Disclaimer: The characters belong to Rob Tapert and co. No copyright infringement was intended. This story contains graphic scenes of love between two consenting females. Please be warned in case you may be offended.

Dedication: For my dear friend, Suzanne. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Comments/Constructive criticism to [email protected]

Please have a look at my other fic and poetry at www.geocities.com/cheeya_2000

"Xena?"

The warrior wiped her hand quickly across her eyes and sniffed.

"Yes, Gabrielle?"

"Xena, what's wrong?"

The young woman pulled back her blanket and moved to the other side of the campfire. She knelt down beside her friend and reached out to finger some errant strands of the warrior's long, dark hair. She wiped a tear away from her cheek and smiled tenderly.

"I� uh� I was just thinking," Xena replied, lowering her eyes to study their campfire.

"About what?"

"Lots of things. Solan, Cirra, Marcus� "

Another tear crept down her cheek and she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"You're hurting," Gabrielle said softly. "Xena, let me help."

"You can't, Gabrielle," the warrior whispered.

"Let me try?"

Xena nodded slowly, without looking up and then felt a pair of muscular arms encircle her. She tensed involuntarily as she felt the bard's hand move to cradle her head and pull her forward gently.

"Xena, relax. Trust me," Gabrielle said, her voice barely above a whisper in the silence of the dark forest. The warrior lowered her head and rested it on her best friend's shoulder, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin. Long, blonde hair tickled her gently as it fell across her chest and she sighed softly as the scent that was all Gabrielle washed over her. She loved this woman more than anyone in the world and she knew that their relationship was slowly changing. Xena closed her eyes as Gabrielle's fingers moved slowly through her hair and she pulled the younger woman closer to her, running her hand just as slowly down her back. She felt a soft kiss on the crown of her head and inhaled sharply at the feelings it invoked in her� feelings of pleasure and exquisite passion. Before she even realised what she was doing, she began to nuzzle the soft skin of the bard's neck, drawing her even closer. Xena prayed that Gabrielle wouldn't feel the trembling of her impassioned body as the bard's fingers moved from her hair to run down her throat. Xena looked up into gentle, emerald green eyes and knew this was the moment that would change her life forever. Gabrielle's small hand cupped her chin and she smiled tenderly.

"I love you," she whispered and bent forward to barely brush her lips against her soulmate's. The kiss was brief but it left them both desperate for more. Gabrielle was almost scared of her body's reaction to kissing her best friend and she pulled back slightly, her lips parted in surprise.

"Gabrielle, what do you want?" Xena asked softly, stroking the bard's cheek with her fingertips.

"I want� you," Gabrielle whispered, gazing into the piercing blue eyes she loved so much. Xena smiled as she felt her heart soar and she moved to kneel in front of her soulmate.

"Gabrielle, I love you," she said as she pushed the bard's hair back from her shoulders. Gabrielle tipped her head back and moaned softly as Xena's lips moved slowly down her neck and across her shoulder while her hand moved through silky, blonde hair. She gasped as Xena bit down on her shoulder and she pulled the warrior hard against her, encouraging her to take more.

"Easy," Xena whispered and kissed her way across the younger woman's jaw before capturing her lips for a kiss laced with barely restrained passion. She felt Gabrielle's lips part and as their tongues met for the first time, they both groaned aloud. Xena could taste the wine her soulmate had been drinking earlier at dinner and wanted to taste more so she deepened the kiss, thrusting her tongue deeply into the warmth of the bard's mouth. She heard a tiny whimper and pulled back suddenly.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" she asked worriedly, tipping her fingertips gently against the bard's lips.

"Gods no," Gabrielle replied breathlessly and then closed her eyes. "Xena, I want you."

"You have me, Gabrielle� forever," Xena replied and pulled her close again, kissing her with ever increasing desire but she broke away suddenly and moved to suck and nip at her lover's pulse point as her hands slowly opened the laces of her brief, green top.

"Xena!" Gabrielle cried as sword callused hands cupped her breasts and performed a gentle massage. Her nipples hardened instantly and jutted into the warrior's palms as she teased them and then pinched them between her fingers. "Xena� please� your mouth. I want� oohh� to feel your mouth on me."

She whimpered again as the warrior's lips closed over her right nipple and her tongue began to stroke it rhythmically. The bard cradled Xena's head and held it in place as she arched her back, forcing more of her breast into her lover's mouth. Xena looked up at her without breaking contact and almost smiled at the look of absolute pleasure on her young lover's face. She moved back and forward, lavishing attention on both breasts until Gabrielle suddenly pulled her up and held her face in her hands.

"Xena, you have to take me now," she husked, surprising the Hades out of the warrior. Tears rose to her eyes and spilled over as she struggled for control over her trembling body. "Please� I can't�" She shook her head and Xena kissed her gently.

"Gabrielle, lie down," she said.

The bard complied and Xena quickly slid her own clothes off. She saw her lover's eyes widen as she took in the sight in front of her and Gabrielle suddenly sprang forward and latched onto her breasts, sucking and licking her nipples, wrapping her arms around her lover and holding her in a vice like grip. Xena almost couldn�t believe the want she was witnessing in her soulmate and she inhaled sharply as the bard bit down a little too hard. She took her by shoulders and pushed her back gently, ducking her head to look into her eyes.

"Gabrielle, take it easy," she said, softly.

"I'm s�sorry," the bard stammered, looking down in shame and Xena pulled her into a gentle hug.

"It�s ok. You didn�t hurt me. Gabrielle, I love you. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Xena already knew the answer but felt she needed to give the younger woman the choice. They had been best friends for four years, been through Tartarus together and still loved each other more than their own lives.

"Xena, I'm sure. I love you," Gabrielle replied and the Warrior Princess pushed her back onto her bedroll. She removed the bard's skirt and boots and then slowly slid her thin undergarment from her body, leaving her totally naked. The warrior licked suddenly dry lips and took off her own boots. She stretched out over the bard's slender but muscular frame and lowered herself slowly, being careful to support most of her weight on her forearms, but she gasped as Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her and pulled her fully down on top of her.

"Honey, I'm too heavy. I'll hurt you," she warned but her lover shook her head.

"I need to feel you against me, Love. You won�t hurt me."

Gabrielle's thigh pressed up against her intimate flesh and Xena groaned softly. She moved her own leg to return the favour and felt her lover's hips begin to move against her, stimulating both of their swollen and throbbing clits. Their breathing became increasingly ragged and they kissed passionately as their bodies moved as one. Gabrielle broke the kiss and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Her moans became louder and her hips moved faster. Xena couldn�t catch the whimper that forced it way past her throat and she ducked her head to take her lover's nipples into her mouth. Gabrielle gasped as the warrior bit down and she thrust her hips harder and faster before arching her back and screaming as she released. The force of her orgasm lifted them both off the bedroll and Xena followed her lover over with a loud cry of her own. Wave after wave of pleasure stormed through their bodies, leaving them spent and shaking when they finally abated. Xena collapsed on top of her lover and buried her face in her sweet smelling hair, breathing heavily. Gabrielle held her tightly as tears ran down her cheeks. She couldn�t describe the way she was feeling. Her love for her beautiful warrior overwhelmed her and she began to sob into her shoulder. Xena felt the warm wetness of her tears and rolled them both over, holding her soulmate close and stroking her hair.

"Gabrielle, are you ok?" she asked gently and finally the bard looked up at her.

"I love you, Xena. Please don�t ever leave me," she said, sounding almost like a frightened child and the warrior realised that her soulmate was speaking her deepest fear. She had loved her husband but had lost him to Callisto's sword the day after their wedding and Xena knew that Gabrielle never wanted to go through that again. It was at that moment that the Warrior Princess realised just how much this beautiful young woman loved her and her own tears began to fall.

"I promise you, Gabrielle. I will never leave you. Do you hear me? Never. You're the best thing in my life and I'm never letting you go."

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her lover and held her tightly. She rested her head on her warrior's shoulder and drifted off into contented sleep.

Gabrielle returned from her most precious memory and opened her eyes, blinking against the stinging snow. She gathered her strength and turned her head to look at her soulmate. Xena's head was bowed and for one terrifying second, Gabrielle thought she was dead but, as if the warrior sensed her gaze, she lifted her head and looked back at her lover. Piercing blue eyes met emerald green and a million words of love passed between them with that look. Xena smiled and nodded and Gabrielle's head slowly fell as the life ebbed from her brutalised body.

The snow fell heavier on the line of crosses on the mountain. The Warrior Princess could no longer feel any pain. Her body was numb and she knew she had very little time left. She reached into the recesses of her reserves and lifted her head to look to the sky.

"I promised you I'd never leave you, Gabrielle," she whispered. "I kept my promise. I love you."

The End