Arthur's Redemption [Red Dead Redemption 2]

Chapter 21: The West

No one was entirely sure whose shot actually killed Micah.

Not that Hosea particularly cared in the moments after Arthur collapsed into him, Hosea sinking to the dirt with his arms wrapped around his son's chest. Arthur was terrifyingly still. His head fell back against Hosea's shoulder, shallow, rapid breaths ghosting past Hosea's cheek, eyes closed. Around them, however, chaos erupted.

Miss Grimshaw fired her shotgun at Micah. At almost the same time, Javier turned his gun on Micah. Even Dutch was shocked out of his stupor, firing off a round even as Micah fell to the ground. Jack was crying, Abigail holding him close so he couldn't see what was happening. Muffled shouting came from the tents as Charles went to free their friends. Eagle Flies and Paytah ran down the hill, bows drawn and ready.

Hosea found out later, after Charles and Eagle Flies pulled a barely breathing Arthur from Hosea's grasp and carried him back to Wapiti, after their doctor kicked Hosea out, after it took John dragging him away from the tent, what had actually happened.

Miss Grimshaw, having been pushed out by Dutch and Micah for revealing that she knew of Arthur's plans, had stayed near Shady Belle long enough to see the Pinkertons show up. She confirmed that both Molly and Strauss were dead with tears in her eyes, and they continued to fall long after. Uncle and Mr. Pearson had disappeared, but as far as she was aware they were still alive. Reverend Swanson helped her move Lenny out of the city, just to be safe, and then she left to find and warn Arthur. She hadn't known Micah and Dutch had tracked them to Wapiti as well.

The doctor emerged later, said he had done all he could for Arthur. All they could do now was care for him, and wait.

So that's what Hosea did, with the help of everyone else. Not that it seemed to do much good. Every rasp from Arthur's lungs seemed to shatter Hosea's heart again and again, as well as the rest of their family as a steady rotation of visitors entered his tent over the next several days. But they kept holding his hand, though he didn't seem to notice. Kept placing cool, damp towels over his forehead to keep his fever from getting worse, since it never seemed to get better.

Except for Dutch.

Dutch stuck to the edge of Wapiti, never too far that he didn't hear any news, but clearly uncomfortable being with the gang. He sat thinking, first caught in anger, then sorrow, and then regret. It took a crying Miss Grimshaw yelling at him to get him to check on Arthur himself.

He entered the tent, and his heart leapt at the sight of Arthur sitting up. Until he realized Hosea was holding him up, leaning uncomfortably against a pole, Arthur's pale head tucked under his chin.

"He's having trouble breathing," was the only explanation Hosea could give.

"Hosea," Dutch started, crouching down next to him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know about Micah."

Hosea couldn't say anything, just tightened his hold on Arthur's trembling form.

"Please, I can fix this. There has to be something-"

"We're going to lose him, Dutch." Saying it out loud caused fresh tears to fall from Hosea's eyes, and they didn't stop. "There's nothing we can do."

"No. No, you don't mean it."

"All he wanted was to save this family and he did and now I can't save him."

Hosea pulled the blankets up higher around Arthur. Dutch tried to think of assurances to say, but he came up empty-handed. But there was something he was dying to know.

"Arthur changed so much since Blackwater. I didn't see it at first, but he did. I just don't understand how he knew about Micah."

"All of us knew Micah was dangerous, except for you, Dutch."