"You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to, Lenny. Right now though I need to get all of my needed things packed up and ready to go. Arthur and Sadie are going to take the boys while I'm gone so I am going to drop them off at their place today." She spoke to Lenny who stood outside of her bedroom, leaning against the door frame as he watched her move around her bedroom and collect various items she thought she would need for the trip. Finally, she stooped and slid a chest out from under her bed, opening it to reveal an assortment of weapons.
Lenny whistled lowly, "Never let them far from reach, do you."
Celina looked up at him from her crouched position with a smile, "After the life I've lived? I would have to be crazy. Don't lie, I know you have a revolver on you somewhere."
The black man chuckled and reached to pull a revolver out from the back of his pants, winking at her knowingly, "I don't go anywhere without it."
Celina shook her head and equipped herself with her old gun belt before cleaning the two revolvers that she had had and cherished for many years, "Would you mind waking the boys up? Their room is right down the hall and to the left."
Lenny nodded, "Sure thing." He then pushed himself off of the door frame and started down the hall to the boy's room.
Celina watched as he left her sight and then holstered her guns once she was through with cleaning them. That done, she tended to the sawed off shotgun Dutch had gotten her al of those years ago with a slightly heavy heart. It really was too bad that things hadn't gone differently between the two of them but she figured everything happened for a reason. Despite those thoughts, she killed the top of the barrel of the gun with affection and closed her eyes, holding that position for a moment. Dutch may not be hers any longer but she would be damned if she stood by and let anyone take his life. Secretly she was delighted each time he walked through the door of her apartment and to her for the hug of greeting which they always shared. She took a deep breath before slinging the gun over her shoulder and standing to her feet. The woman then opened the drawer of her nightstand and took out the excessive amount of ammo she kept stored there, equipping the bag she carried with as much of it as she could and loading al three of her guns appropriately.
She looked out into the hallway at the sound of three footsteps coming back towards her bedroom, smiling at Lenny and the boys, "Ryder, Jimmy, mommy is going away on some business. I am going to go and help your daddy so you are all going to stay with Uncle Arthur and Aunt Sadie while I'm gone, ok?"
The two young boys stared at her with wide eyes, Jimmy being the one to speak, "But why do you have to go? Das hasn't needed your help before, why now? Is he in trouble?"
She took a deep breath knowing very well that that could be the last day she was able to see her boys... the last time that they were able to see her. If there was ever a time for honesty, it was now. She licked her lips slowly and nodded, "He might be in a lot of trouble, ok?" She felt guilt at the sad and worried looks on their little faces but she wasn't going to take the chance of departing from them- potentially forever under a lie, "It's not just your daddy that might be in trouble either." She looked at Ryder who was staying silent but had tears building up in his eyes, "Ryder, buddy. You stay string, ok? I know that you don't know your Uncle Bill or Javier or John, but they are very important to mommy and they need my help just like daddy does, ok?"
Ryder sniffled, "Why do you have yo help mommy? Daddy can help them."
Celina gave a sad, small smile and made eye contact with Lenny before looking back at her boys, "Your daddy could help buddy, but he doesn't know that he's in danger or that any of them are in danger and he needs to be more worried on helping himself than anyone else right now. Ok? I will be back home soon.. It'll all be ok and then the two of you, daddy and I can all go and do anything you want. Ok?" So much for not lying to them. She did have to stay positive though, if she started thinking that she may not make it back home then that might just be her first mistake. She would make it back to her kids, she would and they would be just fine. Everyone would be just fine and all of them would finally be able to put the law behind them once and for all.
Lenny stared at her with a look that seemed as full of worry as he could carry, "Do you want me to get them breakfast?"
Celina shook her head, adjusting the bag that was slung over her shoulder along with her sawed off shotgun, "No, Arthur and Sadie should be expecting them already, they're going to eat breakfast there and convince Arthur and Sadie that the two of them should give in and have kids."
Lenny laughed, "Is that why you wanted them to stay with the two of them so badly? You want them to make some babies of their own?"
Celina winked at Lenny, silently answering his question with a 'yes'. Ryder stared at the guns which his mother was sporting, "Mommy, are you going to kill people?"
Celina stared in shock at her son for asking the question which had just come out of his mouth, "I'm only going to kill people if they try to kill new first." She walked over to the two boys and knelt before them so that she was more eye level with them and she looked them right in the eyes with a look of intensity, "I want to tell you boys right now too that if there should ever be a time that you are in danger, you always hurt whoever or whatever is trying to hurt you before it can hurt you, do you understand?"
The boys both nodded and Jimny got a look of excitement on his face, "Do you think that you can teach me how to shoot someone, ma?"
Celina's eyes widened and she stood to her feet, "Nope, not until you're older. Shooting someone... It's not a good thing, Jimmy and it's not something you want to do unless you have to."
"Do you think that Uncle Arthur would teach me?" That was Jimmy's next question, his voice full of hope.
Celina shook her head with a light laugh, "No, uncle Arthur isn't going to teach you how to shoot anyone and if he does then I just might have to beat him up myself." She thought for a moment, "Actually, I would be ok if he wanted to teach you boys how to fight with your hands... that would be ok while you're over there if he wants to."
Jimmy once again looked excited, "I hope he does, I bet he will, ma!"
Lenny laughed as well at the young boys enthusiasm for learning how to beat someone up, "You know, he's actually reminding me of his dad right now."
Celina smiled a bit at that, knowing that by saying 'his dad' he was secretly referring to Bill who absolutely loved a good scrap. She rolled her eyes at that too though and gently ushered all three of them out of the bedroom. She looked to her sons, "Now the two of you go and get your shoes on so we can head over to Arthur and Sadie's, they have to be wondering where we are."
The boys protested a bit but went over to the door anyway at her command and slid their shoes on, their faces looking downcast at the idea of their mom who they had never known life without, leaving. Jimmy looked over at Celina, his little face showing his concern, "Just promise me you won't get shot, mom, and that you won't be gone long."
Celina looked over at the boy from where she stood a few feet away, slipping into her own shoes, "I promise, buddy. I won't be gone long." She grabbed her jacket from the coat rack and left through the front door with the boys, looking back at Lenny who stood on the other side of the door with San at his feet. She offered a small smile at the two of them, "Either you can let me take Sam to Arthur and Sadie's now, or you can keep him here with you until you decide to leave. The apartments yours for as long as you want it until I get back... if you want him here though, just don't forget to drop him off to them."
Lenny nodded at her, "I'll keep him here with me for a little while I think. I could use the company and plus," he scratched Sam's head affectionately, "He's kinda grown on me, I like dogs."
Celina smiled, "Alright, well..." she took a deep breath, "Off to see wolf-man I go." Lenny caught something in her eyes and was the only one to do so, what he caught was fear. Fear that she may not be making it back home as she acted so certain she would. She knew that he saw it too as the corner of her mouth twitched, "I'll see you soon." It was more of a wish than a promise, a wish that both of them silently knew may just not be in the cards to come true.
Lenny waved her off, "I'll see you soon. Be safe, and say hi to Dutch for me, haven't seen him in years."
Celina nodded at him, waving goodbye as well before she set off down the walkway with her two sons towards Arthur and Sadie's. It was weird, real weird how she was feeling knowing that the old gang may be all alive and well after all. It was possible with the new knowledge she had that none of them had died at the homestead, maybe all of them had made it out alive and were just... separated from one another. Maybe she Dutch, Arthur, Sadie and Lenny hadn't left the rest of the gang behind... maybe the gang had all left one another...
Just like that she began to question the life she had lived for years... away from Dutch and her heart began to ache. Maybe his decisions hadn't gotten any of them killed... maybe she had been too hard on him.. had she pushed him away for no reason? He had told her he would change for her once and for all and the fact she had thought the majority of the gang was dead because of him was one big factor that kept her from taking him back. She but down on her bottom lip nervously. She could have sworn that she had no feelings for Dutch romantically one way or another before Lenny brought the news with him. But now, she was beginning to question that. Maybe she did have feelings for him still and the fact that she blamed the death of their family on him kept her from allowing herself to continue to be in love with him...
Was that possible, was that it? Had her blame and bitterness towards what had happened overridden any feelings she had for Dutch? It seemed that way because upon finding out that he possibly hadn't gotten them killed... She was feeling differently. She was feeling, guilt- regret. Had she talked herself out of being with him for the past four years over something that wasn't even true? She had been guarded against him for what seemed like so long because she thought that he had cost their family their lives... now they were possibly alive.. all of them- maybe.
It were as if she was in high school again, how she was getting butterflies in her stomach at the thought of seeing Dutch again and not having all that hurt cloud her judgement of him. It was as if this news had given her permission to be with him all over again. Dutch was fifty-three now and had cut his hair short a while back although it was beginning to grow out again the last time she saw him only the prior week.
His hair was all silver in the temples and she had had a hard time keeping herself from being caught checking him out last time he was over. She had wanted it from him truth be told... not out of feelings at the time but just sheer attraction. He hadn't aged nearly as much as RDR1 had made him out to age. Sure he looked slightly older, but he was still sturdily built with muscle, not wuite looking his age aside from his silver hair. He was handsome and charming, he was always so handsome and charming and Celina was sure that after four years he had likely moved on.
Four years, that was the amount of time she may have foolishly wasted... perhaps she had lost her relationship with Dutch for good. It was possible... four years was
a while to be broken up with someone. She looked down at her boys as they continued the short walk to Arthur and Sadie's. Would it be stupid to even allow herself to start thinking of Dutch as more than a friend again? The boys would love it, that was for sure and Dutch hadn't been drawing a whole lot of attention to himself lately so maybe he really had changed. She hadn't really tried to find out. Heck, over the last foir years she had trained herself not to feel anything romantic for Dutch nor allow herself to be close to him. Those choices were really making her feel quite stupid present time.
Had she blown it? Would Dutch even care if she made a pass at him? Would she have the guts to do such a thing after those years? She took a deep breath, what if she got to Tall Trees, where he had been staying and he had another woman? It was possible, it was quite possible but Celina hadn't slept with another man ever since she and Dutch had broken up last... regardless of how many men she had granted a date with her over the years. She brought none of them home and climbed into bed with none, to that very day, Dutch Van Der Linde had been her last and she highly doubted that he could say the same for her. She had broken his heart, she knew that and in that moment she was truly hating herself for doing such a thing.
Four years! They could have had four extra years together, could have had more kids. Hell, they could have finally gotten married but she couldn't see past her hirt to give him another chance. Maybe that was why she couldn't find a man she was truly interested in in the last four years... maybe her heart had secretly still been with Dutch all along.
...
Celina rode long and hard that morning towards Beechers Hope and actually managed to arrive there by sunset. She sat on Bullet and stared at the farm which most certainly belonged to her old friend, John Marston. She felt a smile tug at her lips and spread across her face at the knowledge that he was alive and well and she had made it to her first (And easiest) destination safely.
Celina scratched Bullets neck who had admittedly been spending more time in the Saint Denis stable than he should have been for the last few months. It'd was unfair to the horse, she knew that but she couldn't help that life had been keeping her a little to busy to go out and ride like she had been in the habit of. She leaned forward towards his furry ears and whispered into them, "Are you ready to go and see John? We'll see if he has an apple or carrot he can spare you."
She fixed her gaze on the house up ahead and had a hard time wiping the smile from her face. It had been four years since she had seen her friend. She had spent four years not knowing for sure whether he was alive or dead. She spurred Bullet forwards and called out at loudly and dramatically as possible, "John Marston, come out with your hands up!"
There was a moment of silence, and then another and fear gripped at her heart that perhaps she was too late. Maybe John had already been taken away to work for the government... maybe he was already made into a law man and was heading down to Fort Mercer as she sat there on her horse looking like an idiot for riding in like she had, trying to play games. "John?" She squeaked out, the pitch of her voice rising with concern.
She rode up the rest of the way to his house before hitting Bullet to the post outside and making her way slowly up the porch steps. Not even Uncle was in sight... weird. RDR1 was after all based off of a journal which John kept, right? She had thought so, she had thought it to be historically accurate as well but she hadn't bothered to look into it as much as she had RDR2... the reason? They hadn't depicted Dutch as hot in RDR1, tbh... also, the first game had never held her attention as well, the graphics had been alright, not as realistic as the second game of course.
She peered into his home through the door, seeing no lights coming from within the home. She knocked on the door, "John Marston, open up!" She tried to sound as intimidating and unlike herself as possible. Their horses and livestock were there and looked like they were all doing fine, so the Marstons should be fine, right? She knocked again, "John, if you're in there, open up, this ain't funny no more. Get out here."
There was another long quiet moment before she could see someone walking through the house and towards the door, that someone being none other than John Marston himself. Celina positively beamed at him as he opened the door and stared at her in shock, "Celina? You're alive?!"
"No, John," Celina smirked, "Just come back to haunt you, John." She drew the man in for a hug which he returned warmly, "I wasn't sure that you were still alive yourself after all of that went down at the homestead. I see that you got yourself a pretty nice farm now though."
John pulled away with a smile, still eyeing her like he could hardly believe she was there, "Yeah, got it built up soon after all of that went down. That was some crazy stuff, back there."
Celina nodded and entered the house when John motioned for her to, letting the door shut behind herself, "It was, all because we didn't stop robbing like we were supposed to." John nodded and Celina continued, following him into his living room, "You know, Dutch, Jimmy, Arthur, Sadie and I all made it out together... I was scared to death that you all were going to be killed. Went back to the old farm with Arthur and Sadie to find the area cleaned out... no bodies to identify. We went to your ranch after that, your old one and none of you were there... I thought you were dead John, until I found out that Bill was still alive and then I started wondering about everyone else."
John nodded, grabbing a beer from his shelf of them and handing one to her which she gratefully accepted, "I didn't go back, didn't think that it would be safe but I did mourn you guys. That was... what went down, that army they brought on us..."
Celina nodded in agreement, "It was a lot to say the least, a bounty hunter must have excaped when Dutch and I were rescued from being captured the night before... lived and brought the law back on us is the only thing I can think of."
John nodded, taking a drink of his beer with a twinkle in his eyes of happiness to be reunited with the woman, "I am relieved to hear that the six of you got out. I was hoping that maybe you would... maybe there was a way... I made it out with Charles and Sean, and Uncle of course Abbigail and Jack as well... obviously."
Celina laughed, "Obviously.. Charles, Uncle and Sean," she smiled, "It is so good to hear that the three of them are alright as well... I'm taking it maybe Bill and Javier made it out together."
John shrugged, "I hope so." He eyed her for a moment in thought, "So, you managed to track me down here... where are you staying holed up at?"
Celina sighed, "Saint Denis, actually."
His eyes widened, "You in Saint Denis?"
Celina nodded and took a swig of her beer, "Was Strawberry for a while so that Dutch could come and see the kids more easily than having to sneak into the city... but that changed. It gets better though... Arthur and Sadie are living in Saint Denis as well."
John had to struggle to swallow his beer, having almost spit it out at that, making Celina laugh. He stared at the woman who was sitting comfortably next to him on his couch, "You and Dutch ain't together? And Arthur Morgan is living in the city?"
Celina laughed and held up her beer in acknowledgement, "I know, I know, who would have ever thought? But Sadie wanted to try it and well... she's my friend so I agreed. Arthur kinda didn't have much of a choice, being married to her and all but he's doing alright there... still running around like the cowboy he is, even in the city." She smiled, thinking about him before the smile slowly left her face, "Dutch and I... we split after everything went down at the homestead... I couldn't be with him... holding him to blame for the deaths of everyone we thought had been killed by the law. It was wrong of me, I knew that then and now, but I couldn't help it... now, I'm regretting it... I've cut him out of my life over belief that luckily just isn't true." She took a swig from her bottle and winked at him as she swallowed and pointed to said bottle, "This helps though, thank you." She then looked around the house from where she sat, "Say, where's Abbigal and Jack and Uncle?"
"They actually went into town, believe it or not," he rested his arm over the back of the couch, "They should be getting back anytime now though, given it's getting dark."
"Common now, wolf-man," Celina teased, "You're telling me you're not out there trying to find a place to go and howl at the moon?"
John laughed at that, despite the fact that the joke was at his expense, "Alright... Arthur," he teased back, "I can see that you and he are still close... so tell me, what is it that really brings you out here? I doubt you came out to Beechers Hope just on a thought that I may be alive."
Celina licked her lips and nodded slowly, "Ok, to the point... I like it.." She took another drink of her beet before sitting it down on the table and looking at him, the expression on her face suddenly nothing but serious, "You are in trouble, John... you, Dutch, Bill, and Javier if he's even still alive. You got the government coming after you, the feds and none of you may make it through this coming year."
"Wait," John started as he set his own beer down as well, completely engaging in the conversation, "How can you possibly know that?"
Celina raised a brow at and pointed to the tattoo on her hand, "I'm from the future, John, remember that..." She took a deep breath, "I've seen things and they're all adding up to work towards what happened the first time 1911 came and went... we both know that it'll be here in a few days."
John nodded slowly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "So..." he sounded nervous and with real reason to be so, "What... what's going to happen?"
"You're going to take Abbigal and Jack and you're going to run, either Uncle can leave himself or be can go with you but none of you can stay here. I don't know exactly when the feds are going to arrive, but they will, John... they will kidnap Abbigail and Jack and force you to chase down and either capture or kill Bill, Javier... and... and Dutch. They're going to turn you into a law man."
John shook his head and picked up his beer again, "They aren't going to turn me into no law man. I ain't going to do that to Dutch and them... I mean... they did all leave me for dead... and," he shook his head, "Still, I wouldn't do that. I mean you left me for dead too and we're still ok. Jack and Abbigail, I'm sure that everything will be ok, we're real quiet here and we can be quieter."
"I'm telling you, John," Celina leaned forwards on the couch, her elbows resting on her knees, "You all need to pack up and leave as soon as they get home, tonight. This can happen, this will happen if you don't get out of here. No matter how much you are ok with the old crew, you will change your mind when you have to turn against them for the safety of your family... and let me tell you John... that safety, it won't last. Of all of you, Jack would be the only one to live and officially evade the law. You? You will be killed almost immediately after returning home, by the law. They will all turn and ambush you. They are going to use you to kill those that they want dead and then take you out as well. They won't ever intend on letting you go as a free man, not ever." Her tone adapted an edge to it, "Do not let this happen, John."
Celina could almost see the wheels in John Marstons head turning before he started speaking, "Ok, ok... you're serious about this."
Celina nodded at him, no hint of humor about her at all, "I am dead serious, John. You guys need to get out of here and not look back. This is me coming all the way out here to try to help you, to try to save you and our family... please just listen to me."
John swallowed, "I suppose you wouldn't have made the trip if this wasn't really going to happen."
Celina shook her head, "No, I wouldn't have." She took a deep breath, "I'm scared, John... honest. I'm scared that history is going to repeat itself and there's nothing I can do about it. I've been trying so hard for all of these years to save all of you and now things are lining right back up, I can see that... and it scares me." She licked her lips, "I am risking my life getting involved in this which otherwise, I likely probably wouldn't even be a part of. But I am making myself a part of it to try and save you boys... as always. So please, listen." She reached out and put her hand on his knee in a purely platonic manner, "I might be killed, getting involved, it's very possible. All I ask is to be granted the satisfaction of knowing that I did all I could to protect the lot of you."
John shook his head, "You really are something, you know that? Like a guardian angel or something sent here from the future to protect us."
Celina laughed loudly at that, taking a moment to compose herself at the thought of being called an angel, "I'm far from an angel, John... far from it."
"But you're not though," John stared at her, wide-eyed, "You're like a savior to us... a Van Der Linde Savior."
...
A/N: There's the chapter that I was trying to build some higher level of anticipation for you guys! She is officially on the road and on her way to save the gang once again. She is also beginning to wonder if she really had ever stopped having feelings for Dutch despite doing a great job convincing herself that she didn't for the past few years. So, after leaving John's place she will be heading out to Tall Trees in attempt to warn Dutch.
What do you all think so far and of this chapter? Can I please get any questions/comments/predictions in the comments? And that was the thing to look forward to this chapter, Celina realizing (finally) that she might still actually want Dutch after all those years since she can no longer blame him for the 'death' of the family.
What goes down in Tall Trees will definately be interesting and I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys think may happen there :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Red Dead Redemption 1 or 2 or anything associated with it.