A/N: The next chapter. In a review for another chapter emilyanne-xosaid that she will miss Allan and I just wanted to say that I will too so never fear, he will be in this story – and probably shouted at and threatened quite a lot because that's what I do when I watch Robin Hood, which I don't own by the way.


HERE'S THE THING: DOMESTIC BLISS

Chapter Three: In Which New Threats Loom

The next morning dawned bright and fair, and earlier than the outlaws were used to. For this they had a sleep refreshed and hungry Daniel to thank. He'd obviously been paying attention to the story the night before as it was Ava he went to wake to make his breakfast, not Much.

The smell of eggs and bacon cooking and Ava's laughter woke the others. It was a very domestic scene that met their eyes, with Ava trying to cook enough breakfast for them all while listening to Daniel tell the tales that abounded about what Robin Hood and his gang got up to. He was sitting as near as he could to the food, his legs swinging and munching on an apple. It was perhaps good that it wasn't long until breakfast was ready as Daniel's stories were injurious to the pride of some of those present and by far too flattering of Robin himself. An ego boost was definitely something he did not need.

After a hearty breakfast had been consumed and cleared away and the camp shut up, they set off to try to find some more exact news of Anne of Hardinge's arrival and to take Daniel safely home, though he was by no means resigned to this. In fact he had protested so much at first that Robin had had to take him aside for a few stern words. When they returned, Daniel wore the look of a martyr, a leader having to sacrifice himself for the good of his men.

They didn't have the chance to walk more than a hundred steps or so from the camp before Will, who had been scouting ahead, doubled back to warn them.

"There's someone up ahead, coming this way. Looks like one of the Sheriff's men,"

Within seconds they'd drawn their weapons. Robin cast a few swift glances either side and up above to assess the terrain.

"Right, Much, Will, Djaq that side – John, Marian this side with me. Ava take Daniel, hide. Go, everyone – now!"

They moved, splitting seamlessly into groups. Ava resheathed her sword and, taking a look around, picked a likely looking tree.

"Daniel, c'mon, over here."

She gave him a leg up and he scrambled up onto a branch. She climbed up swiftly behind him and guided him a little higher. Once they were both sitting on a sturdy branch, Ava took her bow from her back and an arrow from her quiver and made herself ready to fire. Mimicking her actions, Daniel took out his slingshot and a handful of stones and began to score the forest floor for movement.

They didn't have long to wait as a man dressed all in black appeared. Ava had barely felt the relief that the man had blonde hair so could not be Gisborne when she recognised him.

"Traitor!" John came crashing through the undergrowth, all ready to club Allan about the head when he was stopped by Djaq bursting from the other side and shouting,

"John, no!"

The other outlaws soon revealed themselves and each had a weapon pointing directly at the treacherous man, though it was clear they didn't wish to go too near him. Eyeing them up, Allan seemed to think Djaq was his best bet as he took a step toward her – only to be stopped going by an arrow whistling down through the trees and landing between them. He tried to back away but was prevented once more by an arrow falling behind him. He ceased to move, raised his hands and tilted his head back to try and see Ava sitting in the tree. Robin sighed; this was getting them no where. He wanted to know what was going on and why Allan was there and he wanted to know now. He too tilted his head back to look up into the tree.

"Ava," he called.

Hearing him she gave Daniel a stern look and an order to stay where he was, before leaning back off the branch to fall to one below, which she grasped with her hands before swinging to the ground. Climbing was clearly not something her clumsiness extended to.

As soon as her feet hit the forest floor she too drew her sword and pointed it to Allan's throat.

"Why are you here?" Robin spoke quietly, trying to keep in control.

Allan opened his mouth to reply but was hit on the head by something small and hard.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his head and looking back up into the tree for the source. Now it was Ava's turn to sigh.

"Daniel, now isn't the time. Come down,"

His descent wasn't quite as speedy or graceful as hers. When he reached the lowest branch he didn't seem to know how to get any further and Ava's explaining he needed to swing only served to alarm him. He got as far as hanging from it but couldn't summon the courage to let go. Ava tried to reach up to grab him but couldn't reach high enough so Will tried and, being slightly taller, managed it. When Daniel's feet were firmly back on the ground they could get back to the matter in hand. Allan.

"It's Gisborne. He's looking for Marian. Told me to go and ask around the villages, find out if anyone's seen her," he paused but was granted no reaction. "Obviously I didn't tell him you'd probably be here – "

"Obviously." The cruel sarcasm that filled Will's voice was so uncharacteristic that Ava shot a worried look in his direction. Allan on the other hand, tried to pretend he hadn't spoken but his derision, coming as it was from his former closest friend, clearly knocked him. He addressed Marian,

"I thought you could write him a letter. Say you were at Ripley Convent, grieving and stuff, and wanted to be left alone."

"Why would you help me?" Marian was clearly suspicious.

"Hey, I'm not all bad!" Allan's words recalled memories to the minds of the other outlaws and they fought to subdue them, some more effectively than others. To distract herself, Ava thought over the plan and spotted a flaw.

"All letters need the Mother Superior's seal."

Allan turned to look at her, a cheeky smile making him look more like his old self.

"Leave it to me. I'm good with nuns,"

Ava felt herself reflexively smiling in return and had to work hard not to let it show. Robin hadn't spoken in sometime and it was clear he was finding it hard to decide whether to trust Allan or not. Looking around at the faces of his gang didn't help – John looked ready to kill his erstwhile comrade at the least provocation, Will's face was cold and hard, Much looked outraged that Allan would dare even to set foot in Sherwood and there were so many conflicting emotions passing across Djaq and Ava's features it was hard to tell what they were thinking. Robin sighed and turned to the woman on his left.

"Marian," he said quietly, giving the decision to her though he did not have complete faith in her judgement so close to her father's death. She glanced to him and then looked back to Allan, making a split second decision.

"I will write the letter,"

Robin closed his eyes briefly, worried by what this would mean. Allan nodded and made to follow after her towards the camp but John's staff flashed out and knocked him to the ground. There was a general outcry and Ava's condemnatory shout of "John!" but it soon became clear that Allan hadn't been knocked out, merely winded, as he managed to make it to his feet again. Robin didn't spare him another look.

"John, watch him but don't hurt him unless he tries to run. Ava, will you take Daniel home? The rest of us will probably need to go to Nottingham but he still needs to be taken and you can see if you can find out anything about Anne."

Ava nodded and started off after the others back to the camp, but as she passed Allan she noticed John was distracted, saying goodbye to the boy. She paused in indecision but suddenly looked up into the man's blue eyes to find them boring down into hers. On an impulse she grasped his arm, murmured "thank you" and walked on without waiting for a reaction.

Moving on she realised that Will had stopped on the path to wait for her to catch up. She lowered her eyes as she tried to pass him, unable to look into his gaze, which held the coldness that she'd learnt to fear and had worried about since his father's death. He prevented her from going far without even trying to physically bar her way.

"What was that?"

She had to look up as she opened her mouth to explain. Looking up into his face, closing it again without speaking, realising that he wouldn't understand, that Allan probably hadn't either. She hadn't been thanking him for helping Marian, she'd said it because his actions had fuelled her hope that his redemption wasn't completely impossible and she need to believe that more than anything.

Shaking her head slightly she moved away from Will and down the slope to find a horse that could carry her and Daniel to his village. Mounting, she trotted back to where she'd left the boy – refusing to look at either Will or Allan though she could feel the heat of their gazes on her. John lifted the boy to sit up behind her and, adjuring him to hold tight, Ava encouraged the horse into motion.


A/N: Another rather long chapter, can't help thinking I'm spoiling you.

Not sure if bacon and eggs is strictly historically accurate but then neither is "It's goodnight from me, and it's goodnight from him." And if John and Will can say that I can have bacon and eggs.

Please review x.