A Brush With Destiny Part 7

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 : Implied.

Violence: A little bit

Language: Mild/Medium

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

Xena crept forward, her head tilted slightly as her finely tuned hearing tracked the barking of the tracker dogs. Her long, dark hair was damp at the temples and she was feeling a little shaky on her legs.

"Gabrielle's not going to be happy," she mumbled as she realised that she had a fever. She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead and shifted her arm to sit more comfortably in her sling. "She's gonna kill me herself." Xena chuckled and bent almost double as she ran to the cover of another tree. The dogs were close by and she pulled her gun out of her leather belt, flipping the safety off and getting ready in case they discovered her. She leaned back against the tree and stood still, her breathing slightly laboured as the pain of her wound asserted itself. "Shit," she cursed softly as a chill ran through her and she knew the fever was getting worse.

"Gabrielle."

The writer turned at her whispered name and nodded as Diana signalled to her to circle around. They headed off in the opposite direction to each other and slowly crept toward the CIA command tent. The area wasn't well guarded and Gabrielle smiled as she realised that most of the agents were out looking for them. She was worried about Xena but she knew that the ex-Marine would give them a run for their money. She spotted Diana on the far side of the small clearing and moved closer.

"Goddammit!"

Xena had to almost bite her tongue to stop herself from yelling. She looked down and then slowly pulled her foot back. A large trap was covered over with grass and she had almost stepped right on it. Only the glint of the sun off the metal teeth had saved her. She wiped her hand across her forehead, trying to keep the sweat out of her eyes and flicked her head to push back her hair. So far, she had managed to stay ahead of the dogs and she hoped with all her heart that Diana had been able to explain to Gabrielle what was going on. God knew, she was getting tired and her legs were beginning to feel like jelly. Every time she stopped she had to hold herself up while her knees trembled and only her willpower and stubbornness was forcing her on. She needed help... and soon.

Gabrielle and Diana met up behind the command tent. They could hear the static crackle of a radio coming from inside and Gabrielle almost laughed out loud when she heard a man's exasperated voice come in loud and clear...

"This woman is good. She's leading us on a wild goose chase. She's laying false trails and doubling back on us all the time. Hell, we've passed the same tree four times so far!"

Then Diana recognised Michelle's voice.

"I don�t care what it takes. I want her back here and I want her alive. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am. What about the other two?"

There was a silence for a moment and then the agent's low voice echoed around inside Gabrielle's head.

"Kill them."

She felt a gentle hand on her arm and looked at her friend.

"It's ok," Diana whispered, rubbing her arm lightly and then squeezing her biceps through her jacket. "They don�t know where we are and..."

"What makes you think that?"

The two women jumped to their feet and Gabrielle raised her gun, levelling it at the agent's nose.

"Hello, Ares," she growled.

Agent Black threw back her head and laughed heartily.

"So you finally figured it out, Gabrielle. You know, I really have to admit that I've missed you. I know I've always called you the irritating blonde, but after the whole Helicon thing... gotta give you respect, Girl!"

"Go to Hell, Ares," the bard spat as she lowered the gun. "I'm not interested in hearing what you have to say and there's no way in the world that you're ever getting Xena back. She's mine again and it�s going to stay that way."

"Awwww, is the wittle bard missing her wawior pwincess," Ares replied sarcastically. "You don�t have much of a choice, Gabrielle. Right at this moment, your soulmate is slowly wasting away."

Gabrielle felt fear rise, hitting her right in the gut and she felt like she was going to be sick... but then what Ares said jumped into her mind.

"You just called Xena my soulmate," she pointed out. "Could it be that Ares really knows that he can never have the Warrior Princess back? Huh?"

In a movement faster than Gabrielle's eyes could follow, Agent Black was holding a revolver against her forehead.

"Don�t make me kill you," she snarled.

"Oh, she won't," Gabrielle replied firmly. She jumped and spun, sending the gun halfway across the clearing and not to mention breaking the agent's hand with the strength and force of the kick. She landed and took a defensive stance. "Ares, the writer may depend on weapons but you know I can kick your ass from Aphrodite's Temple to the Hall of War. Don�t make me do it."

"Oh? Prove it!" Ares yelled back childishly and Gabrielle rolled her eyes.

"I don�t have to," she said quietly and her eyes looked past Ares as a slow smile spread across her face. He looked around and found Xena standing at the edge of the clearing, looking a little worse for wear but doggedly determined as she pointed her gun, the laser beam hitting him right between the eyes.

"I don�t want to kill that body, Ares," she growled. "But you know I will if I have to."

Agent Black crossed her arms and tapped her gun against the side of her face.

"I know that, Xena but even if you kill this body, you're going down. What do you think will happen when the agents get here and they find you standing over the body of their commanding office with a smoking gun in your hand? So now are you gonna kill me?"

Xena smirked and her piercing blue eyes moved to Gabrielle.

"As my soulmate said, Ares," she drawled. "I don�t have to."

Ares felt a tap on his shoulder and when he spun, Gabrielle's fingers jabbed his jugular, hitting a crippling pressure point. Agent Black dropped to her knees as she clutched at her throat. The bard leaned forward and whispered.

"I've just cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You'll be dead in thirty seconds."

Ares' chest heaved as he tried to pull air into the agent's body. He could feel her life force draining away, draining him too and he had no choice but to leave to move on to a new life.

"You'll always be a goody two shoes," he gasped.

"Yeah, but with a really big rifle," she replied as she released the pinch and Agent Black's body slumped forward. Gabrielle blew out a long breath and rubbed her tired eyes. She looked at Xena and the warrior smiled before her knees finally gave out and she dropped onto them, the gun hanging uselessly from her uninjured hand. The bard was at her side a heartbeat later, cradling her soulmate's exhausted body in her arms.

"I told you so," she whispered as she kissed her love gently on the lips. "I told you that you weren't strong enough to travel. Now I've gotta deal with the lancing and the burning." She rolled her eyes and then smiled teasingly. Xena returned the smile and then shook her head.

"Gabrielle, this is the twenty-first century. They have great things called hospitals now. You don�t have to do the lancing or burning or sewing up anymore, Honey."

"Ha ha," the writer replied flatly and then looked at Diana. "You doing ok?"

The older woman just stared for a moment and then sat down on the ground.

"I think I'm free," she whispered.

"What?" Gabrielle and Xena asked together.

"I think my soul is finally free. I've been bonded to various bodies over many lives but now..." She laughed lightly. "I must have fulfilled my destiny. Gabrielle, my sister, Xena, I have to go! It's time for me to take my place in Heaven."

The bard was on her feet in an instant, grabbing the other woman's arm.

"Lila, please. Don�t go," she said, as she began to cry. "I've only just found you again."

"Gabrielle, I have to. I no longer belong in this world. You and Xena are destined to do good in many lives to come. Be good to each other and love as much as you can."

Xena smiled as she got shakily to her feet to stand behind her bard. She wrapped her good arm around her and squeezed her.

"I don't think that's going to be a problem, Lila," she replied.

"Me neither," Gabrielle chuckled as she ran her hand along her warrior's forearm. "I'm going to miss you, Lila. Thank you for everything you've done."

"Don�t thank me, Gabrielle. I love you."

"I love you too," the bard replied as Diana sank gently to the ground. She turned to her lover and cried into her shoulder, her breath hitching with sobs. Xena held her for as long as she could but then gently cupped her chin to raise her face and look into her eyes.

"We have to go, Gabrielle and I don�t know how much longer I'm gonna be able to keep upright for. Those agents are still coming."

Gabrielle's eyes snapped across the clearing as Diana stood up and smiled.

"I'll take care of them, you two. I'm still CIA. I'll handle it. I suggest you go back to your cabin and get a doctor to look at that shoulder, Xena."

"Agreed," the dark woman replied. She walked slowly toward the woman and Gabrielle held back to give them some space. "Diana, I..."

The agent reached out and caressed the ex-Marine's cheek, smiling tenderly.

"Shhh. You don�t have to say anything, Xena. It was a long time ago. I loved you back then and I still love you... but you belong to..." She glanced over at Gabrielle and grinned. "That beautiful woman who's looking at you as if she can't wait to get you alone... so I'll go now." She hugged Xena around the waist and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Be good," she whispered and then walked away a tiny grin on her lips as Xena ran her fingertips over her own. She shook her head as she saw Gabrielle's was tilted in question.

"Let's go home," she husked tiredly and the writer lent her a strong arm for support.

"I love you, Xena," she said softly as she helped the warrior back to the cabin.

"I love you too," Xena replied, sealing their promise with a kiss.

"God! JESUS! Son of a Bitch!" Xena yelled in her mind as the doctor dabbed her wound with an antiseptic and then gave her several injections. On the outside, Xena's face was a mask of stoicism but Gabrielle knew she was in tremendous pain when she noticed the slight trembling of her hands.

"We're nearly there," she said tenderly as she swept some errant strands of raven-black hair away from her lover's eyes. Xena nodded tersely, afraid to speak in case she started yelling and couldn�t stop. The writer leaned down and placed her mouth next to the older woman's ear. "I love you," she whispered.

"Ditto," Xena replied as the last stitch went in. A bandage and sling went on next and then Xena got up to get dressed.

"Where do you think you're going?" the doctor asked sternly.

"Home," Xena growled as she pulled her jeans on.

"Ms Adams," he went on. "You need complete bed rest for at least three days.

"Xena," Gabrielle began, torn between knowing the doctor was right and wanting her soulmate home with her. She stopped, however, when she saw the pleading look in her eyes. "Doctor, I can guarantee that... Ms Adams *smirk*... will get total bed rest at home. How does that sound?"

The doctor looked dubious for a moment but when Xena took a menacing step toward him, he nodded quickly.

"Sound's fine, Ms Whyte. You'll take care of her, won�t you?"

The writer shrugged.

"Of course. I love her," she replied matter-of-factly and took the now fully dressed Xena's hand. They slowly walked out of the hospital and back to their rental car, stopping to exchange a brief kiss on the way.

"Do you think we'll see Ares again?" Gabrielle asked as she slid her arm around her soulmate's waist. Xena sighed heavily and then shrugged her good shoulder.

"Who knows," she replied. "The only thing I do know is that, if he shows up again, we'll be here to stop him."

"Yeah, we will," Gabrielle replied with a grin. "Hey, you know what?"

"What?"

"I love you."

Xena raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Really," the writer confirmed.

"Never look back?"

"Never look back."

"So, you want me to drive?" Gabrielle asked as she swung the car keys on the end of her finger.

"Yeah and step on it. I got a few days of total bed rest ahead of me and I'm anxious to get started." Xena quirked an eyebrow. "Interested?"

"Very," the writer replied with a sexy smirk.

Hours later, warrior and bard lay sleeping by their campfire in a secluded clearing near Thessily. Gabrielle tightened her grip on her soulmate and mumbled something in her sleep while Xena just stared at the stars and wondered how she had got so damned lucky. As she drifted off her thoughts echoed around her mind.

Never look back...

TBC in part 8