Convert this page to Pilot DOC Format

Disclaimer: The characters of Xena, Gabrielle, and Argo are property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures, they do not belong to me (although I wish they did!). All other characters and the story are property of the author. No infringement of copyright is intended and no money is being made in any way. So don't send the copyright cops around to put a Bard still wet behind the ears behind bars, coz that would just be mean!.

Love/Sex Warning: Well, there isn't any sex in the story but it is suggested. It does, however, involve a little bit of romancing between our two favourite gal pals so if you don't like that sort of thing you should probably go read something else other than this little tale.

Spoiler: Well if you haven't seen the episode 'The Warrior and the Bard get it on!' then this will probably spoil it for you. Sadly, there's no such episode *stamps feet, grinds teeth* so this shouldn't spoil anything.

Anyway enough of that legal mubo-jumbo on with the story!......

One Stormy Night

By Lava-lamp

The Warrior looked up at the sky, the last rays of sunlight were quickly disappearing and there was chill in the air. She glanced over at her companion travelling beside her, she looked exhausted. They had been travelling nearly all day, with few stops. The Bard leaned against her staff and let out a long sigh, the warrior stopped alongside her and smiled.

'We'd better look for somewhere to set up camp, it'll be dark soon'

'Thank the gods!, my feet feel like they've been to Tartarus and back!'

A loud rumble overhead caused the two friends to look to the sky.

'Looks like Zeus isn't too pleased with us mortals again!' The Bard chuckled

'It's going to be a bad storm. We'd better find a well-sheltered area away from these trees' The Warrior replied and urged Argo onwards.

Suddenly, the heavens opened and down came the rain. Gabrielle quickened her pace but found it hard to keep up with Argo's trot. Xena looked down at her friend, she must have been wet through to the bone.

'Gabrielle, come sit up here with me so we can get out of this damn rain!'

Xena grabbed Gabrielle's arm and hoisted her up onto her horse. Once she made sure her friend was comfortable she urged Argo into a canter. The countryside seemed to zoom past Gabrielle and puddles splashed everywhere as Argo's hooves pounded through the mud.

'You ok?' Xena called to her friend behind her

'Yeah, it's a little bumpy back here, but it's better than walking in all that sludge.'

A little way down the path, Xena noticed a small building just far enough away from the trees to be safe from the storm.

'Is that an Inn?' Gabrielle asked craning her neck to get a better view

'I'm not sure, it doesn't look very inhabited' Xena shouted over the howl of the wind

The Warrior halted Argo and dismounted. She took Gabrielle's arms in hers and slowly lowered her off the horse.

'Lets see if there's anybody home'

The rain was still hammering down, the wind was whipping the trees violently to and frow. Thunder rolled overhead and lightning illuminated the sky as if a new god was just about to be born.

Gabrielle began to shiver. She wrapped her arms tightly around her body to keep in as much heat as possible. Xena looked worriedly at her friend.

'Gabrielle, you'll catch your death'

Xena moved closer to her friend and wrapped her muscular arms around her.

'Better?'

'Yeah, thanks'

Suddenly there was a huge crack and lightning hit the tree which the two friends were passing under.

'GABRIELLE!, LOOK OUT!' The Warrior shouted. She could see her friend would not get to safety in time so she threw all her weight against her and brought them both crashing down away from the falling tree's path.

They hit the ground with a huge thud and Xena remained covering Gabrielle's body with hers protecting her against any unforeseen danger.

'Gabrielle?, Gabrielle?, are you alright?'

'I'll live, thanks for saving my life'

'Hey, what are friends for?'

As Xena finished the sentence she smiled and looked into her friend's eyes. To her surprise Gabrielle was smiling and looking straight back at her. A raindrop dripped off Xena's forehead and landed on Gabrielle's bottom lip. Although they could both feel the rain falling all around them, the sound of the storm seemed to fade out and all they could hear was each other's breathing. These few seconds seemed like an eternity to them, and they both knew something special had just passed between them.

Xena eased herself off Gabrielle and offered her a hand up. They continued walking towards the building. As they got closer they realised it wasn't an inn but an abandoned barn. Xena lead Argo to a side building that would serve very well as a stable for the night and walked back to meet her friend.

'Careful' Xena warned 'These beams might not be as stable as they seem'

Gabrielle ducked her head in under the door and looked around the building. She noticed there seemed to be no holes in the roof, little draft and a large stack of hay in the corner.

'Hardly Aphrodite's Temple, but hey, at least we'll be dry and warm.'

Xena let out a huge yawn.

'I don't know about you Gabrielle but after a hard day's travelling, this Warrior is ready to sleep for Greece!'

Gabrielle laughed at her friend, it was times like these she treasured most. She quickly unpacked their bedrolls and laid them neatly side by side on the hay. The Bard helped the Warrior remove her armour and they both laid back on their bedrolls.

'Xena?'

'Hmmm?' The Warrior half answered half growled as she tried to get some sleep.

'You know, I've never regretted leaving Potedia to come with you. My life was so boring before I met you and now, well now it's an adventure everyday. Fighting with gods, defeating warlords, helping villages, meeting Kings, eating worms....'

'Eating worms?!'

'Just seeing if you were still listening!'

'Yeah, yeah Gabrielle, I'm still listening!'

'Seriously though Xena, you're the best thing in my life'

'You too Gabrielle' Xena yawned 'You too'

'Goodnight Xena' Gabrielle said and gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek

'Hey!' Xena pretended to frown at Gabrielle's gesture but inwardly she smiled. 'Goodnight Gabrielle'

A few moments had passed, although Xena pretended to sleep, she couldn't, all she could think about was Gabrielle. Her friend, her family, her lover....?, no, they were bad thoughts, Gabrielle could never love her, an ex-warlord, a barbarian, a murderer. Gabrielle was so full of good and pureness, she could never love Xena, to love her would be to love the monster still deep inside her.

Little did Xena know Gabrielle was thinking about her too. How could Xena love me?, she'd think it was just a childish crush, she wouldn't take me seriously. What if I told her and she left me, how would I cope with that?. Gods, I love her, I love her so much!, I'd die for her!. I have to tell her!.

Suddenly both the Warrior and the Bard spoke at once.

'Gabrielle....'

'Xena....'

'You first' Xena offered

'No you' Gabrielle replied

'Gabrielle, I need to tell you something...'

Suddenly there was a bang from outside and Argo seemed to be in some distress.

'Argo!' Xena and Gabrielle bolted from their bedrolls to the makeshift stable outside.

'It's ok girl, it's ok' Xena soothed her horse, she turned to her friend 'The banging door must have scarred her' Turning back to her horse, she petted her fondly 'You big softy!'

Xena went to turn back to the barn, but instead lost her footing and fell, pulling her friend with her. They both landed smack into a muddy puddle and began laughing. Once their laughing subsided, Xena suddenly felt a little embarrassed. There she was, flat on her back in a puddle with Gabrielle smack on top of her. She only realised it when her friend looked behind her that she had her hands clasped firmly on Gabrielle's butt.

'Here comes that funny feeling again..' Xena muttered

'What?, you feel that too?' Gabrielle asked alarmingly

'I think we'll thinking on differently levels here Gabrielle' Xena said trying to pass her comment off

'Really?' The Bard replied coyly and planted a quick kiss on Xena's lips 'I am thinking on the same level as you now Warrior Princess?'

'Gabrielle!, I, I tried to tell you, I just didn't know.'

'Well I don't know what you're going to do about it Xena, but I know what I'm going to do!' Gabrielle said and leaned down for a kiss.

Xena was slightly taken aback by Gabrielle's forwardness; she smiled to herself, this was a side of her character she could get used to. The Warrior leant up slightly and closed the distance between them.

The kiss started softly, as if they had never touched. Gabrielle put her arm behind Xena's head and Xena brought her hands to rest of Gabrielle's waist, the kiss became more solid. Suddenly Gabrielle pulled Xena's face deeper into hers and their tongues met as quickly as the lightning had struck earlier. The passion, love and overall feeling was incredible.

'By the Gods Gabrielle!, I..., I never....' The Warrior trailed off still in awe of what just happened.

'Xena?'

'Uh-huh?'

'Just shut-up and kiss me!'

The two lovers smiled at each other, the emerald gaze fusing with the sapphire. They kissed again.

'Gabrielle, although this rain dripping all over us is very romantic for some, I'm more of a rolling in the hay kinda girl, shall we?' Xena said and picked her Bard up into her arms.

'Do I have a choice?' Gabrielle giggled and pulled Xena into another kiss.

'Gabrielle, you keep kissing me like that and this little walk to the barn is gonna take hours!....'

The End.

A quick note here to say thank-you to all the people who were kind enough to send me their thoughts on my first story. Their comments gave me the motivation to write this second story. I'm still a baby Bard (17 on the 17^th of April) so I thought I'd write another story before I hit the big one-seven. Any veteran Bardy-Poo's or Fan Fic readers that would like to give their thoughts on my second piece of work please do, comments are very much appreciated.

E-mail me at Red1704@Hotmail.com

Listings of works by Lava-lamp
Return to the Fan Fiction area