A/N: I hope no one finds this chapter too confusing. In reading it, you will, undoubtedly, notice that Djaq's thoughts are not given. That is intentional. The majority of the chapter, with the exception of the first tiny bit, is given from Will's perspective. Djaq's perspective on the same time frame and events will be explored in the very next chapter.

Also, there is some naughty stuff here. I don't know if it warrants an M rating or not, but I thought I should warn you.

BTW, this chapter picks up right where the previous one left off. So it's still the same day.

Contact

"Really, Marian! Why don't you just throw yourself at the man while wearing your night shift? It would be so much simpler." Robin fumed.

He had actually been incredibly pleased to see his love riding through the forest, at break-neck speed, calling his name. She looked lovely in her gorgeous green outfit with the oh-so-revealing neckline. It was only when he heard that she had just come from seeing Gisborne wearing such a thing, that he'd lost his temper.

"How dare you!" She shot back.

"You are the one who dares, Marian. You are far too daring, if you ask me."

"Well then, I suppose it's a good thing that I haven't asked you. Besides, I am not here on personal matters so I do not have the time for this childish behavior. I have come to discuss our mutual interest in protecting our King." She tried to sound as confident and unruffled as she could. Though all the while her heart was hammering in her chest.

She was unnerved partly because of Robin's uncouth suggestions about her associations with Guy, and partly because she had had similar thoughts about it herself. She hated having to cheapen herself in order to gather intelligence from him, yet she knew that it was sometimes a necessity.

"Have you heard something, then? About the king?" He asked, immediately alert.

So Marian related to Robin what she had been told about the Saracen visitor and his supposed mission of peace. When she had finished, Robin looked truly alarmed.

"What is it, Robin?" She asked.

"I'm not certain. But I do know that this can be no peace mission. If Prince John had his way, there would never be peace and King Richard would stay in the Holy Land for the rest of his natural life. There is something very wrong here."

A short while later, everyone, except for John and Djaq who had yet to return from their trip into Loxley, were assembled inside the camp. They had listened intently to what Marian had learned from Gisborne, and were now discussing Robin's plans.

"I'm telling you it's the only way. And it's nothing she hasn't done before." Robin was saying imploringly.

"It's different now, though. Isn't it? She's gotta be extra careful. I still say no." Allan huffed.

"That's right. I say no too. You said yourself that something isn't right about this, Robin. So we should find another way." Much agreed.

"And I say that this is the only way. And it will be no more dangerous than anything else we've done. Besides, she won't be alone." Robin was getting irritated. He didn't mind being questioned but he hated when any of his gang tried to overrule him. Frankly, he would have expected it to be Will who objected, seeing as he was Djaq's husband. But he had remained silent thus far.

"I do not know that I agree with you that it is the only way, but I do agree that she can certainly handle herself as well as any other time. And she will be better able to blend in than anyone else would be." Marian offered.

"Will, you have been very quiet." Robin said, looking at the young man.

"Why should that surprise you?" Much asked. "He's always that way. He always waits until everyone else has spoken before telling us what he thinks. So now we have spoken, Will. What do you think?"

"What I think is that we should wait for Djaq so that she can make this decision for herself." He said plainly, looking at all of them.

"What decision is that?" Asked Djaq as she walked through the entrance with Little John a step behind.

They all turned to look at her and Will wasn't certain if they were startled by her sudden appearance or the fact that she was wearing clothing that was decidedly more feminine than they were used to seeing on her. No one mentioned it, however and Much, of course, was the first to attempt to answer her question.

"There are Saracens coming to Nottingham and Robin wants you to dress up and go to the castle so that you can get information on why they're really here because Robin does not think that it could be a peace mission as Gisborne has told Marian. And Will thought that it might be another ransom demand like the time that Prince Malik fellow was being held by the Sheriff but thought he was a guest except that Saladin really wanted him dead anyway so there was no ransom." When he paused for a much needed breath, Djaq spoke up before he could continue.

"Slow down. What are you talking about, Much? There are Saracens coming to Nottingham?" She asked.

"That's what I said. And we have been discussing whether or not it would safe for you to disguise yourself as a member of their party and sneak into the castle with them. I say no, and Allan agrees with me." Much tried to explain.

"No, you agreed with me." Allan argued.

"But Robin says that it will not be any more dangerous than any other mission you've been on so he, obviously, says yes." Much continued. "Marian says that you can handle the job so I guess that could be a yes, and Will says it's your decision. What do you say, John?"

John, however, barely had time to process Much's words when Djaq opened her mouth to speak.

"What does John think? Allan agrees with Much. Or maybe Much agrees with Allan. Robin says yes. Marian might say yes. Hmm. That is very nice of all of you. Perhaps I should go back out and come in again after you have all made your final decision and then you can simply tell me where I may go and what I may do. I would not wish to step on anyone's toes by thinking for myself." And she stood there with her hands on her hips, waiting for one of them to say something.

Will loved the way she looked in her new shift. She was beautiful and she had much more freedom of movement in it, he could tell. He was glad to see that the seamstress in Loxley had done such a nice job. He had been unsure of what to ask for when he'd ordered it, but she had assured him that she would make certain that everything was just right.

Robin had given his consent to Will using a small portion of their stashed money for the purchase, and Will had actually requested and paid for it a few weeks ago, but he had asked that his involvement be kept a secret. And since he knew that Djaq would never purchase something nice for herself, he'd asked the woman to make her something with the greatest attention to detail but to hold on to it until Djaq came in to place an order herself.

The seamstress had thought him quite the considerate husband, assuming that he did not want his wife to feel self conscious that he had noticed her changing figure. And he had found it easier to allow her to believe that than telling her that Djaq was far too independent to appreciate his assistance. But Djaq looked happy and she did not seem to suspect that he'd had a hand in it, so he was glad that it had all worked out.

"Is this something that you feel comfortable doing?" He asked her softly after a moment. He loved how determined and independent she was. She was certainly strong and capable enough to make her own decisions. He trusted her instincts and knew that if there were any reason that she shouldn't participate in this mission, either because of the baby or anything else, she would say so.

"I do not even know anything about the plan yet." She answered him with the tiniest smile, causing him to smile in return. "But if Robin thinks that this is what we should do, then I will gladly help in any way that I can. Tell me about the Saracens." She said, turning to Robin and essentially ending all further discussion over her non-participation.

Once she had been fully briefed, they all settled down to speculate over the real reason behind the visit, as well as to formulate a fail-proof plan.

"So, then, who do you think this guy is, Djaq?" Allan asked her after they had fully dissected the matter.

"How should I know? I know as much as the rest of you." She answered.

"Yeah, but he's a Saracen. Maybe you know him." He suggested.

Will saw Djaq try to stifle her laughter before answering. "Allan, do you really suppose that all Saracens know one another? Do you know every European man, woman, and child?" She asked him.

"Oh. Right. I suppose not." And he reddened slightly.

"But I do agree that this can be no peace mission. And even if this man believes he is coming here in order to secure peace, like Prince Malik did, I do not believe that the Sheriff would bother with a ransom demand again. Not after the disastrous outcome last time. So this is something completely different. And even if we suppose that this Saracen believes he is here to argue for peace, which we cannot be sure of, that still does not explain the Sheriff's motivation in entertaining him." Djaq said.

"Right. That's what we must uncover. Why he is coming as well as how this benefits Prince John and the Sheriff. Only then will we understand the danger posed to the King." Robin agreed.

After the gang had spent the next two weeks trying to go on with their normal routine but anxiously anticipating the arrival of this mysterious Saracen, Allan finally got word from one of his kitchen sources at the castle that there was to be a lavish feast and reception for an important visitor in two days' time. Marian and her father were also notified and told that their attendance was mandatory.

The plan was for Djaq and Allan to sneak into the castle on the day of the party in order to rifle through the belongings of the Saracen servants. They were to secure some garments suitable for Djaq and Robin to wear to the party later that same evening and, hopefully, blend in enough to gather information on who this man was and what business he had there. But, at the last minute, Robin had pulled Will aside and asked him to take Allan's place.

"Uh, yeah, sure. But why? Allan is probably better at sneaking in and out of the castle than I am." Will had argued.

He was a bit nervous over spending such a large chunk of time alone with Djaq. He had not done so since the day of their wedding months earlier, when they had walked to and from Marian's house together, and he was not sure if he was ready to face her without the distraction of having other people around. What if he blew it by saying or doing something that gave away the depth of his feelings? What if he made her so uncomfortable that she wanted to leave him again? He knew he couldn't bear that.

"I just think this would be best. So can I count on you?" Robin asked.

"Yeah. Okay." And that was that.

So on the designated day, they all ducked into a nearby alleyway in order to catch a glimpse of the retinue arriving at the gates of the castle. They were struck by the number of horses and carts they saw, all loaded well over capacity with furniture, trunks, and all manner of things. It had been decided that it would be best for Will and Djaq to sneak in with the visiting party because it would allow them to take advantage of the chaos that all of the movement and unloading would create. So, after one final run through of the plan and where to meet the others afterward, the two of them slipped in with the throng of people who were passing through the gate.

A short time later, they were diligently searching up and down hallways, looking for the appropriate wing of rooms. Marian had given them a fairly good idea of which part of the castle to search. Which turned out to be quite helpful considering that the visiting party was so large they had to be given an entire wing of the castle.

"Someone's coming!" Djaq whispered urgently and Will saw her eyes dart up and down the long corridor, hoping to find somewhere to hide.

"Here!" He said, grabbing her carefully and walking her into a small alcove behind an empty bookcase. It stood out from the wall just enough to allow them to squeeze back there.

The space was extremely narrow and not exactly secure, but it was well hidden. Will flattened her against the back wall as much as possible and tried to shield her body with his own. He felt relatively certain that, as long as they were very quiet, they would remain undetected. Someone would have to be looking for them in this exact spot in order to find them there.

It wasn't the sort of niche you could just stumble upon accidentally and Will had only discovered it because he had long since developed the habit of scanning a room for all exit points and any possible hiding places the moment he entered. It was part of the way in which they lived. You never knew when a hasty retreat or a bit of camouflage might be in order.

He strained his ears and listened intently but he couldn't hear anything. He didn't doubt that she had, though, as she and Robin were often the ones among them to hear guards approaching or something amiss before anyone else did. Probably something to do with their days spent as soldiers, he guessed. But he now began to think that whatever or whomever she had heard had moved on and posed no immediate threat to them.

Still, he decided to wait a moment or two more before declaring the coast clear. He couldn't take any chances with her safety nor the safety of their child. That thought flitted through his mind at the exact moment that she shifted her weight and brushed softly against him, causing him to realize, for the first time, how tantalizingly close she was. He was facing her and their bodies were wedged into the corner rather snuggly.

Up until that moment, he had only been thinking of the danger, but his desire to protect his little family coupled with his close proximity to her warm and soft body made something almost uncontrollable rise up in him. Without stopping to think about their bizarre location, the fact that they had a job to complete, or the current state of their relationship, Will leaned his body into hers more fully. She didn't seem to take any offense, but he thought that perhaps the tight quarters may have masked his intentions. After all, he couldn't exactly move very far away from her, but, still, he didn't have to press against her so much either.

The warning voice in his head told him that he had no right to be that close to her. That he was crossing the very boundaries that she had so firmly set in place for them. That she had made it plainly understood that she did not want a physical relationship with him. But he told that voice to mind its own business as he took in her intoxicating scent and the sound of her breathing. He could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest and it thrilled him...or was it his heart? They were so close that he couldn't tell anymore.

All he knew was that she was his. No matter what he told himself day after day or how hard he tried to stay away from her, she belonged to him...on some primal level. Maybe it was wrong to think of her that way, but, at that moment, he couldn't see how it could be. She was his wife and the mother of his child. She had placed her seal upon his heart ages ago and she had staked her claim to his soul during their one night of passion and every day and night since. Every part of him ached for her and all of the pent up tension of the past few months was furiously trying to find its release.

He wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly, but, due to the space constraints, his movements were hindered. Besides, he had to keep one hand on his ax in order to keep from injuring her while they were so close. So he settled for leaning his head down and barely kissing her hair. The scent of lavender filled his nostrils as he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

Still, she did not object.

So he slowly lifted his free hand as much as he could manage given the lack of room and, without making a sound, he chanced running his palm over her hip and up her waist. He felt an incredible rush of excitement pass through him at this decidedly intimate contact. He had spent so much time over the past few months forcing himself to stay away from her. To not look at her. Trying so hard not to imagine being with her.

It was all maddening and, as it turned out, it was all for nothing. Because here he was, completely unable to control the animal instincts that told him that here was where he belonged. With her. That her body, her delicate curves and the soft cushion of her flesh in all the right places seemed to exist solely to accommodate the firmness of his own masculine form.

Every part of him was willing itself to inch ever closer to her until, finally, there was no space between them at all. It was as if his body was drawn to her of its own accord, as if it recognized her as its missing piece...its home...where it had once been warm and safe and sheltered. He needed her at that moment more than he could bear. His whole body was enveloped in such an exquisite state of pleasure-pain that it left him dizzy and numbed his mind. All thoughts of danger and propriety were forgotten. The only thing he could focus on was her.

His every instinct bid him to take her...to have her...to show her how much he adored her, even if only this one time. Even if she changed her mind again afterwards, like she had before, he thought that he could take that pain if it meant tasting her lips and being a part of her body. He leaned his head to her ear and whispered her name in a raspy, breathy voice.

"Djaq...."

He could swear that he felt her press against him the littlest bit. Encouraged by this, he lifted his hand from her waist and ran it up between their bodies and under the hem of her shirt. He brought it to rest on her now exposed belly, that devilish sense of ownership renewing itself as he lovingly stroked the place where his son or daughter lay. Then he leaned his mouth against her ear once more and gently nipped at her earlobe, causing her to shudder slightly against him. He slid his palm further beneath her shirt and up her torso, cupping her breast and slowly running his rough thumb back and forth over her hardening nipple.

"Djaq..." He breathed, sucking on the delicate flesh of her neck. "I can't stay away from you. It's killing me." He thought he heard her mewl softly. "Be with me. Please." He murmured against her neck as he lowered his hips just enough to grind them gently into hers, sending a jolt of pleasure through his body.

"I'm your husband...I would never hurt you, I promise...I just need you...I love you so much...Be with me just this once. Please?" He whispered through soft, licking kisses to her neck as he dropped his hand from beneath her shirt and let it dip down over her trousers and between her thighs where he gently squeezed.

"Will," she sighed against his chest, and the sound of his name on her lips in that softly alluring voice made his sense of urgency even greater. He leaned away from her just enough to allow him to bend his head and see her face. She had her eyes closed and was biting her lower lip. She was flushed and her breathing was ragged. And she was more beautiful than he had ever seen her. Was that even possible? How did she manage to grow lovelier every time he looked at her?

He started to lean down to kiss her lips when, suddenly, her eyes flew open and a look of pure horror and confusion passed over her face, bringing him sharply back to himself. It was then that he realized that he'd had her pinned between himself and the wall and he immediately released her, feeling horribly guilty over his animalistic behavior.

He ran a nervous hand through his hair, causing his elbow to knock against the bookcase and make a loud clatter. "I'm so sorry." He tried weakly, although he knew that a pathetic apology would never be enough to undo what he had done. He had broken her trust in the worst possible way. He had been so caught up in his own desires that he'd convinced himself that she'd wanted him to proceed. When he had thought that she was responding to his touch and his words, she was clearly trying to reel him in...to get him to get a hold of himself. Shame flooded him.

"It's alright. Do not worry about it. But we should move now. Someone may have heard." She panted, trying to catch her breath as they slipped out from their hiding place.

He had no idea what she must be thinking, but he did not think that she was angry. At least she did not seem so to him, although he was clearly not the best at interpreting her behavior. How could she stand to remain civil with him after what he had just tried to do to her?

But she was definitely very upset and, if he were not mistaken, she was frightened. Frightened of him. She was strong and brave and he had hardly ever seen her afraid of anything. To know that he was the one who sparked that fear in her made him sick.

He hated himself at that moment. How had things ever gotten to that point? He was not that type of man! He wasn't! He would never hurt the woman he loved. He would never hurt any woman, but especially not her. She meant the world to him and he loved and respected her. How could he have forced his urges onto her that way? What had come over him?

And he had definitely frightened her...badly from the way that she looked when he chanced a sideways glance in her direction as they made their way down the hall and on to the next set of rooms. The color had drained from her face now and she was shaky on her feet. He did not even trust himself to reach out for her arm in order to help steady her.

He knew then that he could simply not allow himself to be alone with her again. All of his attempts at distracting himself over the past several weeks and months were completely useless if one afternoon in a dark corner with her could turn him into an animal.

He knew that being married to her should not automatically give him unlimited rights to her body. He told himself that he would never have forced himself upon her. He just couldn't believe that he would. It was so out of sync with the way that he felt for her. But, he also knew that his feelings for her were so strong that they often overrode all rational thought, and he was determined that he would never again put her in the position of having to fear him or his advances.

"I'm alright." She said, obviously noticing the worried way he kept glancing at her as they quietly made their way over to the next corridor. "It was just that I was not expecting--"

"Let's finish up and get the clothes first before someone catches us. Okay? Then we'll figure everything out once we're safely out of here." He cut her off. She nodded as they moved onto separate hallways to continue searching the rooms.

He knew what she wanted to say.

She would remind him of their agreement. That, though, he thought that he could face. He could take her anger and disappointment. He deserved it. But he could not stand to have her try, once again, to be his friend. She was trying so hard with him, he knew. And she seemed perfectly willing to continue. She simply wouldn't face the fact that he was hopeless when it came to being her friend.

There was a time when he would have given anything to have her friendship again after the difficulties that arose between them immediately following their encounter in the cave. He'd secretly wanted more, of course, but he would have settled for having her treat him as a friend. Instead of being distant with him the way that she had been.

But now, distance from her almost seemed like a blessing. Because she just didn't get it. It wasn't her fault. Not at all. She wanted to forge a happy future with him for the sake of their child. He could not blame her for that. He wanted that too. And he kept hoping that he would be able to bind his feelings for her up in such a way that made them bearable. That made him the kind of husband she wanted. But he now knew that it was never going to work. And he felt terrible about it. About failing her so miserably when she was trying so hard.

And to have her try to sweep his latest offense aside as just one more bump in the road of adjustments they had to face, to have her look at him with kindness and sympathy, with him knowing all the while that he would never be able to give her what she wanted from him, was more than he could stand. He had to stop pretending that things were ever going to change between them. If his behavior with her today had shown him anything, it was that they never would.

But, more than that, he had to make her stop pretending. She had to face the fact that his feelings for her were not going away, no matter how many times she tried to pretend that they could be just friends. No matter how many times she invited him on walks or looked at him with understanding. It would never make any difference. He just had to stay away from her. He could not be trusted otherwise.

Finally, after nearly another hour had passed, she was the one who actually found what they were looking for, and, when she did, she made her way over to the room that he had been searching and showed him what she found. They stuffed the garments into a sack that he had carried folded up and tucked into his belt and they started to carefully make their way out of the castle.

When they reached the side of the castle where Much and John were waiting, Will signaled to John that their mission had been successful and he watched as the two men ran towards the forest while he and Djaq did the same in another direction.

When they got deep enough into the forest where Will thought they were safe, he stopped and turned to her.

"You can make it back from here, right?" He asked, handing her the sack of clothing.

"What?"

"To the camp. You can make it back on your own from here?" He knew that she could. She always took care of herself. He hated leaving her on her own, but knew that it was better than making the long walk back alone together.

"Of course, but--"

"Alright then." And he turned to go off in another direction. Anywhere but there.

"Where are you going? I was hoping that we could go somewhere and talk in private after we've seen Robin." She said, with a rather confused look.

"There's no need. There's nothing you can say to me that I haven't already said to myself, Djaq. You don't deserve this. You've made it clear what you want and I had no right to complicate things." He was easing himself away from where she stood, hoping that she would just let him go. Maybe they didn't have to have a big discussion about it.

"Complicate things? What is the matter with you, Will?"

Should he just tell her the truth? Well, Djaq, you want to know what's the matter with me? I obviously can't be near you without turning into an animal. That should be clear enough after what happened in the castle.

"I'm sure you'll agree it's best if we're not alone together." Is what he actually said. And he turned again to go.

"What? No I do not agree! Why would you say that? I do not understand. Back at the castle--"

"Look, I know you don't understand." What could he say? What excuse could he give her for his behavior back there? How could he possibly explain the things that had been going through his mind at the time? "I can only imagine what you must be thinking. What happened at the castle was a terrible mistake and I'm very sorry. Sorrier than you could know. But it will never happen again. You have my word, Djaq."

"I don't want your word and I don't need you to be sorry!" She shouted at him. "I need you to tell me what the hell is wrong with you. Why are you acting this way? What has gotten into you? You are never around. You are always gone. I have been trying to spend time with you for weeks now. I tried to be patient. I thought that you needed time to adjust to this new relationship. But then today, when we are finally alone together, you act like this? Oh no, Will Scarlett. You have absolutely no idea what I am thinking." She spat.

"I know. And you have every right to be angry with me." He actually preferred her anger to her attempts to reason things out between them. Finally she was beginning to see.

"Angry? Anger does not begin to cover it." She said with a look and a tone that bordered on contempt.

He could not blame her. He could not even ask for her forgiveness. He had violated her sacred trust and, what was worse, standing here with her and seeing the way that her face flushed and her chest heaved as she shouted at him only made him want her more. He had to get away from her. He didn't trust himself to walk all the way back to camp with her.

"Djaq, please. Let me go. I don't want to do anything to hurt you. I can't do this anymore. I can't keep pretending with you. Not when I know that no amount of time or adjustment is going to change the way I feel. I...I can't be the kind of husband you want me to be. I can't be what you expect of me. I just can't. Believe me, I've tried. You'll never know how hard. But I just can't do it."

"This does not make sense to me. What you are saying can not be right. Please don't do this to me, Will. Is it really so difficult to be with me? I...I do not...we...we did it before. What has changed?" She was practically pleading with him now, looking up at him with those beautiful big brown eyes and it broke his heart.

She still wanted to be his friend! She wanted things to be the way they were before. How could it be so easy for her? How was she able to go back to a friendly existence with him after what they had done together in the cave? After the child they had created? After all they had shared? Why could she not understand how hard this was for him?

"But it's different now! Don't you see that? At least for me it is. Everything's changed between us. I can't go back now. No matter how hard I try. I just can't. I know that's not what you want to hear. I'm sorry, Djaq." And with that, he turned and walked away from her, trying his best to erase her look of hurt and confusion from his mind.

He did not return to their camp until much later that night. He just couldn't face her. So he'd busied himself with his carving project until long after he knew she would be asleep. It was cowardly, he knew. He should have returned and done his part to assist with Robin's plan. Surely the rest of the gang would have wondered where he was.

It was unfair of him to leave Djaq to try to explain his absence to them. He wasn't even sure what she could have told them. She was far too tactful and private a person to reveal to them how he had treated her earlier, but they must have pressed her for some reason that Will would stay away. He should've been man enough to come back and face everyone. To meet his responsibilities.

But he hadn't. So as he finally made his way back through the dark forest, he scolded himself for letting Robin and the others down. He could tell, as he peered up at the moon, that it was time for Allan's shift on watch, and he was wondering what questions his friend would have for him tonight.

But more than that, he was thinking about how he would allow himself the small luxury of glancing down at Djaq's sleeping form as he passed her bunk upon entering camp. He had always been struck by the look on her face when she slept. She lost the hardness that she always wore like a suit of armor, making her look like an innocent child, without a care in the world. Something he had the sneaking suspicion she had never really been...even when she was a child.

But as he neared the camp and started to reach for the lever to open the hatch, he heard a harsh voice from above him.

"Just so you know, she's not in there. She's inside the castle." The voice spat bitterly.

With those words, his heart seemed to stop and his blood ran cold as he whipped around just as Allan soundlessly jumped from his perch in the trees overhead.