When Hearts collide (An Arthur Morgan Rdr2 fanfiction)

Chapter 21: Cowboy Daddy

Consciousness, seemed to be hard to keep, for weeks on end, after that. I was burning up with fever. Reverend Swanson, had to reopen my bullet wound, checking for any pieces of the bullet, Peyton might've missed. All came out alright, in the end. But, he did do a proper cleaning of the wound, daily. Fresh dressings and all. He'd stitched me up good. But, due to the trauma I had received, I had a slower recovery time, than normal. I wasn't allowed out of bed, for nothing. Not that I could even stand up, anyways. Peyton, tended to me. Day in and day out, she was right by my side. She refused to sleep, for fear she'd lose me in the night. Even sick as she was, she refused to let anyone else, tend to me.

When I'd finally come to, and was able to stay awake for more than just a few minutes at a time, I'd find that she had bathed me, and kept my beard and hair from getting too long. She'd fed me, watered me, the works. The poor woman hadn't had a moments time, to take care of herself, worrying about me. And it showed in her face.
    "Don't worry, bout me. Worry bout yourself, right now," I'd whispered to her.
    "I can't do that. You need me," she'd replied.
    "You gotta rest, at some point. Why not take a few minutes, to do so, now," I'd said, using what little bit of strength I could muster, to pull her into bed with me, holding her against me.
Within minutes, she was asleep, her head lulling against my chest. That day, was the only day, I managed to get her to get any sleep, at all. After that, she was adamant. And she stayed that way, till I was finally able to get back on my feet.

Once I was, she hovered by me, making sure I was indeed okay. However, the exhaustion finally caught up to her, and caused her to black out. I'd barely caught her in time, as her body plummeted towards the ground. Her skin was paler than before, flushed. I couldn't sit by and watch her suffer like that, anymore. Lifting her into my arms, I cradle her against me.
    "She's gotten much worse, hasn't she?" Hosea asks, walking over to me.
    "Yes. She was so busy takin' care of me, she let herself go," I say.
    "Take her into Saint Denis. Have the doctor there, take a look at her. You can't put it off any longer, Arthur. She needs tendin' to," he says.
    "Mind riding with me? I don't know the city as well as you do," I say.
    "I can escort you halfway. But, afterwards, I gotta check in on somethin' with Sean," he says, gesturing for me to follow him.

At this moment, Dutch approaches us.
   "Where are you two, going?" He asks.
   "Arthur's gon' take Ms. Sparks into town, see the doctor," Hosea says.
   "So, she's gotten worse, I take it?" Dutch says, a scornful note to his tone.
   "Why? You gonna cut her loose, Dutch?" I ask, angered by that small hint of scorn.
    "We don't need weak links, in the gang, Arthur," he says.
    "She wouldn't be in this state, if she hadn't been the one keeping me alive. She did more, than anyone else, to ensure I didn't die. She came after me. And all because you believed Colm wanted to make amends," I snarl, as I turn my back to him.
    "How was I, supposed to know he'd do that, Arthur?" Dutch asks.
    "Cause, he's a snake, Dutch. Always has been, always will be. You left, like a damn coward. You left me, behind," I say.

Without another word, I turn to Hosea and hand Peyton over to him, so that I could mount up, before helping him situate her in the saddle, before me.
    "I'm sorry, son. I shouldn't have left you," Dutch says.
    "I'm done with your apologies. Start acting like a damn leader," I say, before I follow Hosea, out of camp and towards the big city, where I knew Peyton could get some much needed help.
     "Dutch ain't been himself, lately," Hosea states as we ride.
     "No. He's actin' more and more reckless. He ain't actin' like a leader should," I say.
     "Listen, Arthur. I may sound like a senile old fool. But, even I know, when it's time to cut loose. Bessie was right. Dutch is runnin' us all into the ground. Want my advice, get yourself some money, and cut out," Hosea says.
    "I can't, Hosea. What about you? What about John and his family? What about Sadie, Tilly, Karen, MaryBeth, all the folks who deserve a better life, too? I can't leave them behind," I say.

We approach a large bridge, one that led into the heart of the city known as Saint Denis. He turns his mount to face me.
   "If you wanna help the rest of us, that's up to you. But, I feel you should cut your losses, cut all ties, and move on. You and Peyton," he says.
He pats my shoulder.
    "Think about it, son. You need to decide what's best, for you. Don't let others, get in your way," he says, before he heads out, heading back to camp.
I look down at Peyton, then. He had a fair point. If the others wanted to leave the gang, they had the choice to do so, on their own. Why should I stay and help them, if they really didn't wanna be helped?

Riding into the city, it don't take me long, to find the clinic. Hitching my horse up, I dismount and take Peyton into my arms, once more. The doctor, upon me entering with her, immediately is at attention.
    "Bring her in the back," he says, leading me through a doorway.
     "Lie her on the cot, there," he says, as he sets about setting up his equipment.
     "Okay, now what?" I ask.
     "Tell me what's been goin' on with her," he says.
I tell him everything. How she'd been retching and blacking out, a lot lately.
      "Interesting. Have the two of you linked up, sexually at all?" He asks.
      "We made love a few times, yes. What does that have to do with anything?" I ask.
The doctor ignores me, and starts feeling Peyton's lower abdomen, applying light pressure. Then he grabs his stethoscope, and places it on where he had just been feeling.

Within seconds, his expression lights up. He gestures me over, and places the stethoscope around my neck, the ear pieces into my ears.
    "Listen," he says.
I take a deep breath and I do as he says. And what I hear, makes my eyes go wide in shock. Two fast fluttering beats, can be heard, alongside Peyton's.
     "Is that...is she...," I barely manage to get out.
     "Congratulations, sir. You're gonna be a daddy," the doctor says.
     "She's pregnant?" I ask.
     "She's pregnant. With twins it sounds like," he says.

At this precise moment, Peyton comes to.
    "What happened? Arthur, where are we?" She asks.
    "In Saint Denis," I say, smiling widely.
    "What're we doing here?" She asks.
    "Peyton...," I say, feeling happy tears pricking the back of my eyes.
    "Why are you crying?" She asks.
    "Peyton, You've no idea, the news I just done heard," I say.
    "What news is that?" She asks, smirking.
    "We're gonna be parents," I say.
    "I know," she says.
    "What do you mean, you know?" I ask.
    "I sorta figured that, when Sunbeam began nuzzling my abdomen," she says.
    "And you didn't tell me?" I ask.
    "I wasn't completely sure, that I was," she says.
    "Well, you are. You're gonna be a mommy," I say.
    "And you're gonna be a daddy," she says, reaching up to caress my face.
    "A cowboy daddy," I say, before I lean in and plant a gentle kiss, on her lips.