A/N Sorry about the delay, I've been crazy busy with exams. Thanks for keeping reading so here's a long one for you. Please review

10

Robin stepped out of the woods and gave her a mocking bow.

"Hello Lady Francesca."

She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off.

"Oh, but I remember, you don't like Francesca do you? A fact which your Uncle failed to tell Gisborne." Said Robin with a smirk.

"Oh my god you were spying on me then too. Are you stalking me?"

She was interrupted by a giggle from the forest.

"I know you're there so you might as well come out." Frankie said putting her hands on her hips.

Kate left the forest followed by the rest of the gang. She walked over to stand by Robin, matching Frankie's defiant glare.

Robin smiled. This girl was cleverer than he'd given her credit for. I'll have to watch her he thought. He'd underestimated her once and they'd ended up tied to the trees. He'd have to make sure that didn't happen again.

Frankie sighed frustrated. What was Hood doing here? She glared at him. He's such a pain she thought. All she wanted to do was go back to the castle and go to bed but instead she'd had to listen to her uncle jabbering on, take a tour of Locksley and later she had to attend some stupid feast at the castle. And to top it all off, she was now having to stand here and listen to this stuck up idiot man who wants to tell her what to do.

"What do you want?" Frankie said wearily, "I haven't slept for three days and I want to go home."

The smug smile on Robin's face was making her blood boil again so she glanced around at the rest of his gang to prevent herself from hitting him.

Looking around her eye was caught by a tall guy near the back of the group. He was avoiding her gaze and was the only one of the gang looking uncomfortable. She eyed him appreciatively, intrigued by his dark eyes. She frowned. Why was he avoiding looking at her?

She shook herself. Only minutes ago she had been mooning over Gisborne and now she was eyeing up this stranger. She sighed. What is wrong with me, she thought. I hate men, they drive me mad. 20 years of living at home and she'd turned down every suitor she'd had, well after toying with them first. Less than a day here and two men had already caught her eye. To top it all off Robin Hood, who wasn't bad looking himself, seemed to be stalking her for some reason.

Dragging herself out of her thoughts she realised Robin had been talking while she was daydreaming.

"…They're not all they seem up at the castle. Just be careful."

"Are you telling me what to do?" She said outraged.

All the confusion in her body had been replaced by anger and she was bristling.

"Because if you are, this is where our conversation ends."

Robin sighed.

"I'm not. I'm just warning you. Looks can be deceiving."

"He's my uncle. I don't really have a choice do I?"

"You do. You could help us."

She laughed.

"From what I've seen you aren't much better than them."

Robin opened his mouth to protest.

"I'm just saying that from where I'm standing, they've been nicer to me than you have."

"How can you say that?" Kate burst out unable to contain herself; "They're monsters!"

"That's my family you're talking about." Frankie said coldly, "Well lets see;" She said counting them off on her fingers, "They haven't tried to rob me, they haven't followed and spied on me and they aren't driving me mad with pointless conversation where they won't tell me what they want."

She noticed them all looking confused at her last statement. Realisation dawned on her as John spoke.

"But Robin's just said why we're here a minute ago." He said bemused.

Frankie bit her lip and Robin noticed how vulnerable she looked.

"I didn't think you were listening." Robin said smugly.

Anger flared inside Frankie. It must have shown on her face as Robin said.

"Temper temper. You'll turn into your uncle yet."

"You know nothing about me." She snapped at him, "And okay maybe I wasn't listening, but it's only 'cos you were so boring."

Robin looked taken aback and Frankie flashed him a triumphant smile.

"Well maybe we don't know anything about you but we know all about Gisborne and your uncle. They're cold-blooded killers and you'd do better to go home and not get involved."

"Well I am involved so get to the point." She sighed, "I can't go home anyway."

Robin frowned but tactfully ignored her last comment.

"Okay I'll 'get to the point,' which I have already said."

Robin stepped forward, closer to Frankie, away from the rest of his gang. Kate glanced at him upset then gave Frankie another glare, However he didn't notice as his eyes were locked on Frankie's.

"We need your help. We need someone on the inside who's close to the Sheriff and Gisborne who can tell us what's going on and tip us off."

He stopped spotting the smile spreading across her face.

"What?"

"You need my help. The famous Robin Hood needs my help."

She stepped closer to him and looked up into his eyes.

Robin gave a sharp intake of breath. She was so close he could feel her breath on his face. He felt his heart beating faster as his eyes raked her body.

Almost overcome by desire he was suddenly hit by a memory. Marion standing this close to him with the same twinkle in her eye, making his legs feel weak.

It took all his will power to stop himself from visibly reeling back. Regaining his composure he wondered whether it was really desire for Frankie he was feeling, she was certainly beautiful and alluring, or just a desire for the things he'd lost.

"Yes it seems we do." He said quietly.

Her smile broadened.

"Okay then." She said.

A shocked silence followed this comment.

"What?" Kate said bemused.

"I said okay, I'll help you."

Robin smiled.

"Thank you." He said, "I knew you weren't like your uncle."

They both smiled, however neither of them moved apart.

"There's a feast tonight up at the castle so everyone will be in the Grand Hall. Also there was a cart full of grain unloading as I arrived. Enough to feed a village for a whole month at least."

"Thank you." Robin repeated.

Frankie smiled and looked him up and down. She brushed her hand across his cheek.

"Mmm, always a pleasure."

She turned and walked away, leaving the outlaws standing speechless, alone, by the forest.