Red Dead Redemption 2 One-Shots

↬A.M.↭BOUNTY↫

He glanced at the bounty sitting pinned to the board and debated whether or not he felt like killing someone today. "You interested?" the sheriff behind him spoke up.

"Maybe," Arthur replied, turning to look at the man.

"She's a right nasty one, if you're up to it. But I need her alive." Alive? Why did he feel like this was gonna end up with her dead anyway. "There's no reward if she's dead, so treat her like precious cargo."

"Sure, why not." Arthur snatched the woman's picture off the board, examining her quickly before stuffing the poster into his satchel.

"Do be careful with her, won't you? She's pregnant." He almost stopped in his tracks as he was stepping out the door. Giving the sheriff a little salute of acknowledgement, he walked up to his horse. Strange. He didn't expect the sheriff to care so much about a wanted woman, though he supposed if she was pregnant he should be more careful.

Riding up to where the poster said she was last spotted, he rested his hand on his pistol while he led his horse around. Spotting what appeared to be a pitiful attempt at a fire behind some rocks, he trotted up to see if it was her. It was a lady with her hair pulled back but still a mess, like she had been running for weeks. She was notably not pregnant, like the sheriff claimed, but she looked just like the poster and matched the description on it.

The woman sprang up, a pistol in hand and pointed it at him. "D-Don't move! I'll shoot ya if I have ta!" Both her hands were wrapped around the handle of the gun, but none of her fingers were on the trigger and it wasn't cocked back to shoot. Arthur leaned forward, arms crossed on his saddle.

"Miss, have you ever even used a gun?" She blanched and tried to further cement the lie by shaking the pistol at him.

"I'll do it!"

"Ok, Miss, whatever you say." He hopped off of his horse and rested one hand on the handle of his holstered gun as he approached.

"Are you a bounty hunter?" she asked, finally starting to lower the gun as she realized he wasn't intimidated.

"Yes ma'am. So would you kindly accompany me back to Valentine?"

"No, I can't." She dropped the gun to her side and backed up as if protecting something.

"Whatcha hiding?" He tried to peek around her but she covered it up. "Miss-"

"I'm not going back to him," she cried, her eyes fierce but filled with pain.

"Who're you talking about?" He wasn't sure what she was on, but this whole situation seemed fishy.

"Look, Mister, I know you're just trying to fulfill bounties for money, but I'm just trying to survive out here. I haven't hurt anyone, and if you take me back, we're both gonna die." He hardly knew her, but the fear in her face was real. Either that or she was putting on the show of a lifetime.

"Miss I don't mean to get involved, I'm just paid to bring you back."

"My name is (Y/N)." He was startled by the random comment, but reciprocated anyway.

"Arthur. But it's easier for both of us if you come willingly."

"He's going to kill us!" She finally showed what she was hiding behind her back. It was a baby, maybe a few weeks old at most. It looked to be shivering, and she held it as close to the fire as she could without hurting herself. "I ran away from him for a reason, Mister Arthur."

"It's- nevermind, ok, look," he stepped closer and held out his hands. "What's so bad you can't go back? He can't get you in a jail cell Miss."

"You wouldn't understand." She looked down at the baby in her hands, concern etched into her features. She had been struggling out here for awhile now, trying to keep the poor thing safe. "I think she's sick."