Distance

It was a cool early evening as dusk settled over two travelers. They were wrapped around their blankets, cuddling, affectionate, but definitely not amorous. Not anymore. Gabrielle couldn't sleep, thoughts whirling around her head as she breathed in Xena's scent. "Xena." The bard called out into the night, the forest sounds and the crackling of the fire almost drowning out her soft voice.

"Hmm?"

"I'm not happy with where our relationship has been going lately." A hitched sigh. "I feel like I'm losing you, there's a distance between us as both a best friend and a lover." A small hand cupped a strong jaw. "I feel like we are two separate souls, apart but working together. I miss what we had, the closeness we used to share." The bard leaned up on her elbow and looked over the warrior. "Where are you, love?"

Xena sighed deeply. She knew that bringing a baby into their world would probably cause some conflict between them. It was the jealous partner/not enough attention syndrome. She raised her hand and softly caressed the blond hair that framed the face of her lover.

"Gabrielle, I'm not going to let the baby come between us. I promise I'll…"

"Xena, it's not the baby. It's other things...and Ares. " Gabrielle closed her eyes and put her head back down, aching to hear the steady beat of her warrior's heart. "I feel there's something between you and him. Something that you're not willing to admit."

The warrior felt a wetness fall on her chest. She gently picked up her love, to look into sad weepy green eyes.

"We're not as close as we were before. And even though I know part of the reason is the baby and I fully understand that, we haven't even made love in a very long time! We stopped less than half way through your pregnancy." Gabrielle hugged the woman tighter. "Ares would have had you before me!" The bard pulled back up and ran both her hands down the smooth face below, reading pained blue eyes.

Xena felt like she was being worshipped.

"Do you not want me anymore?" She barely had the strength to whisper, terrified at what the answer might be.

Xena wiped the tears away from the face she loved most. She sat up slightly and tenderly kissed her bard. Taking the time to pass her tongue slowly over the bottom lip and then the top, just like she knew the small woman liked it. Savoring.

"I had no intentions of making love to him, my love." She whispered, sending soothing hands down a smooth back.

"But you wanted to."

A big sigh was heard. "Come here."

Xena opened her legs and settled the crying woman in between, gently wrapping her longer ones around them. "I still want you. I will always want you. Your body still sets mine on fire." The loving words were whispered into an ear. A tongue snaked out and delicately licked a lobe. "I love the way your body tastes. The way you move against me." She trailed kisses down the smooth face to the other side. "I love the fullness of your breasts in my hand. The sounds of pleasure that you make at my touch." A hand traveled down, touching the loved part in question.

Gabrielle cried even harder at the words, at the gentleness of the hands caressing her body. Her breasts had no choice but to respond. She pressed her body downwards, rubbing the firm body beneath her. 'Gods, how she missed this.' She missed the closeness it brought them, the bonding, the sheer physical pleasure only Xena could provide. She moaned, her breathing increasing.

"Don't shut yourself out, Gabrielle. I need you." Strong hands lifted the smaller body until a hungry mouth began to suck a delicious nipple. "I love your softness. I love that you're all woman." This came out as a growl. "All mine."

The bard heard the growl rumble down her body. And the glorious sucking motion switched sides and she had no choice but to growl with her. This was her Xena, her warrior. The tears kept falling.

Xena grinded against the bard's body. "I love the way your body sweats as I move against it, love it, pleasure it. The way we slide together as my body sweats with yours." A gentle hand moved down the compact body as the other wrapped itself around blond hair. The symphony of moans and murmurs rose into the night.

The warrior's words and groans were wrapping itself around her heart. It was so erotic yet so loving. The words the destroyer of nations was whispering, calling out into the night were caressing her insides. Each one bringing her closer, each one reaffirming the love she could have sworn was gone, forgotten, passed. Her mind and body tingled. This wasn't about the physical release, this was about the pleasuring of a mind and soul. It was the only way she knew how to make love. The only way she wanted to.

Xena used her legs to open the smaller legs entwined with hers. She dipped unhurried fingers. "I hunger for your delicious wetness that's just for me." The skilled fingers moved back and forth, creating the friction her love needed. "The way your body swallows me."

The two bodies moved against each other. All the words a reality. A picture of love as the two lovers glistened in the night sky, reflecting the shadows of the nearby fire. The night welcoming the sounds of pleasure, ecstasy, and love.

Gabrielle arched into the warrior's body as she cried out into the disappearing darkness of her mind. She shuddered and rocked 'til she finally collapsed. But the shudders continued as the tears kept wracking her body. "Gods, I love you Xena."

"I will always love you, Gabrielle. Neither god nor mortal will ever change that. We are forever."