Hey I'm back...miss me?? anyway here is another fantastic chapter...and i say that with certainty because it was really interesting and fun to write...hopefully it will be fun to read as well....ooh i really do love this show...soooo sad that it ended after three seasons...but we carry on dont we?? we are intrepid...or whatever that means. i tried to make this chapter funnier than my previous more angsty ones...but this does have angst...so dont worry and this doesnt have vasey/edward story because i decided to just let them take a break for a chapter...oh Arria Rose you can check the french again...sorry if its still not so good...anyway love to hear your thoughts as always

Chapter Fourteen Helping, Hurting

Guy stood up. His knees trembled but he was able to stand firmly without falling. The girl Guy had seen was now gone. Though this vision might have perturbed other, weaker, men Guy understood the message quite clearly.

You, Sir Guy of Gisborne, you are going to be a father.

And it was really that simple.

There was a child who needed him. Not that this realization would normally have moved Guy so. Due to Guy's cruelty many children suffered. They had suffered…and all because of Guy's ever thirsty blade.

But this little one, with the beautiful raven hair and fiery eyes, was his creation. And he was not going to let her come into the world without a father to love her and shelter her. Even if Marian did love……him, it made no difference.

Guy took a deep breath and walked back to the town. With every step he took he repeated his mantra over and over again.

It makes no difference. It makes no difference. It makes no difference.

Of course, in the back of Guy's mind, he knew it made a very big difference. This little part of his mind knew that it made all the difference in the world to Guy. But Guy was stronger than the nagging voice in his head. He had to be.

For the child…my child.

So his pace quickened. His strides were faster. He started running. But Guy did not look where he was going and he bumped into a villager. The villager was innocently carrying a basket of food to his home and he did not realize that there was a tall man who needed to get somewhere very quickly.

Guy and the villager collided and fell on the cobblestones. The villager's food was rolling around the market in disarray. Without a word to the villager Guy began crawling around the ground of the market place collecting the man's food. He put the food back in the astonished Frenchman's basket and even put some money in the basket to replace the destroyed food.

"Merci," said the villager who started rising to his feet.

"Vous êtes bienvenu," replied Guy giving the man a hand as he stood up and shook off the dirt and dust. "Ce n'était aucun probleme."

And it didn't feel like deal for Gisborne either. In fact, as he smiled at the man, he felt good inside. He felt he had just done something that would make his grandfather smile and clasp him on the back.

Well done Guy.

Then the man looked in his basket and realized that Gisborne had given him some money, more money in fact than the food had cost him in the first place. In a haste he tried to give the money back to Guy but the former murderer held up his hands and shook his head.

"Pour vous mon ami," said Guy.

And the man looked at the money in his hand and he looked up at the kind stranger.

"Merci Robin Hood. Dieu vous bénissent!" And then he walked away with a basket full of food and a smile on his face.

Guy looked after the villager with his mouth hanging open. Then slowly he closed his mouth and continued walking towards the estate.

What did he just call you?

Guy winced as he remembered the name.

Did a Frenchman just call you Robin Hood?

Guy scratched his neck uncomfortably. Was Robin Hood known even here in France? That seemed impossible. Nottingham was just one shire in the vast country of England. And Robin Hood was just one outlaw. He could not have made that big of a difference.

Guy underestimated the great hunger facing the people of England and France. They were hungry for a legend. Robin Hood filled the requirements beautifully. Though most had never seen his face the people knew he was looking out for them. As Robin had once said the spirit of England is Robin Hood. People who are willing to stand up for justice could call themselves Robin Hood.

Though Guy had only helped one person in a sea of villagers. Though he had merely helped a man put food on the table. Guy was still considered a "Robin Hood," for that one individual. And Guy shook his head. How could a name which had given him so much pain over the last two years, seem so kind coming from the mouth of that one villager?

And Guy grew uneasy. He grew uneasy because he realized he was beginning to understand more than he wanted about Robin Hood.

You've become a peace lover warm and wooly taking trinkets for the poor.

That's what he had called Robin while they were fighting in the forest. But had he acted any differently with that man back there?

Peace lover…perhaps not.

Warm and wooly…not very.

But most certainly he had given "trinkets" to the poor. He had lent a hand to the underprivileged who did not have wealth. He had, in his own way, fought for justice.

As he mused over the possibility that he was turning into the enemy, his feet led him back to his home. He did not realize that he was home until he heard a voice call, "Guy?"

And he was torn from his pondering to gaze curiously at Marian. She was looking up at him with a worried look on her face.

"Are you alright?"

Guy nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Marian crossed her arms. "You look quite the opposite."

Guy shrugged his shoulders. "Why should you care?"

Marian raised her eyebrow. "When I came home you were not there."

"What's your point?"

What was Marian's point? She had walked home and found the house empty. Marian had never lived alone. She was pretty sure she could but, even while she lived in the castle, there had always been people around. Sure the guards, the sheriff, and Guy, weren't exactly a cup of tea to live with, but she was not alone.

Earlier that day she had felt alone.

Every time that she had visited Gabriella Guy had always been waiting for her outside the door, or waiting for her at home. Guy had always been there one way or another. But when she walked home that day her thoughts were of Robin.

She thought of his intense eyes. She thought of his adorable smile and his contagious laugh. She thought of his beard and how it brushed up against her cheek when she would kiss him. She thought about every aspect of him that she had tried to shut out of her mind for so long.

And when she first arrived home Marian forced her mind to move away from Robin towards her life now. Towards the baby, the estate, and Guy. But the last part of the equation was not there waiting for her. Had something happened to him? Had he left? Where was he? Was he alright?

So now she realized what her point was.

"I…uh, missed you," said Marian quietly.

Guy stopped himself from smiling and said sternly, "Didn't quiet catch that. Say it again?"

Marian threw her hands up in the air. "I missed you okay? You weren't home and I was worried that something had happened to you. Happy now?"

She was quite cross with her husband.

But Guy smiled. His thoughts of Robin temporarily washed away, leaving only Marian standing before him with her face beautifully flushed. "You…missed me?"

He walked a little closer to her and pulled back a lock of hair that was in her face.

"You missed me?" Guy repeated with astonishment.

"Do you want a prize or something?" said Marian sarcastically.

Guy shook his head. He bent down to Marian and kissed her on the lips.

She closed her eyes tightly and thought of Robin in Sherwood. She thought of Robin alive and well, even if he was without her.

And while she closed her eyes tightly Guy opened his eyes and looked at her as he kissed her. He tried to see if her eyes were too tightly closed, just as Gabriella said, but he could not tell because he had to pull away from her.

Guy began to feel Marian's stomach kicking him away. He drew back quickly. She rolled her eyes at him. Then she took his hand and put it over her stomach.

"She's got a good kick," said Guy amazed.

"She?" repeated Marian perplexed.

"Uh," said Guy dumbly, "or he has a good kick."

Marian smiled. "You think it'll be a girl?"

Guy shrugged. "It could happen."

Marian looked up at Guy. She looked into the eyes of a bloodthirsty killer. "Do you want it to be a girl?"

"Maybe," said Guy quietly.

And now it was time for Marian to smile victoriously. "What did you say?"

"Maybe," repeated Guy a little louder.

"You want it to be a girl," said Marian teasingly.

Guy rolled his eyes. He had liked the idea of it being a girl very much. Especially after seeing the vision of the little child on the field. A boy would be trouble surely. Guy was worried that the boy would be too much like his father. The boy would have rage and an uncontrollable fury. But the girl had looked at him so calmly and sweetly. There had been absolute love in her eyes.

"You want it to be a girl," Marian repeated.

"What, you want a prize or something?" asked Guy.

********************************************************************************

"Oh Marian," Robin cried passionately as he tossed back and forth in bed. Stephan had given permission for the gang to spend the night while he readied himself leave with them the next morning. Before Robin had gone to bed he had made sure the door was shut.

Robin was holding Marian in his arms. They were both completely naked and their bodies were becoming one. He passionately kissed her mouth and let her hands roam downward towards his…

"Robin?"

And suddenly Marian was gone.

Again.

Robin let out a sigh and sat up. "Yes?"

He could not see the figure standing before him clearly. He lit the candle by the side of his bed and he saw Stephan staring at him with a smile on his face.

Robin's face grew red.

"Sorry," was the only thing he could think to say.

Stephan shook his head and sat on Robin's bed next to his little brother. "There's nothing wrong with dreaming." But he couldn't contain the laughter much longer.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," said Robin with a groan. "I know. I'm a little too loud when I dream."

Stephan shook his head. "You always were you know."

"I was?"

Stephan nodded. "When we shared the bedroom, I used to hear you some nights when I couldn't sleep." Stephan smiled. "The things you used to say."

Robin gulped. "Whoa, what sort of things?"

Stephan shrugged. "Well, you used to talk about Marian somewhat. Not…along the lines of what I just heard…but somewhat. I guess you still carry a torch for her."

Robin groaned. He did not like the way his brother had said that last part. Guy had said that to him while they were fighting each other in the woods.

You still carry a torch for her.

IF the king returns I still win. I win Marian.

Robin shook the thoughts from his head. "What else?"

Stephan thought. "Well, you talked about mother and father…especially father. How he would always expect so much from you. How he was never satisfied with you. How—"

Robin cut him off. "Was I talking to someone?"

Stephan nodded. This time he found himself blushing.

But in the dim light of the candle Robin could not see his brother's reaction. "Who?"

"Me," replied Stephan simply.

"You? How do you know?"

Stephan scratched his neck. "Because you would say something like, 'Stevie? Why are you so perfect?'"

Robin smiled. "Come off it. I didn't say anything like that. I'd have remembered."

Stephan sighed. "Well maybe not to those exact words but…you would talk about how you would miss me when I went off to war."

Robin's stomach twisted. Now that he thought about it. He did remember saying something very much like that. He bit his lip.

"I was wrong about that wasn't I?" said Robin trying to laugh at himself.

But Stephan had another question for Robin. "Did you kill anyone in the Holy Land?"

Robin looked up at his brother's with veteran eyes. He looked at his brother with the eyes of a man who had seen the most ungodly things on this earth. His eyes had seen the decaying bodies. His eyes had seen murder and torture. His eyes had seen pain which no man should experience.

Yes Robin had killed in the Holy Land many times. With each arrow Robin brought down another Turk who was just trying to defend his homeland from invaders. But the Pope had said it was alright to kill in the name of Christianity.

But it was not alright.

"Directly?" asked Robin. He had killed so many from far away.

Stephan nodded. He was ready to hear this. In a way he felt guilty that he did not go to war but his brother had.

"One man," said Robin quietly. "I killed one man with a sword. And after my blade went out of his stomach, I…I began to pray."

"To pray?" Stephan repeated with disbelief.

"You know what it is, you do it every day," said Robin trying to chuckle.

"You prayed?"

"I began to pray that the man would live. That he would make some sort of miraculous recovery." Robin shook his head as he began to relive the memory of it. "I know that must sound foolish."

"No," said Stephan, "quite the opposite. You showed sympathy for someone you had been taught to hate."

"Not enough sympathy obviously," muttered Robin.

Stephan realized how bitterly this memory hurt his brother so he decided to change topics in the spirit of a true older brother…turned priest.

"So you have been having these dreams frequently?" asked Stephan with a smile.

Robin laughed. "So we are back on that are we?"

"The two of you never…you know…did you?" The priest blushed.

"Sex! You can say it Stevie. Have Marian and I ever had sex?"

Stephan put his finger to his lips. "Shush! Do you want to wake up the entire Abbey?"

"You asked Stevie." Robin pointed out.

"So have you ever?"

"Marian and I have never had sex," said Robin sadly.

"But you have…with someone else?" asked Stephan.

Robin nodded. "Yeah…bloody awful too. You know how first times can be."

Stephan pretended to laugh and understand. "Sure do."

But Robin was not stupid. And he realized the truth. He smiled and clasped his brother's shoulder. "You don't know. Do you?"

Stephan bit his lip. He did not reply.

"No? What about the girl you were seeing? Megan…something?" Robin poked at his big brother anxiously.

"Left England before anything happened. Besides it wouldn't have been right without marriage and all."

Robin laughed. "I cannot believe I am in Northern France talking with my big brother about sex."

Stephan shushed him again. "Robin please. We can turn the tables back on you my friend."

"Bring it on," said Robin teasingly.

"Fine."

The Stephan messed up his hair so that it resembled his little brother's. Then he lay down on Robin's bed and clutched at Robin's pillow. He then began rocking back and forth with the pillow. He closed his eyes and cried, in his best Robin impersonation, "Oh…oh…yeah, Marian! Marian! Oh!"

Robin blushed. "I was not that loud, surely."

Stephan stopped the show. "Much louder dear brother I assure you."

"Get up," Robin implored, "you look ridiculous."

But Stephan like the classic older brother did not stop. He just continued rocking in the bed moaning at the pillow between his arms. He let the moans decrease somewhat in volume. "Marian…my Marian…I shall never let you go. Oh…oh…Marian…I will find you. I will move Heaven and Earth for you. I…I…oh…love you."

"I said all of that?" asked Robin.

Stephan nodded.

"I told her I would never let her go?"

Stephan nodded.

"I told her I would move Heaven and Earth for her?"

Stephan nodded again.

"I told her I loved her?"

Stephan nodded for the fourth time.

"How long were you watching me sleep?" Robin asked incredulously.

Stephan shook his head. "Don't put this back on me. I'm not the one with the volume problem." He hit Robin with the pillow.

"Right, you're just a white virgin after all," said Robin with a smile.

"But your Marian is no longer one," said Stephan thoughtfully.

And that made Robin's stomach turn and twist in his belly. He felt like throwing up. True he knew that Marian was married and was supposed to have sex with that evil, revolting, man. But he had never wanted to think of it as a reality. However his brother's frank statement put that thought in the front of his mind.

Stephan looked at his brother confused. "I was under the impression you already knew that."

"Of course I know that." But Robin's admitting it made him shiver.

"Robin," said Stephan uncomfortably, "Robin, talk to me."

"I have nothing to say," said Robin without emotion. Then he put the pillow back on his bed and put his head back on the pillow. "You should get some rest Stephan," said Robin sedately. "Big day tomorrow."

Stephan got up from the bed and shook his head from side to side. "Robin, talk to me about this."

But Robin blew out the candle by the side of his bed and Stephan left the room.

Though it was a big day tomorrow, no matter how Robin tried, he could not find blissful sleep for the rest of the night.

Everyone feeling a little better?? no?? poor robin...hes got to stop dreaming so loudly and now hes got to deal with the fact that gizzys already been there done that...do you think thatll change anything?? rob/mar fans i try to give them some scenes of love...even if its her thoughts and his dreams...if you mesh them together you kind of get some shipping action...eh?? and guy/mar lovers how are you liken the bonding?? sort of flirting?? and i hope everyone thought it was good regardless of who they ship for...love you all and please review and enjoy