Thanks go to Forest Archer and Rowan Hood. I'll also thank Rosalie, Mary, and Carrie. I'm glad you guys are all happy. My final tally is two glads!!! YAY!!!!! This one isn't qiute as happy, but still cool.

We're still in Robn's head by the way.

Robin never wanted it to end but they were interrupted by a screeching voice, making them step away from each other.

"Marian! What has come over you? I'm ashamed. I'm terribly sorry, Sir Robert, I never should have left her alone." Who was this woman? Marian seemed annoyed with her, pursing her lips together, and standing as far away from her as possible in the limited space. She had intertwined her fingers with his despite the woman's distaste.

"It's my fault," Robin told her. "I hung the mistletoe in the first place. I apologize, I didn't think anyone would mind." He had been hoping she would take the cue and leave them alone, but she stood right where she was.

"No Robin, you don't have to apologize for anything," Marian interrupted. "I wanted it just as much as you did. Don't... Don't let Organa make you think this is wrong." He noticed that she had not spoken to 'Organa' directly, but had meant for both of them to hear. There must have been a tension between the two.

"Marian, I demand you leave with me at once! I will not tolerate this behavior. I'm sorry, milord, but we must leave early."

"I'll do no such thing," Marian snapped. "The agreement was that until Robin returned I would be your charge. He's back, can't you tell?" As Marian said this she backed up against Robin placing the hand she had captured around her waist, as if to prove her point. Robin didn't know what to do with himself, not expecting anything like this. It was intoxicating. "I'm completely under his care now. If my future husband thinks I should leave, I will, but not because you tell me to."

Organa narrowed her eyes, glaring at both of them. Marian raised her chin and didn't say another word. There was something he recognized; that old defiance of authority. Organa must have sensed she wasn't going to get anywhere, since she turned and left, looking angrier than he had ever seen a human being besides Marian look.

"And that," Marian sighed, relaxing and leaning back against his chest, "is Organa, the woman who ruined my life for five years. She's the sheriff's wife, although I can't understand why she would want to get married to him. Nasty man." Robin had gotten lost in her voice again, and had missed almost half of what she had said. He nodded agreement so it wouldn't be too apparent. "I can't say much for Nottingham Castle either. Cold, hard stone, that's all there is to it. Locksley will be so much nicer." She stepped away from him so she could look him in the eye. "Say something."

Robin started playing with Marian's hair, wishing she were still leaning into him. "I suppose. Have you ever seen it? It's not a very big place. Village or manor."

Marian took his hand out of her hair and dragged him down to a sitting position. They sat across from each other, hands held between. "I don't care, it's better than all that stone." She paused but then asked, "How did you get the scar on your forehead?" Anything but that. He despised how he had gotten that particular scar, completely despised it. Should he tell her the whole story? No. It was too terrible, too... ghastly. He could barely bear to remember, why would she want to know?

"Acre," was all he said.

--*--

Marian didn't understand why he wouldn't tell her. Truth to be told she didn't understand anything that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. The kiss was the most invigorating thing that had ever happened to her. She hadn't felt that much since her mother's death, but this time it had left her wanting more. In fact, it felt as if she had never wanted anything until now. Nothing made sense, but this one thing had an explanation, and she would hear it. "Please?" she asked, pleading with her eyes. She never expected him to give in to it.

"Well, after years of laying siege to Acre we finally got into its walls. Every life was taken: man, woman, and child." Robin wouldn't look her in the eye; instead he stared off to the side, his expression full of pain. "There was one woman who had a knife, and was trying desperately to protect her child. She was begging for her son to be left alone, doing anything to keep him from us. I didn't even think about it until afterward, didn't remember how hard she had fought." Marian could see his eyes begin to water, and didn't know what to do for him. "I killed her and that little boy too, without stopping to even think. If you had heard her screaming at me when she came at me… That's how I got this scar; from when she was trying to save her child from me. Me. I won't ever be able to forget that. But it wasn't just her; there were so many others, so many that I try not to think about it. I just can't—" he cut off, and Marian got the feeling he couldn't say anymore.

His knuckles were white from clutching her hands so hard. It would have hurt Marian, but she didn't notice. What was she supposed to do? She got closer to him, pressed her lips to the scar for a moment, then wrapped her arms around him, and said, "I'm sorry, Robin. And I don't know what else I can say. I'm just so sorry." However long they stayed like that, Marian didn't know. It felt like the right thing to do, and it seemed like she should hold him. He needed somebody, and she was more than willing to be that somebody.

Suddenly Robin pulled away from her, looking like nothing had happened. As if he hadn't completely lost it just a short time ago. She wished she had that much self-control over her emotions. They didn't say anything for a while, until Robin said, "Never ask about the crusades again." Marian nodded, knowing that she didn't plan to. "So," he said in a light voice. "Did Organa wholly ruin you?"

"What do you mean?" Marian asked, glad to be moving onto a safer topic. He gave her an exasperated look. "Oh." She understood now. "I'm not sure. I mean, I don't feel the same way about a lot of things, and I suppose I've matured a little since before you left. I hope there's some of me left. Towards the beginning I managed to keep most of myself in place. Actually I was thrown in the dungeon for three days," she said, sitting up.

Robin looked at her disbelievingly. "What?" Things carried on in a much simpler way after that.

Until the end.

Hear my evil laugh.... mwah hahaha! Tell me what you think, and thanks for reading!