Sign of the Times (Arthur Morgan x Reader)

Chapter Twenty Nine

*Still Arthur's POV*

"Ugh..." I groaned, turning over and nearly falling out of the cot that I had fallen asleep in last night. After a quick glance around, it was obvious I was alone, apart from a few men that were staying in the camp to recover.

I made myself sit up, and then stand, placing my hand against my forehead as it began to pound painfully.

"Well hey there sleeping beauty. Back in the land of the living I see." Micah taunted, chuckling after speaking, and I rolled my eyes as I gathered my things.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Well, while you've been getting your beauty sleep, Bill and I have been keeping watch, and Dutch left with (F/N) to go after Javier. They headed North." Micah explained, and I cursed under my breath.

"Why didn't anyone wake me up?!" I demanded, slinging my rife over my shoulder as I left camp, headed North as Micah had said.

After crossing a stream, and walking alongside a high, rocky cliff, I could just barely makeout the Dutch's familiar voice.

"I found the cave Hercule spoke of and also a... guide. She's up ahead. I think we can trust her."
Dutch said as I struggled to scramble up the slick rocks near the waterfall. I finally pulled myself up, and watched as they began to move along a small, rocky path cut into the side of the large rock.

"The entrance is along here. Just watch your footing." Dutch warned.

"So what will you do once you've retrieved your friend...? Considering he's still alive." (F/N) spoke, and Dutch seemed to hesitate.

"Well... we're gonna get the hell out of here. Then, set sail for the one place ain't nobody gonna be expecting us." Dutch continued as I began to shimmy along the wall, trying my best to keep up.

"Get everybody together... and get ourselves back on course." Dutch spoke, grunting as he moved over a few inconveniently placed rocks.

"Where would that be?" (F/N) asked, moving along effortlessly.

"The place we just escaped from!" Dutch chuckled. I hopped down from a taller rock, landing just behind them.

"You wanna go back to Saint Denis?" I demanded, taking both of them by surprise.

"If it was you got left, you'd want us to go back." Dutch argued, his eyes narrowing at me.

"I'd want it, but I wouldn't expect it." I admitted.

"Well that's the point. Ain't no one gonna expect it." Dutch mused.

"We come back from the dead, gather everyone, and we leave before anyone realizes we've even resurrected.

"I think maybe you were bitten by an insect Mr. Van Der Linde... you've taken leave of your senses." (F/N) chimed in, and I couldn't help but smile in the slightest.

"We look like what we are. A bunch of desperados, on the run. But with the other women, a change of clothes, we are a choir, or a gang of pilgrims, or something." Dutch said.

"Whatever you say... we're a bunch of penniless fugitives on some Caribbean dump... sneaking through caves... while two of our best men got shot back home. How could I doubt you, Dutch?" I spoke, my annoyance obvious. (F/N) shot a glance my way as though she were trying to understand what I was talking about.

"You got no idea, Arthur.... No idea at all. I will do whatever it takes for us to survive." Dutch said, placing his hand on(F/N)'s shoulder. She inched away from him and moved closer to me.