John gave a solemn nod, and fought the lump in his throat.

“That’s insane,” Will winced at the thought, “you … you shouldn’t…”

“We had to at least try,” John said.

“I can’t believe Robin let you do that.”

“It was his idea.”

Will stopped shy of any response, and chewed it back down. A heavy moment passed before Alan sighed. “You gave us quite the scare. I thought I was going to watch you die tomorrow!” He punched Will hard in the chest, which looked to hurt more than it ought. Will was probably hungry and thirsty, and in desperate need of recovery. A thousand questions came to John’s mind, but they’d have to wait.

“You would have been too late.” Will put his arm on Alan’s shoulder. “They were going to kill us tonight, and hang a couple nobodies tomorrow. They wanted you to come get us.”

“I’ll be damned,” was all Alan could say, and John too felt a wave of relief. Everything they’d been planning, it would have been for nothing.

“It would have been suicide.” Will shook his head in frustration. “You say this was Robin’s plan?”

“Where’s your girl?” John asked, more or less at the same time he heard her voice, scrambling through the brush. John felt his heart clench, his eyes water. Marley had never borne them any children, but if she had, he could only have wanted two such as these to call his own. Alan rushed to Elena first, and near took the wind from her, holding on a bit longer than he ought. When finally John had his turn, he nearly suffocated her. Her head was tiny between his hands, and she sniffed away a tear or two of her own when he bent down to kiss her forehead.

Then commotion overtook them as the others joined, their laughter filling the forest thicker than the fog. Arthur and David tackled Will to the ground, and the Delaney brothers introduced themselves with all politesse. Even the surly Gamble Gold seemed happy. The two boys from Bernesdale kept their distance from the group but were clearly relieved.

Friar Tuck, of course, let out with his usual cackle. “This calls for a celebration! Two friends back, two drinks each!”

Alan tried to tell Will five stories at once, about Much’s funeral and the prince’s visit, while Tuck busied himself at pouring drinks. Will and Elena rushed to help, on account of Tuck’s broken arm.

John moved as well. “You two should be sitting down and resting. Let us tend to you.”