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Title: Gabrielle's Twins

Synopsis: An AU story. Gabrielle becomes a mom, again. This was inspired by the alternate timeline in my story, A New Yesterday. This story stands alone, however.

Feedback: Is always appreciated, please read and review each story you read on FFN.

Author's Note: Thanks to Jinxie for the beta on this and to Mrs. Singing Violin for the partial beta. You helped make this better.


Radiant? I most definitely do not feel radiant. And if Xena uses that word around me again, I could cheerfully throttle her. No, that's not fair, but I do feel tired, cranky, and awkward. Gabrielle tilted her face into the cool breeze and tugged her cloak closer around her swollen form as she watched the sun come up, its red light pouring over the horizon.

It won't be long, and I'll be a mother... again. We have Eve, yet I can't stop thinking of Hope. But this is a wanted child, a loved child; it hasn't been forced upon us. No magical or godly influences involved. With Hope, she hadn't been able to do anything besides endure all of the rapid changes as the banshees, knights, Xena, and everything else swirled around her. She couldn't help compare both pregnancies: how strange was one, how wonderfully normal was the other.

The bard was surprised at how much she delighted in everything: well, everything except for the extreme coddling and light teasing she had to endure, courtesy of the Warrior Princess. Not that it was all bad but she didn't feel like she was contributing enough out on the road; she felt like a burden. Those feelings increased as she felt herself growing in size. Guess I should have thought about that before we started this. But it's not something I can completely regret, even as I worry whether I've made us all more vulnerable to the Olympian Gods. I hoped this would make us harder to find. They'd never guess we'd hide almost in plain sight. They'll be looking for two women and a child, not a multi-generational farm family. Funny how I've seem to come full circle. But maybe I wasn't running from something as much as I was running to something, to her.

She thought she was going to bite Xena's head off when she joked about giving birth to twins. Trust Xena to dance on my last nerve, but I'm afraid, and I shouldn't be. She knew the whole ordeal with Hope had been a bit unusual so it wasn't the labor pains she worried about or even the possibility of twins. Although I'm not sure I'm ready for twins; I definitely have my hands full with both Xena and Eve. I wonder if we can convince Cyrene to stay for a while. Together, Xena and I can handle anything, so why am I feeling so apprehensive? We've been through enough odd experiences that I don't know if I'm being silly or if there's truth there somewhere. I don't know how her presence will keep something from happening, where would she go without us anyway? I can't burden her with my irrational fears. How do you calm fears based on what is probably nothing? Xena coddles me enough; she shouldn't have to worry I'm losing my mind.

The bard reveled in the quiet of the morning; Xena had gone off to hunt while Eve and Cyrene were still asleep. She stretched and rose awkwardly from the log she'd been sitting on, using her staff to help her up. It took her longer to stand than it had to sit down, and she sighed audibly. Cyrene and Xena will both freak if they realize I took a short early morning walk alone when I'm supposed to stay off my feet. I just feel so restless and I can't sleep. Her mildly swollen feet had both Xena and Cyrene a little concerned, so Gabrielle couldn't do anything without one or the other interfering or hovering over her. I'm pregnant, not dying. If I left it up to those two, they'd chew my food for me as well.

Gabrielle was amused with Cyrene; the older woman just beamed approval at her and kept her stocked with bits of food to eat.

You're the reason I have my daughter back, sweetie. You kept her from giving in to her dark side after we kicked her out of Amphipolis, showing her that it isn't so easy to get others to believe you've changed your stripes. We only saw the warlord she'd become after Cortese, and not the girl she'd been before. If it hadn't been for you, I'd have truly lost her then. We didn't see that she was attempting to reach for redemption. Besides, I'm thrilled at the idea of another grandchild. I can almost forgive Toris now. Here honey, eat this…

Between the two of them, it's a wonder I don't weigh three times as much as I did before. She enjoyed Cyrene's enthusiasm however. She'd not been close to her family since Hope and the Destroyer, and now she had little hope they could venture out to see her family. Maybe one day I'll make it back to Potadeia.

Well, no point dwelling on that: it only makes me sad, and I've had enough of the mood swings for now. Hmm, maybe I can get Cyrene to make some of those honey cakes for breakfast... if I can make it back before they notice I'm gone. She started walking the short distance back to the house. She used her staff as a cane to help steady her as she waddled down the path. Since she was daydreaming, she never heard the figure behind her as arms scooped her up. She squealed loudly, dropping her staff and looked up into a pair of icy blue eyes.

"You're supposed to be off your feet, remember? Besides, it's much too cold out here without some furs."

She tried to justify her actions in one breath before the warrior princess got on a roll. "Xena, I feel fine, I'm not that far from the house, I can see it from here and I'm not cold." She finally slowed down and added, "The baby helps me feel warm."

The warrior smiled at her wife gently. "I know you think I'm overbearing but I won't take any chances, at least not with you and the baby. Okay?"

The bard knew she was partly in the wrong, and rested her head against Xena's shoulder, conceding, "Yes, my warrior nursemaid…"

==O==

Cyrene hurried into the house and held out a scroll toward Xena. "A messenger gave that to me while I was in the village. It's for the healer Carpathia." Cyrene smiled; she still thought her daughter's choice of alias amusing, but she was glad the girls were able to carve out the beginning of some permanence. Maybe I can visit and see them more. Would it be horrible if I move in? They'll need help with the new baby. This place is certainly large enough.

Xena blanched as she put the carving down and reached for the scroll. Besides her family, only two other people knew Carpathia's true identity. They'd promised to contact her strictly by messenger and only if it was important. She read the scroll with uneasiness, feeling the churning in her gut. Cyrene casually stood next to her daughter trying not to be tempted to read over her shoulder.

Gabrielle looked up, from the story she'd been reading to Eve in time to see Xena casually toss the scroll in the fireplace. Xena said nothing as she picked up the pieces of wood she'd discarded earlier. Cyrene lunged and plucked the scroll out of the fire managing to grab it before it was destroyed.

"Mother, drop that! It's none of your business." Xena grabbed at the older woman but missed.

Cyrene succeeded in hopping backwards out of Xena's embrace. Why would she burn the message after she read it? Is she going to ignore it? She slapped the flames out and was delighted to see that the scroll had not been destroyed and was still legible. She knew Xena could grab her at any moment. Only the warrior's respect for her mother kept her from snatching it from her mother's hands and eating it.

Her eyes widened as she read aloud. That beast... Why isn't she running out to the barn to saddle Argo? She looked up, puzzled, reaching out and touching Xena's arm. "Hercules and Iolaus need your help to stop that animal Holeidas, as well as his men. Why don't you just...?"

Xena tensed up and interrupted in a flat tone, "I can't."

She shrugged her mother's arm off her shoulder, plucked the scroll out of her hands, and turned to walk back to the fireplace. Cyrene looked at Xena quizzically as she tossed the scroll back into the fire. "What do you mean? You can't or you won't? Even I've heard of that monster, Xena," she said sarcastically. "Those people need help. Hercules wouldn't ask for your help if he and Iolaus didn't need you."

"No, I won't go." Xena's eyes sought out Gabrielle and Eve. She angrily turned away from her mother as she tried to ignore Cyrene's continued pleas. She stood near the fireplace with her hands tightly gripping the back of a chair.

Gabrielle eased Eve off her lap and carefully stood up. She walked over to Xena and placed a hand lightly against her shoulder.

Cyrene could see the pained expression on her daughter's face. What is going on?

Xena clenched her jaw and turned her head to gaze at the fire. She spoke while looking into the flames, "How soon do you think it would be before someone realized who I am? And how long after that would someone put two and two together and find my family...?" Xena raised her voice, "We're trying to stay anonymous so that Eve has a chance to grow up without my sordid past interfering or the Gods of Olympus at our throats."

Gabrielle tucked her head under Xena's left arm, leaning lightly against her. She could feel the tension in the warrior's body as she rested her right arm in the crook of Xena's back and put her left hand up to her lips to silence her.

"You taught me about the importance of the greater good." Guess she won't be here for the birth after all.

Xena removed Gabrielle's hand and placed their hands on the bard's midsection. She felt the baby kick. "You need me here; I can't go. My family must come first." Well, maybe that'll end that discussion. Xena looked down to see Eve glued to her right leg, and smiled down at their daughter 's eyes were like saucers. She hates when we argue. She walked forward; dragging the weight on her leg as she firmly tugged a reluctant bard back into her seat. She dropped to her knees and knelt by the chair as she gathered Eve into her arms. She hugged the child and rested her chin on top of her head, lightly rubbing her back. Eve was almost purring with contentment. An affectionate child, she could never have enough hugs from either of her mothers and the warrior was happy to indulge her, especially because it calmed her too. Xena leaned her head against the arm of the chair.

Gabrielle ran her fingers lightly through Xena's hair. "Like Mom said, they wouldn't ask for help if they didn't need it. And you owe Hercules for his help against Zeus."

Xena groaned.

Cyrene felt like she was intruding and quietly ushered Eve out of the room as the two women continued talking.

The bard continued, "How long before you'll have no choice but to fight them here? You'll be faced with trying to defend your home and your family, including a very pregnant woman, or infant, as well as a five year old. Mom might be able to help you but either way, I won't. And even if you succeed, at what cost?"

Gabrielle is much too persuasive when you are looking into her eyes. Xena had learned years before to avoid looking at the bard during an argument if she had any hope of winning. The warrior looked pained as she looked down at her feet and irrationally tried to think of something, anything to say. "Tell me you honestly want me to go to Therapolis." She felt almost smug. I know you don't want me to leave your side to go anywhere.

"They need you, you should go." Doesn't matter what I want. She tried to keep it light in an attempt to mask what she feared so she let a grin creep into her voice, "I know I wouldn't trust anyone else to stop a band of smelly, dirty, idiotic, blood thirsty warlords but you. I'll be fine. If necessary, Milos can take care of me. And you need to stop them long before they get near here."

"You're urging me to go? Even though you're afraid and you really want me here when the baby is born."Xena could see the bard's jaw drop in surprise, as blue eyes met green. "Gabrielle, you talk in your sleep. I know all about your fears, rational or not. So how can you urge me to go?" So, am I indulging her fears or my own? The thought of putting her family in danger, of not being here to protect them, sent a wave of nauseousness through her.

Gabrielle decided she didn't want to give voice to her overactive imagination so she didn't address her partner's revelation. "I can ask you to go; to serve the greater good... you taught me that Xena. We've never shied away from it. Besides, you said I had almost another moon cycle to go before this baby is born. Plenty of time for you to get there, kick some warlord butt, and return with no one the wiser of who you are or of where you live."

"I don't have to fight, we can always..."

Gabrielle interrupted and grabbed Xena's wrist in a tight grip when she'd tried to turn her head away, "Run? Do you really think we could run away? And if

we tried, how far do you think we would get? I'm not exactly in shape for a long run, ya know."

==O==

Gabrielle sat near the fireplace as she lightly rubbed her belly. She fidgeted as she felt a mild contraction. It's been almost a week since she's been gone. I've been having irregular contractions for days.

Xena had reluctantly agreed to go to Therapolis, but not before assigning Eve to be her watchdog and lecturing Gabrielle to watch her health. She extracted a promise, from Cyrene, that if she wasn't back in a week they would go stay with the local heater, Milos and his pregnant daughter. Xena decided to switch horses and not take Argo so they could use the canny steed to ride to the healer's hut.

Xena leaned down to kiss her goodbye and then sighed. Gabrielle carefully kissed her back slowly, wanting to savor the kiss so it would last until the warrior's return. "The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back and you said it yourself, we need you here. Please hurry back."

Gabrielle had the difficult job of physically restraining Eve as they both watched Xena ride off down the road, without them.

I hope this is the last time we have to be parted. The bard looked up, from her reverie, as Cyrene interrupted her thoughts by laying a hand on her shoulder. "I think we should leave for Milos' now."

"I'm fine. You said this happens with some women, irregular contractions for days before giving birth. I've got plenty of time, right? It's just my body getting ready."

"We need to leave while we can still travel. I think there's a storm brewing; I want us to stay ahead of it. I'm afraid if we don't leave now we won't be able to get to the healer's hut when we need him. I might have taught Xena the basics in healing but I'd rather be with Milos, just in case. No point in taking any unnecessary risks."

==O==

The sight of the healer's cabin was a welcome one for Cyrene. I'm so hungry! It's just about time for the mid-day meal. And I'm sure these two are just about spent.

Eve was sitting on the wagon with her arms wrapped tightly around Gabrielle, looking up adoringly as the bard spun one of her captivating stories. Cyrene questioned her wisdom in dragging a heavily pregnant woman and a child out into what turned out to be the beginning of a horrible storm. Of course, it wasn't storming when we left. And I was right even if my timing about the storm was wrong. She feared Gabrielle was starting to get ill. I hope she doesn't pay for my mistakes; we should have headed out the day before, she thought grimly. Cyrene gasped as she finally saw what was lying in front of Milos' house.

Gabrielle looked up at the sound from Cyrene. She could see two figures sprawled in the snow surrounded by a black pool that could only be blood. She used her staff to help her out of the wagon.

"Eve, honey, you stay here," she said firmly.

The child opened her mouth to protest. "But Mimi, I want…"

Frantic, she reiterated, "Please, just stay here. Don't go in the house." Gabrielle stacked a few furs so that they kept Eve warm as well as hid her in the wagon and followed after Cyrene.

As Cyrene walked closer, she could see one of the figures was Milos. A kind man, his valuable knowledge wasted at the hand of some violent village idiot. Warlords don't normally attack this area. Are his daughter and unborn grandchild dead too? Why attack them when they had nothing worth taking? At least it looks like he killed one of the bastards. Rest in the Elysian Fields, Milos.

The two women entered the house to find it in shambles; another body lay on the bed. As they approached they recognized the woman facing them. She was lying across some furs covered in blood.

Oh, Alesandra! Gabrielle had to fight down the urge to retch.

The two women had enthusiastically compared pregnancies whenever they saw each other, realizing their children would be born around the same time. The villagers had jokingly referred to the two women as twins. They looked like sisters, especially since both were blonde and shared a similar build.

Hot tears rolled down Gabrielle's face as she put down her staff and tried to sit on the bed so she could examine the injured woman. Cyrene beat her to it and frantically tried to feel for a pulse, her body still felt warm. She gasped, "Alesandra's still alive, but barely." I'm not sure what we can do besides be with her until the end.

The bard took her friend's hand and tried not to dissolve into tears. That could be me lying there.

Alesandra managed to gather the last of her strength to plead, "Save my baby," before she died.