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

Author's Note: Since the new series of Robin Hood starts today, I thought that I'd celebrate by getting a new chapter up.

Chapter 46

It was two days after the death of Juliet. The gang had buried Juliet two days earlier, and were now sat around the camp fire one morning.

Robin had come out of his shell now since Juliet's arrival and time with the gang. True we was still very upset - and who could blame him - but he now seemed to have some sort of hope.

' I think we should go into Locksley,' Robin said suddenly.

The other looked at him in suprise.

He shrugged,' Well, I haven't really left camp since we got back from the Holy Land. And it's what we do, isn't it? Looking after the poor . . . '

There was a murmur of assent as everyone grabbed cloaks and began to get ready to leave.

Ava fastened her cloak under her chin, and then hurried over to the cot which Will had quickly made up for Marie.

She leaned in and picked up the baby.

Only to be stopped by Robin, who laid a hand on her shoulder.

' Don't you think you should stay here with Marie? ' he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ava frowned at him,' What? I should stay here with the child because I'm a woman? But I want to go into the village too! I'll wrap Marie up and she'll be fine with me.'

Robin shook his head,' Do you think it's a good idea to take her delivering to the poor with us? '

' Yes,' Ava said promptly,' she's my responsibility and I say she's coming with us . . . '

Robin raised his eyebrows,' You do know that we're not keeping her? '

' What? ' asked Ava incredulously.

Robin sighed,' Maybe we should all sit down and discuss this . . .I suppose we have to talk about it at some point.'

Ava sat down on one of the logs, cradling Marie in her lap. Much and Allan sat on either side of her. Robin sat opposite her, Will and Djaq on either side of him, whilst John stood up leaning against the nearest tree.

' OK,' Robin said,' Ava, you've got to understand that we're outlaws . . . we're not equipped to bring up a baby . . .'

' So we learn,' Ava said dismissively.

' We live in constant danger, and we can't endanger a child like that either. It's unfair on her.'

Ava glared,' Robin, you said it yourself - she's your niece. The last piece of Marian that we have left. '

' Ava,' Will interrupted.

' No,' hissed Ava, holding Marie closer, in a very protective way,' I won't let her take you away from me. I've gotten attached to her now. '

John banged his staff on the groud, demanding order,' Let's take a vote on this,' he said,' whichever out come recieves most votes is passed . . .so - for or against keeping the child? '

' Against,' Djaq said.

' Against,' Will said, refusing to meet Ava's eyes.

' Yes, against,' John nodded.

Allan sighed,' I'm sorry, my girl, it's just not practical . . . against . . .'

Robin bit his lip,' I don't know if we can look after her . . .but . . . Marian . . .'

Much shrugged,' Well, I, um -'

Ava glared at him,' Why don't you just come out with it, Much? You want me to send her away. You all do! '

' Don't be like that,' Much sighed, laying a hand on her arm. She wrenched the arm away.

Robin looked at her pityingly,' She'll be alright in Scarborough, Ava. With Luke, and Annie Scarlett,' he added, nodding towards Will.

Ava stood up angrily,' We can't just ship all the people who need our help off to Scarborough! '

' And we can't open a nursery in the middle of the forest,' Robin reasoned.

' This was Juliet's dying wish . . .for me and Much to raise Marie . . .and I don't want to break a promise to anyone .' Ava said, looking at them all.

Much stood up, hands on hips,' She's right - we have to look after her. She's our responsibility and she's got no one else, has she? '

Silence greeted this response.

' Fine,' Ava huffed,' I'm going for a walk. '

Before anyone could stop her, she had stormed away, holding Marie to her chest.

The people left behind looked at each other awkwardly.

Much was seething, stood with his hands on his hips and glaring around at everyone,' Well this is just great, isn't it? Here we are, supposed to be helping other people and all we're doing is arguing amongst ourselves. '

' You can't expect us to keep a baby? ' John asked, disbelief all over his tone.

Robin shrugged,' She had kind of a point though, didn't she? My niece, the last part of Marian, no where else to send her. '

' We've all always said she'd make a brilliant mother,' Djaq said softly, beginning to rethink her hasty first impulsive decision.

' That's what all this is about,' Much said, sitting down, head in hands as he looked at the ground.

The others watched him, waiting for him to say something else.

Much sighed,' She wants a family. I mean, really wants a family. But she knows it's not fair to bring a child into all of this chaos and it's eating her up inside. She feels like a failure because other young women her age are married and settled down with happy families, and she's busy running around the forest. '

Everyone exchanged glances.

Robin tutted,' She really thinks like that? She's helping to save England and she thinks she's a failure? '

' You know how irrational she is,' shrugged Much,' I'm going to find her. '

' You think you know where she is? ' Allan asked.

' I have an idea . . . '

*****

The whole gang decided to go to Locksley, whilst Much went off to find his wife.

He headed straight to the first place that came in to his mind.

And he was right. There she was.

She was sat on the grass of the steep, sloping bank that over looked the village of Locksley. Her knees were tucked tight up to her chest, her arms closed around Marie. The slight breeze whipped at her face, and tousled her hair. He could hear her sniffles, and saw the way that her head was tilted down, as she gazed at the child.

He approached her slowly, before sitting on the grass beside her.

' Hello,' he said softly.

Ava didn't even look up at him, and at first gave no sign that she even realised he was there.

Much snaked one arm around Ava's waist and pulled her close to him.

After a moment, she muttered,' I should have known you'd come after me.'

Much nodded sagely,' Yes, you should. I knew you'd be here. You always come out here when you need to think. '

Ava was silent, still - the only noise her sniffling.

' Hey,' Much said gently, turning her face towards him with his thumb and forefinger,' we'll have none of that,' he insisted, wiping away the odd tears that decorated her cheek.

' I'm sorry,' Ava said, turning away from him to look down at Marie again,' sorry that I ran out on everyone. I just can't bear to see this child sent away to some strangers . . . Juliet asked that we look after her, and it's our duty. '

' I know,' Much said.

' And I - wait . . .what? ' she asked, the corners of her mouth curving upward into a slight smile,' you agree with me? '

' Of course I do,' Much told her, leaning over and kissing her cheek, before reaching out to Marie and touching her hand with his own

He watched, both thrilled and suprised, when the small child took hold of his middle finger with her entire hand.

He looked quickly at Ava, who laughed.

' I think she likes you,' Ava said.

Much beamed,' And I like her, too,' he said, rubbing one finger across Marie's tiny, chubby cheek.

' You're going to make an excellent mother,' Much told his wife.

' You mean you won't let them take her away? ' Ava asked, her eyes widening in hope.

' Never ever,' Much said,' she's our daughter now . . . it's not what we'd planned on, but since when does anything around here go to plan? '

Much then stood up, offering one hand to Ava, and pulling her to her feet.

Ava laughed,' You're going to make an excellent father,' she told him, as she carefully passed Marie over for him to hold for a while.

*****

The couple headed for Locksley, where they planned to meet the rest of the gang.

They met up with the rest of the gang in the back garden of one of the villager's homes. Robin, John, Allan, Will and Djaq gave money and food to the village seamstress, before joining Ava and Much.

Robin nodded towards Marie,' I see you've gotten attached, Much? ' he commented.

Much nodded firmly,' We look after Marie,' he said,' no matter what. '

There was a pause during which Robin looked back at the rest of the gang,' No matter what,' he agreed,' we find a way. Together. '

*****

They continued to visit the villagers and hand out the food and money, just as they had done before the war.

They were half way around the village, when there was a stampede of horses hooves, and Gisbourne rode in to the village followed by three of his guards.

Robin's eyes widened when he saw Gisbourne, and a darker shadow fell over his face, eyes turned steely and hard.

And the rest of the gang understood what was going on - this was the first time that Robin had seen Gisboure since the latter murdered Marian, and Robin had a deep vengence to fulfill.

Robin raised his longbow and drew an arrow into it.

' No! ' John snapped, trying to grab Robin by the back of his shirt to stop him going anywhere.

Robin shook him off,' Don't hold me back! ' he hissed,' that man killed the love of my life and I'm going to kill him in return . . . any of you try to get in my way andI'll kill you too.'

' Robin! ' Ava exclaimed.

But Robin was like a man possessed,' I mean it. Gisbourne dies for what he did. '

With that he shot the arrow so that it hit the door of the manor - his own old home - and narrowly missed Gisbourne's fingers as he tried to open the door of the building.

' GISBOURNE! ' he bellowed.

Gisbourne roared, and turned around to face Robin, running at him and drawing out his sword.

The two men began to engage in a swordfight, before Gisourne noticed the rest of the gang standing by.

' Guards! ' he yelled,' get Hood's lot! Now! '

The guards moved forward - more and more coming out from the back of the house, outnumbering the gang. The gang moved forward.

Three took on John, three fought Will, three tried to attack Djaq, and three ran for Allan.

Much turned to Ava in a panic. He bundled Marie into her arms, and kissed Ava's forehead quickly.

' Go! ' he urged.

' I'm not running out on everyone,' Ava hissed,' no chance! '

' There's no time for this,' Much insisted,' You take the baby and you run away. There's too many of them an I won't lose you. '

' Much! '

' Go! ' Much yelled as the guards approached, and he was caught up in a fight.

Ava wasn't a stupid woman. She knew she had to protect Marie, and as much as she didn't want to leave her friends and family, she ran for it.

She hadn't gotten very far, when there was a shout of,' Hey you! Hey, stop! '

Looking over her shoulder, Ava saw that a tall, broad guard lumbered towards her. She hurried away, her panic over-bearing, until she was so over come that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and ended up trapped in a dead end between two of the cottages.

Turning around, to face the guard, dread filled Ava. She held Marie to her with one arm, whilst reaching for her sword with the other hand.

The guard laughed,' Don't be silly, little girl,' he said,' you can't beat me in a fight - you're half my buly, and you can only use one arm.'

Ava ran at him, planning on hitting his legs with the sword - but he blocked her. So she tried to knee him hard, to cause as much pain as possible - this too failed. The guard grabbed her, disarming her, twisting her arm behind her back, holding her in place tightly.

She stuggled against him, and he held her fast.

' Try and move any more little girl,' he said menacingly, ' and I'll take the kid. And you won't see it ever again. '

' N-no, please,' stammered Ava.

Thr guard laughed,' I thought so . . . now, do you know what the punishment for being an outlaw is? It's death. Let's go and find out what Sir Guy has to say about this. My guess is, he'll take you straight to Nottingham. '