A Little Complication

Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood. If I did, the season 2 finale...groan. So wouldn't have happened that way. I mean, seriously. You can't kill the freakin' main character's love interest!

Summary: It's a testament to Robin's ability to walk through walls that this has never happened before. A midnight visit goes awry with a distraught Marian, a retuned engagement ring, and an overly-aggravating Gisbourne.

This is me distracting myself from the other story that I was going to write, the one where the idiotic Guy of Gisbourne watches the aftermath of his choice. But...I'd have to watch the episode again to get the dialogue right, then I'd cry, and be depressed...so we're gonna avoid that. Yeah.

So, as much I appreciate Robin's stealth abilities, I was surprised that he was never once caught in Marian's room at the castle. A little RobinxMarian fluff, and some good old Guy bashing for you. Because I hate Guy. Set in season two, sometime after "Walkabout" under the pretence that it wasn't Will who returned the ring to Marian. It's my first fic on this fandom, so a little kindness is always appreciated.

It was like she was being haunted by a ghost; an obnoxious, obvious, poltergeist-type ghost. Marian stifled her groan in her throat as she cleared it, catching Guy standing before her door, for the fourth time in barely three days.

"Guy?" Marian forced her lips to quirk. She was of too much use to Robin and his gang here to be suspected now. "Is there something that you need?"

The dark-haired man turned his gaze upon her, and Marian tried not to flinch at the obvious lust burning in his eyes. "Marian I—"

"If you need nothing" she interjected, "I would really like to turn in for the night. I'm quite tired."

This seemed to throw Guy off, and he stopped encroaching her space. Marian side-stepped the captain and moved to open her door, but a second later his hand covered hers, and she jumped.

"Marian." His voice was suddenly urgent, and she took an unconscious step back. "You have to understand."

"Understand what? That you lied about the King's return in order to get me to marry you?" Marian stood seething, pretence forgotten. Guy turned away, his voice riddled with restraint.

"I can only protect you like this for so long. But if you were my wife, I could have persuaded the Sheriff—"

"Persuaded him?" The Nightwatchman's double was incredulous. "Persuaded him to do what? We both know the Sheriff does as he pleases. Not even you could change that."

"I could have saved you from this!" Guy whirled to face her, grabbing Marian by the shoulders and shaking her. The young brunette couldn't suppress the surprise that flitted across her face.

"Guy! Let—"

"I could have saved your father!"

Marian's jaw went slack, old wounds opened up, and tears welled unbidden into enraged blue eyes. "How dare you?"

Guy seemed to realize he'd been standing far beyond the line for a while now. "Marian..."

She had heard enough. Marian wrenched herself from his grip and yanked her door open, slamming it in Guy's face without another word. His receding footsteps were almost too slow, because seconds later, the young former mistress of Knighton Hall had slid to the floor, with only her hand and sheer will to muffle her sobs.

"Marian?"

Back to the ghost analogy, Robin was the polar opposite of Gisbourne. Silent like the shadows of the night, the leader of the Outlaws could be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. And also unlike Gisbourne, Marian was happy to see him.

"R-Robin..."

His cheeky grin faded, and Robin's bright green eyes narrowed with concern. He was across the room in three strides, gathering his beloved in his arms. Her tears etched confused lines in his features.

"Marian, what's wrong?"

The brunette sucked in a breath. "Guy, h-he..."

Robin, as expected, tensed automatically. "What did he do?"

"H-he said...he said that if-if I had married him...he would have saved my—"

Marian broke off, and the rightful Lord of Locksley stood them both up with a quiet sigh. "Marian." He was so gentle, yet serious all the same. "Your father died a hero. He died fighting for England, for what he believed in. Edward was loyal to the King. The Sheriff would have seen that soon enough, and Gisbourne couldn't have done anything about it."

He was right. Of course he was. Robin took Marian's face in his hands, caressing her cheek with his thumb and pressing his lips to her forehead. She settled into his embrace, and the pair of forbidden lovers stood silent, relishing in this moment, like the others; few and so far in between. Eventually, Robin got to the reason for his drop-in.

"I believe this is yours."

And from almost nowhere he withdrew the engagement ring, the constant reminder of the tree/Lardner incident and their separation, but also of the promise they had made to each other on that day. Marian smiled through the last of her tears, mentally congratulating her genius idea of giving it to Allan as he stole away to his former home.

"I believe it is."

With a gentleness that conflicted with his rough exterior, Robin took her hand in his, slipped the ring on her finger, and placed a kiss upon it. Marian smiled and pressed her lips to his knuckles in tender affection.

"I miss you." Robin's eyes were clouded. For a man whose expertise was in hiding his emotions, he was looking incredibly vulnerable. His lady's heart wrenched. This was the price they paid—midnight visits and fleeting glances—for the ability to thwart the Sheriff, biding their time until the King returned home.

The outlaw's fingers found her face again, and Marian closed her eyes, committing the feeling of his touch to memory. The cautiousness of his grip was palpable, the calluses of war and fighting and archery barely grazing her skin—like he was afraid of breaking her.

"Come with me." The intensity of his plea and proximity elected a faint gasp from her lips, and it took a moment before she found her bearings again. Reality and logic began to seep into their tiny circle of intimacy, strangled hope and dreams. Marian sighed and forced herself to turn away.

"Robin...you know I can't." And then the circle was broken as she removed the ring from her finger and opened her small box of jewellery, opening the false bottom (God bless Will Scarlett) and placing it inside. The shaggy blonde groaned audibly.

"Why not?" He sounded like a petulant child, but Robin didn't care. He didn't think he'd ever wanted anything more (other than the King's return, of course) and it was driving him crazy.

"Because!" Marian threw up her hands in exasperation. "What will Guy and the Sheriff think if I just happen to get lost in the forest, again? How will that look? And how do you suppose you're going to get information?"

"I'll think of something."

Marian scoffed half-heartedly. "Of course." Robin's eyes blazed as he stared her down. The brunette fumed internally. It was hard to fight when he looked like that. Fortunately—or unfortunately—the argument was brought to an abrupt close by a harsh banging on the door.

"Marian!" Guy. Yet again. "I'm coming in! I must speak with you."

Robin cursed silently. No time to hide now. Marian's bright blue eyes were wide with fright, and Robin finally remembered his dagger, sheathed at his hip. He grabbed it along with Marian, and with a whispered "Sorry," placed the tip against her frantic pulse.

--

Even as the danger of being discovered after so long crashed through the door in the form of Gisbourne, all Marian could think of was the Count Friedrich, and the echo of their last meeting.

"You must be careful. If I can see the friendship between you, so may others."

All she could do was pray that he was wrong. Either that, or pray that Gisbourne's probably jealousy would save them. "HOOD!"

"Gisbourne." Even though Marian couldn't see his face, she knew Robin was grinning. "How nice of you to drop in."

"What do you want Hood?" Guy demanded, sword drawn, eyes wild. Marian fidgeted unconsciously, and Robin tightened his grip.

"Isn't it obvious?" Despite all the acting, he had yet to actually hurt her. "I'm picking up Lady Marian's donation to the poor of Nottingham."

Ha, Lady Marian. He never called her that.

"Let her go."

"Drop your sword." The laughter in his voice was quieter now. Guy advanced, and Robin's grip became an almost choke hold. "Ah ah." The tip of the knife pressed harder, the cold metal making Marian shiver. Guy finally heeded the order, putting his weapon on the floor and his hands above his head.

"Kick it here."

The hilt appeared at their feet, and Robin knocked it aside. "Now Marian, if you please." And so they moved across the floor. Robin emptied the contents of Marian's jewellery box into a bag, and in that moment she was glad she kept all her jewelled hairpin daggers in a separate place.

"Alright Hood, you have what you came for. Now let Marian go."

Guy looked murderous. Marian wanted to laugh. The irony played out before her eyes as Robin's fingers splayed across the hollow of her throat in a seemingly careless motion, and the dark captain twitched. Sparks tickled her skin, and Marian had to make a conscious effort not to relax into the young man holding her.

She knew it was crazy, the fact that she was more afraid of the one trying to save her life than the "criminal", who was pointing a blade at her throat. Marian marvelled at the overwhelming feeling of safety that this closeness to Robin brought her, despite the threat of discovery looming over them.

The next several seconds passed in tense silence, and to Marian's horror, something like understanding dawned in Guy's dark eyes. "So you still have feelings for her then."

Robin's demeanour changed instantly. The brunette could have sworn she could feel his heartbeat, harsh and erratic, through the cloth that separated their bare skin. And yet, in spite of all this, the famed marksman managed to chuckle whilst lying through his teeth.

"Ha, no. What makes you think that?"

Guy's eyes darted around. Robin was cornering him, and they all knew it. "Well...in the forest. You could have left her anywhere to die instead of that tree that we found you in."

Marian resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and the laughter invaded Robin's voice again. "No no, that's me being unlike you and your master, Gisbourne. I'm not so cruel."

"I know she was once betrothed to you," Guy sneered. "When your title was Locksley."

Robin chuckled a second time, although this time it sounded hollow. "She was a girl then."

Had anyone else noticed the eerie similarity between both Marian and Robin's responses to the fact? The maid shifted, hoping to divert Guy's concentration. He started forward once more, and the cool blade of steel found Marian's pulse again.

"Now now Gisbourne, wouldn't want to risk the life of your beloved mistress, would you?" He was snickering now. Marian wanted to stomp on his foot. Hadn't the damage been done? And she was nobody's mistress.

Guy's nostrils flared, but he stopped. Robin's grin stretched across his face. "Now, would you be so kind as to order the guards away?"

"Never."

"Remember the consequences, Gisbourne." His voice was laced with the authoritative ring that branded him as Leader of the Outlaws. Marian shivered again.

The influence Marian had over Guy was not lost on her or Robin. Behind his triumph, worry was brewing. Marian, at the moment, was just blocking the idea from her mind altogether. The 'clunk' of the guard's retreating footsteps was a welcome sound, and Robin spoke again.

"Thank you. This time, when I move towards the door, you are going to circle around to this side of the room, and I shall make my escape." Much was going to kill him for this.

And so it was. Robin, with Marian in tow, moved towards the door, while Guy followed, giving them a wide berth. "There's your escape, Hood. Leave, before I call for the guards."

"Not so fast." His obvious amusement was infuriating. "One last thing."

"What else could you possibly—?"

Maybe his frustration was making him reckless. Or maybe he just really wanted to make Guy's blood boil. Whatever the reason, Marian was powerless to stop him as Robin spun her to face him and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. Her surprise made the reaction of slapping him automatic, a gasp escaping her startled mouth.

But even as Guy roared, Robin disappeared, leaving only the image of his grin behind.

--

"Guards! Guards! After him!"

Marian scrambled away from the door as Guy burst through it a second time, following his progress with worried eyes. He better have made it... The young woman let out a tense breath, but before she could even close her door for a moment's peace, Guy was back.

"Marian! Are you hurt?"

She shook her head and touched her fingers to her lips, almost unconsciously. The dark captain stared down at her, his suspicion making her squirm uncomfortably. "You're sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine Guy, really." Marion insisted. He seemed unconvinced.

"You know it's unwise to fraternize with outlaws."

The woman jerked up, eyes flashing indignantly. "Was fraternizing really what you saw? He was holding a dagger to my throat, Guy."

"And that kiss?"

He was glaring. Marian wanted to slap him. "I couldn't exactly stop him! Why must you act like a jealous stable boy?"

This was getting far beyond ridiculous. Guy's glare became dangerous, but Marian couldn't care anymore. She was tired of this constant battle between the two men, the way they fought over her like she was some prize for the winning. Irony reared its head again, in the realization that...well, she was already won, wasn't she?

"You seem to forget I was the one who saved you."

"And you seem to forget Robin Hood does not kill!" The maid turned away, exasperated. "He did things this way only to make you angry, Guy. How is it that you can't see this?"

"How can you not see that he still carries a torch for you?"

Marian flinched. Not at the fact, since...well, it was true, but at the venom Guy spat with it. Even though Robin was easily the most arrogant man she knew, Marian realized then he was right about Guy. He did like her—love her—a lot more than the blonde was comfortable with. More than she was comfortable with.

"Guy..." She tossed around an array of words in her head for an appropriate response. "What...what Robin and I had happened a long time ago." The brunette took an unsteady breath, suddenly exhausted. "I think I need to rest now."

The man seemed almost dazed, but a shroud of anger still lingered. "Of course. I shall leave you."

Marian let out a sigh of relief when he was finally gone. She retreated to her room, changed into a nightgown, and crawled underneath her covers. The enticing desire to sleep was made somewhat less by the arrival—or rather the return—of a familiar voice.

"I do love you with your hair down."

Her smile crept across her cheeks, in full bloom before she had time to realize it was there. Robin's answering grin from across the room was the cheeky one of their teenage years, filled with mischief and energy. Marian had given up long ago trying to figure out how he did it; appearing and disappearing without any kind of warning.

The mattress creaked and sank with Robin's added weight, the magnified power of his scent; forest, horses, leather, fire and sweat, sweet and intoxicating. Within seconds the outlaw had claimed her mouth with his, the lingering taste of Much's cooking now apparent to both.

Marian fisted a handful of Robin's hair in her hand as he deepened the kiss, holding her face in his hands. Eventually air became a necessity, and the pair broke apart. The maid settled into the space between her beloved's chin and shoulder, tracing aimless designs on his exposed neck and collar.

Robin ran his fingers through the silky curls that splayed around Marian's head, a soft smile lighting his eyes. This was the first—and perhaps the only—time they'd ever been together so easily, without the threats they lived with daily (death, discovery, etc.) hanging over their heads. This was their moment, and the young—or old—lovers were going to make it last.

"Robin?"

"Hmm?" he replied lazily, still entranced with her hair.

"Where did these come from?"

Marian's wandering fingers had found the cord of the tag, tracing it down to the wooden pendant hidden under Robin's shirt. He reached out, lacing their fingers together, holding the tag in both their palms. The man sighed inwardly. The origin of the gang's mark went hand in hand with the death of Joe Lacey, a memory he doubted Marian wanted to recall. But onward he plunged.

"Will makes them. When the attempts on the Sheriff's life began—"

"And everyone blamed you?" One of Marian's perfect eyebrows quirked, and he nodded. Marian's eyes clouded for a brief moment, and Robin knew she remembered Joe. "So..."

"So, I told the Sheriff I could find the assassin. Then I gave him the tag, to identify my men. Everyone earns their tag to become part of the gang, and loses it when they leave."

Marian was silent for a long moment. "Does Allan carry a tag?"

Robin stiffened noticeably. "No."

The woman shifted, drowsiness beginning to take over. "He's a good man, Robin. Despite all the wrong he's done."

He simply grunted in response, pulling her closer. Marian turned the tag over in her now free hand, tracing the design with a finger. "Robin?"

"Yes, Marian?"

"Do you..." She paused, and he tilted his head to face hers. "Did you consider me part of the gang? In the forest?"

"Not...exactly." At her hurt expression, Robin sighed. "I did not want to consider you part of the gang. Because if you were part of the gang, I would be forced to let you defend yourself, treat you as if you were Will, or Djac, or Much."

"You didn't mollycoddle me." Marian pointed out, and he smiled, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"But I wanted to." The blonde admitted finally, and that vulnerability was back again. Marian's ability to process this once-in-a-lifetime moment was blocked by the yawn that stretched her jaw.

"You should sleep." Robin said at last. His betrothed pouted sullenly.

"I don't want to."

"I won't leave you." It was a tender, promised whisper that sent shivers down Marian's exhausted spine. Robin placed gentle kisses on both her eyelids as Marian finally let herself fall fully into his embrace, and slept.

-

When Marian awoke the next morning, she was disappointed to find that Robin had disappeared, yet again. She sat up, and to her surprise, felt a weight hanging around her neck. It was a tag. Precisely, Robin's tag. She smiled, turning it over and over in her hand. And then she caught sight of the note on her pillow.

My dearest Marion,

I'm sorry to have left you to wake up alone, but the guards began patrol extra early this morning. I leave you my tag, because I never want you to forget: You are always a part of the gang. And you will always be a part of me.

All my love,

Robin

The young maid blinked back the tears that had suddenly invaded her, and kissed the tag that smelled faintly of Robin, before getting up to place it with her ring. Marian stepped out of her room an hour later fully dressed, ready to fight another day.

Author's Note: So? Opinions? Please keep in mind it is my first RH fic. Yeah. Sorry bout the title, couldn't think of another one.

Please Review!

Annie