#chapter 56

AO3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/76019866

Her head spins and she clings to the door frame. Is she seeing things? Does her son really stand there? Would she be hallucinating the lass that clings to him and the other lad as well?

“Mam.” He reaches for her and she collapses into a sobbing mess. He takes her into his arms.

“You,” her shaking hand reaches up and touches his face, “are truly here?”

He smiles through his own tears. “Aye. I am so sorry.”

“Where? Where were you mon mhac?”

“Mam, may we come in?”

It is then she remembers their presence.

“Aye. Who?” She looks over his shoulder as he helps her up.

“Inside?”

She nods and they all four enter the home. 

She can't keep her eyes off him. Her son. Her boy that she thought was lost to her forever. The lass was obviously someone important to him. She clings to his arm as they move into the sitting room. Did her lad leave her, without a word, for this lass?

Her questions must have shown on her face. They all take seats, the lass looking around, her eyes wide. She is staring at the telly. Julia picks up the remote and turns it off.

“Sorry. I wasn't expecting…”

“Jamie. What?” The lass was still looking towards the Telly. Her eyes are huge, almost like she has seen a spirit.

“It is alright, my love. I will explain later.” He turns towards his mam, “Meet my wife, Claire and her uncle, Lambert Beauchamp.”

“Your wife?” She stares at him. She knew they were in a relationship but this…

“It is nice to meet you, Mistress Fraser.” She half stands and curtsies.

“Likewise.” Her lips feel numb. What is this?

“Hello Mrs. Fraser. I know this is all confusing.” Lamb speaks for the first time.

“Aye. A bit.” She examines them all. Their clothing, it isn't modern made to look old. It seems to be authentic. 

“Mam, you might not believe this but, I didn't mean to leave, not like that. Myself and the others from Doctors without Borders, we went to the Standing Stones. I wished to show them the Highlands.”

It all came together then. As unbelievable as it was, it was the thing that made the most sense.

“You fell through, didn't you? Into their time?” She gestures towards Claire and Lamb.

“Her time, eh.” He is breathless. He knew she would be open to their strange tale, but this ..

“My Claire disappeared when she was five. Like Jamie here, we were at the Stones. I didn't know where she was, not for years. Like you, ma’am, I thought she was dead. Long gone. Going back to the Stones was the final try, a last ditch effort to determine what had became of her. I believed enough, it seems, to get through.”

“He landed in my time, my new time. Never expected…” she blushes and lowers her head.

“For you to be married.” 

“Yes mistress. And.. “

“Expecting. We are having a baby. Mam, I needed to be there. She needed to be there. For us to meet. We were destined too. It was love at first sight.”

“When did she disappear?” 

“In 1914.” Lamb answers. 

Julia shakes her head. She believes them, it isn't denial. It is pure amazement.

“I want to hear it all. Please start at the beginning.”

AO3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/76019866

Her head spins and she clings to the door frame. Is she seeing things? Does her son really stand there? Would she be hallucinating the lass that clings to him and the other lad as well?

“Mam.” He reaches for her and she collapses into a sobbing mess. He takes her into his arms.

“You,” her shaking hand reaches up and touches his face, “are truly here?”

He smiles through his own tears. “Aye. I am so sorry.”

“Where? Where were you mon mhac?”

“Mam, may we come in?”

It is then she remembers their presence.

“Aye. Who?” She looks over his shoulder as he helps her up.

“Inside?”

She nods and they all four enter the home. 

She can't keep her eyes off him. Her son. Her boy that she thought was lost to her forever. The lass was obviously someone important to him. She clings to his arm as they move into the sitting room. Did her lad leave her, without a word, for this lass?

Her questions must have shown on her face. They all take seats, the lass looking around, her eyes wide. She is staring at the telly. Julia picks up the remote and turns it off.

“Sorry. I wasn't expecting…”

“Jamie. What?” The lass was still looking towards the Telly. Her eyes are huge, almost like she has seen a spirit.

“It is alright, my love. I will explain later.” He turns towards his mam, “Meet my wife, Claire and her uncle, Lambert Beauchamp.”

“Your wife?” She stares at him. She knew they were in a relationship but this…

“It is nice to meet you, Mistress Fraser.” She half stands and curtsies.

“Likewise.” Her lips feel numb. What is this?

“Hello Mrs. Fraser. I know this is all confusing.” Lamb speaks for the first time.

“Aye. A bit.” She examines them all. Their clothing, it isn't modern made to look old. It seems to be authentic. 

“Mam, you might not believe this but, I didn't mean to leave, not like that. Myself and the others from Doctors without Borders, we went to the Standing Stones. I wished to show them the Highlands.”

It all came together then. As unbelievable as it was, it was the thing that made the most sense.

“You fell through, didn't you? Into their time?” She gestures towards Claire and Lamb.

“Her time, eh.” He is breathless. He knew she would be open to their strange tale, but this ..

“My Claire disappeared when she was five. Like Jamie here, we were at the Stones. I didn't know where she was, not for years. Like you, ma’am, I thought she was dead. Long gone. Going back to the Stones was the final try, a last ditch effort to determine what had became of her. I believed enough, it seems, to get through.”

“He landed in my time, my new time. Never expected…” she blushes and lowers her head.

“For you to be married.” 

“Yes mistress. And.. “

“Expecting. We are having a baby. Mam, I needed to be there. She needed to be there. For us to meet. We were destined too. It was love at first sight.”

“When did she disappear?” 

“In 1914.” Lamb answers. 

Julia shakes her head. She believes them, it isn't denial. It is pure amazement.

“I want to hear it all. Please start at the beginning.”

AO3

She is at work when she first feels it. The nausea is deep. It isn't the first sign. Her bras are getting tight and her cycle is a few days late.

When she exits the WC, her mate Geillis waits. Her sharp eyes move over her. 

“Was it planned?” She asks with a grin. She had been so happy with her mate’s second marriage with a real man, unlike Frank. She hadn't been told that they planned on having another child, if they did.

“Yes,” she rinses her mouth out at the sink, “ I thought so but wasn't sure.”

“We can make sure. I can get a test or we can draw blood.”

“Both. I want to be sure before telling him.”

“Absolutely. May I ask,” they are moving towards the lab, “is this just for him.”

She knows she had been surprised by the coming of Elizabeth. After, she had declared herself done and even discussed a tubal ligation.

“I know why you ask. I was done with Frank. He isn't him. It is the difference between light and deep dark. He parents the girls with me better than their father did. I am excited to have a baby with him. This baby is a gift for both of us.”

Geillis is relieved. She has changed so much since leaving Frank and marrying Jamie. Already a strong woman with her own mind, she is now even more independent, more self assured. Because she doesn't have to carry everything on her own. She can relax in a way she hadn't been able to before. 

“Well let's see if he or she is on the way.”

AO3

“Jamie, when do you expect them back?” Hearing his mam’s voice again is a miracle. That she and da knew about Claire, John, and all the rest is beyond a miracle. What is even more amazing is he has memories of them.

“It should be any time.” 

It had happened like waking from a dream. It just blended in, the memories of their deaths fading and being replaced with fresh memories of those lost years. When he found out that he didn't need to explain to them anything about who Issac is, Claire, or time travel. 

His da shocked them when he walked up and slapped his eldest son across the face. “”How dare you have placed our family through that. Even knowing, due to Claire and John’s visit, what to expect.”

That is when they knew exactly how successful the mission had been.

Another thing that has Jamie tingling is remembering meeting Claire all those years ago. She had been the center of his life for all those years. The one thing that had changed was his relationship with Geneva. He hadn't had one. He knew exactly who he was waiting for. His memory of joining the Agency was different. There was no hesitation. He knew it led to her.

 Both him and William have ignored multiple phone calls and messages from Geillis. There will be consequences to what they have done. They will have to be dealt with. But having their parents back was so worth it. They all agreed with that.

“What did you think you were doing?” They step out of the craft to the furious face of their boss.

Before they can answer, William is there. 

“What I authorized them to do.” She jerks around and gets a bit pale at seeing him.

“I didn't know. It looked like they just hijacked the craft.”

“I understand that. It was a personal mission. Still, we should have informed you.”

“Right. Personal? Does, uh, does he know about it?” 

“No. It is none of his concern.”

This shocks her. She opens her mouth and then shuts it. A quick shake of her head.  “None of his concern,” her voice shakes, “how can you say that? This is all his. Everything associated with it is his concern.”

“Geillis, I will handle it. You needn’t worry.”

“Right.” She mumbles as the three walk away.

“Did it work?” Claire asks as they walk out.