Haven't updated in ages. Sorry. Been busy. Read!

The sun set as the outlaws settled down to eat the unnamed meat which Allan had provided. There wasn't a lot of it but that didn't matter as neither Will nor Djaq were eating despite the pleading of their friends. They just didn't have the appetite and Djaq was sure that as soon as she ate something she would bring it back up again.

Will sat silently by the crib, watching his daughter toss and turn, desperately trying to fight off whatever illness had consumed her. Her face was pale and pinched a sharp contrast to her usual smooth brown complexion. The man sighed, willing her to survive; willing whatever higher power there was above to save her from this untimely death.

One by one the outlaws retreated to their lofts unwilling to watch the suffering man hunched up against the bitter wind in a feeble attempt to protect the weakened child from the harsh winter night. Only Djaq was left, her soft brown eyes moist with unshed tears. She knew what tonight meant, she knew the significance of the next twenty four hours. The temperature outside was dropping rapidly but Ilara only proceeding in getting hotter and hotter her fever all but consuming her. Soon she would reach a peak, the point where her body could no longer survive any warmer and she would either overcome the fever and her temperature would drop or….she would die.

Drawing in a deep, shuddering breath, the Saracen took her place beside Will and smiled thankfully when he wrapped his warm strong arms around her. She leant a heavy head on his shoulder and let a stray tear dribble down her cheek. Tonight would be the longest night of her life and she knew she would not sleep for as she watched the small rise and fall of her daughter's chest she would question each time 'Is this her last breath? Is this when we lose her forever?' and each time Ilara breathed again Djaq would thank Allah and let herself hope again.

It was around two o'clock in the morning that Will found himself alone in his consciousness. The slump of Djaq's body against his own told him that she had finally found comfort in sleep and succumbed to the needs of her exhausted body. He was glad that she had dozed off because from the looks of Ilara's shuddering, stuttering breaths she would not be in this world for much longer. This was a thought he could not bear but had finally come to realize was the truth and there was nothing he could do about it. However he was determined to be there in her last moments no matter how long it took and he studiously ignored the blackening fuzzy edges to his vision that screamed at him to sleep.

The sun was rising above the tree canopy casting a white glow on the skeletal forest. Several birds twittered their own exuberant version of the morning chorus and fluttered around the tree tops in a flurry of wings.

Djaq's eyes blinked groggily open and she realized to her horror that she had drifted off to sleep. Dazed and disorientated she staggered to her feet and then noticed that Will was still sitting on the log he had been last night, eyes still trained on the cradle. Her mouth felt dry and sore so she grabbed a cup of water that was balanced on a shelving unit. With a huge gulp she drank the ice cold liquid shivering and coughing when she realized how freezing it actually was.

"It snowed last night," came a slightly bitter voice, "It's Christmas in a couple of days and Ilara won't live that long. She can't even open her eyes to see her first snow."

Djaq peered curiously out of the camp and saw that Will was indeed right and the forest floor was coated with a thick layer of snow.

"When did it start?"

"Around three o'clock. You were asleep. I put blankets on the both of you so you wouldn't get cold." Will looked up at her, his blue eyes pained. "Hardly made a difference to Ilara though."

The Saracen then realized she hadn't been fulfilling her roll as doctor properly and hurried to Ilara's side checking her condition. The carpenter watched through deadened eyes.

"What's the verdict?" he asked listlessly. Djaq ignored him and continued to feel her daughter's forehead. Was it just her or did Ilara feel much cooler than before? She wasn't sweating as much and the blankets weren't damp. But maybe she was just being optimistic, what were the chances of a baby surviving an illness this bad? Next to nothing.

"Djaq, I said…."

"I know what you said, Will, but I think….I'm not sure….she could be improving," the medic hardly dared whisper the word as she saw the reaction it invoked in Will. He was up in a matter of seconds and by the crib in only a couple more placing his own rough hand on the infant's head.

A mixture of emotions spun across his face in the moment he felt her dry, cool skin: disbelief, relief, joy, hope. Ilara had a chance of making it; she'd survived the night and the peaking of her fever. The young man looked up at the mother of his child, eyes burning with intense hope.

"Will she be okay?"

"I-I cannot say for certain, Will, but she could….she might just pull through," Djaq smiled tentatively and then let out a small gasp as the carpenter grabbed her into a huge passionate hug, kissing her full on the lips.

"I love you and I love her more than anything!" he whispered hoarsely in her ear.

"Me too."

Throughout the days that followed Ilara gradually improved, her eyes opened on Christmas Day in time to witness the festivities at camp including a whole hog roast and the gift giving between the outlaws. She began moving more and her appetite returned a few days later which was fortunate for she had lost a great deal of weight and none of the gang wanted to lose her to starvation after she'd survived such a disease.

They even all witnessed her first smile on the day when Much ran too fast on the snow and slipped over before slithering all the way down the hill outside the camp. With the infants rapid improvement came high spirits within the camp and they all waited on her hand and foot – playing games with her, making her toys and telling her stories.

Soon Djaq gave her a clean bill of health not long after her sixth month of life and everyone could breathe a complete, unrestrained breath of relief. The guys no longer treated her like she was made of glass and she was even allowed to come with them on some hunting trips in her sling.

Ilara was allowed to slide around on the floor of the camp on her bottom which resulted in many a stitching session courtesy of 'Auntie Much' who put extra padding in the rear of her clothes. She giggled constantly and made 'ooh's and 'ahh's whenever one of the outlaws did something for her.

To help her own health as well as the baby's Djaq decided to wean her onto solid food considering she already had two teeth which she enjoyed using for biting.

All in all Ilara seemed fully recovered from her encounter with the Grim Reaper and was the pride and joy of all the outlaws. Little did they know she also had the complete attention of a certain Sheriff of Nottingham who planning his most dastardly deed yet.

Cheese-fest I know. Ah well, I'm hungry. I need ice cream but I'm on a diet. Damn my sweet tooth! :) Review!