Chapter 1
June 22, 1974
Staring out the window of the train car, Jamie sighed contentedly. He and Kathryn were embarking on their honeymoon to the Cornish coast, their accommodations for the week being a lovely seaside cottage. Jamie smiled, remembering how Kathryn's face had lit up when she eyed the brochure and the beautiful scenery contained within.
As he gazed out the window he felt his mind wander. So much had happened recently. Two weeks ago the Doctor had finally arrived back from Metebelis 3 near death due to radiation poisoning. Jamie couldn't believe that much time had passed; it felt as if it were yesterday. This regeneration business was something so new to him, something he had never experienced first hand. Of course, the Doctor's later self had told Jamie all about the process and 'his' Doctor had been forced to change into this last one, but he himself had never actually witnessed the Time Lord changing.
He was still trying to get used to the Doctor's new appearance and personality. He frowned as he recalled how manic the Doctor was acting soon after he had changed. His behavior had practically given Jamie whiplash. Any familiarity the Doctor had of them – himself, Sarah Jane and the Brigadier – had seemed to disappear for a brief time. He had also seemed quite preoccupied with his new appearance, especially trying to find a new set of clothes that would become his style.
Jamie had felt much like a mesmerized spectator watching the Doctor flit about the room. A sudden distraction came in the form of a UNIT officer informing him of Kathryn's arrival. It'd suddenly dawned on him they were going to have lunch together. He'd found her standing a bit further down the corridor, waiting for him to join her. They had eaten at a nearby restaurant and he'd felt guilty for seeming so preoccupied the entire time. He had apologized but she insisted it was no problem, even as he had told her about the Doctor changing. Curiously, she herself didn't seem all that fazed by it but seemed a bit preoccupied nonetheless. When he questioned her, she merely brushed it off.
Thinking of changes, over the past year there had been quite a few. First there was Jo leaving once she got engaged to Professor Jones and had left on that expedition with him. Not long afterwards, Sarah Jane had stumbled upon the Doctor and had unwittingly joined him. Finally, there was all the business with Captain Yates who had been placed on leave and had tipped them off as to the strange goings-on at the monastery. To be honest, those events were not such a big deal to Jamie. He had been used to it, given all the arrivals and departures he had witnessed back when he had first traveled with the Doctor.
The Doctor himself changing had totally eclipsed all that, especially combined with the changes in Jamie's personal life. He had proposed to Kathryn at Victoria and Terrence's wedding some nine months ago. Shortly thereafter he had moved in with her. He'd had some reservations about that, of course, thinking it best for them to wait until after they were wed. Kathryn had assured him it was okay. A lot of people did this sort of thing nowadays, she had told him. In the end, Jamie decided not to argue over it and found himself warming to the idea.
Several more changes had occurred that were cause for celebration. Kathryn had been promoted at work and was earning a better salary. Jamie himself had also managed to get a job at a local museum in a section pertaining to Scottish history. The group performed reenactments of historical battles from time to time for special events held there. He was asked to participate in several which depicted battles of the Scottish against the English, in particular several of the Jacobite Uprisings. Jamie felt a bit odd at first given how very close to home this was for him, but he tried not to get too bogged down in it. He reminded himself this was like a "play" of sorts for the likes of tourists and school children.
He quickly found himself enjoying the job. On one particular afternoon, he had been giving a short tour of exhibits featuring the Scottish Highlands. As he got rather nostalgic in the middle of recounting some of the legends passed down over time through the area, he had been interrupted by a couple of tourists …
"Forgive me for interrupting," the woman with an Australian-sounding accent piped up. "But we have really been enjoying your presentation. Your accent sounds so authentic!"
Jamie had suddenly clamped his mouth shut and quirked an eyebrow. Her comment had caught him off guard, and had she told him this several years earlier he might even have been insulted by it.
Instead, he laughed awkwardly. "Thank ye."
"Are you from that area?"
Jamie nodded. "Aye, I'm a born an' bred Highlander. From the isle of Skye. My family even fought in the Battle of Culloden … for the Prince." He tried to keep himself as vague and emotionally detached as possible as he volunteered this information. It was always something about which he got emotional, but he found it easier to speak of the more time had passed. He was just happy to share how proud he was of his heritage in whatever way possible with people who seemed interested.
Back in the present, Jamie's smile returned as he recounted this particular memory. Yes, things certainly seemed to be going well for both of them. And now here they were, embarking on their honeymoon. This last thought caused his smile to widen.
Their wedding itself had been near perfect. After all that had recently happened, Jamie was glad it hadn't been interrupted. The Doctor, Sarah and Harry had just been through an ordeal on a space station many thousands of years into the future. While there they had dealt with some huge, nasty insect-like beasties that planned to destroy humans. Not only that, but they'd later had their hands full with some Sontarans, Daleks and Cybermen before finally making it back. Jamie was glad he had sat that one out. He had already helped them deal with that robot business earlier. Luckily the Doctor had found a solution, just as Jamie had faith he would, and they had returned none the worse for wear.
The day before the wedding, all the people at UNIT HQ had had a little gathering of sorts for Jamie and Kathryn and had toasted them, wishing them the best. Once they'd returned home that evening, they were surprised to find Ben, Polly, Victoria and Terrence waiting to treat them to dinner. Jamie was thankful to have such good friends supporting them.
As for the location of their honeymoon, they had narrowed it down to two choices: The Scottish Highlands and the Cornish coast. As much as they both wanted to honeymoon in Scotland, they'd quickly decided against it after the ordeal at Glamis Castle two years earlier. There was also the fact that neither of them had been to the Cornish coast. Polly had told Kathryn that she and Ben had holidayed there and about how lovely it was. Jamie decided it would be nice to try something new. After what Polly had said, Kathryn seemed so intent on going and he didn't want to disappoint her.
A quick tap on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie. Turning away from the window, he found Kathryn gazing at him in concern.
"You all right?" she asked. "You seemed about a million miles away." Her mouth quirked into a hint of a fond smile.
Jamie briefly lowered his gaze and chuckled in spite of himself. "Aye. I've jus' been thinking of all that's been happenin' lately." He sighed. "So much has changed, ye know."
Kathryn nodded. "Yes, it has," she said thoughtfully. "Despite all that, there's still one constant."
He regarded her curiously. "What?"
Kathryn's smile widened. "Us," she replied and then leaned into him, softly capturing his lips in a kiss. Once she'd moved back, Jamie beamed as he met her loving gaze. He then put his arms around her and moved in for another kiss. She was right. No matter the changes that had occurred, the two of them together was the one thing he could count on.
Once they had arrived at their stop, Jamie had flagged down a taxi to take them to the cottage in which they were staying. The cabbie had dropped them off at the owner's office and they had gone inside to check in and collect the key along with anything else they needed. Jamie found the middle-aged owner a pleasant man with a great sense of humor. While he had spoken with the man, Kathryn had found some brochures for points of interest and had brought them to him. As they left the office, Jamie briefly scanned them, a bit surprised to find there was more to do there than he had expected.
Judging by her grin, Kathryn seemed to have caught his look. "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, don't worry. We don't have to do all that. We can spend some time relaxing here as well," she joked.
Jamie chuckled. "I didnae mean tae look overwhelmed or anythin'. I jus' don' wanna be runnin' somewhere every moment an' stickin' tae some impossible schedule." He grinned wickedly, knowing what her reaction would be.
She scowled at him and swatted him in the chest with one of the brochures. "I'm not like that, you silly Scots git," she huffed.
Jamie's grin faded and he scowled back at her. "Hey!" he protested. "I'm a what?!" He suddenly found the corner of her mouth twitching into a smirk and realized she had been having him on. He briefly rolled his eyes and his mouth lifted in an amused grin. "Och, come 'ere, you," he exclaimed, pulling her into hug and kissing the top of her head.
After a moment he pulled back and smiled at her. "Come on. Our cottage is jus' over this way." He gestured to a path that wound through the seaside cliffs.
They strolled hand in hand toward their ultimate destination, taking in the gorgeous scenery along the way. The best was yet to come, however, as Jamie had slowed to a stop in front of a particular building. Double-checking the key in his hand with the printed number on it, he gazed at the number on the front of the building and smiled. Yes, this was the one.
The tiny, light wooden-paneled, one-story cottage with a shallow-pitched, gable roof was nestled into the seaside cliff. A wooden deck of similar color furnished with a table and chairs surrounded it. The views of the beach and ocean were breathtaking. For what seemed like an eternity, Jamie just stood, staring out at the ocean, hard-pressed to remember the last time he'd seen such a beautiful sight (not including the Scottish Highlands, anyway).
He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Kathryn eyeing him happily. "It is beautiful, isn't it. Let's see what's inside, shall we?"
Jamie smiled softly at her. "Aye." They traversed the slate stepping stones that led to the front door and he produced the key the owner had given them. With a quick turn of the key the door opened and they entered, taking in the atmosphere in quiet awe.
The cottage was indeed small, but quaint and tastefully decorated. The interior walls were splashed with white and there were various small decorations of a nautical nature adorning them in the form of small pictures and sculptures, but not enough to make the place appear cluttered.
Just beyond the front door was a very short corridor with a living area straight ahead. It was quite airy and inviting, featuring a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows which afforded yet another stunning view of the outdoors. Jamie was nearly taken aback by how beautiful it looked and, turning to Kathryn, her reaction told him she felt the same way.
He shook himself out of his daze as he noticed what appeared to be a latch on one of the windows. "Wha's this?" he muttered. Examining it closer, he realized it appeared to be a handle, as in door handle. He reached out to grab it.
"Oh, Jamie, I don't know if you should ..." Kathryn started, sounding a bit worried. Her voice trailed off as Jamie grabbed the handle and pushed. He discovered it was really a set of double doors, opening outward to let in the invigorating sea air.
After staring in awe for a few moments, they decided to have a look at the other rooms in more detail. Jamie had shut the windows-cum-doors in the living area and rejoined Kathryn in the kitchen. It was small but with all the conveniences they needed: a refrigerator, range top and oven, cabinets stocked with plates, pots and pans, and a sink. One door off the living area opened up into a tiny bathroom. On the other side of the short corridor was another door leading to a room which turned out to be the bedroom. It was a cozy room also done in white and featured a double bed with white and sea green linens. Perhaps the most wonderful discovery was that it too featured a floor-to-ceiling window, offering more gorgeous views of the seaside.
To say that Jamie was completely stunned was an understatement. He was certainly surprised that such lovely accommodations had been so reasonable. His gaze shifted to Kathryn who was absolutely over the moon, if her expression was anything to go by.
"So? What do ye think?" Jamie asked with an affectionate smile.
She seemed at a loss for words. "What do I think?" she asked, almost incredulously. She rushed up to him and crushed him in a huge hug. Jamie squeaked in surprise as she nearly knocked him onto the bed. He soon recovered and wrapped his arms around her, capturing her lips in a deep kiss.
Finally letting go and stepping back, he found her eyes almost filled with tears with a smile so broad it nearly threatened to break her face in two. "How on Earth did you find this place?" she asked.
"Ah, Polly told me aboot it," he replied. "She an' Ben had stayed in one of these cottages some time ago. No' this one, of course, but she gave me the owner's telephone number an' the brochures I showed ye."
Some realization seemed to hit and she nodded. A knowing expression soon made its way across her face. "I did wonder how you could afford such a place. I know it's small but with views such as this, I'd almost expect it to go for hundreds of pounds a day."
Jamie suddenly felt his cheeks flame and looked away. "Aye, well, Polly told me tae tell the owner that I know her an' Ben … an' that it may help us get a discount." He winced in embarrassment.
Looking back up at her, she nodded and appeared almost impressed. "Well, it's not as if you were lying." She then grinned. "And if it helps make paradise a bit more affordable, I certainly can't object."
Jamie chuckled. "Aye. Well, I only want the best for ye, lass. I know my job doesnae pay verra well, an' I don' really have the skills tae get somethin' better -"
"Oh, knock it off, McCrimmon," she cut him off, eyeing him disapprovingly. "You will not sell yourself short in front of me. Understand?"
He nodded sheepishly, feeling another blush overtake his face.
"I don't care about any of that." Her stern expression softened. "I only care that you love me. As I love you."
He gazed at her affectionately. "I knew there was a good reason I'd taken to ye so much," he said before kissing her softly on the lips once again.
Kathryn took in a deep breath and smiled as she looked out at the ocean, looking away only briefly to smile up at Jamie. They had had a nice dinner at a local restaurant the owner had recommended. Afterwards, they decided to take a stroll along the beach. It was a beautiful evening and the fresh, salty air was invigorating. The view itself of the setting sun on the water was truly magnificent.
At one point, the breeze off the water grew a bit chilly and Kathryn had begun to shiver despite the knitted poncho she had draped over herself. Jamie seemed to have taken notice and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her. Her gaze flew up to him immediately and she was in awe of how handsome he looked: the way the golden, reddish hue from the sunset bathed him in a warm glow, the way the hair framing his face blew ever so slightly in the wind, and the way the small dimple peeking out of the corner of his mouth as he smiled softly.
Having embraced and shared one more amazing kiss as the sun slipped below the horizon behind them, they resumed their walk back to the cottage. Once there, they decided to take in the rest of the amazing view from the deck. Jamie had taken a seat on one of the sturdy, whitewashed chairs and Kathryn sat on his lap. For a while, he held her as they took in the gorgeous vista stretched out before them. If this wasn't Heaven, it was surely close enough.
Jamie sat on the bed, reading one of the brochures Kathryn had picked up from the owner's office. His gaze had drifted to the small clock on the end table and he frowned. It was already ten minutes to nine o'clock. Mystified as he noted the still closed bathroom door, he shook his head. How long could she take to get through her nightly routine?
Finally the door clicked open and Kathryn emerged, dressed in a white, lacy nightgown. He smiled in amusement. "Hey. I was wonderin' what was keepin' ye -"
He trailed off and did a double take as he noticed the layer of white cream covering her face, nearly dripping off her chin. Jamie tried to keep a straight face but failed, ducking his head as he sputtered with laughter.
She finally seemed to notice him and gazed at him in confusion. At least that's what her expression appeared to convey. Of course, it was hard to tell the way the stuff had been thickly painted over her face. Jamie he tried again to sober up, but wasn't having much success.
"Sorry," he blurted. "It's just that ye look like a Bean Nighe."
"A what?"
Jamie's laughter faded and his gaze dropped to his hands, afraid that looking straight at her would make him lose it again. "She's an old, pale, fairy woman who is a harbinger of death. She washes the blood stains out of the clothes of those who are aboot tae die." Finally he looked back up at her with a lopsided, teasing grin.
In a reaction he hadn't quite expected, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "That's not very pleasant at all." She frowned at him, appearing hurt.
Jamie shot her a brief, contrite look and then laughed gently. "I was jus' teasing," he told her. "I don' know why ye need tae wear that stuff."
Kathryn still didn't appear very happy. "It's moisturizing cream, Jamie. My skin has been so dry."
He lifted a curious eyebrow. "Eh? No, it's not. I think it's perfectly fine. I've told ye so many times: ye're very pretty."
Kathryn suddenly appeared embarrassed and Jamie suspected she was blushing under that goop covering her face. Drawing closer, he put his arm around her and gazed at her tenderly. "Stop tryin' tae find every wee fault that ye can," he admonished her softly. "Nobody is perfect. Although you are near perfect tae me."
He caught a ghost of a smile on her face and let go of her long enough to head into the bathroom and grab a small, damp washcloth. Smiling as he neared her, he reached out to dab away the cream from the tip of her nose and then gave it a little kiss. Once he stepped back he found her beaming at him. He then dabbed some more of it off her cheeks and as he leaned over to kiss one and then the other, he snorted inwardly as a lock of his hair swooped forward over the bridge of his nose. He heard her giggle softly before she reached up to push it away from his eyes. He'd decided to grow out his fringe a bit in recent months and discovered Kathryn loved playing with it, twirling it around her fingers whenever they were close. He himself had no room to talk; he found he enjoyed playing with her hair from time to time as well.
"What would I do without you?" she asked with a smile once she'd removed the rest of the cream with the washcloth.
"Ye'd walk round scarin' the daylights outta people, lookin' like a Bean Nighe," he joked, giving her a little wink. Her eyes widened in mock anger and she lifted her hand as if she were going to smack him. Jamie held his hands up in surrender and chuckled once again. He then leaned over to tickle her, causing her to yelp and dissolve against him in laughter as they tumbled onto the bed together.
Gathering her into his arms, Jamie smiled fondly as he traced her jawline with his finger. "Are ye happy?"
She nodded. "Of course I am." Lifting her head, he found her gazing out the large window at the seaside. "This is such a beautiful place." She then gestured around the room. "This cottage is so lovely ..." She drifted off as she met his gaze and her smile widened. "And I'm on my honeymoon with my sweet Scotsman." He smiled as she moved some strands of his hair back from the side of his face and kissed it softly. "It doesn't get any better than this."
London, one hour earlier
Sighing, Sarah Jane got into her car inside the UNIT garage and placed her purse on the passenger seat. She frowned as she looked at her watch. She usually left HQ much earlier than this, but Harry had talked her into staying a bit later to help him with some report-writing, with the promise of ordering some Chinese takeaway for the two of them. He'd insisted she was a good writer and he could use her help. A part of her wondered if he was just buttering her up to curry favor, although there seemed to be a touch of sincerity in his request.
Despite his earlier patronizing behavior and the pet names which made her roll her eyes, she had to admit she'd begun to find him rather endearing. Smiling faintly, she recalled how he'd acted especially protective of her at times during this recent ordeal after seemingly endless ordeal.
Yes, even after all the crazy situations they got into, she considered herself lucky to be with such people; not just Harry, but the Doctor, Brigadier, Warrant Officer Benton, Jamie …
She'd started her car and switched on the radio as she began the drive back home. She still couldn't believe how late it was. Not a big deal, certainly, but she was used to the sun being a bit higher in the sky when it was time to leave, not ready to set. Giving a tiny shrug, she sighed and reached out to turn the volume of the radio a bit higher.
A sudden jolt nearly threw her forward and she grabbed the steering wheel to steady herself. Switching off the radio, she realized it could only be one thing: a blown tire. She swore softly as she piloted the car more to the side of the road, parked it and shut off the ignition.
Exiting the car and walking around it, she squinted in the fading light. Of all the times for this to happen! Finding what appeared to be the offending tire on the driver's side, she bent to examine it. Sarah stared at it grimly. There was no way she was going to get home like this. Should she walk back to UNIT HQ? Near as she could figure it, she was close to a quarter of a mile away. Straightening up, she scanned the road to see if she could locate a telephone box. Not finding any, she sighed and decided the best course of action was to return to HQ.
She'd walked alongside the road for less than a block when she suddenly heard a clink! noise alongside her. Something must have fallen out of her purse. Crouching down, she discovered it was a hair clip she'd kept inside. She was just about to pick it up when she felt a sudden tug on the back of her left arm. Feeling her heart pounding in her chest, she sat frozen in place for several moments. She slowly began to turn in order to see who was there when another hand suddenly reached around, covering her mouth.
"Mmmmf! Let go of me!" she protested, her voice muffled by the large hand as she tried to in vain to kick whomever it was that had grabbed her. She felt herself being dragged into the grassy area off the side of the road. Realizing the kicking and shouting was getting her nowhere, she opened her mouth as far as she could and bit down on her assailant's fingers. She grinned inwardly as she heard a loud, shrill scream in protest.
That satisfaction was short-lived, however, as she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head and everything quickly went black.
