𝔴𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡 𝔰𝔲𝔫 ⟡ ʀɖʀ2

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟹𝟶

" This whole thing is pretty much done. We're more ghosts than people. "

     We arrive just outside of camp, Arthur tells Abigail the news on John and she's heartbroken, we can tell. Our horses, Rain, Spookey, and Luka are all waiting for us as well. Everything on them, packed up. We took as a threat but Arthur explains that he had Pearson get everything together for us before he's off and fleeing on his own. "Ms. Roberts... Mrs. Adler will be takin' you to---" He's coughing once more and we knew his condition was only getting worse. "She's gonna be takin' you to your boy. You two are fine women, good people, the best. Please, get goin'." Abigail then turns to me and is quick to bring me into an embrace. "Ah, my dear sweet boy... You--- You sure are somethin', Asher Sanders." She gives Sel and Nathan a hug too. "You--- You three better come see me little after that baby is born. Promise?" She questions before placing her hands on Sel's abdomen, which in return, Selina places her hands over hers as well. I can only smile before responding.
"We promise, Abigail. Long ways now, but we promise. Thank you, Abigail. Thank you for everythin' and thank you for always believing in all of us. Never once--- Did we question you, or John's loyalty. You saved my life Abigail Roberts, I ain't ever gonna forget."
She comes back to me and hugs me once more. "And you just saved mine, Asher Sanders. You keep on doin' right by your woman, your child, and your best friend over there. Ya hear me? Swear to god I hear anything has gone south and I'll come after you just like I did John." I laugh before nodding my head to her. "Of course, I know."
Mrs. Adler comes up behind her before holding out her hand at first, then shaking her head and coming to bring me in for her own hug. "Mrs. Adler... Thank you too, you've saved my goddamn life a number of times.. Wish nothin' but the best for you, Sadie. Nothin'."
"I'll come find you all one day, Asher. Swear I will, take care now.. Please."

We all nod before Arthur helps them onto the back of Sadie's horse. Telling them to go get her boy and there would be time for sorrow later. In return, Abigail gives him the key to the money that Dutch had stashed within the caves. She knew the entire time and he's amused, before he shakes his head. "Alright--- Get outta here. Go." With that, Sadie and Abigail are off into the direction of Copperhead landing. Arthur is now left with us three. He clears his throat before a slight smile appears upon his face.
"This is over now, all of you. It's time--- Time for you three to go off and have the life I know you all deserve."
"What about you, Arthur?"
"I'm gonna go up, have a chat with--- With Dutch. Tell him some information I know he ain't wanna hear."

We nod understandably to him before he turns for a moment, as if he was just gonna leave but he shakes his head.
"Mr. Sanders, Mr. Miller, Ms. Hinton, you three... You three sure are the best people I ever did meet. I wasn't sure 'bout you all to start, but you've quickly become some parts of my family. No matter where I end up, know--- Know I'll be watchin' over you all. Even the little one comin'. I promise you that."
I can feel tears coming up within my eyes, Selina already was crying from the start, and Nathan, he's just wiping away his tears. Arthur comes up to me with his little smile, hand placed upon my shoulder.
"You, Mr. Sanders... You--- Are the son I never had and the brother I never knew I needed--- I... I love the hell outta you, outta them... Do right by them, just like Abigail said. But--- You seem to already know how to do that."
"I promise... Arthur... I promise. I got love for you too... Thank you for everything, all of this. My life, wouldn't be so full if it wasn't for you."
He smiles and laughs a slight bit before he nods his head to me, he removes his hat now and places it upon my head and hands me some cash alongside. No hesitation at all. "Mr. Sanders... It would mean a lot to me. Pass this hat on to your son, and him to his. You got a new hat now and some more money to fund this beautiful future of yours... You--- You all go now okay? Don't look back."
I pretty much knew this was the last time I was going to be seeing Arthur Morgan in the flesh. "Thank you again, Arthur. Fuckin' thank you." He shakes his head once more before pulling me into a quick embrace. Then handing me a cigarette. "Have one last cigarette on me, boy... Get goin'. Like I said, don't look back and good luck... All of you."

I help Selina upon her horse, Nathan gets onto his and I get upon Luka. "Thank you." I say once more before he nods his head and with that, we're off. Though I pause to look back at him and he gives me one last wave and finally, a tear falls from my eye before I turn and we're off once again. The other two insisted we head to a doctor so I could get this damn bullet outta my shoulder, which I was ignoring because I knew I was saying goodbye to the people who were family to me before Selina, before everything else. These were the true people I knew were meant to live in my life forever. Arthur, I knew he'd be watching over us when everything was said and done. He didn't have much time left and he knew it. So long as we were outta the picture, Sel and Nathan were safe, I'd do anything for them all. I felt like I would cross paths with Ms. Roberts and Mrs. Adler again in the future. But for now, everything was going to have to be a go-go-go process.

Nighttime falls upon us and we're arriving into Saint Denis. I knew I didn't have to worry about Buck walking around all proud anymore. He was dead and done, lost again, to the man who took his girl and gave her one hell of an adventure, now, I guess that adventure was coming to a bittersweet end. Thankfully, this is the same doctor that's been treating Selina. He works through the night to get that damn bullet out and gave me some medicine for the pain just before the sunrises, it's done and over with, sends Selina on her way as well. She's fine, child is fine, and here I am, fine as well. We all are taking a breather as the sun is beginning to come up, smoking my cigarette as I watch before I get this overwhelming feeling.
This... This was a feeling I hadn't felt since my parents had passed. Makes me nearly drop my cigarette as I'm just looking up towards the sun coming over the buildings and... I know. Arthur, he's gone.
Nathan is sitting upon the curb and Selina upon the steps behind me and I just shake my head for the moment. My heart almost feels heavy, empty. "He's gone guys... Arthur has passed."
"You got that feelin' too?" Nathan asks and Selina nods her head. "Poor man... Hope... Hope he died the way he wanted. Watchin' that goddamn sun rise."
"Looks just beautiful... Know he had to be seein' that. Now, brother, think it's time we head back to West Elizabeth. Find out 'bout this house your parents been keepin' alive and ready for you."
"It's their house, but, guess we should. Clear our names too."
"Agreed, so the law will leave us be."

I nod my head before we get back upon our horses. It was going to be a long journey back to where we was all from, but with the sky blue and our hearts broken, I knew we'd make it just in time for everything else.