Guns and Flames (RDR2)

20 - Shattered

"That's right! You faced him head-on and didn't shoot! Why was that?" -Charles asked Micah.
"I was out of ammunition, that's why I couldn't shoot." -he answered rather quickly.
"Uh-huh..." -Charles narrowed his eyes.
"Okay enough talk, we have to get Charlotte back to camp before she freezes out here!" -Dutch explained.
"You forgot that I'm actually from here, Dutch?" -she asked as she walked towards him. Dutch just laughs and motions at the gang to follow him back to the horses. They all follow him after everyone gets up on their horses, John lends his hand for Charlotte to get up behind him. But before they head off, John gives her a blanket that he carried with himself on the horse. Soon enough they began descending the mountain.

As Charlotte is holding onto John she feels a sudden wave of warmth flow over her.
"Hold onto me, I don't want you accidentally falling off, Missy." -he says as he puts one of his hands on hers and rubs his thumb against hers. Then it hits her. Is he...in love with her? After they made their way back to camp, Pearson rushed to her with a steaming bowl of soup in his hands to give it to her. She gratefully accepted it and began eating, all the while she had the blanket that John gave her. At the table were John, Arthur, Javier and Mary-Beth. They all had a nice conversation meanwhile she was eating. After some time Mary-Beth and Javier got up from the table and went over to the camp's fireplace to sit down there instead.

Arthur looked back and forth between the two.
"I reckon I should at least try to get some shut-eye." -he said as he stood up.
"No, we were just having a good conversation!" -John complained. Charlotte looked at Arthur with a confused look. He waved at them before he headed off. After he left, there was a brief moment of silence between them.
"Do you...want to talk about it? I mean, it's fine if you don't. I completely understand." -John started. Charlotte sighed before she said a word.

"They just straight up murdered my wolf...right before my eyes." -she whispered as she blankly stared at the table. John stood up and went to sit beside her. After sitting down, he put his arm around her shoulders to try to comfort her.

"Would you be willing to go back with me tomorrow to where she died to give her a proper burial?" -she looked at John.
"Sure, I'll go." -he nodded before he removed his arm from her shoulders.
"What about Colm? Did he do anything to you?" -he added. Charlotte shook her head. "Thankfully no. You know what would've happened if he did try to do anything.
"Yeah yeah, I know."

Then they continued chatting like this for a while when John said..."I'm kind of tired, so I'll head off. If you can't sleep, feel free to bother me." -he jokingly said.
"Alright." -she smiled. Then John walked away and headed into the tent.As he stepped in he saw Arthur writing in his journal.
"I thought you was asleep, Morgan!" -he said after he closed the cloth door behind himself.
"Hm? Nah. I've just finished writing." -he said as he put the journal down on the bedside table.
"Anyway, how's things going with Charlotte?" -he asked.
"She's been through...a lot...lately. Let me start with..."
Then John recounted the events that occurred while fighting the O'Driscolls.