Disclaimer: Yeah still don't own any of them...


Above the crowds, not too far from the docks, lay a small smoke filled bar, filled with burly seamen and exhausted workers. The rooms were overpowered by the repugnant stench of stale beer and sweat.

"Alright men, what's say for a wager?" A cunning voice laughed over the constant hum of drunken men.

"All in?" The short Italian man in the corner asked, looking at his cards warily.

"All in." The man smiled, determined, looking at his cards.

"You better not be cheatin' boy," An old sailor warned carefully.

"Me? Cheat? I've never cheated in my life," He lied, causing the large group sitting on the table behind him to burst out laughing.

"No Allan would never cheat," A dark haired man jeered.

"Shut it Will," Allan snapped.

"Whatever, just don't get into trouble," Will whispered, making sure that the other card players couldn't hear him.

Allan gave his best friend a confident smirk and then turned back to the men.

Will shook his head at Allan's incompetence and turned back to face the gang.

They were an odd group of friends. There was Allan-a-Dale, a common trickster and thief. John Little, a labourer from Scotland who'd come down to Liverpool to work of the construction of the Great Titanic. Robin Locksley, a former wealthy lawyer, kicked out for a case many years ago and his assistant-turned friend Much Miller. Then lasts but not least, himself, William Scarlett, the carpenter, he'd also come from his home to help on the ocean liner, but he'd worked on the finely carved furniture and carving on the staircases. There were many pieces of work on that ship that Will recked were his finest work.

They'd met at this very bar, not some six months ago...

"Ahhh, well what do ya know? A royal flush!" Allan smirked triumphantly; showing the group of men is cards. He had a large cigar in his mouth and a gleam in his eyes. This was a good night. He'd just won 100 pounds and then maybe he would go over to that upper class smut in the corner with his servant-like friend. Teach them rich beggars a thing or two. Allan smiled to himself, 'I'm living on easy street tonight!' he thought as he leaned over the table, using his outstretched arms to haul in his winnings. But a large strong hand suddenly stopped him.

"Not so fast there, Sonny." The man smiled, he had a confident, cocky air about him. And yet there was also something powerful about him, something that chilled Allan's bones'.

"Not being funny mate, but I won, look a Royal Flush, read 'em and weep!" Allan tried to pull back him arm, but was still caught in the man's powerful grip.

"No, you see you cannot have possible got a Royal Flush, with the King of Hearts." The man said.

"And why not?" Allan laughed nervously.

"Because I happen to have that very card in my hand."

OH SHIT. He'd been caught!

"You can't con a con man." The man told him.

Allan struggled and released himself, he then grabbed his satchel and began to hastily stow the money into it.

"look lads, it's been great but I really ought to be going home!" Allan smiled backing away from the table, looking for the nearest exit.

"You're not going anywhere." The man laughed coldly, "you see, I don't like to be conned my dear boy. I don't like it at all." He shot a look to the two large men on either side of Allan and they quickly grabbed his arms tightly.

"Look I'm sorry, but it's- it's- it's for my wife! She's pregnant and we have not money for food, she needs to eat or she'll loose the baby!" Allan pleaded.

"Oh and then when she's had the baby you'll try and con my out of my money again saying you've got another mouth to feed. I don't think so, boy's take him for a walk."

"A walk?" Allan looked at the men, "Na, thanks I'm right, I don't need a walk, I'm fine, really." Allan said quickly, still trying to talk his way out of it.

The two men pulled Allan away from the table and towards the door.

Allan heard part of the rich man's conversation as he past the booth in which he sat.

"Robin, you've got to be joking surely not!" The small man's voice whined.

The upper class man, Robin, stood up and walked straight in front of the two men and Allan.

"Let him go," Robin was sure if the cheat had been lying about his pregnant wife or not but he didn't want to take that chance in leaving a poor woman to raise a child on her own.

"Get out of the way, this is not your business," The Con-man told him sternly.

"Well I'm making it my business, let the poor man go back to his wife." Robin told him.

"Robin, how about we just leave," the shorter man spoke.

"Stay out of this Much." Robin hissed back.

"Move aside, this man has conned me out of a lot of money, I am only doing what's right!"

Robin smirked, the man's words had sparked some amusement within him. He knew all about the law, and this certainly wasn't the punishment for cheating in a game of cards.

"This is your last chance Sir."

"And this is yours," Robin stood firmly.

Allan looked from Robin to the Con Man, with utter amazement. Why the hell was this guy helping him? Damn... now he kinda felt bad for calling him an upper class smut and wanting to rob him... well only a little.

"Well it's your funeral." The man shrugged, "Boys" he ordered. The two men let go of Allan and pounced upon Robin, throwing their iron fists into his stomach. Robin quickly rolled underneath them after a few throws to the gut and stood side by side with Allan and Much. He looked at Much with a devil-may-care smirk, receiving a very stern look from Much. Robin laughed and the proceeded to throw several punches at the giant men.

Though they did nothing. They didn't even faze the ogre-like men. The just stood there with large grins plastered on their faces.

Robin stopped punching them and looked up at them.

"Oh dear," he muttered.

The larger of the men punched Robin directly in the jaw, throwing him back onto a table, which crumpled at the force. The large bearded man, and the tall lanky bloke, looked down at where their beers had been just moments before, and now where a dazed man lay, bleeding from many cuts along his face and body.

The man who'd punched Robin came waddling over and leaned over to pick up his concussed body when a sturdy hand stopped him from getting any further.

"Murderers, we do not like!" He growled in a thick Scottish accent as he knocked the man out cold with one violent punch.

After seeing his Conrad fall, the other man coward and fled the scene.

"I'll be watching you boy," the man said and followed his hired goon out the large bar doors.

Much, still in shock stood there, looking at the scene. Robin! He remembered and ran over to help his former boss. "Sir, are you alright?" Much as quietly and he and the lanky man helped him to his feet.

"Much, it's been a while since I was your employer, it's 'Robin' to you know," Robin muttered airily.

"Yes of course, sorry," He smiled. Robin looked up at the large bearded man.

"Thanks," He laughed, wincing in pain as he did so.

"Don't worry about it, that man has been bothering us for a while. It felt good. I'm John, John Little" John said holding out his hand, to which Robin took and replied. "Robin Locksley, and this is Much Miller."

"Will Scarlett," offered the quiet lanky man kindly.

"Allan-a-Dale," Allan laughed joining the conversation.

"Yeah um, thanks for that," he added to Robin.

"Don't mention it. One Question though: Do you actually have a wife?" Robin asked.

"Nup, just a whole lotta codswallop really," He laughed, quite impressed with the lie himself.

"Ahhh," Robin groaned, rolling his eyes. Had he really just risked his life to save this man?

And they'd been friends ever since.

"Let me guess," Much started "he's hustling again?" He looked over at the young man, holding his cards suspiciously, watching the other cardholders.

"I wouldn't put it passed him." Robin smiled, nursing his pint of beer.

"That boy never learns." John muttered; his words almost lost in his beer glass.

They'd made a habit of meeting together at the pub. But this was the last time they'd be together for a while. Due to the completion of the Titanic, John and Will were out of a job, and were planning on returning home.

"What will you do?" Much asked, feeling slightly downhearted. He'd grown used to their gatherings. Laughing together, drinking together. It was the happiest he'd seen Robin in a long time.

"Don't know, I was thinking of opening a furniture shop," Will shrugged offhandedly. He didn't really know what he was going to do.

"I haven't the foggiest, me wife, Alice, left me, taking me boy. I've got no family to go back to... I should never have let them go," John whispered, his voice full with emotion.

"What about you?" Will said quickly to Much and Robin, hoping to change the mood.

"I don't know, I guess..." Robin sighed; things had been very different since he'd been thrown out. He and Much were living in a small apartment above a seedy bar. Though the past few months it had become very crowded with the presence of Allan, Will and John.

There dismal conversation was quickly interrupted by a cocky laugh from Allan. "Ahh, boys, I'm sorry, when you're good, you're good!"

They turned around to see Allan racking in the large pile of coins, lockets, papers and anything the sailors had of value.

He pushed it off the table and into a large cotton bag.

"Well gents, I'd say that was all, and now I'll take my leave!" Allan laughed, standing up and walking over to the gang.

"See, I told you!" He laughed.

"Damn it," the sailor swore, standing up, he'd just lost his ticket out of this hell hole. But then something caught the corner of his eye.

In the pocket of the man who'd just won his money, was a small card reading 2 of hearts.

He looked closers, as the man turned about, floating his winnings. The man had hidden cards all throughout his outfit. CHEAT!

"Oi!" The sailor yelled.

"Sorry my good man, I cannot challenge you again as you have no money, come back tomorrow," Allan told him smugly.

"Allan..." Will warned by his side.

"You cheated!" The sailor argued pulling three cards from his pockets, causing more to fall from the hidden pockets in his coat.
"Oh well, would you look at that..." Allan said trying to act surprised.

"Run?" Allan looked at Will.

"Run." Will confirmed, with a nod.

The gang shot out of the pub like a speeding arrow, dodging through the hustle and bustle of the day's events.

"COME BACK HERE!!" An angry voice echoed through the streets.

"You never learn do you?" Much puffed, running beside Allan, who was desperately trying not to let go of the winnings.

"I thought I had it this time!" Allan told him, ducking around a food cart and receiving angry scowls from the owners.

"Where's the others?" Much looked around the streets, still running, in fear of what would happen if he stopped.

The two friends ran into a darkened alleyway.

"Damn it, dead end." Allan cursed and the large blacken brick wall that stood in front of them.

"I heard them go this way!" A voice called.

They could hear the sound of thundering feets, as the men raced in their direction.

"What do we do?" Much looked at Allan.

"Umm..."

"Do you even have a plan?" Much whispered in slight hysteria.

"Why should I come up with a plan?" Allan retorted childishly.

"Because you are the one who got us in this mess, and you are going to get us out!" Much told him angrily.

The footsteps grew louder and the angry voices were headed straight for them.

"Much!" He heard a hoarse whisper from a small door in the wall.

"Robin!" Much exclaimed, rushing over to the door, pulling Allan along with him.

"Huh?" Allan said unintelligently as he was pulled into the room.

"Robin? Oh thank god," Allan sighed with relief.

They sat in silence as they heard the men walked into the alley.

"Where are they?" One called.

"D'know... Let's check this way," The other called.

Upon hearing the departure of the men, Allan began to speak.

"Where's Will and John?" He looked around, but then answered his own question when he saw the familiar shadows of his friends.

"Well, let's see what we risked our lives to get?" Robin smirked, extending his hand out for the cotton bag.

"You mean what I risked my life for," Allan protested.

Robin raised his eyebrow.

"Fine," Allan gave him, handing Robin the bag of trinkets.

Robin tipped the bag upside-down, a twinkle in his eye when he saw the large pile.

"I hate to say it, but good work Allan," Robin smirked, prying through the pile, and picking up the papers.

"But what are these?" He wondered allowed.

"D'know, the sailors all decided to put their's in, maybe we can sell 'em, they might be worth somthin'," Allan shrugged.

"They're tickets..." Robin whispered, studying the papers.

"What?" Will looked at Robin.

"Tickets, for the Titanic!" He smiled.

"Well they must be worth a good deal, let's sell them, and split the cash." Much suggested.

"Split the money? I should get most of it, I did make the money, fair and square" Allan pouted.

"You won it by cheating," Will pointed out.

"Yeah, and?" Allan retorted.

"I say we go..." Robin looked up, his eyes shone with excitement.

"Go where...?" John asked, slightly confused by the conversation.

"America, the land of opportunities!" Robin's mind was filled with the possibilities. America, where he could make a fresh start, where he could be free again.

"America?" Will looked cynical of the idea.

"Yes! Look weren't we all just saying how we didn't know what to do with our lives?"

"Yes, but... America?" Much asked.

"Well, he's our chance. Look men there's a ticket for all of us, it's fate! I just know it!"

"But Robin, I don't know..." Allan started.

"Allan, when you look back in twenty years, don't you want to say that you went to America aboard the unsinkable Titanic?" Robin asked him, pleading him to agree with his eyes, offering a ticket to Allan.

Allan looked at Robin for a moment and then sighed in defeat.

"You're a master with words my friend..." Allan shook his head, taking the ticket.

"Much?" Robin turned to his friend.

"I've followed you to hell and back, why not America." Much smiled, taking his ticket.

"Will?" Robin looked at the young carpenter.

"I don't know Robin..."

"Will, please. It will be something you never forget in your whole lifetime, I promise you." Robin told him.

"My Auntie does have a place in New York..." Will muttered.

Robin smiled and held out the ticket to Will.

"Fine, I'll go." Will rolled his eyes, taking the ticket.

And then Robin turned to the last member of the group.

"John?"

All eyes were upon the large beard man, awaiting his decision.

"We go to America."


BTC... Click the box and let me know if I should keep going... :)