Epilogue

Part One

It was silent. Almost too silent, when one might go insane from the profound loneliness the lack of sound tends to bring. Then a small ticking noise started chiming in the background, each tick becoming clearer than the last. It pierced through the loneliness and the fog that clouded in one's mind. A voice started ebbing in and out of the fog, inaudible and desperate.

The words drifted in Arthur's mind like a tender touch, a reminder of where he needed to be. There were several voices who he thought it could be and he strained his ears to make out the words clearer. The ticks began to fade, allowing the voice's words to become more and more pronounced, and he remembered who it was.

Sadie Adler.

He opened his eyes after what seemed an eternity and found himself staring into the top of Sadie's head. She sat with her head down on her arms, in a chair next to his bed. He couldn't tell if she was asleep or not. It was dark in the bedroom, a bedroom he knew was his, in a bed he had never slept in. He spotted a small grandfather clock hanging on the wall by the door, which would explain the ticking he had been so focused on.

Next to him was the flower charm he had put in his satchel, the green and pink leaves a reminder of his earlier life. He was grateful it hadn't been lost. It would have been missed quite a bit. He let his eyes trail back to the bed and Sadie.

The bed had always been Sadie's. And now it seemed empty now that she wasn't in it. He wanted nothing more than to hold her to him. He lifted his right hand, his right two fingers still stiff, and placed it on Sadie's head. His shoulder ached somewhat, but he ignored it.

"Sadie," he whispered.

She jerked awake and blinked her tired eyes at him. "You awake," she muttered frantically and grasped his hand. She planted a kiss on the back of it and cradled it to her face. "I was afraid-"

"I thought…" Arthur gulped. Memories of that night were finally rushing back to him. Micah, killed by Dutch. Dutch… possibly killed by Milton. Milton killed by Arthur. And apparently Arthur had survived that fight. He remembered nothing of how he had gotten to Sadie's bed. "Dutch? Is he-?"

Sadie shook her head. "I'm sorry, Arthur. He was gone by the time we found you."

Arthur looked away and tried to ignore the pain at the thought of him being gone. "John?"

"Got shot pretty bad by Ross. But he'll make it through. Charles and Abigail is tendin' to him."

"The Pinkertons?"

"Gone. For now." Sadie leaned over and brushed Arthur's bangs back. "The Agent Milton and Ross was killed. They won't bother us no more. We found you on the mountaintop, barely breathin'. We…had to leave Dutch behind. There was no time. We only just got back. You was out for a couple days."

Arthur was silent as he mused this information over. He had seen Dutch die before him. He knew it had happened. Despite everything that had come between them the last few years, Dutch had pulled through in the end. Arthur just wished it hadn't happened the way it did.

Arthur squeezed Sadie's hand in an attempt to hold the tears at bay. She had long sleeves on that was hiding the wound on her arm, though her arm was wrapped in a simple sling around her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay. After you left me, I tried pushin' my way back up. Tried to fight Milton when he came up, but he merely passed me up. He was a desperate man at that moment. And he still lost."

Arthur didn't regret shooting Milton one bit. "I thought that was gonna be the last moment I would see you. I had to know you were safe, Sadie. I'm sorry for pushin' you away."

"Don't be. This is what happened. I ain't gonna be upset no more, Arthur. We both suffered enough. How you feelin', by the way? Your nose was broken and you was covered in bruises and shot in the shoulder."

Arthur looked at the clock as he lightly touched his nose. It was strangely bandaged with a wrap around his face. Whether or not it would heal straight… he would find out later. "I feel… Sadie, I don't know how to explain. My body has been in pain for quite some time. Every time I moved, I felt tired. I struggled to breathe walking across a room. It felt like I could feel the sickness closin' in on me, this weight in my chest. And now?" Arthur took a deep breath and breathed out slowly. "I don't know why, but I can't feel it in my lungs. They ain't screamin' no more. It's like it… don't wanna say it's gone, Sadie. But… it feels like it."

"We'll keep hopin', Arthur. I'm just glad you were still alive when I found ya. You gave me a fright somethin' awful." Sadie kissed his hand one more time and let go. She stood up and wandered over to the dresser by the door and picked up a stack of letters. "These came for you, while we was gone. Charles found Hosea, by the way. He's livin' in a cabin by himself. Didn't want to come, but wants us to visit." She walked over back to Arthur and handed him the opened letter.

Arthur sat up in bed and took the letters from her. She lit a candle so he could have light to read them. He leaned against the wall as he began to open them. He read the letter slowly, recognizing Hosea's crisp handwriting. Hosea gave a location and told Arthur not to worry about him, but to visit within the next year. For the first time, Arthur began to feel optimistic that it was possible for him.

"I found this one under the front door," Sadie murmured, pointing to the next letter in the pile. "It just says your name on the outside."

"I don't recognize the handwriting…" Arthur looked over a thick brown envelope which contained something bulky inside. His name was written in flowing cursive on the outside but offered no hint as to what it was. Sadie handed him a small knife which he used to tear it open.

He dumped the contents onto the bed and went still once he realized what they were. Flowers. Beautiful, fresh and blooming flowers, the same pink and green flower of his mother's. He leaned over and picked up his, then compared it to the new ones. The flowers were exactly the same. Even the scent was similar.

"These flowers were freshly cut," Arthur told Sadie confusedly. "Who is this from?"

"Here's a note that dropped out with it." Sadie handed him a small square note.

Arthur read it slowly. "" I told you you wouldn't meet the big one yet, old chap. Oregon is lovely this time of year. Though I suppose it's a different time for you yet. Let me tell you, this was no duck soup. It's time for me to continue on. Enjoy the flowers.'" Arthur flipped over the tiny note and saw Francis Sinclair's signature on the back.

"I don't understand," Arthur murmured. He gathered all the flowers and closed his eyes as he smelled them. It reminded him of his mother.

"I woulda liked to meet this Francis Sinclair. Seems like he was really invested in you, Arthur."

"And I don't know why."

"Let me get a vase for the flowers, hold on." Sadie stepped out of the room and returned within seconds. She took the flowers and set them by the bed. "They're truly beautiful, Arthur. Your mother had lovely taste."

Arthur reached over and pulled Sadie closer to him. She lay on her uninjured arm and put her head on his left shoulder. "They're just as beautiful as you," Arthur whispered to her. He hugged her tightly to him. "You been so patient with me, Sadie. I hope to make it up to you."

"You don't have to make up anythin', Arthur. You alive. That's all I wanted. I was so scared when I saw you up there. Dutch was layin' on ya, you were so pale… but alive. Javier helped you down the hill… it all went by in a blur."

"I thought I had died up there. But I knew you was safe. I was ready to die. I never been so tired before. But Francis said somethin' when I saw him last. Just to look at the sun. The sun was the last thing I remember up on that mountain, Sadie. And I still alive."

"Don't question it too hard. I sure ain't."

Arthur lightly ran his fingers through her hair. "Maybe I won't."

They laid in each other's arms until the both of them fell asleep. When the birds started chirping and the morning light escaped through the half closed drapes, Arthur awoke. Sadie was still crested in his arm, breathing quietly in a deep slumber. He slowly crept from underneath her and managed to get her head on a pillow. She merely rolled over and went back to sleep. Arthur gave her a small kiss and tucked a blanket around her.

His right shoulder was tender from where the gunshot wound had been, but as he looked at the simple stitches and the crusted blood, he could tell it was healing just fine. It ached only if he moved his arm too much. There was a mirror on the dresser which he nearly passed, having avoided looking at himself for so long. He stopped and took a quick glance, and flinched.

He was so thin. He had always been a large man, his muscles toned from living a rough and hazardous lifestyle. But the sickness had sapped every inch of muscle from him, leaving his cheeks hollow and his eyes sunken. His beard was wild and unkempt. He couldn't tell if he was actually getting better. There were yellow and blue bruises around his eyes, his nose was still slightly puffy and one eye was more swollen than the other. His chest and stomach were no better. His ribs were prominent where they hadn't been before. The kicks he had gotten on his ribs left them battered - he was amazed he hadn't broken one.

Sadie had put out clothes for him on the top of the dresser. He pulled on white long johns and a pair of simple trousers with suspenders. Once he got on socks and boots, he headed out the bedroom with a jacket in hand. The outhouse was tucked away behind the house and calling his name.

He exited from the back of the house and was surprised to see almost a foot of snow. He grumbled as he made his way through the snow and went to complete his business. He returned to the house, his whole body freezing, and went in quietly to stand next to the fireplace.

He found Charles and Charlotte on the couch, cuddled closely together, both asleep. Arthur hadn't expected that. He crept back into his bedroom and found Sadie awake and getting dressed.

"There you are," Sadie said. She undid the sling on her arm and shrugged off her nightgown.

Arthur felt himself flush at the sight of her naked body. Her breasts were full and rounder than the last time he had seen them. Her pregnant stomach curved out and still astonished him that their baby was growing in there.

It had been awhile since he saw all of her, he realized. He found himself walking over with intent to kiss her, then caught sight of himself once again in the mirror. He stopped himself and took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Sadie asked.

"I ain't much to look at right now." Arthur sat on the bed, feeling ashamed.

Sadie pulled on a long shirt, putting her injured arm carefully through the arm hole, and walked over. "'Course you are. You just got shot and beaten up. What do you expect?"

"I… don't know."

"Give it time," Sadie advised. She leaned over and gave him a long kiss, careful not to press too hard against his nose. "I'll still have my way with you yet. Now come on, let's get breakfast goin'." She moved back to the dresser and pulled on a skirt.

"Did you know about Charles and Charlotte?"

"I suspected. Charles has been spendin' a lot of time at her house. Why?"

"They cuddlin' on the couch."

Sadie's eyes brightened. "Oh!" She opened the door to peek out, then shut it closed. "They awake and movin' about. I'll ask her later. Help me put the sling back on?"

Once the sling was on, the two of them left the room and Arthur went to greet Charles, who sat at the table cutting a loaf of bread. Charlotte was busy cracking eggs into a bowl.

"You're awake!" Charles smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Arthur shrugged. "I've been better, but I'm alive."

Charlotte grinned at him, wiped her hands, and went over to give him a brief hug. She pulled away with tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad you made it through, Arthur."

"I'm sorry you were dragged into this, Charlotte. How long were you gone for?"

"About a week. Micah and those men grabbed me and the next thing I know, I'm just kept in a tent for days. I kept trying to talk to Dutch, but Micah made sure that didn't happen. It wasn't pleasant. And I'd hate to go through that again." Charlotte shivered and wandered over to put a hand on Charles' shoulder. Charles reached up and grabbed her hand. "But you guys are worth it," she said, her eyes soft as she stared at Charles.

Arthur took a seat at the table next to Charles. Either this had been happening for a while between the two or it was a recent development. Either way, he was happy for them. His stomach growled at the sight of food. He snatched a piece of bread and grabbed the butter on the table. The slice was warm, which made it all the better. It felt like ages since he had sat at a table and actually ate. The past few months it had been in his tent or by the campfire.

Before Arthur took a bite, he said, "Thank you, Charles. For helpin' against the Pinkertons. Couldn't have done it without you and John."

"Of course. I'm just glad I came back when I did. You gave us quite a scare. I'm surprised you're up and about already."

"I can't explain it. I may not look it, but I feel better." He took a bite of bread and nearly groaned at the taste. It tasted heavenly. "How's John doin'?"

"He was shot twice," Charlotte said gravely. She moved back to the eggs and continued cracking them into a bowl. "Thankfully, they were not life threatening. I stitched up the two of you, so forgive me if it leaves a nasty scar. It isn't going to be pretty when it heals."

"He ain't pretty to begin with," John chimed in from his room. He came out of the room shirtless, two wraps around his shoulder and arm. He sat down slowly at the table grimacing. Abigail followed, a frown on her face.

"You shouldn't be movin'," Abigail said. Jack hovered around her skirts, concerned for his father.

"If Arthur's movin', then I can too," John retorted. He grabbed a slice of bread and stuffed it in his face. "You was out the entire ride home, Arthur. I was awake for most of it. What happened? We were thinkin' you weren't gonna wake up."

Arthur scratched his too long beard. "I… dunno. That's all. Just… had a lot to heal, I guess."

John seemed to accept the answer. "You was with Dutch at the end?"

"He saved my life. Killed Micah." Arthur's voice suddenly caught in his throat.

John seemed to have the same issue. He blinked harshly a few times and sank in his seat. He was the first one to break the silence. "I can't believe he's gone, Arthur."

"He was…" Arthur put down his slice of bread and leaned back in his chair. It felt wrong to be discussing Dutch over breakfast.

They completed breakfast in a short manner of time and everyone went off to their rooms to get properly dressed. Arthur's chest had been dragged in by Charles and placed into his room. He now dug through it and pulled out his dark clothing. He rarely wore black, but felt it was appropriate for that day. He wore a crisp black shirt with a black tie and pants. Sadie dressed in her own dark skirt and dark shawl.

They all gathered once more in the living room and sat around the fireplace. The fire popped and sizzled as they spoke in low voices. The reality of them being home and alive was a weird feeling that Arthur didn't quite know how to put into words. He was beyond happy, but his heart was aching over the loss of Dutch.

"I ain't a man of many words," Arthur began, his voice tight in his throat. "I been with Dutch for twenty years. He saved my life. I wasn't much more than a hot-headed, foolish criminal. And Dutch changed that. He taught me to read, to write. He raised me to have morals. Well, outlaw morals. He taught us that our family was more important than anythin'. And it still is. He lost sight of that… but... " Arthur sniffed and rubbed his nose. He was determined not to cry in front of everybody. "In the end, this is what he would have wanted for us. We have each other. Even if he didn't say it. I just… I'll miss him."

John wrapped an arm around Abigail and let out a long sigh. "That man was like a father to us. He wasn't perfect. Still. Rest in peace, Dutch van der Linde. You deserve it."

As the day went on the atmosphere turned solemn. To Arthur, it felt like closing a chapter in his life. It wasn't an ending he would have chosen, but it was not something he could have changed.

John pulled Arthur aside in the afternoon. "Micah and Dutch must have been pullin' off big jobs," John said. He had a glass of whiskey in his hand, which helped numb the pain from his wounds. John led him to a wagon outside the house where a blanket was draped over the contents. He flipped the blanket back, revealing a large wooden chest. He unlocked it and tucked the key back in his pocket. "They left thousands of dollars behind. We didn't bother takin' any of the Pinkerton money, in case the Pinkertons try to chase us down for it. We set for years to come, Arthur. I already gave a decent portion to Javier. He took off, said he would find his own way."

"Wondered where he was," Arthur commented as he opened the chest. He whistled at the wads of bills. It was more than enough to survive comfortably. "We'll portion it out, use it wisely." It felt odd using money that Arthur hadn't achieved himself, but what else were they to do with it? Let the Pinkertons and government have it? No, Dutch would have wanted Arthur and John to have it. Arthur closed the chest and clicked the lock shut. "Let's continue workin' hard, John. This is the life we wanted. And now we got to make the most of it."

"Abigail and I decided. I'm buyin' the land a few miles from here, up north. More farmland up there. We'll stay here until you're settled, Arthur. But then we'll be off on our own."

"Sadie and I will miss ya, but I'm happy for you." Arthur reached out and shook John's hand. He and John hadn't always gotten along. They had fought, argued, ignored each other, and yet after all that happened, Arthur considered him a brother.

Arthur went to bed that night with his heart full of love for his family, yet full of anguish over the loss of Dutch. He cradled Sadie in his arms and for the first time in a long time, he fell into a dreamless and peaceful sleep.

Epilogue: Part Two

A week passed without a single cough from Arthur. Every morning he would wake up, make a fresh pot of coffee, and begin his morning chores without so much of an inkling of tightness in his chest. His muscles were sore from being put through so much work, but he thrived on the feeling of working hard. He built two crosses for Dutch and Bill and carved their names into the wood. It felt wrong to not have been able to properly bury them. They deserved so much more. Their crosses were displayed on the edge of the property, in a spot between trees where the sun hit. Come spring, Arthur planned on planting flowers in the area in remembrance of them.

One morning when the sky was clear and the snow glistened in the morning sunlight, Arthur noticed someone riding up their path. Arthur had just finished hanging the sign Fool's Hope above the path. He was excited to display it; it only made his home feel more official.

The newcomer looked familiar to Arthur and it only took him a second to realize why. It was the Pinkerton Arthur had saved, the boyish young man who Arthur had shot in the shoulder. The man was dressed in plainclothes, his badge hidden from display. There was a rifle on the saddle and a pistol in the man's holster. Arthur kept his hand on his own pistol just in case.

"Can I help you?" Arthur asked, trying to keep his tone light. He set aside the hammer he had been holding.

The man nodded. "Yes. Arthur Morgan?"

"Who's askin'?"

"A friend." The man hopped off his horse and walked over to Arthur with his hand out.

Arthur hesitated for a second, but grasped it in a firm handshake. He pulled his hand away, still skeptical. "Who's the friend?"

"Robert Boyd, an agent of the Pinkerton agency. I'm the one you saved at Beaver Hollow, Mr. Morgan."

"So I see. Glad to see you're still alive."

If Boyd suspected sarcasm, he didn't acknowledge it. "I regret to say Agent Milton and Agent Ross have been killed in the line of duty. But they did accomplish their goal. The notorious outlaw Dutch van der Linde and the Micah Bell have been killed. And with that, their case ends with their deaths."

"Is that so."

"So what I'm saying is, Mr. Morgan. The case is closed for good. A life for a life."

Arthur didn't know if he could believe it. "Why? You know where I live, Mr. Boyd. You and the Pinkertons could storm my home any time you wanted."

"I pushed to bury your case." Boyd seemed hesitant. "It was difficult, but once we found the bodies and confirmed their deaths, that was that. But be wary, Mr. Morgan. If I could find you easily enough - so can the Pinkertons. If you truly want to keep living this life, keep your head low. Pinkertons are backing off for now. You dealt a big blow to them, lost two of their greatest men. But they also destroyed the leaders of the van der Linde gang. So they think."

"I will take heed on your advice, Agent Boyd. You take care now." Arthur shook his hand once more.

"Take care, Mr. Morgan. I hope we don't meet again on either side."

"I hope so, too." Arthur watched the Pinkerton disappear down the path. He let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He bent down and grabbed the tools, then went to go tell Sadie what had happened.

December came and Arthur was nearly back to his old self. He sat in front of the mirror, happy to see his face had started filling in again and the bruises on his face had completely faded away. His nose had healed almost perfectly, just the tiniest bent at the top. His beard had turned gangly and his hair nearly reached his shoulders. He determined it was time for a change. He brought out his razors and scissors and went to work. Sadie was out for the day at Charlotte's and he meant to surprise her.

It was the first day he felt confident in himself. He had worked some muscles back, though he wasn't like he had been in his prime. Still, he could work for long hours without losing breath. Everyday he would be thankful that the tuberculosis seemed to have been eliminated. He didn't know how and refused to question it. He had been allowed to live his life with Sadie. That was enough.

He clipped his hair to the best of his ability to just past his ears, then he used pomade to slick it back. It had been awhile since he had seen himself clean shaven. He chose his outfit carefully, with cleaned and pressed dark pants, white shirt, and blue vest. John and Abigail had taken the day to pick up supplies in Annesburg, though Arthur had asked them to. He wanted the day to Sadie and himself.

He cleaned up the house a bit and made sure everything was in pristine condition. Then he spent several hours cooking, prepping potatoes, beans, salted pork, and bread. He had asked for a pie recipe from Charlotte and settled on a pecan pie. He had spent at least a day poring over a cooking book, wanting to make everything perfect.

It wasn't often that Arthur cooked anymore. Abigail had taken up cooking and preparing meals for everyone. It felt good for Arthur to try his hand at it, especially with the intent to surprise Sadie. He had picked up a few new books for her and had customized a rifle specifically for her. She had always used Arthur's old guns; it was time she had a set of her own.

Lastly, he had a solid gold ring set with a simple gem. It wasn't entirely fancy, but he had ordered it a few weeks ago and only just picked it up the day before. It was time to do the proper thing, he had finally decided. He had chosen to set aside the ring he had gotten for Mary Linton; Sadie deserved a new ring meant entirely for her.

The table was set with a fresh tablecloth, dishes were set out, candles were lit, and he poured a glass of wine for her and a shot of whiskey for him. The grandfather clock was ticking in the background as he waited impatiently by the door. It was near impossible to find flowers this year round, so he had created another jar of the flower he had received from Sinclair.

He peeked out the window and saw Sadie approaching on her wagon. She arrived right before the sun began to set. She was five months pregnant and her belly was growing at a steady rate. He went out to go help her down; her back had started aching and riding a horse saddleback was too much for her anymore. She had refused the wagon at first, but eventually relented.

Sadie's mouth dropped open once she saw him. "Well don't you look different," she chimed, a wide smile on her face. Her cheeks were flushed from the brisk wind.

"Thought it was time for a change," Arthur said. He reached up a hand and helped her carefully off the wagon.

Her hair was loose over her shoulders and her cheeks were just the tiniest plumper from the pregnancy. She radiated energy and sunshine, which Arthur found completely contagious. He quickly undid the horse from the wagon and let it loose in the pasture, then went to escort Sadie to the house. She carried a box with her. He struggled to hold back his excitement and his nervousness.

"What is this," Sadie murmured, her voice suspicious. She walked around the living room in stunned silence, a pleased look on her face. She set aside the box on the coffee table. "Arthur, did you cook all this?"

"Tried to. The pecan pie is a bit overdone, but I think it may be edible."

Sadie poked at the blackened pie. "Well, we can attempt to eat it."

Arthur moved closer and helped her out of the jacket. He hung it up by the door then went to pull out the chair at the table. She sat down with a sparkle in her eye. "You continue to impress me," she said.

Arthur grinned. He dished up a plate for the two of them then sat across from her. "Well, I thought we'd celebrate Christmas a few days early, take some time to ourselves. It's been hard, sharin' the house with the others."

"Don't I know it. Still, it been fun."

"It has."

"Anythin' else I can be expectin'?"

"Why, Sadie, all in due time. Enjoy your meal, now. I worked so hard on it."

Sadie laughed. "Fine. I'll eat."

They made light conversation regarding the ranch and the progress they were making. Despite the months of snow, their house had been holding up well. The farm animals had been properly taken care of. Come spring, Arthur would have plenty of work on his hands. He was looking forward to it.

"I wish Dutch was here to see it. Or Hosea," Arthur lamented as he finished the last bite of his dinner.

"They'd be proud. Once the baby is born, we could visit Hosea?" Sadie suggested. She sipped on the wine.

"I'd like that." Arthur stood and went over to the pie. He grabbed a long knife and attempted to cut into it. After a few drastic attempts, he managed to chip off a piece. "Uhh… I don't think this'll work."

"Charlotte made an extra pie. And now I know why." Sadie got up and went to the box on the coffee table. She opened it up and pulled out another pecan pie, golden brown in color. "Said you might like it."

Arthur scoffed. He had joked about burning it when he was talking with Charlotte. He hadn't realized she had taken him seriously. Still, it was thoughtful of her to plan ahead. He took the pie from Sadie and cut two pieces. They went over to the couch to eat.

"I have a couple gifts for you," Arthur said and went to grab them.

"We ain't celebratin' Christmas for another three days!" Sadie reminded him. "You got time."

"Nah. I wanted to surprise you with these. Couldn't wait much longer." Arthur handed her the pile of books first. It was a random assortment of a couple novels, a book about plants, and one more about hunting. He then handed her the flower in a jar to her. "Thought you might like a good luck charm of your own."

"I love it. Thank you." Sadie admired the jar and set it aside.

Next, he pulled out the rifle from behind one of the curtains.

"Oh!" Sadie's eyes lit up once she saw the rifle. She held out her hands eagerly. "That's beautiful!"

"Perfect for huntin'. Scope isn't the strongest, but it'll do you well."

Sadie trailed her fingers along the etched wood where an owl carving was engraved. "Thank you, Arthur."

"Also…" Arthur went over to the phonograph in the corner of the room. He started to play some music Dutch would play back at camp. "Sadie Adler, can I have this dance?"

Sadie was shaking her head in disbelief. She took his hand none the less and let herself be led around the room. "How'd you learn to dance?" She asked him.

"Ms. Grimshaw. It was rare, of course, and I don't remember much, but I know to avoid your toes." Arthur swung her in a circle, then pulled her back to him. The lady singing was pleasant to listen to. They almost never listened to the phonograph as they were very limited on music. They danced slowly, enjoying being in close company with each other.

As the song began to end, Arthur stopped and leaned his forehead against Sadie's. "Sadie. I been meanin' to ask you this. I shoulda asked you a long time ago." He took a step back and dug into his pocket for the ring. "You been there for me, you cared for me, stood by me when I needed you the most. You been the most stubborn, most glorious, beautiful woman I have the pleasure of knowin' and lovin'." He took her left hand and held the ring out. His heart was racing like no other. "Will you do me the honor of bein' my wife?"

"Oh…" Sadie sniffed and nodded fiercely. "Of course, Arthur Morgan. I will."

Arthur slipped the ring on her finger and captured her lips in his. They had shared kisses in the past month, had held and cuddled each other, but that had been it. The feel of each other's bodies, the sensation of their bare skin against each other, the rush of emotions and lust had yet to happen.

That night Arthur was determined to change that. There was no more illness coming between the two. It was just him and Sadie. He led her back to the bed and together they tenderly undressed the other, pulling off their garments, admiring each other's bodies. Sadie kissed Arthur's scars with a silent touch. Arthur ran his hand over the bullet wound scar on her own arm, silently vowing to not let it happen again.

They laid onto the bed and he let his hands run over her breasts. He caressed her pregnant belly while he continued to explore the nipples with his mouth. She curved against him, her body shivering with need.

He took his time with her, finally exploring her folds and clit with his tongue, clenching her thighs with his hands. It was a night where they set to out to relearn each other's bodies. Arthur was sure to be careful with each movement, each thrust, aware of every sound Sadie made. They changed positions with Sadie on top and she took control, capturing him in a wave of pleasure. Together they pushed themselves until they couldn't hold back anymore. Sadie collapsed against him and they held each other, their skin sweaty and their breath hot against their skin. Arthur held Sadie closely to him, eternally grateful she was his.

Epilogue: Part Three

Christmas time passed. Arthur and Sadie would find times to escape back to their bedroom to make love once more, making up for their lost time over the past few months. Each morning Arthur would wake up dumbfounded Sadie was still there. He worked hard to make their lives work.

They set the wedding for early April. They would get married right before the baby was born. It would be a private, small ceremony, with only a few people invited. Arthur and Sadie would travel to Strawberry come January to see Mary-Beth and Kieran get married, visit Hosea, then make their way back to Annesburg, where they would stay until the baby was born.

They arrived in Strawberry, snow still fresh on the hills. John and Abigail and come along as well, while Charles had stayed behind to care for the ranch with Charlotte. Mary-Beth's and Keran's new house was a simple cabin just off the main road outside of Strawberry.

Mary-Beth was the first to greet them. She was dressed for warm weather and her hair was done up in curls and ribbons. She dashed out to meet them. "Sadie, Arthur! I missed you so much!" She hugged the two of them one after the other. "Oh, I have so much to tell you! Oh my gosh, John, Abigail! And Jack! You've grown so much!"

She led them all into her house where a dinner was already prepped. It was a quaint cabin, a bit smaller than Arthur's, but was decorated with simple decor of pillows, portraits, and small trinkets.

"You done well for yourself," Arthur said as he looked around.

"Oh, you can thank Kieran for that. He's one of the main stablehands, now. He basically runs the place."

"I wouldn't say that, Mary-Beth," Kieran said, coming through the front door. He shook Arthur's hand. "Good to see you again, Arthur. I heard you been through some rough patches."

"It's all for the better, now."

"He's gonna be a pa!" Mary-Beth exclaimed. "Sometime in April or May!"

Kieran looked stunned, then regained his composure. "Congratulations, Arthur, Sadie!"

"Oh, I just cannot wait to show you this." Mary-Beth walked over to a bookshelf and pulled out a notebook. She handed it to Arthur. "It's a manuscript of my first novel that's gonna be published here soon. Within the next year, maybe."

Arthur was surprised but pleased. "Always knew you had it in you."

"Keep that one, I have more."

The days passed of everyone catching up and finally Mary-Beth and Kieran exchanged vows within a week. Mary-Beth had confessed to Sadie she was already expecting a child of her own, but she was still determined to be a working novelist and mother. Arthur kept teasing Kieran the world didn't need two Kieran's running around; Kieran would remind him the world was already doomed with another Arthur on the way.

The time came that they left Strawberry and Mary-Beth and Kieran behind. It would be months until Arthur would see them again and he would surely miss them. They were good people, some of the best.

When they were passing the Grizzlies, the snow hit hard and they determined it was unsafe to travel higher into the mountains. Arthur was disappointed to miss his chance to visit Hosea, but they decided to visit him late summer. Arthur kept writing Hosea letters to keep him updated.

As Sadie's pregnancy continued, Arthur turned more and more nervous. There was a midwife in Annesburg who could make the trip out, though there was a big chance she would arrive too late since they were far. Arthur did his best to make sure Sadie had everything she needed.

Months passed. Sadie's belly kept growing in size and Arthur's nervousness and excitement grew as well. Right as the snow had melted in late February, Arthur had left to St. Denis to buy more lumber, and returned with the intent to build the large stable. It was a joint effort between Charles, John, and himself, that took many weeks to finally complete. It was a stable that could host up to eight horses. Kieran had passed along many tips for running a successful stable and Arthur was looking forward to actually putting it to use.

John eventually bought the land north and the home building process began all over again. He and Abigail planned to have more of a ranch farm, with more options for livestock. As each day passed, Arthur could feel his strength returning and when April finally hit and John's house was completed, he was back to his full strength.

John, Abigail, and Jack moved to their own house for the first time. There was still much work to do at John's property, but Arthur had to focus on himself during the month of April. Him and Sadie prepared one of the rooms for the baby and made sure they had everything the baby would need.

As Sadie was in the third trimester and nine months pregnant, she moved slowly, but still tried to do her part. Their wedding was just around the corner.

"Why did we choose to get married when I'm this large?" Sadie asked with a grimace. It was the night before the wedding and she was headed to Charlotte's for the night.

Arthur kissed her on the nose. "You still pretty to me."

"You are a biased man."

"Maybe so. See ya in the mornin', Sadie." Arthur leaned down and kissed her one more time.

The next time he would see her, they would be married.

People had arrived for the wedding and were camped around Arthur's property. Tilly and Lenny both showed up at the same time. Arthur suspected they were seeing each other, but that apparently wasn't the case. Tilly claimed to be courting someone in St. Denis. Mary-Beth and Kieran showed up, with Mary-Beth glowing from her pregnancy. She was now a published author and showed off her book excitedly. Javier showed up at the last second and only said he could be there for one night.

Pearson was more than delighted to cook for their wedding. He avoided the stew, but prepared gator-deviled eggs, garlic mashed potatoes, cheese stuffed meatballs, mixed vegetables, and for dessert, a simple white cake. He spent all day in Arthur's kitchen, humming a tune to himself.

There were others who didn't show. Arthur had little clue how to contact Swanson, Uncle, Ms. Grimshaw, Molly, or Karen. Hosea deemed himself unfit to travel. He didn't bother with Strauss. Arthur was sure if he ever saw Strauss, he would send that man packing.

Albert Mason even showed up, camera in tow. Arthur had run into him in Annesburg a few months ago and invited him. It was a pleasant surprise. Albert Mason walked around the groups of people and snapped random pictures. That night, everybody was celebrating being back together again, if only for a few days.

The day of the wedding, Arthur stood in front of his bedroom mirror, dressed in his finest clothing. He wore dark pants and a white long sleeved shirt with a high collar. He was currently struggling with the tie around his neck. He wanted to look perfect for Sadie.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Arthur called.

The door creaked open and Hosea was peeking his head through.

Arthur was to the door and hugging the man in less than a second. It was a brisk hug; he backed off and looked Hosea over. The man had seemed to age immensely, with his hair pure white and wrinkles around his eyes that hadn't been there before. He was skinnier as well. Still, it was the same Hosea, his eyes full of wisdom and understanding.

"I thought you couldn't make it," Arthur said in awe.

"Well, I suddenly felt a bit better and a new friend of mine was willing to travel with me."

"Who's that?"

"Hamish Sinclair. He's been letting me live at his cabin with him. He's retired, old, and ready to live a simple life. Like me."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad you could make it."

"Here." Hosea reached up and started fiddling with the tie. "You've done well for yourself, Arthur. Glad you finally started using that head of yours."

"I'm sorry about Dutch-"

Hosea shook his head. "Don't be. This is what we did to ourselves, Arthur. We dragged you along our adventures. Now it's time for you to create your own." Hosea finished with the tie and patted Arthur's shoulder. "Now. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Arthur buttoned up a white vest and black dress jacket, then left the room with Hosea. The wedding would be held at the front of the house where Abigail had hung some vines and flowers over the edge of the roof. The smells from the kitchen drafted out to the front of the house; Pearson had outdone himself. Everybody was gathered to the side, leaving an aisle down the middle. Sadie was due to arrive at any moment and Arthur wiped his sweating hands on his pants, his nerves dancing on end.

Then Sadie was approaching on a wagon driven by Charles. Arthur's breath caught in his throat. She was dressed in a frilled white shirt and a layered white skirt, and held a bouquet of white and yellow roses in her hand. Her hair was curled and pinned with white and blue ribbons. Hosea took it upon himself to grab her hand and helped her off the wagon, then led her to Arthur.

Arthur took her hand and stared into her warm brown eyes, not caring if he had a goofy smile on his face. This was happening, like it should have happened a long time ago.

The priest was from Annesburg and led a simple ceremony, and as soon as Arthur and Sadie repeated their vows to each other, they were husband and wife. Arthur kissed Sadie passionately, the cheers from the crowd being drowned out by his beating heart.

Arthur led the new Sadie Morgan to the crowd and everything seemed to pass in a blur. They greeted people, laughed with them, celebrated with them. They all praised Pearson for the food and sat around the campfire, reminiscing about their time together throughout the years.

As night began to fall, Hosea wandered away to the gravestones Arthur had built. Arthur followed him, slightly tipsy from having too much whiskey, but still in control enough to hold a conversation. He found Hosea blowing his nose into a hanky as if he had been crying.

Arthur had never seen Hosea cry before. Maybe when Bessie passed and when it took nearly a year for Hosea to accept her death. But he was always strong as he had to be.

"Don't mind me, Arthur," Hosea said.

Arthur looked back to the group. John was drunk and teasing Kieran about something mercilessly. Sadie sat on a chair around the campfire, chattering intensely about something with Mary-Beth. Everybody was enjoying themselves. "I got time, Hosea."

"This is what he would have wanted for us," Hosea said suddenly. He motioned to Dutch's makeshift grave which was covered in spring flowers. He blew his nose once more and cleared his throat. "He wanted us to be happy, to be a family, but we kept screwin' up left and right. You did what we couldn't, Arthur. You should know that."

"Well, I did have two of the greatest father's growin' up. You two taught me everythin' I know."

Hosea clapped Arthur on the shoulder. "We taught you some. You did the rest. Now get back to your party, Arthur. I'll be here awhile yet."

Arthur nodded and wandered over to Sadie. She had a glass of water in her hand and was resting her other hand on the top of her stomach. He appeared behind her and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "You doin' okay, Sadie Morgan ?"

"Oh I'm doin' fine," Sadie beamed up at him. "Surprised you still standin'."

Arthur nuzzled her ear. "I'm thinkin' I wanna be sober when I ravish you tonight."

Sadie choked on her water. "You utter rascal."

Javier started a new song as he plucked away at his guitar. Arthur barely knew the song as most of it was in Spanish, but he and John did their best to sing along with the chorus. Kieran was watching from the sidelines, a little wobbly from too much drink, and had refused to sing along. Arthur and John went to stand on either side of him, looped their arms around his back, and belted at the top of their lungs to try to convince Kieran to sing along. In the end, Kieran was dying from embarrassment but squeaked out a few quiet lines.

Once the moon was high in the sky, everyone began to bid their goodnights. Arthur picked up Sadie bridal style, despite her complaints she was too heavy, before going into the house. He gave a wink to everyone outside and made his way inside. He set Sadie down outside their bedroom and she gasped as her feet touched the floor.

"I think my water just broke," Sadie whispered frantically. She gripped Arthur's arms with an iron grip as she lifted her skirts. Sure enough, there was water dripping down her legs and a tiny puddle on the floor.

Arthur whisked her back up in his arms and carried her to the bed. Once she was down, he ran outside and found Charles and Charlotte still sitting at the campfire. "Watch over Sadie, I'll be back with the midwife…" he said as he stumbled towards the stable. His head was not clear enough to walk straight in a hurry.

"Slow down!" Charles called. He ran over to Arthur and pushed him in the direction of the house. "You aren't sober enough, my friend. I'll ride for the midwife. You and Charlotte can watch over Sadie, you hear me?"

Arthur nodded somberly and headed back into the house. If Charles moved fast, he would be back in a couple hours with the midwife. Which was plenty of time, if Sadie happened to be in labor for a long time.

He hated seeing her in pain. The contractions were slow at first and Sadie's face turned red as one passed painfully. He couldn't do much beside offer his hand, which she squeezed with unbelievable strength. Charlotte had gathered all the supplies needed and was on standby. Mary-Beth and Abigail stayed awake in the living room, offering their support where they could.

The contractions started picking up and light started peeking through the windows. Arthur dotted Sadie's forehead with a cold towel to wipe the sweat off her brow. "You're doin' great, Sadie," he murmured.

"I want it out of me," Sadie huffed. "This is your fault."

"I believe it's our fault."

Sadie only glared at him, then took a sharp intake of breath once another wave passed.

The bedroom door opened and an older, motherly woman walked through, dressed in simple shift and knitted shawl. "You are the father?" she asked Arthur. When he nodded, she shooed him out. "We'll handle this."

"But-"

"No buts. Out."

John was sitting inside the living room. He stood up, stretched, then motioned for Arthur to follow him outside. "Let's leave them to it, Arthur."

Arthur followed him begrudgingly and they went about the ranch to do the morning chores. John smoked a cigarette as he haphazardly fed the chickens. Arthur set to work fixing a hole in the chicken coop, though he couldn't keep his mind on the work. He kept stopping to look back at the house.

"You'll be a good pa," John said, blowing out a puff of smoke. "You'll be better at it than me, you know."

"You got better," Arthur said. "And you've proven it. Built a house for your family, made sure they were settled. To be honest, I didn't think you would have it in you."

"You made it look easy." John set aside the bucket of feed and went to go sit at the campfire. Arthur followed suit. They continued to make small talk until one piercing sound caught their attention. A baby's cry.

Arthur dashed inside and could see the smiling faces of the women and he knew everything was well. "How is she?" he asked.

The midwife stepped out of the room. She looked pleased. "You're a pa to a fierce baby girl, Mr. Morgan. You welcome to come inside, now."

Arthur felt dizzy as he walked in and sat on the chair next to the bed. Sadie's freckles were dark against her pale face and her eyes had bags from the lack of sleep. Yet she was glowing as she held the newborn baby, her hair in sweaty disarray around her face, looking just as beautiful as the last time Arthur saw her.

"Come meet your daughter," Sadie said and held out the little girl.

Arthur blinked through foggy eyes as he accepted the tiny bundle. She was so light and had a head full of fuzzy blond hair. He supported her head and whispered hello to the sleeping baby. The baby moved her arms and head, still in a bit of a mess from the birth.

"This is the start of our new life, Arthur," Sadie said tiredly, yet her voice was full of love. "I wanna call her after your mother."

"Beatrice?" Arthur questioned. "Maybe shorten it to Bea?"

"Bea Morgan. You think that suits her?"

"I think it suits her just fine."

"Well, then. Bea it is." Arthur stood up and carefully placed his daughter back in Sadie's arms. He softly kissed Sadie. "Good job, mama."

A week later Albert Mason dropped off photographs he had taken of the wedding and the birth, then he continued on his way. Everyone had taken off, back to their homes and their lives. It was just Arthur and Sadie now. Arthur sat on his couch while Sadie sat in a rocking chair nursing Bea. It was a beautiful day with blue sky and the fresh smell of flowers drifting in from the garden.

Arthur opened the letter of photographs and flipped through them, chuckling over silly pictures of John and everybody else. Then Arthur flipped to a picture of him and Sadie, where they were holding hands, smiling and laughing as they walked down the aisle just after getting married.

Arthur went over to his journal and flipped through it until he found the picture Albert had given him all those months ago, the picture of Arthur where he looked unhappy and tired, like the world was on his shoulders. He compared the two pictures and couldn't believe the difference between them. It was as if he was staring at two different people. Albert had asked him all that time ago if Arthur was happy.

Arthur looked to Sadie, Bea, his house, the horses, the picture of the old gang hanging on the wall and the fond memories he had of them all - yes. He could finally say he was happy.

Red Dead Redemption 2 was beautiful and tragic and I absolutely loved playing the game. It was done very well and had me in tears by the ending. The actors, characters, writers, artists, developers… they nailed it.

I wouldn't change how the game was made one bit. I love tragic stories. But this fanfiction was my "What if?" thought. What if Arthur Morgan got out of the van der Linde gang sooner? What if he questioned his loyalty more? What if he and Sadie fell in love? What if Arthur was allowed to live? What if Kieran lived? What if what if what if.

The hardest part was coming up with a plan to have Arthur survive AND have tuberculosis. That's when I added Francis Sinclair to the mix and added a bit of a magical flair to it. I have my own head canon of what Francis would have done, but I wanted to leave it a mystery, as well. We see Francis from Arthur's POV and I wanted to keep it that way, nice and subtle. Arthur has no idea why he survived, but he did.

In the end I have five outlines for this story. The first? This was supposed to be an Arthur/Charlotte story in the end. We can see how that turned out! It wasn't going to be with the way I was writing it. It wasn't until I had Charles and Charlotte together that I thought, "huh… this could work instead."

Even though Sadie's become a mother, she's still a headstrong, independent woman who lives for adventure. If I were to continue writing this, you bet she'd be causing a bit of trouble and Arthur would keep loving and supporting her.

But for now, they're happy, with Dutch watching over them from above. Or below. And that's all I wanted for them.

I could keep writing, but I'll stop here. Thank you SO much for reading and sticking through this story! I love you all and your reviews make me so happy, you have no idea. Much love,

MustardGal