweet accompaniment to the moment, she thought that was exactly what her heart was attempting to do with the way it beat so forcefully against her chest.
Claire could feel the blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks as she looked up at him through her long lashes. "I would like nothing more, Jamie."
He smiled like a madman at her response, his arms wrapping around her waist and drawing her near.
"I've been dying tae do this since the first day I saw ye," he murmured.
She giggled quietly, saying, "I've wanted to kiss you every single bloody day we've been together." Sure, it's only been five days, but that was five days too long—for she'd wanted to kiss him since the moment she realized who she had bumped into at the café on day one.
He laughed wetly, breathing out an elated, "Aye," before pulling her close once again.
Claire's arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him as close as their bodies could physically get, their chests both heaving with obvious nerves.
God, it's just a fucking kiss, Beauchamp. This shouldn't make you feel this giddy.
Jamie leaned in, mouth hovering above hers for the briefest of seconds to lick his lips before pressing them to hers.
She saw stars, possibly fireworks if she was being honest with herself. This was the best feeling she had experienced in a long time. Sure, she had kissed guys in the last few years, not many, but enough, but this… this was a feeling she never wanted to let go of. Their lips molded to one another's as if they were made to fit together, and she grinned into the kiss at how cheesy her mind was in the moment.
If this was what a first kiss was like, then she never wanted anything else. All kisses should be first kisses because this was intoxicating. She felt as if she'd been in chains the last twenty years, finally able to stretch her arms now that she was back in his. She never wanted this to stop.
Reaching up, she gripped his biceps as Jamie deepened their kiss. She knew that this was the one she was meant to kiss forever. No one could ever compare to the feeling she had when she was with James Fraser, no matter how much time had gone by.
She sighed into the embrace, leaning up on her tiptoes to get as close as possible. Her tongue ran along his bottom lip, finding its way inside his mouth as she tilted her head, giving him better access, and the little moan that reverberated in the back of her throat really couldn't be helped.
If anyone were to walk past the hotel at this moment, she would have no idea. Passersby be damned.
Claire could feel his wicked little grin against her mouth, damn him, so she opened her mouth, teasing him for just a bit, just long enough to make his chest rumble with a quiet moan of his own.
She came back to reality when a clap of thunder sounded off in the distance, the rain starting to pick up.
Claire pulled back, a hand reaching up to brush against her thoroughly well kissed lips as she looked up at Jamie.
"Well," he breathed, his lips tinged with red from how hard they'd been kissing. "I'll see ye tomorrow?"
"Uh-huh," she mumbled, both of them too dazed to say anything else.
Jamie smiled one of those sweet smiles, the ones that reminded her of his boyish charm he still had in him, and leaned in to press another, albeit much more gentle, kiss to her lips. "I like the feel of that," he said into her mouth, placing another kiss there before fully stepping back.
Her hands were still on his arms but traveled down to collect his hands in hers. She swung them slightly between their bodies, staring up at him as if he might disappear if she let him go. "I do, too," she told him, smiling brightly. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Sassenach," he said, one more kiss for the road before he dashed out into the rain, hopping in his car and driving away for the night.
She'd gone to her room in a fog, everything around her seeming blurry as she replayed their first kiss over and over again as she fell asleep.
On another day, they'd ventured to Craigh Na Dun. Once a historic sight, it now belonged to a fellow farmer that Jamie knew. The hilltop where the stones resided was open to the public on some days, but this day, Jamie had worked his connections and gotten them time alone by the stones.
He had packed them a picnic, filled with fresh fruit from Fraser's Ridge and enough sandwiches to feed her three times over.
"Were you planning on keeping me up here for the next two days?" she'd asked, smoothing out the tartan blanket beneath them. She smirked, as she took his offered water bottle from his hands, giving him a soft, "Thanks."
"Och," he scoffed with a smile, "Nae. It's just so bonny up here, I dinna ken how long we'd stay. We might even get to see the faeries."
She leaned back, her back pressing against the tallest of the standing stones. "The what?" she asked with a laugh.
Jamie proceeded to tell her the story of The Woman of Balnain. "It's a story passed down from every generation, ken. 'Tis about a lass who touched the tallest stone one night," he explained, pointing to the stone she leaned against, "and was transported to a far, distant land. She met and lived with the people there, becoming friends and even lovers with them."
"Goodness," she drawled, a dramatic hand upon her heart. "I hope I don't get swept away to another time." She laughed at her own joke, twisting her torso to touch the stone behind her.
Jamie grinned, telling her how the woman eventually came back and lived with the man she'd been with before.
It was odd, really, to think how similar her life had turned out to be like this woman. Claire ended up spending the last two decades living a life she, yes, always dreamed of, but never expected to actually have. And now here she was, back with the man she'd had before her life changed.
Life was funny like that sometimes.
The tension had grown between them at that, Jamie clearly having similar thoughts. They'd sat in silence for a few moments, finishing their lunch while looking out at the lush, green hills.
They'd held hands and exchanged sweet, unhurried kisses for the rest of the afternoon before Jamie took her to their next destination for the day.
The next two days went by in a blur, Claire begging time to slow down.
She knew her heart and mind were both infatuated with Jamie Fraser all over again. Each night they'd kissed goodbye, both refusing to let it go further than that just yet. They'd agreed on her first extra night there that they both knew what was happening, that this was something real. She wanted to give in to temptation, to give her body over completely to Jamie, but he'd wanted to wait, wanted to fully know each other again so that Claire didn't regret doing something while she was just on vacation. He didn't want her to regret him.
It had been hard, and she'd found her hand wandering to her core each night, Jamie's name spilling from her lips, but she understood. Really, she knew he was right, they'd only just 'met' eight days ago. After twenty years, they needed to get to know one another again, to learn about their lives and the people they've become before taking that step.
But now, standing here at the airport, people rushing around them in a hurry to get to their destinations, Claire is cursing herself for not trying to persuade him more to give in to those feelings, those urges. She could have invited him up to her hotel room, she knows he would have agreed, but the thought of one of them having regrets held her back.
"I don't want to go," she whispers, forehead pressing against his.
He's holding both of her hands in his larger ones, and he sighs, placing a kiss to her curls. "I dinna want that either, Sassenach."
She looks up at him, whisky and ocean eyes both watery. Jamie swallows thickly, admitting, "But ye have a life ye need tae get back to, a daughter that needs ye, aye?"
Nodding, she worries her lips together nervously. "You're right." She gives him a small smile, but knows she can't leave here without at least one more kiss.
He pulls her into his chest, his strong arms wrapping around her. "I'm going tae miss ye, mo nighean donn," he whispers into her space, placing another kiss to her mop of curly hair. "I've never been very good at goodbyes," he pulls back, staring into her eyes, "but I am grateful for every day that we had."
Claire looks up at him with wet eyes, one traitorous tear slipping free. "You know you can always come visit me." She grins, reaching up to wipe her tear away.
He smirks, but clears his throat, looking up at the ceiling and blinking his tears away. He looks back at her, a tear of his own escaping.
They both chuckle sadly, trying to stop their crying.
"One last kiss for the road?" she asks, trying to lighten the mood.
Jamie sniffles but nods, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist. "Always."
She runs her hands up his biceps, circling around his neck as she pulls him closer.
Their lips meet, and it's as if she's back on that rainy night, the stars twinkling above them as they share a deep, passionate kiss. She knows this kiss is not exactly appropriate for public, she's never been a fan of PDA, but she isn't sure when she'll see him again and the thought kills her.
Claire sighs into the kiss, trying to take in a breath without ending their embrace.
Jamie tilts his head, tongue peeking out to enter her mouth. She grins into his mouth, pressing her lips harder to his. God, she doesn't want to let go.
But reality sets in, however, and the sounds of the bustling airport come rushing back to her ears. She can hear the announcements over the loudspeaker and a baby crying in the distance. It's all muted, nothing seems to matter except right here with him, but she knows time is running out.
Pressing her hands on his chest, she pushes back, smiling shyly up at him. "Well," she breathes, lighting up when she sees the large smile plastered on his face, "I really do have to go."
"I ken." He leans in once more, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to her lips, much more like the gentle ones they've shared over the last few days. Ever since that first kiss and how amorous it was, they'd restrained themselves to tender kisses, an unspoken rule not to rile each other up too much, even though his soft kisses had the exact same effect on her. "Ye better get going, Sassenach."
Nodding, she feels a lump forming in her throat. God, why is this so hard? She shouldn't feel this upset, she's only been around him for a week. But a week was more than enough time to know that the feelings she's always secretly held for him over the last twenty years never truly went away.
And she hopes he feels the same way.
With one last squeeze to her hand, he lets go, smiling and stepping back from their embrace. "I'll miss ye, Claire."
She nods silently, afraid that if she speaks, she'll burst into tears and then she'll never leave.
Smiling one last time, she reaches for her bag and turns, walking away from him and back to her reality.
{***********************}
A week later, Claire sits in her office at the hospital. She's flipping through her phone, looking at all of the pictures she'd taken while on her trip, and more specifically the selfies she took with Jamie.
There's one of them up on that fairy hill, the stones behind her as Jamie kisses her cheek, her face scrunched up in surprise with a giant smile. It might be her favorite one from her entire trip. She clicks the options on her phone, setting the picture as her background, keeping the photo of her and Julia as her lockscreen. She could never change that one.
Sighing, she closes her eyes, thinking back to the time she had in Scotland. It had been wonderful. Like something from one of those cheesy Hallmark movies Julia loves to watch every winter.
Claire pulls up her texts, smiling to herself as she reads through the string of messages she and Jamie have sent back and forth.
She was glad that he reached out, texting her before she'd even landed to ask if she made it okay. Once she was on the ground and her phone could register texts again, she responded, letting him know that she was home and safe.
After that, they'd spent the last week texting or talking on the phone every single day.
She was happy for it, really. Part of her had feared that she'd never hear from him again, as if her week in Scotland had all been a cruel dream.
How wrong she'd been, though, when on her second night back home, she was FaceTiming with Jamie and, bless him and his adorable self, he'd asked her something she wasn't expecting, but was glad for nonetheless.
"So," he said, clearing his throat, "I dinna mean tae be forward wi' ye, but…"
He was fumbling over his words, and despite his ears turning red, he looked so cute when he was nervous. "Out with it," she'd said, laughing.
"We are, that is, I mean… are we… dating?" He looked so shy that she wanted to reach through the phone and kiss him all over. She didn't think it needed to be spelled out for them to know, but it was sweet that he didn't want to assume anything. "I ken our week together was special, but, now that ye're back tae yer normal life, will ye still have me?" His eyes widen at the blush that creeps onto her own cheeks, and he stammers again, "Uh, I jus' mean… do, do ye still want me, Claire?"
She smiled, feeling bashful. There she was, sitting in her living room in her workout clothes, with her hair up in a sweaty, messy bun, being asked by the man she'd thought of for two decades if she'd date him again. "Jamie," she sighed, "of course I want to be with you." She smiled at his delighted face, adding a playful, "If you still want me now that I'm back here in my normal life."
Jamie grinned, leaning closer to his screen. It was late for him, almost midnight. He'd been in bed when she called, but he assured her he didn't mind staying up late to talk to her. She watched as he sat up more in the bed, his toned abs flexing with the movement. He shook his head and said, "I want ye more than anything."
She inhaled and exhaled sharply, trying to catch her breath. God, he was so sexy and she didn't even think he meant it the way it sounded, but fuck, does she want him.
He fumbled over his words, and it's adorable, really. How one man can be so equally sexy and cute, she'd never understand. Her chest heaved up and down at the thoughts that swirled in her mind, and she had to laugh at them. They were acting more skittish around each other now than when they were children.
"Well then," he murmured, grinning, "boyfriend and girlfriend, aye?"
She laughed, head thrown back. "I think I prefer manfriend, instead." She winked. "Sounds more mature."
Jamie laughed along with her, agreeing to the term. "This is really what you want?" he asked, growing serious. "Truly?"
"It is," she said with a fervent nod and a sniffle.
His eyes were wet as well, and she'd spent the next half an hour on the phone with her manfriend before finally letting him go so he could sleep.
Over the next few days, Jamie would send her pictures of the farm, and of himself at his desk looking bored, which always made her laugh. And in return, she'd send him similar pictures, some of x-rays she was going over and others of just her, smiling just for him or pretending to be half asleep at her desk during a long shift.
Sighing, she sends him a message, asking how his day at work had been. He's five hours ahead of her, so she knows he's already off work and at home, lucky bastard. She'd give anything to be home right now.
"Hey, hey," Joe exclaims, walking into her office.
He doesn't see the need in knocking anymore after so many years of working together, and she loves that about her best friend.
She'd met Joe in medical school when they were assigned to work on a project together their very first year. After that, they were inseparable, always making sure they had at least one or two classes together each semester.
They'd interned and done their residencies together, both accepting jobs at the same hospital.
Joe Abernathy was a godsend, especially once they became so close that he invited her over to his house to meet his wife, Gail.
Joe and Gail had a son, Lenny, around Julia's age which was always nice. They'd spend weekends together, letting the kids play, while the adults cooked and spent time together, unwinding from long weeks at work.
"You alright, Lady Jane?"
She smiles at the nickname. As soon as Joe heard her speak and realized she was British, he'd dubbed her Lady Jane like some fancy aristocrat from another century that just had tea with the Queen.
Nodding, she assures him, "I'm fine."
Joe's mouth opens in a silent ah as he makes himself comfortable, sinking into one of the leather chairs across from her desk. "Well, I know anytime a woman says she's fine, she's not really fine."
Claire scoffs, which turns into a small laugh as she looks at Joe and sees the skeptical, raised eyebrows.
Rolling her eyes, she drops her pen onto the desk with a clunk. "You're right," she admits, shrugging one shoulder up. "I just had a great time in Scotland and really miss it."
"You mean you really miss Jamie."
She cuts her eyes to her friend, smirking at how well he knows her. "Fine. Yes."
Joe laughs, slapping his hands onto the arm rests of the chair and hoisting himself up. "Now that you can finally admit you miss your boy—excuse me, man friend, I can give you these," he says, jogging across the hall to his office.
They can see each other from their desks, which has always been fun, especially on the longer days. "What are you doing?" she laughs, narrowing her eyes as she watches him grab a stack of… something.
Joe comes back in, slamming a collection of pamphlets onto her desk. "Here."
"What's this?"
"Information about the top hospitals in Scotland," he smiles innocently.
She rolls her eyes, but can't help the smirk that tugs at the corner of her mouth. "I can't just up and move to Scotland, Joe. I've only known him for a week."
"A week and twenty years. And you're dating."
"It's not the same. We're totally different people than we were at eighteen."
Rolling his eyes, Joe deadpans. "Yeah, now instead of lovesick eighteen year olds, you're lovesick thirty-eight year olds who can't admit how they really feel even though everyone else can see you're already in love with the guy."
Oh, she knows how she feels. She knows she'd spend every waking moment with Jamie if she could. But she can't.
"Well, either way," she tutts, sitting up straighter and taking on an air of poise. "I have a daughter. I can't move her across the world during her senior year of high school."
Joe leans in over her desk, pressing his finger onto the stack of pamphlets with a mischievous grin. "Just something to think about. For the," he coughs pointedly, "near future."
And with one last shrug, he moseys over to his office with a laugh under his breath that Claire absolutely ignores.
{***********************}
She gets home from work around five o'clock, thankful that her schedule this week didn't include too many late shifts.
"Julia?" she calls, walking into the kitchen to see if her daughter is in there.
Sending her a text, she asks where she is and Julia reminds her that she's at her best friend, Lizzie's house, studying for a test they have tomorrow.
Oh, that's right. What time will you be home?
Probably like an hour
Alright, I'll start dinner in a bit. Love you
Love you too
Setting her phone down on the counter, Claire opens the fridge, peering in to see what groceries they have left. She makes a mental note to run to the store tomorrow before her shift so they have plenty to eat. She has an overnight shift in a few days, so she wants to make sure Julia has things to cook on her own, too.
Seeing that she at least has ingredients to make spaghetti, Claire closes the refrigerator, wanting to change out of her work clothes and into something more comfortable before starting dinner.
As she was leaving the hospital earlier, she sent Jamie a text, asking if he was still awake. He'd responded, but she hadn't had a chance to look at it until now.
Yes, Sassenach. It's only 10:00, I'm no' an old man.
Laughing, she presses the FaceTime button at the top of their messages as she walks up the stairs and to her bedroom, listening as the phone rings.
The swoosh of the ring sounds, and she looks down. "Hi, there," she greets, smiling widely at him.
He's in a white t-shirt, and she imagines flannel pajama bottoms as well since he's ready for bed.
"Hey, how was work?" he asks.
Huffing, she plops onto the end of her bed, giving him an exhausted look. "I had three surgeries today, and one patient's heart rate dropped for a minute. It was terrifying." Knowing that's just part of the job, unfortunately, she shrugs, asking, "How was your day?"
She rolls her neck side to side, listening as he tells her how he and Ian rode out to another farm to meet with the owners. "They're wantin' tae sell the place," he informs her, his eyes lighting up, "and I was thinking it might be a good plot o'land tae buy. We could expand Fraser's Ridge."
"Is it close to your current farm?"
"Aye, 'tis the farm just near us that we drove by when you were here."
"Ah," she says, remembering how close it was. "That would be great for the business, Jamie."
He smiles at her, and they talk more about his chance to expand. He dreams of building more stores on the land where they could sell their products. "All the products we create on Fraser's Ridge could be sold there so the current ridge is used just for the farming and tending to the animals."
Nodding, she listens as he dreams up more ideas, and she smiles the whole time, knowing she'd listen to him read the dictionary if it meant she got to hear his voice.
"I'm sorry, Sassenach," he snickers, interrupting her thoughts, "I'm borin' ye tae death."
She laughs, shaking her head. "I assure you, you're not."
"Ach," he groans playfully, "I could see yer wee eyes glossin' o'er after a while there."
He's grinning madly, so she knows he's joking but she does feel bad. "I'm sorry, Jamie," she sighs. "I really am excited for you. It sounds wonderful."
They talk a bit longer, Claire rummaging through her briefcase while they do. She reaches in one pocket, those damn pamphlets from Joe connecting with her hand.
Rolling her eyes, she pulls them out, tossing them onto her dresser.
She doesn't want to tell Jamie about them, not yet. She knows that would only get his hopes up for a future that she isn't sure is at all possible. At least not for now.
"Weel, I dinna want tae go, but it is nearin' eleven now," Jamie says, stifling a yawn. "And I may no' be an old, old man just yet, but I am old, ken?" She laughs, nodding because she completely understands. "I've gotta be up at five tae get to the ridge. I'm lettin' Ian sleep in a bit since he covered for me while you were here."
Inhaling deeply, she nods, knowing she doesn't want to let him go, but needs to. "I should go start dinner, anyway."
They prolong their goodbyes for a few more minutes before she finally wishes him a goodnight and hangs up.
Tossing her phone beside her onto the mattress, she flops back, taking a moment to just lay there, staring at her ceiling fan.
Her hands rest on her stomach, but after a few seconds she reaches over to her phone again, grinning madly when she sees Jamie sent her one more text.
Glad we got to talk tonight. Let me know your schedule for the week so we can FaceTime again.
She grins, knowing she'll talk to him every day, but she sends him her working hours anyway.
With that, Claire sighs, finally dragging her exhausted body from the bed and into her closet. She changes into a pair of gray yoga pants and a t-shirt before truding her way down the steps and into the kitchen.
She's just started browning the meat when Julia walks in from the garage. "Hey, Mom."
"Oh, hi, darling," she greets, kissing Julia on the cheek when she comes over to the stove. Claire glances at the clock, realizing she'd talked to Jamie longer than she thought. "Sorry dinner isn't ready yet."
Julia shrugs, hopping onto the bar stool that faces the stove. "No biggie. Do you need help?"
Smiling, she tells her she just needs to add some vegetables to the sauce and cook the noodles. This is honestly one of the only meals Claire can't mess up; she's never been the best cook, but she will say her spaghetti is quite flavorful.
Julia stands anyway, going to the pantry to grab the noodles. She takes a pot out from the cabinet and fills it with water, setting it on the stove top to heat up.
Bumping her hip against her daughter's, they smirk at one another, moving with ease around one another until the food is ready.
{*********************}
As they eat, Claire notices the way Julia keeps looking at her.
They've been talking about Julia's day at school and if she feels prepared for her History test, which she promises her mother she is absolutely ready for. Throughout the conversation, Claire's been checking her phone to see if she happened to have a message from Jamie, hoping he couldn't sleep just yet. But when she looks up, Julia has a strange look on her face.
Taking her last bite of spaghetti, Claire wipes her mouth and reaches for her glass of water. "Alright," she says, taking a sip, "out with it."
"Out with what?" Julia asks innocently, grinning into her next bite.
Narrowing her eyes, Claire murmurs, "Cheeky girl," and reaches over, lightly tickling Julia's cheek and neck over and over, knowing that is her most ticklish spot.
The teenager guffaws, holding up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright," she wheezes.
With a sigh, she takes her last bite, sitting back in the chair. Julia reaches for her water, taking a few, dramatically long sips while Claire stares at her with a raised brow.
Giggling, Julia finally speaks. "I just think it's cute that you have such a big crush on your boyfriend."
Claire's mouth falls open indignantly, and with a scoff, says, "I do not," knowing she's lying through her teeth.
"Oh, okay," Julia replies sarcastically, rolling her eyes for good measure.
Giving her teenager one more raised brow, the younger Beauchamp laughs again. "You're constantly checking your phone to see if Jamie texted you, you guys talk on the phone every night, and you giggle like I've never heard before," she explains, her smile softenting. "It's adorable."
Claire can't hide the blush that creeps up her cheeks, heating her face. It's she who feels like the teenager in this very moment, and she isn't sure how to navigate this.
"If you ask me," Julia says, ignoring her mother's blush. "I say either you go back to him or he comes here for a bit."
"Julia Elizabeth," she scoffs, trying to act offended simply because she's embarrassed that she's apparently been acting like a teenager over the last week.
"Oh, come on," Julia defends. "It's not a bad thing. Look," she huffs, sitting up in her chair and leaning on her elbows, "if you really think there is a deep connection, which obviously there is, you should go to him, Mom."
Claire tears up, but nods, thinking over the last two weeks—her time in Scotland and the week she's been home. Julia had met Jamie over FaceTime one day before rushing off with her friend to the mall, and it had warmed Claire's heart to see them interact—"I think I might need to," she whispers, swallowing around the lump in her throat. "At least for a little bit to see if this is real for both of us."
"Well, I don't think either of you need time to figure out if this is real. You've loved each other since you were my age," she says, her eyes looking off into the distance. "It's like a Hallmark movie!"
Rolling her eyes, Claire dabs at the tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "I can't believe I'm getting dating advice from my daughter."
"Well, you've given me plenty of advice over the years," Julia laughs, "so now I can give it right back!"
They both grin at one another, and Claire is overcome with a thankfulness that she was blessed with this girl as her child. She truly lucked out in the kid department.
Julia has always been so mature, but in this moment, Claire is dumbfounded with just how grown up her daughter seems.
It brings another set of tears to her eyes realizing that her baby isn't a baby anymore. She'll be graduating in just over two months at the end of May, moving out in five months for college, and it all seems like it went by in the blink of an eye.
Julia hops up from the table and dashes into the living room before running back to the table, laptop in hand.
"What are you doing?" Claire laughs, watching as her daughter types away on the keyboard.
Julia shoots her a deadpan expression as if she's just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Uh, booking you a flight… duh."
"Darling, no," Claire states, reaching for the laptop. "This is absurd." She can't help but laugh at her daughter's antics, but she knows this isn't feasible right now with her schedule. "I don't have another chunk of time off for almost a month."
"Okay," Julia shrugs as if it's so simple, "then you go see him in a month!"
Claire tilts her head, giving her daughter the same deadpan expression she'd just given her.
"What!?" Julia exclaims, "That's only four weeks!"
Claire smiles at the simplicity of her teenager's words, as if this isn't a huge thing happening in their life. Just a simple click and she'd be booked to go see Jamie again. She'd be lying if she said the thought didn't excite her, but… could she really go to Scotland, again? And so soon?
Sure, the money isn't the issue. She makes well enough as a surgeon, along with the inheritance from her parents that she's kept in savings her whole life. But… this is big. This feels like her way of telling Jamie that she's ready, that she's in this for real. Deeper than just simply dating.
And with that, she realizes… she is. Obviously. He is too, she assumes—hopes. They've been talking constantly since the day they bumped into each other two weeks ago, why would she think he feels any differently than her?
Her mind is at war with itself, the dark part of her convincing her that he doesn't feel the same... But then she thinks of their time together, the way he held her hand and spoke so softly to her, she thinks of their kisses. God, those kisses.
Claire reaches up, touching her lips lightly as she remembers how his lips felt against her own.
Sighing, she looks at Julia, who is still looking at her expectantly.
Claire hesitantly slides the laptop back to her daughter with a huff, "Fine. If you must."
Julia squeals, taking the laptop from her mother's hands and clicking around. Claire pulls up her work schedule on her phone and together they pick the perfect date for her to fly out. A little over a month from today. And she'd be able to stay just under two weeks, needing to get back in time to adjust to her timezone so she could focus on a big surgery she had planned.
"All done!" Julia declares with a triumphant smile, and Claire takes a deep breath, trying not to get overly excited.
"I don't want to leave you for two whole weeks, though. I feel so guilty."
It's Julia's turn to roll her eyes as she tells her mother. "Well, for one, I'm capable of staying home alone, I am seventeen years old, but I can always go stay with Uncle Joe if it makes you feel better," she explains, as if she's been thinking of this plan for more than just the last half hour, "Plus you'll still be here for my spring break next week, so we can go do something… and by the time you go to him, it'll be," she looks at the calendar again, "the last week of April and the first week of May! It's perfect! That's like three whole weeks away from my graduation, so all I'll be doing is studying for finals. It'll be fine."
Guilt and apprehension churn in her stomach, but Julia seems more than okay with it, excited even. "And besides," her daughter says with a twinkle in her eye, "it's already booked so you have no choice."
Grinning at her daughter's giddiness, Claire sighs in defeat, knowing Julia has won this argument.
They clean up the kitchen and watch a little television together before Claire calls it a night, knowing she's got a long day tomorrow.
Kissing Julia's cheek, Claire makes her way upstairs, reminding her, "Don't stay up too late, young lady. You have that test tomorrow."
Julia nods, saying she's going to go finish the episode they were on in her room and then go to sleep. Claire smiles, finishing her ascent up the staircase, and when she thinks about what's to come in just a month, her cheeks begin to ache from smiling so much. She's excited for her next trip to Scotland… and even more excited to tell Jamie tomorrow on the phone.
{*************************}
Side note: I know Craigh Na Dun in real life doesn't actually have standing stones (the property *according to Google lol* is actually on a farm and they've had to build a walking path for Outlander fans who want to go to the top of the hill so they won't disturb the animals and what not haha), but for the sake of the story… the stones exist lol
I hope you enjoyed this one!