Chapter Twenty Three ~ A Blushing Farewell

I didn't want to, but Loveday insisted we had to go home the next day as De Noir castle wasn't a nice environment to be in with the death of Danny and Robin's injured state. I argued that I wanted to stay with Robin until he got better, but it was no use. Loveday's mind set was final and we would be returning home.

Though I was allowed to say my goodbyes to Robin privately.

Loveday had made sure her father and all healers had left the room so I could say goodbye in peace without having people staring.

I walked through the door. It was exactly the same as I had seen it last night. What did I expect? Robin lay in his bed, eyes closed. They opened with the sound of the door opening. He gave me a weak smile. I shut the door quietly behind me and made my way to sit by his bed.

"How are you doing?" I asked. He thought before answering.

"I've been better." He grumbled, a hand running across his sewn up scars. I stared down at them. They looked a lot better than they had done when he first appeared out of the forest. No more blood thankfully.

"You want me to get you a healer?" I asked, scared he was in pain. He smiled and shook his head.

"You're an awful one for worrying." He muttered. There was a short pause.

"I'm really sorry to hear about Danny." I said quietly. He breathed a chuckle.

"You've been apologising a lot recently." Robin pointed out, turning his head towards me. I shrugged.

"I suppose I have some silly thought in my head that if I keep apologising that you'll get better."

"Ever the logical, aren't you?" Robin teased, laughing.

"At least you're going to be alright." I took his hand and turned it over so his palm faced up. Without thinking I began to trace circles into it.

"It's early days yet, princess." I looked up at him. He was staring at our hands but looked up to meet my eyes.

"You shouldn't think so negative." I told him quietly. He breathed out through his nose before nodding.

"I'm sorry." We sat in silence for a few moments. "You're leaving, aren't you?" I nodded in answer to his question. "When?"

"As soon as I've said goodbye to you." Robin chuckled.

"I take it that's why Loveday came and evacuated the room so quickly?" He guessed.

"She knows I don't like people hovering." I said. He smiled.

"When will I see you again?" Robin asked.

"I don't know." I answered honestly. "Judging by what Loveday tells me, I'm going to busy for the next few weeks."

"Why?"

"Planning for my birthday." Robin closed his eyes and sighed.

"I forgot it was your birthday." He moaned.

"Don't worry about it. You have better things to worry about at the moment." I reassured. He opened his eyes.

"What are you doing for your birthday?" He asked. I sighed.

"Loveday's planning a party." Robin grinned. "Which should be fun. She's inviting everyone we know."

"Am I invited?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Of course you are!" His grin widened, then it flattered slightly and he grimaced in pain. I was immediately on alert. "You want me to get you something? Water? You want me to call a healer?"

"It's a good thing you are going home, save me from all this worrying you keep doing." Robin muttered, smiling.

"Is my worrying a bad thing?"

"No, it's just unnecessary." I raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Because I will get better, Maria."

"Just a moment ago you were thinking of the worse outcome." I pointed out. He smiled.

"Yes but now I have a reason to get better." He told me. "I mean, who else are you going to dance with at your party?" The prospect of my birthday party seemed to be warming on me suddenly.

"You think you'll be well enough to dance?" I asked, eyeing up his scars.

"I will be, I'll make sure of it." He said, grinning.

"So, the Great Robin De Noir dances?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh I have many skills, princess." I giggled softly and leant back in the chair. I knew Loveday would be getting impatient if I stayed too long. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"Oh Robin, you don't have to get me anything." I said quietly. He shrugged, or attempted to.

"I can't not get you something." He closed his eyes for a few moments then opened them again, glancing down at his scars.

"Just concentrate on being there, okay?" I offered. "That can be your present to me." He smiled.

"That's a rubbish present."

"I don't think so." I disagreed.

"You have simple tastes though." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"If you weren't injured then I hit you." Robin chuckled.

"I can see all this becoming quite beneficial." He muttered. I glanced at the door and then back at Robin. "You need to go, don't you?"

"Loveday is expecting me to meet her by the carriage. She says we need to hurry back." I sighed. "I'd rather stay here though."

"Hmm." I raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm?" He shrugged and smiled. Robin then struggled to sit up. I tried to push him back down but he took my hands in his and pushed them away gently. Finally he managed to sit up and groaned slightly.

"Didn't hurt as much as I expected." He muttered to himself.

"Please don't strain yourself, Robin." I begged. He rolled his eyes and held out his arm towards me. I got up off the chair and perched on the end of his bed. I wrapped my arms around him carefully, though he held me closely to him.

"I know a plus to this whole accident." He said suddenly.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't have to worry about what you and Henry are getting up to anymore." I pulled back to look at his face.

"You were jealous." I said quietly, I couldn't stop myself from smiling. He chuckled and pulled me back into a hug. "I didn't know Robin De Noir was capable of jealousy." I felt him kiss my head. "Or is this one of your many skills?"

"Something like that." Robin murmured. I bit my lip in an attempt to stop myself from smiling and we were silent for a few moments. Finally we pulled apart and just stared at each other. I reached out finally and brushed some hair away from his eyes. His head looked strangely lonely without the company of his hat, though now I could run my runs through his curls without an obstacle.

"Don't ever cut your hair." I said suddenly. He gave me one of his lob-sided smiles.

"My father's been going on at me for ages to cut my hair." He began. "He says that I look too much like a girl. Silly old fool obviously hasn't looked in a mirror lately." I giggled and rest my head on his bare shoulder. It had struck me as odd that Robin was sat in front of me, half naked and I didn't feel my face reddening which I may have done a week or so ago.

Maybe I was learning to control my blushing.

"I better go." I said, standing up unintentionally. Judging by Robin's face, the action had either hurt him or he was in pain. "I'll try come back, but I can't promise anything." Robin nodded.

"Well, let's just say I won't see you until your birthday." He began, a mischievous smile forming on his face. "Do I get a kiss goodbye?" A blush crept onto my face and I realised that my control had gone out the window. Robin raised an eyebrow when I didn't answer. Deciding to give him a simple peck on the cheek, I leant back down and pressed my lips to his awaiting cheek.

Robin seemed to have other ideas though.

When I pulled away, before I could react he took hold of my face and pulled me back towards him. Even if I wanted to pull away, I couldn't as his hands held my face with a strong grip.

Robin's lips were about to touch mine when he froze. The hand that held my face so close to his vanished and he sat back quickly. Robin watched me with wide eyes, his face unreadable.

My head seemed to be spinning. Just seconds ago I was about to kiss Robin and my heart was beating rapidly at the thought of it. Now, he moved away from me like I was some sort of bad smell.

It was like he had rejected me.

"What's the matter?" I asked, cautiously. He shook his head slowly.

"My friend has just died and all I can think about is kissing you." He said, angrily. I didn't say anything. I was lost for words. Then he ran both his hands into his hair and grabbed fistfuls of his curly locks. He doubled over and I saw him shake as he began to sob. I quickly pulled him into a hug, careful not to hurt him.

"Robin, please don't cry." I tried. It didn't seem to work. "We'll just forget it ever happened."

"What kind of friend, am I?" He cried.

"A very good friend." I said as I rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. I heard him snort. "Please Robin." I begged. "I can't leave you like this."

"Then don't go." I paused before answering.

"Don't tempt me." I sighed. I unravelled his hands from the fists attached to his hair and lifted up his eyes to meet mine. I carefully wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"I don't deserve this." He said slowly.

"Don't be ridiculous!" I said, a half-hearted attempt of humour. He just stared at me. "Come on. Just think of how Danny would react if he saw you like this." I tried to joke. I felt slightly guilty for talking about Robin's dead friend when I didn't know him, but I had to do something to put a smile on his face. It did the trick.

"He'd think I'm an idiot." He nodded slowly.

"Exactly." I laughed slightly and Robin gave me a small smile. "Please don't think of yourself badly. You tried to kill the creature after it hurt Danny. You showed how much of a good friend you were." I paused and then added. "Even if it cost you dearly." My eyes wandered to his scars and back to his face. "They'll be a constant reminder of what you did for him."

"They'll also be a constant reminder of how I didn't manage to kill it and how he died because of it." I froze at Robin's voice. I didn't know what to say. A sad smile formed on his face. "I'm sorry. I told you I'd stop being so negative." He tried to laugh but only winced in pain.

"Don't hurt yourself." I begged. He grinned at me. I glanced at the door and back at Robin.

"You need to go, I know." He said before I could open my mouth. I smiled and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek before standing up. Robin collapsed back onto the pillow and I heard him sigh in relief. The length of time he had been sitting up for must have pained him a lot.

"Remember, forget everything else and just concentrate on getting better." I said, heading for the door. He smiled. "You said you'll be dancing with me at my party and you better not go back on that promise!"

"Your wish is my command, princess." He said, weakly. I took one last look at his injured, smiling state and I left, shutting his door quietly behind me. A part of me wanted to go back in and curl up in bed with him. But an image of Loveday's face came into my head and I knew she wouldn't be best pleased if I was any later than I already was.

With a sigh, I left. Leaving with the thought that we could of kissed just now.

(A/N) I'm ever so cruel... :D

The next chapter will be much longer, I promise you that!

Nothing else to say really other than Please Review and I will see you soon (tomorrow most likely!) :)

-jemlou-