Without hesitation, Xena dove off the cliff into the surf below following the bodies of Ares and Aphrodite. As soon as she hit the water she once again felt the unusual sensation of being in her element, a feeling she usually only had on horseback or in the midst of battle. Easily, she swam through the choppy water, avoiding the jagged rocks at the base of the outcrop while she searched for signs of either Olympian.

            There were dolphins in the area, she had called to assist in retrieving the immature Ambrosia that had been deposited on the cliff top by a willing pelican. She’d warned any sea life in the area willing to listen away from the battle. The creatures that fled were starting to return; those that didn’t were stunned or perished in the blast making them easy prey for the more sentient of the ocean denizens.

            She spotted Ares first, clearly wounded and struggling to swim. She swam past him, easily avoiding his grasp. Some distance beyond she spotted Aphrodite, who wasn’t moving much at all. Wrapping her arm around the goddess’ chest, she swam back to shore, signaling anyone willing to keep Ares in the water as long as possible. She also sent out a silent request for mature Ambrosia, hoping that some could be found in time. When the surf was shallow enough, Xena shifted the nearly unconscious goddess into her arms and carried her, walking as quickly on the wet sand as she could. She stopped near Gabrielle, the gunfire having ceased. Three men were on their knees with their hands interlaced on their heads, facing away from the bard- the rest of the men in the black uniforms were dead.

            With measured, but urgent movements, Gabrielle worked over the prone body of Elaine. In spite of her best efforts, the young woman was going to bleed out before she could be returned to the ship. In the distance she could hear the sound of the jet skis but she was almost positive it wouldn’t help.

            “Boss, are the hostages okay?” the injured woman struggled to ask.

            “Yeah, Elaine,” Gabrielle said soothingly. “You saved Jennifer. She’s with Ed. She’s okay, Sarah is okay too, took one in the arm but is giving a thumbs up. Take it easy, it’s all good.” Applying direct pressure made the executive officer scream in pain so she held the woman’s hand instead sparing a glance to her left to see Aphrodite even badly wounded as she was, opening her eyes and trying to move closer. Sarah was quickly at the goddess’ side, helping her get closer to the woman whose blood was staining the sand around them red. While Sarah was bleeding too; the chef had been shot twice in the vest and once in the arm but seemed unconcerned about her injury.

            Leaning up Aphrodite looked at the dying woman, smiled her radiant grin, and gently picked up Elaine’s other hand. Rich mocha skin contrasted against pale as placid blue eyes met with dark brown. “I’ve got you, love,” she said softly to the dying woman. “there is nothing to be afraid of.”

“I don’t want to be cremated,” Elaine pronounced, her voice a clear whisper. “I just want to be left to the sea like the old days.”

            “Ever the seafarer,” Aphrodite said gently. “You can have whatever you want honey.” The goddess maintained eye contact and squeezed the woman’s hand.

            Elaine’s eyes went wide with wonder, “It doesn’t hurt,” she said, her voice clear, but soft. Aphrodite continued to smile, bringing the hand to her lips and kissing it gently. “It stopped hurting. I feel good, Gabrielle,” she continued, “really good. I’m okay, it’s all okay. Thank you…for noticing that little girl…thank you for the adventure of a lifetime…”

            Tears from the bard’s eyes splashed down on Elaine’s face but she didn’t feel it. Her expression calm and relaxed, she was already dead.

            Xena looked on helplessly at the scene in front of her. Aphrodite caught her eye and mouthed the word Argo and Xena looked fearfully at the rock outcrop. “Leave me with Gabrielle,” she said. “You go, Gabrielle has this. If you hurry she’ll be okay.”

            The bard looked up at the sound of her name having just tied a strip of cloth around the chef’s arm to staunch the bleeding. “Argo?” she said, concern threading her voice.

            “She’s going to be okay,” Aphrodite assured her, wincing in pain as the warrior ran down the beach back to the cliff.

            Blake and Prisha arrived on jet skis just as an additional jeep pulled up on the sand near the others. “It’s ours,” Ed announced indicating the jeep, still pointing a gun at the three men who had surrendered.

            “Go deal with that, please.” Gabrielle asked her flight attendant gesturing at the kneeling men.

            “There is another one alive on the cliff, over the arch,” Aphrodite added. The big man nodded in understanding before striding towards the jeep to confer with the people from Transportation.

            “What can I do?” Gabrielle asked, looking intently at the goddess. Without asking permission, she concentrated on the goddess and could feel just how frightened Aphrodite was. The pain nearly unbearable and Gabrielle knew she was getting a diluted sense of it. In her very long life, The Goddess of Love had never been hurt this badly.

            “Go help Ed,” Aphrodite said to Sarah who was about to argue.

One look from the bard made it clear not to. “Please take Blake and Prisha with you, thank you.” Gabrielle added politely but also very much an order.

When it was just the two of them, Aphrodite moved her hand from her abdomen where she’d been holding it. A fragment of Xena’s chakram about four inches long had easily sliced through her clothing and impaled her like so much shrapnel. There was a second piece, smaller than the first, in her thigh and a third one in her chest. There was also a slice across her upper bicep, her shirt cleanly sliced and exposed wound underneath. Given that her clothing was wet and her blood wasn’t red, it would have been easy to overlook how badly she’d been hurt if you didn’t know what to look for.

Instinctively, Gabrielle turned towards the zodiac which was now deflated, but would have an intact first aid kit. Only the sound of the goddess’ voice kept her from rushing over to retrieve it.

“Listen to me very carefully Gabrielle,” the goddess gritted around the pain. When green eyes once again were held by blue, Aphrodite continued. “I am not going to die so put that fear away. I’m hurt, that is all. Yes, badly hurt – but I’m not going to die. I know you’re listening to me, so feel that. You need to get me in the water before you take out the shrapnel. My clothing, anything with my blood on it needs to be burned. I don’t want my blood coming into contact with anyone else. Is that clear?”

Whether it was their connection or the ferocity with which the goddess spoke, Gabrielle wasn’t sure, but the meaning was clear. Aphrodite had chosen to let the bard past her defenses, to move one small step closer to godhood. That was not a gift that she was willing to risk falling into anyone else’s hands. That also meant she was not to use sterile gloves which went against everything she’d learned through centuries of medical training.

“You are also going to take care of Argo first when you get back to the ship,” Aphrodite continued, struggling to stand up. Gabrielle was at her side. “Get me into the water and you can pull out the chakram pieces, but beyond that, you do nothing until everyone else is tended to, is that clear.” Mutely the bard nodded. There was no playfulness to her voice, none of the kind lyrical quality that she associated with the Goddess of Love. In fact, in this moment the fierce determination sounded much more like Athena than the goddess she considered her closest friend.

Leaning on Gabrielle the pair walked into the surf, just past where the waves were breaking. Immediately Aphrodite seemed to relax, her feet just touching the sand on the bottom. Gabrielle was treading water, unsure what she should do next. “Can I help you shoulder this pain?” Gabrielle felt the uncertainty as she asked the goddess. Aphrodite had never been in this position before, they were both equally unsure of what to do. “Give me some of the pain,” the bard said, this time not as a question. “I’ve got this.”

“Start with the big one,” Aphrodite urged through gritted teeth as she brought her hands to the bard’s shoulders. It was clear that she intended to keep Gabrielle’s head above water while the bard used her hands to extract the chakram piece. “Throw it onto the sand when it’s out,” the goddess urged, “you may need it later.” With a silent nod Gabrielle reached for Aphrodite, looking below the surface of the water at her abdomen. The bard could feel an emotional weight settle on her like the worst, most intense migraine ever. Immediately it conjured up memories of lobotomies and electroshock treatments. Focusing past the pain she found the curved piece of chakram and with a thumb and forefinger pinched on the inside curve, pulled with firm and consistent tension. Aphrodite cried out, a chilling sound that scared Gabrielle to her core, but she did not relent. The pain in her own head worsened, staying conscious by force of will alone. The goddess released a second cry and then a gasp as the chunk of metal came free. Aphrodite panted, and the pain behind Gabrielle’s eyes lessened ever so slightly. To the bard’s surprise the fragment was much larger than she expected, three inches easily had impaled in the goddess’ body. She brought it to the surface to throw it overhand to the sand and noted that there was no blood on its surface. “My blood dissolves in seawater,” the goddess explained.

“I guess this is karma for impaling me to my conference table,” Gabrielle replied, happy that Aphrodite smiled in return.

“Asshole,” Aphrodite replied but the tone made it clear that she was grateful.

“You ready to go again tiger?” Gabrielle asked, smiling past her own pain to convey a reassurance she didn’t completely feel. She reached for the metal embedded in the goddess’ chest next. The bard could almost feel a high-pitched whine in her inner ear as she reached for the fragment. On instinct, she moved forward and kissed Aphrodite, distracting her for the instant it took to wrench the shrapnel from her skin.

“Sneaky,” the goddess said with a pant, grateful for the distraction.

After inspecting the second fragment, not as large as the first and again, showing no signs of honey colored blood, she tossed it overhand to join it’s sibling on the sand.

“Last one,” Gabrielle assured her before taking a deep breath and diving under the surface of the water to inspect the goddess’ thigh. She broke the surface of the water and smoothed her hair away from her face, regarding Aphrodite seriously. “I think you need to float on your back,” she suggested. “This won’t be as bad as the first, but it won’t be as easy as the one I just did.”

Aphrodite, nodded, letting Gabrielle support her as she easily floated on the surface of the water. All of the feelings were there, at the forefront of the bard’s mind; the fear, the pain, the uncertainty. Gabrielle knew there was nothing she could do to negate those feelings and distracting the goddess a second time was not going to work. Instead she thought about the closeness she felt for Aphrodite. How she valued her friendship, how she loved her and how she had returned the other half of her soul. Every positive thing she could articulate in her own mind about her connection to the goddess she thought about in the kind of three-dimensional detail that made her a bard among bards. All of that love and positivity she sent to the goddess in a single blast as she pulled the last bit of chakram free.

Aphrodite cried out in pain, but it wasn’t the agonized wail from before. She wrapped her arms and legs around Gabrielle and cried. The bard held her stroking her back, telling her it was okay. She could feel the pain lessen, the fear dissipate; these were tears of relief. Gabrielle moved toward the shallow water, picking up Aphrodite in her arms. She waited until the goddess had stopped sobbing, regaining some measure of composure before walking to the shore and laying her gently next to what remained of the zodiac.

~~~~~~~

Xena raced to the rock outcrop, climbing it as quickly as she could, searching for the pit bull. She found the dog two thirds of the way up whimpering and conscious, with one of her hind legs at an odd angle, clearly broken. She was bleeding from some deep cuts and scratches, but the broken bone appeared to be the worst of her injuries. Gently, she picked up the animal, fully expecting to be bit out of pain or fear but she was not. Argo simply yelped and whined. Before beginning her descent, she glanced over to the two men left on the rocky ledge. One was dead, the other still unconscious. The unconscious fighter could wait, Gabrielle’s dog was more important.

Cradling Argo, keeping the broken leg as immobile as she could, she made her way down the cliff. She’d begun her walk back up the beach when someone approached, coming out of the water with the hammer of Hephaestus dangling from his wrist by the leather strap. While she’d never seen him in this form, she knew instantly who it was and that he was very, very angry.

“Creatures of the sea are not yours to command,” he said bluntly and without greeting.

“Who’s commanding?” Xena drawled in reply not slowing down, having neither the time nor interest to argue with the God of the Sea. “I asked nicely. Besides,” she added with a hint of surprise, “I thought I’d killed you?”

Poseidon shrugged, not at all embarrassed. “And Hercules thought he killed Zeus and on and on. When someone is trying to kill you, it’s not a bad idea to let them think you dead. You’d be surprised at how many of us resurfaced in that window between your death and…” he trailed off, uncomfortable.

“Gabrielle and the Anvil of Hephaestus, yes I know,” Xena supplied. “We can discuss a list of who’s who later,” she added with a nod to the wounded dog.

“My nephew is out there, hurt,” he shot back pointing to the area blow the arch, “with dolphins keeping him from coming ashore.”

“Aphrodite is over there,” Xena replied, icily, “also hurt and unlike your nephew, she is going to get our help.”

Grey eyes bore into blue and Xena maintained her pace, walking as quickly as she dared to keep the dog as comfortable as possible.

As they neared the group by the jet skis, Poseidon put his hand on Xena’s shoulder to stop her out of earshot. The warrior was surprised at the gentle touch, clearly being communicated as a request as opposed to a command. She stopped to look at the God of the Sea, the person responsible for her renewed life.

“Gabrielle’s people are not the ones to deal with Ares,” he said urgently. “You’ve more than made your point with him. He’s hurt but he isn’t dead. You can’t kill us. You think you can, but you can’t, you never could. Your bard is going to want to try and contain him; that is not her job and if it takes fifty years or a hundred and fifty years, that kind of folly will backfire and have a corrosive effect on anyone in that kind of proximity to him, the two of you included. Either you let his men take him wherever he can convince them to go, or I have to take him. Child, he is a god. You might not like him, but you still have to respect him.”

“I’ll think about it,” Xena replied with a curt nod then continued towards the others. She knew in her gut that Poseidon was right. There was no way they’d be able to keep a muzzle on Ares indefinitely. He was injured, for the time being at any rate, he’d think twice about getting involved in their affairs. When she reached the others they were in a tight cluster around Elaine’s body. Aphrodite was leaning heavily on Gabrielle but looked a little better than when she’d brought her out of the water. The three prisoners were being watched by the newcomers from Gabrielle’s company and she could see three men heading to the rock arch to retrieve the two bodies and the unconscious soldier with Blake and Prisha assisting.

Xena knelt in the sand cradling Argo, Gabrielle was immediately at her side, kissing the face of the whimpering dog.

“Awww sweet pea, what happened to you?” she said, her voice soothing and warm. “Your leg is broken, girl.” She looked the dog over as much as she could in Xena’s arms. After a quick triage of the people on the beach, she came to a decision. “Ed, you’re taking Sarah back on the jet ski. Sarah, report to sick bay and anyone onboard the ship who is injured, I don’t care if it’s just a scratch, anyone who is injured have them meet there too. Ed, come back with the stretcher. Xena, you will take Aphrodite to the ship on the other jet ski; Aphrodite will tell you how to operate it.” She held the goddess’ eyes a moment longer to see if there would be an argument but there was only exhaustion. “Ed, when you come back, bring the other zodiac. We can transport Elaine and Argo.” He nodded once in the affirmative and helped Sarah to the jet ski, getting her situated first before climbing on in front of her and taking off. Only now did she acknowledge Poseidon’s presence. “What are you doing here?” she asked acidly. “You know, we could have used your help.”

“Child, you had my help,” he shot back. “Were it not for me and the forces I command, your ship would have been overwhelmed. Ares knows a floating fortress when he sees it. He suspects you’ve got something valuable onboard, I’m sure. Without me and the sharks you’d have had twice as many of Ares men onboard.”

Gabrielle looked like she’d been stung. She averted her eyes. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. Thank you for your help. I didn’t know you’d gotten my message.”

He shrugged. “You have a persuasive lawyer. How are you?” he asked, looking at his niece.

 “Don’t worry about me,” the goddess deflected. “Argo is in pain, Xena hand her to me, let me hold her until Ed gets back.” Xena glanced at Gabrielle who nodded. Carefully she transferred the large dog to the goddess’ arms. The dog cried out in pain a couple of times then seemed to settle down comfortably. “Besides,” the goddess continued, “I’m in better shape than he is. And I don’t understand that, he just had ambrosia.” She looked down the beach at the silhouette of Ares crawling on his hands and knees out of the surf.

“Immature ambrosia,” Xena corrected her. “The stuff on the cliff wasn’t mature. It was nearly translucent, didn’t have the same kick- no kick at all really. I’m tracking down some of the real thing for you,” she added. “You need to hold tight until it gets here.”

Poseidon turned to look at Xena with an expression that was equal parts rage, respect, and confusion. “You are not the keeper of ambrosia, Xena. I am.”

The warrior shrugged indifferently, “I think we can argue that you made me your partner in that.”

“We can fight this out later,” Gabrielle cut in. “I need my people to go get Ares.” She was about to signal the troops guarding the prisoners when Xena stopped her.

“We can’t take Ares,” she said.

“What do you mean we can’t?” Gabrielle asked. “Look at him, he can’t even stand up.” Clear of the water, the form on the beach had collapsed on the sand and was still.

“What I mean is we have to let his men go, they can collect him and take him off somewhere where he can lick his wounds and get better,” Xena knew that what she was saying was the right course of action, but she didn’t feel much better about it than Gabrielle did.

“It’s going to take him a long time to recover,” Aphrodite added. “Sweetheart, you know Xena is right. You can’t keep any of us captive. It just wouldn’t work.”

“Then what was the point?” Gabrielle demanded, exasperated and frustrated. Elaine’s body was still warm, she feared for the worst back on The Hippolyta. She’d lost Susan, Shen might still be in danger.

Poseidon looked down at the bard with an expression one might consider fatherly. His grey blue eyes were empathetic, his expression sad but firm. “You know you can’t eliminate war from the world Gabrielle,” he said gently. “Anymore, then you can eliminate love. The best you can do is tip the scales in one direction or the other. It cost you, I don’t deny it cost you- but you did tip the scales in the direction of love. Ares will recover, but it will take him time, a very long time, which gives Aphrodite and the rest of you a head start. And I think he’s learned to leave you and yours alone. Work against him how you see fit, make a better case for people to follow, keep fighting your war; but this piece has to stay on the game board. You can’t take it off.”

“Hey,” Aphrodite said softly, gesturing for Gabrielle to come closer. It was clear that the effort to talk was taking its toll. “Love, you know he’s right,” she said quietly after swallowing with effort. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t scare the crap outta him.”

The bard pet Argo’s head considering her options, then nodded and stood, noting the hammer that Poseidon was still carrying. “I’m going to need that back,” she said. While polite, it was clear that it was not a request that would tolerate refusal. He glanced at Xena who took a step to Gabrielle’s side and stood, her back straight, at her full height; she was looking the god eye to eye.  “Very well,” he said, passing the hammer to the bard.

Xena and Gabrielle walked down the beach to where Ares lay. He had crawled onto the sand and pushed himself over so he was lying on his back. A large fragment of chakram extending from just below his collar bone. There was another piece sticking out of his abdomen. His blood was the color of burgundy wine, one might almost think it looked nearly human; it was a realization that sickened Gabrielle. “Nicely played ladies,” he said, the defeat in his voice evident.

Gabrielle stood over him, moving to block the sun so he could see her face clearly. She held the hammer by its leather strap directly over the metal protruding from his shoulder. There was no masking the fear on Ares’ face.

“If she lets go,” Xena said smoothly, “I bet there is still enough juice in that piece of chakram to end you.

“You’d be killed too,” Ares sputtered.

“It’s been over two thousand years,” Gabrielle replied easily. “I’ve seen everything I want to see. Got Hamilton tickets and everything.”

“And me,” Xena added, “dead is no big deal. I was just there.”

“Don’t,” the God of War begged. “You guys are off limits, I swear.”

“Not just us,” Xena clarified. “You leave me, Gabrielle, her extended family, which is anyone who works for her including the…” the warrior searched for the word.

“Subsidiaries,” Gabrielle added helpfully.

“Right, subsidiaries,” Xena added. “You also leave Aphrodite alone and Poseidon,” she added for good measure. “Basically, anyone who has ever had occasion to say hello to us, you leave them alone too.”

“Fine, fine,” he agreed waving his hand in surrender. “Xena, there is a part of me in you,” he said, wincing with pain. “You can’t deny it. You can only go for so long and not crave a good fight.”

The warrior nodded in agreement. “Oh, I’m going to get plenty of fighting. Don’t worry about that. Fighting you, Ares. We are going to use every tool we have at our disposal. We are going to make war on your whole infernal machine. You’ve always wanted the war to end all wars, you’re going to get it.”

“Yeah,” Gabrielle added, “it’s just that the war is against your fucked-up world view and all that represents, you repugnant asshole.”

“Do we have a deal?” Xena asked.

He didn’t immediately answer so Gabrielle loosened her grip letting the hammer fall several inches before tightening her grip on the strap to stop it. “Yes,” he shouted, then winced in pain.

“I think he will keep his word,” Xena said turning to Gabrielle.

“If he doesn’t, we still have the hammer and the chakram fragments.” While spoken to Xena, the warning was clearly for Ares benefit. Gabrielle leaned down, about to pull the chakram fragment from his shoulder then stopped herself. She looked up to Xena taking a step back from the god. “I think you should do that,” she said.

At first Xena didn’t understand. “Is it because I’m related to the three of them?”

“What are you talking about?” Ares asked, his voice pained and tight.

“Surely you knew I was dead?” Xena asked with a wink.

Ares looked uncertain, dark eyes darting from warrior to bard. “She got better. Again,” Gabrielle supplied helpfully.

“But this time I came back with the help of Aphrodite and Poseidon,” the warrior explained. “I think the essence of three gods is better than one. Especially if the one is you.”

Gabrielle nodded. “You should wash the blood off in the water before we get back to the boat. And um, if any of his blood gets in your mouth,” she added, “you will have insight into where he is, how he’s feeling, basically his thoughts. And you will have the ability to hurt him directly. It’s a weird trip though.”

There was no mistaking the look of supreme rage on Ares face, although he was in no position to refute what Gabrielle had just said. The comment drew the warrior’s attention from the God of War. Something fell into place for Xena about Gabrielle’s connection with Aphrodite. Far from making her jealous, it reassured Xena that there was a deeper reason for their mutual attachment.

Using the same force one would use to snap the bolt of an imbedded arrow, Xena roughly yanked the chakram fragment from Ares shoulder which elicited a pained howl. She repeated the motion with the segment on his thigh and he grunted again. “We’re going to let your men go,” she added. “They’ll come get you and I’m sure you can take it from there.”

Ares nodded. “Ya know, Xena, I will keep my word. Leave you and the brat and her collection of misfits alone. But give me time, I’ll bounce back. There are billions of people in the world Xena, millions of warriors. You used to be special, one of a kind- ahhhhh”

His words transitioned to a pained scream as Gabrielle kicked him in the groin as hard as she could. A new look of wariness and fear crossed his agony-stricken face. “Fucking right, I can hurt you,” the bard said icily. “I could make your face hamburger with my bare hands right now. That was for Susan, Elaine, and Bohemian. I swear, you fucking creep, if you hurt any of my people again I will unite the rest of the Olympians and we will rip you worthless limb from worthless limb.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the warrior replied to Ares with a proud smirk. “You’ve found a zillion other Xenas to work with and I just need the one. This one.” she nodded her head indicating the bard. With azure blue eyes boring down into those of Ares, Xena brought her hand holding the bloody fragments of chakram to her face. With seductive slowness, and an erotic yet dangerous grin, she inserted her thumb into her mouth, rolling her eyes back in pleasure as it came out clean.

“Fucking bitch,” Ares growled, helpless to stop her.

Xena staggered back a step and Gabrielle was instantly at her side, keeping her upright and steady. A rage unlike anything she’d ever known coursed through her veins, the world for a moment turning red and vulnerable. She could feel the fear, passion, anger and hate of everything around her and how the orchestration of those emotions led to power. Not since her most ruthless days as a warlord had she been this far removed from empathy and compassion. Just as she felt the need to scream, to release the merest fraction of anger, the wave receded and she felt her own sense of self come to the forefront once more. “Now the two of us can kick your ass,” she said, her threat void of any embellishment or bravado.

They turned to go, walking back to the bard’s people. “I don’t know,” Gabrielle said, putting her arm around Xena’s waist, in part to support her for the first few unsteady steps and in part because she couldn’t keep her hands off of her. The God of War no longer of urgent concern, she continued “I still think you’re special and one of a kind.”

Chapter 18: Happily Ever After

Gabrielle studied Argo’s x-rays with a critical eye. The decision to care for the living before tending to the dead was an easy call to make, but the crew to an individual, had insisted on the dog being treated first. Working efficiently, Gabrielle set the dog’s hind leg and began to apply the cast the animal would need to wear for the next several weeks. Argo had been remarkably calm since her return to the ship leaving little doubt in the bard’s mind who was responsible for that.

There was a soft knock at the sick bay door and Xena entered, the concern for the dog evident on her features. “How is she doing?”

“She’s doing really well,” Gabrielle replied. “When her cast is finished, I’ll give her a few stitches and then I’ll be on to my next patient. How is Shen? How is everyone?”

Gabrielle had only the briefest of moments to hug her godson upon return to the boat to tell him herself about the death of his friends Elaine and Bo and to reassure him that his injured friends would be okay, including Argo. Nicolai, who took the post closest to the secured hold had fought off several attackers and even though bleeding from several stab wounds, would not leave the boy’s side.

“I’ve put Aphrodite in your cabin,” Xena began. “She requested that.”

“Our cabin,” Gabrielle corrected her automatically.

The warrior grinned and continued. “Our cabin. She’s in a lot of pain and exhausted but has asked to speak to everyone on the boat privately. Your cabin has more room for someone to sit and chat with her. I told her to rest but you can imagine how well she’d listen to me. Maybe if you suggested it?”

Gabrielle looked up from her ministrations on the dog to see if there was any other meaning behind the statement. Reassured there was not, she went back to her work. “I don’t think she’d listen to me either,” she replied. “She’s grown attached to the crew, she’s missed having a family. She’s been adopted into the company family and no doubt wants to comfort us all with our grieving. Any idea when some Ambrosia might come our way? I think that’s the only thing that’s going to fix her. She will heal, but I’d like her completely healthy long before Ares is.”

Xena nodded in agreement. “I know it’s on its way. I think I may have to have some sort of discussion with Poseidon about that. At the moment, he is with the uninjured crew watching over the bodies of Elaine and Bo, he genuinely seems moved. And he does seem pleased with the name Ariel, so that’s what everyone is calling him. Blake and Samantha have begun the work of cleaning up the blood and mess at various places on deck. Ed is coordinating with your other people in Mexico to transfer the bodies of Ares’ men from the ship and in the water back to the beach. Pos- Ariel wasn’t kidding about the sharks. Nine men died in the water before ever boarding your ship. Your people fought off twenty trained assassins. I think there was a thirtieth man, in the water. But I don’t think there is anything left of him to recover.”

Gabrielle nodded, stripping off her gloves and donning a new pair before suturing the dog where necessary. “Who is up next?”

“I think Ingrid’s burns are the most pressing, because of the pain, but if she’s spoken to Aphrodite…” the warrior shrugged. “She’ll probably be as relaxed as Argo is. Sarah has a bullet wound in her arm, the bullet thingie needs to come out. Nicolai has three stab wounds, stitches are needed but nothing more. Prisha got hit in the head with the butt end of a gun, I think she’s got a concussion. Jennifer is unhurt, just scared. Shen is sitting with her talking about the paper he’s working on about ancient Roman history. I think he’s got your gift of conversation.”

Stepping back from her work Gabrielle gave Argo a final examination to check for any additional injuries and received a warm lick on her face for her effort. She kissed the dog’s nose after administering a pain killer that would provide additional comfort for the next twelve hours. For now, her work was finished.

“How are you?” She asked looking up into the brilliant blue eyes that felt like home where ever she was.

Xena smiled down at her. Two months ago, she would have answered the question about her physical wellbeing whether or not she thought that’s what the question was. “I’m good, Gabrielle. I feel for the loss of your friends, I’m worried about Aphrodite, but I’m also good. We gave War a nosebleed today. Not fatal, but anything that has Ares feeling insecure and unsure of himself can’t be a bad thing for us.”

“That’s how he’s feeling?” Gabrielle asked. “Insecure and unsure?”

Xena nodded after a moment’s thought. “He’s scared. That thing with the blood rattled him. Not what he was expecting. The obvious question is how you knew?”

Gabrielle knew she was blushing but also knew that Xena deserved to know. “Aphrodite,” she said.

“I’d worked that much out for myself,” Xena replied with a chuckle taking two steps towards the bard so she could wrap her arms around her. “I was hoping for a little more detail,” she added with an affectionate squeeze.

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around Xena’s waist resting her head against the warrior’s breast listening for a familiar heartbeat. Again, she marveled at the long distant memories that resurfaced at the touch. If she closed her eyes she could almost hear the soft creak and distant scent of leather. “Before we got you back we were on the beach. Poseidon- I mean Ariel- needed to have Aphrodite cut her hand with the last remaining shard that she had of her seashell. She was attached to it in the same way Ares is to his dagger. Then she had to put several drops of her blood in your urn, and Ariel had to do the same. After Aphrodite cut herself, I wrapped her hand and…she um…offered me some of the blood.”

“Did you know what would happen?” Xena murmured into the top of her head.

“I didn’t,” she answered. “I didn’t even know the full extent of what…that…implied until Aphrodite told me shortly before the battle.”

“What was it like?”

“It was amazing,” Gabrielle replied. “But also, kind of scary. There was an intense feeling of love for everything, for everyone, but there was also this sense of responsibility. In the span of a second, I could see backwards and forwards in time, millions of years in each direction. For a brief moment I knew all there was to know about love and relating to people. Then everything faded. What about you?”

Xena shook her head slightly trying to keep the recent memory at arm’s length. “It was rage, anger and hatred. Past conflict, future conflict the power that comes from the manipulation of people’s base instincts. There was this skewed belief that conflict brings out the best in people; that the best is always strength and ruthlessness. I think where you were was a much better place to be.”

“So, it was your life before we met?” Gabrielle asked gently.

The warrior nodded against the soft crown of blond hair. “In essence, yeah.” She released the bard and took a step back, gently stroking Gabrielle’s cheek with the back of her knuckles. “You have more patients to see to,” she said softly before leaning in for a kiss.

When they parted Gabrielle nodded and smiled. “It’s almost like old times in that respect. Could you please take Argo to Aphrodite? The two of them can rest together. And send in Ingrid? When I finish with everyone here I will check on our goddess then call Bo’s parents and tell them.”

Xena nodded. “Anything else? Michelle was asking for orders.”

Gabrielle considered her options before speaking. “Have Michelle contact the department heads. Have them fly to Mexico tomorrow, Ed can ferry them here in the helicopter or we can hire a boat, whichever. Bo and Elaine had some close friends in other departments, have Michelle include them. I guess that means we may need additional provisions from Cabo San Lucas. Sarah and Nicolai can decide how much extra food we will need and buy out a local flower shop I suppose. We want things nice onboard for the funeral.

“I need to know Bo’s last wishes with respect to burial from Fiona as soon as possible. Elaine will be buried at sea here, in Mexico, but I’d like to know what Bo wanted before I speak to his mothers. We need to have an update from everyone tomorrow before I decide what to do next, but Shen’s school can be contacted. He can go back next week. I think Ares isn’t in any condition to come after him, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I think Shen will be a grown man before Ares is remotely in any shape to come after him personally. I think he’s going to still do what he’s doing. Playing groups of people against each other to create conflict. But I don’t think he’ll be personally involved for awhile,” Xena moved to pick up the large dog. She cradled the canine in her arms, Argo’s square head contentedly resting against her shoulder, the animal was fast asleep. “I’ll come check on you after I get Argo situated, unless Aphrodite decides I need to chat with her that is.”

“I will start preparing the bodies for burial when I’ve seen to all the living.” Xena nodded in agreement and understanding. The warrior was nearly out the door when Gabrielle stopped her. “Xena,” she said. The warrior turned around. “Thank you,”

With a smile that reached her eyes Xena replied, “I love you too, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle blinked determined not to burst out crying in sick bay. Of course, she and Xena had expressed their love for each other over the years, frequently and in countless way. But Xena saying it first- that was a rarity. She had to admit, Aphrodite’s contention of a ‘new Xena’ seemed to have merit.

~~~~~~~

            Gabrielle softly knocked at the door to her quarters. The injuries of her crew tended to, Aphrodite was the next patient on her rounds. Xena met her at the door and smiled warmly. “I’ll leave you two alone,” she said gently and departed.

            A chair had been pulled up next to the bed where the warrior had obviously been sitting, keeping the goddess company. Argo was curled next to Aphrodite’s side sleeping soundly; large head on her uninjured thigh. There was a slim journal resting in the goddess’ lap. “Hey beautiful,” Aphrodite said weakly.

            “Flirt,” the bard replied with a chuckle. “What’s that?” she asked with a nod to the book.

            “I nicked it from dear brother. I’m fairly certain it’s his notes about the other Olympians he’s found,” Aphrodite replied, her voice sounding exhausted. She passed the book to Gabrielle who looked at it curiously, flipping through a couple of pages.

            “What language is this?” The bard asked.

            Aphrodite shrugged, wincing at the effort. “I have no idea.”

            “But you know every language,” Gabrielle began in protest.

            “I know every language used to express love. This is my war-obsessed brother’s own code. One that I hope your warrior can help me crack, but it will take some time.” Weakly, Aphrodite smiled in response to the bard’s confused expression. “Xena has insight now, moreso than even before. She can see enough into Ares’ thoughts to crack this code, but not until I’m stronger and can support her in doing something like that. But we’ll figure it out, hopefully before Ares realizes I have it.” She leaned back, tired. It was obvious that the injuries she’d sustained and the exertion she’d expended after the battle had cost her.

            Gabrielle put the book on the nightstand and reached out to push an errant strand of hair off of the goddess’ forehead. “What can I do?” she asked gently.

            “I want you to get me out of these wet clothes and tuck me in,” Aphrodite asked with a small smile. “I’m not sure if all the blood got washed away or not.”

            “Ah huh,” Gabrielle replied with a grin. “I know you just want me to take your clothes off.”

            Aphrodite chuckled and then winced, the levity proving painful. “Maybe,” she allowed softly. Gabrielle gently moved her dog to the side before starting on the goddess’ clothing. Before unbuttoning on the shirt, she bent down to tenderly kiss her forehead. She could feel the woman beneath her smile and relax. It occurred to Gabrielle that for someone who spent most of her time tending to the emotions and needs of others, it was indeed a special thing to be cared for in return. With tenderness Gabrielle undid the buttons on the shirt, easing Aphrodite’s svelte body from the damp fabric. She removed her bra next before moving onto the trousers, then covered her for the time being with a quilt. To the bard’s surprise while the wounds were open they were not actively bleeding. The area around each of the injuries was an angry red color with the skin taking on an unhealthy greayish hue. The goddess’ honey colored blood filled the painful looking wounds adding to the inflamed and tender looking lacerations. Examination of the ripped clothing revealed no sign of the unusual ‘blood’ which clearly relieved the goddess.

            “I’ll burn the pants and shirt to be on the safe side. Do you think this is an allergic reaction?” Gabrielle asked, gently checking the temperature of the goddess’ skin without touching the wound.

            “I think so,” Aphrodite agreed. “But honey, I’m not running a feaver- I can’t. It just hurts like a fucking bitch and I’m worn out. This whole fucking day has me wrecked. I’m keeping my shit together for your family dear one, if I were on my own I’d be a blubbering mess right now. That kind of sadness isn’t going to help your crew grapple with their grief.”

            “You are an amazing creature,” Gabrielle said honestly looking into Aphrodite’s placid blue eyes noting that they were as pale and grey as she’d ever seen them. The goddess usual infectious sparkle was missing, and that emptiness was palpable. Gabrielle felt it like a weight. She smiled encouragingly before moving to the closet to get a sweatshirt and a pair of Xena’s sweatpants.

            “I want one of your t-shirts,” Aphrodite called and Gabrielle put the sweatshirt back. “One of your really soft ones. And I don’t intend to give it back.”

            “You’re high maintenance when you don’t feel well,” the bard deadpanned, selecting a shirt she’d worn a couple of days ago, knowing that it was incredibly soft and still smelled of her which is what the goddess had requested without saying so.

            “I’m worth it,” Aphrodite replied assisting where she could to get into the dry clothing. Once dressed and situated under the covers, Gabrielle went to the bathroom and returned with a hot washcloth, towel and hairbrush. Gently she cleaned the goddess’ face, hands and arms, wiping away the sand and salt, then brushed her hair.

            “Hey! You almost look hot again,” Gabrielle said playfully, admiring her work when she finished.

            “Asshole,” the goddess muttered, sinking back into the pillows propped against her back, the exertion from changing her clothes having taken a visible toll. “Has everyone been tended to?”

            “I have to call Bo’s moms next. He and Elaine are on ice for now. Elaine wants to be buried at sea. I need to get her ready. I can get Bo cleaned up and dressed, but need to know his wishes before going beyond that.” Seeing an unasked question on the goddess’ face she continued. “Their friends are watching over them. They aren’t alone. I know that what’s left is just an empty shell. But it’s important for the crew to be there for them. I love them, but I’m tending to the living first.”

            “Your crew are guarding their memories of them,” Aphrodite responded, patting a space in the bed next to her. Gabrielle climbed into bed next to the goddess who immediately snuggled in, resting her head against the bard’s breast, holding her close. Gabrielle put her arms around Aphrodite remembering that it wasn’t so long ago that the goddess had held her in a similar fashion when the weight of everything had just been too much. “Can you spare a couple of hours?” she asked softly, an unusual vulnerability in her voice.

            It was obvious where the fear came from and it wasn’t just the Aphrodite’s injury. Gabrielle wasn’t an Olympian with the most epic of boundary issues. Gabrielle had for the vast majority of her very long life conducted herself in a very ethical, conventional way. She was honest, loyal, loved fiercely and was for the most part monogamous. No, she and Aphrodite weren’t lovers nor did she see that down the road any time soon. Xena was her heart- the other half of her soul, and Aphrodite of all people understood that, the kiss in the ocean not withstanding. But she realized that Xena would equally understand that she and the woman she held weren’t ever going to be ‘just friends’ either. There was a murky, messy middle space with Aphrodite that felt surprisingly comfortable. She squeezed a little tighter, deciding that for another couple of hours Bo’s mothers could believe that their son was still alive. She was treating the living first and Aphrodite needed this. “For you dear heart, anything.”

~~~~~~~

            Xena made her way to the gym where the bodies of the two fallen crew members were temporarily resting. Cots had been brought in and the bodies laid out on ice. No one had brought in chairs, there wasn’t room. People stood together in small groups comforting each other and watching over the deceased. Several were sharing fond remembrances, a couple of people were crying. At the warrior’s entry, the attention turned to her with people asking for an update on Argo. Everyone had already visited with Aphrodite.

            “Argo is resting comfortably with Aphrodite,” she explained. “Gabrielle says she was able to set her leg without complication and she’s got some stitches in a couple of places, but will be fine. Down the road she may be able to tell when it’s going to rain.” She surveyed the room looking for a familiar face. “Where is Shen?” she asked.

            “Shen and Wolife are in the supply hold with Rebekah.” Michelle replied. “The kid has been through so much. Wolfie told Shen that he needed a break from the sadness and wanted to teach him drums. Rebekah is singing.”

            “Shen and Bo were really tight,” Steve added. “I mean Wolfie was really close to Bo too. He Bo and Vox were like the three musketeers. They did everything together.”

Xena had no idea what a musketeer was but got the gist. “Everyone who is injured was ordered to get some sleep in their quarters- except for Prisha with the concussion. Steve is staying with her,” Michelle continued.
“And Vox?”

Hatsuo shook his head sadly, “We’re not sure. She’s taking this really hard. Wants to be alone I think.” Xena nodded, worried about the young woman. In a very short time she’d felt bound to the people that her bard drew near. This was Gabrielle’s crew, but now it was also her crew. She felt protective of them, proud of them and a million other things. Her musings were cut short when she noticed Poseidon- Ariel standing behind Hatsuo and eyeing her intently. She nodded at the God of the Sea and he followed her out of the gym onto the expansive smooth deck.

            “Are we going to have a problem?” he asked after following her to the railing, the expanse of the Pacific sparkling out before them as far as the eye could see.

            “As long as you stay out of my way I see no problem,” the warrior replied amiably.

            “You were playing with fire. What if that Ambrosia hadn’t been immature? What if the dolphin who got it for you had made a mistake? Can you even imagine what you’d have on your hands if Ares ate a large quantity of mature Ambrosia?” He sounded more fearful than angry, desperate to convey his concerns to the warrior.

            “Imagine if Gabrielle had a Poseidon who stuck around to tell me this stuff instead of run off at the first mention of Ares,” she replied as neutrally as she could. “I don’t deny I have a lot to learn, but if you are going to abdicate your responsibility to teach me, then I’m not going to feel entirely responsible if on occasion I…” she searched for the right expression, “fuck it up.”

            He opened his mouth to speak then closed it, conceding the point. “I can’t argue with that,” he said. “So, you’re willing to learn?”

            Xena shrugged, “It appears I don’t really have much choice in that. One more thing,” she added. “Ares gets no Ambrosia, immature or otherwise. I now you worry about your nephew, I know you feel that you need to see him – to make sure he’s okay. Don’t. You know he will just manipulate you into getting ambrosia for him. We need him to heal as slowly as possible. You agree to that and I promise that there will only be one of us exerting dominion over the sea. I will learn from you, and will consult with you before acting in your domain.”

            The threat was subtle but there. Poseidon could maintain his place of superiority over the oceans with Xena as an ally, but it came with a price. His eyebrows raised thoughtfully. He was impressed. “Aphrodite might have been right about you returning a better version of yourself. You’ve made a strong case here.”

            “What can I say,” the warrior deadpanned. “It seems I take after mother’s side of the family.” She was rewarded with a thoughtful chuckle and respectful nod as the god turned and headed back into the gym. Xena was about to follow him when something caught her eye by the railing on the main deck below. Short platinum blond locks stood out in contrast to the deep blue of the ocean behind her.

            Xena cleared her throat as she descended the stairs not wanting to intrude on the young woman unawares. Her body language indicated she was crying and Xena knew her new friend well enough to know she’d want a moment for self-composure. The warrior approached the railing, resting her arms on the varnished wood and looked out at the expanse of blue. “I look out like this,” she said, “and it’s easy to pretend I’m back in my old life. The sea has changed the least of everything. Then I turn the other way and I hardly know which end is up.”

            Vox nodded, trying to casually wipe her eyes before speaking. “I bet you had to bury a lot of your friends back then.”

            “Well, we didn’t bury them, but yes.”

            The engineer looked genuinely surprised. “What did you do?”

            Xena shrugged, watching the delicate formation as a row of pelicans flew past listening to the rhythmic slap of the water against the ship’s hull. “When I was a warlord I didn’t do much of anything. People died in battle and I didn’t really have friends. There were a few people I valued more than others, but in a battle you stay where you fall. When I moved on to the other part of my life, after I’d met Gabrielle, funerals would involve a pyre. You’d bathe your departed loved one, dress them, spend some time with them and then the body would be placed on a pyre that would be lit and you’d wait with them as they became ash.”

            “Elaine and Bo are going in the sea,” Vox said quietly, her voice cracking.

            “There was a period of time when I lived at sea, I had crew die on occasion. Usually they just got tossed overboard, but once in awhile, I would honor whomever died if they were valued. They’d be wrapped in a shroud, weighted down, returned to nature.”

            “Xena,” Vox observed. “Whenever you talk about yourself as a warlord, you make yourself sound like a total dick.”

            The warrior nodded, a sad smile on her face. “I was a total dick,” she replied. “You and Bo were, close?”

            “His was the shoulder I cried on, literally cried on, when I realized that yeah, Gabrielle was gay but I still didn’t have a chance,” she looked at Xena sheepishly, embarrassed at her admission.

            “Aphrodite isn’t someone you can really compete with,” the warrior replied sympathetically.

            “Dude!” Vox corrected her emphatically. “I’m talking about you. Yeah, Aphrodite is gorgeous, kind, funny, she seems pretty smart- okay maybe I do hate her a little, but Gabrielle built this billion-dollar enterprise to keep your memory close and to find you. From that meeting in the conference room when she told us what was up with her. Like, who wouldn’t sleep with the Goddess of Love, right? But you are the love she chased down thousands of years. If someone told me that kind of love existed, I’d have told them to fuck off.” Her eyes began to well with tears as she looked at Xena. “You know what Bo said to me? He said that if that kind of love exists for Gabrielle, it probably exists for other people too and while I’m waiting for…how did she put it…the other half of my soul, I should hop into bed with as many goddesses as I can find.” The memory was too much and she broke down crying, Xena instinctively reached out and wrapped her arms around the sobbing woman; the engineer holding onto her tightly. She didn’t say anything and after several minutes Vox regained her composure and released the warrior. They stood close, Xena kept her arm wrapped around the young woman’s shoulders as the engineer rolled up the sleeve of her shirt.

            “See this tattoo?” she said indicating one of several tattoos on that arm. It was an ornate old-fashioned anchor and quill on the inside of her forearm. “Wolfie, Bo and I all got these matching tattoos when I got clearance for ship duty. “Those guys were my mates, ya know? I want to do something for him, but I can’t help bathe him or dress his dead body. I talked to Wolfie about it, we just can’t…handle him like that.”

            Xena squeezed the engineers shoulders “Vox, you don’t have to. That is how Gabrielle wants to care for them- everyone is different. There are a lot of ways to honor someone. I mean you still have some skin left, I don’t know about Wolfgang, but a new tattoo seems in order. As for the funeral, Shen told me that you sing. You heard the song I sing a song to honor the dead. I could teach it to you.”

            Vox looked genuinely surprised. “You’d do that?”

            Playfully, Xena gently pushed the younger woman away. “Of course I’d do that. We’re mates, right?”

~~~~~~~

As night descended Gabrielle looked thoughtfully at her computer screen before hitting the button to connect the call. She took a deep breath then clicked on the cursor. Her screen filled with the faces of Bohemian Van Lyle’s mothers, Olivia and Tzu-Ching, the Canadian and Taiwanese women having adopted the boy as a baby. While she had met them on several occasions, most of Gabrielle’s sense of them had come from their son who loved to tell stories about growing up while she and off duty crew would gather around the firepit after a barbecued meal. Gabrielle ached for the women. The worry was evident on their faces and Gabrielle did not prolong the inevitable.

“Miss Vincent,” Oliva said, “Michelle said this was urgent, what’s happened to Bo?”

“Olivia, Tzu-Ching I am so very sorry to deliver this news.” Already Olivia, the older of the two was crying, Tzu-Ching ever stoic, held her, not breaking eye contact with Gabrielle. “Bo was killed today in Mexico. There was…a substantial fight. He was shot and killed.” She did not elaborate further, waiting to gauge the response of the man’s parents. Olivia sobbed openly into her wife’s shoulder and tears streamed from Tzu-Ching’s eyes but she did not cry. Bo had shared enough about his parent’s history to know that the woman from Taiwan had witnessed a lot of violence as a child, including escaping from Viet Nam as a refugee after her parents had traveled there for work.

“I know much of what Bo did was secret, but you can’t say more?” Tzu-Ching asked.

Out of the corner of her eye Gabrielle could see her own reflection, the small screen image in the corner of what Bo’s parents saw. She looked exhausted and spent. In the background behind the two grieving women she saw the living room where they kept the computer that their only son had given them. The home was warm, cheery, eclectic and she knew it smelled of Moxa and incense; Bo’s clothes always retaining the fragrance after he visited home. Olivia was a masseuse and Tzu-Ching an acupuncturist. They knew what their son did was at times dangerous, but they also were proud of the extensive humanitarian and charitable causes he worked towards. “We were fighting a private military force from America, white nationalists. Bo was on the ship, providing cover for myself and several others on land,” the bard continued. “There were two snipers on a cliff, he shot one of them. He was shot in turn, and even though gravely wounded, managed to line up his next shot and get the other sniper before succumbing to his injury. It happened in less than a minute. He saved me and several others including Sarah.”

Tzu-Ching nodded, clearly proud of her son, grateful that his sacrifice meant something. “Was anyone else hurt?” Olivia asked, blotting at her eyes with a tissue.

“Elaine was also shot and killed. She was on land with me. Several others were injured on the ship, but Bo and Elaine were the only fatalities. I have been in touch with Fiona. Bo did not specify any instructions in the event of…” Gabrielle blinked back tears, reaching for a tissue herself.

“Bo didn’t think about death,” Tzu-Ching said, her voice finally cracking. “It did not concern him. But I think he would like to join Elaine in whatever ritual…” the stoic woman finally broke down with a sob. Olivia straightened up, and holding Tzu- Ching she regarded Gabrielle.

“What are the funeral plans for Elaine?” she asked.

“I was with Elaine when she died,” the bard replied. “She asked to be buried at sea as she is- no cremation. It isn’t remotely legal but I’m not concerned about that, it was her request.”

Against the larger woman’s breast Gabrielle saw a crown of black hair nod. “That is fine with us,” Olivia agreed. “I’m sorry we won’t be able to make it…”

Gabrielle shook her head, rushing to reassure her, “Robyn Versoul will be there to pick you up with a car in the morning,” Gabrielle explained. “I’ve instructed the flight crew to bring you to Mexico where the twins, I believe you’ve met Isra and Kismet will helicopter you to the ship. When you are onboard, we will then set sail out to sea for the funeral. You can either spend some time in Mexico, or return home that evening.” Gabrielle smiled sadly heart breaking for the two women, “I would think that you will probably want to be at home.”

Olivia and Tzu-Ching looked at each other, clearly surprised and overwhelmed by the offer. “That is very kind of you Miss...”

“It’s just Susan, please,” she said gently. They nodded and Gabrielle felt like she’d intruded enough on their grief. They needed to process this privately. “Again, please, let me say how very sorry I am for Bo’s loss. He was a wonderful man and a valued member of Gabrielle Evan’s team, and a dear friend of mine. Fiona will be in touch with you in the days to come to talk about his life-insurance and pension. You can let her know whenever you are ready to discuss it.” They nodded, having no idea that they were going to inherit a small fortune, something that would make most lottery winners blush. Gabrielle knew it was no consolation for losing a loved one, but money being one of the few things she had in excess she felt it the least she could do. “I will see you tomorrow then,” she concluded a after they acknowledged her statement bid farewell and ended the call.

With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself back from her desk and looked up to see Xena standing in the doorway. She had no idea how long the warrior had been watching her but didn’t mind. “I never had to make that type of call as a warlord,” she observed. “I’m sorry that you have to.”

“I don’t put my people in harm’s way lightly for this very reason,” she replied. “I’ve had to make a number of these calls over the years and vividly remember each and every one. They are all excruciating.”

“We can end the day on a positive at least,” Xena added. She entered the office which revealed Poseidon standing just behind the warrior. “We have ambrosia,” she said.

“That’s fantastic!” the bard replied excitedly, standing up “let’s go give it to her.”

Poseidon shook his head “Not so fast, Gabrielle,” he admonished gently. “We need to have a chat.”

Confused, she nodded towards the couch in her study the bottle of scotch from her chat with Susan Yin remaining on the low table like a tombstone. Gabrielle considered it was a way to keep the memory of her god daughter close, when they’d had that one conversation that had changed so much for her. Xena and Poseidon took seats on the couch and Gabrielle settled herself in the wing backed chair next to them. The leather creaked slightly and she was reminded of her lover’s armor from long ago. “What’s up?” she asked, putting aside memory and nostalgia with effort.

“Pos- Ariel,” Xena corrected herself when the God of the Sea shot her a glance, “needs to cover some things before we heal our ailing goddess.”

From the pocket of his shirt Poseidon extracted a rather large, plump leaf and put it on the table between them. It was bright red in color with deep orange flecks. It was beautiful. To Gabrielle’s estimation it was probably twice the size of what she’d consumed on the beach in Mexico. “There are going to be…ramifications from healing my niece and we need to address it and be prepared before we give this to her.”

“What kind of ramifications?” Gabrielle asked. “She’s in a great deal of pain, it seems to be getting worse and she’s having an allergic reaction or something from the chakram.”

“I know,” Poseidon agreed. “Fortunately, she was stronger than Ares when she was injured or she’d be in worse shape now, completely unable to support you and your crew in their grief.”

“Is Ares similarly wounded?” Xena asked thoughtfully.

“Yes and no,” Poseidon replied. “Your chakram is a weapon of war. He isn’t allergic to it. He is hurt, he isn’t going to heal very fast, but if we didn’t aid Aphrodite, he would heal faster than she would. Physical pain and battle injuries are more in his wheelhouse. Emotional pain and heartache are in Aphrodite’s.”

“Okay,” Gabrielle replied apprehensively, “what is it we need to address. I think the sooner we get her to full strength, the better for everyone.”

“The thing is Gabrielle,” Poseidon said patiently, “she is going to be more than at full strength. She needs something this potent to combat the debris in her system. It is going to release a wave of her…primal energy I’d expect. I mean some of this is conjecture. To my knowledge, none of us have been injured this badly before. After my error in not thinking through the ramifications of destroying Hephaestus’ Anvil, I am trying to consider things a bit more judiciously here.” He looked at Gabrielle, no trace of humor in his features. “Unless you want to offload everyone on board, sail your ship miles out to sea for a couple of days then give her the Ambrosia or have an orgy on your ship if you give it to her now. I can shield Shen from her energy, I can’t shield everyone on board.” He looked at her sympathetically, “the beach.”

He didn’t need to say more, Gabrielle’s cheeks flushed crimson as she was transported to that brief moment of being imbued with the goddess’ power. “What can we do?” Xena asked, in part to provide Gabrielle a moment to compose herself.

Poseidon looked thoughtful for a moment, scratching the grey gotee on his chin distractedly. “My neice could select a few of your crew, two or three should suffice, maybe four. And if the two of you help then you should be able to bleed off enough of her initial…energy to let her get a grip on herself. Aphrodite is strong, she knows herself – two or three hours would suffice I would expect. Again, this is guesswork.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Gabrielle protested. “I’m not going to send in any crew that don’t have that type of relationship with Aphrodite to…”

“Are you volunteering?” he asked hopefully. “Because that would solve your problem. She can’t hurt you.” He glanced at Xena. “Either of you.”

Gabrielle blushed again and there was no mistaking the unhappiness in Xena’s expression. “No, I’m not volunteering,” she replied hurriedly. “I just can’t ask someone to…do that. I mean Michelle has a relationship with Aphrodite and I’m sure she’d…”

Poseidon rolled his eyes, clearly not enjoying the conversation anymore than Xena or Gabrielle were. “Are you asking me to do it?” he asked with a frown.

“No!” both bard and warrior replied in unison.

“Good, because I can’t shield Shen and…”

“We get it,” Gabrielle said uncomfortably.

Xena shook her head, inwardly shifting gears and trying to frame the proposition before them like a military campaign. “How can we help…dissipate whatever it is that needs dissipating?” she asked.

Poseidon looked from warrior to bard with the expression worn my many single fathers when they have to discuss the facts of life with their pre-teen daughters. He took a deep breath and spoke as patiently and dispassionately as he could. “My niece is the goddess of love. She’s going to be overcome with that kind of energy. You,” he said looking at Xena, “have the essence of three gods coursing through your veins. It is muted, not as clear, precise or strong a connection as your bard has, but I think should be enough that Aphrodite can channel some of her…ardor…through the two of you so it doesn’t blast whomever she is with at full force. You two are the only two people besides myself onboard that she can’t hurt.”

Xena chuckled and Gabrielle looked at her questioningly, failing to see the humor in their predicament. “He’s asking us to fuck thereby bleeding off some of Aphrodite’s energy while she’s fucking Michelle so she won’t hurt your captain.”

Both Poseidon and Gabrielle stared at Xena. Gabrielle opened her mouth to speak but then closed it.

“And I thought you were the one with the gift for descriptive language,” he commented to the bard.

“Yes, well…um…that does seem to be what you’re suggesting,” she replied.

“Indeed,” he agreed. “You have a connection to Aphrodite, and you have a connection to your warrior. Send your crew below decks- separately to their quarters or whatever. Have your Russian keep guard over his fallen comrades. I will watch a movie in the den with Shen. That’s close enough that I can shield Shen and Nicolai, everyone else might think they’re having a weird fantasy or two. Nothing they would act on.” He chuckled to himself, “what is your expression? You’re taking one for the team?”

~~~~~

Gabrielle knocked on her stateroom door, this time answered by Michelle. She stood casually holding the Ambrosia behind her back. It was an unspoken agreement between those on the ship who knew of Ambrosia and what it could do not to mention it to anyone who didn’t already know. It was an obvious no-brainer. “I need a word with the goddess,” Gabrielle said with a smile.

“Is everything okay?” the captain asked worried. “Ariel was just here and he took Argo. Said they were going to watch a movie with Shen.”

“Everything is okay,” Gabrielle assured the brunette. “We’ve got a handle on healing Aphrodite, and it may have some fallout – sexual fallout – and we don’t want anyone affected by that inappropriately.”

Michelle nodded uncertainly and joined Xena in the hallway. “Let’s go into the library,” Xena suggested. “You can probably go back in there in a minute or two.”

“Hey gorgeous,” Gabrielle said as she made her way to the bed, after closing the door behind her. She kept the ambrosia out of sight for the moment, concealed in her hand.

“Flirt,” Aphrodite said weakly. “You smell nice,” she added absently.

“About that, I have ambrosia, but you need to hear me out before you can have it,” Gabrielle did her best to strike to tone between firm and caring as she opened her hand. Aphrodite’s eyes lit with hunger, but it was clear that the goddess was too weak to take it from the bard.

“I’m listening,” she said, her eyes fixated on the exotic seaweed.

“When you eat this, I am going to share your consciousness and Xena and I are going to…er…help you bleed off some of your energy if need be.” The goddesses’ eyes brightened and Gabrielle shook her head. “No, hon. Not a threesome.” The pout she got in return was adorable so she added “give us a few decades to get reacquainted, then we’ll talk, okay?”

“Fair enough,” she agreed sullenly. “How does this work?”

“I don’t know,” Gabrielle admitted. “I think you just have the ambrosia, we get Michelle back in here and…er…ah…”

“Got it sweet pea,” Aphrodite said extending her hand. Gabrielle handed it to her and the goddess consumed the plant with a zeal that was most undignified. There was almost an animalistic urgency that surprised the bard. Immediately a warm ivory glow radiated from the goddess’ skin and Gabrielle was unprepared for the magnitude of the, for lack of a better word, blast of Aphrodisiac that hit her. Similar to the goddess’ reaction to her shell but with more energy and intensity, Gabrielle was overcome by an ardor the strength of which stunned her. In a second, she was on Aphrodite, kissing her with a passionate abandon. The goddess returned the onslaught for a number of long glorious minutes reveling in the feeling returning to the apex of her power, rejuvenated and renewed. Tongues moving against each other, their fingers threaded through each other’s short blond hair, it was as if time and space stopped to relive a moment from the not so distant past. As she gained control of the rush she regained her sense of self restraint and gently, reluctantly pushed Gabrielle away from her after one last lingering kiss.

Confused and panting it took a moment for the bard to regain her composure. She looked sheepishly at Aphrodite, clearly embarrassed. “I…”

“My bad,” the goddess said reassuringly. She took a breath. A deep, sexy, alluring breath and Gabrielle leaned forward again. “I think you need to…”

“Yes,” Gabrielle said with discipline. “Xena and I need to…”

Aphrodite winked playfully, “I love you sweet pea, and thank you.” She lifted the t-shirt she was wearing revealing thin white scars where her gaping wounds had been moments earlier.

Gabrielle nodded approvingly, feeling her head start to swim with lust once again, the heady energy in the room palpable. “I love you too, Aphrodite. I’ll send Michelle in,” she said. “If you need… anything…”

“Right side, bottom drawer,” she replied with a sensual smile. “I remember, love. And I’ll have everything cleaned up before you come back. “Good thing we aren’t the jealous type.”

Gabrielle winked before taking her leave and returning to the library. It was almost comical, Xena stood on one side of the library and Michelle on the other neither woman looking at the other. Both women looked beyond relieved when Gabrielle entered to serve as chaperone. “The goddess will see you now,” she said to the captain with a soft chuckle. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Michelle nodded to Xena and Gabrielle then hurried into the cabin, shutting the door behind her.

It took only a second for Michelle to realize she was in over her head the moment the door closed. The room was warm, softly lit and the air nearly crackled with electric tension. In a graceful, fluid motion Aphrodite rose from the bed and stripped the soft t-shirt over her head. Ivory skin shimmered with perfectly proportioned breasts swaying as she moved, nipples erect. In four steps she was at the door, softly glowing blue eyes holding brown. A moment later and Aphrodite had covered her lips and she was lost. Strong, confident hands threaded through her brunette hair and she surrendered completely to the lips moving against her and the soft tongue demanding entry into her mouth. The kiss was electric and sent a charge through her nervous system. Shoved with some force against the closed door, she brought her hand to the back of the goddess’ head, the other caressing the skin of her cheek she was startled at how otherworldly it felt. The blond tresses of Aphrodite’s short hair felt more like warm water to Michelle’s fingertips and her skin was impossibly warm and soft. She could feel the energy of arousal wafting over her, penetrating her cells and molecules and knew this experience would be unlike any other.

“I feel like I should ask for a safe-word,” she said, when Aphrodite finally broke the kiss so she could breathe. She was smiling, a radiant grin that said she could not be happier to be standing next to this door, in this cabin with this goddess.

“Darling,” Aphrodite purred softly, her lips brushing against Michelle’s. “I am the only person on earth with whom you will never need a safe word.”

~~~~~

Gabrielle had barely taken a step past Xena in the library when she felt the connection between her and the goddess open. Like sinking into a warm tub, she felt the lust rise in her senses; ravenous with need she turned to Xena who looked positively delicious. There was no concern about trivial mortal morays like privacy. The mundane details had been tended to and she didn’t need to concern herself with anything but satiating her own need. She pushed Xena against the door and kissed her ferociously her hands making quick work of the buttons on the warrior’s shirt. While she couldn’t see exactly what was happening on the other side of the door, Gabrielle could feel it. She could feel Aphrodite’s confidence, mastery, and exaltation in her domain. This is where she exuded a facility like no other and for the moment, the bard from Potidaea would share that with her, siphoning off some of the intensity for the safety of the mortal woman pinned to the other side of the door. Her tongue move against Xena’s as she reveled in the warm wetness of her mouth.

Xena felt the impact on the other side of the door at the same moment that Gabrielle pushed her. The awareness that Michelle was essentially pressed against her back, separated only by a couple inches of polished wood was inescapable. She enjoyed Gabrielle’s onslaught, returning the kiss with enthusiasm and heard the gasp of pleasure from inside cabin. The juxtaposition of anonymity and lack thereof was a heady combination.

Tossing her shirt on the floor, Gabrielle had her bra undone in an instant and lunged back at the warrior with a series of kisses down Xena’s throat and across her collarbones. Releasing a low groan in appreciation, Xena stretched out her arms, bracing herself against the door frame as her lover found a breast, skilled hands undoing the button and zipper of her pants.

~~~~~

Michelle heard Xena’s groan on the other side of the door and smiled. Moments earlier both captain and warrior had surprised themselves and each other by engaging in a passionate kiss, seemingly for no reason. Both tall, strong, muscular women they’d battled for dominance in the lust fueled moment before both sheepishly coming to their senses being embarrassed and moving away to opposite sides of the library. It was clear to Michelle now that all of this had something to do with the goddess’ recovery. While she had no idea how Gabrielle had healed the impossibly beautiful woman or even what the nature of her injuries were in the first place, the captain of The Hippolyta was certain she was about to be ruined for any other lover, and she was absolutely fine with that. There was something additionally erotic about being pressed against the door, nearly feeling the heat of the woman on the other side penetrating through. There was little doubt in the captain’s mind that Aphrodite could read that added excitement and planned to use it to her full advantage.

“Don’t tell me I’m going to have to compete for your attention?” she murmured, her tongue trailing down Michelle’s throat as she leisurely undid the buttons of her shirt.

“Oh god no!,” she protested, her hands drifting over the planes of the goddess’ back. “You are amazing and…” she hesitated for the briefest of moments and Aphrodite stopped what she was doing. The goddess rested her hands on the plane of the door on either side of Michelle’s face.

“Yes?” she asked sweetly, her face inches from the captain’s. Her face relaxed and perfect, blue eyes shimmering with desire in this moment Aphrodite was every bit The Goddess of Love. Michelle leaned forward to kiss her, and was rewarded with an enthusiastic response, but the goddess didn’t move her hands. Michelle tried touching her, exploring her back, moving her hands to the front, cupping a perfectly proportioned breast, feeling the nipple go taught in her fingers. Aphrodite smiled, clearly enjoying the attention but again didn’t move. “The rules of this game are simple hon. You try and hide anything from me that is better said out loud…” she needn’t continue. It was clear to the captain that her privacy would be respected but not where the only point in silence was fear or insecurity of saying something she wanted to say. She could trust that the woman churning up her insides in the best possible way would know the difference.

“I was going to say that you smell fantastic, but I can’t describe it. It’s beautiful but indescribable…” She was rewarded by the goddess easing the shirt off of her, the bra following a second later. As Aphrodite pressed forward her breasts resting against the captain’s, both women naked from the waist up she whispered into the brunette’s ear.

“Gabrielle says I smell like tropical moonlight, but she’s a bard and words are her thing.” She felt the other woman stiffen ever so slightly and she nipped at a grateful neck, sliding one hand behind Michelle’s head and sliding the other one down the front of her pants. “No love,” she murmured. “I’m not thinking about her, I’m thinking about you.” Now it was the captain’s turn to moan out loud as Aphrodite’s fingers found where she was hot and wet. “I would assume if you can hear Xena,” she said with a sultry chuckle, “Xena can hear you too.” Michelle groaned and again, panting in frustrated and disappointment as the goddess withdrew her hand, tasting her fingers then smiling.

While Aphrodite had not been entirely honest with the captain she felt that in her position some discretion was warranted. She could feel Gabrielle in tandem with her taking some of the surge she was riding and funneling it towards Xena. So clearly, the bard was in her thoughts, not that Aphrodite couldn’t focus on a dozen lovers all at once. She well knew that everything she was doing to the captain the bard was doing to her warrior and their shared connection proved exciting in that respect as well. Aphrodite was grateful for the three women she felt very connected to. Unlike the other members of Gabrielle’s crew, the women in question had all participated in various forms of group sex before. There was a maturity in them all knowing their own sexual identity and being able to express their needs. Aphrodite saw value in all levels of experience, in fact, found the most awkward of encounters incredibly endearing and sweet but that wasn’t what she needed in this moment. She needed to gather in experienced energy and send it back out to psyches that would not be paralyzed with fear and insecurity at its intensity.

Taking a step back from the captain, Aphrodite pushed the sweatpants past her hips and stepped out of them gracefully. She grinned noting the brunette unconsciously licking her lips, the pupils of her warm brown eyes dilating noticeably. “I think you’re overdressed,” she said. Without hesitation, Michelle grasped the sides of her pants, only to be stopped by a patient shake of the goddess’ head. “No love,” she said. “I want to do that.” With a hand at the front of the captain’s pants and one at the back she smoothly pulled them down.

“You seem like you’ve done this before,” Michelle commented as she stepped from the garment.

Aphrodite chuckled, genuinely amused. “Once or twice, over the years,” she replied with a lyrical laugh now leaning her naked body against that of the captain, pressing her back against the door once more. “Hold on,” she murmured before moving in for a kiss once more. To Michelle’s estimation it must have been what dancing with Grace Kelly would be like, or acting in a scene with Meryl Streep or discussing the nature of the universe with Stephen Hawking; to engage with someone who so completely knows what they’re doing that it leaves you spellbound and breathless. There was an intensity and clarity to her feelings that she’d never felt before. The rush was there, the butterflies in her stomach, the quickening of her pulse, the sighs of bliss. She could not recall a time when she’d felt so in tune with her own lust. Aphrodite kissed her with unhurried intensity fully aware that it was driving the woman against her mad with desire. She shifted a little, trailing light kisses down the brunette’s throat, moving the captain’s hands to either side of the door jam. She continued downward lightly touching one of the captain’s breasts teasing the nipple erect with her hand, using her lips and teeth on the other.

“Yes,” Michelle gasped as she felt a thud against the door, clearly made from the warrior throwing her head backwards. “Yes, keep going,” she panted again as the goddess continued her progress downward.

“Gabrielle, please!” she heard the muffled groan from behind and was very much aware that what was happening to her was also happening mere inches away from her. She briefly worried that the sounds of lovemaking so close and if it might distract her but then Aphrodite reached her center and the whole world vanished. Almost as if the room dissolved around her and she were surrounded by sensual light and mist. She shifted her legs, giving the goddess better access and gazed down the length of tan her torso into blue eyes of the woman kneeling in front of her. Eyes that were watching her intently with desire and mischief. Without breaking eye contact The Goddess of Love had covered her cleft with her mouth and licked in an unhurried fashion giving a wink when her pleasured gasps became audible groans. She threw her head back again without a second thought to the ‘thud’ that sounded.

Temperature rising, pulse quickening, Michelle felt as though her entire being were melting; turning to liquid fire, willingly dissolving to essence to be consumed by the goddess kneeling in front of her. She watched transfixed as Aphrodite moved against her, feasting as she steadied the captain with warm hands against the brunette’s thighs. When Michelle began to rock her hips back and forth, finding a counterpoint to the goddess’ rhythm, Aphrodite moved one hand, easily sliding a couple of fingers into the standing woman and with her other hand reached out to press her right palm against the door, to meet Gabrielle’s hand on the other side.

~~~~~

Gabrielle moved against Xena with practiced ease. While their time in the bathtub might have been about rediscovery the memories had come flooding back and she well remembered what her warrior liked and was happy to give it to her. With strong arms, Xena braced herself against the door jam, her back pressing against the unyielding wooden surface of the door in order to push her hips forward to keep the bard’s mouth at the perfect angle. Gabrielle could feel the desire and passion flowing from her cabin which only served to compound the love she already felt for Xena. While she wanted nothing more than to give her warrior release, she knew that she needed to hold off as long as she dared, the act of lovemaking itself being what was bleeding off the goddess’ energy not the climax. Easily she moved three slick fingers in and out of her lover as she concentrated the movements of her mouth at the top of the cleft. Reaching forward with her right hand she expected to brace it against the door, finding Aphrodite’s soft, strong hand instead, her skin warm with power as her pulse hammered out a steady rhythm. They interlaced their fingers and she felt Aphrodite’s chi flow into her carrying with it a knowledge and understanding far beyond the bard’s two thousand years. She did not see the goddess, only felt her as she kept her attention focused on Xena, green eyes gazing up into blue watching as Xena’s eyes became heavy lidded with pleasure, her moans and pants musical in their beauty.

In tandem Michelle and Xena reached a hand forward from the door to the head of their respected lovers, for both an encouraging and pleading gesture. The two women on their knees gently withdrew their fingers from their lover, using that free hand to grasp the back of a thigh and hold them close as they drove their partners to climax. Modesty had no place as the audible gasps became pants, and the panting gave way to moaning the moans to pleading.

“Gabrielle… please… don’t stop,” Xena begged as her hips bucked of their own accord.

“Oh my god, oh my god…” Michelle gasped repeatedly as she ground herself against the goddess’ willing mouth and tongue.

The two brunettes climaxed together their cries of release ringing out simultaneously in the private quarters. Aphrodite stilled her movement, allowing the pleasurable contractions to rocket through the captain’s body and released the bard’s hand. With graceful movements she stood and kissed Michelle hard, her arousal slicked skin sliding against that of the other woman.

“Fucking amazing,” Michelle husked when she was given a moment to breathe.

“Lover, we’re just getting started,” Aphrodite murmured before taking her hand and leading her to the bed.

~~~~~

Gabrielle released Xena, absently wiping slickness from her chin and stood up giving the warrior a chance to see her face more clearly. One glance at the blazing green eyes and Xena knew that this was not entirely her Gabrielle. The warrior had to admit that she had been distracted; consumed by her own sense of pleasure, aroused by what her lover had been doing to her body and the sound of sex from just behind the door. Her mind had been far too occupied to fully appreciate the change in her bard’s expression and demeanor. There was a hunger and worldliness there that was new and if she hadn’t understood the source, she would have been thrown.

“You are amazing,” the warrior husked, drawing the shorter woman in for a kiss, her passion ignited anew at tasting herself on the bard’s lips. Gabrielle returned the kiss with vigor, stepping away from Xena only for a moment to pull the t-shirt she’d been wearing over her head, tossing it to the floor, her bra following an instant later. She kissed Xena and could feel another onslaught of passion building from the cabin behind.

“Xena, I think we have about two minutes to get to the guest cabin before I lose it again,” she said letting her hands roam over the statuesque body in front of her. “Unless you want to keep listening…”

The warrior chuckled as she allowed Gabrielle to lead her down the short hallway to the guest quarters, “I won’t lie, that was great but I’m all for some privacy.”

Inside the guest room with the unmade bed and clothes strewn everywhere Gabrielle pushed Xena towards the bed. “Not until I get your pants off,” the warrior playfully protested. Gabrielle brought her hands to her hips but was stopped by her lover. “Not so fast. Come here,” Xena demanded and Gabrielle beamed. Her smile was sultry as she stepped forward. Standing between the warrior’s legs as Xena sat on the edge of the bed. She touched the soft brown tresses and lightly stroked the warrior’s face.

“Do you feel her too?” she asked, lightly tracing Xena’s mouth with the gentle tip of her finger.

“A bit,” the warrior replied with a small smile. “But I’d expect not to the degree that you do.”

“Describe it,” she asked as strong hands slid around her waist, undoing her pants and easing them over her hips she could step out of them.

“It’s like everything is making me think of sex. Anything potentially erotic is magnified; the scent of the sea air, the sway of the ship, the way I taste on your lips, hearing Michelle pant and groan through the door. Arousal is everywhere, everything is an Aphrodisiac. Is Aphrodite there, in your head?”

“Not exactly,” Gabrielle replied throwing her head back blissfully as she moved one of Xena’s hands between her legs. “I can feel this…power. I know what you want, I sure as fuck know what I want, I know exactly what to do, how to do it and it’s like even though Aphrodite and I are having this nearly identical experience together, it isn’t with each other. Obviously,” she groaned when Xena pushed two fingers inside.

“But you’re watching her?” Xena pressed as she slowly, stroked with her hand. She enjoyed watching Gabrielle writhe and move against her, delighting in keeping her rhythm just out of synch.

Gabrielle didn’t mind. In fact, the last thing she wanted was for the ride to be over too soon. No, the slow build keeping the fire warm but not explosive was exactly what she was hoping for in this moment. “Xena, right now, at the forefront of my memory is every orgasm we’ve ever shared. Every position, every setting, from my clumsy first attempts to the torrid trysts in hot springs, and waterfalls to the angry make up sex to the comical getting off while not jostling sprained limbs or broken ribs. Keeping quiet among the Amazons, not waking Joxer, all of those barns and inns and of course every fantastic perfect moment of our ability to express our love for each other. Aphrodite is here, at the periphery of my consciousness, but she’s far too occupied with what she’s doing with Michelle, and I’m far too occupied with you. It’s like we’re sharing the occasional high-five behind our backs, but she’s not exactly part of this.”

“Mm hum,” Xena replied with an arched eyebrow as the bard pushed her backwards, urging her to scoot up the bed. “And this isn’t exactly what she and Michelle are doing right now?” she asked wryly.

“How can you tell?” Gabrielle asked curiously, as Xena positioned herself in the middle of the bed.

“Because your eyes are glowing,” Xena replied with a chuckle. “It makes sense to be…in synch with her, but the eyes that’s a solid giveaway.”

Undulating her hips back and forth at the warrior’s waist Gabrielle smiled down enjoying that Xena was turned on by what she was doing. She shrugged, “fortunately we both have similar likes.”

Xena reached forward with her hands, resting one at the bard’s hip to steady her as she moved and with the other reached forward rubbing her thumb through the trimmed hair of Gabrielle’s pubic area. “Is this part of that?” The bard shook her head looking down at Xena’s similarly trimmed hair. Now it was the warrior’s turn to shrug. “I saw you in the shower and saw the razor and didn’t know if it was a cultural thing or what.”

“I like to fit in with whatever idiosyncratic customs prevail where ever I’m living.” Deliberately she moved, slowly easing her way up Xena’s body.

“You looking for another orgasm to add to that collection?” Xena asked dryly.

With a deceptively sweet smile Gabrielle leaned close so her face was right next to Xena’s, her lips brushing against those of her lover. “Xena, I want you to drive me crazy with that perfect mouth of yours. I want you to make me feel so good I lose my fucking mind and when you’re sure I can’t take another second of it, I want you to make me come so hard you nearly drown.” Blue eyes flared with passion, a wicked grin spreading across her to soon to be covered face.

~~~~~

“Hey!” Michelle protested as Aphrodite leaned away from her, rising from her face and reaching to the bedside table.

“Just a minute, honey,” the goddess reassured her, reaching to the bottom drawer and rummaging inside, putting a few items on the bed. “I promise you get to go back to what you were doing, it was delightful.”

Curious, Michelle rolled over, surprised to see a bottle of lube, several dildos and a vibrator on the bed. Blushing furiously, she rolled back, forcing her eyes shut and grimacing. “You know, until now I’d forgotten that this was my bosses’ bedroom and those are my bosses’…things.”

Aphrodite frowned slightly, not foreseeing this complication. “The boss thing, that’s the sticking point for you, not that…”

“You’ve…er…enjoyed each other? No. I’m not the jealous type. But she’s my…” her words were stopped by a gentle finger on her lips.

“If you want me to I can…fix that for you, make it not bother you, but as a rule I really try not to tweak the minds of people I genuinely want to get to know.” Aphrodite voice was kind, patient, in stark contrast to her eyes which conveyed hunger and her body which was thrumming with readiness. She straddled the captain’s hips and lightly traced her fingers over warm, receptive skin, thinking as she playfully teased the woman’s breasts beneath her.

“I can deal, you don’t need to mess with my head,” the captain assured her. “By all means, keep messing with my body – but I’ll handle the head stuff.”

Aphrodite smiled. “I can promise you this,” she said, “you aren’t just an employee any longer. From today on you’re going to be more family to Gabrielle than the rest of the crew which you know very well she considers family, albeit with some strong boundaries firmly in place.” She took a deep breath and a shimmer rippled over her, from her head moving down her body. “No matter what, we’re spending the next several hours together. I need it too badly not to. But after that, if you want to keep your old life you can have it, no hard feelings. If you decide you’re up for an adventure, you need to think of Gabrielle, Xena and Myself – differently. You will need to believe yourself as one of us. And…” Aphrodite stopped herself, not wanting to ruin the surprise.

“Group sex?” Michelle asked dryly.

The goddess winked, “I always gravitate to the smart ones. Not for awhile love, they need to do their ‘romance get reacquainted’ thing first. You take your time and think about it, no hurry in letting me know. But there is something pressing you will need to hurry back to,” she purred as she repositioned herself, straddling the captain.

“I don’t know why you bothered with lube?” Michelle asked as she eased her hand’s over Aphrodite’s thighs, “you certainly don’t need it.”

A delighted laugh filled the cabin. “Like that’s for me.”

Settling herself once more over the captain she brushed several brown curls from Michelle’s forehead and returned the brunette’s smile. The captain opened her mouth and reaching forward recreated the cadence and patterns from before the interruption. She lapped skillfully with her tongue delighting in the taste of the woman moving against her. As before she felt the room melt away, riding the wave of Aphrodite’s building passion. She was warm, electric, every inch of her humming with pleasure, as she watched the tableau above her, the bliss on the goddess’ face, infectious. Casually leaning back, Aphrodite reached behind touching her lover in time with her own movements. Impressed at the captain’s concentration she rewarded her by reaching forward, picking up a dildo and put it to good use. If the captain had been able to see, she’d have been fascinated at the goddess’ flexibility and dexterity. As it was however she could not see past the lithe body undulating above her, her own pleasure demanding equal attention. Slippery friction created heat that cascaded and intensified between the pair as they each concentrated on fulfilling the desires of the other.

Out of habit Michelle signaled the goddess with a squeeze to her thigh that she was at the exact right place, realizing a heartbeat later that obviously Aphrodite already knew that. Since their first kiss the goddess had done nothing but what the brunette craved at any given moment. Aphrodite was all too happy to provide verbal encouragement however. “That is exactly right, love. Right there,” she said as she moved back and forth, the muscles of her legs, waist and torso contracting and releasing with practiced ease, pressing herself more firmly still onto her lover’s mouth. When she brought her free hand to her own breast, pinching the nipple playfully, Michelle was pushed over the edge, another powerful climax cascading through her body.

~~~~~

Gabrielle panted almost regretting that the instructions she had given Xena were so specific. Working wonders with her mouth alone the bard felt her warrior everywhere. For long moments she was deep inside of her, making her legs tremble and turn to liquid, moments later would lightly tease the bundle of nerves at the top of her cleft. When she came too close to the edge she would back off stroking the outside edges before beginning the dance again with variations. They continued the game for long minutes until Xena could feel the tremors begin in the bard’s thighs that indicated muscles were at the point of fatigue and that a cramp was immanent. She moved her strong hands across the top of the bard’s thigh and brought them up the bard’s body to her breasts, cupping them firmly with intent.

Gabrielle could feel Aphrodite with her as she moved closer to climax. With a feeling that was more collaborative than voyeuristic, she felt the presence in her mind of give and take. The Goddess of Love giving her a sense of mastery and control over her own body and taking the energy generated by the passion and arousal she shared with Xena. As Xena touched her, Gabrielle could feel Aphrodite touch herself and that image sent a powerful orgasm careening through her, making her cry out her release.

~~~~~

Aphrodite beamed joining her, riding the wave of Michelle’s orgasm as well as that of Gabrielle. With every surge, with every, pant, moan, and groan Aphrodite felt her control increase and her strength. While the carnal lust she was reveling in was only one facet of the enigma that made up love it was emblematic of her overall renewed strength and vigor. Aphrodite was stronger that she had been in thousands of years and the world would in time be better for it. In the here and now however, the effects would be felt by the people closest proximity to her.

Still smiling, she climbed off of the captain, releasing the woman gently removing the dildo and tossing it aside. “You know, back in the day I’d just grow a dick or two to party like that,” she observed.

Michelle took a couple of deep breaths to gain control of her breathing, her eyes wide with surprise. “You’re kidding?!”

“My name isn’t in ‘hermaphrodite’ by accident,” she replied. “I mean I could grow a dick anywhere, on my hands for example – or I should say your perception would have been that I grew one on my hand for a scene like this. I had all kinds of cool powers.” She frowned, not wanting her mood to darken with negativity.

Aphrodite stretched out on the bed next to Michelle and began to play with her hair, enjoying the feel of the tight curls in her fingertips. “What happened?” The captain asked.

“That my love is a story for another time,” she said before kissing the captain to derail her from any further questions. “Catch your breath and hydrate, I’m not done with you yet.”

~~~~~

Hours later Gabrielle rejoined her crew. She knew that the goddess and the captain were still at it, but had a very clear sense that it was purely for enjoyment purposes and had nothing to do with containing the surge of power caused by the Ambrosia. After a shower she relieved Nicolai from his post while Xena checked in with Poseidon before joining her. It was impossible not to note the renewed sense of hopefulness among the crew even when performing the sad duty of preparing bodies for burial. There was no doubt in Gabrielle’s mind that a renewed and fully healthy Aphrodite had resonated powerfully with everyone on board. The stewards Blake and Samantha had been tasked with retrieving clothes for burial from Elaine and Bohemian’s cabins, respectively. Xena and Gabrielle had just finished bathing the bodies when the large form of Nicolai returned, stopping the stream of sunlight from the open doorway, the chef Sarah just in front of him. Both warrior and bard looked up from their work, noting the pair of serious expressions on their faces.

“Everything okay Nicolai?” Gabrielle asked as she repositioned the soft blanket over Bohemian’s body. She was wringing excess water from his freshly washed dreadlocks while Xena was combing out Elaine’s hair.

“Very well Miss. Evans,” he began formally, his heavy accent always reminding Gabrielle of music.

“Please, the both of you- speak freely,” she protested gently. Clearly, this was official business and she gave them her undivided attention.

“Alright,” the sous chef continued solemnly “Gabrielle. Very soon you will need new captain and executive officer. “Michelle is going to run off with your old girlfriend. The decision is yours of course, but I would like to be captain with Sarah as my executive officer. Red and I work well in the kitchen, no?” Gabrielle glanced over to Xena who was trying to hide her smirk by focusing on her work. “No offense to new girlfriend, of course.” He added with a curt nod to Xena which did nothing to abate the warrior’s grin.

Gabrielle took a deep breath. “There is a fair amount there to unpack,” she began kindly but still unhappy that her personal life seemed to once again be the focus of the crew’s deliberations. “Michelle hasn’t said anything to me as of yet, but if and when she does I’m happy to have the two of you in charge. You’ve taken a vote?”

While the final decision was obviously hers alone, Gabrielle knew that things proceeded much more smoothly when the rest of her current team was onboard with such changes. It provided the opportunity for any apprehensions about shifting duties to be aired and discussed. Sometimes only a conversation was needed, other times people found that a transfer was a better solution depending on the conflict. “The crew has been unanimous,” Sarah added. “And we have some suggestions for staff additions.

Gabrielle nodded, threading a needle and having removed the bullet that killed Bo began to sew shut the wound in his neck. She was grateful that when dressed in his suit, it would not be visible to his parents. Small mercies. “Go on,” she urged. “I’m listening.”

“Ship will need time in dock for refitting and repairs,” Nicolai began. “Shen will need a proper room on crew level, maybe room for a tutor? You discuss raising child with new girlfriend.” While stifled, there was no denying the chuckle that came from Xena. “Ed would be good addition to the team, already in the know, yes? Robyn Versoul is on list to transfer back to ship duty, you will need to tell her or whomever. I think Vox should go to school for captain’s license as well as Wolfgang- they can be study buddies while they continue work.”

Gabrielle’s first instinct was to attempt an explanation that referring to Aphrodite as the ‘old girlfriend’ and Xena as the ‘new girlfriend’ was not only inaccurate but also unfair to them both. Seeing the twinkle in the Russian’s eyes however she realized he was teasing her to be playful. The large man did have a knack for making people feel a bit lighter when things were difficult. Not unlike his fondness for wearing rainbow unicorn t-shirts around Shen. Sutures done, she looked up regarding the pair. “You guys seem to have thought of everything.”

“Not exactly,” Sarah protested. “Jennifer has seen enough…or um…felt enough to know that something unusual has happened and I don’t know how you want to handle that.

“So, we may have a new employee for Transportation or Special Projects?” Gabrielle asked dubiously, doubtful as she said it that either department would be a good fit for the soon to be former escort.

“I’ll bet Aphrodite could use a personal assistant,” Xena remarked. “If her intention is to travel, with or without Michelle, I’m sure she’d appreciate someone to make hotel arrangements, that sort of thing.”

Blake and Samantha arrived with the clothing that their colleagues would be buried in and were surprised by the low rumble of laughter coming from the huge Russian. “It is nice when girlfriends get along so well,” he said with a wink to his boss. With a formal bow he and Sarah took their leave, leaving the four to finish their ministrations to their fallen companions.

“I’m really growing to like that guy,” Xena remarked with a smile as she accepted Samantha’s help to dress Elaine.

~~~~~~~

The following morning Gabrielle awoke early roused by the whining of her dog. She carried the animal up the stairs onto the deck for her to do her business, happy to see that her appetite had returned to normal. Once on a flat surface, the dog could walk with a cast on her hind leg surprisingly well. Taking a walk to the command center after feeding her she was not surprised to see Nicolai and Sarah but was very surprised to see Michelle with them. The captain looked exhausted but happy, no doubt operating on zero sleep. The slight sheepishness to her glance the only indicator of the intimacy they shared weather they wanted to or not. Stubbornly the bard refused to give legitimacy to the small pang of jealousy she felt. Gratefully, she was distracted by Shen sleeping on the couch, his head in Ed’s lap wrapped in the blanket that Elaine had given the flight-attendant from her cabin.

“Good morning,” she whispered softly, helping herself to a cup of espresso from the carafe.

“Good morning,” Michelle replied quietly handing her a sealed envelope. “This is my letter of resignation,” she said.

“Okay,” Gabrielle replied, having decided the previous night how she would handle this if it came up. She tossed it in the trash can under the console. “Not accepted. How is everyone?”

“But,” Michelle protested.

Gabrielle held up her hand and the captain fell silent, looking a little wounded. “You aren’t resigning, Michelle you are transferring. I won’t say you’re working for Aphrodite because that would be an HR nightmare. The Goddess of Love is only tangentially assigned to SP, you will be Bardic & Company’s liaison for her…”

“Humanitarian work,” Nicolai supplied helpfully.

“Exactly,” Gabrielle agreed. “You still get your regular salary, benefits, pension but you kinda have to do what she says.” The large man chuckled and Sarah nudged him in the arm. “Also, you may have an executive assistant, Jennifer. I need to see if she wants the job.”

“I tell you, lesbians. Better than soap opera,” Nicolai chuckled to himself. “They should make tv show.”

“When will the directors be arriving?” Gabrielle asked, ignoring the Russian’s comments and changing the subject.

“In about an hour.” Michelle replied, clearly relieved and pleased. “We thought we’d have a breakfast for the crew, then feed the directors when they get here. We will have additional people from Transportation and Special Projects. Friends of Elaine and Bo. Olivia and Tzu-Ching should be arriving right after the directors. Oh, and I spoke to Rebekah Luna this morning. She’s going to stay on as legal. She agrees that maybe only having to acclimate a couple of new people at a time is the way to go.”

“Excellent,” Gabrielle agreed. “When everyone is onboard, take us out to sea. Far enough to…” Michelle nodded needing no further elaboration. “When the funeral is over and our guests are gone, I’ll meet with the directors and we can head home. Once we’re back at the marina we can make arrangements for the transition of crew and getting Shen back to school.”

“Huh?” the boy said groggily waking up when he heard his name. “Did you say I’m going back to school?”

Gabrielle nodded, “Yes, if you want to. We need to make some changes to the ship so we’ll be living on land for awhile. You know I have that place in Malibu.”

“And Xena is going to live with us?” He asked. “What about Aphrodite?”

“Aphrodite has her own house in Venice, and I’m sure we can visit as often as you’d like.” Gabrielle smiled giving up any pretense at having privacy where her crew was concerned. “And, Xena is going to live with us. I mean if we’re both going to adopt you we really should live together, don’t you think?”

“Well, what you’re going to need to do is get married. But we can work on your proposal for Xena later. I’ll need to give it some thought,” the boy replied happily enjoying the burst of laughter from Nicolai that was infectious.

~~~~~~~

As the last notes of Xena’s song finished, with Vox providing a stunning harmony, Nicolai, Michelle, Ed and Sarah tipped the two sets of boards releasing the shrouded bodies of Bohemian Van Lyle and Elaine Jackson into the water. Olivia and Tzu-Ching Van Lyle sobbed together, the older woman clutching the dreadlock she’d clipped from her son’s head before the service. Elaine did not have family outside of the tribe she’d created for herself, and the people she loved and cared about most were already onboard. Everyone from serving crew to other company members greeted the Van Lyle’s with a hug and a fond memory of their son. Some of the crew they clearly knew well and these members stayed close offering what support and comfort they could. Other groups of people consoled each other and told stories of adventures they’d had with Elaine.

Soft orange lights lit the ship and as Shen explained to Xena it was a signal among the crew to refer to Gabrielle as Susan. The orange lights meant civilians were onboard, and that the identity of Gabrielle Evans needed to be protected. Gabrielle held Xena’s hand when her song concluded and led her to the sobbing pair to extend her sympathies. “Olivia, Tzu-Ching …” she’d begun before being warmly hugged by Olivia, the taller of the two. “I am so very sorry about Bo,” she said, her voice a bit muffled by the taller woman.

“We knew the job he did with you all was dangerous,” Tzu-Ching replied when Olivia released the bard. “While we’re broken hearted at our loss you can’t fault your child for following their own heart wherever that leads them.”

“Some people can grow to be very old and not live half as much as Bo lived,” Shen interjected from Gabrielle’s side.

The women smiled, looking down at him, impressed and curious about the ten year old. They looked just past him for signs of a parent among the crew. “This is my son, Shen,” Gabrielle explained deciding that a streamlined story was best for everyone involved. “And this is my partner, Natasha.”

Olivia and Tzu-Ching exchanged knowing glances, clearly answering a question they had asked themselves previously. Gabrielle was resigned to the fact that this would be a normal occurrence for awhile and simply went with it. Xena extended a hand and shook each of theirs warmly, expressing her condolences as well. Aphrodite approached, looking positively radiant even though mournful, and added her sympathies, introducing herself in the process. Again, the two women exchanged knowing glances.

“You’re the young woman Bo mentioned having a crush on,” Olivia said, beaming. “It is nice to meet you. He said such wonderful things about you when we spoke last week.”

The goddess was clearly touched. “I think you have it backwards,” she replied. “I’m the one who had the outrageous crush on him,” she added with one of her radiant smiles. She had been chatting with them for several more minutes, her presence clearly providing solace when Poseidon came up and tapped the warrior on the shoulder getting her attention.

After leading Xena out of earshot, his expression somber he said, “Our duty to these two isn’t finished yet. We don’t want their bodies surfacing, getting picked up by a fishing vessel, starting some sort of investigation. We need to ensure that they are surrendered properly to the deep. Consider this your first lesson.” Xena nodded, grateful that she would not need to shoulder her new responsibility without guidance.

“I’ll meet up with you in the meeting,” she whispered to Gabrielle before following the God of the Sea down to the water level.

~~~~~~~

Having bid her guests aidu, Gabrielle sat down with her company directors around the rough-hewn conference table. Nicolai occupied the newly reserved seat for the ship’s captain with Gabrielle flanked on either side by Aphrodite and Xena. Jennifer Charvel was more than happy to accept Aphrodite’s offer of a permanent job, the two deciding that they did indeed quite like each other. While the newcomer wasn’t in the meeting it was Gabrielle’s first order of business to let Fiona know of the staffing additions as well as the position changes.

“We’ve also assigned Dr. Kate Sprucehill to Special Projects. I know people don’t start there, but her skillset is unique,” Fiona explained, reviewing her notes for the meeting.

Gabrielle nodded turning to her director of Finance. “Ms. Martin, you’re gonna love this, but we need another plane.”

The brunette opened her mouth to protest but across the table Aphrodite leaned forward resting her chin on the palm of her hand. “It’s for me,” she said and added a wink for good measure.

Heather Martin closed her mouth and made a notation on her note pad. “We can budget for this alongside remodeling your yacht,” she said grudgingly. Mr. Tiller and I will come up with a plan. “Are we going to need an additional megayacht too?” she asked sweetly.

“No,” Gabrielle said at the same time that the goddess replied in the affirmative. Aphrodite shrugged, accepting defeat. “Let’s see where we are with everything else, shall we?” the bard asked rhetorically. “Ms. Chen, where are we on the political front?”

Victoria Chen opened a folder, identical copies of which had been passed to all participants. “The coordinated assault against Mr. Easton and Fire Industries went well. On the political front, Gideon Power was exposed as the actor Henry Scruggs a number of papers running a variety of articles about the web of connection between Easton, Scruggs and the Russian oligarchs that Fire Industries launders money for. Scruggs is claiming to simply be an actor playing a role but will most likely be investigated by the SEC and the AGs in various states for his false product claims and testimony he gave under oath in a deposition as Gideon Power in a sexual harassment case. That’s open and shut perjury. Easton seems to be off the radar with the White House claiming that they don’t know the guy although Mexico is helpfully suppling evidence to the contrary and the photographic evidence we collected has been forwarded on to several news outlets.”

“So, it seems that Easton will have a number of messes he can focus on cleaning up distracting him from fomenting division and political discord,” the bard observed.

“With the people lining up to get a piece of him legally, I think he will need to disappear and come up with a new identity,” Sabin Jha added. “Special Projects will be keeping an eye out. The resources of the Olympus project will be transitioning to this new focus and we will continue to liaison, on an informal basis with Brian Glass at the CIA. We also caused a fair amount of havoc with his hacking operations in Macedonia. They will just relocate of course, but that will take time and money. Our people are on it and will continue to badger them whenever we can.”

Gabrielle nodded, pleased with the outcome of their efforts. She gestured to DeShawn Johnson, head of philanthropy to speak. “Philanthropy is working on a joint project with Technology to provide some next generation support for various voter initiatives. We’ve identified some new grass-roots organizations that can use our help and with the expertise we have can help these groups simply overwhelm Easton and his ilk at the poles. We are already seeing positive results in several key states and districts. I will admit, it’s a new avenue for us, but looks like a promising one.” There was a passion and enthusiasm in the way he spoke that seemed to energize everyone around the table.

“I think we have some talent in the organization,” he continued. “I realize that you can’t run for office. Your dual role as in this company would preclude that.” Inwardly Gabrielle chuckled that a fake identity was the least of the reasons why she shouldn’t run for office. Perhaps she didn’t need to tell every one of her directors her age. “But you have people working for you that absolutely should. Or at least take a more active role in cultivating candidates and supporting them. That would plant the seeds to build a bulwark against Easton years down the road. That and the education initiatives of course.”

“I think that is a plan worth pursuing. Planning with a ten to fifteen year projection is wise,” Xena commented with an approving nod. “Make sure Argo is in the room any time you interview a candidate,” she added under her breath.

“Please prepare a proposal for the first phase of your initiative for our next meeting,” Gabrielle said with an approving nod. She took a deep breath and gazed across the table. “Ms. Martin, why don’t we go over budget numbers for the rest of the year. Let’s see how many islands we have to liquidate.”

~~~~~~~

The night was clear and crisp as The Hippolyta spend north towards home. A precocious ten year old tucked into bed by his parents, Xena and Gabrielle quietly made their way from the crew quarters to the upper decks. The sounds of life and family surrounded them. Nicolai and Sarah were reviewing upcoming maintenance and duty assignments in the command center with an off-duty Ed snoring quite contentedly on the couch. An obviously smitten Wolfgang and equally smitten Vox were giving Jennifer a tour of the ship. While they couldn’t see who, strains of a heated argument could be overheard about the merits of the latest Star Wars movie.

“Who are they talking about?” Xena asked as she picked up Argo before ascending the main stern staircase. “I didn’t think America had a monarchy.”

Gabrielle smiled. “Firstly, Princess Leia is fictional, and secondly, she is from Alderaan, well it’s her adoptive home anyway. There is a magnificent world of cinema I am going to enjoy introducing you to it.”

Xena chuckled. “I hope I like it as much as Vodka,” she replied.

Gabrielle grinned in response, “Oh, I think you will.”

They were hardly surprised to find the large hot tub on the main sun deck already in use by Aphrodite and Michelle. The pair were naked, sipping champagne, enjoying the massage jets and salt water but engaged in nothing more salacious than star gazing and conversation. Aphrodite brightened at the sight of the pair and beckoned them over already pouring an additional two flutes of the sparkling wine while Michelle looked positively mortified, for some reason thinking that her boss and owner of the ship might not come upon them at any moment.

“You should join us,” Aphrodite suggested happily.

“Holy fuck,” Michelle muttered her embarrassment evident. “I ah…thought you guys had already turned in…” While she and Xena had exchanged pleasantries at the funeral, this was the first time she’d had to face the warrior in a more private setting since their intimate encounter. Xena smiled sympathetically trying to reassure the brunette.

“Don’t be such a prude,” the goddess playfully admonished. “You’re going to have to get used to seeing them naked if we’re going to successfully vacation together.”

The warrior shrugged approvingly as she nonchalantly stripped out of her clothes. “The water looks great.”

“Where is it you think we’re going on vacation to?” Gabrielle asked apprehensively as Xena climbed into the spacious Jacuzzi. “Michelle, if you’re uncomfortable I don’t want this to be an HR thing.”

“By the gods this is amazing,” the warrior purred happily accepting the offered glass, either oblivious to or purposefully ignoring the captains’ appreciative yet embarrassed glance.

“I can’t think of a moment you’ve been anything less than professional,” Michelle assured her boss. “I think we can agree to a separation of on the clock time and off the clock time. Besides, I do need to adjust to my new role as liaison, right?” she asked with Aphrodite clinking glasses with her in solidarity.

“I can’t argue with that,” Gabrielle agreed as she stripped out of her own clothes, well aware and pleased at the trio of appreciative gazes from the women in the water. “It’s going to be kinda cold walking to bed,” Gabrielle observed as she handed Argo a bone from the outside kitchen area before climbing in to join the others.

“Oh, I’ll text Blake and have him bring you guys robes. He brought ours up earlier,” Aphrodite said amiably.

“No!” Gabrielle replied a bit exasperated. “No offense, but I can only handle one crewmember having to see me naked on a given day. Okay? That’s the last thing Blake needs to deal with tonight.”

“Too bad Vox is giving Jennifer a tour with Wolfgang, I’m sure she’d help you out,” Xena teased.

“Wouldn’t count,” Gabrielle replied without thinking. “She’s already seen me naked.” In that moment, she wasn’t sure what was more embarrassing, the arched eyebrow from Xena or the one from Michelle. “It’s a long story,” the bard protested. “Suffice it to say it was a memory put in her head by Aphrodite after she’d been shot which I realize isn’t helping this story at all.”

“You’ll have to tell me the long version sometime,” the warrior suggested good-naturedly which Gabrielle hoped could come sometime after she’d recited all of the stories in all of the books in the library.

The quartet conversed amiably together for several hours. Xena, Gabrielle and Aphrodite telling stories of their adventures in Ancient Greece and Michelle telling stories of her childhood which the warrior found just as exotic. Gabrielle decided that whatever the goddess and captain had discussed had indeed had a profound effect on the captain. She was confident and relaxed, her intention to spend a great deal of time with Aphrodite and with them by extension quite clear. It was apparent that a bond was forming between the two brunettes in the group as they chatted and when the thought entered Gabrielle’s mind she saw Aphrodite look over at her and wink. She could do nothing but smile indulgently in return. In time Michelle excused herself returning a short time later with robes for warrior and bard.

“If you ladies will excuse me,” she said “I’d like to…ah get some sleep…before…” she trailed off, with a wicked smile.

“We get it. Before Aphrodite turns in,” Xena supplied as mildly as she could.

Out of politeness Gabrielle glanced away as the captain kissed the goddess before taking her leave and retiring to the guest quarters.

“It’s good that you’re having the ship remodeled,” Aphrodite observed when her lover had departed. “No one is going to stay in Bo’s quarters and Michelle doesn’t want to stay in the quarters she shared with Elaine.”

“I knew there was a reason she’d been willing to bunk with you,” Xena said playfully.

“You might want to see to some added soundproofing for the main sleeping quarters,” the goddess added with a defiant smirk at the warrior.

“Where are you headed to next?” Gabrielle asked desperate to get the subject away from sex as quickly as she could. It was only a matter of time she knew, but at some point, she knew both Xena and Aphrodite would become comfortable enough with each other that teasing her about having slept with the both of them would be fair game. She wasn’t ready for today to be that day.

“When we get back to the Marina we’re going to stay at my place in Venice until my plane arrives,” the goddess replied. “You guys will come over for dinner and you will have to introduce Xena to Dwayne and explain to him why you dumped me.

“When the plane is ready, and Jennifer is fully on-boarded as assistant, I need to go to Europe, travel a bit. I think Africa after that. I’ll be back for solstice though. I don’t want to miss Shen’s first solstice with you guys. Listen to you tell him stories about Senticles. Make some nutbread, it’ll be great.”

“I think he was raised Christian,” Gabrielle said cautiously, unsure of the goddess’ reaction. “I was there at his christening.”

“Not him again,” Aphrodite complained rolling her eyes, “Christ.”

“I’ll check in with him,” Gabrielle added diplomatically, “see what he wants to celebrate, explain to him what we grew up celebrating. I’m sure he will be overjoyed to see you whatever the occasion.”

“Are you fully recovered?” Xena asked, genuine concern in her voice.

After giving the warrior one of her thousand watt smiles the goddess replied, “Nearly good as new.” After lifting her arm out of the water she added, “I have scars now though.” She might not have intended the vulnerability to come through her voice but Gabrielle felt it.

“You’re still stunningly beautiful,” Xena said reassuringly nodding to Gabrielle for conformation.

“For sure,” the bard agreed without thinking, “I’d hit that.”

Xena tried to look stern but laughed in spite of herself, enjoying the crimson flush to the bard’s cheeks.

“I’ve gotta say, warrior,” Aphrodite observed. “You really came back a ten this time.”

Playfully she looked wounded, “I thought I was always kind of a ten?” she protested.

Aphrodite shook her head, “your personality was a three – a five on a good day.” Xena rolled her eyes and the Goddess of Love splashed her playfully. “Alright loves, I’ll leave you to your evening,” Aphrodite added standing up, chuckling as the bard bashfully looked away and the warrior pointedly did not. “You kids have a good night and I will see the two of you in the morning. We still have two days before we get home and Shen said I can cook breakfast with him. By the way, both our rooms have been cleaned and ordered; fresh linens, cleaned your toys and I put back the ones I’m not keeping. And before you ask, yes I did it myself, well Michelle and I, keeping that whole thing in the family as it were. So, I’m back in the guest room. Don’t want you kids ending up where you shouldn’t.”

Gabrielle and Xena nodded appreciatively. “Thank you, Aphrodite,” the bard said.  

“Anyway, I’m off to…” the goddess tried to continue with a mischievous grin.

“Yeah,” Gabrielle cut her off not needing the details. “We get it. Have a good night.”

Aphrodite donned a robe so she wouldn’t drip inside the ship and blew them kisses before departing. Gabrielle watched her go then reached for the champagne bottle to refill their glasses. Reconsidering, she just passed the bottle to Xena, not bothering with the crystal flutes.

“So, this is your life,” Xena observed taking a swig then passing the bottle to her lover. “You travel the world on a floating fortress, never far from a variety of hot tubs, besting Ares and leading a vast army of elite fighters who are as dedicated to the greater good as you are.” She was thoughtful for a moment and looked up at the stars. “And along the way you have a dog that can detect deceit, you got the Goddess of Love to fall for you and resurrected me from the dead.”

Gabrielle smiled, leaning into Xena’s side, touching the warrior’s muscular leg under the water. “Well when you say it like that it really sounds fairly amazing.”

“But not as amazing as the time I killed the Bacchae,” the warrior replied.

“Wait a minute,” Gabrielle protested, “I helped you kill the Bacchae.”

“Helped?” Xena replied in mock confusion, “you were one of the Bacchae! I had to defeat them AND save you. That’s at least as interesting as having a floating palace.”

Gabrielle laughed, it feeling so impossibly good to once again have her universe righted. “At least my Argo can help question adversaries,” she challenged.

“But my Argo you could ride, well, this one is almost big enough to ride,” the warrior allowed after glancing over at the dog watching them contentedly.

Green gazed up into blue, the shimmer of the lighted Jacuzzi reflecting in their eyes. They kissed, the first of many to follow and together stood, deciding that a place with a bit more privacy might be a better location to continue their conversation. She picked up Argo, to carry her down the stairs, her warrior bringing an extra bottle of champagne.

There was so much possibility in front of her, and for the first time in forever she wondered if thousands of years would be enough. No longer did time feel like cord wood stacked as a bulwark against loneliness. Time was going to be an amazing resource to show Xena the world, all that she learned and had grown to love. Watching Shen grow, getting a second chance at so much that had escaped them the first time around. She had to catch her breath, make herself slow down, she needed to focus on each of the moments in front of her and not waste any of them. In this moment she wanted to show Xena yet again, how very much she was loved and mattered in Gabrielle’s life. “You know,” she said conversationally to her warrior as she closed the door to her stateroom, her eyes dancing with desire and anticipation, “Aphrodite may be onto something with the suggestion of enhanced soundproofing.”

The End

Author’s note: The Xenaverse has spoiled me beyond measure in gifting me with some of the most amazing friends I’ve ever had. There are people in my life to this day who make up a tribe I love fiercely, close friends that came from a shared love of a quirky tv show, or in a couple unusual cases, from being on a quirky tv show. From my amazing wife who I see every day, to people in different cities, time zones or even far flung countries like Finland – I honestly can’t think of anyone more blessed than me with the people I’ve gathered close. I seriously don’t deserve it, but no you can’t have them back, they’re mine!

There is another one though who deserves a shout out, a shout out that I’ve never properly done until now. And with a final work of fan fiction, I figured it was probably overdue. I wrote my first story in 1996 and put it on a mailing list. I was contacted by a woman who I didn’t realize at the time was quite possibly certifiably insane. She offered to edit for me so people would think English is my first language (I mean, it is but I realize by my writing how you might be confused.)

In the early days she’d hand me back printed pages dripping with red ink, at least I think it was ink- she said it was the blood of the innocent who didn’t pay attention to grammar lessons but I chose not to believe her. Anyway, Pyrate Ska has edited every story I’ve written since the very beginning. Patiently, or not so patiently, crafting my demented musings into something that kinda sorta makes sense. When people say they like my work I’m all too happy to take the credit because I have an outrageous ego, but deep down I know what they’re saying is they like Pyrate Ska’s crafting of my work. She’s the rock star in my bat cave, the writer behind the writer who makes me- well- me. It may have taken me over twenty years to get around to this, but this one is dedicated to Pyrate Ska, with love and appreciation – and maybe a drink the next time I see ya – that nasty rum you like. Thanks buddy!

Bat – 1/14/18 11:37pm

Author’s Note for The Director’s Cut:

When I started this story, I knew it would be my last work of fan fiction. I’ve wanted to move on to something that is completely mine but wanted to crank out a quick story first and remind myself how I write before doing the other thing. I didn’t know that quick, half-assed story would need four separate tales to complete. So while yeah- this isn’t my last work of fan fic as I envisioned, the basic story is. Campfire Tales, Fifteen Years In America, The Resurrection of Xena and The Poseidon Adventure is one big-ass, meandering tale about how Gabrielle fixed a tv show that hurt my feelings with its crappy ending.

When I initially wrote this I was lazy, I didn’t go back and watch episodes, I hated season five and wasn’t a fan of season six either. But in doing Campfire tales I went back and watched a lot of that stuff and my assessment has mellowed a little in my dotage. I just don’t have the energy to be annoyed at stuff that annoyed me twenty years ago. I’ve also softened considerably on the character of Livia/Eve because the person behind the character is so remarkable. Anyway, I decided since this is the last thing I’m going to do, it was worth the little bit of effort to go back here and do a few tweaks to move this story into alignment with the show. Have the people who died, die (I’ll always owe Livia for killing Joxer), and acknowledge the twenty-five year time jump. I acknowledge it in The Poseidon Adventure so I needed to make space for that here too.

As always, I truly appreciate anyone who has opened one of my scrolls and found a chuckle or wistful sigh or spent some time entertained. I write for me, but when someone else digs it too, it’s a wonderful feeling and I’m grateful beyond measure. Battle On Everyone and thank you all for your tolerance and support. It’s been a delightful ride.

All my love,

Bat Morda

North Hollywood, 9/2/23 10:26am

Soundtrack

Like any temperamental artist I have a process to how I work. It’s evolved over time but has gelled into something I find helpful so I’m sharing it here. I have a tendency to collect a group of songs I listen to over and over while I’m working on a story. Music has always been tied to my writing, either to get inside a character’s head, or to get the feel of a scene, or to just think about something else while I let my subconscious work on a problem. What follows is the playlist that I put together as I worked on this story. I live in Los Angeles which provides for ample time spent in one’s car, often in traffic, listening to music. Yes, you can tell from my musical tastes that I’m ridiculously old, but I’m not Gabrielle/Aphrodite old so that’s something.

In no particular order – and if the song is linked to a character or scene I’ve indicated that as well. If nothing is specified, the song just ended up on the playlist that helped get my head where I needed it to be.

1. Wish You Were Here, Fleetwood Mac, Mirage (Gabrielle)
2. Water Under The Bridge, Adele, 25
3. When We Were Young, Adele, 25 (Gabrielle/Aphrodite)
4. Blue Bayou, Linda Rondstadt, Best Of (Susan Yin)
5. Alone, Heart, The Road Home (Vox Wandre)
6. One Sip, Sammy Hagar, Lite Roast, (Bohemian Van Lyle)
7. Fuck You, Cee Lo Green (Shen’s favorite song – kid is 10, it’s the swearing)
8. I Am Woman, Helen Reddy, Best Of (Vox wanting out of sick bay)
9. For All We Know, Carpenters, Gold (Xena’s introduction to modern music)
10. Yesterday Once More, Aimee Mann, Vinyl Soundtrack (Vox sick bay)
11. Half Breed, Cher, Greatest Hits (Vox wanting out of sick bay)
12. Better Be Home Soon, Crowded House, Woodface
13. Weeping Willow, Scott Joplin (Ballroom scene)
14. Eyes Wide Open, B-52s, Funplex
15. I Will Take Care Of You, The Bangels, Doll Revolution (Aphrodite & Gabrielle)
16. Crystal, Stevie Nicks, Practical Magic Soundtrack (Xena & Gabrielle)
17. I Still Miss Someone, Stevie Nicks, Behind The Mirror (Gabrielle)
18. Steal Your Heart Away, Fleetwood Mac, Say You Will
19. I Won’t Last A Day Without You, Carpenters, Gold (Vox Sickbay/Gabrielle)
20. True Romantic, Indigo Girls, Poseidon & The Bitter Bug (Xena)
21. University Blvd, Los Straight Jackets, Rock Don’t Run Vol. 1 (Bohemian)
22. For What It’s Worth, Berlin, 4 Play (political climate)
23. My City Was Gone, The Pretenders, Learning To Crawl (political climate)
24. Silver Springs, Fleetwood Mac, The Dance (early Xena & Gabrielle)
25. Can’t Stop Lovin’ You, Van Halen, Balance (Gabrielle)
26. Lost At Sea, The Bangles, Doll Revolution
27. Superstar, Madonna, MDNA
28. Sunset Strip, Courtney Love, America’s Sweetheart
29. Love Is All There Is, Sheryl Crow, Detours
30. Venus, Shocking Blue, Greatest Hits, (Aphrodite)
31. Special, Garbage, Version 2.0
32. Planets Of The Universe, Stevie Nicks, Trouble in Shangri-La
33. Fragments, Blondie, Pollenator
34. The Story, Sara Ramirez, EP (Xena & Gabrielle)
35. Eve of Destruction, The Turtles, It Ain’t Me Babe, (political climate)
36. If I Lost You, Garbage, Strange Little Birds
37. Der Kommissar, After the Fire, Atomic Blonde Soundtrack
38. Cities In Dust, Siouxie & The Banshees, Atomic Blonde Soundtrack
39. 99 Luftballons, Kaleida, Atomic Blonde Soundtrack
40. My Favorite Mistake, Sheryl Crow, The Globe Sessions

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