Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood nor do I make any money from these writing. However if I did I think we all know that it would have turned out very differently!

Here is a one-shot I wrote for everythingbananas07 at Youtube as a prize since her fabulous video, For You (Allan/Marian), came first in my unusual-shipping contest. They came up with the basic plot but as usual I couldn't help but put my own twisted spin on it. Parts came out looking like "The Three Stooges do Robin Hood" and it might just have dissolved into fluffy schmaltz at the end, but meh, I'm a romantic with an odd sense of humour.

Hope it meets your standards everthingbananas07, and you enjoy it! And sorry it took me so long to finish xx

He watched them from across the courtyard. The embraces, the caresses and the kiss. The whole scene made his skin crawl. It wasn't right. That should be him over there, holding her like that, his lips on hers. But no, Allan sat there on his own watching Robin with Kate, his Kate.

How lucky could one guy get? Woman fell over themselves to be near Robin. Allan had yet to meet one that was above fluttering her eyelashes at his fearless leader. Not being funny but surely he could throw a spare one Allan's way once in a while.

In general it wasn't a real problem. Allan could understand the attraction towards Robin, he was the dashingly handsome, man of action type after all. But why her. Robin must see how Allan felt about Kate; subtlety had never been the con man's strong point.

And Robin already had the perfect woman, leading Marian along like a mule on a rope. Not that Marian was a mule, Allan would never say that about her, but the metaphor fit.

He had to turn away from the couple, unable to torture himself any longer. He began walking back through the alleyways towards the forest. Allan wasn't exactly sure where he was going he just knew he had to leave.

Why did it always end like this for him? He didn't know about the rest of the outlaws but he had always been raised to believe that friends did not chase women other friends had feelings for. Simple as that. He may have had a crush on Marian when they first met but it was obvious she was Robin's girl so he didn't even consider taking it further. Well she was Robin's girl and a noble, so in reality he didn't have a snowballs chance in hell with her, but he liked to think he had been gallant in stepping back.

With Djaq it was different again. Both he and Will were infatuated, that much was clear. And maybe the thought had crossed his mind that he should be the one to sweep her off her feet regardless of Will's feelings. But he never acted on it. And after his betrayal of the gang and the mess that it caused, Allan wasn't the least surprised to find the beautiful Saracen in Will's arms on his return. Yet another opportunity for him to show the more noble side of his nature.

Allan didn't know why he was expecting things with Kate to end any differently. He really didn't have that kind of luck. Maybe he should just give up all together and join a monastery. He did look good in a robe.

His thoughts had begun to take on a depressing quality when he suddenly looked up and realised where he was. While Allan was rehashing the dismal course his love life had taken over the past few years, his feet, left to there own devices, had taken him to his old place of sanctuary.

Being a traitor wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Sometimes the guilt would become too much, or he would be left reeling after witnessing or being forced to participate in some twisted scheme of the Sheriff's and Guy's. Sometimes he just needed someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn't judge.

Surprisingly enough, his saviour was one of the last people he would have thought would ever help him. But they had bonded over their shared feelings of helplessness and the trust they had slowly built up was unimaginable to others and cherished by them both.

It was no surprise therefore, that when Allan glanced up from his musings he found himself right outside a door in the castle. Her door.

***

Now, how the hell he had gotten there with out a guard seeing him was beyond him. Allan made a mental note to make sure he paid more attention in the future to where he was going. This time he had made it by sheer fluke. Next time, knowing his luck, he would probably walk into a dungeon and shut the door behind himself

As it was, if he wanted to have a future, he needed to work out how to get out of the castle as discreetly as he got in. Considering he was now fully aware of his surroundings, that should be an easy task. Should being the operative word. Allan did not have a good feeling about this.

His first instinct was to make a run for it while the going was good. However, thoughts of her stopped him. It had been so long since he had seen Marian. It couldn't hurt to just pop in and see her while he was here. Could it?

***

After the fiasco in the holy lands, Marian had been captured by the Sheriff and dragged back to England. The outlaws had expected an execution, and as such were prepared to rush in and save the day. They were not however prepared for the nothing that followed.

Apparently the Sheriff thought that death was a too easy punishment for her betrayal. His plan was slow torture by confinement and isolation. And knowing Marian as he did, Allan couldn't think of a worse penalty for the noble woman. The Sheriff was an evil genius.

The only one of the gang who had seen Marian in the past few months was Robin, who snuck into the castle a few times to make sure she was alright. At least he claimed that was his motive. Allan didn't like to think about it too much, especially now with Robin and Kate involved together. What could he do about it anyway, write "I'm betraying you" on Robin's back next time he went to see Marian?

Besides, it wasn't any of his business. Except for the fact he is deceiving the two women you care most about in the whole world! Allan hated when his inner voice interrupted his thoughts. What did it know about anything? Always interfering when he was in the middle of acquiring funds from an unsuspecting benefactor. Morally wrong, Allan's arse. Stupid conscience.

None of this however was making up his mind. Should he visit? Would she mind? Hell, he was here anyway. If he got caught, he got caught. And with that Allan went to knock on her door.

But apparently his presence outside Marian's chambers had not gone unnoticed and before his hand could make contact with the wood, the door swung open to reveal Marian, in her nightdress, clearly expecting her ladies maid.

Allan's eyes went wide, and began to dart around frantically. He had no idea where to look but his gaze kept getting drawn back to the lace, the fabric and the soft looking creamy skin they revealed. Mumbling a rushed apology, he turned to flee and ran straight into a wall. The last thing he remembered was the cold castle floor against his back.

***

When he awoke Allan was surprised to hear voices and as much as his head was throbbing he was certain one of them was Guy's, the other Marian. That was just his luck. So he played possum.

While pretending desperately to be a block of wood, he noticed that the surface under him was no longer hard and cold. It was now rather soft and comfy. And he had a distinct feeling of being confined. Was that a blanket over his head? And what was that warmth pressing against his side?

Daringly, he gradually moved his hand towards it before gently stroking it with his fingers. It was soft yet firm, wonderfully warm, silky smooth and it seemed to vibrate every time the Marian voice spoke. Holy crap, it was Marian!

Allan withdrew his hand like it had been burnt but not before a foot shaped object rammed itself into his shin. He was about to cry out in pain, completely forgetting in his panic Guy's presence but a hand clamped over his mouth. The reminder of the fact he was supposed to be hiding was enough to calm Allan down so he could think things through.

Ok, so he was obviously in Marian's bed. Nothing wrong with that. She must have put him there after he had lost consciousness. She was in the bed with him. Again, nothing wrong with that. They were both mature adults and Robin need never know. Guy must have come to see her so she got in the bed so his body lump would not be obvious and covered him and most of herself with the blankets. Genius on her part really. He had just run his fingers over what he was sure was her thigh. Might just be something a little wrong with that.

He had just groped Marian. Well, it was official; he was going to the special hell. He would be lying if he said he hadn't dreamed about that very thing on various occasions but in his fantasies it had always turned out more in his favour. He defiantly hadn't ended a dream encounter with a bruised shin.

Deciding it was best not to dwell on what would no doubt come up in a very awkward conversation later, Allan decided to focus his attention on what Marian and Guy were saying. This was rather hard as Marian's hand over his mouth was releasing the distracting smell of her skin right under his nose. Despite everything working against him, he managed to get the gist of their discussion.

She was to be killed on sight if she escaped, which Allan was sure wouldn't have been that much of a deterrent so it was with a kind of sick awe that he admired the genius of the Sherriff's other warning. A peasant would be killed for each day she was gone. Marian would never allow others to die on her behalf. And if she wanted to be free of this wing of the castle all she had to do was agree to marry Guy.

Seriously, didn't he ever give up? She doesn't want you, get over it. Allan desperately wanted to give the arsehole a big forehead slap, try to knock some sense into him. At least Allan knew he wasn't the most pathetic one around when it came to women.

It seemed like this was a regular occurrence. Guy coming around, begging Marian to reconsider his offer, her telling him it was never going to happen. It didn't even seem like he was that upset when accepted her response and promised to be back to see her soon. Allan would probably feel sorry for the poor sap, if he didn't spend most of his free time imagining something huge ripping Guy to pieces and eating him.

Allan had very little time to prepare before the blanket was pulled back from his head, Marian's hand was removed from his mouth and he was staring into her beautiful but scarily intense eyes. Expecting a large amount of pain for his wandering fingers, he managed to flinch and release a long rambling stream of apologies at the same time.

He didn't even see the kiss coming. One second he was blabbering like an idiot, the next Marian's lips were on his. It was gentle and light, their lips barely even touching and it was over in an instant. It did however manage to shut him up which was surely at least part of her motivation. A soft flush coloured Marian's cheeks as she gently stroked his forehead, paying special attention to the slowly growing bump.

"I spend months missing you like crazy then when you finally show up you try to kill yourself. Idiot! I was so worried you wouldn't wake up." she murmured while purposely avoiding his eyes.

Her blush grew and if Allan didn't know better, he was sure she was nervous and uncertain. It wasn't very Marian.

"Not being funny," she continued " but if I'd gone to the trouble of telling Robin that it was over, that I'd fallen in love with someone else for nothing , I would have brought you back to life so I could kill you myself!"

She now looked into his eyes and he could see her searching for some sign of the affects her words had on him. And God, Allan hoped she would find one because right now he was a bit at a loss.

Marian. Him. Marian and him? Surely he had misunderstood. He wasn't that lucky. What could a woman like her possibly see in him? He had held her on a pedestal for so long it was impossible for him to imagine her lowering herself to his level. And did she just use his catchphrase? Hey, prat! Remember Marian, she is kind of waiting for you.

His focus returned just in time to see Marian's face fall. The fragile smile she had in place crumbling. She thought he didn't care, didn't love her. To hell with that! Throwing his insecurities and excuses out the window, he gently grasped her chin between his forefinger and thumb. Leisurely he brought her face closer to his and, smiling one of his trademark grins, pressed their lips together.

This kiss was sweet and slow and when they finally broke for air Allan was certain he had died and gone to heaven because there was no way his life could ever be this good. He felt Marian move away so reluctantly he opened his eyes, sure that the illusion would shatter as soon as his lids lifted. Maybe she regretted the whole thing.

However when his gaze rested on her he saw only happiness. It radiated off her in an overwhelming glow that made Allan come completely undone. Had he really done that? Was he really the reason for that gorgeous smile and that unrelenting love that was shining in her eyes? And she had only gotten up to lock her door. This was insane.

She returned to him quickly and lowered herself so she was straddling his lap. Bringing her face to his, she touched their noses together while tangling her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, you know." he whispered, speaking coherently for the first time.

"Good," she returned, a mischievous glint in her eye, "but if you ever tickle my thigh like that again, I'll be kicking more than your shin."

Unable to help himself, his hand made progress up her leg. Marian's resulting giggle was lost in the midst of their kiss. This one full of desire and the promise of something more to come. And, as Allan discarded his last doubt, he couldn't help but think just how lucky he truly was.

Reviews are love… and they stop me from going mental with self-pity and doubt! xx