John and Lucy rode all the way through Scarlett Meadows toward Valentine, stopping short of the state line near Old Greenbank Mill. However, as they reached the line, John stopped before fully crossing. It was near night fall again, they not leaving until John had several rounds of poker in the saloon. He kept wanting to go back to Rhodes, claiming something felt different about them leaving all of sudden.
This night, about four nights after leaving from the gang, John and Lucy had managed to find themselves near Eris Fields near an abandoned homestead. Looking around, the two heard thunder in the distance and knew the rains would come soon. Tying the horse in the barn nearby, they made their way barely onto the porch before the rains came down hard.
"Try that one," she offered pointing to the second door to the right. This one surprisingly opened with little problem but a quick and sudden lightning bolt caused Lucy to scream in terror and run into John's arms. Rubbing her back, he felt small shakes and quiet sobs emitted out.
"Shh…" he offered patting her back as the young woman began to shake within his arms. "We're safe inside. Come'er…"
John lead her through a small kitchen before they walked into a horribly misshapen room. There was trash and furniture thrown about. Looking to their left, they saw a broken staircase leading to the second level but at least there was a maroon sofa near the wall, where she could sleep. Sitting down, Lucy fell into a fitful sleep but kept tossing and turning as the storm continued.
*dot*
God damn it…. thought John Marston, beyond any hope that he truly could or would be happy. There she was; laid out like a banquet for him to eat right up. The sharp length of her neck cascades downwards to parts he memorized many times now. He knew the shape of her breast; savoring the memory as it kept him just a little more alive in the moment while they were here… She was ALL this, responding in ways they knew well. Hell, maybe he laid himself out too for her. Watching her twist about, her figure became ever more pronounced to him, causing some tension inside his chest and groin. Finally, she seemed to settled as she laid on her left side, an arm hanging off the end of the sofa, her eyes still dancing about.
Reaching out, he nearly touched her hand before stopping; not seeing her tan arm and thin fingers… but someone else's. They had been romancing this thing between them now nearly two weeks, and the desire was there, that much John knew. It all started because Lucy wanted care and affection.
Being away made him do some thinking though… something he wasn't use to doing too often. Standing up, he took a glance at her before taking a step out on the porch for a bit of air. Exhaling deeply and feeling his chest constrict, he felt a lightly bit of rain on his face. The woman's face played in his mind, and tried to think it away, but it wouldn't leave.
"I am surely such a fool," he mumbled before returning inside to find Lucy, her knees up to her chin.
"John?" she said looking up, tear trailing down her face. As he walked up, she sat cross legged, moving a bit for him to sit too. "I thought you left…"
"I would never leave ya," he said holding himself back from cradling her in his arms. John looked over and saw her still figure, as a sigh escaped her body.
"What are you looking at," she asked shyly shifting in place. His eyes saw the shaken young woman before him. She tried so hard to remain quiet like she had with Micah, but this time, it was different.
"Just thinking is all," said John, turning away a bit. Silence came between them as their breathing sobered the feelings around them. Lucy reached out for his hands and further questioned him by his meaning. "Ya know…. Just stuff aint seem right," he said placing his belongings on the ground to better sleep. After setting his guns down, he turned to face the woman fully.
"I don't know but … maybe… we got a life. With the gang, I mean."
Lucy turned to face him; her doe wide eyes filled with tears. "I ain't going back—"
"Just hear me out," he offered, his hands up in defense. "We a bunch of misfits, but we family—" Lucy looked down avoiding his glances. "— I got a family…" That was it. He said it and he watched as Lucy began to unravel before him. He struck a nerve in his statement.
"I can't do back John. What Arthur did—"
"Arthur was protecting ya. Same as I would'a done. Ya mean so much ta me. And I am a lucky bastard ta even be here with ya now. A woman like ya, men crave. I want what I can't have."
Lucy wrapped her arms around his shoulders before pressing her forehead against his. He could smell the light perfume she wore and the whiskey from his own breath. He feverishly kissed her but this time his advances weren't working.
"You know, there was no one stopping us from leavin'," she mumbled taking hold of his collar and staring into his brown eyes.
"What choice did they have? I took ya away because I wanted ta." Lucy and John stared into each other eyes, until finally he leaned forward and lightly their lips fell upon shaking lips.
"Yer a dangerous man," she relied as finally his hands found her sides.
"I am what I am," he replied, one hand reaching up to caress her face.
Instead of heatedly letting their hands roam, John laid them both down and he placed his hands on her stomach to rest. Cradling inside his arms, Lucy's slowed breathing told John she was asleep. Breathing deeply the scent of her hair, he knew in the morning, he had to convince her to return to camp. And to pray Abigail wouldn't kill him in leaving, only this time it was with another woman.
"I surely am a fool Lucia," he mumbled as sleep overtook him too.
*dot*
The next night came as Lucy saw the incoming sign reading Rhodes. He swore it only for a night, because they needed food badly. Agreeing only because he was right, they reentered the saloon on the edge of town and they collapsed onto the bed. There, his hands didn't wonder her body like before. He just laid there in only his undergarments staring at the ceiling. Pulling her dress away, she changed into a light nightgown, before John he blew out the candle. She could feel her heart beating, waiting for him to act. Instead, he turned to face her before grasping her hand and falling asleep. Carefully sitting up to wake him, Lucy eyed him tensely trying to figure him out. Was it her? Was it Abigail? Was it even her fault? Looking down, she turned opposite him and struggled to sleep. It was the first night, her dreams were once again filled with Arthur. She could not believe; he had worked their way back to Rhodes. She told him she would not return….
The next night, the man was sitting down in the saloon drinking his current worries away despite Lucy's best efforts. It was nothing short of frustration of his own drunkenness. They had shared deep kisses, meant to bury all the pain of Arthur and Abigail, yet now he was running back. He must be good at running away, she though in anger finally having enough of his nonsense. Pushing herself from the bed, she opened the door to the balcony and breathed in the dusty air. Coughing a moment, she settled on one of the railings observing the quiet little town.
However, she heard some commotion a bit to the north. Near the Sheriff's office, she saw, were men coming and going; members of the Gray family, she remembered from Arthur's telling. Getting up, she looked over her shoulder trying to find John, but nothing was there except for a few people and one man in upper-class clothing, a thick mustache, eating some soup. The red cloth around his neck as he unfolded his arms told her he had money. Walking past him and following to the road, she thought she could hear the noise from the sheriff's office clearer as she got closer….
But as she reached the building before the Sheriff's office, when suddenly everything went black….
*dot*
There was a loud commotion in the camp behind him, as Arthur turned around to see John riding in faster than he had ever before. Standing tall to observe, he was met with John's pleas for help.
"She's gone. Someone took her I know it! Please! ARTHUR! Ya have to come wit me! We got ta fin' her!"
"What the hell are ya ramblin' on about Marston?" he moaned out, a frown forming on his face. There was fear in John's eyes and Arthur knew it was not good. Trying to find reasoning out the why, he stood up as John spoke up again.
"I swear! Lucy was with me and we was gonna come back! And she's gone! Someone took her! Maybe them Gray boys! But Lucy is gone!"
Arthur threw his hands down in disbelieve of the words, but something was urging him to follow through the request. "Ya took her, what if ya did something to 'er!"
"Arthur! Please brother I need ya! She aint gonna just leave like dat. Please, help me, fin' her!"
Nodding, he informed John to stay in camp. He had a job to see to in Rhodes and he might as well ask… well demand answers. Riding the distance, he pushed back his hat as he tried to question about Lucy. No one wanted to talk with him much. Finally, at end's wit, he spotted the other men near the northern end of town. They were arguing before Arthur took a moment pause.
"Hey hold up," said Arthur firmly beginning to look around at their surroundings. There was no one around. His eyes narrowed as he spoke again. "This don't feel right…"
Sean took a few steps forward and spoke up. "Now it don't feel right? I could'a tolda ya that—"
And a moment later, a bullet went flying through his head before anyone knew. Micah, Bill, and Arthur dropped nearly but ran for cover as bullets rang and fell above their heads. After several minutes of gunfire, Micah and Arthur were left to see dead bodies around them.
"Sheriff Gray! You need to get a hold on this town. It's going to hell!" screamed Micah at the doors.
"Who do you think you are?" demanded Sheriff Gray. "A bunch of two-bit thugs from God knows where? You're so dumb to think we don't know what you been doing!"
Micah looked at Arthur with a smile. "Come out, Sheriff. It's ooovver"
"We put down far worse than you," he replied back. "A hundred times over. This is the Grays' town. Always have been, always will be!" He marched out a moment later with Bill as his hostage. He was smirking and there something else too.
"Oh it's you," he said to Arthur. "Thought that lady was here? She aint."
"Where is Lucy!" demanded Arthur, holding up his gun. A laugh came from the men around the Sheriff.
"She aint here!" replied the Sheriff, a stronger than normal huff followed. "Put your guns on the ground!"
"We can't do that!" shouted Arthur in reply, taking notice of the men around them.
"I'll shoot his brains out!" cried the Sheriff holding Bill at gun point. Arthur, a moment later, fired his pistol at the man and his deputies, and finally could let his held breath out. Arguing with Bill and Micah a bit, he grabbed for Sean and placed him on Bill's horse before riding out. It was angering him now. The sheriff confirmed that Lucy wasn't there… but then, where was she? Was she taken? Or worse being held by someone else? Her frightened and scared face pulled him into a deep depression as he sat down and dotted in his journal about the whole mess with Sean and John and Lucy.
Closing his eyes, all he could see was Lucy disappearing from him….
*dot*
"Arthur have you seen that boy?" yelled Dutch as the former walked up clearly confused and praying that someone had some kind of information that would be useful.
"No," Arthur replied. A moment later, a person came running past him toward Dutch.
"Where's my goddamn son! Where is he?" screamed Abigail, nearly pushing Arthur aside as she stomped up to Dutch. "Where's my son? They took em' didn't they. They took my son!"
John looked up in concern as he heard her in distress. "Did ya fin' Lucy? And where is that damn other woman! She gone too? Probably ran off with my boy!"
Hosea stepped up a moment, placing a hand on Abigail's shoulder. "We think the Braithwaite woman took him. That Kieran saw a couple of fellers sound like Braithwaite boys," said Hosea calmly to Dutch and Arthur. Abigail remained unconvinced as Lucy hadn't turned up yet. She was angered into a fury and it took everything he had to not shake her still for overreacting.
"Where's my son? It anything…. Where is my son Dutch van der Linde?" she yelled again, this time in sadness and fear.
"We will find him. We will bring him back to you and we will kill any fool that had the temerity to touch one hair on that boys' head," declared Dutch to the small group surrounding him, but mostly Abigail. John walked up beside Hosea, observing the fear well. His eyes asked Arthur about Lucy.
"Abigail, you have my word," declared Dutch firmly.
"Just get me back my son," she begged one last time, tears pouring from her eyes.
"I will get that boy back, so help me God right now!" said Dutch, calling for everyone, minus Micah and Kieran, to grab their gun. Stopping at his chest, Arthur opened it seeing that John had returned Lucy's items. Included the pistol, she carried to protect herself. Seeing it melted his heart and he kicked the chest in anger before turning around.
"Dammit! Dutch!" he called. "We got a problem with Lucy. She aint in Rhodes. Someone took her and the Sheriff knew about it," he spoke showing her pistol. "She ain't there Dutch."
"What's that the matter?! We got to get the boy!" snarled Dutch.
"She went missin' before all dis. She can't defend herself fer nothi'," stated Arthur holstering the gun in case they found her.
"Mr. Morgan, you have to bring her back! She will die Dutch!" argued Miss Grimshaw beside Arthur, who joined the angered voices near Dutch's tent. Miss Grimshaw saw the fear in their eyes about a silly woman getting mixed up with this nonsense.
"Arthur, please," begged Miss Grimshaw as Dutch ignored her. "She is young. She doesn't understand. Don't be mad at John. He would never leave her. Something happened to her. Find her!"
"I'll see what I can do," he agreed, mounting up and following the gang on their approach to the manor.
*dot*
"Get the hell off our property!" shouted the Braithwaite boy.
"We just want the boy and woman," said Dutch pointing at the man with venom in his voice. All the gang stared down the manor with hate as Dutch spoke.
"Oh? Ya want yer woman back!?" Arthur and John could feel their faces heat up in anger as the Braithwaite boy steps with his hands on his gun belt.
"Your little flower," grinned the man, cupping his buckle. "Was quite the show …. Quite the show… OH, she aint here. She was though." He laughed as Arthur stared down the man with hate, at least he knew where she was taken briefly. His eyes glanced at John for a plea but with Hosea stopping him, there was nothing he could do.
"If you ain't gonna be civilized about this…" And just then, Arthur began shooting, after Dutch's call, without a single care in the world. He wanted to find Jack and Lucy in the manor, and knew he had to stay strong. Everything he knew about her was moments away from being taken all away and he couldn't bare if it was his anger that caused her disappearing.
"WHAT IF LUCY'S INSIDE?" he shouted at John. It seemed five minutes, but Dutch called for them to find Catherine Braithwaite. Maybe even Jack and Lucy… Dutch and Hosea tried to get to a door but then a bullet came flying out of it. After securing coverage on the balconies, Dutch shouted at them to return.
"John! Arthur! Get in another way!"
With John covering him, Arthur kicked the door open shooting the Braithwaite son in the face. A moment later, they found Catherine Braithwaite cowering in the back bedroom.
"Put me down you damn Yankee! I never liked you!" she screamed as Dutch dragged her down the stairs.
"Where's the boy!" demanded Hosea several times. "And why Miss Bennett?"
"She was not part of my dealings—"
"Where is the boy!" repeated Hosea, holding up his hands at Arthur, who tried to shout back.
"My sons gave him to Angelo Bronte. So, my guess is Saint Denis… Either there or on a boat to Italy! Same might happened to Miss Bennett!? I don't know about her. She was with them when the boy was given over!"