#i am going to be doing nothing else except for this for the next weel

[thedogwhoisachair]

5 fucking days remaining for this shit

[scapegrace74-blog]

Mister April

A/N I had an angst-ridden update to the Metric Universe all queued up, and then I thought, nah.  The sun is shining, people are getting vaccinated.  Angst can wait.  So this little ficlet fits into the Metric Universe after The Second First Christmas, but before Calculation Theme.

The entire Metric Universe, now chronologically ordered, can be found here.

March 16, 2019, Spittalfields, London, England

“Wait.  You mean you’re actually Mister April?!”  Several bottles into the six-pack of Tennant’s lager that he had brought home after work, Claire’s exclamation was too incredulous for Jamie’s liking.

“Aye.  Every year since I signed on, save one.  At first t’was flattering, but now, weel...” He peeled the label from the bottle held between his knees, cursing the trajectory of their late night conversation.  The idea had been to take advantage of the fact they were both off tomorrow to spend some time with his girlfriend, listen to a little music, get a bit sloshed, then hopefully fall into bed together.

“Can I see?” Claire interrupted his momentary sulk.  “I mean, I’ve been dating a veritable calendar boy for almost two years, and I’m only just now figuring it out.  Seems a bit unfair, don’t you think?”

“Seems to me ye’ve seen me wearing far less, Sassenach.  But fine, look yer fill.”

Grabbing his laptop, Jamie entered his name and London Fire Brigade Charity Calendar into a search engine.  A stream of results filled the screen.  Claire’s eyes goggled and she grabbed the computer, opening the first image.  A much younger Jamie appeared, rugby shorts hanging from the graceful arcs of his hipbones.  He reminded her of a Thoroughbred race horse, not an ounce of flesh to spare, kinetic energy in masculine form.  She checked the date: 2012, before they had ever met.

Further clicks brought her to subsequent years.  Each showed a beautiful man in the prime of youth, fit, cocky, a devil-may-care gleam in his cornflower eyes.  She knew it was her Jamie, but she barely recognized him.

He was missing from the 2015 calendar.  Claire did the math and realized that he would have been in the hospital when that year’s pictures were taken.  Instead of primping and smoldering for the camera, he had lain in an ICU bed for weeks, before undergoing painful rehabilitation and numerous skin grafts.  The brash young man of the earlier images had disappeared, erased by an industrial explosion in an instant.  In his place, the Jamie she knew had emerged. More cautious.  More prone to sadness, but with a limitless capacity to spread joy.  Would she had fallen for him, had they met before his transformation?  She honestly couldn’t say.

By 2016, the pictures had changed.  Jamie posed in a shirt, sometimes unbuttoned to the waist, but always with his shoulders covered.  The gleam in his eyes had dimmed, and instead of an infectious grin, his smile was forced.  She was certain no-one buying the calendar would notice.  He was still a beautiful man, with his burnished curls and Nordic bone structure.  But she could see what those photos cost him.  She knew.

“Dougal wanted me tae show my scars.  Figured t’would be good publicity, I reckon. Heroic firefighter burnt like a human candle comes back tae fight fire ano’er day. I told him I wasna some charity case he could trot out when it suited him.”

She fetched his hand from his lap, giving it an understanding squeeze.  Jamie had once confessed that he felt comfortable bearing his scars to her alone because she had already seen him at his worst, and that left no room for pity.  He was a proud, stubborn fool, and she loved him.

“You know what this means, don’t you?  There’s only one way to make this right.”

Not waiting for his response, she rose, sought her balance for a moment, and went to grab her phone.  Connecting it to their TV audio, she scrolled her music library, looking for a suitable choice.

“Aha!” she exclaimed, pressing play.  A synthetic tambourine and clap bass filled the room.  He recognized the opening lines of OutKast’s Way You Move.

“What are ye on about, Sassenach?”

“You’ve been sharing your glorious body with the Greater London area and god know who else on the Internet for years, Jamie.  As a philanthropist, I applaud you, but as your girlfriend, I’m a tad perturbed.  I am hereby re-asserting my rights to exclusive content.  Now stop lollygagging and get your fine ass off the couch.”

“Sassenach...” he laughed, starting to grab hold of her meaning and feeling a shot of adrenaline course through his veins.  Even before his accident, he had never...

“Don’t make me put it on repeat, Fraser.  Oh, look, here comes the chorus!”

Claire sat back on the sofa, her legs tidily crossed on their coffee table.  The room was dark, except for the undying city lights outside.  No-one was there to see except the one person he trusted to look without staring, to laugh without mocking, to understand without judging.  He’d never known Claire to ask for something she didn’t truly want, and he wanted to give her everything she desired.  Even if it came at the expense of his dignity.

“Ye ken I canna dance fer shite, right?” he said as he stood, taking an extra long pull on his lager.  He was going to need all the liquid courage it could offer.

“I’m well aware.  But as the woman who shares your bed, I can testify that there’s nothing the matter with your sense of rhythm.  If it helps, don’t think of it as dancing.  Think of it as upright simulated sex.”

His face was already hot from the alcohol and embarrassment, but with Claire’s words he felt the heat spread downwards across his chest and towards his groin.  Almost without willing it, his hips began to twitch in time to the beat.

“Now we’re talking!” Claire exclaimed with a grin, leaning back like the only patron at a very private strip club.

He was still dressed for work.  The navy shirt he wore beneath his jacket had no buttons, so he began by easing it from under his belt, baring his navel briefly before sliding it back down.  Claire sulked dramatically, making him laugh.  

With the song’s next horn flourish, he reached behind his neck and lifted the shirt clean off in a single tug, shaking out his hair afterwards.  When he next glanced at the couch, his girlfriend’s smug smile was gone, replaced by a blatant leer that sent shivers down his spine.  She wasn’t even pretending to look at his face anymore, spending her time somewhere between his shoulders and his waist.  He wasn’t really sweating, but he made a point of wiping his pecs before letting the shirt fall to the ground.

“Enjoying the show?” he asked, already a tad breathless.

“Immensely.  Don’t stop now.”

Fortunately, his boots and socks had already been removed, so with the next verse he made a show of unbuttoning and unzipping his blue trousers.  Claire’s eyes followed the movement of his fingers like she was memorizing them for the exam.  He could feel his cock grow heavy.

With a shake of his ass for good measure, the pants hit the floor.  Only a tight pair of boxer-briefs stood in the way of utter nudity.  They were doing a poor job hiding his belated enthusiasm for Claire’s request.  The fact that her eyes were now glued to the bulge of his erection only encouraged his excitement.

As the repeated chorus faded away, he carefully slipped the waistband over his now-rigid cock.  The material slid down his legs and he stepped free.  If someone had mentioned his scars in that instant, he would have no idea what they were talking about.

In the ensuing quiet, Claire sat up and very deliberately began to disrobe.  Once naked, she came at him like a heat-seeking missile, one hand reaching around his back to pull him tight and the other dragging him into a kiss.  They collapsed to the floor, rolling around on the area rug in a fight for dominance.  He let her win, because feeling her rise and fall over his length like a cresting wave was the best runner-up prize he could imagine.  

The sex was torrid, and frantic, and not at all polite.  The kind that left bruises and invoked daydreams for days.  Afterwards, they lay in a sweaty heap, trying to catch their breath.

“See?  I knew you had it in you,” Claire muttered into his clavicle.  “A bit more practice and you’ll be as good as the pros.”

“I didna realize I was auditioning fer a second job.”  He brushed Claire’s curls away from where they were tickling his nose.

“Oh, I have no intention of sharing your talents, lad.   Never fear.  But I wouldn’t object to a repeat performance.   Besides, I was so distracted by the show, I completely forgot to film you!”

Jamie groaned, pulling her tighter against him as sleep called him away to dreams.

[thecurseoflife]

CHAPTER 9 - The snakes and the mage

Camalia was fighting sleep. But it had been hours since the last hinch of pain or whispers in her head, and she was slowly dozing off. For the first time in a week, the prison was calm. It was so comfortable. She needed this. She needed to rest. But the fear was keeping her awake. It had to be a plan... They'll be... Attacking soon... She had... To... Stay... Awake...

It was nice. Nice and warm. No nightmares, no anything. Just a reassuring black box. Eveything felt so peaceful and fine. It was if all her problems went away. She was finally okay.

A violent push snapped her eyes open and she jumped on her feet. The dizziness of sleep not helping, she stumbled against the wall.

-I AM AWAKE ! I'm awake ! I can fight you, With' ! And now I've got- wait why is it dark.

The cell was completely black, the only light being the moon and the candles lighting up the corridor. She frowned. Has she really slept that long ? Did the snakes really let her sleep that long ? Something was up. They would never help her recover from their own torture.

She looked in the corridor, in the cells beside her... No, she was alone. No one was there to hold the curse. It was the snakes decision. It had to mean bad for her. She stood in the middle of the mess she called home.

-Uhm... Witheria ? Decaiera ? Hey, I am wide awake and totally cursable ! Wouldn't it be fun to uh... Curse me ?

Silence. Something was definitely up. She sighed. There was nothing she could do but enjoy this "night off". Camalia took her guitare and started playing in front of the wall, making a broom out of the stones. She took it and started swipping the floor. It would be a shame to hurt herself again when she'll be acting like a beast. She cleared the cell and repeared the pillow. The music mage couldn't really hurt herself with this. Might as well keep it. She yawned. Even if she slept the entire day, she was still tired. But something seemed to hold her back from diving into sweet darkness again. She shrugged it off. It probably was just her. She hoped. Camalia looked at her clothes, hair and skin and winced. She really was disgusting. Thanks to various melodies, a nice bath and some time, she wiped every trace of the past few days from her. Satisfied, she looked around. Well. There wasn't much more to do. Now, the cell was empty, except from her, the pillow and her guitare. Even the bed's chains didn't resist her rage.

She sat on the ground and yawned again. Maybe now she could sleep. She lay down and was about to close her eyes when she heard the loud noise of the prison door opening. At that time of night, it must have been an emergency. She went to the bars and a chill was sent down her spine as she froze.

It was Varian.

With a third of the guards of the kingdom, of course, but it was still him. Camalia felt a wave of panic but she couldn't speak. Her throat was to tight, her mind was racing but with the same sentence over and over again.

"What do I do"

They started walking toward the stairs to go to lower level. It relieved Camalia a little bit. It wouldn't change much, but if she lost control, it would be safer than if he was right next to her. She looked at Varian and was put off by his angry eyes. She was about to say something to him when she spotted Captain at the end of the guards' chain.

-CAP !

The guard walked toward her. Camalia didn't even know what she was about to say. She just had to try something to put Varian in safety. Anything.

-Please, please Captain, you HAVE to put Varian somewhere else ! Somewhere far away from me ! Please ! I-I don't know what is going to happen this year. I mean, I'll think of something eventually, but if I don't... PLEASE, Cap...

Maybe Stan was right after all. If she feared for the boy's safety, maybe he should fear for the castle's. He took a deep breath and was about to answer, when someone violently punched the bars beside him, making Cap jump.

-Oh, so even now you want to get rid of me.

Varian was set off by her noticing his dark gaze and IMMEDIATLY wanting to push him away again. So that how it was, now. He really had to get over the time they were friends. The guards were ready to jump on him but Captain held them back.

-Varian, wha-

-Shut up ! I don't want to hear any of your lies again ! I know about your curse. I know about your people. I know everything, Camalia. I know you tried to manipulate me, that nothing was true from start to finish. You were never my friend, were you ? All you ever cared about was your curse. You thought you could use me and my alchemy, but when you realized I was useless, you just threw me away.

-N-No, that's not-

-Not true ? Then what was ? What truth did you let me see in your sea of lies ?

Camalia was frozen. Her heart was racing, so was her thoughts. She knew she was wrong, she knew it wasn't what she should have done. She knew everything and yet, she did it. The music mage broke her friend with her bare hands. She opened her mouth.

-I... I am your friend. But I was a bad one. You're right. I kept lying to you when I shouldn't have. I-I'm really sorry Varian. I was just... I wanted to... I'm sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, but... I still care about you, and I don't want you to get h- to get even more hurt than now. Please, Varian. You have to get away from me.

Thinking about it, and hearing it from her own lips really was two very different things. So he was right. He was right all along. He felt sick and angry. He stared into her bright green eyes.

-Don't worry. I will never get near you ever again.

He stepped back and let the guards drag him away without another word. Captain was about to add something but he changed his mind and left. It wasn't the right time.

And once again, Camalia was left alone.

Soon enough, she felt the presence of one of the snakes behind her.

-It was your plan from the very beginning, right Witheria ?

She was mad. Mad at herself and mad at her curse. She was tired of surviving and agonising all the time. It was all that she put in her eyes when she looked at the giant black snake.

-Oh, come on, little plant. Don't give me so much credit. You're the one that messed up this friendship. I just made sure you suffer the consequencies.

The wheezing and falsy tender voice of the snake resonnated in the empty prison as she spoke.

-Yeah, well, geez, thanks.

-You are quite welcome, little plant. You know I always have the best ideas.

Camalia leant on one of the walls and let herself slid down. She sighed.

-So, what now ? Are you going to make me feel like there's fire instead of blood in my body ? Froze me in place for hours ? Choke me again ? Whipers unwanted truths in my mind ? Make me go insane ? Possess me ?

The snake slithered on the ground, weeling the small human with it's long body. Her black scales were shining in the light of the moon and her bright cold eyes were searching deep into the child's soul, like she had done for the past ten years. Witheria smiled softly.

-No~ I'd rather see you suffer quietly. You know manipulating mind is more of Decaiera kind of things.

Brutal doubts inserted themselves in the music mage mind. She sudddenly got up, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't speak loud, as if she didn't really want the answer to what she was about to ask. So Camalia whispered with terror.

-Did you... Did you put the idea of lying to Varian in my mind ? Did you convince me it was what I was supposed to do ?

Witheria's smile widened.

-Oh my, little plant. How dare you insult my sister like that ? She had no need to convince you. She merely suggested the thought.

Camalia tottered backward, shocked. She put a shaky hand over her mouth, feeling tears ran down her cheek. Is any of the decisions she ever made even her's ? Was she always just the puppet of her curse ? Was she this easy to manipulate ? No. No no no. Camalia, put yourself together. That's exactly the reaction the snake expected. She had to stay calm.

-You have to understand, my sweet and fragile little plant...

The snake tail softly brushed a tear of her face as she backed down in disgust.

-... He would have taken you away from us. But we don't want that. We need you to say it. We need you by our side forever, Camalia. We are your curse. You are our anchor. You can't get rid of us like you got rid of that alchemy boy. We'll always be there.

Rage filled Camalia mind and heart. She slapped the tail with violence and stepped forward, surprising the snake.

-I did NOT get rid of him. I do not BELONG TO YOU. And whatever you do, I will always fight you, until my last breath if I have to. I hate you, Witheria. With all my heart, I deeply hate you.

The snake angrily hissed.

-Don't be stupid, Camalia. Realize what you've done. You pushed the boy away from you, with some quite success I might add. And we belong to you as much as you belong to us. We are linked, my dear. And this link is unbreakable. Neither I or you can destroy it. Stop acting like a child and grow up for once !

This time, the music mage slammed the snake against the wall, and put her face millimeters from the muzzle of the animal. She had a threatning aura that deeply unsettled Witheria. She never saw her like that.

-No, now you listen to ME. I don't care if Varian hates me, I don't care if we are linked, I don't CARE if you will hant me for the rest of my days, and I don't care what you think. I am me, and I make my own decisions, my own mistakes, my own path, and NO ONE, not a stupid curse nor a lost friend will tell me what to do. NO ONE decide who I am but me. I lost my only friend, and it is all my fault. I decided to lie, I decided to be in prison, I decided to protect him. I. Make. My. Own. Decisions. And of all the things you have ever done, you will NOT take that away from me.

Suddenly a giant black tail, slightly lighter than Witheria's twisted itself around Camalia's waist and threw her on the wall on the other side of the cell.

-How dare you speak like that to my sister ?

The strong voice, lower than the other snake sent chills down everyone that could hear it. The anger and outrage behind it told long about what she was about to do to anyone that provoked her wrath. Her tail was still around Camalia's waist, and she lifted her back up, to her green eyes.

-Do you really think you're in position to ask anything ?!

She slammed her against the wall again, earning a small yelp from the girl.

-WE have control over our link !

She slammed her again. Camalia's sight was blurry, as blood was dripping from her head.

-WE can hurt you throught it !

And again. Camalia was on the verge of passing out, her whole body numb.

-WE can make your life hell !

The last hit was heard miles away. Decaiera released the music mage, unconscious.

-And we will make you play the hurt incantation. She whispered like a warning.

Both of the snakes fade into the shadows, seconds before Captain arrived, running at the source of the loud noises he heard. His eyes widened when he found the girl on the ground, a pool of blood forming around her head. He called for help and unlocked the cell to take her into his arms. The guards arrived and some of them stopped in shock in front of the horrible state of the prisonner.

They acted fast. Masha and another maid bandaged her broken arm and tried to heal her head as best as they could. She was badly hurt, but surprisingly, she would have no scars nor aftermaths whatsoever. Whoever hit her knew what they were doing. She stayed unconscious in bed for an entire week.

When she woke up, she was back in jail. A new table and bed were awaiting for her and her guitare. She sat on the bed with caution and winced slightly when she tried to rest on her broken arm. She lifted her shirt and an entire side of hee body was covered with bruises. Sadly, because of her arm, she couldn't play the melody of heal. Decaiera knew exactly where to hit. Camalia tried to stand but her legs were too weak and she collapsed. Her entire body ached and she whimpered in pain.

-Are you quite calmed down, now dear ?

-Is my death glare enough of an answer ?

Witheria sighed.

-We just need you to play and sing the incantation and we'll be gone, little plant. No more torture nor broken friendship.

The music mage let out a laugh empty of any joy.

-Yeah, great, and so will be half of my life and probably all life in this castle. No thanks, I think I'll pass.

-And yet, hissed a soft voice, you tried to make the boy to leave the castle.

Camalia winced and looked at Decaiera who just spoke, deep in her green eyes without answering. She always had been the quieter one. But also the smartest. Witheria was all about physical hurt and long sentences. Decaiera was softer, her way of cursing the girl were always more... Sneaky. She used the link to it's full potential, searching in Camalia's mind and whispering hurtful truth in her ears. Whereas her sister rather use the link to inflict deep horrible pain in her body, pain she couldn't make without the link. The entire purpose of that was to make her play and sing the hurt incantation. One of the line to the spell was "to set the spirit free" and strangely enough, the two snakes were convinced it was the only way to break the link and to doom their holder. Weird flex, but alright.

Camalia never thought about playing the hurt incantation. Well, the melody was the same than the melody of heal, but with the singing part added, the purpose of the spell changed. The music mage read about the incantation and the power of her people. She immediatly understood the consequencies if she ever played the melody under the snakes influence. If she was the one initiating it and focusing it's power on a special point, it would be fine. But if she was upset, confused and hurt... If she was possessed by the snakes...

That's why she wanted to push Varian away so badly. She discovered about that destructive possibility only a year ago, and even before she never wanted to help the snakes, no matter what they said. If she had found out before getting imprisonned, she would have gone to an empty island and spent the rest of her day fighting her curse. Not a bright future, but if it could save lives, she would do it.

Camalia took a deep breath. She got up, helping herself with the table, pain spreading into her body. She looked at both the snakes with determination in her eyes.

-I will never play that melody for you. Never.

-Never say never, little plant.

The snakes faded in the shadows and Camalia was immediatly struck with an unbearable pain. She screamed until her voice broke and she passed out. Well, at least she could rest.

Varian was pushed in a dark cell in the level below. The guards locked it and regrouped on the order of Captain. The alchemist sighed and sat on the bed.

-Well, that was quite a fight you guys had up there.

He immediatly got back up and stared into the shadows, from the other bed, where the voice spoke. The well of light only made a very soft blue lightning, and not enough to actually see the room through and through.

-Varian, is it ?

Andrew's face appeared in the light, a soft smile on his face. He seemed really tired. Big dark circles weren't ruining his beautiful face. His beard seemed to need to be cut, and long gorgeous hair were popping onto his shoulder. The alchemist was a little put back by the handsomeness of the man. He was still suspicious. Experience told him not to trust anyone.

-How... Do you know my name ?

-Ceiling are fin in here.

Varian looked up to the well of light that was leading to another cell. The prisonner probably heard his every move. He narrowed his eyes and didn't continue the conversation.

-My name is Andrew. I am from Saporia.

The boy was startled by the mention of the ancient organization ennemy of his kingdom. This information didn't really motivated Varian to get to know the man better.

-I was put in jail by the princess and her friends when I tried to take King Herz Der Soone's journal.

The prisonner was being suspiciously honest. The alchemist couldn't tell if he liked that honesty or if he really didn't wanrt to know that.

-From what I understood, you don't like to be lied to. Well, I come clear to you.

-Thanks ?

-If we're going to be jailmate until the end of our life, it's probably better if we get along.

Varian was about to say something, but was cut by the voice of Camalia screaming.

-I did NOT get rid of him. I do not BELONG TO YOU.

The rest was said to low for anyone to understand. Despite everything, Varian still felt a point of worry in his heart. But he ignored it. He sat back into the bed and curled up there. Outside their cell, the guards had stopped talking.

-...ou listen to ME... -on't CARE if you will hant m-... make my own decisions, my own mistakes, my own path, and NO ONE, not a stupid curse nor a l-... NO ONE decide who I... -ill NOT take that away from me.

Half of her speech was cut off by the distance and the walls, but it was enough to understand what she was talking about. She was clearly yelling at someone, and so far, it seemed that this someone didn't even exist. Varian placed his hands over his ears, refusing to hear talk like crazy person anymore. Suddenly a thud resonated in the entire prison and whispers spread in the group of guards.

-Do you really think you're in position to ask anything ?!

The powerful and angry voice was not Camalia's. It wasn't anyone of the guard either. The loud noise exploded in the prison again, and everyone jumped a little bit.

-WE have control over our link !

Another violent thud followed with a cry of Camalia, freezing Varian's blood in his veins. Captain finally snapped and ran up the stairs as fast as he could.

-WE can hurt you throught it !

And again. The guards finally stopped to just stand there and followed their chief. In the cell, the alchemist was pressing his hands as much as he could on his ears, but if felt like nothing could stop the atrocious noise.

-WE can make your life hell !

The last slam was heard and suddenly it was silent. Everyone was waiting for the next part. A call for help teared the silence apart. It was Cap's voice. Camalia was hurt. There was panicked steps and the sound of the prison door closing and it was calm again. Varian dropped his hands. A whistle came from the bed across the room. He turned to Andrew casually laying in his bed with a soft smile he could now see after getting used to the darkness.

-That was distracting. And from the noise we heard, I think we'll be able to sleep the next night soundly, dear jailmate.

Varian turned back to face the wall, wrapping himself in the thin cover. He clunched his eyes shut, in a failed attempt to fall asleep and forget about everything. He was okay.

It was okay.

FIRST / PREVIOUS WHAT IS THIS ?

[mymelodyheart]

Starting Over Chapter 25 ~The Not So Wee Misunderstanding~

Geillis and Claire were sat in the waiting area of the A&E holding each other's hands. The doctor assured them, to their relief, that uncle Lamb had suffered only a severe case of indigestion, but they needed to do more test and find out why he'd collapsed outside his apartment. Claire surmised uncle Lamb must have thought he was having a heart attack and had decided to settle himself on the floor where he was more likely to be found. Uncle Lamb was clever and practical like that. Except of course for instances when he refused to have a mobile phone, and it frustrated the hell out of Claire whenever she couldn't reach him.

"Good ol' Lamby is going to be just fine," Geillis reassured her, squeezing her hand.

"Of course. Uncle Lamb is a tough cookie," Claire agreed, nodding. "I can almost see him fretting about all the fuss once he finds out he's only had indigestion. It's a good thing they're looking him over. He's far too stubborn to go and see a doctor or let me check him when something's not right. I worry sometimes." 

"Aye, and not to mention, he gave us a hell of a scare!" Geillis added, clucking her tongue.

"That he did, indeed." 

Geillis shook her head in amusement and checked her phone. "Still no answer from Joe. But dinnae fash lass ...he will see our message soon. He's usually always checking his Twitter account."

Meeting her eyes for the first time since they'd left the club, Claire gave her a small smile. "Thank you, Geillis."

She huffed. "For what?"

"For being such a great friend. For jumping into the taxi and coming with me without a second thought." Claire's eyes began to water, but she had a small grin on her face. "I'm sorry you're missing out on chatting up some cute guys in the club."

"Ach, ye would've done the same for me," Geillis remarked with a wave of a hand. "Jamie would be miffed though when he finds out ye're missing. But I'm pretty certain he'll understand. Lamby is yer family." Geillis gave her a dimpled smirk. "And save those tears for Jamie when he gives ye a hard time for running off just like that. He'll be out of his mind knowing ye're here at Frank's workplace."

Claire laughed nervously. "About that ...Jamie told me Frank is suspended from work and under investigation by the board. He even suggested I can probably come back and finish my residency program here." She sighed. "Jamie's lawyer is compiling a case against him so he wouldn't be able to hurt me in any way anymore. Frank will probably just end up going back to England to save face."

Geillis let out a huge breath. "I can so see Frank doing that. The board might be mostly his friends, but those hoity-toities wouldn't want to be dragged into his legal problems. Joe told me, Jamie's lawyer is a beast in court, and he'll pull all the stops to win. And ye have a solid case, and there's a picture of Frank attacking ye from those reporters who were lurking outside yer house. Frank's cronies will probably advise him to move to save himself from a full-blown scandal, especially now that they ken ye have the media's full attention because ye're with Jamie. Ye ken what Frank is like ... he's all about maintaining that clean image."

"Jesus, I wish it didn't have to come to this. I don't want Frank to lose his licence. He's too much of a brilliant doctor."

Geillis put an arm around her. "Dinnae feel sorry for him, hen. He made his own bed ...ye ken what they say. Just think of all those years Frank made ye miserable. Sometimes I wished it had been me who threw the vase at his smug face."

Claire laughed. "Enough of that talk," she gently chided. "Any news from the lads yet?" 

Geillis had left Joe several messages earlier that explained where they were and what had happened and asked him to call back before charging into the hospital. It was Joe's night, and Claire didn't want them worrying or ending their celebration. Nor did she want Jamie to leave the party abruptly when there was nothing he could do at the hospital.

Geillis shook her head. "He's no' picking up. I left him five voicemails already. I'm sure he'll get back to me when he sees it."

So they settled down in their seats, grabbed a couple of magazines left lying about and browsed while they waited.

After two hours, uncle Lamb was wheeled out, ready to be taken home. 

And after all this time, there was still no call from Jamie or Joe. So they decided to take uncle Lamb home and help him settle for the night.

..........

It was 2:00 AM, and uncle Lamb persistently refused to go to bed. After they all arrived at his apartment, much to Claire's mounting frustration, her uncle immediately went to his study to go through some paperwork. Resigned, she and Geillis sat in the kitchen drinking herbal teas, the alcohol from earlier already wearing off.

Claire's thoughts drifted to Jamie, getting more worried that Joe hadn't responded back. At first, she thought maybe Joe had lost his phone, but then Geillis had already left two messages on Jamie's number after she'd given it to her. Perhaps they're all too drunk and having too much of a great time to realise they're missing.

"Ye're staying here for the night?" Geillis asked in-between bites of shortbread cookies. "If ye are, ye willnae be able to charge yer phone."

"I'll stay here for the night, and I'll just have to do without a phone. You already sent a message to Jamie and Joe we're here with uncle Lamb. No need to chop and change and confuse them unnecessarily, especially if they had a lot to drink."

"Weel, then if ye're staying here, I better get going soon ..."

"It's late Geillis. You can stay. There's plenty of room. And I have a few clothes here you can borrow."

Geillis shook her head and smiled. "Thanks but no thanks. I like my own bed. I'll finish my tea, and then I'll go."

"Uncle Lamb makes a mean fry-up, and he's got proper coffee," Claire proffered, making a funny face at her friend.

Geillis laughed. "Aye, he does too. The breakfast is tempting, but I have a few gigs coming up for a back to back children's party, and I really need to organise that tomorrow."

"Fine, let's finish up and get you a taxi. I'm getting tired, myself."

They were just washing down their butter cookies with tea when the phone on the table began to vibrate non-stop. Thinking it could Joe or Jamie, Geillis quickly swiped the screen. 

Claire apprehensively watched her friend's face changed from eagerness to read the message to utter shock. "What? What is it? Is it Joe?"

"Holy Mother of God! My friend just messaged me. Ye're never gonnae believe this," she muttered, furiously swiping the screen. "There's a photo of ye circulating in Twitter saying ye left the club hastily because Jamie was caught cheating on ye. Someone must have recognised ye at the club, took a picture and posted it ..."

"Oh, bloody hell!" Claire bristled, raising her hand in the air in frustration. "Turn that off, Geillis. Jamie was right. I shouldn't read what's written about him online. People will always translate a photo into something that's not. Let them speculate. By the time weekend is over, Jamie's fans will be onto something else."

"B-but ..." Geillis face had turned red.

"What?!?"

Geillis handed her the phone.

Claire glanced at the grainy photo of Jamie with Morag leaning close to his ears as if she was whispering something, and she enlarged it to get a better look. She shrugged and thought nothing of it as it had been evident from the start, blondie was openly throwing herself at her boyfriend. Then she read the comments, skimming through every hashtag about Jamie.

Jamie Fraser getting cosy with a blonde who is most definitely not his girlfriend.

Already trouble in paradise for new couple Fraser/Beauchamp.

Poor Beauchamp left the club crying.

We all know how the saying goes: "A leopard can't change its spots."

And then more photos began to emerge, and what she saw next, she definitely didn't like. "Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ ...I swear to God I'm going to cut off his balls and make Haggis out of it!!"

..........

"Hey, buddy, wake up!"

Joe?

Jamie tried to push through the haze and open his eyes, but the mounting pressure on his skull was like a balloon slowly being inflated under his cranium. Efforts to move, to breathe or to think, made the ache in his head ebb and flow like a cold tide and caused nausea to tumble in waves. 

He felt deft fingers pressed the pulse on the side of his neck and heard the scuffling of shoes. 

"I think we should get him to the hospital or call the emergency," an unfamiliar voice said.

"I'm a doctor. He'll be alright. Can you get him a bottle of water please?" 

Joe's calm response soothed him. Knowing he was in good hands, Jamie began to relax and tried to slip back into the depths of unconsciousness where his head didn't hurt. Joe had been his former rugby team's doctor and had mended him countless of time during sporting injuries. Without question, Joe would take care of him. 

He felt a light tap to the side of his face. "Jamie, I need you to wake up. Can you hear me?"

He forced his eyes open. "W-what? ..." he rasped, the brightness of the light above him hurting his brain.

"Alright, easy now, buddy," Joe hushed, helping him sit upright.

He squinted at Joe's worried face, and then slowly scanned his surroundings. He was half-lying on the club's sofa in the VIP room. Through the glass wall, he saw Willie and Rabbie talking to a distressed-looking Morag and the bouncer. The place was lit, the music low and all the clubbers were gone except for the staff who were busy clearing up. He jolted up, and the sudden movement brought a stabbing pain to his head.

He groaned out loud.  Christ Almighty, how much did I have to drink?

Joe took the cold bottle of water from the bartender, opened it and gave it to him. "Here, drink this first."

Nodding gratefully, Jamie took the bottle, pressed it against his temple before drinking the whole thing to the last drop. He slumped back and grimaced. He felt like he had been run over by a truck. "Where's everyone else?"

"How do you feel?" Joe asked, ignoring his question and taking the empty bottle from his hand and placing it on the nearby table.

"I feel like shit," Jamie muttered. Then he looked up when Willie and Rabbie walked into the room. They didn't look any better than he did. "Where's Claire?"

"Listen," Joe cut in before Willie or Rabbie could say anything. "How about you go to the bathroom first and splash some cold water to your face? And then we'll talk."

Jamie frowned. "Joe," he said in a low voice. "I asked where Claire is."

There was a long silence as Jamie watched his brothers and Joe gave each other a knowing look.  Why couldn't they just give me a straightforward answer for fuck sake?  Jamie began to worry as his breath got caught in his chest and knew fear for Claire's safety was rapidly gaining in on him.

"Oh for crying out loud! I asked a simple question! Where is Claire?" Jamie pressed, hoping that their behaviour had to do with Claire having had too much to drink and wanted to hide it from him. "I swear to God if I..."

"She's with Geillis!" Rabbie finally said, throwing his hands in the air like he was annoyed or something. 

The look Willie and Joe gave Rabbie didn't go unnoticed. Straightening himself up, Jamie gave them all a warning look. "And where are they?" he demanded, raising his voice a notch, even though it hurt his head to do so.

"Look before anything else," Joe began, "We have a bit of problem we need to address. I think your drink has been spiked. In fact, I'm a hundred per cent sure your drink was spiked."

What the fuck?  

"What?!? What do ye mean spiked?" he shouted, shakily pushing himself up to his feet and ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his brain. He faced Willie, who seemed to be looking at him oddly. "Where is Claire? Why isn't she here? Please tell me I didn't do anything stupid," he said in a low voice to his brother.  Please, please let Claire still be here!  But Willie's face was already telling a totally different story.

"What was the last thing ye remember?" Willie asked calmly, searching his face.

Jamie cudgelled his brain, trying to think back, but something was off. Where there should have been recollections was a blank space, like a white wall bereft of photographs.  What the hell was the last thing I remember?  He remembered entering the private room with Claire and the rest of the group. He remembered Geillis coming to take Claire away and watching them head to the main bar. He hadn't liked the looks from men that followed them, but Claire seemed oblivious and so happy. He also remembered refusing the champagne given to them by the club, opting for a bottle of water instead. And then Morag came in with someone in tow.  Fuck! That was it?  That was all he remembered, and after that was nothing.

Jamie shook his head, hoping the action would clear some of the cobwebs in his addled brain. "I remember everything up to ye giving me grief for drinking water, and Joe ordering whisky and then Morag coming in with someone behind her. But that's it. The rest is blank."

"That's it?" Willie asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Aye. The rest I cannae remember."

"Sit down," Willie ordered.

Jamie hesitated at first but did as he was told. He plopped down on the sofa and massaged his temples, steeling himself for whatever was next.

"It was Forbes that came in with that blonde hostess," Willie explained. 

Jamie's head shot up. "What? What was he doing here?"

"Shut up and listen, will ye," Willie barked. "When ye asked Forbes what he was doing here, he said he'd seen Claire and thought to go looking for ye. He apologised for his behaviour at the awards, and then ye both shook hands. And then Forbes insisted on ordering a round of drinks as a peace offering. When both of ye started to talk shop, we all got up and headed to the dance floor to meet some lassies, and Jen and Ian left." Willie looked at Joe. "Want to take it from here, mate?"

Joe nodded, taking the seat opposite Jamie and bracing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands. "After a while out there at the main bar, I started to wonder where Geillis and Claire were. Rabbie and I looked everywhere, and we couldn't find them. We even checked the ladies' room. So I pulled out my phone and realised I had missed calls from Geillis. She left a voice message saying she and Claire had gone to the Royal Infirmary because Quentin was taken ill and that Claire's phone battery had died. Since it was an emergency and the club was crowded, they've decided not to waste time and took a taxi. They didn't know how serious the situation was, and Claire wanted to be by her uncle's side without further delay. Geillis instructed me to relay the message to you as soon as possible. Knowing you would want to know immediately, I came here at once and saw ..." He jerked a thumb towards the main bar outside and swallowed hard. "...blondie sat on your lap. It looked like you two were making out. Her hands were all over you."

"What?!?" Jamie's eyes widened in shock, and his heart began to pick up speed, hammering so hard he thought his chest would burst. He got up from the sofa and clenched and unclenched his hands, unsure what to do with them. He noticed the bartender from earlier had already slipped out of the room, and Rabbie unusually quiet, was sitting with his head bowed. "Are ye all messing with me? This better be a fucking joke!" he roared. When no one replied, he clasped his hands behind his head. "Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck! I wouldnae! I swear to God, I didnae. I wouldnae do that to Claire!" He picked up a whisky tumbler that was on the table and threw it at the glass wall, bleakly watching it smash into pieces. That's when he saw Morag being escorted out of the club by the bouncer.

"Jamie for fuck sake! We believe ye!" Rabbie finally spoke up, making Jamie spin around and look at his younger brother. "I was right behind Joe when we saw that lass in yer lap. Ye didnae look like you were doing anything except leaning back and looking daze. But she was all over ye and Forbes was gone. The look in yer face made Joe realised yer drink was spiked. Ye didnae look yersel', and ye were muttering, Sassenach. Even if ye werenae with Claire, ye wouldnae have made out at a place like this. I was about to punch the daylights out of ye, but Joe convinced me ye were acting weird. As soon as I asked the lass what the hell she was doing, she just jumped up from yer lap and left the room. Willie and I warned her already that if we found out she had something to do with spiking yer drink, she'll never work in Edinburgh again."

Jamie absorbed what his younger brother just said and let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know what he would have done if his own family and Claire's best friend accused him of cheating on his lass. "Have ye tried calling Geillis again?" he asked Joe, calmly this time, his breathing and heart rate somewhat back to normal.

Joe winced, and Jamie didn't like the look. "Yes we've tried several times, but there's no answer. And..." he added hastily as if afraid Jamie would explode all over again. "I tried Claire's phone too just in case she managed to charge it up. But no answer as well. They're at Quentin's apartment now. The last update I got, he suffered severe indigestion mistaking it for a heart attack. I'll keep calling, and maybe ...meanwhile, you can head ..."

"Tell him the rest of the story," Willie said in a solemn tone.

"What rest of the story?" Jamie glanced between the three of them.

Rabbie sucked in his breath and grimaced as Willie's face remained impassive.

Joe gave Willie and Rabbie a look of exasperation. "Fine, I'll tell him." Then he turned to Jamie. "A photo of you and blondie has already leaked out on Instagram and Twitter, and some moron with a fake account tagged you. It's only a matter of time before the news outlet gets hold of it and they ran the story of you cheating. We reckon it was Forbes who spiked your drink after catching on blondie having the hots for you and took the pictures. That man is a snake and is set to ruin you. We should have thrown him out when he came in here and ..."

Before Joe could finish his sentence, Jamie was already out the door. He needed to find Claire and sort this mess out. He didn't want to wait the following day because there was the possibility if he did, it would be too late. 

...........

Jamie rang the doorbell of Claire's uncle's apartment. He figured Claire and Geillis would still be up after reading what's been going on the social media. To his surprise, he was immediately buzzed in. By the time he reached Quentin's floor, the apartment door was open, and Claire's uncle was in the hallway waiting for him.

"Quentin, ye're alright. Thank God." Jamie had been expecting resistance, anger and probably at the least, Quentin's disapproving look. But there was none of that. He'd come prepared already bracing himself for the retribution that he expected to come his way. But there was nothing.

"Yes, yes. Just indigestion. Must have been the curry takeaway I'd eaten," Quentin dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I suppose you're here for my niece."

Jamie swallowed hard. "Aye, is she still here?"

"She's asleep already. Come in, come in, I have the kettle on for tea."

Jamie warily followed the older man inside and closed the door behind him. "Ye're not by any chance making stock at this time of the morning are ye?" he asked.

Quentin laughed. "No, don't be daft," he replied, leading the way to the kitchen. "I'm just about to crush some walnuts, and while I'm at it, ye can tell me what the hell is going on."

Jamie winced at his reply the moment he saw a handful of walnuts in a ziplock bag on the kitchen counter, all ready to be crushed with a hammer.

[gotham-ruaidh]

Shifted - Part 7, Chapter 1

In Shifted, the premise is simple - what if Claire had gotten pregnant with Brianna a month or two earlier in the story, and she and Jamie had re-evaluated  their priorities and decided that the cause was lost, and they were able to slip away from the army and quietly return to Lallybroch?

Previous installments…

Part 7 - The Visitor

Lallybroch, Autumn 1762

It was bright – mid-morning – and Claire had decided it was clean-up day.

 Or, time for a periodic review of the herbs, liquids, bandages, and other medicines in her surgery. A few years ago she’d finally moved out of Jamie’s study into her own room down the hall. It was really nothing more than a glorified store room – no bigger than the bathroom in her London flat many years before (hence?) – but it was all hers. Jamie had creatively built several shelves and cabinets to create an organized space to store her wares. And just enough room for two people to stand – usually her and a patient.

 But today Claire and Brianna shared the space. As Claire went through the various bottles and jars neatly stored in the shelves, she listed out the contents to Brianna, who recorded the name and quantity in one of Claire’s small ledgers. Then whatever she didn’t have they would gather outside in Claire’s small plot in the kailyard, or make a note of what Ian would fetch the next time he travelled to a city or village of some size.

 Claire needed to do this task – eventually – but she’d insisted on doing it today. She hadn’t had much time alone with her daughter since she’d shared her secret – of when she came from. Both children seemed to have taken it well – or as well as could be expected – but Claire wanted to give Brianna an opportunity to ask about it away from her father and brother.

 “Willow bark powder – two, no, three vials.”

 “Willow bark powder, three vials.” Brianna’s quill scratched softly.

 Claire shifted the stool further to the right. “All right – now we’ve got dandelion leaves, four packages. Actually, one is a bit moldy, so three packages.”

 “Aye, three packages.” A pause. “What do ye use that for?”

 “To relieve constipation.”

 Brianna snorted. “Ye’re always able to say things like that so…so matter-of-fact. Most folk would rather burn of embarrassment than say that straight out.”

 Claire grabbed the lantern and stepped off the stool to face her daughter. “And since when am I most folk, hmm?”

 Brianna raised one red eyebrow and smiled. “Since never. That’s why Da and William and I love ye so much, ken?”

 Claire smiled. “I ken.” She hesitated, then reached to take Brianna’s hand. “Do you have any questions about what we discussed the other day?”

 “About the stones, ye mean?”

 Claire nodded, and waited.

 Brianna pursed her lips, thoughtful. “It’s – it’s hard to believe, but I think things make a wee bit more sense now.”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Weel – William has told me that ye use words he’s never heard before, or read anywhere. And ye’re not like any other woman I’ve ever known – even Auntie Jenny. Da said that in your own time, women have a lot more freedoms?”

 “Yes. Women can own property, and become doctors, and vote for their government representatives. And choose whom to marry, and when to have children.”

 “Truly?” Brianna gaped. “Ye can choose all of those things?”

 Claire smiled. “Surely you know that most girls your age are out of school, married, or already have children of their own. Why do you think your father and I have always pushed for you to have an education? For you to marry for love, when you choose to, not because we forced you to?”

 Brianna nodded, processing. “I always thought ye wanted me do those things because ye’re both educated. And that ye’ve never pushed me to court or to marry because the two of you were – were forced to marry. Not that ye don’t love each other – ye do – but it wasn’t at the time ye wanted.”

 She squeezed her mother’s hand. “Da really respects you, doesn’t he?”

 Claire smiled. “Yes. We’re equal partners in our marriage – we always have been. We trust each other. We don’t make any decisions without consulting each other. Because in the very beginning, when there wasn’t very much love between us – there was respect. And honesty. And those two things have carried us through many a trial. So.” She rubbed her thumb against Brianna’s. “We want you to be a strong woman, a confident woman, who knows herself and isn’t afraid of men. Now we just have to find you a nice young lad who won’t piss himself at the prospect of courting you.”

 Brianna laughed. “Ye mean because Da won’t let any man get anywhere near me? Aye.” She looked down at their linked hands, and frowned. “What’s that on yer thumb?”

 Claire pulled her wrist back, but Brianna gripped her fingers. “Mama?”

 Claire sighed and held her hand out. Gently Brianna brought it closer to her face.

 “Is that – a J?” Brianna asked softly.

 “Yes.”

 “Did you do that?”

 “No. Your father did.”

 Her brows furrowed. “He did? Why?”

 “Because I asked him to.”

 Gently Brianna released her mother’s hand. “Why?”

 Claire licked her lips. “Honesty and respect have always been important between us. And love, of course. And touch.” She met Brianna’s gaze strongly.

 “I’ve never really spoken about this with anyone – except your father, of course. Please don’t share it with anyone else? Not even William?”

 Brianna nodded.

 Claire smiled slightly. “On our wedding night – your father was a virgin.”

 Brianna choked. “Truly?”

 Claire’s smile widened. “Yes. I was in a position to know, after all.”

 Brianna gulped. “Mama – really…”

 “He was so nervous. And I was – well. I hadn’t wanted to marry him, but there it was. And it was really difficult for us to speak to each other, it was very awkward between us.” She paused, eyes far away. “But we found out that if we touched each other – all that awkwardness went away. We let our bodies do the thinking for us, and then the rest just came naturally from that.” She paused. “So. When I feel his touch on me, and he feels my touch on him, that’s when we truly feel alive. And brave. And strong. And now I can always feel his touch on me. And he can always feel my touch on him.”

 “He marked himself, too?”

 Claire smiled. “No. I did.”

 Brianna shook her head. “The two of you, I swear. William says ye’re like the lads and lassies at one of Auntie Jenny’s gatherings, when the harvest’s in.”

 Claire smoothed back Brianna’s hair. “I look at him and I see the man I married, almost twenty years ago. My greatest prayer is for you to find a man who will look at you that same way, love. It truly is a great joy to spend your life with someone like that.”

 “So that’s why ye didn’t go back, then – because ye loved Da, and he loved you.”

 Claire nodded. “I didn’t say this in front of William, but – I wasn’t widowed when I came here. I had a husband, back in my own time.”

 “What? You what?” Brianna had to sit down on the other stool. “Ye had a husband? And ye left him?”

 Claire sighed. “I didn’t choose to leave him in the first place. So when I tried to go back through the stones, right at the beginning – it was because I was trying to get back to him. But then I married your father – and I fell in love.” She closed her eyes and continued. “Brianna – this will be hard for you to understand, but – I realized that my love for Jamie was – is - something much deeper, much more meaningful, than the love I had for my husband. Your father is truly selfless in his love for other people. He became the blood and bone in my body. I couldn’t leave him. I couldn’t. So.”

 Brianna nodded, processing. “And the second time – when he tried to send you away, when you were expecting me?”

 Claire sighed. “It was such a dangerous time. We’d barely escaped Culloden. And he was convinced that things would get really, really bad in the Highlands – and me being English would just make me a target. And he thought he couldn’t care for me – or for you – in the way we both deserved. So he wanted me to go back, to live with my first husband, to raise you in a safer time.”

 “But you chose to stay.”

 “Of course I chose to stay. I told him that I couldn’t live without my heart. He is my heart. And I couldn’t deny him the joy of you.”

 “Mama – ” Brianna choked.

 Claire’s eyes opened. Her heart stuttered once she saw the wetness on her daughter’s cheeks. Swiftly she gathered her into her arms, shushing her. Brianna settled her head on her mother’s shoulder, arms holding her tightly.

 “I feel so bad – I kept you from going home,” she sniffed.

 Claire ran a soothing hand up and down Brianna’s back. “Nonsense. I would have always chosen to stay. I couldn’t leave him. And I can’t even imagine leaving him now. Under any circumstance.”

 Brianna drew a deep breath, and let her mother hold her.

 “Mama?”

 “Hmm?”

 “There aren’t many men in this world like Da, are there?”

 Claire smiled. “No, love. There aren’t.”

 Brianna held her mother tighter. “How do I find one like him?”

 Claire gently pulled back and looked straight into her daughter’s eyes. “You will. He’ll come into your life when you least expect it. I should know.”