Thanks so much to those that have stuck with me through this story and have supported me! I officially have the rest of the story written (yay!), and it'll be 16 chapters. I am excited and my goal is to post once a week so that it'll end right before season 6 airs! Hopefully I can stick to that schedule haha
Anyway, here's the next part. I hope you enjoy!
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Chapter Twelve:
The next two weeks go by quickly for Claire, much to her chagrin. She wanted to soak up every last minute she could with Julia before her graduation, but time seemed to have other plans.
Julia graduated last week, and though Jamie couldn't make it, Claire had had a wonderful time entertaining friends and family.
He wanted to come, of course, but business had gotten crazy in the days following her departure. One of the horses had gotten sick, there was an issue at the new still, and to top it all off, Ian and Jenny's eldest son's wife had gone into early labor, causing the new grandparents to rush out of town at the last minute to be there for their child, leaving Jamie in charge by himself. It had all been a perfect storm of events, and just didn't work out, no matter how hard he tried to still make it. He'd been crushed, but Claire assured him it was fine.
In the two weeks that she's been home, though, a lot has happened for her as well.
Dr. Rawlings officially announced the newest chief of surgery last Thursday. Louise had been selected, and Claire was beyond thrilled for her friend. It made all the decisions swarming in her mind finally settle, and her choice had officially been made.
She hadn't told Jamie yet of Louise's promotion—it was only a week ago now that she'd been named—and Claire had been working tirelessly applying for jobs near Inverness. She wanted to tell Jamie everything when he got here, so they could be together when she told him.
"I still jus feel sae guilty," Jamie says, interrupting Claire's musings. She smiles into the phone, once again telling him it is fine.
"Jamie, I'm on the way to the airport to get you. You're here, relax." She chuckles, appreciating how much he had wanted to be here for Julia.
It's the first week of June now, and it just so happens to be Julia's eighteenth birthday, so Jamie was at least excited to be in town for that.
"I have a surprise for you, too."
"Ye do?" he asks, "Sassenach, ye didna have tae do that."
Grinning, she looks over at her surprise, then focuses back on her phone call. "I'm parking now, so I'll be at baggage claim by the time you get there."
They say their goodbyes, or really, their see you in a few minutes, and hang up.
She's excited—excited to see him, excited to show him Boston, and especially excited to tell him the good news she just found out yesterday.
"You ready?" she asks Lamb, beaming at her uncle as they cross from the parking lot into the airport.
He'd flown in from Saudi Arabia a few days before Julia's graduation and has been here ever since. Having her uncle around has been lovely, and he wanted to stay and celebrate Julia's big birthday before heading back to his home in New York.
She was glad for it, too, because Jamie had been so thrilled when she told him Lamb was coming for the graduation, and he'd been disappointed when he had to change his flight for a week later, thinking he'd miss seeing Lamb.
Uncle Lamb takes her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "I'm ready, little love. Let's go get your man."
She laughs at the way he bounces his eyebrows, and she rolls her eyes, swatting at his chest.
The man may be in his mid-sixties by now, but he's just as spry as ever, so she can't help but laugh when he tells her she doesn't need to hold onto his arm like he's some old man.
They step into the main building, people bustling to and fro, and Claire searches around the room.
Lamb leads her closer to where the Delta carousels are located, and he's the first to spot him. "There's the big ginger," he exclaims, pointing a knobbly finger to the right.
Claire laughs, waving Jamie over when he spots her.
His eyes light up and he jogs over, eyes connecting with Lamb and then Claire. "Here's your surprise!" she tells him happily, laughing as Jamie places his bag down, collecting her into his arms in a warm embrace.
He pulls back so quickly that she barely has time to blink, an innocent, shy look upon his face when he slides his eyes over to Lamb. He's nervous, she can tell, but god, he looks adorable all worried about how her uncle will feel about him after how he treated Claire twenty years ago.
"Hi, Lamb," Jamie says, smiling which looks more like a grimace.
Lamb stands there, hands in his pockets, a serious look on his face. His lips pursed, giving Jamie a stern look.
Jamie glances at Claire, who shrugs, then back to Lamb. The old man's eyes light up as he starts laughing. "I'm just taking the piss out of you, boy!" he whoops, grabbing Jamie by the shoulders and bringing him in for a hug. "It's great to see you again!"
She watches as Jamie's shoulders relax and his arms move to wrap around Lamb. Her uncle gives her a wink over Jamie's shoulder which makes her laugh.
Clapping him on the back, Jamie tells Uncle Lamb, "It's great tae see you too, man. It's been too long!"
He receives a back pat in return before Lamb bends down to pick up Jamie's bag. "Och, ye dinna have tae do that," Jamie tells him, smiling, "just give me a moment tae kiss my girlfriend and then I can get it." He tries to wink at Lamb, but it comes out more as an owl-like blink. Lamb smirks and nods, gesturing for Jamie to continue.
Rolling her eyes, Claire welcomes him into her arms again, and Jamie places a gentle kiss to her lips, then her curly hair. She knows he's restraining himself out of respect for Lamb, and she finds it winsomely charming, but she can't wait until they're alone later to get a real kiss from him.
Jamie pulls back, stepping over to take his bag from Lamb and thanking him.
"Alright, you two, let's get out of here," she announces, smiling as she turns to lead the way back to the car.
As they make their way out, Claire listens to the men behind her and giggles to herself as Lamb tells Jamie, "You've grown into quite the large man, though I didn't expect anything less as big as you were back then."
It was nice to see the two men together again. Lamb had of course been angry with Jamie for a while, but over time Jamie had become just another boyfriend of hers in his mind, though always his favorite one. Recently, when she began telling her uncle of Jamie and how they'd found one another again and how happy she was—that had earned him some brownie points with her uncle. He'd been thrilled, saying he always knew there was something special about him.
Once everything is loaded, Lamb climbs into the driver's seat of her Range Rover. Claire tells Jamie to take the front, and she steps up into the back seat, smiling the whole time as she listens to her two favorite men chat and catch up.
Jamie asks how he liked the Nessie magnet he and Claire had picked out for him, and her uncle laughs, telling him that it was the perfect addition to his collection.
Smiling, Jamie looks over his shoulder at Claire, giving her a sweet little grin before turning back to the front. "I brought some goodies, too," he tells them both. "Jenny and her crew just finished a new batch o' apple donuts and jams, so I brought ye a few jars as recompense for missing the graduation." He grins. "Lamb, you're welcome tae take one wi' ye," Jamie says, asking, "How long are ye in town for?"
"Agh," he scoffs, waving a dismissive hand, "just tonight, I'm afraid. I'll be leaving just before dinner to catch my train." He glances at Claire in the rearview mirror, smiling and adding, "I've been here for over a week now, since before the graduation, so I think I've worn out my welcome."
"You could never do that, Lamb," she assures, rolling her eyes with a smile.
Jamie turns his head to look at her from the front, laughing when Lamb says, "Maybe not, but I figured I'd see my girl one last time, give her her birthday present, then let you two lovebirds have some time alone."
Her face grows hot, feeling like a teenager all over again. "Lamb!"
"What?" he laughs, "I was always going to leave today anyway; I just stayed a little longer to see this one over here."
She grins, closing her eyes as she relaxes her head against the headrest. The movement of the car lulls her into a half awake-half asleep state, and she stays quiet, listening as Lamb asks Jamie about his business.
"Ah, it's flourishing tae be sure," he tells her uncle. "I own the business with my sister and her husband. We have the farm, ye ken, where we grow and make most of our products."
"What do you make?"
"All sorts of things," Jamie tells him. "Jenny, my sister, has a team. They make all the edible products—jams, jellies, bread, donuts, cider—ye name it, and Jen's team more than likely makes it."
He goes on, explaining that they have a business partner, John Grey, now that the Ridge has grown so much and become so popular in Scotland. "He and my godfather, Murtagh, are working closely in Paris trying tae secure us a spot where we could open a store tae sell our products exclusively. London is in the works, too."
"That's amazing, my boy!" Lamb proclaims, "Do you have a store in Scotland? That's how you knew it would do so well elsewhere?"
"Aye, aye," she hears Jamie say, and she can just imagine the shy grin plastered on his face. He tells Lamb how Jenny opened a store in Inverness a few years ago, and it became so popular that they opened one in Edinburgh as well.
"Which works out for you," Claire interjects with a grin. "Kill two birds with one stone."
Jamie laughs, and Lamb must give him a confused look because he says, "My son goes tae University in Edinburgh, so when it's my turn tae check in on that location, I get tae see him."
"That's lovely," Lamb says, continuing to ask Jamie more about his life.
They speak of Fergus and his adoption eight years ago, more about his business and the whisky still he just purchased land for which piques her uncle's interest. Jamie tells him of how the still is going, how they've already created one flavor (it was shit, but they still did it), and Lamb tells him of his latest finds in Saudi Arabia.
Jamie was always fascinated by his tales when they were kids, so she knows he's thoroughly enjoying himself up there hearing all about it.
"I did bring some whisky, though," he says when there's a lull in the conversation. "Better than anything we've been able to create just yet, ken, but I figured I couldna come from Scotland and no' bring the finest whisky around." She can hear the smile in his voice even with her eyes closed and it makes her smile grow wider. "We can get ye a wee nip before the train tonight, Lamb."
The men laugh together and continue their conversation, and with a content sigh, Claire opens her eyes, watching the trees and buildings go by as they make their way to her neighborhood.
{*******************************}
After lunch, and one too many birthday gifts for Julia—on top of all the graduation gifts Lamb had already given her—Claire, Jamie, and Julia all load up to drop Uncle Lamb off at the train station.
Claire hugs Lamb, swallowing thickly as she says goodbye. He pats her on the shoulder, then hugs Julia.
She smiles as she watches her uncle hug Jamie, warning him not to break her heart this time. Claire rolls her eyes—unsure if she was even supposed to hear it—but she's glad all the same when Jamie pulls back, peeking at her over Lamb's shoulder before he looks into the older man's eyes, promising, "Never again."
After a dozen more kisses and hugs, and a few tears, they load back up into the car and head home.
Jamie had only seen the downstairs of her house briefly, mainly sitting in the kitchen with Lamb before they all rushed to the train station. So now that they are back home and settled, Claire decides he needs a proper tour.
Julia groans under her breath, and Claire looks at her, amused. "You don't want to help give Jamie a tour?"
The teenager grimaces, glancing over at Jamie. "I like you, Jamie, but… I know what my house looks like."
Jamie laughs, nodding and saying he understands before Julia takes out her phone and dashes up the stairs to her room.
Giving Claire a bemused smile, Jamie shrugs as if to say, teenagers. "Show me around, Sassenach."
With that, she bumps her hip to his, motioning for him to follow her.
"Well, as you know, this is the kitchen and living room," she chuckles, motioning around to her large open floor plan that he had already seen.
Her house is so different from Jamie's. While their houses are both not-so-modestly sized, the styles are on each end of the spectrum. Hers is all white and light gray, open and with lots of windows; his is a closed floor plan, darker gray hues, but still plenty of beautiful light from all his windows. She liked them both, actually kind of liked his kitchen and living room not being open like hers—it cut down on the heat from the ovens warming the living room too much.
She takes his hand, leading him to the large window in the kitchen, showing him her garden and a swing she's had hanging from the oversized tree since Julia was a toddler.
Once the downstairs is done, he follows her up the large staircase, padding down the gray-wooden hallway to the first bedroom. "This is my office," she states, pushing the door open.
It's a simple affair, really—light gray walls, white and gold accents in the furniture, a vase of flowers Jamie had sent her last week on her desk, and bookshelves lined with medical studies.
"And this," she continues, turning them around and out of the door, "is the bathroom." She opens the door, revealing a large guest bath complete with a double sink, shower and tub combo, and paintings that Julia had drawn in grade school framed on the walls.
"How bonny," he says, leaning closer to look at the sloppily drawn dog painted onto the canvas.
Smiling, she steps out of the bathroom, signaling to the shut door next to her office. "That," she grins, "is obviously the teenager's room."
"The closed door with music playing was a dead give away," he jests.
Laughing, she nods, saying she'll be more social come dinner time when, "She has an excuse to leave that room."
Jamie chuckles, saying he remembers those days all too well. "It's crazy how much changes just from eighteen to twenty-one."
"I don't know if I'm ready," she admits, smiling as she walks him to the end of the hall.
There's two bedrooms, one across from the other. "This one is the guest room," she says, pointing to the room decorated in grays and blues, the sheets stripped since Lamb had been sleeping there, "and this is my room."
She opens the door, revealing the largest of the bedrooms. There's a large master bath and walk-in closet, which Jamie jokes is filled to the brim. Her furniture is a distressed light gray, almost beige from some angles. Her bed is covered in plush pillows, and her light blue pintuck comforter is thick and full.
"Christ, Sassenach," he says, blue eyes wide. "It's like a magazine in here."
She laughs, but shakes her head. "I just like for things to be light and clean. Don't act like your house doesn't look exactly the same."
"Aye," he chuckles, "it does. Just a wee bit darker of a color scheme. Manly, ye ken, with the dark gray and navy." He winks and his lip curls up on the side as he steps over to peck a kiss to her lips. "It's bonny, Claire, really."
She walks into the conjoined bathroom, chuckling as Jamie's jaw drops. The shower has a light gray herringbone pattern tile, complete with white tiles on the wall and a bench large enough for the two of them.
"Ye ken we will be usin' that bench at some point during my trip, aye?"
Claire laughs, but her insides quiver at the thought, wanting to strip right there and do just that.
Jamie steps closer, a coy smile on his face as he leans in, pressing a sound kiss to her lips.
Inhaling deeply, she lets out a shaky breath, trying to cover it with a laugh. "Perhaps we will," she says cooly, leaving the bathroom and looking around her room.
"Where is your s—" Smiling, she tells him that Lamb had, amusingly, put Jamie's suitcase in the guest room, so he could go retrieve it while she turned the washer on for the sheets.
"Aye, o'course," he chuckles, stepping across the hall.
She follows behind, turning to the left to go into the laundry room.
They work in companionable silence for a while, Claire folding her previous load of clothes and straightening up while Jamie unpacks. He takes out the dress pants he'd brought in case they went anywhere nice and hangs them in her closet with her permission, while she sits in one of her armchairs, watching him move about her room as if he's always been there.
The washer goes off, so she stands, finishing up the laundry and asking Jamie what he wants for dinner.
"I suppose the birthday girl should decide," he answers, coming out of her room and joining her in the hallway.
Her heart does a little pitter-patter at how easily he considers Julia, but she just smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. She presses her lips to his, saying against his mouth, "You're right," before sealing it with a kiss.
They stand there outside her room snogging, their kisses growing heated as Jamie moans into her mouth. "I'm glad I finally have you all to myself," she whispers, glancing down the hallway to Julia's room. Her music is still playing, so Claire knows they're safe to keep kissing, but just in case…
Giggling, Claire takes Jamie's hand, tugging him into her bedroom and closing the door.
She plops onto her bed, feet dangling off as she gives him a seductive, come hither look, reaching for his belt loop to pull him closer.
He stumbles a step, moving to stand between her legs. "Sassenach!" he gasps, "Yer bairn is down the hall!"
Claire laughs, pulling him down for another kiss. "And she'll be here the whole time you are." She teases him, nibbling just below his ear. She blows on the patch of skin, causing goosebumps to cover his skin, before she asks huskily in his ear, "Did you expect not to have sex for the next two weeks?"
She pulls gently on his shoulder, urging him to climb on top of her. He groans, conceding, "Nae, I didna think that. It's okay, though? We can wait til she's at Lizzie's later if ye want."
"I don't want," she rasps, lying back as Jamie moves to hover above her. "Lock the door."
He kisses his way down her clothed stomach, laughing breathlessly as he rushes to the door, locking it, and coming back to her faster than she can blink.
With a quiet nervousness, Jamie's lips find hers, then move to her jaw and neck. Before long, they're naked from the waist down and panting together, bodies writhing against the other and coming as Jamie holds his hand over Claire's mouth.
"She really will hear us if I let ye make yer normal wee noises."
Giggling, she shakes her head, spending the next few minutes wrapped in Jamie's arms, collecting herself and coming down from her orgasm before they need to get clean, get dressed, and get ready to celebrate her daughter's birthday.
{**************************}
Two hours later, Claire and Jamie are in the kitchen, Jamie smiling brightly when Julia joins them.
"Nice of you to bless us with your presence," Claire jokes.
"Mom," the teenager rolls her eyes, "I figured you two didn't want me around; I was trying to be considerate."
Claire's face heats, and as she looks at Jamie, she can see his cheeks and ears are turning as bright as his hair. She chuckles nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't be silly, of course we want you around. I want you and Jamie to get to know each other."
Julia smirks, walking to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. Claire inhales deeply, not ready for her daughter to be grown enough to allude to the fact that she knows her mother has sex. Absolutely not.
"Sae, what would ye like for dinner, lass?" Jamie asks, breaking the awkwardness in the room. She knows he's nervous, bless him, it's the first time he's seen Julia in person and interacted with her for more than a few minutes over FaceTime, and earlier he had the buffer of Uncle Lamb. But he's doing great, and she loves how adorable he looks trying to impress her daughter.
Julia shrugs, peering into the refrigerator. "I dunno," she mumbles, "Mom and I bought stuff to make chicken parm tonight, but if you wanna order something, get the real Boston experience, we can."
Jamie smiles, shaking his head. "Nae, lass, it's yer birthday. If ye want chicken parmesan, then that's what we'll have, aye?" He looks to Claire and she gives him a reassuring smile. "Besides," he says, looking back to Julia. "I'll be here for two weeks, plenty o'time to try all the food Boston has tae offer. But are ye sure ye wanna cook on yer birthday?" he asks. There's a gleam in his eye when he finishes with, "I ken yer mam isna the best chef in the world, but I can help ye if ye want."
Julia chortles, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "That would be great!"
"My cooking is not that bad," she defends, "I fed you for fourteen years and kept you alive and healthy before you started helping me in the kitchen a few years ago."
The teen giggles, patting her mom's hand as they stand at the counter together. "I know, I know," she says, "you're really not a bad cook, I just like to poke fun at ya… plus I just add some extra… pizazz to the dishes!" She shimmies her shoulders, laughing as Claire rolls her eyes.
Looking over, she sees Jamie watching them with a fond smile on his face. He smiles back, then stands, moving from his barstool to come around the island to where they are. "So," he says, kissing Claire's cheek. His hand squeezes her shoulder as he bargains, "Why don't ye go finish up that laundry from earlier, and Julia and I will get dinner started?"
"Are you sure? I can help."
The other two glance at each other, sharing a little grin they both are trying to hide. "We're sure," Julia tells her, ushering her out of the kitchen. "We'll be here when you get done."
"Alright…" She gives Jamie one last glance to make sure, but he's already huddled at the counter with Julia looking up the recipe they want to use like two peas in a pod.
Smiling to herself, she makes her way upstairs. She throws a load of her and Julia's clothes in the wash, moving the guest bed's sheets into the dryer. There's still a hamper full of clean clothes she'd washed the other day before work but hadn't gotten around to folding them.
She hauls the hamper to her room, spending the next thirty minutes folding her laundry, checking her phone and relaxing on her bed until she hears laughter from the kitchen that draws her back downstairs.
The sight before her warms her heart. There is flour and breadcrumbs on the counter, some whisked egg that's spilled out of the bowl, but she doesn't care as she watches Jamie cleaning everything up, telling Julia, "Yer mam'll kill me if she sees this mess."
Julia just laughs, leaning into his shoulder like two partners in crime and tells him quietly, "She'd kill me too! I'll finish the chicken while you do that." She nods toward the mess on the counter and Jamie nods in agreement, sweeping breadcrumbs into his palm and tossing them into the garbage.
Claire leans her shoulder against the wide, thick column that stands in the middle of the house to separate the spaces, watching the two with a little smile on her face.
Jamie washes his hands, draining the noodles and pouring the sauce onto them. Julia uses the spatula to pull out one chicken breast at a time, plopping them into the individual bowls on top of their noodles. "Shit, the cheese!" Julia exclaims, spinning to open the fridge. "The chicken will still be hot enough to melt it."
"Aye, aye, ye're right," Jamie tells her, scrambling to take the slices from Julia's hands and get them on the chicken in time.
Snickering, Claire finally makes her presence known. "Something smells delicious."
They both jump and look up at the same time, wide eyed. "Hey, Mom! We were just finishing up."
Claire smiles, stepping into the kitchen. Julia takes two of the bowls to the table, asking Jamie to grab the other. "Sure, lass."
Before he can leave, Claire puts a hand on his stomach, nodding her head down to his attire. "Nice apron," she teases, patting his belly over the words that reads No bitchin' in the kitchen.
It was a gag gift from Louise two years ago at their annual white elephant Christmas party, but she and Julia had laughed so hard about it when she got home that she kept it tucked away in the pantry.
"Julia grabbed it for me," he defends, puffing out his chest. "I think it suits me nicely, very braw."
Chuckling, she kisses his cheek and takes the third bowl from his hands. "I'll get this, you grab the salad."
"Aye."
Dinner is wonderful—food and company alike—and before Julia leaves for Lizzie's, Claire wants to make sure they get cake and presents in.
They work together to clean the kitchen, Jamie telling Julia to relax at the table. "It's yer birthday, ye dinna need to fash yerself with cleaning everything up, especially 'cause ye cooked!"
"Works for me!" the teenager agrees easily, grabbing her phone and sitting back at the table.
Together, Jamie and Claire clean the kitchen, loading the dishwasher and wiping down the counters before she places the leftover spaghetti noodles in a container and stores them in the fridge.
Turning to face Jamie and Julia over at the table, she calls out, "Who wants cake?"
{***************************}
They enjoy marble cake with vanilla ice cream, singing to Julia despite her protests that they didn't need to.
The three of them sit around the table, bellies full, watching as Julia opens another gift from Joe.
"He dropped it off before his shift earlier today," Claire tells her, handing over the small bag.
Julia smiles, pulling out the tissue paper to reveal a stack of gift cards—Bath and Body Works, H&M, a Visa gift card, and a few for different restaurants that they know are near Harvard's campus. "Woah," she exclaims, "this is awesome!"
Jamie reaches over, taking Claire's hand in his and she smiles at him. She caresses her thumb over his skin absentmindedly, watching Julia flip through her gift cards and take out her phone to text Joe.
"There's one more gift," Jamie says, sliding a small wrapped box across the table. "Just a little something."
"Thanks, Jamie!" Julia exclaims, ripping at the paper.
It's a pair of gold earrings in the shape of little trowels, and Julia chuckles, holding them up.
"I ken the archeologist inside o' ye might find these amusing but nice enough tae still wear."
"Definitely," she laughs, handing them to Claire to examine.
Julia then pulls out a small certificate, reading the top of it aloud. "The Coop." She looks up, eyes wide. "This is the bookstore on campus."
"Aye," he huffs a little laugh, one side of his mouth curling upward. "I ken textbooks are expensive these days, so this might help a wee bit."
"Woah," Julia breathes, looking back down at the certificate and then to Jamie with a bright smile. "Thanks, Jamie!"
"Yer welcome, lass, happy birthday."
Claire smiles at the pair of them, watching as Jamie takes a bite of his ice cream. Julia hands Claire the certificate, and her eyes widen as well when she sees Jamie put $500 on it for her.
"Jamie, this is too much," Claire says, shaking her head. "You didn't have to do this."
"I ken I didna have to," he shrugs, "but textbooks cost a lot, this will probably only get her two, but I wanted tae help." He lifts up Claire's hair, pressing a quick kiss to the inside of her palm. "'Tis nae bother, Sassenach."
She sighs, glancing over to Julia who is texting away. She gives Jamie an appreciative smile, mouthing thank you before finishing her slice of cake.
Jamie and Julia pick right back up, talking about her birthday and what all she and her friends were going to get up to tonight.
This is so nice, so relaxing. Having Jamie and Julia both here brings a peace to her soul that she's been missing since she was last in Scotland. He fits in so well, like he's been here forever.
"So how does it feel tae be eighteen?" Jamie asks, pulling Claire from her thoughts to focus back on Julia across the table.
"'Bout the same as I felt yesterday at seventeen," she snickers.
Claire laughs, standing to pour them each a mug of warm apple cider that Jamie had brought from the Ridge. "I can't believe June fourth eighteen years ago, I was on my way to the hospital screaming my head off with contractions," she says, setting two of the mugs down. Jamie hops up to grab his own, settling back at the table.
Reaching over, Claire runs her fingers through Julia's long, dark hair, wistfully thinking about all the previous birthdays and how much fun they'd always had planning her parties.
"I'm sad we didn't do a party like normal this year," Claire says sadly, "No more pony rides or face painting for me, I suppose."
Julia rolls her eyes, reminding her mother, "I haven't had a themed party since I was like thirteen. Last year Lizzie, Phaedra and all of them came here, but we just thought it would be fun to celebrate at her place this time." She shrugs. "You know her dad's got that huge basement with the movie theatre seating! And they have a pool."
"Well," Claire draws sarcastically, "so sorry our house doesn't have a theatre and pool."
Julia laughs, "That's okay! I won't need those things here now that I've graduated."
Claire's eyes go soft, sad almost, and Jamie must recognize it because he takes her hand again, speaking up and saying, "Speaking of the graduation, how was it? Yer mam sent me some pictures but I ken she took a lot more than what she showed me."
"It was good," the teen says flippantly, texting someone back on her phone.
Claire looks to Jamie apologetically, but he chuckles under his breath, waving her off. She knows he's used to teenagers, knows how they can be at this age, but she doesn't want Julia to be rude. "It was nice," she says, tapping the table in front of Julia and giving her a pointed look. "I am so proud of her. I know she's going to be amazing at Harvard."
Claire tries not to be melancholy every time college is mentioned, she doesn't want Julia to feel bad, it's just that she's going to miss her so so much. But she'll do amazing at school; she is so smart and independent.
Julia rolls her eyes but smiles, giving her mom a little nod.
Claire takes out her phone, opening up the camera roll and handing it to Jamie. "I took more than enough of the graduation and her party," she says, grinning.
Jamie scrolls through the pictures, commenting on all the gifts she was given at her party—a television that he knew was from Joe and Gail, sheet sets, under-bed storage containers, clothes, and everything else she would need living on her own.
As he looks through the rest, he glances up at Julia. "Are ye excited for Harvard?"
"For sure," she tells him, sitting up in excitement. "I wanna do early move-in so I can get settled before classes start."
"And when would that be?"
"The semester starts mid-August," she tells him, "so I'd move in at the beginning of the month." Jamie nods and Julia continues, "It'll give me and Lizzie like two weeks to learn our way around and get settled in our dorm. It'll be really great for you guys because," she pauses, eyes wide as she looks at Claire. She leans over, stage whispering, "Wait, did you tell him yet?"
Sighing, Claire scoffs out a laugh at her sweet little blabbermouth, reaching up to rub her forehead. She was wanting to tell him tonight, alone, but, well…
"Tell me what, Sassenach?"
She bites her lip, trying to tamp down her smile as she slides her eyes over to Julia who looks ready to burst with the news.
"Well, you know Dr. Rawlings was naming the new chief last week—"
"—Aye, I ne're heard anythin' from ye about it, so I thought mebbe he hadn't done it yet."
She gives him a sheepish look, saying, "Well he made his decision. I was going to tell you when you got here last week, but then things got so crazy with the last-minute flight change and graduation, and…"
"Sassenach," he laughs, "it's alright. Just tell me the news."
Smiling, she inhales slowly, saying, "Louise got the position. She's so excited, everyone is excited, and I'm really happy for her. She'll be a great chief."
Jamie nods, saying that was wonderful news for Louise. He's never met her, so she knows he doesn't really care all that much, but maybe he'll care a little bit more when she tells him her big secret.
"So," she goes on, turning to face him more directly, picking up his hand and linking their fingers. "Julia and I talked through everything, like you wanted us to, all of my options and whatnot since I got back the other week."
He nods again, a hopeful gleam in his eye as he looks between both her and Julia. "And what did ye two come up wi'?"
She drags it out, only because she's enjoying the way he's squirming in his seat like an excited kid on Christmas morning before his parents let him run and see what Santa brought. "And you know I've been talking to Joe about things, too." He nods again, giving her a curious look now. "I sought some counsel from him and spoke with my boss, and I actually applied for a position… at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness."
His blue eyes go wide, a smile tugging at the corner of his lip. She watches as he bites that bottom lip, trying to not jump to conclusions.
"Well," she beams, "they called me yesterday to let me know that I got the job! Head surgeon of the neurology department."
His mouth falls open as he looks between Claire and Julia with a stunned expression. "So… ye're…"
"Moving to Scotland!" Julia bursts in, finishing the sentence for him.
"If you'll still have me," Claire adds.
A tear slips free from the corner of his eye, which instantly causes Julia to tear up as well. She's sniffling behind Claire, her breathing growing ragged with a hand placed against her heart. The emotions around the table get the better of Claire as well, and she feels her eyes pool with tears.
"Of course I will. 'Tis all I've e'er wanted, mo ghraidh. Always." He lifts her hand, kissing each knuckle in quick succession. "I just never wanted ye tae feel like I made you choose me."
"I want to choose you, Jamie. I do choose you." She sniffles, a tear rolling down her cheek as she whispers, "Always."
His smile is brighter than the sun, but it falls, growing serious as he looks over to Julia. "As long as ye're really alright wi' it?"
"Uh, yeah!" she cries happily, her eyes shining. "This is the most romantic thing I've ever seen in like my entire life!" She wipes a tear from under her eye, taking a deep breath. "I am so happy for you guys! And like I keep telling Mom, I've always wanted to go to Scotland, so this is the perfect excuse to go!" Julia gives them a dreamy sigh, folding her arms on the table, shoulders raising and falling back down. "I only hope one day to fall in love like this… only," she stammers, looking at both adults, "ya know, not having a twenty-year separation."
They all laugh, Jamie scooting his chair closer to Claire's. She pats his hand, giving him a sweet smile before looking back at Julia.
"Thank you, darling," she says sincerely, reaching over to hug her daughter.
Jamie still looks shocked, so she's not surprised when he asks dumbly, "Ye sure? Truly?"
Rolling her eyes, Claire grins, her eyes misting over once more. "Time, space, history be damned," she gives him a pointed look at the word history, smiling as she tells him, "yes, I'm sure, James Fraser, and I'm coming one way or another. I already put in my notice and accepted the job over there!"
He laughs joyfully, nodding and sitting back in his chair, looking like he's finally accepting what he's being told.
"This is wonderful news," he sighs, his eyes going soft. He stands, pulling Claire up and into a hug. He kisses her head, whispering how much he loves her, before stepping out of the embrace and hugging Julia tightly.
She pats Jamie's back, telling him again, "I'm really happy for you two." She pulls back, checking her phone again. "But I gotta go! I was supposed to leave like ten minutes ago."
She kisses Claire's cheek, waving to Jamie as she grabs her overnight bag and purse and slips out to the garage as she shouts, "I'll see you in the morning! I'll be back around eleven!"
Claire wraps her arms around Jamie silently, swaying together as she listens to Julia's car start up, the music begin to play, and the garage door closes.
"Mo nighean donn," he murmurs, "I still canna believe it. It's really true?"
She laughs, swatting at his bum as he leans in to kiss her neck. "Yes, I'm really moving to Scotland." She sighs, pulling back in his arms enough to see his gorgeous face. "I can't believe it, but I am!"
With that, Jamie kisses her hand and leads her to the living room.
{**************************}
They settle on the couch, Claire's feet buried beneath his thigh for warmth.
She smiles brightly, saying once again that she can't believe it. "I've been dying to tell you since I got the call yesterday, but I wanted to tell you in person."
"Och," he grunts, patting her calf, "I'm glad ye did. I wouldna have been able to handle all that excitement mixed with my nausea on the flight."
"Oh no," she chuckles, "I thought it was only motion sickness on boats. Planes too?"
"Oh, aye." He laughs, shaking his head. "Luckily, I took some Dramamine to help… had a wee nip of whisky, too."
"Jamie," she admonishes lightly with a grin.
He shrugs, "I knocked out fer most o' the flight so it worked in my favor. Didna have time to think about being stuck in a plane so high off the ground."
Chuckling, she says, "Well I'm definitely glad I waited then. Were you surprised that I applied or that I got the job?"
"Both, I s'ppose," he admits. "I kent when ye were wi' me over there, ye thought that was the life ye wanted. I just didna ken once ye got back home and were with Julia again if ye'd change yer mind."
She sits up, snuggling up next to him. His arm drapes around her shoulder, holding her close. "I told you I knew what I wanted," she smirks.
Jamie laughs, saying, "Well, life wi' you is certainly never dull, Sassenach. Ye keep me on my toes."
She sits up, giving him her best dramatically prim nod and a haughty tone, "I shall endeavor to be more dull if it would suit you."
He grins, leaning in. Before his lips make contact with hers, he murmurs, "I wouldna change you tae save the world."
They stay there, cuddled together for a few minutes, Jamie's hand lightly grazing up and down her arm. "So," he says, patting her rear to silently ask her to sit up a bit, "tell me more about the job."
With a beaming smile, she sits up completely. His hand that was around her shoulder lands in her lap, and she picks it up, playing with his fingers as she tells him more details. "Well, they just so happened to have a neurosurgeon leave. He got a job at a hospital in Italy where his wife's family is from, and they are leaving at the beginning of September." She smiles proudly as she tells him, "They knew who I was, recognized my name from all my case studies and seminars."
Jamie looks impressed, and she smiles brightly.
The chief at Raigmore said he was more than happy to see Claire's resume come through. "They called Dr. Rawlings the other day and got a glowing recommendation. The chief over there was at the seminar I did when I ran into you back in February, and he told me he was more than impressed with my work."
"That's amazing," he says, kissing her. "So when… when would ye come? What do we need tae do?"
God, he's so thoughtful and cute.
She smiles, settling back against him. "The job doesn't start until the end of September, so I was thinking the first week. I want to stay here as long as possible with Julia, help her move at the start of August and all."
"Of course."
"I was thinking the first week, that'll give me about two and a half weeks to get settled before the job starts." She sighs, thinking of all she needs to do in the next few months. "I have to sell the house, get everything packed up after getting Julia packed and moved, decide what I want to take with me and what to either give away or put in storage for Julia to use when she moves out of the dorms, and—"
"Breathe, Sassenach," he laughs, playing with a stray curl, wrapping it around his finger and letting it bounce off. "Ye ken my house is plenty big enough, I've got that whole empty barn on the property that we use as storage already. Ye could keep whatever ye want there."
She nods, thinking through the possibilities. "I will definitely store some of the bigger furniture here in Boston for Julia. She'll need a living room set, the dining room table, and all of that. She and Lizzie can only live in the dorms their freshman year, so she'll have no choice but to get a place of her own next year."
"That's fine, mo nighean donn," he assures, tracing a line from her temple to her jaw. "Ye do whatever ye need tae do to feel comfortable. Lallybroch has plenty o' room for whate'er ye want tae store away."
"Thank you," she says, "there will definitely be some things I'll have to have shipped over to store there." She looks at him, trying to suppress her grin as she says, "There's lots to do. I mean I'll have to look for an apartment—"
"—An apartment?!"
"Just kidding," she chortles, leaning in to press her lips to his. "So, does that mean you're asking me to move in with you, James Fraser?"
"Sassenach," he breathes, "I've never wanted anything more in my life. I want ye there, wi' me in bed every night and by my side every day. We can redo the house, new paint, new furniture if ye want. I willna force ye to live in a house that doesna feel like yer home." He kisses her neck, adding, "We can change anything, just let me know. I dinna care, Jenny picked everything out anyway," he laughs and she does too, "so long as ye're by my side fer all of it."
If her own face could melt from the tenderness in someone's eyes and voice, hers would be like a popsicle on a hot summer day right now. She loves him so much; she'd live in a cardboard box if it meant she got to be with him.
"I don't care what we do to it, Jamie," she tells him, eyes growing wet. "I'd live anywhere with you. You are my home, not Lallybroch."
"And ye're mine."
Claire climbs into his lap, arms wrapping around his neck. She looks at him, stares into those beautiful blue eyes until she can't take it any longer. She pulls him in for a searing kiss, expressing all of her love for him through it.
His hands are on her waist, gripping and holding her to him.
She tilts her head, tongue peeking out to seek entrance to his mouth. He grants it, moaning as she deepens the kiss.
They break apart only when the need for air consumes them, and she smiles down at him. "I love you."
"And I you."
{**************************}
A few hours later, once they've thoroughly satiated themselves right there on the couch, they make their way up to her bedroom.
They shower quickly, going through their nightly rituals.
Jamie's routine doesn't consist of quite as many steps as hers, so when he finishes brushing his teeth, she asks him if he minds going and double checking that all the lights are off downstairs.
She's rubbing her moisturizer on her face, but he kisses her cheek anyway, saying, "I'll be right back."
"So unfair you can just throw on pajamas and get in bed," she grumbles, lotioning her arms.
He smirks over his shoulder, taunting, "Don't be jealous."
Rolling her eyes with a grin, she watches him go in the reflection as she picks up her toothbrush.
When she comes out of the bathroom, Jamie is already back, settled in one of the chairs by her large window.
"Are you alright?" she asks, padding over to him. He looks pensive, chin resting on his fist, staring out the window.
The moonlight is shining in, giving his eyes an almost eerie glow, and she thinks for a split second that his cheeks look damp.
She kneels down in front of him, hand resting on his knee. "Jamie?"
He clears his throat, turning to look at her. He gives her a small, reassuring smile, and tugs her into his lap. She goes willingly, looping her arms around his neck to anchor herself. "I was thinkin'," he starts, clearing his throat and smiling again, "'Bout the Ridge and Scotland and everything."
"And?" she grins, resting her head on his shoulder.
He lets out a little laugh, telling her of the plan he'd been contemplating recently. "Ye ken I've been talking with John about expanding to Paris and possibly London."
She nods, knowing he'd mentioned it briefly on the way to Fraser's Ridge one day and more with Uncle Lamb.
"Weel, we already have some contracts in the works, some land that's fer sale. The Paris location is looking more promising than London, but John and Murtagh are working hard to convince the sellers in London to accept as well."
"You'd build farms there too? Like how Fraser's Ridge is?"
"Nah," he says, "No' quite. We'd only have stores in the other locations, ken, like what Jenny runs now, tae sell all of our products. Everything would still be produced on our land in Scotland." He smiles and her face splits into one as well. "We'd sell the jams and jellies, the cider and bread and donuts and all th' other treats we make, and once Ian and I get a good whisky recipe down, we'll start selling it in our stores, too."
"Jamie, that's amazing!" she assures, "Jenny and her crew work so hard on all the products, more than just Scotland needs to experience how delicious everything is."
"It got me thinkin', though," he says, stopping briefly to kiss her again. "It would be nice to expand over here to America as well, ye ken? So, I was thinkin' we could spend a few years in Scotland, get everything with the whisky and the stores up and running, and then we could come back here if ye want, I could be in charge of the American side of things."
"Jamie…" She knows he means it, expanding would be amazing for his company, but she also knows he's only considering a move to America for her. "I will be happy in Scotland, I promise."
"I ken, I ken," he states sincerely, looking down. "Just promise me ye'll let me know the very second ye're no longer happy there, ye miss Julia too much, or, or… I dinna ken." He sighs. There's a beat of silence between them, each staring into the other's eyes, before she watches his blue eyes mist over. His gaze is so intent, so sincere, she feels as if their actual souls are connected as he professes, "I would lay the world at yer feet, Claire, ye ken that, right?"
She nods, unable to speak around the lump in her throat.
"I would give up everything I have fer us tae be together." He smiles, reaching up to wipe the tears from her cheeks, replacing them with gentle kisses. "When ye bumped into me at the café, it was as if the sun had returned, casting out the darkness." His eyes brim with tears now, too, and he shakes his head and clears his throat. "I love you, mo ghraidh."
"What's that one mean, anyway?" she chuckles wetly, "I've been meaning to ask you."
"My love." He grins in that boyish way she loves so much. "And mo chridhe is my heart."
Those tears that have been clouding her vision slip free, and she leans down, pressing her lips to his soundly. "And I do know that, Jamie," she affirms when they pull apart. "I know you would do anything for me, and just like you, I'd do anything for you."
His answer is a beaming smile before his lips crash to hers again. His hand reaches up to grip around her neck, holding her to him.
Jamie stands, lifting her with him as if she weighs nothing, and carries her to bed.
They spend the rest of the night in each other's arms, bodies moving together, hands wandering and mouths connected.
She wakes the next morning before him, and for a while, just a moment in time, she watches as the sun dances against his hair, making it look even brighter than usual. Checking her phone, she sees it's only seven, so she places it back on the nightstand and curls back into his embrace for the next few hours.
{****************************}
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