The gang has just escaped Blackwater and you're finally reunited with Arthur.
But happiness is short lived.
Taken from him again, can he get you back?
What else does the world have in store for you both
Can Arthur protect you from what comes next...
"I'm so sorry Arthur. There were too many of them, they would have killed me." She hiccups, sobbing into his shirt.
"Hey...shhh. I need you to calm down and tell me what happened." Even though his heart is hammering against his chest in fear, he speaks calmly, stroking her hair gently to soothe the woman soaking his shirt with tears.
Drawing back to meet his eyes she swallows deeply, trying to find the words. "It was a man, with dark hair and a mustache." Arthur instantly goes rigid. "He came looking for you, said he wanted to help you kill some guy. Y/N got scared when she heard the name... Conner? No. Colin?"
"Colm" Arthur grits, his grip subconsciously tightening on the revolver he still holds.
"I think so, it all happened so fast. She went to talk with the man, but he came here with a group and they took her, and John, and everyone! Even that poor little boy! I'm so sorry Arthur, I hid, there were so many of them!"
Arthur steps away, his face paling in shock as he realizes what had happened. Dutch really had sold you out and now he was reliving this nightmare for a second time. For a brief second, he wondered if this was the universe's way of punishing him for his sins, for all the men he'd killed and the money he'd stolen, but if that was the case, why were you the one suffering?
Emotions finally get the better of him and he lashes out, no longer able to contain the pain inside him he punches a nearby tree, screaming in rage as he pummels the trunk, enjoying the sting and bite of the bark cutting his fist. Exhausting himself he rests his forehead to the wood, panting from the exertion.
"Which way did they go?" his jaw ticks still with swallowed anger.
"Arthur there something else you should know." His eyes snap to meet Charlotte's and she cowers back against Sadie who'd moved to console her.
His face wasn't the Arthur she knew, instead, he'd been replaced with a murderous outlaw. Swallowing her fear of causing another outburst she continues.
"It's about the baby." All eyes are on her as she continues, Sadie and Charles dreading what was about to come. "Y/n, she- she started bleeding. We took her to a doctor, but she needs to rest, he said she won't carry the baby to term but there's hope if she rests. I'm sorry Arthur, I just needed you to know what you're walking into."
The outlaw doesn't say anything. The only sign of his recognition of her words is the deepening frown set on his brow.
"Which way did they go Charlotte?" Sadie asks, her own voice on the verge of breaking.
"West, but that's all I know."
"And Dutch, the dark-haired one. He go with them?"
"No, he left after them, but I don't know where he went."
The group is still for a moment as every one allows the air to settle, each of them unsure of how to move forward. Charles is the first to break through the silence as he addresses Arthur.
"How do you want to play this?"
For the first time, Arthur didn't have a plan. He felt completely helpless and consumed with grief and fear.
"We can try and track them; their trail should still be fresh?"
Arthur looks up, his murderous outlaw glare briefly replaced with a look Charles has never seen before and it takes a moment for him to realize it's fear, he had never seen him look so scared.
"I can't lose them, Charles. She has to survive this."
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A/N: She's another short one but I promise longer chapters are coming, I just couldn't find a good way to have them fit together.
As you saw in this chapter I'm toying with the idea of revealing Arthur and the reader's relationship back story. What do you think, should I add it to the story or just create a short side story?
