Love Is A Powerful Thing

A/N - This idea has come from my long held belief that Marian would have died if she had married Gisborne in 1x13. I should be updating within the next few weeks. Any reviews would be much appreciated.

Chapter 1: A Heart to Heart

"My father treated the wounded in the battlefield. He said 'Never lie to a wounded man.'"

"Or was it 'Never lie to a dying man'?" asked Marian.

Djaq looked worried. "He said that too," she said before she walked away, leaving Robin and Marian alone again.

"So? 'Never lie to a dying man'," said Marian, wincing as she shifted uncomfortably where she lay.

"You are not going to die. And I have never lied to you," said Robin firmly.

"Oh, come on, we have never once spoken the truth to each other," protested Marian, trying to sit up a little.

"Now is not the time to argue," replied Robin.

"Do not tell me when it is time to argue!" exclaimed Marian. Robin laughed softly at her words. "What?" she asked.

"Well, I do not think there can be much wrong with you," he said.

"I am serious! We have never once spoken the truth to each other. I call you a fool when I mean you are a hero. I criticise your actions and then mimic them myself as the Nightwatchman. I chastise Robin Hood…"

"Shh, shh," said Robin, interrupting her.

"I will not be shushed! These might be my last words," said Marian angrily.

"No, they will not be. They cannot be, because we should be together. I should never have left you." Marina moved her head, blinking back tears. "I should never have gone to war, it was a mistake." Robin walked back to Marian. "And you were right." He leaned over her side and Marian put her hand on his arm. "I wanted glory." Robin knelt down and took Marian's hand. "But believe me, the battlefield is the last place you will find it," said Robin.

"You would always have regretted it if you had not gone," said Marian quietly.

"But not as much as I regret going. Not as much as I regret losing you. Marian, I should not have gone."

"Robin…" began Marian, her voice trembling.

Robin interrupted her again. "I love you, Marian. I've loved you for a long time, but I never said, and I'm sorry for that."

"I love you too, Robin, but this still does not change anything," said Marian quietly, pain from her wound distorting the look of happiness on her face at Robin's words.

"Yes, it does!" exclaimed Robin. "This changes everything, Marian!"

"I love you, you love me, we all love each other. Drink the wine," said Djaq as she returned to the cave.

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Much later, after the Sheriff and Gisbourne had finally retreated with their guards and Marian had come back to life, Robin sat next to Marian and held her hand.

"I meant what I said earlier," he said softly.

"What?" asked Marian.

"You know… I said I loved you, and I meant it," replied Robin.

Marian looked away. "And I meant what I said. I love you too, but it still does not change anything."

"Yes, it does Marian! The physician is dead and it would be suicide for you to marry Gisbourne!" exclaimed Robin, standing and beginning to pace up and down.

"The physician is dead?" questioned Marian, looking at Robin once more and searching his eyes.

"Yes," replied Robin, "And you are wounded and in no state to meet Gisborne at the alter on Saturday."

"The physician is dead and the King is coming - I have to marry him, Robin, wounded or not!"

"Don't you see, Marian, your wound means that you cannot marry him at all!" replied Robin, returning to Marian's side.

"What do you mean?" asked Marian.

"If you marry him then he will see your wound on the wedding night and know for sure that you are the Nightwatchman. He will kill both you and your father if you marry him," replied Robin. "Everything that you have risked to not get caught as the Nightwatchman will have been in vain if you marry him."

Marian paled even more at the thought. "What am I to do, Robin? I must protect my father. I thought that I would be able to protect him by marrying Gisborne, if I cannot do that then how am supposed to protect him now!"

"I will protect both you and your father, I promise," said Robin sincerely, sitting down again.

"And how will you do that?" asked Marian. "How can you protect us from not only Gisborne, but from the Sheriff as well."

"You can both live in the forest," replied Robin simply, "You'll be safe in here."

"You mean leave my home?" said Marian incredulously.

"Yes, how else will you stay away from Gisborne?" asked Robin.

Marian paused for several moments thinking this over. Finally, she slowly replied, "Okay, you are right, Robin... again. The forest is the only way and it means that my father will be safe."

Robin laughed harshly. "There you go again."

"What?"

"Your father. You're always using him as an excuse. Everything you say or do is about your father, Marian. Why do you not choose to do something for yourself for once?"

"My father is old and has far more to lose than me," retorted Marian. "Besides, I am choosing to do something for myself - I am choosing to love you, am I not?"

"Yes, you are," said Robin. "I'm sorry."

"Do not be," replied Marian. "After all, it is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our actions. I never really gave up on you, you know. Not really. I always hoped... The day that you left, I promised you that I would try to move on with my life. I did try, Robin, I tried hard. My heart has always belonged to you though."

"I'm glad," replied Robin. "And I thought of you all the time while I was away in the Holy Land, I thought I'd never see you again."

The sound of voices alerted Robin and Marian to the arrival of the rest of the gang into the cave; Much was still berating Allan and Will for having almost deserted them.

Robin turned towards them. "Right, lads, this is the plan..."