The Secret Sibling // Red Dead Redemption

The Van der Linde and Morgans // Chapter Five

*right where chapter four left off*

Arthur didn't reply

"Okay then" Ann mumbled to herself

The two stayed silent for the whole ride with a slight glance back and forth

A few hours after nightfall Arthur motioned to off trail

"Let's camp here for the night" He spoke quietly...and in those words, Ann could hear a slight pain

"Ok" She nodded, she wanted to say so much more but she knew she couldn't

They set up camp that night, the same way they set up the camp all those years ago

Fire in the center, Arthur's sleeping mat to the left and Ann's to the right. Their horses hitched on the tree behind them, their bags used as pillows. It was almost as if nothing changed.

Ann laid down on the skinny mat and just remained silent

"Goodnight Ann" Arthur whispered as he turned his body to face away from her

"Goodnight..." Ann whispered as she laid starring at the stars

Ann couldn't sleep, it seemed as now that Arthur was next to her...with her... she just wasn't the same person anymore

Neither of them were able to sleep. Hours past and neither of them even got a single wink of sleep

Ann sat up slowly trying not to wake her "sleeping" brother. She got up and began to walk away, letting her thoughts roam throughout the night

She walked only for a few minutes until she found a small creek. Ann sat down, her knees pulled to her chest and her arms folded on top of them

"It's not safe to be out here alone" Arthur spoke out from behind her

"How long have you been awake" Ann replied, keeping her eyes focused forward

"I haven't sleep"

"Why's that" Ann finally glanced behind her

Arthur began to walk up and sat next to her

"The same reason you're still awake" Arthur's arms were sat behind him propping him up

The two didn't talk for a little while and just watched the water flow in front of them

"Why didn't you come back for me" Ann finally turned to face Arthur

Arthur let out a soft sigh and shook his head

"I wanted to...I wanted to come back. I just knew I couldn't" Arthur's voice trembled "I wasn't fit to help raise you... we were both too young for the world. I just thought you'd be...safer with them"

Ann didn't respond

"Dutch picked me up just a few years after I left . I became a Van der Linde, and tried to forget about everything. But I thought of you...every damn day, I didn't forget about you." Arthur tried to explain more

"You're still a Morgan, not just a Van der...whatever. You're still my brother" Ann looked back at Arthur who was clearly torn up

Arthur didn't respond and stood up

"It's time we continue on our path. Maybe we can get back to camp before nightfall again"

Ann laughed through her pain and stood up

She whipped away a few tears and nodded "let's get going then"

Their horses trotted down the trail and neither of them said a single word

Once they reached their future campsite, they both pulled out their revolvers and searched the camp

"Seems okay" Arthur started "The area seams nice...it's remote"

Ann nodded "The town isn't that far away, you guys can keep yourselves quiet and lay low"

Arthur put his revolver back into his holster and glanced around "I guess we can get on our way now"  

Ann agreed as they both jumped on their horses and made their way back to camp

They spent the next few hours in silence

As they reached Valentine, Ann realized one now they became closer and closer to camp...this was her one shot...her one shot to talk to Arthur

"Arthur" Ann started "I've remained silent for these hours because I knew that's what you wanted but I'm not gonna stay silent anymore"

"What the hell are you talking about"

"I wanna know why you left and never came back. I wanna know why you haven't told anyone else from camp that you're my brother. I wanna know WHY YOU FORGOT ABOUT ME" She screamed

Arthur just held his head down and flicked his reigns to continue to ride to camp

Ann's heart was burning. She was mad, she hated him so much. As they neared camp her and Arthur both jumped of their horses and began to walk into camp

"Arthur" Ann tried to talk again

Arthur has his back to her and began to walk away

"Arthur!" She said louder

He continued to walk to his tent and slowly everyone in camp began to turn their heads

"ARTHUR" She yelled grabbing everyone's attention, even Arthur's

He turned around

"What Ann!" He yelled back "what do you want me to say? What do you want to hear? That I feel bad? Because I do. Every single day I regret not going back for you"

"Arthur?" A member from camp asked "what's going on"

The two ignored the remark

"Ann we're not going to do this here" Arthur began to lower his voice

"Then when?" Ann shrugged "when are you going to talk about this"

Arthur stayed silent

"I have tried and tried to talk to you since I got here and YOU keep ignoring me!" She cried out

"Anna Marie" Arthur tried to calm her down

"When are you going to tell everyone here that I'm your SISTER" She motioned around her

Everyone in the group began to whisper around them

Arthur took breath and shoved past her to go back to his horse

"Arthur where you going?" John, a friend of Arthur asked trying to stop him

Arthur didn't respond and just rode away

Ann stood in the center of the camp, tears running down her face

Mary Beth tried to walk up to her and comfort her

Ann pushed her away and just walked to her small sleeping area as the rest of the camp began to disperse

Arthur was once again...running off