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"Can you please make sure you are chopping the vegetables correctly?" Pearson asked with exasperation "too chunky and everybody will complain that they're not cooked"
"Hmm, what?" You murmured as your attention was drawn elsewhere, watching intently as Dutch stood at one end of this tent, cigar in hand, surveying his empire, while you could hear Molly attempting to talk to him.
The sweetness in her voice as she tried to speak to him made the butterflies in your stomach flutter once more. You'd knew the moment you first laid eyes on her you were sweet on her, but you brushed it aside and put that feeling down to lust as you often found yourself admiring her fair features.
In all the weeks you'd been running with gang you couldn't summon the courage to go speak with her, while she did act a touch haughty and singled herself out from the other camp members, you were more concerned that over the fact she saw herself as Dutch's girl, and didn't want to tread on the toes of the man who offered you sanctuary when you needed it most.
It wasn't until you walked past her tent one day, a piece of paper fluttering off the table and landing at your feet, that you realised your feelings ran much deeper than the primal attraction you'd been feeling towards her. Picking the sheet of paper up of the ground, you cast your eye over the neat handwriting and you felt your heart break for Miss O'Shea as she laid bear her soul in this short poem which all but confirmed to you that Dutch was not worthy of this woman.
I was a girl - until your call
Commanded me to cross the sea.
I've nothing left. I gave you all.
My darling Liffey was so small.
Your land and love are vast and free.
I was a girl until your call.
You stood so strong. and dark and tall.
You stole the heartbeat out of me.
I've nothing left. I gave you all.
Your lips enchant, your eyes enthrall.
Your empire is of ecstasy.
I was a girl until your call.
Your parasites and lackeys crawl,
Mocking a love they dare not see.
I've nothing left. I gave you all.
I sit in solitude and scrawl
These wretched words, and wait for thee.
I was a girl until your call.
I've nothing left. I gave you all.
As you carried on watching the bickering unfold, the way Dutch dismissed Molly and her questions made the butterflies in your belly disappear and a rage build up inside of you. Slamming the knife down to chop the carrot in front of you, you didn't realise until it was too late that you'd caught your own hand.
"For Christ's sake Miss (y/n), we don't need your blood as seasoning" Pearson told you as he pushed you away and took over from your duties "Go and wash up and see if you can make yourself useful elsewhere"
Nodding sheepishly you walked over to the barrel of water to clean your wound and create a make shift bandage as you heard behind you the argument reach it's conclusion.
"...but you haven't even touched me in weeks"
"As you can see Miss O'Shea, I've been a little busy" Dutch sighed while Molly pleaded with him
"You've been busy before, but always managed to make time for me"
"Why is it always about your needs? What about my needs? And what I need my dear" he condescendingly sneered at the her "I need some peace and quiet away from you"
"Arghh” Molly shrieked as she stormed passed you toward the camp outskirts, “you're a real bastard Dutch van de Linde"
"So I keep getting told" he muttered drawing on his cigar "so I keep getting told"
You waited a moment, quickly trying to secure your bandage, before following the direction in which you last saw Molly heading.
Finding her sitting on a rock, almost hidden away, you carefully approached her asking if she was okay.
"What do you care?" She sniped "what do any of you care? I'm just a joke to all of ya"
"That's not true" telling a half truth as you took a seat on the ground near to her. You knew the other girls often laughed at her expense, but you'd often find yourself reprimanding them for such remarks "Anyway I'm here if you want to talk” you told her as you turned away to face the luscious landscape of the Dakota River, digging a book out of your satchel.
Sitting in silence for a few minutes, you heard Molly sniffling and shifting behind you before she broke the silence.
“So, er..what did you do to your hand?”
“This?” you replied lifting your arm into the air “I wasn't paying attention when I chopping vegetables for Pearson.” Closing the book and turning back to face her, your heart sunk as you looked upon her puffy red eyes and the sorrow etched on her face. “It's gonna be okay you know” you whispered
“You know, all that I ever wanted in life was somebody to love me” she sobbed wiping her tear stained cheek“and what did I get instead, this. Living with a group of people who couldn't care less if I suddenly disappeared”
“I'd care” you told her taking hold of her hands “Oh, Molly you don't realise how much I care about you”
“You're just saying that” she huffed
“I'm not, I've been in love with you since the moment I first saw you” you blurted out causing Molly to reel back from you.
“You're ridiculous. How can you be in love with me?” she blushed “I'm with Dutch for starters”
“You've worth so much more that the way Dutch treats you” you confessed, feeling emboldened by the fact she hadn't outright brushed you away. “I er...I saw your poem” You watched as Molly's eyes grew in horror as she realised somebody knew her deepest darkest secrets “It seems to me that you know yourself that you can do better than Dutch – even if you do love him”
“And what - you think that's you do ya?”
“Molly, if you were to run away with me – I'd treat you like the Goddess that you are and personally make sure nothing bad happens to you” you told her while brushing a loose hair from her face. Leaning into the palm of you hand, her face softened into a smile at the mere touch of you.
“Oh (y/n), that's all I've ever wanted” she sighed as you placed your lips on hers.