Anise

"What's up with you, Cam?" Diana hissed, into her ear as she kept studying Murray. Total disbelief washing over her. How did he get to this time? Did he come alone or did Drustan come to? "I'm sorry about her, she's been through some stuff lately. My names Diana and her names Cameron. We're from America and think this keep is beautiful."

Murray nodded, his eyes also on hers, and Cameron opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. She took one deep breath and said in a whisper, "Where is he?"

"Who?" He asked with a pleasant smile on his face, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

How dare he tease her! Her jaw set in anger, "Don't screw with me Murray. Where the hell is Drustan?"

Diana's jaw dropped and she too looked at Murray, then back to her friend in disbelief, "This is the Murray you told me about. What the fuck is going on?"

Murray laughed, "Aboot time ya got here, lass. Glad ya finally came."

Cam stomped up to him and shoved him as hard as she could, but he did little but stumble, "Why didn't you come get me? Why weren't the two of you there when I woke up in the hospital if you've been here forever!"

"Whoa, now Cammie girl." Murray told her raising his arms up in surrender, "We have nay been here forever. The witch, bitch as she was, moved us through time like she did you to about three years ago; saying that we needed ta get use to the time afore we made fools of ourselves in front of ya. Somehow she arranged fer the castle to be put in Drustan's name in these times, gave us identities and more money than we could ever imagine, sayin we'd need it for schooling." Murray scoffed, "I'm sure he will tell ya how that went fer us."

"So Drustan is here though? He didn't die in war or get lost or anything?" Happy tears came to her eyes as he kept saying 'we' and 'us'.

"Aye, lass. He's here and he's been waitin' fer ya. The witch told him to nay seek ya out that she would take care of that fer him."

"Alastrina?" Cameron asked.

Murray nodded, "She apparently had her hand in everythin' involving you and Drustan."

She gulped nervously and asked slowly. "Can I see him? I... I've missed him so much and just want to see him."

Murray smiled, "He's in his office, I'm sure ya know where that is."

Cameron nodded and stepped towards the keep before remembering that Diana was with her. She turned to see that her friend was still shocked, gaping at Murray like he was some type of lake monster. "You can come too if you want, Dee. To meet Drustan."

"No... Go and see your man. I'll stay here and get the story and the run down of the keep from your friend here."

Cameron nodded and took off in a run, bursting through the doors. Electricity had put in just like she had assumed, wall fixtures were on the walls kept the keep well lite and the floors were now covered in throw rugs, instead of just the bare stone floor.

She ran to the stairs and held the railing as she jogged up them, coming face to face with the closed door of Drustan's study. Taking a deep breath as she walked to it she grabbed the handle, turning it just slightly and slowly pushing the door open.

Drustan looked up from his desk at the squeak the door made as it slowly opened. He looked just the same, even with his hair cut short, wearing a button up that had been left unbuttoned and what looked like slacks. His hair was a mess and a pen was in his hand as he went over papers.

Tears came to her eyes again as she breathed his name and just looked at him and the look of shock then awe that overcame his face. "Ya came," he breathed. He stood, and slowly rounded the desk. "The witch did as she said she'd do. She brought you back."

Cameron's tears spilled over and she rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and burying her face in his chest as she sobbed, "I thought you were gone forever. I'm so sorry I didn't listen and that I told you I wouldn't love you. I lied."

"Shush, lass." He told her, holding her just as tightly as she was him. "I know ya did nay mean it. If ya did ya would nay be here now. I was a fool ta leave ya in the first place. I should have stayed with ya and defended ya."

"I really thought you were gone forever. I... I came here to say goodbye to you. To your memories, I couldn't function after I got out of the hospital. All I could think about was you and that I didn't know what happened. Your page was blank and I couldn't find that website I found the book at, nothing."

Drustan pulled her face out of his chest, "None of it matters now, lass. Yer here with me now, we can be married and live happily with one another."

"How? How did you get here?"

He grinned, "I went back to the witch. I told her I would give up everything I loved just ta be with you again. The old hag said there was no way to bring you back to me so I told her I wanted to be brought to you. That I would do anything fer her to do me just one more favor."

"And Murray."

"In his eyes ya made him promise ta protect me, he said he would nay allow me to go alone to face a new world by myself. So he came with me... a package deal is what you would call it, I believe."

Cameron laughed happily and grabbed the open flaps of his shirt and pulled him down, kissing him quickly. "I can hardly believe this. Its just so... oh god, I'm so happy."

"Aye, me too lass. I would have come found ya, but the witch said if I didn't wait long enough ya would nay remember me and that I had ta give ya time ta recover from yer injury." His expression saddened. "How bad was it, lass?"

"The doctor said that if they had found me any later I would have bled to death. That I was lucky to have survived. I was in the hospital for two weeks, two hundred and fifty-two stitches and three pints of blood." Cameron frowned, "I didn't get any bones broken when the MacDonald beat me, a few bruises. Did you ever get back at him?"

Drustan shook his head, "If ya mean his death, no lass. The Campbell men caught him and his men as they tried to escape the keep. They were captured and all but Douglas MacDonald were killed, they locked him in the dungeon. After I learned of yer... death," he paused and ran his hands over her shoulders and arms, reassuring himself that she was truly there before continuing. "I almost killed him, beat him within an inch of his life then I just left, kept him locked in the dungeon as Murray and I rode ta the witch. Ta be with you, she told me I had to let go of my vengeance against the MacDonald and all his clan. That I had to release him with no farther punishment from my clan fer yours or Anise's death."

"Did you let him go?"

"Nay fer awhile, when she gave me the instructions and told me I would not be brought to ya until I had done away with my side of the bargain. I was angry, and left before she could explain more. Douglas MacDonald sat in my dungeon for three months as I tried to find a way around the witch. Finally, I realized the only thing that mattered to me was you lass." His eyes connected with hers and he smiled, "I did nay need my vengeance anymore, I did nay need ta have the MacDonald kiss my feet and beg fer forgiveness. I did nay need my keep, or clan, or any o' it. All I needed was you."

"So you let him go?"

"Aye, he cursed at me like a sailor. Sayin' he would bring back an army, I told him that I would nay be around ta see his threat come about."

Cameron leaned into him, laying her head against his chest as he continued to hold her. "What happened next?"

"Nothin'. I was tempted ta hunt down the MacDonald as he escaped but I resisted. Two days later a letter arrived from the witch, explainin' that I need nay worry about how I would provide fer ya and find ya, that it would be taken care of. There was a little poem at the bottom."

Cameron smiled, "I think I know the one you're talking about. Probably the same one that took me to you."

"Aye, the witch seems ta be a romantic at heart. The winds took Murray and I away from our time and right to this spot three years ago. It seems everyone in this keep is a distant relative."

"But how? You were an only child."

He grinned, "It seems while my uncle was away he found himself a bonnie Scots lass and had himself a family. I donnae know the particulars, only that around that time an English nobleman related to the MacLean and a Scottish Lady decided to settle down in this verra keep, ta keep safe against marauders and pass along until the True MacLean came to claim it."

"The True MacLean?" Cameron asked with a giggle.

"Aye, apparently my uncle gave his children my surname, claiming I had a bairn before my passin', ta keep anyone from takin' the keep but alas, none of them were the True MacLean since the line were to have died with me."

"How did these people know?" She asked incredulously.

Drustan just shrugged, "My uncle, sly fella that he was, left instructions in a letter that was to be passed down through the family. Lord knows how it survived 600 years of wars and noisy children but they knew who we were when Murray and I landed right in the study. They immediately began choppin' at our hair, dressin' us in tight clothes, and taking our picture; giving us identities and backgrounds like it was nothing. It was horrible when they forced us ta be taught like some lads by an old wench of a woman ta read, write and speak with today's jargon Ta learn a trade ta make a living so ya would nay be poor when ya came to me."

Cameron laughed at that, "I'm poor already. I'm living out of a hotel, with twelve dollars to my name and I promised our first born to Diana since she paid for this whole trip."

"She will nay lay a finger on any o' our children," Drustan growled, obviously not getting the joke.

Cameron just laughed again, "Its fine Drustan, it was a joke. Ya know, that old hag obviously didn't have much of a sense of humor."

"She taught me enough. I hated that wench, slapping my hands when I went fer my dirk or swatting my head when I cursed. Constantly harping on me ta sit still and listen." He growled but his face softened when he looked down at her and sighed, "But twas all worth it ta have ya in my arms again, lass. I'd deal with an army of those nagging harpies ta have ya with me."

Cameron smiled at him and leaned up and kissed him again, this time the kiss was longer but was eventually broken before she asked. "So I'm curious, what type of job does a 14th century Laird find himself with in present time?"

"I run this keep like I always did and I have taken over the family security business."

"Security?" Cam asked, with a grimace.

He chuckled, "I thought the same, though my family thought it would be an easier transition from Laird to head of a security company than from Laird to lowly Avon salesman."

She busted out laughing then, a fit of giggles escaping her before she could put on a straight face, "Seriously? You sold Avon?"

Drustan seemed to blush before defending, "It was the only thing I could find that I didnae have ta go out ta do. I apparently do nay get along with people well. They say I am overly aggressive and assertive in my ideas and that they will throw me in jail the next time I pull a knife on a man who attempts ta fight me."

Cam just shook her head, "You would try to kill someone. I'm not even surprised. When did you stop selling Avon?"

"When I threatened the life of every living being in this keep that if they did nay find me a more respectable position fer a man of my talents. It was the security company or enlisting in a branch of the military would o' had me all over the world, killing things instead of waiting for you."

"Well I'm glad you chose this. Though, honestly, we could live out of a box in the horse stable and I'd be happy as long as you were there. I don't care if you make a living for us."

Drustan shook his head, "Nay. Ya will be taken care o' like a queen. My relatives seem ta know what they are doin' when I comes ta identities and such. My uncle left a list o' strict orders, which wars ta nay fight and which keeps ta raid. That book ya had was verra helpful fer my clan, lass." His eyes twinkled then, "Verra wealthy we are."

Cameron just smiled up at him, her smile so wide her cheeks began to hurt, "So what now, my Laird?"

"Introduce ya ta my new family, ya can fly yers over and introduce ya to mine. We can be married by next week and have the keep all ta ourselves."

"How would I explain you to my family? I... I wasn't honest about the time I spent gone with anyone but Diana. I told them I don't remember anything."

He seemed thoughtful for a moment, "Tell them ya met me here on yer first day and we fell madly in love with one another. That I make ya happy and ya make me happy. That I am rich and willnae harm ya ever. What parent would nay want their only child ta marry inta wealth."

Cameron laughed, "My family. After my 'disappearance' and my hospitalization they decided to become the hover parents I never had to experience of in high school. They call me twice a day and want to talk for an hour on how my day is, they constantly want to be kept up-to-date on where I'm going and if I'm hurting and if I'm okay. Trust me. If I say Diana and I just met you they will both have strokes and lock me away."

This time Drustan laughed, "Then tell them I am yer friend's friend. I donnae care what you tell them and I donnae care if they approve. I will marry you by next week and ya will live with me here in our keep. If I hafta I will let yer parents move in and yer friend as well. I have plenty o' rooms fer everyone."

Cameron's smile softened and she leaned into him, "I can't believe all of this is really happening. Its... unbelievable."

"Aye, I agree, lass."

"I haven't been this happy since we were back in your time."

They kissed again, longer and deeper, more passionately. Their hands roaming over each others bodies until they broke away when a knock sounded on the still open door. "I'm sorra ta interrupt," Murray told them from the door.

"Just like always, you've got to bust up all the fun," Cameron drawled as she turned to face the door to see Murray and Diana both standing their. Drustan's arms came around her waist and she laid her head back against him. "What's so important? The last time you interrupted us didn't end so great for anyone."

"Yer cousins are back from Glasgow, Drustan. They want ta know why when they ran into Callie at the ferry port she was singing like a love sick woman about how ya found yer long lost American love."

"Because he has found his long lost American love," Diana snapped at him. "Is he really this stupid all the time?" Diana asked both Cameron and Drustan. "I swear, I have never heard more neanderthal opinions and woman's rights and war and shit in my entire life. And he had to come up and bother you to when he could have answered it himself. Does he always come to you for everything?" She asked.

"Now, now, vixen. Tis nay right fer ya ta be mean ta me," Murray chastised. "I have done nothin' ta ya."

Diana rolled her eyes at him before looking back at her best friend wrapped in the love of her life's arms. "So everything's good now?"

"Everythings perfect," Cameron confirmed. "Couldn't be better."

"Awesome! Now we'll let you two love birds get reacquainted and I'll take this buffoon down to explain to the fambam that you two are busy and that you'll hopefully be down before the world comes to an end." Diana pushed at Murray's shoulder until he left the doorway before winking at Cam and then Drustan, saying. "I want details. Nitty gritty details before we plan this wedding."

Cameron laughed and the door shut, and Drustan's lift came down on her neck, giving a gentle suck and bite. "What exactly did ya tell yer friend about me?"

"I'll tell you later. For now, Drustan MacLean, show me exactly how much you've missed me because we've got 600 years to make up for."