When the Devil Cries (Arthur Morgan X Male OC)

35. Redemption

From Eddie's POV

A FEW YEARS AGO

BISHOP RESIDENCE, LONDON

"Nathaniel!" I exclaimed, trying to calm the man down as he paced around. "What are you doing? We need to go! Your father's men will be here soon!"

"I know!" He replied in a frantic tone, trying to barricade the door. "Which is why you need to get the hell out of here!"

I pulled back at the reply, shaking my head in confusion. "What? But w-what about you?"

Nathaniel took out his gun and staunchly faced the doorway, loading a series of bullets into the chamber as Atticus' men approached the house.

"I'll hold the gang back. Try to make 'em see reason. It really ain't worth it, all this death. You and your family...none of you deserve to die. This whole thing's a goddamn massacre. My father's just gone mad. I can only pray that I'll be able to change his mind."

I paused for a moment, instantly thinking about the worst outcome.

"...And if you cant?

Nathaniel fell silent at that and gazed sorrowfully at me, letting out a morose sigh as his head hung low.

There was a certain temperament to him at the moment that really I didn't like, and the longer he stayed in place, refusing to leave -- the more I got a terrible feeling that I knew exactly what he was thinking.

I just hoped I wasn't right.

"...Listen, Theo," Nathaniel said softly, freezing mid-action. "I...I need you to make it outta this alive, you hear me? I need you to survive."

"And I will," I insisted, "but not if we stay here! We need to move! Come on!"

"We're surrounded, Theo." Nathaniel replied hopelessly. "If we run off together, they'll gun us down before we can even escape the city. The only way you're gonna get out of this is if I cause a distraction and force them to come up here. In the meantime, you'll be haulin' ass to safety and hopping on the first ship to America. You understand?"

I still rejected the idea.

"Nathaniel, you're out of your mind if you think I'm leaving you here. There's no way--"

"--I can't come with you, Theo!" He fired back, causing me to go quiet. He immediately picked up on my surprise and switched to a gentler tone, lowering his voice.

"Trust me, if there was another option, I'd take it, but...this is where we're at. This is all we can do. I'm...I'm sorry, Theodore. I truly am. But I can't go with you."

I bit my bottom lip and held back the tears that were welling up in my eyes, only to have them spill out freely once everything started to sink in. It was just one of those things I couldn't control, and despite the reality of our situation, I absolutely refused to believe that this was the last time I'd ever see Nathaniel.

I mean, I had already lost both of my parents, and God only knew what was happening to Alice. I couldn't lose Nathaniel too. I just couldn't. He was the only person I had left. What...what the hell was I going to do without him? I had never been to America before, and I didn't even know if I'd be able to make it there on my own.

All of this was just...too much at once, and it felt like the weight of the world itself was crushing my shoulders.

Striding over to me, Nathaniel affectionately wiped away some of the tears on my face and lightly gripped my chin so that I was looking at him, causing the both of us to nearly break down right then and there as we silently said goodbye to each other.