Enjoy! Oh and by the way, I have found that making jelly and canning tomatoes lose you butch points big time! I should know because Cheryl looked at me and said, "You're doing what?" To which I replied, "Makin' jelly." To which she replied "Never ever talk to me about my purse or my nails again." Go figure.

©kg 9-9-00

We're almost done. No really. We are. Stop laughing!

Taylor's senses grasped out through the darkness that surrounded her. Feather light touches assaulted her sense of touch as a warm thick sensation spread over her excited nerve endings. The liquid drooled across her aching nether lips and down her inner thighs. The soothing warmth eased the slight stinging that still tingled on the backs of her reddened legs.

Gabrielle had loosened her legs enough at one point during her sweet assault to urge her to her stomach. She wasn't sure at this point whether or not it had been such a good idea. But, she was dripping wet and the slight stinging was being overcome by the pleasant warmth of the thick liquid that was spreading across her skin. At one point she had tried to analyze the type of material that had been used to torture her flesh and increase her desire at the same moment. Tickling touches at first had raised her curiosity. The little brushes of a stringed material of some sort had started innocuously enough, but had slowly taken on a more forceful charge. Her buttocks and thighs had stung in rebellion only to be betrayed by the wetness between her legs. She had a love hate relationship with the experience she had just endured. Gabrielle's expertly applied torture had ceased just short of taking her over an abyss of dark pleasure. She wondered briefly in her secret mind if Xena had ever allowed the petite blonde to use her skills on the Warrior. She knew that it was more than likely that Xena had taught Gabrielle at her own hand.

A warm talented mouth planted tongue filled kisses on her warm liquid center. The sensation was invigorating. Her acute hearing caught the sound of two voices in serious discussion just outside the doorway. Her attention was quickly diverted by the removal of the stimulation at her center. A groan escaped her lips as the emptiness. The throbbing of her desire was pounding in her temples. She swore she would go insane if, Gabrielle who had leaned her so close to the edge, didn't soon bring her over. Her arms ached to touch the flesh that skimmed tickling paths along her flesh. She growled again and received a light laugh in return. That laughing mouth caught her lips and her sense of taste was inundated with the flavor of her own essence mixed with wild honey. Gabrielle's active tongue tortured her mouth with deep invasion and light trails made over her tender lips. The taste sent raging signals to her sex. Every miniscule inch of her body was on complete overload. She was going over the brink and there was nothing Gabrielle could do this time to stop it. She had never come from a kiss before, but there was a first time for everything. Her legs tensed as a long moan poured as if from her very soul.

The poet spoke to Taylor's lips. "That's it, Taylor. Taste it. Let it take you." Gabrielle licked the sweet nectar of the honey combined with the ambrosia that was all alone the firefighter. The combination was a true treasure of Epicurean delight. She shared it once again with Taylor. The bard smiled as the firefighter shuddered with her thunder.

Taylor was silent with anticipation as Gabrielle pulled on the ring that held small polished spheres with in the depths of her anal canal. The sensation struck her as the first one popped out. Her toes curled at the urging of the blood that rushed to her center. Her back arched at the second and the pulsing rode through her with a vengeance. The cry that emanated from the throat of the firefighter would raise eyebrows in the compound for years to come. Her very soul sang with freedom. White hot shards of pleasure sped from every extremity. Her body went through contortions she never dreamed were humanly possible. Wave after unending wave of delight crashed across her being. She became aware of a warm feeling that caressed her mind and her heart. She was not alone with in the depths of her pleasure. Three souls converged to ride with her through her peak. Urging her higher. Pulling her along the crest of the wave. The pounding of her release was shared between them as they all joined again as the had the first time at the lakeside.

The revolving power that shone in the room was observed by an angry man clad in leather. This display was all the more reason to put an end to it. The sooner the better. The shining mass turned on him as if it knew he was present. *Nah. I'm imag...* It made a swift move in his direction and he knew it was not even close to being his imagination. "Shit!" He sparkled and was gone. Ares reappeared outside the compound in the in the vicinity he had last seen the object of his desire and her regent companion. They were vulnerable right now. He should just take out the short little meddler while he had the chance. The God of War had to remind himself that it would do none of them any good to dispose of any member of the group until the time line was set right. He saw Xena's eyes fly open and he knew he was detected. In a flash he was gone.

The warrior's vivid blue eyes searched the perimeter knowing that the War God had invaded their private moment. Anger simmered under her skin as it crawled in his presence. The feeling disappeared quickly. A smirk crossed her face with the understanding that he couldn't face them. That he couldn't attack them and that they could defeat him. Power was a good thing.

"Xe?" Candace acknowledged the emotions that were running through the warrior.

"It's alright. He's gone." Xena moved close to the smaller woman to pull her tight to her breast.

"What was he doing here?" Candace had seen him in her minds eyes during the wonderful encounter they had all shared. She couldn't comprehend why he was with them again. He had caused her death earlier. To try to understand what it was that he could be up to brought a chill to her skin.

Xena looked down at her kneeling partner. Love shone through her concerned glances. "Zeus sent him most likely. That thunder storm earlier wasn't for show."

"But what does he want?" There was near panic in her voice.

"You won't like what I think." Xena waited for Candace to decide if she could handle the truth.

"No, probably not but tell me anyway." The small blonde removed herself from Xena's embrace. She stood to her feet in the depths of the woods around them. Her green eyes searched the area as if looking for a rapid retreat if she needed it.

"He is going to try to kill one of us." Xena stood to her feet as well.

"Make sure you tell me what you really think, OK? Don't mince words on my account." Candace turned around to face the warrior with a smirk on her face. "Shit, Xe. This is not a good thing is it?"

"Could be better. I've seen worse. Ares is and inept idiot with a butt load of power." Xena's eyes wanted to be kind, but the thought of the man made her sick at her stomach.

Candace turned on her with an amused expression on her face in spite of the circumstances. "Butt load? You've been hanging out with Taylor too long."

Xena was serious. "Right. As I was saying, he wants to kill one of us. If I guess right they can't like this power we share. I wouldn't."

"Power. This is all about power." It wasn't as if she hadn't known the truth. Facing it was another thing. Her life had been taken from her and her soulmates were under threat all for the love of power.

"Yes and no. It's about the daughter I'm...we're suppose to have. If I have a child and we can protect her, she will usher in this 'so called' twilight or the beginning of the end is my best bet. Break the chain and there is no defense. All we can do then is try to hide her." Xena gave her raven locks a quick shake in the deepening night. Moonlight danced off her mane like jewels. She was trying to comprehend the idea of a child in their life. She didn’t see how it could ever fit.

"I don't like this. It makes me nauseous." Candace held her stomach.

Xena strode to her partner and placed a caring arm around her. "I'm not crazy about it myself. One thing we have on our side is our relation to the Gods themselves."

"Xe, you and I know that parents turn on their children at the drop of a hat for power. If they have to choose, well let's just say I wouldn't trust them." The sigh that escaped her throat laid bare her frustration.

The Warrior Princess contemplated the blonde's words for a brief time. She couldn’t imagine families turning on each other, but had seen it happen in Gabrielle's life with her adoptive parents and with her own mother. Cyrene had turned on her for good reason. As for the rest of Gods and humanity, who knows? "Honestly, I would give Aph the benefit of the doubt. I have only met Hades a couple of times and the experiences weren't the most pleasant, but that doesn't make him my enemy. I don't know. Maybe you're right. One thing I do know is that Artemis is in love with Gabrielle." Xena started off toward the compound. Candace was close behind.

Candace grabbed Xena's arm causing the warrior to slow her pace. "Really?" The true surprise was evident in the signers voice.

The tall woman looked down at her. "It's not obvious to you?" Xena thought everyone knew the wishes of the Goddess.

"I know she is her "chosen", but in love with her? I never noticed anything. If she is, that could put an odd spin on things." Candace's voice took on a far away tone.

Xena huffed her growing irritation at the whole situation. "Just what we need is an odd spin. For the Gods sake, this whole situation is one odd spin. One thing I do know is that Ares won't act until time is set back to the correct line."

Candace was still in deep thought about the Artemis situation and wasn't following the conversation closely enough or she could have answered the question on her own. "Why not?"

"Because if he kills one of us in the wrong time, we'll probably be alive again in the right time. Once he is rid of one of us in the correct time line there is no coming back. Not unless he directly interferes." Xena's sword slashed angrily away at an interfering tree branches as she walked.

Candace ducked out of habit. "Interferes how?"

The tall warrior re-sheathed her sword and continued toward the camp. "He can't do away with any one of us by his own hand."

"But, he killed me." In her haze, Candace wasn’t following the rationale.

"He did, but not directly." Xena's eyes glazed over at the memory of having lost the precious blonde. The pain they had all felt had been unbearable. What would happen if one of them was lost again? Xena decided if it were to be, she would choose to go.

The blonde waited for the warrior to continue no avail. She watched Xena's back tense up at the discussion of her death. She wanted to quickly change the warrior's pattern of thinking. "So?"

Shaken from her thoughts, Xena's blue eyes cleared. "So, you would have had a challenge with the Council and they might have found him in the wrong and it's possible you have come back."

The Regent pondered the God of War. "Xe, Ares kills people all the time."

Xena shuddered at the thought of how the War God had used her to cause the deaths of thousands. "Ares has people killed. Very rarely does he do it himself. If he does, it has to be a special case where all the Gods concur. When that happens the death is final."

"Don't you think all the Gods agree on this one?" Candace couldn't believe that any of them would chose to lose even an inkling of their power.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think Aphrodite would agree to your death or Gabrielle's. Artemis? Well, I don't know about Artemis. If she can't have her then no one else can have her." Xena snickered at the saying. She had said that very line herself once.

"Artemis seems to like you, Xena. I don’t think she feels that kind of jealousy." The blonde tried to recall any clues to the true feelings of the Goddess for her shadow.

"You can never be sure, Cand. You can never be sure." Xena noted their proximity to the camp and stopped. She turned herself to face the shorter woman.

Candace almost ran into a solid wall of Warrior Princess. She looked to the warrior and saw the seriousness of her expression. "What's up, Xe?"

Questioning green eyes gave Xena a look that made her heart ache. She couldn't lose even one of them. "I can't let it happen."

"I don’t think you have a choice. You said it yourself the time line had to be set right. We have no idea when that is going to happen." Short solid arms went up in frustration.

"Soon." Her voice was certain.

Candace didn't like the sound of it. "How do you know?"

"Because we have it now. Total connection. Before it was just a thing we didn't know how to use. But now we have a weapon we can wield." Xena's eyes closed to show ice blue slits of fire. She loved having one up on the Gods.

"How do you know it's a weapon?" Candace almost smacked her own forehead. If Xena didn’t know a weapon when she saw one, no one would.

"Remember when Ares was in the room?" Xena's eyes scanned the perimeter out of habit. One never knew who could be in the bushes.

Candace glanced around with her as well. "Yeah?"

"He left because we threatened him. We advanced on him and he ran like the pig that he is. If we didn’t have something, he wouldn't have had second thoughts about watching Taylor and Gabrielle a little longer."

"How long do you think he was watching?" Candace squirmed at the thought of the sick man watching them do anything.

"Not long. Taylor would have felt him." Xena gave up a slight shiver. "Gross!"

"No kidding! He shouldn't get to watch if we can't." Candace giggled at her own small joke.

"We could have. We just chose not to. It was a tough debate though." The grin on her face lightened the mood.

"I thought the guards were going to collapse from lack of breathing." The smaller blonde laughed.

Xena kept her serious face on although she was amused. "Well, they shouldn't be listening in on our conversations."

Candace shook her head at the stoic warrior. "We were standing right outside the entrance, Xe. They didn’t have a choice."

"Yeah, whatever."

The response made Candace giggle again. Regents seem to be experts at that.

"So what now, Xena? We have this…..thing. What do we do with it?" Candace's green eyes stared at Xena's broad back and shoulders as the warrior continued to lead the way to camp. Her thoughts began to wander to not so important life shattering subjects. Those shoulders were completely distracting her. She cleared her throat with a slight shake of her head. Now was not the time to lose her concentration.

If Xena noticed anything she didn’t acknowledge it. "I think we all need to sit down and practice."

The former thoughts were overtaken by more practical concerns. "Practice? How on Earth do you practice something like that?"

The broad shoulders of the warrior gave a shrug. "Don't know, but we're gonna find out."

Candace tried not to notice the shrug in the strong shoulders but was hard pressed to do so. After what they had just gone through with both Taylor and Gabrielle then Ares, she was having a hard time concentrating. "Right. Practice. God this is weird."

Xena smirked at the word. She remembered the first time the small blonde had tried to define it for her. The memories were very sweet. "Weird. You got that right."

Two warriors in love with two others continued their trek toward an interesting conclusion.

=/~~~~~~~~~~~~>

The night sky in the Country of the Amazons shone as brightly as any collection of gems stones. A stocky blonde man studied the lights seeing yet not seeing them. Terran sighed heavily amidst his ponderings.

Spencer slipped behind his lover and placed strong loving arms around him. "Why the big sigh, Ter?"

"Nothing really. It’s just that the time for the end is so close it makes me sad." Terran's green eyes scanned the heavens, gazing at the unfamiliar constellations.

"The end? End of what?" Spencer tensed as a thousand different thoughts ran through his head all at once. With Terran one never knew what to expect.

"This." The smaller man shrugged his broadening shoulders.

Spencer gave him a quick squeeze. "This? This what?" He tried not to let panic rule his voice even as his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

"You know this." Terran pulled on Spencer's arms.

"This 'us'?" The frown on the handsome face displayed great concern.

Terran sighed again. "Yeah. Sucks, huh?" His shoulders dropped as if in defeat.

Spencer's heart jumped in his chest. He would rather die than lose his soulmate. "What do you mean, Terran? Am I going to lose you?" Spencer spun Terran around to look into the sincere green eyes he cherished so much.

"No. At least I don’t think so." The innocence in his voice didn't give his partner a clue.

"You don't think so." Spencer rolled his eyes in frustration. Terran was becoming famous for not giving details as if everyone knew what he was thinking. "Could you please explain this to me before I go insane?"

The former slave pulled away from Spencer's arms. He began to pace as he thought. "Time will soon be put back in order and this past will never have happened." He stopped and put his hands on his hips. "Even you know this."

"Yeah. But, I know the future." He had been Time after all.

"Maybe. But, you don’t know yours." The shorter man knew that the one place Time could never go was to his/her own future.

"You've got me there. BUT….We will remember all of this. I will remember you. And if I have to hunt you down to the ends of the Earth, that's exactly what I'll do." Spencer was firm in his belief.

"What if you have someone else, or……. what if you have a wife?" The timber of Terran's voice flew up a full octave. What an interesting thought.

"You're kidding, right?" Spencer laughed at the very notion.

"No. It could happen." The small seer pursed his brows.

"Not to me it couldn't. Ter, why are we talking about this?" Spencer's strong hands found a resting-place on Terran's shoulders. Blue eyes implored the former slave. "You are my soulmate, Ter. We are a fragment of Xena and Gabrielle." He lifted his hands as he threw them up in the air. "We belong together like peanut butter and jelly!"

"Like what?" Spencer was so odd sometimes.

The tall blue eyed man grinned at his lover. "Nevermind. We will be together. Change the subject."

Terran shrugged. He easily switched from one thought to the next. "OK. Terra and Skye are on their way."

"Don't you?" Terran hadn't yet realized that not everyone had his interesting talents.

"Nooooo." Spencer wanted to laugh.

"Oh." It truly came as a shock to him.

Spencer let go a hearty laugh. "Oh. He sees the future without the Glass and he says 'oh'. Jeez!"

"I thought everyone knew. Everyone can know if they try." Terran turned to walk back to the hut. They were outside of the compound perimeter, so the darkness was deep indeed. The darkness scared him as much as it thrilled him.

Spencer shook his white head and gave up a lopsided grin. "Right. Whatever babe." The tall man followed his soulmate into the hut.

The blonde turned to face the other man. "Really Spence, they can. Here just close your eyes….." Terran closed his eyes in instruction to what he thought was the easiest thing in the world.

Spencer put both strong hands on Terran's cheeks. "Sweetheart, I don't want to know. I have seen too much already."

Terran looked downcast. "Oh. OK. Anyway, they're on their way. Maybe tomorrow night." Terran looked at the floor as if trying to see something. "No. In the morning. They will be here in the morning." He looked at his lover with clear green eyes. They were the color of Colombian Jade. Clear and full of fire.

Former Time shook his head again. "Terran, if there is even a chance that I could lose you I…..I don't know."

The smaller blonde man put a comforting hand to Spencer's strong cheek. "You will find me. You have to."

"Have to. Yeah. Well, they had better not mess this up!" A tapping foot gave away his true helplessness at the situation.

Terran gave his now famous shrug. "They won't. The Fates have all of it under control."

"I don't want to know how you know this." Spencer rubbed a large hand across his eyes.

"Dreams." Terran took his shirt off and tossed it on floor by the bed.

Spencer followed behind him picking it up and giving it a crisp fold job. "Dreams. Of course. Dreams. What dreams, Ter?" He placed the shirt neatly on the table by the wall.

"The dreams I have at night." He gave Spencer the 'duh' tone of voice. If he had thought of doing such a thing, he would have rolled his eyes.

"I figured that much out all on my own, babe." He bent to pick up the pants that Terran had tossed aside in a nonchalant fashion. "What are these dreams about?" Another anal fold job ensued and the offending pants soon joined the shirt on the table.

"Lots of things." Terran's boots were systematically thrown hither and yon, from where they were once again retrieved by Spencer who placed them at the foot of the bed.

The tall buff blonde waited for further explanation. None followed. Spencer's strong hands went directly to his hips. He would have stomped his foot had he not been so butch. "Ter, you are going to drive me insane if you don't finish explaining things. Tell me about the dreams and don't leave things hanging like Mr. Johnson there." Spencer pointed at his partners member.

Terran looked down then back to his lover. A deep frown was plastered on his face. "Mr. WHO?"

"Johnson. Peter Peter. Little Terran. You know, MoJo." Spencer pointed again.

"MoJo?" Who is MoJo? And why are you pointing at my penis?" Terran began to tap his foot. He wasn't sure what this was all about but he definitely didn't care for it.

"It's just a nick name for the little, well not so little in your case, man between your legs. It was a joke, Ter. No need to get your panties in a wad. Most men name their dicks for some odd reason."

"My panties in a wad? I don't have any panties. And Dick. Who is Dick? Are these men you have dated in the past?" Terran wasn't sure now whether to be angry or confused.

Spencer smiled. "No, no. OK." Spencer put his hands up in explanation. "I'll make this basic. Most men have a name for their penis."

"They do? Why?" Now he knew he was confused.

"I don't know. They just do." Trying to explain the reason would be like trying to explain PMS.

The naked former slave sat on the bed with one leg tucked under the other. He shook his head. "That's odd."

Spencer sat down next to the smaller blonde man. "Yes it is."

"Does yours have a name?" Terran's voice was so innocent, but he was learning quickly how to tease. The reaction he got from his lover confirmed his guess.

Spencer cleared his throat while standing quickly to his feet. His hands rubbed together as if trying to warm them. "Gosh. How did we get so far off the subject?"

"You were talking about my Johnson." Terran giggled as he pointed at himself.

Spencer clasped his forehead and shut his eyes. He didn’t need to have the much larger organ brought to his attention at this moment. "Right. Anyway, don't leave anything out. Tell me about your dreams."

Terran crossed his arms in rebellion. "Uh uh. Tell me the name of your penis first."

Time used his blue eyes to try to persuade Terran to stop the conversation. "Stop calling it that."

"What?"

"Penis. Ack!" Spencer made a horrible face.

"But that's what it's called." He was carrying this out to the hilt.

Spencer's eyes tried to rollback into the very recesses of his brain as if searching for the last intelligent cell he had remaining. This was not a conversation he ever thought he would have. "I am well aware of what it's called. It just sounds so….so….stupid."

Terran made a brilliant deduction. "Maybe that's why men name them."

The tall buff blonde stopped dead in his thought tracks. He'd never thought of that. "Huh. Maybe. Now, those dreams."

"Nope. Name first then the dreams." Terran's legs were now crossed and one leg was swinging.

"Go…..th." Spencer covered is mouth as he spoke.

Terran leaned forward on his knees. "Sorry? I didn't hear you."

Spencer sighed. This was ridiculous. "Goliath."

"Isn't that the giant that….." He had heard the story of Xena's run in with the Giants.

"Yes. Let's not go there. OK?" The pitch of his voice went up a full octave as he tried to persuade his lover to drop the subject.

"It's not that big…" Terran's heart was in the right place. It was his mouth that was the problem here.

Spencer pounded his fist into his chest in a stabbing motion. "Auuuugh! You really know how to hurt a guy, babe."

Terran saw the look that crossed his lover's face. "I didn't mean it wasn't….well….I have…..Spencer, yours is perfect." He grinned lovingly at the man who held his heart.

White teeth flashed in a broad grin. He leaned to his lover and placed a sweet kiss on willing lips. "Good answer! Can we drop this now?"

"Yes." Terran signaled for another kiss which was given in quick order.

"Good! Now, about those dreams." Spencer strode to the wash basin.

The small healer put his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. The frown on his face showed the depth of his thought. "Not much to tell. I have been seeing Terra and Skye. They know the secret of the time and are coming to take Xena and Gabrielle away."

The man who was formerly Time knew the time line had to change he just didn't care to lose anyone in the process. "Away? Away where?"

The blonde stood to his feet and stretched. "To the place of disturbance."

"The time split." Stark blue eyes stared at the wall through a soapy face.

"Right. They are going to take them back to India." Terran pulled some cotton shorts off of the peg on the wall near the bed. He pulled them up slender hips and cinched them at his waist.

Spencer bent to the basin to rinse. "India? Why?" He let the cool water trickle down his face, refreshing him.

"There is something they were made to miss while the were on their travels. I am not sure what it was, but it will change their lives. It will change our lives." Terran sat heavily on the bed.

A nagging doubt tugged at Spencer's gut. He didn't care too much for change and this was scaring him. "That's good I hope."

Spencer finished drying his face then gracefully removed his clothing. They joined Terran's apparel on the table in a neatly folded pile. He lithely paced the short distance to the bed and sat his muscular body beside his slender lover. He placed his lips on the side of Terran's head letting the unique scent of his partner play gently with his senses. He loved this man with all of his being. He knew he would be forever lost if the repairing of time stole away from him the connection he had waited three hundred years to enjoy. His silent prayers went up to whoever might happen to care about two soulmates who, through the most odd of circumstances, had finally found each other.

Terran leaned his golden head into the lips pressing to him. "Things will change. That's all I know. Either for good or for bad, but it will be right." The words came out as a whisper though the truth of them roared as a raging river that they couldn't dam.

The concussion took Spencer's breath. They had to do what was right for the greater good. And that was indeed that. "Right. Of course. There can be no other choice."

Terran pulled the covers back and they both surrendered to the gentle call of the safe haven of the others arms. If this was to be their last night as one, they would make it a night to cherish for all time.

=/~~~~~~~~~~~~>

"Are"

"you"

"now"

"prepared"

"to"

"accept"

"your office?" Three voices spoke singularly to the now much more mature young women.

Terra looked down at her lover as the two women stood before the three women. Clear blue eyes loved Skye as any caress would. Her heart leapt in her chest as the love was returned with ferocity. She knew she would never tire of the precious person at her side. They had changed a great deal over the past 5 years they had spent under the tutelage of the Fates.

Skye had matured into a strong vibrant young woman with hair of pure gold. She had let it grow long to prove her independence and had left it that way because Terra loved to run her fingers through it. She looked to her tall soulmate and gave an accepting nod. They were ready.

Terra spoke for both of them. "We are."

"Very well." The Crone nodded. A slight smile crossed her normally sullen face. They were indeed prepared. They had studied and fought as they worked through the intricacies of refining their individual gifts. Skye's psychic abilities were enhanced and Terran's gift of clairvoyance. The reason Terra had made such a proficient assassin was because she could feel her victim before they were ever there. Now her talent allowed her to know the right or wrong of any given situation. Skye was able to see how things should be. Terra would be able to feel when the time was just right to change or let go those same things. They were perfect.

"You"

"must"

"first"

"repair"

"the"

"time"

"line."

"Then"

"your"

"work"

"may"

"truly"

"begin" The Maiden continued to spin.

"We are aware of our duties." Terra took her role as leader. Skye had no objections.

"You"

"will"

"not"

"retreat?"

Skye gave a very heavy sigh. She knew what the future held. It saddened and thrilled her at the same time. "We will not."

"Are"

"you"

"prepared"

"to"

"train"

"them?"

"We are." Terra straightened her back. She was ready to go home.

"Very"

"well." 

Three hands grasped the Glass in unison. "Take"

"the"

"Glass"

Skye and Terra both took a deep breath. Terra spoke. "All or nothing?"

"All or nothing. Let's do it." Skye set her determination.

Two hands joined the other three. A glowing light shined in the center of the Glass, spreading outward. Soon all five women were engulfed in blinding white. The white faded into surrounding flashes of time. Images sped by at a speed too fast to comprehend. Terra and Skye could feel the images more than they could see or decipher them. Suddenly the five women stopped in time. The over whelming suddenness of the stop in motion gave Skye a bad case of nausea. Terra caught her just before she fell.

"That's nasty." The small blonde shook her head.

Terra's very strong arm held her up. She had filled out the past five years and was bound to give Taylor and Xena a true run for their money. The Fates had left nothing out of their training. The former slave/assassin was now quite adept in word and weapon. "Quite. It will take some getting used to." Blue eyes stared at the backs of the three beings with whom they had just traveled. She had spoken loud enough for them to hear.

"Well, they could have warned us." Skye ran her hands over her clothes as if to smooth out any wrinkles.

Never ceasing their knitting, the three faces of Fate looked over their shoulder at the two young women. There was no expression but the two faces of Time felt their amusement.

"Very funny guys." Terra grimaced.

"We"

"thought"

"So."

Skye had recovered enough to let her feelings be known. "So funny I forgot to laugh."

As the kidding was set aside, Terra and Skye took in the interesting sights engulfing their senses. The air was full of scents and sounds even as the streets were filled with things neither of them could have imagined. The people were dressed in so many different styles it would have been difficult to count them all. They were predominantly arrayed in bright silks adorned with beads and gems of varying color. Some of the men were clad in hand tooled leathers with turbans sitting solidly on their heads. It seems as if they had been cast into the middle of a traveling circus. Elephants, camels and monkeys were only some of the beasts that walked the streets with their handlers. There was a clamoring coming from what appeared to be the open market even as magicians and holy men plied their crafts. Incense filled their nostrils. The smells and activities were almost overwhelming the women who had been hidden from the world for such a long while.

Terra was the first to gain her wits. "Where are we?"

"This"

"is"

"India."

Skye continued to be fascinated by the world before her. "India? Why are we here?"

"Can"

"you"

"not"

"feel"

"it?"

A far away look flickered across Skye's emerald green eyes. "This is the place. The time."

Terra smiled at her as she shook her head.

"Correct."

"Xena"

"and"

"Gabrielle"

"must"

"be"

"brought"

"to"

"this"

"place and time." Terra finished their sentence with a whisper in her voice. "This is it. How will we know what to do?" Her blue eyes implored the three wise beings.

"You"

"have"

"the"

"gift"

"and"

"the"

"Glass."

"You"

"will"

"know

"what"

"must"

"be"

"done."

"Look." Three arms spread opened directing their attention

Two heads turned to follow the directing of the Fates. Two women came into view. One tall and dark dressed in a fashion belying her power. The other much shorter with hair the color of golden honey. It was obvious from even the smallest amount of scrutiny, that the women were in amused conversation over the clothing the taller of the two was considering.

"Xena, come on! It says 'sexy'. Really it does." The blonde's hands lifted the folds and fluffed at the silky material the tall warrior was wearing.

Large hands gently slapped at the offending appendages of the blonde. "So how come I only feel like it says 'stupid'." The tall woman pulled at the sides of the blue pant like clothing she had covering her legs. "They are so….so……so girly."

The shorter woman laughed with great delight in her voice. "You? A girl? Now that's rich!"

"Watch who you're callin' girl there, missy. I have a notion to run you through…" her hand began to pat her body through the fine silk, "…just as soon as I find my sword in all this mess."

Lilting laughter wafted through the air toward the mirror images standing with the three sides of Fate. A smile quickly planted on the faces of both women. They had so greatly missed their friends. Now here they were, making sure to send them to their deaths by crucifixion. Life and time were not fair it seemed.

"Do"

"You"

"see"

"it?"

Skye sighed. She didn't see it so much as feel it. "I understand."

"And I as well." Terra gave a firm nod. They knew what they had to do.

"Excellent."

The group held the Glass once again. The time tunnel through which they raced brought them once again to the dwelling of the Fates. The women who held the office of time retained the Glass and the power held within. The three Fates released their hold and they each returned to their positions at the Loom of Life.

"When do we leave?" Terra was not all that anxious to leave as she knew she would never again see her friends and mentors. The Office of the Fates changed as well as Time. She would miss them and would try to never forget them.

"You"

"will"

"leave"

"now."

"Now?"

"But is now really now? Can we ever be sure that now is this very second or the one that just passed as we said the word now?'' A petite hand stroked at a well formed jaw-line.

"So"

"you"

"wax"

"philosophical,"

"Skye?"

"Perhaps. If now is the time that we must go: then we are late." She smiled at the women she had come to love as family. They were an odd group, but once you got to know them it was impossible not to become close to them.

"Well"

"said,"

"young"

"lady."

"We"

"are"

"very"

"proud"

"of"

"you"

"both." They never ceased their work but nodded in the direction of the polished young women.

"You"

"have"

learned

"well."

Skye smiled at them. "Thank you, Clotho. It is from you that I have gained life. Lachesis, you assigned my destiny. I am not so sure you have the right person for the job, but I promise to do my best."

The middle spinner wished to argue the point but only nodded her understanding. No one ever thought they were ready for their office.

"Atropos, thank you. All I can say for imparting your wisdom is thank you. All I ask of you is that you not cut my thread too soon." Skye smiled widely. It was a small joke between the two of them. Whenever Skye was angry or threatened to leave Atropos would use the best mother threat one could. Her thoughts wandered back to a time when she had learned a valuable lesson.

"I WILL NOT!" Skye stomped her delicate foot.

"You."

"will."

"You "

"have"

"no"

"choice."

"But they're our friends. We can't just let things like that happen to them! I'm not doing this anymore!" Skye grabbed Terra's hand to follow her. "I hate you!" The frustrated woman yelled over her shoulder.

"Then"

"that's"

"it"

"for"

"us."

"We"

"will"

"Just"

"cut"

"our"

"own"

"Thread."

Skye turned on her heels. Atropos had a thread in her hand and the shears rode along the fibers as it spun out of the wheel. "NO!"

"Why"

"not?"

"Well, you just can't." Skye's arms crossed firmly. Terra watched in amusement. She knew where the Fates were going with this. IT was time for Skye to learn to control her temper and her words.

"We"

"can."

"There"

"will"

"be"

"others"

"who"

"will"

"take"

"our"

"place."

"But…..but…I like you."

"You"

"hate"

"us"

"and "

"yet"

"like"

"us?"

"It"

"is"

"not"

"enough." Atropos snipped the thread in her hand.

Skye let go a desperate scream. Her body raced to the side of her mentors. She pulled the closest one to her. It was then that she realized that they were all very much alive. "But you……I. You tricked me!"

"Not"

"a"

"trick,"

"Skye."

"A"

"lesson."

"If"

"you"

"refuse"

"your"

"duties"

"your"

"life"

"thread"

"will"

"be"

"cut"

"before"

"your"

"time"

"is"

"complete."

"Remember"

"this."

The young woman returned to her time in thought. She would remember. It was a difficult lesson. No matter how painful the consequence she would do her duty. "I will remember." She whispered to herself.

"Terra?"

"You"

"wish"

"to"

"speak."

"I do, but the words elude me." She bowed her head as tears threatened.

"Your"

"heart"

"speaks"

"for"

"you."

"Fare"

"thee"

"well,"

"Terra."

"Thank you." A single crystal droplet spilled down her high cheekbone. "I will miss you."

"We"

"will"

"miss"

"you"

"as"

"well."

"It is time." Skye nodded at Terra. The tall member of the duo nodded firmly in agreement.

"Goodbye, my friends." Terra grasped the Glass with Skye. They sparkled and were gone.

A single tear trailed a path down each of the faces of The Spinner, The Disposer of Lots and Atropos of the Abhorred Shears. It seems that it is never easy to say good-bye no matter who you are.

=/~~~~~~~~~~~>

To be continued……….