DISCLAIMERS:

Violent Content Warning: This story does contain scenes of a violent nature.

Sexual and Alternative Content Warning. This story contains scenes of a loving relationship between two women. This story also contains scenes of a sexual nature, somewhat explicit, of a heterosexual nature. This story is not for those under the age of eighteen.

Uber Warning: This story is an uber. The two characters are based off of the leading ladies of XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS.

Author’s Notes: This is number five of my continuing story. I suggest reading the first four before proceeding. All POSITIVE comments are welcome. Negatives I will simply ignore. Send your thoughts to startrek@ellijay.com.

Part 5

I rubbed my eyes, willing them to focus. My eyes ached, probably from the crying I did last night. I rolled over and felt a pillow. "Gabby?" I mumbled as I sat up. I was alone. I stood on unsure legs and grabbed a pair of sweatpants, slipping them over my sleeping boxers. I idly played with my shirt as I moved into the living room. The only sound was Ares’ breathing as he layed in his bed in the corner. "Where’s Gabby, Ares?" He lifted his head and barked loudly. After checking the bathroom and kitchen, I realized she was gone, but where? She was so hurt last night, she cried herself out. I didn’t want her to be out walking around. In her mental state, she might do something crazy.

I quickly got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. "Come on, Ares." I grabbed a dog biscuit and handed it to him. He jumped into my jeep and began munching on it. I glanced over and saw Cameron watering her hedge bushes. "Hey, Cammy! You haven’t seen Gabby this morning have you?"

"Nope, sorry. Is something wrong?" she said shutting off the hose.

"Uhh no. Just don’t know where she went. Tell her to hang out here until I come back okay?"

"Sure thing."

I pulled out of my driveway and drove down to the corner store where I bought most of our food. "Hey Carl. Have you seen my girlfriend this morning?"

"Yeah. She was here about fifteen minutes ago. She bought a soda and left. Funny, she didn’t say anything to me. She looked pissed. You two have a fallout?"

"Did you see which way she went?" I said ignoring his question.

"Yeah towards Madison." he pointed and I was out the door before he could ask anything else.

Madison was north. If she kept going north from here, she would be in X territory. I drove around each block twice. Suddenly Ares barked wildly. I looked up and saw the Switch they called J.J. I stared at him for a minute. He seemed incrediably uncomfortable. He began to walk down the sidewalk. I slowly followed him. I took a deep, calming breath. I was fighting my instict to kill the basterd. The option of running him over with my jeep came to mind. This is the one who jumped Gabby. I wasn’t about to let him out of my sight. He turned and saw I was following. I waved and grinned. I bolted around the corner. "Go Ares!" He jumped out and ran after him. I hit the gas and made a quick u-turn. I knew he would double back to Carver Ave.

When I told Ares to ‘go’, he knew just to follow and keep him moving. I pulled over to the curb and walked causally to the front of the t-shirt shop. Right on time. J.J came hauling ass right for me. He didn’t see me until I stepped around the pole. I clotheslined him. He hit the pavement hard. "Well hello." I stomped hard on his groin.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! Shit!!" He rolled over and clutched what was left of his genitalia.

"Now, Mr. J.J. You won’t be using that on anyone for awhile."

"Fuck you and....your bitch!" he yelled out definately. Just as I him grabbed by his neck, I heard a click.

"Let him up, Pig." I turned and saw a shotgun barrel. I stood up slowly letting him go. Another Switch had a gun on Ares, who was growling loudly. POP! POP! POP!

Everyone hit the ground as the occupents in a black Lincoln were shooting at us or them, I couldn’t tell. "Eat lead! Shitheads!" someone laughed as they squealed away. I stood and looked towards the retreating car. That voice. It was Sleepy, J’s usual trigger gal. Before I knew it, the Switches took off.

"Shit!" I kicked the ground. "Come on Ares." He followed immediately.

Now I was pissed. J.J was right in my hands and I let him go! I walked into the house and saw Gabby leaning against the counter. "Where the hell have you been?!" She looked startled.

"I just went out for a soda! Do I have to punch out or something when I leave?!" I grabbed her by the shoulder of her jacket.

"Don’t go out without telling me." I tried to reason.

"Let go of me." she said quietly and tried to pull away from me.

"Gabby, I just got shot at. I don’t want anything to happen to you." Then I realized what she had said. Before I could let her go, she yanked her jacket out of my hand.

"I said don’t touch me!!!" She shoved me backwards. I never saw the punch coming. She punched the air right out of my lungs.

"Gabby." I wheezed. "I’m sorry. I was just trying to help...."

"You can’t help me! You don’t what I have to deal with!" She paced angrily as I caught my breath back. "I can’t do this anymore!" She pulled at her hair.

"Gabby..."

"I can’t be independent anymore!" she started to cry. "Too many people want to kill me!"

"No! Gabby, stop this is crazy talk. I’ll protect you."

"How can you protect me?" She turned to me. "You can’t even protect yourself." she spat.

"Gabby." I said sternly. "You listen to me. You are not like that. You don’t need a club for protection. Its not gonna help. If you put a rag on, you become a target for all those who hate your color, not just Big J and the Switches."

As the Switches became more and more bold, I was having to work longer shifts lately. Changes, sutle as they were, were occuring in Gabby. I tried to get her to go to the department’s help group. She argued and said we didn’t have the money. When I told her it wouldn’t cost me anything because I was cop with the department, she just blew me off. She was drinking more than she would admit to, though I never saw her drunk. She stopped using my computer all together, seemingly uninterested in writing anymore. Gabby began to ‘sag’ her pants just ‘ever so slightly’ more than she used to. I barely noticed it. That was my first tip off that doesn’t remain at home as much as she said she does. She used to wear her shirts tucked in neatly. Now she tucks only the front of them, a club trademark. One of the last and most difficult, is her shyness around me. She doesn’t cuddle unless I iniciate it and the same goes for hugging. All of this within only a week. I was determined to say something tonight when I got home.

My jeep was sitting in the driveway. As I passed it, I causally looked at the amount of gas in it and the milage. It was untouched from when I last used it. That is another odd thing. Gabby loves to drive, with the top and doors off, yet she hasn’t drove in the last few days.

I walked in the door. Gabby was sitting, stretched out on the couch with a can of Budweiser in her hand. Her face now looks like she is always mad about something. She doesn’t smile. "Hey." she says causally, taking another swallow of her beer.

"Hi. got another one of those?"

"In the fridge." she motions. There were four beers on the top shelf. I grabbed one and joined her on the couch. "How was it?"

"Okay, had a foot pursuit. That was exciting." I smiled.

"Cool." she said unphased.

Another shitty morning today. I strolled towards Carter Ave. I was determined to talk to Chocolate today. I’ve been hangin’ with the female section of the X’s. There pretty cool. They seem to like me. Mona insisted I jump in, but I still don’t know. My little voice of reason is growing fainter and fainter. It used to scream at me when I was doing something Ze would not like, but now....I don’t know. "Hey G." Mona and Babes approached me warmly. "How you doin’?"

"Alright I guess." I jumped up and sat up on the retaining wall. They joined me.

"Mona and me are gonna kick it at Choco’s crib today. You comin’?"

"Am I invited?"

"You bet yo’ ass. Chocolate wanted me to ask. He wants to talk to ya."

"Cool."

I passed the time as I normally did, hangin’. Not much for me to do anymore. Everytime a Switch came near, I got that jumpy, panicky feeling I would at Giller. I didn’t like it, but I guess I’ll get used to it again. I was surprised at how low key the X club was. They didn’t deal drugs, they only got forceful to defend themselves and their homies. Ninety percent of the X’s are black, but they treated their white G’s with just as much respect. There were also one or two hispanics in the ranks. Just as long as they knew who was in charge, everything would be fine. Unlike the HC’s, the X’s were mostly men and young guys. There were about ten women all together and most weren’t the fighting type. So, they were very respectful towards me. It seems that my fight with Allison at the mall and my brush with J.J was common knowledge. I got the confidence to say, ‘No one messes Little G’ again.

Chocolate’s place was jumpin’ by the time I got there. Snoop Doggy Dogg was playing on the huge stereo in the main room. More people knew me than I thought. I shaked with all that approached me. Some mentioned some kind of ‘payback’. That’s another thing I had to discuss with The Man. "Hey Little G!" he chuckled and hugged me after shaking.

"What’s up?"

"Hey, Chocolate."

We talked for over several hours. The drinks he had were irrestiable, but after awhile I realized to great humor, at least for now, that we were plastered big time. I had no clue as to what was going on than what I was drinkin’. Thoughts of getting home were far from me. As were any other thoughts to tell ya the truth. Before I could comprehend anything, I had my tongue down Chocolate’s throat. He was a big guy. He removed his shirt and his muscles were sculpted. I pushed him into his bedroom, while capturing a nipple in my mouth. "Ohhhhhhh." he groaned. "Damn G." He fell onto the bed willingly. We were so drunk, we didn’t even know where we were. It didn’t take much strength to pull his extremely baggy jeans off. I straddled his waist and dove for another taste of his mouth. I crossed my arms and removed my shirt and bra. He unbuckled my belt as he sucked on my breast like a newborn.

I was naked within a minute, or was it an hour. I couldn’t tell anymore. I slipped his briefs down and freed his erection. Ohhh gods. I was getting wet just by thinking about it. I reached up and kissed his penis. "Shit." he moaned. "Come on, G." he encouraged with a pull of my hand. I slid up his thighs. I grabbed his need and sat on it, hard. We both screamed. I rode him hard. This was so new to me, though in the very back of my mind I remember something similar to this..oh well. He was stretching me almost to the point of pain. I’m sure I’ll feel it in the morning. I felt him come. It was nothing like I expected it to feel like. I felt him soften, but I was aching. He slid out of me and sat up, pulling himself to his knees. He rubbed his hand on his cock, exciting himself. He gently turned me away from him and coaxed me to all fours. I felt like I was gonna hurl. My balance was fucked up enough as it is. I felt him slid into me from behind. We both heaved and grunted as he pulled me back against him hard and fast. I came so hard, I felt like I was gonna split in two. We both collapsed onto the bed.

"Ohhhhh shit." I moaned. My neck and head were killing me. I was startled when I opened my eyes. Where the hell was I? It was nighttime. I saw that from the window near me. I jumped violently when I saw Chocolate propped up on one elbow beside me, naked.

"I’m so sorry, Gabby." That was the first time he ever used my real name.

"What happened?" I sat up slowly and realized I was nude too. "Ohhh gods." I was beginning to panic. He rested a hand on my arm. "Apparently, we both had a little too much to drink. I didn’t mean for this to happen, Gabby."

"The last thing I remembered was doing shots with you in the living room."

"Same here." He rubbed his temples to ward off a headache.

"Oh man. I had sex with you." I said exasperated. "Zena will never forgive me." My eyes started to pool.

"Hey..." he soothed. "I’ll tell her what happened."

"Yeah right. She’ll kill us both." I looked down at myself. "What if I get..."

‘Don’t worry. I don’t run from responsibilty. That’s a promise. For what’s it worth, I could’ve done worse, a lot worse."

"Thanks...I think." I shyly grabbed my discarded clothes. It took me a minute to locate my belt. I was sore. I wasn’t about to tell Chocolate that I was probably gonna walk funny for awhile.

"Do you remember anything about....you know?" he said as he tugged on his jeans.

"No, you?"

"I remember....."

"Tell me....please?"

"Humping you from behind and you screamed out Zana or something like that." he chuckled as he reached down and grabbed his shirt. It hit me that I had called out Zena when I climaxed. Trying to lighten the tension, I said.

"Never done it doggy style before."

"Come on, I’ll give ya a ride."

He understood when I cried on the way back home. I can’t believe I did that! Not that my self esteem was very high to begin with, but it just lowered a notch. He pulled up a block away from the house. "Gabby, believe when I tell ya I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten drunk in the first place."

"It was your house. I shouldn’t have been there." I said quietly.

"I understand. Look, come in my hood whenever ya want. Nothin’s changed. I’m still your homie, Okay?"

"Cool." I smiled as we touched fists.

"If you have any problems you ring me, ai’ght?" I nodded. "If ya want, I’ll tell ya girl. She kills me, she kills me."

"Thanks, but....its something I have to work out myself."

"You have a lot of anger. I can see it." he said quietly. It was an observation. An observation made by a friend. "Listen, technically your in my club. Do you want a doo rag to keep, for protection?" I knew what he was talking about. I was ‘sexed in’. Drunk or not, I could make it count.

"Nah. I like you Chocolate, but I don’t think I’m ready to join any club yet."

"Ai’ght that’s cool. Just remember, I’ll always watch ya back.." I got out of his car. I leaned into the open window I just vacated.

"Chocolate, what’s the payback everyone’s saying to me?"

"J.J and that fat ass Knuckles. They raped you in my hood. I’m gonna get’m." He tightened his grip on his steering wheel.

"Just don’t kill anybody." He smiled.

A voice suddenly startled me. "Hey Gabby." I turned to see Cameron and Jenny strolling hand in hand towards us.

"Later, G." he waved. I joined them on the sidewalk as he pulled away.

"Who was that?" Cameron asked.

"A friend." I smiled. "Is Ze real pissed?"

"No, not really. She looked like shit when she came home."

"I better get back then." I jogged away from them heading home.

Cameron turned to Jenny, "She finally tucked that shirt in right."

"Yeah." Jenny laughed, "that and pulled those pants up." She both chuckled as they strolled towards home.

I jogged all the way home. My head still felt like a two ton bowling ball. I locked the door and moved into the living room. Ze’s jacket was thrown on the couch. She always hangs up her jacket. I did it for her and headed to the bathroom for a shower. I was trying to wash the smell of alcohol and sex from my body. When I stepped out and wrapped a towel around myself, I noticed there was bottle of Nyquil on the sink counter.

I moved hastily into our bedroom. The room was lit only by the small lamp on my side of the bed. Ares was laying at Zena’s feet. "Zena?" Her back was to me. The comforter covered her from a little below her waist down. I could see she was wearing her flannel sleeping pants. I sat down in my spot and shook her shoulder. "Baby?" She stirred and turned over. She looked at me with droopy eyes.

"Hey." she croked. "I feel like shit." she said as she rubbed her face.

"You look like shit." I smiled. She smiled.

"Thanks." Cough.

"What’s the matter, Sweetheart?" I brushed her unruly bangs out of her face. "You must have the flu or something. Do you want some juice or anything?"

"No." She looked at me, clad only in a towel. "I could use your body heat." I took off the wet towel and climbed in with her. I pulled the blanket completely over me. I didn’t feel entirely comfortable with Ares in the room. I pulled her head to rest on my chest and she snuggled in immediately.

"Why is Ares in the bed?"

"He always sleeps with me when I’m sick." she said muffled by my chest. "Does it bother you? I’ll tell him to move."

"No, it doesn’t. He’s just a sweet little man aren’t ya?"

"Bark." We both chuckled and I switched off the light to settle in. I have a lot of explaining to do tomorrow.

I was up and out of bed before Zena. She was running a fever, I could tell. I took out the number her captain gave me last month and called him. After telling him Zena was sick, he chuckled. "That doesn’t happen often." he said. He told me to keep her home until she was able bodied enough to come back to work. A sick cop is not good. The slowed reflexes could cause her to get hurt very easily. So, she wasn’t going anywhere. Between gathering all the cold medicine she had and fixing breakfast, I was thinking about Chocolate and what had happened. If Zena breaks up with me, where will I go? Big J is already trying to kill me. My cousin lives with three bangers, and I don’t feel comfortable with Chocolate. My voice of reason, which picks NOW to be loud, is saying "You should have thought about that before you got drunk, Stupid!"

I moved into the bedroom and shook her shoulder. She was exhausted. "What time is it?" she asked gruffly.

"Uhhh...ten forty-five." She started to get up. "Hold it. Where are you goin’?"

"To work."

"Don’t think so. The captain said, and I quote, ‘Keep that stubborn ass of yours in bed until further notice’. She groaned and flopped back down. I chuckled. "I made some hot chocolate and I got some of those little marshmellows you like so much."

"Okay." I tucked her back in and handed her the remote.

"How did you know I was wanting the remote?" she grinned.

"Its almost eleven. I don’t think you and Ares," I looked over at the dog that was now lying in my spot. "planned on missing the old reruns of Lassie. Were you?" I chuckled and turned and walked back towards the living room. I returned with the cocoa. She was so engrossed in the T.V., I placed the mug in her hand and without thought she began drinking. I turned and walked back. I heard a "Thank you." called out from the bedroom.

"Your welcome." I called back.

I ate a meager breakfast of dry toast. I had absolutely no appitite, strange for me. I made Zena a bowl of her favorite oatmeal, strawberries and cream, and she ate most of it. Her temperature was coming back to normal. I was holding up pretty well, but my armor was slowly cracking. Zena just has this glow when she’s sick. Its just so...cute. It makes me do anything I can to make her feel better, that and the fact that I love her. I tucked her and Ares in.

I flopped down on the couch and idly flipped through the afternoon programing. Great, Jerry Springer. I’d fit right in on that show. Gods I remember how I felt when I first saw Zena. The minute she stepped out of that patrol car, she had my heart cop or no cop. Those eyes....ahhhh..oh let’s not forget the smile. She smiled at me! I still to this day think it was my imagination. I was barely able to get out my name when she asked. I felt like I was gonna blow chunks. That voice. I could spend the rest of my days happy if I had that voice to guide me. Her heart was bigger than I expected. I heard the myths: the doughnut scarfing, pension hunting fat slobs. Well Jenkins fit that bill, but she sure didn’t. Zena offered me love, hope, and a real life without my aunt.....and I just threw it all away.

"Gabby?" She was lying on the couch with the remote in her hand and her eyes filled with tears. "Gabby." I repeated and knelt next to her head.

"Huh?" She jerked slightly and immediately ran her hand over face to wipe her tears. I brushed her hair back away from her face, then kissed her softly on the cheek.

"You know," I motioned at the television, "those shows will rot your mind." I smiled.

"Not a far trip." she said sadly.

"What’s wrong?" I sat down on the floor and crossed my legs.

"You should be in bed, Baby."

"Ah, I feel much better. Must have been a twenty-four hour bug. Now...what is it?"

"Zena, " she sat up slightly. "I have to tell you something that happened to me yesterday. I don’t have the strength to hold it in and not tell you." I looked at her. This was something bad. Something she was terrified to tell me. Was she pregnant? Whatever it is, she was shaking. She exhaled a shaky breath.

"I went to a party at Chocolate’s house." She knew I didn’t like her hanging around with gang members. I was about say something, but something told me to keep my fat mouth shut until she was done. Thanks, Xena. I laughed inwardly. "I had...a little too much to drink and I passed out." I raised my eyebrows as if to say, ‘And?’ "I....uhhh...gods this is hard." She sat all the way up, but I remained where I was. "I woke up...."She rolled her eyes and blurted out, "I got drunk and had sex with him." My jaw dropped to the floor. The hurt expression on my face was instant. A slow burning began in the pit of my stomach, a bad burn.

"You what?" I said, barely controlling my emotions. "How...." I swallowed and took a deep breath as the first tear pooled in my eye. "How could you do this to me?" I said, beginning to cry. That’s it. The battle to remain impassive was lost, big time. I lept up from the floor and began to pace. I was starting to scare her when I clenched and unclenched my fists several times. Gods know I would never hit her, but from the look on her face I don’t think she knew. Then it hit me. Where she came from. Big J beat her all the time. This the first time I have ever been truely pissed off at her enough to forget. I dropped my hands and moved to her.

"I’m sorry."She literally crawled over the back of the couch to get away from me. She was terrified of me. Oh no. "I’m sorry." she repeated as I tried to stop her.

"Gabby," I said softly. "I would never hurt you. I’m just upset. Please sit."

"Don’t hit me." Gods, how did I go to wanting to kill Chocolate for touching my woman to trying to comfort her.

"I would never hurt you, Gabby."

"But...I did something stupid and I...."

"That’s not how I deal with it. Beating someone solves nothing. I will shoot myself in the head before I raise a hand to you.....I love you, Baby." I whispered. She moved to me and I reached out my arms. Gabby slowly wrapped herself around me.

"I should have never drank Zena."

"Was that the first time you’ve been drunk?"

"Yeah. I don’t remember anything past drinking a few a shots. Then, I woke up.."

"With Chocolate." I finished. She nodded. "Gabby." I sat her back down on the couch. "I won’t lie to you and say what you did didn’t hurt me because it did." She looked away, "but," I pulled chin back. "I understand the circumstances. You were extremely intoxicated. You didn’t know what you were doing. From now on, you only get drunk around me, got it?" I smiled.

"I love you, Zena. I promise never to do that again."

"Okay." I kissed her on the top of the head.

Funny, I actually was somewhat guided by those talk shows. I’ve watched it enough to know that most of the people on it scream and yell and fight over their side of the story. But never do they really try to move on or forgive. I guess that’s why I hate those things. I love my Gabrielle more than worrying about my ego or my rep. What we have is stronger than jealously, stronger than a mistake like she made and its called...LOVE. Secretly I know I am partly to blame for the mess she was in. If I had listened to her or tried to spend more time with her than working so much overtime, maybe she wouldn’t have been there in the first place. She was raped for god’s sake and I did nothing to help her. Stupidly, I thought holding her when she needed me was enough, but it wasn’t.

"I was just so happy that Zena was so understanding, When I saw that look on her face, I thought for sure she was gonna beat the shit of me. It wouldn’t be my first beating, that’s for sure. I should have known she wouldn’t hurt me. I guess I’m still hanging onto the idea that I’m more trouble than I’m worth........ I always thought something was wrong with me. My own aunt hates me, but loved my sister. I never did anything to deserve it, so I came to the conclusion no one loves me...... Thank the gods I found Zena. There is no doubt in my mind that I would be dead by now if she hadn’t come along. If I didn’t get shot by a Switch or beaten to death,...... I would have killed myself. That’s something I kept from her. That feeling of helplessness came back when J.J and the others gang raped me. I’m not much of a person."

The older lady looked at me and smiled. "Gabrielle, you are somebody. Everyone is. You just have to believe that." How did Zena talk me into this? I can’t believe I’m seeing a shrink. "Tell me about your parents."

"What about’em? They’ve got nothin’ to do with this."

"Humor me." she smiled. I took a deep breath. ‘Patience...patience. You get through this Zena promised you a steak dinner at the Outback.’ I laughed out loud. Ms. Bennet looked at me. How easily I can be swayed when food is involved....and a certain LAPD seargent.

Gabby has been gone for over two hours. Dr. Bennet insisted she go alone, but I wanted to come. Since I didn’t, I spent the day planning a romantic evening with my baby. First, her promised steak dinner. Then, dessert at that ice cream shop she liked so much in Santa Monica. Then, my favorite, make love to her all night, Now that last part I wasn’t sure of, but Gabby insisted and just who the hell am I to argue? I haven’t had any tail in over a month. Oh gods I sound like a sex crazed, fresh out of prison, tramp. Oh well...what sweet torture huh?

The doorbell rang and I dropped my bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and got up. I opened to see a very large black man. "Hi.." he said nervously. Now I know he’s not a Jehovah’s Witness or something. "I’m Kendrell Mullins. My friends call me...Chocolate. I uhh..."