A/N I do not own BBC Robin Hood, it's characters, and plots. I only own my character. Prepare guys. This is a tear jerker. I hope at least one of you guys cry because I worked hard and there is a lot of foreshadowing. Also, I want to clarify that Marian and Alex are kind of foils, that will become really apparent here. Please, please review. It really helps me out. I had so much fun writing this. Enjoy!

Chapter 14 Return of the King or The Threat of Home

The gang all walked towards the cave, carrying all their possessions on their back to spend the next few days there. Alex carried the least amount. It had been some time since her arrest and she was fully healed and ready to get back in action (she was forced to sit out the tax collection where Little John's son and their bow maker were arrested). Allan, however, was paranoid and hovered around her. Alex did not mind though. She liked his attention and maybe now she would find the right time to kiss him. It was bound to rain in an hour or so, making the cave the best place to camp for the time being.

"I hate the cave." Much whined.

"It's gonna rain again. It's dry there." Allan said, setting down his basket near Alex.

"I can't be that bad. As much as I love the rain, I am not sleeping in it." Alex added with a smirk.

"How can you love the rain?! It's wet and gross and ruins everything." Much asked incredulously.

"Oh I spent some time in America, the continent you haven't discovered yet, and the rain there is just gorgeous with the valley and hills and mountains and grand trees. Ya know, English rain is much more… dull. Rain reminds me of that tune, but I rather spend the night here." Alex said hitting the stone of the cave.

"It's dark…and it's, you know, horrible."

"We voted, Much." Robin said, passing him the torch.

"And you lost, six to one." Allan added. Alex held her torch near his to help him light it.

"Yeah, well… I should have two votes because I really don't like the cave. In fact, I should have three because I really really don't like the cave." Much replied. Alex chuckled and entered the cave after Robin waked in, Allan close behind.

It was a dark and damp place, but larger than one would expect. Much walked in behind everyone else, and as he did, a bat flew straight at him. He cursed and shrieked at the surprise of the creature of the night. "Bats! I hate bats! Bats are rats. Rats with wings." he cursed.

"No, they are quite intelligent. Bats make noise you can't hear." Djaq said, entering the cave. Much sat down and removed his cloak.

"What's the point in that? Noises you can't 'ear?" Allan asked.

"Djaq is right. Bats use echolocation. Ya know, sound travels in waves like water and when they hit a wall, it bounces back to them so they can navigate in the dark." Alex sad, earning a bunch of shocked faces staring at her, wondering how she knew that. "Primary school science project." she shrugged.

"But you still can't 'ear them?" Allan asked. Alex nodded.

"What if their was a noise nobody could hear?" Much added.

"Shut up!" Allan muttered.

"And then if you were the only person in the world who could hear it… because I am that person." Much continued, "To see sense where others see nonsense. Just like the bat. I take it back. I like the bat. The bat is my friend. The bat understands me."

"What about vampire bats?" Alex asked with a smirk.

"Vampire bats?" Much asked.

"They suck cows blood and other animals in order to live." Alex sat down next to Much with a sinister smile, "Ya know, there is a legend back home about people who are the undead and have fangs and turn into bats and suck people's blood and kill them."

"That is disgusting and terrifying!" Much yelled.

Alex laughed and stood up so she could help Allan. Will then ran breathlessly into the cave, startling everyone since he was always calm and collected. "What took you so long?" Little John asked. Will said nothing, but tossed a loaf of bread, which he obviously stole, to Much. Ho!" he said in reply to the food. He opened the cloth as Robin leaned against the wall where he sat, studying Will. He knew something was wrong. "Bread, good. mmm" Much said, oblivious. Will was still bent over and he looked up to catch Robin's eye. Allan went over to Much and struggled to steal a piece of bread. Much yelled, yielding this piece of bread. Allan strutted between Will and Robin with his prize and gave the majority of it to Alex, who smiled at him in return. He would do anything for that smile. He would wrestle the Sheriff for bread for that smile.

"Will?" Robin finally asks. "What's the matter?"

Everyone looked at him, unsure of what he has to say will be great or devastating. "The king is coming." he states with no explanation or embellishment.

No one spoke. Everyone just stood there in shock. A million things were racing through everyone's mind. Alex was terrified. After all of this, where would she go? What would she do? She had no where to go that she could depend on. Allan was scared as well. Would Alex go home now that this business was all done for?

"Richard? To England?" Much said with a full mouth, interrupting the silence.

"Yeah, that'll be right." Little John said sarcastically, pacing in the cave.

"It's not a rumor, John." Will said, making the large man pass and look at him. "I spoke to Thornton. He heard Gisbourne talking."

"To England?" Much asked again.

"To Nottingham. They're saying he's landed at Hull. He's gonna come through here on his way to London." Will clarified.

"The King? To Nottingham?" Much asked again. "This is good, isn't it?" Little John scowled at Much, who was oblivious to the tension in the air. If the king returned, he would be happy and secure, but the majority of the gang had no where to go to. "The King?" he asked again.

"Yes." Will nodded. Will had much more to say, but Much continued.

"Oh, this is a good day. After all, we have bread and the king is coming."

Allan stared at Will and then Alex. "Can you please just shut up?" she said to Much, worry and fear in her eyes.

"No! This is what we've been waiting for. The Sheriff will be ousted… and Gisbourne." he continued. "Then I can go home, Robin can go home, Little John can-"

"Little John is an outlaw." Allan interrupted. "We all are. Most of us don't 'ave homes to go to." Alex leaned against the wall and held her cloak closer to her at that comment.

"Robin will pardon you. Obviously." Much continued.

Will stared at Robin, who got up, pushing his hood back. "Will?"

"Oh, this is great, isn't it?" Much continued, "Well, we should have a feast! This is wonderful!"

"Shut up!" Alex yelled.

"Will?" Robin asked again.

"Well, excuse me for me being pleased that all our prayers have been answered." Much replied to Alex, who just ruffled her hair stressed.

Robin walked over to Will and softly told him to say what he had heard entirely.

"Gisbourne is say," he begun, "Now that the king is coming back, Gisbourne is saying…"

"Gisbourne is saying he will marry Marian." Robin softly said with no emotion.

Everyone stood around, unsure of what to say. Alex continued to fiddle with her hair, looking at the ground. Djaq looked at the ground as well. Allan looked at Alex and understood how it would feel if she was forced to marry someone else. "She will never go through with it."

"Gisbourne says the wedding is on Saturday." Will said. Robin just looked at him with fear in his eyes. Robin paced around the room thinking of what to do.

"Much. We are going to Locksely." he said sternly. Much sighed and finished his bread and joined his master, that was already leaving the cave.

The rest of the gang waited in the cave, in silence, trying to comprehend what to do. Where would they go? Who would take them in, if they had anyone? What would they do for a living now? Alex couldn't handle these questions and stormed out of the cave, leaving everyone behind.

She walked until she was deep into the dense forest and sat down on a rock and just held her hands in her head.

"What am I going to do?" she said to herself, "Would I be able to go home? What about Allan? Oh Rooster. Do you even love me? Would it even work? I probably would get myself killed being with you because you always seem to distract me in the worse of times. I couldn't choose between you and home too." Alex sat there for a long time, so long she lost track of it. She was deep in her thoughts that she did not hear the crunching of leaves behind her and how they seemed to come closer to her. She did not notice anything amiss until a hand touched her shoulder. She immediately sprung up, shoved what she thought was an attacker on the ground, unsheathed her sword and held it, ready to strike.

"Oi!" a scared Allan A Dale yelled on the ground holding his hands high.

"I am so sorry!" Alex said, getting on the ground without any hesitation and sitting next to Allan as he got up on his arms so he sat upright. Alex placed her sword down and made sure he was alright.

"I'm not bein' funny, but you are often caught off guard and I get beat up for it." he said, referring to one of their first meetings where she had punched him solid in the jaw as she slept and wept for her lost home.

"Ya know, I could easily punch you again. I am much stronger now." she smirked, "I don't think anyone back home would recognize me now."

Alex looked at the ground, ruffling her hair nervously again. Allan knew all her little ticks now. She ruffled her hair when nervous, she snapped non stop when bored, she loved talking, but she loved writing more, she had several laughs: a chuckle, a giggle, a mediocre laugh, and rarely, her loud laugh with a snort that he could only get out of her. He knew her inside and out. "What would you even tell people if ya went back? 'Hey, I just was 'anging out 800 years ago with Robin Hood and Allan A Dale.'"

"Ya know, my father would instantly ask me to prove it. And then probably send me to the psych ward." Alex said with incredulous laugh. Allan knew he could get her secret laugh out of her if he tried.

"Maybe I could go with ya. I could be proof!" Allan said, earning a bigger laugh from her. "Oi! I would convince him."

"My father would ignore the whole time travel thing and just focus his efforts and figuring you out. He does not like the combination of me and men. My dad is very protective. I could see his red face right now. He is a barrister who has many friends in the police. You would be out of my life in an instant."

"What if we went married? He couldn't get rid of me then." Allan suggested. Alex laugh, her snort coming out, making her embarrassed and cover her mouth with her hand. Allan beamed at her. "Maybe even throw in a kid or five!" Alex could not stopping laughing at the image in her head. Allan could not stop studying the image in front of him. "Ya, line 'em all up and knock on his door. You would obviously surprise 'I'm and start with the time travelin', then go to the marriage, then the kids. With all the lil ones there, he surely wouldn't hurt me."

"You would not survive my world. Or my father, despite five children." she smiled between laughs. The two sat together laughing and smiling for some time, until Allan finally worked up the courage to do something drastic. Very drastic and dramatic. And right.

He leaned over and kissed her finally.

Alex stood still in shock for moment, but closed her eyes and kissed back. She gently placed her callused hands around his neck, so his unshaven face bristled against her hands. He lifted his hand so he brush away the fringed bangs from her delicate face, deepening the kiss. It was like their hearts had bursted open and a festival of fireworks and blooming flowers and anything that was good and pure were inside of them. They kissed each other for an incalculable amount of time.

They finally stopped reluctantly, but both knew what they needed to say or give (Allan always carried the necklace in his pocket now). Alex leaned back and began speaking, "Allan, I-" she said opening her eyes. She looked into his perfect blue eyes, but something in the background caught her attention. 'It can't be. No, it is not fair.' she thought.

The tree, as grand and ancient ever, the unmistakable tree of fate, stood proud and menacingly in the forest, an omen of what was bound to happen to Alex. An omen of her return home.

"Listen, Alex," Allan began looking at the ground nervously, oblivious of the look of fear in her eyes. "I don't know what is gonna 'appen with the King back and all. We will all get pardoned and go our separate ways like nothin' ever 'appened, but I don't want that. I want to be with you. No matter what 'happens. I'm not bein' funny or anything, but I lo-"

"No." Alex said, cutting him off. Allan looked at her puzzled and scared. She knew what she had to do. She was not going to choose between Allan and her home, and she was not going to take him with her because there they would surely have no future or leave him constantly wondering 'what if'. It simply could not work between them. She knew what she had to do to protect him at the expense of her happiness. "I don't love you, Allan." she bluntly stated. Allan stared at her, shocked. She after all, had just kissed him and it had felt so right and perfect. Did she not feel anything for him? "Allan, we are from two different worlds. It wouldn't work." She looked at Allan, who looked more hurt than she ever saw him. They had had many deep and emotional conversations about all the hardships in their lives and she had seen him sad and broken and with a tear in his eye on occasion, but nothing like this. It took everything to put on her smile and not cry and kiss him. "I just hope we can keep being friends while we are outlaws. Hopefully all this outlaw business will be done soon."

"Ya, sounds good. I am goin' to head back, alright?" Allan replied, already walking back towards the cave, a heartbroken man. Alex just sat there, staring at him as he unknowingly passed the stupid tree. When he was out of sight, she sat there and sobbed.

It was dawn the following day and despite the growing sunlight, the moon and its companion of darkness was still present for all those awake. Marian was outside, practicing her sword play when Robin approached her, carrying a long stick on his shoulders to replace his absent bow.

"I would prefer if you did not visit my house…" he said as Marian stopped and let the wooden sword swing from her hand." ... until it is mine again."

Marian replied not looking at Robin "Guy wanted to show me my future fortune as Lady Gisborne."

Robin walked past Marian without looking at her. "And what? He showed you some trinkets? Made you agree to go along with the wedding?" he replied ridiculing her.

Marian absently hit the post with the sword. "You know I have no choice. I promised to marry him when the King returned."

"Under duress."

Marian stopped and flatly responded, "Yes, under duress. Proving my loyalty to save my life and my father's. Shouldn't you and your outlaw friends be happy that the king is returning? You can all go home now."

"Not all of us have a home to go to." Robin said, eager to continue on.

Marian nodded, understanding what he meant. She knew of all the hardships that these men and women faced, but she had just only learned about Alex's particular case.

A few days after the arrest, Marian stopped by to bring some food to the incapacitated Alex, who was bedridden at Djaq's orders in fear that she would be careless and become seriously injured. Alex was alone at the camp except for Little John who insisted on guarding her (Allan of course volunteered but John did not trust the two all alone. He, after all, was an old fashioned, Catholic man). She sat on her bed and was writing. Due to her injury, she had a lot of times on her hand and not anything to do. She decided it was time that she started recording the adventures of Robin Hood and his not so Merry Men. She wrote down every interesting mishap they had and of course had a very modern view on things. She even made it obvious that she was the seventh member of the gang, but only referred to herself in epithets so if these documents made it to her time, she couldn't be kidnapped by the government and experimented on because of it.

"Alex?" Marian said, making the girl look up from her work.

"Marian." Alex said with a slight bitterness.

"I am very sorry for what I did. It was foolish and childish." Marian said.

"Tell that to my cracked rib and multiple bruises." she replied, resuming her work.

After a pause, Marian continued. "Robin and I talked and I believe he forgives me. I know we haven't gotten along, but I hope you can let me make it up to you."

"Back home, I would have cut you out of my life. But this would never actually happen there, betrayal, spying, life and death stuff."

"You speak highly of it. Where is it again?" Marian asked, trying to make painful, extremely painful, small talk.

"Ummm, Russia? Do you have that yet?" Alex raised her eyebrows in thought. "I could pass off as Russian."

Marian sighed exasperated. "You must understand you talk like a lunatic! How could I not see you as a danger and threat?!"

"A danger and threat? The only threat I am to you is the fact I am a woman living with the man you like, but you are engaged to someone else." Little John at this point, got up and left. "Fighting women, I do not like." he told himself.

"You are insufferable and simply do not understand!" Marian yelled.

"You don't undestand where I am from!" Alex yelled back.

"Enlighten me then!"

"Fine." Alex took a deep breathe. "I was born in 1995, yes 1995, in London. I am now 19 years old and I moved to Nottingham to study at the university and become a writer, but because I am really pretentious and my roommate can be very annoying, I hang out in the Sherwood Forest a lot and people make fun of me because of the famous legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men and his girlfriend, which is you, and stealing from the Sheriff and giving to the poor and all. One night in 2015, yes 2015, I was going home from apart and there is this really cool old tree, I forgot to mention that, and I touched it and it sent me back here to bloody 1192 and Robin found me and I thought him and everyone were crazy LARPers, don't ask me to explain that because its really weird and then I got called a witch because I am a modern girl with modern devices and modern clothes and everyone freaked out because of it. And that is how I ended up here."

Marian stared at her, unsure on how to even process this.

"Any questions about the future?" Alex asked sarcastically. Marian stared in response. "Yes, England is still a monarchy, but there is a Queen in name only. Yes, man does walk on the moon. No, God hasn't ended the world. No, the world is round and there are two entire continents you have failed to find which is surprising because they are quite large. Yes, I do have proof but I rather not because you will freak out. No, I do not forgive you, but if you prove to me I can trust you, then maybe."

"I have no idea what to say. But it makes sense on some level."

"Thanks I think. Ya know, we don't even have to talk about it again." Alex replied.

"Please. And I will prove it to you, even if I think you are strange and annoying." Marian replied with a soft smile.

Alex smirked. "I would not have it any other way."

Marian recovered from zoning out and recalling that bizarre memory and returned to Robin breathing her. "A promise made under duress is no promise at all." he reasoned.

"And what, you think I should just back out and Guy will smile and release me? If he knew I betrayed him, if he knew I was the Nightwatchman, he would lash out, and not just at me. At my father."

Robin turned his head with a grimace of exasperation and walked off past her. Marian watched him leave, shrugging and ready to resume her activity. Robin turned around.

"Why do you always do this?"

"What?"she said, not bothering to look up.

"Use your father as an excuse for doing nothing."

"Because my father needs me!"

"And you need him!" Robin yelled. "Because without him, you would have to make a choice."

Marian turned to face him. "Oh, very well then. I am making a choice. I'm choosing to marry Gisborne. Robin rolls his eyes. Is that what you want me to say?"

"I will deal with this."

"How?"

"I will expose him as the liar and the traitor that he is. Then you will not have to marry him."

Marian slapped her hand on the pol she was practicing on and frustratedly said, "Robin, please, do not make this more difficult than it already is!"

"But you do not love him!"

"He has qualities!" "What qualities?!"

"I believe his feelings for me are genuine. He has wealth and security—"

Robin interrupted her. "What do you mean, wealth?! You're supposed to be the Nightwatchman. You should steal from Gisborne and give to the poor, not acquire wealth yourself!" Edward, Marian father appeared at the door to his home, wondering what the yelling outside was.

"Do not tell me what I should be doing, please."

"Robin!" Edward yelled, stepping towards them.

Robin then said to Marian" Look at me. Look at me." Marian looked him in the eye and he waited a moment before speaking. "I will deal with this!"

Edward again asserted himself. "Robin." Marian took her hand off the post and walked into her house. "Can't you see that you're upsetting Marian?" Robin turned his head away. Edward jerked his head a bit, indicating for him to leave. Robin leaned against the post for moment, then abruptly turned and left.

Romance was not flourishing amongst the outlaws, especially with an impending deadline or a wedding and a oneway trip home. Allan had stormed into the cave after being rejected and had barely said a word since. Allan was the second most talkative in the group, following Much, and even he noticed the strange silence. Alex could not face Allan and avoided him at every turn. Hours after rejecting him, she walked over to the cave and saw Much standing outside. She then made him get Djaq to come outside so she could explain what happened.

Djaq left the cave, noticing how sad and resigned Allan was and immediately asked what went wrong.

"Djaq, I told him I didn't love him." she said. Djaq looked at her as if she was crazy.

"Why? You do love him though." she asked, bewildered.

Alex paced around, her hands tangled in her hair. "We were in the forest, deep in the forest and he came by and made me laugh and then her kissed me and then-" She paused, trying to hold back her emotions and tears.

"And then?" Djaq prompted.

"And hen that stupid bloody tree that sent me here was there. coming over me in the happiest moment of my life." Djaq was shocked at this discovery. "I had to say that because I refuse to choose between him and my home. I don't want an even more broken heart and I don't want him to suffer if I choose to leave. It's the best option."

Alex then sat down, leaning against the stone walls, trying to get through this. Djaq sat down next to her and placed her hand on her shoulder to offer her comfort the best way she could. She really had no idea what to do in this situation. The two girls remained outside the cave for the night because Alex simply could not face her consequences.

Robin ordered everyone the next morning after his meeting with Marian to get their cloaks and arms because they had to meet a physician that could prove Gisbourne's treasonous assassination plot against the king. Everyone got their things and was ready to head out. Alex and Allan, who normally paired together, stood as far apart as possible. Everyone noticed, except Robin whose mind was on his issues of his love life.

The arrived in Nottingham town and Djaq, Little John, and Alex stood at the rear of this physicians house.

"Bartley Street Yeah, the physician's." Little John said, peering in and inspecting the window with his old on. Much came around the corner after checking the street and he turned to Robin.

"Master, all clear." he said. Robin stepped around the cornered opened the shutter Little John had just closed. Djaq looked at the street and told them that the physician was coming.

"Let's see what Pitts has to say about Gisbourne's illness." Robin said to Djaq as she climbed into the house.

Alex remained with Little John in the rear and beside the house were Allan, Will, and Much.

"I was thinking," Much began, unable to contain his excitement, "we spend our lives sulking, hiding in the shadows I've grown used to it. Be strong when it's over."

"Hard to imagine." Will replied. Allan said nothing.

"Well, soon it will be real. If Gisbourne is exposed, Robin will be exposed, then I will have my lodge, my Bonchurch." Much added. Allan still said nothing. He just stepped towards Robin who was inspecting the window while he waited for Djaq to let him in. Allan was sick of all this talk about moving on and such. Once it was over, he would probably never see A;ex again. Robin entered the house after Djaq let him in.

"Allan what will you do?" Will asked his unusually silent friend while waiting for Robin.

"Me?" he asked in reply. "Well live in my lodge. Yeah, you know, servants and that." He said with bitter sarcasm. He then changed the subject from him. "What about you?"

"Carpentry, I s'pose. Wood." Will replied.

"There's Pitts." Much said. The physician entered the house where Robin managed to scare him. After much explaining and scaring, he agreed to give his testimony. Robin came out of the house and the next phase of his forming plan began.

That evening the gang waited outside of Knighton Hall, waiting to give the good news to Marian in the evening. Alex and Allan still stood separate from each other, so that even Robin noticed now. Robin was perched on the window sill an yelled for her. When she did not respond, he climbed back down.

"The torches are on, but there's no one home." Robin said. Alex chuckled to herself at the similarity to a lyric in one of her favorite songs, so she turned to Allan, who was not there. She then resumed her sad state after her momentary forgetfulness. Allan also had the urge to crack a joke to Alex, but after turning to where she should stand, he resumed his depressed state. "Where is she?" Robin continued.

"Maybe she's run away to avoid marrying Gisbourne." Will suggested.

"Not Marian. She's not the running type." Robin replied.

"Well, let's come back tomorrow." Much said handing his master his bow.

Robin paused and then lit up when an idea hit him. He was the embodiment of a lightbulb turning on sometimes. "I know where she is!" he said, "Quick! She's stealing Gasbourne's money." And the gang ran as fast as they could to Locksley.

There Marian was trapped. Gisbourne was hacking at the door and she could not escape through the window due to the guards waiting of her. She was doomed now. She couldn't help but think of Robin as she held the money to her chest in fear.

The gang rushed into the house through the front door and Alex and Djaq easily overtook the guards who were paying no attention to the front door and instead looked at the deranged Master. Robin shoot a perfect arrow, preventing Gisbourne from reaching Marian.

"Mind if I join in?" Robin asked, notching another arrow. The outlaws all were armed and ready to fight as Guy turned around to look at them.

"Locksley." Guy spat out walking down the stairs. "Have you heard the news? I'm to marry Marian." Robin anger flared and Marian stepped out of the room in her costume and began to head downstairs with the bag of money in her hands. "I will think about you when I take her to the marriage bed." he chuckled. He looked at the Nightwatchman, who then gave him a solid kick, sending him tumbling down the stairs. He punched her in response, or what seemed to be a punch, causing Robin to kick him again. He grabbed Marian and yelled for his comrades to grab the money. Will and Allan held off the guards as everyone ran outside. Guy desperately tried to reach for his wealth, but Will beat him to it.

"I've got it!" he shouted.

"Go! Go!" Allan yelled at his friend. Will ran out the door as Allan held off the guards with his bow. "G'night gents." he said and then he ran off into the darkness of the night.

"Split up! Twos and threes!" Robin ordered. "You know where to meet!" And for the first time, Alex and Allan did not pair up for a situation that called for it. Things might have been simpler and happier if they did, but fate always has a mind of its own.

Little John entered the cave, dripping wet from the rain with Alex behind him. Much and Djaq had already started a fire and were warming up from the downpour.

"No sign! Of anyone!" the big man yelled. Alex just paced around the cave, worried for Allan.

"I don't understand. Where are they?" Much asked, drying his cap. As soon as he spoke, Robin came in crying ang yelling for John. In his arms was a very weak Marian. Little John. Alex, and Djaq run to him and Marian while Much stood there in horror.

"I've got her. I've got her." Little John told Robin as he carried Marian to a dry level stone bed in the cave.

"Gisbourne stabbed her." Robin stated.

"What?" Alex asked.

"In the belly." Robin added.

"It is a shallow wound, not serious." Marian added, unaware of how bad it really was. Djaq rushed to her side and inspected her.

"We need dry bedding. She needs to get dry." Djaq said, immediately adopting her persona of a doctor.

"Get a light." Alex ordered Much.

"Here!" Much said, holding out a torch. Djaq started to really examine the wounded woman now.

"I need clean water to wash the wound." she said.

"Ah! Here, here!" Much said, giving her a flask.

"Do you have wine?" she asked again.

"A little." Alex said, handing another flask.

"For the pain." Djaq told Marian before giving it all to her to numb her senses.

"A dagger." Marian weakly explained.

"Can you feel this?" Djaq said, pushing on her wound. Marian winched and shouted.

"Should you be pressing there?" Much asked, earning a glare from both Alex and Robin.

"I need to look inside. Wine." Djaq ordered. Alex held the flask again to Marian.

"This will hurt. Are you brave?" Djaq asked Marian.

Marian nodded. "Do it." Djaq spread her wound open, causing the noble woman to shriek in pain.

"Keep breathing." Djaq instructed. She took shallow, long breaths at the order.

"She will be alright?" Robin asked, concerned about twelve of his life.

"I need to sew. Give me a needle." Djaq stated. Alex pulled one from her pocket.

"The needle is thick and blunt." she told Marian. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I am to betray you again." she responded to her. Alex smirked at her.

"Hopefully no one will betray me again." she replied.

"Give it to me." Djaq ordered. Alex did as Robin reached for Marian's hand. She couldn't stand the sight of blood so she went outside to wait for Allan and Will.

Will and Allan were not coming though. They sat on a rock in the pouring rain, inspecting their spoils. Allan pulled out a goblet, much similar to his kingly one he used to possess with Alex at his side, and a matching bowl that spilled out coins.

"Ho-ho-ho! Look at this! This is great stuff." Will watched reluctantly, refusing to take part. He was concerned for his friend.

"The others will be waiting for us." Will responded.

"Yeah." He did not want to return to Alex at the moment and look at someone he loved but didn't love him back. Thunder rumbled and Allan looked at Will. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Will looked at Allan. "No." he replied, looking away.

"Well, if you're not thinking it, how do you know what it is?"

"I don't think like you do."

"I'm not being funny, maybe you should!" Will scowled at him. "What, you think Robin's gonna need us when he's a lord again? Huh?" Will stared at him. "It's all right for them, innit? Much with his lodge. What are we gonna have?"

"This should go to the poor."

"That's us now." Will says nothing." Look, we were outlaws, right? We had a job. We've got nothing now. We are the poor." Will looked away. "You know what this is?"

"What?"

"Severance pay." Allan cheekily replied.

They got up when the rain weekend a little and headed towards the North Road. It was bright and clear now, unlike Allan's mood and thoughts. "Yeah, this is it. The Great North Road. " Allan said. Will leading the horse, stopped and looked. "So which way are we gonna go? Back to the cave or pastures new?"

"What if they need our help, the others?"

"What for? They got away." Will looked at him wide-eyed. He did not understand how he acted like nothing had happened between him and the gang, and Alex. "Where'd your old man go, and your brother, when they ran away?"

"Scarborough. My auntie Annie." Will replied, unsure why Allan was acting this way. Allan got a flask off the horse and walked around to Will.

"Well... I wouldn't mind meeting your auntie Annie. What do you reckon?" He drank out of it as Will looked at him bewildered. "You know what I was thinking? I was thinking Robin would want this for us. He would. He'd want the best for us." Will grabbed the flask and drank as Allan steped around him, grabs the reins and starts walking. Will stepped forward, looks back towards the forest, nods, raises the flask, takes another sip and catches up Allan.

"What about Alex?" he asked walking beside his friend.

"What about her?" Allan asked, looking away.

"You love her." he stated the obvious.

"Ya, but she doesn't love me." he said, taking a deep sigh. "She deserves better than me anyway. She deserves to go to her fancy future home and finish school and write the novel she has been planning."

"Where did you get that idea?" Will asked, stop in his tracks. Allan stopped as well and was forced to look at him.

"She told me she didn't love me." he replied in resignation.

"What?" Will said. "That's a lie." Allan raised and eyebrow and reach into his pocket for the necklace. "She loves you a lot. She has told me. She has told everyone. Multiple times." Allan looked down at the songbird.

"Then why did she lie?" he asked.

Will paused for a moment and then it hit him. "She was talking to Djaq earlier. I overheard them talking about a tree. The tree." Allan looked up at him.

"She was afraid of going home." he said, everything making sense. "We are going back." he said, ready to make things right. Oh, how wrong was he though.

At the cave, Alex, along with everyone else, was a wreck. Pitts betrayed them and the Sheriff and Gisbourne was at their doorstep, or well cave step. Marian was dead and Robin felt the regret of never telling her that he loved her. Alex couldn't help, but cry too, not only for the loss of a friend, but the same emotions going through her mind. She suspected that Allan and Will had ditched them. She just hoped he would be safe and happy.

She was now crouched down behind a rock along with Little John and Much. Men were shouting, dogs were barking, and hooves were stomping.

"Allan." Much muttered. "Where are Allan and Will?" he asked. Alex looked at the ground and Little John shoved him for his insensitivity. He notched his arrow, ignoring the bigger man as the Sheriff approached. Little John stood on a bolder at his command with Much, ready to fire below him and Alex beside him with her sword unsheathed.

"Stand!" the loyal servant roared. "Stand or we shoot!" The Sheriff and Gisbourne and their men stood still, debating what to do.

"You seem to misunderstand me, my friend." the Sheriff yelled back to him. "You do not have a bargaining position." The Sheriff then quickly figured out why they stood their ground and the significance of the cave.

"John? Now what?" Alex asked, knowing they had called their bluff.

"Boredow. Kill them!" the Sheriff ordered with a motion of his hand.

"John, I think we are going to die." Much said. John bent down and picked up mud off the ground.

"A good day." he said, applying the mud in streaks on his face.

"What?" Much asked.

"A good day to die." Alex explained for John, smiling up at the man who had become her father figure here.

"What?" Much asked.

"It's a saying." John explained, ready to fight.

"Take aim!" Guy ordered his archers.

"I hate sayings" Much sighed. Much held the arrow to his cheek and closes one eye, ready to shoot. The Sheriff 's archers pulled back their bowstrings. There was a momentary standoff, then an arrow few from behind Much and hit a soldier squarely in the chest in front of the Sheriff. Much looked behind him. The Sheriff shouted at a running and angry Robin. Robin burst out of the cave and fell to his knees, slamming a fistful of arrows point first into the ground, his bow in his other hand.

Robin drew back a nocked arrow with another one waiting tucked in between his fingers, ready to be nocked quickly. He shot and immediately grabs the bowstring as the Sheriff ducks low behind the horse's head. Robin fired off the other as the Sheriff 's archers shoot back, forcing Much and Alex to duck. Robin shot at Gisborne, who had to duck as the mounted soldiers regroup. Robin grabbed his arrows from the ground as Little John glanced at him. Robin rolled down the hill as more arrows fly past him. Robin continued to roll as Much and Alex faced the battle and shot down an archer. Robin stopped about even with Little John and Much and Alex. He slammed the arrow points into the ground and pulled three back out. The Sheriff was on his hands and knees under his horse, looking for the tooth just knocked out of his mouth by his quick duck into the horse's head. Robin shot an arrow. A soldier grunted and fell onto the ground right in front of the Sheriff with an arrow in his back. Robin had four arrows ready: one nocked on the string and three more between each of his fingers. He aimed and shot them in rapid succession. An archer and a footsoldier went down as Djaq, with her sword, and Pitts emerged from the cave. Three more soldiers were shot, the arrows squarely piercing their chests. A mounted soldier fell in front of Gisborne. The Sheriff shouted about how this made no sense. "Hood does not kill!"

The battle continued and the outlaws held thier own. Pitts was shot and dead, the only witness against Gisbourne was gone. Much charged in at two soldiers, swinging his sword in an arc to parry both at once. Little John ran in and jabs the butt of his staff into one man before taking on another. Robin was hacking at the soldiers, showing no mercy as Djaq entered the fray behind him. Alex was in the form, using her sword and one of a fallen solider and fighting off the soliders approaching her. She kicked one squarely in the chest and sliced the others ones arm. Little John knocked out a soldier with his staff. Djaq stopped in front of a charging soldier and let him roll over her back before taking on the next one. Gisborne circled the mêlée on his horse, watching incredulously as Robin spins, slicing through a man in front and behind him simultaneously. Little John knocked out a soldier as Alex knocked out two. Robin hacked at another's back and made a beeline for Gisborne, who pulls back his horse.

They stared at one another, Robin with intense rage in his eyes. Suddenly an arrow flew, just missing Gisborne's head, a shaft from Allan's bow. Robin looks back to see Will running to join in, yelling, as Little John watches in surprise. Alex stopped what she was doing and smiled at Allan, running to her rescue. At this point, she the on the outside of the battle and hidden by the outing rocks.

"Roo-" she began to yelled, but was cut short by a sharp pain. She looked down and found an enemy's arrowhead below her chin at the height of her belly button. The arrow's length went through her entire torso. She fell to the ground, red staining her shirt and her hands, before anyone could see her perish. 'I am going to die.' she thought, and she was right. She was on the brink of death.

The battle continued, everyone was obvious about their fallen comrade. Robin heads the swing of a sword, ducks, grabs the soldier's arm as he took another swing, and sliced his throat. Little John beat off more soldiers with his staff. Allan took a shot at the Sheriff, who ducked. The arrow hit a mounted soldier in the neck instead. The Sheriff was desperate to flee now. Will charged, yelling, at a guard. He blocked overhead with both hands on his broadaxe and kicked the man back at the same time. Allan ran in to join the battle with his sword in hand. He yelled, "I fight for Robin Hood and King Richard!" 'And Alex' he purely thought. Djaq stabbed a guard. All of the gang, except for their fallen were showing no mercy and amazingly receiving no harm in return.

The Sheriff was running around, wildly trying to find an escape. Will swung his broadaxe into the stomach of a charging soldier and ducked another one swinging. Gisborne watched them all in fear as Allan swung his sword into the back of a soldier and Will kicked out at another. He felt something was amiss,b but focused on the battle. The Sheriff waved at Gisborne's retreating men, trying in vain to get them to protect him. The gang kept attacking and all the soldiers ram off. Gisborne followed on his horse as Allan hacked at a prone soldier's stomach. Little John wildly pulled the arrow out of his sleeve as the Sheriff and Gisborne gallop off side by side. The gang spun around, prepared to take on more, but their opponents were riding or running off.

The battle over, and they paused to catch their breath. Robin looked around with wide eyes. Much turned around with his sword out. Allan looked around, nervous at everyone's reactions. Little John glanced at Allan and Will guiltily looked down. Much sunk to his knees and sat on his heels. Robin took one last look around, then, leaning on his scimitar, slowly went down to one knee, hanging his head.

"Where were you two?" Little John said, glaring at the two.

"I can explain." Allan said as Will was silent in his shame. "It's a woman, a mother, was giving birth to this newborn babe, right?"

"We were gonna take the haul." Will explained, guiltily. "Gasbourne's money. We were gonna take it to Scarborough."

"Yeah… what can I say?" Allan said, cheery. He wait fro Alex's comment but none came. He just presumed she was inside the cave during the battle or went back right after.

"Sorry!" Will yelled at him. "Really." he added as everyone looked at them in disbelief.

"Well, we're here now. Saved your bacon, actually." Allan added. Everyone was silent, unsure on how to tell him about their loss. "What?" he asked. "We said sorry." He knew why everyone was pissed, but Alex would surely forgive him.

"Marian. Gisbouren stabbed her last night." Much stated. Allan was shocked. "And she's…"

"She's dead." Robin flatly said. Allan looked up at him. Alex had told him how much Robin and Marian liked each other, and how shy they were about it. He could not imagine having Alex die that way. He would have to experience it. "Marian's dead." Robin said again.

They all entered the cave and Robin tried making funeral plans, but his grief was too great. Everyone said their goodbyes to her and felt the loss of their friend. Allan was too shocked to notice Alex was no present.

"He we loved." Robin said, mimicking John. "Her I loved… I loved her and I never told her." Allan felt a pang in his heart at the comment.

"Well, she knew." Much said, "We all knew."

Allan looked at Marian and noticed something odd. He stepped forward and tired at her. "I'm not bein' funny, right? She's breathing." Robin rolled his eyes, thinking it was another horrible joke, but he saw he chest rise. Djaq quickly went over and took to her blade and held it under marian's nose. It fogged up.

"On the blade. She is breathing." Djaq told everyone.

Allan held his arms out in victory. "Eh? Told ya!"

"What?" Robin asks.

"The physician's draught. I have heard of this before. Hemlock. Too much and the body freezes…" Djaq said, opening Marian's eyes, one at a time, to check her pupils "...the breathing stops. But if one is young and strong, the body fights back. Comes back from the dead!"

"She died?" Allan asked.

"And came back!" Djaq shouted in glee.

Much shook his head in relief and in joy. "Oh, that is…" He, for once, was speechless. Djaq and Little John chuckled with relief. Will stared, tears still falling.

"Marian? Marian?" Robin asked, rubbing her cheek. "Marian?" Marian weakly opened her eyes. Robin laughed in relief.

"Where have I been?" Marian asked weakly.

"I don't know... but I'm glad you're back!" Robin gazed at her a moment. Marian stared weakly but wideeyed at Robin, who chuckled again.

Allan smiled at the couple, but it was high time he had his own romantic happy ending. He turned around looking for Alex, but could not find her. "Guys, where is Alex?" Everyone looked up from the momentary joy and released they had not seen her since the battle. Allan saw the look of fear in their eyes and sprinted out of the cave. There he could see the lifeless, crippled and red figure of his songbird on the ground.

"ALEX!" he yelled, sprinting as fast as he could towards her. Fate could not have been crueler to him and her.