I own no characters but the characters I own. Sorry this took so long, but I'll make it up to you by making this a two chapter installment. I must note that Xena comes off as a little clueless in this, which is not very canon of me, but it works for the story right here. Please review, my dear readers. I'm debating whether this and the next chapter will be the end of this story, so please tell me what you think.

Huggles for muggles!

Xena carried a softly crying Gabrielle up to their room and put her gently down on the bed. Sweetly covering her with a light blanket, her hand trailed up and down her friend's arm as she tried to calm her. "Listen," she said quietly, her voice milky and soothing. "You don't have to decide anything right now, but you could give the baby up for adoption. I can find a very good family for it when the time comes, you just have to tell me that's what you want to do."

Gabrielle nodded in understanding, then something dawned on her. "Xena, don't tell Mira I'm pregnant. With Lucius just passing, it may hurt her."

Xena hesitated a moment before she answered, "Mira already knows. She figured it out before I did."

Gabrielle was quiet a long moment. "Are you going over there?"

"Not anymore, I'm staying with you."

"No, you have to go. We missed the funeral as it is, you need to bring them something and go help Mira with the kids."

"Gabrielle, I'm not leaving you by yourself."

"Milo is around, and his wife. They'll keep an eye on me. Please, go. For Joxer. He's done so much for us..."

"Alright. I'll go. Why don't I get the cart and you can come, too?"

The bard shook her head. "I can't be around Chloe yet. Not until I decide what I'm doing with my baby."

Xena nodded. "Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"No, just send Joxer my love."

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Maxius answered the door, somber, but his eyes lit up a little when he saw who it was. "Xena," he said, and opened the door wide for her to come in. She was barely over the threshold before a bleary-eyed Gwyn scampered to her and wrapped her arms around her leg tightly. Xena put a hand on the child's head and looked across the room to Mira. The two women shared a smile before Xena handed Maxius the two bundles she brought.

"One of those is for your mom and uncle Joxer, the other is for you and Gwyn."

Maxius thanked her and delivered one to his mom before he and Gwyn went to a corner to open theirs. Xena made her way to the back of the cottage to her two friends. "How are you?"

Mira shrugged sadly, "I'm still breathing," she said. "That's something."

Joxer pulled his sister's shoulders in to a sideways embrace. "Thank you for coming," he said to Xena.

Xena nodded and gripped his upper arm briefly. "How are the kids?" She asked.

Mira nodded in their direction. Xena looked and saw them eating their sweets and staring off into space, their heads tilted together much like Joxer's and Mira's were. "Unfortunately," she said, "they're old enough to understand what's going on. I think Gwyn still thought he might wake up until we lit the fire."

"Last night, at the pyre, she turned to Maxius and made him swear he would never touch a sword and be a bad man." Joxer chuckled softly. "I don't think he'll forget his promise."

Xena looked at the two of them, Chloe sleeping heavily in Mira's arms. "What do you need me to do?" She asked.

Mira shook her head. "Nothing. Just being here is helping. The kids were wondering about you and Gabrielle." Chloe woke up and started squirming and fussing and Mira shifted uncomfortably with her in her arms.

"Let me take her," Joxer said, and Mira let him.

She turned to Xena, leaning against the table, as Joxer walked to the garden with Chloe. "It's just so final, now." She said, quiet enough that the kids wouldn't hear. "You know? I mean, he's been gone for a few weeks but ..." Her brown eyes skittered to Xena's and back to the floor. "I'm sorry, I'm not making sense."

Xena found a place beside her to lean and looked off into the cottage and said, "Trying to make sense of this will only torture you. You can't go around asking why. ... There is no answer."

Mira watched her profile for a moment before she asked, "Does it ever stop hurting?"

Xena looked at Mira, a little surprised she knew about Solan. "No," she admitted. "Not even a little. But, eventually you learn to live with it. It does get easier."

Mira nodded. "Thank you." She said.

"For what?"

"For being honest." Xena put an arm around her and she leaned her head on the warrior's shoulder.

Xena did her best to support the family, cleaning up, helping with dinner, talking with Mira and Joxer and reading to the kids. She bounced Chloe for a while, and talked to her quietly in between feedings. When it came time for her to go, both older children hugged her tightly and then crawled into a bed near the fire. Joxer shook her hand, but Xena pulled him in for a hug. Mira walked her out, thanking her.

"You didn't have to do this," she said, gesturing around to the spotless cottage.

Xena smiled, "I wanted to. I'll see you later." She kissed her cheek, smiling warmly, and turned to go.

"Xena, wait." Mira said, grabbing her wrist briefly. "How is Gabrielle?"

"The doctor said her wounds are healing well."

That wasn't really an answer, Mira noted. She let the warrior have her privacy and moved on to the next thing on her mind. "Listen, I'm sorry I told you like I did. I thought you already knew. I wouldn't have just blurted it out if --"

"No, no." Xena said. "It's fine. I should have known."

"What are you going to do? Have you decided to keep it?"

"That's Gabrielle's decision."

Mira frowned a little. "Don't you have any say in it? You would be raising the child together, wouldn't you?"

"I would gladly be an aunt to the child if Gabrielle decides to keep it. If not, I've offered to find a good family for it. I'll stand by her whatever she decides, but no, I don't have a say in what she does with her child."

Mira shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to press you. Thank you again for coming over. And for the sweets. Send Gabrielle our love."

Xena nodded her goodbye and started down the dark street. Once she was back in the house, Mira shut the door behind her and asked the floor. "Aunt??" Then shook her head quietly and went to tuck her children in.

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Xena started home in the dark, angry at what Mira's words had brought up in her. She had not wanted to think about it, but now it was very clear and very insistent in her mind. She was in danger of losing Gabrielle. If not through the grief of giving up her child, then she ran the risk of Gabrielle wanting to settle down with it in a village somewhere. The likelihood was very high that Gabrielle would not be able to stay with Xena, and the worst part was that Xena had no right to ask her to. It was Gabrielle's wedding night all over again. The warrior eyed the sign at the tavern as she passed, and debated going in before she went home. She made herself walk past, however, in favor of being near her dear friend.

Gabrielle watched the fire Milo had built for her as the sun began to set. He and his dear wife had been very supportive all day, cheering her up with their banter, offering advice when asked. It remained Gabrielle's decision, but as she watched the logs tip and pop as they burned, she knew. There was no way she could bring this child to term, hold it in her arms, and then let it go. She had already lost one child that way, she could not stand to abandon another. Regardless of how they were conceived, they were her children, and she had a responsibility to protect them. Knowing Xena would not push her or try to kill the child this time was a huge help. But there was still one thing she needed before she could really go forward. Her eyes slipped closed as the sky grew dark and she allowed sleep to overcome her troubled mind. Xena would be back soon.