"Anytime, Cowgirl." : Arthur Morgan X OC

Chapter 11

(A/N: This chapter took a decent amount of research, so enjoy. Again, sorry it took so long to update. I'm in my high school's spring musical, which is Mamma Mia, so I'm swamped with practice and stuff.)

Jane awoke to the feeling of Arthur's soft breath on the top of her head, and his arms wrapped around her. Her cheek was pressed against his collar as her arm was draped across to his side. She could feel his strong heartbeat match the rhythm of hers.

The morning was early. Really no one was awake, besides Charles, who was tending to the horses.

Wishing that this moment could last for forever, she thought about their conversation yesterday. It was considered 'strange' to talk about a couple's future at this time, but she didn't care. She was tired of the unwritten rules that society wanted her to follow. She felt this way, so what was the point of hiding it?

She nearly fell of the bed when he woke up with a cough. It was loud and abrupt, but his head was turned away from her.

Wait, she thought. He coughed?

Alarm rose in her as he as stirred, his breath slightly trembling.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his mouth softened into a smile. "Morning, cowgirl."

"Did you just cough?"

Confusion crossed his sleepy face. "Yeah?"

She made a face, and after a minute, he groaned. "Jane, I'm fine. I just coughed once."

"But you promised, Arthur." She had sat up now.

He rubbed his face. "I'm fine. It was just one cough."

"Well, you're not getting any more kisses from me until you go to the doctor."

He groaned again, in frustration, and sat up. "Fine. But I'm telling you, I'm not sick."

She slung her legs over the side of the bed, and put on her boots. Her body was cold from the absence of his body heat, and the longing to snuggle back up against him for the remaining morning was all too strong, but she knew she needed to get up.

She stood up. "I'm going to change. You better be up by the time I come back."

He gave her a small smirk before she went off to her wagon.

She still had her thin undershirt on from yesterday. Changing into something more modest and presentable for the doctor, she pulled on a white button-up shirt, and a gray skirt. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. Her hair was gathered in unruly tangles, so she borrowed Mary-Beth's comb to brush through them.

When she went back to Arthur, he had only moved closer to the edge of the bed, with his feet on the ground.

"Sorry, Jane," he said, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know why, I just don't have the energy to get up today."

"Probably because your sick."

"I'm not sick!" And, as if to prove it, he stood up.

"Well then," she said, walking towards the horses, "Let's get going."

On the way there, Jane kept urging her horse forward, but Arthur took his grand old time. She had to keep slowing down Apollo just to be near him.

When she asked him why, he just shrugged and said, "It ain't an emergency."

Finally, they arrived in Rhodes. The town appeared empty and barren in the early morning, but also peaceful.

The doctors office was empty, besides the doctor, of course.