Disclaimer: See Part 1
Authors Note: Hey guys, I don't know how many of you are still reading after the last chapter, I know that might have killed you inside a little bit, but I never said it'd be a happy ending did i? Or that I'd be bringing Xena back. But, I really hope you keep reading, cause there are still a lot of twists and turns to come. If you want to comment on this story, my email is jacklavigne13@hotmail.com
Enjoy!
Chapter Seven
Alexandria stirred, taking in her surroundings before she dared open her eyes. The air in the hut was warm, and she could smell the lingering scent of sex, along with the unique scent of the Amazon Queen. She couldn't help the smile that slid onto her lips as she felt the weight of her new lover on her chest along with the soft and unbelievably adorable sounds coming from her mouth. Sometime after they had fallen asleep, they had changed their positions, and now Alexandria was laid on her back, with the small blonde half ontop of her. Her smile faultered as she remembered what had happened only hours before.
"I'm going away for a few days, there's something I need to do."
"Fuck," Alexandria gasped, cringing as Gabrielle mumbled in her sleep, cuddling closer to the red headed woman.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! She thought to herself, squeezing her eyes shut tightly, wondering how she managed to make things even more complicated.
Despite how wonderful the night before had been, it had only made things harder for Alexandria. The thought of having to leave now, while she was wrapped in the arms of what she was sure was an angel, was almost impossible to bear.
This wasn't supposed to happen, you weren't supposed to give into your feelings for her. You were supposed to make things right for her, give her what she needs, not just give her what she wanted at the moment. She doesn't need you, and if she does right now, it's only because you're the only thing she has. You know what she truly needs, so fix this, before it's too late and you can't turn back.
Is it too late already? Alexandria thought to herself, unconciously squeezing the warm body in her arms tighter. If I leave now, I can fix her, but I will lose even more of myself. She's a part of me now. How can I leave her? What if I can't?
You can leave her, and you will. Don't be selfish, she deserves better than you. She deserves someone who can love her completely, give her their whole heart. Your heart isn't yours to give, it belongs to another, and what you have left isn't enough. She deserves more.
And what about me? What do I deserve? To continue the rest of my miserable life alone? To let go of the one thing that has brought me happiness since I've returned to the living? The one person that has managed to piece back together the fragments of my broken heart?
You will find your peace, you know this. She is your light, your happiness, your home, but she will not give you what you search for. You will only hurt each other more. Let her go now, do what you're so god damn good at, and give up your happiness, for hers. For her.
"For you," Alexandria whispered, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to the blonde's forehead, before gently untangling herself from the warmth of her lover.
She smiled at the mumbled protests, and brushed her lips once more over the soft skin of Gabrielle's cheek before climbing out of the bed, and picking up her clothes that were scattered around the room. Once dressed, she sat down heavily at her desk, lighting the candle beside her, and gazing at the beauty of her lover.
Gabrielle's legs were tangled in the white sheets, leaving her exposed from the waist up. Her tanned skin glowed in the soft light from the candle, her short hair covering most of her face, showing only her slightly parted lips. Her small, muscular body was relaxed, and her left arm was extending over the bed beside her, searching for the body that had left the bed moments ago.
Truly an angel, Alexandria sighed to herself, tearing her eyes away from the exquiste sight and turning to the open scroll on the table, picking up a quill. She hesitated for a moment, before the scratching sound of a quill scribbling on parchment filled the room. The letter she wrote was short, knowing that if she made it too long, she would spill everything in her heart out onto the page before her. She wiped her eyes in frustration as they welled with tears, before gently blowing on the page in an attempt to dry it. She stood up from her seat and quietly made her way outside. She came back a few minutes later, and rested something over the scroll, before surveying the Amazon Queen once more.
"It will be the hardest thing you've ever had to do."
She let out a shaky breath, before quietly grabbed the rest of her gear, and slowly making her way to the entrance of the hut. She looked back at the beauty in her bed once more, a slight smile on her face, before opening the door and stepping out into the dark night.
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Gabrielle awoke for the first time in moons, with a smile on her face. She stretched her arms over her head, smiling even wider as the memories from the night before flashed behind her closed eyelids. She rolled onto her side, throwing her arm out to cuddle into her lover's side and quickly opened her eyes when her hands came into contact with cold sheets. She bolted up right, her eyes scanning the hut for her beautiful bedmate and found herself alone. She frowned to herself as she thought about what business could have made Alexandria leave her in bed when Apollo hadn't even started to pull the sun from below the horizon yet.
Her eyes landed on a piece of parchment on the small desk in the corner of the hut, covered by a white rose and she smiled, reassured that her lover hadn't started to regret the love making they shared the night before. She wrapped the soft deer skin blanket around her shoulders and got out of bed, cringing as her warm feet touched the cold floor before making her way over to the desk. She picked up the beautiful flower, bringing it up to her nose and for the first time in the past year, she stopped to smell the roses. She let the scent wash over her as she closed eyes before opening them again as she seated herself in the small wooden chair and picked up the parchment.
Her bright smile soon turned into a frown as she scanned the words written in front of her. She lowered the scroll, her eyes gazing at the bed in front of her, sheets tangled with the scent of her lover's body still lingering from the night before, before raising the parchment once more and re reading the note Alexandria left for her.
Dearest Gabrielle,
I'm sure when you woke up this morning, you were a little wary when you noticed I wasn't still enjoying your company in bed, weren't you? I just want to ease whatever thoughts are going through your mind with this letter, and maybe explain my absence from your perfect embrace.
I do not regret what happened between us last night, how could I? You were wonderful, amazing, beautiful, and so many other things that I can't even begin to describe. It was easily one of the best nights I've ever experienced in the fifty four years that I have walked this Earth.
I wanted to wake you up this morning to say goodbye before I went on this small mission. I wanted you this morning, but I know how much you love to sleep in, so I let you be. I just wanted to tell you how much that I love your lips, and your eyes, and the small crinkle of your nose when you smile. I really love to see you smile.
Many things were left unsaid between us last night, with the hurry of us wanting to engage in, uh.. other activities, and I promise that when I return, after some other more important things are dealt with first, we will discuss them. Because there is alot for us to discuss. In the past year that we have travelled with each other, I have not been as honest with you as I should have been over certain things. Like, how I died for instance, or how I became who I am. And why to begin with, I avoided any kind of romantic relationship with you, despite the fact I felt drawn to you from the moment I saw you.
When I come back to Amazonia, alot of those things will be explained almost instantly, and as much as I'd like to write it in this letter right now and get it over with, it wouldn't be fair to you.
I just want you to know now, before I see you again that I'm sorry. You won't understand why right now, but you will soon. And I want you to know that you've brought out the best in me, parts of me that I didn't even know that still existed. And I'm so grateful to have ever met you, Gabrielle. You are truly an amazing and pure soul, and I can see how someone like you could get even the Destroyer of Nations to fall in love with you.
I'll be seeing you.
Your friend,
Alexandria.
Gabrielle bit her lip as she gently rolled up the scroll and placed it on the desk besides her before leaning back in her chair. She was unsure of what that letter truly meant. If she didn't know better, she would think it was Alexandria's subtle way of saying goodbye.
No , Gabrielle thought to herself, shaking her head in denial. No, she said she would never allow me to be alone, as long as she lived. She wouldn't leave me. She'll be back.
Nodding her head, slightly more sure about the content of the letter than before, she stood up and picked her clothes off the floor before dressing and making her way to the door of the hut. She looked back once more at the bed and smiled, before walking out into the early morning sun, glad to be alive for a new day for the first time in moons.
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