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Xena: Choose Your own Adventure #2

By Allison

The days passed by slowly, or at least Gabrielle thought so. Each day, Xena did something different. Different than usual... not... "Xena-ish", or so Gabrielle figured.

One day, Xena cooked dinner. Not only was that extremely rare, but it was also good.

This set off an alarm in Gabrielle's head.

Lately, Xena had been planting different kinds of wheat and corn near the silo. She took care of the small garden every day. She often stayed outside after it was dark, and just stood there, staring up at the sky. Gabrielle saw her outside from her bedroom window.

That's the problem - it wasn't even living space. Gabrielle had her bedrolls next to the childrens' bed.

On one day, Xena had on a purple dress. She didn't even beat up anyone by the end of the first week. Xena smiled a lot lately. That made up for Gabrielle.

Gabrielle wondered why Xena hadn't said anything to her. One day, while Xena was in the kitchen, cooking, Gabrielle came up the kitchen table and sat down.

"We gotta talk," Gabrielle said sternly.

"About...?" Xena urged, still stirring the contents of the pan near the fireplace.

"Xena... let me just say that I respect you and your decisions," Gabrielle started off slowly. Xena nodded just as slowly.

"But I can't take this anymore!" Gabrielle burst out.

"Take what?" Xena furrowed her brow.

"Anything! You let me take care of Argo, you wear dresses, you cook, and you smile a lot! Now, don't get me wrong - I think that's all great, but why is this destroying me?"

Xena suddenly looked sad. "I don't know."

Gabrielle exhaled loudly.

"Xena, I'm leaving tonight. I'm going home," Gabrielle calmed down.

Xena was surprised. "When did you decide that?"

"Now," Gabrielle said as she stood up and walked out of the kitchen, going to pack her few belongings.

She quickly hurried out to the barn to grab her staff hear Argo.

...and found Xena, dressed back in her armor, standing near her horse, waiting. Gabrielle shook her head slowly, making no facial expressions.

"This is my decision, Xena. Let me do this," she whispered. "You're happy here. I don't want to disrupt that."

"You're not," Xena said, emotionless.

Gabrielle watched as Xena climbed on to Argo.

"Does Darius know that you're leaving?" Gabrielle asked.

"No," Xena said quietly. Gabrielle looked out the door to see the sunset.

"That will hurt the children, let alone Darius," Gabrielle pointed out. Half of Gabrielle wanted to yell and scream and leave right now, while the other half wanted to stay and help Xena. Help with what, though, Gabrielle had no idea.

Xena looked at the ceiling and massaged her temples.

"I'm not leaving, Xena. Not with you," Gabrielle decided.

"Too bad, because we're leaving now before I change my mind," Xena said quickly.

"You love him," Gabrielle tilted her head to one side and stared at her best friend. "You really love him."

"Yeah," Xena said.

Xena's eyes filled up with tears as she dismounted Argo.

They walked back inside, arms around each other.

The crickets and frogs were the only ones making any noise that late at night.

Gabrielle stood up and folded up her bedrolls quietly.

She repacked her things and crept out the door and into the stables to get her staff.

"I sneaked out my home to go with Xena, now I'm sneaking away from Xena to go home," Gabrielle chuckled in spite of the situation.

She walked along the well-traveled road, and hummed to herself.

Hummed of her travels with the great Warrior Princess.

* * *

"Gabrielle!" Xena screamed. Her bedrolls were gone, her staff was missing, and the children had claimed they didn't hear a sound.

"I'll get my horse ready. We can be ready to go look for the kidnapper soon," Darius declared, taking action.

"No," Xena out her hand on Darius' chest, stopping him from leaving the house.

"There's no sign of struggle, you saw that. She just got up and left. It's a long story, but basically she was homesick," Xena lied. Her stomach twisted at her last words.

"I thought that you two practically lived together, though, I mean-" Darius stopped as his three children came in.

"Is Gabrielle back yet?" Augolis asked.

"No, not yet-" Darius was interrupted.

"She won't be coming back," Xena said hastily.

"What?" Lykus' jaw dropped. "Does she not like us?" his eyes welled up with tears.

"Oh no! She loves all three of you! It's just... she had to leave... she missed her family..." Xena explained.

"Why did you tell them that she left for good?" Darius whispered once they were all outside near the wheat patch. Green specks stuck out of the ground.

"I couldn't lie to them!" Xena hissed.

That night, after the children were asleep, Darius met Xena outside.

"Xena..." Darius started.

"Hmm?" Xena asked, still looking at the sky.

"I have a serious question to ask you," he said.

"What is it?" Xena made eye contact with the man. Darius got down on one knee.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, holding Xena's left hand. Xena's eyes went wide.

If Xena says "yes", go to chapter #16.

If Xena says "I'll think about it, let's go look for Gabrielle," go to chapter #17.