A Brush With Destiny Part 3

Disclaimer: The main characters don't belong to me. They belong to RenPics and Universal. No copyright infringement was intended. This series is based on the love between Xena and Gabrielle. If this offends you, see ya some other time and place!

Sex : Nothing graphic but definitely implied.

Violence: Nope.

Language: Mild if any.

Bard's Note : This is my first uber series so please... Be kind!

"Morgan, it's me. Please don't hang up."

There was silence for a long moment and Gabrielle Whyte held her breath as she waited for her agent-stroke-adopted mother to speak.

"I won't," came the terse reply.

Gabrielle released her breath in a long whoosh and nodded at her lover. Xena grinned back and ran her hand through her long, raven-black hair, releasing her own held breath.

"Morgan, I need to talk to you. Can I come to the office?" the writer asked.

"Yes, I think it's time we got this sorted out, don't you?" the older woman replied.

"Yeah, it is and.... Morgan?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you... I wasn't sure..."

"We can talk when you get here. Where are you now?"

"We're in New York, at my house. We'll be there in half an hour."

"We?"

"Yeah, Xena's with me. We're facing this together."

A long sigh.

"Alright. At least she's sticking by you."

Gabrielle felt her hackles rise at her agent's comment but chose to let it go. She knew she was already in the dog house. "Yeah, see you soon," she replied and then hung up.

"At least she's talking to you again," Xena pointed out when she saw the thunderous look on her lover's face.

"She's not making it easy," the writer replied. "Well come on, Warrior. Time to face the music."

Xena followed Gabrielle out to her jeep and hopped in, fastening her seatbelt and moving her seat back to make room for her long legs. She sighed as she straightened them a bit. Gabrielle chuckled, shifted into first gear with a little shake of her head and took off for her agent's office.

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"Nervous?" Xena whispered as they stood close together in the elevator.

"Not so much with you with me," Gabrielle replied with a smile. "Hey, this is where we first met you know."

"Yeah, I know," the ex-Marine replied. "That was the best day of my life, Gabrielle."

"Mine too," came the whispered reply and the writer locked her fingers with her lover's. "We're stepping out of this box proud of our relationship. Hold my hand?"

"Try to stop me," Xena growled and kissed Gabrielle lightly on the lips.

The elevator stopped, the doors opened and the soulmates stepped out into the empty hallway. The silence was deafening and Gabrielle couldn't help but chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Xena asked with a smile.

"I'm just... I had a nightmare of a thought on the way up here. I was half expecting the floor to be flooded with reporters."

"You too?" the ex-Marine replied with a shake of her head. "Thank God. I thought I was crazy. So where are they?"

"Probably stalking the cabin," the writer replied, unable to stifle her laughter. "Well, let's go see Morgan."

Gabrielle pushed open the door of the office and led Xena in by the hand.

"Morgan?!" she called and the inner office door opened. A woman of about fifty stepped out, dressed in a navy suit with a white blouse. Her hair was perfectly styled and her jewellery was tasteful. She had soft brown eyes and Xena could see the affection the woman had for the young writer in them. Morgan opened her arms and Gabrielle stepped into her, hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Gabby, I just... I got a shock and I was hurt that you didn't tell me."

"I know. I'm sorry too, Morgan. Things have been unbelievable over the past four weeks but, please believe me, I was going to tell you." Gabrielle beckoned to her soulmate and Xena slowly approached them. "Morgan Wilson, this is..."

"Georgina Adams," Xena cut in as she held out her hand. "But everyone calls me Xena."

"After the TV character?" Morgan asked as she shook the ex-Marine's hand.

Xena shook her head.

"Well, kinda, only I had the name before they made the show. I got it as a nickname in the Marines. It was the name of the legendary Greek Warrior Princess. They found the Bard of Poteidaia's scrolls and that was how they made the TV show... it's kinda a long story."

"But an interesting one, I'll bet," Morgan replied graciously. "It�s nice to meet you, Xena."

"You too," the ex-Marine replied and dropped into the chair the agent indicated.

"Well, you two have made quite a ripple in the pond of showbiz this week," Morgan went on. She reached over to the coffee table and picked up a paper. She handed it to Gabrielle and the writer's eyes went wide when she saw the pictures.

"Oh god," she groaned as she handed the paper to her soulmate. Xena just shrugged at the photos and handed the paper back. The first photo was of them kissing on the porch of the cabin and the second was Gabrielle leading Xena inside by the hand.

"So how do you want to handle this? I've had reporter after reporter on the phone to me over the past two days." Morgan said as she settled back in her chair and crossed her legs. Gabrielle looked at Xena and Xena looked at Gabrielle.

"I guess there's only one thing we can do," the writer replied. "Make a statement that Xena and I are going to be together for the rest of our lives."

Morgan shook her head a little.

"You're jumping the gun a little, you two, aren�t you?" she asked.

Xena returned the head shake with one of her own.

"No. We're meant to be together," she stated simply. "I love Gabrielle and I'm never letting her go."

The agent looked at her almost adopted daughter and saw the same devotion in her eyes as she saw in Xena's.

"Xe's right. I love her with all my heart. Nothing can tear us apart. We're soulmates," Gabrielle confirmed.

Morgan smiled at the obvious happiness radiating from them both.

"Ok, well I guess we go with your plan then, Gabby," she said but Xena held out her hand as she went to get up.

"Wait, there's more," she said in a quiet voice. "You really need to know about my past in case you're asked."

Xena explained everything to the agent... being in the Marines, her partner's rape, her killing of her CO in self-defence and her prison stretch. She also filled the agent in on her life over the previous year... the dojo, her new house and of course meeting Gabrielle. On more than one occasion, Gabrielle held her hand as she spoke, giving her the strength to talk about the painful memories by just being there for her. When she was finished, Morgan let out a long sigh. She glanced at Gabrielle and then smiled at Xena.

"Well, Gabby, I gotta give ya credit," she said. "You sure know how to pick 'em."

She winked to soften the statement and then nodded firmly. "Good, ok. Now that we have all the details, we can issue the statement. Gabrielle, do you want to just come out and say that you're a lesbian or do you want to stick with bisexual?"

"Whatever, I don�t care," the writer replied as she gazed into Xena's piercing blue eyes. She licked her lips unconsciously and saw the desire dance across her lover's face. "It doesn't matter anymore. I've found the love of my life."

A silence fell over the room as Morgan watched them interact. It was as if they were having a conversation without words and, at one stage, Gabrielle started to laugh softly. Xena grinned and indicated Morgan with her eyes. Gabrielle shrugged and leaned in for a kiss. She heard a throat being cleared and when the kiss ended, she looked across the room to see her agent standing at the window, staring out over the city. The writer frowned slightly and walked to the window. She stood beside her friend and placed a hand on her back, rubbing lightly.

"Is this bothering you?" she asked softly. "Does my being in love with Xena really bother you, Morgan?"

The older woman shrugged lightly.

"Just a little. I'd be lying if I said it didn't, Gabby, but I understand that you love her and I can see that she loves you. I wish you both all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks... Mom," Gabrielle replied and the two women hugged fiercely. "I love you, Morgan."

"I love you too, Honey," the agent replied, wiping a tear from her cheek with a shaking hand. "Now get out of here. I'm sure someone saw you come in and I wouldn�t be surprised if you're mobbed on the way out."

Xena and Gabrielle each took a deep breath and headed back to the elevator. Once inside, Gabrielle slumped against the ex-Marine and received a kiss on the temple and a soft touch against her ear.

"Well, that went well," she said and Xena nodded.

"I didn't get killed, so all is good," she replied with a quirk of her eyebrow.

There was silence between them for a moment and they felt the elevator slow to a stop. Just before the doors opened, Gabrielle looked up her lover with an innocent smile.

"So, Georgina Adams?" she said. She didn't hear the reply that was sent her way because the elevator doors opened to reporter's questions and camera flashes. Xena groaned and shook her head.

"Great," she said. "Ok, Gabrielle, put on your best smile."

The two women stepped out of the car hand in hand and walked toward the crowd.

"Good afternoon," Gabrielle greeted them with a bright smile. "I appreciate that you have questions for me and I intend to answer them... within reason of course. I'll take each question separately and try to give you a comprehensive answer. Ok, first question please."

A tall, blonde woman in an expensive looking suit stepped forward.

"Joanne Wright, KTLAMZ. Is it true Ms. Whyte that you have taken a female lover?"

Gabrielle chuckled.

"No, I wouldn�t say that exactly. What I would say is that I've met the love of my life, my soulmate and she just happens to be female. Next question please?"

"David Jones, YAMIHEER News. So you're a lesbian then... or bisexual?"

The writer smiled again.

"Once again, I'm not putting a label on myself. I could be either. It doesn�t matter. I've found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. That's all that matters. Last question please."

"Janet Jackson, KFLAZ News. My question is for your partner, Ms Whyte. Ma'am, what is your name?"

Xena stepped closer to the microphone.

"My name is Georgina Adams," she purred, locking her eyes on her soulmate. "I am a lesbian but, as Gabrielle says, that's beside the point." Xena scowled as Janet Jackson went on. "Is it true, Ms Adams, that you spent a number of years in prison for murder?"

"Yes, it is true. I was court-martialled for murder. I killed my Commanding Office for raping my partner and trying to rape me too. I was given a ten year sentence. I served the full term." She paused to stare at the reporter. "Anything else," she growled menacingly but the woman just shook her head.

"No," she replied on a deep swallow and it was all Gabrielle could do to keep a serious face.

"Thank you all. That's all for today."

The writer took her soulmate's hand and they pushed through the crowd to Gabrielle's jeep. The young blonde put her foot down and soon they were back at Xena's house.

"So, what are we going to do tonight?" the ex-Marine asked as she tossed her jacket across the room to hang nicely on a hook on the back of the door.

"I don't mind. In or out?"

Xena thought about this for a moment.

"I've got nothing in the house, Bard, so it looks like we'll have to eat out. How does Italian sound?"

Gabrielle smiled and licked her lips with a seductive arch of her right eyebrow.

"I can think of something I'd rather taste," she whispered as she trailed kisses along her soulmate's neck.

"I guess we're staying in then," Xena replied between throaty moans. "There's a loaf of bread in the freezer. We can have toast... later."

She scooped her younger lover into her arms and carried her to the bedroom.

"Much later," she growled and proceeded to show her soulmate just how much she loved her... with actions rather than words...

TBC in part 4.