Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from this writing.

A/N: Slightly different than in the season 2 finale. Everything from here on out is AU.

A/N: sorry if I misspell anything. I wasn't sure how to spell Djaq's uncle or their game... And updates are going quickly since I am extremely motivated with this story!

Chapter 20: Allan's Journey aka Death is Unacceptable

The gang was running through the maze, a sense of urgency pressing in on all of them. Marion's voice rang out and everyone ran faster trying to find her.

"We will be together," Guy argued.

"I am going to marry Robin Hood. I love Robin Hood," Marion announced. Hearing it aloud made her heart flutter in gladness. "I love Robin Hood." Had she ever said it aloud before?

Guy started to charge Marion, his sword ready to skewer Marion. "No!" Allan yelled turning the corner. How did Marion not even have a weapon? "Guy!" Allan yelled. "Guy!"

Robin turned the corner. "No!" he yelled. He strung an arrow but everything was happening to quickly. "Guy!" Allan yelled again charging.

Something pierced Guy's consciousness; he turned slightly towards Allan, his sword following through. "Guy," Marion choked out.

"Oh God," he said, seeing where he had pierced her. Blood seeped through, soaking her gown. "No. No."

Marion collapsed to her knees. Guy ran off towards the sheriff as Robin ran up to Marion, everyone else not far behind. "Marion," Robin cried out. "Shh, don't move."

"It isn't bad," she winced. It reminded him to much of when he found Eleanor after her father found her. Allan wondered what made women so strong they always reassured others around them when they were horribly wounded. "Robin, it isn't that bad. I played it worse than it was in front of him."

Djaq bent over and examined her. "Can we move her?" Robin asked.

Djaq nodded. "Carefully. If it moves before I can repair the damage then it will become a mortal wound."

"Don't move, my love," Robin told her.

"I wouldn't get far," Marion smiled. They carried her in a makeshift stretcher to the nearest building as Djaq prepared her instruments.

"My lord, you must return to your men," Robin told him. "They will be wondering if the Saracen Prince has killed you."

"Send me word as soon as you know anything on Marion's condition," King Richard ordered. "I pray she will recover fully, Robin. The two of you—all of you—deserve happiness."

"Thank you, Sire."

"Robin?" Djaq said later. His head shot up. "She is asleep but I think she will be fine. If she wakes up that is a good sign," she said.

"If?" Robin asked.

"I don't even want to imagine what Guy's aim would have been like if he wasn't distracted, but he missed her stomach. She lost a lot of blood, I tried everything I know…"

"I know you did, Djaq," assured her. He moved to go sit with Marion as she slept.

Everyone waited, barely sleeping that night. Marion stirred awake as the first rays of the sun shone on her the following morning. "Hood?" she mumbled.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me," Robin smiled. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," Marion whispered. "Sore. But relieved. The king?"

"He's fine. And you will be fine, too."

"Now what?" Marion asked.

"We mourn," Robin said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Everyone gave Robin looks. "Are you sure?" Much asked after they listened to Robin's plan.

"Yes. It is the only way to keep Marion safe," Robin insisted.

"Don't I have any say in this?" Marion asked from where she was laying.

"No. you nearly died," Robin frowned.

"We aren't even properly married yet, Hood," she reminded him.

Robin grinned down at her. "Will you marry me, then?" he said as he placed a kiss on her forehead and brushed back her hair.

"In a heartbeat."

"Let me protect you." Marion nodded. Robin stood up to look at his men. "Since we are not leaving Marion here, the only way to make sure she stays safe in England is if the sheriff thinks she is dead. We can't have any rumors to the contrary so it begins with convincing the king Marion died."

"Alright," Allan and Much agreed first, the others quickly following. "What do we do?" Will asked.

"Allan," Robin decided. "You take the message to the king. I told him I'd keep him posted. Convince him Marion died."

"I can do that," Allan nodded. He could hear Eleanor laughing and saying something like 'are you good with Kings, too, Allan?'

Robin nodded. "Can we move Marion?" he asked Djaq.

"We shouldn't, at least not for a few days till we know she is completely safe," Djaq cautioned.

"How about a grave?" Marion suggested, getting into things now, amused by the schemes her quasi-husband invented.

"Yeah, like that jester said. Distract the audience type of thing," Much said proudly.

Robin nodded. "Alright, we will make a grave."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The men, plus Djaq, stood over the two graves with Richard and the crusaders. "Marion and Carter bravely and lovingly gave everything for their country. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten, nor unrewarded," King Richard said over the graves.

He turned to Robin. "You are holding yourself up well, Robin. I can not fathom what you must be feeling right now."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I will make up this loss to you," Richard promised.

"No," Robin declined. Richard shook his head. He would find some way to make up to Robin what was taken from him. He led them to his camp and the royal tent. "What are your plans now?" Richard asked.

"Most of us will be returning to England," Robin said, looking at Will and Djaq.

"Ah, I see," Richard said following his sight. "I ask you to be my representatives in England."

"Of course, sire," Robin said as he watched Richard mull things over and finally pull out a few pieces of parchment to write two notes.

"Do you wish us to deliver any messages, Majesty?" Robin asked.

"No, these I will have personally delivered by one of my trusted men. It would take you away from Sherwood, I'm afraid," he tried to lighten the blow. "One is a missive to John." He saw the look on Robin's face. "You are an only child if I remember correctly, Robin. And your father passed on before your departure for war."

"Yes."

"Ah," Richard smirked. "Then you do not know the burden, or support, of family."

"John is plotting your throne," Much said in surprise.

"Perhaps," Richard nodded. "I believe all you have told me, Robin. And I will deal with these black knights when I return. I have other sources of information who will be returning shortly to England, of whom I am also sending word to."

"What do you wish of us?" Much asked.

"Continue plotting against the sheriff of Nottingham. He is my main concern right now," Richard said grimly. "And to be happy again, my friend," he told Robin.

They bowed and left the camp. They returned to the house they had procured and found Bassam sitting with Marion. "How are you feeling my love?" Robin asked quickly joining her by her side.

"Much better, Robin. You worry too much," she smiled. "Bassam has regaled me with marvelous tales. Adventure stories," she smiled happily. "And the king?"

"Thinking you are dead, as planned. We left him writing a letter to John," Robin shrugged.

"But doesn't he…" Marion started.

"He claims I don't understand family," Robin repeated making Marion smirk.

"Perhaps you don't," Marion agreed with a smile. "Perhaps how he deals with John is not our concern, so long as the sheriff and the black knights are stopped."

"For now, let's just get you home," Robin said.

"I think you are forgetting something, Hood," Marion chided.

"What?" Robin asked confused. "Everything is falling into place."

"Men," Marion sighed. She sent a glare at Robin. "I am not living this room, let alone this kingdom, unless I have a proper husband."

Robin grinned. "Why didn't you say so sooner?" he smirked. They had the rest of the outlaws gathered around them as they finished their vows, sealing them with a kiss.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three days later when they felt safe moving Marion, everyone said their goodbyes to Will and Djaq. "Look after Luke," Will asked Robin thinking of his brother. "Check in on him from time to time."

"I will," Robin promised. "Take care of Djaq."

They slowly left under the cover of nightfall and made their way towards the coast. "I am sorry to slow you down," Marion said.

"Now you are just being silly," Robin said. They made camp and found shade when the sun rose. "It was nice to have us all back together, even for such a short time."

"I still can't believe they are gone!" Much complained. "Not that I want to see their lovey-dovey behavior, and all their euphemisms, but still! They are gone!"

"I think we will have enough lovey-dovey stuff with those two, Much," Allan pointed out to him.

"Don't remind me," Much muttered.

"Much," Robin grinned, shaking his head. They rested for the morning since Marion didn't have her normal strength.

It took them five days to reach the coast at their pace. They were about to weigh anchor when shouts caught the crews attention. "We have two more passengers," someone told Robin.

"Who could be coming?" Marion wondered. Soon, Will and Djaq were walking up the plank.

"Did you miss us?" Will asked with a grin seeing all of their shocked expressions.

"What are you doing here?" Much asked hugging them happily. "We are all back together again!"

"The king wanted us to deliver a message, those who have died in the recent campaigns to the families back in Nottingham," Djaq explained.

"We talked about it," Will said with a hand around Djaq's waist, "and decided to return here once the Holy Wars are over."

The first night was passed happily as everyone rejoiced the gang was all back together. The ship voyage was comfortable but to long to Allan's liking. "Allan?" Marion said joining him on deck one night. "What's on your mind?"

"Looking at the stars," he pointed.

"They are beautiful," Marion said looking up. "I'm not being funny," she smiled, "but when did you become philosophical?"

Allan laughed. "I haven't. Just thinking."

"About Eleanor," Marion guessed. "You can confide in me, Allan. After everything we went through in the castle together, I consider you a great friend," she said placing a hand over his. She owed him her life, the least she could do for him was offer him comfort.

"By the time we return to England it would have been a year since we left," he said. "A year. That's a long time," he explained.

"I know. But Eleanor is the last woman you have to worry about running off with some other man," Marion assured him. "Not only does she have faith in you, she cares enough to wait for you."

"What if something happened? Or she thinks something happened to me?"

"We'll get there as soon as we can, Allan," Marion promised, squeezing his hand. She looked up at the stars. "Of all, Allan, I'm glad you were there in the castle with me."

He looked pleasantly surprised. "She waiting for you," Marion grinned.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The journey was half over as they boarded another ship. "I have never been on a ship before; I seem to be making up for lost time on this journey," Marion commented as they all sat around below deck.

"I will be glad to be back in England," Allan commented, everyone agreeing.

"I think we need the whole story," Marion spoke up suddenly, looking at Allan earnestly. Everyone gave her a curious look. "Something Eleanor told me, about not understanding why you would betray Robin and work for the sheriff. So, I am asking. What happened?"

"Is this their Kalila and Dimma?" Much asked. The others noticed he finally pronounced it correctly.

"Kali what?" Marion asked confused.

"When we thought they were going to kill us, we spent the evening playing one of Djaq's games," Robin explained.

"It is where you tell all your truths, share all your secrets, ask all your questions," Djaq explained.

"So… it's talking?" Allan asked, confused.

"And a lot of crying," Much grumbled.

"What kind of game makes you cry?" Marion asked. "And why should I share my secrets if I don't know yours?" she challenged Robin.

"You have secrets from me?"

Marion smirked. "You won't know at this rate," she jested.

"They," Much pointed to Will and Djaq, "confessed their feelings for each other, finally. Which brought on a lot of tears."

"So that's what finally broke the ice," Marion smiled.

"I admitted why I always think it's a good day to die," John spoke up. Allan listened carefully, he was always curious. "I still can't get over letting my Alice, and little Little John, go. Life doesn't seem livable without them, so I want to die."

Marion and Allan were as horrified as the others had been when John first admitted it. Marion reached over to place a hand on his knee. "Do you still feel that way?"

John nodded. "I do, but after having admit it, it is easier to face," he admitted.

"Much was reluctant to participate," Djaq added.

"Everyone was crying. It wasn't normal," Much insisted.

"Much," Robin said. "I want our return to England to be different than the first time. I haven't forgotten what you said."

That peaked Marion and Allan's interest. "Much is a freed man, and my equal, sometimes my better," Robin admitted. "And I won't forget that this time, old friend."

"And you?" Marion asked Robin.

"I have to forget about those years in the Holy War," Robin confessed. "Seeing it again, nearly loosing you, just remind me how much I have to forget. If I close my eyes and see all the death and destruction I've caused, I won't be able to shoot, or face myself."

Marion placed her hand over Robin's and squeezed. "I hated you for so long," she told Robin.

"What?" Robin asked, startled.

"You left and were gone for so long. I told myself I didn't like you. I had convinced myself of it, at least I thought I had, until you returned. In all your aggravating beauty," she smiled. "Then you started fighting the sheriff, and I hated you for doing what I had been doing for so long, and for doing it seemingly better than I."

Robin kissed the back of her hand. "We're equals, my love."

She smiled. "You best not forget that," she warned. "And, since I have to be honest," she said, double checking with Djaq who nodded, "I have to admit that I hope Guy will be happy."

"What?" Robin asked, outraged.

"I know. I felt betrayed as well, especially as I learned he had to kill the king. I just … I saw a good side to him, a side I am afraid the sheriff will kill in him eventually. He is a good man, underneath everything. I just want him to find and hold on to that good part of him, and to be happy. Contrary to what he thought, I wouldn't make him happy."

"That's absurd, you like Gisborne?" Will asked, his tone as outraged as Robin's countenance.

"I can see that," Allan spoke up for the first time since the game started. "Gis isn't all dark, despite his choice in wardrobe." He and Marion shared a knowing look; they had spent a lot of time in the castle with Gisborne.

"He was going to kill you, Marion," Robin said in disbelief.

"I saw the look in his eye. I don't think he wanted or intended to kill me, I think … I think he was deeply, deeply hurt and anguished. I was, after all, proclaiming my love for you for all under heaven to hear."

That part made Robin grin. "You can't change my mind," he told her.

"And you can't change mine," she told Robin. "I saw a different side to Guy. A side I liked and could have befriended."

They looked to Allan. "So, what happened?" Little John finally asked.

Allan knew John was the other person besides Robin that would be the hardest to win back. "Does that really matter?" Allan sighed.

"You have to be honest, Allan," Djaq reminded him.

"I want to know," Marion told him with a friendly smile. "Eleanor yelled at me over it, so you had best share it with me."

He smiled over hearing about Nora. He went through what happened that day Guy had caught him and had been tortured in the dungeon. "Eleanor cleaned you up," Marion repeated. "That is how you met?"

Allan nodded. "She is timid as a newborn foal, but has the venom of a viper when she chooses," he grinned. "For weeks I couldn't even tell what she felt about me, she was always yelling at me," he laughed and the others laughed as well.

"That didn't change, you guys argued every day," Marion commented.

Allan grinned. "She has no problem telling me what was what, that's for certain. She pushed me to be better." They waited as he seemed to gather his thoughts. "She can aggravate the hell out of me, and its mostly because she is right. Or pushing me away. And she is brilliant, even if she doesn't think so," he said. "She understands not just the workings of the castle but of the people in it. Half the time it was her telling me what to do."

"She knew how important it was to me to gain your trust again; she knew I wanted to be part of the gang. She insisted I would rejoin you guys. She was right, again, but … as much as I am glad to be back, it isn't right without her."

So, some things have changed from the finale. Will and Djaq are back, but they won't be key players but I was sad to see them leave.

Special thanks to dfriendly (Ha, I liked Allan being antagonized, too ^_^ I hope you like Allan opening up!) Katieee (I hope you had a chance to read 18, too. I updated both kind of quickly. They return to England in the next chapter, don't worry!)