"Ever has it been that love knows
not its own depth until the hour
of separation." ~Kahlil Gibran

Guy couldn't stop running, he wouldn't stop running; not when something—no, someone—he held dear was about to slip from his grasp... again. He swore on his life that he wouldn't let that happen, and he wasn't. So he kept running, ignoring the calls from Robin and Much telling him to wait up.

"Gisborne, slow down!" Much yelled.

Robin groaned. "Gisborne!"

But still, Guy ignored the outlaws. Archer wasn't far behind, the worry also flowing through him. Although she belonged to Guy, he couldn't help but care for her. But he respected her and his brother. Besides, they were more friends than anything. So with a breath, he continued to sprint behind Guy.

The former Master-at-Arms hopped over logs and ditches, pushing away branches that decided to swing in his face, his breath ragged and his muscles working. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins, and he felt his eyesight blur. Every sound became muffled, and he kept running. He wasn't going to lose her. He wasn't going to lose his purpose in life, his one love, his wife.

My Linda.

By the time he reached where everyone was, he was damp with sweat. He leaned on a tree and tried to catch his breath all while trying to see. He blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the spots that clouded his vision. When he could see clearly, he felt his heart drop.

No. No, no, no, no, no.

A crowd of people were surrounding a body on the floor, though the people who were close to that body was Genevieve, Tuck, John, and Kate. He shook his head and pushed past the surviving villagers, thought they got the idea and quickly spread out. The figure on the floor tried to turn her head to see who it was.

"Guy? Where's Guy? Is he okay? Is he all right?" Linda asked, her voice strained and hoarse.

"It's okay, love, I'm here," Guy reassured her, dropping to his knees.

She let a painful breath out, and smiled. "Good," she whispered. "And Nottingham?"

"You did it, Linda," Archer responded. "Your plan worked."

Guy took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. He shook his head, his bottom lip quivering. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he said quietly. "None of this was supposed to happen." The glare he gave Tuck was killer. "I saw you help her. You said she would survive. Why isn't she okay? What the hell is wrong with her?!"

"Guy, Guy, it's not his fault," Linda said as loudly as she could, turning his head with her palm so he was looking at her. "The blade... it was poisoned."

"No..." Guy felt his heart shatter into a million pieces when she said that. This was his fault, and he knew it. He was the one who gave Isabella that poison, and Isabella must've given it to Vaisey somehow. And now because of that, she was going to die. But he refused to believe it.

"We— We'll figure something out, Linda. It's going to be all right, I promise," he promised her, running his thumb along her knuckles.

She laughed painfully, tears falling out of her eyes. "Promise is a big word, my love."

"I never break my promises when it comes to you. You'll be okay."

"As much as I would love to continue this argument, I'm afraid time is against us," Linda said with a weak smile.

Guy pressed another kiss to her hand. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" she questioned. "For being happy? For getting what you wanted? For finally getting revenge on your sister?" Her voice grew soft. "For falling in love?"

Guy put his other hand on her head, smoothing her hair back. "Falling in love with you was the best thing that ever happened to me," he whispered.

"I'm the best mistake you ever made," Linda chuckled before gasping and squeezing his hand, gritting her teeth and trying to breathe.

Guy shook his head. "You're anything but a mistake, love," he said quietly. "I just wish that our legacy didn't have to end."

"Then let's finish what we started," she suggested. "Finish our story together by sealing our fate and getting married. Properly, this time, with no explosions, no war, or should-be-dead Sheriffs. Can we carry on with that, please?"

Guy was at a loss for words. "I don't remember what to say."

Linda laughed quietly through her tears. "Remind me never to marry you ever again."

Guy smiled sadly. Robin tapped on his shoulder and handed him a ring with a shiny purple ring in the middle. Purple... her favorite color. Guy took a deep breath, looked her in the eyes, and said these words:

"I, Guy of Gisborne, take you, Linda of Nottingham, maiden of the people, courageous outlaw, daughter of a mad man, and angel from above, to be my wedded wife. I promise to love you and forever hold you, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, until death do us part."

Linda pursed her lips and spoke: "I, Linda of Nottingham, take you, Guy of Gisborne, Master-at-Arms, my beautiful knight in shining black leather, and lord of my heart, to be my wedded husband. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, on Earth and especially in Heaven, to love and to cherish, until death do us part." Linda smiled. "Now kiss me."

Guy started to lean forward to kiss her, but she pushed him away instead and laughed quietly. "We forgot the ring!" she exclaimed. "Give me the ring first, make me feel special. Then you can kiss me."

Guy tried his best to smile and put the ring on her finger, looking down at it. Now there was one thing left to do to make her his.

Robin stood up straighter, taking Genevieve's hand. "You may kiss the bride."

He leaned his head down and kissed her, smoothly, gently, yet passionately, signifying that this kiss was something that symbolized love for one another, and that's exactly how Linda of Gisborne and Guy of Gisborne felt for each other.

When Guy pulled away, he rested his head on hers, listening to the sound of their breathing, even though hers was ragged.

"I love you," Linda croaked. "My husband."

Guy took her damp cheek in his hand that didn't hold hers, trying his hardest not to cry. "And I love you, my beautiful wife."

She sniffed and smiled sadly. "We'll find each other again, we always do." Guy soon watched with the greatest amount of pain in his heart as her chest started to rise and fall faster as she tried to gasp for air. "Guy..." she whispered, the tears rolling down her cheeks faster now. "I'm so cold..." She swallowed painfully, making a noise in the process. "It hurts..."

"Shh," he soothed her, his voice wavering. "It's all right. Just... just look at me, okay? I love you. I love you..." Guy started to panic. "No, no, no, no, no. Linda, stay with me. Stay with me! Linda of Gisborne, I am begging you to stay with me! Linda! No, no, no, no, no! Revenir à moi, mon amour. J'ai besoin de vous!"

Linda turned to look at him, her green eyes that were once filled with life dimmed. One last tear ran down her face before she took her last breath. The hand that was holding his lost all strength and warmth and it dropped to the side. Her blood ran cold, her skin becoming paler by the minute.

"NO!"

He tried to find a pulse, any sign at all that she was still alive. He started to almost whimper when he grabbed her face in his hands and lifted her head slightly off the ground, trying to search her emerald eyes, trying to find that beautiful flicker in her eyes that signified a sign of life.

There was none.

So with his bottom lip trembling, Guy closed her eyes with his hand.

We'll find each other again, we always do.

He couldn't stop his tears now. He pressed his lips to her temple before just completely losing it. With his lips still on her temple, he started to sob. Genevieve started to cry as well and burried her face in Robin's chest, the outlaws and Archer closing there eyes and looking down at the ground. Tuck started murmuring in Latin, his hands folded across his torso.

He felt something inside him snap then. He sat up, noticing something gleaming in her boot. He frowned and pulled it out, his heart suddenly weighing a ton.

Her dagger.

Guy's entire body shook with rage as his tears fell on the blade. Though, that was before he was screaming at the sky, not even registering that Genevieve had left the comfort of Robin to hug an emotionally unstable Guy from behind, holding him tightly so he couldn't lash out on anyone and so that she could cry on his shoulder.

This wasn't like last time, where she was just unconscious and Guy thought her dead. No, she was actually dead this time, and it was all his fault.

He broke his promise. He let her go. He lost her.

*****

Linda of Gisborne's funeral was held directly after her death and after Guy had calmed down. The citizens were able to find a cart and decorate it with flowers and plants, where Linda was then placed on, a boquet of flowers over her wound and in her hands. Everyone pushed the cart all the way to Nottingham, where a moment of silence took place for her. The amount of respect the people had for her was amazing, but everyone knew that there was one person among all of them who loved her more than anything.

Guy.

He stood beside the cart as the people pushed her all the way from the forest to Nottingham, avoiding the rubble. When they reached the castle, the citizens brought out the casket. Guy took a breath and picked up his wife, staring at her.

"I want to hold her one last time before we bury her," he whispered. Robin nodded.

Genevieve stood next to him and opened her palm. Guy's eyes widened.

It was her ring.

"She would've wanted you to have it," Genevieve whispered, putting a thread that served as a chain around it.

"No," he whispered. "She's your sister."

"She's your wife," the younger woman retorted. "Keep it."

Her eyes told him not to fight her. So Guy bowed his head, letting Genevieve put it around his neck. Now she was close to his heart again. Now she was always there. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, and imagining that she was in fact right there with them. But she wasn't.

She was in his arms... dead.

And she looked so at peace. Her eyes were closed, her hair loose and down, a few curls in her face. She was still wearing his shirt, though there was red in the middle. Genevieve placed a hand on Linda's forehead, kissing her temple and stepping back.

Robin and Much put the casket in the cart so it was easier to bring. Everyone followed them until they got to the garden. Guy looked for the certain flower tree, and the memories came flooding back to him when he found it. It seemed... untouched. Like it was just waiting for her.

"There," Guy croaked. "That's where she should be buried."

Robin and Much nodded, walking over to that area. A couple of peasants who had shovels started digging a hole that fit the casket. When it was dug up, the two peasants climbed out. Robin and Much put the casket on the ground, opening the lid.

"It's time."

Guy looked from the casket, to her grave, the her. The woman in his arms. His wife. Guy sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, a few tears rolling down his face. He approached the casket and knelt, gently putting her inside, putting the flower in her hands that covered her wound. He placed her favorite dagger on top of the flower, smoothing her hair back. He kissed her cold lips, and he tasted salt from his tears. Genevieve knelt down and gently pulled Guy back, also crying. Much was a wreck, and Robin was trying his best to stay strong.

Basically, everyone was struggling to keep their emotions in check.

"No! No, Leenda! Leenda!"

Guy looked back to see a certain little boy followed by a teenager push through the crowd. The boy ran to the casket, sighing in relief.

"Leenda! Leenda, wake up." He poked her cheek. "Leenda, wakey wakey!"

"Billy..." Guy's voice broke. Timothy skidded to a halt next to Guy. The two shared looks before focusing on the younger boy.

"Gizzy, why isn't Leenda waking up?" Billy asked, looking up with wide eyes.

Guy tried his best to smile as he knelt down, ruffling the younger boy's hair. "Linda is sleeping, yes," Guy said. "But Linda is going to be sleeping for a long time."

"Oooooh, like my mommy?"

Guy looked at Timothy for help. He simply nodded.

"Yes, Billy, like your mother."

"Oh." Billy frowned, wiping Guy's cheek. "Gizzy, you are crying."

Guy breathed out a laugh. "Yes, I has been crying. I'm sad that Linda is sleeping."

"But she is at peace," Billy said. Guy blinked a few times before nodding.

"She is," he said quietly. "She's at peace."

Billy nodded, asking Guy if he could hold him. Guy smiled softly and nodded, picking the little boy up off the ground. Billy put his head on Guy's shoulder, watching as Robin and Much closed the lid. The two outlaws plus John lifted the casket, setting it in the ground. Tuck held out his cross, speaking in Latin and looking up to the sky. John, Much and Robin set the casket in the ground, and the peasants with the shovels started to fill the hole with dirt. Once the final shovel full of dirt was covered on the grave sight, Tuck stopped speaking and a moment of silence fell. Tim took Billy away from Guy, watching as the older man took two steps forward before falling to his knees, letting his tears fall down and hit the ground.

The gap between living and non living was closed, and Guy was in the wrong world. Linda was also in the wrong world. They would never see each other again.

*****

He didn't understand why there was to be a celebration. Maybe it was because they had just won back a clearly devastated Nottingham. Guy found it ironic how the tavern just had to be untouched.

But he wasn't there, though, like everyone else was. He was in the garden at her grave sight. Most of the outlaws were there at the tavern, and he wasn''t one of them. Besides, he wasn't in the mood to drink anyways.

Before the party started, Robin had gathered his friends and the people to get help for freeing the King. Much, Archer, Kate, and John also went with him. But before he left with the handful of male citizens, Robin stopped to say good-bye at the entrance.

"Take care of everyone, Guy," he said. "The duty for Sheriff at the moment is yours."

Guy inclined his head forwards. "Of course," he said shortly. "I will do my best."

Robin made a side smile. "We should be here in three days time. I'll get the troops at Loughborough to help us this time, so it won't be that much of a blood bath this time." Robin held out his hand. "Brother."

Guy smirked, shaking Robin's hand. "Brother."

"Oi, I'm part of the family, too," Archer said, going up the stairs and stepping in between them.

"You're a little late, Archer," Genevieve said, appearing from the castle. She sighed and crossed her arms. "Robin, I want to come."

"I know, but you have to stay here. Help Gisborne and Tuck out. I need a cool head here, okay?"

Genevieve sighed. "Yeah, okay."

Robin smiled at her, nodding before turning away.

That was ten minutes ago, and during those ten minutes, Guy just sat there, staring at the tombstone that said her name. Her ring was still around his neck, shining in the moonlight. From the back of the castle, he could here the numerous cheers of the people and cries of glee as they drank their ale, along with the occasional smash when a chair broke.

Guy didn't want to celebrate... although it was going to go on until Robin got back. But when Robin got back, Guy would face execution, and he would see his wife again. But for now, the only way he could be close to her was sitting there and talking about anything.

Guy's head barely turned when he heard footsteps from behind. He knew who it was, and he wasn't startled. If anything, he was a little glad for the company.

"I thought you were at the tavern," Guy said lowly.

Genevieve shrugged and sat down next to him. "I don't really feel like getting drunk at the moment. Robin's not here, Tuck's being a spoil sport, and you're here... alone."

"There's nothing wrong with being alone."

"Guy," Genevieve scolded gently. "You know that's not what I meant."

Guy sighed. "Yeah, I know."

Genevieve put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But you know you're not, right? You have me, the spitting image of her. You have John, who I've noticed has taken acceptance to you. Tuck will always be there to help you, and Robin... well, Robin's the most charming man I've ever met." She sighed. "He will help you, no matter what. He sees you more as his friend than as his brother, and I think Archer does, too."

Guy let out a breath and turned his head. Genevieve didn't look terrible, but she did look a little torn up. He could tell that her sister's death was taking its toll. He frowned when he noticed that her shoulder was wrapped up.

"What happened?" he asked curiously.

Genevieve quickly glanced at her shoulder. "This is the reason why I can't go with Robin," she answered glumly. "When I was riding off to go get help, the Sheriff caught me, and I got shot. Granted, it hurts like hell, but Tuck managed to get it cleaned and wrapped."

Guy nodded. Awkward silence fell in between the two, and they just stared at her grave. Genevieve looked up at the sky, smiling softly when she saw the stars twinkling in the sky. Her eyes widened and she dug through her pockets.

"I forgot." She pulled out a letter. "Linda wanted John to give this to you when the time was right, but seeing as John's not here at the moment, the duty falls to me."

Guy looked at the letter. "Have you read it yet?"

She shook her head. "I figured you would want to read it first," she responded. "After all, the letter is to you, not to me."

Guy inspected it, holding it in his hands. "Thank you."

Genevieve pat his shoulder. "Of course." With a grunt, she stood and stretched. "Look, I'm going to go get a drink or two. Promise me that you'll meet me there. I don't want you grieving here the whole night."

Guy thought about it. "Sure."

Genevieve smiled and skipped away, meeting Tuck who was at the door. They exchanged a few words, their voices becoming quieter. Guy looked at the letter, a big fancy "G" on the envelope. He ripped it open, unfolding the piece of paper inside and reading it.

Dear Guy,

I honestly don't know what to say at the moment. How can one speak when you know you're going to die? That being said, if you are reading this, then chances are I just died. If not, then we are hopefully spending time with each other on the wedding bed with no interruptions.

Isn't it sad how when you think everything is going to be okay, something goes utterly wrong? Is it how it works in today's world? Why does our happy ending have to be taken away? Is it God's way of saying that it was not meant to be, or is he punishing us? I'll be sure to bombard him with these questions when I walk through the gates.

I know that these past few days have been hell, and what happened wasn't fair. But I should probably tell you that I knew that this was coming. I had a dream that you died in my arms, and I reversed the scene. If I caused you pain, then I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. But if you're there saying to yourself that this is all your fault, then stop. You couldn't do anything. It's not your fault that this burden was handed to me, and I happilyy accepted it. I did it because I am in love with you, and that love has driven me over the edge.

But here's the thing though: Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart. I know that's what you need. You need someone to be there with you so you won't turn back into the... the man you once were. Take Billy and Timothy. Adopt them from Edmund. Take care of them and treat them as if they were your own.

And Guy, you're not alone. You'll never be alone. Although I'm not there, it doesn't mean I'm, well, not there. I promised you that I would never leave you alone, and I plan to stick to that promise. So when ever you feel alone, look up to the heavens. Find me. And at night, when the demons come to plague you, look up at the stars. Find the brightest star, find the twinkle. Find my twinkle. Once you see it, you'll see me. You also know that I'm a good listener, and although not down there to hold you, I will try my best to help you. I'm an angel now, so I can do those things.

Take care of everyone, Guy. When the king returns, don't expect to die. You won't. I already told you this, and knowing Robin, he's going to fight to protect you. I know you want to return to me, but don't return to me too fast. You never know what could happen. Ask Tuck for guidance when you need it, or when you need a reference about me, look to Genevieve. My sweet, sweet, sweet Genevieve. Tell her I'm sorry. Tell everyone I'm sorry, and I miss them. They were my family.

You are my family, Guy. My beautiful husband. We will find each other, we always do.

I love you.

Love, your wife,
Linda.

Guy couldn't stop the endless trail of tears that was traveling down his cheeks. He read the note three times, hearing her voice all the while. He closed his eyes, and he saw her for a moment. He saw her sitting underneath the tree, reading. She lifted her head, and then smiled warmly at him. He opened hs eyes, and then she was gone. Guy frowned when he saw more writing. Squinting, he looked at it.

P.S. Ready?

Guy looked up at the sky, his eyes shining with love and more tears. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he looked at the stars, laughing quietly when he found the star she was talking about. It was shining so bright, and he saw it flicker. The star twinkled, as if telling him hello.

Ready?

Guy nodded his head with a slight laugh, her ring close to his heart. He folded up the letter and put it the pocket of his jacket.

"Ready."

*****

revenir à moi, mon amour. j'ai besoin de vous – come back to me, my love. i need you

*****

edited 03/24/2016