The Lucky Ones - Arthur Morgan x Reader

Chapter 17

I was a girl until your call,
I've nothing left. I gave you all.

I sat by the water as Rufus ran around the lake chasing crabs. "Don't go too far." I told him as I drew him in my sketchbook. He was surprisingly obedient for a pup but full of energy, I had to keep an eye on him at all times. Little Jack adored him and was always playing with him.

From Dutch's tent, I could hear Molly and Dutch arguing as usual. I felt bad for her, the other girls got annoyed with her and so did I to an extent. She didn't seem to do anything other than look at her reflection in that pocket mirror of hers while we all did chores but I felt bad for her.

"Pig!" She yelled at Dutch and then walked over to the lake in a huff.

"Come sit." I said to her and patted the empty spot on the log next to me. "Are you alright?"

Molly sighed and sat down, I always thought she was pretty. She had flaming red hair and an emerald green dress on. Her pale cheeks were flushed with anger. "I know he loves me but he's been so cold lately." She sighed. "And I know you all are laughing at me, I look like a fool."

"You don't look like a fool dear." I told her gently. "No one's laughing at you. Dutch probably has a lot on his mind right now, seems as though the law is breathing down our necks. He has a lot of responsibilities."

"If he would just let me help him." She sighed. "I love him so much."

"I know you do." She leaned her head on my shoulder as we both stared out at the lake. "I know we haven't spoken much since I've joined but if you need a friend I'm here."

"The other girls hate me." She sounded so upset poor girl.

"No one's hates you." I shook my head. "I think...they get a little annoyed sometimes because Miss Grimshaw gets us to do a lot of chores and in the nicest way possible you don't really lend a hand." I didn't want to dig at her while she was upset but there was a reason she wasn't great friends with the other girls at camp.

"I know." Molly sighed. "I'm so jealous of you and Arthur, Dutch was like that with me once. Now he's bored of me. I left my home, my family all for him. For this."

Rufus had been given a scare from a heron and he ran straight back and jumped into my lap. I put my hand on him stroking his soft fur. "At least you have something to go back to." I shrugged. "I'm sure he's not bored of you, I guess none of us can know how stressed Dutch must be until we're in his position. He has to be strong, for us."

"What should I do?" She asked me and lit a cigarette.

"Nothing." I said simply. I hadn't much experience with the simple minds of men but I knew yelling at a man was not the key to his heart. "Carry on, befriend the people in the camp, the girls don't bite. Ignore Dutch. He'll come crawling."

"Then what if he doesn't?" She looked over at me with sad green eyes, I could not help but feel bad for her.

"Then you'll have some friends and you won't need him." I told her.

"Thanks y/n I t'ink I needed someone to talk to." She smiled a little.

"Any time Molly." I smiled. "If you need anything you know where to find me."

.・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。.

When it came to around 6pm, dinner time at camp, Arthur was no where to be found. He had gone out earlier that day with Bill, Charles and Uncle to rob a stage coach. I knew Arthur and I knew robbing stage coaches. It should not have taken so long. I approached Dutch's tent where he was stood outside with a Cigar, his classical music played on his gramophone.

"Aren't you worried about the boys that went on a job,Dutch?" I asked, worry had been eating away at me so much that I had no appetite for Pearson's stew.

"They'll be just fine y/n." He assured me, always the strong leader.

"It shouldn't take so long." I sighed. "It's getting late, what if something happened?"

"It's too early to tell but I can assure you that if my the morning they are not back, we will come looking." He said firmly and inhaled a puff of his cigar.

"Alright." I nodded and went over to sit with the girls by the fire. There was nothing I could do for now. Every five minutes I would check over my shoulder to see if there were any horses riding down the path and every time I checked I was met with disappointment.

I was not to talkative that night, Tilly tried her best to involve me in conversation but all I could focus on was the anxiety eating away at my core. What if Arthur had been captured? What if the law found them?

When everyone else retired to go to bed, I did the same. I went to our tent and got dressed into my night gown before getting into bed. I had never slept in that bed without Arthur before. Sleep was a hard thing to achieve that night, I lay awake staring at the ceiling with my head whirring like machinery thinking off all the possibilities. I knew I shouldn't be thinking so much but I couldn't help it.

The only thing that brought me solace in this state was my baby Rufus who was asleep on my chest. Without him I'd probably be pacing up and down but he looked too peaceful to disturb.

When the birds began to wake up and sing outside, I still had not slept a wink. That was when I heard hooves gallop down the path and I ran out of my tent. There he was, seemingly unhurt.

I ran up to Arthur and hugged him. "Where the hell were you?! I was worried sick!" I hugged him tightly, afraid to let go and he put his arms around me. "Don't ever do that again!" I felt tears well in my eyes and threaten to spill onto my cheeks.

"I'm sorry darlin turns out it was one of Cornwall's coaches. The law got there fast. We got chased into a barn and made a bit of a mess. I didn't want to come back to camp immediately incase we got followed." Arthur explained to me in a soft tone and held me close. "Have you not slept?"

I shook my head. "How could I? I was so worried Arthur. I thought they'd- I thought-" I stopped speaking because I felt like I was about to cry.

"Hey it's okay." He said gently and kissed my head. The sun was slowly starting to rise over the lake turning the sky from black to blue and we walked back to our tent.

He took his shirt off and laid down exhausted and I laid myself on top of him, just enjoying the warmth of his touch and his scent. "Get some sleep darlin I'm not going anywhere."

"Damn right your not." I sniffed and nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck. "I'm so glad you're safe."

He gently rubbed my back "I'll always come back to you y/n. I promise."

Now I had Arthur with me I was struck by a wave of tiredness and it wasn't long before I fell asleep on his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat.