COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of Xena, Gabrielle or Argo. That honour belongs to Renaissance Pictures and Studios USA. I'm borrowing them for the purpose of entertaining the masses, not for profit or anything like that.
The story and the characters of Sanura and Taj (who will be coming up later) are copyright 2000 Kimyoo Films.
SEXUAL / SUBTEXT DISCLAIMER: If you don't dig the idea of love between two people who happen to be of the same sex, or it's illegal in the state or country you live in, please go read something else.
However, in this story, neither has told the other how they feel. Will they in this story or won't they? I don't know yet. lol
LANGUAGE DISCLAIMER: Yes, there are a few naughty words in here. What? Don't think they had 'em in Ancient Greece? Get real.
This story, in case anyone wonders, was mainly inspired by the Indigo Girls' song "Ghost," but most of the rest of the Rites of Passage album helped as well. ;) If you know the song I'm talking about, you know how bittersweet (not Bitter Suite) it is...that's why I've named the story after it. If you want to read the lyrics, I've copied them and put them here. I don't own this wonderful song, I'm merely posting it for illustration purposes.
TIMELINE / SPOILER, ETC: There are no spoilers, per se. As this is definitely an alt piece, there is no Rift and we're in seasons two / three.
I think that's enough disclaimers for now...heeheehee
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"Ghost" by Magenta (the_AURYN@angelfire.com)
copyright 2000 Kimyoo Films
CHAPTER ONE
Lake
"Gabrielle...wake up," sighed the warrior as she looked at the little blonde woman, who responded by squirming deeper beneath the cover of her bedroll.
Xena was frustrated and tired - she hasn't slept well for a week or so - and she was sick of feeling like the bad guy when she had to wake Gabrielle up for the day. She clenched her jaw and grabbed the blankets, throwing them off of the bard. When that garnered no response from the sleeping woman, the warrior picked her up and walked away from the campsite towards the lake.
*Xena, she's gonna kill you,* she thought to herself.
*Yeah, well, I'm sick of this,* she responded as she walked in up to her knees.
"Wakey, wakey..." she said as she tossed the bard in and walked back to the camp.
"ZEUS ALIVE!" sputtered Gabrielle upon jumping out of the water and rushing towards the bank. She then turned towards the retreating back of the warrior.
"Xena?! You threw me into the lake!" There was no response, no laughter, no explanation. Nothing. The drenched blonde stood and followed Xena back to the camp, the water running down her face hiding her shocked tears.
"You should change before you catch a cold," advised Xena dryly as Gabrielle knelt and silently packed up her things. "Gabrielle?"
The blonde kept packing her things, not looking at Xena, then she grabbed her staff and started to walk out towards the road.
"Gabrielle...where're you going?
"Gabrielle. Answer me!"
The bard stopped and turned around, the anger and hurt in her jade eyes piercing Xena's tired heart. "I, Xena, am going to the inn in Harcos. Meet me there or don't, that's up to you, but I really don't want to be around you right now."
Xena bowed her head as Gabrielle walked away, then fell onto her haunches, the weight of her world pushing her down. The tension between the two of them had finally reached it's breaking point. Lately, they'd been arguing a lot, talking very little and apologizing even less. The warrior would like to pin the blame on Gabrielle, but she knew most of their problems were her fault. What Xena couldn't figure out was why she, herself, was acting the way she was.
"I rather she had killed me," muttered the warrior as she packed up the rest of their things, making sure the campfire was out, then mounted Argo to follow the bard to Harcos.
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CHAPTER TWO
Drenched Memories
*I know tensions have been high between us, but was throwing me into the lake really necessary?* the bard asked herself. *I just wish she would talk to me about what's going on...or even the weather, whatever, just so long as she'd talk a little. Does she even stop to think how hard it is to hold up both ends of a conversation without seeming as though you're talking to yourself?*
Gabrielle kicked a stone as she walked down the road. She was almost dry now, just dirty as all the dust she kicked up as she walked stuck to her. The chill from the lake was gone, but her tears remained.
She kept her head down and focused on the road a few paces ahead of her. *Xena would throw a fit. I should be paying more attention to my surroundings...but I can't. I need to think about what I'm going to say to her at the inn. If she comes,* she amended.
She heard the clippty clop of Argo's hooves far behind her, walking at a leisurely pace and her tears renewed themselves. Her mind wandered to one of their recent fights:
"No, you can't go with me, Gabrielle, and that's final," stated the warrior as she walked away.
"Why? That's what I don't understand, Xena. If you would just give me a reason, then I-"
"Because I say so...just this once, can't that be reason enough for you?" she sighed, getting on her horse and rearing her so she could look at the bard.
Gabrielle fought back her tears, determined to not let Xena know what effect her "reason" had on her. "You have no right to tell me what to do. I'm not your slave, nor am I your lover." Gabrielle choked on the last word, but she ignored it and fought the blush that threatened to crawl up her neck and colour her cheeks.
Xena dismounted and slowly walked over to the bard, her expression soft. Gabrielle saw something in the warrior's eyes, but she couldn't place it. It wasn't sadness or anger, that much she knew, but whatever it was, it pierced her soul and sent tingles coursing up and down her spine. She shook her head to clear herself of the odd sensation and when she looked back at Xena, the warrior mask had returned.
"Alright, Gabrielle. You win. Since you're coming, you're gonna ride Argo."
The bard clenched her jaw, grabbed her staff, and brushed past the warrior towards the horse. "Let's go."
Xena sighed, then mounted Argo. Hesitant for only a moment, the bard accepted the warrior's help and settled behind her.
It turned out that Xena just wanted to get drunk, it being the anniversary of her near-crucifixion at Caesar's hands, and she didn't want to worry the bard...at least, that's what the warrior said to Gabrielle in her alcoholic stupor...
The bard was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Argo's hooves running up behind her and the sensation of rain pouring over her. *Great...first Xena drenches me, then the Gods. I'm sorry for saying "Zeus alive" if that helps!*
A bolt of lighting flashed across the sky. It didn't frighten the bard, just confirmed her suspicions.
"Take my hand, Gabrielle."
She didn't pay any attention to the warrior, just kept walking, no matter how much she wanted to get up behind her.
"Gabrielle..." Xena used her best don't-argue-with-me-now voice.
"Don't use that tone on me, Xena. Go get Argo into a stable and dried off. I'll be there soon."
The warrior clenched her jaw. "Fine," she said as she spurred Argo on towards the village.
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CHAPTER THREE
The Warrior's Version
*Great...this is great. Gabrielle's mad at me and I mean REALLY mad. I'm mad at me for throwing her into the lake, mad at her just in general.Gods...when will it all end!?*
It was then that the warrior thought about one of their recent fights:
"Because I said so...just this once, can't that be reason enough for you?"
Xena wanted her to come, wanted her presence badly, but she was afraid for the petite bard at the same time. She was going to go to a tavern and because of her reputation and mood it could've have gotten ugly. *All I want to do is protect you, Gabrielle...I wish you could see that.*
"You have no right to tell me what to do. I'm not your slave, nor am I your lover," retorted Gabrielle, the hesitation on the last word not slipping past Xena's attention. The warrior closed her eyes and before she knew it, she was walking towards the bard. Suddenly, Gabrielle shook her head.
*Okay...fine then,* Xena thought, confused, and hardened herself to respond in kind to the blonde.
"Alright, Gabrielle. You win. Since you're coming, you're gonna ride Argo," she said, while thinking *When did all these fights start happening? Where did all this tension between us come from?*
The warrior watched as Gabrielle grabbed her staff and brushed past her. "Let's go," said the bard.
The raven-haired woman wordlessly mounted her horse, then bent to offer the stubborn blonde help up behind her. All Xena knew was that where ever Gabrielle's body touched her, it burned...but not unpleasantly. *Oh no...please no,* thought Xena as she tried to bury the implications of what she was feeling.
The warrior felt the first few drops of rain and cursed herself for not paying more attention to the change in the air. She spurred Argo towards the bard, who didn't seem to be paying the weather any mind.
Xena was just a few paces from the bard when lightning struck. "Take my hand, Gabrielle," the warrior said as she bent down to help the bard up onto the saddle, but received only silence in response.
*Gods, please don't argue with me...I don't want you to get sick,* she thought as she said, "Gabrielle..."
"Don't use that tone on me, Xena. Go get Argo into a stable and dried off. I'll be there soon."
"Fine," said the exasperated warrior, nudging Argo into a run towards the village. A lump caught in her throat, but she pushed it away, not ready to deal with her feelings, with the bard, nor with the points where the bard and her emotions met.
Continuedhere
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