No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 38- Silly Dreams

Claudia raises her head towards the hitching posts as she pours some left over stew from Pearsons. The sound of her lovers coughing echoing through the humid air, a frown appears on her face as she watches him slowly getting off his horse. His actions slow like someone on their death bed, she picks up another bowl and fills it to the brim. Forcing a smile on her face, Claudia walks over to him nudging his arm with the bowl.
"Here, cowboy. Eat, and rest, you don't look well" Claudia passes him the bowl, "should you go to the doctors?"
"I'm fine let's just eat our food" Arthur mumbles, his breathing heavy and slow. Claudia follows him to wooden decking around the house, where Dutch sits looking out into the water. Arthur stops realising that Claudia and Dutch aren't on good terms, she notices and takes his hand squeezing it.
"It's okay, he will have to put up with me at some point" Claudia states not letting go of Arthur's hand, he places his bowl to the side which catches Claudia's attention as he heads straight to Dutch to talk. Claudia rolls her eyes and sits herself on a barrel, keeping a distance from the two men. She listens in to them talking while eating the bland stew in her hands. She looks up to her father, seeing him mumbling words to himself.
"White, D4"
"You okay there?" Arthur asks.
Dutch stops, keeping his eyes on the water ahead of him, "I'm working it all out. Once and for all Arthur."
"What now?" Arthur questions leaning against the fence behind him.
"We're back and I'm sitting here and I'm contemplating the great journey of the sun and considering a famous chess move" Dutch answer moving his hands as he speaks, "those oily enactors of a mediocre justice, the pinkertons and their benefactor the depressing millionaire Leviticus Cornwall. They want us Arthur, they want us and they are going to have us."
"Well maybe they ain't the problem" Arthur suggests shrugging his shoulders.
"Meaning" Dutch snaps, his voice cracking.
Arthur stutters, "I don't know, it's just.. well. I can't help but feel we would've been better off running off someplace else"
"But, the game ain't over, Arthur. I mean, I ain't played my final move, but.."
Arthur snaps in before Dutch could finish, "I guess, I'm more interested in saving lives than winning at chess."
"Then maybe life ain't such a thing to cling onto so tightly" Dutch says, Claudia finishes her food and directs her attention to the men from the corner of her eye.
"No doubt" Arthur argues back keeping his voice calm, "what about the women?"
"You sound like Hosea, I miss," Dutch sighs, thinking of his friend, "him."
"I asked you a question, Dutch" Arthur responds quickly, his patience running out.
"What do you think?" Dutch asks turning his head towards his son.
"We can't stay here, that much is obvious. But where are we going to run to? I mean they chased us from the west, they chased us over the mountains, they ran us into the sea" Arthur grits his teeth, just wanting Dutch to spit out his plan.
"Arthur, do you have my back?" Dutch says, his tone softens as he rubs his temples.
"Always Dutch, but there's more to your back to worry about. We need more money, we've been on the run for months now and I've seen you killing folk in cold blood like you've always told me not to! And I'm sorry but I can't help but think that if we.." Anger surges through Arthur's voice.
Dutch gets up resting his hands on the fence, "there is country, in Roanoke Ridge, past Butchers Creek. I believe we could hold, and you and Charles you can take folk up that way. Micah and I need to do some reconnaissance, I ain't got a final plan yet. Arthur I ain't got a, Arthur I just need time. I need time and no traitors" Dutch snarls, acting like a child that has just been told off by an adult. Claudia watches Arthur walk away to go and get Charles. Dutch turns around angrily meeting her gaze, "have you got something to say too?"
Claudia shrugs her shoulders, taking out a cigarette from her pocket and lighting it, "I've got a lot of thing I could say, but I'm going to keep them hidden" Claudia mutters, exhaling the smoke from her mouth. Dutch sighs turning away to walk off, "but Dutch, Arthur's right"
Dutch stops listening to his daughter, "like I said Claudia, I don't need any traitors!"
Claudia smiles getting up from her position, "I'm not going to betray you Dutch but I ain't going loyal to you, if you continue to get us deeper in this shit. Right now, I'm supposed to be dead but Arthur and Charles saved me so I will never betray them. When I was in custody, they tried getting information out of me. They tried everything, but I didn't open my mouth."
"Why didn't  you say anything to them?" Dutch queries, turning his head to the side towards her.
"Like I said I ain't going to betray you, I ain't going to leave you but you need to sort something out, so we all don't die or the word 'trust' will be nothing to the two of us" Claudia says as she walks past him, her shoulder brushing his arm.
"I'm trying, I am trying Claudia. I just need time.."
"We all need time Dutch, not going to lie at this point in my life, I thought I would have settled down in a house somewhere with a child or two. But that's just a silly dream, maybe you need to wake up from yours and sort this gang out!" Claudia huffs leaving Dutch to himself, he stands still taking in the words she just said. Claudia sighs in relief, finally told him what has been hanging over her shoulder for ages.