No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 14- Hope

It's been 3 days since Claudia last saw Arthur and the gang. She lost hope in them finding her being trapped. Her wrists bleeding as the rope rubs against them. Her eyes going bloodshot and her throat going dry as she can't remember the last time she ate or drank. She looks up to the door as she hears the lock click open. James Thorn walks down the stairs, she was hoping it was one of the gang members coming to help her.
"Ain't you looking a bit frail.." He laughs pulling her hair up to see her face. "anyway what can I do with you then". He drops her hair making her head drop down as she is too weak to lift her head up. She falls down as he cuts the rope holding her up with his knife. He starts to unbutton her shirt like he did before but all of it, "Well no wonder why my big brother wanted to marry you" He snarls, by now Claudia would of fought back but as her arms are tied up and she is too weak to, she can't. He places his hands around her neck tightly pulling her closes into him, he starts kissing her sloppily. Tears form into her eyes as she accepts what's happening.
"James, please no you're hurting me" Her croaky voice speaks up.
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you" He slurs, Claudia could tell he's drunk by the way he walked in earlier. He unbuckles her belt bringing down her trousers, he smiles leaving marks over her breasts. Claudia will never forget that smile, how evil it is.
"James, what in the gods name you doing?.." Wyatt yells from upstairs then makes his way down. "get your drunk ass out of here".
James stumbles out of the room giving one last wink to her as she gasps for air. Wyatt crouches down wiping the tears from Claudia's cheek.
"I thought you were used to things like that, you know being in a gang full of men and didn't you work in the saloon once" He snarls placing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"That was a long time ago" Claudia snaps letting more tears roll down her face. James gets up from crouching and starts to walk away to the door.
"Claudia, Claudia I wish I met you when you first came to the house.." He laughs, holding open the door "all sweet and innocent but I bet your mother would be so disappointed in you, if she saw you now but I guess you will be with her soon".
"How do you know my mother's dead" Claudia queries.
"I have my ways"  Wyatt gives a small smirk and walks up the stairs closing basement door behind him leaving the room to be pitch black. Claudia shivers as she's left naked lying on the floor, now she really hopes that someone will save her.

Arthur walks out of his room in Shady Belle, the camp had to move once again after the Rhodes massacre. Jack was now safe finally with his mother and Father but Arthur still had his mind on Claudia. Wondering if she was safe, if she was hurt or if she was dead. He walks down the stairs and out of the house seeing Dutch and Micah sat by the table across from each other.
"Dutch, any leads on her?" Arthur asks taking out a cigarette and lighting it.
"Nothing, it's like she disappeared thin air. Charles has gone out trying to see if he can track her down" Dutch replies, rubbing his tired eyes. Arthur noticed that Dutch was the last one at night to go in and the first one out in the morning. It was like all of a sudden he changed, he finally cared about her.
"I mean, she's just a girl" Micah adds.
"A girl who needs saving" Arthur snaps turning his head to Micah "Dutch we are running out of time, she's going to be dead soon or she could be dead now".
"Arthur that's enough, we will save her stop worrying" He yells silencing the man next to him, getting up from his position.
"You're telling me to stop worrying, you're the one not sleeping at night, not going out or not speaking to anyone" Arthur yells making Dutch go silent as he paces back and forth holding his cigar in his hand.
"Dutch, I think I found her" Charles shouts as he enters camp on Taima.
"Where is she? son" Dutch rushes over to Charles as he stays mounted on his horse.
"In a cottage near Roanoke Ridge, it's called Deer Cottage and it's well guarded by hired guns.."Charles says, "I heard a man say in Annesburg, he was saying a lot and apparently they were going to give her in to the law".
"Arthur, Charles, Javier ride with me" He yells mounting on to the Count.
"Dutch are you sure you want to go?" Hosea questions. Dutch looks at him blankly and rides off with the boys following him. Hosea sighs knowing it will kill him to see if she is dead.
The four of them ride out of camp, Charles and Dutch riding at the front while Arthur and Javier hang back.
"Arthur.." Javier sighs looking to the side of him "I have a bad feeling about this".
"I know but we can't think like that right, it will break Dutch's heart if she's hurt" Arthur says as they all gallop towards Annesburg. Arthur looks forward to Dutch seeing his knuckles turn white as he tightens his hands around the reins of his horse. Charles slows down Taima as they get nearer to the cottage.
"We should get off the horses now, we are close" Charles orders slipping off his horse and hitching at the side of the path.
"There's 4 walking around up the path, then 3 sitting outside by the door" Javier says as he looks through his binoculars.
"Who knows how many inside" Arthur adds placing his hat on his head.
"Arthur and Javier go inside around the back, Charles.." Dutch pauses, "me and you are going to distract them. Dutch starts walking down the path towards the cottage with Charles trailing behind him. Arthur and Javier make their way around the back behind trees, Arthur looks around seeing no door.
"We will have to go through the window" Javier whispers, Arthur scoffs. 
"Fine" They both crouch slowly walking towards the cottage not to make any sound. Arthur looks through the window seeing only 2 men sitting next to the fire but no sign of Claudia.
"She's not in there" Arthur snarls looking back at Javier.
"What do you mean?" Javier answers back with confusion.
"She's not fuckin.."
The sound of guns fire interrupting Arthur, him and Javier rush back to Dutch and Charles.
"What are you doing?" Dutch yells as he sees the two of them.
"We looked through the window, she's not in there" Arthur yells back.  As Dutch shoots the last of them, Arthur makes his way to the front door.
"Drop your weapons now" He aims his revolver towards the two men relaxing inside, they both put up their hands in surrender.
"What do you want, you can take anything" One of the men squeal as Javier walks up to him and places his gun to the man's head.
"Where's the girl?" Dutch asks punching the one speaking.
"We are not supposed to tell anyone" The other one pipes up hovering his hands over his face.
"Do you want to end up like your friends out there!" Arthur threatens raising his hand to punch the man.
"Ok, ok, ok she's downstairs in the basement" He cries keeping his hands in the air.
Arthur looks down seeing a rug laying across the floor, he pulls it across seeing a door. He lifts the latch and lifts the door seeing stairs going down to a dark room.
"Someone get me a lantern quick" He says stepping down to the stairs. Charles passes one down to Arthur. Arthur looks around then sees her lying across the floor in her own blood.
"Claudia" He gasps crouching down to her, "she's down here, pass me a blanket". Charles rushes down with a blanket from his horse, he passes it to Arthur.
"We need to get her back quick" Charles mumbles helping Arthur wrap Claudia in the blanket so she wasn't naked anymore.
"Let's get you home, girl" Arthur lifts her up in his arms, promising himself that no one would hurt her again.