Title: New Beginnings
Rating: PG
Pairing: Robin/Marian
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance
Word Count: 520
Summary: Set directly after 2x07 "Show Me the Money". Robin contemplates what it's like with Marian in his gang and Marian comes to terms with the loss of her father.
Disclaimer: The BBC own 'Robin Hood', I'm a poor student who is putting off doing her practise papers by writing fanfic, please don't sue me. :-(
A/N: A beta? What's that? Yup, it's unbeta'd as usual, just another 'spur of the moment' thing. If you see any mistakes, give me a shout.

Robin must have fantasized about Marian joining him in the forest a thousand times, but somehow the daydreams always missed out the complicated bits. Like how the others will react, where she will sleep, what clothes she will wear, whether she will help ambush the rich or spend her time hiding from the Sheriff.

He thought it would be simple: man falls in love, woman joins man in forest, man and woman live happily ever after. He almost laughs at the naivety of his daydreams as he finishes off the arrow he was working on and puts it to one side.

The sun is setting over their camp, and he watches as the gang get ready for some well-earned sleep. Robin's eyes drift over to where Djaq and Marian are talking; he supposes it comes as a relief for both of them that they finally have another woman to talk to. Marian feels his gaze and looks up to meet his eyes, after a few more words with Djaq, she comes over to sit next to him.

"How are you feeling?" Robin asks, taking her hand softly in his.

"As well as can be expected, it's been a long day." She replies with a sad smile, leaning her head gently on his shoulder. Robin raises his eyebrows slightly at her understatement; her father had died, he had declared his love for her, and she ran away from the castle…a 'long day' is one way to put it.

He tenderly runs his fingers through her hair, "Marian, if you need to talk…"

"I don't." She replies firmly, stiffening slightly in his embrace.

"Okay." He whispers, and begins rubbing his hand up and down her back to calm her again. After a few moments it seems to have worked, and she relaxes against him with a sigh.

Robin looks up to see that the rest of his gang have made their way to their makeshift beds and he can barely see through the dark anymore. "How 'bout you try and get some sleep?" He suggests softly to her, loosening his embrace when he feels her nod in agreement.

Marian stands shakily to her feet, and he stands with her, guiding her to her bed. She whispers her thanks and he is about to leave when her voice catches him off guard.

"Stay."

Her voice is so quiet he thinks for a moment he might have imagined it, but the painful look of loneliness in her eyes tells him differently.

"I don't want to be alone. Please." Her voice cracks as tears start forming in her eyes, and almost subconsciously he pulls her into his arms and consoles her as much as he can.

"I'm not going anywhere." Robin whispers sincerely, gently lowering her down to his makeshift bed and reinstating his hold on her.

He comforts Marian the best he can until her sobs turn to steady breathing and he knows she is asleep. It is only then that he prays into the calm of the night that the woman he loves will be safe and in time her wounds will heal.

Thanks for reading! Comments are very welcome!