Maybe this new warden wasn't as timid and docile as he'd assumed. She certainly had no qualms about ordering him around, getting him out of bed and into the strange chair with wheels, before pushing him down the hallway. They rolled into a room that was entirely too small, that moved in mysterious ways, the doors opening into a completely new hallway. He'd barely had time to contemplate the magic of the moving box when Bailey pushed him through a door and stopped in front of a strange and diabolical looking torture device.
"Alright, we'll just hop up here and the scan will be over in a jiffy," she said, patting the table in front of her. She said it so nonchalantly as if this giant machine wasn't waiting to swallow him whole.
Guy looked at her as if she'd grown a second head, his expression leaving no room for interpretation. "You've taken leave of your sense if you think I'm getting in that thing."
Sighing, Bailey looked up like she was asking God for help before pulling something from her pocket. "Robin said I might need this. I was hoping she was wrong." She was holding a small syringe with clear liquid. "Look. You can either get the CT willingly or we'll make you get it. Either way, we're getting the scan." She paused, waiting to see if his expression changed. "You're really not going to make this easy, are you?" She didn't look in the mood to deal with his shenanigans.
He gritted his teeth, preparing to take whatever voodoo she threw at him. Guy thought he could fight through the elixir she was about to put into his body. "Try me."
A roll of her eyes and a push of her syringe later, Guy felt the room spinning, his arms and legs feeling heavy. "You might feel a little woozy," Bailey said. That was an understatement. He couldn't keep a straight thought in his brain, all the fight drained out of him as she moved him to the torture chamber with help from the assistants that suddenly materialized. Whatever she had done made him so sleepy, he couldn't even work up the energy to protest. She was right, though, it only took a moment. A whir and some beeps over the next few minutes, then the machine was done, and he was back in his wheeled chair, being pushed into the small moving box again.
Finally, Bailey helped him back into his bed. He wanted nothing more than to sleep for the next forever. Whatever she had injected into his body was powerful. He thought he would do anything anyone asked of him. It was a dangerous state to be in, especially for someone like him.
His next moment of clarity came hours later when Bailey and a new stranger came into his room to talk to him. This person introduced herself as the daytime doctor, Dr. Shultz. "So, good news! Your scan looked better than expected. There's an abscess, but IR took a look and says it's not drainable. We're going to switch up your antibiotics a bit, but I think you're more than appropriate for the floor. As soon as a bed opens up we'll get you down there. Do you have any questions?" Guy had many questions, but none that he was comfortable asking or that wouldn't make the doctor suspicious.
Instead, he shrugged. "That sounds like a good thing." He wasn't sure it did, but the doctor seemed pleased about the news.
Dr. Shultz smiled and patted his arm. "You're making great progress towards getting better and getting to go home. I'm sure you're tired of being cooped up in here. Once you get to the floor, you'll have a lot more freedom, too." He was tired of being trapped in this place but also didn't know what awaited him on the outside. Where would he go when they released him? It was a thought he had avoided, hoping he had plenty of time to get it worked out before he had to worry about it. Now it seemed like that time was coming more swiftly.
The doctor left while Bailey stayed behind to check on Guy's machines. "My charge nurse on the floor said they have a few discharges later this afternoon, so hopefully we'll get you down there sometime this evening," she said absently as she put the cuff on his arm and pressed some buttons on the light box above the bed. "They'll bother you a lot less down there, though you may have to share a room."
"Share a room?" Guy's brow furrowed at this. He was accustomed to his privacy, though it was already severely limited in this place. The thought of it being taken away completely was deeply disturbing.
Bailey nodded as she finished up. "Yeah, some of the rooms down there are private, but it just depends on what comes available first. They usually reserve the private ones for celebrities and patients who aren't suited for a roommate." He wondered what that meant, already vowing to find out so he could make himself as unsuitable as possible. Having a roommate would be risky, considering the possibility of what he might say while asleep or under the influence of whatever drugs they gave him.
Finally, he was alone again, his mind mostly cleared after sleeping off the elixir from earlier. If he got sent to "the floor" today, did that mean he wouldn't see Robin again? It was one of many distressing thoughts, such as what he would do whenever he was set free from this place, where he would go. If Marian was alright. Where Hood was, whether in this world or the real one. How any of them could get back to the place from which they came. What Robin was doing right now, if she was thinking about him.
That last ridiculous thought came up unbidden, making him shake his head ruefully. Now was not the time to be daydreaming about a girl, no matter how confident and capable she was. Those were the qualities he liked in a woman; he was never one to chase after the damsel in distress. Marian was the same, a woman who knew what she wanted and wouldn't stop until she accomplished her goals. It was just too bad that what she wanted hadn't been him.
The comparison between Robin and Marian made him uncomfortable. They weren't really similar, beyond their strength and courage. Robin was much daintier, for one. Far more petite and delicate on the surface. Marian always seemed sturdy and powerful, like she could take on anything. He thought back to the weight of Robin on top of him, how easily he tossed her to the ground. Yet she was skilled enough to keep him alive against all odds, was able to help him off the floor, to walk around without faltering. She had a different kind of power, one that came from training and practice.
Again, Guy was struck with the thought that he might not see her again. It was a terrible thought. Robin had been with him from his first moment in this strange world. It felt unfair for their time together to be over, just like that. She was the one constant that he could count on in this sea of confusion. His chest ached when he considered that he was about to be alone, torn from the single person who seemed to show any sort of kind feelings towards him.
It was easy for Guy to slip into a cycle of self-pity. His life had never been easy, even from childhood. He thought himself a product of his lot in life, that he had no choice but to become the man he was today, sent down his dark path by the actions of others. Few had the courage to challenge that notion and those that tried never succeeded. He'd considered Marian as one of the people who wanted to see the good in him, for a time, but even that was all a ruse to help Hood.
Left to his brooding for much of the day, Guy had no appetite for the food that was offered. The sight of the strange meal in front of him turned his stomach, though he hadn't vomited in years. It's important to have a sturdy constitution when you deal with such atrocities as Guy was used to committing. He did manage to drink some juice and keep it down, but that in itself was something of an accomplishment. Bailey seemed disappointed in his lack of appetite, though she didn't say anything outright, just shook her head a little as she carried the meal away, untouched.
The day faded into evening without further word of the impending transfer. Soon, the nighttime warden appeared. Jacqueline, as promised. Guy wasn't sure what he was expecting, but the dark-skinned Amazonian before him caught him by surprise. She was taller than most men and seemed like she could handle her own in a fight. He found her strangely attractive, though he'd never seen a woman quite like her before. She was certainly nothing like Robin or Marian.
"Well, it sure is nice to meet you," she said with a wide smile on her face. Guy knew that Robin must have told her something about him from the way she was looking at him. He hoped they were good things. Jacqueline had a sly look about her as if she knew something that he didn't. "Unfortunately, our time together will be short. A bed is about to open up on the floor, so as soon as the room gets cleaned we'll be shipping you down there." She seemed oddly disappointed by this.
He didn't know what to say to that. The threat of "the floor" had been hanging over his head for days now; he'd almost thought it would never actually happen. At least this new nurse seemed nice enough, maybe she would help make it an easier transition.
Jacqueline suddenly clapped her hands together. "Shoot!" Guy raised his eyebrows at her strange exclamation, unsure if she were speaking to him or herself. "I left my lunch at home. Darn. I'm going to have to see if Robin would be willing to bring it by for me later." With that,s she winked at him and left the room. Their whole interaction was very confusing. What had she meant by telling him that? Was she letting him know that Robin would be around soon? His heart warmed a bit with the thought that he might see her, though he had no reason to believe that she would stop in to visit with him.
Regardless, that idea kept him content for a while, until Jacqueline reappeared. "Alright, it's time to roll out!" She helped Guy into the chair with wheels and pushed him into the hall. A short trip later and they were in a new room, a bit bigger with two beds inside. "Lucky you, they discharged both patients out of here today, so maybe you'll be alone for a while. Though the ER is looking pretty busy," Jacqueline said. He wasn't sure what most of that meant; all that mattered was both beds were empty, so he didn't have to worry about sharing his room just yet.
The new nurse that would be taking over for Jacqueline came into the room and introduced herself. Her name was Bridget; she seemed friendly enough. Not bubbly and peppy but also not surly. She was obviously not super excited about getting a new patient. Her attitude changed a bit once she saw Guy and gave him an appreciative glance. It made him strangely uncomfortable to be looked at like he was a product on display or a piece of meat about to be devoured.
After Jacqueline and Bridget got him all set up in his new abode, Jacqueline said goodbye and headed off back to the floor she came from. Before leaving, she smiled back at Guy. "It was nice meeting you. I have a feeling we may be seeing more of each other in the future. Feel better soon!" Then she was gone, giving Guy no chance to ask what she meant by that.
He supposed this new place wasn't so bad so far. The room was much the same, though a bit quieter than his previous one. That wouldn't last, though, if that other bed were to become occupied. But for now, it was peaceful, nice to be alone. He must have dozed off for a moment, for the next thing he knew there was a knock on the door. "Yes?" He called out hesitatingly, wondering who would be knocking. He knew most of the nurses so far didn't bother with such a formality.
It was Robin who opened the door, catching him by surprise. "Hey," she said, standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Oh, it's you." Guy wasn't sure what to say. "Um. Come in." He made a small gesture towards a chair in the corner, which she sat down in, smiling gratefully. She was dressed differently than he was used to. Her breeches were tighter, fitted against her legs and dyed a pale blue. Her tunic was not as form fitting but fell in such a way that he could envision every curve of her compact body, especially as he remembered what that body felt like pressed against his. Guy could feel his heart beginning to race at the thought, only to hear one of the machines he was connected to make a small alarming sound.
Her hair was loose and flowing around her shoulders, framing her face in an almost angelic way, swaying as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I know you weren't expecting me to come by." That was an enormous understatement. "But Jacqueline asked me to bring her lunch, so I thought I'd stop in to see how you were settling into your new digs. I hope that's okay." She seemed very unsure of herself, which was unlike the Robin he'd come to know so far.
Guy smiled a bit to reassure her. "I'm grateful, truly." She smiled back, relieved.
"You already look like you're feeling better," she said, looking him over quickly.
It probably wasn't true, but Guy was glad she thought so. "I suppose, well enough to be sent here, anyway." He shrugged, unsure what to say. "Did you get some rest?" He'd gathered so far that the nightshift staff slept during the day.
Robin shrugged back. "Yeah, some. Had the weirdest dreams, though…" she trailed off, apparently aware that dreams might not be an entirely appropriate conversation topic.
The topic intrigued Guy, though, so he wanted to explore it further. "What did you dream about?" He asked, unsure if she would answer.
The question made her blush, but she powered ahead. "Well, you were there. And… Marian. And a lot of other people, people I didn't know. I guess it was less of a dream and more of a nightmare." She stopped, seeming to realize that saying he was in her nightmares wasn't the nicest thing you could say to someone. Guy stayed quiet, waiting to see if she would continue. "I felt… Trapped. Like I was trying to get home, get back here, but couldn't find a way."
"I know how that feels," Guy said softly, not quite realizing he'd said it out loud. He was startled when she suddenly looked at him, sadness written on her face. It was as if she instantly knew everything, all the secrets he'd been keeping since arriving in this land.
That feeling thankfully passed and she looked very contrite. "I'm sorry, I never even considered how you must feel, being stuck here with a bunch of strangers. Maybe my dream was my subconscious telling me how inconsiderate I've been. I don't think I've ever asked where you're from. Obviously not from around here."
He thought for a moment. What harm could it do to tell her that much? "No, not from around here indeed," He agreed. "I'm from England."
England, 1193
The strange encounter threw him off his original plan. The guards were closing in, so he had to think fast or else he'd never be able to accomplish his goal of exacting revenge on the sheriff. Darting down a small alley, Robin cursed to himself. Who was that woman? She had seemed tiny but fierce, so familiar but impossible to place. He felt like something was just out of reach in the dark corners of his memory, impossible to bring forward into the light.
He paused for a moment to catch his breath, waiting until the guards thundered past around the corner before moving again. He needed to regroup and come up with a better plan to get at the sheriff. Of course, there were guards everywhere. The sheriff must have known Robin would come after him. He just hoped the wicked man was more vulnerable now, without his enforcer at his side. Maybe Gisborne's death would have some negative effect on the sheriff. They'd been together for many years, it would make sense for there to be some attachment between them. It would serve him right, though Robin doubted the sheriff had that much humanity within him to even care that Gisborne was gone.
As he made his way back into the forest to collect his thoughts and come up with a real plan, he did his best to avoid the rest of the group. Robin thought they would probably head to the city to search for him, but odds were that they'd leave someone behind in the forest to keep an eye out. Luckily, Robin was sneakier than the others in the gang and knew all the hiding places and potential ambush locations. He was able to set up in a tree deep in the woods, confident that no one would find him.
The breakneck speed of travel had caught up with him, now that he was back in familiar soundings. He hadn't realized how tired he was until he found himself dozing off in the comfort of the canopy. The next thing he knew, he was startled awake by someone calling his name down below. Of course, it was Much. The man's loyalty was commendable and appreciated during their time together in the holy land, but now it was an incredible annoyance when all Robin wanted was to be alone.
"I can see you, you know. You're not invisible." Much was standing underneath the tree, arms folded like a mother scolding her child.
Robin tossed a nut from the tree at his friend's head. "Go away, Much. Haven't I made it clear that I don't need you anymore?" It was a harsh thing to say, but politely asking obviously wasn't going to work.
He could hear Much's sigh of irritation filter all the way up through the leaves. "Why do you have to say such things, Robin? We only want to help you because we care about you." Robin felt a stab of guilt at his behavior of late, knowing his friend's words rang true. "Just come down, we can work this out together, Robin."
The memory of Marian's pained face flashed into his mind. "No. Robinhood is dead."
