Okay, I've read a lot of stuff y'all have posted and I continue to be impressed. Most recently by Mons. That was awesome. With that said.

I know I am way out of my league here. I am not a writer, never claimed to be, but in a fit of boredom I found a fanfic I had started a LONG time ago. I contemplated the recycle bin on my desktop, then reconsidered.

So, be gentle, be mean, take me with you, teach me everything you know ;c)

I almost forgot - it's Alt, and it's in my own timeline. It was written prior to season 6, but I ignored a lot of season 5
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PROLOGUE... The debate.

Gabrielle sat down on the hearth and stared up at Xena. The fire was warm on her back but not compared to the flash of anger rising in her belly. She was on the verge of losing her temper but knew it would only make matters worse. “Xena, I think you’re being unreasonable.”

Xena lifted an entirely too sarcastic eyebrow and looked down at the bard, “Then convince me this is the right thing to do.”

“Why do I have to convince you of anything? Xena! It’s a birthday party. Not a battle.”

“Gabrielle, you of all people know how... how...“, Xena threw her arms about the room, “enthusiastic Mom can be! If you let her do this, she’ll have half of Greece here.”

The bard stood up poking her finger in Xena’s chest, “IF I LET HER! She’s YOUR Mom. I don’t have any say so in the matter.”

“Fine. Just remember I warned you.”

“FINE!”
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< ><><><><><><><><><><><>

PART 1... The Secret’s Out.

Xena watched while Cyrene tip-toed, stretching to hang even more streamers. “Mom?......” No response. “Mom?.....” Still nothing. “MOTHER!”

Cyrene almost slipped, “What Xena? You don’t have to yell.”

Xena caught Cyrene as she slipped again, “Mom, give me that.” She took the long red strip of paper from her mother’s hand. “Listen, I don’t think this is such a good idea. You’re wasting an entire weekend on my birthday when you could have this place full of paying customers.”

“Xena, don’t be ridiculous. You’re my daughter and it’s been too long since we had a real celebration....” Cyrene patted Xena’s arm and turned to walk to the kitchen, “and after that awful mess with Discord the last time... Well, Gabrielle’s birthday was almost ruined and... lets just call this a mother’s prerogative.”

Xena reached out and stopped her mother’s retreat, “There’s nothing I can do to change your mind?” She attempted to pout, her bottom lip sticking out, quivering slightly.

“Don’t pull that with me young lady and NO!” Cyrene nudged her daughter on the chin, “I’ve already sent messengers with the invitations. Most everyone should be here tomorrow.”

<><><><>

The day passed slowly. Xena soon found out that she was by no means allowed to help with the preparation. Gabrielle, however, was being yanked in every direction. Xena watched from the stables as first Joxer, then Amarice, then Lila tugged at the bard for assistance or answers. As Lila made yet another plea for assistance from the bard Gabrielle turned and caught Xena staring. The bard unconsciously smiled, caught momentarily off guard by the familiar eyes. She could still hear her sister, but had stopped listening the moment her eyes met with Xena’s.

“Gabrielle?!? Are you even listening to me?”

Gabrielle just patted her sister’s shoulder. “Lila, get Joxer to help you, I’ve got to check on something.”

Lila huffed and rolled her eyes, “Whatever Gabby, but even I’m stronger than Joxer.”

Gabrielle turned her persistent sister around and gently shoved her in the direction of the storage shed, “Then get Minya. She’s stronger than both of you.”

“Very funny. You’ll be in shortly though?”

“Yes. Now go. Scoot.”

She watched her sister leave then turned her attentions back to the warrior. Gabrielle walked to the stables and stood a few paces behind, watching Xena’s back as she brushed Argo. Xena had her hair down, no braids or clips. It blew softly in the breeze as the bard gazed at the prism of colors that reflected. The muscles in Xena’s shoulders rippled as her arms gracefully attended to the horse. The bard shivered slightly, “How am I going to keep my hands to myself for the next three days?”

Xena looked over her shoulder with a crooked grin, “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

“Xena. Please, don’t start.” Gabrielle dropped her head and let out a heavy sigh. “I’m just not sure they’ll understand.”

“And I’m not sure everyone can keep their mouth shut.” Xena’s tone was more harsh than she had intended. Realizing her mistake she gently lifted Gabrielle’s chin, “Gabrielle, look at me. Do you realize that your mother and father are the only people in Greece that don’t know we’re lovers... besides Joxer.” She sighed. “Hades, I’m not even sure they don’t know!”

Gabrielle stepped back, “Xena, why would you say that?”

“Well, the last time we stayed at you parents’, your mother put us in the guest room... with one bed.” Xena stalled, “Have you really stopped to think about it? Surely they’ve heard stories, Gabrielle. They’re not blind.”

“Xena...” Xena put her fingers to Gabrielle’s lips.

“Shhhh, It’s alright.” She cupped Gabrielle’s cheek and lightly stroked the pink lip with her thumb, “I might not understand your reasoning, but I respect your decision.” Green eyes became damp with Xena’s gentle words and she tried to look away. “Hey, come on now. Don’t do this.”

“Do what Xena?” The bard backed away. “I’m angry with myself! We’ve been to Hell and back for each other, fought Gods and demons and I can’t look my family in the eye and tell them....”

“Tell them what?” The pair spun around to find Lila carrying Eve and looking slightly confused. “Tell them what, Gabby?”

An awkward silence fell as Gabrielle looked first to Xena then back to Lila, “Lila...”

Xena stepped in to take Eve, “Eve, how did you get so dirty? Thanks Lila, I’ll go get her a change of clothes.” Before the blonde could protest, she was gone.

<><><><>

The bard was at a loss. Gabrielle stood for a long moment looking at her younger sister, studying the small lines around her eyes. She’ll be eighteen this spring and I still treat her like a child. Light filtered through the cracks in the barn mixing with the dust and hay to create rays of sparkling gold and red. Somehow this calmed her and she found the nerve to speak. “Lila, I have something I need to tell you and I want you to let me finish before you say anything.”

Lila giggled and shook her head, “Gabby, I know what you’re going to say.”

Gabrielle’s brows shot up, “You do? What?”

“You’re going to tell me that you don’t think I should sleep with Joxer.” Had Gabrielle had anything other than air in her mouth she would have choked.

“Lila, that’s not exactly where I was going with this.... Wait, what have you done with Joxer? No. Never mind. I don’t want to know. Lila, listen to me, I really need to tell you this and ...”

Lila cut her off, “Gabrielle stop! I’m eighteen years old and you think I don’t know that you and Xena are lovers. Sheesh, Gabby, I was raised in Poteidaia not a cave.” Gabrielle just stood there, mouth agape, green eyes wide. “The only thing I can’t understand is why you never act like it. Are you ashamed of Xena?”

“GODS NO! Lila, how could you think that?” She already knew the answer and it was going to hurt to hear it said aloud. I need this, she told herself.

“Gabrielle, I see the way you look at each other but you never touch her, or let her touch you. You pull away and make it a point to put someone between the two of you. Why would you do that if you weren’t ashamed of her?”

Gabrielle could do nothing as the tears built, then ran freely. She was in no way ashamed of Xena but now understood how her actions had been perceived. She had never allowed Lila to see that part of their life for fear of rejection. “I’m not ashamed of her, I’m ashamed of myself, for how I’ve acted. I knew that if my family couldn’t accept that Xena and I were together... I would choose... I just wouldn’t be able to leave her. I didn’t want to be forced to make that decision. I really didn’t know how you would take it.”

The sisters stood in silence. Lila had known that her sister would chose the warrior over her family. That had been the motivating factor allowing her to accept the situation. She wasn’t going to risk losing her sister, especially when she could see so clearly how happy Gabrielle was with Xena.

Finally, the younger one broke the silence with a smile. “Gabby, I love you and Xena and Eve, nothing could change that. As for Mom and Dad.... Xena still has her chakram, right?”

Gabrielle laughed through her tears, “Well, I’m glad we got that cleared up.”

<><><><><>

The sun had just dropped below the horizon. Xena noted how the days were getting shorter and the evenings colder. She stood at the entrance to the inn trying unsuccessfully to think of anything that might divert her mind away from Gabrielle. It won’t be long until we have the first snow. Gabrielle loves the snow. Where in Tartarus is she? We need to get that roof patched. What if Lila tried to leave? Toris needs to get off his ass and help out around here. "Shit, I can’t just stand here." Mumbling to herself, she tramped off to find the missing bard.

The two collided as Xena came around the side of the inn. Time stopped when she saw the look on the bard’s face. I had no idea she could smile that big. The sun just below the mountains gave the sky a pink hue, softly highlighting the bards features. Gods she’s beautiful. Shaking her head back to reality, “What happ....” Before she could finish her question she was pulled, rather forcefully, into a fevered kiss.

Gabrielle caressed the back of Xena’s neck pulling her down to a more ‘reachable’ height. I can’t believe I was willing to go three days without this. Xena let out a faint moan as Gabrielle softly suckled her bottom lip. Xena instinctively pulled her closer, enjoying the contact. Regretfully Xena released her hold, “Gabr..., Gabrielle.....” catching her breath, “What was that for?”

The bard looked up mischievously, “Are you complaining?”

“Not at all, just confused.” Xena’s brow creased. “We’re out where ‘anyone’ could see.” Gabrielle spun on her heel, tugging the warrior by her breastplate across the yard. Xena stumbled forward, “So I guess Lila’s ok with it.”

Gabrielle stopped and turned to face her warrior, “You could say that. We had a good talk. Xena, she made me realize I’d been so selfish. I was so busy hiding our relationship from my family I never stopped to think how it was hurting you. Lila, of all people, made me see that.”

Xena pulled Gabrielle to her, “So I guess your little sister is all grown up.”

“Maybe.” Gabrielle grinned, “She’s in love with Joxer.”

Dark eyebrows flew skyward, “That’s it! She’s going home with Ephany.”

[ May 01, 2003, 04:04 PM: Message edited by: nwahS ]

i remember that! and you capture the banter dialogue between X&G well (surprise ). it's got a ton of potential, story-wise. i think that makes you a writer...

finish it and i will comment further...

oh, and nice sig...

That's great! Your story made me smile. It's very sweet.

Shawn,

Psssh...I don't know what you're talking about. You're GOOD! I really enjoyed reading that story...zoom's right...you got Xena and Gabrielle's banter down to a "t", it was almost frightening, heh.

On the serious side though, dang....you got me thinking. These were the things that made me go, "Man, you hit it on the HEAD. Square on the head. So much on the head that I'm going 'owwww.'"

She was in no way ashamed of Xena but now understood how her actions had been perceived. She had never allowed Lila to see that part of their life for fear of rejection. Im not ashamed of her, Im ashamed of myself, for how Ive acted. I knew that if my family couldnt accept that Xena and I were together... I would choose... I just wouldnt be able to leave her. I didnt want to be forced to make that decision. I really didnt know how you would take it.

And also... Xena, she made me realize Id been so selfish. I was so busy hiding our relationship from my family I never stopped to think how it was hurting you.

That...oww. I think that did me in. Ow ow ow. Dangit, now you're gonna have me thinking for like the next week straight.

Time stopped when she saw the look on the bards face. I had no idea she could smile that big.

*sighs and nods* Those are good smiles. Possibly the best kinds. Perfect description that's all that was needed.

Dangit Shawn...post more, I want more!

~Gabber