“What is it?” Alan asked, but Robin just pointed out into the mist, whereupon a moment later came the snap of a twig and rustle of leaves. If there was anything to be seen, John’s eyes couldn’t make it out. But Alan slowly rose, pulling the hood off his head, and spoke at his loudest.

“Holy fuck me.”

“Hullo, boys.”

Just as casually as if he’d been playing chase with them the last hour, Will Scarlet strolled out of the fog with his arms out wide.

John couldn’t but stare, with no words at all, just a shock that took over the whole of his body. It was Will alright, smiling and a little thinner, and unbelievably here. Alan started four or five sentences, but couldn’t finish any of them, and settled for grabbing Will violently and slapping his back.

“It’s good to see you too, Alan! Hullo, Robin.”

Robin stood, so alarmed he might burst. “How did you get here?”

Will crinkled his nose. “We escaped!”

“Escaped! But we were supposed to rescue you!” Alan nearly lost his mind and bent over laughing. “Where’s Elena?”

“She’s near, I was scouting ahead.” He turned and called out for her, while John saw in his face the tale of the last month, written in bruises.

Robin saw it, too, and softened. “Were you followed?”

“No, no. What are you doing this far south? We were aiming to camp outside Bernesdale for the night when Lena noticed the ribbons, followed them here. This a new camp?”

“One of a few. This one we’ve been using—” Alan started, but Robin interrupted him.

“Don’t—let’s get everyone here first. I’ll rally the others, you can tell us all at once.” He shook his head and backed away.

Will waved his hand slowly in front of John. “Hullo, John.”

He hadn’t even realized he’d been standing there mouth agape, without the first clue what to do or how to go about doing it. Then, as simple as that, the emotion overwhelmed him and he snatched Will up off the ground, his face already stung for smiling too wide and his lungs burned. For reasons he couldn’t quite place, John felt guilty for having his doubts about going to Nottingham tomorrow. He might have robbed himself of this feeling, of seeing Will and Elena again, of being reunited with the only thing he still had that felt like family.

“You don’t know what you’ve put us through,” Alan said. “We’ve been leaving fake trails and camps, to keep the Sheriff looking.”

“Well, we were lucky to find you, especially in this fog.” Will coughed. “We could have passed right by and never even known it.”

“We were going to get you tomorrow, you know?” John said. “It’s all we’ve been working at.”

Will seemed genuinely touched. “Are you serious? Is that why you’re here?”