Author's Note: New chapter for you - it's more of a one-shot away from Brianna and John, but I couldn't pen an Outlander fic without a brief lovely moment between our leading lady and man. Only two more chapters to go to see Brianna and her hubby merrily on their way in this canon. Stick with this if you're still interested - I'm definitely finishing it and then will most likely move onto a Daemyra fanfiction I've been jonesing to start.

DaenerysTargary3n

Chapter VIII

Fraser's Ridge, Six days later

"Are ye content to be home, Claire?" Jamie asked his wife as they lay side-by-side in their comfortable bed. They had left Fraser's Ridge as soon as they had found their son-in-law at ease with the news of the Fraser family secret. They had only arrived back at their own home in Fraser's Ridge that afternoon and all had supped early and made for their respective beds soon after.

"Yes, very much. I enjoyed our little trip to Lynchburg. It was fascinating to see it as it is just springing to life. It's quite different in my time. But, then again, isn't everything? Everything seems bigger in the future and less exciting. Now, everything seems new and young. Even so, for all its excitement and appeal, I much prefer being here with you in our home."

Jamie snuggled her closer to him, "Ye don't miss Bree? Ye don't regret leaving her there with Jem?"

"No," Claire replied, bringing her cheek further into Jamie's warm chest, "I don't regret that. I think she's found her feet with John. Despite my initial hesitance, I think they make a fine match. He's the most forward-thinking man I've met here, except for you, and he'll treat her with honesty, respect and kindness and that's about all we can hope for for Brianna here."

"Not love?"

"What love can she share with a man whose love of his life is her own father?" Claire retorted.

The man in reference flinched at the vitriol in his wife's tone. Claire knew the depth of feeling between John and Jamie. She knew, from his own lips, that John held Jamie in a regard that superseded all others. He knew she was certain of her own place in the latter's heart - Jamie had proved it with his bloody, body and soul that he loved Claire to the ends of the Earth. She couldn't quite extinguish every ember of jealousy though towards the one man Jamie had ever offered himself to and the man to whom he had given both his natural children now.

"I'm sorry."

"I know Sassenach," Jamie hushed, wrapping his arm tighter about his wife, "I ken ye meant no harm by yer words. And no matter what you say, I know you miss Bree and the wee lad. Yer not angry at John's feelings towards me. You used to know that I loved you completely, Claire, by the fact ye've borne two of ma bairns. Now it's he who has them - William and Brianna. I know it vexes ye. And here when it's just us, I wish ye'd be honest about it."

Claire huffed, "Fine. I don't like it. I don't like the knowledge that my only daughter is in Lynchburg with my grandson and your son and I've got an empty nest here."

"What are Fergus and Marsali then?"

"It's not the same. Of course I think of them both as my children and Germain is no less my grandson than Jem. But, Fergus and Marsali have their own home, their own family. They don't need me to be their mother. That's what I miss. That's what I begrudge John Grey."

"Ach, Claire. It willna help ye to tote about such envy. After everything we went through wi'Roger, I couldn't have wished for better for Brianna. She is a lady wi'standing and has a husband with whom she can have an honest, god-fearing life and raise her child in legitimacy and acceptance by society. I also believe that the love between them may yet grow."

"You can't be serious?" Claire expressed with incredulity, sitting up to stare down at her husband.

"I am. Did you not see what your eyes were tellin' ye at the christening? They were as one. They care for each other…as more than friends. Now that John knows the truth of the stones and Bree, they have a real chance as man and wife. A chance at love."

"Love…" Claire pondered, examining the ardour and fire in her husband's eyes as she began to trace his chiselled jawline underneath her fingers. "Would be a fine thing for her to find here. Even with him. Reminds me of another girl out of her time."

Jamie observed the shift in Claire's manner and temperament. She was irate but as so often happened, she had gone from angry to longing. "Mmm…I like the story of that girl." He said, pulling himself closer to her.

As she enveloped his lips in her own, Claire murmured, "I do too. I like where she's ended up." At her last words, she made a gentle thrust against his growing hardness.

"Mo neighean donn," Jamie murmured through their kiss, "you shall be the end of me."

"Enough talk, Jamie. I want you."

With that admission, Jamie brought one hand up to clutch Claire's neck and kept her against his hungry lips. With his other, he pulled up the hem of her nightdress revealing her womanhood to him, patient and beckoning. While he prepared her, she was no less insistent in her ministrations to him. She pulled at his own nightshirt and found his shaft in her hands and began to pump away at it diligently.

Jamie released his hold on her as to dispose of their clothes and proceed fully bare to each other. He brought his eyes down to glance across his wife's form and as he did each occasion that brought them together in passion, he marvelled at his divine luck. He was a lucky bastard to be so blessed as to be wed to Claire Fraser. She had aged and borne many wounds and two of his children, and these had altered her form from the nymph that he had first taken to wife. Yet, she was still a goddess in his eyes. Her body still delighted him and stirred him as did her potent mind and her soft heart.

"You're staring." Claire whispered, breaking him out of his reverie.

"I'm admiring and thanking the Almighty for my good fortune. I'm done now and I'm ready to show you your own good fortune."

"Oh hoh! Confident words from you, Mr Fraser. But shall they prove prophetic?" Claire teased sultrily.

"Aye, my minx, they shall." With that Jamie shut her up with a searing kiss as he raised Claire up only to pull her down fully sheathed upon him in the next instant. In the age old dance between them, they moved as one taking pleasure from the other in equal measure. It wasn't long before both began to chase their pinnacle as it grew brighter before them and crashed over it in one breath together.