"No, no, no!" Stalonus called as they were back at the bottle shop/bar across the street from the stadium. "You cannot by serious!"

Terries scoffed. She had joined them, but Cyrene had mentioned something about a local brewer she knew and had neglected to continue her night with them. Cyrene winked as Gabrielle as she walked away from them just outside the stadium, clearly having an understanding that she would just get in the way.

"They have been dating for years," Terries told him as she limped the final steps to the bar. "Like everyone knows that, right?"

Gabrielle nodded.

Ngara shrugged and admitted, "I actually don't know who Autolycus is."

"What!? He's is one of the most famous Seahawks!" Stalonus called at her. He took a deep breath. "But, yeah okay, I didn't know you were famous, and I didn't know this stadium was terrible, so differing interests."

Terries shook her head at them before placing her order with the bartender and telling the others too as well.

"I am hardly famous," Ngara stated as she was handed her cider.

Stalonus shrugged as they began walking toward a table with their drinks in hand. "Xena's mom knew who you were."

"Speaking of Xena, Gabrielle," Terries questioned as they took their seats. "Is she coming?"

Gabrielle blushed. Though she was doing a better job of hiding it, she was just as amazed that she was heading to a rooftop party hosted by Canadian superstar Meg and her Seahawks star tight-end boyfriend, Autolycus. From what she had heard from other players and Reign fans in general, they were basically the royal couple of Seattle-based celebrities.

"I think so," Gabrielle stated.

Xena, along with the rest of the Red Stars, and some of the Reign players had told them to hang out back at the bottle shop and they would meet them once they were showered and were ready for Meg and Autolycus' party.

A muffled commotion and laughter drifted into the bar as a large group reached the vestibule and made their way inside. Terries scoffed at the murmurs coming from the table occupied by people who had clearly come from the stadium.

"Hey, Jason," Xena called at the bartender. She reached the bar and leaned against it. "I'm sure my mom gave ya a suggestion for me?"

The bartender laughed and nodded. "Want a pint?"

Gabrielle watched Xena nod at him. Her hair was looking a bit blown out and wild like she had hastily blow dried it. Gabrielle smiled a bit to herself, finding it a bit cute that she must have worn her Chicago Sky hat to cover its unkemptness. But she was wearing it backwards this time clearly not trying to conceal her face or hide her identity.

"Thanks," Xena called at the bartender as she took her drink and turned to walk the back of the bar. She stopped at most of the tables of people gawking at her and talked to them for a bit before moving on.

Eventually, she made it to Terries, Ngara, Stalonus, and Gabrielle's table. She sat on the bench beside Gabrielle.

"Hey," she called at her causally, like she hadn't just made a celebrity entrance into the bar.

Gabrielle scoffed. "Hi, Xena," she replied before she began to laugh.

Xena smirked at her and kept her gaze tightly on her though they could both fell the others peering at them in astonishment. "So, uh, you gonna introduce me to your friends, Gabrielle?"

Xena dramatically turned toward them and Gabrielle was about to start the introductions but didn't get the chance.

"Oh shit," Xena called as she pointed across the table. "You're Ngara. Of the England U-23s."

Ngara blushed a more intense shade of red than Gabrielle had ever seen on her face before.

"You kicked my cousin's ass so many times at the last World Cup," Xena told her impressed. "I'm dreadin' the day you cap for the top team. I don't wanna play against you."

Ngara seemed too starstruck to speak.

Xena nodded at her with a sense of understanding and turned to Stanlous. "I need to introduce myself?"

Stanlous shook his head. "Nah, I think I've played you in FIFA once or twice. And I'm Gabs' roommate so I have pretty good knowledge of who you are."

Xena nodded. "And you're?"

"Ah, shit, yeah," he realized shaking his head. "Stanlous."

"Nice to meet you," Xena replied. "So, I'm assuming ya'll are interested in Meg and Autolycus' party?"

They finished their drinks and after Xena bought a good amount of to-go beers from the bottle shop, they made their way out of the bar. It was a surprisingly short walk to the high-rise building that housed Meg and Autolycus' apartment. Though Xena alluded to it probably being big enough to host everyone they had invited, they had rented out the party space on the roof that included an enclosed party room and a full rooftop patio that gave a rather striking view of the downtown and Puget Bay.

Gabrielle was leaning against the railing of the rooftop patio, sipping a glass of wine from the winery on her family's land. She had not even seen Xena go to the cooler but apparently, she had included a few in her purchase from the bottle shop. Xena appeared beside her and took a sip from her pint glass before leaning against the railing as well.

"Feel like home?" she questioned with a smile.

Gabrielle laughed as she turned to look at her. She held up the glass for a moment. "Taste like home," she then turned her gaze back to the bay. "Doesn't look like home."

Xena gave such a genuine laugh that if filled Gabrielle with a sense of pride for a moment. Xena then nodded in approval. "Nah, it really doesn't. Aphrodite never liked it here."

"Really?" Gabrielle questioned. "It's beautiful."

Xena nodded. "It is. But possibly a bit surprisingly coming from Dite, beauty isn't everything."

Gabrielle took a sip of her wine and peered at the taller woman assumed. "Is this your way of telling me not to come to Seattle?"

Xena blurted a laugh. "They've had a lot of injury issues, but their coach is too good for them to come in last. And beside those rumors about a new expansion team in Louisville are starting to sound real."

Gabrielle froze for a moment but then quickly raised her wine glass to her lips to cover it. Xena noticed and Gabrielle was pretty sure she had, but they both waited a long while to acknowledge it.

"You are that certain I am going to be the number one pick?" Gabrielle almost shyly questioned Xena.

"Wha.." Xena started as a scoffed but trailed off as she turned to Gabrielle and realized her question and subsequent expression were serious. She reached over and placed a hand firmly on her shoulder as she bent down slightly to meet her eyes. "Yes," she simply stated. "You've been crushin' it with Stanford and you're a mainstay of the national team now. You ain't picked first, somebody is making a really fuckin' bad mistake."

Gabrielle shyly laughed. "I…I don't know about that." She raised her wine glass to her lips and peered over at Xena, who kept her gaze firmly on her. By the time she had lowered the glass, Xena was already leaning in to kiss her. She raised her eyebrows slightly and Gabrielle gave a quick nod. Xena set her drink on the ledge just below the railing and pulled Gabrielle closer to her as she kissed her passionately. Gabrielle set her glass down and tightly embraced her as well.

Gabrielle felt like she was being drawn closer and closer to her, closer than she could appropriately get with so many people around. She pulled herself away from Xena to tell her as much, but she didn't have to.

"We need to go back to my hotel," Xena stated through deep breaths.

Gabrielle nodded. "Yeah," she looked up at Xena insanely blue eyes and nodded again. "Yeah."

Xena took her head and led her inside she paused for a brief moment before the array of drinks on counter and plucked out the bottle of wine from Gabrielle's family's land. Gabrielle felt eyes on them and her gaze drifted over to Ngara, who was standing rather close to Stalonus, while locked in conversation with Amarice and one of the Reign goalkeepers. Ngara gave her a questioning expression and pointed in the vague direction of their AirBnB. Gabrielle shook her head and motioned to Stalonus, giving her the same questioning expression. Ngara gave an uncertain shrug but then mouthed 'probably'. Gabrielle gave her a quick thumbs up that caused her to laugh.

Xena patted Ephiny on the shoulder as they walked past where she was talking to Terries, Meg, and Autolycus. "You should stay with Terries tonight."

Ephiny sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sure thing, Xena."

Xena and Gabrielle reached the elevator, then the Uber, then the Xena's hotel, then the elevator in Xena's hotel, and finally the walk from the elevator to Xena's room. Through all of it, they could barely restrain themselves from touching each other. Gabrielle kept tightening her grip on Xena's hand and figured she must be acting like the inexperienced college kid that she was, until she realized the closer they got to Xena's room that she had been doing the same.

Xena exhaled in relief when they finally reached her hotel room, and she was able to lock the door behind them. They were finally alone. She was still holding the bottle of wine in her hand and went to the same kitchenette and opened it. She filled two glasses and carried them over to the bed, where Gabrielle had been sitting on the edge of peering at her intensely. She took the glass from Xena, who sat beside her and took a sip of her own.

"I've…uh…god, I don't even know," Gabrielle began and took another sip of her wine.

"What is it, Gabrielle?" Xena questioned casually.

"I know you wanted me to decide what this is and what you're doing…" Gabrielle stated, but trailed off. "But I've never done anything like this, Xena."

Xena peered at her with a comforting but slightly confused expression.

"I mean, it's not like I haven't been in a relationship before but…it's…it's never felt like this before. And, well I still don't know what to make of it," Gabrielle admitted and took a long sip of her wine to cover her embarrassment.

Xena took a sip as well and shrugged. "I understand. Not to make everything real serious, but I haven't felt like this in a long time either."

Gabrielle gave a nervous laugh. "God, that is absurd," she uttered under her breath.

Xena peered over at her and raised an eyebrow.

Gabrielle shot her a warm smile. "Of course, it feels like this for me. You're Xena. The fact that you feel the same, that I could ever compare to…to you."

Xena reached over to set her glass on the side table. She had to stretch her body fully across Gabrielle, who placed her drink on the table as well. "You gotta stop sellin' yourself short, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle caught her in an embrace. She moved them until she was straddling her with her knees on either side of Xena, who was still seated on the edge of the bed with her feet planted on the floor. Gabrielle cupped her cheek and pulled her face closer to her's until their lips met. Xena could feel the heat emanating off Gabrielle burn through her and cause her entire body to tingle.

Gabrielle twisted them and shoved Xena's back onto the bed causing a pleased and excited moan to escape her lips. She looked slightly embarrassed and Gabrielle lowered herself slowly to kiss the expression off her face. Gabrielle then proceeded to make up for the amazing night Xena had given her in Vancouver a few weeks ago. She knew thinking of it like that made it sound transactional, but balance and equality was what she was aiming for. Xena seemed to understand that and melted into the bed below her, allowing her to take care of whatever and whichever need she expressed.