Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Arthur Morgan was tired. Tired and weak.

His eyes gazed out to the rising sun. It was casting a soft glow onto him as he breathed raspy breaths, which were probably the last breaths he would ever take. He lay on a mountain, bruised and bloodied from his fight with Micah. His chest aching with heavy heaves; his tuberculosis draining him of any life. He knew his last moments were coming soon.

At least it will be a peaceful death, Arthur thought to himself.

He thought about John and prayed that he would be able to live a better life with Abigail and Jack.

He thought about the others, Sean, Lenny, and Hosea. He hoped he would see them again on the other side, wherever the other side was.

Finally, he thought about Dutch, and wondered where everything went so wrong. Would things have been different without Micah or would he still have betrayed him and John.

A soft and gentle breeze blew past ruffling his hair and leaving a cool touch to his already cold and pale skin. The noises around him began to grow louder. Birds were chirping, insects were buzzing, and wild critters around were beginning to awaken.

Though the strangest sound Arthur heard were footsteps. Footsteps that were approaching him. He assumed it was Micah coming to finish the job. Bastard couldn't even let him die in peace.

"Arthur Morgan." Arthur paused, that voice definitely didn't belong to Micah. It sounded more refined and colder. It took all of his strength and effort to roll over and face whoever owned this mysterious voice.

Arthur was facing a man wearing a two-piece suit, a grey vest, and a black top hat and tie. He also had a well-trimmed moustache and deep, pensive eyes that seemed to bore deep into Arthur's soul. For a moment Arthur thought he was seeing a familiar face.

"Trelawny?" he asked confusedly. This just caused the man to let out a small chuckle.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not Josiah, but I can see the confusion." The strange man said. He stood over Arthur, not necessarily menacingly, but not in a friendly manner either.

"Who are you then? And how do you know me?" Arthur asked with deep rasping breaths.

"Who I am should be the least of your concerns Arthur," and as if right on queue Arthur let out a nasty fit of coughing, hacking up specks of blood from his aching lungs. "And as for your second question, I've been keeping an eye on you Arthur, and I must say I'm impressed."

Arthur just scoffed, "I would say there isn't really anything impressive about a dying man coughing up his lungs." Arthur said hoarsely. "So, if you'd excuse me, I'd like to die in peace mister." He let out another fit of coughs.

"Oh, there will be no dying today, Arthur, not yet at least, for I have a proposition for you." The strange man began. "You see Arthur, redemption is a rare thing to see these days. However, it seems you have managed to redeem yourself in a way that I have not seen in a long time."

"Why thank you, do I get a medal and a pat on the back for my actions." Arthur replied sarcastically, which caused the man to form a small smirk.

"Even on the brink of death you still have some wit. I admire that, but I have something greater than a medal for you." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Arthur. It took all of Arthur's strength to reach and grab the paper from the man.

"What is this?" Arthur asked.

"It's a deed to a farm. A farm that will solely belong to you, Arthur." The man explained to him.

Arthur looked at the paper with a confused expression. "I don't think I'll be doing any farming anytime soon."

"I disagree Morgan, I think farming would suit you quite well." The man argued.

Arthur rolled his eyes at the man's word's and weakly pocketed the deed. "Yeah well, we'll see how well a corpse can plant seeds and plow a field."

"I believe I already told you that there will be no dying today." The man kneeled down next to Arthur, and he bore a serious expression as he looked directly into his eyes. "Here's what's going to happen Arthur, you're going to close your eyes and wake up in a small place called Stardew Valley. You are going to inherit a plot of land from your grandfather near a village called Pelican town. And you don't need to worry about that 'cough' of yours, there will be people there to help you." Arthur just looked at the man strangely as if he'd grown another head.

"What are you on about mister?" Arthur asked.

"I'm offering you a chance at a new life, an honest life, free from vices and sin. I am offering you a second chance." The man said with either a tone of pity or sympathy in his voice, Arthur couldn't tell.

Arthur was silent for a moment pondering the strange man's proposition. A second chance? Did he really deserve it? And how was this man going to give it to him in the first place? After a moment he let out a sigh. "Fine I agree, what more could I lose anyway?"

The man smiled at Arthur. "Good to hear it friend." The man stood up and began to walk away, but then stopped short.

"I almost forgot." He turned around and produced a small satchel from somewhere Arthur couldn't see. "In this bag is a new journal, a handful of cash to get you started, and a couple of your old things from Beaver Hollow. I will also leave your weapons by the back of your new home in a chest. I'm aware that I said this life will be free of vice and sin, but it doesn't hurt to be armed. I'm sure you'll agree." The man said handing the satchel to Arthur.

"Oh, and one more final thing." The man pulled out something from behind him. It was an exact copy of the same black cowboy hat that Arthur just gave John a few moments ago. The man placed it gently on Arthur's head. "Perfect, your look is finally complete cowboy. Goodbye Arthur, enjoy the valley. Heard the weathers lovely this time of year." And with that the man walked away and out of sight from Arthur.

Arthur was beyond confused at this interaction. So, he opted to roll over and stare at the rising sun, still casting a gentle glow onto the area. His thoughts lingered on the man and the conversation he just had. He thought the man was full of shit, there was no possible way he could survive. Although Arthur had seen stranger things happen during some of his encounters in the wild, like Francis Sinclair and those strange lights at Hani's Bethel.

He let out another raspy breath before he finally closed his eyes to see if the strange man's words had any merit. And while he closed his eyes, Arthur could've sworn he heard the call of a familiar stag.

Chapter Text

Arthur's senses were blurry to say the least. All he could see was a blinding white and all he could hear was some incessant beeping along with muffled voices. All over his body he felt an aching pain, especially around his chest. Arthur didn't really know what to make of it. Was this Heaven? Was this Hell? Wherever he was he knew one thing for certain. The afterlife hurt like a bitch.

"Where am I," he croaked out painfully, his throat feeling itchy and dry. He tried to get up, but he felt a firm but calming hand being placed on his shoulder that forced him back down.

"Please try and lay down, we don't want you to hurt yourself." Someone said to him.

His vision was starting to clear, and he could see that he was lying in a bed with white walls surrounding him. There were health posters littered across the wall, and a privacy curtain that went around the bed. Arthur lifted his head and saw two individuals in front of him. The one with their hand on his shoulder was a man that looked to be in his early to mid-thirties. He had hazel combed hair, a well-maintained moustache and emerald eyes behind square glasses. He was wearing a green coat that matched his eyes, as well as a white shirt. His jeans and tie were both a matching brown. The man removed his hand from him when he lied back down. Not like Arthur had the strength to try and get back up anyway.

The other individual was a young woman in her early twenties. She was wearing a nurse's uniform and circle rimmed glasses. She had dark skin, her hair looked to be a burgundy color, and her eyes were a soft hazel that showed kindness and sympathy towards Arthur.

"Who are you people?" Arthur asked before he went into another fit of coughing. When he was done, the girl held a glass of water up to Arthur's mouth. He drank it greedily, his throat feeling a bit better with the cool water passing through. "Thank you, Miss.,"

"You're welcome." The woman replied in a comforting tone.

"To answer your questions mister, you're currently in my clinic. My name is Dr. Harvey Cohen, and this here is my assistant Maru Banks." Harvey introduced.

"I'm in a hospital?" Arthur asked, still groggy and tired.

"You are," Harvey began, "and we brought you in a couple of weeks ago. You were in terrible condition when we found you in the mountains."

"Yeah well, TB tends to do that to you." Arthur said causing the doctor's eyes to widen.

"TB? As in tuberculosis?" Harvey asked for confirmation.

"Yeah," Arthur confirmed, "you familiar with-it doc."

"I've heard about it, never actually had to treat it. Maru could you get some antibiotics in the cabinet by the front desk." Harvey said.

"Of course, Harvey." Maru said leaving the two men by themselves.

Harvey then took a seat on a chair beside Arthur's bed and pulled out a notepad. "May I also ask for your name Mister…"

"Morgan, Arthur Morgan." He heard the doctor scribble that down.

"May I ask you some more questions Mr. Morgan?" Harvey asked.

"Sure, if you can answer some of mine." Arthur had to be careful, he would need to omit anything referring to his time in the gang. He might still have a bounty on his head, and he'd rather not deal with the law or any more Pinkertons.

"Of course, let's begin. How old are you?"

"Thirty-six."

"Do you smoke?"

"Yeah."

"How long have you had TB?"

"Five or six months, I think."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Got in a fight with some bastard." Technically wasn't a lie.

"That explains the bruises. Any lung problems in your family history?"

"I wouldn't know, parents died when I was younger."

Harvey's scribbling stopped. "I'm sorry to hear that Mr. Morgan." He said with consolation.

"It's fine, it happened a long time ago." Arthur assured. "Now can you tell me which city or town I'm in doc?"

"You're currently in Pelican town which is in Stardew Valley." Harvey answered. This caused Arthur to go rigid. He remembered what the strange man said and what he offered.

Stardew Valley? Guess the man wasn't full of shit, Arthur thought to himself. He supposed that this was the start of his second chance and tried to reach for the deed but found nothing. In fact, he wasn't wearing his old clothes, he was in a hospital gown.

"Where's my stuff?" He asked Harvey. The doctor pointed to a dresser beside the bed.

"Right there, and before you ask no one went through any of it." The doctor answered. Arthur nodded his head in appreciation.

"Listen doc, I need a favor to ask of you." Harvey had his full attention towards Arthur and gestured for him to continue. He remembered what the strange man told him. "The reason I'm in this valley is to take up a farm near here, I have a deed for the place from my granddaddy." He thought he would simply go with the story the strange man said to him, cause at this point he couldn't think of anything better.

Harvey looked at him in stunned silence. For a moment Arthur was worried that the farm was already taken, or that the doctor didn't believe him. Then Harvey began to laugh.

"You wanted to take over that dilapidated farm while suffering from TB." He said as though the mere idea of it was impossible.

Arthur let out a chuckle. "Well, I thought that plowing fields and hauling animal shit would be a good couple of final days before the TB finally got to me." Harvey then looked at Arthur with a serious expression.

"Wait a second Mr. Morgan. Have you seen a doctor, before me, about your TB?" Harvey asked.

"Well yeah, there wasn't much they could do though." Arthur replied. Harvey looked down then muttered to himself, Arthur couldn't catch much of what he said other than 'incompetent doctors.' "Is everything alright doc?" Harvey looked back up at Arthur.

"Yeah, listen, if you want to take up that farm that's a conversation you'll have to have with our mayor. Also, as a doctor I will not allow you to work until you're in better condition or until we cure your TB." Arthur looked at the doctor in stunned silence.

"Cure my TB," Arthur repeated, "you can do that?" He asked with hope filling his voice.

"I'm not going to make any promises, but if you take some antibiotics and plenty of rest it should be cured." Arthur was silent as he looked at the doctor with a sense of appreciation. Tears were starting to form in his eyes.

"T-thank you doctor. How much do I owe you." He said with gratitude.

Harvey shook his head. "You don't have to pay me Mr. Morgan, it seems you've suffered enough." Maru entered the room again holding several pill bottles. "Ah, right on time." He grabbed one of the bottles and checked the label. He nodded his head and opened it letting some pills fall into his hand. He handed the pills to Arthur, and then left the room for a few seconds, then re-entered the room holding a glass of water. "You'll have to swallow those if you want your TB cured." Harvey explained.

Arthur didn't hesitate. He popped the pills in his mouth, grabbed the water from Harvey and began to swallow. It was difficult due to his sore throat, but he managed it. "So, I'm cured now?" Arthur asked.

Harvey just chuckled. "Not exactly you'll need to take that medicine daily or else the bacteria will become immune to the antibiotics. You should be discharged in a couple of weeks just in time for the start of spring. I could also get the mayor right now so you two could talk about inheriting the farm, if you have the strength for it."

"I'm sure I can handle it." Arthur replied.

"Ok then, I'll be back in a minute. If you need anything Maru will be happy to help you." And with that Harvey walked out. Arthur then turned his full attention towards the young nurse.

"Would you like some more water Mister?" Maru offered.

"No thanks, and it's Arthur Morgan Miss Banks." Arthur said properly introducing himself to her.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Morgan, and you can just call me Maru." Maru replied politely. She sat down on the chair where Harvey was just minutes ago. A dull silence fell between the two of them with the only sound being Arthur's breathing and the beeping of a heart monitor.

"When we found you in the mountains," Maru said breaking the silence, "we didn't think you were alive. You were so cold and pale even when we found a pulse, we didn't think you'd make it." Arthur himself also didn't think he was going to make it, but apparently someone else had other plans.

"So, you were the one that found me?" Arthur asked.

"Well, it was actually my brother that found you first. He, my dad, and my mom managed to drag you down from the mountains to the clinic. I just checked your vitals to make sure you were actually alive." Maru explained.

Arthur nodded his head in understanding. "Well, I'll be sure to give your family my thanks when the time comes."

"You don't have to thank us Mr. Morgan, we were just doing the right thing." Maru replied earnestly. "In fact, they've been asking about you since you've come in here. However only me and Harvey have been allowed to see you, doctor-patient confidentiality I suppose. Actually, the entire town has been asking about you, we're a small town so we don't get many visitors, much less visitors on the verge of death."

Arthur wondered just how small this town was. He wouldn't mind living here if the place was the size of Strawberry, Valantine, or Van Horn. He much preferred the small towns over the big cities like Saint Denis. His thoughts were interrupted when Harvey came back with another man following right behind him.

The new man looked like he was in his fifties with silver hair. He had a handlebar moustache and was wearing a brown cap a green shirt with a yellow tie, and brown suspenders.

"Well, if it isn't the mysterious mountain man himself. I'm Lewis Sinclair, the mayor of Pelican town. And I must say you gave the town a good fright when we found you." He said introducing himself.

"Your mysterious mountain man's name is Arthur Morgan. And I must apologize that my appearance frightened folk." Arthur said politely trying to make a good impression on the local authority.

"Now Doctor Harvey, Maru, could you leave us with some privacy?" Lewis asked. Harvey nodded his head leaving the two of them with Maru following suit. "Harvey told me you needed to speak with me."

"Yeah, I have the deed for that farm nearby, inherited it from my granddaddy. I was hoping to get myself situated in it sometime soon." Arthur explained to Lewis, who just nodded his head with a look of nostalgia washing over his face.

"I remember your grandfather well; he was a great farmer and an even greater friend." Lewis reminisced.

"Sadly, I never knew him very well. He was practically a stranger to me." Which was actually the truth. Arthur never knew any of his grandparents from either side of his family; the only time he ever saw his grandfather was in an old photo his father owned.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lewis said solemnly. "But I think you will manage to live up to his name." Arthur smiled at the man.

"Well, thank you for the confidence, sir." Arthur said with genuine appreciation.

"No problem Mr. Morgan. The farm has mostly been abandoned since your grandfather passed away, so we'll tidy up the farmhouse and get it ready for you until you're discharged from the clinic." Lewis told Arthur.

"Much obliged." Arthur thanked him.

"I have to go Mr. Morgan. Duty calls, and I'll inform the town of our new permanent resident. Goodbye Mr. Morgan." Lewis said.

"Goodbye to you too Mr. Sinclair." Arthur replied to a departing mayor.

Harvey and Maru re-entered informing him that if he needed them that he should push a button on the side of the bed. Apparently, they needed to attend to other duties in the clinic, but this suited Arthur just fine. He needed a moment to process all that's happened.

The first being, did he die? He sure felt like he died on that mountain, or did the man do something else to him? There also came the problem of explaining his past. Would people accept him if he told them about his past? He decided he would try and keep that part of his life a secret for as long as he could, so he would need to come up with a believable back story while he was recovering. There was one more final problem for Arthur, he had no idea how to be a farmer.

Chapter Text

While Arthur was recovering, he learned several things of great importance. The first being he was no longer in the U.S., but rather a country called the Ferngill Republic. He asked Harvey more about it during one of his checkups, and from what Arthur could gather this country was an island nation and that the town they were in was near the southern coastline. He also learned that this country was at war with another called the Gotoro Empire for about two years. Now geography wasn't really a strong suit of Arthur's, but he was fairly certain that these countries didn't exist.

However, a greater shock came to Arthur when he looked at the nearby calendar that read February twenty twenty-three! At first Arthur thought he was imagining it, or it was some sick joke that was being played on him, but Maru confirmed it for him when he asked for the date. He refused to believe that he had time traveled; there was no way that the strange man took him to the future, it was impossible. However, all that doubt washed away when he remembered a certain birth marked stranger.

Francis Sinclair.

Now, when Arthur met the man, he thought he was a bit odd. He also thought the man had the weirdest accent and an even weirder task for him, but he was offered money, so he didn't question it too much. That was until he returned to him to find him missing and instead finding a woman holding a baby with the same birthmark Francis had. At the time Arthur was confused but didn't think much of it, but the thought that Francis was a time traveler did cross his mind. And now here he is, a century into the future.

He didn't really know what to do with this information. So, he decided to keep this dilemma to himself, he didn't need Harvey or Maru to think he was insane and lock him up in an asylum. He also needed a coverup for his past, so he came up with the story that he's been spending the last couple of years in the wild. They didn't seem too suspicious of that, apparently this town has its own wild man and that might've helped in the believability of his story. That or Harvey and Maru cared more for his health than any lie he had been spouting.

Speaking of Harvey and Maru, Arthur got to know the two of them better during his recovery, mostly because they were the only one's allowed to see Arthur. Maru worked at the clinic part time, so Arthur only saw her on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She was apparently an inventor; Arthur could tell she was very eccentric and ambitious about her inventions. She reminded him of Marko Dragic in a way except less aggressive and less European. During one of his checkups, the kid kept rambling on about planets, stars, and meteors. Arthur mentioned the time he found a meteorite crater in Roanoke Ridge to Maru. She then gushed about this and asked Arthur for more details with wide eyes and a wider smile.

Harvey was much more reserved and professional than Maru, though this was only when he was working. Arthur noticed that when Harvey is in a more casual setting, he was more prone to awkward ramblings about health facts. He tried to make small talk with the doctor during one of his checkups to break the ice, and he asked what he did for fun during his spare time.

"Oh, I build model airplanes when I have the chance."

Arthur just stared blankly at the doctor with a confused expression painting his face. After a moment of processing Harvey's words he said, "What the hell's an 'airplane?'"

Harvey then spent the rest of the checkup explaining what an airplane was and how it functioned, with a passion that Arthur had never seen from the doctor before. Arthur was also surprised that people were able to fly with machines, but then again, he was a century in the future. Technology had probably advanced farther than Arthur could imagine, after all Harvey explained some of the medical devices to him in the room like the heart monitor and an X-ray, the latter of which Harvey used on him to see the tuberculosis in his chest.

It was a bitter feeling for Arthur. Having to deal with a changing world was bad enough, but this was an entirely new world that he woke up in.

Although one thing he did enjoy about this new era was the medicine. His health was beginning to improve dramatically, there was more color to his skin, he was coughing less, and he felt much stronger than before. Harvey mentioned that he was recovering impressively fast, and he estimated that he would make a full recovery.

It was currently the twenty eighth of February, and Harvey and Maru were doing one final checkup before he was discharged. Harvey currently had a stethoscope on and was listening to Arthur's breathing. Maru was off to the side of the room ready to assist if Harvey needed it.

"Well, Mr. Morgan your lungs have certainly gotten better since our first meeting." He took off the stethoscope and put it aside. "However, that doesn't mean the tuberculosis is completely gone. I still want you to take the antibiotics daily, and I would like you to come here for monthly checkups still, but other then that I feel that you're fit to be discharged."

Arthur nodded his head in understanding. "Thank you for everything doc. I'll be sure to pay you back soon." Harvey just chuckled and shook his head.

"I told you already Arthur, you don't owe me anything." Harvey said earnestly. "Anyway, your clothes are on the dresser beside you, when you're ready to get changed. I already washed them so they should be clean. We'll leave you with some privacy." Arthur thanked Harvey who soon after left the room with Maru following.

Arthur was glad to get out of the gown and into something more familiar to him. After a moment he was clothed in his gunslinger outfit, with his blue shirt underneath his tan jacket, and his brown pants that were tucked into his black riding boots, and of course his signature black gambler hat sat comfortably on his head. He was also clean shaven, courtesy of Harvey lending him his shaving kit. Overall, he looked and felt much better than before. He grabbed his satchel which still had the things the strange man gave him in it.

Arthur stepped out into the clinic lobby where Harvey and Maru were waiting for him. They both looked up at him when he entered, eyeing his new clothing.

"Mr. Morgan, you're looking like a farmer already." Maru commented, with Harvey nodding his head in Agreement.

"You excited Arthur?" Harvey asked.

"I don't really know." Arthur answered, and he never really imagined himself becoming a farmer. The only instance of farming that crossed his mind was Dutch's grand plan of becoming Mango farmers on Tahiti.

"Well Lewis is handling some finishing touches on your farm as we speak, and your escort should be here any second." Harvey said. "I also cannot stress this enough; you have to take that medicine daily. If you are feeling any aches in your chest or if you start coughing up blood, come to me immediately. He said with great importance as he handed Arthur a bottle of pills.

"I will doc don't you go worrying on my behalf." Arthur said.

"And if you need any more clothes, I know this place which sells good outf-"

Arthur interrupted Harvey with a firm hand on the doc's shoulder. "I think I'll worry about farming first and then the clothes second doc."

"Ah of c-course Mr. Morgan." He replied awkwardly.

Maru just chuckled at the two men's interaction, she looked out the window and a smile formed on her face. "Arthur your escort is here," she said chipperly.

"And who exactly is my escort?" Arthur asked.

"Well, it was originally supposed to be Lewis, but the farmhouse took longer to setup than he realized so he sent mom to escort you instead." Maru explained to him excitedly.

Arthur raised his eyebrows at this, "Your mother?"

"Yup," she confirmed, "and you don't need to worry about her she's very welcoming. She's also been pestering me about you, and she practically begged the mayor to escort you." Maru said.

"Well, I shouldn't keep a lady waiting then. Thank you for the hospitality, Harvey."

"Of course, Mr. Morgan and don't be afraid to visit." Harvey said to him as he exited the clinic.

He stepped out into the town square, with his eyes having to adjust to the brightness of the sun. Intricate brick paths layered the ground ahead of him each leading to buildings that looked familiar yet modern to Arthur.

He breathed a deep breath of fresh air in his now healthy lungs. A gentle breeze brushed past him wisping his hair.

He noticed a red-haired woman with a yellow jacket approaching him and waving him over.

"Hello there, Arthur, I'm Robin the local carpenter," she offered a hand to Arthur, "I'll be taking you to your farm, but I'm sure Maru already told you that."

Arthur shook her hand; she had a very firm grip he noticed. "Yeah, she did along with telling me that you 'begged the mayor to be my escort.'"

Robin let out an amused huff. "She's told me as much as she could about you, and I must say you're looking much better than when we found you by our house."

"Doc says I'm expected to make a full recovery, and I must thank you for saving me, ma'am." Arthur said.

Robin waved her hand dismissively, "You don't have to thank me Arthur, I was glad to help. Now c'mon I think Lewis should be finishing up on the farm."

Robin led the way while Arthur followed right behind.

"So, what made you want to come to Stardew Valley?" Robin asked.

"To get away from it all I suppose, and to start fresh somewhere quiet." Arthur answered.

"Well, you picked the right place to stay. We're a small community, away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, but I think you'll manage to fit right in. I'm sure Maru told you how the entire town has been gossiping about you." Robin said.

Arthur just chuckled, "Yeah, I heard about that. Though this isn't the worst uproar I've caused in a town before." Robin raised a brow at this.

"What kind of uproars have you caused?" she asked.

I've shot up most of the towns I've been in, Arthur thought to himself. "Ah you know, couple of bar fights here and there." A near truth he supposed was better than an outright lie.

Robin narrowed her eyes at this, "well I hope you don't start one here."

Arthur raised his hands in defense, "Wouldn't dream of it ma'am, besides I don't really start the fights I just end them."

Robin faces softened slightly at this information, "Ok then, and if you don't mind me asking what you did before we found you in the mountains."

"I was living it out in the wilderness, going from place-to-place living off the land." Arthur said using his cover story.

"Oh, like Linus." Robin exclaimed.

"Linus?" He echoed.

"He's our local wild man; lives in a tent nearby our house. Most of the town is weary of him, but he's a very friendly person when you get to know him." Robin explained to him.

"I think your daughter mentioned him to me actually, never gave me a name though." Arthur said.

The two of them continued the trek in relative silence. It was a cool evening and Arthur enjoyed walking after being confined to the clinic for weeks.

The two of them made it to the farmland, and to put it mildly Arthur wasn't expecting the farm to be this run down.

Robin noticed this as well and said, "It may be a bit overgrown but there's good soil underneath this mess." Arthur prayed that Robin was right.

His house was better than the farm, it was like many of the cabins and homesteads he would encounter out in the wild. Although it looked like the wood on the house would need some serious work. Besides he slept in worse; he always hated that house in Shady Belle.

Lewis stepped out of the house, a coat of dust layering his clothes. He noticed the two of them and his face brightened.

"Mr. Morgan good to see you. I see Robin had no trouble in escorting you." The mayor began, "Cleaning out the cottage was a task and a half, but I managed." He handed Arthur a key which he pocketed. "I'm glad you're settling in it; was afraid we'd have to sell it to Joja soon. It's a very 'rustic' cottage if you ask me." Robin chuckled at the mayors wording.

"Rustic is one way of putting it; 'crusty' might be more apt though." Robin said.

"Well, rustic or crusty this is a step up from where I usually sleep." Arthur said.

"I'm glad you enjoy it Mr. Morgan, it's yours from now on." The mayor said joyously. "Oh, I also took the liberty of making you a dinner, I didn't know if you were up to cooking since your discharge, so I made you spaghetti." He added.

"Lucky you," Robin said with a tone of jealousy, "I've been trying to get the mayors spaghetti recipe for years, but he won't budge." Lewis laughed. Arthur didn't know what spaghetti was, but he did recall Jack having it with his time with Bronte.

"Can't say I've ever had spaghetti before." Arthur stated.

"Oh, then you're in for a treat Arthur." Robin said with a smile.

"By the way Mr. Morgan, your tools are inside the house for when your ready to get started, and if you have anything to sell just place it in that bin beside your house. I'll come by at night to collect it." The mayor explained to him.

"Thank you, Mr. Sinclair." Arthur said.

"Oh, and there's a chest behind your house that I couldn't seem to get open." The mayor added with Arthur already knowing what was in it.

"I'll be sure to check it out." Arthur reassured.

"Well, I best be off, good luck Mr. Morgan." And with that Lewis left the property on the same path that Arthur and Robin took.

"I should also get going, don't want to keep the family waiting for dinner." Robin said. "Oh, speaking of we would love to have you over for dinner whenever you're free next." She added.

"I'll think about it ma'am," he looked over at the vast farmland which was overgrown with trees and vines, "though it seems I'm going to be busy the next couple of days."

"Of course, maybe you should also head into town and introduce yourself to everyone soon." Robin said, with Arthur contemplating if he should in fact greet the townspeople or just live like a hermit. She then waved goodbye and walked away on a northern pathway instead of the one they took to get here. Arthur would have to keep that path in mind.

As soon as she left, he decided to check out the chest behind the house, wondering how many weapons the strange man had left him with. It was a fairly big chest with a lock that could easily be picked by Arthur. Once unlocked Arthur opened it to find every single one of his weapons in it. All his revolvers, pistols, rifles, repeaters, shotguns, and hell even his bow. He decided to just grab his cattleman revolver because he didn't think he'd need to be armed to the teeth in this small town.

He went back inside his house to have a moment by himself. The house's interior was comfy enough for Arthur. There was enough furniture for him with a bed, table, and chair, as well as a fireplace that was currently crackling with a warm fire. In the corner of the house there lied a weird gray box with a couple of buttons on it. He decided to leave it alone for now.

It was all surreal to him, this was his house, and his farm. He wasn't used to owning property or just having something be his own. It was usually part of the gang or was contributed to the gang.

The sun was setting, and Arthur decided to try some of this spaghetti, that was currently on top of his table. It was impressively good, especially compared to the hospital food and Pearson's stew that he had for God knows how long.

The sky was beginning to darken with a purple tint covering the sky. Arthur sighed; he was grateful for this fresh new start but at the same time…

He was lonely.

He was always used to being part of the gang; his family, at least the closest thing he had to a family, and now it was gone. It was a bittersweet feeling for Arthur, so he decided to draw in his journal to keep his mind occupied. He drew the four townspeople he met already: Harvey, Maru, Lewis, and Robin.

He made little notes about them, but still his thoughts wandered. From the Van Der Linde gang, to John, to Mary Linton, and then finally to Eliza and Isaac. Arthur paused; he supposed losing the gang wasn't the first time he lost a family.

But Robins words echoed in his mind, about meeting everyone in town. Then a stray thought came to his mind.

Maybe I could raise a family here. Though would I mess it up like last time? Arthur thought solemnly.

Arthur let out a yawn, perhaps he could sleep on the idea.

He laid down in his bed with heavy eyelids and drifted off into the land of dreams, thinking of all that has transpired.

Chapter Text

It all seems so strange being in this town. It's a lovely place though, very peaceful. The folks here seem nice as well, the local doctor, Harvey, managed to cure my tuberculosis, and words cannot describe how thankful I am. I'll find a way to pay him back one way or another.

His assistant, Maru, was also pleasant company. She's a smart kid; explained a lot of new things to me. Her mother was also nice, she invited me for dinner with her family. Might take her up on that. Also mentioned she was a carpenter so I might need her skills soon, with how run down this cabin is.

The mayor is alright, definitely better than Lemieux. Gifted me some parsnip seeds to get started. Also knows my supposed "grandpa" so I need to be careful about that.

I've tried my hand at farming, and it's not as hard as it looks: thankfully. I would've never expected myself to go from an outlaw to a farmer, but life tends to surprise you. Including the surprise that I'm a century into the future; still wrapping my head around that one, and a part of me is still in denial about it. There's also that man I met on the mountain. He looked vaguely familiar I just can't put my finger on it.

Arthur finished writing in his journal, gazing out at his farm. It was still overgrown with trees and rocks, but he managed to make a small clearing for his crops, which was just parsnips for now. The actual farming was quite easy. All he had to do was hoe some dirt, plant the seeds, and water it: simple enough. Although the tools he had were as run down as the cabin.

It was about twelve o'clock with the sun shining brightly in the clear azure sky. Arthur didn't really know what to do now. He could keep on clearing the farm, but he was already tired from clearing that patch for the parsnips. He also didn't want to strain himself too much; he was still recovering after all.

Arthur supposed he could visit the town. He thought he saw a general store when he was leaving the clinic, and he'd like to stock up on supplies and food. Plus, he could always meet some of the locals. So, he set off on the dirt road heading to Pelican town.

He still had his cattleman revolver in his holster. He had no intention of using it while in Pelican Town, but he felt exposed without a weapon.

Habit of the outlaw life I suppose Arthur thought to himself, although he was worried that some of the villagers would react negatively towards it. The weather was comfortable, so Arthur was wearing his usual attire including his satchel.

When he set foot in town, he saw the general store right next to the clinic. It was a quaint building, although it seemed bigger than most general stores, he's been in. Perhaps it was just the clinic next to it that enhanced its size. By the entrance of the store, he noticed a calendar, a bulletin board and a sign that read: "Pierre's General Store."

He took a quick glance at the calendar and noticed the mayor's birthday approaching on the seventh of March.

Might get him something. He did give me a place after all.

Arthur entered the store and was greeted by rows of produce and goods. Things like canned goods, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and other various knick-knacks that Arthur didn't recognize lined the shelves. There were no other customers in sight, and the only person there was someone behind the cash register reading a book. He had combed brown hair, and brown bespectacled eyes peering over rectangular glasses.

He looked up from his reading with eyes widening in surprise. "Ah you must be the new farmer. I'm Pierre owner of this here general store, and is there anything I can help you with?" Pierre greeted.

"Arthur Morgan," he introduced, "and I'm actually interested in some seeds and canned food you've got."

"Well, I'll pull up the catalogue and let you browse from there." He pulled out a green book from underneath the counter.

Arthur flipped through the catalogue browsing its contents. He purchased potato, cauliflower, bean, and kale seeds, which he pocketed in his satchel. He also grabbed some canned food for future meals.

"Glad to see that the Callahan farm will be getting back up on it's feet. Some agriculture could really boost the local economy." Pierre said.

Arthur raised a brow at the name of his farm, "Callahan?"

"Yup, named After Mark Callahan, the founder of this town. He was the one who originally owned that farm." Pierre stated. " You did know that right?" he asked.

Arthur shook his head and scoffed, "first time hearing about this. Didn't even know the farm had a name."

A door opened to the right of the counter with a woman stepping outside of it. She was wearing a blue dress and the most notable thing about her were her green hair and eyes. She looked at Arthur with surprise.

"Oh, I'm Caroline, Pierre's wife. Who might you be?" she asked.

Arthur didn't respond, he was too transfixed on Caroline's green hair with an odd expression. She noticed this and began to grow worried.

"Is everything alright? Is something in my hair?" She said while inspecting her hair.

Arthur was knocked out of his stupor and shook his head, "N-no ma'am, I apologize I've just never seen anyone with uh green hair before."

Caroline stopped her inspection and let out a mirthful chuckle. "It's alright my hair color is not really common in these parts, and if you're surprised by my hair, you should see my daughter."

"SON OF A BITCH!" A female voice cried out causing the three adults to jump.

"The hell was that?" Arthur said.

"ABIGAIL, WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE WE HAVE CUSTOMERS HERE!" Pierre shouted back.

The door flung open once again to reveal a young woman with deep purple hair, and a pissed off expression plastered on her face.

Must be the daughter, and Caroline was right. Arthur thought to himself staring at her hair.

"Sorry dad, but I've been stuck on this level for the past…" she trailed off when she noticed Arthur. "Who's this?"

"This is Arthur Morgan our new business partner." Pierre said.

"Business partner?" Arthur parroted.

"Of course, you'll grow the produce and I'll buy and sell it. It's a beneficial relationship Mr. Morgan." Pierre stated clasping a hand on Arthur's shoulder. Abigail just rolled her eyes at her father.

"Will this be like the time you tricked Robin into becoming a business partner?" Abigail asked.

Pierre just chuckled nervously, "We don't mention that anymore." He muttered to her.

"Whatever," she replied dismissively. She turned to face Arthur with a smile on her face. "So, you're the new farmer everyone has been talking about? I tired to get a peek at you in the clinic but, Maru wasn't having it. By the way, you kinda look like the prairie ki- IS THAT A GUN!" she exclaimed excitingly staring at Arthur's revolver.

"Yes, it is." He confirmed nervously. Fuck, I knew I shouldn't have brought any guns.

"Can I please try it out." She begged.

Just as Arthur was about to answer Pierre beat him to it. "ABSOULTELY NOT YOUNG WOMAN. You will not be handling any weapons; swords or pistols." He lectured. He then faced Arthur with a suspicious glare. "And why do you even have a gun in the first place."

"Self defense sir. Come across a lot of wild animals and unsavory folk out there." Arthur explained, which caused Pierre to soften his glare.

"Oh of course, but I don't think you'll need it here. Don't really get a lot of excitement here." Caroline said.

"What are you talking about there's the adventurer's guild up in the mountain." Abigail interrupted, causing Caroline to sigh and Arthur to look at her in interest.

"What's that?" He asked.

"It's some secret club that sells weapon's and deals with monsters." Abigail explained excitedly. That piqued Arthur's curiosity.

"Monster's you say?"

"Yeah, there's rumors' of them in the nearby caves. Good luck getting into them now though, a landslide blocked the entrance and the guild." She explained, and Arthur noticed that during her explanation her parents had a disapproving look on them. "I've always wanted to join the guild; it sounds so adventurous and fun." She said blissfully.

Sadly, her bliss was soon shattered.

"How many times do we have to go over this Abigail; you're not joining that ridiculous club." Pierre stated.

"I'm not a little kid anymore dad I can do whatever I want." Abigail argued facing her father with a look of anger.

"You still live under my house so you will abide by my rules!"

"That doesn't mean you can dictate every little detail about my life!"

Arthur just stood there awkwardly watching the argument ensue, luckily Caroline came to his rescue. "You can go now Mr. Morgan, I'll handle them. Oh, and here take these," she handed him a couple seed packets, "they're tea leaves, from my own garden. So, you don't have to worry about Pierre accusing you of stealing his products." She winked at him and beckoned him to leave.

Arthur thanked her and left the father and daughter to their bickering. He also adjusted his gun belt to be hidden by his coat; didn't need anyone else to find out. Not yet at least.

He stepped out into the town square with the sun still out. He noticed that the only person out was an elderly woman in a red dress tending to a flower garden. She looked up and saw Arthur, her face brightening as she approached him.

"You must be our new farmer. I'm Evelyn but most people call me granny." She introduced.

"Arthur and it's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." Arthur said.

"Would you like to have some of my home-made cookie? They should be done soon." She offered.

"Thank you for the offer but I should get goi-" Before he could finish, Evelyn grabbed his forearm and started dragging him away.

Now Arthur could've easily broken free from the women's grasp, however, he was caught off guard, surprised by her strength for someone her age, and he didn't want to hurt her.

She dragged him all the way to, what he believed to be her house, and let him inside. When he stepped inside, he noticed the place had a familiar scent of a bakery. He'd been to a couple of small-town bakeries when he was younger, even robbed a few of them, but this smell brought him a sense of nostalgia he never realized he had.

"Make yourself at home dearie I'll get the cookies out of the oven." She said leaving him by himself.

He decided to investigate the house a little bit. He entered the living room and saw a stern, balding, elderly man sitting in a wheelchair watching something from a black box that looked like the one at his house. The man just glanced at him for a second then returned his attention back to the box.

"Evie let you in?" The man asked.

"Uhhh yeah." Arthur confirmed. The man sighed.

"God, that woman will let anyone in this house. Name's George don't bother me, and we'll get along just fine."

"Arthur, and what exactly is that?" He said pointing to box. The man let out a frustrated grunt.

"The hell I just say about bothering me, and it's a television dumbass. You do know what a television is right?" He asked, annoyed by Arthur interrupting his daily shows.

"Can't say I ever heard of it before actually." He let out another sigh.

"Have you been living under a rock boy? How do you not know what a tv is?"

"Well, I've lived far away from 'televisions' if I'm being honest." Arthur said causing George to roll his eyes and pick up the remote. He gestured for Arthur to come closer holding up the remote for him to properly see.

"You use this button to turn it on or off, this one to flick through the channels-"

"Channels?" He interrupted.

"Yes, channels. Stuff like the weather, entertainment, and cooking if you're into that shit." George continued, "and this button controls the volume. Those are the only three buttons you need to know, the rest of them are bullshit." He explained.

"Well, uh, thank you for the colorful explanation mister." George waved his hand dismissively.

"Whatever."

Arthur felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around to face Evelyn who had a gentle smile plastered on her face.

"Cookies are done deary, and I'm glad you're getting along well with George." Arthur scoffed. "Would you like some cookies as well George?"

"Of course, sweetie." He grumbled out in an affectionate tone.

Their kitchen was filled with an aroma of sugar and a sense of comfort. Evelyn shooed Arthur into a seat with a plate of cookies wafting steam in the air.

"Alex, cookies are ready!" Evelyn yelled down the hall. Arthur heard the opening of a door and heavy footsteps following suit. A man in is early twenties came barreling into the kitchen with a glean of sweat covering his body… he was also shirtless.

"God's sake boy, put a shirt on. We have a guest over." George yelled at him. Arthur noted that he was extremely fit and had an athletic build. It made Arthur wonder what the boy did to get a body like that. Sports maybe?

"Shit, sorry Grandpa." He said before leaving and returning with a black tank top on.

Arthur grabbed a cookie and tasted it. His eyes widening in surprise, Evelyn noticing this as well.

"I take it you like it deary?" She asked.

Arthur swallowed before he answered, "this is the best damn cookie I've ever had."

"Damn right it is, Granny makes the best cookies in the world. She's been making them since I've been born." Alex exclaimed excitedly, he then looked at Arthur confusedly. "Also, who are you again?"

Arthur just chuckled, "Name's Arthur kid, the new farmer." A look of realization came across Alex's face.

"That's right, I saw the carpenter chick dragging you to the clinic a couple of weeks ago." He said, "By the way I'm Alex. You enjoying your stay here dude?"

"I guess I am, not used to this kind of hospitality though." Arthur admitted.

"Well, you deserve it, especially with the amount of time you spent at the clinic." Evelyn chimed in. George scoffed with a scowl on his face.

"What's your problem?" Arthur asked, not in a tone of antagonization but rather confusion.

"He doesn't like Harvey." Alex answered.

"Of course, I don't like him. Bastard's always telling me how to live my life, who does he think he is." George said angrily.

Arthur frowned, "That 'bastard' saved my life, and he could save yours as well. So, I think you should treat the doc with a little respect." A tense silence fell around the table, after a moment George grumbled and wheeled himself out.

Evelyn let out a tired sigh, "I apologize for his behavior, he wasn't always like this you know, but after the accident he's never been the same."

Arthur looked down with a sense of guilt forming in him. "You don't need to apologize; it was my fault too ma'am." He decided to stay and help Evelyn clean up the kitchen, since she had to leave to tend to her chores. While he was doing so Alex approached him.

"Hey man, just to let you know, Grandpa's a hardass on everyone so don't feel too bad. And if you want to get on his good side; leeks are his favorite." Alex said to him.

Arthur smiled at the boy, "I'll keep that in mind." He looked at the clock seeing that it read 6:00, "I think I should head on out it was a pleasure to meet you kid."

"Yeah, nice to meet you too. Oh, Grandma wanted me to give this to you." He handed him a small box wrapped with a green bow.

"What is it?"

"It's some left over cookies; she called it a welcoming gift."

"Well make sure to giver her my thanks." He took the gift and placed it into his satchel.

"Will do man. I gotta go practise for gridball. See ya later." He departed back into his room, while Arthur had one thought on his mind.

The hell's a gridball?

He stepped out of the house seeing a beautiful sunset that painted the sky pink and purple. Arthur needed a drink after today, so he went over to the saloon which was fairly close by.

As he entered the building the few patrons stared at him as he walked over to the bar, the floor creaking with every step. He sat on a stool and faced the bartender a jolly, portly, man with a moustache.

Kind of looks like Pearson. Arthur thought to himself.

"Hello there, I'm Gus what can I get you?" Gus said.

"A drink, something heavy please." He placed a few coins down, but Gus slid them back.

"It's on the house Arthur, consider it a welcoming gift." Arthur looked up at Gus with suspicion.

"How do you know my name?" He asked.

"Doctor Harvey let the name slip while he was here, but don't worry that's the only thing he let slip." He said in an amused tone. "There's been a lot of gossip around you. Being a bartender tends to let you eavesdrop on the local conversation. I've heard that you're a secret prince, a soldier that went AWOL, and that you're an outlaw on the run."

Arthur stiffened at that last one, luckily Gus didn't notice. "All ridiculous theories, I'm sure. So, what's your actual story."

"Just a man trying to make a simple living is all." Arthur said letting out a nervous chuckle. Gus laughed as well.

"Aren't we all, and if you don't want to talk about your past that's fine with me. We all have our own secrets don't we." Gus said while pouring some beer in a mug and passing it to him.

"Indeed, we do." Arthur agreed with him.

"Well, I gotta tend to the kitchen for a while call me if you need me." Gus said leaving Arthur Alone.

Arthur for the most part just sat silently nursing his drink thinking of today's events. He took a swig of his beer, the drink tasting burning his throat as he swallowed. He put the mug down staring at the wooden countertop. He glanced to his left where he saw an old woman with curly blonde hair passed out on a stool. He then glanced to his right where a woman with bright vibrant red eyes and ocean blue hair was mere inches away from his face.

"Christ!" Arthur cried out surprised by how close she was to him. He clutched his chest feeling his rapidly beating heart, but the woman paid no mind to this.

"Hellooo, I'm Emily and you must be Arthur," She said chipperly, "it's so good to finally meet you."

He held a finger up to her, "Don't scare me like that again." She ignored him and instead gazed deeply into his eyes, seemingly trying to look for something. Arthur looked around to see if anyone was also noticing her weird behavior. They weren't.

"You've seen a lot haven't you," She stated, "I can see it in your eyes."

"I beg your pardon."

"You also have low self-esteem, which is a shame cause you're quite handsome." She said bluntly, which caused Arthur to go red and heat to rise to his cheeks.

"I uh thank you Miss. You look mighty pretty as well." He stammered out causing her to giggle.

"You're not used to receiving compliments, are you?" She asked.

Arthur sighed, "Is it that obvious?"

"Very much so, but there's nothing wrong with that." Emily reassured. She pointed to a seat beside him, "Mind if I sit here?"

Arthur gestured for her to sit. As she sat down Arthur noticed more of her features. She was wearing a velvet dress and had a touch of makeup that wasn't too noticeable. Arthur also took notice of her unusual hair coloring.

"What is it with the hair in this town?" He muttered to himself, although it appeared she heard him.

"Are you talking about Abigail? She's very good at dyeing hair, she did mine and the colors always pop out." She looked at Arthur for a second, "I think red would suit you well."

Arthur just laughed, "I'm quite comfortable with the hair I have right now."

"Suit yourself." She replied. Arthur took another sip of his drink.

"Enjoying your drink?"

"Mhm."

"Yeah, Gus can make a wicked brew, he's been teaching me some tricks seeing how I'm his barmaid." Arthur blinked in surprise at what she said.

"You work here?" Arthur asked.

"It's part time, my main passion is tailoring. Sadly, fabric is hard to come by around here."

"Well if I come across any fabric, I'll lend you some." He offered.

Emily flashed him a smile, "Thank you Arthur."

A silence fell between them with Arthur enjoying his drink, and Emily seeming to analyze Arthur deeply. After a while she had a glimmer in her eye, and fished something out of her pocket and slid it to Arthur.

It was a smooth crystal, ovular in shape, that shone a warm orange in the saloon light. Arthur held it up, inspecting it with scrutiny.

"What is this?" He asked her.

"It's topaz, a crystal with healing properties." She explained with conviction. Arthur stared at her blankly.

"…A crystal with healing properties?" He repeated slowly.

"Yup just make sure to keep it by you to heal your spirit," She grasped Arthur's shoulder with her left hand in a gentle manner, "I think you could benefit greatly from it."

"If you say so." He said hesitantly.

"Well, I should head back to work don't want to upset Gus, have a goodnight, and if you ever need a friend my door is always open." She departed with a smile leaving him alone with his near empty drink and an orange rock. It was also after she left that he realized that she knew his name somehow.

Gus probably told her, he deduced.

He got up, pocketed the topaz, exited the saloon, and started to trek back home. The sun had set, and the stars and moon replaced it upon the clear night sky. He could spot many familiar constellations in the sky. It reminded him of Pearson telling him how he used constellations for directions during his time in the navy.

He wondered what Pearson did after he left. What did he do after he left? Did the law find him? Now he was thinking of the other's that left and what happened with them. Though he doubted it mattered; it wasn't like he could write to any of them.

Once he made it back, he lied down in bed letting out an exhausted sigh; he would plant his new seeds in the morning. He felt the orange crystal in his pocket and fished it out. He traced the crystal with his fingers, feeling the smoothness of it and it's admiring its beauty.

"Healing properties." Arthur scoffed out. It was some malarkey he was sure of it. Crystals that healed sounded like a giant scam, and he was half tempted to sell the rock for a couple bucks.

However, something inside him compelled him not to. Perhaps it was out of kindness, or maybe it was stupidity. Then a thought entered his head.

Perhaps he wasn't used to being gifted something. Most of the time when he received something it was as a form of payment. But the topaz, as well as, the tea leaves, and Evelyn's cookies were all gifts given to him to make him feel welcomed.

It was a foreign concept to him; a concept that made him softly smile.

He placed it on the nearby table, where it still shone a bright orange. He admired it one final time appreciating the sentiment of it before heading to bed.

Chapter Text

Arthur heard the sounds of waves splashing and the squawking of seagulls. He looked around confused noting that he wasn't inside his cabin anymore. In fact, he was on a creaky wooden boat out in the cool blue water.

"Arthur." A familiar voice beside him said. He slowly turned around not believing what he was hearing.

Sitting next to him was Hosea in the flesh.

Arthur had his mouth agape at him, and an expression of shock was conveyed on his face.

"What's the matter Arthur, you look like you've seen a ghost." Hosea joked.

It took Arthur a moment to compose himself before he spoke. "That's cause I am. I saw you die in Saint Denis." He stated confusing Hosea.

"Arthur what are you talking about. Saint Denis? Why the hell would we be in Saint Denis?" He asked.

Now Arthur was confused, "Where am I?"

"Flat Iron Lake," Hosea answered, "Pearson wanted us to get some fish." Arthur nodded his head in understanding. "Are you alright Arthur if you're not feeling up to it, I can go alone."

He shook his head, "No I'm alright, just had a nightmare."

Hosea chuckled, "My stories put you to sleep again?"

"I guess."

"If you don't mind me asking what the nightmare was about?" Hosea asked.

"Well, the gang fell apart, Micah betrayed us, and you, Lenny, Sean, Kieran, and Susan were killed." He explained. "I also woke up in the future somehow and started a farm." He added.

Hosea did a double take at that last part, "You? A farmer?"

"I know, I know. That was the strangest part if you ask me."

Grey clouds were approaching the horizon, and a huge gust of wind blew past nearly knocking Arthur's hat off.

"And the gang falling apart doesn't surprise me. After all it was all your fault." Arthur stared at Hosea processing what he just said.

"I beg your pardon." It was now starting to rain.

"It was all your fault, Arthur. You couldn't save me, you couldn't save Sean, you couldn't save Lenny, and you couldn't save Issac and Eliza." Arthur froze, the rain beginning to pelt him, a pit of guilt forming in his stomach.

"I tried to help you, all of you I did." he said shakily.

"It's all your FAULT." Hosea lunged at him taking them both down into the murky blue depths. He had his hands around his trying to starve him of oxygen while he was already drowning. There was a loud crack of thunder. Arthur could feel his conscious slipping. The words your fault echoing in his mind.

Arthur awoke with a cold sweat, panting heavily and letting out a fit of coughs from his recovering lungs. He looked around his surroundings. He was back in his rustic cabin in Stardew.

He lay down staring at the wooden ceiling trying to calm himself. The sunlight seeped through the window casting a warm glow into the room. He looked around seeing Emily's topaz and several seed packets scattered on the table as he left them last night.

Arthur thought about the dream he just had with a sense of guilt. Maybe it really was all his fault, maybe he could have saved Sean, Lenny, Hosea, and maybe just maybe he could've saved himself.

He got up from the bed trying to shake these thoughts away from his mind. He freshened himself, took the pills Harvey gave him, grabbed the seeds from the table and headed out for work. It was mostly a blur of him working the farm and trying to distract himself from his guilt. However, as he was working, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

He had mail in his mailbox.

He went over and checked it, curious at who would send him mail in the valley. It was from someone named Willy, a name Arthur wasn't familiar with, then again Arthur only met a handful of the villagers so far.

He opened it up and began to read the short message.

Hello there,

Just got back from a fishing trip. You should come down to the beach some time.

I've got something for ya.

This piqued Arthur's attention, mostly because it served as the perfect distraction to clear his mind. He didn't need to tend further to his crops which were now tilled and watered. So, he headed off walking to town.

He had a vague idea of the direction of the local beach with Harvey mentioning a beach during his recovery. It took him a minute, but he found his way.

The beach was beautiful in Arthur's opinion, golden sand glistened in the sunlight, sapphire ocean waves crashed gently on the shore, and the smell of salt lingered in the air. He also took notice of a cabin that was on the shore that was right next to a shallow creek.

Arthur wondered if Willy was in the cabin, he was about to go over and knock on the door, but before he could, he saw a man standing on the nearby docks staring at the ocean while smoking a pipe.

He made his way over to the docks passing by a stilt house connected to the docks that had several nets, fish and rope hanging on the walls.

The man was still facing the ocean, not noticing Arthur's presence. He wore a brown cap with sewing patches visible in some places, as well as a bright red shirt, and a full black beard.

Arthur coughed in had hand to get his attention, "Excuse me mister, but are you Willy?" He asked.

The man turned around snuffing out his pipe, "Indeed I am lad, good to see ya got my letter." He started, with Arthur noting that Willy had a bit of an Irish accent that reminded him of Sean and Molly. "Just got back from a trip out on the seas and Lewis told me we had a newcomer in town."

"Yeah, I've been settling into that old farm the past couple of days," he told Willy. "You said you have something for me?"

"Yes, just got back from a fishing trip, a very successful one at that, got enough to buy me a new fishing rod. And I wanted to give you my old one, a sorta welcoming gift to the valley." He handed Arthur a fishing rod similar to his old one.

Arthur chuckled, "I believe this is my fourth gift since coming here."

"Aye, most of the townsfolk heard of your plight in the clinic, myself included, and although we couldn't get the details it sounded awful." Willy explained.

Arthur scoffed, "So, I'm getting presents out of pity?"

"There's a difference between pity and sympathy Mr. Morgan. Never forget that." Willy stated in a sagely tone.

Arthur said nothing, simply taking in Willy's words in silence.

"You ever do any fishing before?" Willy asked changing the subject.

"A couple times, though I always thought I was a terrible fisherman compared to some of my friends."

"I'll be the judge of that. Why don't you fish with me for a bit, I can tell you a couple of tricks." Willy offered.

"Sure, why not." Arthur accepted while he assembled his rod.

Willy cast his line out with Arthur following shortly behind.

"So, you said you fished a couple of times before. Caught anything interesting?" Willy asked trying to make small talk.

"Yeah, there was this one time I was fishing with a friend of mine, Kieran was his name, out by the lake we were camping out at. And while we were fishing, this naked swimmer comes up to us and points us to this direction of a giant bluegill. One of the biggest I ever caught, reckon it was about four pounds." Arthur regaled.

"Aye, we have bluegill in these waters, though we call'em bream here, and none as heavy as four pounds." Willy said.

Arthur's line went taut, and his rod was pulled downward.

"Oh, I got something." He reeled it in, with the fish resisting Arthur's tugging. After one final tug the fish was out of the water and hanging by the end of the line.

"A halibut, not bad for the first catch of the day." Willy remarked. "I'll buy anything you catch by the way." He added, with Arthur humming in acknowledgement while he dealt with the fresh fish.

Arthur cast out his line again, "So, is that your cabin out on the beach?"

"No, that's Elliott's; my neighbor. In fact, I think that's him coming over. Quick warning, he has a giant vocabulary."

Arthur glanced behind him, seeing a man with long flowing orange hair and dressed in a fashion that was like those of Saint Denis' high society.

"Good afternoon, Willy, glad to see you made it back in one piece from your trip." Elliott said with an accent that matched his attire. "And you must be Arthur, I'm Elliott. Your arrival has sparked many a conversation. Especially since you were cooped up in the clinic."

"I've heard, though I'm more used to lying low and avoiding attention, if possible," Arthur confessed.

"To each their own. I'm quite the opposite; always wanted to go show my writing prowess to the world," Elliott exclaimed.

"Writing?"

"Yes, Elliott here is an esteemed writer," Willy explained to Arthur, "I have to go in, and stock the shop. Come see me when your done and I'll buy yer fish," Willy left the two men while he headed inside.

Arthur's interest was piqued, "What do you write?" he asked while reeling in another fish.

"Literary essay's, poetry, short stories. Stuff you'd find in magazines or collections," Elliott explained, "but that's why I moved here, to help with writing my first novel."

"Whatcha writing about?" Arthur questioned casting out his line, while Willy began to reel in a catch.

Elliott sighed, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve, "That's the first problem I have; I don't what to write about," he revealed.

Arthur had an idea of what he could write about, he was just debating whether he should tell Elliott or not.

A second later he made up his mind, "How bout a western?"

Elliott scoffed, "That's a bit old fashioned for my taste, and tales of the old west are a bit overdone in my opinion."

Arthur frowned, "Well how bout a tale of the dying days of the Wild West, and a gang that was like a family slowly fell apart," Elliott was curious now and had his full attention.

"Go on." He urged Arthur.

"Well, where do you want me to begin?" He asked.

"Start at the most interesting part."

Arthur nodded and started to reminisce about old memories; both good and bad.

"Well, it all started with a heist in a town called Blackwater…"

For the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening, Arthur told Elliott about the ferry heist, escaping the law, settling into Colter, meeting, Sadie, saving John, hunting with Charles, dealing with the O'Driscoll's, the Cornwall train robbery, and he finished it off with them leaving for Horseshoe Overlook. Of course, he used fake names and alias for the story; he wasn't an idiot.

Elliott was enamored with the story to say the least, only interrupting to ask a question here or there. He listened to Arthur as though what he was saying was some siren song.

Arthur didn't really know why he was telling Elliott all of this. Maybe it was a way to cope with all that happened, or maybe he was confessing to Elliott to ease the guilt.

The guilt of past mistakes, the guilt of foolish loyalty, the guilt of dead friends.

"That is simply marvelous," Elliott's exclamation snapped Arthur out from his thoughts, "do you mind if I use this for my novel? I haven't had a good idea for my novel in months and this would be perfect."

Arthur shrugged, "Sure, go right ahead."

"Thank you, Mr. Morgan; I've got to write all of this down. Have a good evening," and with that Elliott left with a bit of pep in his step.

Arthur meanwhile picked up his bucket and sold a day's worth of fish to Willy, earning a hundred bucks or so.

He soon left the beach, his mind free from the nightmare he had, and instead he thought about the elegant writer and the old fisherman.

Chapter Text

Rain: Arthur was all too familiar with it during his tenure in the wilderness. He didn't necessarily hate it; it was only a minor inconvenience at worst. But now that he was a farmer, the rain meant less work for him in the morning.

Arthur sat cozily in his cabin sorting out his mail. It was mostly junk, advertisements from Joja Mart, although there was one thing that caught his eye.

A letter from Robin:

Dear Arthur,

I hope you've been settling well into the valley these past few days. It can be quite an adjustment to fit into a small town; I know it was for me when I first moved here. But I am writing this letter to remind you of that offer I gave you when we first met. We're having a family dinner tonight and would like to invite you over. My husband has been asking about you and if you've made a full recovery. My son is also curious about you as well. Of course, you've already met Maru, she would be delighted to see you again soon Arthur. Now don't feel obligated to join us, you're probably busy setting up that farm, but we would be happy to accommodate you if you joined us.

Arthur didn't need much persuasion to go to the dinner. After all, it was this family that dragged him down the mountain to be cured of his tuberculosis.

That and he wouldn't turn down a free meal.

He set off in the evening the rain still heavy and pelting down on him. The letter gave directions to their home in the mountains; mentioning a back path from his farm that led to the mountains itself.

He soon came upon their home, a massive building which looked like it was crafted from the ground up; and considering Robin's career this was probably the case.

He knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds before it opened to reveal a familiar face.

"Arthur," Maru exclaimed, "you made it. Come in, you're soaked."

"Just a little water kid, I'll be fine," Arthur brushed off, stepping into the warm lobby of the house.

"I know but I don't want you catching a cold. Especially after you know what."

Arthur nodded his head, understanding what she was implying, "Well I appreciate the concern."

"Speaking of, how has that been? Any symptoms you've noticed?" she queried.

"I've good. Been taking that medicine the doc gave me. How is he by the way?" He asked.

Maru smiled, "Harvey's been great, he'd like to see you soon and catch up on how you've been."

Arthur scoffed, "It hasn't even been a week."

"Well, you know how doctors are," Maru said.

A man walked out into the lobby hearing the commotion of the two. He was quite tall, with ebony skin, and wearing a dark blue dress shirt. He locked eyes with Arthur and beamed.

"You must be Arthur, I'm Demetrius, Maru's father, and Robin's husband," he shook Arthur's hand with a firm grip, "You're looking better than when we first found you."

Arthur chuckled, "It's all thanks to your daughter and Dr. Harvey. And I can't thank you enough for everything you did."

"It was no problem, Arthur, it was the right thing to do," Demetrius stated, "Robin should be done setting the table. We're having pumpkin soup and bean hotpot."

Arthur followed Demetrius and Maru through their house, passing by a small lab with test tubes and electronic devices.

"What exactly do you do for a living Mr. Banks?" Arthur asked.

"I'm a biologist; I study plants and animals in the surrounding area," He answered, "In fact, I was wondering if I could get some soil samples from your farm."

"Oh, sure you can have my… dirt," he said awkwardly with Maru snickering.

The trio arrived in the kitchen where Robin was busily stirring a pot. She noticed Arthur and smiled.

"Arthur! So glad you could make it."

"It was no problem most of my work on the farm was taken care of by the rain," he explained.

"Well, sit down. Dinner's just about done," Maru and Demetrius sat down at the table, which looked handcrafted, "I'll be right back I just have to grab Sebastian."

Arthur thought the food smelled delightful, his eyes drifted over to the father and daughter of the family engrossed in some talk about an experiment which went over his head. The rain still pelted down, and a rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance.

After a moment Robin came back with a young man in tow. Robin sat by his left, while the man took a seat by his right.

The man was pale; even paler than Arthur when he was sick, and his black hair and clothes contrasted with his skin. He seemed disinterested in, well, everything. He only raised his brows when his eyes landed on Arthur.

"Good to see you're still alive," he said awkwardly.

"Thank you, I think," he muttered that last part to himself.

The five of them settled into the meal with some small talk being shared here and there.

"So, how's the farm coming along, Arthur?" Robin asked.

"It's going better than I expected to be honest," Arthur confessed "Crops are growing, and I've met a couple of folks in town."

"Like whom?" Demetrius asked

"Willy, Elliot, Pierre's family," Arthur listed.

Robin scoffed, "I'd be careful of Pierre. He can be a bit shifty," Arthur nodded in a vague understanding.

Silence fell over the group as they dined. The soup was divine to Arthur's tastebuds, he wasn't the only one. He noted that Sebastian had a content smile as he ate and made hums of happiness here and there.

"So, if you don't mind me asking," Demetrius broke the silence, "but how did you end up on that mountain in the first place?"

Arthur recalled everything that happened that fateful day. The army train robbery, John getting left to die, Abigail being taken by the Pinkertons, Grimshaw's death, his and John's escape, and of course his fight with Micah.

He sighed, "It's a long story; one that ended in a bad fight."

"Was Dutch the person you were fighting?" Sebastian asked.

Arthur whipped his head to Sebastian with a look of perplexation, "Where did you hear that name?"

"You were muttering it out while I found you half-conscious. Now that I mention it, you were muttering out three names. There was Dutch, John, and Michael or was it, Micah?" Sebastian clarified.

Arthur mentally debated whether he should tell them about the three individuals he last saw until he arrived in the valley. He supposed there wouldn't be any harm in it.

"Micah was the one I fought with, a rat that cared for nobody but himself. John was, well, an idiot but that idiot was like a brother to me. And Dutch, I don't really know what Dutch was. For the longest time, he was like a mentor to me, but I'm thinking now he cared more about money than his friends, his family," Arthur felt a hand on his left shoulder. It was Robin.

Her eyes bore into him with that of a motherly sympathy, "It sounds like you've been through a lot."

"If you can give us more information on this Micah guy," Maru piped up, "We could press charges. He nearly beat you to death, especially considering your… condition."

Arthur scoffed, "I appreciate that, but I feel he's long gone now. And I don't think the law will be able to catch him."

"What happened to your friend John, if you don't mind me asking?" Demetrius added to the conversation.

"He's with his family, he's busy taking care of 'em and I don't want to bother him," Arthur lied, although knowing John, it would take an army and a whole lotta bullets to stop him from reaching his family. So, he was confident he would reunite with Abigail. Whether he was able to start a new life with her and Jack was a different story.

"Do you have a family Arthur?" Maru asked

"No, not by blood at least. My Momma died when I was young, and my old man died soon after," unbeknownst to Arthur, Sebastian and Robin both had a look of sympathetic understanding.

"Well, you are always welcome in our home Arthur," Robin said

Arthur smiled, "Thank you ma'am, and thank you for the food. It's delicious."

They ate in relative silence with small talk being made here or there about various topics.

Dinner soon ended; Arthur offered to help with the dishes, but Robin dismissed him.

"You're our guest, and you have early mornings. So, you should be getting home soon,"

Arthur said his goodbyes and soon left. It had stopped raining, but the air was still damp and cloudy.

As he started to walk home he heard a metallic crash by the side of the house.

"Who's there!?" he yelled out unholstering his revolver. Another crash, around the corner of the house. Arthur turned the corner; gun drawn. It was probably some animal; lord knows he's had too many encounters with bears and wolves trying to make a meal out of him.

"PLEASE DON'T SHOOT!" Arthur was aiming at an older man dressed in… actually, he didn't know what the hell he was wearing. It looked like some old yellow leaves strewn together in the form of a cloak. His white hair and beard were strewn about and looked like it hadn't been properly maintained in years.

Arthur lowered his gun, "Sorry about that feller. Thought you were a bear."

"Bears don't come in the mountains in these parts," the man said appearing to calm down from the fright of having a gun pointed at him, "I also think you'll need a bigger gun to kill a bear."

"Speaking from experience; it isn't the size of the gun that matters, but where you aim it," Arthur explained, "It also helps to keep a steady mind when you're being mauled by one," he added

"How many times has a bear attacked you?"

"About eighteen times, give or take."

"….What?" The man gaped at Arthur.

"Yeah, although bear meat is a pretty good meal; especially with thyme," Arthur stated

"…Who are you again?"

Arthur cursed to himself. He pointed a gun at the man and didn't even bother to get his name. Although considering past experiences this was a notable improvement.

"Arthur Morgan and I do apologize for frighting you,"

"Linus and it's all right. You're one of the kinder strangers I've met on my journeys," Linus said, confusing Arthur.

"Journeys?" Arthur repeated. Linus said nothing and gestured for Arthur to follow him. He took him up a nearby hill where a campsite was located. It wasn't anything fancy just a yellow tent and a campfire. Linus was tended to the fire which had some form of meat roasting over it.

"I'm a wild man Mr. Morgan; by choice, I might add. I've wandered from many lands in my youth, observing nature's beauty while avoiding mankind's mark on the world. Most people don't understand the life I've chosen, and most would either harass or heckle me," Linus explained to him.

Arthur understood completely what Linus meant. Living in nature's bounty was one of the few joys he had in the last days of the gang, "Well, I must say you are living a pretty good life; I'm even a little jealous of you."

Linus paused, over the years many people thought of him in different ways. Pity, disgust, and confusion were the most common, but jealousy? That's a first.

"No one's ever said that about me," he muttered.

Arthur said nothing, whether that was because he didn't hear Linus's comment, or he didn't know what to say; Linus couldn't tell. The only sound around was the crackling of the fire, crickets chirping, and running water from the nearby waterfall.

"Well," Arthur said breaking the silence, "I should head back to my farm. I'll see you around Linus," he turned back to leave.

"Salmonberry season is soon," Linus blurted out causing Arthur to turn back around, "If you want I could show you some good locations for berry picking."

Arthur raised a brow wondering why Linus offered his help out of the blue. He shrugged the confusion off; after all, there was no harm in the offer. And besides, he did miss the feeling of foraging for herbs and berries.

"Sure, I'm not too familiar with the land so I appreciate the help feller," Arthur soon departed, as it was approaching midnight now, leaving Linus alone by the fire.

Linus was intrigued by Arthur; in all his years of life, he'd never met a man like him before. Arthur certainly wasn't the strangest man he knew; that title belonged to Rasmodius.

He thought about the wizard, one of the few people he could call a friend in this valley. He would certainly be interested in Arthur. He was always interested in new residents.

Linus nodded to himself; he'd visit Rasmodius very soon.