Written for the Treat Much Right Much/Allan 2009 Competition. Before you say anything, I know I've been almost as bad as the writers themselves and completely forgotten about poor John... let us pretend he's off looking for wood or something. Thanks to Helen for betaing.

Disclaimer: Oh please. If it was me and not Auntie who owned them, things would be a lot different in that forest ;)

Since the mysterious 'Tuck' had appeared at camp to tell them that Robin was supposedly still alive and wished to meet them at noon tomorrow, Much had been almost scarily upbeat. Despite Robin's behaviour towards him, towards all of them, he was still desperate to believe his former master was alive; anything to rescue him from the emptiness he'd felt upon saying goodbye to him forever.

Allan, however, was not so sure. Watching Much bumble around camp with an odd stiffness, he couldn't help but worry that his friend was setting himself up to get his heart broken again.

"Look, all I'm saying," he tried again. "Is that I don't think we should believe him just like that, we don't even know the bloke!"

"He had Marian's ring though." Much replied, smiling smugly before wincing as he reached up for something in his kitchen.

"What is the matter with you?" He asked for the umpteenth time.

"Nothing." Muttered Much. "I couldn't believe it at first either, but he had proof!"

"That ring isn't proof Much, he could've just-" Allan stopped, carefully wording what he wanted to say so as to upset Much as little as possible. "Just because he got Marian's ring from Robin, doesn't mean Robin actually gave it to him."

Much faltered for a moment as he realised what Allan meant. "…No. Robin is alive. I feel it."

"Much mate – you wanna feel it. It ain't the same as knowing it for sure."

The cook turned to look at his new friend. Ever since he'd come back to the gang Allan had been trying to prove that they could trust him again, sticking close to Much, standing up for him against Robin's increasing insults, and only this morning trying to save him from Gisbourne and his guards.

"I appreciate you trying to protect me Allan, but really, it's ok. Robin is alive, I know it."

Allan sighed. "Fine. I still don't think we should trust that monk though. How did he know where to find us?"

"Robin must've told him." Much shrugged.

"You really think Robin's gonna tell some bloke he just met where our camp is?"

"Allan he's a man of the church, obviously he's trustworthy!"

"Oh yeah, just like that Canon what killed Edward was?"

Much closed his eyes for a moment, mouth wide before he spoke. "Robin… had… a fall. A large fall. He must've hit his head, and wasn't thinking straight."

He nodded, and carried on preparing their supper. But now Allan noticed an air of doubt about him as he roughly chopped up carrots and threw them into a pot, then stood silently, lost in thought.

Allan sighed. Getting fed up with Much when he was upbeat was one thing, but it was quite another to have him moping around the place all upset; that wasn't what Allan had wanted at all, he just didn't want him getting his hopes up. Much had been good to Allan in accepting him back in the gang, he'd even stood up to Robin for him! It wasn't right to upset him like this and not do anything to try and fix it; do that and he'd treat Much as badly as Robin did. As badly as he used to.

"'Ere, c'mon… you're probably right, as usual! Robin probably is alright, he's always getting out of stuff 'inne? Course we'll go see him tomorrow. I'm just saying we should be on our guard, yeah?"

"Of course."

Allan smiled. He still didn't trust that Robin was alive, but they weren't going for Robin. They were going for Much.

Hope you enjoyed, please review!