Title: Charlotte's Tumbling Time Travel: Homebound

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on Outlander.

Author's notes: I apologize for how long it has taken me to finish this final chapter of this story but I wanted to get it all right. It is now finished and my plan is to write another story about Lottie at Lallybroch. I do however not know when I will start writing it, but it will happen at some point. Thank you all so so so much for your support through reviews, following the story and favoriting it. I really appreciate it and it has helped me stay motivated through writing the story.

Also, please note that I had to repost chapter 7 because I realized I had actually missed a part the last time I posted that chapter. It wasn't supposed to begin with Jamie and Jenny meeting at the grave of Brian Fraser, it was supposed to start the way it does now. So if you want to take the time you can now read chapter 7 like it was intended.

Chapter 8

Lottie was trudging unhappily through the lush spring woods around Lallybroch. She wished she was just out taking a walk in the beautiful area but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't suppress the real reason she was out there alone.

"Jamie is going to kill me," she murmured to herself.

She sighed and wished she had doubled back and brought her puppy with her. At least then she would have had someone to talk to. Ah, hell. She figured she could just as well talk to herself. No one would hear her anyway.

"This is all that Jenny's fault," she muttered. "If she hadn't bullied me then I wouldn't have been so stupid and poured that water over her." She pursed her lips in annoyance. "I'm such an idiot, aah!" she berated herself and slammed her fist against a tree trunk.

She grumbled a couple of really bad swear words as she walked down the narrow trail and then looked at the sun. It was sinking so it must be getting late. It was probably 5 in the afternoon by now. Lottie knew where she was and she didn't have any problems navigating through the woods surrounding the Fraser home, but she'd rather not spend the night out here. Of course there was always the option to head back before darkness arrived…

"No way though," she said to herself.

Not that she was at all looking forward to facing Jamie but that wasn't the worst. It was worse having to see the smug look on Jenny's face as Jamie got hold of her to punish her. What if he would even give her a thrashing in front of his stupid sister? She would never live that one down. She'd have to hide in her room for the rest of her life then.

It was better to spend the night in the woods than going back. If she headed back tomorrow then maybe everyone would be so happy to see her unharmed and not eaten alive by wild animals that Jamie would refuse to punish her.

"Not likely but not impossible," she figured.

She looked around and decided it would be best not to stick to the trail if staying out was her plan. She looked to the right and saw a slope filled with Wood Anemones. She decided to head up there and see if she could find shelter under a spruce up on the hill somewhere. That way she would be able to notice people approaching. Deep down she knew there was a pretty big chance Jamie would come find her before darkness. He knew these woods like the back of his hand and she hadn't even gone that far. He could find her. When he found her he would probably either just grab any branch available and tan her hide right there, or take her back to Lallybroch and tend to it there. But right now she preferred not to think about that and pretend no one was looking and that her impending doom was far away. She started to make her way up the slope with her skirt hitched up to not trip on it.

When she had come halfway up the slope she stopped. There was the sound of thudding footsteps on the trail below her. She turned around slowly to not make too much noise, and what she saw made a chill run up her spine. Jenny was walking down there, and had already spotted her. She was looking right at her and she had stopped moving. Their eyes locked and Lottie wasn't sure what to do. Should she run? Should she stay? She understood Jenny must have a reason for coming out there but what? Besides Mr. Reid on her last night at the orphanage she had never seen a person more furious than Jenny a few hours ago.

To Lottie's surprise Jenny redirected her steps and headed straight off the trail and up the slope towards her. She slowly made her way closer, not without difficulty due to her pregnant state, but she moved sort of gently. Not like someone seething with hatred inside.

Lottie found herself remaining where she stood awaiting Jenny to reach her. She sank to the ground and brought her knees up to her chest, feeling rather small.

"So, here ye are."

Jenny stood looking down at her, blocking the sun from her face. Lottie slowly gazed up at the older woman's face. She looked serious, but not necessarily as mad as she had expected.

Lottie nodded up at her. Jenny stood there looking disapprovingly at her for a minute, but then she stepped to Lottie's side and by grabbing support from a fallen log next to them got down on the ground next to her. Prevented to bring her knees to her chest by her big belly Jenny chose to sit with her legs straight out. It didn't look very comfortable but she managed with a grunt.

"I've been following yer trail fer some time now."

Lottie was very surprised to see her out here. She had been expecting Jamie to come, not his sister.

"You couldn't wait to yell at me until I got back to Lallybroch?" she asked crusty.

Jenny poked her tongue against the inside of her cheek and looked almost amused over Lottie's question.

"This is sort of your fault, you know," Lottie continued sourly with a glare at Jenny.

"What do ye mean my fault?" Jenny bit back. "Ye pour water over me and ye think that's my fault, do ye?"

Lottie chose to hug her knees and take a breath. She didn't want to back down now. Her stubborn side was active inside her, but at the same time she was tired and sad, and a little regretful.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I do think that. You don't like me. You never have. And you tried to make me do more work than necessary...just to be mean to me."

Jenny pursed her lips and closed her eyes for a few seconds and Lottie looked away. She placed her chin on the top of her rather cold knees and focused on the settling sun.

"I came out here to find you, Lottie, because I think it's time ye and I talk…"

"I don't want to talk to you. And I'm not going back to Lallybroch. Go away," she ordered.

"Well, ye dinna have much choice so ye can just listen. I'm not responsible fer you throwing water over me and acting like a changeling. Ye're responsible fer that, and don't ye forget it."

"What the hell do you want from me?" Lottie snapped and whipped her head around to glare at the woman.

Jenny looked tempted to slap her, but she didn't. Instead she took hold of her arm.

"Don't ye ever curse at me, lass, do ye hear? Jamie's not the only one who'll take a strap to ye then."

Lottie nodded and gulped. She absentmindedly nursed her sore upper arm where Jenny had grabbed it while she listened. Once they had that settled Jenny continued a bit calmer.

"I have been unfair to ye, lass, and I regret it."

Lottie looked up and wiped at the disabordinate tears that had fallen from her eyes.

"When ye came here I was mad at my brother. He had heard rumours and acted on his fear of them being true, without using his heid. Then he hurt my feelings again by not consulting me about the runnings of Lallybroch at all. Ye didna seem to take to me whatsoever and I assumed ye wanted to show me that since ye acted so insolent towards me that first day, and on many occasions after that as well, " she added pointedly. "Therefore I took my feelings out on ye, and made ye feel unwelcome at Lallybroch."

Lottie blinked and stared.

"So, you don't want me to leave anymore?" she asked uncertain about the woman's motivations.

Jenny surprised her again by putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Mo cridhe, I've never wished fer ye to go. My brother loves ye, I can see that. And I would never want someone he loves to leave here. He deserves all the love he can get, and more. And I think ye have a lot of love to give. And so does he. Therefore it's good that ye've found one another. Ye're staying here and there's nothing more to it," she said determinedly.

Lottie's chest felt warm, despite the chilly afternoon spring air. So Jenny wasn't as bad she had thought then. She wanted her here. Feeling foolish now she stretched out her legs and put her hands in her lap, staring at them like they were something she had never seen before.

"I've been unfair too. I almost thought you didn't like Jamie. You were so angry at him all the time and I didn't want him to be sad. And I wasn't sure how you felt about Claire either, I mean if you liked her or not."

Jenny nodded.

"I admire how protective and loyal ye are, Lottie. They're fine qualities."

"Thank you, Mrs. Murray," She answered surprised. "I…"

"It's Jenny."

Lottie nodded and Jenny started to get up. She leaned on her side and put her hands on the log. Lottie hurriedly got to her feet to help her and Jenny gratefully accepted her hand with a smile.

"Sitting on the ground doesna seem to be something I ought to be doing anymore. At least not until this wee one has arrived."

They both brushed the dirt from their skirts and Jenny helped Lottie brush off some grass that had stuck to her back.

"There. Now, shall we head back? I think that brother of mine is getting worried about you."

Lottie bit her bottom lip and grimaced at the thought of facing Jamie when she got home.

"I don't suppose you could say you found me and that I had been eaten by a wolf or something, could you?" she half joked as they began to climb down the slope, supporting themselves against tree trunks and boulders.

Jenny grinned at her proposal and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, no."

"You don't suppose he thinks since we've already talked things out between us he won't have to punish me?" she asked hopeful. She knew the truth just as soon as she had spoken the words though, but also got it confirmed when she glanced at Jenny. "Didn't think so," she said with sloped shoulders and a deep sigh.

Jenny patted her back consolingly but couldn't help but grin. When they reached the trail they started to trudge back towards Lallybroch. One of them had slow and heavy steps because of the weight she carried inside her stomach, and the other one had similar steps because of the weight she carried on her shoulders due to her impending fate.

"Jenny, I'm sorry too. For everything," she added in order to not have to be too specific and have to start lining up every thought she'd had the last couple of weeks.

Jenny didn't comment. She just said:

"Let's go home."

Jenny opened the backgate and let Lottie through ahead of herself. Then she shut it and they both headed towards the big house. It really was a beauty where it stood in its grandeur: grey and proud. She had loved her old house in London, the one she had shared with her father all those years. But somehow she had to admit that she thought Lallybroch was even prettier.

Well, despite its loveliness Lottie wasn't really looking forward to arriving this time. She dragged her feet and kept trying to come up with new topics to discuss with Jenny to prolong their long walk towards the yard. Now and then she stopped to smell a flower or point and comment on something. Finally Jenny had enough and told her to just get to it and walk to the house.

"There's no point putting it off any longer," she said and put a hand on the small of the girl's back to urge her forward. "Just take the bull by its horns."

Lottie allowed herself to move faster with a sigh. They rounded the corner and entered the yard. That was when she spotted him. The sun had begun to disappear behind the mountain and it was early evening. Jamie had probably just fed the horses, which was her job to do. He was exiting the stable and when he saw them standing at the other side of the yard Lottie felt like she had just swallowed a huge block of ice. Their eyes met and Jamie's blue gaze seemed to want to bore a hole through her head. He looked very stern. Immediately Lottie felt tears prickling behind her eyes and she swallowed. She glanced at Jenny who stood next to her, shoulders pushed back and head held high. With a deep breath she tried her best to imitate her confidence before she approached her ferocious looking guardian.

"She came back without any fuss," Jenny said.

Jamie nodded and finally took his eyes off Lottie.

"Good," he said calmly. His eyes met Lottie's again and he gave a nod towards the stable. "Get inside, lass."

Lottie tried to breathe but it was like the air stuck in her throat. She started to pace nervously towards the stable entrance which Jamie stood in front of.

"Now," he said with a more raised voice, making her jump and scurry forward. She made her way past him slowly and cautiously at the door.

"This is one of those times you're going to enjoy this, isn't it?" she asked in a hoarse voice that she didn't recognize as she passed him. Jamie didn't take his glare off her the entire way. It wasn't until she had gone inside that he turned to Jenny.

She smiled knowingly at him, like she almost wanted him to ease up a little.

"Well, brother, she's home now, so ye can stop yer worrying."

Jamie nodded. He had actually been about to head out to find them.

"It wasna any chore to get her to come back. Not after we'd talked things out between us."

Jamie gave her a small smile to show he was happy they had returned and that everything had gone well between them. He really was. He was looking forward to not having his sister and Lottie be at each other's throats half the time at home from now on.

"Well, ye were right that it was a good idea for ye to come for the lass."

He sighed and pursed his lips in determination, then reached down and unbuckled his belt and strode into the stable with a final glance at his sister's slightly sympathetic face.

The stable smelled of hay, horses and manure and there was the sound of horses stirring in their stalls. Lottie had chosen to saunter over to the Lallybroch buckboard which had been parked inside this evening and sit down in it. She let her gaze wander over the floor with the occasional straws of hay here and there. The horses sometimes chewed with their heads hanging outside their stalls and tended to make a mess. Not to mention the puppies who tumbled around and got hay stuck in their soft fur and under their paws.

She looked up at the sound of the wooden stable door creaking and closing shut at the other side of the stable. She had subconsciously positioned herself as far away from the entrance as possible so it would take longer for Jamie to actually reach her when he entered. He was going to kill her, she thought. How could she have been so stupid as to empty that washtub over Jenny. She now watched as he crossed the stable with determined strides and belt dangling from his left hand.

"How many times, Lottie? How many times did I warn ye not to be rude to my sister? Hm?"

He stopped in front of the buckboard with both hands placed against the dashboard

and one foot on the mounting step. Unable to meet his austere eyes Lottie looked away from him.

"I told ye repeatedly to start anew and forget yer first meeting with Jenny, but you didn't."

"It wasn't easy you know!" Lottie spoke more loudly than she had intended. "She always…"

Jamie raised both brows.

"No, probably not. But not everything is easy in this world, lass. I ken she wasna fair to ye all the time but we're not talking about her now. We're talking you and yer decisions. I'm going to make sure that ye grow up into the kind of person who accepts responsibility for her own actions. Not someone who makes excuses. And we'll be taking one step in that direction right now. Get down from there."

Lottie flushed and nodded.

"I'm sorry, Jamie," she whispered. "I know I shouldn't have done what I did."

Jamie lowered his foot and stepped to the side of the buckboard.

"Aye. And fer yer information yes: a part of me will enjoy thrashing ye this time, lass. What ye did was mean and unacceptable. Ye will never do it again, to anyone."

As she turned around and started to climb down he grabbed her waist and lifted her to the ground fast. Unprepared for it her head spun a little but she quickly got her bearings.

"Not even if let's say a boy is mean to me and I had to defend myself?" Lottie asked. She figured she could just as well try to get Jamie's mind focused on other scenarios if possible.

"Bend over," he said with a sigh, nodding at the floor of the buckboard where you entered. She didn't press the matter more since she figured he was probably on to the reason she had asked anway. She turned around slowly and leaned forward to rest her arms on the floorboards of the buckboard. She gasped a little as she felt Jamie lift her skirts and soon the cool evening air hit her skin making her shiver. He grabbed the collar of her dress and pulled her up a little so her feet dangled a few inches off the ground. He then kept his firm grip keeping her in place.

She cried out as the first lash hit her bottom and tears appeared in her eyes immediately. There was no point in fighting them anyway. She felt guilty. She was guilty even, and she was paying for her mistakes now no matter if she wished to or not, so she might as well allow her guilt to be seen and heard. Maybe then it would go away faster.

Jamie let the belt hit the girl's bottom ten times hard. He didn't intend to let the punishment last longer than necessary to get his message across to her, but he did intend to leave an impression on his charge's bottom that would last at least 24 hours. When her crying intensified Jamie figured she had just about had enough. He finished with five hard smacks with the belt as she bawled and kicked her legs. He then loosened his grip on her collar and she slowly slid down so her feet met the floor. She turned around and wiped at her face with her sleeve.

Lottie looked up at the now much more sympathetic face of her guardian. She stood there sniffing and tried to stop her tears from falling. It didn't work though and finally Jamie gathered her in his arms and hugged her close. She buried her face in his big and solid chest and wept a little longer. She felt very little for some reason, and she decided to let herself feel little for now. She wasn't alone, because he was there, taking care of her and making sure she did the right things, and that felt good. When she calmed down she drew away and he put his hands on her thin shoulders. They felt heavy and warm.

"All right, lass. You've paid fer today's mistakes. How do ye feel?"

She wiped at her nose and pursed her lips sourly.

"Sore," she grimaced.

Jamie grinned and raised his brows.

"Aye. I would be surprised otherwise. Ye're supposed to be sore for a while."

"I feel a little better too. Because you're not mad anymore now, are you?" she asked carefully, peering up at him while fingering her plait.

He shook his head and smiled at her.

"No, I'm not mad. But I dinna ever want ye to repeat the mistakes you did today, ye hear?"

"No, sir. I won't ever do it again. Honest. Not even to a boy," she added.

Jamie chuckled then.

"Well, perhaps that can be discussed if the situation ever appears where it's needed. Let's hope it never does. But I also mean running off into the woods. Don't do that."

A small puppyish woof was suddenly heard from behind them. Turning around they found Lottie's puppy sitting there trying to get their attention. Lottie had completely forgotten he was in the stable and felt a new pang of remorse in her chest. She picked him up and cuddled him in her embrace.

"Are you going to sell him now?" she asked and new tears pooled in her eyes.

Jamie looked surprised by the question.

"Jenny said she would talk to you about not letting me keep him since I was so irresponsible with laundry and my clothes."

Jamie appraised her quietly for a while. He wore an expression of blankness and was difficult to read at the moment.

"I'm guessing Jenny was pretty upset when she said that, aleannan, and that was why she said those words to you. You should ken that I expect ye to obey Jenny when she tells you to do something. When she told ye to avoid getting yer dress dirty then ye should have done what she said. The same goes when she tells you to do chores, ye simply do them. But no, I have no intention of sending this wee one away. So dinna fash."

He scratched the puppy behind his ear until it yawned and relaxed.

Lottie's chest felt warm, like there was a small fire burning in there. She was going to get to keep her dog. It made her so happy and she would have flung herself at Jamie again had she not held the little drowsy puppy in her arms.

"So, what have ye decided to name him? He has to have a good name after all," Jamie said good-humoured.

Lottie bit the inside of her cheek in contemplation. It had to be good, have meaning and be beautiful at the same time. It hit her almost right away once she had started thinking about it.

"Mathanas," she said.

Jamie put an arm around her shoulders and started to lead her towards the door.

"I like it, lass. Very agreeable and suiting. "

It was perfect. Forgiveness. Exactly what she had exercised today. She had no hard feelings towards Jamie's sister anymore. She had forgiven her and it was like she had learned how to understand her now and knew what she was all about. Almost like she had come home to Lallybroch once more, only this time for real.

Later that same evening when the family had all had dinner in the dining room they were gathered in the parlor for a relaxing time together. Lottie rubbed at her posterior as she walked, feeling the dull ache there even more now that she had been forced to sit on a hard chair the past hour. She didn't really mind though. It had been so nice sitting at the table chatting with everyone. Ian had been very cheerful and Jamie and Claire too. Jenny had been friendly and little Jamie had asked to sit on her lap several times. She would have happily allowed him to sit on her lap all evening if she hadn't felt the burning in her bottom so clearly and not wanted to make it worse by adding weight.

The conversation at the dinner table had been lighthearted and buoyant with the topics mostly being of the work they'd done around the farm during that day, some light gossip and Jamie and Ian reminiscing about old childhood memories. Lottie laughed so hard over one of their stories involving school books, a lake and a raft that she almost fell off her chair.

As they entered the parlor Jenny was ready to pick up the book she had been reading out loud to the family for the last couple of nights. It was Gulliver's travels and the book had just started to get exciting. Jamie took a seat on the couch and just as Lottie was about to gingerly sit down on a chair he stopped her.

"Did ye ken Lottie is a real natural storyteller?" he asked the others.

Claire of course already knew, having witnessed Lottie enthrall an audience before, but the others raised their brows in curiosity and admitted that they didn't know that.

Lottie sent a small glare Jamie's way since she hadn't been prepared for this sudden attention.

"Well?" Ian said, interested. "I certainly wouldna mind hearing a good story. Go on, lass. Sing us a song."

Lottie glanced hesitantly as Jenny who had taken her usual seat by the fireplace, like she always did when she was ready to start reading. Her dark blue eyes became more slit like as she grinned.

"Aye, tell us something interesting, lass. Dinna keep us in suspense."

She urged Lottie to start speaking with a quick wave of her hand and Lottie got to it. She told them a short story of a man and a woman who moved from the city and out into the countryside to make a happy home for themselves while overcoming various obstacles. It ended happily with the woman giving birth to a daughter. The story really wasn't anything special to Lottie but the others seemed to sit spellbound. All except little Jamie who was too young to appreciate such a story.

Finally they all burst into applause and Lottie took a bow with blushing cheeks. She didn't know why she had been nervous a few minutes ago. It certainly wasn't difficult to entertain this family.

"Tell another story! About warriors!" Little Jamie suddenly blurted and everyone stared at him before bursting out laughing.

"I dinna think so, young man, and where on earth did ye hear stories about warriors anyhows?" his mother asked him forebodingly, trying to hide a grin. He looked at his uncle but didn't say anything and Jamie's eyes grew round with playful guilt.

Mrs. Crook entered with refreshments on a tray and all the adults had their glasses filled. Jenny got ready to start reading and Lottie was just about to move from her spot in the center and grab a chair.

"The couch's already full so why don't ye come here and sit, lass?"

Lottie turned and saw Jenny motioning to the soft fur pelt next to her armchair. Lottie stared at her with her mouth slightly open. She wanted her to sit there? But that was little Jamie's spot and Lottie would always settle for a straight backed chair in a more secluded spot of the room, or possibly next to Jamie and Claire on the couch. Jenny seemed to read her mind for she picked her son up and settled him in her lap, then raised a brow in invitation again. Lottie glanced at Jamie from the corner of her eye and saw an expression of contentment on his face. Deciding that it was best to seize the moment Lottie strolled over to Jenny and slowly sat down on the soft pelt. Little Jamie seemed fully content with sitting on his mother's lap and looked like he was already getting drowsy.

With the sparkling, warm fire at her back Lottie ran her hand over the white sheep fur, reveling in the serenity of the situation. Jenny started reading and Lottie sat there, looking out at the faces around her. Claire was leaned against Jamie and Ian met Lottie's gaze with a smile at her that made her blush slightly. She knew what he was thinking, and to be honest she was thinking the very same thing.

After a while she leaned against Jenny's armchair and just listened as she read the story of Gulliver's travels. When she had just relaxed enough to actually see the story unfold before her mind she felt fingers running pleasantly through her loose strands of red hair and she sighed.

She was home.

The end

A/N: Please let me know what you think of the ending of this story through a review. Short or long doesn't matter, I appreciate all reviews no matter their length. Perhaps you could tell me if there is anything in particular that you wish future stories about Lottie should include. What do you think should happen? Thank you all for your support!