A/N: Thanks to Emmithar for the beta! Last chapter here, but as you might expect from the evil writing team of Kegel and Emmithar, a sequel is in the works, summary at the bottom. :)

Chapter 14: Return

Djaq made sure she had her bag and her sword, taking a last look at the two men who were staying behind. Will, Allan and John were waiting for her, ready to leave and take the last sacks of grain that no one was ever to eat to Locksley.

Robin had refused to come. He had returned to camp together with Allan less than half an hour ago. When Will had brought up the topic again, Robin had simply said that he wouldn't come, but hadn't argued against the rest of the gang going. He had taken a seat, his gaze drifting upwards into the trees as the others prepared for the short journey. After some minutes he had finally moved, retrieving his plate from earlier, picking through it at first before taking a few real bites of food. It was a comforting sign. His body still needed to heal, and so did his soul, and Djaq was sure that deprivation of food would not do him any good.

Much had declared that he was not going to come with the lads to Locksley either. It was clear to each of them that it was because he wanted to stay with Robin, no matter that he claimed it was because of his injury. Djaq thought that rest was certainly advisable for the man, but knew just as well that nothing would have kept Much at the camp if Robin had decided to come along.

She looked to Will then, the man signaling to her that he wanted to leave. She nodded, stepping out of the camp quickly. They hoped to make it to Locksley well before nightfall. Djaq wasn't convinced of Will's plan, though she had trust in the man himself. It worried her that Robin didn't believe in what they were to do. The man was often right in his assessments, so she wondered if they were doing something very stupid now.

But then Robin wasn't himself at the moment. What had happened in Nottingham had hurt him deeply; deeper maybe than she could imagine. She wondered if he would ever tell Much, perhaps he would use the opportunity now, while the rest of the lads were gone. Much would be able to help. He loved Robin unconditionally. And Robin had to see that. The man wasn't alone, no matter that he might feel that way right now. Djaq had seen it in his eyes. He had been troubled, upset. Even after returning home to the forest and while being among the lads.

And Robin wasn't the only one. She felt that Will was worried, too. The upcoming winter promised to be devastating. He had fought hard against them destroying the supplies when they first found out they were tainted. He simply hadn't wanted to believe that what was so desperately needed was lost to them and the people. The worry was still clearly on his mind, though he did not speak of it, only showing outward concern for them setting things right with the peasants. Will trusted the people of Locksley; part of him being still one of them. Djaq hoped his trust was justified. She hoped they still would have the possibility to help in the future, no matter how bleak the outlook was at the moment.

She glanced at Allan, who was walking beside her and noticed his uneasiness as well. At first she had thought his head still gave him trouble. She had asked if he felt dizzy, if he felt nauseous, but he had denied all of it. So it was a trouble of the mind, not of the body after all, Djaq judged. John appeared at her other side, and she smiled at him briefly, though the man stayed silent, casting a glance at Allan though, causing her to wonder. She guessed though that John would speak up, if he thought something was amiss.

The sun was just setting at the horizon, when they arrived in Locksley. Will lead them into the village, knowing best where to go. He stopped in the middle of the settlement, putting down the sack he had been carrying, Allan following his example, but also showing an obvious glance to the edge of the forest, as if making sure their escape route was clear.

"Will. Will Scarlett," a man spoke then, stopping in his tracks. "What is it you want?"

"I want to talk to you," Will answered simply.

"Where's Robin?" a woman wanted to know, stepping next to the villager.

"He's at camp," Will explained. "He wasn't able to come. He's hurt."

Djaq wondered for a moment which kind of hurt Will meant - and which the villagers would understand.

"Doesn't want to show his face, now does he?" a young lad spoke up, as more people collected around the outlaws. John looked at Djaq with an expression of discomfort.

An older woman shook her head at the boy. "You are being unkind. Robin has always tried to help as best as he could."

Will nodded. "I want to talk to you about the supplies. The ones that were supposed to go to Nottingham."

People looked at him expectantly. Djaq guessed that the only reason why Will was ready to talk about it in this manner was because he knew these people well, knew they still shared a common trust.

"It is true that we took the supplies, but then we found out they were poisoned. It was the sheriff. You know the sheriff's cruelty." People nodded. "We didn't want to do it, really we didn't. I wish I'd know how we could help you through the winter, but the grain, it's all gone." He shook his head.

Djaq looked gravely around into the faces of the peasants. She guessed that Robin would have tried to give them more hope than Will was doing now, who was simply and honestly admitting that they had little. The outlaws would try and help as well as they could, but Will didn't pretend they could give anything that was not there in the first place.

"These are two sacks of the grains we took," he continued. "They're bad, too. No one can eat of them, I'm sorry. But we wanted you to know that we didn't keep any of it for us. We didn't destroy any of it out of spite, but because we had to."

Some people nodded, but no one spoke up. Djaq wondered for a moment if Will would speak about what had happened in Nottingham. It hadn't only been Robin at whom the anger of the people had been directed. They had cursed all of the outlaws, though it was Robin who had been in the center of it, who the sheriff had presented as a target. Still, there had to be a feeling of discomfort among the other lads, too. She felt it for sure, and she had never belonged to these people, as Will had, or Much and John, even Allan in a way, as well as Robin.

But Will did not speak of it. He kept exchanging simple words with the peasants, Allan joining in from now and then. Finally it was agreed that they were to burn the rest of the grains too, so that nobody would be tempted in hunger to eat the deadly food.

Djaq left with John to get some dry branches from the edge of the forest, and Will finally started the small fire that gave a warm light in the darkness that had fallen over the country. It illuminated the faces of the people who had stayed to watch. Djaq moved up to Allan and Will who were looking into the flames with thoughtful expressions. She turned around for a moment to see John watching some of the peasants leave, but also caught another movement then, a movement that was somewhat further away.

She briefly put a hand on Will's shoulder, trying to tell him that he had done well, before she walked away, to the edge of the forest again. There was no movement anymore now, but she could see the dark faces of the two men there, hardly visible at all in the night that was only barely lit by the fire.

She smiled at them as well as to herself, but they stayed there. She didn't know who of the two had taken the initiative, whether Much had made Robin follow the lads, or if it had been the other way around. Still, a step had been made. No matter what the coming months would bring, she knew they would go on.

The End

A/N: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this! This is not quite the end of this storyline – as I said above, a sequel is in the works and I expect to put up the first part by next week. I hope you keep reading!

Better Days Will Come: A twist of history and an unexpected offer give Robin new opportunities in his fight for both his people and country. It also brings new dilemmas, as he and the gang have to make hard choices to find their way when conflicts come to a head.