As the men and Claire rode on through the night, Jamie's injuries had started bothering him again, his shoulder was sore on its own from having his bones twisted back into place and shoved into the socket but the shot through had opened up and the blood loss was weakening him greatly. Still he didn't want to say anything, to make them all stop again, he couldn't imagine Dougal would be all that happy with the idea of another break when the redcoats were still so close so he tried to put it out of his mind, but ignoring a problem rarely fixes it.

**Claire POV:

I had never been so sore in my life, riding on horse for nearly a full day was brutal on my legs and hips but I didn't dare complain. At least I wasn't with Frank or his bizarre ancestor. And lucky for me there had been no more mention of rape or questions about my now "deceased" husband so glass half full and all.

I could feel something tugging on the plaid Jamie had shared with me, I looked back and could see his body was beginning to slump over, I tried to grab him before we both fell over but there wasn't much I could do to fight gravity and the weight of a large bloody Scottsman pulling me down.

"Stop! HELP! He's going over!" I shouted out at the last second as we fell to the ground.

Murtagh and Rupert jumped down and got to us just in time to catch us and break our fall a bit. Quickly I start to check his vitals. Dougal and the other men gather around and I'm surprised to see concern on their faces, perhaps they are not the complete barbarians I took them for.

Finally I am able to feel what I'd been looking for, thank god, "He has a pulse..." I put my ear to his chest next and breathe out in relief, "He's breathing... I think he's just fainted. Put a saddlebag under his feet and if there's water, bring me some." I don't have time to ponder why Jamie's well being was suddenly so important to me, but it was.

"The gunshot wound has been bleeding again, he's lost a lot of blood." I say starting to worry again, Murtagh and another man who's name I hadn't learned yet came and propped a saddlebag under his feet like I'd asked and supplied me some water.

I reach under my skirts again and tear what little material is left under there in the linings for a new dressing. Jamie begins to stir, and even opens his eyes, I'm glad to have him back with us but he doesn't look well, his features have become very pale and drawn.

"I'm all right... just a wee bit dizzy..." He said trying to dispel all of our worries.

I shook my head suddenly very angry with him, "You are not all right! Couldn't you tell how badly you were bleeding?" Why was I so cross with him, it's not like he was bleeding on purpose? I shook my head again not having time to find reason but needing to get on with things.

I put the new bandages in place, but they keep slipping and not staying in places most likely do to the poor quality of the fabric...

"No - c'mon now YOU GODDAMNED BLOODY BASTARD!" I yell out in frustration causing the men around to practically grab their pearls in shock at my foul language.

"Ne'er heard a woman use such language in all my life." I hear Dougal remark. Somehow I find that doubtful, surely any woman who was forced to spend time with him would resort to such language rather quickly.

Rupert now for some reason feels the need to chime in, "Your husband should tan ye, woman. St. Paul says, 'let a woman be silent, and-" and I don't let the bloody Scott get another word out before I tell him and St. Paul can both mind their own bloody business.

I ask Murtagh to help me turn him on his left, taking time to warn Jamie he best cooperate, "And if you move so much as one single muscle while I'm tying this bandage, I'll throttle you."

**Jamie POV:

Why did getting threats from the lass amuse me so? Aye not sure but I wanted to annoy her more just so she'd keep doin it.

"Oh, threats is it? And after I shared meh plaid with ye."

Dougal leans down and offers me his flask. But Claire is quick to refuse for me, "No. No more spirits. He needs tea, or at worst, water. Not alcohol." Dougal ignores her and shoves the whiskey to me. And I gladly start pouring what's left down my throat. "Tend to your business, woman. We've a good way to go yet tonight and he'll need whatever strength the drink can give him," Dougal tells her. I can see clearly how hard she is tryin' to control that wicked tongue of hers, I like how feisty she is, but she'd be wise ta keep it under wraps especially around the likes of Dougal, he might like the idea of a strong woman but he dinna like anyone of any gender to challenge him, and he codna have quite the temper when he felt challenged. Probably from havin' ta suppress so much of it and his pride in order ta protect and serve his brither, Colum. It seemed the rest of us had ta pay for the control he exercised towards his brither.

She finishes patching me up and Dougal wants us to go, Claire demands I need more time to rest and aye can see Dougal is losing his patience with her, I manage to grab her arm and hold her back before she can make another comment,

She looks to me to explain myself, and I try to communicate with my eyes how seriously she need ta ben takin' this, "Randall won't give up so easily." I tell her, and I can quickly see how the name effects her... I clench my jaw thinking how close he came ta hurtin' her like he did Jenny. I need ta remember to ask Murtagh about how he found her later.

I regain meh composure and continue explaining things to the lass, "He'll have patrols out in every direction by now. We canna stay here." I tell her starin' into those dizzyingly beautiful eyes of hers.

"You know Randall... Jack Randall, that is?" She asks, and for the first time I see fear in her eyes, I'd seen annoyance, frustration, discomfort, insecurity, but genuine fear... I hadn't seen it on her glass face, I found I hated it there and wanted anythin' to remove it.

"Aye." I tell her, wallowing the lump in my throat, "I won' risk you or anyone else being taken prisoner by that man. If ye canna fix me up well enough to ride, then you'll all be leaving me here with a loaded pistol so I may determine my own fate." and so I dinna be slowin' yer down I think, I wouldn't let him get another chance with her... not while I still had breath in me.

She looks over me again, and there is a tenderness to the look that stirs something in me. She seems to catch herself and quickly a hardness comes back over her, "Thats all I can do right now, the rest will have to be up to you."

I place my hand over hers and keep my gaze soft, "Thank ye, Sassenach. Truly."

I seem to catch her in another moment, and I find myself getting lost in it too, there is something about her, about her beauty and strength and stubbornness that lets me believe I'd never get tired of starin into those whiskey eyes of hers.