Saturday dawned with the promise of being a scorching hot day. Marian decided, halfway through her homework, to take a break and visit her friend, Alice who lived on the other side of town.

Not mentioning her destination to her father as he was likely to get a little overprotective of her walking in that area of town, she quietly snuck out the window; a feat that had been learnt since childhood with a certain impish boy. It was funny since he was back that he had continually popped into her thoughts. Her father was generally overprotective of her since her mother died. She could take care of herself.

At least, that was the phrase that she kept repeating to herself as she turned onto Sherwood road. The vandalised sign and other hoodlums crowded around watching her with interest. 'It's only a road, just a road. Pass through Sherwood and she could get to Knettlestone Street faster, it's just a road...silly...'

She gasped in shock as a German Shepherd came dashing out of a house barking. She took two steps back, ready to make a quick, undignified exit when a sharp whistle halted the dog and a newly familiar voice yelled, "Dodger, ya mutt. Get 'ere."

Curious, Marian followed the mutt as it playfully turned tail and ran up to its owner. Robin dropped the hammer as he reached down to pat the dog. He was dressed in a grubby t-shirt and slacks and because of the heat and his work his shirt was sticking to him with sweat. Turning, he saw Marian and a puzzled look crossed his face.

"What are you doing here?" he asked pushing his fringe from his face where it just flopped back again.

"I was going to visit Alice, she's a friend."

"Ahhh...Alice Turner?"

"Yeah." There was a pause while they looked at each other. Marian felt slightly uncomfortable and if she still knew Robin, the tapping of his fingers against his leg was a sure sign of nervousness. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working," he said with a gesture at the ladder and open roof behind him.

"On a Saturday?"

"Well, the job's for a friend and he kinda doesn't want to be sleeping under the stars for much longer. I said that I'd help him out."

"What are you doing back?" she blurted out then instantly regretted it. For some reason Robin winced and she didn't want to know what he was doing back. "Forget it, I don't want to..."

Robin cut her off, his face strangely detached. "Come on, let's go for a walk. John," he shouted back into the wreckage of the house. "Give me a moment, yeah?"

A grunt from the depths of the ruin was all the reply he got but that seemed sufficient enough. He started walking down the sidewalk, the dog by his side and Marian jogged to keep up. They walked in silence for a while.

"I'm sorry I just left like that with only a few days notice," he said quietly. "I was so mad at my parents for caving in to Richard and sacrificing my life like that...I thought that somehow I could convince them that leaving was a bad idea. I dunno..."

"Robin, it's alright. I understand why you left," Marian said wondering how easy it was to fall into four years ago, as if nothing had happened. "I was just upset that's all."

Robin grunted and they walked in silence a few more yards until they stopped in front of a small house. The dog, Dodger, didn't bother stopping but continued right on in through the front door. Marian turned to Robin in curiosity.

"This is where I'm living," he said quietly.

"What! Why?"

"I'm staying with Thornton, you remember him? He was an old friend of my dad's."

"Yeah, I remember him. But why are you staying with him. Where are your folks?"

He turned towards her slowly, his jade green eyes a stormy hue. "They're dead Marian."

It took a while for Marian to comprehend. Those words from the usually frivolous mouth of that boy just didn't make sense. "What? How?"

Robin sighed loud and long looking away from her. It was obvious that whatever had happened had hurt him deeply and suddenly Marian felt the urge to comfort him as she had as kids. She took a step forward and slid her arms around his waist, burying her face into his sweaty shirt. She heard him half chuckle in surprise and remembrance and his arms naturally surrounded her. They stood there for a while and Marian was just about to step out of the embrace when Robin spoke to the top of her head.

"They were murdered." His voice was soft but it didn't hide the crack in it. She squeezed him and felt him squeeze her back – a mutual 'it's alright' that was straight from their childhood.

Suddenly Robin stiffened and murmured, "Oh shit." Marian stepped back to look at him but he was looking behind her. She turned around to see a police car cruise slowly down the street, ominously silent.

"What is it?" she asked looking up into Robin's face with puzzlement as he scanned the street.

"It's not good," he said cryptically. "Come on you've got to get out of here." He caught her arm and began dragging her down the street.

"Robin? What's going on?!" Marian demanded. He looked at her and had just opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted.

"Robin!" It was a giant of a man, tall and stocky with a bushy beard and a tattoo crawling up his arm. Instinctively Marian edged closer to Robin.

"John." Marian was surprised to hear relief in the greeting.

"The coppers," John spat in disgust.

"I saw."

"What is going on?" Marian demanded again.

"What is she doing here?" John asked incredulous, as if he saw Marian for the first time. "It's not safe."

"I know," Robin gritted out in frustration forcefully pulling Marian along after him as he started up the sidewalk again. "Marian you have to go home. Things are about to get a little...ugly here." As Robin said this Marian became aware of the tension that had suddenly settled on the community. No little kids were playing out the front of the houses and the adults were moving in a hurried manner.

"What's happening?" she asked quietly as she kept up with Robin's fast walking. She jumped as something furry brushed past her legs but it was only Dodger who ran next to his master, his tail between his leg.

"The cops are here to evict the Bowmakers," he explained. "They're a family that's been here since the beginning and they've got four little kids. Everyone is not going to be happy about this."

"I don't..." Marian started still confused.

"Christ almighty..."John murmured beside her. "I thought you said she was clever, lad."

"There's going to be a riot, Maz." Robin said quietly, his hand gently squeezing her's. "Which is why you've got to go."

"She can't," John said, stopping suddenly.

Robin and Marian pulled up too and saw why she couldn't make a quick escape. The police had already set up a blockade. The battle was set and Marian was trapped.