Jamie p.o.v.
Claire is going to help Jenny and Fergus with the last bit of the washing and I'm going into the fields to find Ian and Murtagh. I need to talk to them after everything that happened since last night. They aren't too far out in the fields, so I find them relatively quick.
"Look who made it out of his bedroom" Ian sees me first. I laugh but the smile doesn't really reach my eyes. Murtagh seems to notice.
"What's wrong lad?" He asks.
"I have to tell you both something, if you have a few moments."
"Of course." Ian and Murtagh both stop what they are working on. A few feet away there's a shed with a wooden bench against it, we take a seat there.
For a moment I don't really know where to start, but I guess I'll just start at the beginning. "First of all, you know of course that I'm obviously very happy that Claire has come back to me. I thought I was never gonna see her again… but here she is, and she's here to stay." I fall silent as I don't know how to tell them about Claire's miscarriage.
"Aye Jamie, but what is bothering you?" Ian asks.
I take a deep breath as I feel tears starting to pool in my eyes. "Well, as I told you before… Claire was with child when she went back through the stones. She… She…" I can't say it. Sobs take over my body as I lose control of my emotions. Murtagh puts his arm around me and pulls me a bit closer to him and I feel Ian's hand on knee as a show of support.
"Oh Jamie… did she lose the child?" Murtagh asks.
All I can do is nod. "I'm so sorry for you Jamie." Murtagh says. "I'm sorry for you too Jamie, you and Claire deserve so much better." Ian adds.
My tears dry a bit, as it's a relief to have told them. "Thanks, both of you. I just needed to tell you." I say.
"You can tell us anything, you know that." Murtagh says. "Now tell us… why did Claire come back? How did she come back? I mean obviously she came through the stones… but what else happened?"
I tell them what Claire told me. I tell them about her relationship with Frank after she went back to her own time and about what happened a couple of days ago, why she decided to go back to Scotland. I tell them what happened at the stones and that she was also there that same day. I tell them about Mrs. Graham convincing her to come back to Lallybroch and that Claire didn't know that I had survived Culloden.
I'm about to tell them about what happened last night and this morning and what else we've talked about, when I hear the slightest sound of someone stepping on some hay right around the corner of the shed. Murtagh and Ian hear it too. Murtagh jumps to his feet very quickly and turns around the corner of the shed. "Got you, sneaking up on us…" I hear him mutter. When he comes around the corner again I see who's arm he's holding.
"Fergus." He looks at us, guilt written all over his face. "How much did you hear?" I ask.
"I heard about the stones… about milady being from another time." He looks at me with a confused look. "So, is she a witch then?" He asks me.
Well, no point in lying about it now, so I decide he has to be told the truth as well. I thank Murtagh and Ian for the talk and they decide to get back to work while I tell Fergus about Claire. He sits down in front of me in the grass as I explain everything to him. When I've told him everything he only smiles at me. "I always knew she was special Milord." I laugh, stand up and give him a pat on the back.
"Well, you know you shouldn't speak about it with anyone else right?" I ask just to make sure.
"Of course not Milord. I'll keep our secret safe."
"I know you will Fergus, thank you."
Fergus and I both start to help Murtagh and Ian with the work that has to be done in the field. My thoughts are with Claire. She's probably speaking with Jenny at this moment. I know it will hurt Claire to tell Jenny about the miscarriage, but I have no doubt Jenny will be there for her. They'll be okay.
Claire p.o.v.
After we're done with the last of the washing Jenny sends Fergus to the fields to help with the work there while we go inside to have a talk. Jenny grabs us a flask of whiskey and two glasses and sits down on the couch next to me. She fills both glasses and hands me one.
"First things first, cheers to you coming back to us." We clink glasses and take a sip of the whiskey. "When Jamie told us about what really happened to you, the whole thing with the stones, I should have been confused but I wasn't. Everything just made sense. The only thing I don't understand is why you didn't tell us… me… before." Jenny looks a bit hurt.
"I'm sorry Jenny. We should have told you. It was just so much to process when we came back from France, with Culloden coming closer and then us finding out I was pregnant again… it was just so much. But I am really happy that Jamie told you and that you now know. I don't wan to have any secrets for you." I tell her.
She nods. "Aye… I understand. Jamie told us everything after Murtagh turned up a few days ago. But…" She looks at me questioningly, and I know what question is going to come next. My heart skips a beat, but it is something I have to tell Jenny so I might as well get it over with. "Claire? Where is your child?"
I look down at my trembling hands as I'm too embarrassed to look Jenny in the eyes. "When I was halfway through the pregnancy I… I lost her." My tears start running down my cheeks now and I bury my face in my hands. I feel Jenny come closer and before I know it she has her arms around me and has pulled me into a hug. "Oh Claire… I'm so sorry… I'm sorry for asking." I continue to cry in her arms for a few minutes. She's genuinely trying her best to comfort me, and I've never been more thankful to have a sister like Jenny.
When my tears have subsided a bit I sit back up and look at Jenny. "I'm sorry… it's just still really hard to talk about." Jenny rests her hand on my knee. "I understand Claire. We don't have to talk about it now. I'll be here when you're ready." She smiles at me reassuringly. "Thank you Jenny."
She sits back and takes a sip of whiskey. "Do you perhaps want to tell me about that Frank of yours? And about what it's like to live in the future?" She asks.
I smile. "Well, what do you want to know?" I ask.
Jenny laughs. "Well, everything of course!"
We spent at least two hours talking about my time and about Frank. I didn't know how amusing it was going to be to see the looks on Jenny her face whenever I tell her something about my time that to her seems impossible.
When the front door opens and the men walk into the house for something to eat my cheeks are hurting from all the laughing. And even though I don't like to admit it I think I'm also feeling the effects of all the whiskey we've had. I only have to take one look at Jenny to know she also may have had a bit too much to drink.
"Are you coming to eat something?" Ian asks us.
Jenny and I look at each other and burst out laughing for no reason. "Aye… we're coming." She answers Ian.
We both get up from the couch. Then unexpectedly Jenny gives me a hug. "I am really happy you're here Claire. I've missed my sister."
"I've missed you too Jenny. Don't worry, I will be here for a long time to come." I answer.
"You better be." She says, and then I follow her to the dining room where the men are waiting for us.
Jamie is holding out a chair for me to take a seat in, but I give him a hug and a kiss first. "Are you alright?" He asks me.
"Yeah… I'm great actually." I answer with a smile.
He then laughs. "Christ sassenach… are you drunk?"
I laugh too. "Maybe a little bit."
I sit down on the chair and Jamie sits down next to me. I look around the table and realize this is the happiest I've been in a long time. I'm so thankful to be home again.
