Xena Lawless end
Continued from here.
The cave was black and cold, but it was adequate shelter for the women to sleep one night in.
Gabrielle stopped abruptly, not sure of where she was walking. Xena heard her stop and was able to avoid a collision. A breath caught in the blonde's throat as she felt Xena's warm hand just below her shirt on her back and the right hand on her elbow. "I've got this part of the cave memorized, just let me guide you, okay?"
"'Kay," came the strangled response as Gabrielle still hadn't breathed.
She felt the warrior's right hand gently rub her arm. "You okay, Gabrielle?"
The bard expelled the breath slowly. "Yeah...I'm fine."
Suddenly they stopped. "Do you think you can help me take off my armour?"
Gabrielle's heart pounded loudly in her ears as Xena turned her around. She could feel the warrior's body heat just in front of her. Blindly, the bard reached up to undo the straps that held Xena's breatplates in place.
"Gabrielle?"
"Yeah?"
"If you undo those straps, my leathers will fall..."
"Oh...heh...sorry."
Finally, the women got Xena's armour off. "Okay, sit down here," commanded the warrior from somewhere behind Gabrielle, who complied and ended up sitting in Xena's lap.
"Whoops...sorry," said the blonde as she attempted to move away, but something strong held her where she was - Xena's arms.
"Stay..." the dark woman whispered. There was no command behind the word, no dare, just a request...it was the request that made Gabrielle relax into the warrior's embrace, and sent Renee into a confused rant inside her mind about the sensations that coursed down her spine.
*****
Meanwhile, back at Pacific Renaissance Pictures:
"Where did she say they would be again?" asked Rob as he walked with Ted Raimi and Liz Friedman along with him.
"Ren said they'd be in the cave you used in the beginning of 'The Quest'."
"Damn, I thought that was a set... Find Eric Gruenedemann, he'll know where the hell they are.
"Did she say anything else?"
"Yeah...don't follow them."
The producer stopped and looked at Ted. "Is Renee smoking crack now? Does she actually think I'm gonna let her and my wife just disappear into the New Zealand wilderness?"
"Since Lucy's stuck as Xena, for God knows how long, do you really think it would be safe to send someone to follow them? Lucy'd kick their ass, Rob, put that pinch thing on 'em or try to do one of those flippy things...not to mention what Ren would do to us."
"Well, there has to be a way to get some food and stuff out to them..."
Liz, not looking up from her notebook, said, "They're probably sleeping, why not take a prop bag of stuff to the cave early in the morning?"
"What, and let Renee make up a story about why it's there?" asked Rob incredulously.
"Why not, Rob? She's doing a damn good job so far," added Ted.
"Hmm...okay, but I go. I want to make sure they're okay," agreed Tapert as the three of them walked into the props department.
*****
Gabrielle could feel the blush crawl up her cheeks as Xena wrapped her arms around her and thanked the Gods that it was night so the warrior couldn't see. She liked the contrast between the warmth around her and the cold floor of the cave. The bard closed her eyes as she felt Xena's hands move from her abdomen to kneed her unconsciously tense neck and shoulders.
"Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly. "Can I ask you a question? And get a real answer?"
"Yes," she replied, her whisper softer than Xena's earlier request.
"Do I make you nervous?" Gabrielle jumped at the question and tried to move away to look at the warrior, but Xena quickly moved her hands to the bard's hips and stopped her, leaning back. "Do I?"
"Umm...a little."
Xena replaced her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders. "Why?"
Gabrielle couldn't exactly think, the warm hands on her shoulders distracting her, so she didn't say anything. The lack of a response stilled the skilled fingers on her neck, bringing a soft whimper from the blonde. "Why do I make you nervous?"
"Honestly, I don't know, Xena," she said, but she thought, *Keep touching me, though, and you might find out...* The thought wasn't threatening, no matter how much Renee hoped it would sound to herself. "Why?" she asked.
The warrior resumed her massage of Gabrielle's shoulders. "You seem to tense up whenever I touch you...lately..."
*And why shouldn't I?...she?...we? Oh hell, who am I kidding? Why shouldn't I tense up, even a little? What is going on with me?* thought Renee, but as Gabrielle, she didn't answer.
Xena pressed herself to Gabrielle's back, warming her with her body heat. The blush that coloured the bard's cheeks darkened and she leaned back into the warrior whose hands had stopped their massaging and wrapped around her abdomen. Both reveled in the feel of the other, but only one was confused.
"We've got a long trip ahead of us, Xena...I think we need to get some sleep," suggested Gabrielle, Renee afraid of what could be read into that, though the tone in her voice was unconsciously cold.
"Okay..." Xena moved away from Gabrielle and lay down on her side, facing away from the bard. *God, she must think that I'm rebuking her...but aren't I? Shouldn't I?*
Gabrielle turned and found Xena's left arm under her head as a pillow. Silently, the bard pulled the warrior to her other side and cuddled back against her, the arm resting comfortably on her hip.
*****
*No...this isn't happening...*
Rob Tapert's face went pale as he dumbfoundedly stared at the site before him. It was an hour after dawn and the light in the cave was poor, but good enough to see his wife wrapped around Renee O'Connor. *Is this why we have a big painting of Renee in our house, Luce?*
The producer almost stormed right in to break them apart, but knew that Lucy would kick his ass, not realising that they were married... *Please god, let this be over soon...* Rob placed the prop bag of supplies by the door and ran to the waiting car, replacing his sunglasses on his face before Eric Gruendemann, who was waiting in the car, could see the emotion in his eyes.
*****
The dark woman awoke first, finding the beautiful blonde still in her arms. The sun had been in the sky for a few candlemarks and the cave was well lit. She looked towards the mouth of the cave and saw a bag sitting there.
*I know this cave...* she thought, still a little hazy from her sleep. She then looked down at the blonde woman curled by her side and smiled, deciding that they could sleep a little longer...but that they shouldn't...
"Renee, wake up," drawled the woman, a local accent colouring her speech. She gently shook the sleeping actor, who half-turned onto her back and looked up into Lucy Lawless' cool blue eyes.
"Xena? Huh?"
Lucy smiled at the blonde. "No, I'm back..."
Renee bolted upright and hugged her co-star. "Thank the Gods..." She held Lucy at arms length and they locked eyes, unable, or unwilling?, to tear away from the mysteries behind them.
"Thank you for staying with me...I know it must have been difficult for you," said Lucy.
The blonde offered her a lopsided smile, but said nothing. *You have no idea, Lucy...maybe I'll tell you some day...*
The women stood up and gathered the armour, putting it back on Lucy knowing it's better to wear it than carry it. Renee watched as Lucy put the armour back on, not knowing what she should feel. A sudden, unbidden blush crawled up her cheeks and she abruptly turned away and headed for the mouth of the cave.
The blonde picked up the bag and started to rummage through it when she felt Lucy's hand cup her chin and turn Renee towards her. They locked eyes and she slowly bent down to brush Renee's lips with her own when they heard a car approaching and slowing down and they broke apart.
"Xena! Boy am I glad to see you!" said Ted, suited up as Joxer.
Lucy smiled warmly at the blonde as she said, "I'm alright now, Ted. Thanks to Renee. Let1s go home." She held out her hand to the blonde, who slung the prop bag on her shoulder and accepted the hand. They walked back to the car and got in, Lucy sitting in the shotgun seat next to Rob.
*Dear God...* thought Renee, but she couldn't tell if it was out of disappointment or relief. Lucy looked at Renee in her rearview mirror, who was studying the passing forest intently, but turned when she felt eyes watching her. Lucy smiled and snaked her hand back between the door and her seat. Renee grasped it and they rode the rest of the way back to the compound holding hands.
THE END
copyright 2000 Kimyoo Films
Please send any correspondence for Magenta to
Part Two: "YAXI; or Once More With Feeling"