Timeline: During the episode "Old Ares Had A Farm."

Author's Notes: All POSITIVE comments are welcome. Negatives I will simply ignore. Send your thoughts to startrek@ellijay.com.

"Close the door." she said softly. I reached over and pushed the small door closed.

"The outer door fell off Xena.........Ares is in there." I pointed. She pulled me closer, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"So." she whispers as she pulls my head down. She kisses me softly. I rest my arms on her shoulders. Ares unknowingly disrupted our plans for our time together. Xena wanted to make love for the first time here. We were heading to the farm to be alone.....Now here we are saving Ares' now mortal ass.

We are startled by a crash. "I'm not staying in this dump." Ares called. Xena rested her head on my chest and groaned. I chuckled at my soulmate's tolerance. Normally, Xena would have driven him into the ground with her fist.

"He knows your trying to help him, Xena." I whisper as I stroke her hair. She lifts her head, meeting my eyes.

"You know......he's not so bad as a mortal." I smile.

"I can't believe I'm saying this....but I agree with you." Another crash.

"Xena! How did you stand this dump?" he called. Xena sighed heavily.

"I definitely learned patience from you." she smiles. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Xeeeeennaaa." Ares whined.

"That's it. I'm gonna kill'em." She stands. I move out of the way instinctively.

"Xena." I grab her arm. We made eye contact. In that look, I see the frustration and anger drop from her eyes.

"You guys coming out or not?"

"He's starting to sound a lot like Joxer." I said. Xena grinned.

"Come on."

It was a trying day. Ares was not cooperating, at least not until Xena would threaten him with physical force. As I sat and rested, I watched them repair a wall. "Hold that side up higher, Ares."

"I am holding it up higher! This thing's heavy you know."

"Oh cry me a river.....Just hold it there." Xena began to hammer in the nails. I smile at the way they bicker with each other. Deep down I know Xena cares for him. He's not so bad.

"Hey Shorty, you gonna help or not?" Then again.

I stand, stretching my sore muscles. I walk over to help Ares hold the board. "About time." he grumbled.

"Shut up, Ares." Xena said as she stopped hammering. "Okay. That's it." We both let go and the three of us stepped back to look at our work.

"You're always taking her side." he said, chucking his thumb at me. Xena raised the hammer. She was showing her frustration. I placed my hand on her forearm and brought it down. We shared a smile. With that one look, I saw the love in her eyes. Its becoming easier to notice every time I look at her.

Xena's bed is hard. I rather sleep on the floor....... An afterthought. My mind couldn't drop that from my consciousness. I was an afterthought to Ares......At least he did think of me. I'm lying here trying to fall asleep. Even I can't sleep with Ares rolling around next to me. I wish Xena was sleeping next to me. I don't mind lying close to her. In fact, I get as close as I can to her. Maybe that's why I can't sleep. I miss my warrior, even though she's in the same bed. My eyes were drifting shut.

The slightest of noises woke me. I slowly open one eye. Xena walked by my side of the bed. What was she doing?" I watched as she grabbed my blanket from my saddlebag. I chose not to move. She looks back. I'm barely able to close my eye before she sees me. I focused my senses, mainly my hearing. Xena never makes a sound when she walks, even in a pile of dead leaves. I know her well enough to feel her rather than hear her. She walks out onto the balcony. I heard the tiniest of sounds as she flipped into the air. The impact on the ground she couldn't hide. I stand and carefully move out onto the balcony. I watch as she jogs towards the field. What was going on? "Where is she going?" I whisper to myself. Looking to the ground, I hold my breath and jump. I land harder than I expected. Standing, I follow my warrior.

The night air was crisp and clean from the rain. I was getting better at following her. Normally, I give myself away. Its virtually impossible to follow the Warrior Princess. She seemed distracted tonight. She was letting down her guard, leaving a rather obvious trail. She stops and unrolls my blanket. Before getting too close, I crouch in the grass. I know my Xena. If she knows I'm here, she's not giving any indication. She takes her dress off, as she had done before going to bed. She lays on her back. I look up to the sky. Very clear tonight. No clouds. The storm was done and gone. She interlaces her hands behind her head. She's stargazing. I smile. Once I got Xena to realize that stargazing was not a 'waste of time', I catch her doing it more and more often. A look of relaxation and calmness passes over her. She sighs deeply. I quietly sit back. "Pegasus." she said. I look up. Xena has a great eye. She sees more than I ever will in the stars. I still have not seen the winged horse.

Just as I was about to join her, I see her remove her top. I close my eyes and supress my groan. I breath deeply. I felt myself getting warmer. My best friend has a very beautiful body. Only within the last year, have I seen her in that way. We bathed next to each other many times. However, the desert was agony. I was glad to get the sand out of my 'wazoo' but bathing with my soulmate was a test of true restraint. I wanted her so much. All through the bath I would fantasize about my warrior. By the time I built up the courage to touch her, she would announce she was pruning and get out of the water.

We finally talked about our real relationship. I wanted to go slowly. I love Xena very much, but I was not used to looking at my friend and her reacting to me as such. It did not take long though before I wanted to make love. Our lives have kept us apart ever since. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see my warrior naked on my blanket. My center tingled at the sight. Oh gods. With her right hand, she began to massage her right breast. I want that to be my hand. It was her left that got my attention. She began to gently touch her clit. I saw a finger disappear inside of her.

I can't stay hidden. I stand and make as much noise as I could, with my walking, so she knew I was coming. I was in awe that she continued. I stood over her. I watched her remove her finger and then push it back into herself. I realized that her eyes were closed. Is it possible she still doesn't know I'm here? "Xena."

"Gabrielle!" Her eyes fly open. So suddenly, that I actually flinched. She pulls her hand away and tries to stand. I drop to my knees, pressing my hands down on her legs as she tries to stand.

"Stop.....Please." Her body freezes.

"Oh gods." she groaned, looking away from me. She was trying her best to hide her face.

"I can't believe I embarrassed the mighty Warrior Princess."

"You didn't embarrass me." she says quietly. "I embarrassed myself.....Let me go."

"Why are you out here doing this?"

"Its pretty obvious why I'm doing this."

"Not to me."

"I wanted you so badly today, Gabrielle. So much, it hurt. Every time I tried to get you

alone, Ares needed my attention for something."

"I knew that."

"I don't understand."

"I meant why are you out here doing this....alone?"

"I started to wake you up, but you looked tired."

"I'm here now."

Xena smiles and pulls me to her. "Stop." She releases me.

"What's wrong?"

"I want to see the rest of the show." She looks down at herself.

"You mean you want me....." I nodded. "Gabrielle, I can't do that....Not with..."

"Please." I whisper. I place my hands on her thighs. I knew she wasn't going to continue on her own. Before she can even think of what I was going to do, I lower my head and lick the wetness from her inner thigh.

"Oh gods, Gabrielle." She pushes her center closer. The wetness was replaced with more. I felt her hand, pushing my head closer to her center. I yield to her and slowly slide my tongue into her center. "Ohhhh." As my tongue slides deeper into her, Xena becomes louder. Funny, I thought she would be a lot quieter. Her hips begin to grind into my face. Parting her lips with my hand, I thrust my tongue into her. "That's feels good, Love." she groans. I feel her body tremble as she gets closer and closer to the edge. I remove my tongue and replace it with a finger. "Gabrielle!" I watched my warrior's face as her orgasm ripped through her. She was beautiful...as always.

I crawled up to her head. Xena had collapsed on my blanket. Her breathing was slowly returning to normal. I brushed her soaked bangs away from her eyes. "I love you." she breathed. I smiled and continued to stroke her hair.

"Love you, too." I whispered. I waited until she was able to speak. "Why are you out here on my blanket?" I smile. "Not that I mind."

"It smells like you." she said quietly.

"Its smells like my horse." I grinned.

"Remember that first night I told you I loved you?......Really loved you?"

"Of course I do......Best night of my life."

"We laid together on your blanket and held each other......I wanted our first time to be on this blanket." Xena smiled.

"Seen a lot of action hasn't it." I chuckle. Xena began to shiver. "Love, you should get dressed."

"Don't want to. I can take it." True. I've seen her dive into freezing water and not complain in the slightest.

"Still worry." I commented. Xena reached up and caressed my chin.

"Okay." I look around and retrieve her dress as she puts on her bra and underwear. I hand her the dress. "Thanks."

After dressing, Xena pulls me down with her. Resting my head on her shoulder, we settle against each other. I look up and see the light beginning to creep into the darkness. The pink and yellow hues color the sky as the sun began to rise. "Its beautiful." I smile.

"Sure is. Gabrielle, if it wasn't for you I couldn't enjoy things like this." Xena turns her head to meet my eyes. "Even though I loved my grandparents and the time I spent here, you still are the best thing in my life." I didn't know what to do, smile or cry. I chose smile.

"Your the best thing in mine." As the sun rose higher, we stood and stretched.

"Better get back to Ares. Got to get that roof repaired before it rains again." I reach down and pull my blanket from the ground. Xena surprised me by grabbing my hand. Bringing my hand up, kissed my knuckles. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Our first time......like this. I didn't really do anything to...." she gestures. She looks towards the farmhouse.

"I loved it. We were together. I made you happy. That's what matters." She pulls me closer, placing her hands on my ass.

"How about I make you happy before we go back?" Her head goes to my neck, sensually licking at the side of my neck.

"Oh gods." I groaned as I feel her squeeze my backside.

Suddenly, Xena stops and looks towards the house. "I knew I heard something...Come on." Grabbing my hand, we walk briskly back to the house.

"What is it?" Walking into the living room, she looks around.

"Damn it."

"What?"

"My breastplate's gone." I looked at the pile of leathers in the corner. Her gauntlets, her armbands, and boots her still there. Her breastplate was gone. Jogging outside, I followed.

Walking along the side of the house, I say, "Maybe Ares was right. Maybe its a ghost."

"Gabrielle!....I don't care if it is a ghost. If I can kill gods, maybe I can kill ghosts too!"

THE END