through the stones.

"You shut your filthy mouth!" Anais flung her arms in Angus' direction, ready for blood. Her world was covered in red, desiring nothing more in that moment than to end her lover's life; especially after his harsh words considering her 'looseness and fiery nautre' in his bed. There liaisons had been a secret- one which Anais intended to never make known to anyone. Yet here Angus was, running his gob, and only after she had harmlessly teased Jamie for being seen with Laoghaire. What made it all worse was that Dougal, Rupert, and Murtagh had also been present.

Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment and rage, and in that moment Anais wanted nothing more than run away from her current confrontation with dishonor. Not that she had much to begin with, being a bastard and all. Perhaps what hurt the most was knowing Dougal would have been disappointed in her, yet not enough to care- as long as she wasn't carrying Angus' bastard child in her belly. Yes....that is what hurt the most.

The tears only flowed forth when she felt the arms of the others pulling her own from around Angus' throat and even then, they were silent tears. "Let go of me!" Anais spun around to be confronted by Rupert and Murtagh. Staring passed them at Dougal and Jamie, she huffed out a sigh and swallowed hard. "Get out of my way, fat man." She pushed Rupert aside and sneered at Murtagh to step aside.

Strangely enough, Anais could careless what the rest of the castle thought...her entire world was encompassed by that group of men that stood before her, and whether they cared of not for Anais' shameful actions, her own shame was radiant.

---

Jamie Fraser stood still for the moment, gathering in his head everything that had took place in a matter of a given ten minutes. He shared passing glances with each man, stopping at his uncle, Dougal. It was still to the young Fraser that Dougal would do nothing of what he had just heard, nor would anyone present speak of it again. It was over. Angus knew it was over too and Jamie could see through the hard exterior that he had regretted speaking out against Anais in a fit of unjustified jealousy.

"She's only my friend Angus. Ye ken that." Jamie sighed, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "I'll go talk to her."

Everyone present knew where Anais had gone: Craigh na Dun. The young woman often visited there when she wanted to collect her thoughts or be alone. As children Jamie teased her that the fairies had put her there, knowing that Dougal would find her a better home than the one she had been born to. It was all a poor attempt to make Anais feel wanted by those at the castle.

"No, you stay put." Jamie pointed down to Angus from his horse. "You will be the last person she wants to see."

"Aye," Dougal spat. "But the lad can't go alone, not with the redcoats looking for him....Murtagh, you go with the boy."

Murtagh nodded and he too swung himself a top of his horse and the two Fraser made their way to Craigh na Dun. Jamie however could have never guessed he was going to be getting more than he bargained for in going to comfort his childhood friend. The ancient stones were beginning to hum- a sound that neither Jamie nor Murtagh could hear. Anais could hear them though and somewhere in the back of her mind, she would have been lying if she had said she didn't know what was going to happen next.

No one there was prepared for it.

“I’m still mad at you, you know.” Caitlin mumbled. The small smile tugging at the corners of the brunette’s lips as her fiancé pressed a kiss to the side of her head said otherwise though. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. Another kiss was pressed to her head. “You and I both know that’s not true.” Caitlin was stubborn, but she knew that she couldn’t argue with him. Jordan was right. When she first learned that he’d paid the remaining balance on her study abroad program, she was upset. Sure, she might not have been able to go at all if she hadn’t finished paying for it by the due date, but she hadn’t wanted him to pay out of pocket either. When she asked him why he’d done it he’d simply shrugged his shoulders. “I love you and we’re getting married. What’s mine is yours.”

Caitlin clutched the ring she now wore on a chain around her neck tightly and shut her eyes, willing away the tears that fell silently down her cheeks. That day had only been a year and a half ago. It felt more like an entire lifetime ago now though. So much had happened since then. Jordan was deployed to Afghanistan. She survived another year at NYU. Jordan was gone. She completed her last year of her undergrad program at the University of Cambridge. Jordan was gone…

Her studies had distracted her enough that she hadn’t thought of him nearly as much as she would have if she had taken a year off from school like she’d wanted to. She was going home in week now though. And this trip had only been made possible because of him. The wound in her chest that hadn’t necessarily been healed had suddenly festered and gotten infected. The pain was almost comparable to that of what she’d felt when she’d received that dreaded phone call from Jordan’s mother. It wasn’t quite unbearable but almost. She knew it would only get worse when she went home and didn’t have school to keep her busy. And maybe that was why she hadn’t noticed the sudden humming amongst the stones at Craigh na Dun, her thoughts and the pain in her chest were distracting her well enough.

What did catch her attention was the way the wind suddenly seemed to pick up. It was enough to startle the young brunette and make her suddenly aware of what was happening around her. The stones seemed to be humming, but was that even possible? Could stones really make any sort of a sound at all while remaining completely still? And then she felt it, a building pressure in her head and her chest. Prominent enough to cause her to suddenly feel faint. She knew if she didn’t steady herself somehow then she would likely topple over and pass out. Stumbling forward, she placed both of her hands flat against the stone. She blacked out before she could truly process what was happening.

---

If the situation were any different Murtagh likely wouldn’t have been nearly as silent. He and Anais had never really seen eye to eye, but Angus’ reveal of his relations with the fiery lass was something he would never wish upon anyone. Anyone with half a brain who knew Jamie and Anais knew there was nothing going on between the two. The pair had been close since they were both bairns. Young Jamie had made her feel welcome at Castle Leoch when no one else had. Murtagh was certain that everyone knew there was nothing but friendship between the two, and comment Anais had made about Laoghaire had been teasing if nothing else. He supposed that he had underestimated Angus’ stupidity as of late though.

“I’ll stay back a few paces with the horses. I’m the second to last person she’ll want to see.” Murtagh told his godson as they approached Craigh na Dun.

Neither of them had taken notice to the humming that the stones were emitting presently. If the redcoats weren’t looking for Jamie, he knew his presence wouldn’t have been necessary. Even so he knew that it would not be wise for him to make his presence known until Jamie had spoken with Anais and calmed the red-haired lass down a bit. They might not have ever gotten on well, but he wasn’t about to piss her off even further.

Allowing her anger to be entirely directed towards Angus for the time being was for the best, and he felt as though the dolt deserved it after the stunt he had just pulled anyway. The only one who would likely be able to calm her down was Jamie. That was why he planned on staying back a ways while his godson spoke with her. He’d still be able to keep watch for any redcoats while allowing the two some privacy to talk.

Anais sat still, listening to humming which was all too familiar. Occasionally the stones would do so and to the young lass's ears it was a sacred music that calmed her soul in her dire fits of rage.

Angus had no right to say such things, nor to find any jealousy where none was concerned in the first place. She was not his to stake claim to, and never in all the times that he had taken her in the dark halls of Leoch had Anais ever felt that they would be anymore that what they were in those moments. Now, the whole of the castle would know of 'Dougal's bastard's misbehavior' and in due time her life would be worse off than it had been before.

She heard the footsteps of Jamie come up from behind her, and Anais let her sitting body slump to the ground. While lying on her back, the lass looked up at the Fraser who was peering down at her. "Dougal isn't happy, I ken that," she started, "But now I'm not so sure I can go back and face them all."

"Eh, they'll all but have forgotten it by the time we reach home. Dougal is more upset with Angus than you. After all, your his-"

"I am not!" Anais spat, sitting up and looking down the path a ways to see Murtagh. She needed a subject change...one that would direct the conversation away from her odd 'relationship' from the man she had only ever called father thrice. "You shouldn't be out here, Jamie. The redcoats are always looking for you."

"I ken that, but I had to be sure you were alright."

"Aye, I'm fine...just needed a moment to cool my head....." Without another word, Anais reached out and took Jamie hand, letting him help her to her feet. "I'll wait for ye by the horses."

Lifting her skirts, the fire-haired lass trudged passed Jamie and marched up towards Murtagh, who held the reins of the two horses in his worn hand. The man that was Murtagh Fraser was one of Anais' favorite people; if only to pick a fight with. Sometimes that was exactly what she needed to feel better. "What are you looking at you ugly beast? Here to offer a ride back to Leoch I hope?"

---

Jamie paused a moment. His little chat with Anais not going as well as he had hoped. Of course he never expected her to open up heart and soul on the floor, but he was sure that she would have at least lashed out, cried, and then thank him for his open ear. Yet again, one could never expect anything of Anais...if one did they would find themselves utterly disappointed.

James Fraser cursed in Gaelic, raising a hand to the far distance to signal Murtagh that he would be along shortly.

There was a silent moment of preparation for himself included in this mess that would undoubtedly follow them back to the castle- regardless of what he told Anais. There would be talk of her and Angus no doubt, but what of him and Laoghaire? The lass would be in more trouble with their uncle than what Jamie would have liked. He cursed again, looking down at the sacred ground of the stones. Jamie prayed to God for miracle; anything to take away from the drama that unfolded over an hour ago.

Eerily the wind above the stones picked up, swirling about and nearly lifting Jamie's plaid above his head. Disoriented and partially terrified, the young man pulled his sword from his side and gritted his teeth to keep himself sharp. A spark of invisible lightning flowed through his veins...an electrical charge which he did not comprehend. A river of Gaelic curses flew from his lips, followed by a shout of terror. Then, as fast as the surreal experience had occurred, it was over. Only now...now there was a face staring back at him, equally terrified and rightly so: Jamie had held his stance with sword in hand, and in front of helpless lady no less.

It took the better part of half a minute for Fraser to realize how he must look to this woman. The other half of that minute left to wonder where in the world she had come from. She looked as if she may be sick and above all, dazed. Jamie did the only thing he could think of and dropped his sword, raising his hands to show he meant her- whoever she was- no harm.

"Dinnae run now lass....I mean ye no harm."

Even if she hadn’t blacked out temporarily Caitlin was certain that she wouldn’t be able to describe what had just happened. Craigh na Dun had seemed like a tourist attraction if nothing else, and she’d figured that paying the circle of stones at least one visit during her stay at Inverness would be enough for her to get what she needed. If she threw a few photos up on Facebook each week her parents were much less likely to worry about her. She still received a phone call from her mother every day, though she was certain that would have happened whether Jordan was still alive or not. If she popped onto social media every so often though, they were much less likely to worry about her. They’re much less likely to worry that you might off yourself before you come home. Was one of many bitter thoughts that had crossed her mind on the numerous occasions when she’d posted a handful of pictures from the different sights she’d seen that week.

Now though she really didn’t know what was running through her mind. She was still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. In her confused, and slightly dazed, state she had noted that she was still at Craigh na Dun. She had also noticed that she was no longer alone. Moments earlier she’d been standing amongst the stones, completely alone and the next thing she knew he had appeared. That was what she was going with right now anyway. If it wasn’t for the sword he held at the ready in his hand she probably would have taken better note of what he was wearing, but in her disoriented state that was the first thing, and rightfully so, she’d noticed about him.

Despite his words, and what she was sure were meant to be reassuring actions as he dropped the sword and raised his hands up in front of him, she stumbled back a few steps, her back now pressed up against the very stone she’d rested both of her hands on mere moments before. “Who the hell are you?”

---

Murtagh remained further down the path, close enough to catch a glimpse of Anais and young Jamie, but far enough away that he couldn’t quite hear the exchange between the two. He did catch the small exclamation from the fiery lass’ lips and rolled his eyes a bit. His godson was only there to ensure that she was alright and that she had calmed down enough to return to Leoch without going after Angus yet again. Yet again, the thought that the dolt deserved it crossed his mind once more, though he would never say that out loud. He might feel a small sliver of sympathy for Anais, but he would never give her the satisfaction of knowing that. That was why he’d chosen to remain back and keep watch while Jamie checked on her. The way he saw it, he was only there to ensure that the redcoats didn’t find his godson and because Dougal had asked him to.

The exchange between the two was much quicker than he’d expected it to be. Soon enough, Anais was walking downhill along the path away from the stones, though Jamie seemed to remain behind for whatever reason. He caught the signal his godson had sent his way moments before the redhaired lass reached him. “Jamie’s your ride back. I’m only here to make sure he does na run into any trouble with th’ redcoats.” He said gruffly. If it weren’t for the previous events at Leoch he probably wouldn’t have ignored the ‘ugly beast’ comment.

Before he could think twice about that decision, the wind seemed to pick up slightly and he heard his godson’s shout of terror not long after that. He exchanged a brief glance with Anais before tossing the reigns of both horses to her and quickly making his way up the hill towards the stones. Jamie was his responsibility after all. “What’re ye shoutin’ about, lad? Do ye want th’ redcoats to know where ye are?” He asked before noticing the woman with her back pressed up against one of the stones. Both she and Jamie wore equally confused expressions.

"Hey!" Anais shouted after Murtagh but in vain. The man had stormed up and over the hilly landscape, leaving a very confused and bewildered Anais behind. Startled as she was, the lass mounted one of the horses and took the other's reins and made her way back up to stones. The sight she beheld had her in wonderment.

All her life she had had her suspicions of the old stones, and had heard tales told in the kitchens of the wondrous magic that resided within. Time walkers and witches, demons and fairies all among the creatures that had used the ancient rocks. However the scared and frightened lass-near Anais' own age- seemed less fantastic than all of that. Gazing between Jamie and the new face, Anais dismounted the horse and threw the reins back at Murtagh who was paying less attention to her arrival and more so on his godson and the stranger.

For awhile no one spoke, but only stared at one another. No doubt acknowledging the strange attire the other wore. Then it became apparent to Anais that Murtagh-unlike Jamie-still clung to his weapon. "Put that crude thing away, ye dense troll. Cannae ye see yer scaring the lass?"

She then turned her attention to Jamie, who was still standing there as if he'd seen a ghost in the flesh. "Do you ken her name, Jamie? Did she tell ye what it was?" Clearly the only sense to be had in such an awkward conversation was to be handled by a woman.

"No...I...she..." Jamie Fraser was at a loss for words, gazing about the stones looking for some answer as to how all of it was possible.

Anais shook her head and marched forward, cocking her head and looking the strange newcomer in the eye. "Well, we cannae leave her here...friend or foe." She looked towards Jamie.

---

Jamie stared blankly as Anais studied this mystery woman. His mind was searching rapidly for some kind of answer to how any of it was possible. Yet...there was no viable answer. One moment he was alone among the stones and the next....she was there.

The young redhead reacted quickly when his childhood friend mentioned if a name had been given. It had been the last thing on his mind, yet soon became the most pressing. Never forgetting his warrant and yet wishing to put a face to a name, Jamie offered the first step in civility towards this mystery woman. "My name is Jamie MacTavish...this is Murtagh, and Anais....now forgive me lass but I dinnae ken where ye came from, let alone your name...."

Jamie waited for a moment before carefully stepping forward and extending his hand towards the brunette. "We will not harm you lass...but we cannae help ye if ye dinnae speak to us."

"And what if she's a redcoat?" Anais offered.

Jamie glared at his friend, not wanting to startle the newcomer should she know of the stories of what Scots did to English trespassers unguarded. "I've never known an Englishwoman to dress the way she is...nor have I known the English to abandon their woman to suffer the wilds alone....regardless of their our barbarous practices."

Fraser turned to the woman again, hoping his subduing of Anais would gain enough trust for his one burning question to be answered. "I'll ask once more lass....your name?"

Much less disoriented than she had been before, Caitlin was better able to take in her surroundings and the details she had not picked up on before. She was still at Craigh na Dun, though something seemed different about it. She couldn’t quite place what the difference actually was, but it was still there nonetheless. Then there was the way the man standing before her was dressed. If he hadn’t been so surprised and confused to see her she probably would have thought she’d accidentally intervened into some sort of history reenactment or live-action-roleplay. But would he truly have been so shocked to see her if that were the case? Something told her that wouldn’t have been the case, and it all was a bit unsettling to say the least.

Then another man was coming up the hill, he’d said something about redcoats to the red-haired man standing before her, and the unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach worsened a bit. What the hell was going on? None of this was making any sense whatsoever, and the fact that the second man had drawn his sword was extremely off-putting. Instead of uttering a word, she remained with her back pressed completely up against the stone, dark eyes wide with shock and confusion.

She didn’t say anything until the red-haired woman, who looked about her age, spoke of what she was wearing and referred to her as an Englishwoman. She knew for a fact that her accent was distinctly American and even somewhat distinctly New Yorker on some words after spending three and a half years in Manhattan. “My name’s Caitlin, Caitlin Stevens. I’m not English, I’m from New York. And there’s nothing wrong with how I’m dressed.” She said, playing with a loose string hanging from her t-shirt.

---

Murtagh responded with a great deal of hostility when he noticed the dark haired woman standing near young Jamie. He was quick to draw his sword, not knowing the intentions of the mystery woman. It was clear that his godson was confused and even a bit spooked, though he didn’t quite know why. Of course, if he had known that she had just practically appeared out of thin air he would have understood why Jamie was in the state that he was. “You’d best tell us your name, lass.” He said gruffly before being scolded moments later by Anais for having drawn his sword.

With a slight roll of his eyes, and a pointed look sent her way, he dropped his sword, muttering a few choice words in Gaelic under his breath. He didn’t quite care if he was scaring the lass or not. Her intention wasn’t known yet, nor was her name, and for all they knew she could be a spy sent by the English. Why he was the only one responding with hostility of any sort was beyond him. There was a price on Jamie’s head after all, and this woman could very well be English or working for them at the very least.

He wasn’t at all surprised when she finally spoke up, though he raised an eyebrow in question when she said where she was from. “New York is one of the colonies, lassie. Tha’ makes ye English.”

[Sorry this one's a bit shorter than my previous ones, I wanted to get something up before I left for work.]

"I dinnae ken people in New York carried an accent..." Anais raised her brow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Murtagh is right Jamie- if she is from the colonies, that makes her English. Which means we can't let her leave, but if we bring her back no one is gonna be to pleased to see a sassenach roaming the halls of Leoch."

The three Scots looked over at Caitlin, their brows raised in a quizzical manner when she had made the comment about her clothing. Anais was the one to speak, "I never seen a woman dress in trousers, ye ken? Let alone whatever yours are made from...its strange, and out of place. So forgive us if we seem more wary of ye."

There then was a spew of arguments amongst the three of what and how they should go about solving their little problem. Firstly, it was suggested that they leave Caitlin where they found her, taking their chances that she was in fact no threat to them. With that idea thrown out the window, the steady argument continued on until finally they all realized that there was no viable way to leave Caitlin. Whether she was a spy or not, none of them could risk her being found by the English and have her expose Jamie to them. Neither Anais nor Murtagh could allow that to happen.

Turning to the older man, Anais grinned from ear to ear. "Looks like you'll be giving me that ride back to Leoch after all."

---

Jamie had barely paid attention to the bickering between his godfather and friend as they fought amongst each other of what to do with Caitlin. His eyes were fix about her face and the fear that festered there. She didn't belong here...that much was painfully obvious. Still, here she was and without a shred of an inkling as to why or how.

He continued to study her, cocking one brow when she mentioned her 't-shirt'. Jamie had no idea what that was but he would have been lying to himself if he said he didn't like it. It was strange and different...and so unconfined to her figure. Aye, sassenach or not, this Caitlin Stevens was rather pleasing to the lad's eyes...but then again, what was that he saw?

Around her neck and close to her heart was a ring....so she was married then. Not that it should have mattered to Jamie, but again he'd be lying if he said that it didn't disappoint him-whether that was right of wrong of him.

The young Fraser had been so deep in thought, he had barely recognized the end of the argument.

"Aye, I would agree with the both of ye. She should go to castle Leoch." Jamie could see by the look on Caitlin's face she was none to pleased with her sentence. What Jamie feared however, was her trying to bolt. "Dinnae run now lass...."

None of this made any sense whatsoever. At the mention of the colonies, Caitlin knew that her suspicions were correct. She might still have been at Craigh na Dun, but she clearly far from the one she’d been at. She knew of the local superstitions that surrounded the hill and the circle of stones upon it, though she’d passed them off as just that. Silly superstitions similar to the ones she had believed as a little girl about not stepping on cracks in sidewalks. It was almost laughable really. Moments earlier she’d been filled with dread over needing to face everyone back home and now she had no way of getting home for the foreseeable future. If it didn’t make her feel so sick to her stomach, she likely would have laughed.

“Well, this is how most people talk and dress where I’m from.” She said defensively, crossing her arms. With her suspicions nearly confirmed about where and when she was, she realized that she should probably be a bit more careful about what she said. She had never been much of a history buff, though if she could guess, and she believed her guess to be correct, she would guess that she was likely in seventeenth or eighteenth century Scotland right now. Which also meant she’d traveled nearly three hundred years into the past. When the hell had her life become some fucked up episode of Doctor Who?

She didn’t pay too much mind to the arguing that commenced between Anais and Murtagh. She was still sort of coming to terms with what was likely reality. It didn’t seem as though they were going to let her go off on her own, which she supposed could be a good thing because she had absolutely no idea how to survive in the middle of the Scottish Highlands, but she would eventually need to find a way back to the right century. She’d have to face her friends and family back in New York sooner or later. Feeling eyes on her, she took notice to Jamie staring at her. She supposed she did look out of place her, though his attention seemed now to be on the ring she wore around her neck. Instinctively, she reached up to touch it. If only Jordan could see what she’d gotten herself into now.

Despite knowing it was likely for the best, she wasn’t all that pleased to discover the three were in agreement about her going along with them. “If I was planning on running, I would have done so already.”

---

The lass was English, whether she ken it or not. Leaving her be was entirely out of the question. Though Murtagh didn’t quite understand her arguing that she wasn’t English, New York was one of the colonies after all, or that her choice in attire wasn’t unusual, he knew that much. With the price on his godson’s head, leaving anyone English, whether they believed themselves to be or not, would not be wise.

Needless to say when the suggestion was made to leave her there at Craigh na Dun he was quick to shut it down. They couldn’t leave her there. She could very well be a spy for the English and this could easily be some sort of an act, though a strange one it would be, and leaving her behind meant she could run along and tell them exactly where Jamie had been hiding as of late. They simply could not allow for that to happen. Allowing Jamie to follow Anais here had been risky enough as it was, leaving an Englishwoman who had seen him to go off on her own just could not happen. The argument continued for a while, not that it was anything out of the ordinary for he and the fiery lass, until an agreement had been come to.

When his godson agreed as well, Murtagh simply ignored the comment from Anais and walked off, mumbling in Gaelic as he did. If Dougal did not trust him to bring her back, and he knew for a fact that he did, the thought of ensuring she fell from the horse somewhere along the way seemed like a decent idea. It was going to be a long trip back to Leoch, there was no denying that much.

Jamie held the reins close to his body, which in turn meant they were even closer to Caitlin. It wasn't long before their trek to Leoch had turned into darkness, leaving no light but the moon to see by, and little to hear other than the breathing between them. (They were both trying to ignore Anais and Murtagh's bickering)

"We are almost there, sassenach. My uncle Colum will welcome you in for the night, but dinnae expect much from anyone else..." Jamie didn't want to frighten Caitlin, and hated to leave such a short-lived conversation on the bleakest of topics, but believe it or not, James Fraser was just doing his best to not focus on Caitlin's arse against his lap. God be good to him...he just couldn't take much more of it.

"Where's the lad who gave you the jewel?" Jamie brought up the only topic he knew would cease the tension in his loins, and had felt nearly bad about it. "Ah, ye dinnae have to answer me, Miss Stevenson....or no, Stevens wasn't it? I've never been tha' good with names."

He could have kicked himself for his awful, if nothing better than honest, mistake. Again, he attempted to make up for it. "Its a pretty gem, I would imagine the name that bought it for you must have been a lord? Cannae see a stable boy earning enough in a lifetime to by such a pretty thing." Jamie continued on this way, hoping to compliment Caitlin. It never occurred to him that he might actually be doing the complete opposite.

"Aye right ahead, Caitlin, do you see it? That is Castle Leoch."

---

Anais had found that somewhere along the journey back home, her eyes had fallen heavy and her back eased into Murtaugh's chest. The steady trot of the horse combined with Murtaugh's worked like a charm in lulling her into her dreams. It wasn't until she remembered in the back of her mind what had happened earlier that day, particularly Angus, never minding the trouble Jamie would have himself in for hauling Caitlin into the castle. No, Jamie would have to suffer his stupidity alone...but he also had Murtaugh.

The young girl shifted in the saddle, knowing full well what waited for her back at home. Regardless of Dougal felt-caring less about who his daughter slept with- her uncle would not be pleased. Colum would see to it- bastard Mackenzie or not- that Anais would own up to her loose way of living. And as God would have it, Angus was the hand of Colum who dealt out such punishments.

"Murtaugh," Anais whispered, so not to be heard by Jamie. "You dinnae let Angus whoop me. And you dinnae let Jamie take it for me neither, ye hear? If Dougal doesn't stand up and deal the blows himself, ye gunna have to. I dinnae want Dougal's men touching me."

They never saw eye to eye, Anais and Murtaugh...but if God was good and Murtaugh an honest man-both of which she believed- he would understand why it couldn't be Angus.

The one thing on Caitlin’s mind presently was that the last man she had been this close to, that wasn’t a relative of sorts, was Jordan. She knew that she shouldn’t do this to herself. She knew that her mother would likely scold her for torturing herself as much as she had in the last year. Every time she called, Caitlin could hear it in her voice. And every time it seemed as though the subject was veering in that direction she was quick to divert it somewhere else or make up some bullshit excuse for cutting their phone conversation short.

She knew that her mother likely knew what she was up to, and she also knew there would be no avoiding that conversation when she got home. If you even get home now. She thought bitterly to herself. As much as she’d wanted to avoid the confrontation in a week’s time with her friends and family, she hadn’t exactly hoped for something like this to happen. Sure, maybe a delayed flight or loads of traffic on the GW heading home would have been appreciated, but accidentally traveling three centuries into the past? Yeah, that wasn’t really something she’d hoped for.

Caitlin wasn’t all that shaken up by Jamie’s comment. She’d lived in Manhattan for the last four years of her life. New Yorkers weren’t exactly known for their hospitable nature. The only thing that really concerned her was finding a way back home, though before she could make a comment of her own, he was asking her about Jordan’s ring. Her blood ran cold at the mere mention of it. She didn’t even care that Jamie had gotten her last name wrong. She was thinking of Jordan more now than she had in the last year.

“He wasn’t a lord, he was a soldier.” Was all she said in response. If she spoke too much on the subject, she was certain that she’d break down into hysterics right then and there. And she wouldn’t let that happen, not in front of a complete stranger. She’d be stronger than that, and so, when he pointed their destination out in the distance, she simply nodded, fearing that her voice might betray her.

---

The journey back to Leoch proved to be just as long and torturous as Murtagh had expected. The bickering likely would have been kept to a bare minimum had Anais been able to ride with Jamie and was kept a short distance from them. It was little things that seemed to set them both of with the close proximity between them now though. He was somewhat surprised that his godson hadn’t said anything to the pair of them, though his attention seemed to be almost entirely on the sassenach. She was a bonny lass, and Murtagh knew that young Jamie had noticed that.

The closeness was likely much less torturous for him, though maybe it was a different form of torture altogether, than it was for the two who spent a majority of the first quarter of the journey back arguing.

Somewhere along the way the bickering stopped for a while. Murtagh only took notice to it because, sans for the small bit of conversation between Jamie and Caitlin it was completely and utterly silent. That was when he realized Anais had drifted off at some point. He didn’t know when it had happened, he hadn’t paid the silence any mind until now, though he did know that the fiery lass was much more relaxed now than she’d been earlier. She wasn’t nearly as horrible when she was asleep and her mouth was shut. If she could have been asleep the entire way back he was certain everyone would have been better off.

He felt her stir suddenly and was surprised that she was silent for a while longer despite now being conscious. There were very few instances he could recall when she had been this quiet. It was strange, though he would not open his mouth and say something about it. He’d spare the other two from more of their bickering, though it was clear the two were not paying much mind to them anyway. He’d heard Jamie mention the ring Caitlin wore around her neck. He’d noticed the way the lass seemed to tense up at the mention of it, though his godson had continued on with the subject anyway.

Though he began to question whether or not Jamie could possibly be that oblivious, he did hear what Anais said. He understood why she would make such a statement, and he knew that he’d do what she asked, regardless of the fact that they never got on well at all.

“Aye, ye have my word.” He said simply as Leoch drew closer.

Jamie could see the desperation in Caitlin's voice as they approached the castle. He offered his hand to her as he dismounted, running over in his mind what he might say to her...how he could possible offer his condolences. "No honor greater than dying for one's country." Was the only response he could think of. There were obvious and more pressing matters at hand now that they had arrive back home.

If Jamie could have come up with any excuse to ease Caitlin's stay at Leoch, he would have done it. God only knew why and where the woman actually came from, but there was a gentleness in her that Jamie did not wish to see dwindle. The lad knew if anyone suspected Caitlin of being a redcoat sympathizer, Dougal would not hesitate to have his men silt her throat while she slept. For the few moments he captured alone with the sassenach, Jamie warned her. "Do not let the men of this castle know your late husband was a British solider, sassenach. You say he was English lord who died of the fever, or whatever suits you best...but he was not a soldier, ye hear me?"

He then waited for her to see the seriousness of his disposition. There was no room for jesting with Dougal and Colum- not when both would already be in a foul mood thanks to the events that played out that day. This however was no good reason in Jamie's opinion to have frightened Caitlin; after all, she was a stranger in a strange world. "I cannae protect ye if ye dinnae listen to me. If ye can trust me, I will trust ye. I expect answers to what it was that happened at the stones, sassenach...but in order to get those answer I'm going to need ye alive and well."

And he meant what he spoke. There was no telling what might become of the bonny lass, but if they could keep his uncle Colum in good spirits, Caitlin may well become a guest. "So what is your story, sassenach?" Jamie was praying to God above that Caitlin had picked up on his play of words, wanting her to share in the tale she would have to conjure in order to survive.

---

"I'm not apologizing to anyone." Anais did not shout, nor did she stare into the eyes of her uncle. "With all do respect, I dinnae carry the Mackenzie name, so no slander was done against anyone here."

It was bold, but not entirely out of place. She knew it was coming and she knew twice over what it would end with. All of this however did not swayed her to appeal for forgiveness. Anais had told Dougal once before that her life was her own, her body was her own, and she did not strive to save herself for anyone; no honorable man worth her time would marry a bastard girl.

Anais blinked her eyes to fight the fear that welled in her. Her teeth clenched as she looked towards the man who she called father-his eyes emotionless as his brother called for a beating.

"Will ye not do it then?" She stared at Dougal, her voice cracking in the desperation of a plea. Yet she knew exactly why he would refuse it. Anais had denied him as her father- renouncing herself as 'not bearing the Mackenzie name'.

She closed her eyes then, ready to accept what was to come, as Angus descended the stairs beside Colum, a leather strap in his hand. Anais knew that behind her stood the tenants of the castle, each one whispers words of hate and sympathy to her back. Her face burned beet red with embarrassment and she cringed as Rupert and another of Dougal's men took both of her arms.

Anais knew Jamie would have tried to stand in for her; just as he had done for that blonde wench he had been macking on. But Jamie wasn't that man to her- she never wanted him to be. But God above the last thing she wanted was to take a punishment dealt out by a man who had put her in this predicament.

He shouldn’t have died at all. Was always the first thing that came to Caitlin’s mind whenever anyone offered her their condolences for the loss of her fiancé. He was only twenty-two. She’d heard so many heartwarming stories about women and children who had been reunited with their loved ones overseas. Of course, there were tragic stories as well, she knew that and she’d known there was at least a chance that Jordan wouldn’t come back, but she had never imagined it would actually be so. She never imagined that she would lose him before they were even married.

They always spoke of the future. Where they’d live. What kind of house they wanted. How many children they wanted. Those conversations and promises were empty ones though, she only wished she had prepared herself further for the possibility.

She welcomed the slight shift in conversation, and resisted the urge to correct Jamie when he referred to Jordan not only as her late husband but also as a British soldier. He served in the US armed forces, he was an American! She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, knowing still that she needed to be careful about what she said even around Jamie, who, for whatever reason, she felt as though she could trust most out of the three.

She could tell that he was serious about her keeping the truth of Jordan’s death from everyone else within the castle. It made sense. If she was assumed to be British so too would Jordan, thus it would be assumed that he was a British soldier. “I won’t speak of it.” She said. As much as it pained her to lie about her fiancés’ passing, she knew that it was for the best. Jordan wouldn’t want her to risk her own life just so she could speak the truth about him.

She knew that Jamie knew what would be the best approach for her here, and again she trusted him more than she’d ever trusted a stranger before. She was at a disadvantage here though, in this time, and she knew it. If there was any time that was right to trust a complete stranger then this was it. “I’ve lived in the colonies my entire life and have spent the last four years in New York with my husband. I lost him a year ago to smallpox. I chose to leave as there wasn’t much there for me anymore. I have distant relatives in Newcastle who are expecting me within the month.” She supposed it wasn’t the most creative thing that an aspiring writer from NYU could come up with, but she figured it would do for now.

---

Murtagh knew that the situation would be addressed not long after they returned to Castle Leoch. Even though they had a sassenach with them, the day’s earlier events would need to be addressed. He did not necessarily believe that Anais should be punished for what Angus had revealed, but he also knew that it was a deed that could not go unpunished, especially being who she was to Dougal. There would be no special treatment, and though he didn’t agree with it he knew that he couldn’t say anything outright.

That was why he had agreed when Anais told him to take the punishment for her. He was somewhat glad that the sassenach was there to distract Jamie for the time being or else he knew his godson would do it just as he had other times in the past for others. He had no doubts that Jamie would do so for Anais as well. But his godson was absent now, and Murtagh knew exactly what that meant. He was going to have to step up and take it for her.

He understood the fiery young woman’s reasoning for not wanting to take the punishment herself. It was one of the very rare instances when the two actually saw eye to eye, and as Angus approached Anais, leather strap in hand, Murtagh knew he had to intervene now if he was going to at all. Though he held a strong dislike for the lass, he was not about to go back on his promise. If there was one thing that he was, it was a man of his word, and that was not something that was likely to change.

Though he had remained silent the entire time that was about to change as he stepped forward. He did not look to see the shocked expressions he was sure a majority of the people in the room wore, though he knew they were present. “If I am allowed, I would like te take her punishment for her.”

"Aye sassenach, that'll do just fine." Jamie gave her a weak smile; his own mind was trying to wrap around what the truth of it all might really be.

He considered himself rather fine in the way he was handling such a situation. It wasn't every day a woman appeared out of thin air and in the manner that Caitlin had. Nothing was clear other than she didn't belong at Leoch. Jamie would be willing to bet she didn't belong in Scotland or even New York for that matter; at the least the New York he knew to be in existence. However he would let such a frightened creature suffer the hands of brutish Scotsmen- he knew all too well the stance his uncles took to outsiders. Jamie did not want to imagine what might become of Caitlin if either of them knew her husband served the British.

They walked the inner parts of the castle, hardly any words spoken between them. Jamie introduced Caitlin to Mrs. Fitzgibbons, giving the old woman a pleading look of kindness; Jamie's own way of asking the cook to watch over and offer genteelness to Caitlin. Between the two of them, they prepared Caitlin for her meeting with Jamie's uncle.

Surprising no doubt to Caitlin- and surely Mrs. Fitz- Jamie had given his insight into how and what Caitlin should wear. From the color of the dress to its length and style, Jamie put in his two cents. It wasn't until the housekeeper shooed him away did the young Scotsman finally step back and let the women get to work. Mrs. Fitzgibbons however did allow Jamie to dispose of the t-shirt and jeans so no one else might know the disturbing and unknown truth about their guest.

After the initial go around with preparing Caitlin and going over her story with Jamie once more, he looked down at her, his eyes entrusting yet soft. "Ye will get through this, sassenach. Then after- after my uncle grants ye stay here, I wanna ken the truth- all of it. Ye have me thinking yer a witch....but witch or no, no harm will come to ye here- not if ye stay close to me."

He sighed, taking in the sight of Caitlin- who was clearly uncomfortable in the dress. "Ye look bonny, Caitlin."

---

Anais did not run out of the room, but walked away. Murtagh had done was he said he would, yet this did not make her feel any better than she had before. There was no mistake that she was not his favorite person at Leoch- or all of Scotland for that matter, and still she knew what it meant to step up and take a punishment that wasn't your own.

While the matter of fists was being taken care of in the great hall, Anais went to the kitchens and gathered food, cloth, and ale. She had prepared to show her gratitude to Murtagh in the only way she knew how and waited for him by the door to his chambers. She waited for what seemed like hours, nodding to a passerby here and there and even had the pleasure of seeing Jamie and Caitlin cross her path; the two of them making their way to the hall.

"Aye ye clean up nicely lass." Anais offered a compliment to the sassenach, yet did not miss the look Jamie gave her- noting at who's door she sat in front of. "Murtagh took a punishment for me....I'm here waiting to bandage the brute up."

Jamie only gave her a look before moving Caitlin down the hall further and leaving Anais to wait. Which thankfully did not take much longer. Still, in the darkness and shadows of the castle, Anais' heart grew anxious. For the first time in all her life she was terrified to see Murtagh face to face.

Given the current situation, Caitlin knew it was in her best interest to have an ally of sorts. That was precisely what Jamie was to her in that moment. She hoped that she was right enough to trust him and, depending on how long she was there, maybe she had found someone who would eventually become a friend. She liked to think that she would find a way back home, to her own time, but there was no way of knowing for certain when she didn’t even know how the hell she’d ended up in 18th century Scotland in the first place. There was no mad man with a blue police box, or a tornado, and she certainly didn’t have a flux capacitor. She was a 21st century woman in the 18th century, and she had no idea how she’d gotten there.

As they walked throughout the castle, it was quite obvious that they both were sort of mulling things over. Her sudden appearance was clearly as much of a mystery to Jamie as it was to her. She was only glad that he was handling it the way that he was. She had a feeling that there were very few people at Castle Leoch who would take her sudden appearance as Jamie was. He wasn’t taking it lightly, that much was obvious, but he also wasn’t automatically throwing witchcraft accusations her way, and for that she was extremely thankful. She only hoped that when she did tell him the truth, and she fully intended on doing so, that he wouldn’t change his tune.

He proved to be just as useful of an ally to her as he already had even after he’d introduced her to Mrs. Fitzgibbons. After offering his suggestions here on how she should dress to visit her uncle, even down to the color of the dress, Caitlin was confident that she could trust him. He wanted her to get through this meeting with her uncle as much as she did and though she still felt very out of place, she was thankful for Jamie’s help.

They went through her backstory once more after passing by Anais down one of the corridors, and Caitlin was certain she could talk with confidence of it now despite the bundle of nerves frenzying in the pit of her stomach.

“I can assure you that I’m not a witch, I was just as surprised as you were when I appeared on that hill.” She told him, biting back the comment she wanted so badly to make about never receiving a letter to Hogwarts. “Nevertheless, you have my word that I’ll tell you the truth after all of this is over and done with.”

She mustered a weak smile in response to his later words. “I feel like a fish out of water.”

---

It went as Murtagh had expected it would. He knew that some would be surprised when he asked to take the beating to the fiery lass, Angus included amongst that group, but it mattered very little to him. He had no reason to explain himself to any of them. He had his reasons for doing what he had, none of which were anyone’s business but his own. Comments would likely be made in passing at some point though, and he knew that. If they were not said to him then they would likely be said to Anais. Murtagh knew that the young woman had a thick skin though, so he worried very little for her. He had done his part in all of this.

The beating went as quickly as any other one did. He received no special treatment; no one ever did at Leoch. The few times that young Jamie had stepped in to take punishments for young lasses he never received special treatment either and he was the nephew of the laird. Murtagh had not expected anything special either, and though he knew he would be sore for a few days, he also knew that there were worse punishments out there.

As he made is way out of the room and approached his bedchamber, he was surprised to find Anais waiting outside. He had not expected anyone to be there, let alone her, though he supposed this was her fulfilling her end of the near silent agreement they had come to on their way back to Leoch. He was quick to question her presence nonetheless.

“What are ye doing here?” He asked gruffly, pausing outside of the room. Though he cared very little for what others within the castle thought of him, he knew it would not look good for her to be seen entering his bedchamber with him. There were far too many prying eyes, and word would travel quickly, he knew that much.

“Ye shouldna be here.”

Jamie hardly knew what to expect as he brought Caitlin to the audience with Colum. What hadn't surprised him however was the presence of Dougal. The war-chief eyed their guest with judgmental eyes, drinking up the chance to take in the sight of a newcomer. Instinctively, the young Fraser took it upon himself to place the sassenach on the inner corner away from his one uncle; a small gesture to show he meant what he had told her. Jamie would do all he could to keep Caitlin out of harms way, should she remain truthful with him.

The introduction went smoothly and all seemed rather well until the dreaded question surfaced as to how a sassenach ended up in the Highlands of Scotland.

The lad desperately wished he would have intervened at that moment, knowing all too well if he did more questions would be the only result. All Jamie could do was stand there-trying his best not to look anxious-and pray his uncle found no guilt in the story Caitlin would have to spin to him. A fish out of water indeed.

Not to his surprise, it hadn't been Colum to right out reject her- it had been Dougal. His argument was valid-to the point where Jamie had no choice but to intervene.

"Her party was ambushed by British Soldiers, slaughtered like sheep." Jamie interjected. "Murtagh, Anais, and myself found the lass making her way to Craigh na Dun, frightened to death."

At the mention of the stones, Dougal seemed to grow more suspicious of what had actually taken place. Jamie knew the reason for it. He had always known. Caitlin wasn't the first stranger to be found amongst the ancient structure. It had happened before, but it had been Dougal at the stones, and he had brought back with him a infant girl with red hair.

"Is this true my dear?" Colum shifted in his seat. The illness within him making his body ache terribly. "If so you should write to your family in New York and seek passage back to your home. Unfortunately to the English if you were not born on their soil, you are not one of them."

The Laird of Leoch took in each expression of the men around him, studying each one's doubt over the little situation at hand. It was Colum's duty to weed out spies and worse, and he needed to tread carefully.

"You will write to your family in New York tomorrow, and I will personally seal it. With any luck they will buy you passage home, where you might start over. Until such arrangements are made, you will remain a guest to this household."

Jamie couldn't help but give Caitlin a small smile of victory....at least for this one battle.

---

"It innae like that ye great beast." Anais sighed, rising to her feet and helping him into his room. "Besides, ye cannae go without a look see at those cuts and bruises...."

Seeing Murtagh in his condition silenced the lass for a moment. Clearly Angus had not been pleased that Dougal allowed Murtagh to take her punishment. Yet as he promised, Murtagh had.

Anais did not speak when she took to her actions of tending to the mess. She silently lit the candles in the room, casting shadows about in a mystical way before lighting the fire place. Sitting by the hearth for a moment, Anais ran over her thoughts mostly struggling with the guilt that rested over her heart.

"I shouldna asked ye to do that for me." Turning towards Murtagh, who sat in the chair next to her, Anais rested a hand on his knee. "But I am grateful for it....I owe ye greatly."

Silence fell over the two again and it wasn't long before the witching hour when the lass knew she would have to leave, lest her father come looking for her and this mess began all over again.

Standing from her spot, Anais ran her fingers through her hair and straightened her skirts. She stared at Murtagh then for what felt like a lifetime; that same guilt sitting in the pit of her belly like a cold snake. Reaching out she let her fingertips brush across the cut that adorned his lip and tried to smile but found it was a lost cause. So instead, Anais bent down and kissed his cheek. "Móran taing."

Caitlin knew that in any other situation she wouldn’t lay most, if not all, of her trust in a complete stranger. Jamie seemed like someone who she could trust, but what evidence did she really have of this when she had only just met him, and under some extremely strange circumstances no less? Those circumstances were her exact reason for trusting him though. She still didn’t really know how she’d ended up here in the first place, and if she intended on finding a way back to the twenty-first century, which she had all intentions of doing, then she was going to have to put her trust in someone so that she could bide herself enough time to at least attempt to figure things out.

Nevertheless, the thought of telling the young Scotsman the whole truth caused a pit to form in her stomach. He had seen her appear before him within the stones, but would he believe her if she told him that she was from the future? Was the truth more farfetched than assuming she was some kind of a witch? The brunette supposed that she would find out soon enough.

Whether she’d been right to trust him or not, he did step in and speak on her behalf when Dougal Mackenzie voiced his suspicions about her. She didn’t know why the man found her presence so much more suspicious than the others seemed to, but she was thankful that Jamie stepped in and spoke before she could stumble over her words. She was always good with words when they were in writing, but voicing them verbally had never been a strength for her. Thankfully, Colum seemed to buy what his nephew had said, and no further explanation seemed necessary for the time being. Something told her not to let her guard down too much though.

“Thank you…I appreciate your generosity. I will write my family tomorrow.” Of course there was no family for her to write to for obvious reasons, but no one in the room other than Caitlin knew that, and the Laird certainly didn’t need to know of her unique circumstances either.

She noticed the small smile that Jamie sent her way, and returned it, though she knew now that she really was going to have to tell him everything. The Laird may have bought the story they had fabricated for the time being, but would Jamie believe her when she actually told him the truth?

---

Murtagh raised a brow in question when the fiery lass suddenly went silent for a few moments. This was one of the few occasions that he could recall when she wasn’t running her mouth off about something. She always had a smart remark to make whenever she spoke with him, and it always seemed as though she needed to get the last word in no matter what. If it wasn’t for the expression on her face, he probably would have commented on it, but he could already sense the guilt that she was feeling.

Wordlessly, he stepped into his chamber, not at all surprised when Anais followed behind him. He took a seat and watched as she lit a few candles to bring some light back into the room. He was almost certain that this was the longest they had both gone without bickering or insulting each other. It was also the longest length of time that he had ever witnessed the red-haired woman not utter a single word.

“Ye dona owe me anything. I wouldna have gone through with it unless I wanted to.” He told her quietly. And that was the truth. He never would have agreed to take the beating for her if he thought that it was something that she deserved. “Besides, if I didna do it, Jamie would have. The lad’s taken far too many beatings already.” He liked to think that he had also done it, in part, because he knew his godson would have stepped in and taken the beating for her if he hadn’t.

He was silent after that, allowing her to tend to the cuts and bruises he had received at Angus’ hand. He wasn’t at all surprised when a short while later she stood up. He knew that if Dougal caught her here with him, they would end up back at square one. After the mess that had been made earlier, he knew that neither of their words would be taken by the war chief. He wouldn’t believe either of them after the spectacle Angus had caused regarding Anais.

The fiery lass’ next actions were ones that took Murtagh by surprise. He watched silently as she brushed her fingers lightly across the cut on his lip. What really caught him off guard was the kiss she pressed to his cheek. This was a side of her that he had never really witnessed before. Not towards him at least. “Chan eil taing a dhìth.”

[I'm sorry this took so long and that it's not the best post, student teaching has been kicking my ass and keeping me busy lately. ]

When they had been dismissed, Jamie urged Caitlin to follow his lead in bowing before Colum. A manner of respect for his gracious hand lent to her. It wasn't until they had rounded many corners and became out of earshot that he finally spoke. "Dougal suspects something...and I cannae say his suspicions are ill-favored."

They continued down the corridors to the room that had been prepared for Caitlin earlier that evening. Jamie sighed, raising his arms above his head and gave the lass a halfhearted smile. "Dunnae forget that explanation sassenach- though it can wait til the morning. If you need anything, Mrs. Fitz is only down the hall there." He paused a moment, peering around their surroundings before turning in closer to Caitlin and lowering his voice. "Stay clear of Dougal, I cannae say for sure but he is a man of conviction- among other things. Tell nothing to anyone and keep to yourself as best you can until we can find a way out of this mess."

Fraser offered another smile, this one genuine and caressed with hope. He could hardly place why he was willing to help even beyond what he already had. Perhaps it was the work of fairies or wisps; maybe something far deeper than all of that. All he knew was in her eyes there was a strength he had never seen before and with it an equal amount of fear to measure every once of courage.

"What is it lassie? You want to say something. I ken it..." Truthfully, he had no idea if she had wanted to say anything to him at all. Even full of more truth was the right out fact she could have told him to turn around and never speak to him again and that would have suited him just fine. James Fraser only wanted to hear that voice again; so foreign and fair. After all he was only a man, and Caitlin was only a flower that intrigued him above all else. And of course there was guilt there as well....for she was still so full of life to be a widow.

They both stood there for a moment in the silence of the castle. Shadows danced around them bouncing off the flickering of the flames radiating from the torches.

"Don't be afraid Sassenach..."

---

Anias rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. "But it was ye fanny." Her insults being her best defense.

She strolled over towards the hearth and tossed another log upon the dying embers. "I don't love him, ye ken?" She whispered. "He was just...there. The first lad to show any interest in me. First I'd ever given myself too." Anais glanced over to Murtagh and laughed dryly. "Not that ye be wanting to hear that- I just find it a cruel twist o'fate that all of this happened."

She stood awkwardly there, her hands twisting up in her skirts before finding the ties up by her corset. She pulled at them anxiously, her face burning with embarrassment. "I ken Jamie woulda taken that beating for me and I wouldna wanted that, but that doesn't make it right that you did.....it doesn't make it right that Colum and Dougal allowed it to happen."

Finding her strength she bit her lip and held back the flow of tears that threatened to break her cold and hardened exterior. "Murtagh I....I'm terrified...I even prayed if ye can believe that- ME of all people- praying...but...can ye keep a secret?"

She had a feeling he knew what she was going to tell him, what with the look on his face. However in a split second her old self shined through. "Don't ye being giving me that look Murtagh....I have no one else to tell...and this is hard as it is. Yet seeing as ye took the beating and you being a Fraser with a name and Angus...well just being Angus......" She paused again and threw his hands in the air. "I have not bleed in two months time."

She stared at him and she felt her stomach turn in on itself. "I suppose I deserve that look."

Caitlin wasn’t at all surprised by Jamie’s words. She knew that his uncle suspected something. He was the only one to truly question what she was doing in the Highlands. He was the only one to really raise a question in general, and it was fairly obvious that he didn’t quite believe the explanation that his nephew had provided. She didn’t know if Colum suspected something though. She wondered what would happen when she didn’t have anyone to write to in the morning. She supposed she could fabricate an address and the name of a family member, but what was going to happen when no letter was sent out in response to her own.

She supposed that Jamie could help her with that if he believed her when she told him the truth, but that was a big if. She didn’t know if the young highlander would believe her or not. She was still honestly trying to wrap her head around what had happened herself, and she knew that they believed in witches and fairies and spirits in this time, but would he believe her when she told him she was from the year 2016? The mention of the explanation made her feel even sicker to her stomach than she already had. Part of her just wanted to tell him everything now. Get it all out in the open and off of her chest.

“I’ll tell you everything tomorrow then.” She said quietly. She nodded wordlessly when he told her to go to Mrs. Fitz if she needed anything and that she should steer clear of his uncle. She planned on doing so anyway. She wanted to tell him that she was in more of a mess than he realized, but she kept it to herself instead. When he said he could tell that she wanted to tell him something, she almost laughed. That was an understatement. There was so much that she wanted to tell him, so much that needed to be explained, but she didn’t know if she should wait to tell him or not. Would doing so make much of a difference? She didn’t really know. “There’s a lot that I have to tell you…it’s going to sound insane though. I know it is.”

---

Murtagh had never really seen this side of the fiery haired lass before. He was going to make a gruff comment about how she’d said she was leaving moments before when she walked over to the hearth instead of the door, but when she spoke, he chose against doing so. He didn’t know why she was telling him what she was, he suspected that Jamie was the one she normally told these kinds of things to, but he wasn’t going to cut her off. She hadn’t been this civil with him before. He chalked it up to her simply being grateful that he’d taken her punishment for her, but there was more to it than that. She wouldn’t be telling him what she was telling him if it was. He could tell that she hadn’t told his godson any of this yet. If she had, she wouldn’t be telling him. There would be no need for her to come to him and tell him if she had told Jamie all of this already.

“Angus is a dolt.” He said gruffly. Now that he knew her side of the story, he honestly felt bad for her. He knew better than to show her any pity though. She was a strong young woman, and she likely wouldn’t take kindly to his pity or anyone else’s regardless of the confession she was offering to him.

Then he noticed the tears shining in her eyes, and he honestly didn’t know what to do. She had this cold, hard exterior about her most of the time, but she didn’t right now. He had never seen her look this way before. She always seemed older than she was because of how she acted, she held her own amongst even most of the men, but now he was reminded that she was a woman but she was also just as young as his godson. “Ye have my word, lassie.” He told her when she asked if he could keep a secret. This was what was bothering her. Whatever she was going to tell him was what she’d been needing to get off her chest for quite some time now.

He wasn’t sure what to say at first, and he sort of just looked at her for a moment before he spoke. “You’re sure it’s been two months?”

James Fraser stiffened his back, a feeling coursing over him he had only felt once before. As he stared at Caitlin there was a reminiscent meeting that he had placed far back into the recesses of his memory. Anias had said those words to him once before- those exact words. 'It is going to sound insane though. I know it is'. And his friend had been right. It had all sounded completely insane to the point that he had silenced her and told her to be thankful she had a home and family that cared for her. After all, Dougal had made it clear no questions surrounding the girl be made- especially regarding where he had found her as a babe.

He cleared his throat and scratched his head before shrugging his shoulders. "Aye, I suppose there is a lot I should tell ye too...in respect to where we found ye. Anias thinks ye came through the stones...she believes she came through the stones herself....or someone put her through them. Blames fairies and all the likes for it, ye ken?" Jamie wanted to sound as compassionate as he could for the sake of those eyes that pleaded with him. "She told me once that she could hear them- the stones- humming and vibrating with magic....tell me lassie you don't believe such things?"

Seeing the disappointment in her eyes twisted his gut. There was no true viable reason for it- he didn't know this woman. Yet all the same...there was conviction there and a subtle knowledge that eluded his cousin. Caitlin seemed to know something none of them knew. Not to mention she had come from New York...or so she claimed and that was something truly spectacular in comparison to the first.

"I don't mean to belittle ye Caitlin...truly I don't. Isn't it possible though that ye been through so much that yer mind isn't thinking properly?" He held up his hands to stay any anger that might be resting just behind that tiny frame in a corset. "I say that with the thought in mind that ye think ye came through a portal or some sort....I'm not one to go believing in such things, ye ken?"

Jamie sighed then, waving his arm to his side. "Then again one moment you weren't there and the next...." He laughed dryly. "You see sassenach...in rumor ye aren't the first to do so....but I've also never encountered anyone so deep inland that claimed to be from the colonies with no memory of crossing an ocean. You do ken how that appears to me, don't ye lassie?"

---

Anias rolled her eyes and groaned. "I wouldna said it if I wasn't sure ye thick-skull bastard."

The shadows danced in silence save the crackling of the flames. Anias rubbed her eyes as though trying to clear her thoughts and slumped into a chair. She knew as well as Murtagh that if she were found there it would be both of them at Dougal's mercy. However in her current plight there was less time to care about that and more time to dwell on her own misfortune.

"I was gonna tell Angus when Jamie ended up coming along with us today. I guess Angus became jealous and with Rupert there to urge his antics it all went south rather quickly." She was speaking aloud to herself more than the man before her. "I became nauseous in the mornings and late at night," Anias held her stomach and took in a deep breath through her mouth. "Have not gotten sick, ye ken, but all the same I feel heavy."

She felt as though Murtagh would speak then and she held her finger and made a hissing noise between her teeth. "Dougal cannot ken this and Angus can never know it belongs to him...but above all, ye mustn't tell Jamie. He would be so upset with me that I think my heart would break itself if I had to face him with this....knowing it was Angus."

Anias knew the purpose of her telling Murtagh of this was beginning to become lost on him and with the worst of it over and in the open, she had no reason not to get to the point of it all. She stood up and once again knelt before the beaten and bloodied man, taking his face in her hands. "Angus has no name...no family....my child and I would be turned out of the castle as soon as news reached Colum's ears. But Murtagh....you have a name...you have a place and even if you were to father a bastard." She could feel the man pull away from her then her hope draining with his disapproval. "Murtagh please....I don't wanna be sent away. I can't. We don't even have to be kindly to one another....and I know I have no right to ask this of ye....but I am."