OK, so this is my very first attempt at an FF and I would really appreciate your feedback, but just be nice yeah, first timer here haha. Please send your feedback to lisamc916@hotmail.com
Right, first lets get the disclaimers out of the way.
GENERAL COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER:
Xena: Warrior Princess and Gabrielle are the sole copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. The story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way.
NOTE: All works remain the © copyright of the original author. These may not be republished without the author's consent.
LOVE/SEX WARNING/DISCLAIMER:
This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story.

A Different Night

The warrior woman really thought for a moment that she had died in the battle she had just fought and had entered the Elysian Fields; the touch of her loves hands that were massaging her tense shoulders was bliss. The softness of her hands sent shivers of pleasure down her spine and filled her heart with more love than she could have imagined. But that love was soon pushed aside by pain, a pain that tore through Xena like wild fire every time her eyes looked upon the blonde beauty, the pain of knowing she could never tell the love of her life how she really felt. She knew that if Gabrielle found out the truth she would certainly leave her and never return, and Xena couldn’t bare the thought of never seeing her love again, and decided that the pain of living day after day knowing she could never act on her feelings was more bearable than never seeing Gabrielle again, for if Gabrielle left Xena knew she would not be able to go on living, Gabrielle was her life, her soul and the one thing in her life that kept her alive and kept the hope and love inside her alive. ‘But her touch…it feels so…NO! Stop it Xena, she’s your friend, nothing more, snap out of it!’ she thought to herself, and took some water in her cupped hands from the tub in which she was sat and splashed it over her face, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her mind.

“Are you OK?” came a sweet voice from behind her.

“Yeah…yeah I’m fine Gabrielle, just clearing my mind is all”

“Were you thinking about the battle? It was pretty messy, but you’re safe now”

‘That makes sense, thank Zeus you came up with that Gabrielle because I didn’t have a clue what I was going to say’ Xena thought to herself.

“Yeah, that’s it, I’m fine now, I promise” Xena replied looking back at Gabrielle with a forced smile on her face.

‘There’s something your not telling me Xena’ Gabrielle thought to herself, but decided against asking what because she too was keeping a secret from her friend. ‘Oh how I wish I could tell you what’s in my heart Xena, how much I love you, how I want to spend the rest of my life with you, not just as a friend, but as a couple, a real couple, but that’s never going to happen, if I tell you then you’ll be so disgusted with me, and send me back to Potetia in a heartbeat and I would never see you again. No I can’t let that happen’ she thought exhaling deeply ‘she’s your friend, and that’s all she’ll ever be.’

“OK Xena,” she replied with an equally as forced smile as the one she saw on the vision of beauty before her, “Want me to wash your hair?” she asked, wishing for the answer she desired, just to be able to run her hands through the long dark hair would be pure bliss.

“No, that’s OK, I’ll do it, then you can have the tub” replied Xena, trying to force her eyes away from the emerald pools of splendour that had met hers a few moments ago and wishing she hadn’t just said no but knowing that she needed to distance herself from Gabrielle before she did something stupid, but before her brain could stop her mouth she said “ I’ll wash your back and hair for you though if you like.”
She was sure she saw Gabrielle’s light up at the idea, but pushed the thought away thinking that she had just imagined it out of hope.

“Sure that would be great,” replied Gabrielle, trying desperately to repress the delight that rose in her when she heard Xena utter those words to her. “I’ll go get you a towel.” She said standing and turning away from Xena knowing she couldn’t repress the glee in her eyes one moment longer and headed toward the bed where they had dropped the saddle bags earlier. She was glad that they had chose to spend a few dinars on a room in an inn a mile or two away from the battle sight, but knew she would find it hard to sleep tonight as the only room left had only one bed, so her and Xena were to share, normally this wasn’t a problem for Gabrielle, she often snuggled up with Xena on her bedroll and slept soundly, loving the way Xena wrapped her arms around her protectively, but tonight was different, she didn’t know why it was different, but she felt it, something in her heart, she couldn’t believe she was actually nervous of sleeping next to Xena even though she had done a thousand times before. ‘What is wrong with you Gabrielle?’ she thought to herself as she returned to Xena with a towel.

“Here you go,” she said as she handed the towel to her friend, “one clean dry towel for the warrior….” this time unable to hide the smile that appeared on her face or her brief loss for words when Xena stood up from the tub in front of her to take the towel, “…princess”

“Thanks” replied Xena smiling at the Bard. ‘OK now I definitely saw that…didn’t I?’ she thought to herself, wrapping the towel around her wet body and climbing from the tub ‘She…she smiled at me, when she saw me stand up she smiled at me, maybe she does feel the sam…. no Xena stop it! She smiles at you all the time, why is this time any different?’ brushing past Gabrielle heading for the bed where her night shift had been laid affectionately on the bed by Gabrielle, she smiled to herself, ‘always taking care of me aren’t you gabby’. She quickly dried herself and slipped her shift over her head.

“Ready?” she asked turning to face Gabrielle, “I’ll wash yo…” she was unable to hold back the gasp that forced itself from her lips, Gabrielle was stood facing her but looking down removing her skirt, the light from the fire enveloped her naked form and made her look like an angel, her blonde hair catching the light in a beautiful glow.

“What’s wrong?” Gabrielle asked looking up as she heard Xena gasp. “Xena? What’s the matter?” her voice tinged with concern.

“Nothing” Xena replied with a slight breathlessness about her voice, “nothings wrong Gabrielle, I just…nothing” turning her head away from the beauty before her, wanting nothing more than to take her love in her arms and kiss her lips and never let her go again, the pain inside was tearing at her heart.

“Xena please, tell me what’s wrong,” she pleaded, walking towards the dark haired beauty, her concern for her love making her completely forget the fact she had just disrobed, “ Xena?” she said, gently putting her hand to Xena’s chin and bringing her eyes to face hers. “Talk to me. Please”

“Its nothing Gabrielle, I…I can’t…I…” she turned herself away from Gabrielle in an attempt to hide the tear that had escaped from her crystal blue eyes and ran down her cheek.

“Xena your crying, there is something wrong, please talk to me,” she said, wrapping her arm around Xena’s waist and steering her to sit on the bed, “Let me help you.” Sat on the bed next to her love made Gabrielle suddenly realise she was completely naked and she grabbed a blanket that was behind her and wrapped herself in it.
“Please Xena! Talk to me” Gabrielle begged her concern growing with every tear she saw roll down Xena’s cheek.

Still no reply was heard, just gentle sobs.

Gabrielle felt her own eyes filling as she watched her friend in obvious pain and wasn’t able to do anything to help her. She wrapped her arm around Xena’s shoulder and tried to bring her into an embrace, but Xena resisted, she didn’t want to allow herself near Gabrielle, the pain was too much.

‘Why wont she let me hold her? What have I done? Oh no, she saw how I looked at her before, she knows, she hates me’ the tears stung her eyes as they built up in her jade eyes and she felt a single tear steam its way down her face.

“Xena I’m sorry,” she sobbed, “I’m so so sorry.”

Xena forced herself to look up at her love and what she saw broke her heart, Gabrielle was blaming herself, ‘she thinks she’s done something wrong, she thinks this is her fault, but its not, its mine, its all my fault, I have to tell her, she has to know that its not her fault, I know I will lose her but I cant let her go on thinking she has upset or disappoint me, I care for her way too much to allow her to feel that guilt.’

“Gabrielle I…” Xena started, bringing the blondes tear stained face to look at her with her hand gently on her chin, “I have to tell you something,” wiping the tears from Gabrielle’s face with her fingers, “I…well I…”

Gabrielle saw the pain in Xena’s face as she was trying to say what she needed to her, ‘what is she going to say? Oh no, she’s going to send me away isn’t she? She hates me and she’s sending me back to Potetia. But if she hates me, why is she crying? There’s something else going on, I can feel it, but what?’

“Xena” she said, almost in a whisper, “ Please tell me what you have to, if you’re sending me away, just tell me, I understand, its all my fault, I should never…I shouldn’t…”

Xena couldn’t bare the pain that her friend was going through, she had to say it, and she had to say it now, “Gabrielle, I love you. I’m completely and utterly head over heals in love with you and I know you will hate me for saying this but I need you to know that none of this is your fault. I…love you,” she blurted out all in one breath, her words trailing off at the end as she saw the expression on Gabrielle’s face, an expression that she didn’t really understand, she looked…happy, still crying but happy, Xena just could understand.

“I love you too Xena”

“Wait, what? You…you…”

“I’ve wanted to tell you for such a long time, but I thought you would send me away if you knew. I love you Xena.”

Xena could believe what she was hearing, was she dreaming? Is this real?

“Gabrielle I don’t think you underst…” she was stopped from talking by Gabrielle’s soft lips against hers, just for a moment they lingered there and the love and happiness that flowed through her entire body and soul for that moment was the sweetest feeling she had ever felt and she never wanted it to end, but it did, for a moment they just sat, staring into each others eyes, and a smile broke across both their faces.

“Xena I do understand, and you have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you feel the same way I do. I love you with all my heart and I never want to lose you, I want to spend my life with you Xena, you’re my soulmate.”

“I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone Gabrielle. When I’m with you my heart is full of love, and when I’m away from you I think about you constantly and hope and pray that you will come back to me soon. You are beautiful, you take my breath away, and you are my soul, and if you’ll have me, I am yours”

A little giggle escaped from Gabrielle’s lips when she heard the words ‘if you’ll have me’

“Of course I’ll have you, you big lug,” she said throwing her arms around Xena’s neck and drawing her close to her, she had never been so happy in her life. Xena let out a little giggle too and embraced Gabrielle, so happy that she would never have to worry about losing her again, because they were finally together, as she had always dreamed.

“Xena,” Gabrielle squeaked looking up into her loves eyes.

“What is it my love?” replied Xena smiling down at her.

“I have just become very aware of the fact I am naked,” she giggled.

“Oh I have been aware of that for a while my little bard,” Xena teased, wrapping her arms tighter around Gabrielle, “and you will hear no complaints from me about it,” she giggled.

“Oh really?” Gabrielle replied, a huge smile across her face, “well then maybe I shall stay this way all night” she continued before claiming the lips of the woman she had wanted to kiss for such a long time, and now she had her, she never wanted to let go.

“That could be arranged,” Xena smiled, breaking the kiss for a moment and slipping the blanket from around Gabrielle and let her eyes rome freely over the body she had wanted to touch for so long. Then she slipped her hand round the Gabrielle’s back and drew her close to herself and brought her lips to hers and kissed her passionately, they kissed this way for a long time, letting their hands explore each others increasingly warming bodies, Gabrielle slipped her hands under the hem of Xena’s shift and pushed it up slowly over her body, letting her hands linger briefly at her breasts, and then carrying on, taking the cotton over her head and tossing it aside.

“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes,” she beamed, not once taking her eyes from her loves body.

“Right back at you,” Xena smiled leaning in towards Gabrielle and slowly laying her back on the bed whilst kissing her and she was pleased when Gabrielle’s tongue pushed against her lips pleading to be allowed in, Xena pushed her tongue forward and met Gabrielle’s tongue with passion.

Gabrielle ran her fingertips down Xena’s back so gently that she felt Xena’s body tingle with pleasure, she stopped when her fingers came to the top of her loves firm behind, Xena urged her to go on by grinding herself into Gabrielle gently, this brought a smile to Gabrielle’s face as she realised how much Xena really did want her and she continued her fingertips journey over Xena’s bottom and then grabbed it with both hands and squeezed hard, not enough to hurt, but definitely enough to make Xena moan with pleasure, she could feel the heat rising between there bodies, and she could feel Xena’s wet centre grinding against her leg, this just made Gabrielle even more exited and she felt her own centre begin to flow more.

“I love you Gabrielle” she heard Xena whisper.

“I love you too Xena”

They spent the entire night exploring each other’s bodies and finding new ways of bringing each other to climax, savouring every moment and every inch of skin that the had wanted to be near for so long.

Early the next morning they lay their heads on the pillow facing each other, both staring into the eyes of the woman they loved with all their hearts, once again the told each other of their undying love and then Xena rolled onto her back and lifted her arm, inviting Gabrielle into her embrace, Gabrielle smiled and curled up under Xena’s arm resting her head on her breast, and Xena wrapped her arms tightly around her keeping her warm and safe, a position they had slept in many times before, but this time it was different, this time there were no secrets between them, they were both the most happy they had been in their lives, they were in love.

‘You were right Gabrielle’ she thought to herself, ‘there was something different about tonight, something great, and yes…you did find it hard to sleep tonight’ she giggled to herself and wrapped her arm around Xena’s waist, feeling her warriors chest fall and rise as she drifted to sleep. Gabrielle lay there for a while, just listening to Xena’s heartbeat and the slow, rhythmic sound of her sleeping breath.

“I love you Xena,” she whispered, not wanting to wake her love, and closed her eyes to settle down to sleep.

“I love you too Gabrielle,” Xena whispered, and held her little bard closer to her.

 

The end…for now

 

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