Arthur's note: Feel free to offer recommendations to this story. I want to make ripple effects apparent. For example, just because Arthur won't get TB doesn't mean someone else doesn't have to get it. I don't want everything to go into his favor either.

Also, I'm changing the vocabulary to full words. It's too hard to maintain the verbs with, for example - bein' - instead of just saying being.

Chapter 2

Due to his lack of his curiosity to Dutch, torn between being too disgusted with him, and caught up with the fact that he had been sent back in time to the beginning of the end, they didn't talk much. Arthur just stayed behind Dutch. He'd mourned about Davey, but he knew that turning to Dutch for advice and that same old saying 'bout Dutch' they won't lose no more folks were complete and utter bullshit.

"Hey, I think I see something up the path," Dutch declared. "You up ahead! Who's there?!"

The rat revealed himself. Arthur knew that it wasn't John, but he'd wished it was. It'd been better than to face the same man who took everything from him. The same man who couldn't fight him when he was in his prime.

The sights of the individual made Dutch felt relief after seeing who he was.

"Micah," Dutch spoke, not doing anything to hide this.

For Arthur, it sparked many emotions.

Arthur's hand shot near his revolver for a nanosecond. He'd loved Dutch but knowing that the feelings weren't mutual hardened his heart to the man who he once believed was his father figure. Two shots were all it took.

Two shots, and he could take both Micah and Dutch down.

Two shots, and Sean, Hosea, and Lenny would be saved.

Two shots, and he and John never would get betrayed.

Arthur wasn't going to shoot them.

There was no place for folks like them no more.

Despite Dutch's fucked up "plans" and Micah's doing, it was always a matter of time. The world was becoming too civilized for the gang. The downfall was 'round the corner. It was only a matter of who would fall and who would come out, going into the shadows and avoiding the people who would want them swing.

Soon, it would be very clear that the gang had nowhere to go. So, despite a more discreet approach, they'd have been caught anyway. Or lose a lot of people.

Besides, it was likely that some would not listen to Hosea, nor would anyone want to go after Marston. Actions have consequences, and he had to defeat Dutch and Micah by breaking some free, cutting their losses, and running before the heat became too much.

No. There would come a time, one day. He had a special bullet for Micah. Without TB slowing him down, Arthur would destroy Micah if they ever got into a physical fight. The rat wouldn't have even put his neck out if he thought Arthur was physically capable of stopping him. It was only when he saw Arthur was practically dead that he was willing to take him on. Micah was a coward who would not be able to shut his trap, but he was smart enough to stay under everyone else's noses and stay alive.

One day.

It wouldn't be for revenge but rather out of necessity.

Poetic justice...

"Gentlemen," Micah spoke.

"Found anything'?" Dutch asked.

"I think so," Micah answered. "Found a little homestead down that way."

Dutch nodded. "Okay. Anyone home?"

"Sure. Place is blazing with light and noise." He replied. "Sounded like a party."

"Let's go see," Dutch decided.

"Follow me."

They did so.

"How's Davey doing?"

"Ah, he didn't make it," Dutch replied. "Nor did little Jenny."

"That's too bad." Micah said, sounding disappointed. Like he cared. "Davey was a real fighter. Both of them Callander boys is, or… was…"

"Yeah," Dutch agreed, sounding a tad bit saddened.

"And Mac and Sean?" Micah asked again.

"We don't know," Dutch replied.

"Quite a business," Micah claimed.

"I'm glad you're alright, Micah."

"I bet you are." Arthur thought to himself in a whisper.

"Arthur, let me take the rear. You move up."

He followed this command. He'd preferred being next to Dutch 'cause killing Micah was more tempting than Dutch.

The rat quipped, "No "Glad you're alright, I was worried, Micah"?"

Arthur declared with full honesty. "Would have rather have John returned than you." Contempt leaked in his tone, though it only amused the rat.

"Marston likely got himself buried in this endless amount of snow." the man snickered, testing' Arthur's patience.

"Where are all the others?"

"Old mining camps up north," Arthur spoke bitingly.

"Oh, goddamn this snow. Gets right to the bones." Dutch complained.

He kept quiet, doing his best to squash any concern about both John and Sadie. One change, and everything could be fucked up. He was not going to save himself and allow John to die in his place! It took so much patience to not shift off course and look for his brother until he found him and brought him back.

"Okay, let's keep it down now," Micah spoke with a bit of wisdom. "It's just up ahead."

"Okay," Dutch responded as they all looked at the top of the hill. "Let's head down there."

Arthur followed behind them, taking deep breaths. The blizzard actually helped in some way. It was like the wind shooting through his bones calmed him down, remove the tension from his body in some degree. Colter was by no means a place which he would want to live in, but places where it had both temperatures were definitely ideas Arthur would use for the future.

"Let's hitch up here," Dutch whispered a command.

The order followed, they dismounted them and walked towards the house.

"Let me do the talking," Dutch told them. "We don't wanna scare these folks."

Arthur saw no reason to argue. They were O'Driscolls sure, but he had to play the act of being oblivious.

"Someone's having fun there," Micah stated, a twinge of satisfaction in his voice. He glared at him in disgust.

"You two, get yourself out of sight," He told them again, "One lonely man is a lot less intimidating than three nasty looking degenerates. "Micah, hide behind that wagon. Arthur, you take that old shed on the left."

The two quickly went to their hiding positions as Dutch stepped towards the doorstep and knock on the door.

"Hello?!" He shouted. "Excuse me? Hello?"

The door opened revealing a man wearing white clothing.

"Oh well, hello friend," Dutch greeted.

"What you want?" The man asked bluntly.

"I am very sorry to disturb you," Dutch apologized. "Uh, my friends and I, well we got into, some, trouble up the way. Lost in the storm."

Then a few more men exit the house and have the same expression as the man who opened first.

"Ah, gentlemen," Dutch greeted them.

"We can't help you, mister," The O'Driscoll told him bluntly.

"I got folks," Dutch replied. "Dying n that trail…"

While hiding, Micah saw a corpse inside of the wagon like last time. He looked at him.

"Arthur," Micah murmured. "Arthur, we got a problem." He lifted up the blanket revealing the corpse inside. He'd wished he been able to save Sadie's husband this time around, but fate opted otherwise. Maybe he could help her sooner, however. "There's a corpse right here. Arthur... there's a body in the wagon."

"Just shush your paddling and keep an eye on Dutch," Arthur replied roughly.

"Now friend," Dutch continued playing the old act. "I ain't asking for much. Please. I am… kinda desperate."

Arthur reached for his cattleman revolver out of instinct alone. He was tempted to allow Dutch to be shot, but he knew the futility of doing so. The man would react even if Arthur didn't. The O'Driscolls were nothing compared to Arthur, Dutch, and Micah. All emotionless followers who only listened to one cause, that man, Colm O'Driscoll.

He peeked out of cover and painted the targets. He looked to see one in the window. The others stood aside, their hands gripped over their weapons.

"Hey, I don't believe it!" The man exclaimed. "It's goddamn D-"

Time slowed as it always did. Ears ringing, Arthur's instincts kicked into high gear. That familiar yellow haze. The moment where everything froze right then and there. Blood rushed through his veins as he painted each target. He pulled back the hammer on the revolver. In seconds, the three were dead, each shot perfectly in the head.

He casually aimed his revolver at the one that came out of his shed. Two shots took him down at the right thigh, killing him before he could even get a shot off;

Two more O'Driscolls came out, aiming their rifles.

He caught one in the forehead, yet his gun had to reload. Ah yes, getting caught up in the moment, even after as long as he fired triggers, were bound to happen.

"Save some for me, Morgan!" Micah shouted.

All the while, the final shooting O'Driscoll missed his shots.

When his gun finished reloading, Arthur put him down between the chest with three bullets.

"We got a runner! You see him, Arthur?!" Micah shouted from the distance.

Arthur did. It was the same one he'd put down last time. He dashed up, hoping to save the bastard. The man pulled a revolver and aimed it at him, only for Arthur to shoot him in the chest as well.

Arthur came back, hearing "That's my boy, Arthur! Good shooting." from Dutch.

Arthur felt sick to the core. While they were rapists, robbers, and murderers, he was aware that they were only following what Colm taught them. What a damn tragedy.

"Goddamn O'Driscoll's boys here? Why?" Dutch spoke coldly.

"I don't know. Maybe same reason as us." Micah called back from the distance.

"Micah," Dutch barked a command, "go bring the horses closer to the house. Arthur, let's go search the cabin."

When Arthur first entered, the small stench like the last time assaulted him, making him scrunch up his nose at the thought of how they tormented Sadie in many ways. Taking away the goddamn woman's husband and then gang rape her?! It contributed onto his disgust to know that the woman was the one who helped him save Abigail, the same one who'd been at his and John's side at the end, the one who lost everything and rebuilt herself for that.

Instead of looking in the cabinets and the drawers, he went directly up to the cellar and opened it slowly. He wasn't going to allow Micah to scare the shit out of Sadie this time.

"Get away from me!"

The form of the traumatized woman emerged. She stabbed forward and almost caught him with the knife. He dodged and gripped her arm. This earned her frantic screams as she began to kick and punch at his direction. Even now, she was feisty as ever.

"Miss! You're safe! You're going to be okay!" Dutch looked stunned, while Arthur subdued her. "Sa... Miss! It's going to be alright! You're safe! We're not like them O'Driscolls!" He saw her extending the knife to his direction. "We mean you no harm." His hands softened a fraction. "Miss, you're going to be okay."

Her hand softened over the knife, and she dropped it. He turned to the leader of the Van Der Linde gang.

"We can't leave her here, Dutch." For the time being, Dutch wouldn't harm her. "I'll go see if there's anything in that barn," he told Dutch who nodded and patted her on the back gently. "I'll be back, miss."

He dashed up to the nearby stables.

Arthur closed the door to the barn, waiting for his attacker.

"You bastards killed my cousin!" The O'Driscoll plummeted down from above. This time, he was prepared. He dodged the boy's attack and gripped his wrist, putting his hand on his lips as he smothered the man offering resistance.

"Listen, boy! Listen!"

His eyes trembled for a millisecond. He held him, tightly pressing his mouth shut. His echoing heart began to slow again. Then once his shoulder calmed down and relaxed, he released him.

"Listen," Arthur urged in a hushed voice. "Listen to me. Your cousin is gone. I'm sorry about that. I lost my love and my child 'cause I was too blind. Too loyal. Don't make the same mistake I made. I know you're loyal to Colm, but he doesn't care about you. You're just another warm body to him."

The O'Driscoll's eyes widened.

"Your cousin will not want you to die for no purpose at all. Colm and that man out there are similar. Caught up in the past. Live. Keep running and don't look back."

The now calmer boy's fear was evident. Eventually, he nodded.

Arthur reached into his satchel, pulling out a can of oranges he still had left since before Blackwater. "Take this and play dumb."

"Arthur, what's going on, my boy?!" Dutch's voice was coming close.

Arthur snarled. "Remember, it's not what your cousin would have wanted." He didn't know that for sure but hopefully it would appease him not to go back god damn it!

"Play along."

The doors to the barn burst open. Dutch stood in the darkness. He didn't know if it was due to the lightening, but at that moment, he looked more like the man who'd left John to die.

Dutch looked around for a nanosecond, gun drawn, before he lowered it. The man's lips broke out into a smirk.

"I found this goddamn animal." Arthur pretended to choke him. "Where's Colm O'Driscoll?"

"With the others. At an old mining camp southwest from here." He responded in a show of decent acting.

"Why are you here?" He continued. Unfortunately, he had to ask this question.

"We are planning to rob some train! I don't know more than that, I swear!"

"Let him go back to the others," Arthur looked at him. "Could make an example."

Dutch contemplated for a moment before he nodded.

"Get out of here, boy."

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Walker screeched heavily, and Arthur patted him on the neck. His horse. His... it was the one who hadn't died yet being shot by Pinkertons. After the recent death of Boadicea, Arthur bonded with this horse, even though it belonged to the O'Driscolls. While the horse had slow feats and was quite skittish, Arthur trained it day in and day out, and it eventually grown.

"Easy! Easy! Ryan. Easy..." He didn't recognize he'd called him by his actual name he gave him, but it did the trick for some strange reason.

"I had almost forgotten you lost your horse back in Blackwater!" The man exclaimed. Damn, he'd still missed her. "That looks like a decent horse. Why don't you keep him?"

"Right," Arthur nodded.

He turned his attention back onto the horse. After they got well acquainted with one another, Arthur made a mental note to have multiple horses this time around. Not that he'd hated the one he had before, but this life called for death.

He walked back to the house.

"Heard you attacked Morgan! Wild thing, ain't ya?!" Micah cackled his terrible cackle that made Arthur want to put a bullet through his skull.

"Get the hell away from her!" Arthur's overprotective fury over his friend burned up. "I'll bring her with me," he declared.

Dutch nodded, not seeing any reason to argue.

Another change; Sadie would ride with him instead of Dutch. A positive one if anything.

"You're alright now, miss, who are you?"

"I'm... I'm Sadie Adler."

"I'm Arthur Morgan. That's Dutch van der Linde, and that idiot is Micah Bell."

"They took him away... from me. My husband. Those savages."

"I'm sorry, miss. You're safe now."

Arthur held her, offering comfort and support as he buried his head over her. "Go! We'll catch up!"

The two men took off.

He noticed, this time, the house wasn't burnt. He went inside the house and grabbed the picture frame of Jake and Sadie on their marriage day. She grabbed it and sobbed, burying her head into the frame, while he rubbed circles into her back, not realizing it was a small gesture he himself needed.

Arthur's note: Something I noticed about many stories is that people forget Micah's behavior to healthy Arthur is different compared to TB Arthur. He's many things but he's not dumb. He knows Arthur would destroy him without having some sort of advantage, so Micah treats Arthur better when he's at full strength, no doubt to try to manipulate him. He wouldn't try all that shit with Arthur if he didn't have TB.

In short, Micah's entire plan would be different if Arthur was at his full strength.

I can't remember what horse I had when I played RDR2 over 4 years ago, but I feel like it makes sense for Arthur to keep the Walker. Since Arthur lost Boadicea, I can see him bonding with the first horse he could actually call his own. When I replay the game when I get my PS5 in a few months I'm definitely doing that.