Author's Note: I don't own Red Dead Redemption nor any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and few characters which are my own.
Summary: Red Dead Redemption 2 Au. It was Sadie Arthur had been in love with not Mary Giles all those years ago. Arthur was prepared to leave it all behind for Sadie. Sadie's family intervened lying saying that Arthur was dead killed in a shootout with the law. Heartbroken Sadie marries Jake Adler. Eighteen years later. A snow storm brings both death, destruction and a ghost from the past to Sadie's doorstep.
AN:It was never openly said during the game that Sadie was possible raped by the O'Driscoll during the three days she was held hostage. By going by her trauma and anger through the game and when she kills the O'Driscoll Tommy who killed her husband. I was always thought there was more to it then simple revenge for the killing of her husband. Sadie and Arthur have a daughter together.
Chapter 1
18 Years Earlier
Armadillo, Cholla Springs New Austin
1881
It was a stifling hot day in Armadillo seventeen year old Sadie McKenna rode into town on the wagon with her mother Caroline, sisters Catherine and Isabella. Her father a second generation Scottish American James McKenna.
Her two brothers Hamish and Alexander rode beside them as the wagon rolled into Armadillo for supplies to take back to their ranch the 'Two Crows'.
Armadillo was small compared to the larger town of Tumbleweed fifty miles to the North in bandit country of Gaptooth Ridge.
Her father pulled the wagon up out the front of Moon and Sons General store. The General store was run by Francis Moon senior and his two sons Francis Junior and Herbert.
Her two brothers Alex and Hamish hitched their horse out the front of the Armadillo Saloon
"Alexander, Hamish you stay out of that place" Their mother Caroline was against the sin of the devil's ale as she called strong drink. Her grand papa Alexander had been a drunk who had drunk himself to death years before Sadie and her siblings had been born.
"Yes Mama" Both boys answered.
"Sadie don't you go wandering off you hear" Caroline turned her attention to her headstrong and willful daughter.
"Yes Mama" Sadie wasn't lady like her mama or sisters. She preferred riding, shooting and wearing pants over dresses, playing the piano or anything lady like. Much to Caroline's dismay James treated Sadie like his third son. Her Pa had taught her the meaning of handwork. She wasn't afraid of it.
"Hello Sadie" Sadie paused looking over her shoulder at Jake Alder. Jake's Aunt Amelia and Uncle Ira Worthington and cousin Ray.
"Jake, Mr and Mrs Worthington Ray" Sadie nodded to the Worthingtons.
"Ira Amelia it's good to see you" James McKenna drawled setting down the bags of flour onto the wagon.
"Hello James Caroline."The Worthingtons said hello to Sadie's parents.
Sadie tuned out the conversation between the Worthington and her parents. Three horsemen riding in the from the direction of the Sheriff's Office caught her attention. One rode White Arabian, the older of the three rode a tall shouldered Turkmen.
It was the younger of the three that caught Sadie's attention. He rode a dapple grey tobiano paint. There seemed to be a touch of Thoroughbred in the paint he rode. It was taller then most paint's Sadie had seemed.
Sadie felt her heart skip a beat as her brown eyes met his handsome blue eyes. A beard covered the lower half of his handsome face.
Arthur slowed Stoneclad beside Dutch and Hosea's horses hitching them out the front of the gunsmith.
Arthur's eyes caught that of a pretty blonde girl. About seventeen or younger watching him from across the street.
He chuckled to himself as he tipped his hat to her. The girl quickly diverted her eyes blushing bright red as he did so.
Arthur followed Dutch and Hosea to the Saloon in this two bit cattle town. There would slim pickings here for Dutch and Hosea's scams. Maybe the next town over Tumbleweed it said on the map Hosea and Dutch had been crammed over last night.
May 1899
The fateful day the O'Driscoll came crashing into their lives started out as any normal day on the Adler Ranch. Sadie and Jake had built the place up to what it was over the passed eighteen years.
They'd raised their daughter Alexandra or Lex as she liked to be called. Buried may of their other babies that where still born or died at birth, infancy or as young children.
Lex was Jake's daughter only in name. He wasn't her birth father. Her real father Arthur Morgan died eight months before she was born. Killed in a shootout with lawmen. Her Pa said at the time.
Her Pa god rest his soul had never lied to her. Heartbroken at losing the man she loved. Sadie accepted Jake's proposal of marriage only days later. By that time Sadie had realized she was with child. Arthur's child her last link to him.
Jake never said anything when Alexandra was born a month early. Sadie hadn't loved Jake at the start of their married life. But over the years had come to love him. Not in love with him. As she was still in love with a ghost.
Jake was a wonderful man but he had one fault which lead to his death. He was too goddamn trusting for his own good. He let complete strangers into the ranch house. For that kindness they slit his throat.
Raped both Sadie and Lex over and over again. Kept them locked down in the cellar. They didn't freeze to death because of a lone horse blanket they shivered under. They where kept alive for whatever reason.
The bastards ate their food and provision they been stocking up on to see them through when winter came.
Spider Gorge, West Grizzle Ambarino
May 1899
The Van Der Linde gang made their way through the blinding snowstorm that had blown in yesterday. Fleeing from pursuing lawmen after the failed Blackwater Ferry Robbery weeks earlier.
Dutch steered the wagon through the heavy snow and blinding snow fall with his good arm. The other was in a sling after he'd been shot in the shoulder as they fled Blackwater without any of their money.
His long time friend and partner in crime Hosea sat beside just as cold, hungry and worn out as the rest of them where.
"Abigail says he's dying Dutch. We need to stop someplace" Orville Swanson spoke of Davy Callahan who had been badly wounded. They'd already lost young Jenny the day before. Mac Davy's brother was missing as was Sean.
"Arthur's out looking with Ben. I sent them up ahead."Dutch shivered from the cold.
"If we don't stop soon, we'll all be dying. This weather, it's May for god sake… I only hope the law's gets lost as we did" Hosea coughed. He squinted against the blinding snow as two figures appeared ahead of them on horseback holding lanterns.
"Arthur Ben. Any luck" Dutch called to them.
"Sure did Dutch" Hosea's only son Ben called back.
"Old abandoned mining town down a way" Arthur added astride Taima he was borrowing from Charles Smith a newer member of the gang. His own beloved Boadicea a liver chestnut thoroughbred mare he'd had for a lot years had been shot out from under him when they fled Blackwater that day.
In the heavy snow and heavy snowfall it was hard going for both man and beast. The ground leveled out as they came into the town thankfully.
Hosea and Ben checked the main building to see if there was anyone around. Finding it empty. Both father and son holstered their weapons.
"It's all clear Dutch, bring Davy in" Hosea called.
Abigail entered first followed by Arthur and Bill Williamson who carried Davy in on a stretcher placing him on a table. Abigail check his condition while Miss Grimshaw barked orders to Tilly, Mary Beth, Karen and the Gang's cook Simon Pearson. Davy wasn't breathing he was dead.
"Davy's dead" Abigail told the others.
"There was nothing….more you could have done" Swanson broken the silence that fallen over the gang as he shut Davy's now lifeless eyes.
"What are we going to do now. We need supplies, food" Hosea turned to Dutch.
"Well first of all your going to stay here and get warm. I sent John and Micah to scout ahead. Arthur and I are going to ride out and see if we had find one of them"
"Not with that arm you anit Dutch. And going riding out in that storm is suicide" Arthur argued.
"Arthur and I'll go Dutch. Just for a short bit. We don't have any other choice" Ben argued back.
"Listen to me, all of you. We've had a bad couple of weeks. I loved Davy, Jenny, Mac and Sean. I'm sure they're ok. We've lost some folks if I could trade places with them I would.
Now Arthur and Ben are going to ride out find some food. We're safe here. Ain't nobody going to follow us in a storm that bad. By the time they get here we'll be long gone. We may be here for a while. So I need you all to get yourself warm, stay strong, stay with me we anit done yet" Dutch proclaimed.
Arthur and Ben left the warm building into the blinding snowstorm. Charles Smith appeared out of the darkness leading two horses Taima and Ben's Buckskin Bald Faced Mustang.
Arthur and Ben rode into the snow storm for a few miles before someone came out of the darkness towards them. Both men drew their weapons incase there was trouble.
"Gentlemen you mind putting them guns away we're all the same side here" Micah 'Rat Face' Bell III slowed Baylock to a halt in front of Arthur and Ben.
"You find anything Micah" Neither Ben nor Arthur where Bell's biggest fans. Nor where a lot of the other members of the gang. Micah was on Dutch's shit list for shooting that girl on the ferry.
"Sure did found a little homestead downaways."
"Anyone there" Arthur asked.
"Sure lights and noise sounded like a party" Micah answered turning Baylock around
They rode further into the snow storm. Arthur and Ben quizzed Micah on few things. If he'd seen John or anyone else out here. The answer to both questions was the same no.
"Hey Arthur you reckon Dutch would miss old Micah if he was 'accidentally' killed while we're out here. No one's going to miss the son of a bitch"
"Nah I doubt it" Arthur chuckled as they rode through the snow storm.
"What are you two talking about back there"
"Nothing you need to worry yourself about Bell" Arthur dismissed as they slowed their horses to a ridge overlooking the ranch Micah had found.
"We best turn off those lanterns don't want to announce our presence just yet" Ben advised.
The three men rode down the hill. Hitching their horses and dismounting.
"How you want to play this" Ben turned to the two older men.
"You go up to the house see who's about. I'll go to cattle shed on the left, Micah that wagon beside the shed" Arthur relayed his orders.
"Who said you was in charge cowpoke"
"Seeing as Dutch isn't here and I've been in gang longer then you Micah. I give the fucking orders. Either do as your told or me and you settle this right now what's it going to be" Arthur challenged his hand rest on the butt of Navy Revolver.
"You're the boss" Micah did as he was told.
"Hello is there anyone" Ben hollered.
"Billy shut up. There's someone out there"
"Hello"Ben called again.
"What you want mister"A fella and his friends came out of the ranch house.
"I am very sorry to disturb you fellas it's just my wife and children are a ways down the trail. We where robbed" Ben began to tell s sobb story.
"We can't help you get lost"
"Arthur we've got a problem" Micah lifted a tarp covering a dead body. Whoever it was their throat had been cut so deeply in the neck he'd nearly been beheaded.
"Fuck I think these fella are O'Driscolls" Arthur swore.
"Please we just need a few supplies"
"I said get lost" The head O'Driscoll drew his pistol aiming at Ben.
"Oh very well then" Ben dropped the lantern and drew his LeMat Revolver. He killed all three O'Driscolls standing in the doorway.
All hell broke loose. The gunfire was deafening. Arthur fired off round after round from his Litchfield till it was empty before switching to his Navy Revolver.
"One of them running" Micah called over the gunfire.
Arthur jumped over the wall of the cowshed. In hot purist of the fleeing O'Driscoll. Arthur fired off two shots. One missed and the other got him in the back through the stomach. He dropped to the ground. Dying but it would a slow death.
Arthur approached wordless fired one more shoot in O'Driscoll's head. The smell of burnt gunpowder and blood hung heavily in the air.
Arthur regrouped with Micah and Ben. Picking up his dis guarded Litchfield from the cow shed.
"Micah bring the horses closure. Ben and I'll check out the house" Arthur ordered reloaded his Navy Revolver from his gun belt.
Micah didn't argue wordlessly going to retrieve the three horses. Arthur re holstered his Navy Revolver back in it's holster as they entered the now empty homestead. Or not so empty as Sadie and Lex where down in the cellar.
"Smell like a party in here" Ben observed a large dried pool of blood in the corner of the room.
"Sure does. Search the place see what you can find we take back to the others" Arthur began search through cupboards.
"Poor bastard that owned this place was married had a daughter as well by the looks of it."Sadie and Lex overheard from below in the cellar as the two strangers rummaged through their house.
"Arthur better eat to keep your strength up" The younger one threw a can of food to the older one called Arthur.
The two men ate the cans before continuing to search the cabin.
Arthur found a few unopened boxes of Repeater Ammunition. Arthur moved over to the table sitting down and reloading his Litchfield.
"Ben there's some ammunition over in that box there. Go grab what we might need" Arthur nodded over his shoulder to the box.
"Right I'll grab that and then go load this stuff on the horses. Meet us outside when your done."Sadie watched the men through the floorboards. Something about the older man seemed familiar.
Arthur placed the boxes of Repeater ammunition in his satchel before leaving the a cabin.
"Micah do one last sweep of the cabin. I'm going to go and check out the barn."Arthur said in passing as he trudged through the heavy snow to the barn.
Arthur pushed the barn door opened. Three agitated horses where the only thing beside him in the barn. One was a pretty sooty bay Dutch Warmblood mare, the others where a dapple buckskin mustang and chestnut bridle thoroughbred stallion.
Arthur walked a few steps into the barn before he was jumped from behind. Arthur used his body weight against the person who jumped him. Reversing their positions. The O'Driscoll was the one on his back.
Arthur grabbed the O'Driscoll by the shirt collar dragging him to his feet slamming him up against the barn wall.
"Where's Colm" Arthur yelled placing his knife against the O'Driscoll's throat.
"I don't know. We split off from the main gang days ago"
"Bullshit where's Colm and why are you up here" Arthur stabbed him in the leg.
"Alright fuck. An old mining town near the lake. We're fixing to rob a train" The O'Driscoll squealed.
"Thank you" Arthur said before slitting his throat.
"Arthur you alright in here" Ben appeared in the doorway of the barn. Arthur pushed the dead O'Driscoll to the side. Wiping the bloodied knife on his pants leg.
"Fine just dealing with the last O'Driscoll."Arthur put his knife back in his scabbard on his hip.
"That some fine horse flesh" Ben observed the three horses.
"That they are. Their owner anit going to be needed them. Will take them back with us to camp" Arthur and Ben moved to calm the horses before leading them out of the barn.
Arthur's blood ran cold at the sound of two blood curdling screams coming from the ranch followed by crashing and something breaking.
"Ever Micah's afraid of rats Or he's found the dead rancher wife and daughter" Ben and Arthur shared a look as they ran to the homestead.
Barging through the door. Two traumatized women where being chased around the table by a laughing Micah.
"Get away from us you son a bitch" The older women screamed.
"Micah what the hell are you doing" Arthur asked.
"Look what I found in the cellar wild things the two of them are"Micah taunted. The younger one threw a bottle of whiskey at Micah but missed.
"Leave them alone"
"Their O'Driscoll whores" Micah sneered
"No they anit you idiot look at them" Ben cut in.
Arthur watched in horror as the older of the two women picked up knife from the table with every intention of stabbing Micah in the chest. The woman had a wild look in her eye. Arthur had seen before and knew anywhere it couldn't be, could it after all these years.
"Sadie" Arthur uttered.
Sadie turned wild eyes to Arthur. She was enraged and clearly traumatized but whatever had happened to her and the younger women who was no doubt Sadie's daughter.
"Sadie it's Arthur. Your safe now just put the knife down" Arthur tried to reason.
"What this your old whore Morgan"
Sadie's daughter went for Micah. Knocking the table over in the process causing the lantern to smash on the floor setting the cabin alight.
"You fucking idiot" Arthur glared at Micah before turning his attention back to Sadie.
"Sadie come on put the knife down. The men who hurt you two and killed your husband are dead. We need to get out of here the cabin is on fire" Arthur seemed to finally get through to Sadie.
Sadie dropped the knife. Staggering into Arthur's arms. "You're alive" Sadie uttered looking up at him like he was a ghost.
Arthur didn't answer Sadie as he steered her outside, followed by Ben, Sadie's daughter and Micah.
"They came three days ago and killed my husband" Sadie sobbed as Arthur helped her up into the saddle of the chestnut bridle stallion. Ben sat Sadie's daughter in front of him in the saddle.
Arthur lead the way leading Taima and the dapple buckskin mustang, Ben followed leading the Sooty Bay Warmblood with Micah bringing up the rear.
"Hey Arthur and Ben are back" Lenny who was on guard called to the rest of the gang.
The others came out to greet them. Arthur dismounted helping Sadie down. While Ben dismounted his horse and helped Sadie's daughter down.
"Miss Grimshaw this is Mrs Adler and her daughter. Their ranch was raided by the O'Driscolls, their husband and father killed"Arthur explained.
"Miss Jackson, Miss Gaskill find some clothes and bedding for Mrs Adler and her daughter.
"Mr Matthews your sharing a room with your father. Arthur your in the same building with Dutch and Hosea. Mr Bell your in that cabin their with the rest of the men.
Arthur sat down heavily on his bed removing his hat. Resting his Litchfield Repeater against the wall beside his bed. Arthur removed his gun belt and knife hanging them off the nearest bed post.
He retrieved his journal and a pencil.
'May 1899
Found Sadie again in the most unlikely circumstances. Her husband Jake I think his name was killed by O'Driscoll. It's clear that both Sadie and her daughter mostly likely where raped by those animals.
By how traumatized she was. Might have been better for everyone back in camp to let her kill Micah. This Jake fella most have been quit a man to get Sadie to leave my sorry old ass back then.
He had far more better life to offer then I did then and still do. I'm a sad old fool in love with someone who don't love me or maybe she never loved me'.