Jamie snorted. "Of course there is. There are sheep. There are lots of tumbled down buildings. There are fields." He looked at her slyly. "You just aren't looking."

"I don't even see sheep." Juno argued. "I see green grass. And a lot of rocks. Does anybody besides you and a few sheepherders live in Scotland?" She glanced around the blank fields and the tiny two lane road with no other cars speeding along. "Clearly this part of Scotland doesn't subscribe to the 'rest area every thirty miles' philosophy that the American interstate system has implemented."

"Rest area?" Jamie asked. "To sleep?"

"No, no." Juno laughed. "Bathrooms, picnic tables, and tons of vending machines filled with enough sugar and caffeine to keep anyone awake for three days straight." She paused and looked out the window again. "It's fabulous. They are all up and down the highways in America."

"Well, I can offer you another candy bar from our groceries, and if you have to use the facilities, I see a nice rock up there." Jamie pointed towards an outcropping of rocks on the side of the road. "Milady?"

"Um, no." Juno blushed at the thought of having to crouch on the side of the road while Jamie waited for her. "I'm fine. But thanks for being so considerate."

"Happy to oblige." Jamie said seriously, but his voice was light. "Do let me know if you want to stop, though. We're only about thirty minutes from the rocks, if they are where I think they are. And I know there is a nice pub up the road a ways so we can stop there before we get to the outcropping, if you'd like."

Juno nodded. Since leaving Mrs. Billingham's, they had slid into easy, companionable silences and animated, lively conversations. They'd discussed the merits and demerits of Bon Jovi tribute bands, argued over whether Chicago or Glasgow had the better moo shu pork at their Chinese restaurants, and mused on the politics and problems of the Middle East. Conversation was meandering and easy, educated and entertaining, amusing and comfortable.

Juno couldn't remember enjoying anyone's company this much in years. She loved hanging out with Viv and Darcy, she'd been on a few incredibly unmemorable dates in the last few years, and she saw her family to talk to at all the standard holidays, but she hadn't really talked to someone new and interesting in such a long time.

She was relishing the experience, to say the least.

Juno did briefly wonder if she would relish the experience quite so much if Jamie wasn't… well, if Jamie wasn't a total babe in tight jeans and a tiny car. She furtively studied his strong profile as he drove along the back roads towards their destination.

He was tall – at least half a foot taller than her. His dark hair was that perfectly messy – without - trying style, and an unruly lock would often fall into one of his beautiful blue eyes. His smile was stunning and her lips were, Juno hated to admit, perfectly designed by God for kissing. His shoulders were broad and beautiful and she'd have to be blind to not notice that he looked great in a pair of jeans. His voice was deep and modulating, and the Scottish accent was going to be the death of her, she was sure of it.

Frankly, Juno had been unable to find anything flawed about him in the twenty four hours she'd known him.

That was disquieting, to say the least.

Don't fall for the rescuer, Juno ordered herself. Do not develop a schoolgirl crush on the dashing Scotsman you'll never see again after you reach dog town. Don't, don't, don't, she repeated over and over, even as she listened to all the brilliant things he said and watched the way he absently brushed that lock of hair from his eye.

Really don't.

"Juno?" Jamie's voice broke into her private reverie, and she shook herself and concentrated on not mooning over the cute boy beside her.

"Yes?"

"May I ask you something?" Jamie asked, an edge of uncertainty in his voice.

"Of course." Juno replied automatically. Previous conversations had proven that nothing was sacred or private – including a story Juno told about the time she shot milk out her nose the first day of kindergarten because the boy next to her kept tickling her. So much for maintaining a façade of perfect grace and beauty…

"Are you frightened?"

Juno quickly turned her head and looked sharply at Jamie. "Frightened?"

"Of me? Of being here with me?" Jamie tried to explain as Juno gaped at him.

"No." She whispered after a beat. "No, not at all. Why would you ask that? Should I be for some ungodly reason?"

Jamie shrugged. "I didn't think you were, I just… I think most women put into this terrifying and awkward situation would have been scared. Scared of being alone, scared of me, scared of this whole situation. But aside from the awkward bed discussion last night, you've taken everything in stride – including me. I think you're extraordinary. I just wanted you to know that."

Juno continued to stare open mouthed at him. "I'm not extraordinary, Jamie. I'm just… I'm just Juno. I'm a simple, boring girl thrown into a crazy situation and I'm trying to make the best of it. And you're the rogue rescuer." She smiled and he smiled in return at her before sliding his eyes back to the road. "I honestly don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met you, Jamie. I honestly don't. You're just like Jamie Frasier in Outlander – he saves Claire from a terrifying and crazy situation, and becomes her knight in shining armor."

"And they fall in love, right?" Jamie asked. "You said they immediately met and began to fall in love, right?"

Juno swallowed thickly. "Uh, yeah. They, you know, dug each other." Her heart was racing and her palms were getting sweaty… she didn't know where this line of questioning was going, but it was making her nervous. Love? Frightened? Extraordinary?

"Right." Jamie said with a small smirk. "Dug each other."

"They did. But even if Jamie hadn't come riding by, I know Claire would have found a way to get back to the present, or at least to safety." Juno explained.

"So would you." Jamie said certainly. "You would have found a way."

Juno shook her head no. "I'm not so sure. I'm really not."

Jamie patted her knee for an instant before pulling away. "I'm sure."

"If you say so." Juno replied shakily, not at all sure what to say next. She wasn't sure she would be able to speak for a few seconds while she fought the lightning bolt he'd sent up her spine with his touch.

"May I ask you something else?" Jamie inquired formally, and Juno took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Sure." She replied, trying to sound breezy.

"Do you trust me?" Jamie asked seriously, his forehead wrinkled and his mouth tight as he regarded her soberly.

Juno thought for a long moment, and then looked out the window so she wouldn't have to meet Jamie's eyes when she answered. "More than any man I've ever known."

Jamie didn't reply, but she could feel his eyes on her as she continued to look out the window. After a several minutes of quiet, Jamie broke the silence as he slowed the car down on the road.

"Juno?" He asked timidly. "We're here. We're at Craigh na Dun."

1285 / 13446 / 50000

before . after