When One Door Closes
Title: When One Door Closes
Author: robinfanatic
Characters/Pairings: Little John, Much, and others :)
Rating:PG
Words: 1376
Genre: fluff
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: Takes place a few months after 3x13
Summary: It wasn't something Much hadn't planned on, but as they say, when one door closes, another door opens...
>>------------->
When One Door Closes
by robinfanatic
Little John looked at his empty hands. He'd passed out his last parcel of food. There was never enough though no one complained. Always grateful. So many smiles in these hard times when they'd all lost so much.
Behind him a noise caught his ear and he turned only to realize he was standing in front of Alice's old cottage. He stared at it, melancholy rushing over him.
"John?"
It was Kate's voice repeating his name that made him turn back around.
"John, we're done here. Let's head back to camp," she said as a group of children ran circles around them in a game of tag.
"I thought we were to wait for Tuck and Archer," he said, looking past her at the road the two men had taken to Nettlestone. He patted one of the youngsters on the head before they all scooted away. Tipping his head toward Much who spoke animatedly with one of the villagers he asked, "Who is Much talking to?"
"I don't know," Kate replied. "He seems awfully excited."
Much glanced back at his friends as if he'd heard his name.
"He looks...upset." John frowned as Much started to run toward them. "Not excited."
"John! Kate!" Much shouted. "One of the village women needs help. Hurry!"
"Where?" John asked.
"Bonchurch."
"You go," Kate told the two outlaws, "I'll get Archer and Tuck. We'll be right behind you."
John nodded and he and Much took off down the dusty dirt road at a fast trot.
"What's wrong?"
"Baby's coming. Mark Tucker's wife...needs help," Much huffed. "Come on, this way!"
When they arrived at Bonchurch Much headed straight for the lodge.
"In the manor house?" John asked. He thought he knew everyone in the village but he didn't recognize the Tucker name. Couldn't even picture which of the women at Bonchurch was actually with child. He wondered if it was a breech birth - why else would they want his help? It had been a couple of years since he'd helped deliver a baby. That had been an incredible experience, feeling that tiny life in Rosa's belly.
The door of the lodge flew open before Much reached it. He scrambled inside with John a few steps behind him, both of them gasping to catch their breaths.
"It certainly is nice to know I can still take a man's breath away," a familiar voice called.
Much smiled knowingly and watched John's brown eyes grow round with surprise.
"Matilda?" John said, dumbfounded.
"John Little." She stood with hands on hips and looked John over approvingly from head to toe. "None the worse for wear I see."
John felt a flush crawl up his neck. "What-- Are you here to deliver the babe?" he asked.
"Babe?" Matilda looked at Much. "Is that how you got him here?"
Much chuckled. "It seemed...fitting."
John raised an eyebrow. "Got me here? So there's no baby?" He scowled at Much. He wasn't about to admit that he approved of his friend's trickery.
"Aren't you glad to see me, John?"
"Of course I am," he said gruffly. His eyes softened. "How is Rosa? And little Alice?"
"Well," Matilda replied, tugging at something behind her legs, "why don't you ask her yourself."
A round, cherubic face with huge blue eyes, ginger hair, and long golden lashes peeked round Matilda's skirt and smiled shyly.
"Is that...? No, it can't be." John bent down on one knee. "Why, hello there, Alice."
"Ain't she a beauty, John?" She was a proud grandmother. "Looks a bit like me don't ya' think? Come here, child," she said, lifting Alice in her arms.
The little girl pointed at John's face as he stood back up.
"This is John. John," Matilda repeated. "An old friend of your gran's. Helped bring you into this world, little one."
John pointed at himself. "John."
"Boy," Alice announced.
Everyone in the room laughed.
"Yes, a big boy," Matilda declared as Alice reached for John's beard.
"A big bear," Much said with a wink at John.
"Bear," Alice repeated.
Matilda noticed John trying to hide a grimace.
John shook his head and smiled at the child again. "No, not bear. John."
"Bear," Alice insisted joyfully.
"Just like Queen Eleanor," Much giggled. "A woman after your heart."
"The Queen Mother?" Matilda slipped her arm through John's and led him toward the sitting room with Alice on her hip. "Others are waitin' to greet you, John, but don't think for one minute that you'll get out of telling me that story," she said whilst Alice repeated a chorus of bear, bear, bear.
"Others? What is going on here?" He glanced back at Much.
"Happy Birthday!" A dozen voices shouted when they walked into the sitting room. John's eyes grew wide and he felt his throat tighten. The house servants were there, the blacksmith and his wife, the Millers, and a few others he recognized.
Rosa ran up to John and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Happy Birthday, John!"
"But it's not my birth--"
"That's okay. We're going to pretend it is," Rosa smiled.
John spotted Archer and Tuck lifting mugs of mead to celebrate. "Nettlestone?" he asked, knowing there was no way they could have reached Bonchurch so quickly...unless they'd already been here.
"Sorry, John. We had to tell you something," Kate replied as she appeared at the kitchen door.
John knew who the instigator was. "Much?"
Much grinned, waggling a finger at his friend. He cocked his head toward Rosa. As John turned round Rosa stepped aside and the villagers behind her parted to create an opening.
"Little Little John?" John's eyes were bright with tears.
The younger John rushed into the older man's arms. "Father!"
The entire room burst into cheers. Much wiped his own eyes on his sleeve.
Matilda planted a kiss on Alice's forehead then slid her arm around Much's waist and gave him a squeeze. "Twas a good thing you did," she said.
John clasped his son tightly. He could barely find his voice. "I can't believe--" He looked at Much. "How-- Where--?"
"One of the masons working at the castle mentioned that his mum in Leicester was working with a young woman from Nottinghamshire." Much took a deep breath, released it. "I thought it might be Eve."
John felt like an arrow had pierced his heart. "Oh Much--"
"Turns out it was Rosa," Matilda said before everyone got even more teary-eyed.
"You've been in Leicester?" John asked.
Matilda and Little Little John nodded.
"Where's your mother? Is she here?" John scanned the faces in the room. Thoughts of seeing Alice again made the pounding in his chest quicken, which worsened when he didn't see her. "She's all right, isn't she?"
"She's fine, father," Little Little John said, "but thought it best that she stay in Leicester."
John hid his disappointment but wrapped his arms around Little Little John again. "I have missed you," he whispered into the boy's ear. He pulled away, his face full of pride and joy. "Look at you. You'll be nearly as tall as me in no time."
"And just as handsome, too," Matilda added with a smile. "Every girl in Leicester will be after him."
Both of the Little men lowered their heads and turned their eyes away for a moment, their faces blushing the same shade of pink.
John cleared his throat. "How did you meet Matlida?"
"That would be my fault," Rosa said. "I recognized the man doing repairs on the master's estate."
"Luke Cooper." John squeezed his son's hand and walked over to Much. "I'm sorry you didn't find Eve."
"I am sick...sick at heart wondering if I'll ever find her." Much managed a smile. "But I knew what I had to do. Seeing you happy, seeing you with Little Little John again, having Matilda, Rosa and Alice here... well, all that makes up for not finding Eve."
John wrapped his arms around Much. "Thank you, my friend." He comforted Much, moisture pricking at his eyes. England was a big country. Eve might be anywhere. But if Much found his family and friends, then John had to believe that anything was possible. "As for Eve...we'll keep looking - all of us - and we won't stop 'til we find her."
Author: robinfanatic
Characters/Pairings: Little John, Much, and others :)
Rating:PG
Words: 1376
Genre: fluff
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: Takes place a few months after 3x13
Summary: It wasn't something Much hadn't planned on, but as they say, when one door closes, another door opens...
>>------------->
When One Door Closes
by robinfanatic
Little John looked at his empty hands. He'd passed out his last parcel of food. There was never enough though no one complained. Always grateful. So many smiles in these hard times when they'd all lost so much.
Behind him a noise caught his ear and he turned only to realize he was standing in front of Alice's old cottage. He stared at it, melancholy rushing over him.
"John?"
It was Kate's voice repeating his name that made him turn back around.
"John, we're done here. Let's head back to camp," she said as a group of children ran circles around them in a game of tag.
"I thought we were to wait for Tuck and Archer," he said, looking past her at the road the two men had taken to Nettlestone. He patted one of the youngsters on the head before they all scooted away. Tipping his head toward Much who spoke animatedly with one of the villagers he asked, "Who is Much talking to?"
"I don't know," Kate replied. "He seems awfully excited."
Much glanced back at his friends as if he'd heard his name.
"He looks...upset." John frowned as Much started to run toward them. "Not excited."
"John! Kate!" Much shouted. "One of the village women needs help. Hurry!"
"Where?" John asked.
"Bonchurch."
"You go," Kate told the two outlaws, "I'll get Archer and Tuck. We'll be right behind you."
John nodded and he and Much took off down the dusty dirt road at a fast trot.
"What's wrong?"
"Baby's coming. Mark Tucker's wife...needs help," Much huffed. "Come on, this way!"
When they arrived at Bonchurch Much headed straight for the lodge.
"In the manor house?" John asked. He thought he knew everyone in the village but he didn't recognize the Tucker name. Couldn't even picture which of the women at Bonchurch was actually with child. He wondered if it was a breech birth - why else would they want his help? It had been a couple of years since he'd helped deliver a baby. That had been an incredible experience, feeling that tiny life in Rosa's belly.
The door of the lodge flew open before Much reached it. He scrambled inside with John a few steps behind him, both of them gasping to catch their breaths.
"It certainly is nice to know I can still take a man's breath away," a familiar voice called.
Much smiled knowingly and watched John's brown eyes grow round with surprise.
"Matilda?" John said, dumbfounded.
"John Little." She stood with hands on hips and looked John over approvingly from head to toe. "None the worse for wear I see."
John felt a flush crawl up his neck. "What-- Are you here to deliver the babe?" he asked.
"Babe?" Matilda looked at Much. "Is that how you got him here?"
Much chuckled. "It seemed...fitting."
John raised an eyebrow. "Got me here? So there's no baby?" He scowled at Much. He wasn't about to admit that he approved of his friend's trickery.
"Aren't you glad to see me, John?"
"Of course I am," he said gruffly. His eyes softened. "How is Rosa? And little Alice?"
"Well," Matilda replied, tugging at something behind her legs, "why don't you ask her yourself."
A round, cherubic face with huge blue eyes, ginger hair, and long golden lashes peeked round Matilda's skirt and smiled shyly.
"Is that...? No, it can't be." John bent down on one knee. "Why, hello there, Alice."
"Ain't she a beauty, John?" She was a proud grandmother. "Looks a bit like me don't ya' think? Come here, child," she said, lifting Alice in her arms.
The little girl pointed at John's face as he stood back up.
"This is John. John," Matilda repeated. "An old friend of your gran's. Helped bring you into this world, little one."
John pointed at himself. "John."
"Boy," Alice announced.
Everyone in the room laughed.
"Yes, a big boy," Matilda declared as Alice reached for John's beard.
"A big bear," Much said with a wink at John.
"Bear," Alice repeated.
Matilda noticed John trying to hide a grimace.
John shook his head and smiled at the child again. "No, not bear. John."
"Bear," Alice insisted joyfully.
"Just like Queen Eleanor," Much giggled. "A woman after your heart."
"The Queen Mother?" Matilda slipped her arm through John's and led him toward the sitting room with Alice on her hip. "Others are waitin' to greet you, John, but don't think for one minute that you'll get out of telling me that story," she said whilst Alice repeated a chorus of bear, bear, bear.
"Others? What is going on here?" He glanced back at Much.
"Happy Birthday!" A dozen voices shouted when they walked into the sitting room. John's eyes grew wide and he felt his throat tighten. The house servants were there, the blacksmith and his wife, the Millers, and a few others he recognized.
Rosa ran up to John and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Happy Birthday, John!"
"But it's not my birth--"
"That's okay. We're going to pretend it is," Rosa smiled.
John spotted Archer and Tuck lifting mugs of mead to celebrate. "Nettlestone?" he asked, knowing there was no way they could have reached Bonchurch so quickly...unless they'd already been here.
"Sorry, John. We had to tell you something," Kate replied as she appeared at the kitchen door.
John knew who the instigator was. "Much?"
Much grinned, waggling a finger at his friend. He cocked his head toward Rosa. As John turned round Rosa stepped aside and the villagers behind her parted to create an opening.
"Little Little John?" John's eyes were bright with tears.
The younger John rushed into the older man's arms. "Father!"
The entire room burst into cheers. Much wiped his own eyes on his sleeve.
Matilda planted a kiss on Alice's forehead then slid her arm around Much's waist and gave him a squeeze. "Twas a good thing you did," she said.
John clasped his son tightly. He could barely find his voice. "I can't believe--" He looked at Much. "How-- Where--?"
"One of the masons working at the castle mentioned that his mum in Leicester was working with a young woman from Nottinghamshire." Much took a deep breath, released it. "I thought it might be Eve."
John felt like an arrow had pierced his heart. "Oh Much--"
"Turns out it was Rosa," Matilda said before everyone got even more teary-eyed.
"You've been in Leicester?" John asked.
Matilda and Little Little John nodded.
"Where's your mother? Is she here?" John scanned the faces in the room. Thoughts of seeing Alice again made the pounding in his chest quicken, which worsened when he didn't see her. "She's all right, isn't she?"
"She's fine, father," Little Little John said, "but thought it best that she stay in Leicester."
John hid his disappointment but wrapped his arms around Little Little John again. "I have missed you," he whispered into the boy's ear. He pulled away, his face full of pride and joy. "Look at you. You'll be nearly as tall as me in no time."
"And just as handsome, too," Matilda added with a smile. "Every girl in Leicester will be after him."
Both of the Little men lowered their heads and turned their eyes away for a moment, their faces blushing the same shade of pink.
John cleared his throat. "How did you meet Matlida?"
"That would be my fault," Rosa said. "I recognized the man doing repairs on the master's estate."
"Luke Cooper." John squeezed his son's hand and walked over to Much. "I'm sorry you didn't find Eve."
"I am sick...sick at heart wondering if I'll ever find her." Much managed a smile. "But I knew what I had to do. Seeing you happy, seeing you with Little Little John again, having Matilda, Rosa and Alice here... well, all that makes up for not finding Eve."
John wrapped his arms around Much. "Thank you, my friend." He comforted Much, moisture pricking at his eyes. England was a big country. Eve might be anywhere. But if Much found his family and friends, then John had to believe that anything was possible. "As for Eve...we'll keep looking - all of us - and we won't stop 'til we find her."