When Jamie is bitten by a venomous snake, Claire fears she may not have the resources to save him. Jamie asks Roger to complete an important task in the event of his death.
Claire and Marsali are in the surgery where Claire is checking Marsali and the impending baby. Marsali confesses she feels better Claire will be around when she gives birth not only because she’s a physician but as a ma.
Roger is awake and hopes to wake Brianna for some adult time when Jemmy calls out, “Da Da.” Roger says, “Shit,” teaching Jem a new word. Brianna doesn’t seem to mind Jem is watching them but both mind when Jamie comes pounding at the door. Bree and Roger quickly cover themselves and Bree let’s Jamie in.
Game has been seen on the Ridge and the men are going out to hunt. He wants a good marksman (Brianna) but quickly realizes what he interrupted. Jamie is considerably awkward as Bree reminds him she is going to be helping with the dying of the cloth which she’s been looking forward too. She offers up Roger as a substitute which surprises Jamie but he accepts and waits outside.
On the Hunt, Josiah spots something moving in the woods and Jamie plans to move around it whatever it is with Roger Mac and drive it towards the others. They are to meet up at the Ridge at the end of the day.
Roger and Jamie follow the animal and Roger stepped in a “cow pat” (we call them cow paddies). Jamie inspects Roger’s “find” and says none of the cows of the Ridge should be out here. The come upon an open field with bison and pleased (one buffalo is approximately 1000 pounds of meat which I think is only because they will use most of the animal unlike modern times). The follow and Jamie shoots at one but the bison run off. Roger follows while Jamie reloads. Jamie yells then pulls his knife and hacks at a snake in the grass. He tells Roger it bit him.
Roger checks Jamie’s leg and tells him he thinks the snake was poisonous. Roger cuts open the wound and sucks venom and blood from the wound. Jamie stops him, seeming uncomfortable. No one else is around so Roger gets Jamie up. He takes the head of the snake and then runs off to find the others.
At the Big House, the woman are dying cloth. Bree asks Claire if being a doctor was something she always wanted and Claire explains it wasn’t something she thought possible when she was a girl. Brianna wonders what you should do if you can’t be what you believe you are supposed to be. She doesn’t feel she can apply her calling in this time. Claire advises she just find a way to use her gifts here.
Bree wants to know if Jamie was meant to be a Laird. Jamie is a Laird, a husband, a father, no small things. Claire reassures that both Roger and she will find their purpose.
In the woods, Roger is searching for the other men but finds no sign of them. He fires off both of his weapons in hopes of them hearing but it doesn’t work.
At the Big House, the men return without Jamie and Roger. They didn’t catch anything and ask after Jamie. Young Ian tells them they got separated during the hunt and Fergus offers it is possible milord decided to make camp.
Roger returns to Jamie who has cooked the snake and eats some saying, “Fair is fair.” Clearly Jamie isn’t doing well. Roger builds up the fire hoping the others will see the smoke.
Jamie has pins and needles in his fingers and his lips are numb. Jamie asks if it is normal and what they would do in his time. He tells him they’d give him anti-venom. Roger tells Jamie to get some rest and they will head home at first light.
That night Roger sits fireside and is dozing when Jamie calls for him. Jamie asks if Roger knows the last rites but Roger tells him no and he won’t need them. He knows a prayer for the sick but it isn’t in Latin.
Jamie tells Roger he must kill Stephen Bonnet. Roger informs Jamie Bree knows Bonnet is alive. Jamie tells Roger the plan is to meet Bonnet and kill him; Lord John knows the particulars.
Roger isn’t sure he can kill a man and Jamie tells him everything Bonnet has down and that he worries Bonnet will try to claim Jamie with witnesses saying Brianna was willing in that tavern. This angers Roger who quotes Matthew 18:6 (though he thinks it is 3). Jamie asks Roger to look after Claire and the Ridge if he dies. Roger makes Jamie promise to teach him to fight.
Jamie tells Roger he is glad he’s there even though he blamed him for not coming back soon enough.
In the morning, Young Ian comes out from the Big House and finds Jamie’s horse.
Roger made a litter and is dragging Jamie through the woods. Jamie jokes the litter is the bed of Procrustes but Roger says it could be worse: Charon’s boat. Jamie says if he’s going to hell he’s glad Roger is going with him.
Roger doesn’t know which way he’s going and Jamie tells him to look up. The wind is blowing from the west. Follow it home. Roger gives Jamie a drink. Jamie tells Roger, should he die, they should all return to the future if Jemmy can go. He wants him to tell Bree he’s glad of her, give Jem his sword and tell Claire he meant it.
Roger prays to God not to let Jamie die. Roger continues dragging Jamie on the litter. Meanwhile, Young Ian, Fergus and the men are searching. Roger hears their call but can not yell because of his voice. He grabs a stick and starts beating a tree.
Young Ian hears it echoing around them and determines the direction.
Roger continues towards them and Rollo finds them first. Ian and Fergus come running and Roger explain what happened.
At the House, Jamie is on Claire’s examine table as she checks his leg. She tells him the only things like it she’s seen was when she was invited to watch an autopsy. Jamie looks horrified knowing that is what she did to Leith Farrish.
Outside the room, Marsali asks if it is bad and Claire tells her it is. She explains the venom is in his blood but his leg is infected and she’ll need maggots to eat the dead flesh. Claire’s fear is the leg will turn gangrenous. Marsali assures Claire she’ll have everyone looking for maggots.
Everyone is searching, while Jamie asks about the hunt. Brianna tells him the didn’t get anything and Josiah is upset for letting them get away.
Bree wants to know how she can help and Claire sends her on the search for maggots while Jamie spies Claire’s bone saw.
Claire asks Jamie how he is and he fears something is wrong because Claire is being too sweet with him instead of scolding him like she would if he was going to be okay. Claire tells him only one of them can be frightened at a time and it is her turn. Jamie looks down at his foot.
Claire is working in the other room when she hears a commotion from Jamie who has the bone saw and tells her he doesn’t want to live without his leg. She warns him it might be a choice between his life and his leg. He makes her promise not to take his leg.
Outside, Roger and Bree are searching. Bree assures Roger he did everything he could. Roger tells Bree about the plan to kill Stephen Bonnet because he could claim Jemmy. Bree doesn’t understand because they were married. But Roger points out they had a very public wedding months later.
Josiah finds a dead rabbit covered in maggots.
In the door yard, Lizzie and Jem are together when a buffalo staggers into the yard. Jem is crying and Lizzie is terrified. Bree runs out and gets the buffalo’s attention. It charges her and she gets hit as Claire shoots the animal. Bree goes to Jemmy who is terrified and Jamie made his way onto the porch.
Inside, Claire is checking the wound when Marsali comes in with the maggots. Claire starts adding them to the wound while Roger assures Jamie it will only tickle. Jamie says, “He’s a great comfort that Roger Mac.” Roger gives a little bow and Bree looks pleased.
Outside everyone is pitching in on the butchering while Bree and Claire watch from the porch. Bree wants the truth. She tells him Jamie is fighting off the venom but the infection in his leg is bad and she has no way to get the penicillin into his bloodstream.
Inside, Jamie convinces Roger to move him to his own bed.
Claire tells Bree the thought of amputating makes her sick and that Jamie made her promise not to. She fears if she must take Jamie’s leg every time he looks down it will be a reminder she didn’t keep her word.
Roger is moving Jamie when Ian finds them and helps them to Jamie and Claire’s bed. Ian thinks Jamie should stay where Auntie Claire can help him but Jamie tells them Claire thinks taking his leg is the only way to do that. He doesn’t think he’ll be of use and Young Ian is affronted and asks if he ever said such a thing to his father or Fergus.
Jamie points out Fergus was young when he lost his hand which Ian doesn’t see why that matters. Jamie comes back that it is a matter of honor to which Ian says being bitten by a snake has nothing to do with honor. Ian says there were time he wanted Jamie to be his father but now he sees how courageous his father truly is and he never thought he’d see the day when he was ashamed of Jamie.
Later, Claire comes in and is a little stunned to find Jamie gone. She finds him in their room and wants to know what is going on. Roger just retreats and Jamie explains he wants her to sleep with him.
Ian finds Fergus in the kitchen and Fergus wants to know what is up. Ian is being evasive but then confesses Jamie is upset he might lose his leg and Ian doesn’t want Jamie to upset Fergus. Fergus explains the man of leisure thing and how he was teasing Jamie at the time. Ian wonders what Marsali would say about that and Fergus says she’d said a lot.
Fergus doesn’t seem upset and tells Ian that he and Marsali always think about what they have. Ian and he had an uncle and father and they should be there for him.
In the night, Jamie wakes and calls for Claire who is in the chair by the bed. He wants her beside him. He feels tired but it doesn’t seem to hurt much. He doesn’t want her to leave. He’s cold and asks that she touch him. Jamie seems to die and Claire panics getting as close to him as possible and begging him not to go. Jamie breaths and comes back to her.
In the morning, Jamie is just lying in bed but appears to be doing a bit better. He tells Claire if she must take his leg then she must.
At the cabin, Roger has the snake head and doesn’t know why he took it. He thought maybe if Claire knew the species it might help. He goes to toss it in the fire and Bree stops him.
Outside, Marsali and Fergus are with the kids when Marsali goes into labor. Fergus is freaked out and says he’ll get Milady. She tells him he’s not going anywhere.
Claire and Ian are standing over Jamie readying to cut off his leg. Jamie wants Ian to take his leg and bury it but never tell him where it is. Ian apologizes for what he said but Jamie tells him he was right.
Claire tells Ian to pray and starts to prepare but Brianna rushes in telling her to wait. Bree tells Claire pit vipers have beautiful engineering and Claire realizes she made a syringe using the fang. Claire can inject the penicillin into he wound (gross).
Another day dawns and there is a little Felicite.
Roger is sitting bedside to Jamie who wakes and Roger tells him well he’s alive. Jamie didn’t know Roger was inclined to gloat. Roger is under no obligation to fulfill Jamie’s dying wish but Roger wants to be there anyway.
Claire checks on Jamie who is sitting up in bed with his glasses on but is staring off rather than reading. Claire asks if Jamie tried to die on him. He says not dying was harder. He tells her he realized his heart was slowing and the pain was getting further away and he saw a passage and he knew he could go through if he wanted. He knew he had the choice to stay or go which is when he asked her to touch him. He knew she could keep him there. He tells her she needs him and she asks if it is not because he loves her. He tells her it wouldn’t matter if he was alive or dead, together or apart, he’ll always love her. Claire says he made the wise choice.
