No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 8- Tolerate It

"So how did it go, I suspect you told her" Hosea asks as Dutch enters camp.
"I'm not in the mood" Dutch hitches his horse and storms off into his tent.
"So it went bad" Hosea queries holding open Dutch's tent.
"Hosea what did you think, I'm the reason why her mother died" Dutch sits down onto his bed with his head in his hands. "If I didn't leave then all of this wouldn't have happened".
"Don't think like that, it wasn't your fault even if you stayed they would have got caught up in this mess eventually anyway where is she?" Hosea questions sitting down next to him.
"She rode off before I could stop her" Dutch sighs looking up to Hosea.
"Make it right Dutch" Hosea states making his way back out of Dutch's tent. He didn't know what to do. Should he just leave it or should he stand up and be a dad for once. He lifts his legs up onto his cot and drifts off to sleep if he could, all that was on his mind was Elenor.

Claudia finally enters back at camp, half cut. "Miss Jenkins, lovely to see you back" Hosea comes and helps her off the horse.
"I need a drink" She mumbles nearly tripping over her own feet.
"Miss I think you've had enough" Hosea insists following her around camp.
"shut up your not my dad" Claudia yells getting the camps attention. She wanders over to the crate of whiskey and opens a bottle. Dutch exits his tent wondering what was the yelling for, they both make eye contact as Claudia shoots daggers at him.
"Dick" she mutters, spitting on the floor.
"Not very lady like is it" A man with long blonde hair says as Claudia walks past him.
"Why the fuck you care" She slurs taking another sip of the bottle.
"Well ain't you a bundle of joy" He hisses putting his arm around her shoulders.
"Micah get off Miss Jenkins" Dutch scolds him as he still stands in front his tent. Micah walks away back to where he was sitting before.
"I can handle myself" Claudia snaps as she starts walking over to the crate again.
"Are you sure about that because it looks like you can't" Dutch answers back as he sits outside his tent and opens his book.
"What did you just say?" She scolds making her way over to him. Hosea and Arthur turn their heads towards them both.
"I said that it doesn't look like you can handle yourself" Dutch says carelessly not looking at his daughter who is standing in front of him. She shakes her head and scoffs.
"Don't tell me what I can or can't handle it's your fault, your fucking fault and you don't even look sorry for me" Claudia yells , he doesn't even flinch. "You made my life hell, if you didn't leave then everything would have been fine fucking fine". She picks up the crate on the table and carries it to a tree stump near by and starts making her way through it.
"Dutch aren't you going to stop her" Arthur marches over with Hosea.
"Not my problem" He mutters still reading his book. It's crazy how he can concentrate on his book when she was yelling in his face. Hosea must of told Arthur as he was ready to punch Dutch in the face because of how stubborn he is.

Arthur sees Claudia shivering as she drinks the whiskey beside her. He joins her by sitting next to her, he takes a bottle from the crate.
"Not you now" She whines, Arthur could tell she was hurt by finding out about Dutch. The way her eyes were red, you could tell she'd been crying for a while.
"I'm not here to take them off you but slow down, you'll regret it in the morning" Arthur laughs as she nudges him. It's like they have a special bond once they are together it lifts both of their spirits up.
"I guess Hosea told you" Claudia predicts looking up at him.
"Yes he did but I promise I won't tell anyone" Arthur assures her. He takes his coat off and places it across her legs, she smiles and leans her head on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" Arthur asks.
"I'm just angry that I never got to experience having a father figure in my life, when I was younger I was the one protecting my mother" Claudia explains getting a cigarette out of her pocket. "Then she forced me into marrying that bastard for money as she wasn't getting enough in the saloon, when I got home after you helped me she was so pissed so I started to work at the saloon just to make money up for it" . They both sit there just watching the world pass by.
"So then how did you end up leaving, if you don't mind answering" Arthur asks lighting the cigarette for her.
"She borrowed money from someone then we couldn't pay it back, so we decided to get a fresh start and move to another state or something" She sighs remembering what happened. "Then we bumped into some O'Driscolls, they tried to rob us but I stood my ground and said no but in result of that they shot my mother". Claudia looks up at the sky admiring the stars, since she was a little girl she always loved the stars in the sky and how beautiful they were.

"Do you think you will forgive him someday?" Arthur asks her as they both look at the sun setting.
"Depends, right now I'd say no fucking way but maybe afterwards I'm not sure"  Claudia stutters as she has hick ups. They both sit there in silence as both of each others company was enough.

Arthur looks down at her and notice she's asleep against his shoulder. "Come on let's get you to bed" Arthur whispers, putting his arms around her to help her. Everyone in camp was fast asleep except from them two.
"What time is it" she laughs holding onto Arthur for dear life.
"Shut up your so loud, we are going to wake everyone up" Arthur laughs drunkenly as well, he lays her down onto her bedroll and takes her shoes off. He looks up to her and sees she already asleep.
"Goodnight Claudia" He whispers pulling the blanket over her.