Intellectual Property Disclaimer: The characters in "Xena: Warrior Princess" such as Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, and anyone else mentioned from the series are the sole property of MCA/Universal, Renaissance Pictures, and their creators. No infringement upon anyone's copyrights is intended. The use of these characters in this tale is for personal enjoyment only.
Content Disclaimer: Nobody gets hurt. A loving relationship between two consenting adults of the same gender is described in this story. There's some cursing; but nothing that you haven't heard before. Anyone who's too young (<18 yrs.), lives someplace uptight, or just don't like stories like this, STOP READING NOW.
MEMORIES
By Easyrider
"So, Gabrielle, just exactly why are you here?" Xena asked while handing her a steaming cup of coffee and taking a sip of her own.
"To make love to you" came the quiet reply..
"Harrummpp!" choked Xena as coffee spewed from her mouth, down her chin and onto her uniform. "Damn! Uh...sorry" she exclaimed wiping her chin and dabbing at the stains . "Shit!" she thought to herself "A damn nut!" Composing herself, she contemplated the woman sitting quietly at the table across from her.
"I see!" she finally responded. Thinking to herself "No, I don't either but crazy or not, you're certainly attractive enough". Raising an eyebrow, she continued "As interesting as that sounds and having only known you for about 5 minutes, why would you want to make love to me and more important why would I allow it? I don't know you from Adam and frankly this has got to be one of the most bizarre propositions I've ever had."
The petite, green eyed blonde simply stared at her for a few minutes apparently deep in thought. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at hands cupped around the hot mug while carefully searching for words that would make sense to the intimate stranger in front of her. "That goes for me too...I assure you I'm not one to go around propositioning total strangers...but, then again, we aren't strangers. We've known each other a very long time, Xena..longer than you could ever imagine..you just don't remember"
Exhausted, Xena combed fingers through her long, dark hair. "We must have known each other pretty damn well for you to want to make love to me five minutes after walking through my door...Am I suppose to have some say in this matter?" she asked almost jokingly, a slight smile playing across her lips. " So, tell me, since we were so 'intimate' why don't I remember you? An accident or something? I certainly remember everything else about my life . I may have taken a few hits on the head now and again but I sure don't recall ever suffering from amnesia and definitely don't recall having ever met you. You, I definitely would remember! Don't get me wrong, you're certainly attractive enough and I sure as hell wouldn't mind taking you to bed under the right circumstances but this is a little too beyond even my tastes and comprehension. I mean what am I suppose to do, just say o.k. ,YOU..ME...NOW?"
A humorous glint appeared behind the younger woman's eyes followed by a slight smile. "Well" thought Xena "I could do a lot worse than you, kid. You're on the small side but definitely someone who works out and keeps in shape and, God, what eyes...I could get lost in those baby greens."
"It would definitely make things a lot easier if you did" the soft reply interrupting her thoughts.
"What?"
"You asked me if you were suppose to just go along with my suggestion and I said it would sure make things a lot easier."
"Easier, huh! Easier in what way? Gabrielle, stop the bullshit and just tell me what this is all about. Otherwise, you're out the door and I'm off to bed. It's been a long, exhausting night and I'm dirty, I'm tired, I ache and I'm not in the mood for games.. Frankly, I ought to call the station and have them run a check on you...For all I know you've escaped from some institution or something. I don't even know why I let you in my place. Must be getting old." the last comment said so low Gabrielle barely caught it.
"All right, all right" Gabrielle sighed in exasperation "This is about memories, Xena, memories..yours and mine...and this is the only thing I can think of to bring yours back. Look, about 3 months ago you were involved in a murder investigation that received a lot of publicity. Everyone was so sure they had the killer, wanting to pin everything on that mentally disturbed kid...they were going to crucify him...everyone but you..they would have, too, if you hadn't been so determined to get to the truth...I saw the documentary about it on 20-20 last week. Well, when they tried to interview you and you said you had just done your job and then refused to say anymore..definitely a woman of few words...anyway, I really wasn't paying much attention to the t.v until I heard your voice and... well, with those few short words, I recognized you.. I mean I knew you. At least I felt like I knew you."
Almost against her will, Gabrielle's hand reached across the table to touch several strands of Xena's hair and then run her hand gently down her right cheek before placing it back around the coffee mug. Mesmerized Xena sat quietly through the unconscious gesture deriving a sensual pleasure from the almost intimate caress.
"Oh, this is really hard to explain" Gabrielle continued unaware of the effect she had just created in her listener "but I knew you would have long dark hair, intense blue eyes and be this tall , athletic and incredibly beautiful Amazon. Xena, I know we've never met before now, at least not in this lifetime, but in my heart I know you. It's just hard to explain and it's going to sound right out of the Twilight Zone. Just hear me out, o.k? Anyway, that night when I went to bed, I had a dream about us..you and me..I dreamed we were way back in time somewhere. We were friends... good friends, Xena..We were lovers. I use to call you "my warrior" and you called me "your bard". We would have these long conversations around the fire about being soulmates, if there was such a thing." For an instant, Gabrielle thought she saw a flicker of recognition in the other woman's eyes but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure it wasn't just her imagination. One thing she wasn't imagining, though, was the sheer exhaustion Xena was feeling.
"Look, Xena, why don't you go and get a shower or bath. I know you're beat . I'll fix you something to eat. O.K? Then we can talk some more. Eggs well done, no salt and some sliced tomatoes, right?"
"How...oh, never mind...Hell, why not! Maybe, once I'm cleaned up I'll be able to make sense of this and you. Right now, nothing does."
Gabrielle watched Xena as she stood up and stretched. Neither the faint groan nor wince escaped her attention. Watching Xena stroll down the hall towards another room, she whispered under her breath "Just like some big, sensuous cat." she thought "Gods, how I've missed you, my warrior, my love". At that moment, Xena stopped and looked back at Gabrielle searchingly, a strange expression passing over her face as if having heard the whispered words... turning almost reluctantly she continued on into the other room shutting the door quietly.
"How am I going to convince you this is real, Xena" wondered Gabrielle as she gathered together the ingredients for the meal. "You're a cop, you think so logically. Hell, I had a hard enough time accepting this and I'm a writer for a television series. I live in a world of dreams, fantasy and imagination. Wait till you find out what I do and you'll think I've really gone over the edge or at the very least planning some script." she mused. "Oh well, one problem at a time"
Soaking in the large garden tub, Xena could not shake the feeling that she did know Gabrielle from somewhere. "Probably saw her or met her on the streets. Shit, for all I know I may have written her up for speeding or something. Still, I 'd never forget that face or those eyes...definitely not those eyes. Almost emerald green when the light catches them right. Nice body too...nice, hell, great body!" Sinking lower into the steamy water, Xena sucked in her breath as a sharp pain rifled through her back. For as long as she could remember she had suffered from this particular problem although it only manifested itself when she got into serious fights. Tonight had been serious, very serious. She began to replay the events over in her mind. Three men had assaulted a young college girl in the park ,intending on having a little party. Xena had heard the one terrified scream coming from the underpass. Calling for backup she charged into the darkness only to be grabbed from behind by one of the men. As she turned on him, another had grabbed her and the third proceeded to slug her in the belly, knocking the wind out of her. By the time, she caught her breath the other two were pounding kidney shots into her back. Xena never really knew what possessed her during these types of events but suddenly she would feel an almost supernatural strength flow through her being. Not one to overly analyze herself, she just chalked it up to adrenalin. Swinging an elbow to the face and gut of one of the assailants, a backward kick to the other and straight arm punch and swing kick to the head of the man in front had backed them off enough so she could maneuver. Pulling out her nightstick, she twirled it in her hand like a sword and rammed it into one man's stomach and immediately used it to block a swing from another. Twirling, she caught the third man along side of the neck and then rammed her elbow into his nose knocking him cold. The second man managed to nick her upper arm with a switchblade before a kick to chest disabled him. The third had, however, managed to escape. Fortunately, the backups had arrived and had subdued him before he had gotten away. The girl had been ruffed up a bit but was o.k.. As usual, Xena had taken some razzing from her fellow cops particularly, Lt. Arless. "Well, Xena, looks like you've done it again. Gone and gotten yourself beaten up and knifed because you just couldn't wait for your backup. When are you going to learn? You're suppose to be an example to these young rookies. Can't go having them trying to emulate those many skills of yours, you know. We're just mere mortals. Hell, I've already had to put two of them on inactive duty because of injuries. Almost killed themselves trying to do those damn backflips you're so fond of".
"Sorry, Lt., but couldn't wait any longer. They had the girl. I wasn't about to let them do anything to hurt her if I could help it. You'd have done the same thing and you know it."
"Maybe I would and maybe I wouldn't but as far as the other men and women are concerned, I wouldn't! Is that clear?"
"Yeah, clear as glass, Lt."
"Good, now go get that arm looked into and checked out. Looks like you took quite a beating. Have the report in my office as soon as possible and then you're on leave for the next week"
"But, Lt.."
"No buts, Sargeant! Sick leave until the stitches are out and you've recovered somewhat. Besides, it'll be a good lesson for the troops. They know how you hate time off so they'll think you're being punished. Now get!" Lt. Arless moved off towards the other officers. Looking back over her shoulder, she said in a stern voice loud enough for everyone to hear "You ever do this again and I'll make you take a month of leave...got it, Sargent ." With a wink she turned back to rest.
"Yes sir, Lt" replied Xena in her most respectful voice.
It had taken almost 20 stitches to close up the wound on her arm. The staff at the emergency room moved quickly and efficiently to get her in and out as soon as possible as they knew her to be one of the worst patients they could deal with...not that she was rude or abusive. They just could never get her to sit still more than a few minutes at a time. Xena would prowl the hall and sitting room like a caged panther..and she made the other patients highly nervous. During the examination, the doctor had advised her about possible infections and checking her urine for blood over the next few days. The blows to the back could have caused some kidney damage but he didn't feel it was likely. Xena had always recovered quickly from her injuries. After turning in her report to the lieutenant she drove straight home only to find an attractive, well groomed petite blond sitting on her front steps deep in thought. At first Xena thought she was lost. Before the young woman was even aware of her presence, Xena was towering over her.
"Can I help you?" she had asked.
"Xena?"
"Yes, I'm Xena. What can I do for you?"
"Xena, I need to talk to you. It's important!"
"Can't it wait, miss. I'm kinda tired and would like a bath."
"Gabrielle"
"What?"
"My name's Gabrielle and I really need to talk to you. It's about us, you and me. Can I come in?"
That had certainly gotten Xena's attention.
Sighing, she unlocked the front door and motioned the girl in.
"Come on in and I'll make some coffee"
"Thanx, Xena"
As the girl walked by her, Xena out of years of police habit mentally cataloged everything she could about the woman. Five foot five, long strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, 3 piece business suit, very well tailored and short matching heels. She obviously worked out regularly from the way her clothes fit. From their short conversation it was apparent the girl was well educated and she had a soft husky voice that almost sent shivers down Xena's spine.
It was from that point on the conversation had turned bizarre.
A slight knock on the bathroom door and a quiet voice roused her from her musing "Xena...Xena...are you all right in there. Breakfast is almost ready. I'm putting everything on the table"
"Be right out" she replied.
Gabrielle went back to the kitchen to set the table. As she turned around she saw Xena coming down the hall with only a towel wrapped around her. Catching her breath, she felt her stomach muscles tighten and a tingling sensation start in the groin. "Xena, Xena, almost 2000 years gone by and you still have this effect on me." she whispered to herself.
As Xena approached the table she glanced up and caught the lust and desire in Gabrielle's eyes. For what seemed an eternity she held that gaze trying to fathom the emotions she was seeing and those she was feeling. As Gabrielle stared back , she felt her heartbeat quicken as she saw her feelings mirrored in icy blue eyes. "So you do recognize me on some level, don't you, Love" she thought.
"Well, breakfast is ready. Everything just the way you like it" she volunteered breaking eye contact with the other woman.
Shaking her head slightly, Xena sat down and looked at the plate in front of her. The food definitely was fixed just how she liked it. In only minutes she had downed everything. During that time, Gabrielle had said nothing to interrupt her meal. Pushing back the plate, she started to lean back in her chair until she felt the wood press against the bruises along her spine.
"Damn!" she grimaced. "Let's go into the livingroom where it's a bit more comfortable. My back is killing me and I need to sit in something softer than this old wooden chair." Without waiting for a reply she stood and strolled into the other room. Lowering herself onto the couch, she swung both legs up in a reclining position and stretched out the full length of it. Gabrielle quietly followed her noticing the stitches on the arm and the way Xena was walking, definitely in pain.
Taking the recliner across from Xena, she asked quietly "Xena, are you all right? Can I get you a couple of pain pills or something?"
"No thanx, Took a couple of Advil. Should help some in a few minutes. Now, tell me what's this is all about? You said something about memories and knowing me and dreams". "And damn if I don't feel like I know you too" she thought.
Making eye contact, Gabrielle held Xena's gaze almost hynotically as she began speaking. "Yeah, well, like I was saying, I saw you on t.v. and I got this strange feeling that I knew you. Then I started having these dreams. We seemed to be in some ancient place, Greece, I think. You were a warrior and I was a story teller...a bard is what you called me. Anyway, you seemed to be almost obsessed by this need to protect and defend people...kept referring to your 'dark side' as if you were possessed by something. These dreams, they were almost like watching a movie. I thought at first they were simply that...dreams...because you had died a couple of times in them and I had died a couple of times too. We kept coming back for each other. We used to call each other 'soulmates'."
"Soulmates, huh"
"Yeah, soulmates."
"And just what was it that made us soulmates, Gabrielle?" asked Xena arching one eyebrow.
For a second Gabrielle broke eye contact and blushed. She stared intently at her hands trying to decide just how much she should tell Xena.
"Gabrielle, what made us soulmates?"
Looking straight into Xena's eyes, Gabrielle whispered "I know you didn't believe me before but we WERE lovers and so much more. "
Xena read the embarrassment in Gabrielle's eyes. She also saw the passion and desire and thought in wonder "She really believes and feels this. I can feel her emotions almost as if they were my own". Confused for a moment at such a revelation, her glance strayed to the sword mounted over the fireplace , a family heirloom whose history had been long lost .
"Lovers, huh! Hmm. Well, I'm not a psychiatrist but you did say these were dreams, so.."
"No, Xena" interrupted Gabrielle "I said they started as dreams, or at least what I thought of as dreams. Later I realized they weren't just dreams..they were memories..memories of a life we had over 2000 years ago. Now, just hear me out. I called my grandmother. She's an archeologist and well respected I might add. I told her about these dreams. I told her everything including what I remembered about where we lived. Grandma was able to identify the area as Greece and even narrowed it down to the countryside around two towns called Amphipolis and Potadeia. They don't exist anymore, but they did around the time frame of my dreams. I'm not crazy, Xena. Grandma seemed to know a lot about what I was saying and wasn't even surprised at what I had told her. Then she told me stories of my ancestors going back hundreds of years.. And, Xena, she knew your name...said it would pop up occasionally in our family tree and was always connected with my name, Gabrielle. Grandma was heading out to some dig and said she tell me all she knew when she got back... but I couldn't wait, Xena. I had to see you. This isn't a dream ...This is all real, well was real. "
As Xena listened she noticed her back began to ache unbearably. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate on what Gabrielle was saying so she tried shifting to a different position. Noticing the shift, the exhaustion and the pained expression on Xena's face, Gabrielle got up from the chair, walked over to where Xena was reclining and knelt down.
"Xena, it's your back isn't it. Roll over and let me work on it. No, don't say anything, you used to have this same problem then and I know how to take care of it. Come on, what do you have to lose. Worse case scenario you get a free massage."
Reluctantly, Xena rolled over and laid face down on the sofa. Gabrielle pulled the towel down exposing a broad, muscular back covered in bruises and scars.
"Oh, Xena, what have you done?" she questioned softly.
"Just another bad day at the office" Xena joked.
Warm soft hands ran slowly down Xena's back.. The touch so electrifying a shiver coarsed through her body .
"Cold?"
"Uh, no, not really" Xena replied stunned at the sensations she was feeling.
"Good. Now just relax, this won't hurt much. Maybe a little in the beginning but I know what I'm doing and I know what you like."
Slowly, seductively, her hands moved up and down the back, caressing shoulders, kneading muscles, then traveled down the small of the back, moving along the ribs faintly stroking the sides of each breast. Xena stiffened slightly at such an intimate touch. "Relax, Xena, I promise I'm not going to seduce you, " Gabrielle joked "unless you want me to" she added as almost an afterthought. Her mind, however, was doing exactly that. Continuing her caresses she quietly began weaving a story almost as if talking to herself.
"You know, I used to love easing these tight muscles..thought you carried the weight of the whole world on them sometimes. You taught me how to relax you. Taught me a lot of things in fact. I learned how to fight, how to heal people, how to be a friend, even how to tell a good tale although you weren't much of a talker. Looks like you haven't changed at all in that sense. I learned that there were people worth dying for and people worth living for. Most important I learned how to love, Xena. You taught me to love unconditionally."
Xena felt her muscles slowly relaxing under the gentle strokes. Almost hypnotically, she listened as the low, husky voice wove a slow, seductive path into her soul.
" You know, Xena, some times people would call me an irritating little blonde. At first it kinda hurt but I got used to it. After awhile, I realized that the only ones that ever called me that were your enemies and they knew we were inseparable. I actually thought they were jealous of our love. But you know what, Xena, never ever did I hear you call me that. For all the times you saved me, stood by me, endured my prattling, comforted me, you never called me irritating. I loved you more than ever for that."
"Never thought of you that way" Xena replied sleepily.
A small gasp escaped Gabrielle.
"Xena?" Gabrielle whispered. "Xena, look at me. Please look at me."
Slowly Xena rolled over on her side to gaze at the beautiful young woman kneeling next to her. Dark, blues eyes full of wonder and passion stared into green eyes filled with hope and tears.
"Xena, you remember don't you?'
"Yes, Gabrielle, I remember. At least some of it. I made you a promise. Even in death, I would never leave you. I guess it took me a long time to keep that one"
Overwhelmed with joy, Gabrielle grabbed Xena and gave her a big hug.
"Easy, Gabrielle, easy" gasped Xena painfully.
"Oh Xena, I'm so sorry. Let me help"
"No, it's o.k. Come here and lay beside me . I want to feel you in my arms, feel your warmth. It's been so long"
"Xena, you're hurt"
"Not that hurt."
"Uh, Xena, would you mind if we went into the bedroom. The couch is a little small for the two of us...and Xena...ditch the towel" Xena grinned and led her to her bed.
"This what you had in mind?"
"Perfect. Now lay down and I'll be with you shortly." As Xena slowly lowered herself onto the bed she noticed Gabrielle quickly unbuttoning her blouse and skirt. Next came the slip, bra and
panties. "That's my bard" she thought to herself.
Holding up the sheets, Gabrielle crawled in bed and gently took Xena in her arms careful not to cause her any pain. Rolling Xena onto her back, she half lay over her, breasts touching breasts. Cupping her face between both hands she stared into the bluest eyes she had ever known . "I've missed you, Love" she whispered lowering her lips to tentatively touch those of the other woman.
"I've missed you too, my bard" she sighed as tears trickled down her cheeks. "It's been a long time since we were last together but it looks like we made it again, thank the gods."
"Things haven't changed much have they, Xena? I mean you're still a warrior defending people and getting beat up along the way. Wish you'd take it easy on yourself once in awhile"
"I'll try, love. I have reason to now, don't I? By the way, what exactly do you do now?'
"Well, uh, I'm sort of a writer"
"A writer, huh. What do you write?"
"Well you know that t.v. series called 'Sheena, Warrior Queen of the Jungle?"
"You don't!"
"Yup, that's me!"
"Figures. Things definitely haven't changed!"
Laughing both women wrapped arms and legs around each other and began catching up on old times.
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