Disclaimer: Xena and Gabrielle aren't mine. Yet.
A/N: So I've finished watching Xena and moved on to writing Xena fanfic. This scene from The Reckoning has been stuck in my head so I'm making a short little one shot for it to help get back into the swing of writing. It starts in the scene where Xena is locked up and ends up hitting Gabrielle. I know it's really early in the series for the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, but whatever. Also any Xenites please PM if you wanna talk!
I turn at the sound of another attacker coming in through the door, slapping the person across the face. She stumbles backwards, falling with a thud. She looks at me, her face a mix of agony and surprise.
My eyes widen as recognition dawns on me.
"Gabrielle?" I whisper. The only reply is a sniffle.
All the energy in my body drains out as I realize just what I had done. I approache Gabrielle slowly, afraid of startling her. Kneeling down in front of her, I gently turns Gabrielle's face so she's looking at me. Then I lean forward, kissing the fresh, angry welt on her cheek with the most soft, gentle, barely-there kisses I could muster so as not to hurt her further.
When I pull back, Gabrielle finally meets my eyes.
"Gabrielle, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just- sometimes I get into this head space and everything just goes red and I can hardly recognize myself, much less my friends."
"No no Xena, don't worry about it. It was my fault. I was stupid for thinking…"
"Thinking what?" I ask, as energy suddenly starts to pound through me again.
"I just thought that we- you and I – had something special. I thought that I could break through to you. I've seen you in your fighting haze, but I thought I'd…be enough to snap you out of it."
Her statement makes me feel dizzy and giddy despite the circumstances "Oh Gabrielle…" I lean forward taking her hands in mine. "You are enough though, don't you see. I wanted to give everything up, even life itself. Then I met you. And you are what snapped me out of my haze, I just wish I didn't have to hurt you to get there." I take back one of my hands, gently running over the damage I had done to her face. "You can leave though if you want. I don't want to hurt you anymore."
She covers my hand on her face with her own, before saying, "Xena, I want to stay. I meant it when I said I wanted to travel with you. Dark side and all."
I smile at her, then hesitantly ask, "Can I…" I trail off, losing my nerve, but then her lips are on mine, softly telling me she would stay.
We pull away, with soft eyes and smiles. "Gabrielle, as much as I'd love to just leave with you, I have a responsibility to these people. I have to stay here for now. At least until I'm punished or redeemed."
"I understand, and I'll be waiting," she says, pulling me into a hug.
I flutter kisses against the bruising on her cheek again, before finally giving her one last kiss, sweet and languid.
And this time I recognize her when she goes out through the door.