Chapter 8: The Bar Fight

In her conversation with Uncle, Sam had noticed that Arthur dozed off. It made her giggle. His small snoring reminded her of the morning she woke up in a hotel bed and him on the floor. He'd looked so cute then, and he looked cute now.

"Gentlemen, Miss Burke," she heard a new voice say. Sam looked around, slightly boozed up, to find Mary-Beth staring at them all, bent at the waist. "I think I got something good." Arthur woke up and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I snuck into this fancy house, and acted like a servant girl, usually works."

Sam was impressed. She tried to remember, as Mary-Beth went on, a movie she saw where one of the characters in it had done the same thing. The term of such towards the character had been labeled "turtle dove". God, what movie was it? Sam tried so hard to remember. The conversation continued Sam went into deep thought to jog her memory. It was something about a bunch of gangs and the Five Points and Leonardo DiCaprio had been in it...oh, such a wonderful actor that guy was. But what was the name of the movie? In her musings, she saw Tilly across the street talking to some guy...who was talking to her aggressively, from the looks of it. Sam did not like the look of him. As if by instinct, Sam got up and marched across the street.

"Miss Burke?" she heard Mary-Beth say from far behind her.

Sam watched as Tilly was dragged to the side of the building and she marched faster to intervene.

"Get your hands off me!" Tilly yelled.

"You thought I wouldn't find you, Tilly?" the man asked angrily, keeping Tilly pinned against the building.

"You can go kiss a damn snake for all I care...get off me!"

"Hey!" Sam shouted at the man. "Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

As the man turned and glared at Sam, she shoved him with all her might. "Who the hell are you?!" he demanded as he was pushed back into some boxes.

"Doesn't matter, keep your hands off her!"

"Or what?" the man asked, closing in on Sam with a mean look in his eye.

Sam, not showing an ounce of fear, closed the gap. "Or I'll tear out your fucking heart and eat it for breakfast!"

The man laughed and backhanded Sam hard, making her stagger. However, Sam did not fall. She tasted blood in her mouth and chuckled as she rubbed her jaw. Sam had her fair share of fights in life and not a one of them had she ever backed down from. Not to mention the occasional self-defense class she'd taken. So Sam did what she did best. Quick as lightning, she punched the man square in the nose, making him yell out. She felt bone crunch as she made the hit, knowing full well she'd just broken the man's nose. As he was distracted from the blood spurting out, Sam grabbed Tilly's hand and made a run for it...straight into Arthur. Arthur grasped Sam and put her and Tilly behind him, glaring the man down.

"You wanna keep goin', or are you gonna get good and lost?" Arthur asked with a threatening tone to his voice.

Sam's insides fluttered about. For some reason, anytime she saw Arthur become hostile towards other men, it made her feel warm and tingly inside. The man backed up a few steps as he held his nose. "You're makin' a big mistake, Tilly Jackson," he said nasally.

"Just get lost!" Tilly belted out.

As the man left, Arthur shifted around and looked at the two. "Tilly, go wait with Uncle and Mary-Beth, they're across the street."

"Okay. Thanks Arthur, thanks Miss Burke."

"You're welcome," both Arthur and Sam said in unison.

As Tilly left, Arthur gave Sam a smirk. "Miss Burke, you are just full of surprises."

Sam laughed and massaged her jaw. "I suppose I am."

Arthur put a hand to her face as he examined the spot where she's been slapped. "Did it hurt?"

"Of course it hurt! The man slapped me harder than a piece of meat on a fucking chopping block!"

A hard laugh escaped Arthur. "Well, at least you still got your raunchy vocabulary."

Sam smiled at him. "It'll take more than a slap to the head to knock me senseless."

Arthur still had his hand on her cheek, and when Sam became aware of it, she felt her face redden. Arthur must have realized this as well because he suddenly ahemed and removed his hand. "I need to go find Karen. You wanna join Uncle and the girls?"

"Sure." Arthur walked away from her towards the hotel and Sam made her way across the street to Tilly, Mary-Beth and Uncle. As she got there, she noticed all three of them were smiling like idiots and Sam scoffed at them. "What?"

The girls giggled amongst themselves as Uncle spoke up. "You and Arthur, uh...you two gettin' close?"

Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He was just makin' sure my face was fine."

"Uh huh. That's exactly what it looked like."

"Shut up and hand me that whiskey, would ya? My face feels like it's on fire." Uncle chuckled as he handed Sam the bottle and she wiped the blood from her mouth before taking a drink. Now she felt better. Sam handed the bottle back to Uncle and Sam eyed the girls who were still laughing. "What are you two laughing about?"

"You and Arthur would make a great couple," Mary-Beth pointed out.

Sam immediately flushed and shook her head. "It was nothing like that!" The girls and Uncle giggled more and Sam sighed in defeat. She knew the more she denied it, the more it would prove in their eyes that her and Arthur were meant to be an item, so she changed the subject. "Tilly, who was that guy."

Tilly stopped laughing. "Nobody to worry about," she blurted out.

Sam nodded, knowing from Tilly's body language it was best not to pry. "Glad I broke his nose?"

"Of course. That sure was a knock you gave him. Where'd you learn how to fight like that?"

"Oh, here and there," she said, not wanting to get into the details. How would she explain fights on the playground and self defense instructors?

The group walked across the way down the steps of the general store, meeting up with Arthur and Karen. Sam noticed Karen's red cheek and bloody lip. What the fuck was with the men in this town?

"You okay?" Tilly asked Karen.

"Sure, he only punched me," Karen responded glumly. "Arthur punched him a lot harder."

"Yeah, alright then," Arthur said.

"Hey, who's that guy over there looking at us?" Mary-Beth asked the group.

Sam noticed a man in a suit on a horse. "Weren't you in Blackwater a few weeks back?" he asked.

"Me?" Arthur said. "No, sir. Ain't from there."

Uh oh. Sam knew this was trouble based on the tension that rose with everyone in the gang. "Oh, you were. Well, I definitely saw you. With a bunch of fellers."

"Me? No. Inpossible." Arthur headed towards the man. "Listen, buddy. Come here for a minute."

"I saw you!"

"C'mere."

The man rode away on his horse and Sam sighed with a shake of her head. Arthur looked back at the party. "I don't like this," Uncle said.

"Me neither," Arthur said, walking to a horse. "Go get the girls home. I'm gonna go have a word with our friend."

"Be careful, Arthur," Tilly said as Arthur mounted up on a buckskin horse.

"Just a word. H'yah!" Arthur shouted as he galloped off after the man.

Sam huffed out a breath and looked over at the girls and Uncle. "You comin' with us, Miss Burke?" Uncle asked.

"Naw, I'm gonna head over to the saloon." The girls walked away with Uncle as Sam made her way over to the saloon. Inside, she heard Charles and Javier yelling about and she chuckled as she walked in. They were together drinking with some call girls. Sam walked up to where they were. "Hey guys."

Charles and Javier both smiled at her. "Well well, look who's here! Why don't you join us, Miss Burke?"

Sam nodded and leaned against the counter and Charles ordered a few shots of whiskey for them all. Sam was running low on funds but she still had enough to drink the day away. Besides, she still had a small buzz from earlier. Sam took a shot with the boys and the drinks kept coming, and she matched them shot for shot. The men were busy entertaining the girls when Javier looked over his shoulder and a look of recognition played over his features.

"Oh, Arthur. Arthur, c'mere, c'mere. Come over here, I want you to meet our friends."

Sam eyeballed the way they ladies were suddenly looking at Arthur, like a pair of hungry wolves spotting prey. "Pleased to meet you," Arthur said sullenly.

"Well ain't you just the tough as tak mountain man?" the big busted redhead said with a feminine growl near the end.

Sam could feel her hand unconsciously tighten around her shot glass. "Oh, you be quiet, Anastasia. Anyone can tell this one is a pussy caaat!" the black haired call girl argued.

Sam narrowed her eyes at the two girls, practically feeling steam come out of her ears. "Exactly, yes, he's a pussy...cat," Javier said, making Sam want to lug him over the head with a beer bottle. "Ain't that so, Arthur?"

Arthur gave small nods to the women. "Whatever you say." Arthur backed up a little as if to take in the look of the redhead Anastasia and Sam's mouth puckered up as she bore daggers at him. "How much you cost, anyway?"

Sam almost lost it then and there, and Charles seemed to notice.

"Easy, Sam," he said.

"Well ain't that a nice way to talk to a lady?" Anastasia spoke seductively.

Sam didn't know who to throttle first - Arthur or the whore.

"Oh, I didn't know I was talkin' to a lady," Arthur growled out.

Sam suddenly burst out laughing as the two ladies walked away. Arthur looked her way and smiled. And here she was, getting jealous over nothing. Wait, what?

"Well, I must say," Javier started, "you got a fine way with the women, amigo."

"Yeah, a regular dandy and charmer. I thought you was goin' home with the girls and Uncle?" Arthur said to Sam.

Sam shook her head. "And miss you interacting with the local pootang? Shit no," she said with a drunken giggle.

"Pootang?"

All three men looked at her funny over the word and she sighed before taking another shot. "It's a Minnesota thing," she blurted out. "For pussy."

Arthur and the other two broke into hysterics. "Jesus Christ, that mouth of yours is so dirty."

Sam rolled her eyes. "What are you gonna do about it? Spank me?" she asked with a suggestive arching of an eyebrow and a twinkle in her hazel eyes.

Arthur leaned on the counter and studied her for a moment. "I just might, Miss Burke. Among other things."

The undertone in which he spoke made Sam blush and she quickly ordered a beer.

"Hey, watch where you're goin'!" she heard Bill shout.

Sam and the others turned around to see Bill hassling a man. "He about to kiss that guy or punch him?" Arthur asked nobody in particular.

Bill headbutted the man and he fell over on the poker table. "Oh, and we have our answer!" Javier yelled as all chaos broke out.

Sam watched in mild amusement as all the men in the saloon started fighting each other. She shook her head and ordered a beer. Suddenly a thought came to her as she drank. "Mm! Gangs of New York, that's it!"

She turned around and saw Bill being manhandled by three guys. Now, that was hardly fair. Sam made her way over and smashed her bottle over one of the men's heads, knocking him out. She kicked another guy in the gut and he fell over while Bill started fighting with the third guy.

"What the hell is going on down here?!" a man shouted from upstairs.

Sam looked around and saw a big, burly bastard heading down the stairs. "No, Tommy, stay outta this!" the bartender pleaded.

"Come here, you little greaser!" Tommy snapped, his ogre like gaze set on Javier.

Sam watched as Javier knocked him in the face but the giant barely moved. He started assaulting Javier and as Sam went to go help, she was grabbed from behind and put onto a chokehold. Almost immediately, Sam elbow the man in the gut. He held on so she stomped him on his foot. He grunted and loosened his grip so she elbowed him in the face. He let go completely and held his nose, and then she elbowed him in the family jewels. The man instantly went down, groaning in pain. Sam turned to see Javier getting his head smashed on a table over and over by Tommy while Arthur headed over.

"Hey, tough guy!" Arthur snapped, smashing his fist into the back of Tommy's head.

Arthur and Tommy proceeded to fight each other and Sam looked around, looking for more men to fight. Charles and Bill were dealing with the remaining drunken idiots so Sam felt her work was done. However, she saw Tommy throw Arthur over a table and she charged Tommy, jumping on his back and putting him in a chokehold. The man effortlessly swung her over and she landed on a table, feeling the wind get knocked out of her. He walked by her and grabbed Arthur, picked him up, and tossed him out the window. Shit. Sam struggled to sit up as her breath returned to her. She rubbed the back of her neck and groaned before getting off the table. The fight between Arthur and Tommy had moved outside and she went limping out to watch.

It was raining out and Arthur's blue shirt and dark brown pants were caked in mud. Bill cheered Arthur on to "put that ape down" and Sam walked over to Charles, rubbing her neck and back.

"You alright there?" Charles asked her, concern in his voice.

"Just fuckin' peachy," she replied breathlessly, watching the fight between Tommy and Arthur ensue.

Sam went to intervene when Tommy knocked Arthur down, picked him up and put him in a chokehold, but Charles stopped her. "He'll be fine. He's got this."

Sam knew betterbthan to intervene, knowing Arthur's pride would be affected if she tried, but she was legitimately concerned about Arthur' well being. Still, she had to respect him. Sam stared both in amazement and horror as Arthur elbowed Tommy in the gut repeatedly. "Come on then, big boy!" Arthur growled.

"You okay there, Arthur?" Javier asked.

"Yeah, I got this son of a bitch!"

As Arthur got out of the chokehold and resumed his punches, Sam felt her loins go ablaze. Watching him fight with so much confidence made her want him. Badly. There was no denying that anymore. She was fully attracted to Arthur Morgan. Well, shit. Sam gasped when Tommy threw Arthur to the ground and tried to push his head into the mud, but Arthur punched him in the face than kicked him in the balls. Sam beamed with pride as Tommy bent over, grasping himself before Arthur yanked him down. Arthur crawled on top of Tommy and started beating him senseless. Now Arthur had the upper hand. Charles nudged Sam and chuckled.

"See? I told you," he whispered.

Sam chuckled too and kneaded the back of her neck. Suddenly someone yelled at Arthur. "Hey, come on, stop that!"

Sam looked over and saw a man in a straw hat run up to Arthur, yelling, "Stop! Stop! Please!" Arthur stopped punching and looked at the man. "Please, I beg you. Stop. Come, sir. You won the fight already, surely that's enough?"

Arthur stopped Tommy. "What business is it of yours?" Arthur snarled.

Sam shivered from the tone in Arthur's voice. God, Arthur was such a man. The good samaritan coughed into his fist. "No business," he said. "No business, sir. But, please...I beg you."

Arthur shoved the man away and started walking towards the general store, pushing past people and holding his shoulder. He was covered in mud, and yet Sam wasn't the least bit disgusted. She was the exact opposite, in fact. She wasn't really sure why beating a man nearly to death got her motor going, but there was just something about Arthur and his manliness that had quite the effect on her.

"He's a real fighter, that one," she said to Charles as she crossed her arms.

"Yes, as are you. You did pretty good in there, Sam," Charles commented lightly.

"Thanks."

Sam walked with Charles, Javier and Bill towards Arthur, seeing Dutch and a man she didn't recognize talking to him. The stranger saw them coming and smiled. "Ah, Javier and Charles," he said, his voice clearly British. "I've missed you...and Bill looking as well as can be. And, my my, who is this beautiful young lady?"

Sam tilted her head with a grin. Charming man. "Trelawny, this is Samantha Burke. Sam, meet Josiah Trelawny," Dutch said.

"How do you do?" Sam said, holding out her hand to shake his.

Trelawny took her hand, however, and kissed her knuckles. Oh. Okay, then. "Always a pleasure to make new acquaintances, especially with beautiful women."

Sam noticed out of her peripherals that Arthur shifted uncomfortably. "You're right, we ain't too popular in Blackwater," Dutch said.

"We left a lot of money there," Arthur interjected.

"And young Sean, it seems," Trelawny said.

Sam raised a brow. Who the hell was Sean, she wondered. "Sean?" Dutch asked, looking at Trelawny. "You've found him?"

"Yes, I have. He's being held by some bounty hunters...trying to see how much money the government will pay them. I know he's in Blackwater...but there's talk of them moving."

"Well, if we step foot in Blackwater," Arthur started, groaning as he grabbed his jaw and spitting out mud, "well, then we're dead men for sure." Arthur stood up from his perch.

"There'll be Pinkertons all over the place, but if he's alive we gotta try," Dutch said to Arthur.

"Yeah, of course."

"It's you they want, Dutch," Trelawny said in a low voice.

"Always is," Dutch replied casually. "Charles, go find out what you can, carefully. Josiah, take Javier. Arthur, go get yourself cleaned up. Join them when you're ready."

Sam blinked. "And me?" she asked.

Dutch and the other men looked at her. "What?"

"Well, is there something I can do to help?"

Dutch smiled at Sam and cocked his head. "Really? Well shit, by all means, go with Arthur when he's ready."

Arthur went to get himself cleaned up and Sam's eyes followed the mud soaked man. "Yeah, I'll do that, I think."

The men dispersed and Sam continued watching Arthur as he cleaned himself up. Well, shit. What was she going to do about her god damn feelings now? She had to find a way home. She couldn't get distracted by...feelings for a man who probably felt nothing for her...possibly. Although, she was certain he had flirted with her before the bar fight happened. In her musings, she failed to see the look Arthur gave her as he walked up to her. "Miss Burke, again, you are full of surprises," he said with a smile.

Sam giggled, crossing her arms over her chest. "As are you. You really beat the shit outta that guy."

"I beat the shit outta a lot of guys in there, didn't you notice?"

Sam laughed and turned her head to look away. "No, I was a bit busy, myself," she said, looking back at him. "You okay? I bet you're gonna feel all this in the morning."

"Shit, I'm feelin' it now."

Sam cackled. "Me too. Fuck, my back is killin' me." Sam stepped off the stairs and sighed. "Come on, let's head back to camp."

Arthur agreed and he followed her without a


Hi, folks. So, yeah. I'm hoping you're liking the story so far. I'm trying to keep the chapters lengthy but let me know if they're too short or too long. Also, let me know how you're liking the story. Chow.