*note from Magenta*:
Oldie and moldy, this one is the first Xena fan fiction I ever wrote. You can tell it’s really rusty as it’s also the first prose-style story I’d written in *pauses to calculate* almost ten years at that point... I’d been writing screenplay format exclusively and I needed to tell a story. This is pretty intact again...except for spelling and such. I’m not shy when it comes to “airing my skeletons” and I also don’t mind saying that I think I’ve come a long way and that I have a long way to go...but I just love writing. I mean, geez!! Look at the fact that I don‘t say “the blonde“ or “the bard“, I just keep saying “Gabrielle“. Not that that‘s bad, but it‘s too repetitive for a story.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just do what the muses tell me to do.
This is subtext friendly. If you aren't hip to the possible Lesbian relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, do not read this.

“Chasing Gabrielle; or Confessions” written by Magenta
written June 7, 1999
Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, Lila, Ares, and Poteidaia are copyright Renaissance Pictures, therefore I do not own them.
Otherwise, copyright 1999 Kimyoo Films
~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark around them, but that didn't matter. They were locked in a deep kiss that blocked out all their surroundings and every other being in the universe. When the kiss ended, the dark warrior held the blonde bard close to her and whispered gently into her ear "I love you..."

The dark warrior sat upright in her bedroll, awakening with a surprising start from such a peaceful dream. She allowed her eyes to wander over to her traveling companion, who was sleeping peacefully next to her, an arm draped over her eyes to block out the fast approaching light.

"Gods give me the strength," thought Xena. When she had kissed Gabrielle good-bye after her marriage to Perdicas, she realized that she was in love with the beautiful bard. The feeling grew stronger every day since, but Perdicas had been dead by Callisto's hand hardly four months now and Xena didn't want to add to Gabrielle's problems by telling her how she felt.

The bright sun had just begun to peek through the forest canopy when Xena awoke. She knew that if they were to make it to Poteidaia by nightfall, as they had promised Lila, they'd have to ride Argo hard and fast.

Lila had sent messengers out to find the travelers to tell Gabrielle that their father was deathly ill and had asked for her several times. Xena, though she knew of her family's dislike of her, wouldn't let Gabrielle go by herself on the dangerous journey back to Poteidaia.

Xena stood to start packing and inhaled the forest air, enjoying the peaceful moment, then scanned the forest for any intruders. "Old habits die hard," she thought to herself. She was used to all the little punks in Greece trying to make a name for themselves by killing the Warrior Princess and taking the pretty sidekick to a slaver, knowing she'd fetch a hefty dinar.

"No, that thought's too much." Xena would fight her hardest to make sure that nothing ever hurt Gabrielle and she'd do her best to make her happy.

Xena knelt over the sleeping bard and shook her gently by the shoulders to bring her from Morpheus' clutches.

"Gabrielle, wake up."

As usual, she didn't stir from her sleep. Xena was used to it. "I'm alert enough for both of us," she thought.

"Gabrielle, wake up. We have to be in Poteidaia tonight."

"Mmmm..." was all the response Xena got as Gabrielle turned over onto her side facing Xena.

"Gabrielle! WAKE UP!"

The bard, obviously still asleep, turned back onto her back, then sat up onto her elbows.

"For the love of Zeus, will you listen to me? You cannot put boots on a dog!!" And with that, Gabrielle collapsed onto her back again.

"Oh no you don't. C'Mon Gabrielle! Wake up!"

Suddenly, an arrow was loosed. Xena's lightning quick reflexes caught the arrow before it went through Gabrielle's head. She looked around for the source of the arrow, but saw nothing. She tossed the arrow aside and sat the sleeping bard up.

"Gabrielle! WAKE UP!" Xena gave Gabrielle one quick, hard shake to bring her back to consciousness.

"'Morning, Xena," chirped the bard in an "I'll-rise-but-I-refuse-to-shine" tone.

Another arrow was loosed at Gabrielle's head, but Xena caught it well before it could claim it's mark. Gabrielle looked at the arrow, her eyes wide in surprise.

The bard grabbed her staff and she and Xena stood up. Xena moved behind Gabrielle and threw the arrow aside.

"Stay close to me," Xena ordered. Gabrielle wordlessly complied, pressing her body closer to Xena's.

"Focus. Focus..." chanted the warrior as she fought the blush crawling up her cheeks.

Another arrow was loosed, but this time it had a note attached. When Xena caught it, a diabolical laugh filled the forest then slowly disappeared. Xena took the note from the arrow and stepped away from Gabrielle, who was still on guard.

The note said: "The red in your cheeks doesn't suit you. I've found your weakness. You will be mine once again."

"Don't bet on it, Ares," muttered Xena to herself.

"Xena?" asked Gabrielle, poised to defend herself.

"Relax Gabrielle. They're gone."

Gabrielle, deflated, dropped her arms and turned toward Xena. "That's one way to wake up in the morning. What did the note say?"

Xena put the note next to her breast dagger so she could return it to it's owner later. "Nothing. Let's pack up. We've got a long day's ride ahead of us."

Gabrielle set her staff down and they packed up their camp. Xena was on edge, constantly watching for Ares. She wasn't concerned about herself, she was concerned for the love of her life.

Xena saddled Argo and secured their belongings to her. Xena then climbed atop and reached down for Gabrielle, who was skittish at best when it came to anything about the horse. Xena knew Argo felt the same way, but she knew that the best way for them to start getting along was with a forced acceptance of each other.

"Wait a sec. You want me to get in front?"

"Yes."

"Why?

"Given the nature of what just happened, I think it'd be a good idea. I can't protect you if you're behind me."

"No arguing with that...I guess," and the bard climbed atop Argo and sat in front of Xena.

"If feels as though she belongs there," thought Xena as she wrapped her arms around the bard to hold on to the reins. She prodded Argo into quick action.

* * * *

The journey was mercifully silent, but Xena already knew what was going through Gabrielle's mind. All the thoughts roaming around in that head of hers. Thoughts of Perdicas. Thoughts of her family and her homecoming.

Xena knew that she may have to say good-bye to Gabrielle in Poteidaia, especially if that's her father's dying wish. She steeled herself against the broken heart she knew would come.

* * * *

Lila was waiting at the main entrance to Poteidaia when they arrived after nightfall. Xena helped Gabrielle down and hesitated before herself dismounting from Argo. Gabrielle, sensing the hesitation, asked, "What's the matter?"

"We need to talk later, okay?"

Gabrielle swallowed and nodded as she stared at the ground. "She knows that I might have to leave her..." thought Xena They turned and followed Lila to her house. At the door, while Gabrielle and Lila walked in, Xena stopped at the steps. Gabrielle turned and walked back to Xena to find out what was wrong.

"Xena?" she asked.

"This isn't the place for me right now, Gabrielle. I'm...uh...going to the lake while you..."

"Will you wait there for me?" her voice still a little fearful.

"I'll be there..."said Xena as she backed away for a few paces, then turned and walked towards the lake, Argo in tow. She could feel Gabrielle watching her go until the light could no longer find Xena's leather.

* * * *

"Gabrielle?" called her mother. "Dinner's ready."

"Coming," was her reply as she walked in to eat a late dinner.

"Is that Xena here?" asked her mother with obvious disdain as they sat down.

"Yes. She's gone down to the lake," replied Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle, you know we don't approve of her or your lifestyle with her."

"Yes, mother, I know."

"So why did you allow her to tag along?"

"She escorted me, feeling that it'd be too dangerous for me to make the trip all alone." Gabrielle decided that it'd be better to not say anything about the attack this morning

"She's right about that," said Lila, trying to be helpful.

"Yes...and it's even less dangerous for you if you would stay home..." said her mother.

The room was silent for a few minutes, and thankfully so. Gabrielle didn't want to talk about leaving the dark warrior.

"She's not staying in this house, Gabrielle," stated her mother.

In reply, Gabrielle picked at her food and muttered, "Yeah, well, neither am I..."

"What? What did you say?"

Gabrielle pushed herself away from the table and stood. "It's too late to see father now. I'll be back in the morning. Good night, Lila. Good night, mother." With that, Gabrielle walked out of the house and towards the lake...and Xena.

* * * *

The moon reflected off the water gave an eerie flowing quality to the light as Xena tensed, knowing he'd shown up. "Hello, Ares," she said.

"Hello Xena. It's a lovely night, isn't it?"

Xena stood and turned towards the God of War and threw the note from the arrow onto the ground by his feet. "Enough with the small chat. Leave Gabrielle alone."

"She's the key to this peaceful kick you've been on, Xena. I'm never going to let that go."

"I'm not coming back to you."

"That's what you say now. Who knows what holds within the future for you and your precious blonde..."

"Leave her out of this, Ares."

"We'll see..." said the God as he disappeared. Xena sat back down on the log and relaxed once she heard Gabrielle's footsteps. "We're going to have to work on that..." thought the practical warrior.

"Hi Xena," she said as she approached her and sat down next to the warrior. "Mother says you can't sleep there. I told her that I wouldn't be staying there either."

"Gabrielle..."

"No. Don't argue with me."

Xena stopped before she could say any more. Gabrielle could out talk her any day.

The air was filled only with the sounds of the insects around them, making their nightly music as Xena tried to figure out a way to talk about the possibility of having to say good-bye.

"Look...umm...this is a very intense time for you, Gabrielle-" she started, strained by her own pressure to do right by this little bard who held her heart in her small hands.

"You're not gonna leave me, Xena, are you?" asked Gabrielle, a question which elicited no response. "Please don't leave me..."

Gabrielle's tone carried so much fear and hurt and need that Xena almost began to cry. They wrapped their arms around each other and Gabrielle started to cry.

Xena unwrapped her arms from Gabrielle and held her at arm's length to look straight into her eyes. "I don't want to leave you, Gabrielle. But if your father wants you to stay here, if that's his dying wish..." Gabrielle put her fingers to Xena's mouth to stop the words from coming out.

"Xena, please. Please, please, don't leave me. I need you more than you'll ever know. Don't listen to my parents. Listen to me. Don't go..." Gabrielle buried her face in Xena's neck as she started to cry again. Xena hugged her and held her close, stroking her head.

"Okay, Gabrielle. I won't leave you..."

Gabrielle looked up at Xena with her tear streaked face and smiled. Xena stood up and got some blankets from Argo, then unsaddled her and went back to where Gabrielle was. She put a blanket on the ground near the log and they sat down on it, with their backs against the log, in each other's arms and watched the moon's journey across the night sky. When the moon was overhead, Gabrielle put her head in Xena's lap to try to get some sleep. Xena covered the both of them with another blanket and stroked the strawberry blonde hair. Gabrielle turned over onto her other side and held Xena's hand to make her follow her actions. She then pressed her body against Xena's. Xena wrapped an arm around Gabrielle's waist. A slight tear escaped from Xena's eyes at all the hurt and fear that Gabrielle was experiencing right now.

"Gods spare her... She doesn't deserve all this pain and suffering," thought Xena to herself as she fell asleep.

* * * *

Xena awoke the next morning to the sound of footsteps approaching from the forest. She assessed that the person approaching was of no threat, especially when she smelled lavender perfume, and feigned sleep.

Lila saw her sister and the warrior princess wrapped in each others arms, Gabrielle having turned towards Xena and wrapped her arms around her during the night, and froze, surprised and embarrassed. She started to slowly and as quietly as possible, back away from the sleeping twosome.

Xena let her go without saying anything. She wanted this moment to last as long as possible for, just as Ares said the night before, who knows what holds within the future for them.

Xena looked down to the blonde bard, who's face was nestled in the warrior's neck, and started to try and wake her up.

"Gabrielle?" Xena asked. "Wake up, Gabrielle." As she spoke, she gently shook the bard, who came out of her sleep unusually fast.

"Hmm?? Good morning," said Gabrielle into Xena's flesh. Xena pried herself away from Gabrielle and sat on the log.

"It's time to wake up."

"I know," Gabrielle stated while sitting up against the log. "I just don't want to..."

"You never want to."

They looked at each other for a few moments.

"Lila saw us," informed Xena.

"So?"

"I think she's a little confused...embarrassed..."

"Why didn't you stop her then? Explain that I needed to talk to you and that we fell asleep?"

"Gabrielle. It's not that we fell asleep, it's how she found us."

"Ohh. I get it," said Gabrielle. "She might think we're-"

"Yeah," said Xena. "Exactly."

"Well...so?"

"She's your sister, Gabrielle. I'm just telling you what happened."

"No, I mean...So what if she thinks we're lovers? Would it be so bad...if we were?"

Xena was stunned silent as the words Gabrielle said reverberated in her head. Gabrielle hoisted herself onto the log next to Xena and pressed close to the warrior.

"Xena?" asked Gabrielle. She was unaccustomed to the warrior being this speechless. She was also stunned by her own courage, always seeming to lack it when it came to matters of the heart.

"Gabrielle...I...uh...I uhhhmmmmm..."

"I'm sorry. I should have kept my mouth shut, but I just wanted to know...your feelings...on that matter...
"Uh, y'see, Xena...I..." Gabrielle stood up and paced, at a loss for words. She stopped and turned towards her.

"I'm in love with you, Xena," Gabrielle said finally.

Xena's jaw dropped to the ground and silence enveloped both them and the entire lake. Gabrielle walked up and knelt down in front of the warrior, who was, for once, caught off guard.

"I'm sorry to bring it up now, but I am. I'm in love with you, Xena, and I have been since the first moment I saw you.
"I loved Perdicas. There's no denying that, and he'll always be with me.
"I just know that without you, I'm nothing. I'm so, so, so sorry, Xena. I know you must hate me now..."

Xena, caught up in the moment, let her impulses win. She leaned forward and kissed Gabrielle, then pulled away, surprised at herself. Gabrielle smiled with relief, then scooted forwards, moving Xena's knees apart, and pressed her body to hers. Gabrielle kissed Xena, then pulled away, looking deep into Xena's eyes, piercing her heart, her soul, her very being.

They kissed once more, softly deeply blissfully unaware of the world around them. When they parted a few minutes later, a new understanding passed between them. With each kiss, they shared their souls, each taking a little of the other and burying it deep inside their hearts.

Xena, like in her dream, held the blonde close to her and whispered gently into her ear, "I love you, Gabrielle."

Their peace was short lived, however. Lila came charging through the forest screaming, "Gabrielle!! Gabrielle!!" Xena and Gabrielle dashed off into the forest to meet Lila.

"What's the matter?" asked Gabrielle.

"Father's disappeared," she replied breathlessly.

"WHAT?!" asked Xena and Gabrielle in unison.

"We went in to check on him and he was nowhere to be found. We've searched everywhere. Mom needs you right away!" Lila started to run back towards the house.

"We need your help, Xena, please?" asked Gabrielle, squeezing Xena's hand.

Xena squeezed back. "You don't even need to ask..." With that, they ran off in to the forest, following Lila back to their house.

* * * *

They arrived to find Gabrielle's mother pacing in and out of the doorway to their house. Upon site of Xena, she stormed out and past Lila, straight to her other daughter.

"What is SHE doing here?" asked her mother about Xena.

"I know she can help us find father," replied Gabrielle. Her mother switched her gaze from Gabrielle to Xena.

"It's your fault he's gone, Xena," accused Gabrielle's mother.

Gabrielle stepped between Xena and her mother. "Mother, stop."

Xena put her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "No...let her finish."

"Nothing like this has ever happened until YOU came along. Then everything changed. You stole our daughter, which caused her father to become very ill. You put Gabrielle's life in danger every day, and now her father has disappeared, no doubt looking for Gabrielle who should have been sleeping in her own bed instead of...wherever she was last night."

Xena tensed and moved Gabrielle and her mother behind her. "Lila, take your mother and Gabrielle into the house."

"C'mon, mother," said Lila, grasping her mother's shoulders.

"I'm not leaving you, Xena," stated Gabrielle, trying to make it sound like Xena couldn't argue the point.

"Get inside," ordered Xena, who looked at Gabrielle with nearly pleading eyes. "Please."

Gabrielle grudgingly complied as a disembodied voice rang out from nowhere. "Her being in the house won't protect her from me, Xena."

"Show yourself, Ares."

"Of course... And I've got a surprise for you." Then Ares, with a flash of light, appeared before Xena holding Gabrielle's father.

"Xena...help..." he said, weakly.

"Let him go, Ares."

"Of course. I just wanted something to get you from that...display...by the lake."

Xena stepped forward and took Gabrielle's father from the God of War. "Come get him," Xena ordered. "Stay in the house, Gabrielle."

Ares relinquished Gabrielle's father to her mother and sister, then stepped closer to Xena.

"Relax, Xena. I don't necessarily want to fight...I'm here to reach a compromise. "Come back to me and I'll leave your precious Gabrielle's family alone."

"And Gabrielle?"

"She'd be a sort of collateral against you leaving me again. Stay with me and she'll be safe," offered Ares as he circled behind Xena.

"NO!" was shouted to Gabrielle as she ran from the porch, staff in hand, to be with Xena, who circled Ares to put herself between Gabrielle and the God.

"Take me. I don't want her to ever go back to you, Ares, and if it takes my life to make her stay good, then take it."

"Gabrielle!" said Xena.

"I like your self-sacrificing style, Gabrielle," complimented Ares. "But your death won't do her any good. YOU are the only thing that keeps her on this good...thing. If you die, she'll lose her way and come back to me easily."

"If it's that simple, why don't you just kill me now?"

"Xena served me faithfully for many years, but you are the one thing that's ever made her truly happy. I wanted to keep that special fire burning...but if you insist."

His sword instantly appeared in his hand, but as Ares stabbed at Gabrielle, Xena stepped in front of her and, though she tried to block the motion, she couldn't. The sword of Ares ripped through her side and she fell to the ground.

Gabrielle dropped next to the wounded warrior and brought her head onto her lap. "Xena??!!!" screamed Gabrielle, who started to cry. Xena was already too weak to speak.

Gabrielle looked up at the God of War, a bright fire sparkling in her teary eyes. She laid Xena down on the ground then stood, her staff in her hands.

"What're you going to do now, Ares?"

"GABRIELLE!! NO, DON'T!!" screamed her mother, but all pleas would fall on deaf ears. Gabrielle saw, and heard, only one thing: the murderer of her love.

Ares just stood there, hardly afraid of the young girl. "Listen to your family, little girl."

Gabrielle swung her staff at Ares, who easily blocked it. "You can't beat me. You can't even fight me properly."

"Do I look as though I care, Ares," she said, not forming a question, her voice soft and venomous, with as much menace as possible. The tone caught Ares off guard and he unconsciously stepped backwards as she advanced and swung again.

"Now Gabrielle, I don't want to hurt you..."

"Why not? You were ready and willing to kill me a few minutes ago. Now you've killed Xena. What's so different? Why won't you kill me too?
"Should be easy enough for the God of War..."

"That's it. I'm outta here..." Ares, God of War, retreated from the scene like a pup with it's tail between its legs.

"ARES! GET BACK HERE!!" screamed Gabrielle as her mother and sister ran to her. "I'm not FINISHED!!!"

Gabrielle turned around and walked back towards Xena, not seeing her mother and sister coming towards her. The tears began to pour down her face in earnest when she saw the blood of her love on the ground around her like a mussed shroud.

"Gabrielle, come inside... We'll get the wagon to collect the body," suggested her mother.

"No" was all the reply she got from her numb daughter, who was now sitting with Xena's head in her lap.

"Gabrielle. Come inside."

"I realize that you don't--didn't--like her, but I'm not leaving her. You and Lila take father inside and leave us alone or go get the healer or something more useful than trying to tear me apart," commanded Gabrielle, not looking once at her family, her voice tight and controlled.

"But-"

Gabrielle looked up at her mother, the fire still burning. Lila turned her mother by her shoulders and silently walked her back towards the house, then ran to get the healer.

"Gabrielle?" It was Xena's voice, weak and distant, but from the body lying on the ground.

"Xena??" asked Gabrielle, excited by the possibility that the woman she loved was still alive.

"I...love...you...."

"Shhh. Don't talk. I love you, too, Xena..."

* * * *

Ares, watched the scene between Gabrielle and her family. This was not what he wanted. He knew that Gabrielle's death MIGHT drive Xena back to him, but he knew it could backfire as well, just not like this. He never figured that Xena would jump in front of his blade, but he should have after seeing how much love there was between her and Gabrielle. He had to hope, though, that Xena would be fine.

These feelings weren't part of his repertoire, something he wasn't used to. He was the God of War: hard, mean, and immune to the emotional effects of death. He treasured Xena, though. She was different. He could even say that he loved her, in his own way.

There had to be something he could do to fix this problem. He wasn't used to feeling like this and he didn't want what was once his most prized possession to die by his hand...but he never really did possess her, did he? If he could fix this, somehow, there would always be the chance that he could bring her back into his arms.

"I'll just avoid using the Gabrielle angle," he thought to himself. "Xena would stop at nothing to make her happy. Gabrielle's got the fire of a warrior, but she uses it to bring peace...a shame, really. That kind of fire is rare among these mortals.
"Asclepius. I have a favour to ask."

A voice boomed to Ares, disembodied, just as the healer arrived by Gabrielle's side. "Ares, God of War, wants a favour of me? This is a day to make a portrait of..."

"Yeah, whatever. Do you see that healer over there?"

"Yes."

"I need you to help him heal Xena. Completely."

Asclepius appeared with a flash of light, a handsome man with black hair who would appear to mortals to be in his twenties. "Why would I do that?"

"A favour, Asclepius. Then I'll owe you one..."

"Yes, you will, Ares, and I plan on making you pay me back."

"Of course..."

Asclepius meandered over to the scene, where the healer, actually quite inept at his chosen profession, was attempting to help Xena. "Ugh... It figures that it's Darius. You're asking a lot of me, Ares. This kid just doesn't have it."

"Let's get her inside," suggested Darius. Gabrielle and he picked up the still Xena, with Lila's help, and got her inside and onto the dinner table. Asclepius followed, silently.

Gabrielle's mother wanted to fight against this impromptu surgery in her house, especially on Xena, but she saw something in Gabrielle when she was around Xena that she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Make him have it. Just this once," pleaded Ares.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I can't do anything to help you..." said Darius, defeated.

"You haven't even tried! Don't give up now!" said Gabrielle, angry and frustrated by this amateur.

Asclepius sighed and waved his hand over Xena, then again over Darius.

"This is a tough one for this child, Ares. You owe me big time," he informed as a look of realisation passed over Darius' face.

"Maybe if I do this..." he said absently aloud as he turned back towards Xena and worked on her. "I'll need some rags, a knife, a hollow reed, a needle and some thread."

Gabrielle stood and like one of Zeus' lightning bolts she ran to get what he needed. Asclepius walked back towards Ares.

"Okay, Ares. I've given him the knowledge, it's up to Darius to implement it.
"Tell me something. Why are you saving this Xena woman? Isn't she your enemy now?"

"She brings a challenge. I'm going to win her back, Asclepius. I just need more time."

"Then I'm glad I had a helping hand. I can't wait to see her make an ass out of you, Ares. Ha! The God of War is lovesick!!
"Hmm... Maybe you should see Aphrodite," suggested the God of Medicine, vainly hiding a smirk.

"Oh? Why?"

"The shade of red in your cheeks doesn't suit you... Until I call in your debt to me," chuckled Asclepius as he disappeared.

"We'll see, Asclepius." And with that Ares, too, disappeared, confident that Darius could heal Xena, or rather that he didn't need to kill Darius because he didn't try to heal her.

* * * *

"Well?" asked Gabrielle as Darius sat back from working on Xena, cleaning his hands off on one of the rags.

"She's incredibly lucky, Gabrielle. It wasn't as bad as it looked,” he said, trying to sound confident. “I don't know why I didn't see the solution before. The sword went through just below her ribs and did some damage, minor, but damage nonetheless.
"As far as I can tell, she'll be fine. After everything I've ever heard about Xena, she'll probably be up on her feet in the next couple of days. No excitement, no fighting for a month or so, okay? You keep an eye on her, Gabrielle. I'm serious.
"She needs bedrest."

Gabrielle looked at her mother.

"Gabrielle and Xena can sleep in my room, mom. I'll sleep out here," suggested Lila, much to her mother's chagrin.
Silently, knowing any arguments would be futile at best, Gabrielle's mother nodded ascension. Darius, Gabrielle and Lila picked up Xena and took her to the bedroom.

Once they got her situated, Gabrielle said, "I can't thank you enough, Darius, for helping Xena."

"It's my pleasure, Gabrielle. Let me know if anything happens, okay?"

Gabrielle nodded as Darius and Lila left the two of them in peace.

"Gabrielle?" Xena summoned, weakly.

Gabrielle went over and sat down in a nearby chair. She put her right hand over Xena's mouth. "Don't talk. Just sleep. Darius says you'll be alright."

Gabrielle took her hand from Xena's mouth, then held her hand. "I'm with here with you and we can say here as long as you need to."

Gabrielle brought Xena's hand to her mouth and kissed it, then put her cheek to it. "I love you, Xena..."

"I thought the healer said 'No excitement'..." Xena joked, trying to lift Gabrielle's dour mood. It worked as Gabrielle smiled and looked deep into Xena's eyes.

"I love you too, Gabrielle. More than you'll ever know."

Gabrielle stood and leaned over Xena. They kissed deeply, dispelling all fear and all doubt from each other's minds.

* * * *

Just as the healer predicted, Xena was up and about in a few days, but it would be weeks before she was strong enough to leave the house and endure any kind of excitement. In that time, Gabrielle's father, too, had started to get better, a sure sign, in her mother's mind, that his sickness was indeed Xena's fault.

Finally, the time came when Xena and Gabrielle had to leave. They had received an urgent message from King Lias about Princess Diana and knew that this was the time to go.

Xena readied Argo while Gabrielle said good-bye to her family.

* * * *

"No, Gabrielle, I refuse to let you go with that...woman...again. Your father's all better, see? That's PROOF that he was sick because Xena took you away from us. I'm putting my foot down, Gabrielle. You're not leaving." Her mother tried to sound tough, but Gabrielle wasn't going to leave Xena now, not after discovering that they loved each other truly.

"I'm sorry, mother, but I'm going and no one, not you, not father, not Lila, not even Ares' army, can keep me from Xena."

"Why? Why is she so important to you, Gabrielle, that you're willing to break our hearts??" asked her mother, on the verge of tears.

"She's my soulmate, mother. I love her with all my heart and soul and when that happens you can't walk away from it...at least, I can't. I'll follow her where ever she goes. I'd go to Tartarus and back for her."

"That's what I'm afraid of Gabrielle. That she'll lead you to your death."

Xena, hearing the argument coming from inside the house, silently crept up to the window to eavesdrop on them.

"It doesn't matter to me as long as I'm with her. I love her so much mother, that I can't even describe the feeling. When I look into her eyes, I know she loves me too, and would try to never let anything hurt me." Gabrielle's mother stood and started to pace during her daughter's confession, not wanting to hear what she had to say.

"What is so wrong with my being in love with her, mother?"

"We had such high hopes for you, Gabrielle. You were going to marry Perd--marry a nice young man and settle down here in Poteidaia and live a long happy life..."

"That's your problem? That I'm in love with a woman? Mother, I will live a long happy life, just not in Poteidaia and not with a man, not that I can foresee. Please just be happy for me because I am very happy with Xena."

Xena crept back to Argo as Gabrielle stood and left the house, only Lila coming to the door to watch her leave. Gabrielle hugged her sister good-bye, then joined Xena with Argo.

"You know, Gabrielle...maybe you should stay here for a while..." Xena's voice trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

Gabrielle knew, then, that Xena had heard every word and was trying to be the good guy. "Xena, there's absolutely no way I'm leaving you now," said Gabrielle as they mounted Argo, Gabrielle behind Xena, and started towards King Lias's kingdom. The bard put her hands on Xena's thighs and kissed the back of her neck.

"Xena, do you think we'll get some time to ourselves...real soon?" asked Gabrielle.

"Why?" asked Xena, knowing the reason as she was feeling it herself.

"There's something I've been wanting to do for a really long time that I finally get the chance to do...and I want to do it right away..."

"Gods, I hope so, Gabrielle."

And off they rode towards a new future together.

THE END

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