A week had past since Robin and Allan had almost burnt in a large pot of pitch, Marian had almost been kidnapped but saved by Gisborne and the Sheriff (surprisingly) and a week since I last saw Allan. It was the longest time I hadn't seen him in a year.

Ever since Allan left I realized how much of an outsider I was in the gang. Usually I spent my days with Allan. Now that he was gone I found how little relationships I had with the rest of the gang. Obviously they were still my friends and I still saw them as family but now they were more like that odd family member you had nothing to say to. I tried spending more time with Will and Djaq but I felt like I was unwanted there as the two often did a lot of things just the two of them.

Robin and John were still mad over me wanting to go back and help Allan and that I (part of me, though I'd refused to admit it to anyone) had forgiven him. Both were under the impression that Allan was a traitor and now everything he did was wrong. There was no going back from what he did. I wasn't sure what to think. I wanted to hate him, I really did, but for some reason I just couldn't.

I found myself spending a lot more time with Much. Though his constant rambling still annoyed me I found it more amusing now, and although he wasn't much of a listener, he was a great talker. It's not like I wanted to talk much now a days.

Still the camp wasn't the same without Allan.

Today, however, in the early hours of the morning, Robin decided today was the day we were going to steal the pact back. I hadn't really listened to the details of the plan too consumed in my own confusion over Allan. That happened often as finding myself wondering off when usually I had 100% focus on a mission.

Today, instead I followed what the rest of the gang, hoping Robin hadn't given me any specific tasks to do on my own whilst he'd been going through the plan because if he had… I wasn't listening.

We travelled to Nottingham, entering the castle courtyard in silence. Security was at its lowest this time of night.

Robin was passing out torches for us to carry. I held my hand out to take one but Robin withdrew his hand "Maybe you should stay here, Elaine" Robin suggested.

"Why?" I asked my eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Just to keep look out?"

I sighed realizing what he was really doing "just because Allan's in the castle doesn't mean I'm going to go running to him. When will you get it into you're head that I'm not going back to him" My voice getting louder as I spoke

"shhh" Much hushed me "We don't want to wake up the castle"

"Elaine, it's not that I just-" Robin began but I held up my hand to stop him from talking.

"Stop treating me like a child, please, I know what you're trying to do" I said, stomping past him with my sword out in front of me. Robin, however, stopped me by placing his hand on my arm, preventing me from moving. I snapped around to glare at him but he was shaking his head.

"Elaine, your head isn't in it. I want you to stay out here" He said softly but firmly. I turned to face the rest of the gang seeing if they agreed with Robin but they looked away, refusing to meet my eye. I didn't understand what he was saying. My head was in it. I wanted to help the gang defeat the Sheriff by getting the pact back. Did he not want me there?

"Don't tell me if my head is or isn't in it, Robin! I can think for myself" I hissed at him my anger reaching boiling point and embarrassed that I was receiving this lecture in front of everyone. If we hadn't been trying to sneak into the castle I would have screamed at him right there and then.

"You've not been yourself for the past couple of days and I get it, I do, but I don't want to risk the chance that you could screw this up for all of us. We need to get that pact" Robin's tone now equally matching mine. I shook my head feeling my fists curling up into balls.

So, maybe he was right – I hadn't been acting like myself. I was more snappy with people than usual, I hadn't been concentrating as much and had hardly been sleeping but that didn't mean I wasn't capable.

"Don't you think I don't know that we need to get the pact? I'm not going to screw anything up!" I denied holding my hands out in defence "Just because I'm a little off it today doesn't mean you can just push me to the side"

"Elaine, please, someone will hear you" Much told me annoyed as he looked around wildly to see if any guards were coming.

Robin ignored Much and continued now not even bothering to lower his voice "but it's not just today, it was yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. You've been like this ever since Allan betrayed us and you know it"

I sighed tears spilling to my eyes as I repeated "What so just because I'm acting a little different you're ordering me to stay behind. This is ridicules. Let's just get this over and done with an stop wasting time" I marched forward, hearing Robin sigh

"No, Elaine you're not liste-"

I span around "Fine! I want out" I said. Robin looked up sharply. Shocked. The rest of the gang took a small gasp.

"What?"

"I want out" I repeated strongly "I don't want to do this anymore"

"Well, you can't just up and leave us…." Much trailed off, confused "The Sheriff will still think you're part of our gang and have a bounty on your head"

"I can do what the hell I want!" I snapped back. Robin, slowly, began shaking his head.

"Elaine, you're not thinking straight" Robin took a step forward. I stepped back feeling more betrayed by him than I ever had before. He was an older brother to me, but him pushing me to the sidelines like he was made me realize just how tired of this life I was.

"I don't want to do this anymore" I repeated, annoyed that I kept having to repeat everything I said "I used to enjoy this, I used to love going on adventures with you, being part of the great Robin Hood's gang, but I just don't want to do it anymore" I took hold of the outlaw tag hanging around my neck and passed it over to Robin. A second passed before Robin finally held his hands out to take the tag "you guys go in there and get the pact" Steadily, I began to walk further back.

"Where are you going to go?" Djaq asked me, finding her voice.

"I don't know" I shrugged feeling a whole lot of weight be lifted off my shoulders with each step I took away from the gang "For the first time in a year I have no idea where I'm going"

"Elaine, this is stupid. Don't go" Robin called after me as I turned my back on them.

"It's ok, I want to go. I can't do this anymore" I nodded my head, confident that this was what I wanted "Go into the castle, get the pact and for god sake defeat the Sheriff once and for all please"

*~How to tame an Outlaw~*

The streets were still dark, half an hour later after I had left the gang. No one was in sight. It looked as if it was about four in the morning. I still had no idea where I was going apart from wondering down the streets, waiting for some life to appear on them and for the streets to get crowded again, ready for market. Part of me wanted to wait outside the castle gates, for the gang to reappear again. Just to make sure they were alright, but I was sure they had already left with the pact under Robin's arm, already forgotten about me.

I wanted to go into the castle to find Marian. She was the only one who understood what was going on in my head right now. Everything felt so confusing, leaving all my thoughts leading back to Allan and what he did and how for some reason I couldn't hate him for betraying me. However, despite that, I didn't venture into the castle to find Marian. I would only be a nuisance, especially at this hour.

I continued on down Pitts street finding Sarah's door. I went to knock but closed my hand up again. It was still dark and though Sarah would never admit it, I'd annoy her if I woke her and Jess up, just because I was in need of comfort. I could wait until morning to speak to her.

I looked back up the dark street feeling it's coldness swallow me up. There was one thing I hated more than the dark. Being alone in the dark.

I could have at least waited until the morning to leave the gang.

My eyes gazed up at the castle above me. Somewhere up there was Allan, probably sleeping soundlessly. He was the only person, if at night I needed someone, I could wake.

Why was my life turning into such a mess? Right now all I wanted was to relax and to stop the evolving thoughts swim through my mind. God, why was everything so confusing?

I swear I was going crazy with all the ongoing nonsense going through my head.

Finally, with a breath I knocked on Sarah's door. A minute passed before I saw a flickering candle being lit from a crack through the door. The door opened seconds later revealing a very tired looking Sarah.

"Elaine? What are you doing here?" Her eyes squinted at me tiredly. I tried not to feel guilty for waking her up. I knew she had a busy life without me butting in on it.

"Hi Sarah" I gave a small smile "Do you mind if I stay here awhile. I promise, it won't be for long" I quickly added.

Sarah smiled at me in return "You're always welcome here; you know that, as are the rest of the gang. They saved my daughters life, remember?" Sarah opened her door more, allowing me in. Stepping in, the cold wind stopped.

"Thanks" I grinned meekly "but I doubt the gang will be stopping by anytime soon"

Sarah's eyebrows knitted together in confusion "Why, what happened?"

"I left the gang"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise "What? Why?"

"I just couldn't do it anymore" I admitted, taking a seat down on one of the chairs that were scattered about the room "I'm sorry I haven't seen you and Jessie for awhile. I think the last time I saw you I was being poisoned. How is she?" I asked for a change of subject.

It seemed so long ago that I had been poisoned, when in actual fact only a few weeks had passed.

Sarah narrowed her eyes "She's fine, a bit annoyed that her birthday was destroyed by – you know- getting poisoned" Sarah chuckled slightly to lighten the mood but her face dropped almost instantly "Now, tell me what happened?"

She took a seat down next to me, waiting for an explanation. I wished she would just go back to bed and that I too could rest. I didn't want to explain anything right now.

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it again, not sure what to say. What was I supposed to say?

"Allan betrayed us" I said, starting from the beginning.

"What?" She frowned "When did this happen?"

"A few weeks ago…. I think… I don't know" I sighed, rubbing my eyes tiredly "He's Gisborne's right hand man now" I almost laughed at how ridicules it all sounded.

"Oh… that makes sense now, I saw him walking through the streets the other day, he was wearing some-"

"Stupid black thing, I know" I sighed, pushing a hand through my hair a headache forming.

"Yeah, that. I thought I must have mistaken him for someone who looked like Allan…" She said "That still doesn't explain why you left the gang?"

"I just didn't want to do it anymore"

"Because of Allan?"

I frowned "I don't know, maybe. It reminds me of him, everyone keeps telling me to move on and maybe I should"

"And leaving Robin Hood's gang is the right way to do that?"

I shrugged unsure on everything. Sarah sighed realizing I had no answers to give because I was so confused.

"Go back to bed, I'll be alright" I told her, looking around for somewhere comfortable to lay down and rest my eyes in Sarah's small house.

She shook her head "It's almost light now, and I'm awake now. You go get some sleep, you look tired" she said placing her hand on mine "Take my bed upstairs"

"N-no, I couldn't" I mumbled but Sarah took my am and lead me up the stairs.

"Don't be stupid, I won't be using it, you might as well be comfortable" Sarah said "Anyway, how long has it been since you slept in a proper bed?"

"Awhile" I grinned slightly giving into my drooping eyes, finding the bed with my hands. I hadn't slept in a bed in years.

"I'll wake you up if anything interesting happens" Sarah informed me as my eyes slowly drifted away, falling asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

*~How to tame an Outlaw~*

I woke up with a start. Squinting my eyes adjusting to the light I saw Jess's blurry image sitting on the bed next to me. How long had she been watching me sleep? That's kind of creepy.

"Finally you're awake" Jess rolled her eyes getting off of me.

"Why? How long have I been sleeping?" rubbing my eyes, I asked.

"Well it's the afternoon now; I'm not really sure what time you got in. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you!" I jumped up tickling her sides. She giggled, flapping her hands in the air.

"St-stop" She cried, laughing. I stopped and found a real smile forming on my face. It felt unnatural to me now "I missed you, I haven't seen you or Allan in awhile" My smile faltered at the mention of Allan. She didn't notice my face drop and continued on speaking "I mean I hardly remember you on my birthday, I was kinda dealing with not dying and I didn't see Allan at all"

"Where's your mother?" I asked attempting at changing the subject, hoping maybe Sarah would be able to come up and save me from having this conversation.

"She's gone to the castle to work. She'll be back in a few hours" Jessie shrugged moving off of the bed and reaching for her teddy bear sitting on the side. She plopped back down next to be, the bear wrapped around her arm "I saw him the other day when mother was at work"

I frowned "Who did you see?"

She rolled her eyes "Allan, obviously" She grinned "He was wearing all black, was he undercover or something in the castle?"

She paused and I realized she was waiting for me to answer. I quickly nodded "Something like that"

"That's so cool" She laughed "I wish I could be part of Robin Hood's gang and fight the Sheriff. Do you think when I'm older Robin'll let me join?"

Raising my eyebrows at her eagerness I shrugged "Maybe, ask him when you're a little older. He doesn't recruit young'ens" I reached out scuffing her hair up.

"eugh, You know I don't like that" She sighed when I pulled away, running a hand through her now knotted hair in an attempt to make it straight "I spent hours on that this s'morning"

"I'm sure you did. It looked lovely"

"Looked" Jess scowled at me and I tried not to laugh at her now screwed up hair that was now sticking up in odd placed "You're mean" She stuck her tongue out at me

"I'm not mean" I faked being offended drawing a hand over my heart dramatically

"Allan gave me money the other day, have you got me any money for me?"

I sat up a little straighter "W-what? What are you on about? Allan gave you money?"

"Yeah" she shrugged as though it was no big deal, playing with the ears of her bear "I saw him in the market when I was buying supplies for mother, I was getting annoyed because I'd run out of money to buy some meat. He came over to me and asked me why I was 'throwing a tantrum' – which, by the way I was not throwing a tantrum I was just a little upset – anyway, I told him why and he gave me some money with a little bit extra and told me to buy a treat. I brought George with it" She held up her bear proudly.

I took in the new information. Allan gave Jess money when he didn't have to. It wasn't much but it meant a lot to me. Sarah and Jess meant the world to me, they were one of the only people I could rely on, Sarah being a best friend from childhood.

"George, hey" I smiled tears forming in my eyes. Once again I was doubting everything I knew about Allan "That's a nice name"

"That's what I want to call my baby when I'm older, if I have a boy" She said rocking the bear like a baby.

Suddenly, we heard the door slam downstairs. I darted up seeing what was up and almost bumping into Sarah who grabbed my hand.

"you have to go to the castle!"

I frowned "What?" I said as I was pulled back out of the front door, Jess following behind, just as confused as me. I turned to her giving her a look that read 'what is up with your mother?' she shrugged in reply.

Sarah remained quite as we pushed through the forming crowed through the market. We reached the courtyard. She pointed up at a cage standing over the steps where the Sheriff stood. Inside money was stored high. I spotted Allan standing by Gisborne up on the steps, staring proudly up at the money.

The Sheriff was speaking to the peasants below him "This latest addition to my fund, I have been reliably informed, has come from the coffers of Robin Hood himself" The crowed gasped as my eyes snapped around to Allan. He must have told them, even from where I was standing I could tell that the boxes the money was stored in was Will's creation "if you happen to see Robin Hood and he asks you 'have you seen my money' you can say to him 'the answer my friend is blowing in the wind!"

I searched the crowed for familiar faces and found Marian standing next to a man in brown wearing a hat. After squinting my eyes I noticed it was Robin she was standing next to with the rest of the gang in disguise behind him. What the hell had I missed that made the Sheriff get hold of all our money? I had only been gone a day.

"Robin?" Sarah mumbled in my ear "Is it really Robin's money?"

"Yes, I think so" I nodded. Looking around at Jess who was scowling at something.

"ok, so I'm really confused" She confessed "Why the bloody hell is Allan up there?"

"Mind your language Jess" Sarah scolded her daughter, though she sent me a concerned look, not answering her daughters question. I opened my mouth to reply, some stupid excuse probably but I was thankfully interrupted.

"That's my money!" Some cried from the towers. The crowed all turned to look at a man who had a bow pointed at the Sheriff "I want my bride! I've settled her debts and you've got your money. You're the thieves, you and the Canon. Not Robin Hood!" What was he on about? Was he the person that had caused all of this money lost. Robin obviously had something to do with it.

"Who's that?" Sarah asked as if I knew all the answers

He let go of his bow and the arrow fell pathetically out of his bow, next to him. He was worse than me. A smile came on my face as I remembered Robin and Allan attempting at teaching me how to fire and arrow straight.

"Guards! Hang him!" The Sheriff ordered his soldiers before walking back into the castle with Gisborne and Allan following him like lost puppies. The guards ran up the battlements towards him. He was cornered. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Robin spring to action. He grabbed a banner that had previously been covering the cage of money. Him and John held out the banner under John who was up high in the battlements.

"John! Jump!" Robin called down to him. With the oncoming guards, the man called John climbed the battlement walls realizing there was no escape with oncoming guards. He jumped and the crowed screamed, I closed my eyes expecting the screams to continue as the man came into contact with the ground, but the screams seized. I cracked my eyes open seeing the man standing up and running away with the rest of the gang. They ran right past me not realizing I was there before disappearing through the castle gates.

I looked back up at the cage again thinking about a plan on how to get the money back to the gang and to the poor where it belongs when I saw Marian going back into the castle.

I bid goodbye to Sarah and Jess and began to follow Marian. I'd been wanting to speak to her for awhile now. Marian walked through the corridors and I followed closely behind her. I thought about calling her name out but decided it might to cause too much attention. Deciding to go to her room and wait for her I changed direction when Marian suddenly stopped. Jumping behind a pillar.

What was she doing?

I stopped. Wondering what she was doing. Shrugging I turned back to the direction of Marian's chambers when I heard voices.

"They got away" I heard the sound of Gisborne's voice. My heart jumped as I realized all they had to do was turn a corner and they would see me.

Instantly I ran to where Marian was hiding behind a pillar. She jumped when she saw me

"What are you doing here?" She mouthed as Gisborne and the Sheriff loomed closer.

"um.. hiding" I shrugged in reply.

"Surprised, hmm?" The Sheriff said to Gisborne. They walked past our hiding place. I almost jumped back when I realized Allan was closely following behind them looking out of place standing with them "Hood always gets away and I'm getting rather tired of it!" The Sheriff then looked over at Allan This time we go to him"

Allan's eyes widened as he realized what the Sheriff was asking off him. I held my breath waiting to see what Allan's answer was going to me. Surly he wouldn't take the Sheriff to the gang.

"Look, like I said to Giz" Allan said. I rolled my eyes at the use of his new nickname for Gisborne "I can't tell you where Robin lives"

"Whose side are you on, Allan?" From the shadows I crept over the side of the pillar to get a better look at Allan but was held back when Marian placed a hand over my arm, stopping me from moving.

"Even if I did tell you, he might've moved on" Allan said. I could tell by his voice how desperate he was not to lead the Sheriff and Gisborne to the camp "And if he hasn't moved one, he'll have set up loads of traps. It'd be too dangerous"

I knew the Sheriff was never going to fall for that one. His only motive was to kill Robin along with the rest of the gang. Robin had even discussed with us leaving the camp and finding a new one, but it was me who told him that Allan would never tell the Sheriff about the camp. I managed to convince Robin.

"Yes, well Don't you worry about that, eh, dear boy? We'll send you in first"

The Sheriff stalked off telling some guards to get is horse ready. I sighed in relief as they once again went past mine and Marian's hiding spot without us noticing. When they were safely round the corner I turned to Marian.

"Do you do this a lot?" I asked her "Spying and all"

"Not very often" She replied before turning her head around the corner. When she noticed no one was there she slid out from behind the pillar "We need to warn Robin that the Sheriff is coming"

"I wouldn't worry about it. Allan would never lead the Sheriff to the camp"

Marian raised her eyebrows "Wouldn't he?" I opened my mouth to reply to somehow defend Allan but I had no argument "Elaine, I know that you love him but we cannot just trust him because of that, he's on the Sheriff's-"

"He's on the Sheriff's side, I know" I frowned "I just keep wanting to believe that he wouldn't do this"

Marian sighed "I would love to talk about this but we don't have time" I nodded agreeing with her. Even if I didn't want to believe that Allan would do this, Robin needed to know.

"I'll go find Robin" I turned to leave immediately but Marian's voice called me back.

"No, we'll both go" Marian said.

"But how are you going to get out of the castle"

"Allan has told the Sheriff about all the ways in and out of the castle. You'll never get out either" Marian said biting the inside of her cheek, thinking. My thoughts turned back to Allan. How could he tell the Sheriff about all our ways of getting into the castle? Did he want us to be captured? Somehow I still knew that wasn't true.

"I could talk to Allan, get some sense into him" Marian's sharp eyes shot up to meet mine. Her stare was almost accusing and for a moment I thought she'd tell me that there was no way to get through to Allan before she nodded.

"I suppose you could try" Marian finally shrugged "but if it doesn't work go find Robin and warn him. I'm going to go speak with my father"

I sighed, glad I had the chance to prove that Allan wasn't all bad. Maybe if I could get through to him I could convince him to leave Gisborne and the Sheriff. For a second I allowed my mind to wonder off. What if we left together?

I followed the corridor down to where I imagined Allan would be getting ready to take Gisborne and a few guards down to Robin's camp. He was alone. His back was facing me as I entered the room, buttoning up his black vest ready to venture out into the forest. He sighed as he did so no trace of a smile lighting up his face like it used to.

"Allan" I called out to him. He paused tensing up before slowly turning to face me.

"Elaine, what are you doing here?" I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized he wasn't about to go and arrest me, not that I doubted that for a second.

"I know that you're planning on leading Gisborne and the Sheriff to the camp-"

"Elaine, I don't want to. Please you've got to believe me"

"I do" Allan stared at me, shocked that I believed him.

"You do?"

"Of course I do. Despite everything you've done I know you never purposely put us in harms way" I said taking a few cautious steps forward "I'm here asking you not to do it"

"I wish I could but I can't" Allan explained "I'm fighting for my life here; if I don't have the Sheriff to back me up I'm screwed. Robin won't take me back"

I didn't know how to respond. Part of me pulling towards him, wanting to help him. But how? There was no way I would convince Robin to let him come back, especially after leaving them myself. The other part of me, the more experience side that kept bringing up Tom's betrayal and how I was alone for years after that told me to leave him, to forget about him.

But I had never forgiven Tom and look what happened to him.

"We could leave together" I said, tears escaping my eyes "Just please don't lead the Sheriff to the camp"

"I can't ask you to leave the gang, not for me, you love that life"

"I've already left them" I said through tears "I left them this morning" Had it not even been a day since then?

"Allan, you coming?" A voice came from outside the door. It was Gisborne "Hurry up, the Sheriff wants us to find it as soon as possible" Allan's eyes whizzed from the door to mine.

"I'm just coming, meet me at the carriage!" Allan called back.

"Just hurry" Gisborne cold voice called through the door before hearing his footsteps walk away. I breathed out. We hadn't been caught.

"Look, I've got to go" Allan stared at me as though urging me to go.

"You're going?" I said, feeling betrayed he was still choosing to go.

"Listen" Allan said placing a hand on my wet stained cheek from crying "Go back to Robin, warn him about us coming, I'll try to divert them as long as I can and then afterwards you need to stay with them. That's where you belong and you know it"

Allan was rushing what he was saying now knowing he had limited time before Gisborne came back demanding to take them to Robin's camp.

"And you're going to stay with the Sheriff?" Allan nodded in reply as a more bundle of tears came out at his answer "please, don't"

"Look, if I don't go now Gisborne'll probably kill me" Allan said before pulling keys out of his pocket "These are keys to the west gate. You won't be able to get out any other way, I've…" He looked down shamefully "told the Sheriff all of the other ways in and out of the castle, so take these and get to Robin before us" He grabbed my hand and shoved the keys in them, closing them over into a fist enclosing the keys in them "I love you" He said finally before leaving the room.

A/N

Notjackinplural I can't promise nothing will happen to them :P

Art Counterclockwise I always wondered the same thing if Robin had killed the black Knights then Nottingham probably would have been brought down by Prince John sooner, but yeah at least Marian would still be alive (eugh, Guy!) I wasn't actually planning on going down this route with them, I was going to have Elaine hate him but I decided that because of her past with Tom and her never forgiving him for what he did she might be more open to forgiveness. Thank-you for convincing me to not killing Robin, I was really worried about what I was going to do about the season 3 finale and I don't think I could handle killing both Marian (I'm still hating myself for planning on killing her off) and Robin.