I am sooo sooo sooo sooo sooo sooo sorry for not updating! To those who actually (still) read my fanfic, thank you! there's no excuse as to why I haven't updated.. other than the fact that I am a lousy updater! And I've currently lost all my energy so I have a really hard time to finish.. well anything! even schoolwork! But I thought u deserved another chapter.

Someone asked if I was going to add the scene with the pole. that was the plan, but since I wanted to try and make it stand out from the movie I took away the pole and instead had Gabrielle catch the arrow. 'Listen not just to the sound, but what's behind the sound,' that is one of the most important things Gabrielle learn throughout the show, a skill she already gets to experience in season 1. So no pole, sorry xP

Disclamer: I own nothing! Sadly...

Chapter 11

Things went better over next weeks. The training with Xena and Perdicus had shown great results and Gabrielle was quickly starting to catch up. She was even getting better than most of the men and Xena at the young warrior's quick improvement. She was truly standing by her word.

But even though Gabrielle's fighting skills were getting much better, her mood was not... it might be because of a slight problem with hygiene. She hadn't had a proper bath in Gods knows how long.

One night she couldn't take it anymore and so she snuck out of camp and quickly headed for the lake. It was pretty late so she doubted anyone would be around. Because of her improvement, Xena had rewarded Gabrielle with the night off.

'I'm not sure this is a good idea, Gabby… I mean what if someone sees you?' Aphrodite paced back and forth as Gabrielle quickly got out of her training clothes behind a three and some bushes.

'Just because I have to act like a man, it doesn't mean I have to smell like one,' Gabrielle took a sniff of her tunic and ended up making a very disgusted face before she threw it at Aphrodite.

She screamed in sudden horror and Gabrielle couldn't help but giggle over her reaction.

'How do you SURVIVE?' she gasped and held up Gabrielle's clothing with two fingers. 'That is DISGUSTING!'

Gabrielle jumped into the lake and sighed at the wonderful feeling. 'Hence the bath,' she simply smirked as the Goddess quickly threw away the garment as if it was carrying some kind of decease.

'Fine I get your point… but I still think you should be careful!' The blonde warrior ignored her.

'Yeah, well I'm going to head out, I have better to do than watch you clean yourself,' the Goddess was gone within a poof.

'Finally some privacy,' Gabrielle mumbled as she scrubbed her sore shoulders. Her peaceful thoughts were then suddenly interrupted by voices in the distance… Approaching… quickly!

Three (naked) triplets suddenly came into view, laughing and running towards the lake. Gabrielle quickly ducked under water and swam behind a couple of rocks, before she could be seen and luckily she missed the massive wave caused by the three brothers jumping into water at the same time.

Gabrielle silently begged the Gods for them to leave. Even though she had gotten to know the brothers more during the past few weeks she REALLY didn't want to be seen. She could be exposed!

'Joxer, stop throwing water at me! My hair is already messed up as it is!' one of the triplets screamed in a very weird accent. 'Stop being such a sissy, Jace. We're supposed to get wet so that we can get clean!' another replied, most likely Joxer. Gabrielle had noticed small differences between the triplets over the time she had spent with them.

Jet was the violent one. He's voice was dark and raspy compared to his brothers and he had a small scar above his left eyebrow which he had gotten from saving a maiden in need of rescue… Or so he claims. Joxer wasn't as violent, he was the one with all the bad jokes and his voice was more happy and cheery compared to Jet.

The third brother, Jace, was the one that stood out the most. Instead of his hair being black like his brothers, it was purple… and also styled differently. He was pretty girlish compared to his brothers and he really had a thing for feathers… but he was nice and also the one that treated Gabrielle the nicest.

Though she was surprised how Jace ever got into camp… actually she was wondering how the triplets all got in, when there was supposed to be only one man from each family. Apparently the three brothers stood each other close and if one had to go into war then they all would. They were determined to follow each other into death and hopefully back.

The brother continued splashing around, laughing and acting like children until someone interrupted their fun. 'Out,' a voice said. A female voice actually. Gabrielle peaked over the rock and noticed the dark figure of a tall woman. It was Xena. Gabrielle gulped and ducked behind the rock again.

Oh this is just great! Now I'll never get out of here, Gabrielle thought.

Without hesitating or speaking another word the three men quickly got out of the lake, not wanting to get into any trouble with the captain.

For what felt like an hour Gabrielle hid behind the rock, desperately trying not to make any kind of sounds… and to sneak a peek of the dark warrior. Though her curiosity was gradually taking over and she thought she'd take the risk. She carefully looked over the rock, slowly peeking towards the warrior who was floating with her back turned. Her eyes were about to pop out of her skull by the sight of her glistening wet and toned back. She quickly snapped back to reality when the dark warrior's head turned to where the blonde was hiding.

She ducked her head and held her breath. The dark warrior smirked as she watched the rock.

'You can come out now Gabriel, I know you're there.' The blonde's head again peaked up from behind the rock, her emerald green eyes connecting with the piercing blue. 'H... How did you know I was here?' Gabrielle nervously backed away from the rock, carefully making sure that only her neck went above the water. Xena only smirked.

'You need to work on your hiding skills. I could hear your rapid breathing ever since I came here…' she paused and her smirk never left her face.

'Especially when you tried to sneak a peek of me.' Gabrielle's cheeks grew several shades of red and looked down at the water surface rather than looking the other warrior in the eye.

Xena watched her for a second and smiled softly. 'Aaaand I could see the top of your head almost the entire time I was here.' She added with a laugh.

Gabrielle's palm connected with her forehead as she sank deeper under the water surface, deeply ashamed over her lacking hiding skills. 'Son of a Bacchae,' she muttered.

'I guess I still have much to learn then, don't I?' Xena gave the younger blonde a warm smile. 'Yes, you have much to learn, Gabrielle. In a way none of you will ever be truly ready. People learn something new almost every day, you can't expect to become a perfect warrior in just a few weeks, my friend.' She chuckled.

'Rome wasn't built in one day,' she winked at the blonde and started swimming circles around her. Gabrielle tried to stay calm as she was being circled and thought of what the other warrior had said. 'How did you hear me? I tried my best to stay silent and even if I did breathe loudly, it wouldn't be that easy to hear me, would it?'

Xena swam closer to her. 'You're right, it's not easy, because of all the other sounds. The animals and the insects, the water, the wind, they all make sounds that would overthrow your breathing. It's not just about listening, Gabrielle. Don't just listen to the sounds, but what's behind the sounds,' Gabrielle was speechless. She never thought of that before. It must take years of training before someone would be able to divide each sound like that. To be able to listen to even the simplest things behind each sound.

Things were silent for a while and Xena kept swimming around the blonde, watching her carefully, as if she was waiting for something. And then it hit her. Xena had addressed her by her real name. And not just once, but twice! How could she be so stupid? How did she not notice that?

Gabrielle looked at Xena who simply smirked at Gabrielle's shocked face. Her eyes were practically screaming About time!

'You called me Gabrielle' she said in more of a statement than a question. Xena chuckled softly. 'Took your time, didn't you? Yes I called you Gabrielle, because that's your name, isn't it?' Gabrielle just floated in the water, her eyes wide. How could she know? Ok so her disguise wasn't exactly bulletproof but still!

She desperately tried to regain her fake man voice. 'Uh ehm… what makes you say that?' Xena just swam closer. 'You can stop with the acting now. I know you're not a man, I've known from the first second I saw you,' Gabrielle was silent. 'I'm not surprised the others didn't see right through you, but then again what can you expect? They barely have half a brain,'

'So… you knew… this whole time. Why didn't you report me to Brutus? I mean… I'm a woman, I'm not supposed to be here,' Gabrielle said.

Xena raised an eyebrow. 'So you say, just because you're a woman you're not supposed to be here? If you haven't noticed, Gabrielle, I am a woman as well. And not just that, I am also your commander. I am the leader of this entire group of men who knows close to nothing about battle strategy. It is up to me, to get them ready to face Callisto. You think I'm not supposed to be here?' Gabrielle didn't know what to say.

'But it's different with you,'

'How? How is it different with me? I am no different than you Gabrielle. I was once like you, but I worked hard and earned my respect among some of the greatest warriors. You can do the same. I didn't report you or blow your cover because I have faith in you. I believe you can become a fine warrior and that you are headed for greatness,' Still Gabrielle had no words.

'Someone once gave me a chance, so therefore I am giving you one as well,' she was very close to Gabrielle now, so close she could almost feel the breath on her face. 'But you almost kicked me out, because I couldn't do anything.' Xena looked down as she smiled and then looked up again. 'Yes, I did. I did that because I knew you wouldn't give up. I knew you would stand up to me and prove yourself... And you succeeded,' Green met blue once again and Gabrielle couldn't help but smile at the older warrior.

'And being the only woman among hundreds of men, thinking they're all that, can be incredibly frustrating!' the dark haired warrior added to lighten the tension between them. Gabrielle laughed and their eyes never lost contact.

'So what was the flirting about?' She then asked, immediately wishing she could take it back.

'You think I flirted with you?' She was smirking and Gabrielle become a little more hesitant. 'Weren't you?' Xena's smirk just grew wider and her eyes grew darker.

'Maybe I did, maybe I didn't.' she replied smugly. Oh she was so flirting, Gabrielle thought. Fine, two can play that game.

'I think you did,' Gabrielle simply said and this time it was she who swam closer to the other warrior. Now they were so close that Gabrielle could most definitely feel Xena's warm breath on her face.

'Oh, yeah?' Xena questioned.

'Oh, yeah' Gabrielle's green eyes glanced at the warriors lips before she looked up at her blue eyes again. Suddenly she felt as if someone had just bit her behind and squealed in sudden pain. 'Wuaaah! I think an eel just bit me!' Xena chuckled at the blonde's sudden reaction.

'Well you are quite bitable,' she stated and the blonde girl turned to look into Xena's were those dark eyes again. Xena moved closer to Gabrielle and was just about to catch the younger woman's lips when suddenly someone called from the distance.

By the love of Zeus! What is it with people and bad timing?

BOO! HISS! GAH!

Gabrielle inwardly screamed as Xena looked up. 'It's Brutus,' she groaned.

'I was supposed to talk to him about having the recruits meet up with the rest of the army.' She moved to get out of the lake and Gabrielle turned away against her own will. When she turned back to look at Xena she was already fully clothed in her leather and armor.

'I'll see you tomorrow during practice, and don't think you'll have it any easier by flirting with the teacher,' she smirked and winked at the blonde and then she was gone, leaving Gabrielle all alone in the lake that suddenly felt so much colder.

This chapter I had planned from the very beginning! Some of you thought it seemed strange that Xena didn't see through Gabby's disguise, well here you have it! She knew the entire time xP

Hopped you liked this chapter, sort of my way as saying soooooorry ;)

Again I don't know when the next chapter will be up. Once I find the energy to continue with this fic, you will get more ;) Though I have been working on another fic, that will be up very soon. My inspiration goes all over the place hehe. rememberer now! R/R makes me smile! XP