Tattoo Part 5:

Aria was furious! What good was she if she couldn't help Robin? Why else would she have been brought here to this time period? Aria kicked the tree again, for good measure, before turning round at the sound of hoof beats coming from behind her. She squinted into the sunlight trying to make out who it was. When she was finally able to see who it was her heart leaped for joy, it was Much and with him was Marian! Much, the brilliant man that he was, had gone to get Marian. He knew that if Robin didn't listen to anyone else he would listen to her.

"Marian, Much, I'm glad to see you!" Aria said as they reigned in their horses and dismounted.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" Marian asked.

"Well someone had to make sure the two idiots didn't kill each other. I tried to reason with them, well Robin, but he just won't listen to anyone. Maybe you can talk some sense into him, if not and they are still standing we can bash their heads in." Aria explained.

"Where are they now?" Marian asked.

"Last I saw they were down the embankment just before the clearing. Come I'll show you, but we'd better hurry." Aria lead the way to where she had last seen Robin and Guy.

The trio was shocked at the sight of the two men. They were covered in dirt and leaves with twigs sticking out of their hair and blood smearing their faces. Their clothes torn in random places, but they were still alive it seemed. Well Robin was alive for now, until Marian got to him, there was no telling what she would do to him at this point, she might very will kill him with her own hands for pulling a stunt like this.

~/~

After Marian, Aria, and Much made sure Robin was going to stay under his tree in timeout, they went to tie Gisborne to a tree, a good distance away from Robin. Once the trio was satisfied that Gisborne wasn't going to go anywhere, Marian turned her attention to Robin, deciding now she could go and figure out what had caused him to act so childish. Much and Aria stayed by Gisborne, giving Marian and Robin the privacy they deserved.

"So you're a killer now?" Marian asked Robin incredulity.

"When I have to be," Robin mumbled.

'Honestly he's acting like a child, what happened?' Marian thought to herself as she rolled her eyes. "Grow up Robin, you're not a child!" She shot back at him.

"Everything is a choice, everything we do. You told me that," Robin said, as if that explained everything.

Marian looked at him with an impatient glare, crossing he arms over her chest "What choice?" she asked him.

Robin sighed and tried explaining again. "In the holy land, Saracens came to kill the king, but it wasn't Saracens, it was him" Robin finished nodding towards Gisborne.

"Rubbish." She argued his point.

"He stabbed me and left me for dead, and then he went to kill the king." Robin refuted.

"I don't believe you." Marian countered.

"This is really about you and me isn't it?" Marin accused Robin, uncrossing her arms and gesturing between the two of them.

Robin just rolled his eyes and scoffed, he wasn't about to let on that this was indeed about the two of them, well part of it anyways.

"I have proof. His arm, I wounded him, his tattoo." Robin explained.

"What tattoo?" Marian asked him confusion replacing the anger on her face.

Why did no one believe him about Gisbornes damn tattoo? Why would he make something like that up? Robin thought.

"You took his ring Marian" Robin spoke again, this time changing the subject.

"You took his ring" Marian retorted. "Also how could he have been in the holy land? He was here in your house." She continued, and then paused as she thought of something and turned to look at Gisborne. "He was unwell for many weeks—"

Robin snorted at this blatant lie. "You actually believe that, Marian? I thought you were smarter than that." He accused.

"—No one was allowed to see him." Marian finished, ignoring Robin's interruption.

"That's why I have to kill him." Robin replied.

"No, even if you are right—"

"—I am right!" Robin spat, interrupting Marian yet again.

"—A trail, the process of law…" Marian trailed off, looking in Robin's eyes trying to emphasize her point.

"There is no law Marian." Robin said as he leaned forward towards Marian, crossing his arms over his knees. "Until the king returns, the sheriff and Gisborne are the law. That is why I have to kill him." How many times was he going to explain that to people in order for them to understand?

"No. I forbid you." Marian told him, she knew he would listen to her, she was the only one who could get thru that thick skull of his.

Robin sighed and leaned back against the tree, "You don't believe me." Robin stated, looking hurt.

"I don't know what to believe. Guy is not a man who would-, surely—" Marian tried explaining, but she couldn't finish her sentence, she wasn't sure what to say. Robin had never lied to her before, but she was simply having a hard time believing all of this right now.

"Of course, he is to be your husband" Robin spoke softly, flinging the unsavory fact at Marian.

"You know full well I agreed to that under duress. I have to play things this way from the inside for my father, if for nothing else. I do not have the option to just run into the forest when things get tough." Marian replied. If Robin wanted to play dirty she had no problem with that, she had grown up in the castle and knew how to play this game all to well when the need arose.

Robin just looked at the piece of rope in his hands, playing with it as he mulled over what Marian said. No one spoke for several minuets, both Marian and Robin trying to digest the facts that had been presented to them. Robin finally spoke with his voice full of sorrow and rejection "Everything is a choice."

~/~

Much and Aria kept glancing over at Marian and Robin, neither of them feeling the need to speak. Suddenly the rest of the gang came trudging back into camp startling Aria and Much. John kicked a basket that was near him sending Much into a dither spilling the whole story of what had happened while they were gone.

"Now look, he's been my master for 10years, what do you expect me to do?" He babbled on.

"Eww, you smell like sewage! What happened, where's Jack?" Aria commented.

"It was a trap!" John replied.

"We came out through the privy, she was right behind us." Will said

John walked over to where Gisbornes unconscious form was. Blind folded, gagged, and tied to a tree. "Him?" John asked, looking between Much and Aria.

"Alive. It has been somewhat touch and go. Not since the holy land have I seen-, took all my powers to calm him down and, and hers" Much finished nodding towards Marian.

"What am I chopped liver? I tried calming him down as well. Who stayed behind to make sure they didn't kill each other?" Aria piped in from where she was still sitting.

"But it was I who fetched Marian, so you could say it was all my doing." Much rambled on becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the look John was giving him.

John simply looked between Aria and Much, and said, "We need him." And walked towards Robin, the others following him.

John addressed Robin "We're going to Nottingham."

Robin looked less than thrilled as he spoke to his men. "I thought you were going. I have unfinished business here" he said, turning to look at Marian.

"It's Jack" Will reminded Robin.

"The sheriff will be expecting a rescue. It is better to wait, to think." Robin stated.

"That's a load of bullshit Robin, and you know it! It's Jack, she's one of us. One for all and all for one, I thought that was something you lived by" Aria yelled at Robin.

'Honestly where was his sense of loyalty that he was famous for?' Aria thought to her self.

"You're thinking of just one man. I'm thinking of the king and the whole of England." Robin raised his voice as he leaned forward to emphasize his point.

Aria had to restrain her self from going up to Robin and smacking him for his blatant disregard of Jack's life.

"Jack isn't just one man, she's a women. Do you know what could happen if the sheriff realizes?" Will reminded Robin.

Marian looked up quickly when Will mentioned that Jack was a woman. "Jack is a women, the Saracen?" Marian asked in shock.

"Long story" Alan said to Marian, feeling that that story could wait for another time.

John, pointing to Gisborne said to Robin "He can wait, Jack can not"

"No." was Robins answer.

Aria couldn't hold back anymore, she marched up to Robin and slapped him across the face "No? That's your answer? You know damn well that if it was Marian in there we wouldn't even be having this conversation, you'd be acting like an adult instead of a 2 year old who didn't get their way at the candy store. So stop feeling sorry for yourself, get up off your arse, and help us get Jack"

Before anyone could fully comprehend what had just happened Robin stood up and got in Aria's face "You are on dangerous ground, woman."* He all but snarled at her.

Aria wasn't going to let him intimated her "What are you going to do, kill me? Will that be before or after Gisborne?"

Marian pushed her way in between the two of them and pushed Robin back so that he was up against the tree. "You! Sit down. I've had enough of this behavior; you will not touch Aria, or harm her. Do I make my self clear?" She scolded Robin.

The rest of the gang just looked at Aria in awe, she had done something that took guts! Aria was right though, Robin wouldn't have thought twice if it were Marian.

Will and Allen looked at Robin as they both confessed their feelings for Jack as the main reason they wanted to rescue her. Robin just looked at them like they lost their minds, and Aria was trying not to laugh at the timing of this confession. Marian, John and Much just looked at each other in disbelief, what else was going to come to light today they secretly wondered.

Marian spoke, breaking the tension "Robin's right, you need to think. It could be a trap. Look, that is your solution, trade him for her". She said gesturing towards Gisborne.

"No! I am not letting him get away with this." Robin said as he pushed him self up off the ground and walked towards Gisborne.
"Robin…" John warned, and when Robin just gave him un caring glance John knocked him out cold.

~/~

Marian found the sheriff in the dungeons with the jailor, both inside Jack's cell; she knew she needed to act quickly if she was going to save Jack. She addressed the sheriff, "My Lord sheriff, I need your help."

The sheriff looked torn between dealing with Jack and dealing with Marian. He chose the latter and lead Marian to one of his meting halls; waving at her to continue once he was seated.

Marian wasted no time. She threw one of the dog tags that Robin and the gang wore towards the sheriff. "They said to give you this. They said you'd understand."

"This outlaw, did he rob you?" The sheriff asked her.

"No, he was only interested in the exchange, Guy for your prisoner. My husband to be for a Saracen." Marian tried to lace her voice with concern for her 'husband to be'.

"How do I know this isn't a trap?" The sheriff questioned her, not fully believing her story.

"Guy is your lieutenant, your ally, your friend." Marian couldn't believe at how well this lie slipped from her tongue.

"A friend?" The sheriff scoffed at the word. "We are talking about the same Guy. I mean, I hardly noticed he was missing." He chuckled at his own private joke.

"My Lord sheriff, please, they have guy—if they should do anything to, I'd—" Marian pleaded, adding some fake tears for a dramatic effect.

The sheriff, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Marian's display of emotions, agreed to the prisoner exchange, if only to get away from Marian.

"The outlaws will kill Guy if you harm the Saracen boy. Have you harmed him?" Marian asked franticly.

The sheriff paused for effect, "No." he answered. "Well don't just stand there, prepare the boy for travel." He said to a guard next to him.

~/~

Robin awoke to his head throbbing. 'Why was he on the ground?' it took him a few moments to remember what had happened. He looked over to the tree where Gisborne had been. But Gisborne was gone, as was everyone else, except his baby sitters.

Much and Aria watched Robin regain consciousness, preparing themselves for a heavy scolding; however, the first thing out of Robin's mouth was "Where is he?"

Much just looked uncomfortable, and Aria just glared at him still upset with him from earlier.

Ending the staring contest Much caved and spilled the beans to Robin "They've taken him. It was the only way for Jack."

Robin sat up, "It was not their decision to make. Where have they gone, Much?"

"We're not going to tell you" Aria told Robin.

Robin simply ignored her and asked Much again "Where?"

"Please, you can't make me" Much begged his master.

"Much, listen to me. If you are my friend, if you are my true friend, you must do this one thing for me, please." Robin guilt tripped Much and added some puppy dog eyes for good measure.

Much couldn't bear it anymore; the pressure was making him crack. He screamed in frustration, pulling his cap down over his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and stomping his feet. Robin had won, and Much knew it.

~/~

The Sheriff, his men and Jack were following the mineshaft tunnel to the place where they were to meet to exchange prisoners.

"Robin Hood has gone through a lot of trouble for you, pretty boy. Not one, but two rescue attempts." The sheriff commented to Jack.

Jack replied for once "He didn't come the first time".

"Oh, feeling unloved?" The sheriff asked with a hard yank on the lead rope that was around Jack's neck. The sheriff turned around to say something to Jack, but stopped and looked at her chest, realization spreading across his face, Jack wasn't a "he" but a "she". No wonder Robin had gone through so much trouble to get Jack back, the sheriff thought giddily to himself.

"Well no wonder they want you back, all those long cold winter nights. But you won't be going back. You see Hood thinks there are two tunnels that are clear, one in, one out. Clever but not clever enough." The sheriff reveled to Jack.

Before she could think of something to say, John and Guy suddenly appeared in front of them. John threw Guy towards the sheriff.

"Where's Hood?" The sheriff asked, disappointed to not be meeting face to face with him.

"Here." Robin replied coming up from shadows.

John turned around shocked that Robin was there. That was seriously the last time him put Much and Aria in charge of babysitting.

"Robin, no!" John addressed Robin.

"I did not agree to this trade John" Robin said turning towards John.

"Dissent in the ranks?" The sheriff asked Jack. Jack wasn't listening to the sheriff, she was wondering if she heard Robin correctly. If he hadn't agreed to the trade did that mean he hadn't agreed on rescuing her?
"I did not agree to this trade, as I should have." Robin said to John again. This just was not his week, would no one throw him a bone? He was trying to say he had been wrong it wasn't an easy task.

"Let him go!" Robin demanded of the sheriff.

"It's alright, Hood, your secrets out." The sheriff replied in a snarky tone. "Your pet Saracen is a lady." The sheriff then threw Jack towards Robin and John.

"The great thing is, she gave me this." He said gesturing to the bottle of acid.
Robin couldn't help him self, he was going to wipe that smirk off the sheriffs face.

"Your secrets out too. There is no way Gisborne went to the holy land with out your say so." Robin said as he watched Gisborne get to his feet in front of the sheriff, he was still gagged and his hands tied in front of him.

Gisborne just looked at Robin as if to say "Your going to bring that up now?"

The sheriff pretended to be confused. "Holy land Gisborne?"
Robin would not be swayed, he would see the sheriff wriggle like a worm on a hook.* "I have proof, on his arm, his tattoo. People in the kings guard have heard about that tattoo, and when they return from the holy land, both of you will pay!"

The sheriff just grabbed Gisborne's hands, smirked at Robin and said, "What tattoo?" and poured the acid on Gisborne's tattoo. Gisborne screamed in agony, but even gagged it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"No!" Robin cried out as he lunged towards Gisborne and the sheriff, but John caught him and held him back. Once Robin seemed calm enough Jack looked at him and said, "Let's get out of here!"

"You're not going anywhere! Look another tunnel, surprise," the sheriff gleefully yelled.

"An old shaft, surprise!" quipped Robin as ropes fell down from above them. "Men, let's go," Robin said as he and Jack grabbed the rope and were pulled up.

Meanwhile John took care of the few guards that tried to attack Robin and Jack as they were being pulled up. As they were leaving, Robin just had to get the last word in. "Another time Gisborne" he shouted as if saying good-bye to a dear friend.

As soon as Jack and Robin made it to the top safely, they threw the rope back down to John. They then helped the others pull John up from down below.

The sheriff, now left alone with Gisborne and a crew of unconscious men, turned to Gisborne, who was still moaning in pain from the acid burn. "Shut up Gibson, maybe next time you'll think twice before painting your arm like a girl."

~/~

Once back at camp, and everyone had settled, Robin went to go sit alone and reflect on the recent events that had happened. He felt terrible the way he had acted towards his friends, he still didn't know what had come over him, as his friends had repeatedly pointed out "That wasn't him". It scared him to think what would have happened if his friends hadn't been so persistent in keeping him from going over the edge. He knew that if he had been left alone he would have killed Gisborne with out a second thought, something inside him had just snapped.

Robin was drawn from his musings as he felt a presence in front of him. He looked up to see D'Jaq in front of him "Is it true, there would have been peace with out this Gisborne, and yet you gave him up for me?" She asked in a tone barely above a whisper.

Robin couldn't look her in the eyes; he just turned his head from her and nodded, not trusting his voice. He was about to get up to go for a walk, as he felt the gang might not be ready to forgive him just yet; however, before he could stand up John came over and put his hand on Robins shoulder, pushing him back down, giving him a nod. It seemed that John at least had forgiven Robin. Much came over with plates of food for everyone, and Will and Allen followed suit to offer their support for their leader. It would take a lot more than what had happened to break up this crew.

Aria watched from her seat by the fire, it was nice to see that the men had forgiven their leader after everything that had been said and done. It showed her just how great of a leader Robin really was, his men respected him because he wasn't perfect and didn't try to be. She sighed to her self, getting up to go feed the horses, she didn't want to intruded on their moment, after all she was still the new comer to the group. She also wasn't sure if Robin would even want her to stay with the gang after her disrespectful actions earlier. She wouldn't blame him one bit if he did ask her to leave; she wasn't sorry for her actions and wasn't planning on apologizing.

Robin watched as Aria got up from her spot by the fire heading in the direction of the horses, he had a feeling she felt like she didn't belong. It was his fault for pushing her away; he had no right to behave the way he did towards her. He had an idea on how to make it up to her though.

"Aria! Come over here and join us." Robin shouted to her, motioning her towards them.

Aria just stood there contemplating on if he really wanted her to come sit with them, or if he was just being polite.

"Come on, we don't bite, hard" Robin flashed her one of his famous smiles, and she caved.

When she reached the men Robin scooted over to make room and motioned for her to sit next to him. She sat next to him, still feeling a little awkward; she was now the center of attention, thanks to Robin's gesture.

Robin playfully bumped her shoulder and smiled at her again, trying to get a smile from her. His plan worked, she gave a small smile, a twinkle replacing some of the sadness in her eyes.

"Gentleman and Ladies, we have two very important things to celebrate today. The first one is the return of our dear Jack, all in one piece might I add." Everyone cheered; Allen grabbed Jacks shoulder and gave it a squeeze offering a special smile, showing how glad he was that she was back safe and sound.

"The second one, we need welcome our newest member of the gang in officially, Aria. She has completed her first mission with flying colors, and has managed to survive Much's cooking! Welcome to the family Aria, you're stuck with us now." Robin finished by holding up the dog tag that everyone who was part of the family wore, and then he slipped it over her head.

* Movie references! Did anyone catch them?
There are *goes back and counts them* ok I count 2, but I swear there were more, but it's late and I've been dealing with these sub chapters for several days, so I might be thinking of the other chapters. If you find them, and can correctly tell me the movie they are from you get bonus points.

Loads of drama in this chapter for everyone! I had a hard time trying to tie everything together, and I wasn't sure if I was going to have Aria be so forceful with Robin. In the original draft she just basically calls him a big fat stupid head, but not so nicely. I just felt that it wasn't enough, that after everything that they had been though her yelling wasn't going to get through to him. I also know that the chapter could have ended after anyone of those last paragraphs, but again, I just felt that if I did that there would be too many questions left unanswered. *shrugs* take it as you will is I guess what I'm trying to say.

There are loads of video links and explanations on why I chose the songs I did for this chapter via my wordpress.

Please as always review and remember to tell a friend if you liked it!

So I went back and changed all the "Will's" to "Allan"...I still keep getting this two mixed up when I'm writing, I think it's because while watching the series with captions they don't tell you who's speaking. I finally came up with a way to remember who's who, Will is the "pretty boy", and Allan is the "scruffy one, who betray's Robin". I also forgot to keep the notes I had at the bottom of these chapters before I uploaded the edited document, so just to be safe go check out my wordpress account for all the goodies, my pen name is FFAMasquerade2005.

Please review, and if you liked my story please tell a friend or friends!