If I say I love you will you forget about throwing rotten tomatoes at my face? *batts eyelashes* I'm sorry guys! I got busy with cleaning the house then I got hung up on WoW THEN I realized I could've ended it and made a sequel which I kicked myself for several times making it hard to sit, THEN I was terrified of coming back cause I don't want tomatoes in my hair! Lol Please forgive the lateness of this chapter! I love you! *wink wink*

Marjatta: You are perceptive. He's very manipulative. Ginny: Glad you like my twist =) Nathol99: Whoa, it's been a while since you've reviewed my story! Welcome back! I didn't want to kill him, but at the time I couldn't think of another way to save Much. Toaster: Thanks so much for reviewing, I like knowing this story is liked =) And to those who are reading silently, I do hope you're enjoying!

"I don't like waiting." Much fidgeted with a cap in his hands. He immediately slapped it on his head and started pacing. "What if she doesn't- what if her mother-" He stopped and took the cap again, pacing more slowly, fidgeting with the cap "I dunno if I can take the suspense, Sparow, I really don't."

"You care for her a great deal, My Lord, I am sure she will be swift to arrive."

He glanced at her, and could not stop himself from doing a double take. Her hair looked lighter in the moonlight. Almost a strawberry blond. Since her features were downcast as usual, her hair was what he usually saw.

"Well- I won't hurt you." She glanced up to see his complex expression. "I'm sure the floor won't mind if you look around." He made a gesture with the hand not holding his cap. She smiled, slightly. "Better." He nodded, and went back to his pacing.

Marian slipped the ring on in haste as she ran down the stairs behind Robin, so she would not lose it. They ran out the door, stopping short. Villagers were scattering about, there was no sense or order among them. Robin reached for her hand as she was reaching for him, and they ran together to the road a good distance away from the burning village.

Marian felt as if she was watching herself, and the world around her, from another's eyes. She felt out of place, she did not know how to help. She glanced up at the home she could have claimed, as the roof somehow caught fire.

"Where is your cousin?"

"Robin!"

"Carter!"

The blond knight was out of breath and surveying the scene. "What's happened?"

"It's not important yet." Robin replied, angry with the situation. "I need you to run the streets, make sure everyone is safe." He nodded and dashed off. Robin grabbed Marians arm, turned her to face him, and looked her dead in the eyes. "I need you to go for help. Get Will, Djac, and Much. Allan and John should be around here somewhere. And find shelter." He paused. "Away from here."

"Robin-"

"I want no arguments, I need you to be safe." He pulled her in his arms. "Jeffery wasn't in the manor when we left, I'm sure he's fine."

They turned as horses rushed by them, and Robin quickly grabbed unto a mare's reins. He handed them to Marian. "Go, be safe."

He didn't wait for an answer, he hoped she wouldn't choose this particular hour to be stubborn. He rushed back down the street, looking for Carter who turned up at the well in the middle of the village.

"Carter!" The whole sky seemed a mixture of black and red, the flames licking at the skies, and anything that would burn. Nearly everything was gone.

"There's someone in there." Came the pained response. Carter seemed to be having trouble pulling the water up. Robin grabbed the end of the rope and pulled.

"How can someone still be in there?"

"The church!" Robin looked up. He could barely see the structure, even though it was less than ten yards away. "A pile of burning debris is blocking the doors, they can't get out."

"Robin!" He looked over. "We wondered when you'd show your pretty face."

"Allan, John, when did you get here?"

John lifted the bucket, dripping water. "No time to talk." He rushed towards the church, Allan followed his large friend, wiping the sweat from his brow. They were both lugging two buckets each, but Robin knew it wouldn't be enough. Not nearly.

The rope was getting tight. They kept pulling because they weren't able to hear the tension in the rope. They realized too late when the rope snapped, sending the bucket, whatever water they could have gotten, and all hope of saving Locksley plummeting to the bottom of the Earth.

Carter looked at Robin with the largest eyes Robin had ever seen. "I think, perhaps I saw a person clinging onto that bucket."

Robin swore under his breath. "We can't do anything-"

"The church-"

They ran to help Litle John and Allan. Front was damp with water but covered in ruble from the roof caving in.

"We need to find another way!" John yelled, anger in his eyes.

"Carter, Allan, go that way, John come with me!" They ran in different directions, the plan being to go around the church looking for another way in. They ended up running into each other and continuing back around to the front. There was no way in.

"What about the well? Can't we get more-" Robin interrupted.

"No, Allan, the rope broke."

"We think someone might be down there." Carter added, softly enough he almost went unheard.

Little John looked furious. "Why can no one be saved?"

"You don't know that." Robin spoke, softly as did Carter. "We know churches often have places to hide in eavasions and natural disasters. And the well must be the safest place in time of fire so-" Even Robin didn't quite have enough hope. Then he thought of something. "Carter."

"Yes?"

"Were many people here, in the streets, when you were searching for folk in need of assistance?"

Carter blinked quite heavily. "No, actually-"

"Come to think ok it," Allan began. "We got a banging on the door and someone screaming fire. We hurried out to get water, but I remember that there wasn't hardly anything burning." Robin got a look on his face. "Oh Robin, you don't think-"

"Couldn't be-" Carter interjected.

The entire town was gone within an hour. By the time the last few flames were ceasing, Marian arrived with Much, Djac, Will, and Jeffery.

"Oh my!" Djac muttered. The rest were in shock.

Carter and John were at the well, screaming down into it and holding on a rope that had been dropped down inside. Allan and Robin were searching the ground and kicking at things at the structure that had once been the church.

Families were starting to come back into the village. A few families were already huddled together at the bases of what used to be their homes.

"We're to late." Will said simply and set down the buckets he had been carrying. The rest of the gang did the same. Much plopped down and started crying, his new aquaintance Sparow kneeling behind him trying to sooth the large sobs escaping his throat as she thought a servant girl should.

"What is there to do?" Marian marched around to stand in front of the half she had brought. Djac was in the arms of Will, hiding her face as he couldn't keep his eyes closed. Much was sitting like a child, his arms around his knees and his face buried in his arms, Sparow behind him trying to calm him down. Jeffery was simply behind them all, standing respectfully with his arms behind his back, his large eyes staring and studying each piece of destruction.

"C'mon, then! Now is not the time to weep! We must fix this, we must rebuild! It is time that we count our bessings, say a pray of gratitude for the pain and suffering that was spared and for any lives he has taken. Then, Will, can it be done?"

"If the families will stay to rebuild their homes, it can be done."

Marian didn't like the if. But even so, she knew her friends, Carter and Robin and possibly the kings guard would be there to build houses for themselves and any families willing to stay.

She turned away from the group and saw Robin talking with Allan who was scratching his head. She hurried toward her love.

"What happened?"

"All we know is someone fell into the well and someone was in the church. We aren't even sure of those facts. We cant find any traces of a body, nor can we find any place for a body to hide during the fire."

"Surely no one was in here?"

"We may never know."

"ALMOST! HOLD.. ON.."

Moments after yelling down into the well, Carter and John pulled up a large mass of mud that fell right on top of Carter.

"Took you long enough!" it was a high-pitched, slightly raspy voice of a woman. Before anyone realized John had stood up, he was pouring bucket after bucket of water on the only thing left to douse. The muddy girl, and most of Carter.

She turned out to be blond. She looked quite angry, even more so when Carter started laughing.

"Guess that's it then." Allan smiled his nearly-there smile and went to rejoin his gang with Little John."

"We have no choice but to rebuild, make it better." Robin said, his voice catching.

"Do you believe your people will stay to live in Locksley, Robin?"

"I guess, we'll find out."

"What about the parchment your Uncle sent you through Jeffery? Your 'treasure hunt', as he called it."

"Now isn't the time." Robin faced Marian and gazed into her eyes. "I've always wanted to build a home with you, Marian, and I will not pass it up to go on a search for treasure."

Knowing better, Marian bit her lower lip to keep from speaking her mind just this once.

I find it odd that the people who played the villagers were never the same, and the fact that you'd never seen Kate before the third series even though Robin and the gang had been to Locksley several times during the first two seasons. So here's my tribute to her and her NOT being with Robin. =) I think, since I've not written in a LONG TIME that this is as good a place as any to quit while I'm ahead. I know Ive left a lot unanswered. I'd love to hear your favorite.. unanswer.. In a review or message. The ones you find most annoying will be the ones I answer if I ever get around to writing the sequel.

. . .

I love you!