Xena smirked in the elevator of their hotel. She could almost feel Gabrielle's excitement radiating off her. Xena fully understood, for she remembered her first tournament win with the national team. Of course, she had been too young to drink and certainly too young for the feelings she was certain were at the front of Gabrielle's mind. The doors dinged and opened when they reached the third floor. Xena pulled Gabrielle out of the elevator and down the hall to their shared hotel room. Xena was incredibly thankful that Aphrodite had decided it was time for them to take that step.

Xena kicked the door shut and quickly locked it. Gabrielle nearly lunged at her in the darkened hotel room.

"Aye," Xena called as the younger woman pushed her against the door. Despite her best efforts, a pleased groan escaped her lips. "Gabrielle," Xena uttered. "Gabrielle," she said again with more control. "You played 90 minutes, you're covered in sweat and champagne, and I think a bit drunk," she told her with a smile. "Will ya stop and think for a second?"

Gabrielle bit down on Xena's earlobe causing her to cry out. "'But listen to me first'," Gabrielle began. "'And swear an oath to use all your eloquence and strength to look after me and protect me.'"

Xena's cry turned into a pleased snort. When they had first had a conversation about safe words, Xena made a joke about Gabrielle having a safe literary quote. She had played along and picked one. "Well, okay then," Xena stated as she leaned down and placed her lips against Gabrielle's. She tugged slightly at Gabrielle's back and the blonde had to stop herself from calling out as she knew exactly what that meant. Gabrielle jumped and Xena lifted her until she was high enough to place her legs securely around Xena's waist. Xena carried them into the bathroom.

"Bathroom?" Gabrielle managed to question quickly amid everything that was happening. Xena set her on the bathroom counter and leaned back to turn the shower on.

"We are both covered in sweat and champagne," Xena deadpanned. "Plus," she added with an amused smirk. "We haven't tried this yet," she said as she nodded toward the shower.

They began slowly and hungrily underdressing each other as the water heated up behind them. By the time steam was filing the bathroom, all their clothes were discarded and Xena was pressed against Gabrielle as close as she could manage.

From her position on the sink, Gabrielle pushed Xena back. She was a bit elated that she had allowed her too. Xena stood before her with her chest heaving as she beathed heavily. Gabrielle hopped down from the counter and guided Xena into the wide shower stall. She pressed her against the wall, taking full advantage of her.

As Gabrielle began working at her more and more, she knew it was going to eventually become too much for Xena and she would either have to support her or they would both be colliding to the bottom of the stall. When it did happen, Xena pressed down against Gabrielle's smaller frame so much that she was forced to drop to her knees and support the writhing superstar against her shoulder. She heaved against Gabrielle for a while and Gabrielle became consumed with a feeling she could not fully comprehend. It had to be love. The intense love she had heard about and read about but never felt herself before. Even before the game she had been thinking that she never wanted to live a life when she could not turn to Xena for comfort. But the night had turned into so much more than that. She wanted to preserve it forever but was also a bit worried that she—or at least her mind and heart – were moving too fast.

Once Xena had recovered they had a rather normal shower and wrapped themselves in towels and the fancy, hotel provided bathrobes. Gabrielle was feeling too elated, warm, and tired to fight Xena when she lightly grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the further of the two beds. Gabrielle settled between her legs, leaning back against her. Xena slid her arms around her and held her softly as they leaned back and continued to watch the Food Network.

Gabrielle had nearly been lured into sleep by Xena rubbing her shoulder when her phone shook loudly because of a FaceTime call. Gabrielle picked it up from off the bed beside her and peered at it uncertainly.

"It's Lila," she explained softly to Xena.

Xena straightened behind her and nodded. "Do you want me to leave?"

Gabrielle reached back and grasped Xena's shoulder. "No!" Gabrielle blurted. She shook her head as she removed herself from between her legs. "Please stay, just…it's just…." Gabrielle failed to fully articulate her feelings.

Xena nodded as she understandingly pressed her lips together. "Answer it," she told her.

Gabrielle sighed heavily and did. "Hey," she told Lila with her back pressed against the headboard of the hotel bed she was sharing with Xena, who was now fully out of sight.

"Hi, Gabrielle," Lila replied sounding far more awkward than Gabrielle would have expected for a normal FaceTime call. She was sitting on the couch she had taken from their parents' basement to her new apartment in downtown Houston.

"Uh…there a reason why you called?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Uh, uh, yeah, Gabby there is," Lila replied. "It could take a while to reach Mom and Dad and I get why you wouldn't want them to find out like that, so you told them…but…but…"

Lila trailed off completely and they were both silent for a moment. Lila peered off-frame like she was looking at someone, Gabrielle uncertainly turned her gaze to Xena, who provided a supportive shrug. Gabrielle figured she could not fault Lila for Joxer probably being there as well. He had been assigned to the youth teams for the last few months so it was plausible that he could be in Houston with her. And they had been together much longer than she and Xena had.

"It is just…I mean I didn't' want to…I mean from tumblr!" Lila exclaimed and then took a deep breath and shook her head. She peered at Gabrielle seriously. "Gabby, why didn't you tell me?"

Gabrielle could almost feel Xena's shocked reaction. She tried to ignore her as she kept her attention on Lila. "I don't know," Gabrielle told her shaking her head. "It just…it felt like telling you would just lead to them finding out and, well I always figured it was going to go like this."

Lila sighed. "Okay."

Xena reached a hand toward Gabrielle and she outstretched her arm to take it.

"They are going to come around," Lila told her.

Gabrielle made a face at her that almost made Xena laugh.

"I live here," Lila pointed out. "I will pressure them until they do."

"Me too," Joxer's voice called from off-screen. Lila sighed as he dropped onto the couch beside her. "I am doing my best to become a part of this family."

Gabrielle bashfully looked over to Xena.

"Well, fuck it then," she said loudly before she sat beside Gabrielle and entered into the feed.

"Oh my god," Lila exclaimed at seeing her.

"Oh my god, be cool," Gabrielle instantly shot back.

"Me?" Lila exclaimed. "Do you still have your poster?"

Xena scoffed. Gabrielle peered at her embarrassed. "Uh," Xena began. "It's on the wall opposite from your desk so it's been in the background of a few Skype calls."

Gabrielle groaned and covered her face.

"Hers was regulated to the hallway," Joxer stated pointing at Lila. "Sorry, Xena."

"No worries," Xena told him with a nod. "How are the kid teams doin'?" Xena asked.

"As good as always," he replied. "Should the four of us tag-team this? Weekend of May 27th?"

"Why does that sound familiar?" Lila questioned.

"Last NWSL games before the break for the World Cup," Joxer explains

"The Red Stars play the Dash in Houston," Lila realized.

"Wanna go home that weekend?" Xena turned to question Gabrielle.

Gabrielle shrunk into herself seriously. "I don't know if they will let me."

"You are going to stay with us," Lila called seriously.

"Yeah," Xena replied. "We'll plan a dinner or somethin'. Between the four of us we can win 'em over."

"You know they already like Xena, Gabrielle," Lila pointed out.

"As a player, not a daughter-in-law," Gabrielle quickly responded.

Lila and Joxer turned to each other with matching shocked expressions.

"No!" Gabrielle called. "Not like that!" She turned to Xena, who was smirking and rising an eyebrow at her. "I mean they are going to be comparing us to the two of you. And you know that is where they think you are headed."

They all ran out of quick comebacks for a moment and fell silent.

"You actually cool with the dinner plan?" Xena asked Gabrielle.

"Yes," she replied.

"Guess, we'll see you guys in May then," Xena stated.

Joxer nodded approvingly.

"Congrats on the win," Lila said. "Have a good night," she added with a smirk at Gabrielle.

"Good night, Lila," Gabrielle said sternly before ending the call.

They sat beside each other on the bed in silence for a moment. Gabrielle took a long nervous breath and Xena reach out to take her hand. She squeezed it softly until Gabrielle looked up at her.

"Your sister didn't know," Xena said.

It wasn't a question, Gabrielle noticed. Xena was just letting her know she had picked up on that. She wasn't demanding anything of her or even asking her to explain.

"Nobody knows back home," Gabrielle explained. "It's a small rural community, you know what that is like Xena."

Xena scoffed and looked up at her shyly. "Yeah, I do."

"The only person I ever told was Perdicus," Gabrielle stated uncomfortably. "I owed him some sort of explanation for why I was breaking it off after so long."

Xena noticed Gabrielle's nervous expression and placed a hand comfortingly on her back.

"I've always been out at college. All my teammates and roommates know," Gabrielle offered up in her defense.

"I'd say it's about time I met some more of them," Xena stated as she leaned back against the headboard, baiting Gabrielle back to their original position.

"You want to come to Stanford again?" Gabrielle questioned, a bit nervous and confused as she leaned into her again.

"Nah," Xena said as she wrapped her arms around her. "I want you to take me home."

Gabrielle smiled for a moment at the sentiment, but a pang of sadness filled her chest. She turned slightly in Xena's arms.

"That would still be my parents and the farm," Gabrielle told her softly.

Xena kisses her temple and sigh. "Okay. But for now, let me go see your life at Stanford. For real this time."

Gabrielle smiled at the idea of that. "Okay. Good night, Xena."

"Good night, Gabrielle."