Inverness December 21, 1948

Reverend Wakefield came into the kitchen holding the letter that Mrs. Graham had left in her coat pocket. "I'll do it."

"You'll do what?" Mrs. Graham asked while she was pulling Christmas biscuits out of the oven.

"I will report the birth of Claire's twins so you don't have to contact Frank." The Reverend said.

The pan clanked on the counter and Mrs. Graham turned around. She saw the letter in his hand. "That is my letter."

"It was in your pocket and I saw it" The Reverend turned the letter and looked at the paper. "The paper looks like it is from two hundred years ago but it is not written with a quill. Did you let her take a ballpoint pen?" He asked.

"Let her!?" Mrs. Graham knew the Reverend was unaware it was 1948 but this was too much. "That woman can travel 200 years by herself, and save our wee Roger so no one is telling her what she can or cannot bring anywhere." Mrs. Graham whispered. She was furious with the Reverend. He read her letter and looked surprised when she was upset.

"Where are you going?" He asked when she grabbed her coat.

"I'm going to pick Roger up from choir practice." Mrs. Graham said, closed the door and left.

Three miles from Lallybroch December 18, 1746

I had went home the last two nights. As much as I wanted to be fearless I had two babies who needed at least one parent and preferably two. I would not be home tonight and was making camp. Winter had come and brought about six more inches of snow so I was concerned about sleeping rough without Jamie.

I went into my makeshift tent and started to express milk. Jenny said the twins were doing fine during the day. Brianna had not taken to the nipple on the bottle but it was okay because Jenny could nurse Brianna and Alex would take the bottle. This way my milk lasted longer.

I let out a small groan of pleasure as I expressed. It wasn't as effective as the babies nursing but my breasts felt better after. I hid my three full bags of breastmilk in the snow and got settled for the night.

Five miles from Lallybroch December 19, 1746

It was getting close to noon and I was hungry and my breasts were full. I moved even further back from the road and was getting ready to sit down on a rock to eat my lunch and express milk when I heard rustling in the trees.

I immediately stood back up and looked around. I was reminded of the boar hunt at Castle Leoch and grew alarmed. I was attempting to stand on top of the rock when a very tall, red headed Scotsman ran out of the woods.

"Claire!" Jamie picked me up and held me to him. He let me go and held me by the shoulders, "The bairns?" He asked.

"Fine. Murtagh, you, Fergus?" I said as I searched his body and saw no outward sign of injury.

"Fergus fell out of a tree and we think his leg is broken." Jamie had one arm around me by my shoulders and had his face in my hair smelling it. "It's slow going carryin' the lad." He said.

I got on my toes and kissed Jamie. "Take me to him." I said. Jamie picked up my leather bag and we walked hand in hand the half mile back into the woods.

"How did you see me?" I asked.

"I always ken when ye're near Sassenach." Jamie smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

Murtagh and Fergus were behind a tree. "Milady!" Fergus cried and tried to stand up.

"Claire, are ye're bairns alright?" Murtagh asked.

"Hello Fergus, just stay put. Bree and wee Murtagh are fine, thank you Murtagh, Jenny is caring for them." I hugged Murtagh and then knelt next to Fergus and kissed his cheek. Fergus grew a little pink and smiled.

"Let's have a look, shall we" I ripped Fergus's pants at the seam and saw a large swelling and terrible bruise between his knee and his thigh.

"Can you move your knee at all?" I asked.

"Not very well Milady. Murtagh and Milord have been carrying me." Fergus was trying to keep his pants closed and shivered.

"Don't worry about the cold for now, we are going to make a splint for your leg." I said. I saw Murtagh gave a fast I told you so look to Jamie but said nothing.

I pulled my cloak back to work and turned to Jamie to get some things out of the bag.

"Sassenach" Jamie said and nodded to my chest.

"Oh bloody hell." I said looking at my chest. I turned back to Murtagh and Fergus. "I am a nursing Mother away from my babies, so excuse me." I started to take my cloak off but Jamie stopped me and gave Fergus his jacket.

"Wrap Fergus up and get some branches to make a splint." I said.

I took my bottle of whiskey out and an aspirin. I hadn't pressed this to powder like I had planned but Fergus thought I was half fairy anyway. "Fergus, put this in your mouth and wash it down with whiskey." Fergus reached for the pill.

At the mention of whiskey both Jamie and Murtagh looked at me. "Ye're given' the lad whiskey but nae the men?" Murtagh asked.

"The men did not break their leg." I answered. Fergus smiled.

He took the aspirin in his hand and looked at it oddly, then at me. I nodded and smiled then Fergus put it in his mouth and washed it down with a large swig of whiskey.

In a short amount of time Fergus had a splint on and was in much less pain. I shared half the food I had and saved the other half for later in the day. The plan was to sleep until the sun was down, then try to make it to Lallybroch before daylight.

Murtagh insisted on getting back in a tree and he said the lad was safest with him. Jamie and I put up the little tent and Jamie covered it with greenery just in case.

"This is a small one aye?" Jamie said as he squeezed in the door and settled.

"Well, yes, but I could only bring what I could carry and I thought food and medicine were more important." I said defensively.

"Aye, ye're right Sassenach, ye're right." Jamie was laying right next to me propped on an elbow. "Can ye no get some rest with me?" He asked.

I was sitting with my bag at my side. I needed to express, but upon reaching in my bag realized the little plastic baggies I'd brought were all full. I pulled them out to set them outside the tent with some snow around them, and Jamie was very curious. I explained the process of saving breast milk for using later.

"Ye're saying that ye put ye're milk in these and then in a bottle to feed the bairns?" Jamie asked, understanding quickly.

"Yes, that way -" I was cut off.

"Ye mean… I could have been the one feeding our bairns all this time?" Jamie asked, getting upset.

"All this time, they aren't a month old yet! But I guess, yes." I answered.

"Claire-" Jamie started.

"Wait, I'm sorry. I was thinking of this as a backup system only. I didn't know you wanted to feed our babies." I said and took his hand.

"We're going to have to go through all the stuff ye brought back, aren't we?" Jamie said and kissed me.

"I suppose, yes. Now I really need to express, my breasts hurt." I said looking for the little cup I had.

"Let me help ye Sassenach." Jamie said. He helped get my coverings off and my dress down.

I had been doing this by myself but I didn't say anything because my husband's hands felt good. He kissed me again and lifted my heavy breasts. "Where's another one of those milk holders?" Jamie asked.

"I'm out. I have a little cup..." I moved a little to the side and found the cup. I started expressing and Jamie was in awe.

"I had no idea ye're breast's did that." He said and watched me express milk into the cup.

"Make milk?" I looked at him in surprise.

"I knew that, but...just the way it looks I think." Jamie said without taking his eyes off my breasts.

"Would you please empty this?" I asked and handed the cup to Jamie.

Jamie took the cup and drank it then handed it back to me. "Mmm, very sweet."

I sat there with my mouth open in surprise.