Author's Note: Okay this is the first story I wrote about the two of them and also the first story without Beta Reader to help, so be there with me :D The story is post FIN, but in my head all the crap about 'Xena must stay dead' never happened. Gabrielle threw the ashes to the spring and they were back on the road, okay? xD
Disclamer:Nothing but the idea of the story belongs to me :)
Warning: In my universe Xena and Gabrielle are in love so if you don't like it, don't read it!
Xena sat by the fire and watched as the moonlight played on the soft features of the blonde woman wrapped up in animal skins on a bedroll beside her. She didn't know how long, but the dark haired warrior knew she was in love with her. She stroked her cheek with the back of her palm and removed a curl of the short, golden blonde hair from her forehead. She was happy when the bard smiled and grabbed Xena's hand interlocking their fingers together. The smile on her face grew wider when she realized that the Battling Bard was still deep in the land of dreams. She lied beside Gabrielle not breaking the contact between their hands. She wrapped her arm around the younger woman and fell asleep smiling when feeling the bard tightening the grip she had about her.
Gabrielle woke up, to her surprise, when Xena was still asleep. She smiled at the sight of their interlocked hands. She leaned over and kissed the warrior's cheek. When Xena smiled at the contact without opening her eyes Gabrielle smiled in return. After a few minutes of staring at her Gabrielle noticed that Xena shifted her position onto her side, facing the blonde. She wrapped her arms around the bard and pulled her close. Gabrielle, although surprised, after a while returned the gesture and with a grin on her face she fell asleep again.
When Xena opened her eyes the sun was higher than when she usually got up. The first thing she met her gaze with was the blonde in her arms, sleeping soundly. The slight anger she felt because of oversleeping quickly fade away when Gabrielle smiled. She carefully tried to remove her arms and get up but the bard only tightened her grip at the sudden movement. Xena felt as her lips formed into a smile.
"Shh Gabrielle, I'm not going anywhere far. I promise." She said softly to her and though she knew Gabrielle couldn't hear her, she knew that the sound of her voice soothed the bard somehow and she broke free from her grasp.
The thing that had caused Gabrielle to get up was an incredible smell of freshly prepared fish. Even if Xena kept telling that cooking wasn't one of her many skills, she couldn't deny the fact that she did amazing things with the fish. She picked herself up resting her weight on her elbows and smiled at Xena who sat on the left side of the fire watching for the fish not to burn.
"Good morning." The Warrior Princess said and Gabrielle noticed an unusual calm radiating from her. She saw it in her indescribably blue eyes.
"Morning." Gabrielle replied and walked over to sit beside her soul mate on the log.
"What made you do the breakfast? I know that you prefer when I do it and you didn't wake me up." She asked.
"I don't know. You were sleeping so calmly and I just wanted to do something for you." Xena said looking at her boots and poking the ground with a stick. Gabrielle observed her with a smile and after a moment she placed her hand on Xena's shoulder, leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. The older woman's head shot up immediately and her eyes met the smiling ones of her companion. She smiled in return and comfortable silence surrounded the two women at the small camp. Either of them broke the contact between their eyes.
A while passed and finally Gabrielle stood up and placing the fish on the plate she passed it to Xena who accepted it happily. After placing her portion on her plate Gabrielle returned to her place beside her friend.
They ate their breakfast and soon they were back on the road. Xena with Argo's II reins in her hand walked beside the mare, and Gabrielle was telling yet another story walking close by Xena's side. Suddenly Xena tensed and prepared to held her hand in front of the blonde's face but Gabrielle cut off her storytelling and catched the arrow aimed for her, instead. Responding to Xena's wide eyes she said.
"Listen to what's behind the sounds, remember?" She smirked and Xena quirked her eyebrow grinning. Without turning her gaze from the blonde she grabbed her Chakram and threw it into the trees. Seconds later it got back to her and she catched it looking at the dark form falling onto the ground. With Gabrielle right behind her she approached their opponent. Withdrawing her sword from its sheath she used it to remove his hood and reveal his face.
"He's just a boy..." Gabrielle said dropping her armed in sais hands onto her sides.
"Yeah... His greed will lose him. See that tattoo?" Xena said pointing at the bare shoulder of the unconscious boy with the point of her sword.
"Men I saw this tattoo on were bounty hunters." She explained.
"Are you saying that there's a bounty on my head?" Gabrielle asked turning her head to look at the tall warrior. When Xena too turned to look at the blonde and just smiled weakly Gabrielle knew it was the truth. She mirrored the older woman's smile. Turning her eyes back on the boy she spoke.
"Well, it had to happen sometime on the way. I mean, after all the warlord's butts we kicked?"
"I'm sorry Gabrielle. This is all my fault. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't become the person you are right now and those bounty hunters wouldn't have the reason to kill you." Xena said with her eyes on the ground. In an instant Gabrielle was in front of Xena and picking up her head with a finger under her chin she looked her in the eyes.
"Never, ever apologize for being there for me . You're the best thing that ever happened in my life and I love you." And standing on her tip toes she kissed her soul mate soundly on the lips. Xena's eyes winded in shock but after a second they were closed and she returned the kiss wrapping her arms around the younger woman's waist. The kiss lasted awhile, either of them not wanting to end it. After they parted they stared into each other's eyes, forehead against forehead.
What do you think? Should I continue? :D