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35

Allan pushed the hair back from Frankie's forehead. He gazed down at the sleeping figure. She looked so peaceful and innocent. He placed his hand gently on her cheek, stroking her soft skin. He moved his hand down to readjust the bandage around her neck. Tuck had done what he could. She'd lost a lot of blood but he'd said she was going to be okay. A part of Allan wished Djaq was still here. She was always so good with injuries. Allan wasn't doubting Tuck's ability but he trusted Djaq with his life.

Frankie did look much better than she had earlier although she was still quite pale. He bent his head, kissed her softly on the forehead and felt her stir.

Frankie was drifting in and out of consciousness. She felt the soft blanket around her and snuggled into it. Frankie was just about to go to sleep when she realised something wasn't right. It didn't smell like her chambers, the light was too bright for it to be night and there was a dull ache in her neck.

Her eyes flickered open and she saw a blurry face looking down at her. As she blinked the face came into focus and she recognised the sparkling blue eyes. Allan. She smiled softly up at him, confused as to why he was there.

"Hey." He said softly, concern lining his face.

"Hi." Frankie whispered back.

She frowned at the sad look on Allan's face. In her sleep baffled state she wasn't really sure what was going on. She couldn't remember how she'd gotten here, wherever here was, and she didn't understand why it was so painful to talk.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She said, brushing his question aside, "Where am I?"

"You're in the forest remember? At our camp."

Frankie frowned deeply, trying to wake up her mind but it was no good. She could feel herself slipping back into unconsciousness. She shook her head softly trying one last time to clear her mind but it just sent spasms of pain shooting through her neck. Allan saw her wince at the pain and stroked her forehead softly trying to calm her. She tried to speak but he cut her off.

"Shh. You need to rest. We need you at your best tomorrow."

He started to draw away but she grabbed his hand.

"Don't..." She whispered sleepily.

"Go to sleep." He said soothingly, "I'll be here when you wake up."

He kissed her softly on the top of her head as she drifted back to sleep.

---

Robin watched Allan bend over Frankie and felt a pang of sadness inside him. They looked so perfect together and he didn't begrudge them their happiness but a small voice inside him was saying that should have been him.

Him and Marion.

Seeing them together reminded him of the time they had lost. That Gisborne had taken from them. He was still shaken at his reaction to seeing Gisborne again. A picture of Gisborne's stricken face flashed in front of his eyes. He wondered how close he and Frankie were for him to look like that. It reminded him of how Gisborne had looked at Marion and how she had always fought Gisborne's corner. He hoped Allan knew what he was getting himself into.

He suddenly noticed that Allan had come to sit next to him. There was a look in his eyes that Robin couldn't place but at that moment he was too tired to care.

"How is she?" He asked instead.

"Better. Tuck says she'll be fine by tomorrow."

"Good, because we're in trouble without her."

Allan looked at Robin shocked.

"Sorry that came more callous than I meant it."

Allan sighed and lent back against a tree.

"What's happened to me? God, everything used to be so easy. Now I spend half my time wishing she was here and the other half wondering what she's doing when she's not. It's driving me insane, it's so complicated."

"It's called love mate, it's not supposed to be easy." Robin said with a smile.

"It's just so frustrating. And then there's Gisborne. I don't know how you managed it mate. At least with Marion we all knew she liked you best. But with Frankie I just don't know. I mean that scene at the castle; no one's that good an actress."

Allan sighed again and looked at Robin who seemed to be thinking something through. Allan rolled his eyes at him. Sometimes Robin thought too much. Although that did have its uses when they were caught in a tight spot. However Allan seemed to be doing a lot of thinking these days too which was unusual for him. He usually decided what he wanted and, nine times out of ten, he got it. But with Frankie he was never really sure where he stood and it was driving him insane.

Robin had finally worked out what was up with Allan. He was jealous. Robin nearly laughed out loud at the thought. Allan the womaniser was jealous. And of Gisborne of all people. Though Robin could sympathise with that. He couldn't count the number of sleepless nights he'd had worrying about Marion and Gisborne. One more torture he'd inflicted on him.

"Don't worry. She'd be mad to choose Gisborne over you." Robin said reassuringly.

"But what if she does?" Allan asked distraught and Robin realised how much Allan cared for her.

"If she does then there's nothing you can do about it."

He saw Allan's face, so full of hope, fall at his words.

"But you don't know that's going to happen. Anyway," Robin said with a wicked smile, "We're going to have some fun with Gisborne and the Sheriff tomorrow."