The Right Thing by Rosa17

Missing scene S2 E11

Set after end of episode.

Disclaimer I do not own these characters.

Marian left Nottingham the following morning on the pretence that she was visiting a sick friend of her father who lived in a village North of Nettlestone. Allan was sent to accompany her and they rode in companionable fashion, chatting freely and easily of things in general, steering clear of topics where they would clash. They visited the friend as Marian had told Gisborne they would and then headed back through the forest.

The pair ventured off the road and came to Longstone a familiar meeting place of Robin and his men, Marian dismounted her horse and looked up at Allan.

"I'll wait here for you, try not to be too long." He told her already feeling jittery that they could be caught out. Marian didn't have any more lives left. "And you know what you said yesterday in Locksley?"

"What?" she enquired.

"You know you said that if I let you escape you would put in a good word for me."

"And I recall you did not let me escape."

"Ah but I did save your life later that afternoon. Would you?"

"Would I what?"

"Put in a good word for me to Robin?"

Marian smiled at him and answered. "Yes, I will."

Marian gave the signal of two whistles but Robin nor any other member of the gang appeared and she sighed with frustration. Walking closer to the camp she whistled every hundred yards and was soon rewarded with the sound of footsteps. As a matter of caution she stepped behind a tree so that she was half concealed. Robin appeared and she moved forward eager to be in his arms again, even though the last time had been yesterday, but so much had happened since.

"Did you succeed in your mission?" she asked him as they parted from an encompassing kiss which took her breath away.

"Yes, she is safe."

"She?" Marian asked a hint of jealously in her tone. That was not lost on the man in whose embrace she remained.

"She, and she took a fancy to Little John." He grinned back at her. Not giving anything away but enjoying watching her confusion.

"Where is 'she' now?" Marian asked.

"On her way to Ireland and then France." Robin said with honesty.

"And this was more important that the people of Locksley?"

"Yes! This was her Majesty the Queen Mother."

"Eleanor of Aquitaine?" She clarified.

"Yes!"

"Well," Marian conceded. "I suppose she was more important…"

"And we gave the villagers money she left for them. Which reminds me….." he went on, pushing her away to arms length.

"What?" she asked unsure of his sudden change of tone.

"I heard things about you and I had hoped they were not true, however by the look of your face and the appearance of you today I fear they might be."

"I do not know what you are talking about."

"Marian" he implored. "You promised."

Marian knowing full well what he was talking about answered. "I said I would not go alone. I did not say the Nightwatchman would not go alone."

"Except you and he are one and the same." He reasoned.

"I thought. I needed to do the right thing…..Look they needed help. You had more important things to carry out which I understand but they needed…."

"Alright…." He told her holding his hands in surrender. "But tell me, how did you escape?"

"What?"

"Some remaining villagers told us that Gisborne found out the identity of the Nightwatchman and the Nightwatchman was to hang."

"Oh and I see you did not come running to save me," she replied haughtily.

"By that time it was too late and we heard from our sources that the Nightwatchman in fact escaped the hangman's noose. How did you manage that?"

"Allan and Gisborne."

"Allan and Gisborne helped you?" he scoffed. "That I should have seen."

"Allan saved my life; he's not all bad you know. Maybe you should give him another chance?"

"Another chance, Marian! He…."

"I know what he did and we all make mistakes…he is with me now, not right here. I left him at the Longstone after we went to visit Lord John Alwick, my father's old friend."

"Marian, tell me what exactly what happened?"

"I dressed as the Nightwatchman and I went to…"

"Marian I know that bit…" he replied exasperated with her.

"You said tell you everything!"

"Right start from where you were at Locksley as the Nightwatchman." He told her, his face now serious and she felt more than a little bad about what had happened. In fact she felt chastised from just being in his presence, his essence was one which was displeased.

"I went to the store I did not see Allan at first who was keeping watch. He told me to get out of there but before I could Guy came in. We fought. Allan prevented Gisborne searing my skin with a red hot poker. Then Guy unmasked me and left."

"Then what?" he asked tersely wanting to get the bottom of this sorry tale but as the same time wanting to remain ignorant of all the details.

"Then I asked Allan to let me go, but he said he could not. I said I would even talk to you on his behalf. Guy came back and demanded to see my scar."

Robin swallowed hard at the memory that brought to mind. Marian reached out to restore the contact they had lost and caressed his arm comfortingly which he allowed. He stepped closer and his eyes found the place where the scar was hidden beneath her dress.

"Go on." He added throatily.

"He announced he had told the Sheriff that he had caught the Nightwatchman and that I would hang. I went back with them to Nottingham I pleaded for my life, it did not seem to work. I played on his emotions. There was a point where I thought I would die. I knew you were on your mission and there was no way out."

Robin looked at her his expression dangerous but not threatening and she had a feeling he wanted to squeeze the life out of Gisborne once and for all.

"But there was?" he tightly said. Prompting her to continue and, enjoying her continuing caress of his arm.

"Allan dressed up as me, the Nightwatchman, Guy pretended that he had escaped and the guards made an attempt to catch him but failed. Allan had my clothes burnt on Gisborne's orders. I can not be the Nightwatchman anymore. Gisborne asked me to stay….at the castle; he said it would be more bearable for him if I was there…"

"He is right; it will be more bearable for him. What about me? What about us?" he asked her, moving from her touch and placing his hands on her shoulders to emphasis the point.

"I know…but it is not much good for me to get information from the castle if I am here is it. And you should be grateful a little that he allowed me to live."

"Allowed you to live? He should not live." Robin said anger boiling to the surface.

"Stop it! Robin! Does anyone deserve to die? Should not everyone get a chance to redeem themselves?"

"Even and Allan and Gisborne?" he jeered at her.

"Yes even them. Maybe not the Sheriff or Prince John."

He shook his head but a wry smile found its way to his lips at her added remark.

"So," he said slowly. "You have thought perhaps not everyone is redeemable then?"

"Perhaps not everyone." She said softly.

"And you disobeyed me again." He replied pointedly.

"Yes I am sorry but I needed, the people needed me at least to try…"

"Stop!" he told her quietly this time. He ran a finger across her lips and said almost casually. "I suppose I should thank Gisborne for one thing."

She frowned at him and asked. "What?" as his hand caressed her cheek with fondness.

"No more Nightwatchman."

"No." she agreed. "He has gone for good."

"There will be other ways you can help the oppressed." Robin said with a smile. "In fact I am poor and oppressed maybe you can help me?"

"I can? Can I?" she laughed back at him.

"Yes." He said his voice suddenly turning husky as he pulled her back into his arms.

"What exactly did you have in mind? So I know what I am letting myself in for?" she asked cheekily.

"This" he replied, unable to converse any more but let his lips do the talking instead. They fired a passion between them that would not be quenched by anything in this life or perhaps beyond.

The End.