(Untitled)

[claire_fraser]

I didn't expect very much in the way of clinic traffic this evening. Usually when there was some sort of event going on, the islanders were surprisingly capable (at least, more capable than the populations with which I had dealt before) of keeping themselves out of trouble and fairly uninjured. At least, uninjured to an extent requiring medical

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[thefairone]

There are somethings that had become ritualised, things such as always having dirt under her fingernails, another being the fact that the gentle cracking of careful dried plants under her fingers was most comforting. She was grateful that for the most part, the endless tired and other funny, yet cruel things had faded away, but still she felt very little desire to pass near the party. Not yet at least.

She wandered into the clinic, smile on her face, and herbs hanging carefully from her bag in neatly done bunches. "Evening, Doctor Claire, how're ye?" she inquired pleasantly.

[claire_fraser]

"I'm well enough," I said, looking up from my book. "How are you?" I couldn't help but smile as I added, "Ian's told me your good news - congratulations." I was perhaps happier about this than I had any business being, but then again I had always had a soft heart when it came to babies.

[thefairone]

"Has he now?" Isolde inquired with an equal smile, blushing just a bit. It was still strange to talk about it, to consider it even. "Only good things, I hope. It was quite the way he was told." She moved closer, coming to rest at the edge of the place the Doctor Claire was seated.

"'M doing fine, as well as can be expected I suppose."

[claire_fraser]

"Only good things, I promise," I assured her. "I'm glad to hear you're doing well. You know that if you need anything at all - advice, questions answered, anything at all - you can of course come to me." If Jenny were here, she would do the same for her, and probably more; the prospect of Ian as a father would please her so. The thought made me miss her, a sharp, unexpected pang.

[thefairone]

There were things that Isolde knew, had seen done, had helped with, but then there were things that she had never been allowed to touch. She knew how men died, and how cows lived, but there was a difference between knowing and doing. This was a doing thing. With a shakey nod and smile, she said whatever she could, almost relieved. "Really? Oh that'd be nice. The midwife, I've been talkin' to her a bit, but I don't much know iffin there's enough I could know. Ye understand, ye know what it's like, aye?"

[claire_fraser]

"I do understand," I said with a fond little smile. "There's not so much to do yet but think and wonder and wait, and then all of a sudden everything gets busy and complicated and it all comes up on you at once. But it's the best thing in the world, and once you've done it you're always glad you did."

[thefairone]

"I cannae wait for it, and yet, 'm quite certain I can. I don't much what t'do, so i just keep doing what I always do. It works, in that funny, queer way. 'M strange all over, but I don't worry like I used to," Isolde replied, sighing contentedly. It was just enough to make her feel all right all over.