Kate sat alone in the forest, thinking. Just about fifteen minutes ago did she became an outlaw. She hated saying goodbye to her mother and her sister, but she knew it was for the best. John went to sit next to her.

"Homesick?" he asked.

Kate put a strand of hair behind her ear before twiddling her fingers. "No, it's fine," she said. "I can handle it. I'm not just some stupid girl."

John looked to Kate. "Yeah, I know you're not."

Kate sighed. "Maybe I'm a bit homesick," she admitted.

"It gets easier, being an outlaw," promised John.

"But do you ever get used to being apart from your family?" asked Kate.

"No," he replied grimly with a shake of his head. "You don't get used to that."

Kate sighed and looked down. "That's what I thought."

"Whatever happens, you're not on your own, Kate," John promised once more.

Kate and John exchanged a look. She gave a small smile and a nod before looking down again. Tuck and Robin were arriving.

"Sounds like a good plan," said Tuck.

"Yep, but we need to leave now," Robin responded. The two of them went to sit down next to Kate and John. "So... I know what we're going to do."

"We're going to kidnap the tax collector," said Tuck with a grin, "scare him silly."

"And get rid of him... for good." Robin grinned.

Kate returned the grin. "Let's do it."

*****

Vaisey sat on the desk in the money room, hands on his head. His mind was racing, and it was nonstop torture. The door opened, and Rufus arrived, Linda behind him.

"Special delivery!" she announced, but Vaisey only grumbled in response.

Rufus slammed the chest of money on the table.

"Aah!" Vaisey cried in surprise.

"Taxes," said Rufus. Vaisey opened the chest and gasped. "Adding a little happy to your day."

"Yes," answered the Sheriff. "Oh, yes, very good. Very good. You have a distinct talent for this." He gave the bags of coins to Scrope one at a time.

"Well, as long as you're happy. As long as the Sheriff gets what the Sheriff wants," said Rufus.

Linda raised an eyebrow suspiciously. There was something about Rufus that seemed familiar... and dangerous.

Scrope dumped out a bag of coins and looked at them in awe. He then started counting. Rufus walked around the room.

"Did I ever tell you two that my father lived in Nottingham?" Rufus asked with a whip of his head.

"Did he now?" asked Linda, her interest piqued by this sudden question.

"He lived here is whole life," said Rufus.

"How very pleasant for him," said the Sheriff as he examined a sack. He gave it to Scrope.

"I didn't respect him much, but he was kind," continued Rufus, and Linda could see the scowl forming on his face.

Vaisey kept handing the bags to Scrope, oblivious to what Rufus was saying.

"Not a single day when I don't think about him," Rufus finished, and he scowl showed itself.

"Oh, how very moving," said Vaisey as he opened up a pouch. "La-di-da-di-da."

Rufus scowled and left he room. Stealthily, Linda followed him as the left the castle and went into town. Rounding a corner, he met his son. Linda hid behind a building, listening.

"He took the bait," Rufus said to his son as they walked along. "Stupid Sheriff. By the time we're done, that scum will be crying like a baby."

Linda gasped quietly. She had to warn Robin. Or... did she? A low whistle caught her attention. Looking up, she saw that Much and Allan were spying on Rufus. That meant Robin had a plan, and Linda wouldn't interfere this time.

*****

Rufus and Edmund went inside the stable barn to get their horses. The door slammed close. Rufus and Edmund turned, finding that Tuck had closed the door.

"Well, we just keep running into each other, don't we?" said a voice, and Rufus smirked. It was Robin. "Hey? Must be fate."

Rufus drew his sword. Suddenly, his face was covered with a sack. Allan had jumped down and sacked his head.

"Father!" exclaimed Edmund, but then John grabbed him from behind.

Allan let Rufus go, but Rufus was still blinded by the bag. Rufus swung his sword widely, and Much had to duck before Rufus took his head off. He grabbed his arm and kneed his gut, and Allan tackled him down to the ground from behind. The two outlaws held him and captured him.

"You can't do this!" yelled Edmund.

"Who's going to stop us? You?" taunted Much.

Edmund bit John's hand and ran. "Guards, help!" he cried, but he was suddenly tripped by Kate. She grabbed him and pinned him down.

"You heard him. There'll be guards on the way! Come on!" shouted Robin.

Robin and John grabbed two empty horses. They brought them to the doors and waited for the guards. Once they were there, Robin looked to John.

"Ready?" he asked, and John nodded. Robin opened the doors. "Go on! Go on! Get!" He smacked the horse's butt, and the neighed loudly. The beasts rode out, almost trampling the guards.

Robin and Much and John charged and fought off the guards while Kate and Allan got Rufus and Edmund out of there, Rufus still bagged and Edmund tied up. Robin and the others followed, before they were surrounded, separated from Kate and Allan.

"This ended well," said Robin, and he drew his sword. Tossing his bow to John, he fought off the guards. Tuck picked up Much so that he could kick to guards. The four of them slowly made their way to Kate and Allan.

But Allan made the mistake of letting go of Rufus to fight off the guards. Rufus ripped the bag off his head and grabbed Kate from behind. He took out a sharp knife and put it at her neck.

"Thank you, little lady," he snarled.

The four other outlaws were still fighting, John not getting any action.

"Let me in there, Much!" he yelled.

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" Much yelled back.

"I'll get the horses," said Edmund.

Rufus pushed Kate to the guards. Allan was still fighting two of the guards. Using the hilt of his knife, Rufus conked Allan in the side of his head, knocking him out.

"Take her away!" Rufus ordered to a guard.

Much's eyes widened. "Kate!" he screamed.

"Stop this!" shouted John. With a yell, he rammed into a wooden wall, it breaking and falling to the ground. "Come on!"

"He's got Kate!" Much yelled as Tuck pulled him to follow John.

"No time!" Tuck shouted. "Robin!"

"He's right," Robin agreed. "This way! Quick!"

Robin led them through the little store, running into a man with flower in his hands. The man spilt the white fluff all over the outlaws, so the boys were powder white when they got outside.

"Hello," said Robin as he wiped his eye. He saw that Edmund was trying to get the horses to follow him.

"How about a spot of kidnapping? Brighten up your day," suggested Tuck.

"Get him on the horse."

"Come here, you," said John, and he grabbed Edmund and saddled him on a horse.

Rufus was bringing Kate and Allan to the place where he was going to hold them captive, when a bunch of horses whizzed behind him.

"Edmund!" he shouted, finding that his son was being held captive.

"Father!" his son cried.

"Follow me!" he said to some of the guards.

Robin and the three others rid out of Nottingham, Rufus and the guards right on his tail. Robin turned on his horse, arrow up. He shot, and the arrow hit a guard. By now, Robin flipped in the front of his horse and rid in the front. They were in Sherwood Forest, and Robin was leading the outlaws away from Rufus. The outlaws got off of their horses, and Much signaled them to run once more.

"Father!" cried Edmund.

"Shut him up, Tuck!" ordered Robin as they climbed up a hill to hide.

"We got to go back and get Kate! And Allan!" Much cried.

"We can't go back now. If we leave, they have a chance," explained Robin as they kept running down the path, still on the high cliff.

"Get down!" commanded Tuck, and he put a hand over Edmund's mouth.

The outlaws got down, Robin on one knee. He looked over edge, finding that Rufus was right below him, circling around on his horse. He signaled the guards to stop, and he looked around the forest.

"They could be anywhere," he said to the guards. "Search the area." The guards did as he was told, and Rufus stayed and looked around.

"What now?" whispered Much.

Robin spoke, his voice echoing through the forest. "You can have your son back on one condition -- you let our two go."

Rufus whipped his head around, trying to find his voice. "You think you can play me that easy?"

A small pause. "I know you have some emotion, however small," echoed Robin's voice. "He's your son. I know you want him back alive."

"And you're Robin Hood," retorted Rufus. "You don't kill unless you have to. Me, I'm not so sweet. I've hidden your friends somewhere you are never going to find. So you make sure my sun is back by midday, and if you're lucky, your friends might still be breathing."

*****

Somewhere in a meat shop, Kate and Allan were chained to a post. Kate stood and tried to escape, but the chains were too strong.

"Damn!" she yelled. "Damn! Damn! Damn!" She started to somewhat pace. "What now, Allan? What happens now?"

Allan shrugged casually. "There's no way out."

"Yes, I can see that," she spat. "And then Rufus will come, and we'll be dead." She plopped down next to Allan. "And how can I help my family if I'm dead? They need me."

Allan looked to Kate. A couple moments of silence passed by them before Allan decided to say, "I've been in worse. If that helps."

Kate rolled her eyes and sighed. "It doesn't help. It's just annoying. Like you're showing off."

Allan gave her a look. "Look, this isn't fun for me either, you know," he clarified. "I mean I'm stuck with you, and... well, you're not exactly easy on the eye, are you?"

Kate shot him a pained look. "You don't think I'm pretty?" she asked, her voice hurt.

Allan shrugged. "Just a little plain for my taste."

"I think your neck's too long," retorted Kate.

"My neck? Nose, maybe." Allan shrugged once more.

Kate chuckled in amusement, as did Allan.

"That's the first time I've seen you smile," he pointed out. Then he made a little frown. "I wouldn't do it, actually. It's, uh -- not your best look."

"Do you know, looking at you actually makes me want to be a little sick," said Kate with a smirk.

Allan chuckled. "You feel better yet?"

"Yeah," said Kate with a small smile. "Yeah, insulting you definitely helps."

"Good," said Allan with a nod. "Before we carry on, though, you might want to move. I think you just sat on pig kidney."

*****

a/n: Allan, you cheeky little adorable bugger, you. I actually think his nose is fine, along with his neck. God, Kate, why you got to be so darn insulting?