Gabrielle was diligently working on a scroll while Xena was just as diligently cleaning her sword. Xena's eyes lifted and she watched her bard with a small smile. It was nice to see her writing again. Gabrielle had changed and developed so much she was a different woman from when they first met. It was amazing. She went from a dependent innocent to a secure totally independent woman in what seemed to Xena like a blink of an eye. She shook her head at the memory as she gently cleaned the scabbard in which her sword would be placed.

Talking, that's what the bard had been good at when they first met. She still was very good at that of course. It had developed over the years to a whole new level, She was a talented bard, a powerful warrior and a natural leader. Xena was so proud of her she could feel her heart swell at just the thought.

She remembered the debate they had on the sword just before that maniac kidnapped Gabrielle to sacrifice her in the name of the Dream God. The look on her face as the breast dagger fell out of her cleavage. Damn, she was so incredibly cute. A small chuckle escaped from her as she remembered it, which of course made Gabrielle look up from her scroll and ask, "What are you chuckling about?"

Xena looked up and met green eyes with totally innocent blue ones. "Who chuckled?'

Gabrielle rolled her yes, "Xena!"

Now Xena laughed and asked, "What?"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes again and huffed replying, "I think I know chuckling when I hear it. It was just a simple question?.So why?"

Xena cocked her head and looked at her best friend with affection, "If you must know I was thinking about when you were young and innocent and how darn cute you were. Feel better?"

"I guess?"She looked down and stared at her hands, "Um?am I now old and used up?"

"What? Of course not. Why on Earth would you even think something like that?"Asked Xena astonished by the bards thoughts as she went to her best friend and gently put her arms around her in a comforting embrace. She gently tried to get her head up but the bard kept it down resting it snugly on Xena's shoulder.

"I guess I feel old lately. Um? While you were off dealing with that maniac and I was with the Amazons trying to keep them from going after you two I felt like this old woman with a bunch of children. They looked at me like this old wise queen mother and I feel so different then I did as that young girl who first followed you. I?do you still think?I'm?"

"Beautiful, remarkable, intelligent, wise, wonderful, incredible?You are the purest soul I have ever known. You are the light of my existence and if your old I'm ancient?"

"Xena, Do you really think all that?"

"Of course I do. Why would you think otherwise?"

"No reason. You've always treated me like that. It's me. I'm feeling like I changed too much. That if I loose my freshness you'll loose interest in me?"

"I'll never, ever loose interest in you. Come on Love, What's this really all about? You're wonderful and accomplished and you damn well know that. What happened in that God Damned camp?" The warrior was ready to storm the village and take those girls to task for making her love have this much doubt about her own worth.

Gabrielle relished the closeness and let herself be pampered by the warrior, But when she felt the rage start to build she pulled back to look into stormy blue eyes, "Shhh, Its ok?"

"No, It's not ok. What the hell did they say to you?"

Gabrielle looked down and said quietly, "They didn't say anything. Its like?Well they treat me like this delicate thing that might break. Like I'm actually 25years older?I felt like yelling at them and saying that I'm still young, that I'm not old yet?"

"You're not." Said Xena gently stroking her hair and kissing the crown of her loves head.

"I know, Xena, people always treat you with such awe?me included when I first met you, and you handle it with such ?well obviousness. How do you do that?"

Xena closed her eyes and leaned her head against Gabrielle's She then tightened her embrace and said quietly into Gabrielle's ear, "I don't. It just seems that way. I..I never felt I deserved that?awe?so I just ignored it. It doesn't belong to me." Then she pulled back so she could look into her loves green eyes, "But you love, You are truly a hero. You did earn this status. You are a great example of a queen and a leader, my love. No one else has ever followed her principles as well or tried as hard to maintain each ideal as you did. I love every part of your character, but I see why those girls admire you. They should your incredible." Blue eyes sought green and when she caught them she held them tight within her grasp. "You are my light, Gabrielle. You always have been and you always will be. I know you've had some very hard lessons but you know that you always prevailed. I am so very proud of the woman you've become. Please Gabrielle, please see what I see."There were tears in her eyes for Gabrielle's pain, But the bard also saw love and pride in her soul mates eyes; and she nodded smiling shyly back at the tear-filled blue gaze.

"Thank you?I?thank you," Said Gabrielle as she hugged the warrior tightly to her.

Xena smiled, and brought the bard face up so she could kiss her with all the love and passion she felt in her heart. When they pulled back she said, "You are my heart Gabrielle, There is no reason for you to thank me. I love you."

Tears were still falling as Gabrielle put her forehead against the warriors and replied, "I love you too. I love you with all my heart and soul." They kissed again and sank into the healing force of their love.

The End