As much as I like the idea of Hook and Robin being friends, I liked the idea of Hook playing matchmaker even better.

"Are you ready?" Hook asked, drawing his sword.

"Bring it on." said Robin confidently, swinging her own sword in a fancy arch before levelling it at Hook.

The sword fighting lessons had been going well. It was clear that fencing came to Robin as naturally as her archery. Once she had mastered her stance and grip, her instincts were impeccable. Hook was finding it very hard to keep up with her. Her reflexes were exceptional; her technique faultless. She also found surprisingly athletic and inventive ways to dodge blows.

"On guard." said Hook, touching his blade to hers before stepping back and blocking as Robin cut to the right. Soon the clearing was filled with clashing of blades. Their swords sang as they slashed and whirled.

The truth is Hook knew that there were only two ways to defeat Robin; she could get over confident if she thought she had the upper hand which led to sloppy mistakes… or he could mention Alice and Robin would freeze for the few second Hook needed to disarm her.

Mentioning Alice always felt like a low blow but, hey, he was a pirate.

This time round though it was overconfidence that defeated Robin. She succeeded in knocking the sword from Hook's grasp but was not ready to respond to the hook that swung up to her throat.

"You got me." she said with a breathless laugh.

"Well you've got to let this old man have a victory once in a while." joked Hook. He collected his sword from the floor and walked over to where their gear was stowed under a tree.

"Are you going to tell me I was too cocky again?" asked Robin following him.

"I'm not saying confidence isn't a good thing. Not at all. But you've got to be ready for the bad guys to fight dirty." said Hook as he tossed a water skin to Robin as the both caught their breath.

"I guess." said Robin tipping her head back to take a long drink.

"Speaking of confidence and fighting dirty… when are you going to tell Alice how you feel about her?"

Robin choked on the water she was swigging, spilling it everywhere.

Hook walked over and patted her back until she could breath again.

"I don't know what you mean." said Robin, when she could finally speak.

Hook just stared at her.

"We're friends." stammered Robin, a startled expression on her face. "Best friends."

Hook continued to stare.

Robin wilted under his gaze.

"She doesn't feel the same."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because… because I'm the only friend she's ever had. I can't ruin that for her. She doesn't feel the same."

"You forget." said Hook, smiling. "I get to read her letters. I think you need to use some of this overconfidence of yours and tell Alice how you feel."

Robin stared back at Hook, thoughts clearly buzzing in her head.

"And you're okay with this?"

"I will go one further. There will be no more sword lessons until you talk to my daughter. How is that for letting you know how 'oaky' I am with this."

"It's… um… oh-kay, like the letters. But um… your serious?."

Hook leaned and gave Robin his best pirate glare.

"Deadly serious."

Robin was heading out for the hunt the next day. Hooks instructions filling her head. She couldn't tell Alice. She couldn't. Alice was her best friend. Yes, she was kind and beautiful and gentle and… right in front of her.

Ahead of her on the road Robin spotted a familiar figure, a shopping basket on her arm as she headed home from the village.

A wide smile appeared unheeded on Robin's lips, as it always did at the sight of Alice… but oh she wished she was brave enough to see if they could be something more. She couldn't tell her… could she?

Robin doubled her pace to catch up with her.

"Hey Tower Girl!" she exclaimed when she got close. Then gallantly she reached for the basket. "Here let me."

Alice's smile at the sight of Robin matched her own; and as their finger's brushed as she took the basket from Alice's grip, Robin's heart beat raced a little.

"Robin." said Alice, grinning toothily back.

Robin had tried to play it cool but the weight of the basket shocked her. So much so she almost dropped it.

"Whoa! What's on here?" she asked, "Lead weights?"

"It's a new skillet actually." said Alice, pulling back to the cloth cover to reveal a large iron frying pan.

"Figures," she laughed adjusting her grip on the heavy basket. "Then you're lucky I came along."

"My hero."

Robin's eyes locked with Alice and Hook's words spun in her head again.

"Tell her how you feel…"

When Alice looked at her this way Robin was so sure that she felt the same, but the terror of the thought that she didn't stopped her speaking her heart. But Hook had dropped heavy hints that this was a mutual thing. That Alice was just waiting to hear the words.

If that was true…

"Alice…" began Robin.

Alice's smile brightened.

"Robin?"

"Alice… I…"

Robin swallowed hard. God, why was this so difficult?

"… Alice, you are my best friend. No one knows me quite like you do. And I need to tell you something."

"Of course." said Alice, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

"Alice… I think that maybe… possibly…."

Robin stumbled over her words, but she found herself getting lost in Alice's worried blue eyes.

"…Definitely," she sighed, "I've definitely fallen in love with you…"

"Oh." squeaked Alice, genuine surprise on her face.

Worried she'd messed this up Robin found herself back tracking quickly, gazing down at her boots in embarrassment.

"I mean I understand if you don't feel the same. I will never stop being your friend. I just needed to tell you how I feel."

"Robin."

Alice's finger hooked under Robin's chin forcing her to lift her head and meet Alice's gaze.

"Robin. I love you too."

This time it was Robin's turn to look surprised.

"You do?"

"I do."

"Because I really do, you know. I love you. All of you."

"I understand." said Alice, her smile positively beaming. "I love all of you too."

Robin found herself grinning back.

"You never said anything."

"Neither did you." observed Alice

"Well I'm an idiot." said Robin with a laugh.

"A beautiful idiot." agreed Alice.

They were still standing in the road, gazing into each other's eyes, unmoving.

"Um… Alice can I kiss you?" whispered Robin, one last desire burning in her heart.

Alice let out a light laugh.

"You can."

Letting out the longest breath, she never knew she'd been holding, Robin leaned in. She closed the gap between them, kissing Alice on her warm soft lips…

"On guard." said Robin confidently pointing her sword at Hook.

Hook parried the first blow but the second caused him to stumble.

As delighted as he was that Robin and Alice were finally together, it was making these fencing lesson's harder. Robin was quickly learning to marshal her overconfidence and the mention of Alice's name these days just gave her extra vigour.

Pretty soon Robin would be unbeatable.