Djaq pulled her blanket tighter about herself and stared into the fire. Everyone was beginning to nod off, it had been a very long day. Will was the only one just as awake as her, however, he was sitting farther off, staring into the forest, no doubt thinking about his father's death, and what would become of Luke in Scarborough. It had been several weeks, but Will was still tormented nightly with dreams of his father's death, and in some of them, that of his brother.

And, as sure she often did herself, she knew he was thinking about Allan's betrayal. Allan had been like a brother to Will, the two had been inseparable. Will felt he should have sensed that Allan would betray them, but at the same time, felt the bond between them was too strong for Allan to do such a thing.

Djaq stood up slowly and made her way over to Will, planting herself at his side.

Will looked at her, and half smiled, then looked back out at the forest.

"What are you thinking about?" Djaq gazed at him steadily.

"Oh, a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. Don't get much time to just think these days, do we?"

Djaq chuckled. "No, you are right, we don't. There is always something happening, that we just have to be in the thick of."

"There are some things I always think about, no matter what I do, though." Will finally returned her gaze. Djaq felt a flutter in her stomach, and the quickening of her heartbeat.

"Like what?" She breathed, more than said, in her anticipation.

"Like, my father and Luke, like Allan, like what's to become of England. Like..." He began to lean towards her.

"OUCH!!!"

The sudden shout set the two of them upright. They jumped to their feet and turned back to the fire.

The rest of the gang was wide awake now, as well, and they all began to laugh as they watched Much dancing around, shaking his hands.

"Stop laughing! I've burned myself, trying to build up the fire so you lot can be warmer!"

Djaq tried to stifle her laughter as she walked towards him, grabbing an arm to take a look at his injuries.

"Nothing too serious, Much. I think you will live. I'll get you some salve to put on it."

Covering her mouth to hide her laughter, she went over to her bunk to get the bottle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Will, still laughing, but with his eyes on her.

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The next morning, Much was feeling better, and the gang set about their usual daily business of helping the poor.

There was a local midwife who Djaq helped out with herbs and such for difficult labors. Today she was going to replenish the woman's stock.

Will had accompanied her, but they had walked in silence, looking for any sign that Allan was leading the Sheriff and Gisbourne to the camp.

Djaq wanted so badly to bring up the stunted conversation from the night before, but was terrified that she had misconstrued the meaning of him leaning towards her during that last bit. What if he wasn't going to say he thought about her at all? What if there was a girl in his past who he could no longer see? What if he was going to joke and say he thought about Allan, as the two had been teased often because of their closeness.

Will, for his part, made no sign that he remembered anything but Much burning himself.

As they neared the midwife's house, Will pulled her sleeve.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to go to the market, see what I can get for some of the things Allan left behind." He motioned to the sack he had carried over his shoulder. "Meet me there?"

Djaq nodded and then knocked on the midwife's door.

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Djaq had just finished up with the midwife and was on her way to the market when she heard a voice calling her name.

Stopping, she spun in place, trying to see who it could possibly have been, but everyone appeared to be going about their business, not paying her any attention.

"Djaq!"

She turned back and suddenly was grasped by her arm and yanked into an alleyway.

"Shush!" A hand came up to silence her when she opened her mouth to protest. "It's me!"

Djaq snarled and shoved her captor away.

"Well, that's a comfort coming from you!" She glared at Allan. "What do you want?"

"Look, I saw Will, and I thought better of talking to him, but I knew you'd be nearby. Listen, I know what I did was wrong, and it started off for all the wrong reasons, but it was hard for me, you have to believe me! The promise of money? Some place warm to stay? I've never had that in my life!"

"But you had us! You had your friends!" Djaq spat out, bitterly. "And you just fed us to the wolves, like we were nothing!"

"I know that's what it looked like, but I never let them get their hands on you, any of you, did I? I realized after you lot found out about me that I wanted to stay, but it was too late. I never gave Gisbourne any information that could lead him to you! If anything, I've been leading him away, and getting information for you guys to use!"

"And that's supposed to redeem you? That you started out meaning to let us all be captured and killed, for a few gold coins? Oh, but suddenly you grow a heart? Why should I believe anything you say?"

Allan sighed. "Look, I don't have time for this heart-to-heart right now, love. Gisbourne's expecting me back. I just need you lot to know that I'm trying to keep you safe. I won't let anything happen to them."

Djaq shook her head and turned to walk away. "Unbelievable, that's what you are. Bloody unbelievable. Just stay away from us."

Allan grabbed her arm to stop her. She stopped, but didn't turn back to face him. "I especially won't let them touch you, sweetheart."

Djaq's eyes grew wide. "What...do you mean? Allan?"

Allan was gone.

Djaq turned and ran for the market.

"What's the matter?" Will asked when she caught up to him, flushed and breathing heavily from running.

"Nothing. I was afraid you'd left because I took so long."

"I wouldn't leave you."

Djaq smiled as they set back out towards the forest.

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Allan watched his two former best friends as they left the marketplace, a pang of jealousy striking him to the core. Although they didn't touch or speak, he could see the affection between them.

Was this another of the prices he would have to pay for his actions?

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