Out Of Time

The Dream

Once Sam was asleep, Arthur slipped her out of his arms and left the tent to have a smoke.  As he did, he walked over to Dutch's tent.  He was standing at the edge with a cigar in his hand, taking in the surrounding view as usual.  He did that a lot when he was thinking.  Dutch noticed Arthur and smiled before taking a puff from his cigar.

"Hello, son.  Dare I ask about Sam?" he said with a sigh.

Arthur lit a cigarette and took in the smoke.  "The con with Hosea got...complicated.  Sam and me ended up havin' to shoot a lot of Lemoyne Raiders."

Dutch arched a brow with curiosity in his eyes.  "Did you now?"

"Yes," Arthur replied sadly.  "She's decided to go home."

Dutch bowed his head and nodded.  "I'm sorry, son.  I know you like her."

"I know."  Arthur went to stand next to him, smoking his cigarette.  He watched the swirly smoke lift into the sky and his brow crinkled up.  "She'll be safer at home than she is here."

"Well, there's comfort in that.  But," Dutch smoke his cigar and exhaled with a circular puff coming out, "we could keep her safe, you know.  She could just stick to huntin'."

"I don't think she can.  She likes the danger, but she's also terrified of it."

Dutch cocked his head to look at Arthur.  "Maybe she just needs some time to get used to it.  Why don't you take her out for a few days?  Give her a break from all this?"

"I was thinkin' about it.  I gotta head back up near Strawberry for a debtor anyway."

"Good.  Take her with you, but make sure you two don't get into trouble."

Arthur took one more puff of his cigarette before putting it out under his boot.  "I don't think I can guarantee that, but I'll try my best."  Arthur lowered her head.  "I want her to be safe, and if that means she's gotta leave, then she's gotta leave."

"But?  You don't really want her to leave, do you..."

Arthur glanced at Dutch and shook his head.  "No, I don't."

"Then we'll just have to convince her to stay."

"She don't belong here, Dutch."

The older man chuckled deeply.  "That's a crock of shit.  She belongs with you."

Arthur's eyes widened with mild shock.  "What makes you say that?"

Dutch took another hit from his cigar.  "Because you love her and I'm quite certain that she loves you."

Arthur laughed nervously.  "What?  I don't...love her, what kind of crazy assumption is that?"

Dutch chortled a bit.  "I know love when I see it, old friend.  You can deny it all you want, but I see it."

Arthur scoffed with a shake of his head.  "I ain't got a clue what you mean, Dutch," he said before walking back to Sam's tent. 

Arthur opened the flaps and saw Sam asleep on her cot, so he sat on the side of it and let his eyes adjust to the dark.  When they did, he began to study her face.  She was a beautiful woman in his eyes.  He brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.  Sam started mumbling in her sleep, which made Arthur chuckle.

"What's that?" he asked her.

"...I wanna go home, but...I don't wanna leave you, Arthur..." she whispered in her sleep.

Arthur smiled despite himself and kissed her cheek.  "Why's that?"

Sam started singing gently in her sleep.  "If I go, there will be trouble...and if I stay, it will be double...come on and let me know...should I stay or should I go..."