I do not own any characters, plots, or anything else pertaining to "Outlander". This chapter will focus on Claire's P.O.V. and her perspective on what she remembers from the night before. I hope you continue to enjoy this story, especially since we have awhile before the new season starts. As always, thanks for following/favoriting and commenting.
Chapter 19
A Dreadful Mistake
Claire wakes up in her bedroom, immense confusion overcoming her. She wonders how she got here, considering the last place she recalled being was the hospital. Claire begins to sit up, but a splitting headache makes her lie back down. She closes her eyes and tries to piece together the night before. Claire knows the night started going awry as soon as she took those shots. It had been a long time since she had consumed that much alcohol at once, the last time being on that ship traveling to Jamaica, eating Turtle Soup with Jamie. If the circumstances had been different, she would have only had a glass of wine, but she knew that her daughter was on the verge of revealing their secret.
As Claire lies there, her hand holding her forehead in throbbing pain, she chastises herself for being so stupid. She can feel her ankle bounded up in a cast, vaguely remembering how she sustained that injury. All Claire recalls is dancing and then being on the ground in excruciating pain. She has no recollection of falling, just the painful aftermath of it. Just as Claire let's out a frustrated sigh, she hears her bedroom door swing open. She's too dizzy to sit up to see who it is, but if she had to make a wager, she'd bet on her husband. "Ye've looked better, Sassenach." Claire sighs for a second time in frustration, as another voice joins in. "Mama how are you feeling?" Her eyes shoot open, thankful that Bree is safe. She had been just as intoxicated as she was the night before and Claire would have never forgiven herself if something had happened to her while she was escorted to the hospital.
Claire slowly lifts her head off the pillow, the pain throbbing even more now that she's sitting up. Her eyes take a few moments to focus, but when she manages to, she gives Bree a relieved smile. "I apologize for my behavior last night." Bree gives her a small smile. "It was a little embarrassing, but it was good to see you having fun for once." Claire steals a glance at Jamie, who's leaning on the doorframe, giving her a smirk. "Our daughter was tellin mi ye were havin a wee bit too much fun fer a married lass." She gives Jamie a frown, suddenly remembering shamefully flirting with the bartender on duty. A wave of shame and regret washes over her, as her eyes meet Jamie's. "I apologize for doing that, I wasn't thinking clearly." Jamie gives her a nod. "I kent Sassenach. Dinna go feelin guilty, considerin mi night." She stares at him in confusion, wondering what kind of shenanigans he took part in the night before.
A few moments tick past, before her daughter's voice fills the silence. "Da was in a bar fight and was arrested." Claire takes this in, picturing Jamie getting into a fight over what she's sure is someone's honor or maybe his own. "You were taken into custody?" Jamie shakes his head in shame. "Aye n it was fer defendin Roger." Claire smiles to herself, happy that her suspicions were right about her husband. He's never been able to venture away from someone when their honor is being threatened. It's one of the many reasons she loves him so much. "Why are ye smilin?" Claire looks up at him, her smile growing wider. "I'm relieved that after all our years together, I still know you better than anyone, Jamie Fraser." He gives her a smile and then she turns to Bree. "Who brought me to the hospital?" Her daughter gives her a small smile. "Uncle Joe did. He also brought me home and posted bail for da and Roger." Claire isn't surprised that her best friend of many years rescued her family. She's always been able to rely on him as a fellow doctor and a cherished friend. Other than Jamie and Bree, he's the only other person she trusts emphatically. "I will have to call Joe and thank him for saving my wayward family from disaster." She sees Bree's smile grow wider, as she takes a few steps towards the bed, and sits down next to her.
Her daughter grabs her hand in hers and meets her eyes. "Thank you, mama for last night. I know the night wasn't all that you imagined for me, but I'm glad that we were able to spend it together." Claire gives Bree a small smile and squeezes her hand in hers. "I am too, I just hope I didn't embarrass you too much." Bree shakes her head and then laughs. "On the contrary, you actually were the hit of the party." Claire hears a hearty laugh from the doorway and anger floods her bones. Without thinking, she quickly picks up a pillow next to her and hurls it across the room at Jamie's head. She smiles as she watches it sail across the room and hit its target. Jamie's smile briefly disappears as he gives her a disapproving look.
After a few endless moments, he finally picks up the pillow from the ground, and makes his way over to the bed. Jamie gives her a smirk, just as he closes in on her left side, and hits her square in the face. Claire gives him a glare before picking up another pillow and hitting him in the chest with it. "There, now we're even, let me get proper rest." Jamie shakes his head. "Ye went on hittin mi two times, how is't even?" Claire gives him a wide smile. "It's quite fair because you were arrested for fighting and I believe that deserves an extra hit." Jamie shakes his head again, as Claire lays her head back against the pillow. "I hope you feel better, mama." She feels a light kiss on her forehead from her daughter and expects a kiss from her husband in turn.
Just as she closes her eyes, instead of being met with a sweet kiss, a pillow suddenly collides with her face, and her eyes open wide. She looks up at Jamie who's giving her a smirk. "Now we're even, Sassenach. I dinna go flirtin with a wee bartender." With that, Jamie gives her the featherlike kiss she had initially been expecting and disappears out of the room. The previous night was filled with a series of dreadful mistakes made by her family and she certainly wasn't interested in repeating it.