//BEARING ARMS//RDR2//ARTHUR x READER

Chapter Forty

Arthur and (Y/n) were joined together once again. They could not express how overjoyed they were over the approaching days of their child. The two of them had been through the worst, side by side. (Y/n) explained her version and progress over the time he was gone.

"I have the perfect house built for our future family," she explained. "You'll love it whenever you are able to see it for yourself!" her smile was contagious; Arthur could not help but grin along. Just then, the door swung open.

"Heard you made it here just fine, Black Lung."

Micah stood there at the entrance; a snide smile spread from ear to ear. Dutch followed along behind him, creeping up into view with the floorboards creaking. "Hope we weren't intruding into anything," said Dutch. He waited for a reply, but Micah had to open his mouth.

"Hey, where's the hospitality in here? Arthur, get your woman to bring us some drinks," said Micah. "Looks like she's been lazing about here all day anyway while we were out. Make her finally do some heavy lifting work, will ya?"

(Y/n) stood up against Arthur's request. "The hell! Why should I?" Defensively, she placed her fists on her hips. "Hospitality? What about whenever you threw me into that barrel and into the ocean, left for dead?"

Arthur turned his head towards the two men in anger. He stood in front of (Y/n) to shield her from them. "What did you two bastards do?" He snarled his words as he angrily approached them.

"That's right," (Y/n) said. "Tell Arthur just what the hell you two did! I'm not stupid. Did you both really think I'd forget and let you get away with it?"

Micah stepped back a foot as Arthur leaned close to his face. He did not wish to catch his disease. Then, a voice outside the cabin sounded out.

"This is Agent Milton with the Pinkerton Detective Agency!"

Arthur grimaced, "Aw, shit. Look what you two had to drag in." He just wanted his family to be safe. He knew it was all too good to be true.

Dutch scrunched his face and pointed his finger to Arthur. "Look what's happened to you! We're on the brink of being caught and arrested, and you're throwing the blame to your peers! We're supposed to be family, Arthur!" He looked behind him towards (Y/n). "Not that wench!"

Micah laughed at the sight of (Y/n)'s jaw drop. "Sorry, but you've overstayed your welcome, sweetheart. Best if I show you the way out."

"...give them to a count of five, then give 'em everything," said Milton, making the room go quiet. Arthur turned around to run back to (Y/N). He has been in these situations long enough to know how everything could turn out. He lost her once and was not planning on losing her again.

But it was too late.

Micah, shoved past Arthur, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the wooden floor. He charged after (Y/n) and pulled her away with such force to the back of the cabin and out the door. She squirmed with all her might, but there was little she could do in her current predicament.

"Four...Shoot!"

Dutch fell to the ground dead as the first bullet rang out. His lifeless body fell upon Arthur and enabled Micah to get away. A rain of bullets made through the flimsy wooden pallets of the cabin's walls. Arthur coughed as he managed to shove away Dutch's corpse. Then, he began to crawl as quickly as possible to the back door. With a few splinters on his arms, Arthur had made it safely to his destination without any major wounds.

He pulled the door in enough to hurry his way out. He stumbled as he exited and paused for half a second. Arthur looked back heard the cries of his family. The gang needed his help. Bill and Sadie could only do so much to help. But then, he heard John's voice over the sound of bullets.

If John was there to hold up the camp along side Sadie, they would be safe. Arthur had hope they would be fine without him there. For once, he would chase after his own treasure more valuable than any heist they had done before. (Y/n) was worth every penny in the entire world.

Arthur looked to the dirt trail ahead of him. He clearly could see the footprints of Micah and the struggle (Y/n) gave against him. Without hesitation, he jumped onto the nearest horse and rode away to wherever Micah had taken her. 

Micah had tied (Y/n)'s hands together, forcing her to cling to his clothes as he rode upwards the mountain trail. "Better hold on tight, sweetheart," he said, "Lest you want to go tumbling down." She dared to look down and nearly shrieked at the height they had stood at. He laughed at her expense. They came to a stop.

As he hopped off his horse, rain began to pour. Lightning and thunder took over the land and the skies turned to a muddy grey. Micah reached over and pulled (Y/n) down, not caring for her current condition. She let out a groan as she managed to fall on her hands and knees. She felt weak and her eyes wanted nothing more than rest.

Micah loomed over her form. Lightning strikes behind him, casting a menacing silhouette before her. "Get up," he said as he kicked her hip nearly making (Y/n) topple over. Her hands had sunk deeper into the muddy ground. She gritted her teeth as she slowly rose to her feet, glaring her kidnapper in the eyes. He did nothing but smile. Micah grabbed (Y/n) by the arm and forced to walk near the mountain's edge. "This is where we say our goodbyes, sweetheart."

(Y/n)'s eyes grew wide. She did not think it was coming to think so soon. "You're evil! You're completely vile and disgusting! You are lower than any rodent or bottom feeder in all of existence!" Her words spat and merged with the rain that fell on his face.

"You're damn right he is," said Arthur, carefully walking to them both. His arms swayed as he tried to keep his balance on the slippery ground beneath them. "How about you leave her alone and come settle this once and for all like a real man?"

Micah's grip tightened around (Y/n)'s arm. He smiled wickedly at Arthur, not breaking eye contact as he pushed (Y/n) aside. "You got yourself a deal, Black Lung. It'll be your final death wish by the looks of it." He could see the purple fade under Arthur's eyes from the lighting strikes' illumination. Micah made his way over to Arthur slowly and then quickly punched him in the face once in range.

However, Arthur grabbed Micah's collar just in time to send him tumbling down to the ground with him. They rolled in the mud, throwing punches and kicks. (Y/n) was trying to keep up with seeing who was who. She would not hesitate if Arthur needed her assistance, regardless of her state of being.

The two men quarreled until they were only a few feet away the edge of the mountain. Rain poured harder than before and caused a shiver down Arthur's spine. Micah was hovering over him, grinning like a mad man. "It's over, Black Lung. Your time is up, - "

Arthur had suddenly broken into another coughing fit. It was the worst coughing he had ever done, and Micah's words stopped in their trail.

Micah's blood froze. He had breathed in Arthur's contaminated air and, in a second, he hollered in disgust. He flailed his arms around him, tumbling several times over. Micah lost control and Arthur then gained the upper hand.

Micah was pushed over the edge and fell down, screaming and rubbing his face in fear. 

Arthur stood up triumphantly, looking down over the ledge where Micah had fallen. He spat over and hoped it landed on Micah's corpse. "I said for you to respect my wife," said Arthur. "You and Dutch...I warned y'all." He turned around and saw (Y/n) sitting up on the ground with a bewildered look.

Her hair clung to her face and her clothes were tattered and worn. It hurt his heart to see (Y/n) that way. She did not deserve to be treated so poorly. Arthur walked over to where she sat and fell down before her on his knees. Tiredly, he wrapped his arms around her sullen form in an embrace. In his arms he bared his love; his future; his family. No one could pry that away from him. Not Dutch or Micah, or anyone that dared to intervene.

This treasure was his and his alone.