Andrew Milton X Female Reader
Summary: Despite promising to never see each other again, you and Andrew have a conversation that leads to you both making some drastic life decisions.
Word Count: 2400
It was an accident, it really was. At least, it was an accident on your behalf, you couldn't speak for Andrew Milton.
It had been a while since you last saw Andrew, the last time you saw him was when he walked out of the Van der Linde camp and Dutch gave you a second chance. You hadn't seen him since then and you thought that you would never see him again. Since you last saw him, everything had gone to Hell. Gang members, family members, were either leaving or dying. It was breaking you all apart and breaking you all down individually. You weren't sure how much longer you could all last.
You had just been in town, taking a break from the growing chaos that was the Van der Linde gang. You didn't know what to say when you saw Agent Milton standing on a street corner, staring right at you.
Now, here you where, sitting at a table in the back of a saloon with Andrew by your side. This wasn't how you had seen the day going but you couldn't say that you were disappointed to see him again, you had missed him.
"Ross is holding this whole thing over my head...if I do one thing that he doesn't like, he can go to my superiors. I would probably lose my job" Agent Milton spoke up. You had both been sitting in silence for, what felt like, an eternity. Neither of you really knew what to say because neither of you really knew where you stood with each other.
"I'm risking everything by just talking to you. Dutch has given me another chance, he took my word for it. If someone sees us together, they'll assume that I ain't loyal. I'll lose everything" you replied, reminding him that you also had a lot to lose from just sitting here.
"I guess we both have a lot on the line" Milton sighed, taking a sip from his drink.
"Then why am I here? It's not an accident that we ran into each other, I'm not stupid Andrew" you asked, fully looking at him for the first time since you entered the saloon. There was noway that Andrew just happened to be in the same town at the same town, he knew that you were here.
"You would've preferred to never see me again?" Andrew asked, praying that you wouldn't say 'yes'. Surely, you had to be as glad to see him as he was to see you.
"It would've been easier..." you shrugged, looking back down at your drink. "...but no, I suppose not" you admitted with a sigh.
"...come with me" Andrew whispered, the sentence sounding more like pleading than a demand.
"Where are you going?" you asked with a soft chuckle, since he didn't seem to be going anywhere.
"I mean...I mean leave the gang and come with me" he corrected himself, turning his body to face you.
"I...Andrew...I...I can't just do that" you shook your head, unable to look him in the eyes.
"If you agreed to come with me, I wouldn't be able to hide that from the agency" Milton told you but you weren't sure that it exactly supported his case.
"So...you would lose your job?" you asked, this was something that you already knew.
"Most likely. If I were them, I would fire me" Milton nodded, making you chuckle to yourself. Your laugh made Andrew smile a little.
"You're willing to lose all of that...for me?" you asking, finally meeting his gaze.
"I'll find a job elsewhere. I'm sure I could find something decent, it may not be as good as the agency but I'm confident that we could find something" Andrew nodded, his tone slowly gaining confidence.
"We?" you asked, still amazed that he was talking about giving up his job for you. It sounded like he had already made up his mind.
"Yeah, sure. If you came with me, we would be just fine, we would make it work" he assured you, reaching over and taking your hand in his.
"You would leave your job behind? You have spent so much time and energy on the Van der Linde gang and you would just give that up?" you asked, letting him take your hand.
"I would, if you were willing to give up the life that you live" Andrew nodded, brushing his thumb over your knuckles.
"Andrew, I would give up the outlaw lifestyle for you in a heartbeat...giving up my family is harder" you told him, being completely honest. Times with the gang were getting hard but you still felt guilty for considering leaving them behind.
"I...I understand that. Just think about it" Andrew nodded before letting go of your hand and standing up, about to walk away.
Before he could walk away, you turned to him and grabbed his hand, stopping Andrew from leaving the table. You looked up at him, opening your mouth to say something but no sound came out. Milton could see your struggle so he waited patiently.
"Dutch is...Dutch isn't the same as he used to be. We've lost people, good people. Micah just keeps feeding Dutch's paranoia, he's even convinced Dutch that Arthur is working against him. He's been on my back because of you, he thinks that I have been giving you information, he thinks that everyone has been giving you information. The gang...they don't trust each other anymore, they aren't the same anymore. Everyone is dying or leaving...I can't...I can't..." you spoke, finally breaking down and telling him everything. You had never told Andrew anything about the gang, except for how much they are like family, but you had to get that off your chest.
Tears were brimming in your eyes as you tried to blink them away, as you started stuttering over your words and Andrew noticed the brimming tears, he wrapped his arms around you. He sat down beside you and pulled you against his chest, hoping to comfort you.
"I love them, they are family but I can't keep doing it. They need a break and I need to get out" you confessed, comfortably resting your head against his chest.
"Then get out. You can leave and start a new life, you don't have to get hurt" Andrew told you, running his hand over your hair.
"You think I could live an honest life after all of this?" you asked with a small smile, trying to joke a little as you looked up at him.
"I'll show you how" Andrew promised you, both of you laughing softly. "Meet me outside of town tomorrow night if you want to leave, if you don't show up I won't ask you again" he told you as he pulled away from you, standing up from his seat once again.
"...okay" you nodded, deciding that you would consider his offer. Andrew gave you one more smile before walking way, leaving you to think about everything.
-----
It was late in the evening everybody seemed to be sleeping, except for those on watch duty. It gave you some peace and quiet to pack up your belongings and to load it onto your horse. You have decided to leave the gang, to get out before it was too late, but you still dreaded telling Dutch. He had done so much for you in the past, you couldn't help but feel guilty.
You had spent the afternoon around the camp, just talking to those you would miss when you were gone. You just wanted one last normal afternoon with your family, or what was left of it anyway.
"You're leaving?" Arthur's voice came from behind you, causing you to freeze. You still hadn't decided how you were going to tell everyone.
You slowly turned to Arthur before speaking. "I was going to tell you after I finished packing" you assured him, not wanting him to think that you would run out without saying goodbye.
"So, you're leaving for good?" he asked plainly, you didn't know whether he was angry at you or not. You really hoped that he wasn't.
"Arthur...I...Dutch isn't..." you started but you couldn't even put a sentence together.
"I know, you don't have to explain it. You should go, we will miss you but this road doesn't lead anywhere good. Get out while you can, I won't hold that against you, you've done your fair share around here" Arthur nodded, a slight smile forming on his face.
"Thank you Arthur, I hope...I hope that it all works out and that this doesn't end in blood. I hope you will all be alright" you told him, you really did what the best for them all.
"We'll be fine" Arthur assured you but neither of you were completely convinced, but you knew that Arthur would take good care of them all. He would do his best for them.
"Where are you going to go?" Arthur asked and, for some reason, you already knew that he knew.
"I..uh...shit" you mumbled, running a hand through your hair.
"Agent Milton?" he asked, not even needing you to confirm it.
"He's quitting the agency, they would fire him anyway if they found out that he was involved with me. We are both starting somewhere new" you explained, hoping that Arthur didn't hold this against you.
"I do not know what you see in that man but I trust you, I know you wouldn't sell us out. I'm happy for you" Arthur assured you, putting you at ease. "Don't worry about telling the others, you just go and I'll tell them, it will be easier that way" he suggested and you couldn't help but agree. That would be easier for everyone.
"I'll miss you, Arthur" you smiled sadly.
"I'll miss you too" Arthur smiled back. You wrapped your arms around his waist and Arthur returned your embrace, you really would miss him and everyone else.
You both pulled away from the hug before you mounted your horse, sending Arthur one last wave before riding away.
-----
As you approached the town, you saw Andrew standing beside his horse. He was waiting exactly where he said he would be, you couldn't help but wonder how long he had been standing there. When you got closer to him, you dismounted your horse and walked towards him.
As soon as Andrew saw you, he felt a flood of relief, part of him didn't believe that you would show up, but he was more than thankful that you did. You continued to walk up to him, surprising him a little by throwing your arms around his neck. Andrew instantly wrapped his arms around your waist as your body collided against his and your lips met his for a kiss.
"They know I've gone. I spoke to Arthur before I left and he is going to tell everyone in the morning" you told him as you pulled away from the kiss, figuring that you should let him know.
"I spoke to Agent Ross about you leaving the gang but he wasn't convinced. He went to my superiors and they let me go, but don't worry, I'll find something" Andrew told you. You had both left your lives, both of you ready to start anew.
"I'm not worried, I've been through worse, we'll figure it out" you assured him, you really weren't worried about it.
"Come on, let get going" Andrew smiled down at you before you both completely pulled away from each other.
You both mounted your horses before riding, side by side. You didn't know where you were going, you were following Andrew to where ever you would be living.
-----
You had followed Andrew to his home, you only found out that you were riding to his home half way through the journey. Once you got there, you dismounted your horses, and you both carried your belongings into his home.
"Damn, this is nice" you hummed as you looked around Andrew's home. It wasn't anything too fancy but he was definitely living comfortably, most things were pretty glamorous compared to the camps you were living in. If it had its own bathroom, it was a step up.
"You can put your clothes in the bedroom, I'll make some room for your things" Andrew told you as he walked towards his bedroom, you following behind him. You both placed your belongings down on the ground, in the corner of the room.
"So, what are you going to do now?" you asked, referring to the fact that he no longer had a job. You walked up to him before wrapping your arms around his neck, smiling up at him.
"I'm not sure" he shrugged slightly as he wrapped his arms around your waist, holding you against him.
"Hmm...you could buy your own saloon, I could be your best bartender. You could become a lawman or even the sheriff, if you want to keep fighting for justice. We could become ranchers or have a little farm. And you never know, they might offer you your job back and you won't have to try to kill my friends" you hummed, laughing softly to yourself as you made yourself comfortable in his embrace.
"That doesn't sound too bad. What about you? If I became a lawman or something, what would you do?" Andrew asked. He couldn't imagine you just sitting around the house and twiddling your thumbs, he could imagine how bored you would be.
"Hmm...I dunno but I'd figure it out. Oh! could write a novel" you chuckled.
"Write a novel?" Milton asked, raising an eyebrow at you.
"I can't sit around and do nothing all day so maybe I'll write a novel. I could write a story about the forbidden romance between a detective and an outlaw" you teased, Andrew chuckling fondly in response. "Mary-Beth would read it, she would love it" you told him, she would definitely be interested in reading that story.
"I do love that mind of yours" Andrew smiled fondly as he ran a hand through your hair.
"You do?" You asked playfully, teasing him.
"I do...I love you" he confessed, a smile instantly forming on your face.
"I love you too" you returned his confession honestly, letting Andrew pull you closer to him. He leaned down to capture your lips in a passionate kiss, which you instantly returned. Andrew turned you both around and walked you backwards a few steps, you finally falling backwards onto the bed, pulling Andrew with you.
Andrew positioned himself comfortably between your legs, his body fitting perfectly with yours as he pressed against you. This was the start of something new, starting fresh together.
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