Disclaimers: The characters of Xena: Warrior Princess and all others associated with the television series of the same name are owned by MCA/ Universal Pictures. This is a work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended. This is set to the Episode, "When Fates Collide." Tiny bit from "Many Happy Returns."

Murphy note: Thanks to Kamouraskan, Teach, and Temora for their beta. Thank you TN for bringing one of my dreams true. Poems by Sappho

**Called the "Tenth Muse" by the ancients, Greece's greatest female lyric poet Sappho (ca. 610-580 B.C.E.) spent the majority of her life on the famed island of Lesbos. Passionate and breathtaking, Sappho's poems survive only in fragments following religious conspiracies to silence her. Sappho penned immortal verse on the intense power of the female libido; on the themes of romance, love, yearning, heartbreak, and personal relationships with women.** ~Paul Roche~

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From the first vision Alti showed me, I knew what my destiny was.

She was dead at my feet when my husband and Brutus entered the room. 'My husband,' the very sound of that made the bile slowly crawl up my throat. Brutus ordered a few royal guards to drag that she-bitch out of my bed chamber while Caesar pulled me into a tight embrace. To comfort his wife. Touching him sent jolts through my body and I remembered the cross.

I hated them both.

While I contemplated snapping his neck, I saw my playwright, my bard, come back onto her balcony, saw her discomfort at seeing this monster hold me. She quickly dropped her gaze and returned to her room. I pulled away from the hateful embrace and gave him my wifely smile. He tried to be intimate once more and of course I had a headache. In fact I would have a permanent one. Once he slept, I began to make plans to either get Gabrielle and myself back to our time or make a life here.

Either way, she and I will be together.

To keep Gabrielle safe, I have her go home to her vineyard by the sea, telling her I would be summoning her in a moon's time. Meanwhile in Rome, Caesar prepared for his great attack on LaoMa and all of Chin. I did my duty by training our warriors, helping with the battle plans, all while making sure he didn't suspect a thing. I also sent private word to LaoMa of everything we had calculated.

I couldn't let the battle be too easy on my dear husband.

In a moon's time, Caesar and his legions were on their way east. I stayed behind. Someone had to keep an eye on Rome, and who better to trust than the loving wife? The time had come for Gabrielle's return and I was like an over-anxious child waiting for her toys on Solstice day. I was not really sure of all of my true past. All I knew was that this one felt very wrong to me, and the only right thing was Gabrielle. How was I going explain this so that a certain young playwright didn't call for a healer to fix my mad mind?

I was on the training grounds with some of our first season soldiers, when a messenger told me that Gabrielle had arrived and was being escorted to the palace. I gave a command of the training to my second and called for my horse. I could not return to her side quickly enough; I only hoped that she felt the same way. My heart would surely break if the only reason she had returned to Rome was because I had called for her and she didn’t wish to anger the Empress.

It was not her return to Rome I desired. It was her return to me.

Once through the gate, I continued to ride my horse hard into the courtyard, vaulting from his back and landing on the steps of the portico just as the guards pulled open the doors. My boots echoed on the marble as I strode to the royal quarters.

I had ordered her placed in the royal wing. No matter what, I wanted her near me until I found a way to convince her that we belonged together.

And now that I stood in front of her door, my hands were heavy and my stomach was in knots. I made a loose fist and raised it to knock on the door then let it drop to my side, realizing that I hadn’t figured out what I would say to her. I was utterly unprepared to see her again.

Then I took the time to really look at myself and realized I most certainly was not prepared to see her. Not before I had bathed and changed out of my armor into something far more appropriate. As I turned on my heel to head to my own bedchamber my eyes slid shut when I heard her door open.

"My Empress." Her voice was soft and immediately soothing to my soul. Those two words had never sounded sweeter than they did at that moment.

Before turning around I took a deep breath and commanded my heart to stop beating wildly in my chest. My heart didn’t obey my command and I could barely hear over the roaring of my pulse in my ears. It sounded like the breaking of the waves against the shore by her vineyard, I’m sure.

Slowly I turned.

"Gabrielle."

She raised her head and our eyes met. A tender, gentle smile found its way to her lips and I knew.

She had returned to Rome for me.

She offered me her hand. "Xena."

Taking her hand, I felt the air forced from my lungs from this, the simplest of touches. There had never been a touch that felt so right.

So perfect.

My mind was a blank. I could feel my mouth working, but there were no words.

She laughed gently, blushing slightly. "I dreamt of you every night."

"And I, you." Tears formed in my eyes and she reached up, taking them from my eyes before they could fall.

"The Emperor?"

Of course, she would be concerned about the bastard. He made it very clear he didn’t want her in Rome. "Gone. He’ll be away for some time to come." Actually, I hoped he never made it back.

If Gabrielle and I were to be condemned to live this life, it would be easier if I didn’t have to kill the Emperor myself.

"So that leaves us…" She let the question linger in the air waiting for me to answer.

"To get to know each other better. I’d love to hear more of your vineyard."

"And I’d love to tell you more of it. Actually, I brought a few bottles of wine with me. If my Empress will do me the honour of drinking wine from my humble home."

I couldn’t help but smile. How did she know what my dreams had been during this last month while I waited her return? How could she know that I dreamt of laying by a fire with her at my side, sipping sweet wine and looking into the depths of eyes so green they must have given colour to the finest silks of Chin.

"There is nothing I would like better, Gabrielle. If you will allow me to take my leave of you, I’ll go bathe and put on something appropriate. Will you please do me the honour of joining me in my private chambers for the evening meal?"

"I would be delighted. I’ll bring the wine." Her smile made my entire body tingle with anticipation and a low burn ignited under my skin.

I had never felt more alive.

I had never felt more complete.

Evening brought us together. An Imperial Guard escorted her to my chambers and when I opened the door, my heart was completely stolen from my chest. The woman was more than beautiful, but I am a warrior, not a writer. I cannot find the words to describe the lady who was before my eyes.

All I knew was that my heart was full. My soul was soaring and my body was on fire.

"My Empress." She nodded her head slowly, lowering her eyes, even as a coy smile played on her lips.

She knew what she did to me. She knew that a simple smile from her lips or a mere glance in my direction was enough to rob me of speech and coherent thought. And while no one else has ever bewitched me as this woman did, I was, even with all my power, powerless to stop her.

With her first look at me that night from the stage, my heart was hers for the taking and she knew it.

"My playwright," I teased, stepping back and ushered her into my apartment.

She turned her head to the side, looking at me over her shoulder as she presented a bottle of wine. "I promised to bring this."

I stepped forward as she turned to face me. Taking the bottle, I pretended to consider it. "It is sweet?"

Licking her lips once again, she reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "It is very sweet."

I took a deep breath, and tethering some of my flailing dignity, moved to the dinner table that had been set for us. The best Imperial cooks from all over the realm had been brought to Rome to prepare this meal. I would have nothing but the best for her. Of course, my personal cook had prepared the main course that was traditional to our homeland of Greece.

"Then it will serve as the perfect conclusion for our meal." I gestured to the table, inviting her to join me.

I nodded my head as we took our seats. "I agree. I don’t see our evening ending early. Unless there is some reason you need to…"

"Oh no." She shook her head, then rested her chin on the back of her hand, looking at me with such devastating honesty, I felt as if my skin could just burst into flame on the spot. "I am yours for as long as you will have me."

I cleared my throat, trying hard not to choke. She couldn’t possibly imagine the ways I’d like to have her. "Tell me …" I stammered, trying hard to ignore the dull ache in my stomach and other points just a touch lower, "Tell me of your writing."

"I had obtained moderate success in Thrace when Sappho made a tour through the region. She attended a reading that I did and offered me a place studying with her." She smiled at me and I knew right away that she did indeed know how I’d like to have her. Sappho’s tastes were legendary and my playwright would certainly fit the bill from what I understood.

"And this is Sappho of Lesbos?" I sipped from my sweetwater, trying to make small talk and think of a way to get the information I wanted without seeming obvious.

"Oh, the very same." She mimicked my action of sipping from the heavy cup, but she smiled from behind hers and said, "She taught me many things." I smiled and watched the woman I love talk of her muse's hero.

"Tell me, my playwright, which is your favourite verse of Sappho's?" Her face lit up and she crinkled her nose. Gods, how I love that.

"No one is my favourite, they are all so lovely, but one I can pull off the top of my head is, 'I say'."

It may have been Sappho's poem, but Gabrielle captured me with her very voice, calling to me like a Siren’s song.

You would want few to be carried away.

Sweeter.

You yourself know but someone forgot.

Some might say I will love as long as there is breath in me.

I'll care.

I say I've been a firm friend.

Things grievous, bitter, but know

I will love.

You lay in wait behind a laurel tree, and everything was pleasant.

You are a woman wanderer like me.

I barely heard you, my darling; You came in your trim garments,

and suddenly.

Beauty of your garments.

Gabrielle looked at me so strangely, as though she just saw a ghost fall out of my ear. "It's the Laurel..." Before I could finish, she did it for me.

"Tree, yes I know it." She rose and walked to me, her breathing uneven. I still sat, while she stood in front of me, between my legs, stroking my face. "Xena?" She asked, more like a question than my name.

"All my life I've felt this great emptiness." There were tears threatening to spill from those beautiful eyes, and I found mine mirroring hers. "When I'm with you, that feeling is gone and replaced with such love." My breath caught with the last statement. "Here I am writing about love though I never felt it." She lowered her head; then I heard then her say, "Until now."

I pulled her down to me and tasted her sweet lips in this world, for the first time.

As we deepened our kiss I get more visions of my other life. One vision I saw was in Thessaly where I almost lost my bard. 'Bard?' I pulled away to look at her. I could see her lips moving, but heard nothing. I had an overwhelming sense of fear and I pulled her in tight to me and held on for dear life.

"Xena?" She was rocking me back and forth to comfort me, but I could tell she was confused by my actions. Pulling away slightly, she wiped away my tears with a concerned look.

"I'm all right Gabrielle, it’s nothing bad, it’s all good." I gave her my best smile, which she returned.

"I'm glad, for a minute I thought you were changing your mind about having me here." We both chuckled.

"No, not at all." We held one another's gaze. I felt the karmic pull and we kissed once more, this time with no visions, just passion. It took every fiber of my being to pull away, but I wanted to take my time, to give her the love and romance she deserved.

"How would you like to take a walk and see the garden?" Her eyes become a deeper green and I knew I was slowly losing the battle.

"Umm, sure. I could use the exercise."

I gave her my best smile and held out my hand. "My Playwright."

She took my hand. "My Empress."

We walked out the door towards the garden. All the flowers were in bloom and the moon was full and bright. I brought with us a blanket so we could lay and watch the stars.

I laid out the blanket on the grassy slope. While she sat, I went and picked a yellow daisy and handed it to her. That seemed to melt her heart, and she patted the space beside her for me sit.

I lay back and invited her to my shoulder. We held hands and talked about the stars in the sky.

"Look at that one over there, Xena." I looked to where she was pointing. "Doesn't that look like a bear?" I looked harder at it. 'Where on earth does she get a bear?' I thought to myself.

"Looks like a ladle to me." I heard her snicker then another vision hit me. We were lying exactly like this, having this same discussion. Then she clobbered me with a staff.

"Are you all right?" There were those concerned green eyes again.

"Yeah, I'm just remembering a funny time in my life," I reassured her, to change the subject.

"How about more wine?" I reached for the skin and poured out some in a small glass and handed it to her.

"Where on earth do you get a ladle, Xena?" She looked at me like I was out of my mind. "You don't see the body there or the ears up here?"

I was fully laughing now.

"Nope, sorry, it's a ladle." We were both laughing.

"Well, we'll have to agree to disagree then." A famous playwright and a diplomat, what more could I ask for?

"Sounds good." We lay down again and she told me these wondrous tales about a Warrior Princess and sidekick. What an imagination Gabrielle has, she just may have given Sappho a run for her dinars. After about the twentieth tale she was yawning.

"It's time for bed, my love." Instead, she snuggled in deeper to me and sighed.

"Do I have to get up?" I found that very cute. I stood and picked her up in my arms, she was so wide-eyed it was funny.

"Xena, put me down, right this instant!" She huffed.

I smiled and complied. "Thought you wanted to be carried."

She gave me this 'I'm amazed look.'

Then stood on her tiptoes and gave me a peck. "I don't want you to hurt your back is all. I need you to be healthy," she purred and again I was losing this "let’s go slow" battle. We walked unhurriedly back, hand in hand, to her chamber. She gave me a kiss that I felt all the way to my boots. I pulled away quickly and startled her.

"Gabrielle, I want to go slowly, to make sure that everything is special."

She cupped my face and spoke. "Anything with you is special, and I want this." Those eyes were filled with love and lust.

I was a goner.

"I want you," she said, while pulling me into her hard, and gave me another kiss that shook me to my core.

"I want you too, Gabrielle, so much." I held her tight. "But I've got a few things to take care of. I'll be back in a candle mark." I gave her another kiss and walked off. I just wanted to take her in my arms and lay her in bed, but I had some pressing matters to deal with. I had to keep my head clear. By then, Caesar should have been in heavy battle with Brutus and finding things were not as easy as he thought. Soon he would be putting together my betrayal, and I could just hope that it would be too late. I walked back to my chamber and waited for my advisor. I sat with my back to the window, studying some plans and state affairs.

"So how goes the battle, my friend?" M'lila removed her hood from her face and smiled. We clasped hands like old friends do. I'd known her for five years now and she was my most trusted confidant. I asked her to become my advisor and she agreed. She took on Greek as her language; her native tongue being too difficult for many to understand, so this was the simplest. M'lila had always been very protective of me and disliked Caesar from day one when we all met on my ship.

"Word just came. Caesar has taken huge losses and has had to pull back." I just nodded. "May I speak frankly, Xena?" I knew what she was going to say.

"You always do, my friend." I waved my hand and turned to look out the window.

"Is this all really worth it, is she worth it?" She knew what the Emperor of Rome was capable of doing.

"Yes," was all I could say. I turned and looked at her. "He tampered with the Fates loom and made this cursed world." I bet she could see the fire in my eyes. "He took everything that means anything to me away. I want it back." I slammed my hand down on my desk.

"Then why don’t you just go to the temple of the Fates and put things back in order?" She had equal fire in her eyes. "This can be suicide for you AND this playwright." With this last part her voice cracked. "Caesar might be an arrogant ass, but he's a smart one and he'll catch on soon." I closed my eyes and lowered my head. I knew she was right. 'Why wasn't I just going to the Fates and ending the charade?'

"The feeling I got from that other life." I took a breath to calm my nerves. "I hated myself, I did many hurtful things." It was my turn for my voice to crack. "In this life I changed and was making a difference with the people." M'lila just shook her head. "I just want to live my life in peace with the woman I love and still make a difference." That was a huge admission on my part.

"Xena, I'm saying this because I care deeply for you. Go back to your own time." I could only nod again. She walked past me towards the window, looking at me one more time. "I'll keep you posted if there’s any more word of the battle." Then she vanished into the night.

How could I tell her that one of my guilts was her death in my arms? She feared for my life, and I was not too eager to be crucified again. I couldn't take Gabrielle and run; they would hunt us down like dogs. What kind of life would that be? I feared going back to my other life... what could I do?

'Gods, give me strength please!' I prayed.

My candle mark was up and I needed to go meet the love of my life. 'Get a grip, Xena.' I walked out of my chamber and back to my playwright. I knocked softly and heard her say, "Come in."

What I wasn't ready for was to see the room lit with candles and on the bed, wearing only a sheet, was Gabrielle.

My hand went to my chest and tried to soothe my pounding heart. I knew I had a silly little grin on my face by the way Gabrielle was laughing at me from the bed. It was a soft, sweet laugh. It wasn't loud or mocking, it was exactly like my playwright.

"You find me amusing?" I tried not to stare, moving slowly to the bed.

"Only the look on your face. You looked as if you’ve never seen a woman in a sheet before."

I reached over and barely tugged at the edge of the sheet with my fingertips. "Never such a beautiful woman. Surely it must be a crime to hide your body behind a common cloth."

She simply peeled it back and let me have the first glimpse of the beauty that had been hidden under the material. The air was forced from my body as my mind spun and my mouth tried to find the words so desperately lacking to describe her.

I shook my head. My eyes were simply in awe of this beauty.

"Oh Gabrielle…yes. You please me very much. You have no idea."

"Then am I to understand, that the reason you remain clothed and standing at my bedside is because you’ve been struck dumb?" She moved forward just a bit, reaching for the clasps of my tunic.

"That would be as good a reason as any." I could only smile as she slowly unfastened my clothes, pushing them from my body and creating a pool of soft fabric at my feet. Slowly but surely, my beautiful playwright pulled me to the bed and into her arms.

Our bodies came together.

Our minds came together

And our souls met as they were supposed to. Merged together in a perfect harmony that was the love we share, now and forever. It did not matter what lifeline or what time we were in, Gabrielle and I would always find each other.

Even as my playwright and I made love for the first time in this life, I felt the familiarity of it in my mind and in the way my body responded to her. She knew how to touch me to bring pleasure to every element of my being. From my eyes, which delighted in looking at her to my body, which surrendered to her without hesitation.

"I love you, Xena," She whispered in my ear even as her hands travelled over my heated skin.

"I love you too, Gabrielle."

We made love well into the night, settling down to sleep just before dawn. I was holding her close to me and I knew that I had to get us out of there. I had to get us back to our own time. I wouldn’t see her hurt, and I couldn’t afford to lose her.

Every touch from my love gave me back more of my memories. From the first time I laid my eyes on her. 'You've got to take me with you.' All the way to, 'Gabrielle, will you marry me?'... I remember how my heart felt when she said the word ‘yes’. I was the Warrior Princess she dreamed about, but she was more then just a sidekick. I was so heavy in thought I didn't feel her stir until I felt a caress on my face. I looked down and even in this dreadful world Gabrielle could show me the way to love.

"Dinar for your thoughts?" She rose slightly from my shoulder to kiss my cheek. I took a minute to study her face and tried to collect my thoughts.

"I've got a story to tell you and I want you to listen to all of it before you comment. Please?" She rose up on her elbow and looked at me puzzled, with a tiny smirk on her lips. I leaned over to kiss that sweet smirk.

"So ... are we now role reversing?" Gabrielle could always be a smart ass when she wanted to be. I gave her a heartfelt laugh.

"Yes, my love." A kiss. "You can be the Empress and I will be the Playwright." Another kiss.

"So lay on my shoulder and let me weave my tale, Empress." One more kiss, then a chuckle and she snuggled in my arms.

"I sing the song of the Warrior Bard of Poteidaia." I feel her stiffen slightly in my arms. "The woman, bard, best friend, lover, and wife of Xena the Warrior Princess." She started to rise up again and I halted her.

"Let me finish the tale, then we can talk, please." She looked me deep in the eyes right to my soul. She nodded and then laid back down. I started from the first day we met and got to the part where she was struck with the poisoned arrow, and my lone fight against the Persian army. I said the phrase, 'Even in death Gabrielle ...' and she finished it for me.

"You'll never leave me." She swallowed a few times. "How do you know of my dreams?" She had a look of fear and wonder at the same time.

"Tell me, what did this 'Warrior Princess' look like in your dreams?" My bard ... my bard?? It sounded so strange, but so familiar. In the other world she was fighting by my side for the Greater Good. Not much time for her writings these days, the world kept growing colder and all so dark. That child's face she had when we first met had a slight hardening to it later on. In this world she knew no such pain. She was following her dream. How could I take that away? The guilt of my former self was making a stand. I suddenly felt a hand moving my chin.

"Are you listening to me?" I saw that her eyes were welling up with tears. I was causing her pain in this world, the same way I did in the other. I could barely whisper out my apology to her.

"My warrior was tall, dark hair with striking blue eyes." A tear slipped and she started to shake.

"Please tell me what's going on... Xena." I pulled her towards me and hugged her. I broke our embrace with a sigh while slipping out of bed. I handed her a robe and put on mine. I sat across from her and explained.