Xena was fast asleep. Gabrielle woke up from a cry that she heard through her own dreams. She looked at her soul mate who was sweating as she moaned and her head went back and forth on the sweat soaked pillow. She gently moved Xena's head on to her lap and then reached over and poured some water onto a cloth. Tenderly she washed the sweat from the warrior's brow. Slowly, fevered blue eyes opened and meant understanding green.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, thanks to you."

Gabrielle smiled and shrugged, then she leaned down and kissed her on still fevered forehead. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"No, not right now," She gently brushed some hair from the beautiful eyes and said, "I'm sorry I woke you."

"I know, but I love you and I really love being here for you when you need me."

"You always are." Xena sighed and said, "I love you too and I really appreciate that you're there for me." She sat up and then turned so she could pull Gabrielle into her arms and cuddled her close.

After a nice long cuddle Gabrielle asked softly, "Will you be able to go back to sleep."

"As long as I have you in my life, yes I can."

"Then you should always sleep like a baby."

*** *** *** ***

They entered a tavern that a was regular stop for them on the way to the home to Greece it was in a small town on border between Thrace and Greece. Amarice and Joxer were supposed to meet them there. They sat down and waited to be served. The waitress came from the table behind them took one look at them and ran out of the room.

Surprised Xena said, "I know I didn't get much sleep last night but I don't look that scary do I?"

Gabrielle laughed and said, "No you look beautiful just like you always do."

"My we are a bit biased aren't we?"

"Yep!"

They chuckled as the owner of the tavern approached and said with an upset expression, "I am so sorry, my waitress is new and suddenly got shy. May I help you?"

Gabrielle and Xena exchanged looks then Xena said, "Yes, we'd like to order lunch and we also need two rooms."

"My pleasure." He busily jotted down their order and then went into the kitchen.

Xena and Gabrielle discussed the small retreat they were going to with their friends. Gabrielle reached under the table and gently rubbed Xena's belly asking, "Do you feel better?"

"I'm just fine Gabrielle."

"Xena, you have been?well not yourself for days and I'm?"

Xena rolled her eyes and said, "Don't worry I'm really fine. It's just an upset stomach. Its just a touch of the flu, I'll recover."

The waitress approached them again with a tray carrying their food. Gabrielle noticed that as she placed their order in front of them she kept her back to both of them.

"Xena have you noticed??"

"How weird she is acting? Yep, she probably knows me from my past."

"But everyone knows you've reformed."

Xena shrugged and replied, "Not everyone believes that."

"Then their idiots!"

Xena smiled and winked at Gabrielle as she affectionately caressed her cheek. "My great defender."


Gabrielle brought the elegant hand to her heart and replied a with soft smile, "Always."

Suddenly a great crash was heard and the owner shouted, "Najara! What the hell is wrong with you today?"

Two heads turned toward the now exposed ex-crusader. Xena stood up and drew her sword heading right toward the obviously terrified woman.

Gabrielle was one step behind her unsure of what to do considering what that woman had done to them on their last two encounters.

"Escaped from prison did you?"

"No?there was? a shake up and I was released."

"What did you do to cause this shake up?" Xena's sword was now at Najara's throat and Gabrielle could see the warrior would have loved to just continue the motion.

"Nothing?I did nothing. We had an earthquake and the prison was destroyed? After I left, I heard you two were dead and I ?"

"So you thought you could wreak havoc again since we wouldn't be here to stop you? Well surprise!"

"No Xena?please?this time I have changed."

"We've heard that story before."

"No, really I have. When I woke up from my coma in jail the voice had left me. They have not returned. I have been on my own ever since. I am?believe me, I am not the same person you knew."

"I don't buy that."

"Please, if you keep this up I will lose this job. I will leave here and try to find another one?"

Xena pulled the sword back and looked at Gabrielle. She saw her partner was shaken but not vulnerable to Najara's words any longer. With a sigh of relief she knew that Najara would have to prove herself to both of them.

"I'll tell you what, I will talk to your boss and the others in town. If what you say is true and I am satisfied that you reformed I will leave you be. However if you are lying to us, I will personally kick your ass back all the way to the closest jail."

"Yes, I would agree to that."

"You have no choice."

"I know."

*** *** *** ***

Xena and Gabrielle were cuddled in bed together. Gabrielle could tell by Xena's breathing that she wasn't asleep yet.

"Xena?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you giving Najara a chance?"

Xena chuckled and tightened her hold slightly. "Two reasons. One is that I love and adore you. Two is that I now know she can no longer influence you in her many efforts to turn you against me."

Gabrielle pulled back slightly so she could see Xena's face. The blue eyes glittered in the star light and Gabrielle shook her head. "She never did that."

"She came damn close?"

"No she didn't. I just was unsure of my own path I was never unsure of my heart or where my home was."

"Do you know your path now?"

"Yes I do. I know that my path and heart both lie with you till the day I die."

Xena nodded, "And my place is with you till the day I die. I think knowing that you now accept it helps me make allowances for Najara. Now she is merely an irritant; she won't be able to take you from me."

"Love, that was never possible."

"I?when you were on the Way of Love, I worried so much about you staying with me. That vision of our deaths haunted me everyday. Now that we survived all that?well we are now on the same path and I feel?well?"

"That I won't get hurt?"

"No, I will always worry about that. It's just that I will not be putting you in danger. You are choosing this road of your own free will and that we face this road together as a team. That gives me a bit of peace anyway?"

Gabrielle smiled and tenderly kissed Xena, "Thank you. I like the way you put that." Xena smiled back at her bard and rubbed her nose against the tiny one of her love.

"Ok, so now that's all understood what are we going to do about Najara?"

"Just like I said to her. You and I will check her out with the owner and the town. If it's all true you and I will leave her alone. If not I'm afraid Joxer and Amarice will go to the retreat without us."

"Ok, Lets get some sleep."

"Oh yeah, its going to be a busy day tomorrow."

*** *** *** ***

Xena had gotten up in the middle of the night sick as a dog. She ran out of the tavern to empty her stomach. When she got back to the back steps that led to her room she came face to face with Najara.

Xena drew her sword after what she just went through in the woods she was not in the mood for a chat.

"Yes?"

"Not feeling well?"

"None of your damn business. What do you want?"

"What did you do to Gabrielle to turn her into a warrior? Really?"

"Nothing. I would have never chosen this path for her. I preferred the peaceful path there was less chance for her to get hurt. What you never seemed to realize is that Gabrielle has a mind of her own."

"You must have done something? Did you hurt her? Beat her into her choice?"

"I would never have done that. Ever." Growled Xena, barely holding her temper. "You beat her though. Pulled her hair and slammed her into the ground while she was on the Way of Love. Believe me if you hadn't fallen into a coma I would have ripped you to shreds for what you did to her."
"I wasn't sane!"

"What makes you think you are now? I still don't know that you are not that same looney. All I have is your word and you know how much that counted the last time we met. Last time you almost had my Gabrielle convinced then you hurt her?I really want to beat the crap out of you for that, you Bitch!"

"It wasn't me it was the Gin?"

Xena growled and took a step toward the unarmed woman. "You know that makes me even angrier. You seem to feel it absolves you of all guilt. You just blame your damn voices and your less guilty."

"What is the difference between us?"

"I am guilty. Only me. I accept it fully. I did what I did. I hate that part of me but the bad part allowed the good part to come out of my evil ways. If I hadn't been who I was I would not have the leadership ability and strength I need to defeat evil. I know evil so I can overcome it. I am a balance now of both dark and light. I learned the hard way that without both I am nothing. Gabrielle taught me that. I love her with my whole heart and I swear I will never, ever allow you to hurt her again?"

Najara was stunned by the passionate speech. "Do you think I would ever want to hurt her?"

"I really don't care what you want, you're never going to hurt her again?"

"Xena." A soft voice interrupted from the stairwell that led to the rooms.

"Gabrielle?I?she?"

"I know, I heard most of what you said." Gabrielle walked down past Najara with barely a glance. She stood next to Xena and put an arm around Xena's waist gently bringing the sword arm down. "Ok Warrior, stand down."

"I won't let her hurt you again."

"No, she's not going to do me again. I can defend myself now, thanks to you." Gabrielle pulled Xena close and kissed her tenderly. Then she pulled back and looked only at Xena. "Why don't you go inside. I would like to talk to Najara for a couple of minutes."

"But?"

"Please?"
Xena really wanted to beat the tar out of the ex-crusader. She looked into the captivating green eyes of her soul mate and nodded. "Ok." She glared at Najara and then walked past her and up the stairs.

After she was out of earshot Najara said, "Wow, she really has changed. She's not only human enough to get sick she actually listened to you."

"She always listens to me. She always had."

"I seem to remember?"

"Yes, she didn't always agree with me and she still doesn't. She always listens to me though. Always had. I love her, she is my soul mate why would want to destroy that?"

"I don't?"

Now Gabrielle glared at her.

"I?she just?seems wrong for you."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because she is evil?"

"No, Xena was never evil. She was deluded and confused. Grieve had taken over her soul and buried all the good that was inside. Under all that bad was the good Xena fighting like a maniac to get out. It took a baby and Hercules to finally safe her from that fate and bring her back to herself."

"And you."

"No, I came later. I helped her stay on her correct path but I didn't create it. She did. She saved my village before I even knew she reformed. She was fighting for good that day, the first day I met her. You don't know everything Najara; you certainly could never understand us."

"Understand what?"

"I'm not just Xena's light she's mine."

"That's not possible."

"Yes it is, she's my home. My life.

**** *** **** ***
Xena and Gabrielle were checking out Najara's story. Najara was in the tavern's kitchen nervously peeling potatoes.

She heard the voices of two people that had just entered the tavern.

"What are you so worried about, we already saw Argo at the stable we know they are here."

"I just want to be sure that it is the right tavern."

"It's the one they said they would be at."

"I don't see any sign of them."

"They can take care of themselves."

"I know that, Amarice."

"You know that ever since you decided that you love Gabrielle you have become such a worrier."

"I have not!"

"You have too!"

"What would you know about it?"

"It must be driving Xena crazy."

"I'll have you know that Xena has known for a long time and she's always been very supportive."

"Well she's very tolerant."

"She has a very good heart."

"And I don't?"

"You said it I didn't."

"Excuse me, are you Amarice and Joxer?" The owner asked from behind in a quiet friendly voice. "Xena said that you should take a couple of rooms. There has been a slight delay. And that you should wait for them here. There has been a slight delay."

"A delay?"

"Yes miss. She said she would explain." He smiled at the two young people and took their order for lunch. Then he went into the kitchen. Najara's eyes lifted to meet his. "You better not break the faith I have in you."

"I won't?"

"I like Xena and Gabrielle. They have always been loyal and good customers. Don't hurt either of them."

"I have no intention?'

"I mean it Najara, don't do anything stupid."

Najara shook her head and replied hoarsely. "I don't do things like that anymore. I just want to live a life of peace."

"I hope that's the truth. I really do."

*** *** *** ***

Xena and Gabrielle joined Amarice and Joxer for lunch. Xena had ordered more then any of them had ever seen her eat before.

"Um?Xena?" Gabrielle quietly started to ask.

"Yes?"

"With the way your stomach has been do you think it's a good idea to eat so much?"

Xena shrugged, "I just had this craving and I couldn't resist it." She licked her fingers and then looked at her friends sheepishly. "I haven't eaten this much in a long while."

Gabrielle gently rubbed Xena's tummy and said sweetly, "I just don't want you to get sick later."

Xena closed her eyes enjoying the caress. "I promise I won't get sick," She said softly determined not to.

"Xena?"

Blue eyes flashed open, "Yeah?"

"What's going on? Why are we staying here?" Asked Joxer very curious.

"Najara is here?My first instinct was to?"

"Kick her ass?"

Sparkling blue eyes met playful green and she nodded. "Yep, you know me so well."

Gabrielle blushed and shrugged. Xena chuckled and caressed her cheek. Then she looked across the table at Joxer and Amarice explaining in a subdued voice. "It seems Najara was released due to a natural disaster. We've checked around town and so far her story checks out. She says her voices are gone but I don't trust her as far as I can throw her."

"That's pretty far."

"Not far enough."

Gabrielle chuckled, "Xena."

Xena shrugged then looked at her staring friends. "What?"

"So what are we going to do?" Asked Joxer his expression anger, he had nothing but distaste for Najara since she had betrayed him the last time they had met.

Gabrielle looked at her friend very sympathetically, "You ok, Joxer?"

"Sure fine?I just?"

"Despise her." Said Xena with a smirk. Gabrielle looked at Xena surprised. Xena kissed her cheek and said, "Come on Sweetheart, I do too. She betrayed me, you and Joxer. She is the most?I?" Xena was growling she was so consumed with sudden anger.

"It's over."

"She hurt you?"

"I'm fine."

"Now you are?"

"Xena?"

Xena closed her eyes and counted to ten. Gabrielle appreciated the effort. She took Xena's hand squeezed it gently. That turned the scowl to a smile. "Only some one like you can be so tolerant."

"What do you mean like her?" Asked Amarice confused.

Xena's eyes never left Gabrielle's but she answered Amarice question. "Gabrielle has an open heart. No matter what life throws at her she is willing to give people a second chance. That even includes a bitch like Najara."

"I am not so?gullible this time. I just think that since the story checks out we should give her a chance. We don't want to make her desperate do we?"

"No, I don't. I think we will have a chat with the tavern owner before we go."

"That's a good idea. How is your tummy?"

"Great considering the tender loving care your giving it at the moment."

"All part of my loving service."

"Really?" Xena looked at Amarice and Joxer and said, "If you will excuse us." She then took her hand and led her upstairs.

*** *** *** ***

Najara approached Joxer slowly when he turned and saw her, his usual sweet expression turned into a scowl. He didn't hate very many people but she was one that he despised.

"I'm sorry Joxer."

"Why? Cause he didn't kill me like you planned."

"No, I wouldn't have wanted that. You're a good man I was really trying to help both of you."

"Help? How? By hurting him so badly it could have destroyed his life. If Xena wasn't there he could have killed me and then you would have set him on a path like his father. He's just a kid. You would have destroyed his life. If Xena hadn't helped him through it he would have been really messed up thanks to you."

Najara was amazed by how much his words hurt. She had thought of him as an idiot. She wondered when she met him why Gabrielle and Xena put up with him. In fact they both had such obvious affection for him. He had just put things that happened that day into a perspective she had not seen. She bent her head and cried."

Joxer left shaking his head.

"He's brighter then most people realize." Said a familiar voice.

She turned to see Xena leaning against the open door way.

"You taking me back to jail?"

"No, Gabrielle convinced me not to. I have had a chat with your boss. If you put one toe out of place he will call the closest jailer."

"I?I really don't want to be what I was?"

"We'll see?"

"You changed."

"Yes, I work hard on it every single day of my life. I will sacrifice my life to protect innocent men, women and children. I don't kill for kicks or for some perverted vision. I only kill to protect and as a very last resort. Maybe it's wrong but it's what I do. Gabrielle loves me, you better not try to?"

"No, I won't. That's over?"

"It never begun."

"Thanks to you."

"No Najara, not me. It was hers to give and she gave it willingly. She knows her own mind and heart. She always has. It's a pity you don't have enough respect for her intelligence to realize that."

"I?she is amazing and beautiful. You're so powerful I just thought you ordered and she followed?"

"I never ordered. I would never have approached her because of my background as Warlord. She chose me and I was amazed. She is my life. Goodbye Najara. I hope I never see you again."

"I have the same wish."

They nodded at each other and Xena left to go to her room. Najara stared at the fire. Under her breath she whispered, "Why is that bitch always so damn right."
**** *** *** ***

Najara stood at a second floor window, it was empty at the moment and gave a clear view of the stables.

Two figures left the stables followed closely by three more. Amarice and Joxer walked side by side. A few steps back was Xena, Gabriella followed by Argo. Xena had Argo's lead in one hand the other arm was wrapped around Gabrielle's waist. Gabrielle had an arm wrapped around Xena she was looking up at her with an adoring expression, soaking in every word.

They look so damn happy! What is it you give Gabrielle that I couldn't? It must be more then love. I could have given her that, so could Joxer. What is it you give her Xena that no one else can?

She shook her head and sat down on the bed. What ever you give her it isn't obvious from the outside looking in. In fact, it's so subtle that I can't figure it out. It sure works though. You enchanted Gabrielle with it. I wish I knew what it was you have that I don't.

"Najara!"

Her head snapped up and she called down to the owner, "I'm coming!"

She sighed got up and went back to work.