#fjdkljfsld

[bee-kathony]

The Oath | Ch. 18 “I Promise To...” 

a/n: I loved reading all the comments about what you think will happen! Normal posting schedule is still Wednesday’s but I couldn’t wait to post this one as it’s one of my favorite chapters of the story so far! Thank you @lcbeauchampoftarth for being my beta and doing two chapters this week with your busy schedule mwah! xx

Arc I | Ch. 16 | Ch. 17

December 8th, 2019

Jamie kissed Claire goodbye as he left for his morning run. She looked so peaceful with her curls fanned out around her face. The last thing he wanted was to leave her side, but he needed to clear his head.

He ran at a much slower pace than normal, going over the events of the last two days. It was all such a mess, and now he was wishing they never bothered with the paternity test in the first place. Knowing that Frank Randall could have any part of Mads’s life was killing him. It was Jamie that had been there for Claire. It was Jamie that loved them both, and he’d do anything to protect them.

As he rounded the corner and approached Holyrood Park, he picked up the pace. He thought of Claire and the future they had together. The past few months they had spent together and the love that was growing day by day. He thought of Madeline and her sweet gummy smile looking up at him as he rocked her to sleep.

His legs carried him through the park, his chest heaving as he banished all fears and doubts that were trying to cripple him. Jamie slowed down to catch his breath, his hands on his hips as he walked down the path. Without thinking, he walked up to a tree, pulled back his left arm, and punched it. After all… trees were safe.

++++++

Madeline was being fussy and, frankly, Claire was growing restless as well. She’d just changed her shirt for the second time that morning after Mads had spit up on it. If she stayed in the house for another minute, she’d go crazy. Jamie had gone to the office to work for a couple of hours, even on a Sunday, and she missed him already.

“Wanna go for a walk, darling?” She looked at Madeline in her crib, laying on her stomach.

“Mama will get you all bundled up and we’ll take a stroll down the road or mama will go crazy!”

She made a gurgling noise and stuck her hand in her mouth. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Claire smiled, heading over towards Mads’s small wardrobe to retrieve her warmest articles of clothing. Fifteen minutes later, Madeline was dressed in the cutest cream knit sweater and tights, paired with a light pink fluffy coat. The last bit consisted of a warm beanie to cover her small red head and a teeny tiny pair of gloves.

“No, sweetie, don’t take those off.” Claire pushed the gloves back onto Madeline’s hands, and once they were secured and her arms were under the blanket, Claire pushed the buggy out the door and made her way down the street.

Thankfully, it wasn’t too cold for them to be outside — just a light chill — but Claire wanted to make sure Mads wouldn’t catch anything. She seemed to be content, smiling up at Claire as she was being pushed. Every time she did anything remotely cute, Claire fell in love with her all over again. Even when she spat up on her cute new coat, Claire couldn’t help but smile. She grimaced too, of course, but she was too infatuated to care.

“You’ve got to stop doing that, little miss.” Claire stopped pushing the buggy and sat down on a nearby bench, pulling out wet cloths to clean the mess. She’d stopped in a nice little park near their house, one she hadn’t ever paused to really look at before.

Once Madeline was mostly cleaned up, Claire tucked her back under the blankets. Remembering that she needed to call Hawkins Laboratory, Claire pulled her phone out of her coat pocket to look up the number lest she forget.

“Just a minute, baby,” Claire grinned at Madeline. “Mama’s got to make a very important phone call.”

All she wanted to know was who had handled their case. It rang three times before someone answered on the other end. “Hello, this is Moira, thank you for calling Hawkins Laboratory, how may I be of assistance?”

“Hi Moira, this is Claire Beauchamp. I recently had some tests done at your facility and I was just wondering if I could get some more information about it.”

“Yes, I’d be happy to do that,” said the woman. “Can ye just give me a little bit more of yer information?”

“Of course.” Claire placed her finger close to Madeline’s lips and she started sucking on it; she’d need to get home soon to feed her again.

“When was the appointment and who was involved?”

“It was just a few weeks ago, November 3rd, and it was for a paternity test. James Fraser and Frank Randall were both tested. But I’m more interested in finding out who was the lab technician that handled our specific case. We received the results just the other day.”

“Was there a problem miss?” said the woman. Was there ever…

“Well,” Claire chuckled, “if I told you all the problems I’ve been having, we’d be on the phone for hours. Are you able to give me the name of the technician?”

“Yes, miss. Let me just look up yer file.”

A few moments of silence passed while the woman on the other end typed in more information and brought up their case file. “Yes, the technician primarily involved with your case was Mary Hawkins.”

“Hawkins?” Claire’s brow furrowed. “Is she of any relation to the owners of Hawkins Lab?”

“Why yes!” Moira said cheerfully. “She’s the niece of the owners. We’re a family business here at Hawkins Lab. Do ye ken Mary? Such a sweet lass…”

“I think I do,” Claire muttered, her mind beginning to race. Mary Hawkins… the name was very familiar indeed. “Um, thank you very much Moira. I think that’s all the information I needed.”

Hanging up the phone, she turned her attention back to Madeline, making sure she was all bundled up before continuing their walk towards home. Mary Hawkins was a name that sparked something in her memory. A name she had first heard from Frank Randall a couple of years ago.

++++++

Jamie had gone to the office for a couple of hours, but not for work. At least, not for his usual work. He’d been trying to write again, and had texted Claire to let her know where he’d be if she needed him.

Ever since he had taken over his father’s whisky business, Jamie had put aside his dream of writing — it didn’t feel important anymore. Plus, he didn’t exactly have time for it anymore. That’s what he told himself, anyways. He knew Claire wanted to read something he’d written, but he never felt it was good enough.

But ever since that day he bumped into her at the cafe, her belly round with child and her eyes shining back at him, something had clicked inside of him. It was that same feeling he’d experienced the first time he met her. As if a puzzle piece was clicking into place.

The words seemed to pour out of him when he sat down to write. Jamie was working on a children’s book, and he was nearly finished. The reason why it was taking him so long was because he was attempting the illustrations himself and his hand wasn’t always so steady.

The title of the book for now was, “I promise to…” and it was about a father and all the promises he made to his daughter. Technically speaking, it was an autobiography of sorts — the story of the love he had for his own daughter, Madeline. He kept all the files on his computer at work, just in case Claire stumbled upon them at home. He wanted to show her it when it was just perfect.

With all the mess surrounding the paternity issue, Jamie felt even more compelled to finish the book. There was no way of knowing if anyone would even read it, but he was writing it for Madeline, so that she would know how much she was loved.

“I promise to…” he said out loud, finishing up one last page before he headed back home.

++++++

When Jamie arrived home in the afternoon, he didn’t see Claire or Madeline in the living room or kitchen. He ventured upstairs and finally found them both asleep — Claire in the rocking chair and Madeline on her chest.

“I promise to always let ye sleep,” Jamie whispered and smiled, shutting the door to let them keep resting.

As he plopped himself down on the couch, he figured now was was as good a time as any to call the other lab. Jamie googled the DNA Centre again and pulled up the number, hoping they would answer.

“Edinburgh DNA Centre, this is Louise, how can I help you?” said the voice of a heavily accented French woman.

“Uh, hello. My name is Jamie Fraser and I’m calling to book an appointment.”

“What’s the appointment for, sir?”

“A paternity test,” he said.

“And what time would you like to make the appointment for? We have an available time slot tomorrow at 3:15 p.m., does that work for you?”

“Yes, that’s perfect! Would I need to bring in my — um, the child?”

“You can bring in the child or take your own swab of the inside of the child’s cheek, but I recommend bringing in the child for our nurses to get an accurate swipe. Is that possible?”

“Oh yes, I can do that. Thank you very much, I’ll be there tomorrow. Goodbye.” Jamie hung up the phone and entered in the appointment details into his and Claire’s joint calendar with only a slight feeling of apprehension.

++++++

Claire woke slowly and then all at once, her head popping up. Madeline was tugging on her hair, and Claire smiled down at her. “Did you want Mama to wake up, darling?” Yawning, she scooped her up in her arms and walked downstairs to the living room.

“Jamie?” she called out, noticing his shoes at the front door.

“On the couch, a nighean,” he replied, and then she saw his mop of red curls as she came into the room. Claire came up behind him and placed Madeline down on his chest. “Hello, a leannan, did ye have a good wee nap?”

Madeline reached for Jamie’s nose, trying to pull it off, and he blew a raspberry with his lips to make her laugh. Claire smiled and joined them on the couch, leaning her head against him. “We both had a good nap. Did you get your work done at the office?”

“Um, yes. Just about,” Jamie said and kissed Madeline on the cheek. “I also called the DNA Centre, they have a spot open tomorrow. Would ye be able to bring Mads?”

“What time? I’m meeting Geillis on her lunch break with this wee beast.” Claire scratched her daughter’s back.

“3:15, I’ll send ye the address.” Jamie kissed her temple. “I dinna know what ye had planned for dinner, but I ordered a pizza. Seeing as how ye were asleep and we don’t have any groceries right now, I thought it best.”

“Very wise decision, Fraser,” Claire grinned. “Did you get my green bell peppers? Thin crust?”

“Aye, of course!” Madeline squirmed in his arms, kicking her chubby legs out. He laid her against his chest, cradling her head in his large hand. She looked so safe and small there, so protected. “Should be here soon, a nighean.”

“Bless you.” Claire kissed him and then leaned over to pull a blanket around them. “I was thinking about our wedding just before I fell asleep earlier.”

“Hmm,” Jamie let his eyes close. “And what about it? Still want to marry me?” He cracked one eye open at her, a smirk on his lips.

“Oh yes, very much.” Claire laid her hand on Madeline’s back lightly. “We’ve set the date and the place.”

“Aye, Lallybroch. Tis beautiful in the summer.”

“Well, I guess I wasn’t thinking of anything in particular except how cute Madeline will be in a little flower girl dress,” Claire smiled and looked up at Jamie. “And you, so dashing in your kilt. I don’t think I’ve seen you in it yet.”

“Ye’ll see me in it on Christmas,” he grinned. “I always wear it on occasions like that. Speaking of the wedding, I need to get a new kilt for the big day! And have ye thought of yer dress?”

“A little,” she shrugged. “Nothing too over the top. Just a simple wedding with our friends and family.”

“That’s all we need, aye,” Jamie kissed her, buzzing with excitement for the day he could finally call her his wife.

“I was also thinking about the cake and the food,” Claire admitted, just as her stomach let out a loud growl, making them both laugh. “I might have been hungry when I fell asleep.”

Just as Jamie opened his mouth to say something about Claire’s insatiable appetite, the doorbell rang, signaling the pizza had arrived.

“I’ll get it.” Claire stood up from the couch before he could, his arms still holding Madeline. She came back holding a giant pizza and a two liter of coke. “You really went all out, huh?”

“Tis no a proper Sunday night w’out a pizza and coke, a nighean.” Jamie sat up, shifting Madeline on his chest as he rose to place her in her bassinet so they could eat. “Maybe later, we can add some whisky to that coke.”

“Or just have the whisky,” Claire smiled as she opened the pizza box. “I’ll feed Mads and then put her to sleep after we eat, should be safe to have a dram.”

“Aye, no coke then,” Jamie smiled in response.

They finished eating and cleaned up quickly. For once, Madeline didn’t make a fuss when Claire went to breastfeed her, and was quiet as a mouse as Claire laid her down in her crib. With all the legal issues they were about to face, all Claire wanted was a stiff drink and her husband to undress her.

And he did. Slowly. Only slightly tipsy, Jamie had removed her clothes, layer by layer, until she was bare before him. Then, he’d done his best at making her fall to pieces with his hands, tongue, and cock.

They lay together, limbs intertwined, and Claire stroked his head, soft curls between his fingers. “Sassenach…” Jamie mumbled against her chest.

“Hmm?”

“I promise to always love ye,” he said sleepily.

“I promise to always love you too,” she smiled and kissed the tip of his nose.

Chapter 19: Round Two