It was a beautiful evening. The sun was setting and colourful clouds filled the sky. Gabrielle loved these moments. She could appreciate the simple and almost miraculous aspects of the human life. The sound of the wind, the colours nature could create and all the animals around them no matter if it was a bird flying freely among the clouds or a sheep in one of the gardens in the village. Every living being was something that she considered sacred. She felt blessed to be alive and experience all of this and more. Her heart was loving and her soul was as pure as the water in the mountains. Gabrielle never thought about people being something more than animals or other living creatures on this world. Everyone was equal and she tried to teach her students and nurses in the hospice to see the world in the same way. Sometimes it was hard and sometimes it was even harder. But when she saw someone who was hurt and could get past the pain and opened their heart, it was something that was worth fighting for.

Gabrielle was standing outside in front of her hospice looking at the sky where stars started to appear slowly. Her hand rested on the soft skin of her neck, her mind was lost in thoughts and feelings. She was confused. Everytime she closed her eyes she saw her parents, heard Xena's battle cry and then there was only blood. She shook her head to leave these memories where they couldn't hurt her enymore because it was very painful to go through them. Xena's eyes appeared again in her mind but this time she didn't see evil. She felt pain, hurt and emptiness. She remembered the warrior's look when she released the pinch and gave Gabrielle another chance at life. There was hope and even though Gabrielle couldn't admit it to herself at first she heard Xena's heart calling for help. Right after she ran out of the room and left Xena she decided not to go back there and treat her. Her heart told her it was dangerous. But now when she listens to what the little voice in her heart is saying everything seems to be different. Gabrielle said her thanks to the god of life and love, turned around and went to grab some new bandages and herbs. She decided to go to check up on Xena.

When she entered the room something felt off or different. Her legs led her to Xena's bed and when her eyes landed on Xena's body, she realized what made her feel so weird. The warrior's body was covered with sweat, she was shaking and it looked like she was in a fever coma.

„I need help here! And bring more bandages and cold water!" her voice was not soft but changed into harsh scream. This never happened to her before. She felt strange, like if loosing Xena was something she would not survive. She started running around the warrior's body checking her wounds if any of them got infected. She found it. One of the biggest wounds on her belly was swollen and filled with puss. She took the old bandages off. When one of the nurses came to Xena's bed with a small tub filled with water, Gabrielle used it to clean the wound.

„I need the non-inflammatory herbs from the laboratory!" she yelled. The nurse jumped a bit at how Gabrielle was acting but didn't hesitate to carry out the order. It felt like a whole year passed till the nurse came with what Gabrielle asked for. She took the herbs, put them into the wound and covered it with new bandages. Then she started to prepare a solution from the herbs to use it as a medicine.

„Soak all the left bandages in water and place it all over Xena's body'" she gave another order and watched the nurse. When the nurse was finished she asked her to leave her and her patient.

„Thank you,Sia," Gabrielle whispered and when the nurse left, she sat down on one of the chairs she pulled closer to Xena's body. There was no other person who needed her attention as much as Xena now. So she decided to stay by her bed until her patient wakes up. She had the medicine ready. Now it was only the matter of waiting.

„I am.." Xena opened her mouth and tried to speak but her voice failed her. She started coughing. Her body was still shaking. Gabrielle jumped up on her feet and moved closer to Xena's head to hear her properly.

„Ssshh, please, calm down," Gabrielle said, her voice soft and calm again. Gabrielle was a very experienced healer and she knew exactly what was wrong with Xena. She grabbed some blankets from the table standing close by. Her small hands were working smoothly and quickly. She removed all the cold bandages from Xena's body and put the blankets over the trembling warrior. Then she took the cup with the herbs and went to stand next to Xena's head. She slid one of her hands under Xena's head and moved the cup to her lips.

„You need to drink this. It will help you with the inflammation," she explained and raised Xena's head so she could reach the cup and drink without choking. Xena didn't protest against anything Gabrielle did. She either had no strength or she just accepted Gabrielle's help and gave in completely. Her warrior heart told her to trust her. So she did.

„I am cold," Xena finally finished the sentence when her condition got a little bit better. Gabrielle knew that no matter how many blankets she would be hid under she would still feel cold. The blond healer had another idea on how to make the warrior warm. She moved to one side of Xena's bed and started rubbing the covers against Xena's skin which made some more heat in her muscles and made the blood flow faster. It didn't take long and the shivering ceased. Xena calmed down and Gabrielle could ease a bit, sit down and be there in case there is another change in the warrior's condition.

„You keep coming back," Xena mumbled through her lips. It felt like her body was on fire and there was probably no part that would not be in pain. Xena's powerful mind pushed everything aside and focused on Gabrielle.

„You are my patient," she answered and raised her head to face Xena. Gabrielle's voice revealed so much to Xena that the blonde didn't even have to try to hide it. It was useless.

„No, there is something else," Xena teasingly answered and moved a little so her body could get to a different pose. She felt stiff. There she was again, playing mind games. It was one of her tactics to get to know her enemy better before she could use him and use all that she knew in her profit. But Gabrielle wasn't someone who she should fight with. She was about to do it, anyway.

„There is something about me that invites you in. Is it my dark side?" Xena continued in the conversation. Now she was curious about the healer's reaction. She blinked and her eyes focused more on Gabrielle's face. Gabrielle's heart started beating faster and Xena could hear it.

„That's not it," Gabrielle whispered and lowered her gaze so now she was watching her feet moving nervously on the ground, kicking the sand. Very inconspicuous.

„It's like if you knew you could outrun me or that I could not hurt you. I like playing games and this one is a new one," Xena said excitedly.

„I am not here to play games with you .. at least not games like this. I am here to heal your wounds and help you find yourself again. You seem lost to me, your heart is empty. You think that the only feeling you can feel is the feeling of fear, anger and pain but that's not true. We all are capable to feel love. It's just that many of us close their own hearts because they got hurt and then they hurt everyone around them no matter if they deserve it or don't!" Gabrielle raised from the chair. Her body was filled with emotions she had troubles to control. On the other hand she was glad that she was strong enough to say these words out loud. Xena needed to hear them. If there was at least a slight chance to open the warrior's heart this moment felt like that right one to start at. Gabrielle felt it that way. She turned around and left the room. She left Xena with the words she just said and gave her some time to think. To feel.

TBC