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You never knew who your parents were. You were placed in an orphanage somewhere in New York almost immediately after you were born. They said your father was a soldier and your mother was some common whore who died after she gave birth to you. You suppose you don’t care either way about who they were. The important thing was that they were never there for you.
You were never adopted. No one was interested in you as a small child, and by the time you were 6 many potential parents found you as too ‘aggressive’ or ‘rowdy’ for a girl. Again, you suppose you don’t care what the real reason is. You just knew from a young age that you weren’t cut out for a cookie cutter life.
Before your 12th birthday, you vowed that that would be the day you would leave the orphanage. It became clear that no one was ever going to adopt you, and staying with a bunch of rude children didn’t appeal to you. So, you began to plot, and before long your birthday arrived and you left after school. The workers at the orphanage trusted that the children could walk to and from school every day without there being any issues. The school was, after all, only a few blocks away. You suppose the school thought they were noble, catering to the orphans and taking in both girls and boys. You hated that school but at least it got you out of the orphanage for 5 hours a day. You saw the location of the school as the perfect area to leave from. It was a few miles from the city, and from there you would be able to pick enough pockets to get a carriage far away from here. That’s exactly what you did.
You went south, of course. The south still had some semblance of lawlessness to the point where no one would ask where you were. You wandered around for a year, just barely making it by. You often got into trouble and would have to steal horses to flee away quickly, traveling from one town to the next. It was the first time you felt truly free, though, and it made the close calls worth it.
You met Dutch van der Linde shortly after your 13th birthday. You were in Charleston getting into a fight with a group of boys a few years older than you. You were losing, and badly at that. Dutch intervened and saved your life. He admired your tenacity and took him into his makeshift family.
In 1888, the gang was still small. There was Dutch and Hosea. Arthur was in his mid-20s and quickly became a surrogate older brother to you. Susan Grimshaw was there and made you work with her for a while. And, there was John. John was only two years older than you. He was the same age as the boys you got into that fight with. But, he didn’t seem as mean as those boys. Like Arthur, you were able to trust him and view him as a brother. But, there was also a more tangible bond that you didn’t have with Arthur, being closer in age to John. You two became best friends.
By the time you reached your 14th birthday, you were quite tired of working with Susan. And everyone in the gang knew it. Hosea quickly remedied that.
“I’m telling you Dutch, she has a fire in her eyes that cannot be quelled by cleaning our clothes or learning to cook.”
“So what do you suggest we do?”
Hosea said, “Let me take her out to hunt. Let me teach her everything she needs to know about hunting, fishing, and shooting. She can make a great addition to us on jobs when she gets a little older.”
Luckily for you, Dutch agreed. And Hosea became the father you never had.
He taught you everything he knew. But, there was one particular aspect of his training that you excelled at immensely: handling a sniper rifle.
“Dutch! You should see the kid! She can shoot anything with that rifle! She can scout out anything.”
Dutch made you prove it, of course. And you did.
“Well, I’ll be damned kid. You did it. You’re a master with that rifle.”
Arthur laughed and agreed, “She sure is! She was perfectly able to scout out the area and killed every animal that we saw. She saved John from that bear too!”
John grumbled, “Yeah, yeah. She’s a real sharpshooter.”
Dutch laughed, “Good job, kid! You’re our official scout now.”
You beamed, pleased with yourself.
It didn’t take long for you to gain a new nickname: Scout. In fact, the gang called you Scout so much more often than your actual name that you basically adopted the name.
“Scout! I need you to use that scope and check how many men are near that mine.”
“Scout, we need you to help us hunt for deer.”
“You’re a real sharpshooter, Scout.”
You found your family. And you were happy.
And then the events at Blackwater happen. A robbery gone wrong. You had tried to kill every cop your scope set sight on, but there were just way too many of them. The gang fled to the mountains. Jenny and Davey were dead. Mac was gone, presumed kidnapped. Sean got separated, but you didn’t see him get kidnapped as your scope was trained on him. Things could’ve changed though. There was a lot of smoke, a lot of gunshots, a lot of blood. Micah was also gone, but you don’t really care about him. You blame him for the botched operation anyways. He had joined the gang only two months prior, and he had already ruined everything good the gang had going. John had gone out to do something somewhere else in the mountains, you don’t really know quite what. Abigail was in hysterics, asking you to find him. She had become a younger sister to you, Jack like your nephew, and you cared for them both deeply. All you know is that, at this moment, Dutch wants you, Arthur, and Javier to secure a camp area and then find John.
Arthur found an abandoned mining area near Colter. You had hurried on your horse to send word to the gang and then quickly regrouped with Arthur and Javier to find John. You find him basically being mauled by wolves. The poor man’s face was covered in blood. But, he was alive and that’s all that matters to you. He rides on the back of Javier’s horse, you and Arthur shooting any wolves that come your way.
You get to camp and Susan quickly takes John away. Abigail thanks you three profusely. Dutch is gathering some of the boys to head out somewhere. Something about O’Driscolls. You start cleaning your gold Rolling Block rifle, a gift from Arthur for your 23rd birthday nearly a year ago, with the one tube of gun oil you have left, getting ready to head out as well until Dutch stops you.
“Scout, I need you to stay here and help set up camp.”
You’re visibly frustrated, “But Dutch, if you’re going to be dealing with those O’Driscolls, you’re going to need someone up high ready to snipe them out.”
“Well, hopefully it doesn’t get to that. I am only taking a few men anyways. Arthur, Lenny, Bill, and Javier: you boys better be ready in 30 seconds. The rest of you need to continue setting up camp. Scout, I appreciate your fine work back in Blackwater, but we need some people here to protect the women and the boy.”
You huff, but you agree to stay, sheathing your rifle back onto your horse. You start helping out around camp, setting up tents, trying to get any fires going, making sure John is being well taken care of.
As you’re hauling logs to a nearby area to start a campfire, Hosea comes up and claps a hand on your back.
“I know you’re frustrated that you can’t always go out with the boys, but know that it isn’t because Dutch thinks you aren’t doing a good job. Dutch trusts you and Arthur the most of anyone here, besides me of course. Keep it up and you will soon be out there with them.”
You smile, “Thanks, Hosea.”
Sometime later, the boys come back with someone you’ve never seen before on Dutch’s horse. A woman. She looked pretty shaken. Whatever happened with the O’Driscolls, she must’ve been caught in the middle of it.
“Miss Grimshaw,” Dutch shouts as they near.
She hurries and helps the woman off her horse as Dutch continues, “Please help Mrs. Adler here become more accommodated to the camp. Get her some coffee and get her warm.”
“Of course Dutch. Ladies, you heard him.”
The ladies who were nearby scattered around to help. You walked up to Arthur sporting a curious expression on your face.
“She said her name was Mrs. Adler,” Arthur says, “Her husband was murdered by the O’Driscolls. We prevented her from sharing the same fate. We also brought back some O’Driscoll boy. Gonna keep him hostage.”
With that, he walks away, and you’re left staring at the tent in which Mrs. Adler is in.
Dutch starts preparing for a train job, hoping to get enough money so the gang can move away from the harsh cold of the mountains. Dutch doesn’t include you in this robbery, but this time you readily prefer to stay near the camp anyways. The cold is brutal, and the camp is extremely low on supplies. You and Hosea are the best hunters in the group, so you two decide to spend your days hunting in the mountain for any food while the rest of the boys prepare for the robbery.
You spot Mrs. Adler a few times but never manage to say anything to her. What do you tell a woman who lost her husband to ruthless men after all? You figure you can’t really say anything. Besides, Susan, Molly, Tilly, and Karen are too busy fussing over her anyways, making sure she has everything she needs.
You keep your distance. It works for you.
Of course, something goes wrong with the train robbery. The gang gets enough money of course, but the rich guy didn’t like his train getting robbed. His name is Leviticus Cornwall. And he hires some detective agency called the Pinkertons to hunt the gang down. So, you guys end up fleeing to an area outside of Valentine called Horseshoe Overlook. It’s much warmer than the mountains, and you’re glad to be somewhere new.
Dutch tries to figure out what to do next. John is still recovering. Arthur has gone to try to figure out what happened to Sean and Micah. You offer to accompany him to free Sean, but Micah is someone you refuse to help out. Arthur declines your offer, saying it is something he is better off doing alone to draw less attention, but that he appreciates your help.
In the meantime, you continue to hunt. You scope out Valentine to see about any potential robberies. You tell Dutch about a few shops that can be robbed, but he says those are too small of jobs. He tells you that if you want to, you can go rob some of them, but that you have to take someone with you. You agree; you hate the sexism of the world, even in terms of robberies, but you know if you bring one of the boys, it’ll go much smoother and with less bloodshed.
You try to figure out who to take. Hosea doesn’t participate in many small robberies anymore. Charles is nice but limits his malicious actions. Bill is an asshole. John is still recovering. That leaves you with Javier and Lenny. Both are good choices, but Lenny is a little young. Still, you figure that maybe if he tags along, it’ll help improve his standing with Dutch, and the young man is trying to be trusted. Plus, Javier is nice and all, but you spend so much time with him that a change in pace would be nice.
So, you take Lenny into town and you rob a few small stores, getting away with it pretty easily. Dutch is pretty pleased with the take. The gang gets $300 and you and Lenny get $150 each. The next time you’re in town, you buy food, ammo, and gun oil. You’re back to where you were before the robbery in Blackwater.
Arthur is successful in his missions. First, Arthur brings back Sean. He manages to free Micah, but Micah doesn’t come back yet. You’re pretty pleased with that.
You try to talk to Mrs. Adler a few times, but her words are scarce. It is clear she is still recovering. So, you usually let her be. You figure you’ll get to know her eventually when she’s ready to be friendly.
One morning, as you and Arthur are sipping on coffee and catching up on everything, Abigail approaches you two.
“Arthur, Scout can I speak to you guys for a minute?”
“Sure,” you say, and Arthur motions for her to take a seat at the table.
“Jack seems to be a bit sad. I think all of this moving took a toll on him. Do you two think you can take him out and do something?”
You and Arthur turn to look at each other and exchange a silent conversation. You know Arthur feels like he isn’t good with young kids, but Abigail seems so desperate that you know he reluctantly agrees.
You turn to Abigail, “Sure. How about we take him fishing? There’s a lake not too far from here. He’ll be perfectly safe with the both of us.”
Abigail smiles gratefully, “Oh, thank you so much!”
Arthur nods, “Yes, we’ll take him soon and have him back before the midday meal.”
Arthur goes to collect Jack and you ready the horses. You’re excited to go fishing. You haven’t been in months, and it’ll be nice to have fish stew around camp.
You get to the lake in no time and you teach Jack to fish. Arthur has his own rod, but you’re helping Jack with his. Arthur catches a small fish and shows Jack that you let the small ones go back into the water. Trout is what you prefer anyway.
It isn’t long before Jack gets bored and wanders over to some flowers. You move your fishing spot to be closer to him and pull out your own rod. You manage to catch one trout before you hear some people on horses coming up. You quickly fold your rod and stash it in your satchel and get closer to Jack. Arthur stands in front of you both as the men come down to talk.
You learn that they’re Pinkertons named Milton and Ross. They’ve killed Mac. They want you both to surrender and will let you go free. Of course, you guys say no, and you put your hand near your cattleman revolver on your waist, getting ready to fight if need be. Luckily, they seem to not want to cause a scene with Jack around, so they leave pretty quickly.
You and Arthur decide to take Jack back to Horseshoe Overlook. You quickly deposit him with his mother and you go to meet up with Dutch, Hosea, and Arthur at Dutch’s tent.
You hear Arthur saying, “-and they demanded that we surrender and give up your location, which we obviously didn’t.”
Dutch nods and replies, “And what were their names?”
Arthur hums thoughtfully before responding, “One was named Milton. I’m not sure what the other feller’s name was.”
“Ross,” you supply helpfully.
Hosea and Dutch nod appreciatively at your insight.
“Well, it is clear we can’t stay here much longer. That’s why I have a nice bank job lined up.”
Dutch and Hosea launch into the details of their plan. You think it’s a good plan. You’ll be stationed on a roof across the street, making sure no one tries any funny business and ready to shoot any cops if something goes wrong.
You’re excited to get back out into the field.
Of course, it ends in a shootout. 1899 has not been the gang’s year so far. Dutch decides to take the gang further south closer to the swamps.
You’re on the wagon carrying the women and Jack with John, and the two of you are finally talking after nearly two months of him recovering and Abigail only letting her and Jack nearby.
“Well, that went to shit,” you say. John laughs.
“It seems like we can’t do anything without the cops breathing down our necks.”
“No, I guess not,” you laugh and shake your head.
“Oh, I’ve got something for you!”
John temporarily hands you the reins and ruffles through his satchel before pulling out a pistol.
“This is for you!”
It’s nice. It’s a volcanic pistol with a beautiful engraving on it. It’s sleek black steel.
“Wow! This is incredible! Thank you John.”
“No problem Scout. Happy 24th birthday.”
Internally, you scoff. What a great 24th birthday this turned out to be. Bank robbery gone wrong, quickly having to pack up and leave Horseshoe Overlook.
You hear a quiet laugh behind you, and you turn around to see Mrs. Adler laughing slightly at something Jack was saying. You smile a little, enjoying the sight of the woman finally looking happy after a few months.
You’ll never admit it to anyone, but that tiny look of joy on her face was probably the best birthday gift you could have received.
As spring comes around, the gang has settled nicely into Clements Point just outside of Rhodes. Rhodes is a batshit crazy town, with two redneck families basically dividing the town into war. Dutch tasks you and Arthur to get cozy with the Grays with him while John, Bill, and Hosea get to know the Braithwaites a little better.
One day though, you hear Mrs. Adler fighting with Pearson. It’s the most you’ve ever heard her talk, and boy is she livid. Arthur eventually pulls her aside and allows her to tag along to town with him to get some supplies.
Arthur calls out, “Scout! Take this other wagon and come into town with us. We need more ammunition and some more rifles.”
You readily agree, happy to get out of camp for a while after being posted on hunting duty for the past week.
You’re surprised when Mrs. Adler asks Arthur if she could ride into town with you and ride back out to the camp with him. Arthur agrees and you smile politely when Mrs. Adler hops up into the wagon with you.
You tip your hat and drawl out, “Ma’am,” making her giggle.
“Oh stop it, Scout.”
You two chat amicably on the way into town.
“So, Mrs. Adler, how are you finding things with the gang?”
“Oh please, call me Sadie. And things could be better. I’m not cut out for washing clothes and cooking. I’m used to tending the land and hunting. I wish I could do more of that here.”
You nod, “I’m sure you can. They let me wear men’s clothes and ride around with them. It took them a year to let me do so, but it turned out to be the best decision Dutch made.”
She pats down her dress, “I normally like dresses, but not all the time. Give me a clean shirt and trousers and I’ll be fine. Well, with this heat, you better give me a hat like yours.”
You hand some money over to Sadie, “Here, this should be enough to buy you a new outfit. Let me tell the storekeeper to let the boys handle loading up Arthur’s wagon.”
“Gee, thanks Scout. You don’t need to do this.”
You nod, “Yes, I do. It’s part of my job to make sure that everyone in camp is comfortable, and you are not comfortable. If this can help make you more adjusted, then I am willing to make it happen.”
Sadie nods appreciatively but doesn’t say anything more. The silence is not uncomfortable and the two wagons finally make it into town. You get Arthur’s wagon all situated while Arthur goes to get more medicine and Sadie finds a small tailor shop. You head over to the gunsmith and buy some cheap Lancaster Repeaters for the crew and stock up on ammo, arrows, and gun oil.
You get the man to help you load up the wagon and see Arthur and Sadie emerge from their tasks at the same time. Arthur looks shocked to see Sadie in trousers, but you just smile. She finally looks happy and she looks beautiful.
Arthur and Sadie take the lead this time and you trail behind them lost in your thoughts until you hear some men harassing Sadie. Dutch said not to use guns while in Rhodes, but you guys are out of Rhodes now. So, Sadie starts shooting and you quickly grab your Volcanic Pistol and start shooting too. You guys make quick work of the men and make it back to camp safely.
John is at watch and nods as you guys come in. Lenny, Charles, Javier, and Bill start unloading the wagons. You hop off and walk a few paces to meet up with Sadie and Arthur.
“Are you two all right?”
They both nod and Arthur responds, “Yes we’re fine. Mrs. Adler sure handled herself well out there.”
You smile, “She sure did. You know how to handle a shotgun quite well Sadie.”
She smiles cheekily, “Thanks, Scout.”
You turn back to Arthur, “Who were those men?”
“Sherrif Gray said those men are known as the Lemoyne Raiders.”
You sigh, “Great, another rival gang. Dutch is going to be pleased.”
Arthur laughs, “Don’t worry, I’ll deliver the bad news.”
He walks away, leaving you with Sadie. You turn back to her and notice that she is still smiling at you. You smile back, quite dopily to be honest. You’re both staring at each other happily until BIll whistles and gets your attention.
“Hey Scout! Quit making lovey eyes at Mrs. Adler and help us store the ammunition by Arthur’s wagon.”
You can feel heat and blood rush to your cheeks as you shake your head and turn away.
“Bye Sadie!” you yell back behind your shoulder.
“I’ll see you around, Scout.”
You continue to grow closer to Sadie. You two get along like peas in a pod. She quickly becomes your best friend. Arthur also seems to adore her, and it seems obvious that Sadie really only trusts you two for now. She is slowly getting closer to John and Abigail, which you think is good. She would get along with them, and John has always been a good friend to you. It would be nice if the five of you could all get along. She also adores Jack, but that’s not surprising. Anyone who spends time with the boy couldn’t hate him. His innocence was refreshing and motivated everyone to protect him.
Micah was back and that was annoying. He would constantly hit on you, which you loathed. One day, you find yourself complaining about it to Sadie.
“I’m telling you, Sadie, he’s the nastiest man I’ve met in my 24 years. I just don’t know why no one has stopped him from parading around here trying to get into every woman’s underclothes.”
Sadie, however, decides to focus on one small part of what you said, “24 years? Scout, you’re a kid!”
You huff, “I’m not a kid. I’m older than Abigail and she has a kid. I’m an adult.”
Sadie laughs, “Well you’re a kid to me!”
“Oh come on, you can’t be that much older than me.”
“I’m 30.”
“See, that’s not that much older than me. Only 6 years.”
Sadie hums thoughtfully, “Yes, some of the people I’ve been with since Jake has passed away have been a lot younger than me than 6 years.”
You spit out the beer you’re drinking and Sadie laughs, “Oh, I got you there didn’t I? Don’t tell me that you’re a prude, Scout.”
You reply, “Of course not. I just didn’t think that you would go around doing that stuff.”
“Well, I go into town to do that stuff. I’m a woman Scout. I have urges just like everyone else that need attending to by men. And if they can’t do the job right, than women.”
Luckily, you don’t have any liquids in your mouth this time to spit out. You had no idea she preferred women, too. You said as much.
“I don’t believe my love or desires can be restricted to one gender. There are a lot of beautiful people out there. It would be a shame to throw something away just because of their parts.”
You hum, “You have a good point there Sadie. And I have to agree with you. I’ve been with both men and women, but I have to admit that there’s something about women that I cannot get enough of.”
Sadie smiles wickedly, “I knew you were into women! You stare at me too often.”
“Oh, that’s bold of you Sadie! I’ve seen you staring quite a bit at me too. And I know you love spending time look at these guns.”
You flex your arms and Sadie laughs and playfully shoves you.
“You’re so ridiculous, Scout.”
You smile goofily, “That’s what I’m here for.”
Suddenly, Arthur calls out to you, “Scout! Dutch wants us to go to the Gray Manor and see if they need us to do anything.”
“Can you get my horse ready, please? Let me just say goodbye to Sadie.”
Arthur tips his hat and leaves.
You say, “All right Mrs. Adler, I’ll see you later. Try not to stare at my ass as I go.”
Sadie laughs loudly at that, attracting the attention of Javier and Charles who are crafting poison arrows nearby.
You smile smugly, pleased at yourself. That woman is going to be the death of you.
In true Dutch van der Linde gang fashion, things go to shit very quickly in Rhodes. The Grays discovered that the gang was helping the Braithwaites as well and ended up setting up an ambush which got Sean killed. You were never close to Sean, but you knew the effect he had on Karen, and you got along decently with her, so you were a bit upset. Moreover, the Braithwaites captured Jack. You were furious, almost as angry as John was. You went with the boys to their manor and helped kill every last one of them in there. Dutch demanded that everyone move again and Arthur had suggested an abandoned plantation he and Lenny had stumbled across. Shady Belle was the name.
It was even more humid in Shady Belle. This was as far south as you guys could go while staying in the United States. John, Arthur, and Dutch rode into Saint Denis to rescue Jack a few hours ago. Meanwhile, you and Sadie alternate between setting up the camp and consoling Abigail.
Sometime later, the boys come riding back in with Jack on John’s horse. Abigail rushes to greet them, showering her son with love.
“Tonight, we celebrate!” Dutch declares.
Everyone cheers at that and you look at Sadie. You’re excited to get to spend more time with her tonight. And everyone else, of course.
Arthur comes over with a bottle of whiskey and hands it off to you before putting his arm around your shoulder.
“Well, brother, you got Jack back. How was it?”
You pass the bottle back to him and he takes a sip before responding, “Surprisingly, it was quite peaceful. We met that man Bronte who was keeping Jack. No harm came to the boy.”
You nod, “Good. I’m glad he’s safe. And I’m glad that you are safe.”
“Of course, little sister! We just had to handle some business for Bronte. John and I handled it with ease.”
You continue to joke around with the man who’s like your brother until John and Abigail come up, Jack fastened at Abigail’s hip.
John speaks first, “Thank you, Arthur, for helping to rescue Jack. And thank you Scout for keeping Abigail company while we did so.”
You nod and Arthur says, “Of course. Jack is important to all of us.”
It is then that Sadie comes with a case of beer and sets it on the table nearby, “Looked like y’all’s drinks were low so I just brought a whole crate over.”
You smile appreciatively and take a bottle before take a generous gulp, “Thanks. Tonight is the night to get drunk and I’m not even buzzed yet.”
Sadie retorts, “Well maybe if you and Arthur stop sharing bottles of whiskey you’ll get drunker quicker.”
Arthur replies, “Hey, sharing is caring Mrs. Adler.”
You stick out your tongue childishly in response, “Yeah!”
Sadie, John, and Abigail laugh at you guys.
Sadie turns to the couple and asks, “Were these two always so childish?”
You and Arthur both shout, “Hey!”
Abigail ignores you guys and nods, “Them and John! I swear the three of them were always running around acting childish. If John weren’t so charming, I never would’ve ended up with him.”
“Hey, I’m much better now Abigail.”
Abigail retorts, “You’re barely better than Jack.”
Sadie laughs at that and seems like she is going to respond until a shout comes from the campfire.
It’s Lenny, “Hey guys! Javier is about to sing us some tunes. Pull up those small crates and sit by us.”
The gang makes room for Abigail and Jack at the logs, and you, Arthur, John, and Sadie grab small crates to sit on. You put your crate a bit further back from the group, not really liking being super close to crowds. You’re only mildly surprised when Sadie plops hers down next to yours.
While she gets situated, you head back to the table and grab the crate of beer, placing it at your feet, “So we don’t have to get up every time we need a refill.”
“Thanks, Scout.”
The two of you sit in silence, sipping beers and listening to Javier’s tunes. You two gradually shift closer to each other as the night wears on.
By the end of it, Sadie’s head is laying on your shoulder. You lay your head on top of hers.
And everything feels right.
“I just don’t get why you don’t make a move Scout. It’s clear that she’s into you just as much as you’re into her!”
“Arthur, her husband just was murdered half a year ago. The woman is still grieving. Just the other day I caught her crying over a picture of her husband.”
“Now I don’t mean you get in her underclothes right away. You can just kiss her.”
You shove him, “Why don’t you let me figure this out on my own? Don’t you have some stuff with Mary you need to sort out, too?”
“I do, and I will handle it after this job.”
“Speaking of, it looks like Trelawney wants you to ride with him into Saint Denis now. You better go.”
Arthur nods, “All right Scout. Just keep what I said in mind. That woman is into you.”
You shake your head and go back to the side of the mansion to chop some wood. You manage to chop a few logs before deciding to switch gears and go fishing nearby.
It isn’t until your stomach rumbles that you realize that several hours have passed and it is well into the night.
You go to eat what little stew is leftover and notice that Arthur, Javier, Trelawney, and Strauss have returned.
“How did it go Javi?”
Javier shakes his head at you, “It was rough, but we managed to snag $3,000 for the gang.”
You clap him on the back, “Hey, that’s great! Dutch will be pleased.”
Arthur grabs a bottle of beer from beside you guys, “Yeah, but now we have a big bounty in Saint Denis. We’re gonna need to clear it off before we head back there to scope out more potential jobs.”
You ask, “Aren’t we going to hit the trolley station?”
Arthur shrugs, “Dutch is indecisive. He’ll let us know soon, though. In the meantime, you and I should go into the city and clear my bounty so we can look for potential jobs. Maybe we can rob smaller stores in the meantime.”
You nod, “Sounds like a great idea. But, you should meet up with Mary tomorrow. We’ll take the wagon and I can grab some supplies after we’re done.”
Arthur grunts his agreement.
You hear laughter by the fire and notice that it is Sadie who is laughing. You haven’t really spoken to her at all much today, not after what Arthur said. You miss her, but you’re also terrified. Could she really feel the same way as you? You didn’t think it was possible. You decide not to dwell on it anymore. So, you down the rest of your drink and head into the house, up into the small room that Dutch allowed you to have.
The next day, you and Arthur head into town. You scope out some small shops to rob and manage to rob them without any hassle. You don’t have any ideas for big jobs though, not other than the bank, which is something that Dutch was already considering anyways. You go to the general store, the doctor’s office, and the gunsmith to stock up on supplies. After Arthur ensures you have everything, he calls his horse who was trailing the wagon and goes to meet up with Mary. You head back to Shady Belle without any issues.
You spend the rest of the afternoon and evening sorting out the supplies. Sadie helps you and you finally speak to her after a day without talking to her. You definitely missed her. You two just make small chat though, and it’s obvious that you are distanced. But, Sadie doesn’t point it out to you and you’re grateful. You’re sure you’ll get back to your usual rhythm with her eventually, but until then you have some things you need to figure out.
Arthur comes back just after midnight, and you ask him about Mary. He seems really hopeful that things will go well with her this time. You just hope she doesn’t break his heart again.
The next day, Sadie doesn’t greet you like she normally does. Instead, she goes to find Arthur and they talk about something. Dutch calls you and Arthur up to his room. On the way up, you ask Arthur what Sadie wanted.
“Oh, she was just wondering when we were going on a raid together.”
You pause on the stairs, “She asked you that?”
Arthur nods, “Yeah, she did. I’m surprised she didn’t ask you because I thought you guys loved planning that kind of thing together.”
You mutter under your breath, “I thought so, too.”
The conversation ends there as you head into Dutch’s room. He leads you guys to the balcony and starts talking about the next job. You guys don’t get very far into the conversation before someone screams.
Another person yells out, “It’s Kieran!”
The next thing you know, O’Driscolls start shooting up the place.
“Damnit!” you yell. You only have your Volcanic Pistol on you but it’ll have to do for now. You manage to down a few guys before Dutch barks out his orders.
“Scout! Go grab your Rolling Block rifle and start taking these guys down! Arthur, go downstairs and make sure the women and Jack get inside safely!”
You quickly rush to your room and grab your Rolling Block rifle and your Double-Barrel shotgun, realizing you’re going to need as many weapons as you can carry. You head back onto the balcony and start shooting every O’Driscoll you can see down your scope with practiced ease.
You can hear Dutch ask Arthur if everyone is accounted for. Then, a scream pierces the air. You look through your scope and see it’s Sadie. Someone is grappling her. You shoot the guy in the head and shout to Arthur.
“Arthur! Sadie is out there! Get her here now!”
You see him run to her and the two of them continue to shoot down O’Driscolls. You shoot anyone who tries to get close to them.
Finally, it’s over. You help Reverend Swanson give Kieran a proper burial.
You don’t say anything to Sadie and she doesn’t say anything to you either.
Dutch takes Arthur and Lenny to rob the trolley station, finally deciding on the next job. Dutch wants to keep it small, and he rewards Lenny for his help in finding Shady Belle in the first place. You don’t mind. You take the day to go hunting nearby. It helps you clear your mind of Sadie and those complicated feelings you harbor for her.
You get back at nightfall with several deer in tow. Pearson is pleased. Not long after that, Dutch, Arthur, and Lenny blow back in.
“It was a fucking trap!” you hear Dutch shout, “That bastard Bronte set us up!”
He storms off into the house. Arthur is not far behind him.
“Let’s just let him sleep it off. I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough what Dutch wants to do next.”
So, that’s what you guys do.
Dutch decides that robbing Bronte and then the bank will be the gang’s next move. He only takes Arthur with him this time around to secure a boat as a getaway option from Bronte’s estate.
Not long after that, it is go time. Dutch decides to hit at night. Just about all of the usual men other than Hosea go for the robbery. Dutch lets you go with them even though he doesn’t anticipate needing a sniper. You’re just grateful to get away from Shady Belle for something other than hunting or robbing small shops.
You take your Double-Barrel shotgun and your Carbine Repeater with you. The Carbine Repeater was something new you bought not long after settling into Shady Belle, and you were excited to use it, making it your primary weapon for the night.
Everything happens in a blur for you. You guys somehow succeed. But, Dutch feeds Bronte to an alligator. That’s a bit scarring if you’re being honest. But, you make it out okay.
Dutch plans to wait a few days before robbing the bank.
During that time, you just hunt mostly and isolate yourself from the gang. You’re still processing your feelings for Sadie, and you think more about the possibility of her having feelings for you. If that was the case, then why hasn’t she made a move yet? She’s the widow. You think that she should signal her interest and readiness to move on by kissing you. It’s clear to your musings that she doesn’t like you. Still, you must get rid of your feelings for her before resuming your friendship.
The botched Blackwater job seemed simpler than this.
Dutch lets you tag along on the bank job, and you are grateful. Sadie is tasked with keeping watch at Shady Belle. Abigail and Hosea are set to create a distraction.
It doesn’t take long before all hell breaks loose. They execute Hosea in front of you. You hold back tears, a quiet, “Dad,” falling from your lips.
You’re on the opposite roof fighting off Pinkertons with your Carbine Repeater, unable to provide cover for the guys. Fortunately, you notice Arthur on the opposite roof sniping some of the guys next to you. You’re unsure where he got that sniper rifle from, as he was never one to carry it around, but maybe Dutch had the foresight to bring a Carcano Rifle in case you got held up. Whatever the case is, you’re grateful he is helping out.
You manage to kill the last of them on the roof with you and pull out your Rolling Block Rifle, resuming duty of covering the boys.
Arthur manages to shout over to you, “Scout! Get out of here! Meet us back at camp!”
You salute to acknowledge his words, pull your repeater back out, and make your way down.
You shoot as many guys as you can before getting on your horse and riding like mad out of there.
You get to camp and see that Abigail has made it. She is crying but otherwise seems unharmed.
She rushes to you and she hugs you, “Scout! You’re okay.”
“Yes, of course.”
“John was kidnapped by the Pinkertons. He risked his life to save me and make sure I got away.”
“Don’t worry Abigail. When the time is right we will go and get him. They won’t kill him. He’s been with the gang for a long time. He is important to the Pinkertons.”
“I hope you’re right Scout.”
Abigail had already filled in everyone on what happened to Hosea, so you’re glad you don’t have to break the news.
Everyone waits for the gang to return. Instead, it is only Charles that returns.
You rush up to him, “Charles? Where is everyone else?”
“They went on a boat. They’re unsure where it’s going or when they’ll be back. But, we have to pack up and get ready to move by tomorrow.”
“Shit. How bad is it?” Sadie asks.
“Lenny didn’t make it. Tomorrow, I am going to go back and take his and Hosea’s bodies and bury them.”
You say, “I’m coming with you.”
Sadie also says she will go with you guys. You’re surprised she volunteered to go with you anywhere, but you don’t dwell on it. This isn’t about you after all.
You, Sadie, and Charles lead the charge to get the gang moved to Lakay. You have no idea when the boys will come back, but you leave a note discreetly written to Arthur informing him of your whereabouts when they come back.
Months pass by with no word on the boys. The three of you become the leaders of the camp in the meantime. You guys had to leave Shady Belle in a rush, but you delegate tasks for everyone. Sadie is in charge of getting supplies with Pearson with what little money the gang has on them. You and Charles go hunting and fishing every to make sure people survive. The women maintain the camp, though Molly left and you’re unsure where she went. However, her absence is not really felt on the camp. You pray that no one falls ill, as medicine is quite low. You go through these tasks repeatedly, like routine.
It is some time in September when you finally talk to Sadie outside of formalities. You’re on watch, leaning up against a tree with your repeater slinged around you, smoking a premium cigarette from a pack you looted off of a Lemoyne Raider you ran into earlier on your hunting trip.
Sadie comes to stand next to you and take watch. Neither of you says anything, watching the sunset and keeping an eye on the horizon for an intruder or any possibility of one of the boys coming back.
Sadie breaks the silence first, “Did I do something Scout? We’ve barely spoken over the past three months.”
You startle, “No, I promise you didn’t do anything. I’ve just been dealing with some personal stuff and I’ve needed space to deal with it.”
“Really? Because you sure spent a lot of time with Arthur, John, Abigail, and Jack. Of the usual people you talk to, it was me you avoided.”
You stay silent, unsure of how to respond. You eventually decide that the truth should be told.
“Look, Sadie. I have to tell you something. I’m going to be honest with you because I still consider you to be my best friend, even if I’ve been distant. I just didn’t want this to ruin our friendship. But, I guess it has already come in between us.”
You sigh before continuing, “I have feelings for you. I think I’m in love with you. And I know it’s unfair of me to feel this way. You are still grieving Jake. I am another woman, so it’s all sorts of wrong. I understand that you don’t feel the same way. I’ve been trying to sort these feelings out and figure out how to move on from you. But, I haven’t yet. I will soon.”
Sadie remains quiet for a little bit, soaking in all the information.
You throw the cigarette bud on the ground and stop out the flame, “Just forget about it.”
You turn to leave to head back to your tent, intending to let Sadie start up her shift on watch. Instead, she pulls you by the arm.
The next thing you know, your lips are on hers. She is kissing you timidly, tentatively. Once you shake out of your shock, you wrap your other arm around her and kiss her back passionately.
That seems to light a fire in Sadie as she meets your passion with passionate fervor.
One of you moans. You’re unsure of who. However, that causes Sadie to pull back.
“I have feelings for you too, Scout. They might be the beginning tendrils of love. But, the wounds are still too fresh. I can’t be the woman you deserve right now. Maybe someday, but not now. I still want to be your friend, though. Please come back to me as my best friend.”
You nod and wrap her up in a hug. This is something you can do easily.
Eventually, the gang comes back. First, it’s Micah, who you’re not too pleased about. Then, it’s Arthur. You two hold onto each other tightly, Arthur whispering words about how much he missed his little sister in your ears, you just being glad that your big brother is back in your life. Dutch comes in shortly after. Strauss tells him that it was you, Sadie, and Charles leading the charge while he was gone. Dutch was very grateful and promised that you could upgrade your Rolling Block rifle however you wanted once you guys moved on from Lakay. Javier comes in shortly after, and Bill barges in, announcing to all the world that he had to ask around town for where they were.
Bill has always been an idiot after all, so you’re not too surprised.
Not long after that, the Pinkertons are back. That idiot Bill likely attracted their attention!
Another fight occurs, but you all make it out okay. However, Dutch is eager to move again, much sooner than he had anticipated.
For now, you guys will stay in Lakay.
Sadie asks you to go to Saint Denis with her and help scope out a way to rescue John. You readily agree. Arthur is going to meet you guys later.
Sadie secures a balloon ride with some guy. You guys head back to the saloon. Arthur comes a few hours later. He nods to Sadie before asking to speak to you privately for a second.
You let him pull you outside.
“Arthur? Are you okay? You look like death.”
“I feel like death.”
It is then that he tells you about his disease. TB. He won’t make it. You feel your heart breaking.
You hug your older brother tightly.
“I promise you, Arthur, we will be okay. I am by your side through this. Thank you for trusting me with this.”
“You’re my little sister, of course, I told you. But, please, don’t tell anyone. Not even John after we get him. I’ll tell him on my own eventually.”
You nod, wipe your tears, and head back in to meet with Sadie and fill Arthur in on the plan.
Arthur ends up going with Mr. Bullard in the balloon. You stay on the ground with Sadie. She says she’ll be right back. You don’t think much of it. You take out your journal and start sketching the land to pass the time.
Somehow, Sadie manages to attract the attention of O’Driscoll boys. In the struggle that ensues, Mr. Bullard gets shot. The poor man.
But, Arthur managed to see John, and that was the most important thing. You still can’t believe that Dutch isn’t prioritizing this. You, Sadie, and Charles would have gone yourselves, but the survival of the group was more important at the time. Abigail, thankfully, understood.
“Now can you tell me what the hell that was all about Mrs. Adler?” Arthur asks.
“I found out the Colm O’Driscoll has been captured by the government. He’s going to be hanged.”
You shrug, “Yeah, but he’s been captured like five times before, and each time his boys manage to get him out of there.”
She smiles in a sinister manner before responding, “Yes, but this time, we are going to make sure he hangs.”
With that, you guys head back to Lakay.
Dutch has Arthur and Charles go up north to scope out some location or another for camp. Charles is familiar with the area, otherwise Dutch would’ve sent you instead of him. You stick around Lakay in the meantime, spending time distracting Abigail and Jack with Sadie. You’re reading to Jack while Sadie and Abigail discuss something.
Some of the others are out. Apparently, Micah had heard word of Molly somewhere and he took some of the boys with him to find her.
Arthur arrives back first, telling Dutch that they managed to secure the area. Then, Micah and the boys bring back Molly. She is drunk. She says she betrayed Dutch and told the Pinkertons about Saint Denis.
Dutch wants Arthur to kill Molly, but Arthur is heistant. You don’t blame him. This woman is drunk and hurting, she likely isn’t telling the truth.
In the end, it is Susan who shoots her. It was brutal. You still don’t think it was the right choice, but you aren’t going to question it. Things with the gang have been tense ever since the boys came back from Guarma. Dutch is slowly losing his mind, muttering about one last job before leaving for good. Arthur is sick and still hasn’t told anyone. Sadie is highly driven on revenge and you haven’t even spoken to her much about anything other than Colm’s upcoming hanging.
You feel lost in a way you haven’t in a long time.
The gang moves to a camp called Beaver Hollow on a Tuesday in mid-October. It is up north and is a little cooler than you’ve been used to. But, you love being able to wear clothing suited for the average temperature weather. You set up your tent next to Arthur’s wagon.
You, Arthur, and Sadie decide that the next day is the best time to go get John. You all stay up in Arthur’s wagoned tent to plan it out. It is almost dawn when you finally head to sleep. You guys plan to meet up at the docks at noon.
The mission goes about as well as you’d expect. You’re at the tower shooting as many officers as you can while Sadie, John, and Arthur head to the boat. Once you see that they are close by, you slide down the ladder and run to meet them. Sadie rows the boat, John is recovering from a slight injury, and you and Arthur are in charge of shooting the backup.
You guys head to Beaver Hollow and Dutch is pissed. He had a plan, after all, and it was not the right time to get him apparently. You don’t understand his crazed ramblings anymore, but you stay out of it. Abigail is grateful anyway, and that’s all that matters to you.
To you, the only people that matter now are Arthur, John, Abigail, Jack, Sadie, Charles, Tilly, and Mary-Beth. The goal is to get Tilly and Mary-Beth out safely with John’s family before Dutch’s next big job. You and Arthur have a feeling it’ll be the last if it ever gets that far. Charles already said he would spend time with Rains Fall’s tribe. Arthur doesn’t anticipate making it that far, but you promised him that you and Sadie would look out for John’s family, Tilly, and Mary-Beth until they all decide to go their separate ways. Sadie doesn’t know you volunteered her for the job, but you know she wouldn’t mind at least. She might be indifferent towards Tilly and Mary-Beth, but you know she’ll protect John and his family, so by default, she would be protecting those ladies as well.
It’s the best you can do.
This chapter of your life flies quickly to you, all passing in a blur. You don’t go to see Colm hanged. Dutch won’t let you. As one of the few people he still trusts, you’re tasked with leading the camp while he’s gone.
Somewhere along the way, you upgrade your Rolling Block rifle in Annesburg.
Eventually, Sadie wants to take out the rest of the O’Driscolls. She doesn’t ask you to go, but you aren’t hurt by it. She knows that you’re tired of bloodshed, and Colm’s hanging was enough for you. Arthur goes instead, promising you that he’ll keep her safe.
Arthur and Charles spend more time with Rains Fall than with the gang. You don’t blame Arthur. You know that he wants to spend what little time he has left doing good and helping people in need. At night, the two of you talk, spending as much time with each other as you guys can. You fill him in on the situation with Sadie and the feelings you have for each other, and he encourages you to not give up hope.
He still doesn’t tell John. Arthur’s justification is that John needs to focus on preparing his family to leave Beaver’s Hollow at a moment’s notice.
Dutch gets involved with Eagle Flies and turns him into an angry man. Arthur tells you that Eagle Flies saved his life. Dutch had walked away and was willing to let Arthur die.
That was the final straw for you. You thought staying distanced from Dutch would allow you to maintain some peace of mind. But leaving your older brother to die? As he’s already dying to begin with? That’s just cruel.
You’re done with Dutch, but Arthur begs you not to leave until the last moment.
You agree for him.
There’s another train job. You stay behind again. Sadie goes in your place. You tell Dutch that you want to stay here to protect the camp, and he agrees. He has no reason not to believe you. You haven’t shown that you’ve lost your faith in him. Mary-Beth, Pearson, and Uncle have already left, so there aren’t many people left in camp anyways. Still, Dutch is adamant that the camp is protected, so it works out for you.
Pinkertons attack. You don’t know where Susan went. You see Abigail get captured. You try to save her, but a bullet lodges itself in your shoulder.
You yell at Tilly, “Take Jack and one of the horses! Go! Get out of here! I’ll meet up with you soon.”
Tilly yells back, “How will you find us?”
You continue to shoot with your pistol, your left arm bleeding profusely, “I’m a scout, remember? I can track you guys easily. Just go!”
And she does go. You manage to clear off the Pinkertons before getting on your horse and riding off. With your great balance, you manage to rip a piece of cloth up and wind it tightly over the wound. You’ll need to see a doctor soon, but it’ll last for now.
You catch up to Tilly and Jack. The rest of the gang is there, minus John and Charles. You heard from Arthur that he was going to stay with Rains Fall for a while, helping the tribe move after Eagle Flies’ death. Arthur looks at you concerned, but you wave him off. Tilly is filling them in on the situation. To your horror, you find out that John is dead and that Micah wants to leave Abigail with the Pinkertons. Dutch agrees with Micah, and they ride off.
Arthur leaves a sack of money on Tilly’s horse. He tells you guys to head for Copperhead Landing. He and Sadie will get Abigail.
Somehow, you know that this is the last time you’ll see Arthur. You’ve known Arthur for 11 years. You know that after he gets Abigail, he’ll send her to Copperhead Landing. He’ll likely confront Dutch one last time. He might not anticipate leaving alive once Dutch finds out that Arthur is no longer loyal to him.
He comes to you and pulls you off your horse before looking at your arm.
“It’s okay, brother. It’s just a flesh wound. I’ll have a doctor take it out later. It hurts like hell, but I can still shoot and protect Tilly and Jack.”
Arthur says nothing and instead hugs you.
“This is goodbye, isn’t it Arthur?”
“I’m afraid so Scout. I’m getting worse every day. If there is one last fight, I don’t think I’ll make it. Just know that I love you and I’m so proud of you. You’re a remarkable woman.”
“I love you too, Arthur. So much.”
Arthur lets go and puts you back on your horse. He gets back on his, but before he and Sadie head off, he tells you one last thing, “Remember, Scout, the best things in life are worth fighting for. Don’t give up hope.”
And with that, they ride off to rescue Abigail.
And true to your thoughts, it is the last time you see Arthur.
John is miraculously alive. He tells the tale of everything that happened. How Micah was the rat. How Arthur sacrificed his life for him, finally telling him about the TB. How he could hear the sounds of Micah and Arthur fighting, but could not go back because Arthur insisted that he get away as far as he could before Micah and Dutch found him.
The five of you stay in Copperhead Landing for a bit. Eventually, Charles returns. You, Sadie, and Charles head back to the mountain to find Arthur’s body. You bring his body back and manage to bury him in a field.
There is an informal ceremony with just the six of you in attendance. You cry harder than you ever have in your entire life. Sadie is there to comfort you, but you just feel an aching hole in your heart. One of your two brothers is dead and your surrogate dad died in a shootout all within a few months of each other. You managed the pain of Hosea’s death quite well, but Arthur’s death seemed to bring it all to a peak, and you ache for days.
Eventually, you all head your separate ways. Tilly leaves first for Saint Denis. Charles leaves next, heading back to the tribe to check in on them.
You leave next. You don’t think you could handle it if you saw John and his family leave first, or Sadie leave first. So you leave to prevent yourself from a lot of pain. You only inform John of your plans to head down to Mexico for a while. You leave him to tell his family and Sadie.
As you leave in the middle of the night, you regret telling the woman you love that you’re going. But, you know it’s for the best. You have to fix yourself and you have to do it alone.
It’s 1907 when you decide to get back to the United States. You’re 32 now. You’ve had plenty of time to mourn Arthur and Hosea, to mourn the gang that used to be.
During that time, you worked as a bounty hunter. At first, no one took you seriously, but over the years, you built up a ruthless reputation for yourself. Dead or alive bounties more often ended in dead than alive, and targets learned to fear just the sound of your name.
You heard that your bounty from Blackwater was cleared back in 1902, but you decided to stay in Mexico til 1907 before heading back to the States. You weren’t ready to confront your old demons at the time.
Now, however, you’re older and more hardened to the pains of the world. Wherever she is, you know that if Sadie is alive, she’s likely even more hardened than you. She cared for Arthur too, and you abandoned her just the same to deal with your own pain.
The United States was big though, so a part of you hoped you’d never run into her. Otherwise, you’d have to apologize profusely and beg for forgiveness.
As you approached the border, you suddenly remember one night shortly after the one kiss you shared with Sadie.
Sadie had said, “You helped me so much with Jake’s passing that your distance hurt me. Suddenly my one source of comfort wanted nothing to do with me.”
You had hummed and apologized, “I’m sorry. I feel really bad. What can I do to make it up to you?”
“Promise me that the next time someone I love passes away, you’ll be there for me until I’ve recovered. And in the meantime, you can still help comfort me when I’m still sad about Jake.”
You of course promised. And you broke that promise.
Shaking your head, you ride across the eastern most border into the United States. You continue to ride through New Austin and reach Blackwater in West Elizabeth by nightfall.
You find lodging nearby. In Mexico, you would still spend nights outside of civilization and makeshift camps, but as you got more and more money from bounties, the more often you were able to splurge on lodging. You had even bought a few places in Mexico. You don’t mind making camps here in the States either, but having a bed was a privilege you enjoyed immensely.
The next day, you head to the Sheriff’s station checking to see if there were any bounties. You’re surprised when there aren’t any.
The sheriff tells you, “Yeah, a bounty hunter by the name of Sadie Adler has handled all the bounties here. Until our next budget meeting, there won’t be any more bounties available. Sorry, ma’am.”
Interesting, you think. Maybe you’ll run into Sadie a lot sooner than you think.
“Do you know where else she works?”
“Oh everywhere in the five-state region. She doesn’t really go down to New Austin much, so if you want bounties you can probably head over there. But, I know she goes to New Hanover and Lemoyne the most other than here. If you’re looking for her, I’d check Valentine, Rhodes, and Saint Denis. She frequents those locations the most when she’s in those states.”
“Thank you kindly, Sheriff.”
Valentine is the closest of those towns. But are you ready to see Sadie again?
You figure that other than John and his family, you’d want to meet her first. And the last you heard of John, it sounded like he might be dead. But you still held onto the slightest hope. Maybe since Sadie had been in the States this whole time she’d know better.
You slowly head towards New Hanover ready to confront the first of your past demons. Not that Sadie is a demon, she’ll just be the first person from your past that you’ll see. But, nonetheless, your past was full of demons you had spent the better part of 8 years avoiding.
A few days later, you reach Valentine. You figured if there was one place Sadie would be, it’d be the saloon. If that didn’t work, then the sheriff’s office would do.
You stroll in there and almost immediately spot her. She’s sitting at the bar drinking a beer. She looks almost exactly the same, but the lines on her face are more pronounced. She’s more muscular now, too. And she’s wearing the hat you bought her for her 31st birthday, just two days before you left her life. Despite it being over 7 years later, the hat is still in excellent shape.
You walk up to the bar and order a whiskey. From the corner of your eye, you notice Sadie tense up before turning to face you. Once you accept your drink and pay, you turn towards her. You tip your hat to her and say, “Mrs. Adler,” before downing your whiskey in one go.
Sadie’s face morphs from shock to relief to pure anger. Yours turns into fear.
“You!” she bites out before dragging you out of the saloon.
She drags you around the corner to the back of the building and shoves you against the wall.
“You! You left me for 7 fucking years! And you just waltz back into my life like it’s nothing? I thought you were dead!”
“I wasn’t dead, I was in Mexico.”
“Yes, John told me. That doesn’t make it any better. It’s been 7 fucking years were no word from you. Didn’t you think I’d worry?”
You sigh, “Of course, I did! But I was running from my past! I had a lot of grief and hurt to deal with and I had to deal with it alone.”
“I was grieving too, you bastard. You promised me you wouldn’t leave me the next time someone I loved died. I loved Arthur as a friend and you fucking left.”
“Yeah, well I loved him as a brother! He was there for me for 11 fucking years. Hosea had only died months before and he was like my dad. I lost two people I loved so soon after one another.”
Sadie growls out, “I lost Jake that same year too! Just because more time passed, didn’t mean Arthur’s death wasn’t an added toll.”
“Look, I’m sorry I broke my promise, but I had to take care of myself first.”
Sadie finally releases you from her grip and steps back. She whispers, “I just wanted to take care of you, too.”
And your heart breaks at that.
You spend the next month in Valentine. You find out from Sadie that she had written to John and was expecting him at any moment. It warmed your heart to know that he and his family were still alive. Apparently, they had gone to Yukon to try their luck with gold before making their way back over here. They were staying at Proghorn Ranch outside of Strawberry.
One day, John finally shows up. You’re getting your hair cut at the barber in the back, so you see him come in but can’t say hi. He doesn’t see you. He helps Sadie deal with some obnoxious men. He hugs her and they both grab a beer. You’re finally done getting with your trim and head over. John notices you before you reach the bar and his face is one of pure shock.
“Scout?” He whispers.
“Hey big bro,” you say back.
He hugs you tightly and you swear you feel his tears wetting your shoulder.
“I’m so glad you’re okay Scout.”
“I’m so glad you’re alive! How are Abigail and Jack?”
He sighs, “They’re okay. They left me. But I’m going to win them back. I’m saving up to buy some land over at Beecher’s Hope.”
“Hey, if you want me to help you with that, I would love to. It’s not far from New Austin, and the sheriff in Blackwater told me about some good bounties over there.”
John nods, “That would be great! I can’t believe both you and Sadie are bounty hunters.”
Sadie looks at you and smiles softly, “Great minds think alike.”
You feel blood and heat rushing to your cheeks and you smile shyly in return.
Nothing has happened between you and Sadie yet, but you know a big talk about where you guys stand will come up soon.
John clears his throat, “Well, Scout, I’ll send a letter once the place is secured. You going to be staying here in Valentine?”
You nod, “Yes, I’ve been staying here in the hotel. I will continue to do so until you need me over in Beecher’s Hope.”
Sadie and John go off to deal with a bounty and you’re left in Valentine reflecting on the past.
You drink a beer and cheer to Hosea, Lenny, Sean, and Susan.
Sadie returns a few days later. You figure now is the best time to go talk to her. You two go for a ride just outside of town and find a place to set up a temporary camp. You don’t expect to be there for too long, but you have brought everything you guys might need in case you stay the night out here.
“Sadie, thank you for coming out here with me.”
She nods, “Of course, Scout. We need to talk about where we stand. It may have been 8 years since our kiss, but I still have feelings for you. In fact, you leaving made me realize that I’ve fallen in love with you. I don’t know when it exactly happened, and a part of me feels guilty that it became evident to me only a year after Jake died that I had fallen in love with another human, but I don’t regret it. Because you, Scout, are the most amazing woman I have ever met. And I’m so in love with you.”
You didn’t expect her to dive right in immediately like that, so you take a minute to process everything. Sadie, to her credit, lets you process and watches so deer running in the distance.
You finally speak, “I’m still in love with you, too. I knew that I would wait for you that night we first kissed. I just didn’t think my heart would still hold onto you after 8 years. It does. I love you so much, Sadie Adler. And I want to spend the rest of my life making up for my absence. If you’ll have me.”
Sadie kisses you in response.
It’s the best way to start your new life.You think Arthur would be proud of you for finally taking the risk and diving right in.