"Are ye sure we're at the reeght place, Doctor?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"But it's a boot shop—the sign says so."

"That's it's name, Jamie. Now, come on." The Doctor propelled himself forward through the automatic doors.

"Misleadin' name for an apothecary," Jamie mumbled as he followed him in, shaking his head. "Sassenachs …"

Surveying the aisles and shelves stretching before them, Jamie snorted. "Nary a boot in sight."

"The place was named after its founder, John Boot, Jamie."

"Why? Why does it even need a name? All it needs is a sign with a wee mortar an' pestle. It makes nae sense." The Highlander spied the pharmacy bar at the back where chemists were busy dispensing orders. "Tha's a bit more familiar …"

"It's a fair point, Jamie, I'll give you that, but just drop it now and find what we came for." The Doctor peered up at the blue and white signs hanging over the aisles. "Haircare … medicine … skincare … ooh!"

Jamie turned back to see the Doctor rubbing what looked, to him, like a double-headed rolling pin all over his face.

"I've always wanted to try one of these. It's called a jade roller. From the Chinese. The cool stone rolled over the face pushes excess fluid from your soft tissue back into your lymph system. It's good for de-aging."

Jamie tsked and plucked the tool from the Doctor's hands. "Wha's tha' aboot 'findin' what we came for'?"

"Oh. Yes, of course, Jamie—you're right. Poor Zoe. Let's see … perhaps hygiene?"

"Why dinnae we ask the shop-keep tae fetch it for us?"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "No, I'll find it. No need to involve anyone else. You look over there in toiletries."

"I dinnae even know what I'm lookin' for."

"It's a blue, plastic parcel with, that should say something like 'Always' on it."

"Eh?"

"Just keep your eyes peeled."

Jamie scanned the shelves but was soon distracted by a row of colored bottles. He picked one particularly attractive one and inspected it. There was a little black bladder sticking out from the top of the bottle, so of course he squeezed it to see what would happen.

"Och, Tha's nae juice, tha's perfume!" He quickly put the bottle down and wiped his tongue with the corner of his sleeve. It had had "juicy" written on the bottle. More misleading labels.

Jamie was now giving everything a leery look.

It was then he spotted a pink tin emblazoned worth the words "Scottish Fine Soaps". Jamie picked up the tin and, opening it slightly, he gave the contents a tentative sniff. A slow, wistful smile spread across his face and he breathed in deeply.

"Jamie, I found it!"

"Och, saints be praised."

Jamie held onto the soap and reunited with the Doctor in the next aisle.

As the Doctor had said, the items were in blue plastic packages.

"Now, let's see … wings or no wings … Zoe didn't specify …"

Jamie's eyes widened and he gave the packages an incredulous look. "Wings? Is there a bird in there?"

"No, Jamie. The wings are just little flaps on the sides to keep it from …" The Doctor's face went bright red as two young women walked past, looking amused.

"Tae keep it from what?"

"Well, to keep it from …" his eyes slid to the now staring girls. "WHAT?!" He snapped. "Shopping in this day and age is a very involved process, you know!"

"Oooooh!" The girls cooed in unison. Then one said to the other, "come on, Cheryl, let's go look at the lip gloss. Leave the dirty old man to it."

"The other one's kinda cute, though," her companion said, giving Jamie a saucy wink. "I do like a kilt."

"You like anything that's male and breathin'. Come on."

The Doctor abruptly turned his back on them with a huff and straightened his lapel. "Honestly!"

Jamie was bright red now too and beginning to sweat. "Let's jist grab one and go!"

The Doctor rubbed his own sweaty palms on his trousers. "Well … go on then," he nodded to Jamie. "Grab several. I don't want to come back to this dreadful place anytime soon!"

"I'm nae touchin' them."

"Oh, don't be such a child, Jamie!" The Doctor quickly grabbed and thrust three of the squishy packages into the Highlanders' arms then took three himself. Then, with as much dignity as the pair could muster, they marched toward the cash register.

….

Zoe groaned and curled herself into an even tighter ball as she lay on her bed. This was so embarrassing … and so painful.

The Doctor had been able to just slide the sanitary napkin under the door and it had not taken Zoe long to remember how to use it.

She had only experienced her period once when she was twelve. The academy had quickly swooped in to repress all subsequent menstrual cycles, as they did for all their female computers-in-training. It was deemed an unnecessary bodily function since babies were made in tubes and the hormonal and physical consequences of menstruation would affect performance. It was a matter of course that the repression was continued during her time on the Wheel and administered by Dr. Corwyn.

But no more.

Zoe released shuddering breaths through pursed lips as pain radiated out from her abdomen; tears squeezed out of her closed eyes.

Suddenly there was a timid knock on the door and Jamie asking to come in. Zoe let out another groan which Jamie took as permission to enter.

"The Doctor recommended I bring ye this."

Zoe rolled over to see Jamie hovering shyly by the bed, a full hot water bottle tucked under his arm, a pill in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"Oh, that was good of him!" Zoe exclaimed softly. She gingerly sat up, took the Midol, then the hot water bottle—practically curling her whole body around it. "Hmm … better."

"Aye, better than a hot brick."

"Hot brick?"

"Aye. When my mam got her troubles she would warm a brick or a stone in th' hearth then wrap it in a cloth an' hold it to her belly."

"Oh."

Zoe wasn't really interested in what Jamie's mother would do. She just wanted to lay in peace until the pain ebbed. She hoped Jamie would take the hint from her short response and leave.

"Weel, this explains everythin'."

Zoe opened her eyes and frowned up at him.

"What do you mean?"

Jamie was standing with his arms crossed, his weight shifted to one side, exuding a know-it-all air that Zoe found ironically obnoxious.

"It explains your bein' all contrary and tetchy these past few days."

Zoe sat up and gave him a wide-eyed look for a moment, then looked down at her lap as she considered his words.

"Of course," she said at last. "That does explain everything!" Her irritability, her tears, her keen … awareness of Jamie, especially her highly emotional reaction to the kiss.

Relief flooded her system and she flashed Jamie a wide, grateful smile. "Thank you, Jamie. I can always count on you to state the obvious."

"Och, weel … Eh?"

"I mean, I tend to overthink sometimes and miss the simplest solutions. You don't think as much and thus, are able to point out what I might overlook."

Jamie put his hands on hips. "Hang on!"

"I didn't say you don't think at all—just not as much as I do …" Zoe realized she was only digging herself deeper as the Highlander's frown deepened. She flushed. Well done, Heriot.

Jamie huffed. "Weel, just for tha' I won't give you the present I got fer you while we were at the apothecary's."

Zoe eyebrows disappeared under her fringe. "You got me a present?"

Jamie lifted his chin. "Not anymore. I'm going to give it tae the Doctor."

He turned away. Zoe lunged forward and grabbed his sleeve. "No, I take it back! I take it back! I'm sorry! You're a great thinker."

Jamie bit his lip to keep from grinning. Saints, he loved to tease her.

"Tha's better."

Jamie opened his sporran and presented the pink tin to Zoe.

The petite scientist blinked at it, then up at him. She raised an eyebrow.

"Soap? Are you trying to tell me something, Jamie?" She asked flatly.

Jamie's eyes widened and he colored slightly. "No! No! I'd jist thought—"

A grin suddenly split Zoe's little mouth. Jamie settled down. Now she was teasing him. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head at her.

Zoe giggled lightly and inspected the tin's contents.

"Mm! What a lovely scent."

Jamie smiled and sat down near her, on the edge of the bed. "It's heather. It's a plant that grows all over Scotland. Its blossoms smell just like tha'. It's my favorite scent in the whole world." He said the last sentence so wistfully Zoe looked up at him. His gaze was lowered, unseeing. His mind was clearly back among the heathered hills.

Zoe, moved and flattered by the significance of the gift, reached forward put her hand on his forearm.

Jamie looked up, started out of his reverie by her touch.

"Thank you, Jamie," she said warmly.

His gaze skittered away and he shrugged. "Eh, 'twas naethin'." But then a small, gratified smile crept across his face.

Zoe put the little pink square to her nose and took in again the sweet, earthy scent.

"Every time I use it I'll think of you," she said simply.

Jamie gave her a nonplussed look then slowly turned red.

What she had said finally registered. Zoe clapped a hand to her mouth. "No! I didn't mean—"

Jamie surprised her by bursting into peals of laughter. Zoe was not amused.

"It's not funny! I didn't mean it like that! Oh, go away!" Zoe grabbed the covers and laid back down, pulling them over her head.

"Ach, come on, Zoe …" Jamie said in a wheedling tone, his musical laughter still escaping in little trickles. Zoe squeezed her eyes shut. The laughter hurt and she couldn't fully articulate why.

Zoe felt and heard the mattress shift.

Jamie had climbed onto the bed. She felt his hand on her shoulder through the duvet. He shook her. "Zooeeee. Come on, now. I'm sorry, alreeght? Come on, Zoe, yer bein' cranky an' womanish again." With that, Jamie yanked the blanket off her head and Zoe found herself staring up into his face through the screen of her mussed-up hair. She blew it out from her eyes and glared at him. Jamie flinched back slightly as she also ended up blowing in his face.

"I am a woman." she said flatly.

"Oh, aye, I know. A daft one," Jamie said with a soft chuckle, gently pushing the rest of her hair out of her face.

Zoe couldn't think of anything else to say and continued to stare stupidly up at him—and Jamie looked right back. Her heart slammed against her ribcage.

It's just hormones … it's just hormones … oh, goodness, he's getting rather close …

There was a sudden knock on the door that made both Jamie and Zoe startle.

"Feeling any better, Zoe?" Came the Doctor's voice from the other side.

"Y-yes." Zoe hardly recognized her own voice.

Jamie practically leapt off the bed. "I'd—uh, better let ye rest."

"Yes, please," Zoe said shortly.

"Weel, um, let me know if ye need anything else."

"Okay."

Once Jamie left Zoe pulled the covers back over her head.

Stop fooling yourself, Zoe. Hormones can't manufacture feelings out of whole cloth, only amplify what is already …

Zoe couldn't bear to finish the thought. She sighed and willed herself to sleep.

…