I have always wanted to say this!!!! Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. No character is my own. Oh save for the few random minor OCs who serve the plot, but I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER! Robin Hood and all characters from that show belong to the BBC

This is my protest fic. I defy you BBC! Canon, thy name is Guy/Meg.


I

The Runaways

The fierce, stinging sound of Robin's arrow whipping through the air was possibly the most welcoming sound in the world. This was notably disturbing, as Guy had always attributed that sound to one that would perpetuate chaos and make his life an endless wheel of frustration. This time however, Guy dared to think he might have almost been grateful. The arrow slammed into the executioner's chest, sending his ax flying into the air. Another arrow followed by a clang, signified that the ax would be sent tumbling harmlessly back to Earth. Guy started when the ax landed nearly an inch away from his face. If he didn't know Hood any better, he would have thought he had been slyly trying to execute him himself.

The Castle grounds erupted in confused shouts and the scuttling clanks of the armored Castle Guard. Isabella shouted angrily from her chair, urging her guards to launch themselves into the fray, while all the while she remained perched on high; like some furious harpy squawking at the battle, wondering at what carrion would remain for her to feast her wrath upon. Only the crazed shouts from her husband, Thornton, sought to shut the beak of her rage. She turned tail and ran like a beaten dog from the sight of her angry master. She was gone, leaving her people to run from the guards, who were still battling on without thinking.

Now was the perfect time to disappear, but he couldn't leave alone. Guy hurried over to the woman who was struggling to free herself from her bonds. She was still sniffling somewhat, although he swore he heard mute laughter underneath her frightened whimpers. She had nothing to be afraid of. She wasn't dying today. He would make sure of that. He untied the ropes binding her wrists together and the look of pure happiness she shot up at him only strengthened his resolve to get her away from Nottingham safely. It was the least he could do for her; for Meg. In an instant, this woman, had become the only thing of true value he had. He wasn't leaving her behind. He held out his hands for her to help her down the scaffold. She took hold of them willingly. When had anyone ever trusted him so much?

It happened in an instant. Immediately, the look of joy was replaced by one of panic. "Guy, look out!" She shouted, shoving him aside. She stood in front of him as a guard charged at them with a spear. Meg gave a muffled cry as the spear dug into her side. She crumpled like a leaf falling to the snow. Guy's shock and anger were concentrated into one fluid reaction. He grabbed the spear from the guard and knocked him out. He wished he could have the time to skewer the man's body with his own weapon, but he had to get away.

He bent down to grab Meg, who was by now, holding her side tightly, her face a mask of pain. "Are you all right?" He asked, but she could not speak through the shock of her sudden injury.

Without thinking, Guy hoisted Meg up into his arms and ran. He tore away from the Castle and the chaos behind him. As the shouts grew further and further away the sound of Meg's pain-filled whimpers became more and more acute. He hushed her briefly as he hurried through Nottingham Town. She wasn't dying today. He had promised himself this much.

The town was very nearly empty; everyone having gone to the Castle to watch the execution. Guy was able to flee from the town without anyone to stop him. He considered it a blessing in disguise. Or maybe it was just luck. Maybe Meg was some angel come to save him. He shifted the woman about in his arms. They would have to go to Sherwood. It was the safest place for them. There they could hide and Meg could rest before they stole away from Nottinghamshire and England entirely.

Meg's breathing was getting shallower. She had to just hold on. He would see to her wound once they were under the safety of the forest. He did not know a great deal of the healing arts, but he knew enough to make her comfortable until he could find her a physician somewhere....anywhere. It was a desperate plan, but it was all he had to work with. He would not abandon Meg, and he had promised himself that she would live.

So, he went, stumbling away towards the sanctuary of the forest. The precious bundle in his arms slowing his awkward strides, but he kept his strength. He dared not shift her about in his arms, not wishing to cause her further pain. That was when he realized she had stopped her whimpering. In fact, he could barely hear her breathing.

"Meg!" He called her name anxiously, his eyes darting down the path, his stride never once breaking.

There came a thin groan and he felt Meg turn her head so that it was pressed against his chest, "Yes...m'fine...."

"Won't be long now," he assured her, "Once we reach Sherwood we can rest--Meg?!" She had gone rather limp in his arms.

"Please..." she whimpered in pain before sucking in air to let out a rattling laugh, "stop bloody shouting...at me..."

The gentle taunt caused Guy to smile faintly. Such a strong and unlikely angel. He stole a quick moment to glance down at her. Her eyes were half shut, but she seemed to notice he was looking at her. She opened her eyes slowly, giving him an affectionate smile. Guy turned his attentions back to the road. He drew strength from her own strength. She lay injured and in pain, but she said nothing of her hurts. She trusted him. He had never seen such a pureness of affection before. It curled about whatever hollowed out remains of a heart he had within him. He walked on.

Night was already falling fast by the time Guy had just breached the clearing leading into the outskirts of the forest. He had to keep going. They were not safely hidden yet. His pace was slowing, and his legs were screaming with fatigue, but for each breath that Meg drew in, he took another step forward.

Under the cover of darkness, Guy began to look for a place to rest. He spotted a tree by the side of a creek cutting across the length of the forest. That would have to do. "Let's just rest here for a while." He said to her, willing himself to stumble as fast as he could over towards their would-be shelter.

He knelt down beside the trunk of the leaning tree, "There we go." He sighed, easing Meg down. He refused to let her go. He supported her upon his lap, his arms curled about her. He looked down to examine her wound. It was bad, but was it truly worse than he had expected, or had he been foolishly optimistic. She was bleeding heavily and already lost so much blood. He couldn't do anything for her. Cold fear gripped him. He could do nothing for her. She was going to die. It was his fault. She had put herself in harms way for his sake and he had not been able to protect her. Would there be no end to the blood upon his hands?

"Kiss me." Came the faint words of the dying girl in his arms.

Guy looked up, shocked. She couldn't have meant that. Why would she want him to kiss her? He was the reason she was dying in the first place. He was tainted. A broken wreck of a man. He could not stain her purity with his unworthy kiss. He hushed her instead, caressing her pale white face with an almost loving tenderness.

"Please..." Such hope in that simple request.

He wasn't even certain if he would know how to kiss such a one as Meg. There were no lies dancing behind her eyes. No ulterior motive, and not a trace of malice or spite. She was just a young maid. She knew not of love and she never would. She wanted him to give her what had been denied to her. He was her friend, her rescuer, and protector. He gave her a faint smile before leaning in close to her and pressing a very gentle and chaste kiss against her lips. He could feel her struggle to raise her head up to meet him, but her body would only allow the very slightest of movements.

Guy longed to keep his lips pressed against hers, but he knew he could not. He pulled away, wishing madly that he could have had more time; more time to know her, more time to understand her and thank her for what she had done for him. She would never know the miracle she had worked within him.

She smiled up at him as only a creature from heaven could upon someone so damned as he. She struggled to formulate words, "I've always quite liked you, you know..."

That was when he saw what he could not identify; the light flickering in her eyes. It was love. And it was then Guy realized he had never seen it before. Stay with me! He wanted to cry out. He pressed a hand to her wound, as if willing it to seal itself and restore life to her body. That was when she turned her head very quietly and went silent and still.

He stared at Meg for a time, at first not willing to believe it. Meg lay like an angel clipped of her wings. He was the demon that had forced her to ground. Something snapped inside of him and with it the dam inside of his walled up soul forced tears to pour from his eyes. He shook, his breath hitched in his throat. He hugged the broken angel to his chest, rocking her back and forth. It was Meg he held in his arms--no it was Marian. Meg and forgiven him for his crimes in place of Marian. She had given him salvation and with each sobbing cry he felt himself washing away his guilt.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of selfish grief crash over him. Why should God take back the one soul who had restored his humanity? "W-w-wake up..." He stuttered in between his tears. His family had died, his sister had turned against him, he had killed Marian, and now...now even this one last chance at redemption was snatched away so soon. Not Meg. Not again.

A rustling in the nearby bushes, alerted Guy to the fact that someone was nearby. Perhaps Isabella's guards had finally caught up to him. Well, let them come. Let them kill him now and end it. Maybe God would take pity on him in his last moment and allow him to be with Meg again. He stilled his erratic movements, and steadied his breathing. Let them do it now, if they must. Have them come and stab him in the back, he would die holding the last creature on earth who had cared for him.

"Well?!" He shouted into the night raggedly, when there came no sharp pain of the knife, "Come and kill me then, if that is your purpose."

There was a short snort of laughter, "Now why would I be interested in killing ya?" From out of the foliage stepped a stooped and warped figure. An old woman hobbled her way out of her hiding place, gripping a stoat oaken staff with both of her hands as she walked. She wore a black cowl about her eyes were gray with age.

Guy's focus wavered as soon as he realized he was in no danger of dying. He was almost disappointed. The woman tapped her staff upon the leaves scattered about the ground, "Your friend is in sad shape, surely."

"Leave me be." Guy snarled.

"Leave ya be?" The woman cackled, "'Tis not my fault ye walked onto my land. Can't leave ya be. Be you in need of help?"

Guy did not even look over at the woman to snap at her, he kept himself buried against Meg's body, not wanting to uncurl himself yet. "Not unless you can bring the dead back to life." He muttered brokenly, feeling more tears racing through him. He could not stop them now, no matter if he felt shame over shedding them before a stranger.

"An' who says I can't?" The woman cackled again stumping forward upon her staff. "An' who says yer friend is dead? Been watching ya from behind the bushes. Don' like strangers on my land. 'Ad t' see what ya meant marching through here as ya pleased. Ye ain't no harm t' me from what I seen."

Guy gave the woman no response. He smoothed out the curls atop Meg's head, gently caressing her. He was tempted to press a kiss against her forehead, but he need not defile her body with such an act. The sound of a knife being drawn snapped him back to attention. He looked up to see the old hag inches away from him with a small, yet sharp knife glinting in the moonlight. He let out an animal-like growl and turned Meg's body away from the weapon, shielding her with his own body.

The woman found amusement in this action for she gave another cackling laugh, "Oho, I mean yer mate no harm, ya wolf, for tha' is what ye surely are. I mean t' see if she's breathing."

For the first time Guy looked up at the woman. Meg was dead, what did she mean to see if she still breathed? Guy lessened his hold about the woman and allowed the old hag to bend down, pressing the knife up against Meg's mouth. She watched the blade with a keen eye, as she kept it tilted towards the moonlight, where the greatest amount of reflection would show where the fog of her breath would appear.

Guy sat in tedious silence, glancing up at the hag and then back towards the angelic face of Meg. His heart pounded within him as he waited, and for a moment he thought he would go mad with waiting. How dare this woman raise his dead hopes. It was enough to break his heart anew.

The hag at last withdrew the knife with a small laugh, "Aye, ya wolf, ye do right to' protect that there pretty one. She be breathing yet."

"What..." Guy could barely speak as he looked down at Meg. His eyes widening with disbelief.

"Place yer hand upon her heart." The woman encouraged.

Guy did so, searching frantically for a heartbeat he wasn't sure even existed. At long last he found it. Faint and low, not at all a good sign, but a sign all the same. "M-m-m-Meg?" He was trembling. "Meg?" The name was a prayer, he whispered it as one would whisper the name of the angels, or the name of a lover.

The brow of the young woman furrowed only slightly and her head lolled to one side. It was enough. Guy hugged her to him again, his angel was still with him! The old hag who stood beside them leaned upon her staff, nodding approvingly, "Aye, she be alive. Now...what t' do with ya...."

Because Meg was taken far too soon, and I think I'm partially going through a greiving phase for this lovely character who was everything I had ever been advocating for. So, here's a fic in which Meg lives. Why? Because I can't let her go that easily.

As for how long this goes or what the heck I mean to do with it...well, I'll improvise as always.

Also, side note, go check my profile for notes on the statuses of my other fics if you're following them. And of course remember to review!