New Beginnings

Waaa Waaa Waaa

The sound woke me with a start. I darted my eyes around the room, searching for the source. Claire stood at one of her tables, pouring something together.

"Mama." My voice sounded scratchy and dry in my own ears. She turned around quickly, finding me immediately. Kaeden's head rested on my hand. He was sleeping. "The baby?" I asked. If I was alive, then the baby wasn't. He'd chosen me over the baby.

"She is alright." Claire smiled, rubbing a hand over my forehead. A wave of relief washed over me, relaxing the tense feeling in my body. "She has the reddest hair like yours. She has your father's nose and Kaeden's eyes. She's perfect." She kissed my hand gently. "You did so good."

"Where is she?" I sat up slowly, waking Kaeden from his slumber. His eyes widened in panic.

"Bree is feeding her right outside the doors. Do you want to see her?" Claire asked, rubbing Kaeden's back. Kaeden's grip on my hand tightened as his brain shook off the fog of sleep. I nodded to Claire before she slipped out of the room.

"Are ye alright, mo ghraidh?" Kaeden's voice was groggy, rough.

"Yes, my love." I smiled, brushing some of his curls from his face.

"Have ye seen her?" His smile sent shivers through me.

"Not yet."

"She's a bonnie bairn. We will have our hands full with the laddies." Claire came back in with the babe, wrapped in a blanket. She passed the delicate thing to me. I marveled at her face. She was beautiful. Her hair was red and curly. She had my father's nose just like Claire had said. Her cheeks were round and soft to the touch. I could've died happy then. I wished nothing more than to hold her like this until I took my last breath. Kaeden's hand rubbed my thigh gently.

"We need to name her." He stated, looking at our child.

"Dina Jamie Fraser Campbell." I stated.

"Dina?" Claire asked, resting her head against Jamie's chest.

"Sea-warrior." Jamie smirked, holding back a small tear. "Murtagh means sea-warrior." Kaeden's hand kneaded my shoulder gently.

"Then it's perfect." Claire nodded, agreeing with my choice.

"Jamie?" My father laughed. "Aye, she will be strong. A powerful name." I couldn't help but smile at his words. Kaeden and Claire both laughed as well. Claire gave him the look that she always gave him.

"Ah, you're awake!" Annabelle called from the side door of the clinic.

"Annabelle!" I smiled.

"I'm so glad you're alive." Annabelle sauntered over to us.

"Annabelle saved you both." Claire grinned, placing a hand on Anna's back.

"Thank you." I smirked.

"Olóore l'ore ńwọ́ tọ̀" She nodded.

"What does that mean?" Claire furrowed her brows.

"Kindness follows the kind-hearted." Kaeden smirked.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I am full of surprises. Gaelic isna the only thing I speak." Kaeden kissed my temple. I ran a finger over Dina's beautiful face once more.

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Over the next few days, Bree and Roger discovered that Jemmy could travel. They also discovered that Dina and I could too, but like my mother, I wouldn't leave the love of my life. Kaeden and Dina were my world. They were the air in my lungs, the sun in the sky, my everything. I wouldn't leave them for the safety Bree spoke of.

John Gray visited, seeing the babe only once before departing again. We spoke little words as Claire made sure I got my rest. I was grateful though. My body was exhausted from labor.

"We're going." Bree patted my hand as she sat next to me.

"Mama told me." I offered her a small smile.

"I didn't know what it would be like to have a father, much less a big sister. But I am so grateful to have found both of you." I sat up from my position and wrapped my arms tightly around her.

"I will miss you. Find me in the history books." I whispered, letting a tear slip from my eye. Bree and I weren't close. How close could someone you'd only just met. But my heart bonded to hers. She was the other half I needed. Where she was brave, I was fearful. Where I was strong, she was weak. We balanced each other. We filled the shoes for whatever the other needed. In the year Kaeden had been gone, once I returned, she was there for me.

"Ok, enough of this." Bree said, letting me go. "I will see you again in my books." She wiped her face before departing.

"Are ye alright?" Kaeden asked, walking in with Dina in his arms. She looked like a little doll girls played with in his arms. She was so tiny compared to him.

"I'll be ok." My arms reached out for the babe but he recoiled, pulling her in closer.

"No, I will not be giving ye the bairn. I only just got her from yer father." He chuckled. He sat at the edge of the bed, allowing me only a peek at our child.

My life hadn't been perfect. It hadn't even been good. But at this moment, it felt perfect. Everything that happened leading up to this moment was worth it. To see Kaeden holding our child. To be with my family. It was worth it.

"When will we be havin another?" Kaeden glanced at me. My hand connected with the back of his head before I could even think. "Ow, woman. It was only a question."

"I just gave you a child. Settle." I laughed.

"I need a son." He shrugged with a smirk.

"And you'll have one at some point." I shook my head before laying it against his shoulder.

"I'm a patient man." He smiled "but I do love trying to make them."

The door to the clinic burst open, revealing a small boy, only a few years older than Jon was.

"I'm looking for Master Fraser!" He panted, gripping his side.

"Da! Jamie!" I yelled towards the rest of the house. Two sets of footsteps hurried towards the clinic. Claire and Jamie appeared next to me, looking worriedly towards me. "The boy." I motioned to him.

"Are you Master James Fraser?" He asked, finally standing from his bent position.

"Aye." Jamie responded.

"Mister MacDonald from in town has sent me. You are to turn over Faith Fraser Campbell to the British by sunrise tomorrow. If you don't, they will come take her and you." The boy recited. My eyes shifted to Kaeden. "The Iverson son has been cleared of any wrongdoing. They now believe you have killed Hugh Iverson. There's a price on your head." Jamie dug into his pocket, pulling out a coin. He handed it to the boy before directing him to go find some food and water with the women outside.

"I have to run." I whispered, turning to Kaeden.

"I willna leave ye again." Kaeden sighed.

"You can't go with me. Dina needs you." I ran my hands over my face.

"I willna leave ye alone out there."

"Ye will. Today. I will talk to Tryon." Jamie interrupted. My throat began to burn as the tears built within me. Kaeden's eyes shifted from my father to me. I placed my hand onto his gently.

"When Dina is old enough to make the journey, you can come find me. Ian will take me to Ivy. He knows the way and the people along the way." I smiled, forcing myself to be ok for his sake. If he saw me cry, he wouldn't let me go.

"Go pack. I'll get someone to prepare your horse and food." Claire stated, rubbing my shoulder in passing. Jamie followed her without another word.

Once again, my life was falling apart. Right when I believed it was finally good, it disappeared in front of me. Kaeden passed Dina to me before slipping off the bed and out of the clinic. There I was, alone with the baby. It was my fault once again. I pushed myself off the bed, heading towards my home where Kaeden would surely be packing for me.

It was a slow walk through the field towards my home. My body urged me to hurry but my mind told me that the minute I walked through my front doors, it would be real. I'd be forced to leave my child and husband. I'd be alone again in this world.

My feet stopped me just outside the front door. I tucked Dina into me tighter. My child would be without me in this world. I felt like I was abandoning her.

My hand wrapped around the cold metal on the front door, turning it slowly. I could hear Kaeden shuffling around inside. With every breath, my heart broke little by little. Finally, I allowed the door to swing open. Kaeden stood bent over my sack, placing items into it.

"Kaeden." I mumbled. The tears I'd been fighting back had spilled over, streaking my cheeks. Those gorgeous blue eyes I loved darted to me. In milliseconds, he crossed the threshold, taking me into his arms.

"Dinna fash." He stated. My head crashed against his chest as he pulled Dina and I against him. His heart beat heavily against my ear. "I will see ye again. It willna be long." The words my brain formed seemed to get lost along the way to my mouth because I didn't respond. I stood there silently.

"I will find ye in any lifetime. I love ye, Faith Campbell." He whispered, pulling away from us.

"I love you too." I spoke finally, pulling my eyes up to his.

"Ye have to go." His hand wrapped around the strap to my sack, lugging it onto his shoulder. Kaeden kissed my cheek softly. "I will see ye again." His tone was determined, matter of factly. Both of his hands gripped my cheeks, pulling my face up to his. His lips brushed mine softly, tingling my body. That kiss was deep, passionate, a fight between the both of us for who could kiss the other more. But it was over all too quickly. I looked down at Dina. She was awake, staring back at me like she knew I was abandoning her.

"I love you, baby girl." I mumbled through the tears. I planted a kiss onto her forehead.

With a kiss against my own forehead, Kaeden took Dina and handed me my sack. I hauled it onto my shoulder, stopping on our front porch to look back at him and my daughter. Jamie stood at my horse while Claire joined me. The hot tears poured from my eyes, softening the world around. They made everything blurry.

"We will fix this." Claire assured me, rubbing my back gently. She walked me to my father and the horse.

"What if you don't?" I sighed, bringing my sleeve to my face to wipe the wetness from my cheek.

"Then we will bring him and Dina to you." She whispered. I turned back to the house once more. Kaeden stood at the front steps with our child. My heart crumbled to my feet. It was like being stabbed in the heart or having someone rip it from your chest just to stomp it out later. I didn't know which feeling was stronger. Anger that the Iverson's were ruining my life again or sadness that I was alone again.

Ian rode up alongside my horse, my only companion for the next few days. Without any more thoughts, I made my heart stone, blocking out the pain that surged through every piece of me. I had to if I would survive. I needed to be that girl on the boat again. I swung up onto the horse, waved to my parents, and rode off towards the Cherokee border.

—————————————————————Author's Note:I'm going to divert from the season 5 finale and season 6/7. For right now, I feel like there needs to be more that Kaeden and Faith can fit into and it's hard fitting them into this part of the tv show. So Kaeden and Faith will be venturing out from Claire and Jamie's stories.

Thank you, xoxo R. D. Logan