Chapter Text
She’s cleaning the milkshake machine when Jamie walks into the diner that morning. The doorbell announces his presence to her and she looks up, smiling at him.
„Good morning, sunshine. What’s up?“, she calls and he has to smile back despite himself.
He answers while fixing his nametag to his blue employee polo. Brodie. He still hates not being able to use his own name.
„Same, same, everyday.“
Her answering look is sympathetic but she doesn’t comment on the situation. They are in public and it is important to keep the façade, play the game, act like it’s the role of their lives. It is a matter of life and death after all.
He ties his apron behind his back and starts making coffee, counting the first drops through the filter as is his morning ritual.
One, two – twice she had saved him from Brown’s gang already - three – three months since he first got placed into witness protection – four, five, six – six gang members still on the run including Richard Brown himself – seven, eight and then a steady trickle of coffee, as steady as the days going by.
He has never felt so trapped before, like an animal in a cage. All Brodie does all day is get up, work in the diner, watch tv, go to bed. She’s the only upside to all of this; agent Claire Beauchamp, Scotland Yard. Head of his security detail and the investigation concerning Richard Brown and his band of criminals.
The first time Jamie met Claire, he had just narrowly escaped Brown’s warehouse after discovering that who he thought was an ordinary trader and his business partner was actually part of a huge smuggling ring and very much abusing his trust.
Even then, disheveled and scared but mostly really, really angry he had noticed her beauty. Now that he’s spent over three months with her, he’s added quick wits, talent for healing, compassion and one hell of a sharp tongue to his inventory of her countless assets. He’s pretty sure if it weren’t for her, he’d have willingly gone and gave himself over to Brown by now because he just wants to get back to his own life.
„Brodie!“, she calls from the backroom of the diner when the lunch crowd has cleared and the diner is empty. He makes sure to include her codename when he answers because he knows she hates it as much as he does his own.
„Just a minute, Katy!“
He finishes loading the dishwasher and means to turn around to join her when the front door swings open and lets in a costumer. Jamie can’t believe his eyes. He basically runs towards the backroom now, shutting the door right behind him but for a small crack.
„Claire!“, he hisses, gesturing for her to join him at the door wildly. She’s by his side in a heartbeat, alarmed by his tone and his use of her real name.
„Look! It’s Richard fucking Brown. The bastard just walked right through our front door.“
She shoos him out of the way to get a look herself. He knows from the way she sets her shoulders as soon as she sees him that he’s right. It’s not just his ghosts haunting him, it’s really Richard Brown, right there in the serving room of their diner and she’s already in superhero mode, taking a step back, phone trapped between her shoulder and her ear and while she’s waiting for someone to pick up, she’s looking at him sternly.
„Did he see you?“, she asks in a low but no-nonsense voice.
„I dinna think so“, he says, „I was already half back here when he walked in.“
„Good“, she answers, immediately switching to the conversation on her phone. She’s calling for back up and judging by her expression and tone she doesn’t particularly like what she’s hearing.
„Okay“, she quietly briefs him after she’s hung up, „backup is gonna take at least 15 minutes to arrive here. I’m going out there to serve him, we don’t want him to leave under any circumstances. You stay in here no matter what, do you hear me?“
It’s phrased as a question but her burning stare lets him know unmistakably that there is only one right answer. He nods, curtly, lips pressed together and lets her press past him through the door.
He hates this. He hates feeling so helpless. He hates that she’s placing herself in danger for him.
It’s not just for him though and he knows it, this is all about catching these assholes and that knowledge is the only thing keeping him from flipping his shit.
Brown’s not alone. They’re sitting at a table in the corner, both of them bulky guys, their appearance practically screaming shady at the world.
„Can I get you anything?“, Claire asks sweetly, watching the both of them intently.
„Coffee“, comes the grunted answer.
„Right away. Anything else you need?“
„Where are the toilets?“, Brown’s companion wants to know and Claire points him in the right direction.
„Right through there“, she says and tuns to the coffee machine. Her mind is running in circles, worrying about Jamie and the backup arriving too late, wondering whether Brown is armed, questioning how to approach this best. She’s also a tiny bit excited because he’s finally in her reach after months of investigation turning up nothing but dead-ends. All of this might be over soon. There’s a surprising pang of regret at that thought and she takes a mental note to find out what that’s all about later.
The second guy comes back from the bathroom and reaches the table just a few seconds before Claire who’s coming to serve the coffee. He bends down and in a very low voice hastily talks at Brown. Claire can’t understand any of it but she doesn’t need to because it only takes her an instant to realize. Shit. The staff board in the hallway.
Brown is getting up already and one look at her face tells him all he needs to know. His smile is sly and he’s slowly coming closer.
„Well, missy, would you kindly tell me where I can find Jamie Fraser?“, he asks and she takes a step back, gripping the coffee tray harder.
„Who?“ She tries to act nonchalant but she knows it’s a lost cause and inwardly curses her glass face.
„Don’t act all innocent with me, Katy. I know you know him.“
There are only a few steps between Claire and Brown now. His right hand is in his pocket and Claire is pretty sure she can see the outline of a knife in there too.
„He... doesn’t work today“, she answers him, trying to keep her cool. Her own weapon is strapped to her back but her hands are still full with the coffee tray and God, how long does the bloody backup take?!
Brown makes a fast move and suddenly he’s right up in her face and she can smell his bad breath.
„DON’T LIE TO ME“, he yells at her and she flinches, the coffee cups tipping over and shattering on the floor.
Now or never, she thinks, quickly raising the tray and aiming for Brown’s head but he sees it coming and manages to avoid the worst of the blow. Claire tries to run from him but he grabs her by the hair and tugs violently, making her fall to her knees. There’s no trace of the earlier dirty smile left on his face now, it’s all rage now.
„TELL ME WHERE FRASER IS, WHORE!“, he screams at her and she has to close her eyes against his flying spit.
„I’m here, Brown. Leave the lass alone.“
Jamie’s voice is calm, only the strong Scottish lilt betraying his nerves to Claire. She sighs. Leave it to Jamie to make the situation worse with grand gestures.
Brown is laughing, a bitter sound, one hand signalling his companion to stay back when he tries to charge forward at Jamie.
„Oh you like the little missy then?“, he asks, provocatively tugging her hair.
Jamie makes no sound but she sees his fists clenching at his sides and Brown sees it too. He drags her up then and deftly pushes her across the room towards Jamie who makes a quick step to catch her safely in his arms.
„Say goodbye to your bitch, Fraser because you’re never gonna see her again!“, Brown jeers, openly threatening them with his knife now, the second guy laughing and applauding behind him.
„Are ye okay?“, Jamie whispers to her and she has to suppress the urge to nervously burst out laughing. Only Jamie could focus on her wellbeing in a moment like this. She nods at him, „I’m fine“ and wiggles a little in his arms, making him loosen his grip on her.
In one swift fluid motion she’s facing Brown again, gun drawn. It’s clear that this is the last thing Brown has expected. In fact, he’s so surprised, his knife falls to the floor and clatters on the yellow tile between coffe cup shards.
„Raise your hands and keep them where I can see them. Richard Brown, you’re under arrest for illegal trade and attempted murder.“
In that precise moment both back- and frontdoor open and let in a flood of police officers with raised weapons.
Claire lets out a relieved breath. „I’ll let you handle this“, she says to an officer standing nearby, stashing away her weapon while Brown and his accomplice are being handcuffed. She turns to Jamie and takes his arm.
„Come on, I’ll get you home.“
They sit in her car in front of his – no Brodie’s – appartement in silence for a while, listening to a ridiculously cheesy 80s song on the radio, enjoying the calm.
„This is finally gonna be over soon“, Claire looks at him with a small smile. „Are you excited to get back to your life?“
„I canna wait“, he admits, eyes closed and leaning back against the headrest. And then, like an afterthought, his eyes opening and deep blue oceans landing on her: „But I’ll miss ye, lass.“
„I won’t miss you, you reckless idiot“, she answers with a bravado she doesn’t really feel. „How am I supposed to protect you if you come running to my rescue just because some asshole grabs my hair?!“
His answering laugh is low and rumbles over her skin with a shudder. Get it together, Beauchamp!
He reaches over the gearshift, his large warm hand covering hers on her knee.
„I’m hoping ye won’t need to protect me much longer, mo nighean donn.“
There’s so much tenderness in his voice, she can’t help herself. She carefully intertwines their fingers, squeezing his hand, unable to look at him. He reaches for her chin with his other hand then, lifting it to face him, meet his intense gaze, see the glint in his eyes.
„Claire Beauchamp. When this is all over, will ye go out with me?“
She smiles and he wants to move the world just to have her smile at him like that again.
„I’d like that, Jamie.“
„Ye should get to locking those bastards up then“, Jamie grins at her and opens the car door but before he gets out he suddenly leans over and presses his lips to hers, soft and warm and oh so inviting, a tiny flick of his tongue against her lips. She opens her mouth to him but he’s already out the door.
„See ye tomorrow, Katy“, he calls with a smirk and then he’s gone and she’s sitting there, lips tingling, stomach coiling with want and hope. Turns out, Jamie doesn’t need to move the world to make her smile.