Hey guys! So... I'm new in the fandom. Yes, I know the series is over... and no, I don't care. It will live forever because of us! :-)

The gang goes on with their business as usual after the happenings in the Holy Land (aka Marian died), taking on the new girl Kate. And as if she doesn't bring enough chaos to the group one day yet another girl appears out of nowhere, looking like Marian – the dead have come back to life… once again? (S3 AU, Will & Djaq still in the gang)

The One That Got Away

Like any other day Robin shot an arrow through the trees so that it would bore into the biggest oaken beam of the camp as he and Little John returned from a trip to the villages. Today they had been to Locksley to check in, see if everything's alright. The fact that the people always were glad to see him and ensured him they would always love him wasn't too bad either.

"Master! Just in time for dinner", Much said.

"Have I ever missed it?" Robin asked. He jumped up the stairs and collected his arrow. Kate was sitting next to the stove, reluctantly doing woman's work. She had wanted to come along with Robin and as much as he appreciated her enthusiasm… soon it would be winter and they would need blankets and cloaks to keep warm. Last year they had burnt too much of their wood, and fire was dangerous on many levels, too. They could get out of control and kill them all. Their enemies could be drawn to them by the light or the smoke. It was better to keep warm elsewise.

That's why he had ordered Kate, Will and Allan to knit. Djaq was their healer so she had other things to do, and Much was free of this work so he could hunt rabbits (or squirrels) and prepare food.

"You know, I think I'm getting really good with that", Allan said as he laid his work aside.

"Yeah, then why don't you do it all?" Kate said. She disrespectfully threw her wool on the ground.

"Hey, watch out for that. We'll need it", Robin said.

"I can do more if you let me come with you!"

Robin turned to Much and ignored her. She only was here since a few months, and she was so young. With time she would get more patient, a real forest man. Or woman, whatever.

Nancy knew the past would eventually catch up with her but she had to try nevertheless. Douglas had virtually thrown her out. Of course he didn't have any right to do that; they were married and he was supposed to care for her. But after ten years of a childless marriage he also had the right to take on another woman (at least that's what people said.) And he had done so.

Nancy had left York the same day she had found out about Mirabella. She didn't know where she had taken the strength from. After all she had thought about leaving pretty much the whole marriage long and never done it. And for the last six months she had even been more weary and lonely than before, often finding herself thinking about death. What a relief it would be!

Walking down the main road for days on end wasn't the relief she had desired but the more time past and the more air she breathed without smelling Douglas' feet the gladder she got. He would never look for her. Her parents maybe would but they were old and too weak to travel. She was free, after all those years she was free!

It wasn't that Much had forgotten about Eve. He hadn't. But he knew she probably had forgotten about him, and what were the chances of meeting her again anyway? Was it wrong that he wanted somebody to hold and love right now? Hadn't he served England, the king, his master, hadn't he served them all well enough that he deserved someone who loved him back as strongly as he loved them?

Robin sure wouldn't. They never talked anymore since they had come from the Holy Land. The first time, that was. The second time they had returned was even worse because Marian had died there and Robin seemed to lock his heart even more firmly than ever.

Life had been dull and exhausting… And then Kate had joined them.

It was like a message from God, telling him to relax and enjoy life at last. Really, the moment Much had set eyes on Kate he had felt it deep in his guts.

Well, he didn't know what 'it' was but it was good. He liked her a lot. He had even taken Allan's advice about woman when he had told her. But Kate had rejected him rather harsh, saying nothing could ever happen between them. She was like… well everybody else. Someone, one person on this earth, should love him, shouldn't they?

But no, of course Allan got the girl. Well, technically he hadn't gotten her just yet but Much watched them with a hawk eye, waiting for the day to come.

Another month past. Every day somebody accompanied Robin to the villages and drop-offs while the others knit. When he had nothing else to do Much joined forces with them. He still wondered… should he ask…? Yes, today he would do so.

"I will not judge you, no, I will not", he started. He, Will, Allan and Little John were sitting in the camp, working on the most important task of all.

"Okay, maybe I will, just a bit", Much said.

"What's he talking about?" Allan asked, looking at John. John shrugged.

"You, I'm talking about you, Allan! You and Kate! I saw her first, my heart burnt with desire first, and now you have taken her away from me!"

"Woah, what?" Allan asked. "Mate, I haven't done anything, I swear."

"As if that means anything with you!" Much said.

"Hey, I said I'm sorry, alright?"

"Anyway." Much took a deep breath. "Just tell me. Not knowing kills me. I know you like her, and she likes you, I mean, who else would she like? Will's with Djaq, John's too old and Robin's forever grieving. That leaves you."

"What?"

"You've probably sneaking away in the night, getting some honey. Honey's a euphemism of course."

"A what?" Allan looked at Will, who didn't seem to listen.

Much pointed with a knitting needle at Allan.

"Don't deny it!"

"You're even more off your rocker as usual."

"Am not! No." Much straightened his shoulders and shook his head. He knew he was right.

"Just tell me."

"Loony."

"I am not loony!"

"You two, shut up", John said. "I forgot how many stitches I picked up."

"Alright, I'm taking a time-out." Allan got up.

"Are you going to Gisborne to complain about how I found out about you and Kate?"

"Funny", Allan gave back, before he vanished between the trees. For some time, it was silent in the camp apart from needles clacking. Then Much put his work down, still shaking his head.

"You two think the same, don't you?" he asked. "Kate is totally…"

"I am what?"

Kate came in from the other side where Allan had left, closely followed by Robin.

"Nothing, I… nothing", Much mumbled.

Three days ago Nancy had decided it was time to settle down. She had walked many weeks and was sure to be far away from York. Also her money was running low and she would need to earn more, or find another way to support herself.

Luckily her basket weaving skills were needed everywhere, so she wound up working for a woman with a little shop. No men in the house, too, something that Nancy appreciated very much. Seems like her luck had finally turned. Indeed, she actually enjoyed sitting at a table in front of the house, concentrating on her work while listening to the people around her, children playing and shepherds passing.

"I'm not even surprised, you know."

Nancy looked up since the voice sounded very close. There was a man standing at the table. He took one of the done baskets and viewed it.

"This is for sale", Nany said. "Do you want to buy it?"

"Nice artwork and so on but…" the man put the basket down and scratched his head. "How did you do it this time? Why are you sitting here, pretending like… I don't know, you're a basket seller woman? Have you seen Robin? Of course you haven't, he'd not be able to keep his mouth shut about it."

Nancy frowned. "I'm sorry, you must be confusing me with somebody else."

"Funny. Hey, I take one of these, alright?"

The man took the basket again. Alerted, Nancy put away her work.

"You have to pay for that. It's one shilling."

If he didn't pay she would have to. Theresa was a good woman but she also wasn't the richest, and surely she wouldn't let her new employee get away with one missing basket.

The man looked at her as if pondering whether he should pay. At least that's what Nancy thought but when he put down the basket and put his hands on his belt he said: "Almighty, you really don't recognise me, do ya?"

"Should I?"

What Nancy should do was not listening to him and send him away. She hadn't been in the sales business before but she knew that making conversation with potential thieves wasn't really the thing to do.

"Returning from the dead – for the second time even – must have erased your brain or something."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh darn, Robin will be devastated…" The man scratched his head and looked around. Then he sighed.

"Look, do you want to come into the forest with me?"

"I have to ask you to leave now."

"Alright, alright." The man held up his hands. Then he took some coins out of bag he was carrying on his belt and laid it on the table.

"Five shillings?" Nancy said, surprised.

"I just got lucky in the tavern, if you know what I mean." He took the basket he had been playing with, winked at her and left. Soon he wasn't to be seen anymore and Nancy quickly took the money. What had that been for? First he wants to steal, then he pays too much?

When Theresa returned in the evening with more willow branches Nancy told her the weird happening.

"Oh, that's nice", Theresa said and carried on laying out the branches to dry on the living room's floor.

"That's nice? That's weird!"

"It probably was one of Robin Hood's men."

"Well, he did mention one Robin once or twice, that's true."

"Aah." Theresa got up and held a hand onto her back.

"I'm not getting younger", she explained. She went to sit down on a chair and gestured Nancy to do the same.

"When I first saw you I realised that you look quite a lot like Maid Marian", she explained to Nancy. "That what the man must have thought, too. Of course, the poor Lady died in the Holy Land, everybody knows her story."

Nancy didn't. But that was about to change now.

"Mates, I'm not being funny, it was Marian. I swear to God."

"Do not do that", Much said. "God is not to laugh about."

"Alright, then I'm swearing on my life", Allan said. "It was her, I know what I saw. Here."

He held up a basket. Will inspected it, while Robin was leaning against a wooden pillar, arms crossed and face emotionless.

"We buried her", he said. "You were there."

"I know! But she somehow did it. Remember two years ago when she came back from the dead the first time? She must be some kind of sorcerer. Or a witch."

"Marian isn't a witch, and she's not come back!" Robin said. "We all miss our dear friend, no doubt, but…"

"I wasn't crying my eyes out about her or anything", Allan said. "I just saw her. That's it."

"Where?" Much asked.

"Nettlestone."

"We should check it out", Will said. "It can be proven or disproven very quickly."

So the next day they all went to Nettlestone. Robin wasn't talking so Much and Allan talked all the more, leading the way. Kate and John quietly went next to Robin, while Will and Djaq fell a bit behind and had a conversation of their own.

The gang lined up at the edge of the forest, facing the house of Theresa, the woman who was known for selling baskets to the whole village. As always the tables were out and she was sitting behind one, working on some wood work. What was different now was that there was a second woman behind a table as well, working just as quickly as she. The new woman had dark hair, bound together, and when she looked up she actually had the same features of Robin's beloved late wife Marian.

"Told ya", Allan said.

"It's not her", Robin said. "It can't be."

"Twins", Djaq said.

"That's the only explanation", Will said.

"Oh my. She's going to get into trouble when Gisborne finds out about her", Much said.

"What do we do?" John wanted to know.

"Nothing." Robin turned around.

"Nothing? We can't do nothing", Much said. "Master, surely…"

"We do nothing!" Robin turned back again. "She's not Marian, and I'm sure she only looks like her from a distance."

"Nope, all the way", Allan said. "You could go talk to her."

"We have to protect her, Robin", John too said. "Gisborne is even crueller than usual these days."

"We do nothing." With those firm words Robin went back to where they had come from, almost as if fleeing. Of course Much immediately followed him, leaving the others to exchange bewildered looks.

"Very cruel", John said.

"I agree", Djaq said. "But what can we do? Robin has made his decision."

Kate was uncharacteristically quiet and still watched the woman. Her head told her that everything was fine and nothing would change the status quo. Which was the fact that she and Robin had kissed today for the first time, and the memory still glowed inside of her.

Her heart thought knew it was a lie. It cramped and hurt and made her squint her eyes at this basket woman. She had come from somewhere, so she could go back there, right?

"I agree, too. Let's go and tell her in what kind of danger she is", Kate said.

"Is that wise?" Allan asked Will.

"I'm not sure", Will said.

"No, it's plain stupid", Djaq said. "You would scare the girl."

"Well, good, because then she can protect herself" Kate said. With that, she too turned around and followed Much and Robin. That way she didn't disobey Robin, while the other gang members probably would. And saving the woman meant sending her away, that was clear as day.

"We can't do anything", John stated at the same time. "Not without Robin's consent. I go talk to him."

"Great. Now they leave it to me and those two idiots", Djaq mumbled. One of those two idiots was her boyfriend and not an idiot at all, but don't mind her. After all, men will be men/idiots.

"So, what now?" Allan said. "Do something or do nothing?"

"John is right, it would be foolish to do something without Robin's permission", Djaq said, because it was a fact.

"If maybe one of us would go and discreetly talk to her, I'm sure that would at least be a good start", Will said, looking at Allan.

"What? I'm done betraying Robin, don't look at me."

"Just talk to her", Will said.

"No! You go talk to her! Djaq, you go, you are a woman too, after all."

"Oh, thanks for noticing."

"She already knows you", Will stated.

"I didn't tell you but it's freaking me out to look at her. It's like talking to a ghost", Allan said.

"So?"

"So I won't."

"Just close your eyes", Djaq smirked.

"Funny."

Will sighed. "Well… we don't really have an option. Let's go back to the camp and see if Robin's changed his mind."

He wanted to turn around when something caught his eye. Something as a guard from the sheriff. Fully armoured he stepped to the table and addressed the poor girl that looked like Marian. Will tensed and his hand automatically went to his sword.

His two friends reacted the same way.

"That's an emergency, right?" Allan asked.

"It is", Will affirmed.

"Alright then. Watch my back."

"What are you doing?" Djaq asked as Allan left their hiding place.

"Just talking, you know, and maybe fighting off this guard."

"We will cut in if necessary", Will nodded.

And just like that, Allan started to walk to Theresa's house.

- tbc -