Dutch guided Casie to the table in his room. The same table, where a few days before, the others had read her suicide letter. She sat down, she hoped it wasn't going to be one of these lovey-dovey conversations. Otherwise, punching Dutch out, and nearly getting strangled in the process, would have all been, in vain.
Dutch walked across the room, and opened a cabinet in the corner. He grabbed two glasses, and a bottle, and returned to the table.
He placed the glasses on the table, and poured two large measures, passing one of them across the table to Casie.
"Fine brandy," she commented, looking at the label on the bottle, "this doesn't come out very often, I don't suppose."
Dutch took a sip of the brandy, then rubbed his nose. "You have quite a right hook there, Casie." He conceded.
Casie took a sip from her glass, it was smooth, not like the normal whisky that you could purchase in the saloon, or store.
"Is that the reason for this," she motioned towards the bottle, with her glass, "to celebrate my right hook, or your potentially broken nose?"
Dutch to a larger sip, from his glass, "both, neither, does a father have to have an excuse to share a drink with his daughter?" he asked.
Casie looked at Dutch's face, there was no anger, but no smile either.
"I guess not," she replied, taking another drink. "But this is the first time we've done this."
"So Daddy, what's the real reason for this?" She asked. The word Daddy, hung in the air, neither of them sure if they liked it, or not.
Dutch took another drink, then refilled his glass. "I think that you and I have lost something Casie. The bond we had, since Sean's death."
Casie stiffened at the mention of Sean's name. Dutch noticed, but he also noticed, that there was no change to the expression on Casie's face.
He put the glass down. "You blame me for his death, don't you?"
Casie finished the glass of brandy in one gulp.
"No, I blame me for his death, and John. But mostly me." She slammed the glass down on the table. "I'm angry, really angry," she yelled, then she took a deep breath, and calmed her voice. "More angry than I was when I first came to you, all those months ago. What I just did to you, punching you. That was a small amount of my anger, and frustration being released. I have to keep a lid on it, Dutch, if I don't, I really don't know what will happen."
"Then we need to let it out, but we need to channel it." Dutch smiled, "Who are you most angry with? Apart from yourself."
Casie took a deep breath, her face was expressionless. "Everyone, everything. Because everyone is walking around, acting like nothing has happened, going about their business as normal. But me, I look at everything differently. Nothing is the same as it was before, and it won't be again."
Dutch picked up the bottle of brandy, and refilled their glasses.
"It won't feel like this forever Casie. I ain't gonna lie to you, it's always gonna hurt, but not like it is now. I know, I've been where you are now, when I lost...Annabelle." Dutch took a large drink from his glass.
"First, we need to take you to Sean's grave. Then we need to find a focus, for that anger."
Casie took a large gulp of brandy. "I..I don't think I'm ready." She brought her hand up to her chest, as she felt her heart pounding harder in her chest.
Dutch leaned over, and placed his hand over the top of hers. "Remember what I said to you?"
Casie looked him in the eye, "yes I remember, only this time...Its not the same."
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Outlaw - Born & Bred
FanfictionCasie Mallard is 12 years old. She's only ever know the life of an Outlaw with her Father. When her Father is Hung by the Sheriff in Valentine who holds a grudge. She has to try and make it on her own. Her first mistake is to try and rob the Dutch V...
