A/N: Thank you so much for all your kind words! Hope you enjoy this update!

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"Ellie, are ye ok?" Jamie asked as they made their way back to the house. He could see she was still visibly shaken and regretted taking her on his trip to see the settlers.

"Yeah," Ellie replied quietly as she gripped Gretta's reins tightly. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest every time she thought of Mr. Christie, scared that it wasn't over with his accusations and threats. She felt safe with Jamie, but also didn't want to cause him any trouble.

"Is it true? Did ye steal from their homes?" Jamie asked gently. He wasn't angry. He understood that she was just trying to survive, and a 10-year-old child doesn't have many options when left to fend for themselves. He was however concerned about how the settlers were going to treat her.

Ellie sighed. "Probably, yeah," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "I can't remember, but I was so hungry and cold all the time. I just wanted food and blankets."

"Ah understand why ye thought ye had to steal, but ye need to understand why they are vera angry," Jamie explained. "Ah dinnae ken what happens in ye're time, but stealing is a vera serious crime here. Men are hung for it. Women and children are beat." Ellie felt her heart begin to race again and her hands shook with the reins in them.

"I'm sorry," Ellie replied as tears filled her eyes. "I'm causing a lot of problems for you and Ms. Claire. I should just go." She pulled Gretta to a stop and slid out of the saddle. She stumbled backward as her feet hit the ground and tumbled into the dirt. She immediately covered her face with her hands and started to cry hysterically. Jamie hurried to help her, not sure if she had been hurt.

"Are ye hurt, lass?" he questioned as he took Gretta's reins before she had a chance to wander off. Ellie didn't answer and continued to cry. Concerned, Jamie took a seat on the ground next to her. "Ellie?" he questioned as he gently moved her hands away from her face. Ellie's cheeks were wet, and tear stained as she made eye contact with him. "Are ye hurt?" Jamie asked again.

"No!" she gasped with a hiccup. "I just feel really tired."

"Aye, ah see," he replied gently. "We should get ye back to the house and have Claire look ye over." Jamie started to stand up when he saw Ellie's small fists clench tightly. He sat back down and was about to talk to her when she exploded.

"Mr. Jamie, my sister made me steal things all the time!" Ellie blurted out, still clenching her fists. "I was really good at it and….and…..and…..I did it even when she didn't tell me to. Trouble finds me all the time. I'm a terrible kid. I really am and you don't deserve it. And you and Ms. Claire are so nice, and I don't want to ruin your reputation. I'm just gonna leave!" Jamie found her outburst to be a little on the dramatic side and smiled, then took her hands gently in his.

"Take a deep breath," he urged. Ellie obeyed and Jamie could feel her hands relax within his. "Claire and I ken what we're getting in to," Jamie replied gently, "And ye're not a terrible kid. In fact, ah find ye to be interesting and ah admire ye're wild spirit."

"You think I'm wild?" Ellie huffed as she pulled her hands away and crossed her arms against her chest.

"Ah mean ye're courageous, fun, exciting…and maybe a little wild," he replied with a chuckle. Ellie smiled slightly. "Sorry lass, but ye're stuck with us. We want to help ye and ye're not going to change our minds."

"But all those people hate me," she whined. "And Mr. Christie is so scary."

"Ye let me worry about Mr. Christie and the other settlers," Jamie replied. "But there will be no more stealing. Ye have everything ye need. Ye dinnae take anything without permission. Do ye understand?" His voice was firm.

"Yes," Ellie replied as she threw her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry Mr. Jamie." Jamie felt the child sincerely meant it. He didn't think she was a bad kid, but rather a victim of her circumstances.

"Ah ken," he replied gently as he stood up and lifted her from the ground at that same time. In one motion he swung her back into the saddle. They arrived back at the house without anymore drama.

Inside the house, Claire had just finished with a patient when Ellie wandered in. Claire could see that Ellie had been crying and immediately grew concerned. "Ellie, where's Jamie?" she asked worriedly.

"He's in the barn," Ellie replied as she plopped herself into a chair by the window.

"Did something happen?" Claire asked.

"Ummm, yeah, but can Jamie fill you in?…...I'm really tired…can I take a nap?" Ellie questioned with a yawn. She was embarrassed and didn't feel like talking anymore.

"That should be fine," Claire replied, still confused. "We'll work on some lessons when you wake up."

"Uhhhh," Ellie grumbled as she stood up and hurried past Claire, and then upstairs to her bedroom. She collapsed into her bed, wrapped herself in a blanket and fell asleep within minutes. She woke up a couple of hours later to a commotion coming from outside the house. She peered outside her window to find Jamie, Claire, Ian, Roger, and Bree facing the settlers with Mr. Christie in the front. She hurried downstairs and stepped onto the porch to see if she could hear what they were saying. She was still slightly hidden by the porch overlap.

"We demand the lass to have the same treatment ma son received for stealing," Mr. Christie ordered.

"Ah willna beat the lass for trying to survive," Jamie replied firmly.

"Mr. Christie, she's 10 years old and she was hungry," Claire interjected. "Can't you offer her forgiveness?"

"The lass needs to be punished for her crimes," Mr. Christie ordered. "We willna allow ye to treat her differently."

"Mr. Christie, the lass is ma responsibility and she willna be beat for stealing food," Jamie replied angrily. "Ye're son is a grown man and knew better. Ellie is just a child, and she was starving!"

"She's a thief!" he hollered back.

"It's ok Mr. Jamie," Ellie said as she emerged from her hiding spot. "He's right. I am a thief." She placed herself between Jamie and Claire. "You don't have to argue about me. I deserve whatever punishment is given for stealing."

"Ellie," Claire sighed.

"At least the child is reasonable," Mr. Christie commented, impressed by her boldness.

"Go back inside lass," Jamie ordered.

"No, I want you to stop fighting about me," she replied defiantly. Jamie grabbed her by the back of the dress and was about to hand her over to Ian when Roger intervened.

"Mr. Christie, what if Ellie came to the meeting house with me and helped with chores a couple of days each week?" Roger questioned. "I know it doesn't replace what she stole, but she could work off her debt." Mr. Christie was quiet with thought for a moment and then turned toward the other settlers. Most of them nodded their heads in agreement.

"Aye, we will accept that Mr. MacKenzie," Mr. Christie replied. "Thank you." They all turned and headed back to their settlement.

"Uhhh, more chores," Ellie groaned. "You guys are really into child labor." They all turned to look at her with disbelief. "I'm joking," she huffed as she put her hands in the air. "Thank you for defending me."

"Ah'm afraid ye won't be thanking me in a minute," Jamie stated. Ellie looked up at him with confusion and at the same time, she could feel everyone's attention focused on them. "Ah told ye to go back in the house and ye disobeyed me." Ellie felt worried about where this was headed. "In ma house, ye do what ye're told and if ye don't, ye will be punished." Jamie paused.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jamie," her little voice replied. "I just didn't want you fighting over me."

"Go to ye're room," he ordered firmly. Ellie sighed and glanced around quickly at everyone. They all knew what she knew…Jamie was about to give her that sore arse he had threatened her with. Tears filled her eyes as she headed to the house.

"Jamie? Do you have to?" Claire questioned once Ellie was out of earshot.

"Aye Claire," he replied. "Ah cannot have her disobeying me."