Content Warning: This is a series that takes place between episodes. The stories build upon the TV series and it is advised that you watch the episodes then read the post-episode (this story) in between. Many references by the characters are very specific to the episodes, so you may not get everything unless you watch at the same time or have the episodes memorized. The series does lead to a romantic relationship between two women, so if you don't like it don't read it. Please read at least a few of my episodes to give it a chance; it's my first time writing fiction.
Goal: To create a more realistic fan fiction story than some I have read. No random sex scenes that would never take place in real life 'like that' (aka L Word scenes). You know what I'm talking about... that never happens.
"And Xena gave me the scroll just in time. She saved the day," scoffs happily, "as usual." Gabrielle says to Phillius.
He responds, "She couldn't have done it without you."
Gabrielle considers this briefly then smiles, "You're right." She gently touches his chest, then says "You were almost my first."
"And you were almost mine." He says as he leans in to kiss her. Gabrielle pushes him away gently, touches his face then gets up.
She approaches Xena, "You ready?"
"Will be as soon as you answer one question." She responds.
Gabrielle, "What's that?"
Xena stops fiddling and says, "Why did you risk your life by going into that cavern alone?"
Gabrielle rolls her eyes, "I wanted to make up for what I did so you wouldn't hate me."
"For your information, I could never hate you. Your hearts always in the right place." Xena said.
Gabrielle smiled at this, then suggests, "Even when I tried to rule the world with the Titans?"
"Everybody makes mistakes." She smiles to herself and licks her lips.
"What about the time I got myself kidnapped so I could stop a war?"
Xena says, "Hey that took a lot of guts on your part."
"Well what about when I got your horses reigns tangled?"
Xena turns around to face Gabrielle, "Look the point is we're friends. And we shouldn't let things like that come between us." She smiles, "Come on."
Gabrielle's face lights up at hearing this. She turns to follow Xena out the door. "Gabrielle, don't you ever touch my horse again."
"Right."
----
A few minutes later they are leaving the town behind them. Gabrielle has a silly grin on her face that she can't seem to wipe off. Xena notices, but decides not to comment, knowing that in due time Gabrielle will probably blurt out whatever she is thinking anyway. Xena thinks to herself, I wonder what that giddy little smile is about. Must be about that stupid boy. He wasn't even cute, I don't get why she liked him so much. I'm glad she didn't sleep with him though. I really, really wish she didn't even cuddle with him. That really, hurt. Hurt, Xena? Hurt!? You are such a wimp. It's not like she belongs to me. I don't know why these thoughts keep coming up! Gabrielle would never feel that way about me. I gotta stop this nonsense.
Her thoughts are disrupted by Gabrielle. Xena suspects this conversation will be about that boy. "Xena?"
"Yes Gabrielle?"
"Did you really mean that about not letting little things come between us?"
Xena didn't quite expect this. "Of course I did. And I'm really sorry if you thought I was treating you like a kid. I didn't mean to. I just wanted to... protect you." Gabrielle's smile broadens even more at hearing this. Hmm maybe that was the source of that smile... Nah
Gabrielle reached up and patted Xena's leg and smiled. "Right back at ya."
A while later they reach a valley between two hills. There are some trees and a very small pond of water. Xena knows that there is not another water source for many more miles. "We should stop here for the night. Maybe you can tell me a story tonight? How is that story coming along anyway, the romance story? You have a little experience now, with Phillius, right?" Xena carefully watches the bard's reaction.
Gabrielle lowers her head and smiles to herself, "I still haven't completed it. But maybe I can give you a sneak peak. I remembered a story that is really helping me to make it realistic. I'll go find wood for the fire. Be back shortly."
Xena nods then starts setting up camp. The area looks a little sparse of wildlife, so Xena decides they will just have to eat a trail mix of nuts & dried fruit. Gabrielle is not going to like this. She'll try to be tough about it but I know her stomach is going to be growling all night. I don't want that.. Xena looks around a little more to see if there are any signs of animals in the area. Gabrielle walks back into camp with some wood. She begins to build a fire, when Xena walks over. "You may as well not start that till it gets cooler outside. There is no sign of wildlife around us. I'm not so sure we'll be cooking anything tonight."
A look of concern passes over Gabrielle's features, but then is immediately replaced by a hopeful optimism. "It's ok; we have that trail mix we can eat, right? We'll be ok." She grabs her bedroll from Xena's hands and begins to set it up.
"I was going to do that for you, ya know? It's the least I can do." Xena said.
"What do you mean it's the least you can do? You have saved my life several times. You shouldn't have to do anything. In fact, I should have to do everything for you to pay you back!" Gabrielle grinned at her friend.
"Well I can't get us dinner. And you need to eat, you are getting too skinny." Xena smiled and poked Gabrielle in the ribs making her shriek in laughter. Gabrielle tries poking Xena back but her finger is quickly grabbed and she is pulled close into Xena. Xena feigns seriousness "Don't. You. Even. Think. About. It."
Gabrielle begins to blush being this close to Xena. My gods she is so beautiful. She tries to snap out of it, "Oh is the Warrior Princess afraid of a little tickle fight?"
Xena releases her finger. "Never." She smiles broadly and walks away. "I'm going to check out the area one more time; to make sure that there isn't a rabbit or squirrel or something to feed you with...Skinny."
Gabrielle smiles as Xena walks away. She finishes setting up her bedroll, then grabs Xena's and sets it across the fire in its usual place. Walking over to Argo she gets the brush out of the saddle bag. She begins to brush Argo in long even strokes. This helps her to settle down her thoughts as they have been going so fast in her head she felt like her head was going to explode. "Hey girl. You are one lucky horse you know that? I know you don't like me much, but unless your mom gets tired of me... I'm here to stay. So maybe we ought to be friends." She walks over to the saddle bag and finds one apple. It's their last one. Hmm maybe she'll like this. She puts the apple in front of Argo, who sniffs it then opens her mouth to take a nibble.
"Gabrielle...move that apple away from my horse."
Gabrielle does exactly as told. She looks at Xena with a timid look. "Sorry I just thought she would like an apple." Gabrielle walks away from Argo and puts the brush back in the saddle bag. Xena walks over to Gabrielle and takes the apple out of her hand. "Hey!! Why did you do that?"
Xena pulls out her breast dagger and beings to slice up the apple as she walks over to the fire ring. "Because, YOU are going to eat this apple, not the horse. Start the fire now."
Gabrielle is a little frustrated. She doesn't get why Xena is being so forceful about her eating something. She builds the fire quickly, as she is now use to lighting it every night. Xena walks over with a pan and puts the apple in it. She puts the pan over the fire. "Xena... contrary to popular ex-warlord and warrior tales, apples don't need to be cooked."
Xena looks at her with both eyebrows raise, "I know that Gabrielle. It's a treat. I think you'll like them warm." She winks at Gabrielle. "I didn't find anything to hunt. Sorry, this is all we have for tonight."
After a few moments, the apples are warm and Xena hands a slice to Gabrielle. She takes it with some trepidation, then looks up at Xena. "Are you sure about this?" Xena nods with a grin while watching Gabrielle take a bite. Gabrielle's eyes light up then close as she savors the taste.
"Mmm oh gods that's amazing!" She quickly grabs more of the apple and stuffs it in her mouth. She looks down at the pan and realizes she's eaten all but one slice; Xena has had none. With a full mouth she says, "Swrry.."
Xena lets out a heartfelt chuckle, "It's ok my friend. Here have the last one. I'm happy with trail mix." At first it appears that Gabrielle will refuse, but her stomach growls. She gives in. After Xena and her share some trail mix, they sit around the fire. Xena begins her ritual of sharpening her sword. "Alright, bard. Let's hear it. I've been waiting all evening!"
Gabrielle is a little startled at Xena's eagerness. "Ok, well like I said...I'll just give you peak. Really all I'm going to tell you is the story that is giving me the romantic material to work from. Ah hem.. It was once said that people had four legs and two heads and were in fact what we would think of as two people. These beings were not just of one gender. Some were all male beings; others were all female; the last was both male and female. Because of their united strength and determination to take over the gods, Zeus decided to separate them so that they would become weaker apart. For their strength was in their shared bond. Each half, then, had two legs and one head. But the separation left both sides with a desperate yearning to be reunited; because they each shared the same soul. And ever since then, all people spend their lives searching for the other half of their soul. It is also said that when the two people find each other, they never again want to be separated. "
Xena was intrigued, so much so that she had stopped sharpening her blade. "That's quite a story Gabrielle. Where did you hear that?"
"It's a story from Plato's Symposium. I've always loved that story. Where I lack the history of love in my life, I find that this story can give me the right material to base my love story on. Silly huh?" She asks shyly.
"No! Not at all. It's a good story to base yours on. I like it. So do you know who your characters are going to be?" Xena was very amazed to hear that one of Gabrielle's favorite stories had soul mates of the same gender. That was the last thing she expected.
Gabrielle replied, "Well, I'm still working on that. The story may end up being terrible anyway, so don't count on ever hearing it. Ok?"
Xena looked up, "Oh. I..alright I guess. If that's what you want then I won't expect to hear it from you." Xena is slightly hurt. And it shows. She puts her sword away in silence then gets into her roll and turns away from Gabrielle.
Gabrielle decides not to push the issue further as she is too tired. As she tries to sleep her thoughts turn to Phillius. I can't believe he was almost my first. He was really sweet, but now as I look back, I think Xena was right to be worried. He wasn't right for me and it would have been a mistake. She actually seemed really hurt when she saw us cuddling. I wonder why? Was she that worried that I would have had sex with him? Was she jealous somehow? It almost seemed like that. Though, I cannot imagine Xena jealous of anyone or anything, especially of me having a little romance. I wonder if she really has been with women. Gods her comment that day about "who said it was a him". I could have died right there! Hmm... I do wonder though. Oh well, I can't get experience for my story if I don't try in the love department right? Right.
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Beginning of Episode 8 (15 days later):
It's morning. Four bandits with swords spot Xena and Gabrielle's camp. They approach somewhat quietly. One moves forward toward Xena's bedroll. He strikes her with his sword and shouts "I killed Xena, Warrior Princess!!" He picks up the head to find that it's a watermelon.
"Yihhiya" Xena yells as she jumps from the tree and kicks him in the face. She begins taking down each of the men. Meanwhile Gabrielle sleeps through all the noise, plus men falling behind her. Xena beats them all down, but one gets a knife thrown at him in the throat by one of his comrades. Xena goes to him and says, "I can still save your worthless hide if you just hold still. Gabrielle!"
Gabreille stirs in her sleep, "Alright." Then her head plops back down to her arm.
"Gabrielle!" Xena yells.
"Alright," she starts sitting up with her eyes closed, "I was in the middle of the best.." she pauses as she opens her eyes and sees the mess around her. "I missed something."