𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐩 ✧ 𝐑𝐃𝐑𝟐

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞.

Audrey grinned as she lifted her pencil away from her journal. She had finally finished some writing that she was pleased with to send to... well he never said his name. She reached over to the barrel beside her cot and grabbing the small card he had handed her. Arthur had left it behind for her. Douglas Connolly. Audrey ripped out the pages carefully ensuring she doesn't rip the pages. She folds the papers to fit them in the envelope she had sitting with her for days waiting for her. Audrey slipped the papers into the envelope before sealing it shut, picking up her pencil and writing his name on it before adding the place of where it needed to be sent, also on the card Douglas had handed to her. The office was in Saint Denis, the city that was becoming industrialised, the city that was also once her home. Funny how it's the New Hanover Gazette when it's written in a different state. She stood up from her cot and erupted from her tent, being welcomed by the chatter of gang members and chirping of the birds that nested in the trees surrounding the camp. The gang recovered quite quickly from the O'Driscoll's attack thankfully. Lenny was back on his feet almost like he had never got knocked out. He was a strong kid, Hosea and Arthur always praised him for his determination at such a young age. Young Jack however isn't coping well. The gunfire around him had scared him as expected from a child. Abigail had told her he had been having nightmares about it and was having trouble sleeping so Hosea had went out a brought Jack a teddy bear to make him feel better. 

"Hey, Dutch," Audrey greeted the man who as always stood outside his tent. He was smoking a pipe and enjoying the warmth of the sun. He opened his eyes and looked at her, a smile forming on the man's face.

"Fine morning, Miss Davis," Dutch greeted her before his eyes fell onto the letter in her hand. He looked at her curiously. "A letter? From who?" He asked, assuming someone had wrote to them.

"From me, I need to send it," Audrey explained with a smile. Dutch didn't question anymore, instead he just nodded again. 

"Okay, well I don't want you leaving the camp," Dutch reminded her. Audrey was annoyed with his decision but she knew it was the right thing, with O'Driscolls hanging around and Colm attacking her a week ago it wasn't a good idea. Her head had only just recovered, no scar was left thankfully. "So you'll have to find a kind soul to take it in for you. Perhaps ask Arthur, he's always going into Valentine for something," Dutch suggested. Audrey nodded before thanking him, walking towards Arthur's tent to see him laying in his cot, puffing away on a cigarette. Audrey frowned as she approached him, a letter lying on his chest.

"You okay?" She asked him. Arthur looked down at her before looking back up at the canvas that blocked his view from the sky, a sigh escaping from him. 

"I will be," he grunted before sitting up, folding the letter and placing it aside. Audrey stared at the letter, Arthur catching her gaze. "It's from Mary," he explained. Arthur had mentioned her briefly to Audrey. They were together for a while but it ended, Arthur said she married someone new so why was she writing to him?

"What did she want?" Audrey asked. She had never met the woman and didn't know if she ever wanted to. From what Arthur said about her she sounded nice but from what she has heard from Mary-Beth, Tilly and Karen they see quite different of the woman. 

"She wants to see me," Arthur answered. Audrey frowned, why would she want to see him? "I don't know if I want to see her though," he sighed before burying his head into his hands, his hands sweeping back his hair before he sat back up, looking at Audrey. He looked exhausted from contemplating about Mary. "I've just become happy with you and now she steps back into my life, women are hard," he groaned. Audrey chuckled, walking over to him and resting a hand on his shoulder. 

"Well, whatever you decide to do I trust you," Audrey comforted. Arthur smiled at her, placing a hand on top of hers that rested on his shoulder gratefully. Arthur's eyes met the letter in her other hand. 

"What's that?" He asked, bringing attention to her own letter. Audrey grinned, holding out the envelope to him.

"My finished work for Mister Connolly, the New Hanover Gazette founder," she reminded him, Arthur nodding as he recalled the man. "I was hoping you would be able to send it for me since Dutch won't let me leave," Audrey explained, Arthur nodding immediately.

"No problem," he agreed, taking the letter from her hand. Audrey slapped his shoulder playfully as he began to scan the envelope.

"No reading, it's not for you," she joked. Arthur scoffed before chuckling, rising from the cot. He stashed her letter into his satchel, ensuring her that he wouldn't read it. She smiled at him. "Thank you," she thanked him. Arthur grinned before he kissed her forehead and headed off towards his horse. She watched from his tent as he mounted his horse, once in the saddle he waved to her before trotting away. Once his back was to her she realised she was staring at the letter that sat hauntingly on Arthur's side table. It was tempting her to lure her in and read it. She was growing more curious by every second she looked at it. She ripped her head away from the letter, she wasn't going to pry. Not only would she be invading but she would also be not trusting Arthur. Before heading back to her tent, she decided to get herself a cup of coffee. Pouring herself some of the hot liquid, she couldn't help but continue to think about this Mary girl. What if she wanted to get back together with Arthur? What would he do then? She shook her head to herself as she held the cup in her hands and turned to head to her tent before seeing Abigail, Jack and Sadie all sitting together at Abigail and Jack's tent beside hers. She should see how they are all coping. 

Audrey walked over to them, taking a sip from her cup. Abigail beamed at Audrey as she joined them.

"Morning," she greeted Audrey with her kind smile. Audrey smiled back at Abigail and nodded in greeting at Sadie who gave her a small wave. 

"How's he going?" Audrey asked, her eyes resting on Jack who was snuggled in the tent with the teddy Hosea had given him. Abigail looked over at him, smiling at her son proudly. 

"He's getting better. Having less nightmares at least but still struggling to sleep at night," Abigail informed before looking back up at Audrey before tapping the ground beside her, signalling for her to sit with them. Audrey sat beside Abigail on her free side, Sadie on the other, the three of them holding cups of coffee. "I just wish his father would show him some support, he wants his father," Abigail muttered before taking a sip. Audrey's heart sank for the boy. Audrey knew that John was afraid to step up as a father, he didn't want to be a father not yet anyway. But it's his son so he needs to own up to the responsibility. 

"He's a good kid, Abigail," Sadie supported. "With or without his Father, you have done a great job of raising him," Sadie reminded her. Sadie looked at Audrey for some back up, Audrey quickly nodding in agreement, earning a soft smile from Sadie. 

"I guess I just want him to have a proper family, something I never had," Abigail sighed as she thought about her past. "I want him to have a better life than what I or John did."

"Well Abigail, that ain't exactly going to happen when he's in a gang," Sadie pointed out with a humorous chuckle. Abigail sighed however nodded in agreement. 

"It's better than living in the slums in Saint Denis anyway," Audrey added, attempting to make Abigail feel better about the situation. Sadie nodded with her. "But you've done well for him. He's learning how to read, how to survive. At least he's being educated," Audrey announced. 

"Exactly. But I do think that you and the boy should leave," Sadie stated. Audrey however agreed with her, it wasn't something a child should be raised around. Abigail nodded.

"I-I know, Hosea has told me too many times. It's just John..." Abigail trailed off, not knowing what more to say. Sadie pursed her lips together as she thought to herself, Audrey feeling the corners of her lips tug down. Audrey wiggle closer to Abigail, wrapping an arm around Abigail as she comforted her, Sadie joining in to. Immediately Audrey and Sadie felt Abigail calm down, Abigail resting her head on Sadie's shoulder. "Thank you both, really," she thanked them.