Penname: WarriorKym
E-Mail: WarriorKym@Hotmail.com

     Xena and I were walking along the road to Athens. She was riding and I was walking, as usual. I've gotten really good with my staff and I carry it with me everywhere. I remember we were going slowly because both of us were so deep in thought. I was starting to get a little annoyed actually...

     " Any minute now...any minute..." I thought. " Any minute she'll start talking. Even Xena can't stay quiet for this long." I debated about asking her what she was thinking about, but afraid the *what* might be a *who*, I kept quiet. My mind, however, wouldn't shut up. In the last town we were in Xena had been flirting shamelessly with the barkeep. " Just an old friend." she'd explained. " T'yeah right." I thought. " That 'old friend' had gotten Xena very drunk and then while I was 'barding' his customers, those two had disappeared. " Shame Gabrielle, " I admonished myself, breaking that thought. " She doesn't have to answer to you! You're just her best friend! You have no ground for this silly jealousy thing you're doing! Still..." I thought, " This ' guy of the week' thing she's pulling lately is starting to get on my nerves..."

     " Gabrielle." her voice broke through my thoughts.

     " Yeah?" I asked, happy to hear her voice again.

     " Are you okay? You haven't said a word in the last candlemark. Are you getting sick?" she joked.

     " Very funny Xena." I said pushing the other thoughts out of my mind. " Did you * want* to hear a story?" I said in my sweetest voice, She didn't though. I think she might have, but the fact we were walking through a war zone kinda ended that possibility. I still don't know why she was so determined to get to Athen's that way. I'm sure she could have used one of her magical skills to find another path.

      It worked out well that we did go that way though, because we found Ephiny in the forest. A very pregnant, weak and traumatized Ephiny. I'll admit I was a little hurt she hadn't told me that she was pregnant, but it had been awhile since we were in Amazonia.

     From there things went pretty hunky-dory. Xena found a Thessilian healing temple for Ephiny to have her baby in (She's so good at stuff like that! We could be in the middle of the dessert and she would find an oasis...and someone to flirt with. She seems to have a knack for finding those too.) and decided to bring the General of the Mitoans along with us. He had a large shoulder wound that neither of them explained.

     Anyway. So we were in the temple and made Ephiny as comfy as we could, then Xena turned her attention to Galan. He was this know-it-all type priest who wouldn't know a scratch from a laceration. His healing style was to bless the wounded and leave them to cope as well as they could. Xena put a stop to that right away, let me tell you! She saved so many men! There were these two altar boys, well not boys, young men, Dinus and Hippocrates. Dinus had some little crush thing going on me, while Hippocrates was practically worshipping Xena. I thought maybe if I kept Dinus on my heels, it might invoke a little jealousy from Xena, but she didn't pay any attention. Of course, she was awfully busy. Between saving all those men, teaching Hippocrates and Dinus, fighting with Maramax and Galan, and keeping everyone calm and alive, Xena was so busy I hardly saw her at all. Well, other than when I was trying to help her with someone.

     The fighting forces on both sides were getting closer and more and more men kept pouring in. Then the Thessilians started with the catapults. It was their last chance, the Mitoans were winning. Xena started to evacuate the patients she could, but there were those who couldn't go. Like Ephiny for example. Plus there were more being brought in by the minute.

     I went over to talk to Ephiny. I hate to say it, but I was almost glad she was preoccupied currently. When she told me about Phantes, I was beside myself for joy because my friend had found true love. But another teeny tiny part of me I hadn't come to terms with yet was happy because now I didn't have to watch her flirt with Xena. Those two have always had a thing. Sometimes I wonder if I just get in the way. Now, now her lover is dead. He didn't deserve to die, she didn't deserve for him to die. All these thoughts ran so rampantly through my brain, it almost hurt. I had to turn to Xena for comfort. I suppose she thought I was crying because of the men..or the carnage. I'm not sure, but it definitely had an effect on her. She took Maramax aside and had a very long talk with him. I managed to lose Dinus and get back over to Ephiny in the interim.

     " Eph, are, are you okay?" I asked. She was breathing really hard and sweating.

     " The-the baby's ...co-coming." she panted. " Oh my Gods!" I gasped and immediately my thoughts turned to Xena. " XENA!! Over here! The baby's coming!" I yelled. She ran over from where she was...um..I'll be nice and say talking to Hippocrates to me immediately.

     " Hey Eph, " she said gently brushing the hair back from her face, " It's coming, you gotta push ok? Bring your baby into the world, come on, push!" She encouraged. " Gabrielle, stay with her. I need to go ge-"

     " No! Please Xena!" Ephiny interrupted. " Stay with me! I need you, I need you here with me Xena. Please." she begged grabbing Xena's hand and covering it with her own.

     "Oh..." Xena breathed and put her hand over Ephiny's. " Ok, Ok, I'm not going anywhere." Xena said and she kissed Ephiny's hand.

     I felt embarrassed somehow. Like an spy or something. I knew I should leave, but I couldn't. Ephiny was holding my Xena's hand and..." My Xena? When did I start thinking that? How long have I been doing that? Let's see...oh...I remember. It was about a month ago. When she almost...died." I gulped and could feel tears coming at the memories and quickly batted them away. My mind wasn't so easy to stop. I saw her body with the blanket over it again and again. Her face when she asked me to yell at her later, afterwards when I watched her sleep all night long just in case she...well, you know. " Yeah," I acknowledged thinking of my realization that night, " Something's definitely changed. She's more than a friend now...but what? Why do I get these silly jealousy fits? Gawk whenever she moves, find excuses to always be near her? I've always thought she was gorgeous, I mean come on. When she first saved me I was awestruck. All I could do was stare at her. Then I went through that puppy love/ hero worship stage, then the best friends stage, but this is different...what is it? I have an idea, but she obviously doesn't feel that way about me, so why do I keep wishing she'd-"

     A sudden rush of wounded left my thought unfinished. Xena left me with Ephiny, while she ran to help. Maramax had wandered over near us and she made him help too. One of the soldiers Xena had just finished bandaging ran over to me while I was trying to comfort Ephiny. He begged me to find his friend who had been left outside. I knew how mad Xena would be later, but I couldn't just leave him. " This'll definitely get her attention." I thought. " Nothing else has. I changed from that yucky blue shirt/skirt combo I used to wear, learned how to use a staff, became an Amazon Princess, I drop hints all over. Maybe if I wore nothing at all..." I mused, heading out the door.

     I was quickly brought back in, not however, of my own accord. My memories here are very muddled. I remember hearing Xena's voice and thinking how worried she sounded. I was put on one of the sick beds and my Xena tended me carefully until she was called away by Maramax. I remember wondering if Ephiny was doing okay. I think it was right there that I realized I was going to die. Another life was coming into the world and taking my place. I thought about how much I needed to tell Xena and how many things I'd left undone. Turning my head I watched Xena lift a wriggling baby centaur from Ephiny's womb. " Good-bye Xena. " I remember thinking. " I'll miss you more than you know." I suppose I died then. I remember seeing my uncle and grandma under beautiful trees. All I could think of was how much I already missed Xena, even as they walked towards me. Then suddenly I was back in her arms. I didn't know how I'd gotten back or why, just that I was with Xena and that was all that mattered.

     Later after it all (After Maramax ordered his men to stand down, after we helped all the wounded, and after we tied up all the loose ends) Xena and I were talking. We'd delayed our Athens trip to escort Ephiny and her new son, Xenon, back to Amazonia. They were riding with me ( Xena refused to let me walk) on Argo and Xena was walking beside us. She told me (after I bugged her for awhile) what had happened with frequent inserps form Ephiny. I wasn't shocked she had saved me yet again, just shocked she had gone so overboard. " Maybe there is something there..." I thought as I ticked Xenon who was in my lap at the time.

     We broke for camp early, so Eph and I could rest. Xena offered to cook, but as both Ephiny and I had sampled her cooking, we politely refused. Even the cooking wore me out, but every time I turned, Xena was right there to help me. It was like that all night. She kept me sitting down and brought everything to me. She never said anything about it or explained, just pulled a typical Xena and did things. Ephiny raised an eyebrow at me from across the fire, but I ignored her and concentrated on Xena who was laying out the bedroll and blankets. She started rummaging through our packs for out sleepgear and then started messing with the straps of her armor. I was about to mention I wasn't too weak to help her, when Ephiny laid Xenon in my lap and walked over to Xena. Trying not to watch them, I focused on the baby's tiny features. My eyes wouldn't concentrate though and I ended up watching Ephiny undo the buckles and pull the armor off. Xena started to turn to thank her, but Ephiny began undoing the intricate ties of her leathers. I could almost feel Xena's surprise, but she didn't say anything until Ephiny started to work on her shift.

     " Thanks Eph, I can get it from here." She said much to my relief. I'd hate to have to kill one of my best friends. Ephiny smiled and walked back over to me. My eyes never quite left Xena while she pulled her shift off and slipped her sleepshirt on.

     " You're staring." Ephiny whispered in my ear.

     " Huh?!" I jumped. " What? I AM NOT!!...am I?"

     " Definitely." Eph affirmed. " SO, what's going on between you two?" she asked in typical 'girly' style.

     I sighed and laid back, watching Xenon walk unsteadily across my stomach. " I don't know, " I said after a minute " Something's changed."

     " No kidding." Ephiny smirked. " I watched it change. Before it was all you, now there's something on Xena's side."

     " You think?!" I asked a little too eagerly. " I mean...uh.."

     Ephiny grinned, amused, at me. " I *do* think." she smiled. " Xena realized she almost lost you and it brought whatever she was feeling to the surface. I say go for it. But..." here she smiled ferally at me. " Be prepared for some competition."

     I laughed, thinking of all the competition I'd already encountered, never thinking she might be talking about herself.

     " What's so funny?" Xena asked, walking over to where we sat.

     " Nothing." I grinned at her confused face.

     " Yeah, " Eph agreed. " just girl stuff."

     Xena laughed, " So what do you call me?" she demanded looking at both of us.

     " A woman." Ephiny smiled making Xena almost blush. " I'll tell you later maybe." she teased.

     " Huh, yeah, ok." Xena mumbled, avoiding Ephiny's stare much to my enjoyment. " Come on Gabrielle," she said taking my arm." You need to get some sleep. Do you need help with your clothes?"

     Every cell in my body screamed yes, but I shook my head and started undressing myself. I know it sounds horrible, but I purposefully tried to catch her eyes as I did. She was careful, a little too careful in my opinion, to talk to Eph while I did so. It was cold that night, so we all slept close together. Feeling Xena's back against mine was unnerving and wonderful. "Yup, " I thought, " Something's *definitly* changed !" and I went to sleep already planning.

     " By the gods, she is so beautiful." Xena thought gazing down at a sleeping Gabrielle. She'd pretended to be asleep until she'd heard the easy breathing of both her friends, then sat up and watched Gabrielle sleep.

     "And I almost lost her, my poor bard." Xena mused, then caught herself. " *my* bard?" she chuckled, then repeated it a few times, liking how it sounded. " It's not like it's one-sided." she defended herself. " She's been dropping more hints than a Gorgon has snakes. I've just been too wrapped up in myself to notice. Maybe I'll start dropping a few of my own...but she's so...different from me. That's what makes her a good best friend, but anything else...?"

     Xenon awoke here with a wail and Xena turned her attention to him, away from Gabrielle. " You're getting soft..." her mind warned her as she gently rocked the baby, letting Ephiny sleep. " So what? Shut up dang it." her heart threw back and she continued rocking while her body kept arguing.

The End