That afternoon after finally getting a wash and on some very interesting clothes, where not one part of my skin showed from feet to neck I was sure, I headed for a walk in the gardens trying to clear my head from what had gone on over the last day or so.

As much as I really agreed with Jamie, he couldn't just ask any Tom, Dick or Harry to take me to a stone circle and make sure I went through it to another time, I needed to get home.

I could probably manage on my own. I wasn't by no means some weak minded woman, its just I needed a guide. I was unconscious when we travelled here and I have absolutely no idea how to get back to Craig Na Dun. The only thing I could think of was to go to Inverness and I could figure they way from there and to get to Inverness I'm sure someone could point me in the right way. I didn't have any qualms about asking people for directions in my own time so I really shouldn't have a problem now. Except the fact that their were some pretty dodgy people on the roads who wouldn't think twice about doing anything harmful.

No I had two choices; one, sit and be patient and wait till Jamie and Claire could take me or two, either go myself or get a guide. I have absolutely no patients whatsoever therefore it had to be choice number two. I had to get up in the middle of the night and get the hell out of here and back home to the 20th century before my parents really started panicking and Simon…of course with me suddenly disappearing out of the blue and everyone knew me and Simon had gone off, the police would think Simon had murdered me or something along that lines.

I had to go back. End of story!

I wondered along the gardens and managed to find the stables. I had to take a horse, there was no way I could walk all the way to Inverness and then to Craig Na Dun and then likely all the way back to Inverness in the 20th Century. I didn't have the stamina for that. As well a horse would be so much faster. Although I wasn't by no means any expert with a horse I certainly was used to riding one.

Ok, plan coming slowly together I decided to do it tonight. The sooner I got out of here, the sooner I got home. I was happy with that, I would no longer be a burden to Jamie and his family and he wouldn't have to worry about taking me home. It was an easy solution.

And if anything did go wrong…well we could cross that bridge if it happened. Not one step before!

But you're disobeying orders again…my angel voice said in my head. I knew this to be true! But well…this was a matter of life and death. This was a matter of Simon going down for something he was completely innocent. I couldn't let that happen. He was my best friend for goodness sake and we slept together so I couldn't let that happen, I just couldn't, no matter how much this was breaking rules to Jamie and his family.

I had decided, I had to go, and it had to be tonight. The consequences of breaking trust or something going wrong could be thought about later.

Therefore at around midnight that night I was lying in bed, wide-awake trying fretfully to listen to see if the rest of the house was completely asleep. I had heard a noise about half an hour ago and so deciding the coast was clear I got out of bed. I hadn't bothered changing; I had just gone to bed with my dress they had given me, to make less noise.

I packed up my shoes and my bag and slowly crept to the door and quietly opened it and peeked my head out seeing if the coast was clear. It seemed to be so I opened it further and went out and tiptoed down the stairs and out the door. So far so good.

Outside it was pitch black and not being used to the grounds I walked slowly each time checking I wasn't going to bang into something like walls and what not and that I was going the right way.

Eventually I managed to find the stables and went inside. I picked out a sweet looking one and saddled her up. I felt bad about taking one of their horses but it was the only way I could manage to get out of here as soon as possible and get home. I didn't know what to think about that other than I had no choice.

I hooked my stuff I had brought onto the saddle; I had managed to find some food that would keep me going hopefully to Inverness and onwards. I walked the horse out of the stable and through the path to back home. I hoped anyway.

Finally when I thought it safe and the farmhouse now looked small enough that I thought I had gotten away with it I mounted the horse and walked off. I was so happy to finally be on my way home. To be able to let my parents know I was safe and well. And to see Simon and make sure he wasn't in a bad way from my disappearance.

I was starting to yawn. I hadn't actually slept at all last night, worried that if I did I wouldn't wake up during the night so I had just lain in bed reading. I thought it might be a good idea to stop soon and try and get some rest before starting off tomorrow. But I was still wary of stopping so near the house.

I decided to stop for two minutes anyway to get some water, as I was really thirsty. I stopped the horse and leaned over to grab the water bottle and stopped as I heard something.

Looking back I noticed another horse come up with someone on top of it. Thankfully it wasn't Jamie and so I smiled and then stopped realising it was one of Jamie's tenants. I had seen him earlier on, in the stables if I recalled correctly. Drat, drat and drat.

"I think ye should just stop right there and we can turn back to Lallybroch." His deep voice said. Yeah like that was going to stop me.

I grabbed the reigns and kicked the horse into action. I had to lose him, god knows how. I knew without even seeing him ride he would be better than I. I likely had no chance but I had to give it my best shot.

I was galloping my fastest when suddenly I spotted something to my right. I looked round to see Jamie galloping just as hard and fast on his own horse. Ah god dammit. I would have to stop; the other guy was on my left now.

I sighed and brought the horse to a stop. I felt utterly defeated and extremely stupid. I wanted them to go away to I could cry my eyes out. It wasn't a hard thing to want, really, to go back where I came from and live amongst my family and friends and they way I was used to.

I took a deep breath and flattened the wave of tears that came to my eyes and got off the horse and sat suddenly on the ground fearing my legs wouldn't hold me. By this time Jamie and his tenant had come up beside me and dismounted from their horses.

I couldn't even look at him. Not at the moment. My pride was not doing so well and I didn't want Jamie seeing that.

The tenant went about tying the horses up and Jamie sat and lighted a small fire and sat down next to me. "Look lassie, I understand ye want to go home but I have already explained to ye, I cannot take ye till until later."

"Ye dinna understand the situation I could be in or my friend." I didn't want to say too much with the tenant there. The first thing said about time travel and he'd declare me a raving loony.

"I can take her Sir." The tenant said.

Please, please, please agree.

"That won't be necessary Hugh." Arrrgh

"My wife and myself must take her. My wife knows of her family and so it would be better if we take her. We just can't take her now." He looked down at me. "Now lass, you must accept this and please no more running away because now I will have someone watching ye at all times. Hugh?"

The man came up to his master, loyally.

"I want ye to watch over this lass until time lets us take her to where she belongs. I dismiss your duties in the stable for the moment and ye will be with her from first thing in the morning and last at night. Do ye understand?"

"Yes sir." But you could see this wasn't making him happy. To look after a girl was just not his idea of a job but he did it and without complaint.

"Good. Now the lass will ride with you and ye will see her right to her room and I will see that the horses are stabled. Come lets go. It's freezing." He stood up, damped down the fire and mounted his horse and left with my one leaving Hugh and me alone.

He turned his back from me and set about sorting the horse in a gesture to show how much he thought of having to watch me like a babysitter.

"Look man, I ken this isna something ye want to do. But unfortunately, you're stuck me with and I'm stuck with ye. Unless of course ye just let me go. Ye needa bother about me ever again."

He had been completely ignoring me but at that he turned, eyes glaring. "I would never disobey Jamie, shame the same thing canna be said for you. Now, give me yer foot so I can get ye home."

I stared at him in disbelief. I humph and completely ignored him; I could be just as annoying. I grabbed the stirrup from him and put my foot through it and on the count of three managed to pull myself up onto the horse.

He got up in front of me and we set off, neither of us saying anything. Finally back home Jamie was waiting for us. We both dismounted and Hugh left the horse with Jamie. Jamie said something to Hugh but I couldn't catch what was said between the two men.

I followed Hugh out and he made his way into the house and took me to where I had been sleeping.

I made move to open the door but he called, "Lass," and I turned back to him. "I am to sleep in the room next to ye so if ye try to run away again I will hear ye. And I'm no deep sleeper. Good night."

He stood their watching me waiting till I was in the room with the door shut. As I went in I would've slammed it but I didn't want to wake the rest of the house.

In the room I could Hugh moving about in the room next door and then I could hear the bed crunch as he got into it. I removed my clothes and got into bed myself and fell asleep. Still no closer to home!