Hello all you lovely readers! And thank you SO much to those of you who reviewed! You're awesome! And because you're awesome, I'm updating quickly *wink wink nudge nudge*. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: It ain't mine!

Chapter 4

When Robin closed the makeshift door of the tent where his son slept, he let out a heavy sigh. His conversation with Marian had gone remarkably well. Of course, he knew that it would. She was the forgiving, kind-hearted woman he'd fallen in love with all those years ago. He knew she'd only want his happiness. When he'd initially begun the conversation, he'd planned on telling Marian everything. He had even planned on telling her about his and Regina's time together that afternoon. But Marian needed no further explanation than the story of the pixie dust leading Regina to him, all those years ago. He could tell that she was hurt, but he knew that she loved him and would only want the best for him. And while he wasn't ashamed of his time with Regina this afternoon, he didn't want to add salt to Marian's wound. All she needed to know was that his heart belonged to another.

As he made his way back to the campfire, where he'd left her to go and put their son to bed, he quickly realized that she was no longer there. He quickly looked around the rest of the campsite, his eyes having adjusted to the night sky. Though he really didn't have to look around because he knew where she'd gone. With a heavy sigh, he sat on the log and rubbed his hands over his face. This was going to be a long night.

If he knew Regina as well as he thought he did, he knew that she'd be determined that what they had a month ago and what they shared today would be the end of their relationship. He knew what she thought of herself and knew that she'd never find herself worthy of his love. For all the progress they'd made over the past couple of months, Marian coming back put Regina's walls back, tenfold. With that being said, he also knew that she would not spare Marian's feelings and his wife would most assuredly know what occurred earlier this afternoon.

An hour later, Robin heard frosted leaves crunching through the woods, behind him. As the footsteps neared, Robin turned, toward the sound, knowing it was Marian. Marian came to a standstill about a foot away from him, the residue of tears coating her flushed cheeks.

"You lied to me" her voice broke. "I understood that you had a relationship with her when you thought I was dead, but the Robin I knew would never have given up his honor…and broken our marital vows like that. How could you?" Marian whispered harshly.

Robin bowed his head, "Marian, I…I'm sorry I did not tell you. But I knew that it would only hurt you more, and that was the last thing I wanted. I thought that as long as you knew what my feelings for Regina were, then that was enough. We could part amicably." Robin tried to reason.

"…She told me to forgive you; to take you back. She said that she'd forced you into having sex with her, today…" Marian went to continue but Robin's disbelieving laugh cut her off.

"She really pulled out all the stops didn't she? That stubborn, self-deprecating woman!" Robin began to pace around the campfire, trying to organize his thoughts.

"So…you didn't have sex with her against your will?" Marian asked. She'd been hoping slightly, that this had been the case because his actions would have been much easier to forgive. There she went, allowing herself to be blind, yet again.

"Marian, Regina is an…incredibly complicated woman. She feels and cares deeply and a couple months ago, Roland and I became two of the people she truly cared about. And then, I screwed it up. I should've been honest with you when you came here to Storybrooke, but I had no idea what the right answer was. You're my wife. I thought you were dead for years and I would've done anything I could to get you back…and then I met Regina. And she was different…and frustrating, and sarcastic, and rude," he chuckled. "But my time with her was the first time I'd felt alive since you'd passed. She brought me back from the dead, Marian. And now…now, I can't lose that," he sighed, looking into her eyes. "Please forgive me for my trespasses against you. I never meant to hurt you, but I can't not spend my life with Regina…or at least try to."

"But Robin! She's the Evil Queen! I tried to see where you were coming from, but you would never have done this to me, before meeting her! Her influence is obviously wearing on you. I will not allow you to let her influence our son in the same manner." Marian stood firm.

"Marian, I am so very sorry for hurting you, but I can tell you that Regina is not evil. The entire reason why she told you any of this was because she was trying to be the hero. If she had it her way, she would want me to stay with you. She would want that, because she chose the high and unselfish road; because she loves me enough to let me go…And I love her too much to let us both live a life that wasn't meant for us. I do love you, Marian, but I can't stay with you; not as your husband. It wouldn't be fair to any of us. Can you honestly say that you'd prefer to be in a loveless marriage?" Robin pleaded with her to see reason.

"I…I…Robin, no." She sighed in defeat. "I think we've been in a loveless marriage for some time now; and not just here in Storybrooke. After we had Roland, I…I wasn't myself. I got incredibly depressed and I just couldn't take it. You were off on your adventures to give to the poor, and for the first time since we'd met, I couldn't go with you anymore. I was stuck…in a tent, with a crying child. And so, I left. I knew that you'd think the Sherriff had finally gotten me and that you'd search high and low, so I left in search of another land, away from Nottingham." Robin listened intently, trying to grant her the same respect she'd given him earlier when he'd confessed his love for Regina. "And as I walked, I felt…free. Eventually I wondered into a small village and I noticed postings on the trees for the capture of Princess Snow White. I had remembered you telling me of meeting her on one of your travels and recalled her story. That's when I heard the royal carriage approaching. I tried to get out of sight, but one of her guards jumped off of his horse and grabbed me; maybe I looked like Snow from the back…Anyways, my head was bagged and I was thrown on the back of a horse. The next time I saw light was when the bag was being ripped off my head and the Evil Queen was trying to make a small village tell her where Snow was. She threatened them with my death, but of course no one tried to save me…no one knew me. And then…I was thrown into the Queen's dungeon…to be executed in a few days' time." Marian stopped at this point in the story, watching the realization come to Robin's eyes.

"Re…Regina was the one to kill you?" Robin had no idea what to make of this new information, his hands coming up to rub his tired eyes. The woman he loves had killed the woman he loved?

"No. No she wasn't. I don't know how I was killed in the old timeline that you all speak of but I do know that I wouldn't have died at the Queen's hand, even if Miss Emma hadn't saved me."

"How could you possibly know that, Marian?" Robin asked, shocked that she was able to make such a statement.

"Well, the evening I was captured, I was distraught. I knew I'd made an awful mistake leaving you and Roland and I'd made an even worse mistake making it so that you would never find me. When one of the guards brought me my dinner, if you could really call it that, I pleaded with him to help me find a way out. I told him that I had no idea where Snow was, I'd only really heard of her. I'd told him of my son and I pleaded for him to spare me…I don't know what exactly made him decide to help me, but he agreed. Over the next couple of days, we'd come up with a plan and…and we began to fall for each other in the midst of our conversations." Marian's eyes were downcast as she spoke. "We'd had a plan that he'd come for me the night before and tell the others that it was the Queen's orders that I be brought to the main castle. We'd then run…run away together and never look back. Then Miss Emma was thrown into the cell next to me and I…I didn't tell her of my escape plan because I didn't want anyone else knowing. The chance of anyone learning of Cedric and my plan was too risky. But Emma wouldn't take no for an answer and eventually got me out of the cell. I didn't stop her because then, at least, Cedric's hands were clean of my escape and he would be in less danger. I was going to go back for him, but all of a sudden Emma and Killian were talking about how they were from the future and that's the last thing I remember before waking up here…in this new, strange land." Marian sighed as her story came to a close.

Robin sat for a moment trying to absorb this story. He couldn't believe that his Marian had deserted him and their child. He had been distraught when he'd come back and Friar Tuck had told them that when they awoke that morning, there'd been no sign of Marian. Given his history with the Sherriff of Nottingham, he'd known it had to have been his doing. He'd gone to find her, he and his men getting into a danger brawl with the Sheriff and his men. A rogue arrow had missed it's intended target and had hit the Sheriff in the throat before Robin could get a chance to find out where he'd taken Marian. As the Sheriff lay dying at Robin's feet, Robin yelled and screamed at the man to tell him where his wife was. The Sheriff grinned wickedly and whispered, "Dead", blood spurting out of his mouth. Until this very day, Robin had known that the Sheriff had been the one to execute his beloved Marian. But now he'd realized that the Sheriff knew Robin would no longer search for his wife if he believed her to be dead. And that was the ultimate revenge. That sick bastard.

"Robin, I'm so sorry for having put you through so much pain. But, I need you to know that Regina did not kill me, originally. She may have planned to, but either way, she would not have gotten away with it. I know Cedric would've come for me…I just wish I knew what came of him." Marian stared off into the night sky as she spoke. "Go to her, Robin. If what you say is true and she's a changed woman, then I will believe you. Go to her and make her realize that you won't give up on her…I'm sorry that I gave up on us all those years ago."

Robin brushed a hand over her back, giving her some sort of comfort. He was angry, but this path was what eventually led him to the woman he was truly meant to be with, so he would forgive her. Now, he had more important things to take care of. He had to convince this stubborn, self-loathing woman that she was worthy of his love. And with that thought in mind, he tightened his coat and left Marian behind and heading toward town.

He made it to the large white house in record time. No lights were on inside, but he could see the flicker of the fire in the fireplace, through the window. He took a deep breath and brought his hand up to knock on the door.

*Runs and hides* Ok, so no Outlaw Queen this chapter, but I PROMISE there will be, next chapter! I just wanted to get Marian's story out on the table. They haven't shown her much in the show, but I don't think I'm going to hate her character...other than for ripping apart my couple's happiness. She seems nice and like a good person, so it makes sense to me that she might've struggled with something like severe Postpartum Depression. Anyways, you guys know the drill! Please leave a review!