Disclaimer; I have no claim at all on the Warrior and the Bard. I don't want anything from them I just am borrowing them for this very short tale. I always wondered what would happen if the unflappable Xena got the flu. So I gave it to her. This takes place after India but before the birth of Eve.
I slowly woke up from my uncomfortable sleep. I felt horrible. My eyes were watery, my throat hurt, my head was stuffed and I had the chills. I hated being sick.
In a voice I hardly recognized as my own I called out in a croak, "Gabrielle." When there was no answer I did my best to yell louder, "Gabrielle!"
"Shh, Xena I'm right here. I'm making you some nice warm soup. Here is some tea to soothe your throat," She said as she helped me sit up and handed me the warm mug.
I looked up into the sweet green eyes gratefully. I didn't get sick very often when I did it really knocked me on my butt. I sipped the tea and tried to keep warm.
"Do you have chills?" Asked Gabrielle softly as she pulled the blanked up to my neck and tucked the ends under me. She put her cheek against my forehead and whispered, "Your fever is still there." She handed me back my mug of tea and said, "Here drink your tea slowly. It will help."
I looked at the concerned expression and though I felt horrible I smiled at her, "Thanks."
Gabrielle caressed my cheek and replied quietly, "My pleasure." She went back to the stove in the cabin we had borrowed from a friend of mine. We were suppose to be on a vacation but I got achy that first night and I've had the damn flu for the last two days. I sipped my tea and watched as my best friend worked on our lunch. I shook my head in wonder at how much she had changed. From someone who needed guidance to someone who gently gave it was quite a transformation. I leaned back against my pillow and yawned. Then I yawned again and looked over at my friend suspiciously.
"Did you slip some sleeping herbs in this?"
"Yep," said Gabrielle with a wicked smile.
"Gabrielle!!" I squeaked.
"Xena, you taught me that the best healer is sleep. Now drink this down and let yourself heal."
"I will drink down my soup but I am not allowing these herbs to knock me out cold." I said emphatically.
"Stubborn," she said with a huge smile. Then she gave me my soup and went about getting me comfortable as I sipped it. It was delicious but what I didn't know was that she put a second dose of the herbs in the soup. I was out like a candle with in seconds of finishing my lunch.
"Sleep well," she said as she kissed my cheek and tucked me in the rest of the way taking the bowl from limp hands.
"Trick…" I muttered as I slipped into the healing sleep.
"You bet I did." I heard her voice say quietly.
*** *** *** ***
The next time I woke up it was nighttime. Argo had been taken care of and was quietly eating in his corner. I could hear it raining outside which was why Gabrielle had thoughtfully brought my beloved pony in.
Gabrielle was sitting right next to me writing into one of her scrolls. When she saw that I was up she put it down and said sweetly, "Do you feel a bit better?"
I nodded and sat up, "Yeah I do, you big sneak."
"Well how else can I get you to take your medicine if I didn't sneak it into something I know you'd like and not sniff it in?"
"True," I replied with a huge smile. I did feel much better but not well yet. My nose was still stuffed and I had a pretty sore throat. "Thanks Gabrielle."
"No problem."
"Could you tell me one of your stories that you were working on?"
"What?" She looked stunned.
"Yeah, I'd like to hear your stories." I replied smiling at the shocked face.
"I thought you didn't enjoy hearing my stories?"
"Why would you think that?"
"You never seem to listen when I practice on you."
"I listen." I said very quietly.
"But…"
"Gabrielle, It's just hard for me to listen to them. You always make me such a hero. I'm not and you know it better then anyone does. You're my best friend and you know all my faults. You've seen my dark side more times then I care to think about. Yet when you write my stories I'm always the great hero fighting unselfishly for the greater good. I don't understand it so I simply don't comment."
Gabrielle smiled at me and gently brushed away some hair from my eyes as she replied, "Xena, I know that you are blind to it but you are a hero. You are unselfish and yes I have seen your dark side on…well too many occasions but you always fight it. You work hard to beat it down and let the real you, the one I'm with right now shine through. That's a heroic act too. You're the one who taught me about the greater good and I've seen you sacrifice everything for it. So with all the things we've been though I know that you are what I write about a good person and a true hero."
I closed my eyes and leaned back against my pillow sighing. "I'm glad you see me that way, my friend."
"I just wish you could," she said quietly taking my hand. I squeezed it and whispered, "Go on, tell me the story you're working on."
Slowly Gabrielle retells the story of how we first met Eli in India. How I helped her by fighting the demon who possessed her. Once again I was the hero. Eli who cast the demon out was the hero too but I was once again the focus of the tale. How I tried everything to get the demon out of her so I didn't kill her. How I would have sacrificed myself to safe her life and rid the world of the demon.
After she was done she looked at me and gasped, "Why are you crying?"
"No matter what I do you only seem to see my good side. How did I ever get so lucky to find someone like you? You are the light of my existence did you know that? Thank you."
Gabrielle hugged me close and said quietly into my ear, "And your mine. You're my home. You make me more then I ever thought possible for me to be. Thank you."
We stayed that way. In each other's arms till I started to feel sleepy again. She settled me down and then I was out again in another long healing sleep.
*** *** **** ****
It was bright sunshine when I woke up the next day. I judged it to be about mid morning. Gabrielle was fast asleep in her bed probably dead tired from taking care of me. I felt much better. My nose and head felt normal and all the aches seemed to be gone. My throat didn't feel like dried leather either, which was a great relief.
I walked over to Argo and smiled petting her nose; "Gabrielle took good care of us, huh?"
Argo neighed her agreement and rubbed her neck against my shoulder. I got her brush from the table where her food and other supplies were set and started to slowly brush my pony.
I heard a quiet voice ask, "And what are you doing out of bed?"
I looked over at the sleepy blonde who was sitting up against her pillow. I shrugged and said, "I feel much better. I'm taking care of my baby and then I was going to brew you some coffee."
Gabrielle got up and gently checked my head smiling, "Your fever broke. That's good I was worried about that."
I put the brush down and turned suddenly embracing her saying quietly into her ear, "Thank you Gabrielle for taking such good care of me."
She returned the hug and said warmly, "I always will when you need it."
"I know, I will do the same for you. It's kind of nice though to have someone watch over me for a change. I'm so glad that someone is you."
"Me to….Um, Are you hungry?"
I pulled back and nodded my head, "Starved."
"Good, that's a good sign. I'll make us some breakfast.
I smiled and nodded as she pulled away and started breakfast. I sighed contentedly as I brushed Argo and hummed to my baby.
The End
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