SYNOPSIS

So Allan persuaded Will to make off with the loot at the end of Season 1. But Will saw sense and dragged his friend back in the nick of time.

How did they deal with it?

Allan went in to denial of course! Alls well that ends well! Job done!

As for Will? Poor lad had to cope with the guilt.

Being a man of deeds not words, this story centres on how Will made it up to Robin, John, Much and of course his lovely Djaq while we all waited for season 2 to begin. And his actions sowed the seeds of Allan's discontent…….

A collaboration between Andrea and Weldolet……..enjoy!

Usual disclaimers apply - wish they didn't but there you go...

COLD REDEMPTION

ACTUAL CUT SCENE FROM SERIES 1 EPISODE 13 SCRIPT

EXIT SHERWOOD FOREST, NEAR THE CAVE DAY 2

Allan and Will come through the forest.

They walk with horse and haul.

Will: I'm ashamed of myself

Allan: You should be.

Will: (affronted) What about you?

Allan: I'm a thief. Always have been. People expect it from me. But you're more decent.

They continue on.

Will: What are we going to say to Robin?

Allan: Let me do the talking

Will: What are you going to say?

Allan: We were waylaid. We came across some poor folk, needed our help. A mother giving birth to her new born babe.

Will: We're in trouble.

Allan: I think we know that.

Will: No I mean- look.

Will gestures to what he has seen: Sheriffs men (thankfully looking the other way) on the brow of the hill.

Will and Allan immediately split up to track round and see what is going on…

The battle was over.

Guy and the Sheriff were tearing away off back to Nottingham leaving the bodies of their loyal guards scattered in the clearing. The horses thundered along leaving the area deathly quiet. Even the forest wildlife were silent.

Will's breath came in gasps and he felt his heart pounding in his chest as adrenaline pumped through his veins. He looked around at the others, peering through the strands of his hair that had grown long and unkempt these last few months. He needed the barrier it provided at the moment. It prevented him from truly looking into their eyes and them from seeing into his soul.

Much and Djaq had crashed to their knees spent of energy. He had never seen Djaq fight like that. She had fought with the ferocity of ten men, seemingly strong and unafraid.

Will was proud of her. He had been unsure for her safety when she had first joined the gang but she had proven her worth time and time again.

Robin was kneeling in the dirt, holding on to his Saracen Sword as if it were the only thing he could hold onto. He was silent and only stared at the ground. Will looked at him taking in his posture and expression. His head stayed bowed, his shoulders slumped. What was wrong?

Allan stood on the other side of the clearing looking smug and pleased with himself. He didn't seem at all bothered. How could he even look at the others after what they had almost done?

John was glowering at Allan with an expression that scared Will. He had seen that look recently when John had been captured and manacled as Alice and Little little John were brought forward to be tortured. He turned and gave the same look to Will. Will looked at the ground and shifted his weight between feet. He couldn't bear the look in John's eyes.

"Where were you two?" asked John incredulously.

Will had been dreading this moment. A moment he knew they would have to face since they had turned and made their way back through the rain soaked forest. His mouth seemed unable to form words and his throat felt oddly dry.

Wait…Allan was talking.

"Wait…I can explain" Allan began breathing heavily. "There was a woman…a mother, giving birth to this new born babe right..."

'What the hell is he saying?' screamed a voice in Will's head. Stop him…now. Before he makes it any worse.

"We were gonna take the haul…Gisborne's money."

Allan looked at him confused. He shrugged and raised surprised eyebrows at Will

John gave Will 'that' look again and he saw Much looking up at him with disgust in his eyes. Will didn't not think it was possible to feel any worse than he did at the moment.

He didn't look at Djaq

Or Robin

That would have been unbearable

He had let them down.

He continued but this time looking at the floor. He was ashamed.

"We were gonna take it to Scarborough."

Will dared to look at Robin, hoping that the ground would open up and swallow him whole

Their leader said nothing.

But his eyes spoke volumes. They seemed dead.

Allan was speaking again. He had that cheeky grin on his face.

"Well what can I say?.."

Will couldn't believe him. He fixed Allan with a steely glare then looked at the rest of the gang,

"Sorry!…really."

He said the last part quietly. Again Robin looked at him then looked at the ground again.

'Say something Robin – please!' thought Will with a growing desperation

Allan was still trying to be cocky. What was wrong with the man?

"Well we're 'ere now…saved your bacon actually".

The rest of the gang remained silent and Will looked at them with escalating anxiety. This wasn't just post battle fatigue. Something else was going on. They all seemed to carry such grief on their faces…What had happened?

He summoned up the courage to look over at Djaq and she fixed him with a look of what he could only describe as disappointment.

His heart sank. She had never looked at him like that before. She must hate him right now. He had left them.

He had left her.

Allan looked around confused.

"What?" he said curtly. "We said sorry!"

'Didn't he ever think before he spoke…or realise what he was saying?' Thought Will.

Something was definitely wrong. Though the air was now reaching his lungs and his breathing had calmed Will still felt the thunder of his heart against his ribs as panic began to set in.

"Marian…Gisborne stabbed her last night. She is..." began Much his expression bubbling over with emotion and Will could see the tears now forming in the corners of his eyes.

Suddenly Robin spoke. It was almost unbearable hearing these words..

"She is dead."

The words were flat and strangely emotionless. His expression hollow.

Will felt a chill descend upon him. Marian…dead? No!

He had abandoned them, listened to a fool's plan and left to follow someone else's dream. Now Robins one true love…was…He couldn't bear to even think the word.

"Marian is dead" said Robin again looking at them all with a steely gaze. He grabbed his sword and stuck it in the ground leaving it quivering and walked back to the cave.

He and Allan stared after the others as they followed Robin to the cave. Speechless. They looked at each other – both knowing what the other was thinking.

What had they done?