ALLAN'S POV

Allan looked at his beloved cousin. They had always been close, he was the one who had taught her to walk, he had been the one to hear her say her first word. He had taught her how to fight, how to lie, although that was in her blood. He had arranged her to be the apprentice with Madame Delacoure. Before he became an outlaw they were closer then Allan was with his brother. He felt his heart rip as the tear ran down her face. Cathy wiped it away angrily. That was another thing that they had in common as A Dale's, neither of them could come to terms with their feelings.

"You'd better get back," Cathy said, her voice sounding horse. She ran her hand through her hair, a nervous trait of hers. She turned away from him to pick up her bag, and Allan saw the reluctance in her movements.

"Where are you going to go?" he asked not moving from his spot.

"Um… that way I guess," said Cathy, gesturing absent-mindedly. Then as though she suddenly remembered she reached down her top and from inside her top pulled out a coin. She held it out to him. Allan looked at it, but didn't take it. He knew that if he did, it would mean that she would go. "I promised that I would give this to Robin," She said waving the coin about a bit under his nose.

"Cathy," Allan said his voice serious now, "where are you going to go?" Cathy stopped waving the coin about under his nose, and let her arm fall limply by her side.

"I don't know. Stay at a pub in Nottingham tonight, then go back to Rochdale tomorrow." Allan shook his head at the feeble plan. "Well what should I do then?" Cathy snapped, if she had snapped at anyone else they would have backed off, but not Allan, he knew she was only trying to get him to do something.

"Stay," Allan said, keeping his face straight.

"Stay!" repeated Cathy as though it was the first time she had thought of this.

"Yes, stay here with me, with Robin, with the gang." Allan saw Cathy's face relax with relief; did she really think that he would let her go back to Rochdale all alone? She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again and just nodded. Allan reached out for her bag and was surprised when she allowed him to take it from her. Cathy never usually let people do anything for her. As he threw her bag over his shoulder he suddenly remembered something.

"Um… Cathy…." Started Allan, "the thing is…" but he stopped when he saw Cathy pulling out a hanky out of her sleeve. Cathy, seeming to be returning to her old self, grinned at him.

"One step ahead of you." She said and tied the hanky around her eyes.

Then with her arm securely through Allan's they started to make their way back to Robin Hood's camp. Allan walked in silence, thinking hard about what he was going to say to Robin to convince him to allow her to stay. He didn't know what he would do if Robin didn't. He had just made up his mind that he would leave with her when Cathy spoke.
"You know Allan," said Cathy, her voice echoing through the forest. "We are the last two A Dale's in England." The thought stuck Allan like a hard blow. He thought about it for a moment then started laughing.

"The family's doomed then," he said. Cathy laughed, he sighed in relief now that Cathy was truly back to her old self, He loved Cathy more then anyone else on the world. Well nearly everyone Allan thought to himself. He and Cathy cracked jokes to each other, and laughed when Allan failed to warn Cathy about the low hanging tree branch.

They were having such a good time together that they walked right in to the middle of camp before Allan realised that she was still blind folded.

"Oh.. rite.." He said, glancing around the camp. Robin was making arrows on the far side of the camp, Much was in his kitchen making dinner, Little John was napping on his bed, and Luke was tinkering about with the alarm mechanism making sure that it worked after he had improved it. All of them spare Little John who was starting to snore were looking at them. Allan reached up quickly tugged Cathy's blindfold down her face. Cathy blinked, and stood there while her eyes adjusted to the light.

"Robin," Allan said quickly as he saw robin mouth start to twitch. "Can I please have a word?" Robin looked from Allan to Cathy, and Allan knew that Robin knew what was coming. Robin nodded and set his work aside. He stood and walked out the camp, muttering something to Much on the way. Allan could have sworn on his life that it was keep an eye on her. Allan turned to follow Robin but Cathy caught his eye, he smiled at her reassuringly, and continued after Robin.

He and Robin walked a little way from the camp. They had just reached a little clearing where they gang had once set up camp when they moved every night. Robin turned to look at Allan waiting.

"Well.." Allan started, "I was wondering…" Allan stopped and tried to attack it from a different angle. "The thing is…" He stopped, looking at Robin. "Look, we both know that we are going to be here until tomorrow if you just wait there for me to put this in to words. We both know what it's about."

"I don't know what your talking about," Robin said a playful spark in his eye.

"Cathy hasn't got anywhere to go," Allan stated. "I'm the only family she has left. I can't let her go back to Rochdale alone." Robin nodded. "And I was wondering if maybe she could stay with the gang?" Robin looked at Allan steadily. He looked at Allan for such a long time that Allan felt beads of sweat run down the back of his neck. Oh.. come on Robin, he thought to himself struggling to keep his mouth closed. It's a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer.

"You mean join to gang? Or just stay with the gang?" Allan paused and sucked his teeth.
"Not being funny, but she's a bloody good fighter, ambidextrous as well." Robin blinked in surprise, and Allan swelled with pride for his cousin. "She's work as an apprentice for a physician for the past 2 years, she knows her stuff, and…" he drifted off as robin raised his hand.

"She really has no one to go to."

Allan shook his head, "You looking at one of the last two A Dales left in England." Robin raised his eyebrows.
"Look we still have to fill in Djaq's place. Cathy's more then capable, and if she's too much trouble then we'll leave." At this point Robin was looking at Allan with keen interest.

"'We'll leave'." Robin repeated. "would you leave with her?"

"I'm not letting her go alone." Allan replied as an answer to her question. Robin rubbed the back of his hand over his forehead, thinking hard. Please, please, please Robin Allan pleaded with Robin in his mind, and the pleading seemed to be reflected in to his face, because as Robin looked in to his eyes he sighed.
"I want a word with her, but to her other then that, it look's like we've finally found our replacement for Djaq." Allan felt as if a huge weight had been lifted of his chest that he didn't know had been there, and with a jolt he remembered the last time he felt this relived was the last time he had been with Cathy. He had been visiting her in Rochdale. the day after he returned to Locksley he had got him self caught up in the whole outlaw business.Robin brought Allan out of his memories when he clapped a hand on his back.

"Are you tow really the last tow A Dales left in the country?" Allan nodded, the question set bells off in his mind, and he looked suspiciously at Robin. "Your family's doomed my friend."

--

CATHY'S POV

Back at the camp Allan and Robins cloaks whipped around the corner. Cathy took a deep breath steadying her self. She looked back around the camp. The big man was still asleep on his bunk, and the blond haired man had gone back to working. She looked at Luke who was the only one still looking at her. He smiled shyly at her.

"Hello," Cathy said her voice barley above a whisper. "I'm Cathy." She held out her hand to Luke, he took it in his, has his tough calloused skin touched hers a shock went up her arm.

"Luke," he said apparently taking no notice of what had just happened between them.

"That's Much," he said gesturing to the Blond haired man in the kitchen, "Much, Cathy," he said. Much wiped his hands on his shirt before taking her offered hand. "Nice to meet you," Much said turning back to the vegetables he was chopping.
"Would you like any help?" Cathy asked walking up behind Much. Much looked at her as thought she had two heads.

"Can you cook?" Much asked. Behind her Luke laughed.

"Of course I can cook!" Cathy said indignantly.

"Much," said Luke still laughing, "Just because we can't cook doesn't mean that no one else can." Much blushed and passed the chopping knife over to Cathy. Cathy started to chop up the vegetables glancing occasionally up at Luke who was still tinkering with the strange machine in the corner of the camp. What's happening to me? Cathy thought to herself. Why did this boy make me feel so… strange. Do I know him from somewhere? No. He's never been to Rochdale. Then what is it? Cathy pushed these thoughts out of her mind and focused on Allan again, who was probably pleading with Robin to let her stay. Maybe this is a lost cause. She thought to her self as she finished the vegetables. She lied down the knife and turned to Much ready for the next job. She looked over his shoulder at the meat he was cutting up.

"Is that Squirrel?" she asked innocently.
Much flew around to face her, his face red as Luke burst out in laughter. "No it's not squirrel! Why does everyone keep saying that it is." Cathy backed up. Scared that she had just done something wrong. "It's Chicken." He said his face still red.

"Sorry," Cathy, still backing away rapidly from Much. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was the big man who had been sleeping when she came in. Cathy felt her heart race as he looked down at her.
"John, this is Cathy, Cathy, this is Little John," Luke gasped from behind "Little" John, still trying to sober up.

"Hello," Cathy said, trying not to look as scared as she felt. She offered her hand but John didn't take it.

"Be nice John, she's Allan's cousin," said Luke finally returning to his tinkering. Johns face broke in to a big friendly smile.

"I thought you looked some what familiar," he said taking her tiny hand in his huge one. "You look a lot like Allan."

"You saying I look like a boy?" she said putting on her best pout.
"No… no… it's just…" Cathy laughed, cutting him off.
"Don't worry about it, I'm just pulling your leg, me and Allan get it all the time."

"Well you look more like brother and sister then cousins," Luke said, glancing up from his work. "You don't sound much like him though, you actually sound like your from Rochdale. Allan… doesn't."

"Is that a bad thing?" Cathy asked, getting defensive about her home. Luke shrugged, Cathy's heart stopped fluttering, she stared at Luke. Usually she would have thrown herself at anyone who insulted her home, but she couldn't bring herself to be angry at Luke.

"Don't you have a go at her," said Little John coming to Cathy's rescue. "You still talk in a strong Yorkshire accent." Luke looked up a John his eyes blazing, But he was spared having to throw a come back at him with the arrival of Allan and Robin. Allan had just said something and Robin punched him playfully in the arm.

"Ah.. Cathy," said Robin, glancing around the camp. "A word?" he said offering her his arm. She grinned at him.

"Of course." She said slipping her hand through his arm. As soon as they were out of ear shot of the camp Robin started to talk to her.

"Do you really have no where to go?"

Cathy shook her head. "My parents are dead. My fathers only blood family left is Allan. My mother's only brother went of to the holy land before he got married."

"What about any friends?"

"I can't go back to my friends in Rochdale. None of them can afford to feed another mouth."

"What about outside of Rochdale?" Robin asked. Cathy shook her head.

"Not any that I know well enough to take me in."

"Well then…" said Robin dropping her hand. "Your in the gang, as long at you can prove to me that you can fight." Cathy laughed, pulling her short swords out of her belt.

"Prepare to loose, Robin of Loxley," she said as they started to circle.

"In your dreams Miss A Dale," replied Robin, as he lunged. Cathy dodged, and swung both her swords at Robin back, Robin ducked and rolled. Cathy darted forward and caught Robin just as he was getting up. She swung one of her swords down, Robin rolled again. This time Cathy didn't get their in time. Robin lunged at her again on the attack. Cathy blocked everything he threw at her. She allowed him to fight her back in to a tree. She had he back against a tree when she noticed a lower branch which she could jump on to from where she was. As robin drew his sword back for yet another attack, she slide out from between Robin and the tree and hopped on to the low branch. She then jumped up again to the next one. She then leaped off the three to the side of Robin. Rolled and blocked his swinging sword and thrust her other sword up, so that it was pressed against Robins neck. Robin looked at her impressed, Cathy grinned an him and removed her sword. She then pinched the back of her hand.

"No, not dreaming." Robin laughed.

Together she and Robin made their way back to the camp. Their conversation back to camp mainly consisted of Cathy asking Robin questions about what they did as outlaws.