Saving Arthur Morgan | rdr2

Chapter 11

The next couple of days, I avoided Arthur. I stayed close and watched him but a good distance away so no weird and awkward conversations.

We have moved east now, down south. The heat is unbearable and the humidity is literally Satan. Arthur has actually stuck around and things are becoming...stagnant around here.

I watched Arthur as I sewed Bill's old shirt, a bullet had grazed the the sleeve leaving a gaping hole, now I'm having to patch it with the material of Mary-Beth's old dress.

"That shirt bout done?" Bill asked, his usual grouchy tone was bold and annoying.

"Yes Mr Williamson. Just finished it." I said, handing him his shirt.

"Good..I got tired of wearing that...sorry excuse of a shirt." He quickly took the shirt Pearson had loaned him off, then shoved his own shirt on. An audible satisfied sigh left his lips.

"Are you going to say thank you?" I asked, the annoyance clear.

He straightened up, looking slightly embarrassed. "Goddammit..thank you." He growled, taking off towards the water we camped by.

I couldn't help myself, I started laughing at his embarrassment and awkwardness. Literally me with everything social.

"What's so funny?" A deep, grumble of a voice asked behind me. I was watching Bill talk to himself so I hadn't noticed Arthur's presence.

"Um. I was just picking at Bill." I said awkwardly, turning to face him.

A smile played on his full lips, his handsome face appearing relaxed for once. "Yes..the damn fool, ain't nothin better than pickin with Williamson." He chuckled, hooking his thumbs into his gun belt casually.
He smiled at me, a different kind of smile. "Do you want to ride with me today?" He asked shocking the hell out of me.

"I- sure." I agreed, smiling stupidly.

"I got business to attend to, I figured you'd like to get out." He turned, gesturing for me to follow.

We mounted our horses, leisurely riding out of camp.

"You likin it here?" He slowed to meet my pace, a slow smile spread on his face.

"Yeah. It sure is hot though." I laughed lightly.

"That it is." He nodded. "But we ought to get used to heat, after all, us outlaws will be in a hell of a lot hotter place than this in the future." He chuckled.

I side glanced at him, he smiled but his eyes..they said something different.

"You really aren't a bad man Arthur." I said seriously, he instantly stopped smiling and abruptly stopped his horse.

"I wish that were true." His face fell, a sadness washed over him. "People like me...we don't deserve people like you. I would drain you dry of everything good left in you. You would be a shell of who you used to be." He shook his head, looking down to his hands that were wrapped around his horses reigns.

"That ain't true." my voice swayed slightly as the words slipped out. His eyes shot up to mine, no expression.

"Isabella..you need to leave. As soon and as fast as you can." He said. "If you have any sense left in that pretty head of yours, you better leave while you can."

I shook my head. "I can't. And I ain't. I'm here for you and for people like Tilly and Mary-Beth. No one is telling me to leave." I spurred my horse back onto the road, he followed of course.

"Well...if that's how it is, let's get this over with." He trotted up in front of me, heading towards a white fence along the dirt road. We followed it someways until we met with two armed men guarding the entrance. Arthur came to a stop, tipping his hat to the men who glared at us both.. "I'm here to talk to sheriff Gray." Arthur's gruff voice demanded.