Part 2

I finished my bath and got up to dry off just as the door burst open. "What the-" I said, one hand on my linen wrap and the other reaching for my staff, all as my body turned around.

"You let me go down there in this?!" She screeched at me, gesturing with her hands to her shift.

"Um.." I said, not knowing how to respond.

"Do you know what three of those guys tried to do to me?" she said, shutting the door behind her and stalking across the room.

"Something I probably would have done?" I asked with a half grin. She stopped in mid stride and turned to look at me, her jaw hanging down. I sniggered at her. "Well, its true," I said with a chuckle. "That shift isn't very demure and it isn't hard to notice that you're body is quite close to Aphrodite's," I said, trying to reach behind her and grab my leggings. It had started to snow again and there was no way I was wearing a skirt through snow drifts up to my knees. "Move," I muttered as she stood between me and my clothes.

She reached behind herself and snatched my clothing. "After you forgot to remind me about being in only a shift, I should send you down to the market to get new clothes wearing only that towel."

"You wouldn't dare," I replied, trying to get the clothes.

She waggled her eyebrows at me and raised her arms bringing the clothes over her head and too high for me to get.

Her upraised arms lifted the hem of her shirt quite a bit and I averted my eyes. "Xena," I said, trying to get some liquid back into my suddenly dry throat.

"Sorry," she muttered, tossing me my clothes.

"With the way we're acting, someone would think that we'd never been naked around each other before," I said.

"Things change," she said cryptically.

"They have, haven't they?"

"If you're turning beat red because my shirt rode up, yeah, things have changed."

I stepped into my leggings. "Do you mind?" She frowned at me. "Things have changed. Do you mind that?"

"No. I think it can only be better from here," She said with a smile, kissing me soundly after I pulled my top over my head.

"I think you're right," I said, allowing my hands to travel around her waist and pull her in closer. A small bit of pressure at the back of her neck and all thoughts of going to the market vanished as our lips met.

"We should go," she said after a few minutes more of the seeking kisses.

"Yeah," I said, kissing her again. "Do you really want to?" I asked, one hand on the back of her neck and the other resting on her hip and playing with the fabric that lay under my fingers.

"Not really."

"Me neither," I said, suckling on the skin under her jaw. "It's cold out," I muttered.

"Sure is," she said, playing with the back of my tunic.

"But you're hungry," I said, trying to pull back from the wonderfully sweet skin that I had been feasting on.

"I'll get over it," she said, putting her hands under my tunic and tracing the muscles up and down my back in a very exciting way.

I frowned at her, trying to weigh my obvious desire for her against the growing hunger in both our stomachs.

"We should eat," I said again, looking at her beautiful cerulean eyes and knowing I could happily go days without food if we were to continue our current line of activities.

"We should," she agreed but neither of us really had any appetite for food right now and she knew it.

"We're pathetic," I said with a chuckle that ended up as a full out bout of giggles and soon she joined in with her own happy chuckles. I pulled back, patting her on the chest as I turned around. "Get dressed. I'm hungry and so are you. We'll go down to the market for a little bit."

I tossed her the leggings that had been put on the trunk last night and moved to grab my comb to untangle me damp hair.

"Thanks," she said, catching the pants in mid air and stepping into them. She shed her shift for the long sleeved tunic I had set out for her and dressed herself with only a few sparse coughs to be heard throughout.

I set a pot of water on to boil, hoping the steam would be thick enough to alleviate some of her discomfort upon our return. "Remind me to pick up some of those leaves you gave me last time I was sick, ok?" I said to her as she finished dressing.

"I'll be fine, Gabrielle," she groaned just as bout of coughing overtook her and made her grab the end of the bed frame in support.

"Apparently, you won't be fine," I commented, making her sit so I could put her boots on. "I know you're not going to stop pestering me until we go for a walk outside. That's the only reason I'm letting you go out, mind you," I said, frowning at her from the floor. She scowled back, still coughing. "You know, you're the only person I've ever met who can give me that look while coughing that hard," I teased, tickling her foot lightly before sliding the other boot on.

Once her breath had been caught, she gave me her "look" and muttered, "You're no help."

"Oh really?" I asked, standing and offering her a had up. "I thought I was very helpful to you. I cook, I clean, I wash, and all for nothing. I feel very unappreciated .Oh gods, Xena, I'm starting to sound like my mother," I groaned, smacking my forehead. She chuckled, reaching for my cloak. "Here you go, mom," she teased, clasping it in the front for me as I reached for her cloak to do the same.

"Thank you, Princess," I said, teasing her with the name that only I was allowed to use. "You're going to get me in trouble with that one day," she said as I did the clasp to her cloak.

"Me? Get you into trouble? I think not," I said sarcastically. "I never get you into trouble, Xena. I don't even know how to start trouble!"

She snickered and I chuckled as I took her elbow to help steady her and we walked out of the room. I took my staff and she had taken her boot daggers as well as her breast dagger. It was odd how we both felt somewhat naked without our weapons nearby, but it was a occupational hazard that couldn't be avoided.

"So we're looking for what again?" She asked as we stepped out of the warm in into the frigid white of the snow covered market place.

"I think we were going looking for roasted chestnuts," I reminded. "But I'll entertain requests."

"I do have a request," she said as we wove slowly through the milling crowd.

"What's that?" I asked, leading her away from the baker's cart full of sticky buns as well as the pot-sticker merchant.

"I wanna go check on Argo."

"She was scheduled in for a visit on our way back," I replied with a laugh, "Someone might mistake that look of want for you missing her, Xena," I teased, my arm sliding around her waist and pulling her closer as we mingled in and out of the merchants and shoppers.

"She's very special!"

"Yes, Xena, we all know how much you love your pony," I said cynically.

"Hey!" she said, poking me in the side with the strong hand which had woven around my back and now rested on my ribcage. "Watch how you talk about my horse!"

"Watch where you poke me!" I retorted, poking her back and watching her squirm.

"Oh!" she said, having spotted the merchant with the beef jerky. Her body started heading that way and I tried to stop her by digging my heels in and refusing to move.

"Xena. No!" I said, pulling back on her cloak.

"But, Gabrielle," she whined.

"No!"

"But."

"No, Xena. You're still sick. No."

"Aww.." she whined, really starting to put on her pouty face.

"NO!"

"You're so mean!" she said. I had to do a double take to make sure she hadn't stamped her foot like a toddler.

"I know. But you love me for it, don't you?" I asked sarcastically as I walked along, practically dragging her away from the meat merchant's stand. "Come on," I said, stopping to buy two servings of roasted nuts. Even before we turned the corner to the stables, you could smell horse. And while I'm not normally a horse-lover, the smell of warmth, hay, and horse was reassuring in a way.

"Hey girl," Xena responded to a welcoming snort from Argo. I chuckled and sat down on a bale of hay while Xena went over to check on her horse. Munching on my package of nuts, aware of the sweet tang they left in my mouth, I watched her sway with dizziness and turn her head so as not to cough on the mare.

"You done?" I asked after a few minutes of her crooning to the attentive horse. She looked like she would fall over right there, but trying to make her rush wouldn't help things any.

"I haven't seen her in a whole moon, Gabrielle!" She said, Argo nickering in agreement.

"She'll wait till tomorrow," I said, having already paid the bill with the livery owner. She frowned at me, scratching Argo's forehead. "You're mean. You're depriving me of quality time with my horse."

"Not mean, Xena, selfish. I just want you all to myself," I said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and I chuckled, standing up and offering her a few pieces of nut. Argo butted her head into Xena's chest, causing a bit of coughing. I rolled my eyes at the horse and steadied Xena while she fought with her lungs.

"Come on, I hear a bed calling my name," she commented, settling a weary arm over my shoulders as she gave Argo one last pat before heading back to the inn with me.

"Ow," I groaned, turning and getting the dead weight, formally known as the Destroyer of Nations, off my shoulders.

"More tired than I thought," she said in a very drained voice that she tried to hide with a chuckle.

"More heavy than I thought!" I teased, pulling her boots off and going through much the same undressing ritual as we had the night before. She frowned and managed to muster the strength to hurl a pillow at my head causing me to yell "Hey!" in a very outraged tone.

"What?" She said, trying to play innocent, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"You know, I could always let you get undressed all by yourself!"

"Now that wouldn't be any fun, would it?" she asked, grabbing my wrists and pulling me in for a quick yet searing kiss.

"I suppose not," I agreed, enjoying the tang the roasted nuts had left behind.

A few moments turned into a section of time that, as other moments with Xena have, would forever remain a part of my soul. Her lips and mine tangled amongst each other, chasing and testing and tasting.

Boundaries were forgotten and smooth skin was explored by warm hands. My fingers found small areas of skin that had otherwise been left alone and her strong touch traced paths up and down my back, leaving paths of both chills and fire in their wake.

Her breath grew shorter, as did mine, and while I didn't want to stop this session of discovery, I realized that this wasn't the best time to continue this kind of exploration. She was far from well and I was sure to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, middle of the day or not.

"We should stop," I managed to gasp out, though I couldn't refrain from stealing a few more tasty kisses before pulling back.

"Do we have to?" She asked, seeming to enjoy herself more than I had anticipated.

"We really should."

She moaned a bit before finally ceasing in her fiercely passionate assault on my lips. "You're no fun," she said, flopping back onto a nearby pillow.

"You're not healthy," I said, leaning back and pulling her tunic the rest of the way off.

She scowled again, causing me to chuckled.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that! If you were healthy, you could spend all week kissing me like that without any objections from me. But you're not, Xena, and I'm not willing to risk your health for a few moments of extraordinary kisses."

"Extraordinary?" She said, opening an eye and raising a brow all in one motion.

I flushed, and got up to fold her tunic while she put on her sleeping shift. "Isn't that what you'd call it?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah," she said with a smile before she pulled her shirt over her head. "Just surprised that you would."

"Why?"

"Dunno. Just never thought I was your type, I suppose," she said, only half joking.

"And what did you think was my type?" I asked with a chuckle as I set the spare package of roasted nuts on the bedside table and began to pack our things, merely out of habit.

She frowned a moment before opening her mouth to speak.

"Oh, wait, let me guess," I said, walking over and resting a few fingers on her lips. Fingers she didn't hesitate to kiss. "A tall blonde farmer from Potedia or some other back-woods village? Or a fellow bard with a heart condition? How about a crusader with a sling shot who believes in "one true god?" Are those who you think my types are?" I asked her, glaring just a bit.

"Yeah," she admitted somewhat sheepishly, "I suppose so."

"Well, you are quite wrong, Warrior Princess. You are my type. You're my best friend, Xena. That in itself makes you the cream of the crop. You're devoted and giving and kind-"

"You're making me sound like a family pet," she interrupted.

I chuckled. "Nope. Much more attractive than a family pet. And besides, they slobber. You're much more attentive with your kisses," I teased, leaning in for one of the kisses I had just spoken of. I sat back and struggled out of my warm leggings, tossing them onto the floor and not caring where they landed. She waggled an eyebrow at me, something she had been doing all day. "Enough of that," I chastised, poking her on the tip of her beautiful nose. I struggled out of my top and managed to put on a shift even if not before she was able to slide curious fingers across my bare ribs. She poked her tongue out at me and I leaned down, inviting it into my own mouth eagerly. Upon the release of my captor, she pushed my shoulders up and looked at me in an odd way. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Why?" I asked, stroking her jaw-line with my fingertips.

"Because its remarkable!" I blushed. "Glad you think so," I said, leaning down to nibble on the same path my fingers had just abandoned.

"Are you going to sleep tonight?"

"When I'm done here," I managed to say between tastes. Her skin was so clean and appetizing that I really didn't want to stop my mouth from testing every portion. This was the point of control that I teetered on every time I touched her. Every time we made contact, I stood on this same cliff, unsure if I could stop myself from going over the edge. And not knowing if I wanted to stop myself.

She managed to stifle a moan as I suckled on her pulse point. "And when do you think you'll be done?" she whispered as I ran my fingers along her collar bone.

I stopped and looked up at her. "About now, I suppose."

"You are so cruel," she said to me, pulling me in for another seriously ardent kiss before letting me go.

"Oh yeah, as if I like stopping anymore than you do," I commented, tossing her a saucy look before rolling off the hips I had been straddling. "So why did you?" She asked me as I lay down next to her on the bed, my head resting against a warm shoulder.

I blushed and turned my head, burying it "Because. if I hadn't have stopped, I don't know if I could have."

She snickered. "At least we have the same effect on each other."

I glanced up at her, a questioning look plain on my face. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah. When you kiss me like that, Gabrielle, I think the word `control' leaves my vocabulary."

I smiled. "That's nice to know. Makes me feel better about you being so addictive."

She chuckled. "Now, I've been called many things, but I don't think addictive is one of them."

"Well you definitely are," I said to her, my fingers making small patterns in the fabric that covered her belly.

She snickered again and tried to stifle a yawn. I sighed, debating letting it pass or not. Not. "Tired much?" I asked her, taking my other hand and pushing the hair from her face.

"Not really," she lied.

"I am," I said, trying to kick the covers up higher so I could reach them. Her cough had subsided greatly, though it still peppered her speech. Her coloring was almost exactly normal and her eyes were sparkly if not quite tired. "Take a nap with me. We'll both feel better later on."

"I should stay up in case someone comes in," she said.

Oh yeah, She's feeling much better! I thought to myself. I chuckled and patted her belly lightly in a friendly gesture. "You've never doubted your reflexes before, Xe, don't start now," I said, slinging a leg across her longer one and snuggling up into the warmth she always radiated when healthy. "I trust you. I have faith in you," I whispered before leaning up and kissing her chin and laying back, eyes closed.

"You're just comfortable and don't want to move," she said cynically with a yawn.

"Yeah," I said, mirroring her yawn, "That too."

It wasn't the afternoon light that woke me. Nor was it a stirring from my bed mate. It was the sound of humming.

What the-? My mind asked itself, registering the sound but not placing its origin by hearing alone.

I rolled over, stretching my arms above my head as I did so. My body sensed no danger and was completely at ease in its surroundings. Standing over the fire, log prod in hand, was a tall leather-clad warrior.

I smiled. "Are you Humming?" I asked right before I yawned.

She froze, seeming to reflect upon the past few moments. "I guess I was, wasn't I?"

I laughed. "It was beautiful," she smirked at me in the way she had. "What are you doing out of bed already? You're supposed to be sick!"

"I feel much better," she said with a grin, reaching down and taking a cup of hot beverage off the flame.

"You look much better. You're dressed in your leathers and everything," I said, trying to decide if I had the will power to face the bitter cold air that the room held. "Just a bit of a cough. No need to stay longer than we have to," she said with a shrug, bringing me the apple flavored tea that I loved.

I poked a toe out the side of the bed linen. Oh, No. Certainly not. Way too cold for me, thank you very much. "Mmm," I said, sipping the warm liquid. "Always make it the way I like it, don't you?"

"You do the same for me."

I smiled, taking another drink. The tang of the apple and the sweetness of the honey rolled around in my mouth and I savored the taste, knowing she had brewed it only because it was my favorite.

"Thank you," I said, sitting up the rest of the way. She reached over and pulled the covers up higher, keeping the cold air out. I chuckled and said cynically, "Someone might think I was the one who had been sick the last two days."

She scowled. "It just kills you to let me do something nice, doesn't it?" She got up and went back to the fire.

"Xena!" I said with an open mouth and a sigh. That reaction wasn't quite what I had anticipated. Her eyes didn't leave the flames as she prodded it with the poker, keeping a nice, warm fire roaring. I slid out of bed, leaving the cup on the night stand. I walked up behind her, my body involuntarily shivering in the frigid air. I stood above her while she poked at the fire. She looked up and sighed. "I." she started to say before stuttering and stumbling over her words as she stood up and looked me in the eye.

I placed a finger at her lips to silence her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sounded like that. I love everything you do for me."

"You're shivering."

"I'm cold," I said, realizing that all was right again. We each had taken responsibility for our over-reactions and moved on, knowing grudges between us was an impossible thing.

"Com'ere," she said, pulling me into an enveloping hug. I buried my face in her leathers, glad she had waited to put her armor on. It tended to poke me in the cheek. My arms snaked around her slender body and pulled her close, enjoying both the immediate physical warmth I received as well as the warm fuzzy feeling my spirit got as it touched hers. "Did you feel that?" I asked, wondering if it was just the same energy you got as you scuffed your feet across a rug in winter.

"Yeah. It felt nice," she said with an audible smile. "Yeah. It does." I paused. "Xena, you sure you're up to traveling tonight?" I asked, not sure if I liked hitting the road so soon after her having a fever.

"I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"First sign of me getting worse, you say the word and we'll pull over and find a place for the night, ok?"

I smiled. That was more than fair and certainly more than I had expected. "Ok."

"Will you help me with my armor? I always have trouble with that damned bracer," She said, referring to her right arm bracer that she couldn't ever get quite snug enough with her left hand. She ran her hands up and down my chilled back as she spoke, warming me up with a simple act.

"Do you really have to ask?" I teased, kissing the patch of bare skin on her arm and watching goose bumps form.

She chuckled and squeezed me tighter before releasing me. "Come on. Let's get going, huh?" I smiled, glad of the way things were between us. They had changed slightly. Enough so that we could explore our new relationship without feeling awkward or out of place. "You know, I'd feel a lot better if you wore your pants," I said while lacing up her bracer.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't think so, Gabrielle."

"Please? You're still getting over being so sick. I would consider it a personal favor," I said, leaning in front of her and batting my lashes flirtatiously. I saw her crack. "Please?" I said again.

"Fine!" She threw up her hands. "But if we get in a fight and I have to do a kick and my pants split, I'd better not hear you laugh!"

She wore the black leather pants that I had given her a few winters ago. Her armor breastplate fit snugly across her leathers and went nicely with her pants. She let the skirted piece hang over the waist of the pants, so her outfit wasn't much different than normal; only her legs being covered.

"You look cute," I said as she finished adjusting the lacings of the pants.

"I don't do cute, Gabrielle," she said, ignoring my snicker of disagreement.

"Oh, you most certainly do," I said, stepping into my own leggings and tying them off, glad of their warmth on such a cold day. The snowing seemed to have stopped, but the wind was blustery and biting. "You do cute quite often!"

She chuckled. "If you say so."

"I say so! Besides, I wouldn't mind if I was the only one who considered you cute. I know that'll never be the case, but I wouldn't mind. It just means no good looking warrior will come along and steal your affections," I said with a small laugh as I slid into my warm woolen gray sweater, a present last Solstice from Ephiny.

"First, no one is going to steal me affections. They're all yours." She said, walking over and flipping up the collar on the sweater. "Secondly, that's a good color on you," she said, walking over and handing me two of our six saddle bags.

"Thanks," I said, blushing. She bumped me with her hip playfully. I chuckled and bumped her back, bouncing off the solid surface of her body. "Oof."

She laughed. "You should know better than that by now," she teased. "You're right, I should," I agreed, lacing the top of my sweater high against my neck and reaching for the cloak Xena held out for me. It sat on my shoulders over top of the saddle bags I was carrying and buckled at my neck. "Think I've got enough layers on?" I asked, feeling like a walking wardrobe. Just about every piece of clothing I owned was on my body right now.

"No. I think you're missing something," she said with a mischievous smirk. She reached behind her back and into one of her belt pouches. She pulled out a bit of a soft cloth bag, sealed with a string. She tossed it to me and I caught it with one hand in mid air with a chuckle. "You're getting good at that."

"Gotta learn to catch arrows soon," I said with a chuckle as I turned the pouch over in my hands, "What's this?"

"Just open it, will you?" She said with false annoyance in her voice.

I smiled and chuckled, unable to not laugh at her face as she put on her cloak, picking up the remaining saddle bags. I pulled the string and the fabric in my hand unfurled, revealing a ring. The silver metal glinted in the afternoon sun and there was a bright blue stone, the color of her eyes, set in the middle.

"Wha-.I-.um-..Xena?" I said, unable to function properly at the site of this wonderful gift.

"Well, see if it fits, will ya?" she said.

"But."

"Go on!"

I hesitated and she sighed, walking over and sliding the metal carefully up my finger. The feel of the metal against my skin and the twinge of the symbolism against my heart brought tears to my eyes.

"You didn't have to do this," I said with a smile as I looked at her.

"I know," she said, shrugging it off.

"Its unnecessary, Xena," I said, trying to stave off tears. It was fruitless and they rolled down my cheeks anyway. "You didn't need to-" I said, but was silenced by a finger at my lips.

"I know. I wanted to."

"Its beautiful," I managed to say without breaking into happy sobs. "But why?"

"I wanted you to have something that will remind you of me."

"But, you're always around," I said, shaking my head at her.

"But someday I won't be," she said. "But you'll have this." Her fingers rotated the ring on my finger, spinning it lightly and I shook my head fiercely. "No. It wouldn't matter. My possessions would be useless."

She frowned, wiping the tears off my cheek with a callused, yet remarkably soft thumb. "Please don't say that."

"Its true. You're my heart. If you leave, Xena, I don't have anything to.I wouldn't be able to." I trailed off, not knowing exactly how to phrase it.

"You really mean that?" she asked, cutting me off.

I nodded, genuine in my words. My hand covered hers on my cheek. She blushed and looked up at the ceiling, obviously at a loss for words.

I smiled, looking down at the fierce blue stone on my finger and then back at the identically blue eyes that were the window to the soul I cherished. "Its perfect. Thank you," I said, "Come down here for a second," I stood on tip toe, pulling her head down a bit so I could reach her lips. I brushed my lips across hers, testing and tasting in wonder. This is mine, I thought, proud by the fact that she had just given me such a deep symbol of her heart. I earned this. She trusts me and I deserve this. She loves me. She's all mine. I opened my lips against her mouth, pulling and sampling and suckling. It was a magnificent sensation as our tongues intertwined and twirled about. They chased and taunted, one being pulled in with slight urgency and then the other being suckled on with loving care. It was highly enticing and deeply thrilling. I smiled against her lips as she broke off to catch her breath. "I'm beginning to think that you've had more practice at that than you're letting on!" Her blue eyes spoke volumes as she spoke breathlessly in a voice that was low and sensuous. I snickered a bit. "Nope. I guess I'm just naturally talented."

"Lucky me," she said, leaning in again. This time it was me who broke off the kiss.

I smiled and held the finger with the ring on it between us. I studied it for a moment, marveling at the match in the stone's color and her eyes, before sliding away and reaching into the saddle bag and pulling out her surprise gifts. "You know, now I don't feel so bad about buying you this." I handed the bundles to her. She looked at them and then at me.

"I thought you were waiting till Solstice."

"I lied. Open them," I urged, hoping beyond hope that she'd like the presents.

She sat on the edge of the bed, peeling away the tie that held the bundle shut. She unfolded the layers and stopped suddenly as the silver that was inside glinted up at her. "You must have spent hours bargaining for this, Gabrielle!" she said in awe, fingering the bracelet with the red inlays.

"Not that long," I said casually, not sure if she was pleased.

She stared at the strand of silver beads that lay in front of her. "They're beautiful. Thank you."

Were those tears in her eyes? Did I just make the Destroyer of Nations get teary eyed? In a matter of mere moments I was kneeling at her feet, watching her try to compose herself. "Xena..Xena?"

"I.I didn't expect this," she said, looking at with quiet wonder in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't think you'd do this. Buy me things. They're so beautiful, Gabrielle. You don't have this kind of money to spare. You should have saved it and not spent it on me," she said.

"You're worth it," I said, my hand resting lightly on her knee.

"But.I don't wear jewelry," she said, grasping at straw faults.

"I saw you admiring the set and I thought I'd get it for you. It'll look good on you, too. And it won't kill you to get dressed up for a night. Maybe we can make a night of it at the Amazon village. You can wear a dress made from this," I said, handing her the other surprise; yardage of the maroon fabric she had hand-picked at the weaver's stand. "And wear your jewelry and I'll borrow something fancy from Ephiny and we'll go out at the festival and be the life of the party. Throw all the other Amazons off their keel because we'll look so stunning."

She smiled. "You really want me to have all this?"

"I really want you to have all this. Honest."

"Why? I just don't understand," She asked, looking at me weirdly.

I chuckled at bit, "Xena, with all the stuff you've put up with from me, you deserve a little something nice."

She smiled and let out a small laugh. "Well, when you put it that way."

I laughed and smacked her knee playfully. "Here," I said reaching up and putting an ear cuff on her ear. "Looks good."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah."

It had taken a few more minutes for me to put some of the silver beads into her hair, braiding it back away from her face and braiding the metal on a few pieces and into a few loose braids that hung down as well. The strands of metal beads clanked slightly as we walked.

"Good thing we're not sneaking up on anyone," I teased as Argo plodded along next to us in the cold. She had taken four of the six saddle bags, leaving one for me to carry and one for Xena, too.

She turned and smirked at me. "Lets just hope I won't have to stop and fix my hair before a fight, huh?"

I laughed. "Oh I can see it now!" I said, picturing her making me comb out her braids and beads before a battle. It caused me to laugh even harder and got a snicker from my companion as well. We walked on in silence for a little while, disturbed only by the crunch of the snow under our feet and a sporadic cough.

Every few coughs I would look at her questioningly or ask if she was feeling ok. In return, without fail, I would receive a look of annoyance or a short voiced "I'm fine!" After about the fourth time she bit my head off, so to speak, I sighed and decided to walk the rest of the night's trek in silence. I would remain concerned about her even if she was fine and starting a fight really wasn't worth the effort.

The quiet lasted a long while. Argo snorted and butted Xena with her head, the force causing the warrior to bump into me with her hip. It threw me off balance and tossed me into a snow drift.

"Oof," I said, falling face first into the snow. I heard laughter from behind me as I struggled to sit up. A pair of strong hands clasped my waist and pulled me up. "You ok?" she asked, her hands roaming over my arms and legs, looking for broken bones.

I smiled a bit. "I'm fine."

I chuckled, realizing that this was the same conversation we had ceased having, only in reverse. She smiled at me, breaking the tension. "Sorry I've been so cranky."

"Sorry I've been so over protective," I said.

"You have every right. If you didn't take care of me, no one would," she said with a small smile.

"You've got a right to be cranky. Its got to be annoying to have someone check on you every time you sneeze," I said, smiling back.

"Nah, its nice to know you care. I guess I'm just not used to being sick," she said.

"Well I'm not used to you being sick, either!" I teased with a laugh that she echoed. A quick but deep felt hug was exchanged, both of us obviously relieved that the little tiff was over with. "You know, if we walk fast enough, I bet you we can make it to Cairria before night fall."

"I bet you're right. Let's go," she agreed, knowing that our halfway mark was a long haul away. Sleeping in the snowy weather wouldn't be a problem because Xena knew just about every cave around here. But with Argo needing blankets and fresh fodder, it was always nice to find a nearby village so that the pony could stay in a warm and dry stall.

Cairria was about a half days walk; a bit less if we rode part way. But Argo was out of shape having not been ridden in a moon and it wouldn't be fair to her to ask her to carry two riders for a half day so soon after leaving her vacation in the stables in Athens.

We'd walk. Sure my legs would ache, as would Xena's. No doubt she'd be exhausted and fall right into bed when we got to the inn, but it would be worth it. Another night before we reached her mother's place and Xena could sleep in her own bed again.

Not as if she had slept there in almost ten years, but it was still her childhood room and her childhood bed and would still be something that I hoped comforted her. Besides that, maybe Cyrene could help me get Xena to rest a few more days. Apparently my companion was under the impression that because her fever had left, she was now perfectly fine. Hopefully a word from her mother would clear up that misconception straight away. "Do you miss her?" I asked, breaking the silence as we walked down the trail, wool covered shoulders touching.

"Who?"

"Your mom."

"Yeah. Don't you miss yours?"

"Not really. You're more of a family to me than they ever were," I said to her with a small smile. "Really? Guess that makes my family your family, too, huh?"

I smiled. "I'd love to have your mom! I bet she was get when you were growing up."

She shrugged. "I wouldn't know."

I frowned. "Whaddaya mean?" "I left home when I was 15 or so. Before that, she wasn't around much. She spent all her time running the inn and I helped. There wasn't much interaction. When we weren't waiting on customers, we were asleep. Then Cortese came and I left with Lyceus and Toris and joined the army in the fight." "So you never spent much time with her?"

"Not a lot. She was always there when I needed her, but we didn't have much spare time together," she said in an even tone.

"She's a good woman, Xena," I said, "I know because if she wasn't, you wouldn't be such a good woman."

"I'm hardly what you'd call good," she said with a chuckle.

"I would. You do the right thing. You know the difference between good and bad and while you sometimes do a little bad to be able to do good, the end result is the same. Its not the path you walk so much as the place you wind up in the end," I said.

She looked at me. "Since when did you get so profound?"

I giggled. "I've always been this profound. You've just never noticed it before."

She laughed and it echoed off the tree tops. It was a happy sound that warmed my heart.

"There it is," I said, seeing the candle lit village in the distance. "Looks cozy." "I think a freezing cave would look cozy right about now," I agreed, pulling my cloak tighter around me.

The frigid wind had over taken the blustery snow and, it seemed, the snow had retreated back to its corner in defeat. The icy air bit hard. My nose was cold. A while ago I had given my saddle bag to Argo to carry and since then both my numb hands had found their way inside my cloak; one of them tucked under my arm and the other gripping the wool shut.

She looked over at me, noting my huddled form. "Pretty much anything with a fire place, huh?" She teased, knowing that I loved the way a huge fire warmed a room.

"Anything with a fire and you," I replied with a cheeky grin.

She upped an eyebrow and her hand snaked out of her cloak and came around my shoulder, pulling me so we finished our journey hip to hip.

"I don't even have the energy to get undressed," I said to an empty room. She was at the stables taking care of Argo. A fire had already been made in the room and the bed linens were nicely turned down. The inn was clean and the tavern next door was placid as far as taverns go. The bed smelled richly of spices; obviously ones used to keep the sheets smelling fresh since line drying them in a snow storm wasn't a good idea.

I set my saddle bags down near the hearth and my cloak hung on a hook in the corner. My staff, as always, rested by my side. It was a habit deeply ingrained into my mind and the hard wood had become as much an extension of me as Xena's sword was an extension of her own strong hand. It used to strike me as odd that we were both so emotionally attached to our weapons. She would get livid if someone did so much as scratch her sword and I would get equally as upset if anything happened to my staff. After mulling over my anger one day I came to realize that what other people saw as cumbersome weaponry, we viewed as intricate pieces of our lives. It came with the job and giving up our way of life was something I wasn't ready to do just yet. I sat down in one of the comfortably made chairs, still dressed in all my many layers. My feet tucked up under me and I rested my head on the back of the chair, closing my eyes out of pure exhaustion.

The transition from the cold outdoors to the nicely heated inn's room was drastic. The roaring fire kept the room more than toasty and my body didn't have the time to compensate the temperature change and I was quickly becoming over heated.

I heard the door open and shut but heard no footsteps. Only one person I knew could walk soundlessly and I trusted her completely. I didn't even need to open my eyes to know that she had returned from the barn. I heard a soft rustling of fabric and the sound of two boots hitting the floor. She padded lightly over to my chair and knelt down in front of me. I cracked an eye and saw two dazzling blue ones sparkling back at me.

"Argo down for the night?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah."

"You hungry?"

She shook her head. "Not really. You?"

"Too tired to be hungry," I said with a chuckle.

"You're not hungry? I'll call the healer!" She said teasingly.

"Shut-up," I groaned, nudging my foot out and gently kicking her with it.

She smiled and grabbed my foot, undoing the boot's lacing. It fell softly to the floor and she took the other foot doing the same. She reached up and tugged at my sweater. I put all my energy into getting my hands above my head so she could take the now too-warm sweater off my body.

The woolen shirt slid off my over heated body and was promptly tossed to the floor. "Here," she said, sliding a linen shift over my arms and pulling it down. "Feels good," I muttered, loving the softness of the fabric. "I thought it might," she replied. She tugged at the lacing of my leggings, sliding them over my hips and down my thighs with ease. They rode down my legs and off my feet with little trouble and soon I was enjoying the cool air against my skin. She leaned her head down, resting it on my leg above my knee. Her finger's made little stroking motions on my skin and what seemed like a contented sigh escaped from her lips. My hand ventured down to her hair and softly stroked her dark locks. "If we weren't so tired, that whole undressing thing could have been fun," I said softly to her.

She smiled. "Maybe when we get to mom's we'll be able to rest a bit."

"I don't care how rested I get, I am not having that kind of fun at your mother's, Xena!" I said. "Those walls aren't that thick!"

Her laugh, surely, could be heard two rooms over and she blushed to the roots of her hair. "Gabrielle!" she chastised through her laughter.

"What?" I said giggling. "Its true!"

"But."

"Oh, since when have you been modest about that?" I asked logically. She wasn't opposed to listing sexual conquests when it suited her purpose. "I wouldn't brag about being with you," she said. "You're wouldn't be a conquest, Gabrielle."

"Really? How do you figure?" I asked, my heart warmed by her small admission. I wound a piece of hair around my finger and marveled at how wonderful it was to just sit quietly with her. She looked up at me, eyes full of honesty. "It'd just be different."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not following.

"It'd be different with you," she said.

I bit off a huge grin. "Yeah? How so?" I asked, my heart leaping.

"It would actually mean something. More than just a war-game," She said softly. I caught her eye and I saw something flicker behind it. Maybe now wasn't the time to ask what had made that bit of emotion run so close to the surface. She leaned down and kissed my leg. "When I was with my army, sex was something that happened all the time. I used people to get what I wanted. Supplies, weapons, tactical positions, victories; you name it and I got it with my body. I never thought twice about it. I didn't have the time or the reason." She paused, her thoughts seemed to draw her back and it looked like she was struggling to stay on top of them. I stroked her back more, letting her continue at her own pace. Damned if I was going to push her through one of the most deep and intimate talks we'd ever had. "Sex was just as common as dinner, Gabrielle," She sighed and leaned down, lightly kissing my leg again.

I ran my hand up to her neck, kneading out the tension I found there. The silence was thick but not uncomfortably so. "Have you had many women?" I asked.

"What?" She said, spinning around and looking me in the eye as if I were insane.

I repeated myself deadpan. "Have you had many women?"

"I.uh.I.Gabrielle!"

"I think its a fair question!" I said with a grin. My hands found their way to her face and a finger traced a path across her cheek, loving the texture of her skin. So soft.

"I." she stuttered. "Never mind," I said, smiling and brushing it off with a shrug. She paused and turned so her entire body faced me. "You've got to understand," she paused, her face tumultuous, "I was barely scraping by at first and my army was starving! I owed those men everything I could give them. And.if the only way for me to get that was to use my body to my advantage, it wasn't fair to them for me to put my scruples before their hungry stomachs. I did what I had to do. Then I learned that I could use sex to my benefit. I could take what they were offering, turn it away, and then have them begging for me!" her eyes shone with hidden uncertainty. I grinned a bit and reached out, my fingers covering hers. She held my hand as if it were a life line. She sighed, "I did what I had to do. Men or women it didn't matter, Gabrielle. If I needed it and they had it, gender wasn't a problem."

I leaned over and kissed her lightly, a deeper understanding of my friend burned into my soul. She pulled back a bit, puzzled.

"You don't mind?"

I shrugged. "I knew you had been with people, Xena. Men and women. I know its a thing that warlords do. Its a part of the life," I explained. "To begrudge you your past is stupid. Its something I can't do. I wasn't around to change it and being mad at you now isn't going to help anything."

"You sure?" She asked, obviously not trusting that I was taking this so easily. My fingers rested on her pulse point and I could feel the flutter of her heart as she doubted both herself and me. It was true that my insides were a bit in knots over the idea of her having slept with so many people other than me. Probably that jealous streak that was showing up more and more. What I could muster probably wasn't convincing, but the small smile that I gave her was all I had to offer at the moment. I nodded slightly. Why lie? To save her pain. Truly there's no hiding things from her so I should just save us both the trouble, I thought before opening my mouth to speak. "I'm sure I love you, Xena, all of you. That includes your past and all your experiences that help make up who you are. I.I asked and you gave me an honest answer," I said hesitantly.

It was clear on her face that she didn't think much of my response. "How much does this bother you,?"

I faltered again. "Just enough for me to be self conscious." Honest was the best policy with us, right?

She frowned. "I won't have that."

I smiled, "I'll get over it," I said, kissing her and exploring her mouth. "It'll just take time," another probing kiss, "and a bit of practice," again I found my tongue in her mouth, "until I feel that I meet up to your prior experience."

When we parted it was quite obvious that her breathing had shallowed and her face paled slightly, "I can honestly say, Gabrielle, that no one has ever made me feel the way you do with just a few kisses."

I blushed, "Maybe that's because no one's loved you the way I do," I said softly. She shook her head. "More because I've never loved anyone the way I love you," she countered, making my heart leap into my throat and my face blush deeply. She touched my cheek again, "I want to know if you're upset. I want to fix it if I can," she said.

I looked down, trying to find the right words. The evaded me and I was stuck muddling by with only adequate phrases. "I'm not upset." I blushed deeply, figuring that I should just get it out now. "I'm inexplicably jealous."

"You shouldn't be," She said, stroking my cheek with her thumb.

"I know. I know there's no real reason, but.I can't help it."

She leaned it, resting her forehead against mine. "I'm all yours, Gabrielle. They didn't matter. No one else ever will," she said, her blue eyes boring into my own. I looked, searching their depths for some small thing that would make my jealousy validated. Nothing. Nothing to hold onto but the overwhelming love that shone back. I chuckled, letting the wave of enviousness roll off me and allowing her warm presence to engulf my tired soul.

"Who was it we were talking about?" I said, purposefully forgetting about her previous lovers. My hand traced small patterns down her cheek, neck, and chest, admiring the tanned skin of her torso. I felt her pulse quicken and watched as her eyelids involuntarily fluttered. I didn't suppress my chuckle as I watched her swallow.

She smiled a small bit. "You're an awfully quick learner, you know that?"

I blushed. "Well I hope so! I've got a few things to learn, don't I?" I smiled and let my hand travel along her collar bone, tracing the freckled flesh.

She chuckled before turning serious and reverting back to the previous conversation. She tucked a finger under my chin and lifted my eyes to meet hers. "You do know that it wouldn't be like that with you, don't you?" Her eyes bore through to my soul and I saw nothing but honesty. I smiled fully, glad to have earned such a wonderful position in her heart. "That's nice to know." She smiled again, and returned to her earlier position, her cheek resting against my leg. I felt her muscles pull up and her lips tug into a grin that didn't quit for a while. "Xena?" I asked after a few moments of amiable silence.

"Mm?" she murmured as I stroked her scalp with my fingers, scratching lightly.

I ran my hand up and down her back in a soothing motion, "It'll be perfect."

"You ready for bed?" I asked, her breathing having softened out to the point where she could have been mistaken for asleep.

"Do I have to?" She asked. "I'm comfy here."

I chuckled and muttered around a yawn; "If I could carry you, I would."

She sighed. "I suppose I'll have to move eventually."

"You can curl up like this on the bed if you want," I laughed. She was so cute when she was as open as right now.

She rolled her eyes. "And I suppose you're going to steal the covers again tonight?"

Oh boy. Another one of my bad habits revealed. I blushed. "I can sleep on the floor."

"I think not," she said, standing up. One of her strong arms found its way behind my back and the other under my knees. I let out a feeble squeal and decided it wasn't worth the protest. My elbow fit nicely around her neck as she carried me to the bed. "Its not as if I haven't slept on the floor before," I muttered to her, my head lolling off on her shoulder. She smirked at me and deposited me with care on the cushy bed. I didn't let go causing her to roll onto the bed with me. I rolled over on top of her, straddling her hips. "And just what do you think you're doing?" she asked.

"I am getting," I said, pulling her leather tunic off her arms, "you undressed." She quirked an eyebrow at me and I quirked one right back, perfectly imitating her. She chuckled and I felt the rise and fall of her ribcage under me. It was a very unique feeling that caused me to smile broadly. "Do you have a problem with that?" I asked, leaning down to nibble on some wonderfully attractive collarbone. I felt, rather than heard, a groan. "I'll take that as a no."

I slid her pants down her legs, loving every minute of it. I stopped and nibbled at bit around her belly button, getting a raised eyebrow and another groan in reply. I grinned and continued my assault on her waistline.

"You're barbaric," she muttered, getting her armor pieces off in quite a hurry.

Her rushed motions made me laugh. "Take your time," I said, moving up and kissing her deeply and letting our tongues dance. "I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled and ran her hands down my hips, tugging on my shift a bit. "This isn't fair," she said, trying to finish getting her armor off and getting her out of her leathers. "Is it my fault you decided to wear your armor?" I teased, watching her fingers fumble with a clasp. I received a wry look in reply and I chuckled as I reached up and undid the clasp she was fussing with. "There," I said, placing the shoulder piece on the night table. It was the last of her armor and now she was left in just her leathers and leggings. I slid off her lap, allowing her to roll off the bed.

She peeled her leathers off, hanging them by the fire to dry as they were currently a bit wet from melted snow. I threw her a shift and she pulled it on, taking the marvelous view of her naked body from my eyes. The bed dipped under her weight as she settled back down on her spot. As she lay down, her arm folded out, inviting me in to what had recently become "my spot."

It was an unspoken understanding that neither of us were ready. I didn't have to say anything and she didn't either. I knew that there were still things we had to talk about. I knew that there were still wounds that had to heal between us both before we could each give ourselves so freely to one another. I didn't push her because I wasn't ready and she didn't push me because she wasn't ready. With time we would each find the balance where we could become as much a part of each other as we could and still remain individuals. It was so close to what we had now, but yet there was that final hurdle to cross that neither one of us to jump over just yet. It would happen, no doubt, but it would take a bit more to get us both there. And it wouldn't be the final step I our relationship, but rather the step that would open up a whole new path to us both.

Cuddling up at her side and finding the nice patch of warm skin to use as a pillow, I sighed and let a hand rest on her stomach. The night grew more quiet, it seemed, as my eyelids became more and more heavy.

"Don't you feel better now that you've changed?" I asked, finding a spot on the linen of her shift more interesting than it actually was. "Mm," She agreed, playing with my hair.

"I feel better," I said softly. "Why?"

Think fast, Gabrielle, "Leather's look uncomfortable to sleep in," I said, hoping it would work.

"You know they're not that bad. You've slept in your Amazon Leathers before," she said while allowing her fingers to knead me neck. "What's the real reason?" I looked at her bluer than blue eyes. "I don't like it. It just really bothers me when you do that," I admitted shyly.

"Why," she asked, her hand moving down to caress my neck slowly.

I paused, not really sure why it bothered me so much. All these times it had just been a deeply inherent dislike for watching her sleep in her traveling clothes.

And then, like a rock to the butt, it hit me. "Because you're always ready to leave. Your weapons are close and you sleep in your armor and." I paused, trying to find the proper words to fit my feelings. I looked down at her taut stomach muscles, watching them ripple as she inhaled and exhaled. "You're always so ready to leave."

Her fingers stilled on my skin and one hand moved around to under my chin, making me look at her angular face and get lost in her eyes. "Are you afraid I'm going to leave you?"

I shrugged. "Gabrielle?" she asked again, trying to get a straight answer out of me.

"I." I couldn't admit to that. I wouldn't admit to that. She didn't need any guilt over me. I cleared my throat, dislodging the lump that had settled there, "You need to get some sleep." Subject change. That might work.

She sighed and I saw pain in her eyes. Did I cause that? I certainly hope not. "Gabrielle?" she said, her hand stroking my hair from my face in what was a very soothing gesture. Or not.

"Mm?" I moaned, not needing to form a real word to convey my expression.

"I'm not going to leave you," she said softly. "I promise."

I smiled. "Good. I don't know what I'd do with myself if you did," I said with a bit of a chuckle as I kissed her shoulder, snuggling closer as she pulled the warm quilt up over us both.

Outside a rooster crowed. Apparently snow didn't keep farm animals from acting as alarm clocks.

I groaned and tried to bury myself deeper into the warm shoulder that was being used as my pillow. A hand roamed up and down my back and through the linen fabric I felt warm fingers tracing small patterns. Another groan escaped my lips but this was definitely one of pleasure and not annoyance.

I yawned and stretched my legs. "Good morning to you, too," I said as she played with the hem of my shift.

She chuckled. "Ready to go see mom?" "That requires moving," I said lazily. "And to be honest, I am quite comfortable right here."

"I could carry you, if you'd like," she offered, a finger edging under my tunic and slyly maneuvering along my lower back.

"I'll volunteer to ride Argo before I let you carry me all the way to Amphipolis," I said, trying to bite off a laugh as she tickled the small of my back.

"You're volunteering to ride?" she asked skeptically.

I squirmed and laughed as she continued to torment my back. "Only if you ride with me," I said, finally admitting my small secret of loving double riding.

She chuckled again, "I think that can be arranged."

My layers of clothing could have been absent and I wouldn't have known the difference for what I was hugging was surely more warming than any fabric.

"You doing ok?" she asked, one hand rubbing my knee through all the folds of cloth.

"I'm great. How are you?" I asked, squeezing a bit with my arms.

She chuckled against my wrists. "I'm fine. I think Argo'll make it to Amphipolis, too." "Good. I'm way too cozy to get down," I said, leaning up and kissing the back of her neck where her cloak hood had fallen. Time seemed to pass as slowly as the snow drifted to the ground. The air whistled through the trees and the white drifts resembled the normally green rolling hills. "Gabrielle?" "Yeah?" I said, caught off guard. She wasn't usually the one to start a conversation.

"Do you..think there are things we should talk about but don't?" she asked, hesitating at first and then almost rushing all the words out. I knew what she was talking about. Surprisingly enough, approaching the subject didn't sting as much as I had it didn't sting as much as I had thought. "Its not like we shouldn't ever talk about certain things. Its just that we kinda choose not to," I said with a small sigh.

"Do we really have to?"

"Yeah. Eventually we do."

"It still hurts," she said softly.

"It still hurts me, too."

She sighed and dropped her head down before speaking. "It wasn't your fault. I want you to know that."

I smiled a bit, a great weight having been taken off my shoulders. "That means a lot, Xena."

"Does it?"

"Yeah. It really does. Just because I never bring it up doesn't mean I don't think about it. I think about Solon everyday," I admitted a bit hesitantly.

"I do too," she said softly. "Its nice to remember him even though I didn't know him that well."

"I wish you had known him longer."

"It was such a waste, Gabrielle. Its such a waste for any child to die!" She said with a touch of anger in her voice.

I looked down at the snow, watching Argo's feet fall and crunch through the virgin white. "Yeah," was all I could manage to say. Hope wasn't something I could even talk about due to all my conflicting emotions. Besides that, Hope and Solon, I'd readily admit, were two different situations. Each our children, but very different children to say the least.

"If I could have another.baby I mean. If I could have another baby, I think I'd do things differently," she said very hesitantly.

"You were a great mother, Xena. He just didn't know it. If you had another baby, you'd be a great mother to it, too," I said, recalling my comment earlier in the market about how a fabric made her look pregnant. "Do you want another baby?" I asked, not even sure if that was something we should talk about.

I watched from the side as her mouth opened, seemingly of its own accord. Then it shut. Opened again and then shut. She thought for a few minutes this time before the wonderfully shaped lips opened and said softly, "I don't know." I smiled. "I think you should think about it," I tapped her ribs lightly, getting her attention and letting her know I was serious.

"But we're on the road so much, Gabrielle. That's no place to raise a baby. And I don't think my lifestyle is something that is good for a kid to see on a daily basis." she faltered again.

"Think about it for a few weeks, Xena. This isn't something that you should make a snap judgment on. If you really want another baby, you could do it. You could settle down somewhere for a few years. Just long enough for the child to be old enough to travel. Put away the sword for a while," I said even though the idea of Xena without her weapons was a seemingly silly one.

"Where would I go?" she asked me, looking back at me as if I had a third eye growing from my forehead. The idea wasn't all that preposterous. It was do-able if it was something she really wanted. The only problem was her deciding if she really wanted this or if it was just guilt over Solon. "You could stay with the Amazons."

"I'm not an Amazon," she said. "I wouldn't just be allowed to stay for a few years."

"You're my champion and that makes you an Amazon. But.some of the rules are different.you might not be a full fledged Amazon, But I am." I said with a twinkle in my eye. "And not only am I an Amazon." I said, leaning against her shoulder with purpose.

She caught my meaning and finished my sentence for me. ".But you're the queen!" She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "You really think it would work?"

"Yeah. I do. If its something you really want."

"No. Its a silly idea. Something horrible would happen and the whole thing would fall apart," she disagreed, showing her usual pessimistic self shining through at full force.

"Xena, think about it. We'll work out the details later. If you want to settle down, let me know. After all, aren't you the one who's always saying that I need village life to be truly happy?" I teased.

"You'd stay with me?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course! This kid will need two parents, wouldn't it?" I asked, leaning up and kissing her cheek as she gawked over her should in stunned silence. "What? Don't look at me like that! You stuck by me when I was pregnant with Hope. It might have only been a day long, but that didn't matter," I said with a smile. "It's the same thing."

She snickered. "You know, we're missing something to this whole plan."

"What's that?" I asked, thinking that everything had already been covered.

"A father."

A small woman, almost shorter than I, with hair that had once been as dark as Xena's, stood on the front porch of a large log building. A colorful wrap hung from her shoulders, obviously forcing away the winter wind. "Gabrielle?" She asked me, a bit hesitant.

"Yeah?"

"My mother is waiting for me on the porch," she said with a frown. "Yeah? And?"

"I'm 30!" she said with exasperation.

I laughed, trying not to fall over as we walked the last bit through the open field to the inn.

"Its not funny!" She insisted as we continued closer to the building.

"Its very funny, Xena," I said. At least her mother was considerate enough to wait up for her daughter. My mother never did.

She scowled at me. I ignored her look, reaching my hand high above my head and waving to my partner's mother. She waved back, her shawl slipping down her shoulders slightly.

"You go talk to your mother, I'll take care of Argo," I insisted, taking the reins from Xena and practically shoving her out of the way. "But that's my pony!" she said, whining in a very un-Xena-like way.

"That," I said, pointing at the inn's porch, "Is your mother. She's the next step up from Argo," I said, receiving a warm nose butted into the small of my back. "Its not personal," I said to the horse, steering her away from the inn and to the back barn. The smell of warm hay greeted us as we entered through the large door. I found the stall in the back that seemed to usually be empty and where Argo had stayed previously and allowed the mare to preceed me in. Grabbing a section of hay and tossing it at her feet, the door swung shut behind me. I went through the surprisingly relaxing routine of removing her tack and grooming her and making sure that the faithful horse was taken care of for the night before I headed back out into the wind storm and towards the inn.

The smell of richly spiced food hung on the afternoon air and I could feel the warmth of the inn's fire before I even opened the door, something I didn't end up doing as it was done for me. Two strong hands grabbed me and pulled me inside to the warmth of the main room.

"Get out of that wet cloak right now, young lady," I heard. I looked up slightly into a pair of familiar blue eyes looking back at me. I lifted an eyebrow, not sure how to react. "Well, I won't have you getting sick! Come sit next to Xena by the fire," Cyrene said, pulling my cloak off and shoving me lightly towards the fireplace. I landed in Xena's lap, my legs wild.

She chuckled, "Comfy? Mom, I see you've re-met Gabrielle."

The older woman nodded slightly and scurried off toward the kitchen, obviously torn in 50 million directions at once.

I frowned at her and wiggled off her too comfortable lap and onto the hearth near her feet. "Is she always that motherly? And that busy?" I asked, not having gotten that kind of attention from my own mother.

"It seems so," she replied, a hand lazily reaching out and pushing the snow flaked hair back from my forehead. "Must be where you get it from," I said with a smile.

"I am not motherly," she disagreed, her fingers straightening out the collar of my sweater.

"You most certainly are!" I said, indicating her hands.

She pulled back as if she hand been burned. A look of realization came over her face and she frowned. I reached my hand up to her knee and let it rest there. "I kinda like it," I admitted, my thumb absently stroking the fabric of her legging.

She blushed just as her mother came out of the kitchen with two mugs of steaming tea in her hands. "You two must be chilled to the bone!" Cyrene said. She handed us our mugs and then disappeared, hustling about and tending to the customers that had straggled in behind me.

"You did have a cloak when you came in, didn't you?" I asked Xena with a grin.

"She took it," she muttered.

"I'm sorry? I didn't quite hear that," I prodded, trying to start something. What, exactly, I still wasn't sure.

"You heard me. She took it."

"The Destroyer of Nations had her cloak stolen by her Mommy?" I teased.

She tried to give me "the look" but it just didn't happen and I watched her laugh lines wrinkle as she refrained from chuckling. "You don't seem to have a cloak either," she said, pointing out the obvious and waggling a finger at me. I chuckled. "I know. She took mine, too. I think it means she wants us to stay," I teased.

"Like when a puppy tugs on your boot laces when you try to leave?" She asked, in a conspiring whisper.

I laughed, barely avoiding spewing tea out my nose. "Stop," I said, smacking her on the leg just as her mother approached.

"Did you two have lunch yet?" she asked, wiping her hands on her apron.

I shook my head no. "I just wanted to get in and out of the cold," I admitted. "How does stew sound then?" she said, looking between the two of us. I didn't comment, allowing Xena the chance to decide. She glanced at me and then back at her mother. With a smile and a laugh, "It'd sound nicer if you let us help."

The graying woman shrugged slightly and waved Xena's comment off. "No can do. Its already made."

"I want to help," Xena said, rising from her seat on a footstool. "We want to help," I corrected, grabbing my companion's wrist and hauling myself to my feet.

Cyrene frowned. "You both look exhausted. You can help with breakfast after a good night's sleep," she said, her tone resembling someone else's no-nonsense voice. "Your room's where you left it, Xena. Go take a nap, dear, and I'll wake you for dinner." And with that, Xena's mom was back hustling about, waiting on her tavern's customers.

I reached up and gently closed Xena's mouth which hung open. "You'll catch flies," I said softly.

"Staying in my room?"

"What did you think? She was charging admission to see the room where the Warrior Princess grew up?" "I didn't think she'd kept it! I thought it would have been cleaned and rented out. She needs the rooms!" Xena said, obviously dumbfounded.

"Xena. You're her daughter. I know what she said when you came back, but." I paused, "If it had been Solon's room, would you have rented it out no matter what he did?" I asked, knowing that would explain it.

She looked down at me in wonder. "No. I should know better, huh?"

"She'll forgive you. She'll make you do dishes for two days straight, but she'll forgive you," I teased, elbowing her softly in the ribs right before yawning. The lack of sleep I had gotten while she was sick was still catching up with me. "She's right, Xena, I'm tired. Show me this room of yours?" She walked to the back corner of the inn and passed through the pantry to what appeared to be the living quarters. Cyrene's room, identified by the curtain of beads that hung in the door frame, was off to the right, and faced the barn. Xena paused, facing the last door on the hall. "This one?" I asked, my hand resting on her back.

She nodded and her fingers tightened on the latch, lifting and opening the door to her room. The bed, long and wide enough, possibly, for two, was carved from rich oak and a matching set of shelves hung above the bed. The headboard rested flush with one wall and the side of the bed flush with the adjoining wall, leaving only the one side to get in and out of bed from. I walked over to the fire place that was tucked in the far corner of the room and giving a rounded effect to the room's structure. On a shelf over the bed sat a small knife, obviously used for whittling as next to it lay a piece of wood, half-carved. A pencil sketch of a young boy hung above the mantle, framed in an intricately carved piece of wood. Twirling vines and ivy swirled through the design, highlighting the beautifully done drawing.

At first glance it seemed to be a picture of Solon. My heart leapt into my throat and I forced myself to do a double take, realizing only on a second careful look that it must have been a drawing of Xena's brother, Lyceus. Moving right along, I thought as I realized that staring at such a close resemblance of Solon wouldn't be good for my spirit. I continued my small walk around the room, taking in the atmosphere that helped shape my partner into the woman I had grown to love.

My fingers traced the bottom line of the mantle that hung over the fireplace and I barely resisted the urge to remove the stuffed blue rabbit from its perch and hug it.

"So this is where you grew up, huh?" I asked softly, noting as I walked around the room, that our saddle bags had been brought in from the barn by a stable boy and placed near the bed. "Yeah. This was my room," she said softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Patch-worked squares of brightly colored fabric made up the covering of the bed. It was obviously well worn and much cared for, smelling faintly of dried flowers.

"Looks to me like its still your room," I said with a smile, sitting down next to her and resting my head on her shoulder. Her arms wound around me and I was comfortably pulled into her lap. "How's it feel to be home?" I asked her, my hand reaching up and tracing her cheek line. "I've been home, Gabrielle. For the past three years, I've been home and loved every moment of it." My breath caught in my throat and my hand slipped down and gripped her leathers for support. I tucked my face into the crook of her neck and just bared my soul to the knowledge that she needed nothing but me to feel at peace.

She stretched her legs, her knees cracking loudly as they settled back into place. "Feel better?" I teased having woken up at her movements.

"Much."

The sun was still fairly high in the sky and my guess was that we hadn't slept for more than an hour or so.

My arms wrapped around her middle and I pulled her closer, relishing in the contact of our still-clad bodies.

"I slept in my leathers," she said a bit sheepishly as I nuzzled my head under her chin.

"I know."

"You upset?"

I shrugged a bit. "No. You would have woken me if you'd moved," I smiled against her throat.

"So that's why you do that? To make sure I don't leave?" She was teasing and I knew it. I felt her hands shift up to my lower back and she scratched lightly, "To make sure you don't leave, yes. And because you're a very, very comfortable pillow," I said before turning slightly and suckling on her neck in a really tasty spot.

She chuckled as I tried to nibble a piece of skin that, apparently, was a bit ticklish. I could feel the muscles under her skin jump as I made a little path down towards the top of her leathers. I decided to be brave and allow my fingers to play with the edging of the black leather, trailing down and dipping under it, teasing the skin there.

She reached down and grabbed my hand just as I looked up, about to kiss her and take it a bit further.

"Wha-?"I started to ask, a finger landing on my lips stalling my words.

"Shh," she hushed me just as a heavy rap hit the door.

"Girls? You awake?" Cyrene called through the door.

"Come in, mother," Xena said just as I rolled off of her stomach, missing the wall only because Xena's hand stopped my head from smacking into it. Unfortunately for me, her hand wasn't on my butt which hit the wall at a high velocity and made me bite my tongue to keep from shouting.

I rolled onto my side, tucking my arm up and letting my head rest on my hand in a very casual pose. One way to casual for the nervous flutters that were in my stomach. Being caught by your mother with your hand in your lover's shirt was very much like being caught by your mother with your hand in the cookie jar. The only problem was, I was very aware that my hand had been mere inches from something that, no doubt, was considerably more tasty than an oatmeal raisin cookie. "You two didn't have to share such a small room," she said, cracking the door open and peaking through to see us both on the seemingly narrow bed. Of course, taking into account the fact that I didn't sleep on the bed, but rather on Xena, the bed was the perfect size.

"We're used to cramped quarters," Xena muttered, scratching her belly through her leathers.

"I have a room you can stayed in, Gabrielle," Cyrene said to me, opening the door the rest of the way and stepping in.

I glanced at Xena, trying to feel her out quickly before answering. I sighed. On my own again. She had allowed her "I don't give a damn" look to settle over her face.

"Thanks," I said. "I.if you're sure you don't need to sell it, that is," I said finally, hoping that would save me from being separated from Xena.

She frowned just as a very odd look crossed her face. A well-used hand reached up and pushed a lock of graying hair back behind her ear and for a brief moment I caught a glimpse at what Xena would look like in twenty years or so. It made me blush a bit, presuming that I'd even be around her that far from now. As my hand rubbed my cheek absently, trying to remove the red that I knew was there, I felt a toe easy its way along the front of my calf and I had to bite my tongue to keep from giggling.

"Well, I could use the rent," Cyrene admitted, still frowning. She rubbed the back of her hand across her sweat dampened forehead. I tried not to smile, but I do believe it was in vain as I couldn't resist the grin that tugged at my lips. "Good. Its settled then. I'll stay here and you'll sell all your rooms!" Cyrene chuckled as did Xena and I. "Pushy, isn't she?" Cyrene said to Xena with a wink at me.

"Oh yeah," Xena said, sitting up, leaning on her elbows. "You busy out there?" "Dinner crowd's picking up. Snow's bringing them in," Cyrene said, leaning against the door frame a bit in a way that must have rubbed off on Xena.

I sat up at this, knowing this woman, Xena's mother or not, had to be exhausted. "I'll come help," I offered, trying to daintily pick my way over Xena's sprawled body to get out of bed. Realizing that it was useless, I just ended up sitting on her calves before sliding off the edge. "Oh, you don't have to," Cyrene said, standing up and brushing her hands on her apron.

I smiled. "Yes, I do. If you're giving us free room and board during the busiest time of year, then yes, I do have to help," I insisted, tugging a fresh tunic out of my bag and trying to decide between a long skirt and a pair of leggings.

Xena chuckled, sliding off the bed and grabbing the leggings from my hand, placing them in the chest of drawers that rested against the far wall. "Give us just a few minutes to get unpacked and changed, mother, and we'll both be out to help," She paused, turning to look at her mother. "But you'd better not give me my last job. I refuse to stand over a hot fire and sling hash all night," She said providing her mother with a first hand glimpse of "the look."

Cyrene stepped forward and whacked Xena on the arm; the slapping sound reverberating across the room. "I thought I broke you of that look when you were still a little girl!" she said, waggling a finger at Xena as if she were a naughty puppy. My knees about gave out as my belly shook with silent laughter. "You.tried.to break her of that?" I managed to get out with a straight face.

"Well haven't you?" Cyrene asked.

"No!" I said somewhat seriously. "That look has gotten me out of more scraps than you can imagine," I admitted to her.

Cyrene sighed, her hands on her hips. "Well, as long as it hasn't gotten her into any trouble.just don't you look at me like that again, young lady!"

Xena sighed and muttered, "Yes, ma'am."

I raised my eyebrows at Cyrene in surprise as she grinned a bit and turned, shutting the door behind her.

I walked over to Xena's bag, rummaging and pulling out her clothes, tossing them on the bed. "Here," I said, finding her one nice long skirt and pulling it out, throwing it at her.

She caught it in mid air with one hand. "I'm not wearing this!"

"Well you're certainly not wearing your armor out there," I insisted, pulling my traveling clothes of and stepping into my rich brown leggings and pulling on a soft cream embroidered shirt she had gotten me last year. The shirt hung down to the middle of my thigh and I took the two ties that were attached to the sides of the shirt and pulled them to the back, cinching them and giving the shirt a more flattering fit. "And why not?" she asked, stretching out onto her bed and watching me strip down and change.

"Because you're not going to scare away all of your mother's paying customers! No weapons, Xena. At least nothing that people can see," I said, knowing that she didn't feel comfortable without at least a breast dagger on her. "Just pretend to be the simple village girl." I walked over and she sat up, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. I straddled her legs and sat down, cupping her face between my hands and kissing her softly. "Please. Just for while we're here? For me?"

"Gabrielle?" she whined, breaking easily under my soft kisses.

I allowed my thumb to stroke her cheek a bit and I gave her my softest and most puppy-dogish look. "Xena," I crooned to her, allowing a bit of a somewhat seductive rumble into my voice.

She sighed and I could see the relenting in her eyes even before I felt her shoulders sag. "All right." "Really?" I asked, pulling back a bit and making sure we were agreed. "Boot daggers and breast dagger. Everything else will stay here?" "Really. Nothing else," she agreed with a crushed look.

"Oh stop," I said to her, trying to get her to wipe that awful look off her face. "You know I'll make it up to you later."

"Now, now," She teased, highly inspired by my assurance. "Don't make promises you don't intend to keep!" And back came our usual banter. "Oh, I intend to keep it," I said, "I'll make it up to you." I kissed her, sealing the deal. "Exactly how much does a few nights without your sword and chakram mean to you, Xena?" I asked, waggling my eyebrow at her. She paused, musing it over in her head. "Its worth at least one night of whatever I want."

I kissed her again. "I can definitely handle that." Trust was not an object for me. "In fact, I look forward to it," I said with a grin, sliding off her lap and finding her a matching shirt to go with her skirt. The skirt was rich in blue hues, starting out deep blue at the waistline and fading down to a brilliantly light blue, matching her eyes, at the hem. I threw her a white shirt, one of my own, that had a bright red ribbon that ran around the middle, weaving in and out of the shirt and making a cinch for the waist. "How do I look?" she asked, spinning about and letting her skirt flair out a bit. "Been a while since I wore anything this. dowdy."

"I'd hardly call it dowdy, Xena," I said, barely keeping from drooling over the scrumptious sight in front of me. "Oh yeah?"

She never saw herself as I did. Oh yeah, she knew that some people found her attractive, but she didn't really see exactly what they found to be attractive. And while I would be the first to admit that she was drop-dead gorgeous, there were other things that made me love Xena. Her humbleness among them. "Oh yeah," I enforced, "More appetizing than dowdy."

She chuckled a bit. "Well its good that you think so. Your the only one who's opinion matters." I smiled. "You're missing something," I said softly. I stepped forward and reached up, pulling the beads gently from her hair. I walked back to her bag and took out the linen wrap that held the silver set I had bought her as a gift. Finding what I needed, I walked back. "Here, lean down a bit," I said, standing on tip tow and maneuvering two silver combs through her hair, pulling it gently back from her face and twisting them so that they held. I stepped back, watching as her face was framed by, what was to me, the perfect hair style for the perfect outfit for the perfect woman. I smiled and she returned my grin. I looked around and noticed that the room, previously spotless, had just been trashed by a bit of unpacking. I sighed. "You put everything away and I'll go help your mother," I said to Xena, knowing this would allow her a few moments alone in her room to adjust to everything, including having to wear "peasant" clothes.

"Hey Gab?" she said as I started to open the door and head to the kitchen.

"Yeah?" I said, turning to her and smiling as I looked over the image of who she might have been, knowing in my heart that I would have fallen equally in love despite appearances. "Thanks."

It was simply said but deeply meant, I knew. I smiled, glancing down at the floor and feeling myself just bubble inside. I nodded at her, "Unpack and then meet me in the kitchen to help." It was a request, she knew, and I allowed the words to just roll off my tongue, tasting the sweetness that love gave to language.

I tossed the fried chicken legs onto the plate that sat before me and scooped a helping of veggies, too, placing those on the plate. I set them both on the table and opened my mouth and bellowed: "Order's up!" I turned around and tossed two more cut-up chickens into the sizzling lard just as I heard a menacing whisper in my ear. "You shout that one more time and I'm going to cram those chicken legs up your nose," she said, her mouth inches away from my ear.

I don't know if it was the feel of her body pressing up against mine or her voice reverberating in my ear or the mental image of her cramming fried bird up someone's nostrils, but I shivered. Her chin rested on my shoulder. "Got me?" She asked, wanting to make sure I didn't shout anymore things at her from across the crowded inn.

I spun around and placed my hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. "Oh I gotcha," I said, leaning up and kissing her full out. She pulled back and licked her lips while her face pulled into her thinking look. "Been sampling the sauce?" she asked, leaning down and dipping a finger into the pot over the fire.

I chuckled. "After walking through all that snow, I can stand to indulge for a bit without having to worry about putting on weight."

She patted my hip, "If you put on a few pounds, I won't mind." She poked lightly at the skin. I smiled a bit and turned back to my cooking, "You're only saying that because you know that you're going to put on some weight while we're here," I teased. I didn't even have to turn around to see her scowl.

"Its true!" I said, hearing her grumble a bit. "Last time we were here, you had trouble fitting into your leathers when we left!" I said, knowing it to be the truth.

She pouted, just as I expected. "Damned Furies," she muttered.

"Don't blame it on them, Xena. You were perfectly fine when you decided to eat an entire layer cake!" I held out a spoon with the chicken sauce on it and she dipped her tongue into the rich red liquid. She swirled it around in her mouth, her brow creasing as she tasted the sauce.

"I think I like it on you better," she said, leaning down and nuzzling the back of my neck as I stirred the sauce and tried to resist turning into her touch.

"You're order's getting cold," I said to her, patting her thigh with my free hand and trying to get back to our current tasks.

"They'll wait," she said, her hands finding my rib cage and exploring lightly.

Part of me wanted to laugh at her persistence and another part of me wanted to sigh with exasperation. I turned around again, one hand resting on my apron covered hip and the other waggling my wooden spoon at her in a very motherly gesture that I must have picked up somewhere along the line. "Xena, they're going to start getting rowdy. Then there's going to be a fight, and as much as I love watching you work, I don't really feel like pulling splinters out of your adorable behind tonight!"

She frowned, "You are no fun, you know that?" "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

I turned around and quickly fixed up another order of chicken and veggies. The plate clattered to the table, chicken and rehydrated fried green beans rocking slightly. "ORDER'S UP!" I shouted, knowing that drumsticks wouldn't fit up my nose no matter how hard she tried.

The crackle of the fireplace had a calming effect on me as it always did and I rested my chin on my folded arms, slouching like an eight year old. The wooden bench was, no doubt, going to leave marks in my backside as I rested mostly on the edge, too tired to maneuver my drained body more towards the middle of the bench. The bench about tipped over backwards when she plopped down next to me, also putting her weight all on the front corner.

"Whoa!" she muttered, righting the bench with a steadying hand and chuckling to herself.

"Serves you right," I said softly, trying not to yawn.

"Meaning?"

"It'd serve you right if we fell over. You didn't really have to break that plate, Xena," I scolded.

"Let it go, Gabrielle," she muttered, rubbing her eyes with one hand, the other fingers drumming on the table.

"Well you didn't."

"Let it go!"

"Xena, he didn't mean to-" I said, glaring at her.

"He most certainly meant to!" "I'm sure it was an accident!" "His hand did not accidentally squeeze my butt!" "He said he was reaching for the bread basket!" I protested, having seen the frail old man's face.

She scowled. "From across the isle?" I shrugged, "Well, you didn't have to smash the plate over his head!" I protested.

She smirked at me, raising a daring eyebrow. "It was an accident!"

"It was your mother's favorite plate," I countered.

"Its your favorite butt," she said, raising a very good point.

"So if I grabbed it you wouldn't have had a problem?" I said, lifting my chin from my arms and looking at her teasingly.

"If you grabbed it I would have broken the plate anyway," she said with a grin.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

I smiled, now somewhat glad the man had grabbed her ass. "How do you figure?"

"Because you grabbing my butt would have surprised the pants off me, Gabrielle," she laughed, reaching over and rubbing my lower back and causing me to emit a low moan of pleasure.

"I think your mom's gone to bed already," I said softly.

"Can you blame her? Its been a long day. Fighting the Persians didn't leave me this tired," she admitted.

I laughed. "Fighting the Persians didn't leave such a mess, either!" The inn's main room was a mess. There were still dishes in the large wash-tub in the kitchen and they'd have to be done in the morning before breakfast could be served. "Dishes can wait till morning," she said, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Can I just sleep here?" I said softly, not really having the energy to move. "Nope. That means I would have to sleep here, too, since I have no desire to sleep without you. And, honestly, I'm looking forward to that nice soft bed."

"You, the queen of finding camping ground with rocks sticking up, is wanting a bed?" I teased, standing and stretching my sore arms high above my head and feeling my shoulder pop.

"Those rocks build character," she argued, standing and yawning, reaching around and untying the apron I had borrowed from Cyrene.

"They build bruises on my back," I complained, lifting the apron over my head and hanging it on the peg next to the dirty kitchen.

She smirked as we walked into the bedroom. "Well, now that you sleep on me you won't have to worry about it, will you?" I thwacked her stomach with the back of my hand and glared up at her. "Knock it off. Remember who fixes your food out there!" I teased while changing into my shift.

She peeled out of her food soiled tunic and skirt and flopped onto the bed, pushing over and letting me curl up in my spot.

"What are you going to do, poison it?" She asked, not even trying to conceal her yawn.

"Worse. I'll let you cook," I muttered, snuggling into her shoulder.

She chuckled. "We're doomed."

The creaking of the door handle woke me from my pleasant dream. I cracked my eyes, my body reflexively staying utterly still. I felt Xena's hand press against my lower back and I knew that she, too, was awake. I allowed my open eye to remain merely a slit as I watched the door open and Cyrene step through. At first I silently sighed a bit in relief. For once we weren't being attacked in the middle of the night by mercenaries or drunken hit-men. Then I realized that I was sprawled completely on top of Xena, just about every inch of my body was touching hers in some manner. My heart jumped as I realized just what a catastrophe this could cause to Cyrene and Xena's still fragile relationship. I started to stretch and roll over, trying to make it look as if I was just moving in my sleep. I felt two strong arms encircle my waist and a chin tuck my head underneath it. What the.? I thought, not understanding why Xena would let her mother catch us in such a personal position.

It was at that precise moment that I realized just how much she actually cared. She was willing to risk her association with her mother just to keep this somewhat intimate moment with me. A moment that could easily be recreated else where. I hugged her back and nuzzled my head into her shoulder, smiling against the skin there and planting a tiny, hardly perceivable kiss there.

"Time to wake up, girls!" Cyrene said as she strode across the room, pulling open the curtains and tossing another log onto the dwindling fire. She paused on her way back and looked at us on the bed. I waited for some sort of shout of disapproval or look of anger or disgust on her face. I felt my body involuntarily stiffen and wait for the emotional blow that I felt was sure to come. Nothing. Just silent regard from the woman who had raised my lover. Her hands moved up to her hair and pulled the salt and pepper locks away from her face. She twisted it into a loose knot at the back of her neck, pulling the stray pieces away from her face and tucking them behind her ear. Her eyes creased as she smiled and a small approving sound came from her throat as she nodded softly. She turned on her heel and walked out, the door shutting soundlessly behind her.

My body relaxed and I took a deep breath, amazed at how much of a weight seemed to be now absent from my shoulders. A bit of air tickled my head as she sighed. "That was unexpected," I muttered, pulling back and watching her think.

"Yeah."

"You ok?" I asked, not really able to read her face.

She paused. "Yeah. I think I am."

I smiled. "At least it was a pleasant way to wake up," I said, leaning down and kissing her. Her hands shifted from my lower back to one cradling the back of my head and the other edging up underneath my linen shift and making very arousing strokes across the bare skin.

"I'd like to wake up like this instead," she said with a smile as I paused in my kissing expedition.

I blushed deeply, able to feel the heat radiating from my cheeks. "Me too," I said. Oh gods, this is divine, I thought, feeling her fingers caress the sides of my ribs. The fire crackled, devouring another log and I smelt the hickory sent waft from the fireplace. I felt my heart start to rise into my throat and I knew that if I didn't move now, I wouldn't move anytime soon. "You know, she probably needs help cleaning that mess I left in the kitchen last night," I said, trying to find some excuse to remove myself from the warm body that had become my own personal mattress. "It can wait," she muttered, suckling on my neck. I groaned, fighting my inner battles. Patience verses whatever the Hades it was that her attentions were doing to me. I groaned again before leaning over and nabbing her lips in a passionate kiss. She rolled us over, her knees pinning me to the bed with firm purpose. One knee eased between my own and the other steadied her balance outside my legs. She had one hand on the base of my skull, her fingers moving in small relaxing circles. The other hand had eased itself up my tunic and was tracing lines across my stomach. My hands roamed across her body and tugged on her tunic, pulling it over her rear end and revealing her lower back. She moaned as I bit her shoulder lightly, tasting the skin with my teeth. The highly erotic sound caused me to smile, realizing that, quite possibly, I was having the same effect on her that she was currently having on me.

I tugged more on her shirt, pulling it up to her shoulder blades and letting my hands run wild on the skin I had just revealed. Her kisses left little paths of raging fire and I wanted to drive her just as crazy as she was making me.

She shifted and I felt the bed move with her weight as she pulled at my shirt, trying to free me from its confines. I moved with her, trying to adjust myself so she could easily tug the linen off my body. My weight went to my left. So did hers. Our body parts, already tangled, weren't able to compensate and re-balance us and we rolled off the bed with a resounding thud.

"Damn it," she muttered, tugging at her shirt which had captured her upraised knee under its hem. "Ow," I said, reaching up and rubbing the side of my head where I had smacked it against the bed leg.

It was really quite funny if you looked at it from an outsiders point of view, however neither one of us was too amused with our recent coupling habits. Salmon swimming upstream didn't seem to have as much trouble with mating that we had.

"You ok?" she asked quietly, obviously having realized that this was not the best time to curse the Fates regarding our sexual difficulties. "I'd be better if we were still in bed," I admitted, hoping that the huge bruise I got from this fall would only smart for a few days.

She squatted, having finally gotten her leg and arm free of her tunic, and lifted me up and back onto the bed. "Feel better?" She said with a smile, reaching back and examining the small lump that was forming on the back of my head.

I grinned, reaching up to trace her cheek with my fingers. She caught my eye and leaned down, kissing me quickly. "Now I feel better," I said. She sniffed a bit in agreement and then continued her medical exam of my head. "Eyes ok?" She asked, looking in them and tilting my head towards the window.

I grinned a bit and let her continue to gaze at me as it allowed me a perfect moment to admire her face. Extraordinary. Beautiful. Magnificent. I'd end up creating new words just to describe her. I smiled and she tilted her head. "What're you grinning at?"

"You're so beautiful," I said with a chuckle as she blushed.

"You're wacked out on Henbane again, aren't you?" She asked, dead serious. I laughed and she moved her hand, finding the soar spot on my skull. I sucked in a breath involuntarily as her fingers hit the tender area.

"Ow," I said again, reaching back to cover the area out of mere reflex and refusing to cry as the sharp pain soared through my skull like .

She frowned. "Why didn't you say it hurt?" She hissed at me, sliding in behind me and sitting me against her shoulder. I rested my temple on her shoulder and she re-checked my bruise.

"Because I wanted a kiss!" "Kissing is what got you hurt in the first place!" She said as she probed around the tender spot with painstaking carefulness.

I frowned as she accidentally felt out the bruise. "Xena, that wasn't just kissing," I said, feeling her pause and her fingers still as she digested my sentence. Her face contorted into something that was a cross between a frown and a grin. It was an odd occasion such as now that I couldn't read her thoughts merely by seeing her expression. She sniffed, "It sure was, wasn't it?" she asked.

I frowned, flinching as she ran her finger tips across what was surely a nasty fluid-filled bruise. She paused her fingers and looked down at me. "I'm not complaining," I said. "I am," she said, making me scowl.

"What? Why?"

I felt her shoulders square as she released me and slid out from behind me, walking to the fire and using the iron rod to poke the last log back to life. Ok. Something's wrong. What's going on in that head of hers? I thought, seeing the distinct difference in body posture. "Xena?"

She continued to poke at the poor log as the fire crackled and spit.

"Xena? What's the matter?" I asked, not sure if it was something I had just caused or not.

"You got hurt," she growled. "And? I've been hurt before!" "You were hurt because we.because there is a WE, Gabrielle," she said, putting the poker down and hanging her head. "So you're saying that before you and I started rolling around on the bed in a ball of passion, I never got hurt?" I asked, completely sarcastic in my tone of voice. I sighed, not having thought we'd be going through this entire conversation all over again. "We've got to stop, Gabrielle," she said in a soft voice, turning to see me just as I flinched from her words. Her simple words held more meaning than anyone else would have known. I knew she was still working things out regarding our relationship. I knew that it would still be a while for us both to adjust to these changes that, truth be told, had been occurring over the last few years and not merely over the last few days. And even though I knew those things, her words stung. Worse than a bee. Worse than an arrow to the lungs. Worse than a blow from a mace. Her words seemed to put a huge crimp in my heart and I started to ask her if she meant what I knew she meant.

"What do.?" I started, stopping to put my hand up. This was futile. I was dealing with Xena and certain things were obvious. She was backing off because she was scared. Scared for me. I knew it and she knew it. I refused to play into her by even acknowledging the comment. "No. I'm not having this conversation with you," I said, refusing to even go there with her. I knew she had issues with my getting too close to her, but it had already happen. I had warned her that there was no going back. She knew. She knew and now she would NOT renege on her promise.

I heard her sigh as I turned around. "I'm going to help your mother in the kitchen."

"Gabrielle!" she said, standing as I started to pull my tunic off and step into the same leggings I had worn the night before.

She got no reply from me as I laced the strings in the front of my pants.

"Gabrielle," she said softer.

Nothing. I'd give her nothing if she would take everything from me.

She came over and put her hand on my chin. As I stood there with but nothing other than a pair of leggings gracing my legs, I felt the light morning's chill sweep over my bare chest. I yanked my face away, tugging my sleeping shift over my head.

"Gab," she said again, her voice catching in her throat as she let her hand drop back down to her side as if it had been burned.

"No," I said softly as I jerked the linen of my work-tunic over my head. "No, Xena."

"But its for your own good!" She insisted. It was ridiculous. The same circular argument we had been battling since I met her three years ago kept popping up. I had a serious feeling this particular battle wouldn't end any time soon.

"Damn it, its not!" I yelled, keeping both feet firmly on the ground though I had every desire to stamp one against the wood floor. I took a breath and tried to return my voice to its normal calm. "You've got to stop this," I said with barely a quiver to my voice. "You've got to stop trying to protect me from you! I'm not scared, Xena. I'm not a little girl who's needs you to protect me from evil monsters that hide under my bed. I know what I'm getting myself into and I'm not running away!" She sighed and looked at the ground.

I took a half step forward, landing right in front of her. Chest to chest. I let my hands reach around her waist and I pulled her in close, letting our bodies touch and that wonderful bit of sparkle flow between us. "Do me a favor?" I said softly, watching her face contort into a questioning look. "Think about that. Think about how much I love you and how more than a knock on the head won't stop me from loving you. Please? Think about it, Xena," I begged while I didn't release my grip any. We stayed toe to toe, pelvis to pelvis and heart to heart. "I."

"Would you please shut up?" I asked softly, I took a step forward and she backed up and sat on the bed. "Just sit for a few minutes and realize that I love you. Regardless of anything else, ok? I'll be in the kitchen when you wise up." I leaned down and put my hands on her cheeks, kissing her thoroughly and tenderly, but not restraining any passion. I turned on my heal and left a very bewildered looking warrior princess sitting on her bed. I shut the door after me, feeling oddly like a mother who had just set their child to their room to "think about what they had done."

I sighed and wiped my hands on my shirt, steadying my nerves for a busy morning of cleaning the kitchen in between serving the breakfast guests.

Continued in Part 3.