It was as if nothing had changed, we set up our camp as we always did. We both fell into doing our usual jobs. I think we must of both been in some form of shock. We smiled at each other and joked lightly but we never really made eye contact. Once we finished eating our dinner and laying out our bedrolls. Xena sat on rock sharpening her sword, and I sat on tree stump next to her and tried to write in my scrolls. I was really writing gibberish, I couldn't seem to think straight yet. I was writing sentences that made no sense but I needed to write and try to be normal. So did Xena as she was totally focused on her sword and the sharpening stone. It was a soothing sound to hear. It had become apart of our lives since I've known the Warrior Princess. In this life at least.
Xena's eyes met mine and the gentle blue suddenly filled with tears as did my own. We rushed into each other's arms in a tight life-giving embrace. It felt so good to be home and to be in these arms that meant I was home. I sunk into the feeling with all my heart and soul. We held each other for what seemed liked hours but was only a few minutes. We were each others lifeline again, thank all that is holy we were home.
When we separated and our eyes met again Xena smiled slightly and dried my tears with her finger, as I did hers. Her mouth trembled as she said very quietly, "I did find you again. Even in that hell that bastard created, I still found my soul mate."
I nodded and leaned my head against her shoulder, "I know."
"Gabrielle, What did you do all alone all that time?"
"Its funny. I dreamed every night of a great warrior who would rescue me from the boredom and loneliness that was my life. I did find my warrior it just took a lot longer then in my real world."
Xena had tears rolling down her cheeks as she nodded, "I dreamt of you every night too, my love. When I heard the words of your play I realized what I was dreaming about. Then when I actually saw you it gripped my heart, because my heart had been touched for the first time in my life. When I saw your beautiful face on the stage I knew what my dreams meant. I had to meet you. I wanted you to be my friend if nothing else. I really needed you even more then I realized. I knew from my dreams that you were my life line."
"Xena, How are we going to live with this knowledge? How are we not going to have nightmares featuring Caesar and Alti? Did he rip the fabric of this life too because we retain this knowledge of the other one? I am so scared, I don't want to lose us ever again."
"You won't. I did learn a valuable lesson from this mess. It was the only positive that happened other then finding you again. Do you remember what I told you when I was in the prison cell?" Some how we were now on our bedrolls and cuddled deep into each other's arms. I don't even remember Xena lifting me and moving us over. She must have settled us in as we talked because the blanket was over us too. I nodded my head and nuzzled my cheek against hers. She kissed my cheek and brought me even closer our bodies pressed together so nothing could get between us.
I finally whispered a horse, "Yes." A fresh supply of tears fell down my cheeks as I was hit by the memory of a terribly wounded Xena on a cot in her prison cell. Not exactly a prison for an Empress but that was all over. Both Xena and Caesar knew it at the time.
"Do you remember what I told you about how things all happen as they should. Well in our real life it did. I was a warlord so when I finally came back to myself I would have all the knowledge of how a warlord thinks so I could fight them. The means to the end were brutal but they brought me you. In this world I've had you in my life for 6 years, I'm not counting the twenty-five years we slept or the year taken from us by the Ring, but the time we spent together. You are my best friend, my confidant and the love of my life. You are my soul mate who made every other significant person seem pale compared to you. I need to forgive myself for my past, I guess in a weird way I should be grateful to the son of a bitch since he brought me that knowledge by subjecting us to that hell world he created. I have to really forgive myself this time, Gabrielle. Not just give it lip service. So I now have one less burden to carry on my back or to subject you too. For that I can only be glad we went through it."
I met eyes that were suddenly serene with the insight she had just gotten and all I could do was kiss her. We kissed deeply and passionately with all the love we had in our hearts. We stayed in the embrace long after the kiss, now we were on our sides facing each other looking deeply into each others eyes sending between them messages of love and joy.
She suddenly smiled and chucked me under my chin, "I think you should begin writing again, my love. I mean really do it in earnest like you use to. It's deeply ingrained in your soul and you need it. It helped you survive that hell and ?.I really missed it when you stopped. I really want you to write again Gabrielle, especially when your upset or confused. It will give you an outlet that has been missing for a while. I think that one of the reasons you have gone through such emotional turmoil lately is that you stopped it. I know that my being pregnant started it and you needing to focus to protect me. But write now Gabrielle, even if its just little snippet of how you feel, write every night so you feel whole again. It's so important to you and that makes it important to me."
I nodded my head still held gently by her fingers and I met her concerned and loving blue eyes, "Yes, I know. I missed it too. I guess I am pretty good at it since in our world my scrolls seemed to go so far and in the other world I actually became famous. I did just try to write but I couldn't make any sense. I guess I am still in shock. I will do it though Xena, every night even if its just how I feel or what I am mad at, "I said with a smile at her. She chuckled and winked at me. "Did you really think my play needed more fight scenes?"
"No, I was just teasing. It was perfect." She said with a big smile and kissed me on the nose.
"You know Joxer said the same thing?"
"Your kidding?"
"Nope."
"Oh Shit, It must have affected me more then I thought I'm thinking like Joxer. I think I need to get some rest." She moved so her head was lying on her pillow but she brought me with her so I was cuddled against her shoulder.
I laughed and snuggled my head against her warm neck, "Xena, Joxer in that world was?Well he was everything our Joxer would have wanted to be. That was an interesting glimpse wasn't it?"
"Yes, that was a shining light in the whole mess. Joxer was alive and he was a good stable reliable person who was still our friend. I was glad when I was back to myself that someone had flourished."
"Time has been strange to us. First we lose 25 years in a deep freeze thanks to an overly amorous Ares. Then we lose a year because of that damn ring. Then we almost lost ourselves because a maniac escaped with a pair of scissors. It makes you realize how precious every moment is."
Xena was nodding but when I met her eyes I saw she wanted to communicate in a different way. I felt her hands very gently removing my top as I just as gently removed her leathers. Soon my skirt was off and we gently and lovingly exploring each other's bodies with our hands and tongues with the intenseness of lovers long parted. We worked on each other till time stood still again, but this time it was of our own making. We were filled with joy because we were home at last.