No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 42- Breaking Bonds

                       Dutch marches out of his hiding spot, with his slimey sidekick tightly following behind him. The sound of his fellow gang members voice, making him query about why he is back, "John, what are you doing here?"
"It's good to see you too, partner" John sarcastically says, hoping for a warm welcome off the people he knows as family since he can remember.
"I meant I hadn't sent for you yet" Dutch grits his teeth, anger boiling up inside of him.
Claudia and Arthur strolls up to the commotion seeing Dutch's angry face once again, "I went" Arthur pipes up.
"But I said that.."
"I know what you said, but I felt different"  Arthur says walking towards the gang leader.
"Is that so?" Dutch questions.
"Yes" Arthur raises his voice, standing up for himself.
"And when springing John brings the law down on all of us, and you.." Dutch turns his gaze to his daughter, "you know better than this, you could have been caught again and put into that prison."
Claudia stays silent, she wants to step up for herself but the words won't fall out. Her eyes connect with her father's, she notices how there is bags under his eyes, he hasn't shaven in ages, he has changed.
Arthur steps forward, his face close to Dutch's, "well I guess we will have another  fight on our hands."
"Loyalty, Arthur. It ain't, I had a goddamn plan" Dutch yells in Arthur's face, anger piercing through his eyes, "John, John, you are my brother, you are my son. I was coming for you."
"They, they was talking of hanging me Dutch" John pipes up, his voice breaking like the bond between him and his father figure.
"They was talking, they was talking and now they may come and hang us all" Dutch starts walking backwards towards his tent, along with Micah following his footsteps like a servant following his master. Claudia spins her head to Arthur, the sound of his coughing getting her attention. Abigail pulls John away to there tent, probably wanting to have some time with him and Jack, like a family. Claudia notices how the tents have been set up, usually Arthur's and John's are next to Dutch's but this time they are the furthest.  She slips her hand into Arthur's and drags him to his cot, "come on you need to rest" she tiredly smiles helping him pull off his jacket.
"I don't need babying, Claud" Arthur whines breaking into another coughing fit, he wipes his mouth. Claudia looks down to his sleeve seeing new and old blood stains, she frowns and stays quiet. She doesn't want to bring it up and start talking about what they both know what is going to happen eventually. Arthur takes his boots off and places them underneath the bed, he lies across the cot resting his arms underneath his head.
Claudia folds his jacket onto his clothes chest and places his hat on top, trying to clean up the place, "rest easy cowboy."
"Wait, there's room for both of us here" Arthur mumbles, his blanket covering half of his body. Claudia slightly grins, and slips her boots off, her spurs clinking as they fall to the ground. She slips into the sheets, feeling his warmth across her body. He wraps his arms around her protectively, tightly not wanting to let go. Not wanting to forget the moment. Claudia turns around her face facing him, she leans in wanting more but he pulls back, "I can't let you get ill, darling" his voice croaks in agony.
"I don't mind please" she begs just wanting to feel his lips again, feel his skin, feel his touch, she doesn't care about his disease. All she knows that he hasn't got much time left to spare. She tucks her head into his chest, as he runs his hand through her hair.
Arthur sighs, "no, come on let's just sleep it's getting late."
"Do you think in another life we get a chance?" Claudia blurts out, her blue eyes watering beneath her strands of hair.
"Chance of what?" Arthur questions.
"Peace, having a house somewhere like a ranch, with a family and have proper jobs like normal people do" Claudia explains, tracing her fingers over his scars that he has collected over his life.
Arthur pulls the sheet up, covering their entire bodies; the cold winds making them shiver. He rests his chin on her head, "I'm sure we will, just not this one."
"I love you"
"I love you too, Claud" Arthur whispers back, his voice trembles knowing he has a limited time left. Claudia closes her eyes, feeling the rhythm of his chest moving up and down as he sleeps. She wraps the blanket closely around her, trying to drift off to sleep but her mind keeps overthinking about Arthur, the gang, her father, herself.