CopyRight: Xena, Gabrielle, Melinda Pappas, Janice Covington, and the Amazons all are owned by Universal/MCA and Renaissance Pictures, not mine, I wish though. But, the story line is all mine and not yours as well as the characters, Emily Leukos, Doctor Longhem, Wilson Havagin, Doctor Nathan Johnson, and Doctor Julia Philistine so don't mess with them or the story line. Otherwise I will come after you.
Sex/Subtext: Yeah there is defiantly both of those. There is love between two women which if offends you, then don't read this story. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. Otherwise enjoy yourself.
Started: October 18, 1999
If anybody has comments about my story please let me know at:
Part 3
Section Three
~*Part 10*~
In a country that's been around for ages is where we center on. We slowly focus on a small forest located within Greece, the Amazon Forest. In the core of the forest is a fairly good size hut, smoke rising up from it. Inside are located four Amazons and two soulmates.
The archeologist shivers for a moment, her taller soulmate's arms tightening more around Janice. Where we last left off also left us off in sadness. We can only imagine then how the soulmates must feel at this point in time. Something that had them bonded through their souls had been shaken up by the past events. But as we all know wounds can be healed overtime and through love. Otherwise wounds will not heal, only grow and destroy people. Now the soulmates faced this enigma. Everything is like a puzzle and something came along and rearranged their perfectly set puzzle picture, leaving the soulmates to place the pieces back into their rightful spot.
Janice rolled to her right and into Mel's body. She tucked her head under the southerner's chin, her emerald eyes still closed. Wrapping her arms around Mel, the archeologist pulled her partner in closer, as close as she could. She was afraid to let go. For if she did she believes her soulmate would only face evil alone again.
Melinda placed her chin on top of Janice's head, her arms still securely around the smaller woman's body. The crackle of fire sprung up into the air from the fireplace in the small room of the Amazon hut. The room was warm, but they both still felt cold. It was late night, but still sleep didn't take them. Both feared their dreams that would come once they did sleep. They feared that if they just let their guard down for a moment that their soulmate would be swept away from their arms.
The small blond took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Mel?" It was muffled, but the belle heard her name.
"Yes?" Janice brought her head out from under Mel's head and looked up into sky blue eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came. Emerald eyes dropped for a moment. Mel brought up her top hand and caressed her soulmate's cheek for a moment. Janice looked back up and the hand moved back to Janice's waist.
"Mel…what happened back there?" The belle closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and reopened her eyes.
"I don't know Janice" Silence loomed in the air for a few heartbeats.
"Mel that wasn't you back there"
"It wuz not me…" A sigh. "It wuz uh dark side of me Janice" The fire popped in the background.
"I know, I never seen you like that since Xena first took your body" The belle slightly nodded her head.
"Dat wuz uh side of her Janice, we both know of it. I reckon itz inside of me too" Janice felt herself choking up some, she took a shaky breath.
"Yeah I had some flash backs when I was inside of the temple"
"I reckoned dat. What were they?" The archeologist took a long breath.
"The first one was with the dagger. The scene of Gabrielle killing that priestess of Dahok's. The second one was the debt Gabrielle owed to Ares" The belle's brows furrowed.
"Debt? What debt wuz dat?" The smaller woman shrugged her shoulders some.
"I don't know. All I know was if Xena ever killed Hope then Xena would also die" A pause. "Xena is a part of you as much as Gabrielle is of me. Something in me told me that you would die too if you had killed Hope" Stillness filled the small room again. They stared into each other's eyes, Mel slightly smiled to her soulmate.
"Thank you Janice" The archeologist furrowed her brow some.
"For what Mel? I…I wasn't there for you Mel. Twice now and look at what its cost us"
"Hold on now Janice Covington" The smaller woman took a deep breath and Melinda went on. "Look you couldn't have been sure dat Hope wuz in duh mansion. Yo didn't know" Janice quickly cut her off.
"No I did Mel. When I was at the garage about to get my bike. I felt something and it told me something wasn't right" Janice's eyes started to weld up with tears, she whispered out the end. "I ignored it"
"Janice yo couldn't have been positive. I don't blame yo at all. None of it wuz yo fault Janice, do yo hear?" Janice's eyes dropped, they then closed, and she bit her lower lip. She then whispered out to the translator.
"Mel I failed you" Janice opened her eyes again, they were becoming red while her cheeks wet. She looked up to Mel. She repeated the statement again. "I failed you Mel" It was filled with so much pain that it made Mel's heart shatter into shards of glass. Janice shook her head some and closed her eyes, the tears came down faster. She hated herself, that was all there was to it. The belle took a shaky breath and brought her hand back up to the side of Janice's face.
"Janice?" The archeologist shook her head, her eyes still closed. She took a breath through her mouth, finding it hard to breath through her nose. "Janice please look at me" For a moment the belle didn't think Janice would open her eyes, but those red sea eyes slowly opened back up and gazed at Mel. The southerner slightly smiled to the archeologist. "Janice yo lissen tuh me. Yo haven't failed me okay?" No response from the archeologist. "Janice if I tell yo dat you haven't failed me then dat means yo haven't. Yo hear? I say you haven't, I know you haven't" The belle slowly let tears come down from her eyes. "Janice you're not perfect to dis world but to me you are. You're only human" The small woman slightly smiled to her soulmate in response.
"I'm sorry Mel" The belle slightly smiled. Janice leaned in and lightly kissed her soulmates on the lips.
"Janice…" That's when Melinda Pappas felt everything come crashing down. She had just rasped out Janice's name. The archeologist quickly shifted her hands up. She pulled Mel in, the southerner's head going under Janice's chin. The small woman wrapped her arms around Mel, the aristocrat's own arms going around Janice's body.
The sobs rocked Melinda Pappas' body. The tears spilling out like a river. Janice's own tears came slipping out down her face. The soulmates rocked some in the bed. Their sobs echoed through the dark room as the raging fire's tears crackled with them.
Starling stood up from the wood chair and moved to the door. She turned her head thinking she heard cries. Her right ear going against the wood door, she heard sobs in the other room. Starling sighed and moved away from the door again and sat back down in the seat at the table. Around the common size wood table sat Hellenes, Sylvia and Emily Leukos. None of them went to sleep, to worried that the Nazis might have followed.
"Nobody goes in there. We wait for them to come out when they're ready" Hellenes and Sylvia looked up and nodded to their Queen.
"How did they sound?" Emily Leukos then looked up after talking, her eyes shifting to Starling. The Amazon Queen took a breath and reached out for a piece of bread on the table.
"They're healing" The doctor nodded her head and leaned back into her chair. "Emily thanks for coming when you did" Leukos looked over to Starling, she slightly smiled.
"Wish I could have been quicker about it" Starling shrugged her shoulders and smiled some to the doctor.
"You did fine. Neither three of us knew of what was going on" Emily nodded her head. Sylvia then looked up to Emily.
"Emily, how do you know Janice and Mel?" The doctor smiled to Sylvia and then responded back to the second in command.
"I work at the same University as they do" The second in command nodded her head. Sylvia then looked to Starling, the Amazon munching on piece of the bread.
"They seem quite different then last time we met them huh?" Starling nodded and Hellenes looked to the second in command.
"I noticed that too" Sylvia looked to Hellenes as the weapons master went on. "Mel especially, never thought that one could fight" Starling chuckled across the table, all three Amazons looked to their Queen in question. Starling swallowed the bit of bread and answered the unasked question.
"Well we do recall who's decedent Mel is of" Everybody grinned with a nod of their heads.
"The both of them" Everybody grinned at Emily Leukos' words.
Mel sat up on the bed, her legs over the side, Janice right beside her. The archeologist slightly smiled to her soulmate, she got one back. It was early dawn. They both had slept some but not much. The soulmates decided to get up and move around, feeling trapped in the small room to long. Janice stood up from the bed, her boots hitting the wood floor, Mel doing the same. The fire was about burned out, a small amount of sunlight creeping into the room from the window.
The archeologist shifted to the door and opened it. She peaked through to find nobody in the main room like earlier. Janice walked through then went to the door across the room. She opened the door to the outdoors, Mel came right up behind her. The pair went outside and Mel shifted to lean against the hut. She took a deep breath, Janice stood beside her. Over to their left front was the Nazi truck that they used to make it to the hut.
"You think you're ready to go home?" Mel looked down to her soulmate, Janice looking up to her. The archeologist's hat was off, left back inside of the hut. The small woman's hair was down covering her shoulders.
"Yes, I want tuh go back tuh Colombia" Janice nodded her head and looked back to the forest around them. The morning was cool, it felt clean. There was a slight mist to the cool morning. "Janice?"
"Yeah Mel?"
"I am home" The small archeologist looked up to her soulmate, Mel smiled down at her partner. A sweet smile slipped onto Janice's lips. She knew what Mel meant by that. A small hand reached over to Mel, a large hand reaching to Janice. Their hands interlocked mid-way.
"I'm at home too" They both looked back to the forest. The belle took a deep breath and slowly let it release, her breath visible in the air.
"It'll be Christmas soon" Janice smiled to herself.
"It will, I am actually excited even though there is a war" The translator nodded her head.
"I am too, it'll be our first Christmas together" The archeologist's eyes softened at that.
"That's what makes it so special Mel. I'll have you" Melinda squeezed the blond's hand.
"And I'll have yo, dat's all I'll ever need" The door to the hut then slowly opened up and Starling stepped through. The Amazon Queen looked over to the pair. She joined them, leaning against the hut as well.
"How are you both feeling?" Janice smiled and replied back.
"We're okay Starling. Thank you again for your help" The Amazon smiled and looked to Janice.
"Anytime, you're friends of this Nation in more then one way" The archeologist nodded her head. Mel looked to Starling.
"Where's everybody else?" The Amazon looked up to the tall belle.
"They're all inside resting" Melinda nodded her head and then she asked something else.
"I reckon dat Doctor Leukos will be coming back wid us tuh America" Starling nodded her head and answered back.
"She will" Starling was about to continue but the door to the hut creaked open again and the doctor came out with a smile.
"Y'all talking about me out here?" Starling looked to the Amazon and grinned.
"Yes we were actually. Care to join the chatter club?" Emily Leukos chuckled. But she decided to be different and lean against the hut on her left side, facing everybody. Her arms crossing against her chest.
"Doctor Leukos I never thanked you for yo help. I reckon I gave yo uh scare back there at Doctor Johnson's dinner table" Emily Leukos looked up to the translator with a smile.
"It is alright Miss Pappas, I should have known better tuh look at Janice like that" The belle grinned and the archeologist furrowed her brows. The small blond looked up to her soulmate.
"Look…scare? What did I miss that night?" The belle chuckled and looked down to Janice.
"Yo missed the dirty look Doctor Leukos gave yo" The doctor then piped in.
"And I got one back in return from Miss Pappas" Janice grinned up at her soulmate. Mel grinned back then looked to Emily Leukos.
"Please call me Mel" Leukos nodded with a smile, she retorted back.
"I'd fancy you calling me Emily then" The southerner nodded her head in response.
"When do you and Mel plan to head back?" The archeologist looked to Starling and answers the Queen's question.
"Maybe later today if possible" The Amazon nodded her head. Janice then looked to Emily. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask how you got here to Greece" The doctor grinned.
"I have a friend in the flying biz, her name is Cliona. As a matter of fact she's back in Athens waiting" Janice smiled.
"So she's our mode of transportation eh?" The doctor nodded her head.
"Yup, waiting there for us to show up. The sooner the better though" Janice nodded her head.
"Is Cliona also an Amazon?" Emily Leukos nodded her head with a grin.
"She is" The archeologist chuckled.
"Go figure" She then looked up to her soulmate. "Wanna go get ready?" Mel stared at the forest for a moment. She tore her eyes from the forest and looked to her archeologist.
"Yeah, let's go" They squeezed each other hands then released. Everybody shuffled back inside of the hut.
Melinda shifted to the bed, on it lay a pair of khaki pants, white blouse and boots. Emily Leukos had gratefully given Mel the clothes to wear, knowing the southerner wouldn't want to continue wearing the Air Force uniform. Janice was at the table near the head of the bed. On the small table was Janice's two revolvers, whip, jacket, and her hat. Miraculously Hellenes had found the two revolvers and whip on one of the Nazis figuring them to be Janice's.
The belle kneeled down and untied the boots she had on already. She then stepped out of them and pushed them off to the side. Next to follow was the Air Force uniform that she slipped out of in one fluent motion. Mel now just stood in her underwear and bra. She tossed the uniform onto the bed and lifted up the khakis and slipped into them.
Janice hooked her whip on, the last item. Her new spring eyes shifted up to see Mel in just the pants. The archeologist's eyes narrowed at the marks on Mel's body. She moved to the translator's side, Mel looking to her in question.
"Let me see" The belle turned to her soulmate. Janice took in the marks. There were slash marks going down the right side of Mel's chest. Mel's right shoulder also had healing nail marks. Right under the belle's neck was a deep bite mark. The aristocrat took a shake breath, Janice brought up her right hand. The archeologist's hand going to the slash mark across the belle's chest.
Melinda closed her eyes and shuddered from the touch. The touch was different then Hope's, Janice's fingers more soft and gentle. Slowly blue eyes open again and looked down to Janice. Emerald eyes already stared up to the belle. Very very slowly Janice let a warm loving smile cross her lips. Mel slightly smiled back, but it was sad.
"Janice" The archeologist pulled her soulmate into a hug. Mel wrapped her arms around Janice and dropped her head onto the smaller woman's head. A few more shaky breaths escaped the southerner's lips. She felt protected. Once they pulled back Janice Covington placed a very soft kiss to her soulmate's chest over the slash marks. The archeologist released her soulmate and Mel lifted the white cotton blouse from the bed. She slipped it on and began to button it up. Janice shifted near the table again and lifted her hat up off the table. Then reaching behind her head she pulled up her strawberry-blond hair and tied it into place with a band from her wrist. She slipped on her hat and turned to Mel. The belle was bending down to tie the low cut worn boots. The southerner stood back up.
"Ready?" Mel nodded with a small smile. The pair padded over to the small door and opened it. Inside of the main room of the hut sat the four Amazons. They all looked up as the soulmates entered. All the Amazons stood up from their seats, Starling moved closer to the soulmates as did the doctor.
"Are we ready to leave?" Janice nodded her head in answer the Leukos' question. The archeologist looked to Starling.
"Starling glad you were there. Thanks for the help" The Amazon smiled.
"Part of your duty Janice. Protect Xena and Gabrielle, including their decedents" The two soulmates smiled. "By the way, I think I'm going to try and sneak out of the Amazon Nation. I'll try to come visit you two during the winter" Mel smiled at that and retorted back.
"We'd love it Starling. We'll be in Colombia the entire winter" The Amazon Queen looked up to Mel and smiled.
"Wonderful, I'll try to come if those two over there let me go" Starling looked to Hellenes and Sylvia, the two Amazons were grinning. Janice grinned too and spoke up.
"You're the Queen, so don't let them stop you" Starling chuckled with a smile.
"I suppose you're right" Janice nodded her head and then without notice the archeologist pulled the Amazon Queen into a hug. The pair hugged tightly. Once they broke away Janice shifted over to the other two Amazons.
"Thank you both" Sylvia and Hellenes both smiled and nodded their heads. Janice hugged each of them. Once she broke free of the last hug Mel came up to the Amazons and Janice went to stand back near Starling. Mel thanked the other two Amazons and gave them huge hugs. Lastly Mel hugged the Amazon Queen. It all felt right. Everybody walked out of the hut and strolled over to the Nazi army truck. Emily Leukos hugged all her Amazon friends and climbed into the driver's side of the truck.
"Take care y'all" Starling nodded with a smile, the Hellenes and Sylvia both smiled.
"Take care yourself Mel and Janice" Janice waved and Mel nodded. The aristocrat opened the passenger side of the truck. She climbed in then to follow was the archeologist. They all sat inside and Leukos started up the truck's engine, it came to life in a heartbeat.
The Amazons all watched as the truck rolled down the very small path through the Amazon Forest. Hellenes then broke the silence.
"You think they'll be fine?" Starling stared off into the woods and the disappearing truck. She retorted back.
"They're soulmates" Starling then looked to Hellenes and smiled. Hellenes smiled back, Sylvia piped in.
"Nothing stops that love" All three Amazons grinned and turned around to walk back into the hut.
~*Part 11*~
The truck went through the gates of the Athens airport. It then rolled up to a parking spot and everybody hopped out. Off to their right was a huge DC-3 plane, silver. Leukos nodded to it. The soulmates followed the doctor to the steps of the plane. As soon as they did approach the steps did a woman appear at the top of the steps. She was a short female. Her hair is a deep red and reaches to her shoulders. She had on brown trousers, navy lightweight coat over a dirty white T-shirt.
"Now I was wondering Emily when you'd show up" The doctor grinned and climbed the stairs with Mel and Janice following. Once the three women entered they turned to the newer woman.
"Cliona I want you to meet Doctor Janice Covington" The archeologist smiled and reached out, shaking Cliona's hand. Then Emily looked to Mel then to Cliona. "And Cliona this is Miss Melinda Pappas" Cliona smiled to the southerner and shook her hand as well.
"Well its super to finally meet the two archeologists after the Xena history" Janice grinned. "Ah hold on for a moment" The Amazon turned her head sidelong to the door way to the cockpit of the plane. "Ashley get out here" Another short women with short blond hair came out of the pilot's room. Around her neck was also a bird necklace. Janice inwardly chuckled at that. "Ashley this is Doctor Janice Covington and Miss Melinda Pappas" The small Amazon looked to the two women with a smile.
"So you're the archeologist after Xena's and Gabrielle's history huh?" Janice smiled to Ashley.
"I am, have been for to long" The Amazons chuckled.
"We've heard a lot about you Doctor Covington" All three Amazons nodded at that. Cliona then cut in.
"Doctor Covington I do believe you know the Amazon Nation has been tracking you since your father" Janice nodded her head.
"Yes, I also heard all the Amazons got into a hissy fit over Miss Pappas here joining me" All the Amazons chuckled.
"We did" The two soulmate's grinned at Leukos' words.
"Well y'all can call me Mel make things simpler. And I do reckon Doctor Covington would fancy to keep it tuh just Janice" The archeologist looked up to her soulmate with a smile. She then looked back to Cliona and Ashley with a smile. Cliona answered back.
"Janice and Mel it is then" Cliona then looked to the doctor. "Now then I do believe its time we head back to America as much as I love Greece" Leukos nodded her head with a smile. Cliona looked to her assistant. "Get the door will ya? Then we'll head out of here" She looked up to Janice and Mel. "There're seats in the back, real comfortable too. I do believe it'll be a long trip back to America" Cliona then looked to the doctor. "And next time could you give Ashley and I more notice about these things" Emily laughed a little.
"Sure I'll just mark it on my calendar next time Cliona" The pilot shook her head and Ashley reappeared beside the group.
"We're ready" Cliona nodded her head and Ashley looked to Leukos and the soulmates. "If any you three would love something to eat or drink there's a small kitchen in the back stock with stuff" Cliona nodded in agreement.
"Well then, let us know if you need anything, Ashley and I will be in the cockpit" Everybody nodded their heads. The two pilots then moved to the head into the pilot's cockpit.
"Hey Cliona" The Amazon stopped short and turned to look at Janice. The archeologist grinned. "Can I fly the plane later?" The Amazon arched a dark red eyebrow at Janice.
"Do you know how to fly?" Janice kept her grin.
"Nope, thought I could learn" Cliona slightly nodded, Ashley already inside of the cockpit.
"Not with my plane Covington" Mel started to laugh, as did Leukos. The Amazon pilot went inside of the cockpit.
"Ah well thought I'd try"
The plane had quickly made its way to the western runway. It sat at the beginning of the runway as the engines warmed up and the props picked up speed. The airplane vibrated with a hum. Mel sat down in two seats, her body stretched out across them, her back against the plane. Janice on the other hand had gone up to the cockpit to watch the take off of the plane. Emily Leukos was across from Mel in a row of one-seaters. Her head back, eye closed trying to sleep.
Janice watched as Cliona's hand went down to a large handle. She pushed it up and the plane went racing down the runway. The runway underneath turned into a black streak as they sped down airstrip. As she watched out the cockpit window she saw the plane lift up from the ground and into the air. Janice took a deep breath. She hates heights. "Okay I think I've seen enough" Cliona laughed and Janice headed back into the main part of the plane. She stalked down the isles and spotted her soulmate to the left, Emily to the right.
"Hey" Melinda smiled and opened her eyes, she replied back.
"Hey yourself. Interesting up yonder?" Janice grinned.
"Uh…not really" A dark eyebrow lifted up at Janice's words.
"Uh huh" The archeologist grinned and Janice moved between the seats closer to her soulmate. "Come here" Janice smiled and took off her hat and weapons, placing them on the floor. She then crawled on top of Mel. Her back going into Mel's body, the back of Janice's head resting against Mel's chest. The belle wrapped her arms around her soulmate's, hands resting on Janice's lap. "What iz dat?"
"What?" Melinda moved her hands. Her large right hand opening Janice's left side of the leather jacket. Mel reached in with her other hand. She pulled out a leather object from the inside of Janice's coat.
"Jesus, I completely forgot about that" Mel looked at the leather bound book.
"What iz it?" Janice smiled.
"I think it's Gabrielle's diary" The translator's hand grazed across the top of the leather book, a quill was embossed in the front. The aristocrat felt like she'd held it before but knew she hadn't. "Look at this" Janice took the diary and opened the cover to the first page. Mel stared down at a perfect picture of Xena and Gabrielle, the bard about to kiss the warrior. Her blue eyes looked down to something written at the bottom.
"My drawing to my soulmate, I am yours forever. Love Xena" Janice looked down to the inscription as well, reading the same thing.
"That's a really good drawing she did" Mel nodded in agreement. Janice turned the page and there on another page was another drawing. This one of the soulmates in a camp at the foot of some mountains.
"Janice those are duh Amazon Mountains" The archeologist studied the mountains in the background.
"They are" A small hand touched the picture. "I think Gabrielle drew this" Mel grinned.
"I reckon you're right" Janice turned a few of the syntax pages and came to one page, a title at the top.
"Entity of the…Soul" Both the soulmates stared at the title for a moment. To them it held meaning that title. Both the soulmates knew this must be a private story considering the fact it was written in the bard's diary and not in her scrolls. Mel took a deep breath and looked down at the syntax, her mind began to translate the words. She began to read the story aloud the bard had written.
"The Warrior Princess and Amazon Queen finished their affairs at duh Amazon Nation. Okeanos had been stopped and duh Amazon Nation and Greece were safe once again. Now duh pair decided it wuz high time for uh vacation, so dat led them to Amphipolis. They were walking along duh road to Amphipolis, Xena riding and duh bard walking az normal. Duh small form took uh deep breath, her lungs quickly filled wid the morning air. Beside her she lissened to duh clip clop of duh horse's hooves…"