Outlander Oneshots

War Memories- Part 3

   The Oath

  Darkness covered the Earth like a blanket as night descended upon them. Stars dotted and twisted into many patterns that night as they shined brightly. 
     Bella stared out of the window. The peace of the night had always calmed her soul and mind. She fiddled with the warm cup of tea in her hands, then sighed. 
"It was the same night, Claire. That same damn night that haunts you as well. I still wonder what would have happened if we hadn't taken those Airborne boys with us that night. They would probably still be alive, at least for a little longer." she said quietly.

Claire frowned. She knew all too well what Bella was thinking about. 
"We both got very lucky. You and I could have died with them, that night. Just,...try not to think about it. I know it's hard, with everything going on around us, but I know you can do it." Claire paused for a moment before speaking again. 
"You're stronger than me. You always have been." 

Bella kept silent. She thought for a moment. Her hand came to play with the frayed and worn collar of the large coat draped around her shoulders. Bella let a small smile play across her face as the familiar smell of smoke and wood filled her nose.
"Where is Murtagh?" she asked quietly, wrapping the woolen material around herself tighter. 

"He's most likely settling down for the night outside, with the others. Jaime's been trying to convince him to come inside and out of the cold. The bastard's too damn stubborn,...says he doesn't want to be a bother." Claire laughed slightly. 

Bella joined Claire's laughter with a soft giggle.
"Can you bring him to me, please?"

     Murtagh sat around the fire with Rupert and Angus, enjoying a good laugh as they told about how their own days went. He shivered as he pulled his kilt tighter around his body. Even with the fire's warmth, the cold still chilled you to the bone. Murtagh mentally slapped himself. He had forgotten his jacket inside. Though he was certainly not going to risk going back inside to retrieve it, for fear of awakening Claire or Bella, or both. The hour was late. Jaime had yet to return for the night, so he could wait until then. 
The ground rustled in the distance, accompanied with the silhouette of a person.

"Who goes there?" Angus asked, quickly standing up with his dirk in hand.
"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!" Murtagh heard, instantly recognizing who it was. 
"It's Claire, ye' goon! Put tha' damn dirk away before I shove it up yer arse!" he snapped.
Rupert stood up and snatched the weapon out of Angus' hand. 
"Apologies, Mistress Claire." Rupert said smoothly. 
Angus only nodded in agreement as he sat back down. 

"It's quite alright. I shouldn't have snuck up on you." Claire looked over to Murtagh, slight urgency on her face. 
"Is everythin' alright, lass?" Murtagh asked, standing up.
Claire nodded with a smile. 
"Yes, everything is fine.  Though I'm taking over your spot by the fire for awhile, while you're inside. Someone is asking for you." She explained as she sat down where Murtagh previously was. 

Murtagh nodded and muttered a thanks. Angus started to laugh.
"Aye, Murtagh. Someone wants te' see ye'" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 
Angus winced and swore when Murtagh smacked him over the back of the head. 
"Tis' not like tha', ye' doaty bastard! Now shut ye' gab." He walked off.

     As he approached the wooden door, he took a deep breath. His hand lingered over the handle for a small moment. What was Bella going to tell him? Why was he so nervous? Why did he care......so much? He breathed out. Murtagh entered the cabin. His heavy boot hit the wooden floor.
"I'm in here, Murtagh." Bella's voice sounded from the bedroom. 
Murtagh's eyes fell upon quite the beautiful sight as he stood in the doorway of the bedroom. There Bella sat in a chair, which was placed in front of the small fireplace. The light cast a warm glow on Bella's face, making her even more beautiful than she already was. Even though the fire was his only source of vision, Murtagh knew he wasn't mistaken of what he saw. He smiled at the sight of his woolen jacket draped over Bella's narrow shoulders. His heart skipped a beat when Bella glanced his way, gifting him with a smile. What is happening to him?
     Bella reached her small hand out to him, beckoning him to come closer. Murtagh obeyed. He knelt down beside her, taking Bella's hand into his own. They sat there in silence for a few moments. Bella watched the fire, its warmth washing over her. Her mind was troubled once more. What would she say? She turned her head to face Murtagh again. Bella watched as the fire's flame flickered within Murtagh's pleading eyes. They were full of emotion, begging her for answers. 
     The fire's glow cast its own effect on Murtagh's face. It gave a new edge to it, making his facial features softer,...less harsh. It made him look younger. It made him look vulnerable even, in his own right.  Bella gently brought her hand to caress his face.
"I want to talk to you,...I really do. I just don't know where to start. You need to help me...." she whispered. 
Murtagh smiled almost sadly at her. He could tell how much she was struggling. 
"Jes,...tell me what happened. What caused ye' to go through tha'?" he asked gently, squeezing her hand. 
     Bella closed her eyes, recalling the memory again. She recalled how they were all laughing one moment, then being violently shot at the next. She remembered when the jeep rolled over and they were all thrown on opposite sides of the road. Bella shivered as the sound of the boy calling for his mother filled her ears. Fear overcame her once more from not knowing if Claire was dead or alive. 
     Bella was brought back to reality when she now felt Murtagh's presence behind her. He wrapped one arm around her and his opposite hand rested lightly upon hers. Gently resting his head on top of hers, he whispered, "Take yer time, Roisin. Dinna rush things."
Bella appreciated his words. She trusted Murtagh completely. She trusted him with her life, almost unconditionally. With that in mind, she spilled out every detail to him. She went on and on, for what had to be about and hour. Bella told him about World War II, how she constantly saw death and heartbreak. Above all, she told him that it would be an awful experience that she would carry with her for the rest of her days. Murtagh kept near and listened to every single bit of it. He gave her the occasional nod and sometimes a slight squeeze on the shoulder or hand to comfort her. He wasn't entirely sure if he understood everything, but he tried his damndest. One thing he was sure of was that even speaking about it made this strong woman terrified, frozen with dread to shaking violently within a split second. 
     Bella now looked upon Murtagh with tear filled eyes. 
"While in that ditch,...I felt so alone,...so helpless. I was so afraid that I couldn't even move. Not just afraid for myself,...but for Claire. I had no way of telling if she was alive or not. My body wouldn't allow me to move, but my mind kept spinning. I couldn't shake the possibility of Claire being dead from my mind. She may only be my distant cousin,....but we have a bond as if we were sisters...Nobody found me until daybreak,...still just laying there..." She shook her head frantically as tears started to pour from her eyes. She began t break down. 
"I...I...-" She started to shake as her breath caught in her throat. 
Murtagh rushed over to her and engulfed her small body within his arms. He pulled her tight against his chest, simply holding her.