When I See You Again
Summery: Charles Smith goes to Arthur Morgan one last time. *Spoilers*
Notes: SPOILERS! Yee be warned! I'm sure most of you if you are here are wanting more as much as I am. I'm sure you have finished the game. However, if you have not and been avoiding spoilers then do not read this. Italics are memories. I do not own anything. If I did, I would have multiple movies and books everything for these characters, but alas they are all owned by Rockstar. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I much enjoyed writing it. Without any more talk, let's move onto the story.
P.S. Please if there are mistakes, I apologize, kind of wrote this when I was exhausted from lack of sleep but will see how it goes.
1 Dec 18: So surprise there was a mistake and I apologize for it! Really do think it had to do with my mental exhaustion from lack of sleep, told you I was exhausted lol. Thank you WildWestReader for pointing it out to me. I can't BELIEVE I did it because I even knew (slapping forehead) watched the videos but for some reason I still wrote it wrong. If you didn't catch it and or do not know what I'm talking about, then carry on lol. Thanks for all the kind words as well when it came to this story! Stay tuned I have another story coming either tonight if not tomorrow.
"Charles?"
Charles heard the soft-spoken words of his name across Nuka's lips. He glanced up from his kneeling position of taking care of an elder woman who was sick with pneumonia. In an instant dread came to him with out any warning or reason. It was something behind Nuka's eyes that told him. Everything in his core told him he was not going to like the news that he was about to receive.
"Word just got back to the camp…Arthur." Nuka stopped and did not complete the sentence. He had it all perfectly spelled out of what he was going to say to Charles when he found him. He had practiced everything in his mind before moving the flap to the tent, and saw Charles standing there about to have his world rocked. He found everything he was ready to say left him like a cold breeze in the summer night.
Wetting his lips Nuka continued, "I know you ran with him." Charles was searching Nuka's face looking for anything but the truth he was speaking to him. Yet it felt like a wave as big as the ocean could muster was about to swallow him up.
"Arthur is dead Charles."
Charles knew it was coming from the moment Nuka stepped into the tent. He knew it had to do with his old gang. He knew no matter how much he tried to forget them or try and let that past die, he could not stop thinking about them and some way or another they would find a way back into his life. He knew Arthur Morgan was not long for this world but did make the news any easier.
Standing up to his full height without a word he moved passed Nuka to leave. He now had a mission and nothing and no one would stop him from accomplishing it.
"Charles?"
"If the Pinkertons had it their way they'd let his body rot. I have to find him, he deserves better."
Without anymore words spoken between the two friends Charles moved quickly to his tent, gathering any belongings that he would require for the trip. He moved quickly to his horse and without any word to anyone he left in a full gallop with the wind pushing him forward to pay the respects to an old friend.
"Damn boy what's your name?" The man that asked was touching his tender jaw from the punch that was delivered to it not more then a few minutes ago.
Charles glanced at the gunslinger standing before him. The man had a smile in his eyes and a hint of one in the corner of his mouth. He hesitantly gave up his name, "Smith. Charles Smith."
"Well, Charles. Name is Arthur Morgan. You got one heck of a punch their kid. Why don't I buy you a drink?"
"Why?" Charles completely suspicious of this man who stood before him.
"One, because I have a gun. Two, what can't be settled over some nice whiskey?"
Charles contemplated those words carefully. The man just threatened him with a gun but then in the same sentence offered whiskey. When Charles studied the man he saw that light flash in Arthur's eyes again and for whatever reason instead of his instincts telling him to run, they were saying go with this man. Not one to back down from anything, Charles made his choice.
"Fine, but your gun does not scare me Arthur Morgan." Making sure Arthur Morgan knew where he stood and how he felt about being threatened with a gun.
"I'm sure it doesn't kid, I'm sure it doesn't." Arthur letting out a chuckle as he turned away to head to the saloon.
"Arthur?" As Charles took a few steps faster to catch up to this new friend of his, "Don't call me kid."
Charles smiled at the memory as he slowed his horse a few hundred yards back from the camp. He was beyond cautious. Listening for any sound, or anyone in the area. Not convinced a trap had been placed for those who came back seeking out what happened to the gang. He waited watching, waiting. Nothing. The camp was dead along with the body that laid on the ground. Slowly he walked up and kneeled next to Susan Grimshaw. Their mother of the camp, the one that took care of them when they were sick or even wounded. There was nothing Susan would not do for them which she always considered her family and she would fight like hell to protect them.
"Oh Mrs. Grimshaw. What did they do to you?"
Charles staring down at her body he wondered who dealt the final blow. Standing there pondering and going over in his head who had done this to her was not going to get the job done any time sooner. It was just too much to speculate on who could have done it but Charles probably had to only guess and there were not many on that list. Stopping that line of thought process knowing it was a deep dark hole he care not to adventure down just quite yet, not unless he had a big bottle of whiskey to sooth it down he prefer to think about other things. The moment in hand, burying Mrs. Grimshaw.
Once Charles was finished with the task of burying Mrs. Grimshaw, he now needed to find Arthur. The sun had gone down and he needed to rest. He knew the next day was going not only be a total on his body but his spirt as well. Sitting down for the night he began to carve and create Arthur's headstone. He had thought of the message he wanted carved out on the wood. Not that he could imagine many would becoming to visit this grave site, but Arthur deserved it. Charles would eventually get done with that task and try and find sleep, but it would elude him all night. He could not stop thinking about what he was about to do. With birds starting to wake up and beginning to sing their morning song Charles got rid of any evidence of him being there.
Charles Smith looked to the ground and began tracking the best he could, going off the little trail that was left and taking a gamble of which way Arthur had gone in the fight. Even if the trail was pretty much destroyed and gone cold, Charles was no novice and he knew how Arthur thought.
It would only be a few hours later when he would finally find Arthur Morgan and his final resting place. Charles found himself stopping few feet away, finding his feet were incredibly heavy. He could not move. He didn't want to move. He did not want to face this reality now that he was standing there, but he had no other choice. He was the only one that could do this for Arthur, who deserved so much more then this fate. Every step was thunder in his ears as the sound of his footsteps echoed through the mountain side. His heart pounding. He wanted nothing more then to run away from this. Never face this reality that had come to past. His last step. Charles studied Arthur's body for a few moments.
Arthur laid on his back like he was resting, but his head was facing towards the mountains where the sun would peak from its slumber and begin its journey into the sky. Where the sun had raised one final time for Arthur Morgan. Charles could only hope and pray that Arthur got to see the sun rise one last time before he drew his final last breath.
Dropping to his knees, Charles could see the once big presence of Arthur had dwindled into a small stature of once was the man that intimidated and was larger than life when he entered the room. Charles could see how much the disease had taken a hold of Arthur and destroyed him from the inside and out. Not to mention there were some questionable cuts and bruises to his face. Probably his last stand with either Dutch or Micah.
"My friend, I know you tried in the end."
Here came the hard part, what was he going to do with Arthur Morgan's body?
The whole ride up Charles was trying to figure out where he wanted to bury Arthur. Where could he find peace and not be disturbed? Charles was preparing to pick up Arthur to move him to his horse when Charles heard soft steps on the rocks. Turning around quickly half expecting to see a Pinkerton gun in his face, his whole body shot with adrenaline, he could feel as though his body was the bow that he carried on his back. Ready to snap back and give out brutal force and use any means to survive. Everything all the adrenaline immediately washed out of him when he saw the stag mere feet from him. It stared at him never breaking contact. Then suddenly a tail flick, an ear twitch and the stag turned slowly moving graciously away. But suddenly it turned back around and looked at Charles. Without thinking about it, Charles stood up and started to follow, calling over his shoulder "I'll be right back my friend." As though Arthur could hear him.
Charles quickly trailed behind, not too fast and not to slow but mostly not to disturb the stag and its mission. Not sure why he felt the urge to follow but instinct drove him forward. Few minutes later along with some heavy breathing and climbing, Charles halted when he saw the beautiful male stag had stopped. The stag was near the cliff of the mountain where a lonely rock seemed to be perfectly placed so you could not fall off the edge, along with something else remarkable, grass. The odds of finding grass here on this mountain where you could dig was incredibly impossible odds. As the stag bent down and fed its belly with the grass that was so scarce and hard to come by on the lonely mountain, Charles knew exactly where he wanted to bury Arthur Morgan. "I see you my friend. I hear your message."
It took all day for Charles Smith to get through the ground and hit the bottom where rock met soil, where he could go no further even with all the muscle in the world. He turned and gently picked up the blanket that had Arthur Morgan's body wrapped in it and slowly placed him down in the hole that would be his resting place for eternity. Slowly and carefully he began to place dirt over the body of his friend. He could feel the tears starting to threaten to come over, but he refused, he had a mission to complete. The sun was setting, and he wanted this done. It was the last promise he could give Arthur Morgan. With the sun mere minutes from slipping down the horizon Charles slammed the headstone into place. He looked up to the beautiful sun with sweat hitting his brow and the sound of an eagle screaming overhead he knew his job was complete.
"May you find peace in a world you never could, and may we see each other again in the next life Arthur Morgan, my brother." Taking one last glance Charles picked up his tools and walked over to his horse. He placed everything back and slowly got up into the saddle. Taking a very heavy breath Charles Smith squeezed his legs to move the horse into motion. With a heavy heart Charles left the grave site of Arthur Morgan not knowing how much it was going to impact him until John Marston would find him years later, walking back into his life and giving him new purpose and direction.
~Finis~
Ending notes: I have a few ideas clunking away in my head for story ideas or trying at least. I never thought a video game would have such an impact on me as the way Red Dead Redemption 2 had on me. I played the original when it first came out and as much as I loved John, nothing could compare me how much I would enjoy this game and these characters. The complete buildup of Arthur Morgan and his gang is so impressive and so beautifully done that I can't let go of these characters. Love to hear from you and if you have any ideas you'd like to see be done let me know. I'd like to write more but will see. Just had to get this one out of the way first.