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mymelodyheart · 4 years ago

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Forget Me Not Chapter 12 ~The Secret Adversary~

What's up with Willie's I-run-the-show attitude? Jamie was torn between leaving Claire with Annalise and confronting his older brother. He was up to his eyeballs putting up with his cryptic remarks and knowing looks, the demand for that long-overdue talk with Willie prevailed. Not that Jamie didn't appreciate his brother's stellar capabilities in taking care of things while he was away, but to take over and dictate how to run his life was nothing short of condescending.

Damn it! He would rather be somewhere else with Claire without the pressure of responsibilities yanking him from all sides. The refurbishment of his house required his attention, preparatory work in the hotel kitchen was mounting, and as if he didn't have enough on his plate, he brought Annalise from France to Scotland hoping it was the right thing to do.

Annoyance clawed at Jamie's back over having to go after his brother. Without offering any explanation nor consulting him first, Willie had taken over in one swoop and announced that he would be taking Annalise to the doctor's the following day. If nobody had been at home, Jamie would have already shouted at him for interfering. Or maybe worse. Probably decked him too, for good measure. It's not that his brother's behaviour surprised him. Willie being the eldest, duties and family responsibilities were heaped on his shoulders at a very young age while their parents ran a thriving hotel business. So it became instinctual for him to intervene even in his siblings' lives, undoubtedly a habit he had not outgrown.

As he followed Willie to their father's study room, Jamie was caught off guard. "I was hoping ye'd follow me. How long were ye and Annalise together?" he asked. His brother's face was unreadable, a trait every Fraser possessed when a situation demanded it.

Jamie's eyebrows shot up but, he too, kept his features carefully schooled so he wouldn't betray the anger pounding through his blood. "Oh no, no...bràthair, ye don't get to ask questions here. What the fuck was that all about upstairs?" he asked in a level tone of voice, referring to Willie's recent meddling.

Willie looked surprised as if seeing Jamie for the first time. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he drew out a heavy sigh. "This is about Claire," he revealed before taking out his phone from his jean pocket and swiping a few times on the screen. "Did ye know that she still uses that same bloody password for all her internet accounts for the last ten years? Everybody knew her password. Weel, the whole family, did. She's never changed it."

It was true everyone in the Fraser household knew Claire's password. She broadcasted it during dinnertime when she first set up her email account, excited at the prospect of making her first digital footprint. Worrying she might forget, she revealed to them her sign-in security. Although the family were amused, Willie had warned her not to share that piece of information further and even told her that 1234Claire was a weak password and that she ought to change it. Obviously, the advice was never heeded.

Feeling a tingling behind his neck, Jamie remained silent, waiting for his brother to continue. What has this to do with Annalise?

"There are these messages, ye ken..." Willie proceeded, considering his next words for a moment while his concentration was focused on the phone he held on his hand. "I had to see more, so I logged into her Facebook account."

Jamie's brow puckered in confusion, taking a few seconds for his brother's words to sink in. "Oh for fuck sake, Willie!" Jamie uttered in disbelief, both hands clasping the back of his head. "Are ye stalking Claire? Because that's fucking rank and really, an all-time low. What level have ye sunk into?"

"No! Jesus, no! " Roughly shoving his phone in Jamie's hand, he willed him to look at the screenshot image he had taken from her phone. "Claire has been receiving these offensive messages from some anonymous person. It's been going on the last few months. I had nae choice but to look into it...log into her account to intercept the messages."

"She told ye about the messages?" Jamie's vision swam with red, and he could feel the blood turning into frozen ice in his veins, as he viewed image after image of hurtful words directed at Claire from his brother's phone.

"No. Claire was upset when I accidentally saw the message on her phone screen. I had to pry the phone off her hand to take a better look. I wouldn't have done that if she didn't look so troubled." Willie glanced over to the door as a precaution, in case someone might overhear. When he turned back, his brows were drawn low. "I had to delete the last couple of messages that were sent. They were threats. They may be empty words meant to frighten her, but they're quite upsetting. I think these messages might be the reason I've seen her drinking during the day."

Christ, why didn't Claire tell me? "What kind of threats?" Jamie's first instinct was to drag her from upstairs, shake the truth out of until her teeth chattered and envelop her in a protective hug.

"Threats to her life..." Willie answered haltingly. "It's probably a prank, but ye never know."

Even having already suspected what Willie's next words would be, it didn't ease the blow of hearing it spoken aloud. Over his dead body would those words ever come true. "And what has all these to do with Annalise?"

"Those messages started around the time you broke up with Annalise, so I reckon it might be her sending them. You may have separated amicably, but disappointments sometimes run deep, ye ken. That is why I wanted to know how long ye've been together."

Jamie stared at an invisible spot on the floor with a vacant expression. "It could be purely coincidental," he argued weakly, his voice trailing off when he remembered Annalise's request to marry her. He had omitted to tell that part of the story to Willie and Claire. Feeling uncertain, Jamie sat down on the chair, bracing his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands. The thought of the possibility that it might be Annalise sending those messages and inadvertently putting Claire's life in danger, made him feel sick, even if Willie's explanation was wholly hypothetical. "But ...Annalise has those papers from the doctor. I've looked over them. I don't want to jump to any conclusions unless we have a piece of solid evidence. Christ, we're talking about a dying woman here, Willie." Did I really look at those papers thoroughly? Damn it, how much have I told Annalise about Claire when we were together?

"Aye, I've considered that. That's why I want Ned Gowan to look at those papers to check its legitimacy." Willie took the chair opposite Jamie, running a weary hand over his already tousled hair. "Jamie, this is no' just some childish name-calling and whatnot like from her schooldays. They're death threats. It may be nothing, but we need to take it seriously."

Ned Gowan was their family lawyer and friend, a kindly middle-aged man, with his own successful law firm. His gentle manner and friendly face belied his reputation as a hotshot legal representative and was feared in the court arena. His mannerisms and friendliness can put any witnesses of the opposing party at ease before catching them off guard with his sharp wit and dexterity during interrogation. His influence was far-reaching and was rumoured to have private detectives working for him to assist with critical cases.

God, so it has come to that. Jamie suddenly felt weary as he let his head fall back, imploring the ceiling for clarity. "Aye, aye...but until we are sure, beyond a reasonable doubt, we will not treat Annalise differently. And this goes for ye too, Willie," he warned, pointing his index finger at him. He knew that giving Annalise any inkling she was suspected of any wrongdoing, and it was later proven wrong, the accusation may possibly bite them on the arse in the form of guilt. "Annalise can't be the only suspect ye have in mind, surely."

"No. Frank is a maybe. Claire went out a couple of times with him a summer ago. It was nothing serious...just a few drinks at the pub. And recently, she cancelled a date with him, after both of ye got together...so aye, he's a possibility. I doubt it though. He's in his last couple of months of training before he becomes a barrister, so there's a slim chance he would do anything as stupid as that."

"Aye, that's right, go through my friends' list, and mind to tick their name off once they're eliminated from yer suspect list," Jamie bit out sarcastically.

"Am I on the suspect list?"

The brothers' heads snapped towards the doorway to find Geillis leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed in front of her, and an amused look plastered on her face.

"How much did ye hear?" Willie asked cautiously, rising from his seat.

"Enough to understand what's going on." Geillis sauntered into the room, her ankle boots' heels clicking with each step. She tossed an empty sports bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the desk, head tilting back and forth as she regarded the brothers. "My turn to sneak up on ye," she joked, winking at Jamie.

"Geillis, please, not a word to Claire," Jamie stressed, giving her a warning look.

Her lips twitched, accentuating the dimples on her cheeks. "Dinna fash, lads, I won't say a word. That's yer prerogative." A flicker of calculation flashed in her eyes before she continued. "But if I were ye, I would tell Claire what ye know and what ye plan to do. The reason she doesn't confide in ye both is, ye treat her like some freakin' fragile porcelain. She's a strong lass, ye ken, much more than ye give her credit for."

She paused to inspect her manicured nails before proceeding. "Aye, indeed she drinks to dull the hurt from those messages, but it's because she cannae confide to the people she loves most. Really, lads, ye ought to let her fight her own battles but let her know ye're there to help...not to fight the battles for her." Smiling sweetly, she jumped off the desk and patted them both on the cheek, before retrieving her bag on the floor. "So lads, stop being a couple of skid marks and get yer heads out of yer shite hole, aye? Otherwise, if she finds out ye're sneaking behind her back...weel...tsk, tsk."

Stunned and speechless, Jamie and Willie could only watch Geillis sashay out of the room, her rant still echoing in their heads and her musical voice sailing out into the hallway. "Oh, Claire, where are ye?"

.........

Claire was relieved when Geillis walked in. Although Annalise had been nothing but sweet, she couldn't bring herself to be comfortable in her presence. The thought of Jamie holding Annalise, past or any moment in time had her stomach in knots, jealousy curdling at its pit, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

Watching as the two girls introduced themselves to each other, Geillis' easy rapport somehow transformed the strained atmosphere to light and breezy. She had texted her friend earlier to bring an empty bag for her other belongings, and now, she was glad she did. Seizing the opportunity, Claire excused herself from their conversation and escaped to Jamie's room.

Looking out into the window, she stared at the open fields seeing nothing. You and Annalise have similarities, orphaned at such an early age. That thought frequently reverberated through the walls of her head, sending a niggle of discomfort crawling up her spine. She had wondered from the beginning of their relationship, why Jamie seemed so infatuated with her. Was he drawn to her because her start in life was something to take pity on? Or perhaps because she constantly needed saving from the bullies in school?

Now that I don't need saving, how long until Jamie lost interest? What if I told him about those messages I've been receiving?

The sounds of the house grew muffled, and Annalise's and Geillis' conversation next door faded away until she could only hear the dull thudding of her own heart. She stood like that for a long while, mentally trying to stamp out the insecurities plaguing her mind.

Through the fog that had descended, she heard a familiar voice as Claire felt an arm encircling her waist and warm breath fanning her neck. "Sassenach." Jamie's tone of voice was thick with concern. "Look at me. What's wrong?"

She turned around to face him, the pressure of his big hands on her, propelling the world back into its usual rhythm. At first, there was only the outline of Jamie's head, surrounded by the sunlight streaming in from the window, but steadily he came into view, worry creasing his handsome face.

"Sassenach? What is it?" he asked urgently.

"Hey, I'm fine," she whispered, clearing her throat to sound more convincing. "Honestly, it's all good. I'm sorry, I was daydreaming, and I didn't hear you come in." Claire leaned her forehead against Jamie's chest, deeply inhaling his masculine scent. The million-pound question was on the tip of her tongue. Am I a rescue mission? Am I being used to fulfil that sense of duty so instilled in the Frasers upbringing?

"Speak to me," he said, moving closer and wrapping her in his arms. "Yer back was so rigid, as if ye'd seen a ghost. What's in yer mind?"

"Not much. It's just that..." Oh God, what if I'm wrong? The love between them was real, it was right now, and it was all-consuming. Stop over-analysing and live in the moment. "Are you staying here tonight?"

Jamie smiled. "No." He raised her right hand to kiss the inside of her palm. "I came in here to pack some clothes to take. May I stay with ye tonight? And the nights after that?"

"Of course, I thought we've decided on that earlier." She wedged her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around his waist. The fears she had earlier began to evaporate, settling the chaos in her belly once and for all. It was startling how quickly he can blur every thought in her head and narrow it down to just him. "How about Annalise?"

"Aye, I'll check up on her later. She's no' that poorly that she needs my assistance. Willie will be here to keep an eye on her and make sure she eats. Tomorrow, he'll be taking her to the doctor. And we'll see what happens after that," he explained.

"Right, of course. Shall I help you pack?" She was moving away already, but Jamie didn't let go. Instead, he guided them to a chair and pulled her down to his lap, his arms possessively going around her.

"I'm not done with ye yet," he whispered, his throat worked with emotion. He started to speak and stopped, leaning down to mould his mouth to hers for a thorough kiss instead. After what seemed like an eternity, Jamie cautiously eased back an inch, massaging the base of her spine with his thumb. "Do ye trust me?"

Her honey-coloured eyes fell to half-mast, reluctant to share what had been troubling her just yet. "You know I do, Jamie," she murmured, aware he was trying to read her mind.

"Sassenach, there is one thing I want to ask of ye, and that is honesty. Honesty between us," he said slowly. Feeling her flinch against him, he paused to kiss her forehead before continuing. "We've known each other for a long time, and it may seem we know everything there is to know about one another." His breath released in a long rush, as she raised her eyes to look at him. "Fact is, there are things we choose not to reveal. Like a secret, aye? We are entitled to that, to keep a little bit of ourselves from the world. And that's alright. Like me, there are things that I cannae tell ye, at least not yet. I suppose the same goes with ye. But, what I ask of ye is, whatever we say to one another, there should only be the truth between us. I will not demand anything of ye that ye are not ready to tell me. Do ye think that's fair?"

She nodded, half smiling. "Yes, it's fair."

"I know I'm asking a lot from ye by bringing Annalise here. God knows how I would feel if the situation was reversed and ye were bringing another man home to take care of. I wouldn't like it one bit." He rubbed his thumb over her collarbone, studying it so carefully she wondered if he was memorising the texture. "I want ye to feel secure in my love, Sassenach."

Swallowing the desire to avoid an uncomfortable topic, she forced herself to reassure Jamie, knowing that this was as difficult for him as it was with her. "Bringing her here was both our decision, Jamie. We both agreed to it. It is kind of awkward being around her, I won't deny it, but it's early days, and I guess we need to give ourselves time to adjust."

A multitude of emotions swam across his face, gratitude and relief for her understanding chiefly among them. "Aye, that's true, but sometimes I have my doubts if it was the right thing. Annalise may need me, but I want ye to understand that ye come first and foremost in my life and it's never a choice." He cradled the back of her head in a gentle hold, willing her to hold his gaze. "If ever her presence becomes too unbearable for ye, we'll find another way. Ye only need to say the word."

Claire's hand lifted at their own accord to frame his face. "Thank you. Just bear with me for the next few days. I'm sure I'll be fine." Feeling the tension eased off Jamie's shoulders, she encircled her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulders.

After a long moment wrapped up in each other's arms, there was a knock on the door. They glanced towards the doorway to find Willie stood there with a strange look on his face.

"Both of ye, will ye come down, please," Willie said in a low voice. "Two police officers want to speak to you, Claire. Something about a crowdfunding page ye set up for..." he gestured with his thumb towards her old bedroom.

Claire understood what he meant. "What about it?" she asked apprehensively.

"They wouldn't say. Best come down and find out."

Before she could say more, Willie was already heading down the stairs.

#melodyheart #forgetmenot #Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser #outlanderfanfic

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