Author's Note: This is the sequel to Last Chance in which I'd love to edit, but I refuse to at the moment. Last Chance was written several years ago and requires a lot of work.

Chapter One

Xena awakened to the pitter patter of raindrops as they fell on the roof of the hut. Not wanting to disturb Gabrielle, she got up quietly to close the window shutters before the interior of the hut flooded. Quietly, she slipped back onto the pallet next to her love, tugging Gabrielle gently back into her embrace.

"Xena?" Gabrielle whispered, opening one eye.

"Everything's fine, little one. It's raining and I closed the shutters."

"I thought it was the baby again," Gabrielle replied softly as she got comfortable in Xena's warm embrace. Baby Elysia had already been up twice, crying for her milk. Xena was a light sleeper, so she would bring the infant to Gabrielle who would nurse her back to sleep. Their roles were reversed this time, for the most part, since it had been Xena who'd had the duty of feeding Solan.

"No babies are awake right now. It's just you and me." Xena spoke as her hand glided down Gabrielle's bare thigh. The one she loved wasn't wearing much beneath the blanket. Xena could hear Solan snoring in his little bed, exhausted from the fun day they'd experienced earlier.

"I guess it's time to go back to life as usual now, since the honeymoon is over."

"Nahhh. We can make it go on as long as you want," Xena said as she gave Gabrielle a little squeeze.

"I'm glad the babies are sleeping. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Gabrielle sounded so serious, making Xena freeze. They had finally settled down and found so much happiness. She knew they had a great deal to discuss, but often the words wouldn't come as though they were both holding back something hidden deep inside their souls.

"What is it?" Xena said, trepidition creeping into her voice. It was as if the past and who she had been was lying right underneath the surface in every conversation they ever had. They never talked about it. Deep in her heart Xena felt it wasn't right that she had come out unscathed after all the atrocities she had committed as The Desroyer of Nations and the harm she had inflicted on Gabrielle.

Gabrielle wondered about the change in Xena's voice and the tightening in her muscles as she held her close. "Everything's alright. I just wonder if you... Well, if you like it here, because of who you are...?"

"What do you mean 'who I am'?' Xena asked in confusion. "Because we are living around dozens of half-naked women? Are you afraid I am gonna cheat on you?"

"No!" Gabrielle said in a little gasp, trying to keep her voice low, so they wouldn't awaken Solan and Elysia. "That's not it at all. Do you think I am gonna cheat on you, just because we live here with all these Amazons?"

Xena shook her head, trying to clear it. "No, I would kill anyone who touched you," Xena said fiercely. "And we made those vows to each other..."

"Exactly. I wouldn't cheat. That's not what I meant at all. Living here, the two of us and our babies; I just hope it's enough for you. You have wanderlust... as well as bloodlust..."

The last word trailed away as Xena looked deep into Gabrielle's eyes in the near darkness. "I know you, Xena. And I just want you to be happy. As happy as I am."

"I guess you do know me. Better than anyone. I am happy, Gabrielle. I love you. I love our babies. I am so happy. You'll never know how much it meant to me when you said you'd become my lifemate. But you're right. I haven't settled down anywhere. I have been conquering nations... but I've given all that up. I gave it up for you. Because I love you."

Xena's voice broke a little bit as Gabrielle softly caressed her cheek. "Are you sure you want to stay?"

"Right now it's the safest place for you and our children. We are safe from my enemies, from Ares, or whomever might try to cause harm. I just want you to be safe... to feel safe."

"I feel so safe in your arms," Gabrielle said as she lay her head against Xena's chest, listening to her heartbeat.

"This is where we belong. And besides, if I want to kill something, I'll just wander off into the woods and I'll go hunting. I'll bring food back to the village. And one day, we'll go on an adventure again, when our children are a little older."

"What kind of adventure?" Gabrielle asked with a tiny yawn.

"I'll think of something," Xena promised. "But for now, let's get some sleep. The babies will be up before long. Then we'll be busy."

Gabrielle heard the sound of the rain against the top of the hut as Xena lovingly caressed her hair. Once again she thanked the Gods for bringing Xena back to her. They'd been through so much and she never wanted to lose her beloved again. "I love you, Xena," she said before she closed her eyes to sleep.

~~X~~~~X~~

A baby's cry took Gabrielle from her sleep. She sat up on the pallet, noticing immediately that Xena was gone. After getting dressed in fresh clothing, she hurried to baby Elysia's cradle, not wanting her to awaken Solan who was slumbering in contentment.

Gazing at her daughter, Gabrielle caressed the infant's raven hair. "Hello, sweet girl," she said as she tenderly lifted the baby into her embrace. Elysia continued to fuss as Gabrielle sat down on the pallet and freed her breast to nurse her daughter. As she fed the baby, she was marveling at what a miracle she and Xena had created with Aphrodite's help. She tried not to worry about Ares' threats when it came to Elysia, but often they'd creep in, making Gabrielle shudder.

"Don't you worry, my precious angel. I'll never let him or anyone else harm you," Gabrielle crooned.

After Elysia had her breakfast, Gabrielle placed the infant into her cradleboard, strapping her in securely. When she stepped outside she was met by the morning sunshine. The earth was slightly damp from last night's rain which made the green grass glisten. It was a beautiful day.

Gabrielle took a seat outside on a log as she started a fire, Elysia's cradleboard strapped to her back. The baby gurgled. Gabrielle wouldn't go far as she waited for Solan to awaken. Her mind wandered to Xena as she wondered where her beloved had gone. *She's probably fishing,* Gabrielle thought as her stomach grumbled.

At that moment, Xena walked out of the trees. carrying a line of damp fish in which she brought over to Gabrielle. "Breakfast," she said. "Much better than anything the Amazons might have whipped up. I can't stand their cooking. I only like yours."

After setting the fish aside, Xena gave Gabrielle a soft kiss after she took a seat on the log next to her lifemate. "I was wondering where you had gone off to," Gabrielle said with a smile. "And I was getting kind of hungry."

"Of course. You're always hungry. I didn't want to leave you like that... looking all beautiful and sexy tangled up with me in bed. But I knew I better get us something to eat, so I had to do it. Tonight though, after the babies are fast asleep, I think we should..."

"Have wild, uninhibited sex?" Gabrielle finished, a little smirk on her face.

"Let's make the honeymoon go on forever," Xena breathed, her lips capturing Gabrielle's for a steamy kiss.

The fire was burning brightly, but it wasn't near as hot as that kiss. Gabrielle pulled away slowly, because as much as she was hungry for Xena's kisses, she was in great need of some nourishment. "I better get our breakfast started," she said, as she stared at Xena's kissable lips.

At that exact moment, Elysia let out a gurgle, making her presence known. Xena smiled at the baby as she worked to withdraw her from the cradleboard. "I'll hold our little princess so you can cook the fish," Xena said as she cuddled Elysia in her arms. The baby's blue/green eyes sparkled as she looked up at her mother.

"Her eyes..." Xena said as she gazed in awe at the baby. "They are the perfect blend of yours and mine. She has my hair, but her smile is yours."

"I think she also has my nose."

"Well, we know for sure she has your appetite. Waking us up two or three times at night, always wanting to be cuddled and fed. You're a hungry little thing, aren't you?" Xena crooned affectionately to her daughter.

"Aphrodite did good."

"She gave us this gift because of our love for one another. I know I don't deserve it, but you do."

Gabrielle was preparing the fish for cooking. She looked up at Xena as she placed the frying pan in the flames. "Don't say you don't deserve it, Xena. You do. I love you... and so do both of our children."

Xena said nothing, just stared into Gabrielle's eyes, her heart aching. She then looked at the baby, kissing her tenderly on her tiny forehead. "It's a gift I'll always treasure, this family I have been given, you and our children... whether I deserve it or not."

She then stood up from the log carrying Elysia. She went into the hut to check on Solan. He had just awakened and was playing with his toes. "Hello, little man," Xena said to her firstborn.

She changed the baby boy and dressed him, then carried both children outside into the sunshine. "Mama," Solan called out when he saw Gabrielle.

"Good morning, Solan," Gabrielle said. After Xena returned to her place on the log, Gabrielle reached over to give Solan a tender kiss. He kept reaching for her, but Gabrielle explained that she was cooking and the fire was too hot.

Xena was left juggling the two babies, but she did it so expertly, as if the ex-Destroyer of Nations had been a mother all of her adult life. Before meeting Gabrielle, she never thought something as incredible as parenthood and falling in love could happen to someone like her. It hadn't even crossed her mind. She had been so ruthless, selfish, and driven. She was loving this life so much better and she didn't want to lose it, but there was many times she feared that she would.

When Solan squirmed, wanting Gabrielle, Xena distracted him. After awhile, he calmed, looking over at his baby sister, whom he still wasn't quite sure about since the infant got so much attention and all of that had once been his. "Solan, are you hungry?" Xena asked her son. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Gabrielle had mixed up some biscuits, adding them in the pan next to the pieces of fish. Soon she had everything ready. She reached for a plate, placing the food onto it carefully so it could cool. "It will be ready to eat soon. It smells so great."

Xena placed Elysia in her cradleboard, propping it up against the nearby tree. She could concentrate on Solan exclusively now, since he was able to eat tiny bits of solid food. Every now and then, he still wanted to nurse, but it wasn't often. Her baby boy was soon to become a toddler.

Moments later, Xena placed some fish into Solan's little mouth. "Mmmm," Solan said happily, approving of his breakfast.

Gabrielle laughed softly as she too was enjoying their meal. "This is definitely better than anything the Amazons make," Gabrielle admitted. "But don't tell Ephiny or any of the others."

"We'll keep that our secret," agreed Xena.

After they had taken their fill of fish and biscuits, Xena placed the plate aside. "Thank you for catching the fish," Gabrielle said.

"Thank you for cooking it."

"What would you like to do today?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena shrugged. "I say we stay inside and cuddle. It might rain again."

There wasn't a cloud in the sky but Gabrielle agreed. "You never know. It may rain."

"I hope it does. Maybe we'll have a rainbow, right up there in the sky."

"I'd love to see that."

Quietly they worked together to clean up their dishes. After Gabrielle put them away, Xena reached for Elysia's cradleboard. "Family time," Xena said as she and Gabrielle entered the hut.

"Should we open the shutters?"

"Maybe one or two, in back of the hut. Don't want to be disturbed."

Before opening the shutters, Xena set Solan down so he could play on his sleeping pallet. In no time at all, he had crawled over to Gabrielle. He reached up to her, eager to be held. Gabrielle took Solan in her arms, kissing his little blond head. "I'm going to write a letter to my sister. I promised I would write," Gabrielle said, reaching for a scroll as she took her place at the table. Xena slid the quill and ink over to Gabrielle. Xena then withdrew Elysia from the cradleboard and placed her in her little bed. Elysia let out a tiny yawn from her rosebud lips as she closed her gorgous aquamarine eyes.

"Sleep well, tiny Princess," Xena said as she stroked the infant's cheek.