I do not own any characters, plots, or anything else pertaining to "Outlander". I appreciate all the support for this fanfiction and I'm glad many of you are enjoying it so far. Out of all the fanfictions I've written, this one has been the most challenging, so I'm glad I'm doing these wonderful characters justice. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. As always, thanks for reading.
Chapter 5
Family Dynamic
After their initial reunion, Brianna let's her parents have proper alone time and makes her way to the waiting room to get three cups of coffee. As she pours the coffee from the canister, she still can hardly fathom that their all in this time together. Brianna absently puts two spoonsful of sugar in her mother's coffee and a splash of milk in her own. She pauses and stares at the third cup, not knowing how her own father takes his coffee. Brianna realizes that she still doesn't know everything about him and that she needs to start with the small questions, like how he enjoys his coffee, in order to get better acquainted with him. She grabs all three cups and turns to walk back down the hallway. Brianna wonders how her life may have been altered, if Jamie and her mother had raised her. Would she have become the same person she is today? She ponders this question, as she stops in the doorway and sees her parents whispering quietly. It's quite strange to finally see them together, but she can't help but smile, when her father reaches over and gives her mother a quick kiss.
Brianna gives them a few more moments together, before stepping into the room and making her presence known. "I've brought coffee." Her mother turns to her with a smile, as she hands over her cup. "Thank you, Bree." She gives her mother a warm smile in return and turns to Jamie. "I wasn't certain how you take your coffee." Brianna hands him over his cup and he gives her a smile in return. "Aye dinna like mi coffee dull, thank ye Breeh." She watches him take his first sip of coffee and laughs when he spits it out. "What the devil is this?" Her mother laughs and Brianna can't help but join in with her own laughter. Jamie looks between them with a glare. "Have ye laughs, but this canna be coffee." He turns to her mother and her smile widens. "It's a far cry from chicory, isn't it?" Jamie shakes his head and turns back to her with a frown.
Brianna's trying to stifle her laughter, but she knows it's no use. "Stop encouragin' ye mother, Breeh." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry Jamie, but you have to admit, it's quite funny." He stares at me for a second, his glare fading. "Ye just like ye mother, now aye have two of ye to deal with" Brianna smiles at him and her eyes travel over to her mother, who's also smiling. "What do you think mama, are you up for the challenge?" Her mother nods enthusiastically. "I'm always up to pester your father." Jamie shakes his head again and looks between them once more. He now has a hint of a smile on his face. "The coffee was a wee bit too bitter for mi taste." Brianna nods her head. "Well Jamie, I suppose you'll have to get used to drinking it." Jamie gives her a nod. "Aye, where did ye go to dull the coffee?" She stares at her father with a gleam of humor in her eyes. "In the waiting room, I'll take you there." Jamie gives her a small smirk. "Lead the way, mi nighean." Brianna starts out of the room, with her father following closely behind. This is her new normal and she's quite fond of it, as well as the man trailing behind her.
They reach the designated coffee area and Brianna turns to her bewildered father. She holds up the milk canaster first. "This is milk." Jamie gives her a nod and then she grabs the sugar canaster. "This is granulated sugar." Her father nods at her words. "Aye'll take a wee bit of milk n a pinch of sugar." Jamie hands over his cup and Brianna gives him a smile, before she adds the ingredients he requested. She grabs a stirrer out of the box and churns the hot liquid. Brianna hands him the cup over and he hesitantly grabs it. He stares at it for a moment and she can't help but smile at how childish he's being. "You fought in the Battle of Culloden, but you're afraid of drinking a cup of coffee?" Jamie shakes his head and meets her eyes. "No, ay'm no afraid of a wee bit of coffee." To prove her wrong, he takes a sip of coffee and then another.
Brianna smiles at how he appears to be enjoying it. When he finally manages to pull the coffee cup away from his mouth, he meets her eyes once more and smiles. "Are ye sure it's the same coffee?" She nods her head. "Yes, it's the same coffee, did you enjoy it?" Jamie nods his head vehemently. "Aye, it's the best aye've ever tasted." Brianna gives him a grin. "Good, I'm glad." Her and her father start down the hallway together, side by side, and all that comes to her mind is that her first question about him has been answered. Brianna is that much closer to discovering who James Fraser is and it warms her heart.
When they reach her mother's hospital room, Joe is with her. He's standing by the bed examining her. "Hello Joe." He turns to her, standing in the doorway, and smiles. "Hi Bree, I was just telling your mother here, that she has a clean bill of health and can go home." Brianna smiles and looks over at her mother. "That's wonderful, mama. The house is still intact in case you were wondering." Her mother shakes her head. "I wasn't, but that's certainly good to hear." She nods and watches Joe draw closer to the bed. "I'm glad your second chance worked out alright for you, Lady Jane." Her mother smiles back at him. "I'm glad too, Joe, more than you know." With that, Joe makes his way over to her and Jamie. "I hope I'll be seeing more of you in the future, Bree." Brianna nods and gives Joe a hug. He's family and she's delighted that he was the one that seemingly orchestrated her parent's reunion, and ultimately, her first meeting with her father.
When she finally let's go, he gives her a wide smile, before turning to Jamie. He sticks his hand out and her father shakes it in return. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you, I hope you take care of these two lovely ladies." Her father meets Joe's eyes and the seriousness within his expression makes her heart stop. "With mi life, always." Brianna feels tears within her eyes, as Joe nods and leaves the room. An immense amount of love for her father comes over her and she can't help but appreciate how protective he is over them. Her father, James Fraser, catches her eyes and smiles. "What is't Breeh." Brianna smiles wide at him and shakes her head. "It's nothing, I'm just glad your finally with us, da." He freezes, and his eyes soften with an overwhelming amount of love. Brianna had done her research into the 18th century and found out that da was what the Highlanders commonly called their fathers. She finds it fitting now, as they're beginning to become better acquainted with each other, to use the term that she was meant to call him in a different time and place. Her da gives her a big grin and opens his arms wide to her. "Come here, mi nighean." Brianna steps into his open arms and everything finally feels right with the world.