Author's Note: I wrote this story some time ago and decided to finally put it here, hope you'll like it ;)
Disclamer: I don't own Xena or Gabrielle, so don't sue xD
Warning:This is a story where Gabby and Xena are in love so, you know, don't like it, click away.
Xena wasn't a coward. She was afraid of nothing. She has done many horrible things, many scary things. She'd slaughtered men and women for her own agenda but fear has never accompanied those deeds. And although she have changed, fear wasn't a feeling that she felt when she was thinking about all of those unforgivable acts, it was usually guilt that came over her entire being.
Xena wasn't a coward. Then why did she felt so frightened right now?
Xena was never vulnerable. She was a Warrior Princess and Warrior Princess' did not feel vulnerable. She got a sword and her Chakram and she knew what to do with them. She got remarkable reputation that saved her from trouble many times. No, Xena definitely wasn't a vulnerable person.
Then why did she felt so helpless right now?
Why? Because of those piercing green eyes that looked at her lovingly, because of this perfect light and soft skin that she touched so many times, because of those gold, short hair that looked so amazing in the pool of morning sun.
Why? Because of Gabrielle.
You might think that a person like Xena would be angry to feel so vulnerable, so scared. For a warrior it was uncommon territory and uncommon wasn't good for a man of instant war. But for Xena, it were the most amazing feelings that she's ever felt. She felt more alive when the bard was near her, more... human.
She hadn't felt like human because of the things she's done but when Gabrielle put her feet on the path of her life it became more clear, had more sense and she felt like a human being again.
Gabrielle. She was the one that kept her alive. She was the one that she wanted to live for and she was the one that she had truly fallen in love with.
But in spite all of the happiness she felt because she was with Gabrielle, she felt incomplete.
Another 'why' comes into the picture.
Because she did not have the courage to tell her companion how much she had loved her. And that was way more scary than anything else.
She was sitting, staring into the flames of the campfire, when those thoughts came running through her head. She turned her head on the right to see Gabrielle sitting not far away, writing something in her scroll. And then, when Xena looked at her, the blonde looked up and smiled. And Xena smiled back. Gabrielle got back to her writing but Xena was still observing her. In her mind though she thanked the Gods that she was sitting because if not she 'd probably fell down. That's how weak at the knees Xena felt when Gabrielle smiled at her. She was smiling so honestly from her heart.
"I love you Gabrielle." She said suddenly.
Gabrielle looked up at her and smiled.
"I love you too, Xena." And she kept smiling at her for a while and turned her attention at the parchment again.
And Xena just smiled weakly because Gabrielle still didn't know that the love she had for her was more than just the one for a friend.
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Gabrielle wasn't a strong person. She didn't know how to deal with a lot of situations. She didn't like the idea of blood and killing. She wasn't strong enough to help someone who was in need, she was too afraid of doing more damage than good. She wasn't strong until she met Xena.
With her by her side she felt stronger than she has ever felt before.
Then why did she feet so weak at the moment?
Gabrielle wasn't brave. She knew what bravery meant. It wasn't standing up for someone or to do something somebody else was afraid of doing. No, Gabrielle was able to do such things. She wasn't able to be brave. Because bravery meant to face your fears, to come clean with your conscience. It was being honest with yourself and people who surrounded you. Gabrielle wasn't brave until she met Xena.
With her by her side, Gabrielle could face everything and was able to do anything, Xena was her power.
Then why did she felt so cowardly at the moment?
She tried to write something for Xena right now. Something that would explain her feelings towards her. Something that would say all the things that Gabrielle wasn't able to say with her own lips. That would say that she has truly fallen in love with the warrior.
She looked up for an inspiration and saw that Xena was looking at her so she smiled and got back to her writing. And when she heard that tree words falling from the lips of her companion she looked up again, smiled and said it back.
AND I'm in love with you.She thought when her eyes laid on the parchment once again.
She rolled up the scroll when the frustration of not being inspired enough to write something she needed, overcame her. She stood up and walked over to her horse and hiding the scroll in one of the saddlebags. She stroked the soft fur of the animal and walked away. Picking up her sais she spoke.
"I'm going up to the lake to practice." She lied. She just wanted to be alone.
Xena nodded.
The lake looked beautiful at night. She always thought that. When the moon was reflected by the tract of the calm, at night, water it looked truly amazing.
She sat on the ground and close her eyes letting the wind wash off her face and hair. She smiled.
"Oh, Xena if you'd only knew how deeply in love I am with you. You're everything to me. You're my day, my night, my strength. If it was only that easy to tell that in your face. To let you know about my feelings. But I'm afraid you may not feel the same way..."
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Xena knew Gabrielle liked to practice at the lake. She thought it was comforting for Gabrielle, peaceful. And another thing Xena liked about Gabrielle was the way she practiced. It was so much grace in it. So she decided to follow the blonde and observe.
When she reached the lake she saw that Gabrielle wasn't practicing. She started to talk and Xena listened. Her heart skipped a beat when Gabrielle said that she was in love with her.
"...but I'm afraid you may not feel the same way..." Xena heard and an impulse of energy run through her and she noticed that she was out of her hiding.
"Xena..." Gabrielle breathed already on her feet.
Xena didn't know what to do so she let her heart decide for her. She stepped closer to the smaller woman.
"Is it true?" She asked.
"Is what true?" Gabrielle said acting like she didn't know what Xena meant by that question.
"Are you in love with me?" Xena asked and took another step forward. They stand just inches away and Gabrielle could feel Xena's breathing on her face.
She let her actions speak through her and Gabrielle slowly made her way to Warrior Princess' lips and kissed her tenderly.
Xena, feeling the sensation floating through her body, suddenly felt a need to explore more. She pulled Gabrielle closer reducing the gap between them . She felt Gabrielle's hand on her cheek and the kiss deepened. They both lost themselves in the feeling that was so long anticipated. The need for air broke the kiss and they just stood in each other's embrace resting their heads on their foreheads and looking each other deep in the eyes.
"So, you're in love with me too, huh?" Gabrielle said jokingly but with love.
"Yeah, what can I say... You're so damn lovable." Xena said and smiled.
They stood like that what felt like ages, not one of them willing to let go of another.
Xena parted from Gabrielle's grasp and took her by the hand. The blonde smiled as they were heading back to the camp. The way up to their destination was quiet and peaceful and as they reached their aim they laid on their bedrolls and in warm embrace they fell asleep.
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As always Xena awoke first. She took in the beauty that was lining in her arms and she smiled. She kissed the bard softly on the lips and brushed a stray of hair out of her forehead.
"Gabby... Time to get up." She said to her softly. Gabrielle stirred a little and slowly opened her eyes. Her face lit up immediately when her eyes lied on Xena's soft features.
"Hey." She said smiling and stole a kiss from the raven haired beauty.
"Well, hey to yourself." Xena spoke when they broke apart. "What do you say to visiting our old friends, Amazons, huh?" She asked her warmly and she didn't have to wait for an answer because Gabrielle's face spoke for itself. Gabrielle popped up to her feet.
"Can we go now?" She exclaimed full of enthusiasm. Xena, who propped herself up on her elbows, grinned.
"Are you saying, you want to skip breakfast?" She said amused. Gabrielle's happy grin fell and shattered onto the floor. "NO!" She replied quickly, as if she'd said something terrible. Xena laughed and stood up gathering Gabrielle into her arms and giving her a kiss.
"Don't ya panic, alright? I'll go catch us some fishes." With that she left to do what she promised leaving Gabrielle with a wide smile spreading across her lips. It was a new beginning to their lives, full of promise, warmth and love.
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