Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood, as it is the property of the BBC.

Chapter 18

A week after the pitch incident, the gang of outlaws planned to ambush a messenger who would be travelling down North Road.

Henry of Lewes would be coming to tell the Sheriff of the date and place that the king would land when he returned to England, so Robin and the others knew that they had to stop him, or else the Sheriff and the black nights would go and kill the king.

' He's not coming! ' Robin exclaimed in great annoyance after they had been waiting half an hour after Henry of Lewes should have been down the road, ' he's been tipped off. '

' By who? ' Allan asked, ' don't worry, he's probably just late. Horse needed shoeing, or he stopped for a kip or somethin'. '

' He's here to betray the king, he's hardly going to stop for a nap, ' Much scoffed.

' Maybe Marian got the time wrong? ' Will suggested, although they all knew that it wasn't like her to pass on faulty information.

Allan nodded,' It's a good point actually. Yeah, because Marian's trying to listen at keyholes and stuff - could be making all kinds of mistakes. '

There was a pause before something seemed to dawn on Robin, ' she could be making a big mistake. All of you go back to the camp - and stay there! '

' Robin? ' Much asked, giving his oldest friend a questioning look as he mounted the horse.

' That's an order, ' Robin said sternly, before riding off.

' I don't like the sound of this, ' Ava said as the six of them watched the former lord of Locksley ride off.

Allan wordlessly put a hand on her shoulder as they began the short walk back to their camp.

Back at camp, Ava was worried about Robin, and thought be would probably do something rash or stupid whilst he was in Nottingham.

She told the others that she was going to collect the firewood, but Much insisted on coming with her. She rolled her eyes mentally- she had wanted to go after Robin on her own but knew the others wouldn't let her go to Nottingham on her own. She was thereofre quite pleased when her father glared at Much and told him that there was no need for him to accompany Ava, as she could look after herself.

She waited in the market place for him, and was suprised when he rounded the corner and threw her up against the wall.

' What are you doing here? ' he asked her, relieved it was just her and letting go of her,' I thought someone was following me, I could have harmed you.'

' What are you doing?' she asked him, ' I know you're angry because Henry of Lewes got past us but you can't just go running off all the time! '

' You disobeyed my order Ava,' Robin hissed,' I said wait at the camp. '

' So Gisbourne was outwitted us Robin, so what? His luck will run out...it has to. Otherwise we'll be asking where he's getting his imformation from,' she said off hand.

Robin fixed her with a stern look and bowed his head.

' What? ' she asked in apprehension, ' you think he's getting information? From one of us? No. ' she declared, as Robin only continued to look bleak.

She couldn't see how it could be - surely no one in the gang would do that, ' surely there's some mistake? A traitor? Who? That's why you sent us back to camp...because you suspect us...you suspect me.'

'Ava I have to suspect everyone. ' he told her sadly.

' You suspect me?! ' she hissed.

' Go back to camp! ' he demanded.

' What do I have to do to prove my loyalty? I'd chop off my own arms! ' she offered, lifting up her sword and adding, ' well, one of them, because once I'd chopped that off, I wouldn't be able to chop off the other. ' she realised.

' Ava, if you want to prove your loyalty then do the one thing I ask of you.'

' Name it,' she nodded.

' Go back to camp! ' he repeated.

Ava sighed, ' Alright then. '

' Good girl,' he smiled briefly, kissing the top of her head and turning away to leave.

When Ava got back to camp, she ripped off her cloak and tossed it aside, pacing angrily in front of the fire, earning her self looks of questioning from her friends.

' What's your problem? ' Allan asked.

' And where's the firewood ?' John added.

' Never mind the bloody firewood, ' Ava snapped snappily.

' You went after Robin didn't you? ' Will asked her.

' Why do you want to know? ' she challenged, her discovery form Robin making her snappy and defensive.

' We want to know what's going on, ' Will told her camly,' what's the plan? '

' Did the messenger get to the castle ?' Djaq joined in with the inquisition.

' Is Robin going to kill him? ' Will quizzed.

' Like to know his plans do you? ' she hissed, catching the full and undivided attention of everyone, ' what's the Sheriff and Gisbourne's plan? '

' What? ' Much said, screwing his nose up in confusion, ' My love, are you feeling quite well? What is it? '

' I mean, is there even a Henry? ' Ava continued to rant, so affected and disturbed by the news,' or is it just a tramp?! '

' What? ' Will asked, since she semed to be directing most of this at him.

' What's going on? ' Djaq joined in.

' How much do they pay you?! ' she demanded to know.

' Pay who!? ' bellowed Little John.

Ava looked around at the whole of the group and announced,' there's a spy - in the camp! One of you is a spy! And Robin knows, so you're done for! '

' What? How does he know? ' Allan asked quickly.

' It's obvious father, ' Ava replied, angrily, ' Gisbourne's always five or six steps ahead of us! '

' Are you calling me a traitor? ' Will demanded to know.

For a moment, everyone was silent until Allan noticed that Will was looking right at him

' What? What you looking at me for? ' he snapped.

' Well, you're the one who tried to persuade me and Ava to steal from Robin, all those months ago when Marain almost died. ' Will retorted.

' What? We said no in the end! ' Allan replied as Will hit his arm, and Allan hit back.

John quickly stepped in, ' Stop it now! The both of you! '

' Yes, if anyone's going to kill the traitor, it's going to be me, ' Ava decreed.

' What makes you so high and mighty? ' Allan demanded, ' he doesn't trust you either, or he wouldn't have sent you back here, would he? '

Ava lauched herself forward to hit her father, only to be pulled back by Much.

An arrow hitting one of the trees stopped the arguments as the whole lot of them ran to North Road, where they were met by the sight of Robin helping a heavily pregnant woman out of a carriage.

' What's going on? ' Djaq asked.

' We're taking her to camp, ' Robin replied.

' Our camp? ' Much asked.

' This is Rosa - Matilda's daughter. ' Robin introduced the woman, who seemed to be in labour.

' So much for the camp being secret, ' Allan scoffed.

' So much for a lot of things being secret, ' Robin answered coldly.

Once Djaq had taken Rosa to the bed in the medical tent, the others rounded on Robin.

' We need to know who the traitor is, ' Will said firmly.

' Let's just deal with Rosa first,' Robin sighed.

' Tell us, Robin! ' yelled Little John.

' Robin, ' Will spat venomously,' there'll be people like Rosa who need our help but if we're not a proper team...if you suspect us...'

' Ok,' Robin relented,' it's true, one of you is betraying us. You're meeting Gisbourne and you're selling our secrets. '

' Not me, ' Much was quick to say.

' Nor me, ' Allan replied almost instantly.

' Well, it ain't me,' Ava said.

' Or me, ' Will added.

' It's not me, ' John told his leader.

' Stop this now! ' Robin demanded,' if the guilty man or woman confesses right here, I'll listen. Tell me what Gisbourne said...what he offered, Step forward now - you have one chance. '

When no one did so, Robin shook his head in a disappointed manner,' Well, whoever you are, you have made your choice...and I will find you out.'

Whilst Djaq and John helped Rose give birth, the others were too preoccupied with their own thoughts and were sat around in silence.

Ava sat leaning against a tree on the very edge of the camp, glaring at the floor. She found it hard to believe that any one in the gang would betray them.

Her father came and sat beside her, ' Ava? 'he said carefully, ' are you alright? '

' There's a spy in the camp father,' she sighed, looking in to his endless bright blue eyes, which were identical to his own, ' how can anything be alright? '

Allan looked away rather than looking into his daughter's eye,' He probably knows he's made a mistake now.'

' Whoever it was...how could they do it? How? '

' Maybe they...whoever it was..maybe they felt trapped, like they had no other choice. '

' They could have asked for help. If they'd come to Robin, there would have been help.'

' Well sometimes there just isn't time to run for help,' her father told her sadly, still not meeting her eyes, ' and maybe they thought they were doing it to help some one, to save some one else.'

'By betraying us all? ' Ava scoffed.

' Maybe it was better for the person they wanted to protect...better in the long run of things. '

' No one was trying to be noble and save anyone else father. Let's face it, who over it was did it out of sheer greed and selfishness and I for one, can't imagine which of our friend's would do that. I mean - it wasn't me, I know you'd never do that, Much wouldn't either, but I don't see it being John, Will or Djaq either. '

Allan sighed, ' I don't know,' he shrugged.

Ava also sighed and leant over to lean her head on his shoulder,' Oh it's just ghastly,' she moaned.

Allan, feeling very guilty indeed, tipped his head sideways and rested it on top of his daughter, closing his eyes as he mentally cursed him self for doing such a stupid thing.

The rest of that day passed bleakly.

Rosa gave birth to her daugther, whom she named Alice, after John's wife, since John had helped her go deliver the babe.

On the way back from taking Rosa home, Robin and Will went to one side to bury the body of Henry of Lewes - who had died shortly after arriving at the castle, without being able to give the Sheriff the message.

The others watched as Robin punched Will right in the middle of his face.

' What's he doing? ' Allan asked in confusion.

' Robin! ' Much yelled, as they all ran to meet their leader, who ripped Will's tag off him. Will quickly scarpered.

' Will? ' Ava asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

' No, ' Alllan said frmly, shaking his head.

' Yes. Will's the spy,' Robin told his men..and women,' the subject's closed .'

' Will? Robin, I do not believe it, ' John announced, a feeling which the rest of them shared.

' Will's gone and that's the end of it,' Robin said firmly,' now I have to go to the castle, I think he had a go between. '

' At the castle? ' John asked.

' At The Trip Tavern, ' Robin corrected,' Marian saw a serving girl recieving money from Gisbourne. I have to go to meet Marian to find out exactly what Gisbourne knows.'

' We'll come,' Much offered.

' No, I'm safer on my own. Meanwhile, you lot have to scatter until I find out whether Gisbourne knows about the camp. I'll go to The Trip at sundown, come back here after that. I'll tell you what I know.'

' What do we do now?' John asked.

' You heard him, we scatter,' Allan supplied.

And indeed they did scatter.