Meant To Be

Chapter 16

~3 weeks later~
"Jamie!" I yell trough the window seeing him ride trough the archway.
He looks up to me and smiles. "Claire!"
I run down stairs and he's standing beside the horse already.
One of the stables boys takes it away from Jamie and I jump in his arms.
"I've missed you!"
"I missed ye to Sassenach. God to feel you again," he hugs me tightly and I plant kisses in his neck.
He finally lets go of me and I see a scratch above his left eyebrow.
"What happend?" I ask worriedly brushing over the wound.
"Cut myself," he says taking my hand of it.
"Jamie, you promised me that-" I try but he stops me. "Not like that Claire. When I'm not in a safe room I sleep with a knife underneath my pillow and it slipt away, scratching my eyebrow,"
I give him a smile and then small footsteps come from the house.
"Da!" Willie comes walking, barely running.
Jamie kneels beside him and pulls him close. "My lad, how are ye?"
"Good," he mumbles and Faith comes up behind him.
"Da! I've missed ye,"
I smile, seeing Jamie try to hug both of them at the same time.
"Alright darlings, make the couch comfortable for your da, he probably needs rest," I say and they run off.
"Are you coming back in the upcoming 5 weeks? Or are you just going to do it all in one?" I grab his hands, carefully stroking them.
"Tomorrow morning we leave again, early. And I'll no' come back until we're completely done,"
"Okey, well after that you're not allowed to leave for atleast two years,"
He looks confused. "Why no'?"
"I need to catch up with you, two months gone equals two years back,"
He grins and kisses me again. "We should get inside,"
He turns to the door and I gasp in shock. "What the hell have you done?"
"What?" He asks confused seeing my face.
"Your hair... it's in a ponytail," I stutter. "It's horrible,"
He laughs and I pull out the hair elastic and spread the hair out a bit.
"That's better,"
Jamie shakes his head in disagreement. "It wasna that bad,"
"It's was terrible, I love it when you're curls fall across your face," I take his hand and kiss them.
"I like it too when you have yer hair curled around yer face, but yet you have it up,"
"Because that's more practical for the moment, it's very warm with some much hair,"
He shakes his head, laughing and takes me inside.
"I'm a wee bit hungry," he complains carefully stroking his belly.
"When are you now a hungry? And I do not believe in "a wee" I think you're very hungry," I joke and he looks offended.
"Aye I am, very very hungry! Is there food?"
I shake my head and take him too the kitchen. "There must be something here,"
He kisses my head and I walk off.
"Alright, you two are going to put on some clothes, you can't walk in your night clothes on the whole day,"
I take the children upstairs and put on some decent clothes.
"Can we go back to da now?" Faith asks impatiently and I nod.
She rushes down stairs and Willie carefully walks behind her.
Once we're down again Faith is running around wildly trying to escape Jamie's arms.
"Ye canna catch me! I'm to fast!" She yells and Jamie starts walking even faster, stretching out his arms to grab her.
I stand at the stairs watching them when Jamie grabs me instead of Faith and lifts me in the air.
"Jamie, for godsake, I'm not a child," I giggle slapping his shoulder to lower me.
"Aye ye are," he kisses my head and puts me back on the ground.
"Da! If ye don't catch me I'll sleep in Mama's bed again! And then ye can sleep in mine!" Faith threatens laughing and Jamie shakes his head.
"Nah! Ye will sleep in yer own bed!" He says chasing after her again.
She rushes out and Jamie follows behind her, bringing her back inside within seconds. "Looks like I'm in our own bed instead of a one that's just a wee bit to tiny Sassenach,"

I smile. "Good, cause with Faith I don't get so much rest, do I know darling?"
"She sleeps in our bed when I'm no' there?" Jamie asks putting Faith back on the ground.
"Yes, I'll explain it later,"
He nods and I take Willie from the couch. "Alright, what about a walk and a picnic?"
I suggest and Jamie nods.
"Aye, I'll grab a plaid,"
I quickly take some food from the kitchen and put it in a basket.
Jamie puts the blanket on the basket and takes it from my arms. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I let ye carry the basket,"
I laugh and takes his arm. "Let's go,"
The children walk in front of us and Jamie and I talk for a bit.
"I have a question, Jamie," I say softly and he looks at me, worried.
"What is it?"
I give him a smile.  "It's nothing to be worried about, but I was wondering, do you really want another child?"
He looks surprised but nods. "Aye, I do. Why Sassenach?"
"Cause I think we should start trying then," I kiss his cheek and he smiles.
"Aye, I suppose so, but first... a picnic,"
We walk to an open spot in the meadow and lay down the plaid.
"Faith and Willie, you sit there alright? Da and I will hand you food," I say and sit down beside Jamie.
They nod and Jamie gives them some food.
"Will da stay?" Willie asks taking a bite on a bannock.
Regretfully he shakes his head. "I will need to leave again tomorrow, and I willna come back for five weeks Mo Chridhe,"
"No! Da, ye canna leave us again," Faith protests.
"Da will be back soon as possible baby, let's just enjoy today alright?"
She nods and grabs another bannock.
We talk all day long, play games and laugh at all Jamie's jokes.
At the end of the day we watch the sunset.
"The orange is just like my hair," Faith comments and Jamie smiles.
"Aye 'tis," he starts and leans closer to her. "Verra bonnie,"
She giggles and Willie shows Jamie his hands, where he has a frog.
"Oh good lord, take that thing away," I say shoving over to the back of the plaid.
Jamie takes the frog from his hand and holds it closer to me. "Dinna like frogs Mo Graidh?"
I shake my head and Jamie lets it go in the bushes.
"Come here Claire," Jamie says and I sit back next to them.
I rest my head in his shoulder and slowly fall asleep.