Title: To Live Another Day
Author: Kate's Master, aka Emma
Summery: Obligatory response to the end of series two. Will be followed by some form of angsty oneshot, no doubt. Ten ways she lived. Many crossovers, verrry odd. Read at your peril. Spoilers galore.

Disclaimer: I wish. I really, really wish. Marian lives!!! One day. I'm working on it…until then, all credit and hatemail to the BBC. Mainly the latter, I believe.

Authors Notes: So, it's starting to sink in. Kind of. Beth is now wandering round in a daze muttering "how could he? Guy! How could you?!"

By next October, we may even have accepted it. And then the show will restart, and the cruel, cruel world will return to huant us. Pah.

Love and brownies to Homeric and M. Sullivan for their reviews.

Ten Ways That She Lives

2. It wasn't Marian – it was some random side character wearing a mask, and she'll turn up safe and sound next series.

It was a smaller, far more sombre group that returned to Sherwood Forest. Somehow, coming back here, to a place that held so many memories, made the hurts that the long journey had begun to heal seem all the more real.

Suddenly feeling the need to avoid his friend's face, Much hurried ahead to open the camp. His cry of shock echoed through the forest, and caused his friends to drop the packs they carried and sprint round the final corner. At which point all three stopped in a mixture of amazement and disbelief.

Marian stood there, hands on hips, her lips thin and face as cross as any of them had ever seen it.

"Robin of Locksley, you had better have a bloody good excuse this time round!"

No one spoke for several minutes, too busy gaping at her.

"Marian?" hazarded Much after a few minutes.

She tutted angrily.

"Yes, Much? Perhaps you'd care to explain, since Robin seems incapable of speech."

"But…but you…and the sword…and Gisborne…and the wedding…" The ex-servant babbled on, completely and utterly lost.

"Much, what on earth are you going on about? What wedding? Gisborne's sword?"

"You're dead…" murmured Robin, finally remembering the location of his tongue.

Now she frowned, totally lost.

"Evidently not, since I'm standing here yelling at you. Where on earth have you been? Six months I've been looking for you!"

"Six months?" Allan, ever the practical one, was doing some rapid thinking. "But…like, four months ago…we were burying you."

"Burying me? What on…will someone please explain what you are all going on about?"

"Perhaps you could explain what happened to you after you tried to kill the Sheriff…" hazarded John.

"The Sheriff took me to the dungeons. I was there until one of the servant girls freed me. I bribed her. I've been looking for you ever since…where have you been?!"

"The Holy Lands." said Robin, looking ever so slightly dazed. "Gisborne…he stabbed you. You died. We buried you."

Marian looked blank.

"I've never left England, let alone gone to the Holy Lands. Robin, what on earth are you all going on about?"

"Prove it." said John suddenly. "Prove that you're not some trick of the Shriefs."

"How?"

"Something only Marian would know. Anything."

Marian – or an amazingly similar look-a-like – wracked her brains. And then smiled.

"You, Robin Hood, are the only man to propose to me over a fresh grave by comparing me to your weapon. And then you gave me this."

And from her pocket she withdrew a emrald-studded ring.

A relay of emoitions chased across Robins face – dispair, disbelief, and finally, that never-ceasing wonder…hope.

He crossed the ground between them faster than it should have been possible to, and caught her in such a bone crushing hug that it was a wonder she wasn't suffocated there and then.

Perhaps she realised how much he needed this…perhaps she sensed the desperation, the fear of losing all over again…perhaps, really, she had been facing the same thoughts herself.

England needed them.

Enlgand need him.

He needed her.

So, basically, the Shrieff decided to mess with everyone's minds, and send in the fake Marian.

I wish.

And on we go...

Happy New Year!