ᴍᴜʟᴛɪғᴀɴᴅᴏᴍ ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ | ᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴇᴡ ғɪᴄs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ ɴᴏᴛᴇs

Until the last breath { Arthur Morgan x fem! reader}

summary: It's not a normal cough

warning: MORE ARTHUR MORGAN YIPPY. High angst, TB, comfort. Arthur is scared, sad, last moment, coughing blood, what if? chapter 5 spoilers, arguments, friends to lover? Denial, acceptance.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Dammit. I told you you didn't have to come" Arthur grumbled as he took you to Saint Denis on his horse.

You weakly chuckled but then you coughed hard making your throat hurt. Breathing was getting harder, your forehead was wet with sweat and your very hot body temperature made Arthur even more concerned. To make a long story short, you two were supposed to meet Sadie at the Saloon in Saint Denis. Arthur urged you not to go with him as you looked quite unwell with a persistent cough making it difficult for you to breathe nor did your body temperature rise. He insisted that you need to rest but you with your stubbornness did not agree.

Stating that it's just a normal fever and claiming that you'll get better in a few days. End up, when you arrived in Saint Denis, you suddenly felt that the cough this time was quite bad making you cough non-stop and dizzy until you fell off your horse. Poor horsey was quite panicked with your sudden condition. Arthur then decided to take you to the clinic not far from there after he noticed that your cough was producing blood plus you looked like you were about to pass out.

Arthur was getting more and more worried as you seemed to be almost losing consciousness with how sluggish your words and movements were. He kept carrying you to the clinic which was only 1 block away. People kept looking at you both and yet Arthur ignored them as his first priority was you.

"Come on, we're getting close. Don't you dare pass out on me" Arthur commanded firmly as he pushed the clinic door wide letting himself and you in.

You kept on coughing non-stop plus trying to catch your breath which was hard to take. You felt like you were drowning and this scared you. Your vision was getting blurry and yet you were aware of what was happening. This is not a normal cough. You hate this. You hate being like this. You hate being weak and unable to do anything. Poor Arthur has to be carried to the clinic. If you take his suggestion this thing won't happen.

"Oh my" exclaimed the nurse at the counter as she got up and rang a bell.

"We need a doctor now" Arthur demanded urgently as you coughed into your palm.

You pulled your hand away from your mouth and a sense of dread began to creep. Blood soaking your palm just like animal blood after you skinned it.

'not again' you thought.

As soon as Arthur said that, a doctor with glasses, gray hair and a beard came and opened the door to his office. He looked at the two of you with an unreadable face and yet Arthur could feel that the doctor seemed to know what was really going on.

"come on you two. Bring her inside" The Doctor said as he held the door, letting Arthur take you into the treatment room.

"we need help.. She-"

"sit her down, will you" The Doctor said as he prepared the items on the iron trolley.

Arthur without any words sat you down gently. You had stopped coughing but you were having trouble breathing. Arthur could hear your ragged breathing. Your face was pale so was the sweat on your forehead that was soaking you. You looked at Arthur through your half lidded eyes. Arthur stood close to your side, taking your hand to assure you that everything would be okay.

"Now look, I don't mean anything, but... you got money? I mean before I start treating you 'cause I got a family." The Doctor said as he looked at Arthur before turning his gaze on you.

You sighed heavily as you reached into your coat pocket to take out the money but then Arthur handed his own money to the Doctor. You looked at him in disbelief.

"yeah, i understand.Here, will that do you?" Arthur handed 50$ to the doctor which the doctor took and put in his pocket.

The doctor nodded. "sure thanks" he then took the iron chair and brought it to your side and sat down. "Now, what's wrong? I mean, what appear to be the symptoms?"

You grunted weakly. "I thought you knew what the symptom was when you saw me coughing"

Arthur rubbed the back of your hand trying to calm you down. The doctor sighed.

"I may be called a doctor but that doesn't mean I know what symptoms you have besides coughing. Now, is there any blood or mucus coming out when you cough?" The doctor looked at you seriously.

"Blood. Sometimes" you muttered. Eyes avoiding looking at Arthur.

Arthur frowned. He didn't know you were coughing up blood all this time. It seems you were trying to hide it from him. Now it all makes sense. From where you seem to be eating less, how light your weight is when he picks you up, how skinny you are getting plus the way you seem to be weak and not moving much. You often sit down to take a breath to the point that you cry out to him with how hard it is for you to breathe. When he holds you, he can feel how warm you become. At first he thought it was just a normal fever as you used to have a fever and it got better in a few days but now that it has been weeks. And you seem to be getting worse.

Oh, how he wished he had noticed that sooner. He could have found a cure to cure you. And now it was too late.

The doctor could only exhale heavily and reach for the stethoscope. "Okay now, here... breathe. Again." the doctor put the stethoscope to your chest.

You drew in and exhaled your breath. The doctor narrowed his eyes. After checking your breathing. The doctor placed the stethoscope on the iron table beside him before reaching for the wooden stick.

"Let me see your tongue. Now say ahh." the doctor put the wooden stick into your mouth as soon as you opened your mouth.

Arthur kept on rubbing the back of your hand as a sign to let you know that he was still with you. The doctor removed the wooden stick from your mouth and threw it into the trash can. He sighed heavily before he stands up and walked toward the sink to washed his hands.

Arthur looked at the doctor with concern while you averted your gaze from the doctor. Too scared to know what was happening.

"What is it?" Arthur asked on your behalf.

The doctor looked at you sympathetically. "It's not good news." he said simply.

"Well we guessed that. She's been sick for weeks" Arthur put his hand on your shoulder, gently rubbing your shoulder.

The doctor sighed heavily. Eyes showing sympathy. "she's got Tuberculosis. I'm really sorry for your wife, son, it's a hell of a thing."

Upon hearing that, everything around you fell silent. A ringing sounded in your ears making it a bit loud making your head hurt. Your ragged breathing became faster and noisier. Arthur's hand that was rubbing yours stopped. You couldn't see Arthur's face that held an expression of disbelief. Eyes wide and jaw slightly dropped. You didn't correct what the Doctor said about him mistaking you for Arthur's wife, instead you just focused on what happened to you.

You blinked, shaking your head just once, a hollow laugh escaping you. "No... that's not right."

The doctor only offered you with a sympathetic face. "unfortunately it's true, Ma'am."

Arthur interjected still in disbelief. "Well what do you mean?"

"she's really sick, she... It's a progressive disease. Well the best thing is rest and... getting somewhere warm and dry, and taking it easy. Now, is that possible?" The doctor suggested.

You shook your head, a dry chuckle following. "sure, I can just pack my things and move to Mexico, always wanted to go to Mexico. No... it's not possible." you coughed, instantly your hand covered your mouth.

Arthur shifting weight from foot to foot as he rubs your back. Trying to ease your cough.

"Well... like I said, I... I'm really sorry." The doctor said, reassuringly. "just get plenty of rest and eat high-protein foods, will you?" the Doctor added.

You fell silent. Arthur nodded in understanding. Taking noted at what the Doctor said. He needs to take care of you even if you refuse it. Your days are numbered. He has to take care of you until the end of your days. As soon as Arthur thought so, he stopped. Why? He never expressed his feelings to you now that your time is running out. He was too late. All these chasing cats and mice that you two did have come to an end.

"yeah, alright" you muttered, lips pressed into a thin line. You started to stand up but the doctor put his hand on your arm to prevent you from standing up.

"Now w-wait, wait... let me get you a little bit more... boost today." he reached for the syringe on the table with something in it. He then stabbed the syringe into your arm.

You winced. Arthur kept on looking at you. He was silent throughout the process only opening his mouth when necessary.

" alright.. that's all I have." The doctor got up and discarded the used syringe onto the iron table. "You can come to me for another boost. That's all I can do for now"

You nodded and stood up with Arthur's help. Arthur held you shoulders. You sighed. The effect of that drug started kicking in.

The clinic door was opened by Arthur, you both stepped outside. Arthur still held you as he led you to your horse and he who was hitched in front of the clinic. Winehouse, you horse neighed upon seeing your condition. Arthur let go off your shoulder as you moved to the side of your horse.

You patted Winehouse gently. "hey there, girl." you stroked her body. "i'm sorry for making you distressed."

Arthur just looked at you without saying anything. He didn't know what to say. His mind went blank. His tongue was numb. Everything turned out worse than he thought. Not only did you contract a disease that had no cure, you knew that your days were numbered.

"come on, let's get you home" Arthur said as he mounted his horse.

You looked at him confused. Eyes narrowed at him. "What about Sadie? Weren't we supposed to met her?"

"No, I need to get you home" Arthur exclaimed, looking away.

Your lips twitched. Eyebrows furrowed. "No"

"what do you mean no?" Arthur looked at you with frustration.

"i said no. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I can't go with you" You hold your ground.

"You need rest, woman. Look at you! You can't stand straight let alone to let you come with us" Arthur snapped.

"Is that it? You're saying I can't handle this? I've been handling it before I was diagnosed now you want me to just sit there doing nothing? Why do I want to waste the time I have doing nothing?!" You bursted.

Arthur shook his head as he sighed deeply. He then dismounted and walked closer to you. He towered over you as he looked down at you. You glared at him.

"You didn't even tell me you were coughing up blood nor did you come to tell me you were sick from the start. Now you're going to risk your life with this mission? Is that it? Risking your life when you know you're going to di-" Arthur stopped. He turned his gaze elsewhere. His jaw tensed.

You softened your face. Seeing him like that makes you feel guilty. He just wants to help you but you make it difficult. You then took his hand. Arthur's breath hitched at the sudden gesture. If only the situation now wasn't serious he would have just taken you away and just be close to you. If only the time was long.

"Arthur, I know my time is getting short but please, let me be with you until my last breath. This whole thing about Dutch and the gang it just.. Things aren't the same as they used to be. We're running out of time. To the point where we're all not sure what's going to happen to us later." You paused. "let me be with you until my last breath"

Arthur looked at you with his mouth slightly open. He lost his words. His eyes started to get glossy with tears. He sighed heavily.

"Knowing that you don't have much time... i-" Arthur sighed deeply. " Damn you, woman. I can't.. I can't let you risk yourself. But I can't stop you, can't I?" Arthur looked at your eyes. "I know it's a bit late to say this but.. You mean the world to me" Arthur expressed his whole heart to you.

You huffed a breath with a genuine smile. "and I you, Arthur Morgan."