Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

A/N:Thank you so much for the love on the first chapter, it's really appreciated.

The road back home would take days, she knew that. She had no horse and no warm clothes, but she was determined to make it back to Lallybroch and to her family. She started her journey back, her memory fresh enough for her to move through the highlands. She was hoping to make most of the daylight, knowing she had a few days' worth of travels until she made it back. She found a horse near a small cottage when the sun was dipping down the horizon. She knew that she had to be quiet in order to succeed and when she was able to gain the beast's trust, she found some plaid left behind in the stables so she could stay warm. Riding would be much easier in the trousers she wore from her time so wrapping the plaid around herself and using her belt to fasten it to her waist, she slowly pulled the beautiful horse out of the stables, uttering soothing words. She mounted it as soon as the cottage was out of sight and Claire rode as much as her already tired body could. She stopped for the night and woke with first light, finding some food to sustain her on the rest of the journey before mounting the horse again and continuing the travel back to Lallybroch.

Her heart made it to her throat when she finally saw it. It was as beautiful and as she remembered it. The closer she came to the archway leading to the house, the more her heart thundered in her chest. She didn't know how she would live without the love of her life by her side, but she knew that being with family would be her saving grace. She led the horse the rest of the way until she could see Jenny hunched over a washing tub. She didn't want to scare the younger woman but the sounds of hooves against the mud alerted her and when she finally looked up, their eyes met and Jenny froze in her spot, Claire feeling tears gather at the bottom of her eyes.

"Claire?" She snapped out of her shock and walked around the tub to meet her. "What are ye doing here? Where's Jamie?" His name slipping past his sister's lips broke her heart and her legs faltered.

"I don't know." Jenny caught her before the exhaustion and fear for Jamie's life caught up with Claire and found her in the mud.

"Ian, help me get her inside." Ian took the reins of Claire's horse and took the beast to the stables before returning to the foyer where Jenny was handing Claire a glass of water, Rabbie McNabb by their side.

"You look like you've been riding for days lass." Ian took a seat across from her, his leg clearly bothering him.

"I didn't want to stop, I had to make it back." Her breathing was ragged, her lungs burning.

"Where's Jamie? And what about Murtagh?" Jenny questioned, ignoring Claire's strange appearance for now.

"I don't know, I lost sight of them when the battle began." She lied. If Jamie didn't make it back alive, or even Murtagh for that matter, the secret of the stones would die with her. "Where's Fergus?" He had to be safe, he just had to.

"He's with wee Jamie in the field. Will you go fetch them Rabbie? The young man nodded and disappeared quickly out of the house. "When was the last time you had some food in ye belly?"

"This morning, last night." Claire downed the remainder of her water and set it on the table in front of her. "I'm not sure."

"I'll go ask Mrs. Crook to fix ye a plate." Ian stood and he exchanged a smile with his sister-in-law before disappearing towards the kitchen.

"Milady." Claire looked up and couldn't help her smile as the young boy came running her way. She wrapped him in a warm hug, placing a kiss on the top of his unruly curls.

"Oh Fergus, mon fils. You're safe."

"I am Milady. Where is Milord?"

"I don't know Fergus." She eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"We will find him Milady." He said with certainty.

"I love you sweet boy." She pulled him back to her chest and kept him close until Ian returned, saying food was ready. Always the protector, Fergus helped her to her feet and walked with her slowly to the dining room. Once she was seated, Jenny and Ian let the two be for some quiet time together.

"We need to find what happened to Milord."

"I don't know how to do that Fergus." Claire dove into the hot porridge that had been placed in front of her, relishing in the heat it provided her cold body. "I need to get some sleep first and then we can try to find him." She closed her eyes, placing a hand on her still flat belly.

"What's wrong Milady?" The worry was plain on his young features.

"Nothing is wrong Fergus." She allowed herself to smile this time. "Everything is actually quite alright." Her hand left her belly and pushed an unruly curl from his forehead. "You are going to be a big brother."

"You're with child?" He asked for confirmation. "Does Milord know?"

"I am and he does." She closed her eyes to stop the morbid thoughts from entering her mind.

"I swear I will look after you and the bébé Milady. I will not let Milord down."

"I know you won't." She patted his hand gently and returned to her food. Now that her stomach was full and her body temperature a bit warmer, she returned to the foyer and to Jenny and Ian.

"There's a warm bath waiting for ye upstairs Claire."

"Will you help me up Jenny?" She wanted to share her news with Jenny as well as with Fergus, the pain from losing Faith still raw and with Jamie missing, she felt that Jenny needed to know straight away.

"Aye, I'll be right behind ye." Jenny watched Claire stand, her cheeks looking pinker than when she had first arrived. These times were uncertain for them all, but with her brother missing, Claire needed someone to help her though it and she would find that at Lallybroch. "Is everything alright Claire?"

"I need to tell you something."

"Dinna leave me hanging then."

"I'm pregnant." She smiled.

"A bairn." She was beaming with happiness. "When did ye find out? Does Jamie ken?" Her face fell at the prospect of her brother not knowing he would be a father.

"He does. He knew before I had even told him, before the battle began." Fresh tears threatened to fall once more at the farewell they shared at the stones. "He needs to be alive Jenny." She sobbed. "He needs to be able to raise this child, he has to." Jenny took her in her arms as she wept. She wept until tears were no longer stinging her eyes.

"We will find him Claire and he will help raise the bairn with you and wee Fergus. Take a bath and get some rest, you need to keep yer strength up." Claire pulled out of her embrace and thanked Jenny before she took her leave. Removing her clothes took most the energy she had left but she sank her body down into the warm water, taking a few deep breaths. Jenny was right, she needed to get some rest, keep her energy up if they were to find Jamie's whereabouts, or at least if he had survived Culloden. Once she was out of the tub and everything cleared away, she slipped under the covers and fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. It would prove to be everything but a restful sleep as dreams and nightmares of Jamie tortured her through the night, leaving her more exhausted than when she first arrived.

A/N: this is what I envisioned happening. Please take a few seconds to review before you go, your words are always appreciated. - Sarra