Van Der Linde Savior (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Dutch, Dutch, Dutch

"Hold on!" Celina laughed as she spurred Jazz forwards in attempt to catch up with Dutch and The Count.

Dutch laughed and yelled back at her as he refused to do what she had ordered him to, "Keep up."

"Dutch," she laughed again, pushing the paint harder as they made their way up the hill. She panted from exertion herself, easing up on Jazz a bit for fear of pushing him too hard. She wiped sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her shirt, "What is all of this about anyway?"

He chuckled under his breath, allowing The Count to slow down as well so he was once again riding along Celina, "You'll see once you get to the top."

"What? Why can't you just tell me?"

"Because it's a surprise."

Celina smiled at him. He had been back in her life for a solid month and besides what Sean had said to her regarding Tortola, everything was perfect. Dutch had been wooing her at every chance, doing his best to make up for lost time as he had put it. They hadn't had even one arrangement since he had arrived back into her life alive- not one.

Dutch was acting fine, he was her Dutch in the flesh and in the soul and she had never been more in love with the man. Things were going so well that she refused to bring up what Sean had mentioned. Why would she bring up Tortola- a thing of the past? It was of the past so she kept quiet on it. She didn't need to know what had happened there. Whatever Dutch did, he had had a good reason.

Finally, they reached the top of the hill and her eyes widened at the sight before them. "Dutch," she looked over at him, giving Jazz more reign, "You didn't have to do this."

Dutch smiled over at her, "I did, you deserve this and more."

Dutch, the terribly infamous Dutch Van Der Linde had laid out a picnic for the two of them. There was a blanket laying out on the grassy ground with a wooden woven basket sitting in the middle of it. She shook her head as she dismounted Jazz at the same time Dutch did from The Count. Grabbing the horses reigns, together, they hitched them to a nearby tree. She couldn't stop smiling at what he had done for her, "You're incredible, you know that, right?"

Dutch smiled and pulled her to him so that their chests were touching. She had started getting better again since Dutch had come back into the picture. She kissed him on the lips and he stroked her hair, pulling away slightly to look down at the small woman, "I think that you are incredible, Miss Knoll."

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks, it seemed that their time apart had only made every moment they shared together more special. "What's all this about?" She gestured over to where he had the scene set up.

"Just me showing my appreciation towards a woman as fine as you. I hope it's a start."

Celina laughed, "A start? Dutch, so far you have snuck into a movie with me in Blackwater, you have taken me out for an evening ride three times a night, and you have prepared dinner for me almost every night. You have been holding me until I go to sleep at night without expecting anything more, and you've brought me breakfast in bed on some days. Hell," she shook her head and cupped his cheek with her right hand, "You've picked me brilliant bouquets of wild flowers and danced with me to the gramophone." She stared into his dark eyes, "This is not a start, this is a continuation and I haven't a clue what has gotten into you."

Dutch chuckled and reached up to cover her hand with his, taking her small hand in his large one, he lowered both from his face. Dutch pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and led her over to the blanket he had prepared for the two of them. He spoke, "I love you and unfortunately it took what happened for me to realize how much I had taken you for granted at times." He squeezed her hand in his, "This is to prove to you that no matter how I may be at times, I am never going to take you for granted again."