Partner (Micah Bell)

9. Packing up and Moving on

Ashley and Micah finished their drinks before gathering up the valuables, splitting it between themselves equally before riding back to camp. They rode back into camp and gave each other confused and concerned glances when they saw the rest of the camp packing up their things and taking down their tents. In fact, almost everything had been packed up and loaded onto wagons. They both dismounted and hitched their horses quickly before walking over to Dutch who was loading his belongings onto a wagon.

"Dutch, what's going on?" Micah asked as they reached him.

"Pinkertons found us and don't plan on being friendly. Arthur and Charles found a good spot to move the camp to, we are heading there now" Dutch explained, sighing slightly and they could both tell that he was tired.

"Just leave a wagon behind and you all get going, we will catch up" Ashley smiled and let out a sigh.

Dutch smiled appreciatively before handing her a map with the new camp location marked on it, he nodded at her before signalling for everyone to leave.

"Hey Ash, I'll see you at Clemens Point. Try not to kill Micah before you get there" Arthur laughed as he waved to her before joining the others and riding out of the camp.

Micah headed straight to his tent and began packing his things while Ashley watched the rest of the gang leave. She headed to her tent and began packing her things and taking down her tent. "The new place can't be any worse this, right?" Micah asked.

Ashley spun around and glared at him, she didn't realise that he could be so quiet, he nearly scared the life out of her. "It's not too bad here, I kinda liked it" she smiled, taking a look around the now empty camp.

"Gotta keep moving, nothing wrong with that" he shrugged, travelling was a part of the life of an outlaw.

"But how many times are we going to move...never mind, go pack your stuff" she sighed, waving her hand to dismiss him as she continued to pack up her thinks again.   

"You don't like moving around?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"It's not that. Moving doesn't really bother me that much. I just think that it's beginning to affect everyone. You saw how tired Dutch was. I don't know, I'm just worried about everyone" she admitted, sighing and sitting down on her cot.

"Stop worrying about them, worry about yourself" Micah hummed as he sat down beside her.

"Maybe you should worry about other people a little more" she rolled her eyes, cursing herself for making another comment like that. She just couldn't stop herself from talking to him like that.

"Now, why would I do that?" he asked, scoffing slightly.

"It might make you stop being such an asshole" she shrugged, not being able to help the small smile that appeared on her face.

"So I'm an asshole again?" he asked, shaking his head at her as he stood up.

"You have always been an asshole" she laughed. "Anyway...hey! I never asked, how did it go with that woman when we were at the saloon?" she asked, as she packed up a few more things.

"Oh...she wasn't interested. Good thing, I guess, if she did want to get a room I wouldn't have been able to save your ass" Micah shrugged before beginning to walk away from her tent.

"I knew it! I knew that you couldn't charm anyone" Ashley laughed to herself, calling over to him as he packed up his tent.

"I could charm a woman if I wanted too" he rolled his eyes as he began to take done his tent.

"But you couldn't, you tried and you failed. Nothing to be ashamed, Mr Bell" she laughed.

"I could" he argued.

"No, you couldn't. Just like I said" she laughed again as she finished taking down her tent.

"I lied!" Micah growled, suddenly spinning around to look at her and Ashley remembered why she didn't tease Micah Bell. 

"What?" she asked, looking at him with a confused expression.

"I lied. I did it! She agreed to get a room with me!" he snapped, glaring at her. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was being mocked.

"But...you didn't get a room with her?" Ashley furrowed her brow, why would he turn her down?

"...I was going to but I...saw that you were in trouble" Micah admitted, returning his attention to taking his tent down.

"Oh...well...thanks Micah" she would admit that she was surprised, surprised that Micah Bell would destroy his chances for getting a woman into his bed to help her out of some trouble. Ashley smiled softly to herself, before they both packed up their things in silence.

Once they packed up their things, they loaded it onto the wagon. Micah climbed onto the wagon and surprised Ashley by holding his hand out for her. She smiled politely at him before taking his hand and letting him help her onto the wagon.

Micah took the reins of the wagon and they rode out of the empty camp. "I'm sorry for being an...asshole before" Ashley apologised, smiling slightly at the blonde man.

"Don't worry about it" Micah shook his head, he knew that he probably deserved it anyway. She just nodded before they continued the rest of the journey in silence.