You know that one conversation John had with Bonnie that day on the porch? The one where he told her about his past. Remember? How he mentioned his Wife, Son... Daughter. Well he never said much of her, and of course it leads a mind to wander as to who this girl was. Did she die at birth, or live to her latter childhood? We probably will never know, so I decided to let my mind create this character, Caroline. The daughter of John and Abigail Marston.

Forgive me for anyone who believes I butchered any already existing characters, or any who dislike the child Marston. It's my first fan fic so be nice!(Do not own Red Dead Redemption blahblahblah)

1906

"Papa?"

"Yes, Darlin?"

"Why do you and Uncle Dutch shoot people?" The young girl spoke so soft and innocently. Her words lightly slurring, from young age and lack of experience.

"Why do ya ask that?"

"I just thought it's 'cause you don't like 'em… Papa, if you stop liking me will you shoot me too?"

"Course not, Caroline. Dutch, Your mother, and I do it to protect you. You and Jack."

"They didn't look like they was hurting anybody. I don't get it, Pa."

"The world's a confusing place, Darlin. You'll get it someday." The girl stumbled along behind her father, chewing on the sleeve of her pink cardigan. Her small muddy boots patted against the soft, warm soil that baked in the Texas sun. She stumbled a few times, blinded from seeing straight by her messy dark hair falling messily upon her burnt cheeks.

She was stopped by her father's hand. John stood still, observing something in the distance. They had neared a ranch of some sort, and front and center stood four beautifully kept horses. A black standard bred is what caught his attention. It's coat glistened in the sun's rays, and it's stamina appeared tremendous. It would catch a great price in Black Water, and it wouldn't be such a bad horse to ride with either,

"Caroline, wait here." With that the man motioned his daughter behind a rock, and started toward the hitching post.

Caroline stood alone behind a large rock. She kicked a few pebbles, obviously bored. She thought of her family, and missed them. Although it had only been a few hours, to a child it felt like days. Earlier that day her 'family' had planned a train raid. It hadn't gone as planned, and the group got separated. While the others had already escaped, John found Caroline alone near the passed train tracks. Incidents following the failed raid left her stranded. Likely she would had been lost for good, but that was the risk when choosing to raise a family with Outlaws.

She kicked the large rock, upset at her father. She didn't like that he took so many lives, but she also thought of his last words. That they did it to protect her, her and Jack. That she wouldn't understand yet. What was not to understand? Her father was a murderer, and it was wrong in such an innocent mind.

What was he father up to anyways? Caroline had a sudden wave of curiosity, giving in she peeked from behind the rock. Her small head leaned over, slightly toppling. What she saw shocked her.

John stood near the barn where the four horses were hitched to their post. No man seemed to be in sight at the moment, and he was not about to loose his chance. The man adjusted his hat, lifting his bandana to cover his face. With that he took one last look around, and mounted the stallion. Suddenly she heard another voice foreign to her, it did not belong to her father.

A man approached John. He was dressed in a worn out flannel shirt, with mudded slacks. He appeared to be just as unkempt as her father, with a stubble beard and a handle bar mustache. He pointed his finger at John, continuing to yell. Caroline's eyes widened. With one swift movement John had reached for his holster, pulled out a pistol, and aimed. The barrel pointed between the man's eyes. He barely had a chance to back away before John had a chance to release the blow. She gasped, cupping her mouth between her hands. Her expression turned to horror.

Voices followed the crack of the bullet, loud yells. John kicked the horse into a gallop, and started toward the rock. Farm hand's began to cluster around the deceased man. Cries sounded as her father neared.

Caroline pouted. As he arrived at the rock, he spoke sternly holding a hand down to his daughter,

"Here!" She dropped her arms to lay limp at her sides. Her step back followed by her expression should have been enough to explain.

"C'mon!" He yelled at the young girl. A slight whimper escaped her lips as she gave in and took her father's hand. He lifted her, dangling her body before dropping her between him and the black horse's neck. The thick coal colored hair tickled her finger tips as she gripped them to keep steady. The horse took off down the road, weaving in and out. Off and on the road to loose the searching law men.

Eventually he lost them, a victorious gain of a wonderful horse. Now all that was left was to find where the gang had set up camp. Caroline stuttered, sucking up her tears before she spoke.

"Papa, why'd you take that man's horse?"

" I'm… only borrowing it, Darlin."

"But why? Why'd you shoot him?"

" I told you to stay hidden. Why'd you look!"

"I'm sorry, Pa." The girl whimpered, tears filling her sockets.

There was a long silence, for longer than a few minutes. By that time they neared the camp. The sun was setting and a fire blazed in the center. The light castled a reflection on the figures sitting by it. An eleven year old Jack sat next to his mother, bundled as she poked at the fire. Somewhere to the right Dutch stood talking to Bill, probably discussing another plan. The horse pulled to a stop near the camp. John lifted Caroline off the tall horse after dismounting it. She darted for Dutch embracing him with a hug. He patted her on the head in response,

"Uncle Dutch!"

"There you are, sweetheart. I was worried about you."

"Yeah, 'fore you left her alone for dead." John remarked,

"Ain't you just a ray of sunshine, John."

" Got us a pretty good horse, not that it means anything. Thought we could sell it or somethin."

"Well hey, the boy did something right for once. Taught ya well."

The two continued their conversation on long enough for Caroline to make her way across the camp. She embraced her mother next, finding her way into her lap,

"Hi, Ma." Abigail wrapped her arms around her child and brought her close,

"Oh Caroline, I was so worried! Where've you been? Is your father alright?" The girl giggled pulling away from her mother to look at her face,

"Calm down, Mama. Me and Papa are okay!"

"Thank the Lord." She placed Caroline down next to her, " Caroline, Jack, it's time for bed. Go on now."

"I'm not a kid, Ma. And I'm not tired!"

"Excuse me?" The boy grumbled reluctantly taking her orders and seeing him and his sister off to bed.

"C'mon." He shoved her by the shoulder causing her to stumble. Abigail whacked him upside the head to scold. It was enough of punishment to put him in place, for now.

Caroline was the first to get her rolled up pad untied from the horse's back. Although she was very short in size and stature, she had climbing a horse to a science. She placed it a few yards off from the main camp, not wanting to be too close to her parents. Proving herself as not being too dependant upon parental guidance was something she had copied from Jack. She began to situate herself on her makeshift bed, pulling her blanket up to her neck. She shifted to find a spot, later stopping to stare at the stars. The sun had just set, and the moon's light began to shine minimal light upon the camp. Beside her she could hear Jack laying out his pad. He removed his boots, placing them besides his head as he laid in his pad.

Caroline examined the many stars in the night sky, like white freckles across a blackened face. Her mind wondered upon the explanation for such a wondrous creation,

"Jack."

"Yeah?" He mumbled.

"Why can't we see stars durin the day? They so pretty, I wanna see them all the time."

"'Cause if we always seen them, they wouldn't be pretty no more."

"I think they'd be." They sat in silence for a moment. Both siblings could hear the voices of Dutch and Bill only yards off. Abigail probably didn't appreciate their distance, but she knew better than to try and correct either of them. They were stubborn, and would only go back the next night. Both voices they heard became muffled by their drowsy states, but Caroline's curious nature never seized, " Jack, what was that stuff 'bout stars you were tellin' me last night? Something Contlastons…

"Constellations."

"Yeah… what're those?" Jack scooted his mat closer to his sisters, taping her on the shoulder startling her to sit up,

"C'mere." He pointed his finger to the dark sky above. It traced a line along the brightest stars that seemed to form a ladle, " That there's called the big Dipper. See how it looks like a spoon?" She giggled in delight at his story. Her joyful reaction forced a smile upon Jack's lips. As if his own intelligence providing joy to his sister was all it took to make him happy, he continued, "It's also a Bear named Ursa."

"Aw, howda you know, Jack?"

"I read it in a book once…"

"But you can't read!"

"Sure I can! Dutch and Pa taught me!"

"Pa never taught me howta read. What makes you so gosh darn special!" She turned over in a pout, stuffing her face into her limp pillow. Her breaths muffled against the not-so-cushioned padding provided for sleep. She was disturbed, but not enough to turn over by another shove by her brother,

"Turn over, ya dunce! Tell you what, when you're 10 I'll teach you to read myself." She turned over in excitement. Barely able to hold in her delight, she flashed a huge grin to her brother,

"Then I can read 'bout stars?"

"Anything with words on it." She kicked her feet in delight, giggling under her blanket, "But stay quiet! Don't tell Ma I told you this."

"Why?"

"You know Ma can't read. She'll get all sad if she knew she was the only one who can't." It was true, probably the only intelligent Marston for their age was the 11 year old boy Jack. Able to read and write since age 9 he could write sentences at a time.

"Okay." Caroline turned in her bed. She pulled her blanket to her nose to protect her from the cold. She softly spoke, "Night."

"Night." Jack responded.

Well that's it for this chapter. Hope that gives you a bit of insight as to the Character of Caroline. Leave a review, but be nice!