Everyone was in position, dotted around the castle square, it was quarter to noon, and everyone was nervous. Will and Katherine had not said more than those few words to each other before they entered the courtyard. They had entered separately, but soon found themselves next to each other in the crowd.

"Be careful," He whispered to her, gently entwining their fingers for a few short minutes.

Katherine nodded slightly squeezing his hand in return. "You too, I can't lose you again."

Will looked to her and he saw the desperation on her face, and it broke his heart. Fanny had told him what happened to her after he was confirmed to have been captured, he hoped that he would never have her go through that again.

All he wanted to do was kiss her and get lost in her, but they had a job to do first. With a final squeeze of his hand, she was gone, climbing onto the battlements where John and Fanny were. As she passed them, Fanny passed her some arrows and John passed her a bow and she walked through the walkways to the other side of the stands, she had a clear view of the courtyard, and she was protected. She watched as the Sheriff came out with Marian and it took all she had to not shoot him with an arrow herself. She watched as the drums started and their friends were led out of the dungeons. She watched them all be led to their noose, and then she saw Wulf. The youngest member, still walking with his head high, showing no fear. She looked away as she noticed Wulf, however she looked back as there was Wulf's voice ringing through the air and she saw a familiar purple hood be dragged to the ground -Will! She watched as Will was dragged before the Sheriff and she heard the conversation, before the Sheriff's last words for him etched themselves in her mind.

"Ah the turncoat," The Sheriff mused. "Did you succeed?"

"Well, I found his lair, but uh, he was already dead." Will told him as he struggled against the guards.

"You sure?" The Sheriff demanded. "You saw Hood's body?"

"No, I uh, found a grave." Will told him.

"We found this on him," One of the soldiers told the Sheriff and Will internally cursed, they found his sword.

"Hang him up with the others!"

She looked across the clearing desperately for Robin to do something, but there was nothing he could do as Will was forced onto the scaffold. Will was dragged to an eave where he could be hung, but he couldn't see a noose. This brought a sense of relief to him as he was pinned to the mast of the scaffold looking back to the Sherriff.

"My lord, it appears that there is no more room, I'm afraid I will have to respectfully decline." Will told the Sheriff and Katherine wished he would keep his mouth shut.

All bravado went from him as he recognised the barrel that stood on the edge of the scaffold, and he felt like finishing himself off right there. Why did he always speak without thinking? Because instead of given a noose, he was tied down to a barrel of explosives.

"There's always room for one more." The executioner snarled in his ear.

Will had no choice but to remain attached to the barrel, this was now going to cause a slight problem, he knew that he wasn't going to get out of there. He could only portray his apology to his brother as he caught his eye.

The outlaws all looked at each other, now they were definitely stuck on what to do. Will was now starting to get a little bit scared, his head was sitting on explosives, how the hell was he going to get out of this one? He was thankful from where he was that he could not see Katherine's expression, but he could see Robin's. His big brother looked distraught at the idea that his little brother was about to die. Will listened for the sound of the drums, they were on an even quicker countdown now. Suddenly the drumming stopped, and he heard the sound of rope being pulled tight, he hated to think who it was, however when he heard Fanny and John scream for their son, he realised that Wulf had been dropped first. Of course, the bastard would take a child's life first. Suddenly everything seemed to explode, Robin aimed for Wulf's rope, obviously missing because he then took the shot again, this time cutting the rope. Will could hear Marian scream for Robin, before the guards around them started dropping like flies and Will knew who that was. Katherine was using the stone pillars of the wall where she stood to hide between each shot to prevent her getting hit from refires. Suddenly there was an explosion and Will had to shut his eyes and brace himself as he was hit with pieces of wall, and he opened them just in time for Azeem to light another barrel near Katherine's part of the wall, causing that one to explode too. With Katherine acting as a distraction, John was able to come down and take down the scaffold with his sheer strength and help Friar and Wulf get their friends down. As his friends ran for their lives, Will felt the cold steel of a blunt axe on his neck. This was it; this was how he was going to die. However, he didn't expect for Robin to come and help him! He was cut free by his big brother, and he shouted for him to look out as a soldier went for his back, but instead of attacking he dropped dead, and Will and Robin both looked up to see Katherine lowering her bow.

Katherine ran down to join them and Will picked up a sword, taking on any soldier that he saw fit in order to make their escape. Katherine caught up with Fanny, John and Wulf, and they all used the hole Azeem made in the wall to escape, however as they got out, they heard Azeem.

"English!" Azeem shouted, causing everyone be them villager, soldier, lord or outlaw to stop and listen. "Behold Azeem Edin Bashir Al Bakir! I'm not one of your, but I fight! I fight with Robin Hood! I fight against the tyrant who holds you under his boot! If you would be free men, then you must fight! Join us now, join Robin Hood!"

"For freedom!" One of the men shouted and they all turned around running back to fight the soldiers that were quickly advancing on them.

Robin found two soldiers coming straight towards him, and he grabbed two arrows that had been stuck in a post. However, before he could shoot them both, one was taken out of his hands and he looked to the thief, only to see Katherine next to him and with a nod, they both shot one of the soldiers each.

"Go!" Katherine told him and she watched him run off into the thick of it. She, meanwhile, set about taking down the soldiers who were trying to shoot arrows down on them from the battlement. Katherine lost sight of everyone in the battle, she heard that Robin and Azeem had been catapulted over the wall and the villagers had raised the gate and most of the outlaws had gone into the castle, but she remained in the courtyard. The battle was long and arduous, Will had made it inside using the wall and he had found the Sherriff's chapel after threatening the scribe to cut off his head if he didn't tell him. He found Azeem limping down the stairs towards him.

"They are alright young Locksley," Azeem told him.

"Your leg?" He nodded to the wound.

"It is not too bad; I will ask Katherine for some cloth when I see her." Azeem told him, and they both looked up the stairs to see Marian and Robin coming down to them.

"We need to leave; more soldiers will be arriving." Marian told them and they all nodded, running out into the courtyard.

They were joined by Bull, John, Fanny and the rest of their men as they got out of the castle door. Everyone greeted each other with hugs and pats on the back, before they set out looking for Katherine and Wulf. Wulf was walking through the dead that were still in the courtyard, and he soon came across Katherine as she gathered the arrows that she could still use.

"Wulf," Katherine smiled.

Wulf looked to her and he smiled. "I knew you would come for us."

Katherine smiled and the pair shared a hug, before they saw the group walking towards them, and Wulf walked on ahead to them as Katherine put her arrows back in her quiver. She smiled to herself as she saw her friends return, before everything seemed to go into slow motion. She saw a soldier on the ground, grab a crossbow, they had previously thought him dead, and he aimed it at Wulf.

"Wulf!" She screamed and suddenly her feet were running, she got to the boy as the crossbow was fired and she got in between him and the bolt. She felt the pain as the bolt stuck itself in her chest, before she fell.

She heard Wulf shouting for her, she heard Will, but after that, there was only darkness. Everyone had started to make their way towards Katherine and Wulf, the boy walking towards them to reach his parents. Everything was going so well, and then it all slowed down. Robin didn't have time to lose an arrow before the crossbow had been fired and Will's world started crashing down. They watched as Katherine took the shot for Wulf, the poor boy shouting for her as she fell in front of him. He didn't know what to do, the poor boy was panicking. Fanny grabbed her son, pulling him to her as they watched. Will reached Katherine first, he didn't know what to do, but Azeem managed to limp with quickness to them and he got down beside her. He pressed a hand to her neck, holding it for a few seconds.

"She's still alive, we need to move her." Azeem told them.

"Where can we take her?" Will demanded. "Soon this place is going to be crawling with soldiers,"

"My home, the soldiers won't expect to find her there," Marian told them, and she looked around. "Get me that cart and a horse, we can take her there."

As everyone got about getting a mode of transport, Will looked to his wife, brushing his hand through her hair. "You're going to be okay Kat, you have to be," He whispered, before he let John pick her up and place her on the cart.

It didn't take them long to be on the road to Marian's home, Will was sat in the back of the cart with Katherine lying on the cart bed before him. Azeem was trying to assess the damage the bolt had done, but it was proving difficult with the blood loss. He felt like a worthless child, he had no idea what he was doing or how he could help her. Occasionally Katherine would come out of unconsciousness, but she wasn't making much sense. It was only Robin and Marian with them, the others having gone back to Sherwood to start rebuilding their home. Will looked to Azeem as they travelled.

"Don't let her die Azeem, please." He told him quietly.

Azeem looked up at him, he had never seen Will be emotional about anything, except what made him angry. Azeem himself knew how love could make you and he understood the emotions that were going through him right now. He also knew the pain he would feel if she died, that was something that he could not allow to happen.

"I will do what I can to save her." Azeem promised him.

Will nodded and he leant down and kissed Katherine's forehead. Marian looked back at them as Robin held the reins.

"He won't be able to survive if she dies." She told him quietly.

Robin glanced back and he agreed, he had never seen anyone more in love with a person than Will was with Katherine.

Will could hear them, but he refused to take his eyes off of his wife in truth he did not know what he would do if he lost her. They eventually stopped outside of Marian's home, and he helped Robin to carry her into the house, Marian bringing them to an empty bedroom.

"This is my mother's room; she should be able to remain here to rest." Marian told them.

Azeem nodded. "This will be fine, now, Marian can you see to Will's wounds, I will see to Katherine."

Marian nodded and as she attempted to guide Will from the room, but he refused. "I'm not leaving her."

"Will, come on, you won't do any good if you let your wounds fester." Robin told him, grabbing his shoulder.

Will growled lowly before he stalked away, out of the room. Will was pushed into a chair by Robin and Marian lifted up his shirt, cleaning the wounds.

When Robin was satisfied, he was allowed to wait for Azeem to let him back in and eventually he did. Azeem was cleaning up bloodied blankets and rags, the crossbow bolt was on the table next to the bed and Katherine was lying in bed, covered with blankets, her dress moved to show the stitched wound in her chest.

"Will she live?" Will asked him.

"I will keep checking her for a fever, but I think that she will." Azeem told him.

"Thank you Azeem," Will told him.

"If I may be so bold, young Locksley, your brother means what he said, he will try and make the past up to you, but if you can't forgive him, then tell him so and put him out of his misery."

"Azeem, I have no quarrel with you, but if you call me young Locksley again, I will." Will warned him.

Azeem nodded, and he took his leave. Will stayed in that room, day and night, and on the third day, everyone decided that enough was enough. Robin had tried avoiding Will as the man appeared to be even more moody and unpredictable with Katherine still healing and his own wounds to contend with, but this time he had had enough. Will hadn't eaten in the three days that he had stationed himself in Katherine's room, he had taken time to clean and sharpen his knives but that was it. He had neglected himself, just sitting there and wiping his wife's forehead. Robin had started coming in with Azeem when he checked on Katherine's wound, but Robin was mainly interested in his brother's health.

"Will, come down and eat." Robin told him. "She'll be okay for a few minutes, Azeem will be here."

"How many times do I have to say, no?" Will retorted, he was getting more and more annoyed with his brother as the days dragged on.

"You need to eat." Robin told him. "It's not a suggestion."

"You dare think you can order me around!" Will suddenly seemed to explode. "You are not my Lord, Locksley, you might be my brother by blood but that is it!"

Azeem looked between the pair, he kept quiet, Katherine was his priority now, but he knew that this all needed to be said. Before the two came to physical blows, Azeem decided to step in.

"I will watch over her Will; you need to eat otherwise you will be in no shape to look after her." Azeem told him.

Will looked between the two, his grip tightened on his knife for a minute before he walked over to Katherine, and he kissed her head.

"I'll be right back," He told her, only now did he feel his hunger and his tiredness, and he stalked from the room and into the kitchens.

Robin silently followed his brother, and they reached the kitchen, they were greeted by something hitting Will in the head. It stunned him for a second as he had not been checking his surroundings. He stumbled holding his head before he noticed what had been thrown – a mug.

"What the fuck?" Will demanded.

"Traitor!" Wulf suddenly shouted, running at him and pushing him into the wall.

"Wulf enough!" John suddenly thundered and he pulled his son off of Will. "He's not a traitor."

"Yes, he is! He worked with the Sherriff!" Wulf tried to struggle against his father, but he didn't have much chance. – they didn't call his father an ox for nothing.

"No Wulf, he did it so that we could save you," Robin told him. "Wulf, Will did it to help you."

"Katherine would be okay if he didn't!" Wulf suddenly shouted.

"Don't you think I know that!" Will suddenly shouted as he leant against the wall. "Don't you think I regret getting her involved!"

Everyone looked to him, they were surprised at the amount of anger and venom that came in that one sentence.

"My wife is upstairs, and she still might die Wulf!" Will suddenly told him. "Nothing you or your parents or anyone can do will make me feel worse, because I hate myself already!"

Robin looked to him. "Will, it's not your fault."

"Of course, it is! If I hadn't have fallen for her in the first place, she wouldn't even be in this position!" Will told him. "I ruined her life!"

Everyone watched him and none of them really knew what to do, they just let him vent his anger, but by the end of it even Wulf felt bad. They knew Will worried about Katherine, but they didn't realise how much he worried.

"William, this isn't your fault, God saw to put you and Katherine together," Fanny told him as she walked over and pulled him into a hug. "Katherine knew what she was getting herself into when she started this with you, she knew the consequences and so did her family."

"Aye lad, this isn't your fault." John told him. "Katherine took that bolt for a reason, it was her choice lad."

"I'm sorry Will," Wulf told him, and he walked over to Will, and once Fanny let him go, he hugged him.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Azeem was just finishing his checks on Katherine's wound and as he felt the skin around it, he noticed her wince.

"Katherine, can you hear me?" Azeem asked quietly, though he did not get a response straight away.

"I can hear you." She whispered after a few minutes though her eyes remained closed.

Azeem smiled. "Welcome back to the land of the living." He told her and he noticed a weak smile on her lips.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, everyone is well, I believe you will have a lot of visitors once they know you are awake."

"Azeem, can you help me sit up?" She asked as she opened her eyes.

Azeem moved to help her to sit up, pushing the pillows behind her to help her stay upright, just as the door opened and Sarah walked in.

"Oh Katherine, you're awake." She smiled.

"Hello Sarah." She smiled softly as she rested back into the pillows.

"How are you feeling?" Sarah asked her.

"Sore." Katherine told her. "But other than that, I'm okay."

"You were very lucky, if it had hit anymore centre, it would have pierced your heart." Azeem warned her.

"My lady will be so happy to know that you are awake." Sarah told her. "I need to tell her at once."

"No, can you get Will first?" She asked.

"Of course, you will want your husband, I'll go and get him." She told her and then she was gone again, running downstairs.

After Will's outburst, Fanny had pulled him to the table to eat, and he had just finished his second bowl before Sarah came running in.

"Will!" She shouted, and Will was on his feet immediately, both in surprise and dread. "It's Katherine."

Will didn't even wait, at hearing his wife's name he was gone, running back up to her room with Fanny, John, Robin and Wulf following. The urgency in Sarah's voice made him fear the worst and he regretted leaving her alone. He burst into the room like a battering ram, scaring Katherine half to death which caused her to wince.

"What on Earth?" Katherine asked.

"You're awake," Will looked back at Sarah who had tried to follow him as she realised her mistake, before he looked back at Katherine.

"Yes, and I believe you just restarted my heart with that fright." Katherine told him, before Will was suddenly beside her, hugging her tightly.

"Be careful with her Will, she is still tender." Azeem explained.

Will pulled back slightly, to run a hand through Katherine's hair and he looked her over. "I thought I'd lost you." He whispered, he didn't notice or care that Azeem had left.

"I've told you that you won't." She told him, gently stroking his cheek, noticing the dark circles under his eyes, the paleness of his skin. "You've not been sleeping,"

"I couldn't I was scared that you wouldn't wake up." He admitted.

Katherine smiled softly. "Lie with me." She whispered and he moved to lie on the bed next to her and she moved to lie with him, her head resting on his chest where she knew he wasn't injured.

When Robin came looking for his brother that evening, he found the couple fast asleep, with Will's arms around Katherine, keeping her safe against him. He also noticed that Will still wore his knives, so he chose not to wake them up, instead he left the room as quietly as he could and shut the door behind him. He walked down to the kitchen, and he found Marian, Sarah, Fanny and John all sat around having something to drink.

"How are your brother and sister-in-law?" John asked him.

"They are both asleep, I'm glad that she's okay." Robin told him.

"Your brother?" Marian asked.

Robin looked to her and he realised that with the mayhem that had been caused, he had not been able to tell her about Will being his brother.

"Yes, Will is my half-brother." Robin told her.

"I'm assuming he's the son of the woman that your father was with for a short time?" Marian asked.

"Yes," Robin sighed. "I didn't know who he was until he told me, I had no idea."

"Do you think your father knew of him?" Marian asked.

"I don't know," He told her. "Father never mentioned another son, and you know that I would have loved to have a brother growing up." He remembered often telling Peter that he was lucky that he had Marian as Robin himself frequently found himself bored and sometimes even lonely growing up alone.

Marian nodded. "Is there no one else around who might have known?"

"No, Duncan is dead." Robin told her. "He was my father's personal servant; he would have been the only one to know."

"Do you believe Will?" She asked him.

Robin was quiet for a few minutes, now that the shock had worn off, he was able to think about it. Did he believe Will? He thought back to Will himself; he had been very standoffish when they first met, did he have something to gain from the life as a lord's son? Probably not, Will hated him, why would he want to join the life of someone he hated? He doubted that Will would even have told him that they were brothers if Robin didn't push him.

"I think I do." Robin told him. "I mean, look at him Marian, he even looks like my father and I." Marian thought about Will for a moment, and she had to agree with Robin, the young man certainly had some of the Locksley traits in him.

"I see your point, he does look like you," She told him. "And I don't see a reason for him to lie, but he should have come to you before this." Robin turned to her and he looked a bit sheepish. "Robin?"

"He did come to us," Robin admitted. "But I sent him away."

Marian looked to him and she saw a man who regretted his actions, and she took pity on him.

Marian could see that Robin was one to regret his actions, he had many times acted without thinking and was later on remorseful for it. Just like when he set her hair on fire when they were children, he had later become remorseful for it.

"Robin, you will learn from this mistake." She assured him. "Now you just need to treat him, like your brother."

"I've tried but the more I do it the more I seem to annoy him."

"Well, how have you tried?" Marian asked and she nodded when Robin told her that he had tried to mother him. "Ah, well yes, I can see how that did not go well." She told him.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"Robin, think about it, Will has been on his own for many years, fending for himself, probably suffering from hunger and illness much more times that you have." Marian explained. "Will grew up as a poor man, you grew up as a rich man, your lives have started out quite differently, but it doesn't mean that he wants to be part of your world." She continued "Maybe Will is happy being as he is."

"But he's my brother, I know that my father would want us to be together." Robin told her.

"Maybe you need to let Will decide what he wants, don't forget he has a wife to consider as well Robin," Marian reminded him. "Will and Katherine have not experienced noble life, they might not want it."

"So, what do you suggest I do?" Robin asked.

"I suggest that you sit down with both of them and talk things through" She told him. "Let them tell you how they really feel about this."

Robin nodded. "I'll ask them In the morning." He decided as he noticed that the hour had grown late, and stars were starting to appear. "Let me walk you to your room, my lady."

Marian smiled softly, and she took his hand when he offered it, showing him the way to her room, before Robin went to his own room once she was safely inside.