Disclaimer: See Part 1
Authors Note: Hey, it's been a while since I've updated this story. I've started another story recently and I'm also working on a new one, a conqueror story ;) Though that won't be posted until after this one is finished. I'm glad you all have hung in there, cause this is where the story starts getting interesting! I'm heaps thankful for all the emails i've been getting, and I hope they continue. If you want to email me, my address is jacklavigne13@hotmail .com
Enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen
After sending Eponin to look for Alexandria, Gabrielle made her way to the Queen's hut, dragging Xena along by the hand, needing the physical contact. Thoughts were racing through her mind, making her head spin. How was Xena alive? What did Alexandria do to bring her back? Why hadn't Alexandria spoken to her about it? She glanced at her soulmate as she quietly closed the door behind them and realised she didn't really care. All that mattered was that Xena was alive.
"Do you know how much I've missed you?" Gabrielle whispered as she reached out, trailing her fingers over the smooth skin of her bestfriend's arm. "Do you know how much I've needed you?"
Xena looked down at the blonde, her eyes full of guilt and pain. "I know. I'm so sorry, Gabrielle."
"You left me," Gabrielle said, dropping her hand back down to her side and looking up at the warrior. "After you promised me you wouldn't."
"Gabrielle, the so-,"
"Don't give me that shit about the forty thousand souls, Xena!" Gabrielle growled, her anger overwhelming her happiness to have her soulmate back. "It was supposed to be you and me, always. And then you just throw it all away."
"I didn't throw it away, love. It was for the greater good! That's what you taught me, that the greater good comes first."
"Not before us!" Gabrielle said as tears welled up in her eyes. She brushed them away impatiently as she continued her rant. "You always said that I came first, Xena. That our relationship came before anything else. Did you even consider what would happened to me when you died?"
"Of course I did, Gabrielle," Xena said softly, reaching out to caress her lover's cheek. "It broke my heart to leave you. If there had been any other way, I never would have left you."
"You destroyed me, Xena," Gabrielle sobbed, leaning into her friend's touch. "I love you so much and you broke my heart."
"I'm so sorry," Xena whispered, pulling the bard into her arms in a crushing hug. She continued to apologise and whisper words of love into her soulmate's ear, stroking her back lovingly. "I love you, Gabrielle. I love you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Gabrielle clung to her lover, her short fingernails digging into the leather battle dress desperately. It felt so good to be back in Xena's embrace, her strong arms surrounding her. Her tense and aching muscles relaxed under her companion's touch as her anger and sadness slipped from her body. She still wasn't sure if this was some cruel dream but if it was, she hoped she never woke up.
She pulled back slightly so that she could look into Xena's eyes before slowly leaning up and brushing their lips together. A bolt of electricity surged through her body at the touch, leaving her skin tingling deliciously. She moaned softly, having almost forgotten how soft her lover's lips were as Xena tangled her fingers in the bard's short hair, deepening the kiss. Gabrielle gripped her lover's shoulders as the kiss became more urgent, their tounges dancing together passionately. Every nerve in her body was set ablaze as Xena ran her hands over her heated skin while the bard gripped her companion's hair, desperate for more of her soulmate.
She needed everything from her lover, to prove that she was real. She needed the warrior to be inside of her, to surround her completely in her protective embrace. She groaned miserably as Xena pulled away from her.
"We need to stop," the warrior said breathlessly, her eyes full of desire as she looked down at the bard.
"Why? I need you," Gabrielle said as she attached her lips to Xena's neck. Gods, the taste of her was delicious.
"Alexandria will be here any minute now."
Alexandria.
Gabrielle tensed, her body completely frozen before she hurriedly pulled away from the dark haired woman. Xena stared at the bard in confusion as she ran her fingers through her short blonde locks, turning away from her friend. By the Gods, what was she going to do? For a moment she'd completely forgotten about the red headed warrior.
The red headed warrior that saved you. The woman who never left you. The one you gave your broken heart to.
"Fuck," Gabrielle cursed.
*********
"I really don't want to do this," Alexandria muttered as she paced outside the Queen's hut, Varia and Eponin watching her in amusement. "I don't want to go in there. I don't want to have to explain everything to Gabrielle. I don't want to."
"Stop acting like a child," Varia chuckled as she crossed her arms over her chest. "What happened between you and Xena is in the past, I'm sure Gabrielle will understand."
"Oh yeah?" Alexandria said as she turned around to face her friends. "And what about Xena? What's she going to say when she finds out that I slept with Gabrielle before I brought her back? What's Gabrielle going to say when she finds out that I was planning to revive Xena and I bedded her anyway!"
"You slept with the Queen?!" Eponin gasped in disbelief.
"Oh, like none of us saw that coming, Ep," Varia rolled her eyes.
"Y- You, you slept with Gabrielle? Oh man, Xena is going to kill you!" Eponin abrubtly stopped laughing at the menacing glare from Alexandria.
"Fuck," Alexandria whispered, running her fingers through her short hair. Why was everything so Gods be damned complicated?
"Fuck!" The three women turned towards the hut in suprise as Alexandria's curse was echoed from inside.
"That woman has the mouth of a sailor sometimes," Varia muttered under her breath.
"The hands of one too," Eponin said with a small smile. "Kinda makes you wonder what they're doing in there, for her to curse like that."
"Probably giving Xena a nice welcome home," Alexandria said bitterly.
Varia and Eponin glanced at each other before looking at the red headed warrior sympathetically.
Alexandria squared her shoulders, taking several deep breaths before reaching forwards to push open the hut door. "Here goes nothing."
She glanced back at her friends one more time, taking strength from their reassuring smiles before stepping into the Queen's hut and closing the door quietly behind her.
"Threeway," Eponin whispered with a mischievious grin as the door closed, earning her a slap on the back of her head.
"Come on, old woman," Varia laughed as she pulled her friend away and towards the dining hut. "Let's give them some privacy. The God's know it's going to be awkward enough without us listening to every word."
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