#raigmore

[scotianostra]

On November 8th 1891 the author Neil M Gunn was born.

Neil Miller Gunn, was born in Dunbeath, a small fishing and crofting community in Caithness, North East Scotland. Although he was educated in Galloway, he grew up with a love of the Highlands and Highland culture and, as an adult, he returned to the North East to live and work.Gunn, the son of a fisherman, was born at a time when the herring fishing industries of Scotland were beginning to die out, and much of Highland culture was in decline, with a falling population and growing unemployment.

Gunn saw that Highland culture was also under threat as the old ways were forgotten, and fewer people spoke Gaelic or Scots, so traditional songs and stories were beginning to disappear. Reflecting this trend, Gunn himself spoke only English, although in his writing he used the rhythms and syntax of Gaelic speech to give a sense of the people and communities he depicted.

For a number of years, Gunn worked in London for the Civil Service before joining the Customs and Excise in 1911. Returning to the Highlands he worked as an Excise Officer until 1937, when increasing financial success allowed him to become a full-time writer. This writing also extended to journalism and, in the 1930s and early 40s, he wrote articles for publications such as the Scots Magazine. In this he argued that the Highland way of life was worth preserving and should be supported to stop it disappearing altogether, a position which he also expressed politically through his involvement with the SNP.

Gunn is best known, however, for his novels, the first of which, The Grey Coast was published in 1926. His early novels reveal a bleak, often harsh, portrait of the communities he knew so well, although through time his fiction shifted to reveal a more hopeful vision of Highland experience. These more positive portraits include Highland River , The Silver Darlings and Young Art and Old Hector , novels which remain his most widely-read work.In 1956 he published his final book, The Atom of Delight, a spiritual autobiography which traced his interest in Zen Buddhism.

Neil M Gunn died on January 15th 1973 at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness and is buried beside his wife, Jessie Dallas Frew at Mitchell Hill Cemetery Dingwall.

Dunbeath Heritage Centre in Caithness houses a permanent exhibition of his life and work. His book, Whisky and Scotland is still a popular read among Whisky aficionados, although I have read some comments saying it needs updated, well unless he somehow rises from the dead I’m afraid it will not happen. The statue in the pic, called Kenn with Salmon, after his novel, was unveiled in 1991 at Dunbeath. He is also remembered at on Lawnmarket Royal Mile Edinburgh with the quote “Knowledge is high in the head, but the salmon of wisdom swims deep”

Read more about him here https://scotchwhisky.com/.../whisky.../20306/neil-m-gunn/

[renee-writer]

Baby Girl Chapter 93

AO3

“Where?” His eyes are steady on her even as inside he is frantic.

 

The medics have  determined that Brian wasn’t shot. That he had a major cardiac event, as they put it. He was stabilized and rushed to hospital. The man he shot was pronounced dead. And good riddance, Geillis added in her head.

 

“Raigmore.” He starts to walk away and she stops him by saying, “You need to go to the crime scene first and see if you know the unsub.”

 

“Crime scene.” he feels like vomiting at the idea of Lallybroch being so designated. She is right though. As much as he longs to hurry to his da, he has a job to do first.  He nods.

 

Claire sits among her computers, wiping tears out of her eyes. She was sent all the information. Her job now is, not to fall apart, and try to find the identity of the man who Brian stopped.

 

“He has to be okay, God. He simply has to.” Bargaining with the Almighty, she starts running the face of the unsub through the network of computers. If he has ever been in the system, in anyway, she will find him.

 

John pats his arm when he enters his home. A place of safety has been violated. The crime scene tape, the smell of blood and gun powder, the knife still clinched in the dead man’s hand, the tale is easily told. Now, to make sense of it.

 

“He was hiding in the attic. When he started down the stairs your dad heard him.”

 

“He would have. Any unusual noises, he would pick up on. “

 

“Brian was here,” Murtagh stands where the fallen man stood, “It seems he didn’t hesitate. Our unsub approached and was taken out.”

 

“Do you recognize him?” John asks.

 

He steps up to him, avoiding the blood splatter. Kneeling he looks into the dead eyes of the man who tried to kill his family.

 

He hasn’t seen him since upper school. Death and age can’t  hide his identity from Jamie. Amazing. He isn’t the last person he would suspect but not near the top either. Did da recognize him as well? He will ask him when he wakes up. He must wake up!

 

“Jamie?”

 

He turns to Murtagh as he stands up. “His name is Simon McKimnie. In upper school, he was a bully. Got pissed at me for rejecting his sister, Laoghaire. I haven’t seen him or even really thought of him since.”

 

“Thank you Jamie. We will send his name to Claire and see…”

 

“No, let me. I need to hear her voice.” Murtagh nods.  He walks outside, wondering if entering his home will ever feel the same again. How can they have a wedding there now?

 

“Baby girl.”

 

She starts searching out everything that can be known about Simon McKimnie. A name focuses her. Hearing the despair in her man’s voice, she feels like dropping everything and going to him.  No, you need to stay here and find out all you can, she orders herself, then you can join the family.

 

“Mam!” She runs into her son’s arms. He holds her close. His sister and brother -in-law stand behind her.

 

“He is in critical condition in the ICU.” Jenny tells him. “Stable, they say. Oh Jamie, he looks so small.” She starts to weep and Ian holds her.

 

“I thought him shot, all the blood. Feeling his pulse, even a little, was such a relief. I wasn’t worried about the other bloke.”

 

“It was Simon McKimnie.” Jamie says.

 

“From upper school? The bully?” Jenny is surprised.

 

“Aye. I have no idea why he would suddenly come after me through you, why he would kill that other family. Claire is searching for answers, it is why she isn’t here.”

 

They enter Brian’s room. Jenny is right. He does look so small.

[funnnyjokes]

Funny Joke ‣ Doctor Memories

From a friend who works at Raigmore hospital some things that have gone on over the years, some of these are just too funny, hope you enjoy them.

First: A man comes into the ER and yells “My wife’s going to have her baby in the Taxi.”

[jhamazamnews-blog]

NHS Highland: Scottish health board fined £180,000 over death of Colin Lloyd who fell from hospital bed three times | UK News

A Scottish NHS board has been fined £180,000 over the death of a pensioner who fell from his hospital bed three times. NHS Highland had previously admitted a breach of health and safety regulations at Inverness Sheriff Court. The court was told 78-year-old Colin Lloyd was admitted to Raigmore Hospital on 6 February 2019 following a fall at home. He was assessed as unsuitable for bed rails but was…

[killjoygem]

Okay more bc im having fun watching the planes

A sikorksy helicopter, doesn't have any information about destination or take off but I can see it started in stornoway and has been going along the coast which sadly i think means its most likely Search and rezcue

Gama aviation is now also flying a helicopter out of Inverness?? I've never seen so many air ambulances in the air at once.

Nothing else super interesting. Notably only big flights for today, no loganair or Ryanair. Hardly anything coming out of scotland, mostly just going over

Edit: in the time I was writing this post, the helicopter landed, possibly at Raigmore hospital in inverness, the airport itself is just outside of inverness so it was a very short flight

Edit 2: the helicopter is back in the air already, and I can now confirm it landed at Raigmore, not sure where its going now

Planes I saw on flight radar right now just because

Scottish ambulance service - glasgow to aberdeen. I don't have details but I'd guess that's a patient transfer. Not sure what for though, my mum once got transferred to aberdeen for the ecmo centre, but i think they'll have ecmo machines in Glasgow now

A huuuge plane - Airbus A380– the biggest passenger plane in the world, iirc this plane only takes off from Scotland once per day– is going from Glasgow to Dubai

The slightly-smaller-than-an-A380 Boeing 747 is taking off from Prestwick to Los Angelos

A Gama aviation plan is about to take off from Aberdeen to glasgow, im fairly sure that this is also an air ambulance as the type of plane (Beechcraft king air 200) is what that company uses for air ambulances. If I was to guess, there's no patient on board currently and they're doing another Glasgow to aberdeen transfer

[anoutlandishfanfic]

Part Two, Chapter Five: Raigmore.

Last time, on A Child of the Stones…

Jamie sent Claire and Julia (aka Faith) thru the standing stones of Craigh na Dun. Claire returned to her own time empty handed, believing Julia to have stayed with Jamie and died in the hours before Culloden. Upon being reunited with her husband, she discovers that Julia had not, in fact, done so. This is troublesome as Claire visited Julia’s grave at Lallybroch in 1968. Jamie asserts that no such grave exists, meaning Julia would return to her ancestral home and be buried there sometime between then (1766) and 1968.

How is this possible? Where and when had she gone?

You can find links to previous chapters here.

April 16th, 2007, 7:45pm; Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, Scotland. Nurse Katie Campbell.

“Abandoned toddler found in Cairngorms National Park by hiker. Unresponsive. Requesting immediate evac to Raigmore Hospital from St Vincent’s.”

The foundling had, of course, been granted permission and arrived post-haste in Inverness ten minutes ago in critical condition.

“She was wearing this?” I nudged the plastic bag containing the clothing the little girl had been found in, an audible squish coming from the soggy outfit. Homespun dress, knit sweater, and cloth nappy had all been hand made along with her crudely fashioned leather shoes.

“Aye, an’ a’ the top o’ Craigh na Dun, no less,” an orderly added.

I rolled my eyes. Granny Fiona had told my siblings and I stories of people and fairies that traveled thru the stones, but I’d never believed them to be anything but what they were: stories.

“Ye ken the standin’ stones o’ Craigh na Dun, don’t ye? ‘Tis an unlucky place, to be sure, Nurse Campbell.” he warned

The head matron snorted in derision behind me, “Dinna listen to Gavin, Katie, lass. He’s full o’ the auld tales.”

“Aye, that I be, Auntie,” Gavin grinned and shrugged, winking cheekily at her. “But who do ye suppose told ‘em to me?”

“Get on wi’ ye,” she shooed him away while trying her best not to smile.

…

11:30 pm

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, PICU for short, was quiet tonight. I sat and held her hand as I watched her irregular heartbeat on the monitor. The room was dark and silent around us.

A sudden creak of the mattress made me jump.

Still unconscious, it hadn’t been the child. I looked to the foot of the bed and my blood ran cold.

There, sitting and holding the little girl’s other hand, was a woman I had never seen before in my life. Her clothes were as strange as the child’s had been, a green bodice and skirt made up in an ancient fashion. A breeze that I didn’t feel stirred the curls around her shoulders and I knew in an instant that she wasn’t really here.

Before I could figure out what on earth to say, she turned to me and spoke. “Please,” she begged, her voice melodic and almost otherworldly. “Save my baby.”

I simply nodded, unsure of how to respond to a request from a ghost.

The figure bent over the child and placed a kiss on her cheek, tucking the little girl’s auburn curls behind her ears. With this loving caress from her mother, the child’s heart rate became stronger and her eyelids flickered.

“Her name is Julia,” the woman whispered as she stood. Then, looking at me, asked, “You’ll take care of her for me, won’t you?”

“I will,” I vowed without hesitation.

…

2:00 am

“Julia?” The head matron repeated dubiously.

I shrugged, realizing how strange I must sound, “Call it mother’s intuition, but I think that’s her name.”

“Ye aren’t a mam, lass…” A slow grin spread across the woman’s face. “Unless this is yer way of tellin’ me somethin’.”

“No!” I shook my head, warmth spreading across my cheeks. “It’s just that I feel a sort of connection to her. She doesn’t have anyone, you know?”

“Aye, I ken, poor bairn. Just dinna get too attached to the wee thing.” She patted my shoulder as I left the nurse’s station and headed to my car.

…

10:00 am

Bzzzz. Bzzzz. Pause. Bzzzz. Bzzzz.

I knocked the phone off the bedside table in my haste to silence it. Sliding halfway off the bed, I snatched it off the floor and glared at the screen.

Six unread messages. Three from the Head Matron, my boss, and three from Gracie, my best friend and fellow nurse at the hospital.

Good Lord, they knew I wasn’t on call, right? I was just there and would be again in a matter of hours. What was so important that it couldn’t wait four more hours?

I scrolled thru the texts on my lock screen, still able to read them in the order received.

9am- HM- Yer bairn is awake.

9:15am- Gracie- OMG she’s so PRECIOUS

9:30am- HM- Any chance ye could come in early?

9:40am- Gracie- paging baby whisperer

9:50am- Gracie- PAGING BABY WHISPERER!!! REPORT TO BASE ASAP

10:00am- HM- Need you STAT

“Shit,” I muttered as I hit the button to call my boss.

“How soon can ye be here?” were the first words out of her mouth.

I yanked on my scrubs and ran towards the door, “Be there in ten!”

…

Fifteen minutes later.

Julia’s screams welcomed me as I pushed open the PICU doors. Thankfully, she was our only patient at the moment and wouldn’t upset any other children, but the sound was quickly tying a knot in the pit of my stomach.

“Katie’s here!” Gracie’s shoulders sagged with relief as she announced my entrance.

“What have you tried to get her to settle?” I asked, looking over my shoulder while I quickly washed my hands.

She sighed, “More like wha’ havena we tried.”

I grinned and winked at her.

I had a good track record of calming young children down when our tried and true methods failed, earning me the nickname of Baby Whisperer. It was a bit of a misnomer, though, as I was as normal as could be with infants.

Julia sat upright in bed, her cheeks red with the exertion of screaming bloody murder. A frazzled nurse looked up as I approached, giving me a thankful smile.

I greeted the distraught child in a sing song voice while still a good distance from her. Her head snapped in my direction and I continued speaking, switching to Gaelic for something new to distract her.

“Much, a eudail, chan eil caoineadh.”  Shh, darling, don’t cry.

Eyes wide and suddenly silent, she stretched out her arms to me. I swept her onto my lap as I sat down on the bed. She took a deep, shuddering breath and melted into me.

“That’s the way.” I praised. Humming, I rubbed her back in gentle strokes until she was at last completely calm. I shifted her in my arms so she could see my face and smiled down at her, “You are such a brave girl, a leannan.”

Her dark lashes blinked slowly as she studied me, quite serious. A tentative hand reached out and patted my cheek as if in thanks.

I took it in mine and kissed it, warranting me a shy smile from the little girl who would quickly become my everything.

[nosasblog]

Raigmore Hospital, Inverness: From EMS to NHS

Raigmore Hospital, Inverness: From EMS to NHS

by Marion Ruscoe

Raigmore Hospital, 1948 © HES (Aerofilms Collection)

Raigmore Hospital was erected as part of the Emergency Medical Scheme (EMS) on part of  the Raigmore estate and opened in 1941.  The Emergency Medical Scheme was established to provide adequate medical facilities for expected wartime casualties and Raigmore was one of seven new hospitals built during the war.  They were all…

[softanxiouspatton]

Let me add that to the reason why I hate England/Westminster

This is why I want independence for Scotland. Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland deserve better than England doing this to us.

Hmmmmmmmm

[medley00]

The Most Important Gift

So, this is my first time writing any type of fan fiction. I  am equally terrified and excited to put it out into the world.  Thanks go to @thelallybrochlibrary​ for hosting this fun Holiday Prompt Exchange, @fickeepingtheshipafloat​ for the adorable prompt, @walkinginland​ for her help posting this and @desperationandgin​ for the advice! Hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!!

Inverness, Scotland

CLAIRE

“Oh darling, I’m so glad I caught you.”

“Me too. It’s so good to hear your voice again.” Claire Beachamp said to her uncle Lambert over the phone. “What time is it there in Tikal?”

“Oh, it’s late here, but I was hoping to get you before you went into work.”

Claire glanced at the clock that read 5:38am. She had just gotten out of bed a few minutes earlier, stretched, and was preparing for her shift as a nurse at Raigmore Hospital when she received the call.

“You did. I don’t go in until seven this morning.”

While Claire made coffee and toast for herself, she chatted with her uncle about what was going on in her life. Admittedly, outside of her job, nothing new was happening with her so that was a very short conversation.

“Enough about me, do tell about your latest adventure.”

“Guatemala is amazing, Claire. I think you’d love it here.” Lamb said. He went on for a bit, describing some of the things he’d seen in the lush rainforest that surrounded the ancient Mayan ruin he was exploring.

“I don’t want to keep you too long. I know you’ve got important work to get on with.” Lamb said sincerely. “Also, I have a package I’m sending your way shortly.”

“Oh, lovely. Thanks, Lamb. I miss you.”

“And I miss you as well, my darling. I plan to come back home and visit soon.”

They finished their conversation, and Claire washed her face and threw on some of her favorite scrubs. She pondered if she should get a tree for her place, since Christmas was coming up quickly, but wasn’t sure if it was worth the effort since she was the only one who would see it and she was rarely home anyways. Her work kept her busy and she loved it, but every now and then she wished she could come home to more than an empty flat.

Keep reading

[paganplaces]

Raigmore cairn

The Raigmore Cairn (also called Stoneyfield or Stonyfield), which was moved and reconstructed during the construction of the A9, is a Clava Cairn in Inverness, Scotland.

Read more at: https://paganplaces.com/places/raigmore-cairn/

[scotianostra]

On November 8th 1891 the author Neil M Gunn was born.

Neil Miller Gunn, was born in Dunbeath, a small fishing and crofting community in Caithness, North East Scotland.  Although he was educated in Galloway, he grew up with a love of the Highlands and Highland culture and, as an adult, he returned to the North East to live and work.Gunn, the son of a fisherman, was born at a time when the herring fishing industries of Scotland were beginning to die out, and much of Highland culture was in decline, with a falling population and growing unemployment. 

Gunn saw that Highland culture was also under threat as the old ways were forgotten, and fewer people spoke Gaelic or Scots, so traditional songs and stories were beginning to disappear. Reflecting this trend, Gunn himself spoke only English, although in his writing he used the rhythms and syntax of Gaelic speech to give a sense of the people and communities he depicted.

For a number of years, Gunn worked in London for the Civil Service before joining the Customs and Excise in 1911. Returning to the Highlands he worked as an Excise Officer until 1937, when increasing financial success allowed him to become a full-time writer. This writing also extended to journalism and, in the 1930s and early 40s, he wrote articles for publications such as the Scots Magazine. In this he argued that the Highland way of life was worth preserving and should be supported to stop it disappearing altogether, a position which he also expressed politically through his involvement with the SNP.

Gunn is best known, however, for his novels, the first of which, The Grey Coast was published in 1926. His early novels reveal a bleak, often harsh, portrait of the communities he knew so well, although through time his fiction shifted to reveal a more hopeful vision of Highland experience. These more positive portraits include Highland River , The Silver Darlings and Young Art and Old Hector , novels which remain his most widely-read work.In 1956 he published his final book, The Atom of Delight, a spiritual autobiography which traced his interest in Zen Buddhism. 

Neil M Gunn died on January 15th 1973 at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness and is buried beside his wife,  Jessie Dallas Frew at Mitchell Hill Cemetery Dingwall.

Dunbeath Heritage Centre in Caithness houses a permanent exhibition of his life and work. His book, Whisky and Scotland is still a popular read among Whisky aficionados, although I have read some comments saying it needs updated, well unless he somehow rises from the dead I’m afraid it will not happen. The statue in the pic, called Kenn with Salmon, after his novel, was unveiled in 1991 at Dunbeath. He is also remembered at  on Lawnmarket Royal Mile Edinburgh with the quote “Knowledge is high in the head, but the salmon of wisdom swims deep”

Read more about him here https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/whisky-heroes/20306/neil-m-gunn/

[thesilicontribesman]

Bone Toggle from Raigmore Cairn, Inverness, Inverness Museum and Gallery, Scotland.

[renee-writer]

Hitman Chapter 8 Wee Jamie

Claire woke up next to Jamie. He lays sleeping on his back, arms crossed. She smiles and touches his face. He smiles in his sleep and it causes her heart to lurch. Oh boy. She gets up, pulls her knickers and a robe on, and heads into the kitchen.

Jamie wakes to the smell of coffee and eggs. She is cooking, cooking for him. No one outside his mam ever had. The smell of bacon also wafted through the air. He pulls his boxers on and goes out the join her. She is standing in her white robe with just knickers on underneath. He can tell because it is opened at the front. He sees just a glimpse of the creamy white skin of her breast.

He needs to tell her everything and soon. He has to head to Paris, with his da, to do some business with his cousin Jerrod. He will be gone until after the new year. Before her that wouldn’t have mattered. But now, he sighs, now he didn’t wish to leave. If he hadn’t promised his da. Another sigh as he walks into the kitchen and wraps his arms around her. He kisses her neck as his hand slips under her robe. She turns and finds his lips. The kiss is sweet and languid. It has him wanting her again. Something else new. Usually he is one and done. But with Claire, he can’t get enough of her.

She moans and presses closer. He finds her bum and presses her closer. ‘’Jamie, I can’t let the food burn.’’ He let's her go reluctantly. She turns back to the stove and finishes cooking, plates the food, and they sit down across from each other. He needs to talk but decides to eat some first. Yah, he is putting it off. He is reluctant to break the spell that is between them.

‘’Claire, I need to tell you something.’’ She stops gathering up the dishes and gives him her full attention.

‘’Yes Jamie?’’

‘’I am..’’ he gets no farther as the ringing of his phone pierces the quiet. A ring he hadn’t heard in awhile. His sister’s. He hurries to the living room where his discarded pants lay. He fishes it out. ‘’Jenny. What is.. Oh no! Christ, is he okay? I understand. Yes on the way. I love you too. See you soon.’’ He turns back towards Claire as he pulls his clothes back on.

‘’I have to go Claire. That was my sister. My nephew was in an accident. Was knocked out. They are taken him to the hospital. I have to..’’

‘’Of course. I can go with you, if you want.’’ She had thrown the dishes in the washer and was hurrying to get dressed herself.

‘’You don’t have to.’’ He is searching for his keys. He finds them under her couch where they had slid.

‘’I want too. For you and, I am a trauma surgeon. I can answer your sister's questions.’’

‘’Thank you Claire.’’ She pulls her untamable hair into a ponytail and they rush out the door.

It takes three long hours to get to Inverness. He could have taken that time to tell her about himself but is to stressed about wee Jamie to add anything else. So, he tells her about his family, about the fight with his sister, about his best friend and brother-in- law, his parents, Robbie, Willie and his growing family, and wee Jamie.

‘’He has to be alright. He is such a bonny brawl lad.’’

‘’The fact that he landed on hay helps.’’ She sooths. He had been in the barn with his da and grandsire, had climbed into the hayloft, and gotten to close to the edge. He had fallen straight onto his back and been knocked out.

‘’Aye.’’ They pull into the hospital and Jamie opens the door for her, takes her hand and they run in. He is still in A&E where they find Ian pacing.

‘’Jamie lad, you dinna have to come all this way.’’

‘’Please, where is Jenny? Oh, ‘’ he recalls Claire when she tightens her hand on his. ‘’Ian Murray meet Claire Beauchamp, Claire, my brother-in- law, Ian.’’

‘’Nice to meet you lass. Jenny is.’’ Just then she comes running up and throws her arms around him. He holds her tight.

‘’Jenny, where is he?’’

‘’Off for some tests. Thanks for coming.’’

‘’I could be nowhere else.’’

‘’Who is this?’’ she notices Claire who stands beside Ian and Brian, who had just joined them in Raigmore's A&E waiting room.

‘’Jenny and da, Claire Beauchamp. Claire, my sister Jenny and da Brian. Claire was with me when I got your call and wanted to come. She is a trauma surgeon and can be of assistance with the medical stuff.’’

‘’Very nice to meet you Claire.’’ Brian shakes her hand.

‘’You too sir.’’

‘’Can you come with us to talk with the doctors?’’ Jenny asks.

‘’Of course.’’ She squeezes Jamie's hand before following the Murray’s out.

[eleanor-is-fine]

TMA #37 Burnt Offering

JS “Tell me again, I want it on tape.” [delivery of lighter and of table] MB “Two big Cockney delivery men.” 

“Both you and Rosie said they looked exactly like you expect. Useless.”

Not in the business of destroying knowledge.

MB “Can I go now? ... You should get some sleep.”

[they are not very nice to each other]

JS “Waste of tape really.”

--

Statement of Jason North.

Would you rather watch my son burn so you can take notes?

I’ve been drinking. Only way to keep the fear from settling in.

If I lose Ethan the way I lost everything else...

Pine marten - an adorable wee bear that needs to be protected

Huge areas devoid of human life. Ethan waiting for me at home.

Odd looking clearing, but I wasn’t worried, even though the hairs on my arms stood up, acrid taste.

Stone seat or altar in the middle. Silent. No animals.

Didn’t need to enter the clearing but I did. It was a mistake. Skin so hot. Water boiling.

Burn marks. Radiated out, but no evidence of fire.

[soundscape]

Animals at perimeter. All dead, scalded.

Iron nail in the trunk of each tree. From each nail, on string, a milk bottle. (Dirt, pine needles, bubbling water.)

Photograph - Gertrude? - in each bottle. Hair attached. String hanging the bottles and the hair seemed clean.

Dropped a bottle. It shattered. Picked up the photograph as a way to make it real. You can have it now.

Everything has burned. Car. House. Wife Lucy. “I can’t lose Ethan.”

“I don’t deserve this.”

--

Ethan North is a healthy 11 year old living with a foster family in Inverness.

Jason North 8/12/09 lit himself on fire. Raigmore Hospital, never regained consciousness.

Photograph is of Gertrude Robinson, circa 2002.

“I don’t know what this means. I don’t know what any of this means. I’m very tired.”

[isitgintimeyet]

Letting Go

AO3

Previous

So, final chapter here... and it’s a bit shorter, more of an epilogue to round things off. Thanks to you all for sticking with the story and liking, commenting and reblogging. It’s really really appreciated.

Thanks to @mo-nighean-rouge for the beta and @happytoobserve for the encouragement

Biggest thanks of all though to Jane Austen, for writing the incredible ‘Persuasion.’

Chapter 16: Thinking Out Loud

And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways Maybe just the touch of a hand Oh me I fall in love with you every single day And I just wanna tell you I am

Ed Sheeran

One year later...

The church was awash with June flowers. White lilies and roses jostled with yellow freesias and blue delphiniums together with yards and yards of trailing ivy.

From his vantage point, Jamie looked around the church. The pews were filled nicely. Some faces he recognised and plenty he had never seen before in his life. Still, that was always the way with weddings -- different groups of families and friends coming together for this special occasion.

The organ started the opening bars of ‘Trumpet Voluntary’. John, standing next to Jamie, turned to look at the bride.

“She looks beautiful… and so happy.”

Jamie turned around and watched for a moment before commenting. “Aye she does… but no’ as beautiful as ma Sassenach here.”

He grabbed Claire’s hand and kissed the diamond solitaire ring on her finger.

******************

“That was a lovely wedding service. Douglas looked like he couldn’t believe his luck… he couldn’t stop grinning. Mind you, Anna does look… well, she always looks beautiful… but somehow today, she looks even more so… absolutely radiant.”

Claire sat down next to Jamie and placed her drink on the table in front of her.

“There’s no one looking more radiant then ye, ma love.”

Claire snorted. “That’s not radiance. What you’re seeing is the film of sweat brought about by prolonged nausea and regular puking. Not even the ginger ale seems to be helping.” She eyed her drink with distaste.

Jamie surreptitiously tried to move his whisky onto a side table. “I’m sorry about that. I ken it’s all ma fault, but it’ll be worth it in six months or so, aye?”

“Of course it will. But it’s not an easy job growing a human, you know.”

Jamie placed a hand on Claire’s barely visible bump. “I ken. So now we’ve passed the twelve weeks, when shall we start tae tell people?”

“Soon, Jamie, soon. I just like it as our precious little secret for the moment.”

“Aye… not planned, but treasured.”

John and Joe wandered over to join them. Jamie quickly moved his hand to rest on Claire's arm. Pulling up two chairs, they sat closely together, John’s arm casually resting along the back of Joe’s chair.

“So Miss Beauchamp, all ready for the big move?” Joe asked.

“We've done most of the packing now…”

“Using ‘we’ verra loosely there, aren’t ye, Sassenach?” Jamie interjected. “What Claire means is that she supervises, while I do all the lifting.”

Claire ignored him and carried on talking to John and Joe. “Removal men are coming on Wednesday.”

“So this is really it? Your big move.”

“It worked for a while, Jamie splitting his week between Lallybroch and here, but things change. Raigmore Hospital in Inverness may not be as big or leading edge as Glasgow, but there’s a lot happening in their cardiology department, so…”

“And it was thanks tae ma godfather, Murtagh, that I could do that. He helped out so much every week. But I think Jocasta’ll be happy with him at home all the time.”

Claire took a sip of her ginger ale. “And Uncle Lamb’s taking my move better than I thought. Turns out university living suits him. The pull of the library at all hours is just too great. He might even be persuaded to sell the house.”

“I must say, it has worked out rather well. With Anna and Douglas in the flat, it was handy for Mary to buy yours.” John took a sip of his drink. “Are you not drinking, Claire?”

“Er, no,” Claire answered hastily. “I decided to drive. Which you would know if you hadn’t been spending all your spare time at Joe’s place.”

John smiled at Joe. “I have been a bit MIA, I must admit. Anyway, has Anna’s wedding given you ideas? When are you going to start planning yours? All the best venues will be taken, if you’re thinking of this year.”

“It’ll probably be next year now. So much on this year… what with the move, selling my flat, new job…”

“Baby.”

“What?” Jamie and Claire spoke together, staring at Joe.

“Come on, Claire. I see you at work, remember? Been slightly green in the morning recently, plus no drinking, no lifting, no wedding planning. So, tell me I’m wrong?”

“Nah, Joe, ye’re no’ wrong. Jes’ twelve weeks now. Wee bit of a surprise, but our little treasure.” Jamie took out his wallet and passed the scan photo to John and Joe. “There ye are. Our wee Dalhousie Beauchamp Fraser.”

“If you think I’m calling any child of mine Dalhousie, you've got another thing coming, James Fraser.”

“Aye, Sassenach, anything you say.”

[dwknock]