She couldn't believe it. After all of this time, after all these years, things still turn out bad for her. She had saved so many lives, done so much good. The both of them had. But yet, she couldn't save the one life that had mattered most to her. Xena's. It's been three months since that fateful day in Japa, and Xena has been showing up less and less.
"I think the longer it has been, the harder it's getting for me to come back to you." She had said, about a week ago.
That was the last time she's heard from her, not the longest she's been without showing up but this time feels different. She doesn't feel her as strongly anymore. Gabrielle knows she is losing her, and with each day that passes it's getting harder and harder for her to cope. She hasn't been without Xena for many years now. By now she can't even remember what life was like before she had met her and decided to follow her around. She doesn't want to. Her life had no meaning before she had found Xena, she was her light.
Now life seemed pointless, she doesn't know what to do without the blue eyed beauty by her side. She's been making her way to Egypt like she said she would, now the lone girl with a chakram. Suddenly she feels a breeze brush by her fingertips and can smell leather.
"Xena" Gabrielle sighed, turning around. Standing in front of her is the ghostly vision of her soul mate. "I was... worried I wouldn't see you again for a while."
Xena gave her a slightly smile, taking her hand into hers and walking alongside her. "Me too. But I'm here now."
"Yeah, you are." She let out a breath that she seemed to have been holding since the last time she'd seen the warrior princess, "For how long?"
"I don't think I can manage more than a few minutes." She held Gabrielle's hand a bit tighter, "I need to tell you something." Stopping them she pulled the bard to face her, whom gave Xena a worried look.
"If… If it's about you not being able to come back to me again I don't think I can handle it." She put her head down, not being able to look at Xena without tearing up, "I can't do it. I know I should be strong and proud of you for doing this, for saving all of those souls but I can't. I can't make myself pretend that I'm ok with it. I can't pretend that I'm happy with it. I want to be incredibly selfish, but I know I can't. It's just, it isn't fair." She said, not being able to contain her tears any longer she fell into Xena's arms. "After all of this time, you would think that you wouldn't still be having to redeem yourself, that you wouldn't have to be suffering still."
Xena pulled her close to her, cradling her in her arms and tearing up as well. "I know. Gabrielle I know this isn't fair and I'm sorry. I had to do it though, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself knowing that I was the cause of that."
Gabrielle pulled back slightly, her eyes puffy and red. Sniffling she said, "It was the right thing to do. I just… How will I live without you Xena? I don't know how to. You are my everything." Her voice broke on the last word.
"You are strong. The strongest person I know, and you'll always have me with you. I'll always be here. You're my heart Gabrielle." She brushed a tear off of Gabrielle's cheek and gave her a lopsided smile. "I'll love you until the end of time, we are soulmates after all, right?"
Gabrielle chucked and put on a watery smile, "Of course." She stood on her tiptoes and gave the warrior a brief kiss on the lips. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"And you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." Leaning down she kissed Gabrielle on the lips one last time and then was gone.
Gabrielle opened her eyes when she didn't feel the warmth of Xena's lips on hers. She couldn't accept that this was it, that this was the end for the two of them in this lifetime. She slumped to the ground on her knees, sobbing. In that moment she decided that she would find a way to get Xena back, vowing to herself that she would figure it out.
To be continued?