Chapter 6: Forever
Jamie and Claire had spent a very happy weekend at Lallybroch, enjoying the warmth of family and each other. They had made a concerted effort to behave themselves over the weekend and managed to - except for a brief interlude in the barn.
Jamie had taken Claire for a walk around the grounds of the estate, showing her the ancient tower and the loch nearby, as well as the old crofter's cottages, long abandoned and dilapidated. But he knew that she could feel the spirit of the place and the people who had once lived there, so long ago.
After their walk, Jamie took Claire to the barn to see to the horses. He had loved horses all his life, and Claire could see that he was very good with them. He was so loving and gentle with the beautiful beasts. His soft voice soothed them and Claire found herself soothed as well.
Jamie looked at her. Seeing her expression of love and admiration, he moved to her automatically and was with her in a moment. He kissed her gently, wrapping his arms around her. She put her arms around his neck and brought his mouth closer, deepening the kiss. Their breath started getting faster as their passion grew. Jamie's hands roamed over her, finding their favorite perch atop her rounded arse.
Claire moaned as she felt the muscles of his back through his shirt, then she pulled the shirt up just enough to run her hands across his bare chest. "God, you feel good, Jamie. I can't wait to have you. All of you."
He groaned as if in pain, trying very hard not to start undressing her. He wanted to…God, how he wanted to. "Claire…oh, Jesus!" he said, as her hand made its way to the front of his jeans. He felt him over his clothes, and it was quite clear that he wanted her.
"God, Jamie. I need you." Knowing she was making it more difficult for him, she moved her hands back to his waist.
"Claire, by God I must have you soon. VERY soon." His hand cupped her breast over her clothes and squeezed gently before wrapping his arms around her once more.
"I'm ready, Jamie, whenever you are."
He looked at her with an expression of intense need. "Aye, love. But not here at Lallybroch. Not yet. We will be together, I promise. In Glasgow."
They kissed a little longer, then straightened their clothes before heading back to the house. On Sunday, they left to go back to Glasgow.
They made it back Claire's place that night. Jamie set down her luggage and gave her a goodnight kiss.
"Can't you stay, Jamie?"
"As much as I want to, I canna. You have work tomorrow and so do I. I don't want to rush things when we are finally together. I want it to be special."
She loved him even more for wanting to take the time to love her - the right way. She didn't want to rush it either, no matter how much her body needed him.
"Claire, I do want ye. I want ye so much. It pains me to leave ye tonight, but I must. Perhaps…" he said, hesitating.
"Yes?" Claire said, hopeful.
"Weel, perhaps we could plan to have dinner again Friday night and then…we could…"
Claire's eyes got wide. "You mean it, Jamie?"
"Aye, I do. If ye are willing."
She kissed him, happily. "Of course I'm willing! I love you and want you so much."
He smiled then, leaving her with a tender kiss, full of love and the promise of what was to come.
Two days later, Jamie met Ian at the pub when he got off work. He needed to talk to his friend about the monumental decision he had made.
"Ian," Jamie said, pausing to take a drink of ale, "I want to ask ye something."
"Aye, Jamie."
"Weel, I think Claire and I are ready…to take the next step."
"You mean…" Ian said, raising his eyebrows, "ye are going to lie with her?"
"Well, aye, I think so. It's getting too hard to wait, Ian. I'm sure ye ken how it is."
Ian said, cautiously, "Aye, I do. But I'm guessing ye don't want me to talk about it with ye since it has to do with Jenny, aye?"
"Please don't," Jamie said, laughing.
"What did ye want to ask me?"
"Weel, Da gave me my Mam's ring to give to Claire. I want to ask her to marry me. Do ye think it's too soon?"
Ian smiled broadly and patted him on the shoulder. "Oh, Jamie, lad. That's wonderful! As to whether it's too soon, only you can answer that. I'll tell ye, though, if ye have found the love of your life, why wait?"
Jamie's smile widened and it lit up his face. "Thank ye, brother. My thoughts exactly."
After an endless week of anticipation, Friday finally came. Jamie was going to pick up Claire for dinner. He arrived right on time, but instead of taking her out, he had surprised her by bringing dinner to her. He had brought an Italian feast, complete with good wine and an impossibly luscious chocolate mousse for dessert.
"How wonderful, Jamie! This is perfect. A nice quiet dinner at home…alone."
He reached across the table, taking her hand. "Aye, I thought that maybe tonight it would be nice to stay at home."
He looked deeply in her eyes, showing her the depth of his heart. She returned the look, gazing into the blue depths, reaching into his soul. They both knew that their life would change tonight, and it would be glorious.
After dinner, Jamie said, "Do ye want dessert now?"
"Not just yet, love." She pulled out her chair and came over to him, sitting on his lap. She had worn another short skirt, showing her legs to great advantage. He ran his hand over the smooth skin of her thigh and kissed her tenderly on the lips.
"My God, Claire. You are incredible." His hand ventured a little higher up her leg, then stopped. "Claire, are ye sure ye want to go through with this?"
"Yes, Jamie. Oh, yes. I love you with all my heart. I want this. Don't you?"
"Christ, Claire. I've been burning for you for weeks now. I want ye so much that it has consumed me."
She leaned to kiss him again, more passionately. She stood up, then, and said, "Shall we?"
He stood as well, holding her hands in his. "Claire, if I stay with ye tonight, it means forever. You know that, don't you?"
She looked at him intently, her eyes searching his, and said, "I know it, Jamie. It's always been forever for me."
He put his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her with all the love he felt in that moment. Then he stopped and stood back a bit, kneeling down on one knee. Taking her hands in his, he said, "I love you, Claire, with everything I am. I want to be with you always. Will you marry me?"
Claire gasped. She wasn't expecting this. She was speechless, her mouth hung open in surprise. Finally, she regained her composure, looked down at him with loving tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, yes! Yes! I'll marry you."
He smiled broadly and tears rolled down his face as he stood before her again, taking the small box out of his coat pocket. "In that case, I want ye to have this." He opened the box and removed the small silver circlet. He held her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger.
"Jamie, it's beautiful," she said, looking down at it in awe.
"It was my mother's ring, Claire. It's very precious to me, as are you."
She hugged him tightly, as if trying to take him into herself. "Jamie," she sobbed into his neck.
Jamie smiled through his own tears, giddy with love and happiness. After a long moment, he looked at her again, intently.
"Claire, I want to lie with ye tonight. But before we do, would ye be willing to do something for me?"
"Anything, Jamie."
"There's an old Scottish tradition with regards to marriage. It's called handfasting."
"Yes, I have heard of it. It's not legally binding anymore though, is it?"
"No, but that doesna matter right now. Will ye be handfast with me, just until we can be properly wed?"
"Of course, Jamie, I would be honored."
"Do ye have a cord or a scarf of some kind?"
Claire nodded and went to the closet, bringing out a silk scarf. They maneuvered awkwardly to tie the scarf around their joined wrists, then stood facing each other.
"I, James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser, take thee, Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp to be my wife. I will love, honor, and cherish you through this life, into the next, and through all eternity. You are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give you my Body, that we Two might be One. I give you my Spirit, until our Life shall be Done."
Claire's eyes were full of tears at his beautiful words. "Oh, Jamie," she cried.
"Now, ye can repeat the words."
Claire started repeating the beautiful passage, with occasional assistance from Jamie.
"I, Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp, take thee, James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser…"
When she concluded the passage, they held each other close for a moment before leaning in for a tender, loving kiss, sealing the union they had made.
"Now, you are my wife, even without the paper. We will take care of that later. For now…"
He untied their wrists, then bent down to pick her up into his arms. "Now, my love, I will give ye my Body, that we Two might be One," he said, as he carried her down the hall to her room.