Nothing sweet about me

by Angel Pendragon

Set eighteen years in the future. there's a new sheriff. Kate has a daughter to an outlaw, but who? Character death so don't hate me. R/R please as my summeries suck. IDEAS WELCOME FOR OTHER CHAPTERS

Nothing sweet about me!

LOCKSLEY...........................................................................

As a child you grow up hearing stories about hero's and villains. It's what shapes childhood, inspires games and ambitions.

Every child Leigh knew played games where they would pretend to be the famous outlaw Robin Hood and his gang.

Some boys would prefer to play the villain and pretend to be the menacing Guy of Gisborne or the sheriff of Nottingham. The girls would usually end up having to play some unknown damsel in distress or Marian which had it's perks and was fun.

The girls got to scream their hearts out and be carried off to safety by their hero. Every game had a happy ending, the good guys won and the bad guys went home with their tails between their legs and vowed to play a good guy the next time the game was played.

Real life was very different to the games. The good guys would win but the bad guys went home with their pride and ego's bruised with vows to do better the next time.

Leigh knew only too well about how the bad guys always came back and they were always worse than the time before.

They would have more men, weapons and they always wanted more. More pain, more money and more begging from the villages.

Leigh watched as guards came and tore down the work stations and houses that belonged to the people of Locksley.

"They need to be taught a lesson" snarled the young woman as she tossed the piece of straw she had been chewing whilst watching the guards tormenting the villagers.

A horrible habit she had but she had done it for as long as she could remember. Her mother frowned upon it and told her off many times about it.

She would scold her that it was not lady like to chew straw, wear pants and climb tree's like she did daily.

Leigh loved her mother dearly but she did moan a lot and always seemed to pick at her for the slightest little thing.

She would see how her mother would shoot her secret concerned glances when she would be practising using her bow with her friend John.

Leigh didn't understand why her mother had a problem with her learning to use a bow. If anything she thought she would be pleased because her daughter was taking measures to protect the village and learn a highly useful skill and she was actually really good at it, almost second nature like it ran in her blood.

Leigh grabbed for a branding iron that had been discarded on the floor outside the black smiths shop and began to pace towards a guard who had a tight grip on an elderly woman and was snarling threats in to her face.

A rush of adrenalin ran through Leigh as she began to raise the iron ready to whack the guard at the back of the head and aid the elderly woman. She wasn't thinking straight all she knew was that she had to take a stand for her village and show the guards that at least she wasn't scared of them.

The blood roared in her ears and the surrounding sounds became silent. She could see people's mouths moving but she couldn't make out what they were saying. She could see guards tipping stalls and work stations but she could not hear the sound of the commotion.

All she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears and feel her blood boiling. She hated the sheriff of Nottingham. He had been in control too many years and now the power had passed to his bastard son Dylan.

'Oh how proud Dyl must be to have such a tyrant of a father. The apple never falls far from the tree' she thought to her self as she found herself coming closer to the guard who was now forcefully attacking the elderly woman.

The anger had taken over and Leigh was inches from giving the guard a good beating when she found herself being tackled from behind and being dragged off back towards the black smiths workshop.

She kicked and flailed her arms about to fend off her attacker off but the person was too strong and the more she struggled the more their grip tightened. Who ever it was was going to get a good beating when she got loose.

"Leigh you can't fight them alone" barked the voice of her attacker as the surrounding sounds once again became audible to her.

She gave a final kick and smacked her attacker forcefully in the face with her left hand and the so called attacker let her go and she fell hard on her ass on the hard dry ground.

She climbed to her feet and spun to launch an attack and saw a tall, well built young man standing behind her clutching his left cheek.

He stared at her with shock and a hint of disappointment.

"Fine, that's the last time I try and protect you from a fate worse than death.... go, go and get killed" he said sharply as he turned and began to head off towards the woods.

Leigh felt a surge of guilt run through her and realisation suddenly sank in. Did she really think she could make a difference by beating one guard with a branding iron?

The answer was no, if anything she would either end up dead or dragged back to Nottingham and slung in the jail then be killed for all to see and for what whacking a woman beating guard.

She glanced down at her right hand and realised she was still clutching the iron. She stared at it for a second or two and rolled her eyes at her stupidity.

'Crazy woman, get a grip and stop being a hero, you're not Hood' she blasted to herself silently.

Her mind was racing and her sides really hurt from being man handled by John Little Junior.

Leigh panned her eyes around the area and panicked as she couldn't see John any where. He couldn't have disappeared that quickly.

He wasn't the quickest or lightest person ever, he was strong, well built and tall. All factors that did not help in aiding a quick escape.

Leigh ran off in the direction of where she thought she had seen John go, towards the forest which was a good place to venture. Anywhere was a good place to go to escape the sights and sounds of Locksley being torn to the ground by brutish guards who really did deserve teaching a lesson.

She would teach them a lesson but not today, today she had to find John and her mother.

She noticed her mother would always disappear for hours a couple of days a week.

Where she went she did not know but she was really starting to become curious now.

Especially today as her mother had managed to disappear just before the guards turned up to turn Locksley over,again.

SHERWOOD FOREST....................................................................................................

Leigh had been walking for almost an hour in the woods which seemed to stretch on forever. It all looked the same with huge tree's reaching up towards the skies and sweet wild flowers dotted around every where.

She had lost John that much was obvious by now. For a big guy he could sure as hell move quick.

Leigh began to start to drag her feet as tightening pains began to shoot up the backs of her legs. She had no idea where she was now and had never been this far in to the forest before.

It was beautiful and tranquil, the horrific sights from the village were far behind her now and she was taken aback by the stunning magic of the forest. She could hear a bird singing from somewhere high above and she had seen at least three kinds of pretty delicate flowers she had never seen before until today.

She was not a girly girl but still appreciated nature and it's beauty and liked flowers and the smell of rose petals.

John had brought her flowers occasionally which was sweet but she didn't understand why. They were only friends and he knew that. It was he who made that clear.

He told her in his line of work he would never have the time for settling down or love. She thought it was silly for him to say that but she never had any intention in ever making him hers.

However she was intrigued as to learn what his line of work was.

What kind of work means you cannot have a wife and a family? She thought as she trudged through leaves and mud.

She was amazed that this part of the woods was still full of moisture and she almost lost her footwear as she stumbled and grabbed for a tree branch to keep herself upright as she nearly tumbled over in to the mud.

Leigh had always been interested in the woods and always sat outside during the warm evenings imagining being able to run through the woods and being free. Not having her mother looking over her shoulder and shaking her head at her daughters behaviour.

Leigh felt free when she was with John and took strolls in the woods but not as far as she was now.

Would she still be able to find her way out and back to Locksley or would she end up in another village if she kept going?

Was there even any point in going back to Locksley? She thought. Would it still be standing or had the guards raised it to the ground by now?

The thought of the villagers being tortured and tormented by the sheriff and his men really angered Leigh and she felt her blood boiling again.

She really had to learn to calm her anger before it got her slammed in jail or worse killed.

Leigh came to halt and peered around, she was most certainly lost now but it felt liberating.

She was finally in the woods and free. No mother to shout at her and pull her up and no John to bust in and burst her bubble.

This was pretty great 'just me, myself and I' she thought as she picked up a stick and began to jab an oak with it.

She blocked, attacked and kicked the tree as she pretended it was a guard or maybe the sheriff. It felt good but she wished she could do it for real. Beating a tree just didn't full fill her ambitions of beating the snot out of the brutes of Nottingham.

"Tree's have feelings too you know" echoed a male voice from somewhere in the woods.

Leigh stopped suddenly and stared into the woods. She could not tell where the voice had come from but it was one she had not heard before, least she didn't think she had.

Her bright blue eyes searched the area in a bid to find who had interrupted her sparing session with her new tutor the oak.

"Beating a poor defenceless tree is just mean" whipped the voice again, this time closer.

She peered around curiously, She knew she should feel a little weary of who ever was close by but honestly if they were going to attack her wouldn't they try and do it unnoticed and not purposely let her know they were there?

"Show yourself" she demanded as she dropped the stick to the floor.

"Oh but I am" replied the voice as a tall, slim man with red hair stepped out from behind a nearby tree with a longbow hanging over his shoulder and a bag of arrows across his back.

The man stared at her for a few seconds before slowly walking towards her. He had bright blue eyes and as he came closer she could see his hair was messy and his clothes were rather worn but he still looked smart.

She eyed him cautiously, he was much older than her if she had to guess she would say he was in his mid forties but he had a certain charm about him. He was easy on the eyes with a pretty gorgeous smile and she could not look away from the eyes for more than a minute or so.

Damn she had just met a mysterious stranger in the woods and she was already eyeing him up.

"These woods aren't safe for a young woman, there's dangers here" said the man as he gave a cheeky smirk and pretended to look around scared.

The man's goofy actions made her smile "what like outlaws?" she teased as she raised her brow.

The man smiled widely and nodded "yeah, a whole army of outlaws" he teased back.

"Allan, what are you doing?" yelled another male voice which was followed by a thundering of feet and snapping of twigs.

A man with a white bandanna came into view just over the hill and he stopped cautiously in his tracks as his eyes fell on Leigh. He looked shocked to see her, like he knew her and she was the last person he expected to see in the woods.

"Hi" he spluttered awkwardly as he signalled for Allan to approach him. He peered at the girl over Allan's shoulder and the two men whispered to each other.

Leigh narrowed her eyes at the two men. What were they talking about and why did that guy look so shocked to see her?

Allan turned back to Leigh and waved his friend off and the other man ran off back over the hill. She felt a little confused as she replayed the expression the other man had on his face as she saw her. Did he know her?

Allan had a cheeky smirk on his face, the other guy must have said something amusing to him or maybe he was always like this. Amused by anything, maybe he was mentally ill.

Leigh crooked her mouth into a half smirk and watched Allan as he walked back towards her.

"Excuse Much" he said with a smile "he worries about everything, he's now worried there isn't enough rabbit to go around".

Leigh stared at Allan confused the look on Much's face was more than worry about rabbit. They were hiding something but what?.

"You do eat rabbit don't you?" asked Allan as he signalled for Leigh to follow him.

"Erm, yes but why would I follow you and eat rabbit?" she asked curiously as she kept her feet planted firmly on the ground.

Allan sighed and peered over his shoulder at Leigh. He thought she was sweet, very pretty but he would have to be careful about admitting stuff like that around the camp.

"Because Much has made rabbit and he gets cranky if people don't eat his food and there's somebody back at the camp that you probably want to see" he replied his cheeky tone had disappeared and had been replaced with seriousness now.

Leigh agreed to follow Allan after a moment of thinking. She had been walking for a while and was pretty hungry. She also wanted to know why the other man gave her such a look.

Allan lead Leigh back to the camp as the two walked they made idle chatter and Leigh explained why she was in the woods that she had followed after her friend and got lost after the commotion back in Locksley.

Allan seemed to know all about the guards in Locksley. He seemed used to the horror stories that she was telling.

He knew all about the sheriff and the old sheriff, he seemed to know a little too much about the old sheriff if Leigh thought about it.

The camp came into view and Leigh glanced around the area. It was well hidden and it looked pretty homely to say it was outdoors.

She caught sight of the man in the bandanna and they held a gaze for a moment before he forced himself to look away and disappeared out of view again.

Leigh sighed deeply, there was something strange about that man, she could feel it.

"LEIGH" squeaked a female voice somewhere from in the camp.

Leigh stepped into the camp and was met by a tall, strong, big built man with dark shaggy hair and a staff in his hand.

There was something very familiar about him but she had never seen him before.

"What are you doing here?" shrieked the female voice as a blonde haired woman appeared before her as she pushed her way past the big guy.

Leigh's face fell shocked and confused as she met the gaze of the woman, the once female outlaw Kate, her mother.

"Mum..... what....how... what the hell is going on?" Leigh spluttered in response.

"I asked you first" snapped Kate as she folded her arms across her chest and gave Leigh a don't you dare lie to me glare.

"I got lost in the woods after trying to follow John when the guards came to Locksley"Leigh replied defensively.

"She was going to whack a guard with a branding iron" interrupted the voice of her friend John.

Leigh quickly looked past her mother to see John who was sat on a rock stuffing his face with some bread. He was sat next to the weird man from earlier.

"Nice" said Allan through a laugh "branding iron, that's brilliant" he said amused.

Kate rolled her eyes and shoved Allan "don't encourage her" she snapped.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Leigh as she too folded her arms mimicking her mothers actions.

Kate looked to the ground and avoided her daughters stare. Leigh knew when her mother was hiding something, she had known her for eighteen years.

"She came to see me" said a calm voice from behind Leigh.

She turned to see a man around the same age as Allan with brown hair, dark facial hair and a crossbow in his hand.

"And you are?" inquired a curious Leigh.

The man gave her a smile and then gazed up at Kate "I am Robin Hood" he replied.

"Your father" added Kate.

Leigh fell dumbfounded all these years she had believed her father to have walked out and left her and her mother before she was born. Whenever she asked her mother about her father all Kate did was change the subject or tell her she would tell her when the time was right.

Leigh guessed today was that day and boy what a day it was turning out to be. First she had to watch as the village of Locksley was tormented by the sheriffs men. Then she was man handled by her best friend John, she got lost in the woods and now she had just been told her father was Robin Hood.

Leigh let out a nervous laugh. She could not believe this, out of all the men in England her father just happened to be Robin Hood.

"He is my father" she retorted as she stared her mother down.

Kate did nothing but averted her stare and once again looked down to the ground.

"Who knew about this?" demanded Leigh as she turned to glare at the rest of the outlaws who were now all standing around the camps entrance probably there to bolt and stop Leigh from doing a runner if she so much as tried to do so.

Much's eyes grew wide as Leigh stared straight at him. If anybody knew it would be him. Why else did he look so shifty and awkward when he saw her before in the woods?

The outlaws were all reserved, if they knew something they were not saying a word and who could blame them.

Leigh knew deep down that they all knew. It had been eighteen years since she was born and no matter how good they were at keeping secrets this was one secret that could not be kept, not for eighteen years anyway.

"Only I knew when Kate left the gang and went back to live with her mother, then the rest of the gang found out when they all saw you when you were born" responded Robin.

The truth was gradually dawning on Leigh everything she thought she knew was a lie. She had made her self believe that her father did not want to know her and her mother. But the truth was that he let them go to let them be safe.

Kate could not live in the woods with a baby, running from the sheriff and fighting.

Leigh sighed deeply as she let her legs give way and crashed on to a near by rock. She let her head fall into her hands and squeezed her eyes shut tightly blocking out the intruding light that was making her eyes ache which resulted in her having a killer headache.

There was too much information to take in and she did not know if she could accept it all straight away.

"All those stories you told me..... they were all true?" mumbled Leigh through her hands.

Kate nodded in response even though her daughter could not see, the outlaws looked at Kate curiously, their eyes reflecting deep interest as to what stories she had told her daughter.

John throughout the revelations had stayed seated on his rock. He too knew about Leigh's father being Robin Hood but he did not see why that should interfere with his friendship with Leigh.

They had been friends ever since he and his mother Alice had moved back to Locksley some years earlier.

John knew what it was like to have a father who was an outlaw and he knew just how dangerous it was to have people know about having a parent who was an outlaw.

If people thought they could earn some money by giving up an outlaws child to the sheriff so he could use it to his advantage and use the child as leverage they would.

He didn't want that for Leigh, he liked her and wanted to protect her and if that meant keeping the identity of her father a secret he would.

From his place on the rock he stared at Leigh with a deep emptiness in his stomach. He wasn't sure if she would ever speak to him again. He knew that she would soon realise that he knew about Hood being her father.

After all it was Hood who had told him to keep an eye on Leigh and it was Hood who told him to stop Leigh from giving the guard a beating in Locksley so she would not get arrested or killed.

Hood had been secretly looking out for his daughter for years and even more since he realised she was becoming a favourite with the boys of Locksley. He entrusted her care with John who was only a couple of years older than Leigh.

Robin entrusted his only child with John but unknown to him John was more fond of Leigh than anybody knew and John was hoping to keep I that way. If Hood found out he had thoughts about Leigh he would probably give him a beating or order him to stay away from her.

He watched Leigh from the back of the camp, he could see how the news of who her father was was starting to overpower her.

He could for see her jumping up and making a run for the woods away from the camp. He knew she ran when things became too much for her to handle. She never ran from a fight, she would stay around and fight for what she believed in but when it came to family matters such as fights with her mother she would run and be gone for hours.

John had been sent by Kate to find Leigh many times before and talk her into going back home. Sometimes it was easy he just had to give her a pet talk and everything would be ok again and she would go home with no trouble. Other times he would literally have to drag her back to Locksley kicking and screaming.

He was surprised she still spoke to him after all the harsh words they exchanged during their arguments but somehow they still managed to stay friends and right now he was going to do his bit to save their friendship and her sanity.

Without a moments hesitation he jumped up and paced towards Leigh, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up and quickly pulled her away from Robin and the gang.

She needed time to think and for the information to sink in without having Much and Allan all staring at her and without having her parents there staring at her.

So he was going to take her away from them all and let her have some time to herself. It's what a good friend does and he wanted to be able to salvage whatever was left of his friendship with the feisty young woman.

Leigh let herself be lead by John into the woods as the gang all stared after them both. Kate was about to shout after her daughter when Robin stopped her.

"Let her think about things" he said softly as he caressed her arm trying to reassure her that everything was going to be fine once Leigh had had some time to think things over.

Everybody separated and went their own ways in the camp. Allan began to eat his meal, Little John sat by the fire and threw on extra logs, Robin and Kate sat at the bottom end of the camp picking at their food and Much just stood helplessly staring out into the woods after Leigh.

Something about her rung alarm bells in his head. There was something about her that made him feel strange, she looked nothing like Robin she had a look of her mother about her but there was something that he could not quite put his finger on. He had an inkling deep in his heart but he was reluctant to say.

If what he thought was true then the gang had problems, Robin and Kate had problems and Leigh had problems.

She had enough to deal with and he did not want to add to the situation so he would just keep quiet with his thoughts.

Nobody needed to hear the ramblings of a servant and that's all he really was. Even though Robin had made him a free man Much was still a servant and not just to Robin but to the whole gang.

"What kind of stories did you tell her?" asked Allan curiously as he tucked into his meal of rabbit and vegetables.

Kate glanced over and smiled as she remembered the stories she had told her daughter as a child.

"Just adventures and things the gang did in the good old days" she replied.

Robin chuckled "you told our daughter about the troubles and mishaps we got into".

Kate laughed as she remembered some of the situations they all got into when they were younger "she wasn't one for fairy tales and fantasy stories, she wanted bed time stories that non of the other children had heard, so I told her of the things we did and how the gang were hero's" Kate said with a smile.

Allan nodded his head in acknowledgement "did she have a favourite story?" he asked out of interest.

Kate thought for a moment then smirked "she liked the story of when Robin got one up on Gisborne and locked him and his guards in the camp with the lion".

Allan laughed "that was a pretty genius plan".

Robin, Kate and Allan all smiled and laughed as they reminisced about the old days, so many memories and crazy idea's that somehow worked out perfectly.

Much listened quietly taking everything in but did not add to the conversation he watched as Little John joined in with the conversation and they all began to talk about their favourite memories of being a part of Hoods gang.

There was talk of things that happened when Will and Djaq were a part of the gang in the days before Kate joined them.

Much let out a little smirk as he had his own personal thoughts of when he crashed Marian and Gisborne's wedding and pretty much saved the day when he told Robin the King was an imposter.

He did not wish to share his favourite memory of being a part of Hoods gang, he wanted it all for himself as it did not involve the gang. Well not all the gang.

Leigh came to a halt in the shade of a tall oak and collapsed to her knee's. John hurried to her side and crashed down on to his knee's in front of her.

Her head had dropped and she was avoiding looking at him. She had a lot of anger in her heart and her head.

John knew she would be angry but she was also hurt from all the secrets that had been kept from her all her life.

He too had had the identity of his own father kept from him for the first few years of his life. He had been told his father was dead and when the truth came out that he was alive that was hard to come to terms with but he was only young and had only had to live about six years of his life without his father. Leigh had gone the past eighteen years thinking her father had walked out on her and her mother.

Instead he was living in the forest as an outlaw fuelling stories and games to be played by young children. She had too played the part of Robin Hood in a game or two as a child. She had spoke his name on numerous occasions and had no idea he was her own father.

John slipped his finger under her chin and pushed her head up forcing her to look at him, her eyes reflected so much anger but there was also unshod tears in there that refused to come to the surface.

Leigh did not cry, she broke things and fought when she was hurt. The pain fuelled her but now she had nobody to fight even though John had kept the truth from her she could not bring herself to fight him. He was Little John's son after all and could drop her like a sack of potatoes if he wanted to.

Her eyes met John's and she felt her lips begin to quiver as she fought back the tears that were starting to sting her eyes.

John pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, he hated to see her hurt and sad, he always did his best to make her smile and keep her happy. He knew keeping the fact he knew Robin Hood was her father from her was wrong but he was only following orders and keeping her safe.

If the truth got out that she was Hoods daughter the sheriff would have her executed to try and trap Hood, John could not risk that.

"I'm sorry Leigh but I had to keep it a secret to keep you safe" he whispered softly into her ear as he held her close to his chest.

Tears ran down her face as she buried her face into John's shirt. She was just glad to have somebody there for her who was not going to judge her.

"I know you probably hate me" he said without giving her chance to even think about responding.

Leigh pulled back and wiped the stray tears away from her cheeks "I don't hate you, just angry" she said bluntly.

John fell on to his butt and stretched his legs out as he settled down on the ground. He knew they would be here a wile before Leigh decided to head back to the outlaws camp and he was ok by that, it gave him chance to spend some time with her and let her get all her anger out.

"How long have you been with the outlaws?" asked Leigh as she stared John straight in the eye for the first time that day.

He bit his lip and thought for a moment "about two years on and off".

Leigh nodded as she listened to John talk about his involvement with the outlaws and all the things they had done together.

He had helped them steal taxes from the sheriff in the castle and actually saved Allan's life as Dylan lunged at him with a sword. John had managed to knock the sheriff unconscious and helped the outlaws escape.

John had grown up living with a blacksmith and his mother and he learned to make and maintain weapons and he would supply the outlaws with new bows and swords.

Leigh herself knew how to make bows and arrows, she had always known how and now it made sense, her father was Robin Hood a renowned marks man who wasn't a stranger to forging his own bows and arrows when it came to it. He preferred to have them made for him but if he really had to make his own he would.

That's probably where Leigh got it from at least it was a good trait to have picked up from her father she was a good archer as well at least she had something to be thank full of.

Seeing as her mother ran with the outlaws her father could have ended up being Allan and what trait would she have picked up from him? How to be a compulsive liar.

Leigh and John spent about three hours talking and working through their issues in the woods before heading back to the camp and facing the outlaws again.

OUTLAWS CAMP.........................................................................................................

The fire crackled and the smell of smoke filled Leigh's nostrils as John and herself approached the camp. She could hear idle chatter flowing from the camp and laughter.

She could hear her mother laughing with the men and it made Leigh smile. She could hear how happy her mother was when she was with the outlaws, people who made her feel this happy could not be bad men and from the stories her mother told her as a child the men were all hero's and amazing caring men.

"Ah you're back, go any where interesting?" inquired little John as he eyed his son as he entered the camp.

John shrugged his shoulders and stepped over Allan who was laid next to the fire blocking the path.

"We sat under this oak not too far away from the camp and talked" replied Leigh as she entered the camp. She was about to step over Allan when he suddenly shot up and moved quickly out of her way which made her lose her footing and trip over, falling on top of him.

She stared at him and felt her face burning up. She could feel his warm breath against her neck and felt a shudder run down her spine, this situation was too awkward for her to cope with right now.

Usually she would just jump up and laugh it off or hit the person who had caused her to fall down but he was one of her father's outlaws and she would have easily laughed it off if he wasn't as charming and attractive as he was.

Leigh felt a hand grasp her arm and pull her up off of Allan. She was thankful for the help and turned to thank her helper and came face to face with Much.

His blue eyes pierced into her and it reflected something so familiar, Much released her arm and walked off without receiving as much as a thank you.

Leigh had just stared at him, mesmerised by the familiarity in his eyes, she had seen them somewhere before she was sure of it.

Much stepped over Allan who was still laid sprawled on the floor where he had been when Leigh had fallen on him.

Much had quietly made his way to his camp bed and was popping berries into his mouth as he straightened the coverings on his bed.

"Thank you" boomed Leigh across the camp which only got the response of a slight wave from Much.

Was that his way of saying you're welcome? She was not sure, but it was the best she was going to get from him.

She could not work out why he was so weird towards her. The rest of the gang were ok with her but Much was off and barely spoke to her, in fact he did nothing but shot her odd looks.

She would catch him staring at her from the side every now and again but she never said anything to him or any of the gang, he must have his reasons to be the way he was with her.

Leigh had walked in on Robin, Little John, Allan and Kate making plans to set about rescuing some of the villagers of Locksley from Nottingham.

A group of villagers had been arrested and were sentenced to be executed later that day.

Leigh had spent two nights at the outlaws camp and had then planned to head back to the village.

As she prepared to head back John had come busting into the camp and was yelling about how some villagers had been arrested because they refused to tell the sheriff where Kate was.

The sheriff Dylan had found out that Kate was once an outlaw and he wanted to use her to get to Hood, he had obviously been talking with his father Vasey about the best way to get to Hood and what better way than to use a member of his gang even if she had not been in the gang for the past eighteen years that did not matter to the sheriff.

The outlaws fell silent as they saw Leigh approaching. She rolled her eyes "I'm going to help rescue the villagers with you, don't even try to talk me out of it" she said.

Kate looked to Robin with concern in her eyes, Leigh then realised there was more to this than she thought.

"No, it's not safe" barked Robin.

"I can take care of myself, I'm not a child, I don't need protecting" Leigh snarled as she retaliated to the babying she was receiving from her father.

Robin clenched his teeth at his insolent daughter. She was out of control and he would not allow her to go running around putting herself and the gang in danger.

"Leigh if you go they will use you" reasoned Allan, he didn't want to take sides he just wanted to try and let Leigh know what was going on.

"Use me....... how?" retorted Leigh.

"They know..... the sheriff knows about you being Robin's daughter" replied Little John.

Leigh saw Kate wince at his words, the sheriff had learned of Kate having a daughter and obviously put the information together with a little clever calculating.

Kate had run with the gang for a year before falling pregnant. She had kept running with the gang until she came clean about being pregnant and left the gang five months before giving birth.

That meant she was obviously carrying an outlaws child and that outlaw would have been Hood because everybody knew and could see the attraction between Hood and Kate.

Much had been in love with Kate since the first day he saw her in the village of Locksley but no matter how much he tried to win her over he failed and she fell for Robin.

"So I'm wanted too" grumbled Leigh.

The outlaws nodded in response, "good.... we can use that to our advantage" Leigh whipped before heading to her bed and grabbing a sword and a bow with a supply of arrows.

"You're not going and that's final" screamed Robin as he thundered after her.

Much had been sharpening arrows when he was startled by Robin screaming at Leigh and he had caught his finger with a piece of flint that he was fixing to an arrow to make an arrow head.

His finger began to pour with blood and he winced as he saw the thick red liquid ooze out of his finger.

Leigh saw Much grasping his finger and was looking around for a piece of material to wrap his finger in.

"Oh my god are you ok?" Leigh gushed as she flew to his aid with a ripped piece of material.

She had purposely ignored her fathers rantings and chosen to aid the injured outlaw. He watched her as she cleaned his cut and wrapped his finger in the bandage.

There was those eyes again staring down at her, even if he looked at her oddly she still felt the need to help him when he was hurt.

Robin was still shouting at Leigh but she had blocked him out, just because he was her father it didn't mean he could tell her what to do. He had chosen a pretty lousy time to start to play dad and she was not having any of it.

"Shut up, just shut up, I'll help the people of Locksley if I want and you can not stop me" she yelled back at her father "I'll help them with or without your help Robin".

The rest of the gang had gathered in the centre of the camp and were observing Much as he was being assisted by Leigh.

Allan winced as he heard Leigh call Robin by his name and not by father or dad.

"You will get captured and possibly killed" roared Robin.

"No I won't........ I'm not stupid plus I have John who always has my back because he trusts me and respects my ability's" she spat.

"I think you should let her help" said Much from his seat on the rock, he was still grasping his finger "I'm not going to be much good with a busted finger".

Robin glared at Much who just stared him out, his bright blue eyes reflecting the sun light.

Robin slapped his hand against a tree with anger, he didn't want to put Leigh in that situation where she could get hurt but Much was right he needed all his men and women there to help especially now since Much had a busted finger which was his fault for shouting so loud when Much was making bows.

"Fine.... but you stay with John" Robin snapped.

Leigh nodded in response "fine" she hissed through gritted teeth.

Allan turned to Kate and whispered something into her ear which made her eyes grow wide and she stared at the three people standing in front of her.

Leigh saw her mother's reaction and was intrigued as to what Allan had said to get such a response.

Kate stared at her daughter and swallowed hard, something was wrong Leigh could tell and from her gut instinct Allan knew it too.

Leigh followed after Allan as he ventured off into the forest, she soon caught up with him and grabbed his shirt and pulled him to a stand still "what did you say to her?" she demanded.

Allan averted his stare and squinted his big blue eyes in an attempt to avoid the question.

He went to push her off and she grabbed his hands and pinned them against a tree "don't make me hurt you" she snarled.

Allan smirked at Leigh's threats. He did not believe she would hurt him but he underestimated her.

Leigh raised her knee and pressed against his groin"don't make me prove it" she whispered.

Allan gulped as he glanced down at where her knee was positioned "Leigh c'mon" he pleaded "I can't just go shouting my mouth off".

Leigh rolled her eyes at him and pressed harder with her knee "don't piss me off".

Allan pouted his lips and panned his eyes around the woods "sorry" he whipped as he forced his weight on her and grabbed her arms and held her in a tight grip.

He had her back to his chest and her arms were crossed across her chest, no matter how much she struggled she could not get free.

"I am not going to make situations worse ok Leigh, this is Kate's problem" he whispered calmly into her ear.

Leigh struggled a little more until giving up and realising it just wasn't worth it, after all it wasn't too bad being held in Allan's grip, she could get used to this.

"Now go" Allan ordered as he let her go.

The outlaws all made their way to Nottingham all including Leigh who was walking ahead of Hood and Little John who were going over plans.

John was trying to keep up with Leigh as she darted off through the woods. Allan was strolling close by the pair, he was trying to listen to any conversation the two may have been having.

Kate was walking behind Allan lost in her own thoughts. Whatever Allan had said was playing havoc with her mind and her thoughts were going crazy.

Much was following Robin and Little John. He kept watching Leigh and he saw how John and Allan were both looking at her and an anger began to rage inside him.

He was not too bothered about the way John was looking at Leigh but he was angry at the way Allan was looking at her.

Allan should know better than to have thoughts about someone so much younger than himself.

Much had seen Allan look at Kate the same when she ran with the gang. He was not going to allow Allan to replace Kate with Leigh.

A younger version of Kate, she looked a lot like her mother, she had the same light blonde hair and the same feisty nature but she did have some qualities and features of her father and Much could see that.

Much speeded up and crept up behind Allan "what are you doing?" he whipped.

Allan startled as he was interrupted from his thoughts by Much.

"Nothing... why?" he replied, Much gave him a glare and glanced at Leigh.

"I've seen you, staring" Much grumbled "don't bother ok".

Allan smirked and waved his hands above his head "if you say so" he said amused.

Much clenched his fists at his sides "I'm being serious Allan" he growled.

Leigh heard the angered tones of Much from behind her and turned to see what the problem was.

Much met her stare with his bright blue eyes and his face lightened, she gave him a sweet smile and then saw Allan's taunting smirk and rolled her eyes.

"Play nice boys, I don't want to have to clean blood up" she wise cracked.

Allan laughed and slapped her gently on the back before he ran off into the tree's "nature calls" he whipped before he disappeared behind a tree.

Much held back and waited for Allan to emerge from the tree's when the gang had moved on.

Allan felt someone grab at his shirt and threw him against a tree "leave her alone I'm not joking Allan" snarled Much as he got right in Allan's face.

"Ok, ok I'll keep my distance honest" Allan spluttered as he fought Much's grip on his shirt.

The two stared at each other for ages before Much released his shirt and strolled off after the gang.

Allan sighed deeply and composed himself before rejoining the gang, he had never seen Much that worked up he was usually so relaxed or just not as worked up about something.

Something about Leigh brought out a darker side of Much and it rather made Allan feel uneasy.

NOTTINGHAM TOWN.............................................................................................

Nottingham was heaving with towns folk and guards, Robin and the outlaws used cloaks to blend in with the crowds.

Leigh blended in without using a cloak, she hadn't been to Nottingham a lot and nobody really recognised her. She was just another person amongst the crowd waiting to watch the execution.

Leigh saw Allan waiting near the tavern for Robin and she went to join him, she greeted him with a sweet smile, she preferred to use sweetness with men instead of coming on too full.

The smile made Allan smirk. It was obvious she liked him and it was refreshing to have a woman show interest in him that did not wish to be paid at the end of it all or who did not need several beakers of October ale to show an interest.

He edged closer to Leigh and felt his arm brush against hers which filled him with a warm tingling feeling. She wasn't the usual kind of woman he went for and it felt good.

He then remembered the warning he had received from Much and even though it hurt him to do so he pulled away from the young woman and told her to make herself useful and find out what time the execution was going to take place.

Leigh felt a flush of disappointment rush over her as she listened to Allan speak to her like she was a child when moments before he had been giving her a pleasing look. He obviously wasn't interested in her. He must prefer his women older and more experienced, or maybe it was because she was Hoods daughter and he felt like he wasn't allowed to show an interest in her.

Just how many more men was she going to meet during her life who were afraid to show an interest in her because of who her father was?

Maybe having Robin Hood as her father was more trouble than it was worth.

Leigh left Allan by the tavern and went off to find some guards to question, she would use her sweet charms to get the information she needed.

She glanced back over her shoulder and stole one last look at Allan before disappearing around the side of the tavern. She couldn't shake the feeling and the attraction she was forming for Allan.

He was much older than her and to what her mother had told as a child he was a wide boy and a compulsive liar who once betrayed the gang to save his own neck. Was that really somebody she wanted to be associated with?

Leigh spotted a single guard standing in the market square observing the surrounding area, from what she could see he looked young, a couple of years older than herself.

She drifted over to him as she twisted a strand of hair in her fingers and looked at him with a mischievous smile.

He returned the smile as his dark green eyes lit up, he showed an instant interest in her as she pulled up in front of him and fluttered her lashes at him.

"What time is the execution scheduled for?" she asked sweetly as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and bared her shoulders.

The guard's eyes scanned over her with wanting reflected in his eyes, he lingered on her curves and slightly licked his lips.

"Three o'clock" he replied "you going to watch?".

Leigh smirked at the guard and glanced around to see who was near by, she spotted Little John a couple of feet away and turned back to the guard.

"Maybe..... unless I have something better to do" she said like a tease.

The guard glanced around looking to see if any of his superiors were near by, he was alone in the market square.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked curiously.

Leigh pouted and reached out for his hand "let me show you" she replied seductively.

The guard took her hand and followed her in to the tavern where he took a seat and pulled Leigh on to his lap, he took off his helmet and ordered some ale.

A bar wench gave him a teasing smile as she leaned over in front of him showing her cleavage but he ignored her advances and set his eyes on Leigh.

Leigh began to joke and laugh with the guard who was becoming very friendly with her and was making her drink ale too.

Leigh had to subtly reject his advances as he became intoxicated with ale. He kept pulling her in for a kiss but Leigh kept rejecting him and this began to make the guard angry.

He had left his post in the hope of receiving some fun and the company of a young woman who he found more than attractive.

Leigh felt his hand creeping up under her skirt and she jumped up as she swatted his hand away but he grabbed hold of her and pulled her back down then forced a kiss on to her.

Leigh suddenly felt sick as she felt herself becoming the victim of her own plan. She wanted to use the guard to get information for the gang but the guard was becoming too much for her to handle.

She threw her hand out to find a beaker that was on the table to use as a weapon to knock the guard off but knocked it and it fell on to the floor with a crash.

Leigh tried to push the guard off as he was hiking her skirt up but she did not have enough strength.

Suddenly she felt the guards head being ripped away from her and somebody had grabbed her from behind and pulled her off of the guard and held her back.

She saw the guard fall to the ground as her rescuer landed a punch in his face. She looked up and saw Allan standing in front of her, his eyes wide and fierce with anger.

Leigh felt the hand around her arm relax and she turned to see who had aided Allan in her rescue and saw John.

His face was hard with anger but he had managed to contain it as he kept Leigh safe from flying fists.

Leigh had never been so happy to see John and she was overwhelmed by Allan's heroic act in her defence.

The two men lead her out of the tavern back to the safety of the gang. Allan shot her an annoyed stare, as he saw the rest of the gang standing near a market stall he pulled Leigh back and waited for John to get out of ear shot.

He turned to her with concern and anger in his eyes. It was an odd mix but Allan pulled it off well.

He leaned into her and pressed her up against a wall and breathed deeply, his lips were so close to hers and she could feel his breath on her face.

"Don't ever do something so stupid ever again" he growled through gritted teeth.

Leigh stared at him confused, why was he so concerned? He was the one who told her to make herself useful and find out information as to when the execution was taking place.

"You told me........." she began but was cut off by Allan who's patience were growing thin.

"I didn't ask you to put yourself in danger and hand yourself to that bloke on a plate" he snarled.

Leigh shook her head with exasperation "why do you give a damn?" she snapped back.

Allan averted his gaze "because I care you stupid girl".

Leigh pushed his hands off of her and shoved him back "stupid girl" she shrieked, which caught the attention of the gang.

Much saw Leigh against the wall and Allan standing inches from her. Much contorted his face with anger but stayed where he was, he wanted to go over and drag Allan off of her and land a punch or two on him for ignoring his warnings but he knew if he was to do that then he would have to explain himself and he did not want to have to explain his reasons, not just yet.

"Leigh.... you could have got hurt, you do not put yourself in a situation like that especially not without telling somebody" Allan tried to reason with the angry young woman he had saved.

"Stupid girl" she once again snarled in his face.

Allan rolled his eyes and blocked her escape as she tried to make an escape. By now the whole gang was staring over at the two arguing gang members.

"Let me go" she snapped.

"No chance, listen to me........ you're lucky John had seen where you had gone with that twerp and that I was there to help you. He's lucky he's still alive" Allan said softly.

Leigh tried to ignore his stare but his bright blue eyes were burning into her soul. She could feel herself falling so fast for the outlaw.

"Lucky he's still alive.... why?" she asked curiously.

"Because I wanted to kill him for touching you, I have to stop myself from touching you, kissing you... telling you how I truly feel because of your father" Allan said.

Leigh felt her heart flip and she was sure her stomach was now in her mouth because of what Allan had just said.

"Robin would understand" Leigh whispered to Allan.

Allan shook his head as he inhaled deeply "Robin probably would" he said "but your father wouldn't".

Allan pulled away from Leigh and walked off towards the gang leaving the girl shocked, confused and bewildered.

What had Allan just said? Was he saying Robin was not her father?

Leigh stared at the gang helplessly her head spinning and pounding so hard she felt as if she was going to be sick.

Kate stared at Allan and shook her head, she knew he had said something regarding her problem to her daughter and she was not best pleased. Who was he to say anything, it had nothing to with him.

"What did you say to her?" Kate snapped as she chased after the outlaw.

Robin followed suit and chased after Allan who was almost at the town gates ready to leave and abandon the rescue.

Leigh stared at the three men who had stayed behind and not followed Allan. It was now up to John, Much, Little John and herself to rescue the Locksley villagers before they were executed. It was almost three o'clock.

Allan had almost made it back into the woods before a fuming Kate grabbed him and ordered him to tell her what he had said to Leigh back in Nottingham.

She was glaring at him so hard that it almost made his skin crawl. He had never seen her so angry and it scared him, he knew what she was capable of and he kept his hands free just in case she decided to throttle him or fly at him with a dagger she may have hidden up on her person so he could defend him self.

Robin approached the quarrelling pair slowly, he was lost as to what to think was going on between them.

He heard Kate snarling at Allan saying he had no right to stick his nose in and that it was not going to help anything.

Robin had no idea what she was referring to. He just knew that he had obviously not been told everything regarding his daughter.

"What's going on?" he asked bluntly as he stared at his friends weighing them up.

Allan looked back at him with his usual rabbit caught in the headlights stare when he had been caught out, he felt a sickness rising in his stomach, something was wrong but what.

"Look like she said it has nothing to do with me" Allan spluttered as he saw Robin's expression change suddenly from bewildered to angry.

"Really?" he snapped "Kate, care to explain what's going on?" he said as he braced himself against a tree with his bow resting at his feet.

Allan eyed the bow, would Robin use it when he knew the truth about Leigh?

Kate glanced around restlessly she really didn't want to have to do this especially not under these circumstances and she really needed time to sort her head out but no matter how much time she had the truth would still be there and there was nothing she could do about it.

"It's Leigh..... I'm so sorry Robin but I don't think she's yours" Kate said calmly.

Robin nodded his head in his usual 'I understand but I don't like it' way.

Allan ran his hand through his hair and exhaled deeply. He was glad Robin hadn't snapped and started to batter him due to the news.

Robin's eyes shot to Allan and he stiffened his lips "is she his?" he asked pointing to Allan.

Allan's eyes bulged as the accusation hit him "no... hell no... I love her as a lover not a father" he shrieked in his defence.

Kate gave him a disgusted glare "that's my daughter" she scolded.

Allan rolled his eyes "sorry but it's true".

Robin tapped his bow against his foot making Allan flinch. He kept his eyes on the bow and was getting ready to run just in case Robin lifted it up to aim it at him.

He wasn't Leigh's father but he sure as hell had some unnaturally hot thoughts about her and as far as Robin thought Leigh was like a daughter to him even if she wasn't his.

"Then who is?" Robin asked sharply.

Kate closed her eyes and thought, how would she be able to tell him and it not ruin things between them.

"Robin it....." she began before cutting herself off, she couldn't do it no matter how much she knew the truth had to come out she couldn't do it.

"I'm not proud of it.... I was weak when it happened" she cried as she fought back the tears.

Allan let his head drop, he had caused so much trouble between his two friends and he wasn't surprised if they both ended up hating him and then there was Leigh.

'Leigh she's been left alone in Nottingham' Allan thought to himself. How could he have left her behind?

Allan pushed passed Kate and was caught by Robin who had him by the shirt. He was glaring at him with deathly eyes, he could tell he wanted to beat him senseless.

"Let me go" Allan said coldly.

Robin gripped his shirt tighter as Kate watched helplessly from behind, Allan didn't have time for Robin's anger right now he had to go back and help Leigh.

"Robin, Leigh needs help" he yelled as he forced Robin off and hurried off back towards Nottingham.

Leigh watched from behind a market stall as guards strolled around the town. All the entrances to the gallows were covered by guards, Leigh needed a way in but how?

"You can wear this and blend in with the peasants" said John softly as he handed her a shabby brown cloak.

Leigh gave him a wry smile "stylish" she whipped as she tied it around her neck.

John shot her a reassuring smile "I have your back all the way".

John watched as Leigh ventured off in to the gallows area as she tagged along with a group of peasant women.

The gallows area was full to the brim with peasants and guards all waiting to watch the execution.

Leigh grimaced as she over heard a guard make a joke about 'swinging peasants' she felt sick. How could people enjoy this kind of thing? It was horrible and inhumane.

She watched as Vasey and his son came down the castle steps and stood with smug expressions on their faces at the bottom of the steps.

She hated them so much and would gladly see them both dead. It would be an act of kindness if anything, they were both so sick and twisted they must be suffering from some kind of grave mental illness. Who in their right mind would enjoy torturing and tormenting innocent people for sport?

Leigh glanced around and caught sight of Little John in the crowd. He had made it in which was good, at least she had another outlaw to help her.

She was planning on carrying out the plan Robin had set out but only this time without Robin, Allan and her mother to help. It was up to her, John, Much and Little John now to save these people.

Leigh gripped the bow she had smuggled in under her cloak and got in a covered space where she could get a clear shot of the gallows and use arrows to cut the ropes that dangled the villagers from Locksley.

Little John had moved closer to the platform ready to help the villagers escape. John had moved in to the gallows area now standing at the other side of his father, they had two escape routes sorted now and Leigh felt confident the plan would work. Even if Hood was no where to be found.

"We can do this" said a positive voice from beside Leigh. She turned her head to see Much clutching his short sword and shield, she felt happier knowing he was with her. She felt a connection to him and was happy that if their plan failed and they were all killed she had at least a sincere face to look at as her life was ripped out of her.

"You ready?" she said.

Much gave her one last look and smiled then nodded in response "see you at the end" he chirped then flitted off in to the crowed.

Leigh took a deep breath as she focused on the sheriff and waited for him to make his move.

"Let's all learn from their mistakes, any body caught helping Hood will swing" boomed Dylan from the steps. Vasey had a stupid mocking grin plastered across his face as he watched as his brat of a son terrorised the towns folk with his threats.

They needed to be taught a lesson and Leigh was going to do it, right now.

She watched as the sheriff signalled for the hang man to drop the platform and the villagers swung.

She raised her bow and aimed an arrow at the rope holding one of the villagers and let it go. The arrow sliced through the rope and saw the villager drop on to the platform.

She quickly reloaded her bow and shot out the other ropes one by one, she felt a deep sense of purpose as she saw Little John help the villagers to safety.

"HOOD" Vasey screamed as he searched the crowed for his enemy.

Leigh smirked and stepped forwards "wrong" she yelled across the crowed catching Vasey's attention.

"A little girl...... GUARDS KILL HER" he screamed as his guards all bolted for her.

Dylan narrowed his eyes at her from the steps as he listened to his father take charge of the situation. Leigh couldn't help but laugh, sheriff Vasey still liked to act as if he was in charge even though he had been retired as sheriff for almost eight years now.

"Awww daddy still tuck you in to bed as well does he?" Leigh mocked as she made her way through the crowed.

Guards circled her and pulled their swords, she rolled her eyes at the situation, 'how typical three guys on to one woman' she thought as she pulled her own sword.

"Let's play boys" she teased as she landed a blow on one guard knocking his sword to the floor.

"You're not even trying" she whipped as the guard scrambled for his blade. She then kicked him in the face and watched as he fell down unconscious.

The other two guards landed blows on her sword and tried jabbing her with the blade tip. She felt herself being forced into a corner, suddenly Dylan appeared behind them and ordered them off, he wanted to take her out himself.

"Did you ask daddy if you could play out?" Leigh mocked as she smacked Dylan's sword. She punched him in the face in an attempt to make him move back so she could get her back off the wall.

He snarled at her and repeatedly swiped at her sword, she felt her luck running out and could almost taste the end. He hit her in the face and Leigh could taste the blood in her mouth.

She spat a mouthful of blood out and felt a rush of anger charge through her as he smirked.

Leigh knocked his blade and kicked out at him forcing him back but he came back with a hard smack of his blade and Leigh crashed against the wall.

Dylan grabbed for her throat and held his sword ready to plunge it into her side. She closed her eyes tight and prayed for it to be quick, she knew this was it, the end.

"Get off my daughter" screamed a voice as somebody attacked Dylan from behind.

Leigh felt a weight life off of her as Dylan was pulled off and she took a deep breath of fresh air.

It felt good as she really did think it was the end. She owed her life to her rescuer, her father.

Her eyes flew open as she realised what the man had said during his attack on Dylan. It took her a few seconds to focus properly on the scene in front of her, she saw Dylan fighting with somebody but she could not make him out.

Leigh pushed herself off of the wall and stumbled forwards to get a better view of her rescuer.

"A little help would be nice" yelled Much as he glanced at John who had just killed a guard.

Leigh felt her legs tremble as realisation hit home, Much was her father. He knew all along that's why he looked at her so weird when he had first seen her in the forest with Allan.

As she thought about all the ways he looked at her and the way he made her feel she realised why his eyes felt so familiar, because she had them too, they were the same eyes that stared back at her when ever she looked in to a reflective surface like a river or a silver jug.

Her father was not Robin Hood but his servant Much.

With in seconds Little John and John had rallied around and were all stood in a circle helping to fight Dylan as his guards had been taken out by the outlaws.

Leigh stood in shock as she watched her father fighting with every inch of his being to beat the man who had almost ended her life.

"Gotcha" gushed a voice from behind her as she was grabbed by the arm and had a blade pushed to her throat.

"Right you horrible lot, drop your weapons or she gets it" yelled Vasey as he held Leigh tight with a blade to her throat and threatened the gang of outlaws.

Much turned his head to see his daughter in danger as Vasey grinned back at the outlaws.

John dropped his sword and felt his insides burning and a sickness rising up in his stomach as he watched Leigh standing helpless in Vasey's grip he felt useless. He could not lunge for Vasey because Leigh would be dead before he even got in an inch of the retired sheriff.

"She's got no part in this, please let her go" pleaded Much as he stared helplessly. He had never felt so scared, he didn't know what to do he was failing in protecting his daughter.

"Oh but she has, after all she is an outlaws brat. She is filthy disgusting vermin and you know what we do to vermin" said the old sheriff.

He gave a sickening evil grin as he tilted Leigh's head up and pressed the blade to her wind pipe.

"We exterminate them" he snapped.

Much instantly dropped his sword and fell to his knee's "please kill me not her" he cried.

Robin, Kate and Allan ran in to the gallows area that was now empty of all towns folk and the only people in there were Leigh, Much, Little John and John.

Kate saw as Vasey had Leigh with a blade to her throat and she screamed.

Allan's stare was on Vasey and Leigh. His eyes caught Leigh's and she could see the fear in them as well as something else, she would like to call it love but this was Allan A Dale, he did not fall in love.

Vasey let out a piercing evil snigger as he watched all the outlaws drop their weapons. All but Hood.

Robin had his bow aimed at Vasey and had a still expression on his face, not fear, not compassion, not anything.

"I will kill your brat if you don't drop that bow Hood" snarled Vasey.

Robin smirked "No you won't".

Vasey's face fell hard, Hood was questioning his actions, he was playing with his daughters life.

"She's not his" whipped Dylan catching Kate's attention.

Vasey stared at his son confused "isn't she?".

Dylan shook his head and smirked as he pointed at Much "he is.... the mumbling servant".

Robin's eyes glared at Vasey as he smirked at what his son had revealed.

"Oh dear, tut tut Muchy boy" Vasey said amused.

Leigh felt the blade loosen on her throat as the sheriff's attention became distracted from her and she elbowed him in the stomach and punched him in the face as he released her completely.

She bolted for the outlaws who were all gathered in front of her. All of them taken aback by the revelations that had just come out.

She snatched up her sword that laid on the ground near the steps and spun to warn off Vasey if he had given chase.

She heard a stifled wail come from Much and as she turned to see she saw him clutching his side and blood was seeping through his fingers. Her eyes shot up to the sword that was in Dylan's hand and the tip was dripping with blood.

He had stabbed her father and now he was going to pay.

John grabbed for Much as he lost his footing and began to fall down with the pain from the stab wound.

Leigh flew past John and Much with her sword raised high, her mind was numb all she could see was the blood dripping off the sword. Her father's blood and it had tore her up inside.

She could hear a distant scream coming from her mother as she watched her daughter fly towards the sheriff, he brought his sword up and a fleck of blood flew towards her and hit her on the cheek.

Everything passed by in slow motion and when she finally came out of her rage fuelled trance she saw Dylan laying at her feet with her sword stuck in his stomach. She had run him through and he was staring at her with his cold fast becoming lifeless eyes.

She felt no remorse if anything she felt good but the feeling didn't last for long when she heard Little John yelling Much's name.

She turned to see the outlaws gathered around him even Robin was staring down at him helpless.

Kate and Allan were still staring at her, they were in a state of shock as they processed what they had just seen.

The girl that they thought was sweet and innocent had just killed a man, the sheriff of Nottingham, her soul had turned black and she would never be the same again.

Leigh stared at her mother with empty eyes "it's less than he deserved" she spat as she took one last glance at the sheriff's corpse.

Allan's eyes still reflected the same emotion from earlier but they were tinted with shock at what she had done.

Leigh smirked a sick smirk that did not belong to her "hey there's nothing sweet about me" she said coldly. This was not Leigh, this was something dark that had been born in those moments when she took Dylan's life.

Something born of pure hate and anger, Kate hoped it would pass as she did not want this to be her daughter.

"He needs help, if he doesn't get help he'll die" Leigh snapped as her eyes had fallen on her father who was bleeding badly on the ground.

John went to scoop Much up and was assisted by Allan. Much was one of his best friends and the father of the girl he had fallen in love with, he could not let him die, he did not want Leigh to be this cold forever and if Much died she would remain like that.

He knew because he had felt the same way when the sheriff had killed his brother Tom.

He still held that pain in his heart, it was still present when Allan had joined forces with Vasey and Gisborne many years ago.

He regretted his decision to work with Gisborne and betray his friends but it was all in the past and he had paid for his mistakes time and time again already.

Allan helped John get Much out of the gallows area and to safety away from the old sheriff who was quickly flying into a mad rampage.

Vasey flew towards Leigh who had her back to him. She was lost in her own thoughts of losing her father just when she had got to know who he was.

She wanted to get to know him more than anything, learn from him and to help him protect the poor. She did not want him to die and she would do anything to make him better and save his life.

Vasey covered the steps in a couple of leaps, he had a lot of energy for somebody who was old.

He was fuelled by rage and anger just like Leigh was when she had seen her father stabbed by Dylan, everything went blank and the only thought in her head was revenge, she wanted and needed Dylan dead.

Vasey felt the same now, he wanted revenge for his son and his power, he lived through Dylan. Even though he had been retired for almost eight years he still took power over Nottingham and the surrounding villages through his son, now Dylan was dead there would be a new sheriff brought in and Vasey would lose all power he had.

He pulled a dagger from it's holder on his belt and lunged for Leigh, he didn't pay any attention to the other outlaws that were around, he made a beeline straight for Leigh with pure hatred flowing through his veins.

Robin caught sight of Vasey out of the corner of his eye and yelled at Leigh to get out of the way.

Shock was starting to take over from seeing her father bleeding out and her killing Dylan. Realisation came crashing down around her and she stood frozen on the spot knowing danger was close as she could hear Robin screaming at her but she could not bring herself to move or turn to see what was happening.

Leigh tried to focus all of her power on the sounds around her and heard the sudden crash of steel on steel and the sound of a scuffle from behind her.

Robin had jumped in to save Leigh from Vasey, she was not his daughter but she was the daughter of his best friend and the woman he had grown to love over the years. Leigh was also one of the gang now and he helped his outlaws when they were in danger and right now Leigh was in grave danger.

Robin was not going to let Much have risked his life in vain for his daughter just for himself to let her die especially not at the hands of Vasey.

Robin and Vasey fought viciously but however hard Vasey attacked Robin the outlaw never fought back to kill.

Robin had learned over the years that killing Vasey would not solve anything and he did not want to be known as a murderer. One day Vasey would get what he deserved but Robin was adamant it would not be he who ended the sheriffs life.

Kate had ran to Leigh and made her move out of the way of the two feuding men. Kate was trying to console her daughter but Leigh wasn't having any of it and did not want her mother smothering her.

Leigh just wanted to lash out and was angry at her mother for leaving them to fight alone, she was angry at Robin too as it was his plan and he abandoned it to go sort his personal life out.

She knew she should be angry at Allan too but something inside her would not allow it. she needed some one to understand how she felt and she needed someone to console her but she didn't want it to be Kate, she didn't need it to be Kate she needed it to be Allan.

Leigh had fought enough today and didn't care what happened to Vasey now, Robin could kill him for all she cared, she needed to get out of here and sort her head out.

Leigh bolted for the entrance and made a run for the forest, she wanted to see how her father was before she did anything else and she also needed to see Allan.

Leigh ran through the town of Nottingham dodging the people who had overflowed on to the streets out of the gallows. People who had made a run from the fighting and bloodshed between the outlaws and the guards.

Leigh caught sight of John who was standing outside a house at the other end of the town.

He looked pale and overwhelmed, a million bad thoughts ran through Leigh's mind she was thinking worse case scenarios to make whatever had happened seem not that bad.

Had Much died? Was he going to die? What the hell was happening?

Leigh ran over to John who looked relieved to see her approaching. His shirt was covered in large patches of blood and Leigh's heart sunk, Much had lost so much blood how could he possibly survive that.

"He's been asking for you" said John softly.

"How is he?" Leigh asked with concern. She was scared to know the truth, she was scared to learn that her father was either about to die or was dead inside that house.

John looked at her with eyes so full of emotion it almost made her burst out in tears "he's being tended to by a physician, Allan's in there with him" John replied.

Leigh turned quickly and pushed open the door and slowly popped her head around the door to see what was happening inside the house.

Her eyes met those of an elderly gentleman with white hair and a white beard to match. He focused on her for a moment then turned his attention back to her father who was laid on a table in the middle of the room. There was piles of bandages and bloodied cloths scattered around the floor near the table.

Leigh felt her stomach churn as she eyed the blood soaked rags, there was no way Much was going to survive this.

Leigh felt her eyes well up and a hard sob escaped her mouth and she slumped against the wall. Much was going to die because he tried to save her, he cared for her enough to risk his own life and now he was going to die.

He had only revealed he was her father and now she was going to lose him. She had so many questions regarding her father, how long had he known? Why hadn't he said anything before? How could he be sure? The questions were endless.

"Is he going to live?" she asked timidly.

The physician glanced up at her and inhaled deeply, he threw down a hand full of bloodied rags and stood up then walked towards her. His face was dark and it filled her with dread.

"He's lost a lot of blood, the next few hours are critical but I would not get my hopes up" he said gently.

Leigh felt herself choke up and her eyes became blurred from the tears, she stumbled over to the table where Much laid and gripped his hand tightly.

Tears dripped on to his hand and ran down on to the table, he was so pale and his skin was quite cold to the touch.

Leigh lifted his hand to her lips and gently kissed it as tears streamed down her face, she felt so full of guilt and hurt.

Her first impression of this man was that he was weird and looked at her weird. Truth being he was keeping a life changing secret to himself just so his daughter could be happy and safe.

She wished she had known sooner, she didn't care about being safe she just wanted to know her father.

Allan was sat on a chair beside the table next to Much, he was watching Leigh as she looked helplessly at her father.

He was holding the bandanna that Much always wore. The physician had taken it off and thrown it down but Allan had picked it up, it was a part of Much's character, it made him unique and for as long as Allan had known Much he had worn it. Without it he was not Much.

Allan dropped his head and silently prayed for Much to make it. Allan was not a praying man but he was praying now, he did not want to see his friend die.

Leigh leaned into her father and kissed his cheek softly "please make it" she whispered in to his ear.

Allan felt his eyes well up with tears. He knew what the loss of a loved one was like to bare and he would do anything to spare Leigh of that kind of pain.

"He's strong.... daft but strong" Allan choked.

Leigh stared at her father and felt her heart breaking. She realised she knew nothing about him, all the stories she had been told as a child were centred around Robin and the details of the other outlaws were scarce.

She had heard little things about them all but not enough to actually know any of them.

She had heard that Allan was a wide boy, a chancer and a compulsive liar but even though she knew that she still felt herself falling in love with him.

The only thing she had heard about her father was that he was constantly hungry, he worried too much and he was a sweet caring man but a bit daft.

"I know nothing about him" she said through tears.

"He loved you, he loved your mother. He loved food especially pork, he fed us squirrel and said it was rabbit. He stopped Marian from marrying Gisborne, he was once a lord for a couple of days and he had dreams of properly owning the fields and lodge at Bonchurch" replied Allan.

Leigh smiled "Much a lord" her eyes lit up as she learned about her father.

Every piece of information was important to her, even the stupidest pieces of information like how he fed the outlaws squirrel brought her closer to her father.

Allan pushed himself up from the chair and moved around to Leigh, he knew she needed to feel comfort.

Earlier in the day his mind had been plagued with thoughts of Leigh that made him feel hot and bothered. He looked at her and had naughty thoughts of her, he wanted to get her alone and show her what he was capable of.

He wanted to kiss her so passionately and make her pulse race and make her want him the way he wanted her. He wanted to get her in the throws of passion and hear her scream his name as his touch lingered on her every curve and he pushed his self inside her and made hot passionate love to her.

Now he just wanted to hold her and make the pain go away. He wanted to take the pain for her, he would do anything to protect her, he even found himself wishing it had been him who had been stabbed and not Much because no matter how much he wished she felt the same for him he knew she wouldn't and she wouldn't miss him as much as she would her father.

Allan wrapped his arms around the young woman who still had tears streaming down her face as she stood beside Much who was growing paler as every minute passed.

Leigh snuggled in to Allan's chest and dropped Much's hand down beside his body, she gripped Allan's shirt and began to sob again.

Allan held Leigh tighter in his arms, he felt his own heart breaking as he listened to Leigh sobbing for her father.

"I'll never leave you" he whispered as he kissed the top of her head lightly. He rested his cheek on her head and waited for her to sob it all out. He knew that no matter the outcome he would always be there for Leigh even if she did end up choosing John over him.

He knew thinking about making her his was not appropriate right now and he would respect her decision when the time came. When she decided she would have a better life with John who was more her age than he was and who she could properly grow old with and have a family with.

John was not an outlaw he just chose to help the gang so he could spend time with his own father and help the villagers, but he could go back to Locksley and live his life any time he wanted.

He was not a wanted man and Allan knew Leigh would probably have a better life with John than him.

Yet he still felt like she should be his and that he could love her more than John could whether that was selfish he did not know any more. He knew Much would prefer his only daughter to be with John though and not Allan because he had already warned him off of her but no matter how much Allan tried to abide by his friends wishes his heart would not settle and give up lightly.

He didn't just want Leigh he needed her because with out her he felt empty and lost.

Leigh had sat by her father's side for hours, she had sat in silence as Robin and Kate had come in to see him. She had heard Robin whisper promises to Much and it angered her.

If he had not ran off and left the gang to rescue the villagers on their own then maybe her father would not be on his death bed now and he would be back at the camp fussing over rabbit and being told to shut up by the gang as he continuously rambled on.

Leigh sat in the room alone with her father, the only light coming from that of a candle that was almost at it's end it had melted down to a short piece of wax upon a wooden stand.

She stared at the candle deeply into the flame. She knew Much was not improving and he was losing his fight with every hour that passed.

She had watched the candle every hour and saw how it was coming to an end, just like her father.

By the time the candle was out so would her father's life.

The room would be thrown into blackness and so would her soul as her father's life came to an end.

She glanced at Much's chest and saw how his chest was slowly rising and falling with difficulty. He was struggling to breath.

She saw his finger flinch slightly and sprung forwards to look at his face. His eyes were slightly open but looked so sunken and his face looked so gaunt it made her die a little inside.

She stared into his eyes and gave him a comforting smile "hey" she choked.

Much parted his lips but nothing came out, his eyes welled up and he struggled to catch his breath.

"Sssh don't speak, save your energy, we can talk later just rest" Leigh whispered as she held back the tears.

Leigh gripped his hand and held it tightly as she saw her father gasp for his breath. She knew he was having difficulty to breath but she did not want to leave him and fetch the physician.

By the time she had got him her father may have passed and he would have been alone, she did not want that for him.

Much gripped her hand back and let out a wry smile through the pain. He was so brave and she was proud to have him as her father.

Robin Hood was the hero according to many people but in her eyes the hero was Much and only ever would be.

"I love you and I never left you" Much whispered softly through the pain.

Leigh felt tears run down her face as she heard the words her father had struggled to speak, it was the most heart breaking thing she had ever witnessed.

"I love you too dad" she gushed in response.

Much gave a little smile "just be happy, don't spend your life fighting, live it and if you do have to fight, only fight for what you believe in" Much said.

Leigh nodded as she wiped tears from her face.

"If you love someone tell them, don't let somebody else win" he whispered as he clenched his teeth with pain.

"I promise" Leigh replied through the tears.

Much stared up at her as tears ran down his cheek, he looked so fragile and Leigh wished she could just make his pain go away.

He closed his eyes and took one last breath then his hand slackened and fell onto the table.

Leigh stared at him with a broken heart, he had gone and she was now alone.

The room plunged into darkness as the candle's flame came to an end. Leigh bit her lip hard in a bid to transfer some pain from her heart to her body, everything was black now especially her heart.

Robin and Kate sat in a barn in a corner away from the rest of the gang. They sat in silence for a few moments before Kate broke the silence "I always thought Leigh could be yours, her nature is so like yours what with her strong beliefs in the good and her courage to stand up for what she believes in".

Robin glanced up slightly at Kate who was sat staring at the tag she held in her hand, the tag that all the outlaws wore.

"I never planned for me and Much to............." she trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes.

Robin stared straight ahead at Kate, his eyes searching her face and wondering.

"You left the gang five months before you gave birth to her, how did you not know she was his daughter?" Robin asked bluntly.

"I didn't think that what me and Much did would result in me getting pregnant. It was a one off a stupid drunken one off when I felt so low and angry with you" she replied.

Robin clenched his eyes tight and tried to calm his anger that was boiling up inside him, even if she was angry at him she should never have used Much as a release.

"You slept with him Kate, just who else did you sleep with eh? Allan maybe" Robin snarled.

Kate's eyes bulged with the accusation. She had never slept with Allan never even considered it.

"No never, I never slept with any body else Robin just you and Much and I only did that because you ignored me and did not pay attention to me when I was trying to tell you how I felt" she snapped.

"You had gone with Allan, Little John and Tuck to the castle to pay Vasey one of your little visits and left me and Much back at the camp because.... well we didn't fit into your plans that night. So me and Much drank some ale and cider and had a good old bitch about how we felt worthless in the gang and how we should have just packed up and left. We opened up to each other so much that we just ended up falling into each others arms and having sex, I can't remember it that well due to the alcohol but I do know he was so sweet and loving towards me........ a month or so later we got together and then we slept together Robin so I instantly thought the baby was yours" she explained.

Robin's head was spinning and he had so much information to take in he thought he was about to explode.

"I always thought Leigh was big for an early baby.... she wasn't early at all she was on time and I always found it odd how she took to Much over me. Most babies love me but Leigh always screamed when I held her but instantly quietened when Much held her. I guess a babies bond with it's father is a strong one and one only a baby knows, even as an infant she knew the truth" Robin said calmly.

Kate smiled slightly as she thought of how Much was with the baby, he always brought her gifts like hats and materials for Kate to make her clothes with.

He always knew she was his child, Much may have been daft but he knew his own child.

"You lot have always been there for us and we appreciate it Robin" Kate said.

Robin nodded in response "yeah, we've always been in the shadows watching and protecting you both but as Leigh got older I realised I didn't have to protect her so much because she could protect her self. Much disagreed and always followed her when she went into the woods alone, I thought he was being overprotective but now I know why".

The pair stared at each other for a little while they still loved each other and even though Leigh was not his daughter Robin still felt responsible for her and her safety.

"She still needs you protecting her" said Kate.

Robin shook his head in disagreement "no she has Much now........... and Allan".

Kate grimaced at the thought of Allan and her daughter.

"Seriously not Allan I mean he's known her since she was a baby.... it's just weird" replied Kate as she tried to force the images of her daughter and Allan out of her head.

"He genuinely cares about her Kate I can see it and you and me both know that they suit each other and when they are together they don't look that odd together. Allan is the one who hasn't changed or aged out of all of us, he still looks the same as he did when he first joined the gang. People are not to know the age difference between them" Robin said defending his friend.

"But it's Allan" whipped Kate.

Robin frowned at her he knew she was only caring for her daughter but he knew deep down that out of all the men he knew Allan was the one who would treat Leigh the best, he was older and more mature than the boys in Locksley and even though Robin knew John had feelings for Leigh he was still trying to find his place in the world.

Allan had found his place years ago and was fine by it all. He was an outlaw and a hero.

"Leigh is strong and can protect herself, she has Allan who will always be there for her and John will protect her" Robin reasoned.

"As long as she doesn't choose Allan John will have her back" Kate said bluntly.

The truth being that John did have feelings for Leigh but if she chose Allan over him he would not be happy and would not stay around to have her back.

The two had been friends for some years and John secretly wanted to spend his life with Leigh. He had told her he could not marry or have a family due to his line of work but now Leigh knew all about his work with the outlaws things were not as difficult and he believed the two of them could have something together.

Kate glanced over her shoulder at Allan who was laid on a bale of hay staring up at the ceiling. He seemed a million miles away from the rest of the gang.

Allan was thinking of the what Much had said to him and how angry he looked when he had approached him in the forest on the way to Nottingham.

Allan felt guilty every time he thought about Leigh and the words Much spoke kept repeating over and over in his head.

Allan knew he was not replacing Kate with Leigh. He liked Kate when she first ran with the gang but the attraction soon died when she got with Robin and the feelings he now had for Leigh were nothing like those he felt for Kate.

When he liked Kate he still looked at other women and had thoughts about them but with Leigh he could not even bring himself to even pass a glance at another woman. If only Much knew then maybe he wouldn't have so much of a problem with the way Allan looked at and thought about Leigh.

Leigh pulled open the barn door and it took some effort, she felt weak and not even strong enough to pull open a door.

She had spent so many hours sat beside her father alone and when he had died she had sat for at least another hour in the dark with his body until finally pulling herself together and going to tell the physician that he had passed.

She had to now tell the gang that their friend was dead, it wasn't something she really wanted to do because she could barely keep herself together how was she meant to keep a gang of outlaws together who had known Much for years but she did not want to have Robin tell them and fake emotion for his fallen friend who he obviously secretly hated now for being her father and not him.

Leigh dragged her feet into the barn and caught sight of Kate and Robin sat in the corner off to her left.

She heard a shuffling come from somewhere directly ahead of her as one of the other's shifted on their make shift bed.

Leigh could instantly feel all the outlaws eyes on her and it felt horrible. They were probably all expecting good news that Much had woke up and was going to be fine, but that was far from the truth.

Leigh stared coldly ahead of her blindly staring past Allan who was now sat up and watching her waiting for the news, he looked hopeful but that soon changed as he saw Leigh's eyes, they were swollen and red from crying.

"Leigh" Allan said breaking the silence.

Leigh flitted her eyes to him for a brief second before looking away again and averting her stare to the floor.

"He's gone" she replied as she fought back the tears.

"Gone" retorted Kate.

"Dead, gone, now you two can play happy families properly" growled Leigh as she glared at her mother "but don't expect me to play along".

Allan stared at her with shock reflected in his eyes. His eyes were shimmering with unshod tears but she could not focus on any body else's pain but her own. She did not care if that was selfish of her she had just lost her father and it hurt so much, it hurt even more to see that there was next to no emotion shown on her mother's face.

It was as if she did not care that Much had died because she still had Robin and that's all she ever cared about.

Leigh was the product of a drunken one night stand fuelled by Kate's anger for Robin. She didn't sleep with Much because she wanted him or felt for him, he was just the only man who happened to be there at the time. If it had of been Allan instead of Much who had stayed at the camp with Kate he would probably have ended up being her father.

"He's dead..... but I thought he was going to be ok" choked John.

"He had lost too much blood he had no chance, at least he's free of you lot now and he doesn't have to be your servant" Leigh snarled as she grabbed her sword and long bow from where they laid on the floor by the door.

She took one last look at the gang and felt a sickness deep in her stomach. She knew she could not stay around and listen to Robin talk about how much of a loyal friend Much was.

She did not belong in the gang and never would, she had nothing in the gang to make her stick around.

Much had died and he was the one who talked Robin into letting her in to the gang and to help them when they went to rescue the villagers. When in the end Robin had no part in their rescue it was solely Much, John, Little John and her self.

Kate, Robin and Allan had all been too busy squabbling in the forest and did not care to help in the rescue mission until it was basically too late.

She did not need or want to be associated with those kind of people. She just wanted to move on with her life and deal with her father's death in her own way.

Leigh turned and walked out of the barn with out so much as a second look spared for the outlaws, she did not want to spend another second there with them.

As she paced through Nottingham she heard a voice call after her and she felt her anger build up. She just wanted to be left alone and did not want Allan following her and trying to talk her out of leaving the gang.

"Leave me alone" Leigh growled.

Allan caught up with her as he ran after her "Leigh please stop and think about this" he pleaded.

She tightened her lips and held back the harsh words that were burning to escape.

"You can't just leave like this" Allan tried to reason but Leigh did not want to hear it.

"Well I am.... deal with it... I've had it with this gang of miscreants" she snarled in response.

Allan's eyes fell confused. He hadn't done anything wrong yet she was still lashing out at him.

"What have I done?" he choked as he saw the flash of hatred creep into her eyes.

"Allan just get out of my way, I don't want to see you EVER" she snapped as she forced her way past him.

He stared after her as she disappeared into the shadows of the night. He wanted to follow her as he did not want to lose her but after what she had said he didn't think he had much choice in the matter.

John had crept out of the barn after the gang fell into a conversation regarding Much's passing He knew he had to follow Leigh even if she didn't want to be followed.

Vasey was still out there and he was still seeking revenge for his son's death and Leigh being in the state she was right now she could easily be captured and most likely killed and she probably didn't even care any more.

John kept to the shadows as he followed her through Nottingham. She hadn't even looked over her shoulder once not even when she had heard a twig snap.

She was almost oblivious to what was going on around her, she could probably walk straight through a battlefield and not even flinch.

John had followed her all the way back to Locksley. He realised half way through the journey that she was heading back to Locksley back to her home.

Leigh hadn't stopped once as she walked back to Locksley. She had been walking for hours but never stopped for water or to rest, it was as if she was in a trance and nothing could shake her.

LOCKSLEY.............................................................................................................................

Leigh crashed through the door to the house she shared with her mother and threw her bow and sword down.

During the walk back she had tried to think about what she was going to do next but the only thing she could think of was her ever growing hate for Hood. It should have been him who was killed not Much.

Leigh gripped the back of a chair as she imagined killing Hood, maybe then she would feel some peace in her mind.

"I know that look" echoed John from the door way.

Leigh spun to see him and to see if he had brought any of the other's with him but he was alone. He stood tall in the shadows but she could tell his eyes were burning into her.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped.

John entered the house and closed the door behind him "we are going to talk" he said wisely.

Leigh sniggered "there's nothing to talk about just go away, go back to the outlaws and make your self useful. I'm sure there's gold to pilfer or guards to beat senseless".

John rolled his eyes at her in the shadows "there probably is but I'm not an outlaw. I belong here not in the forest with them" he replied.

"Well you don't belong here. Not in this house, I don't want you or need you" Leigh spat.

John felt a sharp mental pain shoot through his chest as he heard the words Leigh so coldly spat at him.

He only ever felt like he belonged when he was with her and no matter how nasty she got with him he always saw some way back through it all but not now, now he felt he had truly lost her.

"Like I said I know that look and whatever you're planning.... don't. Don't do something you will regret" John advised as he turned to leave.

"Oh trust me, I won't regret it at all" she muttered to herself as she coldly stared into the darkness.

NOTTINGHAM TOWN....................................................................................................................

Allan sat glaring at Robin from his hay bale in the barn, he felt lost without Leigh and it was all Hood's fault.

Allan could not shake the overwhelming feeling of wanting to get up and beat Robin senseless because it was his fault that Leigh had left and turned to hate the gang.

Because of her new found hate for Hood and her mother he had to suffer.

The one person who genuinely loved her and would die for her was being treat like an enemy.

'This is madness' he thought to himself as he climbed to his feet and began to pace the barn.

"Not being funny but does any body actually give a damn that she's gone?" he said bluntly. He wasn't bothered if he ruffled any bodies feathers now. He'd had enough of sitting in silence and wondering where Leigh had gone and what she was going to do next.

"Yes of course we care" snapped Kate.

"Then why aren't you out there looking for her?" he snapped back.

Robin shot him a displeased glare, how dare he talk to Kate like that.

"Hey it's not her fault Leigh has ran off" Robin snarled.

Allan just gave him a twisted glare, he had really had enough of all this now.

Robin recently had been putting his own priorities before the gangs, Allan knew he was also to blame for Much's death as he had been the one to walk away from the impending argument with Kate but he had never asked Robin and Kate to follow him.

He never expected them to either because usually when he would venture off on his own Hood would just leave him to it but this time he and Kate had followed Allan and when he had wanted to return back to the town to help Leigh and the other outlaws Robin was more concerned about the way Allan had made Kate feel than protecting his outlaws and kept him behind longer than he needed to.

"Why aren't you out there looking for her?" said Robin.

"If you hadn't noticed and hadn't been too busy making eyes at Kate then you would have noticed I was the only person who went after her and it resulted in her telling me she didn't want anything to do with me" Allan yelled back as his patience had finally snapped.

"Don't try and come the concerned friend with me" shrieked Kate as she flew into a verbal rage aimed directly at Allan "we all know why you're bothered that she's not here and that's because you thought you were going to get lucky with her and now she's gone all hope of sleeping with her has gone" she yelled.

Allan felt his blood boiling, was this really what they thought of him that he was some sex mad beast who only wanted Leigh around so he could sleep with her.

"No you're wrong.... damn wrong... I care about Leigh and it's got nothing to do with sex or anything like that, some of us genuinely love other's and actually want to be with that person, yeah I've had my fair share of tavern women and other women but I've never slept with someone and had a child with that person only to try and pass the child off as someone else's" Allan screamed as he finally gave into the rage and the disgust he felt for Kate right now.

Robin stood up and began to fly towards Allan who then stood up and charged past him "don't bother I'm leaving anyway" he growled as he walked out of the barn.

Much had only been dead a few hours and the gang had already lost a long time member and a possible new member.

"Anybody see where John went?" questioned Little John as he finally spoke, he had been keeping his head down and letting the other outlaws let off steam, he had no place in telling Allan that he should not speak to Kate the way he did because deep down Little John too felt a little disappointed with her and the way she had tried to forget the fact that Leigh could be Much's daughter and solely wanted her to be Robin's.

Robin and Kate looked at Little John blankly, neither of them had seen John leave and neither of them had noticed that he wasn't there.

"No I never saw him leave" replied Robin.

"Right! I'll go find him then" said John with a sigh as he climbed to his feet and grabbed his staff.

Robin and Kate watched as Little John left the barn and then there were non.

From seven outlaws there were now only two.

Robin dropped his head and averted his stare so that Kate could not see the hurt on his face, he had a strong gang and now he had only himself and Kate who had left the gang eighteen years ago, so really he only had himself.

Kate glanced at him with concern in her eyes "they will return to you Robin" she said in a bid to reassure the outlaw.

Robin shook his head in response "no, not all of them, Leigh will never come back and I doubt Allan will either".

Allan had been walking a fair few hours and his feet were beginning to tire, it was almost sun rise and he had been up all night.

Since Much's death Allan could not bring himself to switch off, he found himself thinking about everything from the fact he should have settled down years ago and not be an outlaw any more and he should not have been so easy with women.

He had gone through his life as an outlaw charming people mostly women and he would occasionally find himself wake up in a strange woman's bed and have blurred memories of the night before, did that line really work? He would think as he'd remember the line he had used to get the woman in his favour.

He would use some right lines and spin some right stories with women, but the truth usually worked just as well, telling women you were one of Robin Hood's outlaws had it's advantages as some women would do anything for a supposed hero and being able to say they had spent the night with an outlaw was a great talking point.

Allan was regretting his actions now as he thought of Leigh, lord knows what stories she had heard about him.

The outlaw thought about the first time he ever met Leigh when she was a couple of days old, she was such a small and sweet baby, he never thought he would ever feel this way about her he always saw Leigh as the one thing the gang protected above everything else.

From the day she was born Robin had stopped been so vigilant on his protection against the villages and focused mainly on Leigh.

He would always have a member of the gang secretly following her as she played and walked through the forest.

Allan had been told to watch her on numerous occasions and he did it with no argument, he understood that she was Robin's main concern and he knew she needed looking after.

He had been watching from the coverage of a tree when she had been on her first date with a village boy when she was thirteen, he had watched to make sure the boy did not overstep his boundaries with her but it was Leigh who had made him run back to the village as she hit him when he leaned in to kiss her.

The memory made Allan smirk, 'Leigh was always a feisty little bugger' he thought to himself.

He felt a pang of jealousy soon creep in as he thought about her date with the boy and the other boys she saw over the years.

He had watched her for so many years and protected her and only now did he realise he loved her.

Allan came to a fork in the road and debated which way to go, he had no use in going back to Nottingham because Robin didn't want him around, it was all about Kate now and since Much was dead he didn't have a real friend in the gang.

He turned his head and stared down the road that lead to York, he hadn't been to York before and people would not recognise him there, he could make a new life for himself and maybe even find a woman and settle down in time.

Allan felt a niggling in the back of his mind, he knew what it was but he was doing his best to try and ignore it, he could not fall to it and turn back now, could he?.

Allan glanced back over his shoulder and stared back down the road he had just walked from Nottingham, he bit his lip in an attempt to focus on going forwards and heading to York but he couldn't his head said leave but his heart said he was needed in Nottingham, not by Hood but by Leigh.

He knew she would try and seek revenge on Vasey for all the pain and trouble he put her father through and he knew if she did make an attempt on his life she would end up dead and he could not allow that.

Allan let out an exasperated groan as his heart won the debate and he turned to head back to Nottingham, he could not just give up on her and if it meant having to work with Hood to save her he would.

LOCKSLEY...................................................................................................................

The sun glared through the window across the table where Leigh had been sitting all night, rays of light seeped across her fingers enhancing the scratches and bruises she had received whilst she stayed in the camp with the outlaws.

The scratches were nothing compared to the mental scars she was now forced to bare, the loss she had suffered over the last few hours was enough to send anybody crazy but she did well to keep her mind on the task at hand.

She had lost her father and she had forced herself to turn away the man she loved, she knew deep down that telling Allan she didn't want anything to do with him was a bad idea but it just came out in rage.

Truth was she needed him and didn't want to have to go on without him but now she had no choice, she had lost everything and had nothing else to live for so if dying in an attempt to kill Vasey was the only thing that was certain now then so be it.

Leigh stood and walked away from the chair, clutching a longbow in her right hand, a bag of arrows across her back and a sword in it's holder attached to her belt she pulled the door to and headed to Nottingham.

As she headed away from the small humble house she shared with her mother she felt the dirt crunch under her boots and took in one long breath.

She glanced back over her shoulder and took one last glance at the house. This may be the last time she ever saw the house she thought to herself.

This may be the last time she is ever in Locksley she thought. She could not fight the sorrow she felt bubbling up inside of herself but that was soon neutralised by the anger, hate and pain she felt over her father's death.

She glanced back ahead of herself and focused her gaze on the road ahead. She was leaving Locksley and may never return but she'd be damned if Vasey would ever breath another day.

NOTTINGHAM....................................

Allan had made it back to Nottingham and was stood weighing his options beside the tavern. He didn't know how long it would take Leigh to make it to Nottingham but he was sure as hell going to wait for her and stop her from doing something drastic.

He thought about asking Robin to help him stop Leigh but as he thought that plan through he began to realise that as soon as she saw Hood she would snap and that would fuel her rage and hate even more and then there would be no reasoning with her at all and Allan still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

He watched the town square with keen eyes watching the guards and looking for any sign of Hood or the other outlaws.

He didn't want to be seen by any of the gang but he knew he had to stand out in the town to watch for Leigh coming so he could cut her off.

He tried to keep his head down and avert his gaze whenever a guard would glance in his direction.

He was a wanted man in Nottingham and he could not afford to get arrested and slung in the cells when he had to stop Leigh from attacking Vasey and getting herself killed.