Chapter 23: What's Really Important

Three weeks after Claire had the twins, Brianna and Lily, life started to return to some semblance of normalcy. Her routine at Lallybroch was necessarily altered for the inclusion of caring for two newborns. Mrs. Crook helped with the girls and Jamie was wonderful with them as well. He was the Laird, though, and he couldn't stay with them all the time - however much he might want to. Jenny was a Godsend and a great example of what a mother should be. Claire took her advice to heart and cherished her as a sister.

During these last weeks, Fergus had made himself at home at Lallybroch. The boy had lived a life in Paris that no boy should have to live. Despite growing up in a brothel, he was a sweet, loving soul with a pure heart, and Jamie and Claire had grown to cherish him like a son.

Claire was sitting on the front steps of the house, holding Lily in her arms, as she saw Fergus running up to her.

"Madam!" cried Fergus.

"What is it?" she said, startled.

"Oh, Madam! Rabbie McNabb entré dans un combat...err…he has...got into...a...fight." Fergus was learning English with Ian and was making great strides, but every now and then a phrase or two of French would slip in. Claire was still amazed at the progress he had made in just a few weeks.

"Again? What is it this time?"

"Well, Madam, the stable boy was teasing Rabbie and, well…"

"He hit Rabbie?" Claire said, indignant.

"Oui," he said, a sudden look of guilt on his face.

"Fergus...what are you hiding?" Claire asked, suspiciously.

"You see, Madam...I could not just stand there and let the boy hit Rabbie...so I…"

Claire looked closely at Fergus, just noticing the purplish bruise starting to form near his right eye. "Fergus! You didn't, did you?"

Fergus cried out, "I had to protect him Madam! I just had to!" Tears began falling down his cheeks.

Claire put her free arm around the boy's shoulders, pulling him close to her in a warm embrace. "Oh, my sweet boy, do not cry. You are a dear lad and very brave to stick up for your friend."

She cradled his head against her and bent her head to rest atop his. Fergus put his arms around her neck as he sobbed. After a few moments, and a few howls of protest from Lily, Fergus stood back up, wiping his eyes.

"You really are not mad at me?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course not! You did what you thought was right, fighting for those who cannot protect themselves. I am very proud of you...and I know Jamie will be too."

"Oh, Madam! Merci...thank you so much." His face brightened.

"We are a family, Fergus, and families support each other and love each other...as we love you." She saw his eyes starting to mist again, so she quickly added, "Go and tell Mrs. Crook what you would like for supper. It's your choice tonight, my lad."

He smiled broadly at that and started up the steps. At the top, he turned back to look at her and said, "Et je t'aime aussi…" before quickly disappearing into the house.

Claire knew enough French to know that what he said was, "And I love you too."

Later, Claire was in their bedroom, washing up and tidying her hair before supper. As she was brushing her hair, Jamie walked in and closed the door softly. He stood for a moment, looking at her struggling, once again, with her riotous curls. At least this time, she wasn't cursing. He smiled to himself at that thought.

"Ah, mo neighean donn." He walked up to her and squeezed her shoulders with his broad hands, bending to kiss the top of her head. "Did ye have a good day?"

"Yes, I did, love. You know...we have been so blessed with all of our children...all *three* of them."

Jamie smiled warmly at that, taking her meaning. "Aye, we have. Our wee lassies and Fergus."

Claire told him of Fergus' adventure that day and he was both surprised and pleased. "He's a braw lad. Ye are a very good mother to him, which is more than he ever had in Paris."

They continued talking as they changed for dinner, stopping periodically to offer a caress here and a kiss there. Usually this would lead to something more, but it was still a bit too soon for Claire to make love after the birth of their babies. They were burning for each other, though, and were aching to touch each other again.

At one point in the proceedings, Jamie had managed to pull her shift down to her waist and then started suckling at her breast. He enjoyed this immensely - she was still nursing. He had first tried it a week after the girls were born. He had been (and still was) so hot for her - it had been a long time since they'd been together, after all - and her swollen breasts were too tantalizing. She let out a pleasured moan as he continued his attentions.

After a while, still immersed in each other, there was a knock at the door.

"Ahem...if ye two are quite finished, ye should come down to supper before it gets cold!" It was Jenny. Claire could hear amusement in her voice. By this time, Jenny was quite used to their pre-supper ritual. It was an almost daily occurrence for Jamie and Claire. Jenny had actually started putting supper back a half an hour to give them time to "change." They smiled at each other, then finished dressing and went downstairs together.

At supper, the group talked companionably, and after a while, Jamie cleared his throat and stood, with wine glass in hand. "I hear wee Fergus was quite a braw lad today." He looked at the boy with affection and raised his glass in salute. "To Fergus, my brave lad. Ye have proven that ye are truly a Fraser."

Fergus smiled, eyes welling up, but not quite spilling over. Ian nodded at him as he, too, raised his glass.

Once Fergus had eaten his fill, he retired to his room to prepare for bed. After the lad's departure, Murtaugh looked at everyone around the table with a sobered expression.

Jamie, sensing his Godfather's mood, asked, "What is the matter, Ghoistidh (Godfather)?"

Murtaugh cleared his throat. "I got word from Rupert Mackenzie that Dougal has gone off to France to meet with Prince Charles." All eyes widened at this news.

"Aye, and just why does Dougal think the Prince will give him the time of day?" asked Ian.

"Because he's offering the Prince his help - both men and money - for the cause." Murtaugh said, pointedly.

Jamie's eyebrow raised. "Do ye believe that Dougal has the ability and resources to unravel what we accomplished in Paris?"

"I dinna ken, Jamie. Ye ken that he gets all riled up about things. Once he has somethin' in mind, he goes after it, and damn anyone that gets in his way. The Rising has been his cause for a long time. If he wants it bad enough, he'll likely do anything." Murtaugh said.

Jamie turned his head to Claire. Her face was ashen and she gripped her skirts so tight that her knuckles were white. Jamie tried to give her a reassuring smile and reached for her hand, unclasping it.

"Dinna fash, Sassenach. What we did in Paris was well thought out. Charles can't fight without money, and there's no way Dougal could give him the amount he needs for a war. None of the financiers in Paris are likely to see him as a good investment. We made sure of that." He squeezed her hand and it started to relax. She gave him a shaky smile, temporarily reassured.

"Jamie, do you think…?" she started.

"No, I don't," Jamie said with conviction.

They all looked at each other, sobered faces all around.

"What do we do, if the worst comes?" Jenny asked.

"We will prepare ourselves," Jamie said, then looked at Claire. "Claire knows what we can do."

Shakily, Claire said, "I can help, but -"

"Just tell Ian and Jenny what you propose," Jamie interjected.

"You see, it's why I told you to plant potatoes. There will be a great famine as a result of Charles' war. Many perish, not only from the fighting, but also from starvation. The potatoes will keep us all alive, should the worst come."

"Anything else?" Ian asked her.

"I would sell anything you can for gold. And we must prepare all of the families as best we can, so that they are ready for what might come."

As Jamie looked at each one of them in turn, he said, "We dinna ken what is to come, but I, for one, choose to believe we will still prevail. It may not be as dire as it seems. Dougal can't possibly accomplish what he has set out to do."

"But, what if he does, or if Charles gets support from an unknown source?" Ian said.

"As Claire said, we will prepare for that possibility. We will be ready."

The next morning, Claire went to the nursery to check on the babies. They were still asleep in their cribs, although Brianna was beginning to stir. Claire patted her tiny stomach as she opened her eyes to look up at her mother.

God, she was a mother! She was still amazed at that notion. In one day, she had become the mother of three children! What a wonder and a blessing they were.

She looked over at the other crib containing Lily, her soft, brown curls matted to her head, damp with sleep. Claire reached down to rub Lily's back, softly patting the swell of her tiny bottom.

"They are sweet wee lassies, aren't they?" Jamie said, startling her, as he came up behind her, putting his arm around her waist.

She calmed, then, melting into his warm embrace. "They certainly are, love." She smiled at him, love flowing from her face.

He bent to kiss her softly, bringing her closer to him with both arms around her. "Ye are my love, Claire, always. And I am so grateful for our bairns. Ye are a wonderful wife and mother, mo chridhe." He kissed her forehead before turning to look at his girls again.

"*This* is what is truly important, Claire..." he said, waving his hand to indicate the babies, "Not a rebellion, not Dougal, and certainly not Charles. You and our bairns are my life and my hope. Our family will survive whatever comes, my love, no matter what happens." He paused for a moment, turning to her again. "We needn't worry about the future, Claire. Right here and right now, we have all that we need...and, my love, I am content."

He looked at the babies, both awake now and cooing. "They are our future - Brianna, Lily, and Fergus - and *you* are my heart and soul. *That*," he said, "is all that matters."