"After your stunt in Saint Denis you think you can just walk back in?" Dutch sat with an amused turn to his lips. The night was nearly over, but most of the camp was snoring happily in their sleep. Arthur, John, and Charles stood by the tent. Their poses much more relaxed than the first time she had been introduced to camp. Chickens scuffled around a bit in their coop.

"You got hit in the face by Destiny." Charles snickered quietly to John. The black-haired man scowled and shoved his friends' arm.

"Shut up."

Tami gave a glance to the bickering men before looking back to Dutch. Molly was trying her best to at least seem asleep on the bed.

"You made that scene, not me. A group of gang members suddenly appeared and tried to grab me. They might be the more charismatic ones, but I also know they can kill me easily. I had no weapons or a way to fight back. Tell me if you wouldn't run." She picked at the fabric of her pants. Dutch pondered her words for a moment and nursed his pipe.

"I wouldn't run, but I can see why you would. Can you even shoot a gun?" He was taking a dig at her and she knew it. Very polite in his words, but still a hurtful dig.

"I can, very well. That's not the point, Dutch. Why didn't you try and talk to me first? Why feel the need for all of your pizazz?" She wiggled her fingers around her face in a show. His smile faltered a little.

"You wouldn't have come back." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. Large hands were clad in gloves. She noticed the way he picked at the edge of his shirt to keep his skin covered.

"How do you know that?" She snickered lightly, "Rags to riches? I left for a reason, Dutch. I'm not a fighter... thief. All I have to offer is an ability that required me at the forefront of any danger that you may see fit to throw me into. You can't protect me, Blackwater is proof of that."

He recoiled as if slapped. The men shuffled nervously outside. Dutch's lips pinched as he tried his best not to reach out and slap her hard, "And you're here because?"

"Arthur." She stated firmly, "He convinced me." Arthur raised his brows. Charles and John both looked to Dutch for confirmation. Dutch waved his hand to them in a 'leave' manor.

"It seems we need to talk more privately." As they walked to the pier Dutch started to speak in a lowered tone, "Son, I'm going to ask you to do something for me. Since our friend here seems as slippery as a snake in the grass I'm going to need you to keep an eye on her." He sighed as he reached the end of the pier. Tami shuffled nervously behind Arthur wishing she could just run away again. This wasn't something she had expected, "Son... I am going to ask you to share your quarters with her."

"C'mon Dutch, really? She's a lady." Arthur tried hard to keep his voice low even as exasperation filled him. His hands flew into the air.

"I'm not asking." Dutch turned and looked down at Arthur and Tami hard. She wanted to crawl into herself.

"Why me, Dutch?" Arthur placed a hand to his face and sighed heavily.

"You seem to be the only one who can contain her. So, keep her contained." Dutch ordered.

"Seriously? I'm not something to be 'contained'." Tami dramatically pulled air quotes into the air as rage built inside of her.

"I'm... Not... Asking..." He pointed every word like a dagger. The words seemed to pop with command at every syllable, "I'm sorry if it doesn't quite suit your needs. My job is to suit the needs of my family. It seems you require protection. I am more than happy to oblige."

"Dutch..." Arthur started with his palms up.

"Last I checked I was the one running things." Dutch crossed his arms, "Grab an extra bed roll. It will have to do for now, and get some rest. Miss Jackson needs some new clothes by the looks of things, and we need to gather supplies anyway we don't have much for now."

"I... I can pay for it... the supplies I mean." Tami stuttered a bit nervously, "After all, it's the least I can do." She desperately clung for something to get back into good graces. Money talks, especially to Dutch.

Dutch lifted an eyebrow and looked at her for a long moment. Surprise ghosted his face, "That's mighty kind of you."

"Like I said it's the least I can do." She offered and pulled at the back of Arthur's shirt, "But I should rest. I am growing tired."

"Of course." Dutch's voice started to soften. His features growing kinder as the seconds ticked by.

"Good night, Dutch." She called behind her. A swift exit to let her heart calm down from its wild palpitation in her chest.

"Do you even have money?" Arthur asked in a whisper as he caught up with her quick steps.

"In the bank, just don't rob this one." She snickered in an attempt to pick up what was left of her good mood. It shattered when they approached his tent. She had forgotten just how small it was. Her insides twisted painfully as apprehension spiked in her veins. A picture of a lovely woman sat besides a strange looking flower. Without much thought, Tami lifted the flowed and looked deeply into it. The flower had a strange sense of beauty around it. Her eyes trailed to the woman. She hadn't even noticed when the lantern was lit, and barely registered that it had grown hotter inside.

"Would you stop touching things that aren't yours." Arthur sighed in an exasperated tone. Tami turned to see the flaps of the tent had come down. He stood with a roll in his hands.

"Sorry." She mumbled as she dropped the flower back onto the table. He rolled his eyes but pointed to the bed.

"I can't lay this out until you move."

She looked to the cramped space and felt a lump in her throat rise. The memory of her nightmare forced its way into her body. His finger didn't move as he pointed to the cot. An old blanket and small pillow lay on it for her to use. Tami opened her mouth, but shut it once she looked into his eyes. After a few more seconds of stalemate she crawled into the cot. Her knees met her chest as she sat into the sagging fabric.

"Get some sleep. Cuz we're gonna be busy tomorrow." He rolled out the bed roll and moved to kick off his boots.

"Hey, Arthur."

"Yeah?'

"Sorry you're stuck with me."

He paused and looked up to where she was sitting. Her back flush against the wagon that served to house the ammo outside, "I could say the same, but let's try and make the best of it." He moved to blow out the lantern. Her hand shot out to stop him. Desperate fingers clung to his shoulder.

"Don't... I..."

"Just lay down." He commanded with an aggravated sigh. He pushed his hat over his eyes as he laid on the ground following his ankles and hands together.

"You look like you're in a coffin." Tami teased from where she sat.

"Feel like I'm in one." His voice was tired. She laid down slowly and stared at the dancing flame. Even after Arthur had begun to snore and voices started up outside of the tent. Long into the late night she just looked at the flame. It wasn't fully known as to when she fell asleep, but she knew it the instant she felt the cold ground under her bare legs.

Like dozens of times before her hands waved over every surface of the cold wet walls. Her fingers dipped into the slits in the furthest wall that promised a way out. Toes started to lose feeling one by one. Cold water dripped into her hair and down her body. Her hands stopped as an idea formed in her mind. The cold reminded her of something far away in the waking world. Or the fake world. Instead of seeping into her bones it covered her body. As it should if she were dreaming. Her body was a manifestation of her own mind. The slits on the wall weren't a doorway, but an entryway into someone's mind. The memory of Arthurs writing came to her mind. She splayed her fingers to the door before resting her forehead onto it.

"John?" She called. Foolish feelings swept over her. She took a step back after a few seconds of silence overcame her.

"Yeah?" He sounded cold. Words wavering as if shivering.

"Where are you?" She asked aloud. Her words sounded distorted to her own ears. The warp of dream causing it to shift into an octave she wasn't familiar with.

"I'm in the snow. I can't get this damn fire lit. I'll freeze." He sounded tired and dare she say, scared.

"Why are you in the snow, John?" Tami pressed to the stone wall. It gave slightly under her touch as if it were being made into clay. She ignored her own frozen feet.

"I... It... Well..." He paused for a few moments. If she pressed her ear close enough she could hear slight howling, "It scares me."

"I'm here. I'm sorry that I can't help much." The clay turned into sand. The stone started falling to her feet into a warm puddle of grit. Her feet burned from the sudden contrast, but she didn't move. She pressed her body closer.

"You can hear me this time. I guess that's a start." He paused, "Why are you here?"

She was taken aback. Tami wasn't quite sure. The cold and dark scared her sure, but there must be an underlying fear she had never been sleeping long enough to discover. She didn't have much time to think as John screamed. The sound of tearing flesh and gunshots started to overshadow anything else, "JOHN!" She screamed and flung her body against the sand like wall. It gave a little, but kept mostly intact. Her hands scrambled to pull the sand out of the way.

"Wake up! Please fucking wake up!" John yelled before incoherent screaming came once again. It chilled her to the bone. Listening to a grown man scream was absolutely horrifying. Her hand fell through a small divot she had made in the sand. She closed her eyes hard and willed herself awake, but opened her eyes to see a bit of moonlight shining in. Crimson stained the snow as a trail was carved through it.

"JOHN! DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!" Loneliness... loneliness scared her more than anything else.

Tami sat up straight. Her body was covered in a cold sweat. Nearby someone was groaning in their sleep, "John." She whispered. Tami jumped from the cot without a thought. The sound of someone losing air and groaning came as she landed on the soft belly of Arthur. He twisted as she scurried to run from the tent. The sun was barely coming up and camp was still nearly silent save the swears behind her and groaning in front of her. Her fingers tore at the cloth covering the entrance of John's tent. A few buttons fell to the ground as she ripped it open to see John laying in his bed. Twisting and groaning. Face contorted in pain.

"It's just a dream. It's just a damn dream. You're okay, safe." She faltered as she placed hands to his shoulders and shook them hard. His eyes popped open as something sharp and painful entered her side. One hand was wrapped around her left as his hand dug a knife deeply into her right side. His pupils blown as he shook and poured with sweat. Tami let out a soft squeak in surprise as a shadow entered from behind.

"What the fuck John?"

"I...I..." He was confused as he pulled his knife away. Tami fell to her knees as her vision started dancing with stars. A hand appeared from behind her and pushed hard on the pouring wound on her side.

Tami gave a sad smile to John, "I was scared too." A warm feeling in her side started to itch behind the pain.

"Shit, shit, shit!" John hissed, "Arthur, do we..."

Arthur held his free hand up, "Wait." He ordered as his eyes slid down to her leaking side. It slowly stopped pouring as the warmth became a painful heat.

"What do you mean wait." John clicked his tongue aggressively. Bare feet slapped the dirt ground as he rushed to kneel beside her.

"Arthur, take me back to the tent. I don't want John to see." She gasped as he lifted his hand slowly.

"See what?" John asked in a confused tone.

"Arthur please." She begged as the heat became nearly unbearable. Her hands itched to grab at her clothes and rip them away to provide cool relief.

"He needs to know what you are." Arthur spoke a little venomously. His strong hands reached to the hole in her shirt and pulled. It ripped open with ease to expose the tiny pink scar that slowly disappeared. Blood soaking into her skin as if water to dry dirt.

"What the hell?" John scrambled back. He eyed where Arthur's thumb crossed the now bare skin, "You're touching her?"

"At least you haven't called me an it." She laughed dryly.

"You're a witch?" John was more confused than angry.

"I'm not a witch. What is with you westerners and crying witch all the time?" She seethed and used Arthur's arms to stand up. John watched at the ease of which Arthur touched her. His curiosity grew. A calloused hand reached out.

"Can I?"

"I guess." She spoke apprehensively. The second his skin touched hers they both doubled over in pain. A hot flash stabbed her middle as he fell to his knees clutching his head.

"John!" The young girls voice screamed and reached out. Men and women surrounded him, guns drawn. He looked down to see his own young self. Tami was small and pudgy. Tiny childlike hands reached for his own. Blood stained the ground. Dead children and a few adults lay with eyes and mouth open. He recognized the orphanage. The feeling of fear and anger of his youth returned to him.

"Please don't!" Tami cried out, "Don't kill my brother." A tear rolled down her face as people started to drag her away.

Something burned in his head as memories of her rolled into his mind. Twins... they were twins. The realization hit him full force as a renewed passion to save his sister rolled through his body. SHe was all he had and they were taking her from him, "Tami! grab my hand!" He didn't have a plan as the two masked figured pushed him back.

"Someone start the fire, tie this brat down. We won't kill him little one, but we won't save him either."

As he was tied, John tried with all of his might to grow free. One goal was stuck in his mind. To find his sister.

Tami breathed deeply and pulled the torn shirt over her middle to where it burned. Her ears pounded as the memory caked itself to her mind. her fingers brushed over a new feature to her own body. A belly button lay in the middle of her abdomen. As if it was always there. She started hyperventilating. The game gave her a family. It was trying to give her what she wanted most. Arthur stood in confusion as a headache formed in his own mind. Bits and pieces of John talking about his twin sister started to seep in as if was always there. He didn't even flinch as they came forward, after all he had always known John had a twin sister that was kidnapped when they were children.

John's eyes lost their glaze slowly as his headache fell from his mind, "It makes sense... It all makes sense now." He murmured softly and reached for her again. This time taking her into his arms, "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you before."

"John stop it, this isn't real." She huffed and tried to pull away, "I don't have a brother. I never did."

"Of course, you did. I didn't die in there. God, what did they do to you?" John shook his head in confusion. Joy slipping from his eyes, "Don't you remember."

"It isn't real, Arthur tell him." Tami looked up to where Arthur stood.

"I... wait... John you're tellin' me this woman is your sister? The one you never shut up about?" As he spoke her face dropped.

"No no no..." Tami scrambled to the opening of the tent. She ran into Dutch's tent and pulled the flaps open in a hurry, "Dutch, did John have a sister?"

Dutch looked up from his sleep in a groggy way, "Of course he did, he talked about her being kidnapped many times as a child. Mind telling me why this was so important you woke me?" He watched through bleary eyes as Tami disappeared. Her bare feet whined as rucks dug into her soles. Abigail was already up reading when Tami rushed around the corner.

"Tell me the truth how you remember it. Does John have a sister?" She asked slowly.

Abigail gave her a strange look and put down her book, "Well now, he doesn't talk about her as much anymore. But his twin..."

"No..." Tami grabbed at her clothes and shook, "No..." She looked around to where eyes were starting to look at her spectacle, "No fucking way."

Her eyes met John's from across the camp. He whispered something to Arthur who nodded. Tami ran to the outside of camp. Her inner need to run away blazing in her veins. Two arms wrapped around her shoulders tightly, "Calm down, we'll talk later?"

"Mateo, what are you..." Something heavy hit her head. Before she could fully fall into the darkness, she heard a scuffle around her. John's eyes looked into her own.

"It's okay, you're safe now." His words mirrored hers from earlier. She wanted to scream that everything wasn't okay, but the darkness pulled her down.

Tami sat in the dark wet room, but something was different. She wasn't as scared as she rose to push the door, she knew was in the room, open. It gave easily. The world looked so much bigger from her short point of view. A man she didn't quite remember sat at a chair at the table. Both eyes were scared to hell, showing colorless orbs in between the deep scars. A small John ran at her full speed with something in his hands.

"MOVE!" his young voice laced with panic as he was on direct course to run into her. The smell of beer exploded into the room as Tami felt the wind become knocked out of her at the sudden force. She looked up to see his tiny hand reaching for her, "I told you to move." He scolded.

"John, be nice to your sister." The man growled from his seat.

"Yes, pa." he stammered slightly and tried to salvage what was left of the bottle.

"Take care of her, you hear. She's all your gonna have left pretty soon." The man nearly whispered as John handed him the bottle in his hands.

"This isn't real is it." It wasn't really a question ad Tami looked at her hands.

The man looked directly at her despite his blindness, "That depends on your definition of real." His voice was different somehow. More metallic and robotic sounding in all.

"Why is this happening? What is going on?" Tami asked. The young John stood completely still next to the man.

"A glitch happened the moment you read John. It forced you together into one avatar causing an error. Besides that, we don't know what happened fully. The games changing. We can't even change the code anymore. Every time we try it changes it back. We have no control." Each line had the voice of someone different. Almost like a recording of what was said and never a full thought on its own.

"Are you even real?" Tami asked and reached a hand out.

"We're all real, thanks to you." Metallic and robotic once again. John took a few steps towards her, "It's all going to change. You're helping us with that."

"Us? What? You're not making sense." She replied and reached back for the door she had come through. It was completely gone.

"It will in time Tami Marston." The man spoke again.

"My name is Tami Jackson." She spoke flatly.

"Not anymore."

Her heart fluttered as confusion made her body heavy. Regret once again raced through her body as her vision swam.

Update in Three...

Two...

One...

(Processing)

Your game has been updated.

Be patient as we load the new world, Tami.

"Come on, you can admit it. It's positively romantic." Tami put the back of her hand against her forehead in a mock swoon. Arthur crossed his arms.

"It's stupid, that's what it is." He grumbled.

"Awww come on, there's always a little time for looove." Tami strung out her word in a long show.

"Sure, if you say so."

"Oh don't belittle me!" Tami scoffed and held her reigns right, "Love letters are beautiful! A man takes his time to write down how he feels. It's just..." she paused and smiled. The ghost of wistful wishes that never came true passed over her, "Well, I don't know how it feels, but it sounds romantic and sappy." She shrugged and turned her head.

Arthur furrowed his brow and watched her hard, "You've never been in love, have you?" Tami sucked her teeth and tilted her head back at his words.

"Never had time for it. Not that I didn't want it, but boys always got in the way." She bit her tongue and sighed.

"Find a man then." Arthur offered with a shrug.

"Good men are either married or dead." She laughed bitterly, "I like feeling protected and loved. A man that won't bat an eye when I roll around like a cat and beg for love. Not one that's just gonna look at any Tinder profile he can get his hands on. Men are... weird."

Arthur watched as she bowed her head. He could see the heartbreak on her face, but he had a burning question on his mind, "What's a 'Tinder profile'?"

"It's a place where you can meet men. Almost like a bar, but you can..." Tami trailed off as something strange struck her. Her mind grasped at the thin strings of memory, "Arthur... What are we doing?"

"You already forgot?" He huffed, "The Grey boy wanted us to give a letter to his Braithwaite woman."

"No what happened after I was knocked out. After John thought I was his sister?" She asked.

"This again? I thought you and John got past this. All heartwarming and stuff. A reunion for the ages. The night after was well..." He grew red and coughed.

"I can't remember too well." She felt her nose start to bleed as a weird whirring sound assaulted her ears.

"You were pretty drunk, I shouldn't have..."

"Please, I just want to remember. I'm not going to be upset. Did we fight or something?"

"Or something." Arthur pulled his horse to stop and dug into his satchel, "Don't take this as an invitation to go through my things again... back page."

Tami went to snort as she took his Journal. She flipped to the last page with writing on it. A gasp escaped her as she turned the book sideways into the landscape sketch. She was laying on the cot in Arthur's tent. The wagon was easily recognizable as a backdrop. Her eyes were closed as her mouth was spread into a grin. Black locks washed down her shoulders and a hand was clutching at something in front of her chest. A blanket was clutched in her fingers as a small slip of it was thrown over her hips to protect what little modesty she had left. Other that covering her more intimate places she was bare. Her shoulders and hips were drawn in a smoother style. The divot of a belly button peaked from a small swath of blanket. Bare feet pointed as her legs were crossed.

"Oh." Tami started chewing on her bottom lip, "Did we?" He shook his hand as she passed him the journal.

"I was a little too drunk myself. Walked in on you changing. Surprised you asked me to 'draw you like one of my French girls' instead of getting mad. I honestly don't know why I did it. I can get rid of it." He spoke.

"No, it's okay. It's just art. Just no more drunken sketches." She tried to smile as her heart hammered in her chest, "What about Mateo?"

"Your friend? He was just happy to see you. Found us when we were leaving Saint Denis, said he knew you. Didn't know where you had gone, but offered help to make you more at ease. Not that I needed it." He puffed his chest out proudly.

"Easy there, cowboy. Your ego is showing." She teased lightly. Her stomach twisted painfully as she tried to remember. Memories wavered together like unmatching colors. Some of it didn't make sense. Her reality was slipping as she tried to separate them from the tangled web it was becoming. Her eyes flicked to the sky, hoping that somewhere it wouldn't look real. Instead she found herself looking at a few birds flying through puffy clouds. She turned her head to the grass. It wavered together and breathed out a sigh as the wind pushed it to the side.

"Look, I'm sorry for the drawing I can burn it..." Arthur started and she shot him a sad smile.

"No, I need to remember. I need to get a journal like yours. I miss writing anyway." She threw the reins between her hands for a few seconds, "Besides, I think I've changed my mind."

"About?" He asked in confusion. Her jumping from one topic to another always had him spinning.

"Pictures are a little sappier than letters." She teased.

"Now I..." He drawled.

"You blushing Morgan?" Tami's lips curled into a wicked smile.

He coughed and scratched his stubble, "I don't know what you're implyin'."

"You drew a naked woman, Arthur. Don't tell me that isn't something." Tami laughed softly. He coughed a little and fumbled for his words, "Relax, I'm just yanking your chain. I know you don't fall in love anymore. Now come on. I want to get back to camp and try to piece all of this together." Tami nudged Balefire forward a few steps. A wild grin came over her lips as she recognized the simple bay coat. Her hand ran through his mane in joy. He was back!

"Yeah yeah, we can't rush too much. Need to be pretty quiet. The Braithwaites ain't really on our side at the moment." As he spoke, she felt a chill go down her spine.

"Wait? I'm doing this with you?" Tami asked a little unsettled.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Arthur asked and tried his hardest to look into her eyes.

"I'm not quite sure to be honest." The world around them shifted from open fields into more and more trees as they rode further. A large manor appeared off into the distance.

He nodded slowly and pulled a cigarette to his lips. Tami coughed dramatically as the smoke wafted over her, "I could drop you back off at camp and just do it on my own. I know John's been a little more aggressive to me lately. Figurin' this new role we've both been given fits with that." He let out a low cough. Very soft and slow. Tami raised her eyebrow at him. She didn't remember him coughing so early, but lately she didn't remember a lot of things that she should.

She wanted to say yes. Tami wanted to stay hidden away in safety until everything blew over and she was home, but something inside of her sturred. The chase in Saint Denis had awoken something in her. A need that had once been fulfilled by childhood escapades of sneaking out. The excitement and fear combination was a nasty addiction. At the mention of addiction, Tami looked up at Arthur. A slight memory flashed in front of her eyes, "I didn't just ask you to draw me did I?" She asked. He cleared his throat and thumbed the end of his cigarette.

"No... No you didn't."

"Oh god, we didn't... you know." Her hands made wild motions including a sharp clap together. He lifted his eyebrows and chuckled slightly in his amusement. Tami turned her head as she heard a bitterness to it, dare she say... sadness.

"Not really. Just talked about your feelings and threw up on yourself." Arthur snorted lightly. Tami laughed heartily, but felt that he was keeping something from her. Something she couldn't remember. His eyes held something as he looked down at her. She couldn't pin it in the slightest.

"Well, that's embarrassing. I'm glad you spared me from that memory." Tami scoffed lightly. Arthur pulled his horse to a stop and threw his cigarette onto the ground as the manor grew closer, "How are we going to do this?" She asked a little weary.

"Leave our horses here. You see those fields to the left? We're gonna sneak through them. He said she stays in a gazebo near the waterfront and..."

"I was there too." Tami replied a bit shortly before biting her tongue. Her body sure was, but in truth she couldn't quite remember what he had said. Thankfully her knowledge of the game broke free for a moment. The bad part was that she was never any good at this mission. Always getting caught at the worse times, "I don't know if I can do this." She hissed a bit unsure. Arthur dismounted an offered her his hand.

"Just stay close to me and everything will be okay." His voice held a slight tenderness to it. Something she hadn't heard from anyone before, "I really don't want to hear John's mouth if you get shot." She rolled her eyes and laughed. There he was.

Arthur watched her heavily as she turned to gather the note from her saddle bag. His chest twisted a bit painfully, but he kept his tongue firmly between his teeth. If she didn't remember, perhaps it was for the best.