Chapter Text
I could tell Arthur wasn't doing very well these past few weeks. He had just been coughing a bit at first, nothing too bad so i didn't think much of it, but it became worse and worse as the weeks went on. He always acted like nothing was wrong when I asked him if he was okay not knowing how much he worried me, to me he was like a big brother or a father figure even and I didn't want to lose him. I decided that I was gonna talk to him and basically force him to tell what was going on as soon as he came back to camp.
---
Night came around and Arthur slowly rode into camp, I watched how he struggled to dismount his horse from my spot at the campfire. It hurt me to see him struggle like that. He used to be able to swing his leg over the horses like it was nothing. I watched him walk over to his tent not taking his eyes off the ground, he sat down on his cot with his head in his hands. I had never seen him this broken and it hurt more than anything else.
I took a deep breath, stood up and made my way towards Arthur. "Hey there big guy." Arthur looked up at the sound of my voice, his eyes were glassy and bloodshot, he gave me a weak smile as I sat down next to him. "How are you doing?"
Arthur looked back at the ground. "I'm fine." His voice was weak and breathy, he clearly wasn't fine.
"you're not, I can tell. hell I think everyone can tell." My voice was firm, my eyes never leaving him.
A sigh left him "Don't worry about it, okay?" He looked back at me and gave me another weak smile.
"How the hell could I not worry about it," I raised my voice. "when I can hear you coughing all night? or see you struggle to get on and off you horse?" My voice was brittle and my eyes started to fill with tears. Arthur gave me the softest look, worrying me was the last thing he wanted to do, but not telling me anything was only going to make it worse.
Arthur grabbed my hand and gave it a weak squeeze, he looked me in the eyes before he spoke, "I'm sick, Scarlett" It felt like someone was squeezing my throat shut when he said that. I knew as much, but hearing it made it all the more real.
My breath was shaking and I was trying my best to hold my tears back. "What is it?" my voice was barely above a whisper.
My heart sank at the next word that came out of his mouth.
"Tuberculosis."
My entire body started shaking. This couldn't be happening, i was going to lose the person I cared most about, the person that could always cheer me up no matter what, my shoulder to cry on. My father figure. I couldn't hold back anymore, the tears started crashing down like waterfalls.
Arthur wrapped his arms around me and let me cry in to his chest. He ran his fingers through my (H/C) hair like he did all those other times when he tried to calm me down, but how could i calm down knowing he was going to die? "I don't want to lose you Arthur." My voice was muffled and broken.
"I know..." I could hear in his voice that it hurt, hurt to speak but also hurt to see me like this. He moved me so he could look me in the eye and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "You're going to be alright."
"How the hell am I going to be alright without you here?" I couldn't live without him, he was the only person left that truly cared about me.
Arthur grabbed my shoulders. "You're not that fragile 12 year old girl that wouldn't leave my side anymore, you're a grown woman and you can take care of yourself now."
I thought back to when I first met Arthur. I had barely touched his satchel when we he turned around and tightly grabbed my wrist. He looked at me like he was going to kill me then and there. I was scared for my life and immediately started crying, but his looked softened and he asked me if i had any family or somewhere to stay. the answer was no, so he took me to camp and has treated me like I was his own kid since then. 10 years has passed and I was gonna lose the only person that really cared about me.
I hugged him tightly, resting my face on his shoulder and once again staining his shirt with my tears. "i just-" I was struggling to talk between the sobs. "I just don't want you to die, I'm scared Arthur."
"I know kid, so am I." His response caught me off guard, he was the guy that would run straight into gunfire without a second thought. He ran his fingers through my hair as I listened to his breathing and slowly started to doze off.
---
A couple weeks have past, the gang was completely falling apart and Arthur's condition kept getting worse. We rode back to camp from the train robbery, John got shot and Dutch had said that they couldn't save him. I wouldn't be surprised if he just left him to die like he did with Arthur, Dutch always said that Arthur was like a son to him. No sane person would leave their son to die like that. my thoughts were cut short by Tilly, she told us that agent Milton and his men took Abigail to Van Horn. Dutch always told me that we never left anyone behind, but that was exactly what he did leaving Tilly, Mrs. Adler, Arthur, jack and me behind.
Arthur gave Tilly his money. "Take Jack and Scarlett and you wait at Copperhead Landing for Abigail and Mrs, Adler."
"No, I'm coming with you guys." I could tell that Arthur didn't have much time left and i wasn't leaving him now.
"Scarlett-"
I didn't let him finish. "I'm coming with you and there is nothing you can do to stop me." My voice was firm, I was dead set on my decision.
"Fine then." Arthur turned his attention back to Tilly and Jack and said his goodbyes. He mounted his horse and looked back at Sadie and me. "Mrs. Adler, Ms. (L/N). Ride with me!"
And so we did. We rode most of the way in silence the only sound being the hooves of the horses hitting the ground.
"I think you should cover us and we'll go in there and get her" Mrs. Adler told Arthur holding the rifle out to him. Arthur gave her a 'Are you kidding me' look. "'Cause you're the better shot I mean."
"That ain't what you mean. I can still fight!" I didn't believe her either but that doesn't mean that I didn't agree.
"I know, Arthur. But, just... do it my way honey. it's for the best" Arthur looked in my direction hoping I would take his side.
"Just listen to her Arthur. Get up in the lighthouse and cover us."
Arthur thought it over for a second, but eventually grabbed the rifle from Mrs. Adler and took his position up in the lighthouse.
Mrs. Adler and I got in cover and waited for Arthur to make the first shot, bullets went flying by once he did.
We took down the pinkertons one by one until we got to Abigail, Mrs. Adler went in first and I followed shortly after. Two Pinkertons were tying Mrs. Adler up, I was ready to shoot them, but someone grabbed me from behind and put a gun to my head. "Wasn't expecting for you to be here Ms. (L/N)." I could tell it was agent Milton form his voice.
I kept my mouth shut and listened to the gunshots that came closer and closer, hoping that Arthur would arrive soon. Agent Milton also heard it and started moving backwards, out of sight from the door. I once again needed Arthur to save my life, proving that i couldn't live without him.
The gunfire died down. The door got kicked down, I heard two gunshots and bodies falling on the ground. "Okay ladies, let's get out of here." Arthur paused. "Where's Scarlett?"
Agent Milton pushed me forward back into view, still holding me close to him with a gun against my head. "Right here." He said as he pulled down the hammer. Arthur turned around while coughing. "That's quite a cough."
Arthur's eyes met mine then agent Milton's. "Sure. Tuberculosis. I'll be dead soon... and you with me, Mr. Milton."
"You'll be dead, sure... but I'm gonna be just fine"
I had to think quick, there had be something i could do.
My knife.
My hand brushed against the handle of my knife. Arthur continued coughing, he bend over and rested his hands on his knees.
"We offered you a deal, Mr. Morgan... you should've taken it"
Arthur saw what I was trying to do, he looked back up and gave me a small nod while saying: "I'm a fool, Mr. Milton."
Agent Milton told Arthur about Micah. Micah, I should've known, but I could worry about that later. I finally got a hold on my knife, I thought quick and stabbed Milton it the leg. He could barely hear his scream because of a bullet flying by my head, I fell to the ground, the ringing in my ear was unbearable. I held my hand to the side of my head and felt that the bullet scraped my ear. My heart started racing when I heard another gunshot, I turned around fearing the worst, but calmed down when I saw Abigail helping Arthur to stand up and a very much dead Agent Milton on the ground. Arthur held his hand out to me, but I got up myself fearing I might bring him down with me if i took his hand.
We left the building and got on our horses, shooting our way through the remaining pinktetons until we were in the clear.
"Hold up a moment." We came to a stop at Arthur's words. He dismounted and started talking to Abigail, He told her about John and she looked about ready to collapse. Abigail and I had our agreements, but it pained me to see her like this. He walked over to me and gestured me to dismounted. I stood in front of him and looked him straight in the eyes, he put his hands on my shoulders.
"You go with them and take good care of yourself, you hear?"
"I'm letting you go back there alone."
"Not gonna happen."
"But-"
"But nothing, I'm gonna let you get killed out there just because you're stubborn."
I pulled Arthur into a hug, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I love you, Arthur. I can't go on without you!"
Arthur pressed a kiss on top of my head. "I love you too, kid, but like I said you can take care of yourself now." I didn't want to let him go, but I had to. Arthur urged all of us back on our horses. "You're good women... good people. The best. Go get that boy, there'll be time for sorrow later." Abigail gave him the key to the chest with all the money, she was a good thief i had to hand it to her. "Go on, get out of here" Arthur gave me one last weak smile and a nod before we rode off.
---
I had no idea how much time had passed. We made it to Copperhead Landing without any trouble, I had convinced the others to not take off immediately, but wait just in case. I was standing alone, my eyes fixated on the road, hoping that Arthur would ride up any second. My hopes were contently bought down though, multiple people rode by, but not one of them was Arthur.
I could hear a horse approaching from the distance, I was ready to be disappointed until the moonlight shone on their hat. That was Arthur's hat no doubt, I could recognize that hat anywhere. I smiled and was about to call out his name when their face came into view.
It was John.
I looked around, hoping that Arthur was riding behind him. He wasn't. Tears started to form in my eyes again. John came to a stop in front if me and dismounted. "Where's Arthur?" John didn't say anything, he just looked to the side. "Tell me john! Just tell me..."
"He didn't make it..."
My whole world came crashing down, I shook my head. "It's not true. tell me you're lying! please..." John wrapped his arm around me in an attempt to calm me down. grabbed his shirt and kept telling him to tell me that it wasn't true until my voice gave out. My knees buckled and collapsed to the ground taking john with me as I sobbed into his shirt, unaware of the others gathering around us.
From that moment on I decided that I was never getting close with anyone ever again.