Hi, so here is another chapter, I once again apologise for the lateness but there are only two more chapters left to go and then we are finished with Part One of this story.

This chapter neatly sets up part of the sequel as will the last two chapters that should be coming sooner than this one.

As always TRIGGER WARNINGS for this chapter and for this story.

Disclaimer-Nothing is mine just the character of Erin.

And Please Read and Review and let me know what you think.

Faith Based Initiative

Chapter 20-Face My Enemy

The Outlaws make their way back into the forest, Allan and Robin have an almost talk about feelings as Allan comes to a realisation. And a confrontation is unavoidable as Guy of Gisbourne enters the story properly for the first time.

She was alive.

She was alive.

She was alive.

She had to be alive.

It was going around and around in Allan's head, the voice making him feel out of control and insane. He wanted nothing more to do than to scream but he was sure if he started he was going to stop.

Somehow Robin had gotten him back to the forest but they had yet to meet anyone else. The camp had been empty and Robin with the sigh of man who had pushed physically and mentally beyond everything that he had ever had said only one word. "Marian"

Allan could understand. He too was having problems with strong minded woman. Because he knew Erin enough to know that she had probably followed the man into the barn and took steps to defend herself when all she had to do was go to the town elder and…

But then Erin wouldn't know that would she? She had been utterly and woeful unprepared because he hadn't prepared her enough. There were so many things that she did not know.

So many things that he did not get to tell her. He had Allan knew, with the simple truth that came when you could look at your past actions clearly—completely and utterly failed her.

That thought was to him so awful because he had sworn to himself privately that he would protect her until death that he found that it was hard to put one foot in front of the other.

At this, this the first hurdle he had failed.

Robin perhaps in the way that Robin knew things shook his head.

"Don't do that" he said looking ahead of him. Allan didn't even bother to play pretend and ask him what he was on about. He knew Robin knew, Robin he was beginning to realise always bloody knew.

"Why not?" he said finally.

"Because it drives you mad. And believe me you don't want that. You think I've not been where you've been? Blaming yourself for each and every action that has taken place? Wishing that you had done more or said more or prayed more that you could stop events so far out of your control? That's the price you have to pay for loving a strong and stubborn woman Allan. This lack of control when they leave camp when their not supposed to."

Robin's mouth twisted a little then as if to say that he too was not best pleased with the woman that he loved. Considering Marian's unique ability to always find herself in the centre of a fight Allan supposed he couldn't blame his friend that much.

"Erin's not Marian"

"And be glad my friend" Robin replied his face softening a little. "For women like Marian come around once a lifetime. But where Marian lacks Erin doesn't. I imagine that she has more balls than most of the guards in the castle put together. And maybe…maybe she did need to follow that…that…monster. Maybe this is the way that Erin gets a chance to heal. Closure can be a healing thing. God knows I hope to experience it in my lifetime. Peace"

He said this with the hard mocking tone to his voice that Robin used when discussing the war and Allan who had learnt a long time ago not to press Robin or Much when it came to their pasts in the Holy Lands tried to force his muddled mind to change the subject.

"How did you know Robin?" he asked finally. "How did you know that Marian was the one? I mean…was it like the bolt of lightening you hear about in tavern stories?"

Robin snorted. "Oh hell no and I do say that reverently. With Marian and me…well…we were children, we grew up together. Her father took me in as his ward when my own died. He kept my title and money safe until I was of age and showed me how to be a great landlord. And Kate…well she was….just gentle and motherlike. She never tried to take the place of my own and I never tried to take the place of the son she lost but it felt like the four of us were a family, Much joined when he was eleven and he was always included in the games we played. Marian was never one to sit by the fireside and contemplate the sanctuary of a good marriage. Of course there were bad times. The night we lost Marian's mother it was the first time I had seen her cry. She had buried her feelings throughout the burial and the death and the loss and then once Edward had gone to bed she cried. But I thought that she had the most wonderful backbone and then she showed her softer side. I was fourteen and even I knew that there was something special about Marian. Over time it turned to beauty and strength but I think…it was always destined to be, slowly over time. It's just so much shit got in the way"

Allan thought about the picture that was created in his head of a young Robin and Marian and the simple truth that came with time and age and youth turning into something more. He had never experience such an upbringing. His had been something entirely different. Robin sighed looking wistfully out over the trees as if he was expecting to see those two children come around and start their new game.

"It was always sunny" he said quietly. "Always, I never realised until I came back. Those years were not marked with peace what with the old King Henry warring with his sons but when I look back…it really did seem like a golden age"

Allan opened his mouth but then shut it.

There was no point in telling Robin that he had not exactly experienced things in the same way. That his childhood and a great many others had not been all sunshine and rainbows. There had been famine, a bitter civil war between the King and his sons and then a crusade all of which had increased taxes and suspicion and had done a great deal of damage to the crops and businesses. But he wanted to talk to someone and the good Lord knew that Will was going to wait until Revelations until he asked Djaq about her feelings.

"I think I love her Robin. Not like I thought I loved Djaq but…but something more."

Robin said nothing to that. Allan was glad, he was not up for pitying glances or for kind words.

"She's a strong woman Allan." Was all his friend eventually said. "And I suppose I should warn you…strong women do not sit by the fireside and knit while their husbands go and take on the Sherriff's men."

"Yeah well…that's abundantly clear" Allan snapped. He ran a hand across his face and was embarrassed to see that it was wet. Robin didn't say anything which was rather kind of him. Instead he seemed rather interested in the trees surrounding them which gave Allan enough time to get himself under control.

She had to be alive.

"You should tell her" Robin said finally as they neared a small fork that led to the side of the forest near the old road. "Erin I mean…this place needs a little bit more love in it. Besides you don't want to do what I did. I assumed Marian didn't need to know and truth it she really did"

Allan thought about the nightmare that it had been since Marian had taken up Gisborne's proposal and thought that perhaps Robin might have a point.

"Marian doesn't think she needs to hear anything of the sort from me…not yet anyway"

"Well I'm not suggesting your propose marriage man! Just tell her before someone else gets in the way. I didn't realise but Marian was waiting for me to say the words. I thought she knew and she did but as it turns out she did like to see that I could say the words. And I didn't and therefore…well you know—" Allan nodded because he did know. Oh how he did know.

"She could go…she should go—"

"Allan she's not going to go—Nottingham is riddled with the Sherriff's men and besides even if she did manage to get herself out of town she's got nobody, no one, nowhere. Her entire support system is here. Besides I don't even want to imagine what Marian would say. And she knows what the Black Knights are capable even if we don't. I reckon she's hedging her bets that the camp will be the safest place she can be. She's smart Allan, like I've said before she's tougher and smarter than most people give her credit for."

Allan nodded but before he could say anything they came across the sound of bridles and horses. Ducking down they crossed the small path that led to the clutches of bushes. And there crouched down watching the road below them was three women all with different coloured hair. There was the inky black and cropped short hair of Djaq and the dark chocolate coloured curls that was Marian and then next to them a blonde with long hair that Allan knew the exact shade of, knew how it felt when he could touch it and knew who it belonged to.

Erin.

Erin.

She was alive.

For a second Allan's expression dimmed somewhat and though he would never, ever admit it he thought he might faint. His nerves which had been stretched thin enough suddenly felt like they were going to snap and he was sure that all the evil in the world wouldn't have been able to stop him from doing what his heart so desperately wanted to.

He reached out and yanked her to her feet and then hugged her.

For a second she stiffened and then she relaxed a little next to him. Slowly, achingly slowly her arms came up around him and she hugged him back. Allan didn't care all that much, he hugged her back breathing in the scent of her hair which was that clean soap that Matilda had leant them.

He was aware that Robin, Marian and Djaq were all diplomatically giving them thirty seconds to themselves but the moment was ruined by Will, John and Much crashing through the trees seconds later and Allan let go because he if he was being honest he didn't want to deal with those questions on top of everything else that he'd had to deal with.

Erin still managed to stay close. She had changed her dress and she was shaking somewhat but she was calmer. Allan wondered if she had been the one who had killed that one-eyed monster and vowed to find out when they were back at camp and they'd had a hot meal in them and more than one mug of strong brandy.

"Gisbourne" Much hissed and then Allan's brain whitened out with hot rage. He looked at Will who was grinning with a very un-Will like expression and then he looked at Robin who had that dark look in his eyes he'd had that time they'd showed up and been told Marian was dead.

Finally.

Robin was, Marian thought nothing if not predicable. Then she supposed so was she.

She'd been thinking on this since she'd been at her father's house. They were completely uninformed and outnumbered in the forest and while the thought of the castle made her tremble with something that was both fear and another unnamed emotion she had taken a long hard look at Guy and had thought that perhaps she might be on the right track here.

Guy looked…well…shattered. And that had been what Marian had been waiting for. Robin she knew would never see him in the same light but when you were on the precise of being forced to marry someone you did a lot of reading of them and their person. Guy had not known what the Sherriff was planning. Oh he was involved in plotting to kill the King, of that Marian was sure but he had not been behind their kidnapping.

And that made the plan she had concocted somewhat easier.

Thank God John was here, and Much. God knows Robin was not going to like this…

But this was Marian's choice and Marian was her mother and father's daughter through and through and she had never been one to back away or run away from a challenge.

She stood up as Guy began to direct his troops. Robin stood up with as did both Much and Erin. She caught Erin's eye and through the blue she thought that Erin got what she was going to do. Much certainly did because he muttered something that was decidedly un-Christian but to his credit moved to stop Robin.

She stared at Robin for a second and then kissed him. It was not a polite kiss for polite company it was the most passionate kiss that Marian was capable of. She tried to put a lot of things into that kiss, things she had wanted to say and had yet not been able to. Things that she had both wanted and still wanted, things that she believed that she could get when all of this was over and everything and anything in between.

Marian needed to do that. Somethings between her and Robin even with their familiarity she still could not say. But she wanted to.

Oh how she wanted to.

But first, someone had to save the King of England.

And she would be damned if that person was not her.

And with that she pushed past Robin down the path and fell looking as ragged and as beaten as she felt no doubt into the path of Guy of Gisbourne who looked as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Guy" she said managing to look utterly pitiful and hating herself for it.

"Guy, oh thank God you found me! You've got to help me Guy!"

And there you are, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I will do my best to bring you the next chapter sooner rather than later.

Next Chapter-It is the penultimate chapter of this story and Marian plays her cards to become a spy for the gang. However she cannot do it alone and one person's decision will create ripples that will have long lasting effects to come.