I Love You Still

Chapter 22. Rescue

Claire's pov

It hurt. Everything hurt. And it was all my fault. I had been childish, not wanting to let go of the past 3 years and everyone suffered because of it. If I'd just called the police when we had even the slighest suspicion. I layed in the hotelroom where they put me. I didn't wake up until we were already here so I had no clue where we were.

''Look who just woke up,'' Jonathon says grinning, walking from the kitchen area. They'd been talking for a couple of minutes while quietly scanned the room for a mistake. I reach for my necklace and fidget with it. Necklace, laptop I had whispered to Jamie, I hoped he had gotten the message. ''Where are you taking me?'' I ask softer then I wanted. Stephen walks up to the bed and grabs my arm tightly and pulls me towards him. ''If you say something, speak up loud bitch!"' I flinch at his yelling. ''I asked, where are you taking me?'' I ask again, a little louder now. ''Home, we are taking you back home,''

''To America,'' I mumble and glance away. I felt unloved and unsafe for the first time in a long time. I wanted to go back to Lallybroch, back home. Deep down I know I don't deserve that.

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Jamie's pov

My body was hurt, I knew that. But it didn't even hurt half as bad as it hurt on inside. I'd lost Claire again, I promised we'd look after her but I failed her again. I try to reach for my phone, painfully twisting my arm. ''Christ,'' I mutter, slowly I sit up and open my phone. I call Mam, luckily she picks up the phone quickly. ''Jamie, what's wrong?'' she asks immediately and worried. ''Mam, I need you, they- they've got her.. I'm hurt,'' I say. ''Where are you Jamie, did they take Claire?''

''Meadow, about two miles from the house,'' I tell her, almost breaking down in tears. ''I'm on my way honey, stay calm alright?'' she stays on the line while I wait. I lay down on my back and look at the skye, hoping Claire is looking at it too right now. It only takes Mam a couple of minutes to arrive, with a car luckily. I realise she also brought William and Dad with her. ''Jamie! Oh my god!'' she carefully takes my head in her hands. ''Call the police, they got Claire,'' I say, gathering all my strength to stand up. William nods and immediately dials them. ''Hello, this is William Fraser, we called in before. We have a case open of a abduction of Claire Fraser,'' they people on the other side of the line are talking, almost panicked. ''Aye! Frank Randall, aye, he is involved. My brother, James Fraser and Claire Fraser were attacked not to long ago, maybe 20 minutes? They took Claire, we must find them now,''

William stops talking as the other line explains things to them. ''I see some footprints, going to the road beside but they must've taken a car to get away,'' he says quickly before kneeling beside me. ''Jamie, do you know anything useful?'' he asks and I think about everything Claire said to me. Her goodbye's shooting right in my heart again, I squeeze my eyes shut at the memory. Quickly I open them again and look at William. ''Aye, aye, she.. she said 'necklace, laptop', I don't know what it means though,''

William tells the police and they promise to be at Lallybroch quickly. Mam and dad gently set me in the car before Mam takes me to the hospital and Dad and William go back home for the police. We arrive at the hospital within 15 minutes and after a few test and injury check-ups, I'm laying in the bed staring outside wondering if Claire's alright. Damn the woman, did she really have to go with them. ''Jamie? Honey?'' Mam's voice slowly fades in. ''We're gonna find her baby, don't worry,''

''How do you know that, you didn't see those men, Mam. They were.... just ready to fucking kill her, I-I really need her back, before they do kill her,'' I snap, with tears in my eyes. ''William is going to look on the laptop looking for anything related to a necklace. Don't you worry about it, you need to be careful with yourself,''