The New Adventures of XENA: Warrior Princess
“Valentine’s Day Surprise”
By Ernie Whiting
Disclaimer: "XENA: Warrior Princess" is owned and copyrighted by Pacific Renaissance Pictures, Studios USA Television Distribution LLC, and licensed by Universal Studios Licensing, LLLP. All rights are reserved by them. The following story is strictly nonprofit fan-fiction, and absolutely no copyright infringement is intended.
The following story contains adult language.
The title kinda sums it up.
mailto:erniewhiting23@charter.net
“Hey, blondie, c’mere a second,” said the tall brunette, while patting the nearby sofa cushion. “I want to talk to you.”
Duncan approached the sofa and sat next to her friend. “What’s up?” she asked curiously.
“You’re familiar with the concept of soul mates, right?” Ryan asked softly, while watching her carefully. “And you know how much I love you...right?”
The green-eyed blonde watched Ryan guardedly. “Yeah?...”
Taking a deep and nervous breath, the tall warrior reached into a coat pocket, and withdrew a small box that was covered in purple velvet. “In that case, there’s a question I want to ask you. I mean, after all, it’s Valentine’s Day and everything, and...” The warrior released that breath in a long, nervous sigh. Combat was nowhere near as scarey as this, Ryan thought, but the warrior was determined to go through with it. “...and I really should have asked you this a long, long time ago...”
The box immediately caught Duncan’s eyes, and they suddenly widened in surprise, apprehension and hope. Oh, my God, she thought, while one hand flew to her mouth to stifle the sudden gasp as her heart began to pound with excitement. Oh, my God, is this...
Nervous and hopeful sapphire eyes focused on surprised and increasingly joyous green eyes as the tall warrior opened the box to reveal a sparkling diamond engagement ring. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Tears of indescribable joy suddenly welled in those green eyes. For a moment, she was struck totally speechless. “Are you serious?” Duncan finally managed to ask.
Ryan nodded, just slightly, with a nervously pounding heart and anxious yet hopeful blue eyes.
Duncan grinned as tears of sheer happiness suddenly rolled down her cheeks, and as her voice failed for a moment, all she could do was nod. And then she threw her arms around Ryan’s neck in a tight embrace. “Yes!” she managed, as she finally found her voice. “Yes!” she shrieked in her partner’s ear. “Yes, yes, yesyesyesyesyes!!”
Returning her tight embrace, Ryan whispered, “You have made me the happiest human being on this entire planet. And I swear by God Almighty that I will do everything within my power to make you the happiest woman on earth...”
“Oh, God, sweetheart,” she said, her soft voice muffled against the side of Ryan’s neck, “...you just have...”
It was hard for Ryan to say anything else, because the warrior’s own voice suddenly choked with emotion. “I love you so much...and I never want to let you go...”
She finally released her hold around Ryan’s neck, and gazed into those tearful, sapphire and absolutely joyous eyes. “My God, this is really happening, isn’t it?” she whispered. “It’s not a dream, it’s really happening...” She threw her arms around the tall warrior’s neck again in another embrace. She kissed Ryan again, and again. “Oh, my God...” she said softly. “I...ohmigod, I gotta call my folks!”
“It’s a little late in the evening,” Ryan said, while glancing at a nearby clock. “Let ‘em sleep...”
“I know, I can’t, I...” Duncan said, “...but I gotta share this good news!” She reached for the phone and began to punch in the numbers, and all she could think was, We’re gettin’ married!
***
The ringing of the nearby phone jolted her out of her sleep. Oh, man, she thought as she rose from her pillow. What time is it? She glanced at the nearby clock, whose soft, blue numerals showed 11:47 PM. She reached for the phone, which rested on the headboard behind her. “H’llo?” she croaked–
–and then she yanked the phone away from her ear as the voice on the other end, nearly piercing her eardrum like an icepick, screamed, “WE’RE GETTING MAAARRRIIIEEED! We’re getting married! We’re getting married, we’re getting married, I’mgettin’marriedI’mgettin’marriedwe’re–”
She stared at the phone for a second, and then cautiously put it to her ear. With a dry voice and a foggy mind, she asked, “Ronnie?”
“No, y’lunk!”
She squinted at the phone some more, and then began to grin as the fog of sleep finally lifted. “Hey! Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious! I’m getting marriedI’mgettingmarriedI’mgettingmarried–”
Still grinning, she turned beneath the covers and poked the lumpy mass next to her with the cordless phone’s plastic antenna. “Hey,” she said. “My sister’s getting married.”
The amorphous mass under the comforter next to her bounced and turned with a grunt. “Who, Ronnie?”
“No, the other one.”
“Oh.” There was a deep breath and a long sigh. “Well, it’s about fuckin’ time,” Gina said at last. “The way those two have been makin’ goo-goo eyes at each other since the first day they met, I’m surprised it’s taken ‘em this fuckin’ long...”
Brie scowled mildly at her partner. “Y’know,” she said after a moment, “you could show a little more enthusiasm. I mean, it’s my sister and your brother...”
“Yeah, I know,” Gina said as she pulled away the covers to reveal her sleepy yet grinning face. “I know. Gimme that.” She reached for the phone, and put it to her ear.
“...and he just popped the question just now, and I said ‘Yes!’ and...” Evelyn was saying.
“Hey,” Gina said, when Eve paused to take a breath. “Congratulations, guys! Have you set a date yet?”
“No, Travis just asked me just now, and I said ‘Yes!’ and...I gotta call Ronnie an’ Mom ‘n’ Dad, and...”
“You might want to wait until morning,” Gina said. “It’s almost one A.M. in Texas...”
“I can’t wait, I gotta call ‘em, I gotta go, I’ll talk to you later, I’m gonna...”
Gina stared at the phone for a moment as it clicked off when Evelyn Duncan hung up. “Wow,” she said softly, as she handed the receiver to Brie. “That’s really some good news.”
“Yeah, really,” Brie agreed as she reached behind her and hung up the phone.
With another bounce under the covers, they turned and snuggled in close, and closed their eyes. All was silent for a long, long moment.
Then Brie softly asked, “So what about us?”
More silence. A long, long, thoughtful pause.
“What about us?” Gina finally asked in return.
Brie raised her head from Gina’s shoulder, and she regarded her curiously. “Well, we’ve been together a long time, y’know? And I understand how the military would feel about it, what with their official policy of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell...’ but... Well, y’ever think about...” She let the question hang.
Well, yeah, Gina thought, she’d been working on such a proposal of her own for a long time. Well, working on it off and on... And while she had her own plans in the works for the long run, she didn’t want to spoil any surprises...
With Brie gazing expectantly at her, all the Marine could do in reply was to plaster on a weak smile, and finally say, “We’ll talk.”
The End
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