So this is my first Robin Hood fic and i'm basically planning on doing several short sort of stories that i have thought of from the show. Some people might be able to guess what this first one is about from the name 'A good man' but i'm not sure. I guess it all depends on what you remember from the show and what characters you like.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters here.

A good man

He knew what he had to do. What he wanted to do. He knew now more than ever. He hater what he'd done to himself and to the gang. He'd become a traitor. He'd lied to the gang and to himself. Every time he betrayed them, told Gisborne about an ambush Robin had planned, Allan had spun himself a story, a reason, a lie. Allan had told himself that he hadn't had a choice, that he was stuck and he had to do this. He did it to try and ease the guilt that had slowly been growing in him. He did it to try and convince himself that he was doing the right thing. It never worked but it distracted him for long enough to go to the inn and tell Gisborne what he knew. Then it was too late. He couldn't do anything. If he told Robin Gisborne would know he had betrayed him too. No matter what he did he'd end up with nothing.

But he knew now. The conversation with Djaq was the final straw that had helped him come here tonight. 'You're a good man Allan-a-dale.' He doubted it. What good man lied to his friends to save himself? He wasn't good. But when Djaq had turned to look at him Allan saw in her eyes that she genuinely believed in her own words. She genuinely believed in him. And somehow, having her behind him, believing in him made it all so much easier. It took a weight off of his back that he didn't realise was there. It gave him the hope and courage he needed to do what he knew was right. To do what he had wanted to do from the beginning. He dreaded to think about what Gisborne would do if he was ever captured by the sheriff again but he pushed it to the back of his mind. That thought, although terrifying to think about, was something he'd deal with in the future.

As he walked into the inn and climbed the stairs he felt a flood of relief wash over him. He would do this. This would be finished. He knew he'd finally be able to look at his friends and feel more than just guilt. Something flashed across his face at that one simple thought. It wasn't a smile, not yet, but it was something. Something that made him feel almost happy.

"You're late" a dark haired women said as he stepped through the door of the inn. She slung a cloth over her shoulder and casually said, "I was gonna give your money back."Allan just watched the amused woman and then as she moved away from him he followed.

About that," he said making his way over to a table that didn't still have evidence of the previous day of work. "I'm not"- Whatever Allan was going to say however was cut off by the woman in front of him. She didn't care about what he had to say.

"It's silver, not gold" she said putting down a bag of coins on the table the size of her fist. Allan knew she didn't care who he was. He knew that she didn't care about him working for Gisborne, she gave him the money and was probably paid herself for doing so.

"Look" he said picking up the money and slamming it down onto the table to prove his point. The woman watched him, still not bothered by his harsh actions. "You're to tell Gisborne that he can keep his money, I'm not a part of this anymore." At this the woman looked slightly shocked but it was quickly hidden behind a smirk. A woman who he'd hardly spoken a word to thoguth him to be a traitor. She didn't look at him witht any emotion because she didn't care about anything other than him being a traitor. This woman who knew nothing about him was shocked that he was backing out of the deal and refusing to take the money. Allan looked down, the confidence he had, the confidence he needed to carry on with what he was doing vanishing quickly. The familiar voice of the only woman in the gang entered his head again.

'You're a good man.'

He had to do this. He'd gone too far already and he didn't want to get pulled in by Gisborne any further. He didn't want to be a part of Gisborne's plan.

"It's a bit late to have a conscience isn't it?" she asked, mocking him. He thought back to what Djaq had said again. She believed he could do this. Someone else believed he could. He just had to believe he could. He stared back at the woman feeling nothing.

He knew the answer to that question. "Yeah it is, but you tell him I'm done, I don't want any other part of this." He put as much confidence in his voice as he could even thought he didn't feel any of it on the inside. Allan opened his mouth to speak again but stopped in his tracks as something pierced the bag of money he still clutched in his hand. He closed his eyes in despair and bit back the sigh that wanted to pass his lips. The sigh instead turned to one word.

"Robin." The name usually bought hope with it but right now for Allan, it meant the opposite. Instead of feeling hopeful, it made him lose the small amount of hope he had left inside of him. There was a long silence that no one knew how to fill and felt longer for Allan who had several thoughts travelling around in his head. None of them were anything good. He had nothing to say yet he had to say something. The silence was unbearable and he needed to fill it. "You're early." It wasn't a question. It was a statement that he wished he didn't have to say. Of course Robin was early. Why wouldn't he be?

"Get out" Robin said to the woman but he didn't look away from Allan.

"Stay here" Allan said quickly, too quickly. He didn't think he'd be able to do this on his own in front of Robin.

"Get out!" Robin shouted, anger laced into each of the two words. This only helped to confirm the hopeless feeling Allan had welling up inside of him. The women left quickly at the sudden outburst and Allan couldn't blame her. He wanted to be the one to leave. "I need to talk to my spy" Robin said with his eyes still fixed firmly on Allan. Allan bit the inside of his mouth, trying to gain some confidence. Again Djaq's voice came into his head.

"What was that with Will?" Allan asked already knowing the answer and wishing he'd realised it sooner.

"It was an act. A way to draw out the spy. Only she knew who they were, for all I knew, it could have been Will standing there" Robin said walking away from him. He turned and faced Allan, his eyes growing colder. "But it wasn't was it? It was you."

"It's not what it looks like alright" Allan started, trying to gather his thoughts. "I was giving the money back."

"That's not what it looked like to men" Robin said raising is eyebrows at Allan, testing him.

"It was" Allan replied forcefully. "It was. I was telling her it was over, that I was done. I was giving the money back." He knew it sound stupid, that it sounded like a lie but he said it anyway, trying to show Robin that was he was saying was the truth. He had to make Robin believe him.

"So this is it? You betray me. You betray the gang. And for what? A few coins." Allan wanted to speak up. He wanted to tell Robin that that wasn't the reason. He wanted to tell the man he'd done it to stop Gisborne from killing him but he didn't. After he'd escaped from the dungeons he didn't have to go back but he did. And he went back again after that, and again and again. He bit his lip harder to distract himself from his own thoughts. They were only making him feel that much worse. "What have you told Gisborne?"

"Nothing" Allan said. And that was the truth. Gisborne knew nothing that could harm anyone. This didn't help lift any of the guilt though. If anything it made him feel worse. He sold out his friends with hardly any information.

"What does he know?" Robin asked again, slamming his fist down on the table in anger.

"Nothing!" Allan said back. "I swear. He knows nothing."

Robin smiled, however the smile didn't reach his eyes. It was bitter and disbelieving. "So you didn't tell him about the camp? About the gang? About Marian?"

"No I wouldn't do that"-

"Really? So what? Gisborne gave you the coins for nothing did he?" Robin looked away from him and let out a shaky breath as he did his best to hold back some of his anger.

"No" Allan said regretting his answer instantly as Robin turned to him with irritation written as clear as day across his face.

"Then you did tell him." The statement was said in a low voice yet Allan could still feel the conviction and hatred behind it.

"No I…" Allan closed his eyes not knowing what to say. Anything he could say would just put him in a worse position and he wasn't going to lie to get himself out of this. No, he deserved to be here and he would get himself out by telling Robin the truth for once. He'd tell him what he'd wanted to tell them all back at the camp when he'd first accepted the offer so many months ago. "I… Gisborne he doesn't…" This time Allan did sigh. Every time he tried to speak his mind his thoughts mixed together and he could feel his own anger rising within himself now. Anger towards Robin for not believing him. Towards Gisborne for capturing him and giving him the offer. Towards the sheriff for outlawing him just over a year ago. He even felt anger towards the others back at the camp. But he knew that all if his that anger was directed at himself though, and he was just coming up with excuses to ease it from him.

Before he knew what had happened he felt his head hit painfully hard with a wooden support beam in the inn. He groaned and opened his eyes through that and came face to face with Robin who had his hand gripped threateningly around Allan's neck. Fear quickly wrapped its way around Allan's heart. More than it had already. "What, did you tell him?" Robin asked barely above a whisper.

"Nothing impor…" He stopped himself. Everything he'd told Gisborne was important, whether it endangered his friends or not. "Nothing about the camp, or Marian, or the others. It was simple stuff. He wanted to know when you were gonna ambush the tax money or if you were gonna steal from him and the sheriff."

"And you told him all of that for some coins?" Robin shook his head in disappointment.

"No I… Yeah but it's not what it looks like. He captured me Robin. When I was in the tavern. He had me tortured and he was gonna kill me. I was weak, he played me. He knew what I was thinking. My fears. He used them against me and I gave in. I regret saying yes but every time I tried to stop I seemed to get stuck further in. I didn't know what to do." Allan knew he sounded weak. That he was almost begging Robin to forgive him but he had to get the man to see he meant everything that he was saying.

"You could have come to me. To Will. Djaq Much. John. You could have even gone to Marian. We were all your friends, we would have listened." Robin didn't seem to notice his use of the word 'were' but Allan did and it hurt him more than anything.

"I know. I wanted to"-

"Then why didn't you?" Robin said as he released his grip on Allan's throat a little. He still looked like he wanted to throw a punch at Allan though.

There was silence for several seconds as Allan thought about the question. "I don't know" he finally said. "I wanted to but every time I tried I… I couldn't face it, seeing the look on your faces. The hatred."

"Well you are now" was all Robin said and he turned from Allan and walked away from him. Cautiously, Allan moved away from the beam fighting the urge he had to rub the back of his head. Robin stayed with his back facing Allan and he played with the tip of his bow that he still held in one hand. Allan on the other hand found something interesting to look at on the floor. He wasn't actually looking at anything particular but he didn't want to have to look at Robin's back. There was a scowl plastered in his face but it wasn't directed at anyone. How had this gotten so out of hand? Why hadn't he told anyone this at the beginning? He could have spoken to someone like Robin had said. They would have helped him. That was their job after all, to help those who needed it. He needed it. All he would've had to do was tell one of his friends and they would have helped him. They would have found a way to help him get out of the situation. That was the worst part though. That was why Allan hated himself so much for what he'd done. He'd had so many opportunities to tell someone and he hadn't. He'd let himself be beaten down by Gisborne. He'd let the man turn everyone against him without a fight and he'd done nothing to help himself. Not once. Instead he'd just gone along with it. He'd let Gisborne walk all over him. Robin looked out for them. They all looked out for each other. Will would have listened to him. The man was like a younger brother to Allan and he knew that Will would have given him a chance to explain himself. Even Much would have listened to him and everyone knew they never agreed on anything. Djaq had given him the chance to confess. She'd basically told him she knew he was the traitor in the camp but he'd ignored her, pretended the conversation hadn't happened. But then again, he hadn't. He was here, fighting for himself now because she believed he could.

"Give me another chance Robin. Please. I've changed. I came here to stop it." Robin still didn't look at him. He didn't even acknowledge Allan's plea. The older man seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and Allan wondered whether he should repeat himself.

After another uncomfortable minute of silence Robin spoke up. He no longer sounded angry, although Allan knew for a fact that the man still was. Instead he sounded strained, like he was having his own internal battle. "Because you knew the game up." Robin looked into Allan's eyes and waited for him to reply. He was reading Allan's body movements, reading into what he was saying. He was waiting for a reply, ready to see if Allan was lying.

"No" Allan said confidently. "I wanted to tell you. I did, I swear, since the beginning but I couldn't face up to what I'd done. I knew that what I was doing was wrong but I was…" Allan hesitated, unsure of himself and his next words.

"But you were what?" Robin questioned but Allan still hesitated. Robin repeated the question more forcefully, his eyes remaining on Allan's to see if the younger man was being truthful and genuine.

Allan clenched and unclenched his jaw and took a breath to build up his confidence. "Scared, Robin. I was scared. Please. Give me a chance to make up for it. Let me prove it."

"I can't."

"Please Robin. I won't mess it up." He sounded desperate but he didn't care. He was desperate. He wanted his friend to believe him. he wanted to prove that he was sorry. He wanted a second chance at the life he enjoyed, where he felt he had been doing the right thing. Where he'd turned his life around. Before he met Robin and Much he had been a liar, a thief, a criminal. He still was but now he was doing it for the right reasons, he was doing it to help people and he wanted to carry on doing that. They were his only friends. They were the only family that he had left and he didn't want to leave them.

"How can I trust you?" Robin asked Allan although he seemed to be asking himself the same question as he contemplated the answer. Allan wanted to take that as a little hope. He wanted to take that as the conversation going in the right direction, that Robin would let him stay in the band of outlaws but the question said it all. How could Robin trust him? How could anyone trust him after this? "How can I trust you Allan?" Robin repeated although his full attention was now on the outlaw in grey.

Allan's jaw clenched together again as he thought about the question. He racked his brain for answer but he found none. Robin was standing opposite him, waiting patiently for him to think of an answer. He seemed happy to give Allan all of the time in the world to find one but Allan couldn't. There was none.

The last little bit oh hope simmered away in Allan as his world seemed to be collapsing around him and he let out a sigh. The sigh seemed to show all of his emotions. Anger, sadness, loneliness. He felt all of them and they were all his doing. "I don't know" he finally said after several minutes. He went to say more but stopped. It was the truth but if he said it out loud he was signing his own ticket out of the camp.

Robin's eyes narrowed at the flash of hopelessness that crossed Allan's face. "What?" he asked.

"You can't" Allan admitted. He was admitting it to himself as well as Robin.

Robin let out a sigh of his own. "I know" he said and Allan looked at him with slightly red eyes. Allan blinked away the tears. Deep down he knew this was how it would end. He didn't have the courage to confront it before and he knew that the longer he had left it, telling the others the truth, the less chance he'd have at being forgiven. When the arrow had planted itself in the money bag Allan had known how it would end. "The worst part is I want to. I want to give you a second chance to prove yourself. Allan listened to what the other man had to say. He could see the conflict written across the other man's face or at least he though he did. He didn't know if that was just him wishing it to be there. "I can" he thought.

"How?" Robin asked looking from the floor to Allan. Allan looked at Robin, realising he'd spoken his thoughts out loud. The two men were talking to each other yet they both seemed to be talking more to themselves, lost in their own thoughts. Robin wanted to give Allan that chance, he wanted Allan to show his promises were true.

"I don't know" Allan said again, annoying himself with his own repetition.

"Allan" Robin said, probably harsher than he had intended. "I want to trust you but I need you to prove that to me. How would you do it?" He was pressing the matter forward and in so doing forcing Allan to answer him.

"I…" Allan thought about it. What could he do to show everyone that he was sorry? How could he? He'd sold out his friends for a few coins. Coins that he wasn't even using, coins that were hidden under a tree… "The money Gisborne gave me. I could give it to the gang for the rounds" Allan said. It wasn't much but he couldn't think of anything else and he had to say something. "There's enough for a village or two. A few bags."

Robin nodded. "That would be a start. You'd have to tell the gang too. It was your choices that got you into this. You're the one that has to pull yourself out."

Allan stayed silent, only half listening to what was being said. Robin was right, he would have to tell the gang on his own. They needed to know and they needed to know from him if he was going to join them again. Allan stopped his train of thoughts and looked up to Robin whose arms were folded and was watching Allan carefully. "Are you saying you'll give me a chance?"

"Robin stayed silent but nodded. "If you're willing to take it."

"I am" Allan said quickly. "I will."

"And if the gang are willing to give you one too" he added to remind Allan of the important details. If letting Allan started to affect the group then Robin would have to rethink his answer. Both of them knew that. Allan nodded. "Then you will," Robin said picking up the bag of coins that were still waiting on the table. He pulled his arrow from the bag and then tossed the bag over to Allan as he walked towards the exit of the inn, silently telling Allan to follow him.

Allan did but stopped at the door. "I never said it before, but I am sorry. For everything."

Robin nodded lost in his own thoughts again. "I know, but you need to prove it to the others." Allan nodded again and this time followed Robin from the inn without stopping. The walk was quiet with both of them thinking their own things. Allan was shocked that he was leaving the inn but still as a member of Robin Hood's gang. He'd prove it to everyone. He'd tell them what had happened, he'd tell them everything, but he'd also talk to Djaq and say thank you. Whether she knew it or not, she'd helped Allan go through with what he'd wanted to do since the beginning and he knew that for certain.

So what do you think? I'm not sure if i was happy with the ending to this but i couldn't find a better one so i left it how it is. I don't know about anyone else but I always thought that Djaq's small speech to Allan in that episode would have been one of the reasons he managed to go and and not accept the money, even if it went all wrong after that. But i also felt that if the two had acted differently in the scene it could have all gone a completely opposite way and this was how i wish it could have gone, as Allan is my favourite character and it was the worst thing when he was kicked from the gang. And his death, but we forget that ever happened. Anyway, let me know what you think and if you have any ideas for any other small stories like this then let me know and i'll happily write them and add them here, and give you credit for the idea too. Thanks for reading.

I'mprobablyprocrastinating.