"A Rainy Day"

DISCLAIMER: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are property of MCA /Universal. No copyright infringement was or is intended. This cheesy fiction may contain descriptions of a sexual nature between two consenting adult women. Please do not continue if you are under 18 years of age or this is illegal in your locale.

Gabrielle stretched, ever so lazily, loathe to relinquish the cozy feeling of sleeping in Xena's arms. She could still feel the Warrior Princess, hear the steady heartbeat beneath her ear, smell the leather aroma lingering long after the armor was removed.

A small smile tugging at her lips, the bard at last opened her eyes. Lifting her head reluctantly, she murmured "good morning" as she brought a hand up to brush raven hair out of sleepy crystal blue eyes.

"Xena?" Concern suddenly tinged her voice as she felt the dry hot skin of the other woman's forehead. "You've got a fever. Have you been sitting up all night?"

"This isn't exactly a four-star inn, Gabrielle." The droll voice and wry smile were almost normal, if the glassy look to her normally clear eyes wasn't so apparent.

"Well, maybe not. But you didn't have to sit up all night, with your back against the cold damp stone." Gabrielle stood and looked around the small cave. The torn blanket Xena had tossed about her a few hours before was crumpled in the dirt at her feet. Picking it up, she gave it a good shake before wrapping it around the Warrior Princess' shoulders. "Now move away from the wall. At least closer to Argo so she can help keep you warm."

"I'm fine, Gabrielle. Nothing a little exercise can't cure." The ailing woman stood, then lurched back against the wall for support.

"Oh, sure. Exercise." The Amazon Princess stood, hands on hips and glaring authoritatively at her companion. "You'll be on your face in a matter of steps. Now, no arguing. I'll go back to the campsite and see what I can salvage."

"I'll go with you."

"No, you stay here." Xena reached over for her armor, lost her balance and sat heavily, as if her legs refused to cooperate any longer. "You won't need your armor, we'll figure out a way to make this place a bit more hospitable."

"It's too small, Gabrielle. There is barely room for the three of us, no room for our gear, and no ventilation for a fire. Another storm is on the way. We have to move on. Maybe back to Marta's village."

Gabrielle knew Xena was feeling ill when she considered going back to that place. The woman had nearly killed them with kindness the night before. There had to be another answer. She rummaged through the saddle bags again, finding a wrap around skirt and tunic which she donned in a hurry. The bard glanced over at the warrior, who was now sitting cross-legged on the dirt floor, huddled under the old saddle blanket.

Gabrielle's voice grew softer. "I won't be long. I'll see what the animals have left of the food, and any of the other tools that aren't buried in the mud." She hoped it was only animals she had to worry about as she ducked out into the mist.

"Take Argo."

"What for?" She looked back in the cave, startled by the weak voice that called after her.

"Save you some trips."

Gabrielle chewed her lip as she considered. Even ailing, the Warrior Princess could handle herself in a fight. Her sword and chakram were near the saddle bags, so she wouldn't be defenseless.

"All right. Just stay here." Gabrielle fought off the nervous giggle over the number of times Xena had said that very thing. Taking the halter lead, she headed away from the cave, listening to the hooves behind plod through the mud.

The campsite was pretty disheveled. The fire so much ash and mud there was no recognizable ring left. She picked up the remains of a lamb shank. "I'm glad *someone* enjoyed breakfast." Tossing it into a nearby bush, she continued her search. The bedrolls were soggy, but the midnight marauders who'd so enjoyed some leftovers had left them untouched.

The bard wrung out as much water as she could then rolled them and draped them over Argo's back. "Sorry, girl. I bet that's cold." Her voice sounded hollow in the stillness between storms. The answering nicker did nothing to ease her loneliness, so she continued her task in silence.

Two pots, a small fry pan, the paring knife she'd used so sparingly the night before, even the small bag containing flint and steel: she eventually found them all amid the muck and with a brief rinsing from a half-filled water skin or a careful wiping with the hem of her skirt looked more usable. The second water skin was ruined, no doubt rent by last nights guests as they rooted out what was left of Marta's feast. Gabrielle remembered one loaf of bread still packed in the saddle bags, but that wouldn't last very long.

Tying the rest of the equipment to the bedrolls and brushing her muddy hands as dry as her now damp skirt would allow, the amazon made her way to a few of the traps Xena had set the day before. The first was empty. The second was broken, probably tripped by much too large a beast. Discouraged, Gabrielle tried one more. Now well out of earshot of the cave, she rooted around under the brush and let out a triumphant cry.

The brown squirrel chittered and scolded as she released it from the rope trap. "Now I know where the term 'squirrely' comes from," she muttered as she tried to keep a grip on the little creature. It squirmed against her hand, wriggling around to stare at her and begin the scolding again.

"Now don't give me a hard time. It's nothing personal. You're even kind of cute. But Xena's not feeling well and a little..." her voice trailed off. The little voice and deep brown eyes conspired against her. She sighed. "Oh, all right." Making sure the rope hadn't caused any permanent damage, she put the squirrel down. "Shoo." It looked back up at her, still crouched on the ground between her feet. "Shoo! Before I change my mind." she lifted her foot and it scampered away to the nearest tree. Half way up the trunk, it paused to chitter at her again. "You're welcome. Just don't tell Xena I let you go."

Argo nickered quietly as the tiny animal bounded into the branches. "I know, there goes breakfast." Gabrielle sighed again and gathered up the halter lead, heading back the way she came. No use even checking the other traps. "Xena shouldn't have anything so heavy anyway," she rationalized as she resigned herself to gathering some plants to boil for soup.

The clouds were definitely threatening again by the time a weary bard caught sight of the little outcropping. Even Argo was almost tiptoeing it seemed as the pair ducked into their haven of the evening before.

"Xena?"

Gabrielle looked around, wildly. "I knew it. Argo, I never should have left! Someone came and attacked her...dragged her off, stole our gear!" She scuffed around the hard packed dirt, hoping for some sign of a struggle, anything that could tell her the direction the kidnappers had gone. "How will I find her?"

She ducked back out into the open, scanning the mud in the tiny clearing. There were many footprints, some Gabrielle recognized as her own, and many were obscured by Argo's hoof prints. "OK, Gabrielle. take a deep breath. Act, don't react." The often repeated words had a strangely calming affect. Drawing a deep breath through her nose, then releasing it ever so slowly out her mouth, she looked around the clearing and into the trees beyond. A faint column of smoke swirled around the branches off to her right...maybe it was mist? No, it was definitely smoke. Gripping her staff and setting her jaw, the Amazon Princess turned back to the mare. "Will you at least stay where you are told?" The feeble joke did nothing to make her feel better, but the nodding of an equine head almost did. "Thank you. Xena wasn't kidding when she said you understood." The shaking head now did elicit a small chuckle. "All right. You wait here for Xena, and watch our gear."

Gabrielle didn't wait for yet another nod, afraid she was imagining it in her anxiety. Locating the wispy smoke again, she headed toward it.

The bard made her way as silently as she could consoling herself that at least Xena's captors knew their woodcraft. The smoke was burning a clear white, wafting with the faint scent of pine chips, not chokingly black with the scent of rotting wood.

She stopped mid stride. Something was strange...the smoke came from the clearing just ahead, but there was no other evidence of camp. No horses, no people...not even the source of the smoke. She searched again, letting her nose lead her when her eyes could not, following the pine scent till she paused before a large tree.

At one time it must have been a magnificent tree. Probably the grandest and tallest, grandfather to the saplings that surrounded it. But as with all things that stand the test of time, the gods had apparently grown jealous, casting it down with a mighty thunderbolt, igniting the once lush branches until they shriveled and cracked, leaving only the empty shell that Gabrielle now gazed upon.

An empty shell. A story of dryads and naiads leapt to her mind, recollection of tales of the tree dwellers. With a small smile, she ducked under a charred and withered branch and crept around the wide trunk, ducking into the crack she had known would be there.

"Xena!" Gabrielle stood in the small enclosure, wrapping her arms around the waist of the dark haired warrior, causing her to drop the makeshift thatching. "What are you doing here? Do you know you scared the life out of me? I thought I told you to stay put!"

Xena turned. "I don't recall you much paying attention to that directive." She sighed and took Gabrielle by the wrists, disentangling her waist. "Besides, I told you the cave wasn't deep enough for the three of us. Another storm is rolling in and we need more stable shelter."

Gabrielle let her arms drop before slowly circling to take in her surroundings. The Warrior Princess had been busy. One knothole showed a simple water catch outside. One of Xena's greaves was suspended from the tree, twigs lining it, guiding the water inside to a scrap of cloth through which it dripped into a small rock basin. A tidy hearth of stones guarded the fire burning brightly at one end, a hollowed branch serving as a chimney to clear the smoke from the tiny room. Twigs and leaves poked out from under the blanket the bard had left behind, signifying the construct of the almost level floor while a crisscrossing of branches and grasses leaned haphazardly against the far wall. "What's that for, Xena?"

Xena lifted her thatch again. "Keep out the rain." She peered up, squinting, before trying to jam the wood in place. "Looks like there's plenty of old wood up there, like the fire took out the branches, and animals this lower section. That'll stop most of the rain. Anything that gets by should be trapped by the grasses."

Gabrielle smiled in admiration. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"Sire children." Xena allowed a small smirk to follow up her wry response.

Gabrielle laughed delightedly and wrapped her arms around her companion.

"Not now, Gabrielle." Xena pushed the smaller woman away almost impatiently.

The amazon princess stared, stung. "I didn't mean..." She'd only meant to convey her pride in what her friend had accomplished.

The warrior ignored the interruption and spoke on. "We need to finish this. Argo needs tending. And did you salvage anything from the camp site?"

The bard withdrew, trying to stifle her hurt feelings and irritation. She stepped back outside the tree and called back over her shoulder. "Argo's at the cave with our gear. She has plenty of grass, and one of the rocks has a hollow in it, I can fill that with water for her. Maybe when I get back you'll be in a better mood."

Xena watched her friend stalk off into the midst, words choked off within a scratchy throat. It wasn't like she'd meant to be snippy, she just felt, well, awful...and she *knew* the rain was coming soon...

She threw down the thatching in disgust. The once pliable material was now rigid, struggling with her every attempt to place it. As if the universe were against her now that Gabrielle was upset.

Looking around for something else to do, the warrior sighed. It was almost homey, better than most single-room shacks she'd stayed in, and infinitely better than the many stables and caves she and Argo had inhabited over the years.

So why did it seem so cold?

She dropped to the makeshift flooring and huddled nearer the fire. She'd really made a mess of this one. She should have known the storm was coming, should have felt the wind shift. She knew the traps would be empty, the animals listening to the weather warnings she'd ignored. If she'd been paying attention, maybe they'd still have the leftovers from Marta's feast...

She leaned her head back against the tree wall. She inhaled deeply the warm air swirling around her, savoring the comforting heat that made it so much easier to breath. A few more deep breaths and she'd stand back up, get a little more done, try to make up for the mistakes of the night before...and a few moments ago. Just a few more...

Gabrielle grumbled under her breath as she approached the tree. Arms full of bedrolls and saddlebags, pots and pans tied around her hips, clanging with every step. "I feel more like a pack mule than a bard." Of course, she knew she could have carried less, made more than one trip to the cave, but she was tired...and hungry. The Amazon stifled the memory of the escaped squirrel, knowing the sight of food would have cheered her companion. She wished she had opened the saddlebags back at the cave and at least confirmed her suspicions. After all, the bulges were uncommon for the normally sleek and slim containers.

She clattered into the small clearing nearest the tree, glancing up at the tendril of smoke. It wasn't as thick as before. Maybe the wood had finally dried, or maybe the tree was holding heat so well Xena had lowered the flame...

Ducking in the door, she paused and released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "You'll give me gray hair yet, Warrior Princess." The whisper didn't carry very far, surely not far enough to waken the dozing woman on the far side of the enclosure.

Forgetting her quarrel with her companion, Gabrielle lowered her bundles quietly, extracting a blanket from a bed roll and lightly tucking it around Xena's shoulders. A slight sheen on tanned skin betrayed the return of a fever, so Gabrielle wasn't surprised she was greeted only with a quiet murmur. "Shhh, it's just me, Xena. Everything's OK."

Xena seemed to quiet, her breathing returning to a steady rhythm. With a satisfied nod, Gabrielle returned to the matter at hand...dinner.

Untying the pot from around her waist, she fashioned a spit on which to hang it over the fire. Another log was plenty to get a steady flame without causing too much heat, and the newly filled water skins held plenty to drink and cook with. Biting her lip, Gabrielle lifted the cover to one of the bags. The tension broke like a morning fog dissipating before the sunrise of her relieved smile. Whittling portions of the lamb shank into the left over soup, and paring some carrots in for good measure, the hoped-for stew began to bubble merrily.

Rummaging through the saddlebags for any other leftovers, Gabrielle located some of the echinacea Xena had bartered for at their last stop. Since the fever didn't seem too high and there weren't any other overt symptoms, Gabrielle hoped the warrior merely needed a little boost to her strength, a little soothing rest to set her right. As she recalled this stuff would do the trick.

She debated just dropping the root into the stew, but really wasn't sure how much it would interfere with the flavor. "Besides, *I'm* not sick." She nodded to herself and dug out the mortar. A little elbow grease later, she had a fine powder, which she poured into the small saucepan, spooning in some broth and stirring gently.

The aroma now swirling around the small room, Gabrielle was hard pressed to put off her own dinner. But recollections of all the times Xena had placed Gabrielle's needs above her own spurred her to shift the position of the stew pot, removing it from the hottest flames.

Taking the saucepan with her, she moved over to sit beside the still sleeping woman. "Xena." Gabrielle put the pan down and traced her palm along the glistening cheek. "Xena."

The other woman jerked at the sound of a voice, eyes wild as she tried to place herself. Her first words were inarticulate, as if she were struggling against some unseen gag, before she finally forced out "it won't work."

"Shhhhh." Gabrielle continued the soft caress. "You're safe, Xena. No one is here but us. See? It's me, Gabrielle."

"You think I don't see, but I do."

She tried once more, hoping the warrior woke before she mistook Gabrielle for some enemy. Even in her weakened state, Xena could land quite a blow. "Wake up, Xena. You're safe. Here. In this tree you made into our home." Gabrielle couldn't help the smile at the sound of it. Their home. "Dinner's ready."

"Home?" Xena blinked, finally focusing on the green eyes before her. "Gabrielle? I thought I was..."

"I know, it was a dream. Everything's fine...you're probably just hungry." She smiled and reached for the saucepan. "I guess all those times you had me pretend to be your slave are finally paying off, eh?" She gently lifted a spoon and ladled the broth into a stunned but open mouth.

Xena swallowed, then smiled. "That's good...but I was sure the traps would be empty..."

"They were." Gabrielle had to laugh as her face flushed. "Well, all but one. It was just a scrawny little squirrel, hardly a mouthful."

"So you let it go." Xena finished as both women laughed. "Then where..."

"Marta's leftovers. I'd forgotten she'd wrapped most of the "goodies" for today. " The bard grinned, pleased her surprise was so well received. "We had the saddlebags in the cave, so the animals didn't get them. Though I'll tell you they sure made a go of the left over bones." Gabrielle kept ladling the broth while she described the mess, the chaos, the mud. "It took awhile to find everything, but I guess that gave you time to work up this little place."

Xena shrugged and looked around, her eyes lighting on the still unplaced thatching. "Yeah, well, I didn't hold up my end of the bargain."

Her words were punctuated by the sound of thunder and a flash of light. Both women tensed as they waited for the deluge. Xena hauled herself to her feet while Gabrielle moved quickly toward the thatching, wondering if she was tall enough to lift it between the craggy remnants of the trunk.

"I'll get it."

"You'll sit down." Gabrielle gave her best 'Amazon Queen' look as she whirled toward her companion. She glanced up at the sound of the downpour outside, waiting for the splash of water sure to dampen her face.

It never came.

She grinned at Xena and then reiterated her command. "Sit down. See? Nothing to worry about. This old tree of yours has a better roof than half the inns we've stayed at.

Xena laughed, leaning heavily against the wall as she slid down to the blanket she'd just dropped. She looked up at Gabrielle, then at the "roof" then back at Gabrielle before starting to laugh again.

"What's so funny?" Gabrielle looked puzzled. Moving back between the warrior princess and the fire she turned to see if the stew was still warm enough to eat.

"Nothing." The laugh had quieted to a titter...not quite a giggle, since even when feeling ill, a warrior never giggles. "It's just...well, I was just thinking about all the stables I ever stayed in... and how much Argo would have preferred this place."

Gabrielle spooned out a light portion of stew, with only a few chunks of lamb and carrot - she could never remember if it was "starve a cold and feed a fever" or "feed a cold and starve a fever." Better to play it safe down the middle and give her something more substantial than broth. "Well," She glanced around again, "It might be a real tight squeeze if Argo tried to join us."

Concern for the war-horse battled with amusement at the image of the poor mare squeezed in a space where Xena could scarcely stand. Concern won out. "You did make sure she's out of the wind?"

Gabrielle nodded as she handed over the steaming food. "Argo's fine, if worried about you. I set up a small hearth for her near the mouth of the cave, with rocks reflecting the heat back. She has plenty of grass at the back of the cave, and a hollow full of water. She thinks she's in a Palace."

Xena relaxed visibly and ate her dinner gratefully. Not many mouthfuls into it, however, she began to yawn, and well before the plate was empty her eyelids began to droop. Gabrielle smiled and took the plate out of near lifeless hands. Pushing the stew pot back to its simmering location, she added one more log to the fire and reached for her bedroll.

"Come on, Warrior. Time for a little shut eye." Gabrielle slipped out of her skirt and tunic and crooked a finger at her companion "I am not sleeping alone in this weather."

"Gabrielle." The protesting voice sounded weary.

"Relax! I meant it when I said 'shut-eye'. Nothing will help you feel better than a good night's sleep. You've got a roof over your head and food in your belly. Now get over here and let me keep your back warm." She smiled and held her arms open.

Xena acquiesced, reluctantly. She was shivering in her light shift despite the fire's warmth, partly from earlier exertion, partly from the fever. "Just don't get used to this."

"Used to what?"

"Ordering me around."

Gabrielle answered as only a wise woman could. She wrapped the Warrior Princess in her arms and cuddled close, letting her fingers massage the fevered brow until sleep finally stole over the weakened woman.

It was a strange feeling...both hot and cold, one side shivering while the other sweating. Xena reached for the blanket to cover the colder side of her, then started when her hand made contact with person, not cloth.

Opening her eyes, she glanced down at the bard tucked firmly against her, arms draped over her abdomen and head snuggled against one shoulder. A look none of her former compatriots would have recognized stole across her features as she watched Gabrielle sleep, a smile of exquisite tenderness. Almost of its own volition, Xena's free hand reached up and stroked the soft fair hair.

Spying the blanket near her feet, she kicked it up toward her free hand and covered the two of them with the comforting wool. working her shoulder back into the soft grasses that made their bed, Xena looked around the make-shift cabin. She saw her sword, armor and chakram wrapped in cloth toward the center of the room, well away from the damp wooden walls; clothes hung on overhead wood slivers, drying in reflected heat; a pot who's lid clanked a quiet counterpoint to the falling rain bubbling over a banked flame.

"Whatever did I do to deserve you?" The amazed comment was barely whispered, as if afraid to acknowledge the blessing lest it disappear.

Gabrielle shifted, a murmured "love you" almost lost in the slumbering nuzzle against the warrior's neck.

Leaning down to place a gentle kiss on the bard's forehead, Xena began stroking the long tresses again, letting her hand continue down to caress the now muscular back. There was a time an urgency would have over taken her by now, a need so great she could never have let Gabrielle sleep. The charge of passion flowing from hand to skin would have brought the amazon to full awareness faster than a threatened attack.

But tonight seemed different. Something had shifted during struggles of the past few days. A contentment had stolen unbidden over Xena's soul, a contentment she'd never known was possible. It reminded her of a story Gabrielle had told her...after she and Hercules had freed Prometheus...Gabrielle had told it to Iolus, to console him while he lay dying in the caves below the cliffs.

Xena could almost see her in the peasant skirt and blouse she'd worn when she'd first followed from Poteidea. Her hands locked behind her as she paced beside Argo, a most pleased expression on her face.

"You're awfully chipper"

"Yeah, well, you're looking pretty pleased yourself." Gabrielle looked up at the warrior on horseback and teased. "Must be nice to be able to save the world."

Xena clicked her tongue and Argo halted. She slid off the saddle and dropped the reins.

Gabrielle backed away, hands in the air, unsure of the reason Xena stopped riding so abruptly. "Joke, Xena. Joke. Remember those? Statements or stories with a humorous intent?"

Xena smirked and started walking, giving Argo a break. "Oh, yeah, joke. Right."

"You're almost as tough an audience as Iolus was." Gabrielle poked the warrior in the side, the light in her eyes dimming as she remembered recent events.

"Great, now I'm being compared to a..." Xena broke off, realizing she wasn't yet ready to joke about death either. "Look, Gabrielle...I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"Watching over Iolus. We... we have a history. I sort of owe him."

Gabrielle nodded, thoughtfully. Iolus had said something about not trusting Xena, surprised she was fighting *with* Hercules, not against him. "Well, I didn't do much, just told him a story. Till he fell asleep."

The chagrined voice let Xena know just how the bard felt about someone falling asleep during one of her stories. "That was just because he was injured, I'm sure. Why don't you tell me now. I bet I won't fall asleep."

The fair haired storyteller stammered. "Um, tell you now?" She studied the terrain under her feet. "It was really short. Not even the whole story even, not like you would get at the Academy or something."

"Gabrielle." Xena stopped the protestations before the girl developed a full head of steam. "Just tell me."

With a deep breath and a resigned nod, Gabrielle began:

At last the contentment made sense. The jagged puzzle of her life had fallen into place, the endless searching had ceased...

Xena looked down at the woman sleeping beside her. The other half of her soul.