Sadie Adler X OC

A comforting hand

(TW: Mention of Suicide about halfway through)

It was a long and not so easy journey for some of the gang members to their new camp but towards the end of the day almost everybody had arrived at Horseshoe overlook. It was a beautiful spot, well-hidden in a copse of trees, surrounded by nature on a beautiful hilltop filled with wildlife, the birds tweeting and chirping in the trees and as they flew overhead, and bunny rabbits and deer running around occassionally. When they arrived, Mrs Grimshaw and Mr Pearson, the two backbones of the camp began giving orders to everyone to start setting up the camp for everyone whilst they waited for Arthur,Hosea and Charles to arrive still since they had broken the wheel on their wagon when crossing the river earlier in the day.

Simon had of course, decided to help since it was not only something to do and pass the time but it was also useful and did kind of help him not to think so much or get inside his own head for too long. It took a few hours but by the time the others arrived it was probably around 6pm. Once everyone was at camp, Dutch immediately called everyone to form a crowd around the back of his tent and began giving yet another charismatic speech about money and being free and safe here for a while. By now, Simon had heard this speech so many times he just coined it the Dutch Talk as did alot of the other members like Arthur.

As everyone stood and listened to the speech, Simon mostly tuned it out but he was still paying attention. He took a look around him at all the gang members and noticed Sadie was not in the crowd with them, he felt bad for her, knowing this must be a huge adjustment ontop of everything she was already going through with her husband Jake's death. He didn't expect her to come pay attention to some stupid speech, let alone help with the setting up of the new camp...she needed her time and space to grieve and mourn.

Once the speech was done, everyone instantly went back to work on gettibg the camp ready. Mrs Grimshaw went and showed Arthur, Charles and Hosea to their tents since they had just arrived. The women went to prepare a few other things, Simon knew this since after just a few minutes he could hear Mrs Grimshaw yelling "Mrs Jackson! I have seen shit with more common sense than you...do it properly!" He found it quite amusing, yet intimidating at the same time. Strauss had already gone off to town to do his usual usury work and the Reverend had wondered off with drink in hand. God only knows how that would turn out, Simon thought to himself. Pearson prepared a meal for everyone and dinner was served, and after a few hours everyone went to get some rest.

Over the next few weeks, everyone was just busy settling into the camp and nothing too exciting was really happening, everything was calm, everybody was trying to earn their keep one way or another in the gang and things seemed like they were finally looking up for the Van Der Linde gang. During this time, Sadie however was still battling her tremendous loss in her life, some of the women particularly Abigail did their best to try and comfort her. One morning, as Simon was having his morning coffee brew from the campfire, he was walking around camp when he heard Sadie and Abigail talking.

"I just...miss him..so much." Sadie muttered out whimperingly through her tears and sobs. Abigail was sat with her and holding Sadie's hand doing the best she could to comfort her. "You know, if I wasnt such a coward..so weak, I'd kill myself too." Sadie muttered hanging her head down again. Abigail's eyes widened but she still did her best to understand. "We both know that ain't true...we both know that bravery is in the living." She said as Sadie looked at her now "Look, I dont know you very well..but I can tell your very brave Mrs Adler, I really can."

Sadie sniffed "I dont seem very brave.." Abigail scoffed "Nonsense, you're the bravest woman I ever met..and that tell me, you got the courage..to live. I know it. Excuse me, but I am always around if you need someone." She said as she stood up now and gave one last look at Sadie before walking off and past Simon. He had listened to this whole interaction quietly as he sipped his coffee and decided that now was when Sadie needed someone more than ever. Just like he did when he lost his father as a child.

Sadie hung her head down again sitting quietly on the rock still as Simon approached, not even hearing the sound of his footsteps or spurs jingling or at least, if she did...she didnt acknowledge it. He sat down next to her now quietly and put his coffee mug down. "She's right y'know?" He said looking out at the camp watching everyone walking around and doing their own thing. "I hope so..." Sadie muttered keeping her head down but looking slightly over at Simon.

He then looked over at her slightly and smiled a bit "Trust me, she is...look, I can't ever fully understand what you are going through Mrs Adler...I ain't never been in love..but I can tell you a story." He said softly as he looked out at the camp again. "When I was a kid..I lost my father. Murdered...much like Jake. He was killed for just a few sheep and goats..cattle and the like..." He mumbled as if this was a bit painful to talk about but he felt if it would help comfort Sadie in some way he had to try. "And it was hard..watching someone I loved die lile that...but it was so much harder to keep living. My ma and sister, they were all I had...and I hardly spoke, its why I still dont much. Some kind of trauma I suppose. My ma passed away..about a year just before I met you." He sniffed trying to hold back his emotions and Sadie had noticed this as she looked over at him again.

"I am sorry Simon..." she muttered as she felt his pain now since he hadnt ever told anyone this story. He looked at her and smiled a bit reaching over and gently holding her hand. "Don't be, its not your fault...Sadie, I know it is hard and you will always miss him...somedays more than others, and with time it may get easier or it may not..I miss your husband too, and I didnt know him near as well as you." He stopped for a moment before speaking again.

"Look, im the same as you in this place..a stray of sorts. I ain't a part of this gang in the slightest, but, if you do need someone to talk to or just for anything, I will be around and here for you." He said as he let go of Sadie's hand now which he was merely just resting on hers more than holding it properly and stood up now.

"T-Thank you..." Sadie muttered softly as he lifted her head up now and looked at Simon. He looked back over his shoulder at her and nodded as if giving a silent "No problem" signal to her and began walking away now to go and put his mug away and start the day.

(Ending it here, thank you all for reading, I had alot of fun writing this part and I hope you all enjoyed this one, I think it really brought more of a focus on Simon and Sadies relationship and friendship now and more to come in the future. Love yall :D)