𝐍𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ➳ 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟮𝟯

"My head hurts," Was the first words that left Danny's mouth the following morning. Ruth chuckled before handing him some water. Without hesitation the man took it from her and gulped down the water. "Thanks."

"You and Arthur... you two good?" Ruth asked him now that he wasn't drunk. Danny looked at her and shrugged.

"I 'spose. He ain't as bad as I thought," Danny sighed, seeing Ruth grin at the truth. "But that don't mean he ain't bad!"

"Whatever you say," Ruth smiled. Danny looked over over, seeing the woman had gotten herself cleaned up. "I think we should move, if you can."

"Why?" Danny asked with a frown ceasing his face. Ruth rose an eyebrow expectedly and it finally clicked in his head. "Oh, Cornwall. What even happened yesterday? You told me a little but I want to know more."

"Well, I rode into the Oil Fields, called him down and watched his face fall when he realised that I had found out about his plan," Ruth informed. "I made things clear to him that I'm done playing his game. Might've threatened him," Ruth finally added with made Danny stare at her with an annoyed look.

"You threatened him!?" Danny repeated her words. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his bruised face. The bruises were already starting to flare down thankfully. "Jesus, delivering him the body of his bitch is one thing but threatening one of the most powerful men in the five states?"

"I know, I just got too into the moment!" Ruth defended herself which earned a chuckled from Danny. Ruth was now confused by his sudden change of heart.

"I probably would've done the same."

"You would've done worse," Ruth corrected him.

"Ha, true," Danny agreed. Ruth laughed before getting up and pulling on her black leather weathered coat. 

"So, you good enough to move?" She asked again before grabbing her gloves from the pocket of the coat. 

"I don't think I can. Yesterday really took it out of me. Give me a day or two," Danny informed. Ruth nodded, understanding his situation. She saw the pain it brought him going up the hill thinking Ruth was in trouble. "Where you off to?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, just... around," Ruth answered with a forced smile. Danny immediately connected the dots and gave her a stern look. 

"Leave Dutch alone. Arthur told you that they're going to make a plan," Danny reminded her. Ruth shook her head at him.

"We don't know when that'll be! I need at least something in case Cornwall comes storming back here after what I did to Richard," Ruth explained, her voice shaky with worry. Danny's eyes softened on her, noticing her fear. "I have to do something, we're in real shit now."

"I know... but what about Arthur?" Danny asked. Ruth paused, puzzled. Did he know about them? Ruth didn't even know what was going on between them, she didn't know what they were. "It was clear as day he came back here for you, not us. I saw the look of concern on his face when you walked in last night covered in blood and I already know you're feelings about him," Danny referred to Ruth opening up to him about Arthur weeks ago, the same day she killed Sean. 

"I don't know what's going on with us, Danny," Ruth answered truthfully. "I know how he feels about me and you're right, he has feelings for me. But you and I both know it'll never work out, not how we want it to," Ruth sighed, her heart breaking from her own words. "I guess we're just enjoying it while it lasts. If it continues, we'll both get hurt."

"So you don't see any other way around this?" Danny asked. "You're really going to continue going after Dutch after everything Leviticus has done to us? To me?" Danny was starting to become angered. Ruth was tired of fighting with Danny all the time.