Everyone except Dutch, Arthur and John had come home after killing nearly the entire Braithwaite family. Celina hadn't left her and Dutch's room but watched through the window as the men filed into camp. It would only be a matter of time before Dutch, John and Arthur would come back with Jack. The questions were if she would be sleeping apart from Dutch tonight- the answer was probably. That was ssomething she hadn't done in weeks but felt as it it were necessary for the night if only for her own sanity.

She figured she could try to talk to him but knew that the odds of that going well were practically non-existent. She knew Dutch well enough to know that he would throw up walls right and left and turn the conversation on her if he could in any way, shape or form. Unless... Unless he actually had been acting earlier. She hoped to God that that was the case.

Another hour or so went by and there was no sign of the four of them. She sighed dramatically and laid across the bed on her back. She probably would have still been crying if it were possible but she had exhausted her capacity to do so for the day it seemed. Finally, she collected herself and got up off the bed knowing that laying around would do her no good. She was going to go into Saint Denis herself... not to meet up with the boys, but just to take a look around.

Or was she? She sat back down on the bed again, almost too depressed to muster the energy and will-power to do anything other than just sit and think about how terribly everything might be falling apart. She found herself curling back up in bed and pulling the covers up to her shoulders, snuggling down into the bed in attempt to hide from the world.

...

By the time Dutch got back to camp, it was dark but the day had been a success. He had been invited to the mayor's party, he chuckled at the thought, one of America's most wanted criminals being invited to the mayor's house for a party. A high class party. The first person he wanted to boast about his success to was Celina.

Guilt hit him and hard as he thought about how he had treated the young woman before he had left. What was he supposed to think though? One of them were lying and the way she hung around the rest of the gang, namely Arthur, it seemed that Micah may be right and that her eyes may not only be for him anyway. If Micah was looking out for him regarding his newest relationship, why would Micah be secretly going behind his back. He shook his head, he hated to think it but it seemed maybe the woman did have some ulterior motives. He just didn't know what they were.

Micah had been pointing out to him how eager she was to always get in on the action... like it was all an adrenaline rush for her. After all, she did start caring for the gang through playing a video game... maybe that's what she looked at life here as, just a game. He hoped not but he couldn't be sure, he wasn't sure of anything.

Actually, he was truly leaning toward thinking that Micah had been made out as a villian in the retelling of history just for entertainment purposes... it certainly was a possibility. In that case, Celina really wouldn't know if Micah wasn't truly a rat.

He sighed, he didn't want to be mad at her. He had no solid proof that she was truly against him, yet. He would need more evidence before totally distrusting her and if he got the evidence that she was a traitor... He swallowed. Would he be able to follow the rules of what happens to traitors if he had to apply them to her? He somehow had his doubts although he was the very one who had created the rules in the first place. Well, he and Hosea. Hosea who, like Arthur clearly thought the woman was exactly who she claimed to be.

Of course Arthur would believe her and he supposed Celina would just keep drawing more and more of the boys into believing her whether they should or not.

"Abbigail!" He shouted, attracting everyone's attention, "We got your boy, we got Jack! He is just fine."

Abigail came running right past him thanking him profusely as well as thanking Arthur. She wasted no time in pulling little Jack into a tight hug followed by John. Dutch studied the happy reunion of the family with a small smile before walking towards the house once again. He had the feeling that Celina just may try to stab him upon sight.

He walked into the old mostly rundown house, seeing that it didn't appear that she was outside. He nodded hello to Hosea, "Do you know where Celina is?"

Hosea shrugged, "Try upstairs, she hasn't come out of your room ever since you left."

Another pang of guilt hit him and he made his way to the stairs, going up them quietly. He was going to get stabbed, or shot, one or the other... maybe both. He wouldn't ever admit to the woman how nervous she had made him the first time she truly lost her head with him over him wanting to hit the plantation houses. Now, Seeing what a mess it had caused, he understood why she had talked him out of it... at least originally.

His gaze fell upon the closed door and he cracked his neck, preparing himself to enter the room. He pushed the door open slowly and peered inside, surprised to see Celina curled up in the center of their bed. Dutch took a deep breath and entered the room, sitting down beside her, hoping that the shift of weight on the bed wouldn't wake her up, "I'm sorry." He studied her sleeping form with a touch of helplessness in his usually confident voice.

It was true that it wasn't clear to him who he should be trusting but it was also clear to him that he did feel regret over acting the way he had before he had his evidence. He shook his head, feeling more and more like an idiot than ever, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean." Apologizing was hard, so hard.

He went to open his mouth to say something else but she spoke first, "Really? Because that's a crap apology."

He couldn't help but crack a small smile at the retort of the fire-cracker of a woman. She had got him good, pretending to be asleep like she had, "I am sorry for the accusations I threw at you out there."

She rolled over so she was facing him, his apology not making it's way to her heart, "You say you're sorry but that doesn't mean what you said isn't how you feel. You don't trust me, Dutch."

He couldn't lie to her, "I don't know who or what I trust right now."

She laughed, truly laughed, it put him on the defensive somewhat that she seemed to think something about the situation was funny. Celina sat up so she could look straight at him. He noticed that her face was redenned as if she had been laying in bed alone, crying, "Is this the way it's really going to be, Dutch? Micah is trying to frame me and you're siding with him."

Dutch shook his head, "I'm not siding with him."

She raised her brow challengingly, "If that's the case then are you playing along with him like we agreed to so we can take him out?" When Dutch didn't answer her, she raised her hands to the ceiling, "See?" Her voice caught in her throat for a moment, "This is what he wants, Dutch. He wants to pull you away from me because he knows that I'm good for you. He knows that I can see right through him."

"You are all caught up in how history was presented to you. You weren't here before, you don't know how things are going to go for sure. You can't know that he's actually a rat. Micah is a good, smart man. You've got to see what he does for this group, he's helping us. Why don't you try trusting me for once?"

Celina closed her eyes tightly, this conversation felt as if it had the power to kill her. Her heart was physically hurting with each word that came out of his mouth, "You are siding with him, Dutch. You're defending him." Neither one of them were yelling at the other just yet, "No, in 2018, I suppose I couldn't confirm that everything I knew about you guys was accurate... but now that I'm here? I - yeah, Micah's the rat, Dutch. Hell, Red Dead Redemption is so historically accurate that they even hit casting for all of your voices spot on. God knows how they did it but my point is I really doubt they would have made Micah out to be the bad guy just for fun. The history of the downfall of this gang is absolutely factually accurate, Dutch. You've got to trust me." When he remained silent, Celina took a deep breath, "Just like I know that you got invited to the mayor's party tonight by Angelo Bronte."

Dutch was staring straight ahead, not looking at her, finally, he stood up. He could feel his control slipping away and he was going to say what he had to say whether he thought it was a good idea or not, "What's been going on with you and Arthur?"

She was rather taken aback by the question which was completely unrelated to what she thought they were having a serious conversation about, "Nothing is going on between Arthur and I. As you know, he was captured just to get Micah off my back. I was helping him to recover, Dutch. It was the least I could do, and he's my friend." She stood up as well, "You just don't trust me with anything, so you?"

Dutch raised his hand in attempt to stop her from escalating with him, "That is not what I was implying. I was only asking."

"Mmm hmmm." She stared into his eyes getting quite ticked off by the second, "Or you were thinking that maybe something was going on between us and he was trying to steal me away from you like I stole you away from Molly? I'm glad you're so mature to keep how you feel bottled up for so long and then let it out at a time like this when you're already doubting my entire credibility as to being a trustworthy person. Why not just get everything off your chest at once. If your doubt towards me is so strong then let's just be done here and now." She held up a finger to signify that she wasn't yet done saying what she had to say, "Unless none of this is how you really feel and your buddy Micah has been whispering in your ear for this past week in attempt to get you to think you feel this way."

"Celina-"

"-What is is, Dutch? Is it going to be Micah or me?"

His eyes widened, "What do you mean is it going to be Micah or you?"

She laughed humorlessly and crossed her arms. She walked up to him slowly, tilting her head back so she could make eye contact with him, "I mean exactly what I said. I'm not going to leave you now, Dutch. You don't have to choose now. But, if this behavior continues for much longer, you can bet your life that I won't stick around to see him destroy you. It's going to come to the point that you have to choose him or me."

His lip lifted in a bit of a snarl, "You're giving me an ultimatum."

She shrugged and held his gaze, "I'm trying to save your life, Dutch. I wouldn't leave this gang, not in a thousand years, so I don't want you even thinking that. You'd be the one I'd leave. You'd see me from time to time around here with Artgur, Hosea, Lenny, Sean, Javier, John, Bill, Josiah when he's here, but you... Dutch, if you choose Micah over me, you best never speak to me again." She shook her head, "I mean it."

He looked hurt, with reason too, Celina had possibly given him one of the most serious ultimatums of his life and frankly, the seriousness of her tone hit him rather hard. He squinted his eyes at her, hardly believing what he had heard her say, "You would really do that?"

She nodded, tears once again pricking at her eyes, what she was saying was the truth revealing itself and she stood by her previous statement, "I don't think I have a choice, Dutch. I couldn't be around you if you choose him over me. I would have to act as if you were a ghost, I can't-" she choked on a sob and pointed at him, "I can't stand around and watch you change knowing I can't do anything about it. I'm begging you, Dutch."

His expression turned to one of no emotion, "You were right about Bronte inviting us to the mayor's party. Can you believe that, us, some of America's most wanted attending the mayor's party?"

Celina shook her head, Dutch had dismissed her, totally changing the conversation again. She smiled tightly, sarcastically, "How ironic. I didn't know that this party was more important than your sanity."

Dutch nodded, "I heard what you said."

She looked at him expectantly, "And?"

"And nothing, I know you're concerned about me and what you think you know about Micah. That's it though, you think you know. You have to trust me that I am right about this. I won't change and there's no need for you to leave."

She took a deep breath and nodded, "Ok." There would be no point in arguing with him, not now. It was clear that Micah had really begun pulling the wool over his eyes. She needed to get together a team to help her with this Micah problem and create a plan to do away with him and fast. It was clear to her that Micah being forcefully removed from the picture would be necessary for Dutch's sanity and for the gangs survival. She placed a gentle kiss to his cheek, "I'll trust you, Dutch." She pulled away to look him in the eyes, "Please, please be careful."

The look on his face softened and he raised his right hand to her face, cupping her cheek gently and grazing his thumb over her bottom lip, "I want you to come to the party with me."

She took a deep breath, was she really going to just let him send her into one extreme emotion only to let him pull her out of it whenever he made the slightest attempt? No. She wasn't his puppet and she wasn't going to let him treat her so poorly and let him off the hook so easily... no matter what a blast she figured it would be to attend that party with all of those high-class people. She had to admit, it did sound pretty interesting. Still, she shook her head, she wouldn't just jump to please him at every chance, "I don't know if I want to, honestly. I'll think about it. When is it?"

"Here in a few days."

She shrugged, "We'll see."

He seemed surprised, honestly seemed genuinely surprised that she wasn't chomping at the bit to go to the party with him, "We'll see?"

She nodded with a less than humored laugh, "Yes, we'll see. Did you really expect me to jump at the chance to act like everything is fine between us?"

Dutch looked uncomfortable as if the question she asked was a trick question, "I was hoping that you would accept my apology and we could move past this."

Celina stared at him for a silent moment and then another moment longer before blinking slowly, "Accept your apology?" Side-eyed him, "What apology would that be? The one where you said your sorry for throwing accusations at me? Because that is still not an acceptable apology in my book." She mocked him, "I'm really sorry I accused you of possibly betraying me. It's only because I'm Dutch Van Der Linde, emphasis on the 'Der' and I don't trust anyone."

His upper lip twitched and she could tell that he was once again on edge. She didn't care and continued, "I'm so tough, I shoot and rob people and I just don't understand why the law is after me."

Dutch tilted his head to the side as he tried to control his rising temper, "Miss Knoll, please-"

She rested her hand on the pommel of her knife attatched to the belt she wore, "Call me by my last name one more time and I honestly will stab you, Dutch. Do not test me."

He raised his brows challengingly, "Try to stab me, see what happens."

Her hand dropped from her knife in defeat, "Why can't you just believe me?"

"Because, it is Micah and you against one another and I just... i don't know. For once in my life, I don't know. Micah has been nothing but loyal, I have no reason not to trust him. You-"

She bit down on her lip, eyeing him up and down for once in disgust, it was if she didn't even recognize the man who was standing in front of her, "What about me?"

Dutch gestured to her, giving up on trying to tread lightly with his words... as if that were what he was doing in the first place, "You just show up out of nowhere telling me not to trust Micah and to do this and not do that. How do I know, really know who you truly are? You're not even from the same decade as us, how do I know you aren't setting us up, that you don't see us as scum like so many others do?"

She pursed her lips and nodded, "Ok." She sat down on the edge of the bed, "I don't see you as scum, not one bit, Dutch. I have been attracted to what you and the gang stand for since I first learned of you guys. Drawn to you in a way I just can't explain. I love you, and I love this gang." All emotion had drained from her voice due to how mentally exhausted she felt, "I thought that I made it clear in the beginning that I'm on your side." She shrugged, "I'm sorry that as soon as Micah points a finger at me, you seem to forget all about that."

Dutch's brows furrowed, it actually looked like he was using the brain God had gifted him with for the first time that day, "It's not like that. I just... I."

Celina scoffed at him, unable to stand being around him in that moment, expecially when he couldn't even seem to make a true argument for himself. She said what she truly wanted to say deep down in her heart of hearts. She practically spit her words at him, "Take Micah's dick out of your mouth and think straight, Dutch. When you do that, come find me."

His mouth gaped open, never in his life having been talked to like that. He wanted to snap back at her, but found he couldn't. It was as if he had lost the ability to say anything as he watched her push her way through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

...

A/N: Dutch really needs to get his crap together and realize what an idiot he's being. Might be over-doing Dutch's hard headedness but then again, he is Dutch, so maybe not. Plus, we haven't seen Dutch in a situation like this before though, so...

And can I just point out that I really enjoyed writing the 'Micah's dick' comment? Kinda thought it was a good quote, gold lol.

But anyway, what did you all think about this chapter? Do you think she's going to leave right now or do you think it'll take more for her to come to that decision for sure? Should she leave now or hang tight for a bit longer?

Disclaimer: I do not own Red Dead Redemption 1 or 2 or anything associated with it.