Sorry massive delays I'm trying to update regularly but you'll have to bear with me. We're nearly at the end, thank you every one for reading and I hope you will stick with it. Hears a long one for you. Enjoy.

36

"Trust uncle to be late." Frankie whispered.

They were crouched in the bushes surrounding the clearing waiting for the Sheriff and Gisborne to arrive with Much.

"Right you know the plan." Robin recapped quietly, "When they arrive Kate and Tuck you go round the left, Allan and John you take the right and make sure they didn't bring any guards. If it's clear we'll go into the clearing and make the swap. If it's not then you'd better be prepared for a fight. Whatever happens our aim is to get Much back without any casualties. Well I don't mind too much if the casualties are on their side."

Frankie elbowed Robin in the ribs.

"Don't joke about things like that. That's my family you're talking about."

"Fine then, casualties are only okay if it's Gisborne."

Frankie elbowed him again.

"Robin I'm serious, no casualties. They're not stupid enough to bring guards."

"You better hope not or this is going to get messy." Kate chipped in.

"Shh. They're here." John pointed out.

They all looked back at the clearing to see three figures entering it.

---

The Sheriff and Gisborne entered the clearing pushing a weary Much in front of them. Foreboding filled the Sheriff as he looked round at the empty clearing.

"Where the hell are they?" He hissed at Gisborne who just shrugged.

Much let out a small chuckle.

"They've out foxed you. Whatever trap you've got planned it's not going to work."

Gisborne cuffed Much round the head, silencing his rambling, while the Sheriff just sighed.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand outlaw." The Sheriff said calmly.

Much opened his mouth with a retort on his lips but the Sheriff cut him off.

"Don't you get it? It's not our trap, it's theirs."

Just as the Sheriff finished there was a rustling in the bushes. The three of them watched with bated breath as Frankie entered the clearing her hands bound behind her back. She was followed by Robin who had a tight grip on her and was flanked by Allan and Tuck.

"You're late Hood." The Sheriff barked however it wasn't as forceful as usual.

"Well it doesn't look like you kept your end of the bargain either does it." Robin replied coolly gesturing at Much, "What happened to not harming him? Do you not want your niece back?"

He pressed something into Frankie's back making her whimper in fear. Dread swept through the Sheriff as he saw the look on Frankie's face. What he didn't know however was that Robin didn't have anything in his hand and this scene had been planned by the two of them earlier.

Gisborne glared at Robin angrily. His heart ached at the sight of Frankie in the hands of outlaws.

"Let's get this over with Hood." He said gruffly his eyes never leaving Frankie.

"Oh how cute, Gisborne's got a crush." Robin teased sneeringly. "You'd better watch out girl, he has a reputation of killing the women he likes."

Gisborne started towards Robin in anger but was stopped by the Sheriff's grip on his arm. He turned and saw the warning look on his face. Gisborne knew what the Sheriff was trying to tell him; Frankie comes first. He knew that she was their focus right now. His revenge could wait.

"I have to complement you on the tight leash you've got him on Sheriff. Does he do any other tricks?" Robin said spitefully.

Frankie could see Gisborne resisting the bait Robin was throwing him. She couldn't understand what was going through Robin's head. They had a plan, a good plan, and he was messing it up. She knew he wasn't done though and she wasn't going to like what was coming.

Allan seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he elbowed Robin and hissed:

"What are you doing? What happened to the plan? You're going to ruin it. Hurry up and get this over with!"

Robin knew Allan was right. And as much as it pained him to have Gisborne here at his mercy and not able to take his revenge, he knew that Much was their priority right now.

"Okay here's what we're going to do. Lady Francesca and Much are going to walk across the clearing. If you try anything we will shoot her."

He gave Frankie a small nudge and she stumbled forwards dramatically. Robin sighed; she did love to be extravagant. As Frankie started walking forward so did Much although he seemed to be having difficulty walking straight.

As they met in the centre Frankie slowed. Once they had drawn level she caught Much's eye and whispered softly to him.

"Take care. And make sure Robin doesn't do anything stupid."

Much stopped, pondering her words. He'd thought there was something wrong with Robin for a while. He knew Marion's death had hit him hard but he'd seemed to be getting better. But something had happened. Much had seen the feverish look in his eyes as he planned ambush after ambush trying to spoil Gisborne's plans. Thinking back Much realised that Robin's erratic behaviour could be traced to back to Frankie's arrival.

He'd seen the look again when Robin had entered the clearing. Much didn't know the details of their plan but he knew Robin well enough to know that he had something else in mind that he hadn't told the others. He saw Robin's gaze fixed on Gisborne and he knew it was more than revenge for Marion that was fuelling this.

Much realised that Frankie had continued on while he was still stood in the centre. He quickly moved on and made his way over to Robin and the others. Kate and John had appeared while he had been lost in thought and Kate moved swiftly over to him and sliced through the rope binding his hands together. Much staggered slightly against her and she supported him over to where Robin was. He clapped Much on the shoulder causing him to let out a hiss of pain. Tuck, who still had his bow trained on Frankie and the others, looked to Robin for confirmation that he could stop however Robin ignored him and focused his attention back on the others.

Meanwhile Frankie had passed Much without stopping and continued on towards her uncle and Gisborne. She glanced quickly behind her and saw Much moving off again towards Robin. She smiled inwardly and focused her attention back on the men in front of her. She stumbled slightly as she picked up her pace and threw herself into the Sheriff's arms.

"Uncle!" She sobbed shakily into his shoulder.

She felt the surprise of the Sheriff but he quickly pushed it aside and put his arms around her awkwardly. Even though she'd known this whole thing had been faked she was glad to see him.

She heard movement behind her and felt the bonds tying her wrists together loosen. She pulled back from the Sheriff and turned round to see Gisborne stood beside her, concern etched into his face. She smiled at him and stepped into his embrace, burying her face against his chest. His grip on her was tight but comforting and it felt good. However something else felt wrong but she couldn't place it.

The Sheriff placed his hands on her shoulder and she heard his voice, muffled through Gisborne's embrace.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." He said and the three of them started to move out of the clearing.

"That's not a good idea Sheriff. You're not going anywhere."

Robin's voice cut through the clearing. The Sheriff and Gisborne turned to see Robin glaring at them feverishly, his bow trained on Frankie's back.