Aaliyah's Redemption: Bound by Fate ***DISCONTINUED, READ DESCRIPTION***

Chapter XXVIII

The night was settling in over Shady Belle, a haze of darkening clouds drifting lazily across a sliver of moonlight. Firelight flickered against the worn-out walls of the camp, casting shifting shadows across Arthur's face as he approached. He'd been riding for hours, relentlessly drifting along old trails, trying to find something to settle his thoughts but finding no peace. Now that he was back, the gnawing weight of it all only grew heavier.

Sadie sat by the campfire, her feet kicked up on a half-broken crate, eyes trained on the embers dancing under the iron bot she'd left over the fire. She caught sight of him hesitating, hovering around the edge of the light, as if he wasn't sure if he was welcome. She arched an eyebrow, her mouth curving in a smirk.

"Arthur," she greeted, drawing out the word, giving him a hard look. "Finally done wandering?"

He gave a grunt, dragging himself over to the fire and dropping down with a heavy sigh. She studied him in silence, noticing how the lines of his face seemed deeper tonight, his gaze more shadowed. Something had unsettled him, and in her experience, it took a hell of a lot to get Arthur Morgan looking this way.

"What's eatin' at you?" she asked, her tone not exactly gentle, but curious.

Arthur glanced at her, then back at the flames, like he was still deciding if he could actually spill what he had kept bottled up. "Ran into someone last night," he finally murmured. "Or maybe...she ran into me."

Sadie didn't miss a beat. "Aaliyah?"

He gave a single nod, jaw tight, but his expression betrayed a mess of tangled emotions. "Yeah...her. And she made it real clear she wasn't exactly thrilled to see me."

Sadie looked at him carefully, taking in the regret and frustration pulling at his features. "I'm guessing it didn't exactly go smooth."

Arthur let out a harsh laugh. "If you could call it that. More like she shot daggers at me with every damn glance." He shook his head, looking up at Sadie, something vulnerable flickering in his gaze. "I gave her a reason to, I suppose."

Sadie leaned back, crossing her arms as she listened, the firelight catching in her eyes. "Look, Arthur, you're about as stubborn as they come. But Aaliyah, she's just as strong. Has to be, after all she's been through. I'd say that's why she didn't spill every little thing to you back then." She paused, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Not because she didn't care. Hell, maybe it was the opposite."

Arthur's brows knitted together, the words clearly hitting a nerve. He looked down, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought...knowing her secrets meant I was some kind of threat to her, that she couldn't trust me enough to tell the whole truth."

Sadie watched him closely. "And did you trust her?" she asked plainly, the directness of her question making him wince.

He struggled for a moment before answering. "I wanted to," he admitted. "But when I found out things she'd kept from me...I felt like she was hiding part of herself, like she was never really...mine to know." He trailed off, his voice growing rough with self-doubt.
Saide gave a low, understanding hum. "Secrets don't always mean someone's got somethin' against you, Arthur. Sometimes it just a way of surviving. Aaliyah's been through a lot, and it takes a damn strong person to go through what she did and still stand tall. She hid her past because she's learned not everyone deserves to know it."

Arthur didn't respond immediately. He let Sadie's words settle over him, stirring something uncomfortable yet familiar in his chest. He had thought that pushing Aaliyah away was the right call, that giving her an escape was what she needed. But now, all he was left with was a hollow sense of regret.

"Guess I didn't see it that way back then," he muttered, his voice tinged with guilt.

Sadie leaned forward, her gaze hardening. "Well, maybe it's time to change that. I know she's as cold as ice toward you now, but she's got every reason to be cautious. Ain't easy to mend things, but you're both stubborn enough to try if you want it bad enough."

Arthur met her eyes, a trace of hope flickering there despite himself. "Maybe...but she made it pretty clear she don't care if I come or go."

Sadie rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove. "That's because she's hurt, you fool. She's always cared. I'd reckon that's what's got her so bitter. But if you keep showing her that you don't give up easy...maybe she'll come around."

Arthur chuckled dryly, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Sadie's words made him think back to the countless times he'd seen Aaliyah ride behind him, the way she would glance at him when she thought he wasn't looking, the quiet, guarded smiles, she'd give him on the rare occasions they'd find a moment of peace.

Sadie reached out, giving him a form pat on the shoulder. "Look, I know you. And I know her. You ain't got the time or patience for games, but neither does she. So maybe stop wallowing, and start fixin' what you broke."

Arthur sighed, a more genuine smile breaking through at her bluntness. "Guess I can try...for what it's worth."

He sat there for a while longer, letting the warmth of the fire seep into his bones, Sadie's words ringing in his ears as the night stretched on. Eventually, he rose, feeling a new sense of resolve settle over him. He still had doubts, still felt the weight of his mistakes and the hurt he'd caused, but maybe—just maybe—he had the chance to make things right.

And with that, he turned toward the camp, ready to face whatever came next, knowing that as long as he had a chance, he'd keep fighting for it.