Disclaimer: In chapter 1.

Author's Notes: The tale continues. We have a few things to do before this story wraps up. Here's a little scene to quack you up. Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favouriting and following "Hero".

Also: If you want a Xena magnet go to Shipper Haven on Facebook and follow the link to their eBay page. Mine is on my fridge already. They have quite a good selection.

They travelled north. Although Regina and Xena didn't believe what Ares had said about the way back being in a forest between the cliffs and the lost city, it was the only lead they had for now. There was a town not far from them that was a hub for temples to the Gods. Perhaps one of them knew of something that could help them, and Hera was always dabbling in mystical phenomena.

On the second night after leaving the lake they made camp near a stream so the group had a chance to bathe. It was decided that Emma and Regina would go first, while Xena and Gabrielle set up the camp and Joxer collected firewood. Then the other women would go while Regina looked over the food that Gabrielle would start and Emma would keep Joxer from touching it, lest they get food poisoning again. Then finally Joxer would bathe while the women had a chance to discuss their travel plans in more detail.

It was a good plan. Except for a stubborn former Queen…

"I don't need to bathe," Regina insisted. "I can refresh myself with magic."

Xena and Gabrielle exchanged a look, while Emma held out her hands in an attempt to placate the woman. "I'm sure you can, Regina, but you said it yourself: magic works differently here. It hurts you."

Regina lifted her chin in defiance, "Fine. But we'll be in town soon and I'm sure they will have bathing facilities there."

Xena tugged Gabrielle to her feet and muttered something about more kindling.

Emma watched them go and then turned back to Regina with a wicked smirk. She couldn't help herself. "Oh, I see. I understand why you don't want to go."

Regina looked up quickly, alarm flashed ever so briefly before her indifferent façade returned. "There is nothing to understand, Miss Swan."

"You're afraid."

"Don't be absurd!" Regina turned her back to the blonde.

"You are," Emma insisted. "It's ok Regina. You're allowed to be afraid. Personally I would have picked something a little more dangerous than ducks, but…"

"I am not frightened to clean myself in a stream!" Regina snapped. "I just don't see the need to at this particular moment. And I'll have you know, Miss Swan, that those creatures happen to be very ferocious under the right circumstances," she declared with conviction.

Emma stifled a giggle. "Are you telling me that the woman who had a whole kingdom bow before her in fear is afraid of a iddy biddy duckling?"

Regina huffed, "I'm not af…"

"Quack!" Emma put her hands on her hips and flapped her elbows back and forth, "Quack, quack, quack."

"Miss Swan!" Regina stomped her foot.

"Quack, quack, quack."

Regina's voice quivered as she squeezed her eyes shut, "… Emma, please stop."

"Qu…" Emma looked at her as soon as the words registered. "What did you say?"

"Please stop." Regina tried to hold her shoulders in a show of strength, despite of the plea she had uttered seconds ago.

"No, before that."

"Emma…"

"Ok," Emma let her arms drop to her sides and turned to their gear on Argo's saddle. She untied their bag and carried it towards the streamed. "Come on, Your Majesty. I'm not going to sleep next to a stinky person."

Regina stared in shock at the audacity of Emma's statement. I do not smell! But she followed anyway, her feet falling in small thuds as she pouted. If it were anyone else… Regina frowned. If it were anyone else she would have made them pay for such insolence. Instead she was giving in. Am I? A small thought penetrated her annoyance. Maybe Emma wasn't trying to openly defy her, maybe she was just concerned about her hygiene. Regina conceded, knowing that hygiene had always been of great importance to herself.

Getting into the water was easier this time. Since breaking Aphrodite's obsession spell they had developed this unspoken companionship, and had begun working well together regardless of the task: starting the fire, collecting wood, packing up the camp. They turned their backs to undress and while they got into the water. Neither noticed the furtive glances to the other though.

Regina kept a keen eye on the water this time. She would not be surprised and embarrassed again. Her cheeks flushed at the memory of the first and only time they had bathed together in a stream. She tried not to stare at Emma as she half floated on the surface. Her legs were purchased around a rock on the bottom, and her arms swept out lazily from her torso. Her eyes were closed, Regina noted. And she could see… Don't look! Regina's eyes snapped around to the other shoreline.

Emma sighed contently, letting the fatigue of her muscles and the sweat be washed away with the current. She'd been acutely aware of how many push ups and sit ups she had done when the spell had been broken. Her muscles screamed their displeasure and had been aching since. A small smile graced her lips, "It's like the Elysian fields." Emma opened her eyes and then pulled her body back under the surface. "Do you think we'd end up there?"

Regina half turned with a raised eyebrow. "You, maybe. Not me. Only heroes wind up there." She shuddered, and would swear to a chill in the water instead of the terror at thinking of Emma dying. She frowned, "Dead heroes."

Emma smirked, "Dead naked heroes."

Regina let out a laugh before she could stop herself. She shook her head and sent a splash in Emma's direction. She gasped when she felt one returned, and she turned to see the mischievous grin on Emma's face. Two can play at that game, Regina vowed. She cupped her hand out to her side and swiped an arc of water towards Emma. It landed over her face, but she just shook it off and continued to grin as she splashed back.