Chapter Text
He’s at the stones when, suddenly, something shifts. It’s like something’s pulling at him. His life flashes before him like lightning until it goes black for a moment before his eyes fly open.
It’s bright. Very bright.
Blue skies above him, he hears the sound of birds chirping before he hears someone gasp. ”Jamie,”
He turns his head sideways. There she is. His sassenach.
He was so sure he had died. He could feel it, he felt life leaving him. And what happened after - seeing Claire in the window back in her time and being at the Stones at Craigh Na Dun felt so real. He did tell her he would only peek if he would look in on her as a ghost.
But if he’s dead, why is Claire here with him?
Her eyes are full of disbelief, pain and relief. They tell a story that makes his heart ache. ”You’re…” she begins, her left hand finding his cheek and stroking it. ”How?”
”Claire,” he says, frowning as her hair gets caught in the wind. ”Your hair.”
She matches his facial expression now and he lets out a small smile as he holds out a strand for her to see. He believes he knows what happened. ”It’s all white.”
Claire blinks and tears her gaze away from his face to see what he’s talking about.
”Oh,” she lets out in a small voice before her eyes find his own again. ”Jamie,” she says again in a voice that makes him swallow before she closes the distance between them and kisses him.
When she finally pulls back, he touches her white hair. ”Claire, I-. I mean, did you-?” He breaks off, unable to put it into words and before she has the time to say anything, they are interrupted.
”Jesus Christ,”
Jamie sits up, turning his head to look into the disbelieving eyes of Roger Mackenzie whose mouth is half-open. His chest doesn't even hurt when he sits up. Unbelievable.
”It’s impossible.” His son-in-law says to himself.
Jamie gives him a comforting smile. ”Roger.”
The man looks at him before looking down at the cross in his hands and Jamie chuckles. ”And no, I’m not Jesus himself.”
”You were dead.” Roger says.
”Aye.”
”Then.. how?”
Jamie turns to look at Claire who he just now realises is still lying down. He furrows his brows, finding it strange, but she gives him a small, reassuring smile before she starts to sit up.
The movement which should be so simple is not. Her arms start wobbling when she pushes off her hands and - rather ungraciously - she slumps back on the ground.
”Claire!” Jamie says and reaches out for her, touching her shoulder. ”What’s wrong? Are you hurt, Sassenach?”
”I’m okay.” She says quickly but she frowns slightly. ”I’m just tired. I feel a bit.. drained.”
He nods. Perhaps using her power to bring him back to life had consumed a lot of energy.
God, he can’t believe he just thought those words. This is madness.
”Your hair.” Roger says to Claire, standing right next to them now, clearly he had been concerned about Claire’s wellbeing, too. ”It’s changed colour.”
Jamie swallows. ”Roger, there’s something we must tell you.”
He lets Claire tell the story first about how she was miraculously healed after she was sick after the childbirth in Paris. Roger already knows about Faith and master Raymond but what he doesn’t know is the twin childbirth at Fraser’s Ridge so she tells him.
When she’s done, Roger is grasping the cross in his hand harder. ”Why did you not tell us this before?”
”Because I wasn’t sure if it was real. I couldn’t explain it, it was all so strange. It is all so strange.”
His son-in-law lets out a chuckle. ”Aye. Strange, indeed. But a miracle.” Roger smiles brightly at them, tears in his eyes. “A happy miracle.”
They smile back at him.
Suddenly, Roger’s smile fades.
”Oh.”
”What is it?” Jamie asks.
”Everyone saw you die. This.. this will..”
Claire lets out a deep sigh. ”Damn it. This will be another witch trial.”
”You can say I was on the brink of death. That you thought I was dead.”
”Jamie, you were dead the whole night.” Roger states.
He blinks.
Then he looks down at Claire for confirmation. The sadness and pain in her eyes make all the more sense now.
Dear God.
He wants to say something to her but what can he really say to make it better? Now, in front of Roger, is not the time, anyways.
”But they weren’t up here.” Claire says. ”My memory is a little unclear but how long were they up here?”
”Not long after it happened. We wanted to give you some space.”
”So we can just say I was wrong? He had a pulse and I operated on him. They know my medical skills are great, he would just have to act injured.”
Roger tilts his head. ”That might work. Although, Ian and Buck know, I’ve talked to them. We’ve been waiting just down there in case there was anything. The rest of them are down at the camp.”
”But no one else?” Jamie asks.
”I don’t think so. No. They might find it strange why we wouldn’t have said anything sooner but.. no.”
”Good. Then we have a plan.”
”What about Claire?” Roger asks.
”What about me?” She asks, raising an eyebrow.
”Well, can you move?” He asks carefully.
Claire blinks, as if realising that she’d just been unable to sit up. How could she possibly have healed Jamie if she can’t even walk?
She rises to her elbows, a concentrated look on her face but Jamie can see her elbows start wobbling after a few seconds. The frustration on her face is evident as she lies back down. ”Apparently, I can’t.”
”How about we wrap your leg, Claire, and say you fell walking down the mountain? Both of you will go back in the carriage.”
”Great idea, Roger Mac.” Jamie says and Claire nods.
“Yes. Not very gracious of me but a good idea.” Jamie's lips twitch at her words as he strokes her face.
“I’ll go talk to Ian and Buck. You'll scare the devil out of them if you show up. And we’ll need to find you a stretcher.”
”Aye, Roger Mac. Thank you.”
“We need bandages, too, if we’re gonna make him look injured. And.. a hat for me.” Claire adds and Roger nods at her before he turns to Jamie.
His son-in-law gives him another look that reminds him a little of the one Claire has given him since he opened his eyes. He realises Roger has grieved for him, too, and Jamie strokes Claire’s forehead affectionately before he gets to his feet and stands in front Roger and gives him a smile.
He puts his hand on the man’s shoulder comfortingly. ”I’m still here.”
Roger smiles back and puts his hand over Jamie’s. ”No,”
Jamie furrows his brows at him.
”But you are back. Thank God.”
"God.." Jamie tilts his head with his lips tugging upwards slightly. "Or my wife."
"Aye." Roger smiles and they share a look that speaks volumes before Roger opens his mouth. “Alright, I’ll be back shortly.”
When Roger returns, he has Ian and Buck with him as well as a stretcher and bandages.
The crushing hug his nephew gives him brings tears to his eyes.
Buck gives him a bear hug and he hears Ian say something in the likes of “I did say you were a fairy, Auntie,” to Claire and her answering chuckle is like music to his ears.
After wrapping Claire’s leg and Jamie’s chest in bandages, and making sure that it looks realistic, they carry Claire down the mountain. When they come closer to the camp, they decide they need to play their parts so Jamie lies down on the stretcher and Ian and Buck pick him up. Meanwhile, Roger wraps his arm around Claire and helps her walk down the rest of the way. It’s not as easy as one might think, Claire’s body not being as cooperative as her mind wants. She’s clinging to him like a lifeline and Jamie can see that she’s barely able to put one foot in front of the other. When they get to the bottom, both Roger and Claire are sweaty with exertion.
The men are shocked but happy to hear the news of their beloved landlord being alive.
They decided it would be best for Jamie to pretend to be unconscious to avoid questions and to make it look less suspicious - he had been gravely injured so he would likely not be awake. No one doubts the story about Claire’s leg when they see her state and the distress on her face. Soon enough, Jamie and Claire are placed in a carriage and they are on their way back to the Ridge.
Unfortunately, there are many injured men and they need to share the carriage meaning they need to put up the act the whole way. For Jamie, it is easy, lying down and acting injured but for Claire it is more challenging - she is exhausted but she has to treat the injured, being somewhat sluggish in her movements. Somehow, she wills her body to move but Jamie can tell it is not an easy feat.
At night, she falls asleep faster than he’s ever seen, her arm wrapped around his body and her face nuzzled in his neck.
”I love you.” She whispers before sleep takes her.
”I love you, too.” He whispers back even though she won't be able to hear him.
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