Homecoming

Chapter Thirty-One: Redemption

Arthur's pov

Arthur rode back to camp in a somber silence. But on the inside, he could feel himself getting angry. He knew he was going to have to control himself long enough to grasp the situation, find out who needed to be dealt with and deal with them. Then he'd allow himself to lose his cool.

As he rode back he replayed every memory with me since we'd met. He thought about everyone who had helped him in some way in his life. He thought about everyone he'd lost. He could feel tears build up again as he lingered on a memory of me just a little too long but he quickly shook it off as he neared camp.

It was officially dusk and the orange sun was hitting the fog perfectly. Arthur couldn't help but think about how much I would have loved the view. But he also knew I would be disgusted as soon as he saw the camp come into view.

Arthur could already hear Micah's irritating voice as he hopped off of Athena. "Come on Grimshaw! Get those bags packed." Henry saw Arthur begin to walk up making him stand up from where he was sitting and shift uncomfortably and wipe his eyes quickly. Arthur noticed how he quickly put a handkerchief away.

"We're going as fast as we can," Susan huffed. Her face looked red like she'd been crying.

"Well go faster, we don't have much time." Micah groaned.

"We got plenty of time, Micah," Arthur said to announce himself to the camp. "I think it's finally time we all have a little chat."

"Woohoo your back, great," Micah said in a flat tone.

"I just saw Agent Milton, Dutch. Abigail shot him and she's okay. Not that ya'll care that much." Arthur walked towards Dutch. As he got closer he noticed the absence of any form of sadness over the loss of his only daughter. Arthur turned and looked at Micah and his two friends. "You rats. Did you know Micah was really close with Micah?"

Micah took a step closer to Arthur, "What are you talkin' about, cowpoke?" He said in a threatening tone.

"You've been talkin' to the Pinkertons. For years. Etta knew it. And Agent Milton confirmed it, just before he died."

"That's a bald-faced lie! Dutch, think of the future." Micah said to his boss confidently.

Dutch looked confused between the two men. Henry moved next to his father sharing the same confusion and stress as things started to click in his head.

"It all makes sense now," Henry muttered mostly to himself.

"It really doesn't, don't believe Arthur, Henry," Micah warned.

Arthur aimed his pistol at Micah causing him to do the same thing. All the men standing behind Micah, his friends, Bill, all aimed their guns at Arthur. Henry started shaking his head in disbelief as he walked closer to Arthur.

"Think about it Dutch," Arthur pleaded.

"No, think practically, Dutch," Micah said over him.

"You..." Henry started to speak up. "You told me Etta might be the spy." He pulled his gun out and aimed it at Micah. "You said she was a lost cause! You made me--"

"Dutch!" John's voice caught everyone by surprise as he limped into camp with his pistol in his hand.

"John?" Micah said confused.

Arthur and Henry almost dropped their pistols in the hope they'd see me. But I wasn't there. "John... where's Etta?" Arthur asked a bit too quickly.

"You left me to die!" John yelled at Dutch.

Dutch started to walk towards John, "My son, I had no choice."

"You... left me?" John yelled over him in disbelief.