Will You Remember Me?
by Marion D Tuttle
Disclaimers: As you know by now I do not own orly claim to Xena,
Gabrielle or anyone else depictied in this story, Accept for Serta she
was my creation, the rest belong to Universal Studios the story however
is mine but I'm more then happy to share it with you.
There is a dipiction of two women in love and involved in a sexual
relationship, so if that bothers you, you may want to go read something
else.
breeze came in from the ocean. Sea green eyes looked out over the
horizon for any sign of her compainions return it had been nearly two
weeks since Xena had left on a mission of helping with an uprising in
one of King Gregors more far flung territiories,
Gabrielle well remembered the night before Xena had left, they had
come to the Amazon villege to take a break from the pace they had been
keeping and more importantly to deal with the changing feelings both
women seemed to be having about their relationship. They were close
friends, that was true enough each one willing to lay down their lives
for the other if need be. But lately there seemed to be more than just
friendship passing between them. The had both approached the subject on
a very broad scale each trying to gage the other's reaction. But before
they could say anything definative, something had always come up to get
in the way.
After their latest adventure they had both agreed that they needed
time to explore what had been happining and decide what there next step
if any should be in moving beyond friendship.It was all very metodicail
and well planned out. it was also destined to failure.
As soon as the arrived in the village the were met by a very
distraught Ephany, the fragile peace between the Centaurs and the
Amazons was being threatened by a small band of rebels that thought that
they should have the right to any and all land they so desired, no
matter who owned it. They needed Gabrielle's negotiating skills to end
the standoff that the peace talks had reached.
Gabrielle had quickly agreed, after all as Queen it was her place to
make sure that the safty of the Amazon nation was protected. later that
night in their hut Xena and Gabrielle had tried to find time to talk but
just as they were starting a messenger appered at the door asking to see
Xena with information and a request from the King for Xena's help.
Normally Xena had very little use for roalty in any way shape or form,
but Gregor had saved Xena's life when his head lieutenient had planned
to
have her exacuted, so she did owe him.
They had agreed that Gabrielle would stay in the village and help deal
with the Amazons problems, while Xena tried to put an end to the
uprising.
Gabrielle had been close to tears in her frustration at their apparant
inabiltiy to get enough time to deal with the changes they had been
feeling. "Xena, I..." her voice failed her.
Seeing the look on her friends face tore at the warrior's heart, she
acted on impulse and reached out pulling the bard into the comforting
circle of her arms. "I know Gabrielle, I want to get this out in the
open too, but I don't think it's something we should rush through do
you?"
Holding onto Xena seemed to give her back some of the strength she had
been lacking "You're right, I know, it's just so frustrating to not be
able to have time to talk about this."
Xena almost gave in to the impulse to gently kiss Gabrielle but
stopped herself. She was sure that the bard felt the same things she
did, she wanted despraetly to believe that. But to rush things and then
find out she was wrong would have been to much for her to take."I hate
to leave you now, but if I wait until morning I may lose valuable
time."
Gabrielle looked into the crystal blue of her eyes and from somewhere
deep down managed to find a smile to send the warrior princess on her
way. "I understand, besides the sooner you go the sooner you'll get
back. Please promise me you'll be careful."
"I will" and then she playfully added "If you will promise me the same
thing. You know how trouble tends to find you."
Taking a light swat at Xena's arm Gabrielle replied, "Look whose
talking miss 'I'll take on the world'." They parted then, each knowing
that when this was done they had to make the time talk. Xena mounted
Argo and rode of in the direction of Gregors kingdom, Gabrielle had
stood and watched until long after horse and rider had disappered from
sight.
That had been two weeks ago and there had been no word from Xena, the
rebellion had put down but no one seemed know what had happened to Xena.
Gabrielle had presided over a successful peace treaty that had bought
the small band of renagades to justice thet met with everyone's
satisfaction. Now her thoughts were consumed with what had happened to
her friend.
Ephany found her Queen pacing impatiantly in the meeting hall. "I'm
going out to look for Xena." Gabrielle announced without preamble.
Ephany knew that in her current state of mind, letting Gabrielle leave
the village, with no particulair destination in mind would not be good.
She had to find a way to change her mind. "Gabrielle, when Xena comes
back she will expect to find you here. Why not let me organize a few
search parties if that will make you feel better, they will be able to
cover more ground then you could alone."
Gabrielle considered what her Regent and friend was saying to her, I
think the search parties are a good idea, but I want to see King Gregor
to find out if he has had any news."
"We can send a messenger for that, I really think you should wait here
for Xena." She tried to make light of it by saying "Besides I don't want
to be the one to face Xena's wrath when she does come back and realizes
she has to trapse all over the countryside looking for you."
That was what had led her to be sitting here staring out over the
horizon
praying to whatever God would listen for the safe return of the woman
that had become such an important part of her life. All manner of
thoughts had run through her mind, was Xena hurt or worse? Had she been
captured by the enemy? That didn't make sense anyone fortunate enough to
have captured the warrior princess in battle would hope to make a name
for themselves by making it known far and wide. So where was she? A
sudden fear gripped her, what if she had just left her? Was it poissible
that the feelings that had been unfolding between them, and had been
left undisccused were just to overwhelming for Xena, and she had just
decided to leave rather then face them? No that wasn't like Xena,
whenever there was an issue or a problem Xena liked to deal with it head
on. That would explain the frustration that she had felt at the lack of
time they had to get through this.
It was here that Ephany found her, she approched slowly she was not
looking forward to the news she had to deliver, she knew the best way to
get this out would be quickly but she could not seem to find the words.
Gabrielle sensed movment behind her, she turned to see Ephany standing
there,the expression on her face spoke volumes. "What's wrong Ephany."
There was no easy way to do this, "Solari's search party has just
returned, they found Xena."
The joy she felt at this news was short lived "Is there a problem?"
"Xena was injured in battle."
"Is she alright?"
Ephany shifted uncomfortably this was not going to be easy at all
"Physically she's fine, the injury was to her head Gabrielle. The outer
wound has healed, but Xena doesn't know who she is. Or who any of us
are."
Gabrielle felt her legs grow weak, she feared for a moment that she
would faint from the shock of what she had just been told. Xena didn't
know who she was? She wouldn't know the bard? It couldn't be. She began
to gather her wits about her she would need to be strong for Xena's
sake. "Do you know what happened to her?"
"She was found by some local villagers not to far from here, she was
dazed and bleeding badly, they took her and dressed her wound after a
few days she began to move around better and was able to help out with
some light chores. They did not regognize her, and they told Solari that
she seemed to not know anything about herself." She took a deep breath
and countined on "When Solari saw her she looked at her like she had
never seen her before in her life.Solari told her who she was but she
just stared at her with a vacent expression and said that this Xena
person meant nothing to her and she just wanted to try and make a simple
life for herself."
Gabrielle was feeling a tightness in her chest and breathing was
becoming incresingly more difficult."Where is she now?" she managed to
ask.
"Solari convinced her that she did need to come back and find her own
identity and not live a life that didn't belong to her. She is in your
hut."
"I want to see her now."
"She won't know you Gabrielle."
"I don't care, take me to her!"
Both the Queen and her Regent headed back towards the royal hut when
they reached the door Ephany moved to go inside with her but Gabrielle
stopped her. "No Ephany I want to see her alone, if anyone can get
through to her it will be me."
Ephany thought about protesting, see knew it was going to be extremly
hard for Gabrielle to see Xena and not have her register any sign of
recognition, but the determined look on her freinds face told argument
would be futile.
Gabrielle entered the dimness of the hut that she had shared with Xena
on so many other occasions, the same one where they had planned to talk
about their feelings. What was she to be left with if Xena never
regained her memory? She couldn't allow herself to think like that Xena
would regain her memory, and they would overcome all the obstecales that
had stood in thier path.
Xena turned when she heard Gabrielle enter the hut "Hello, are you the
Amazon Queen Solari told me about?"
The bard fought back the tears that were forming in her eyes. She
couldn't break down now she needed to get Xena through this and that
wasn't going to happen if she fell apart.
"Yes Xena I am the Queen,my name is Gabrielle and even though you don't
remember it you and I are friends."
A look of surprise crossed Xena's face "I'm friends with Amazon
royalty?"
"Yes as a matter of fact we are best freinds, we travel together
helping many people, that is how you were injured, you were on a mission
for King Gregor."
"I know Kings too?"
"You know many people Xena You have done a lot of good for a lot of
people." Gabrielle thought better of mentioning any of the darker parts
of Xena's past to her right away.
"How is it that you are able to travel the countryside with me if you
are the Amazon Queen?"
"Ephany, you haven't seen her yet, is my Regent she rules in my name
when we aren't here."
Xena sank down in the chair and hung her head down, she suddnly felt
very tiered. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry none of this sounds even vaugly
familiar to me. I accept it as truth if you say it, I see no reason
that you would lie to me, but I just don't remember."
The bard placed a gentel hand on the warriors shoulder "Why don't you
try to get some rest and maybe things will start coming back to you."
She was struggling to hold herself together, her heart felt as though it
had been shattered into a million pieces. Sitting before her was her
friend, or in truth it was just someone at this point thay looked like
her friend. It was almost as if Xena had ceased to exist. Gabrielle
pushed Xena back onto the soft bed "Sleep now, give your vody time to
heal, I'm going to go talk to the village healer to see if there is
anything that can be done."
Xena reached out a hand, stopping Gabrielle before she rose from the
bed. She looked into the bard's eyes and told her "Gabrielle, I don't
know who you are, but I have an inexplicable feeling that I can trust
you."
"You can trust me xena, and I promise you that we will get through
this, just like we do everything else together."
When she left the hut she finally let the tears flow unchecked down
her cheeks. Ephany was there to offer support. "Did she remember
anything?"
"No." Gabrielle choked out "But she did say that she had the feeling
that she could trust me."
"Well at least thats a step in the right direction."
The young bard could only nod her agreement. "I need to talk to Serta,
maybe she has some ideas of what might help xena."
"I thought you might want to talk to her so I sent a runner to find
her with instructions to meet you in the main hall."
"Thank you Ephany." with that Gabrielle headed for the main hall with
a clear purpose in mind. The only person in the village that came
anywhere near having the knoldge of healing that Xena had was Serta, if
any one could help the warrior it would be her. Entering the main hall
Gabrielle was struck by the presence of this woman, she was small in
stature.She was even a little shorter then Gabrielle, she arose to greet
her Queen and bowed to show her respect. Gabrielle stopped her "Thus is
not the time to stand on ceramony Serta, I'm not talking as your queen
now, but as someone that is very concerned for the welfare of a friend.
You've seen Xena's injuries when Solari bought her in. Be honest with me
is there any hope of Xena regaining her memory?"
The healer shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze of her Queen,
there was a small chance that Xena could regain everything but to many
times see had seen cases like this where the injured party might regain
bits and peices but never fully recover. Or more often remember nothing
at all, and spend the rest of there life never knowing you they were
before an injury had clamied their memories. She knew she had to answer
though and she also knew it had to be the truth.
"My Queen, in cases like this it is very rare for the person to regain
full memory, but it does happen. The best thing you can do for Xena is
talk to her, try to remind her of things you have done, places you have
gone. Try to keep her in familiar surrondings, who knows maybe something
will jog her memory." Seeing the desolete look on Gabrielle's face Serta
offered her comfort, "I wish I could be more incourageing."
"No Serta, I asked for the truth and you gave it to me, I appreciate
that. I can't help Xena unless I face the facts, thank you." Going back
out into the bright sunlight Gabrielle asked Ephany to assemble all the
members of the royal gaurd, and village elders for a meeting. She wanted
to tell the counsil she would be staying on for as long as it took for
Xena to regain her strenght, not everyone knew they entire truth. They
had just thought that the warrior princes needed rest as a result of
battle fatique and she was not yet ready for the entire village to know
the truth. After wich she headed back to check on Xena.
The warrior was sitting on the edge of the bed reading one of
Gabrielle's scrolls that she had left out in the hopes that Xena might
pick it up and recognize some of the events depicted. She looked up to
see Gabrielle watching her. she lowered the scroll "I hope you don't
mind." she said indacating the parchment. "I just thought that maybe
something might help me bring back a memory or two."
"I don't mind that's why I left them out for you. Did you see
anything, do you have any questions?"
"It just seems so... I did all the things you wrote in here?"
"All that and so much more." then a thought occured to Gabrielle "You
know that I wrote these? I didn't tell you that did I?"
"No." Xena considered "I just had the feeling that you did, you do a
lot of writing, don't you?"
Gabrielle threw herself into Xena's arms, the warrior was knocked
slightly off balance by the impact but she bought her arms around
Gabrielle and returned the embrace. "Oh Xena it's starting to come back,
I can feel it. If you can remember that I write other things are going
to start coming back to you until you are you again. I just know it!"
"I hope so Gabrielle." for the first time since the party of strange
women had bought her to this place Xena felt as though she had a reason
to remember who she was.
The spent the next sevreal weeks walking, talking and Xena listining
to Gabrielle tell her about all their previos adventures. Bit by bit,
little peices of information began to filter back into the warrior
princess mind, nothing major but enough to be encouraging.
She remembered the day she had gotten Argo, although she could not
remember the events surrounding the transaction. She remembered how to
throw and catch her chackram, she also seemed to be able to use her
sword and fight as well as she ever had but the important memories still
seemed a distant haze just outside of her grasp.
Gabrielle decided that it was time for another consultation with
Serta. She went to the healers hut and procedded very matter of factly
to explain what had been happening.
"It seems so frustrating at times, Xena will remember something small
and insignificant but when I try to expand upon that to bring more out,
it's almost as if she is putting a wall up to keep me from helping her."
Serta thought for a moment, there seemed to be no reason she could
think of why Xena had not fully recovered. She had to admit at first she
did not have a lot of hope that Xena would ever become anything more
than a amiliar stranger in the village. But as time had passed and the
warrior seemed to recall more intricate details of her life she had
hoped that the warrior would have her full memory back by know, but
something seemed to be standing in the way.
"There is no longer any physical reason why Xena cannot remember,
maybe in her mind there is something that is making her afraid to come
back to you fully were there any problems or unresolved issues between
the two of you before she left the village?"
Gabrielle felt like her heart was stuck in her throat, could that be
what was holding Xena back from making a complete recovery? Had her
feelings changed or did she every remember what her feelings had been?
What if she did remember and for whatever reason she no longer felt that
way, Gabrielle had not prepared herself for that possibility. She had
just assumed that if and when Xena did regain her memory everything
would be the same. "By the Gods Serta I hadn't thought of that. There is
one thing that we had been meaning to discuss for a long time, as a
matter of fact that was the whole reason for coming here so that we
could set aside some time to talk. But after we arrived things just
happened so fast we never had the time."
"Then you need to do it now Gabrielle, whatever it is may be the only
thing that can trigger Xena's memory into coming back fully."
Gabrielle approched the hut she had shared with Xena with knots in her
stomach, she was taking a huge risk she knew but she also knew that
Serta was right this may be the only way. Entering the hut Xena greeted
her entusiastically, "Gabrille I have something I want to tell you."
"Can it wait Xena? I need to talk to you about something very
important and it can't wait."
Xena looked into the eyes of the woman who was once her friend and had
become so all over again through patince and understanding. She sensed
that Gabrielle really needed to get something of her chest, her news
could wait a little while longer, and when Gabrielle was finished
telling her whatever she had on her mind Xena was certian her news was
going to put the radiant smile she had come to love back on her face.
Gabrielle began "Xena before you left on your mission and had your
accedent... we were planning on spending some time here, talking about
your feeling."
Xena raised a quizical brow at the bard. "Our feelings?" she asked
Swollowing hard Gabrielle pushed on Gods this was not going to be
easy. "For each other, we have been friends for a long time noe. But
latley we have both felt more..."
The warrior came to stand in front of her friend "Gabrielle I..."
"Please Xena let me finish, this is hard enough to get through without
interuptions. I can't speak for you because we never got the chance to
talk about it but for my part I had fallen in love with you. I felt a
deeper love for you then I ever have for any one in my entire life."
There she had said it, she found herself holding her breath while she
awaited a response.
"And now?" was all that Xena said
"Now I lovew you more then I did before and I'm terrified that you
will never remember or that if you do you won't feel the same way."
Xena stepped closer and enfolded Gabrielle into a powerful embrace.
"Gabrielle...."
"Xena I just don't think I can handel it if you can never come back to
me.."
Holding the bard close she whispered soothing words in to her ear.
"Can I tell you now what I was trying to tell you when you came in
here?" Gabrielle raised a tear stained face to see the clear blue of the
warrior's eye's "Gabrielle, I remember everything. All of it. evreything
we have ever been through and all the hopes and dreams of the places we
still want to go together. Oh and Gabrielle, I love you too."
Gabrielle threw her arms around Xena's neck and was rewarded with a
scorching kiss "I can't belive this." she murmered between hot and wet
kisses.
"Believe it." Xena growled as she picked her up and carried her to
the bed. She laid the bard down on her back , joining her on the
mattress, she covered her smaller body with her own. "I"m going to tell
you what I'm going to do to you Gabrielle, and if any of it makes you
uncomfortable I want you to promise to tell me, okay?"
"The only way I'll be uncomfortable Xena is if you don't do anything."
Xena started to tell her "I'm going to start right here." she said
indicating the pulse point at the base of the bards throat with her
finger, then traling it lower, putting her lips were her finger had been
moments before. "Then I'm going to run my tounge down to your breast's
and over your nipples..." Again her lips followed the trail of fire
being blazed by her hands. "And then I'm going to..."
"Don't tell me Xena, for Zeus' sakes show me!"
Xena proceeded to do just that, her hands worked at releasing the
bard's breasts from the constraints of her shirt and then just as
quickly removed the wrapped skirt Gabrielle was wearing. Xena was nor
wearing her leathers since she had just emerged from the bath she was
wearing a soft robe that quickly found it's way to the floor with the
aid of some very eager bard hands.
Rolling over so that Gabrielle was underneth her Xea drew an already
hard nipple into her mouth and began to suck. This caused Gabrille's
head to thrash from side to side, ost in the pleasure she was feeling.
She moved her attention to the other breast "Can't have one feeling
neglected." she managed to say. Her hand moved further down the bard's
body until it came to rest between her thighs. The wet heat she found
there stole the breate from her lungs. "Xena please take me I need to
feel you inside of me right now."
Xena wanted to be as gentel as her raging passions would allow her to
be, she knew Gabrielle was not a virgin, but she also knew that she had
only had one night with her husband before Callisto had dispatched him
to Hades.Sensing the hesitation and what it was about Gabrielle thrust
her hips foward. "Please xena I need you and I know you won't hurt me."
With an invatation like that Xena could not refuse, she took the bard
with such force that it rocked both women. Gabrielle arched and moaned
her release shortly after Xena had entered her. Her breath was coming in
ragged gasp, she fought to regain enough composier to take Xena in the
same way. She flipped the warrior onto her back and procedded to make
slow sweet love to her with her lips hands and tounge until Xena was
screaming her name and begging her for release.
Laying in each other's arms after sevrel more bouts of bring each other
to the highest peaks they let their hearts and breathing slowly return
to normal. The drifted to sleep, content in the knowledge that their
world was finally complete.
the next morning when they awoke Gabrielle sent a messenger to find
Ephany, when the Regent appeared at the hut Xena and Gabrielle told her
that Xena had regained her memory as well as telling her, although they
left out the graphic details about what had happened last night. They
asked her to notify the village of Xena's recover as well as telling
them that for the next week the Queens private quarters were off limits,
for the next few days.
Ephany stepped out into the fresh crisp morning air, a huge smile on
her face she would personally see to it that Gabrielle and Xena were not
disturbed. The only people in the whole village that might have been
wearing smiles wider then Ephany's were Xena and Gabrielle. As the
sounds of thier love drifted out on the air each Amazon that heard it
sent up a silent prayer of thanks for their Queen and her warrior that
had finally come home to each other.
There it is folks hope you liked it as always I look foward to your
opinions and feed back you can reach me at mariontuttle@prodigy.net