ForevaXena's FanFic . . .

Nightmare

by Caley Woulfe

Disclaimer: Xena and Gabrielle belong to their creators at Ren Pic. I'm only borrowing them to use in my imagination. I promise to return them only a bit worse for wear (tired but happy).

Type: Hurt/Comfort/Erotica

Sex: You bet! Graphic, and plenty of it. If lovemaking between two women isn't your thing, leave now. If it's illegal where you live, think of moving. If you're under 18, wait a few years. Homophobic e-mails will be deleted unread, and I will also ask the Great Mother to open your eyes.

Violence: Yup. Blood flows in this one. You are warned.

The Spring day was perfect; sunny but not hot, and a fresh breeze wafted through the trees full of singing birds. Gabrielle chattered as she usually did and Xena found herself drawn into a conversation regarding the nature of the sun. Gabrielle insisted that the Earth orbited the Sun, not the other way around like the scholars said. "Where did you hear that?" the Warrior asked. "I didn't. I just popped into my head. Doesn't it make more sense for the Earth to do the moving? I mean, the sun is so much bigger.." "No it's not, it's smaller," Xena interrupted. The Bard pursed her lips at Xena. "It is  bigger. A lot bigger than Earth, but it's so far away it looks small to us." "How do you know that?" "A wandering priest told me. Years ago, when he passed through Potedeia. You know, one of those philosophers I told you about when we first met."

They both smiled, remembering Gabrielle's insistence that she join the Warrior, and Xena's equal determination that she didn't. Not that it mattered, the young blond had followed anyway, and now Xena tried to imagine what life would be like without her. She couldn't picture it. "And you believed him?" "Why not? All things look small when they're far away, right?" Xena had to think on that. "Well, if it's true, then the Sun must be very far away. What about Apollo? And Helios" "What about them?" "Aren't they in charge of the Sun?" Now Gabrielle had to think. "I guess so. But even if they are, that doesn't make my idea wrong..."

Engrossed in the conversation, Xena failed to sense the arrow. It flew out of the forest and grazed Gabrielle's nose before striking Argo in the neck. Xena drew her sword just as a band of ragged men jumped them. Although Gabrielle had grabbed her nose in pain and surprise, she still managed to swing her staff up in time to catch the the leader on the head. He went down, but his men didn't flee as she hoped they would. They divided neatly, as if the attack had been planned.

Xena quickly realized these were skilled and seasoned fighters, not the usual half assed ruffians she was accustomed to. She threw a glance behind her, Gabby was gone. She knew the Bard was not quite good enough to defeat this bunch, and now they were separated. "Gabrielle! Get back here!" No reply. Where was she? "Gabrielle!" Fear blossomed in her chest; she killed two of her assailants, only to have them replaced by two more. She killed them, too, frantic for Gabrielle who she couldn't see or hear now. Then three more appeared, which meant they weren't fighting anyone else.... "Gabrielle!" Still no answer. She went into devastation mode and slaughtered all of them within seconds.

Still whirling from the last sword swing, she jammed her toe into the stiff mud of the road and stopped. Gabrielle was a short distance away; down on one knee and hunched over. "Gabrielle?" Her left hand was clutching the same side of her stomach, the other was planted on the ground for support and balance next to her staff. Red liquid glistened in the sunlight as it ran between her fingers, down her hand, and onto her skirt.

"Gabrielle?" The Warrior sheathed her sword and ran the few steps, falling to her knees in front of the injured Bard. "Gabrielle, what happened, let me see." Gabby shook her head without raising it, and began to shiver. Xena lowered her voice and said, in a much gentler tone,

"Gabrielle? Please? Let me look at it." The Bard clutched it tighter. "I can't, it'll fall out." Those words, so calmly spoken, sent a wave of panic through Xena the like of which she had seldom experienced. She laid a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "I'm gonna get some bandages. I'll be right back, okay?" The blond head nodded once.

Xena ran to Argo, barely glancing at the arrow still protruding from her neck, and grabbed the medical bag with its clean rags, ointments, medicines, and suturing implements.

Gabrielle hadn't moved an inch, but her body shook harder now as she went into shock.

"Gabrielle? Sit up for me. Take it slow." The Bard did as asked, gradually, by degrees. Her face was wet with tears, but she said nothing, which worried Xena much more than if she had babbled. The green eyes were wide with pain and fear as she gazed, almost unseeing, at her lover. "Sit, cross your legs," Xena said softly, supporting Gabrielle as she did so awkwardly.

Xena took a rag and folded it several times before balancing it on her palm and holding several folds between her fingers to keep it there. "Now, let me see." She had to pry Gabrielle's bloody hand away. Underneath was a gaping sword cut as long as the Bard's hand and almost as wide. Her insides bulged forth and Xena instantly pressed the rag over it to keep them from spilling out. It darkened immediately and began to drip.

Dread surged through Xena, she wanted to scream and swear. But she didn't. "Gabrielle, I have to stitch this, lie down on your right side." Gabby didn't reply, but merely slumped forward. Xena caught her with her free hand. "Gabrielle?" She pulled the Bard into her lap, not an easy thing to do with one hand while the other tried to keep slippery internal organs where they belonged. "Gabrielle? Can you hear me?" Her voice was high with panic.

"I don't want to go there. It'll be Tartarus without you," the Bard whispered. "Where?" "Elysium. I've been there before, remember?" Xena did, all too well; along with Gabrielle's suicidal leap into the lava pit in her effort to kill Hope and save her life. Not that it had mattered much after Gabrielle was gone.

"You not gonna die, I won't let you," she whispered back fiercely. Gabrielle smiled weakly and tried to say something, but her face went blank and her head sagged on Xena's chest.

Her breathing, scarcely noticeable to begin with, ceased. Beyond alarmed, Xena felt her throat, then her wrist. No pulse. "Gabrielle? Gabrielle!!"

She scooted out from under the Bard and quickly wrapped another bandage around her waist over the first one to keep it in place. She tried the same methods she had used at the healing temple; except... this time they didn't work. Not even pounding on Gabrielle's chest worked. She beat her, blew air into her, swore at her. She didn't respond. "Gabrielle!....Gabrielle!!...Gabrielle!!......GABRIELLE!!!!"......

She sat bolt upright straight into the Bard, nearly knocking her over. It took an instant for the darkness to register as she reached forward and caught Gabrielle's arms. "Xena.." Gabby felt herself yanked into a bear hug which threatened to cut off her air supply. "It's okay, you were dreaming." The grip around her tightened, and to her astonishment, felt drops of warm liquid land on her shoulder. "Make that a nightmare," she amended, struggling to get a full breath.

"We got jumped.. we fought.. too many for you.. couldn't reach you in time.. you got hurt, you died... I couldn't save you. I tried so hard.. nothing worked.. you died," the Warrior stammered brokenly. "Hey, I'm right here. Calm down." Gabrielle put her arms around the quivering body and squeezed. "Never leave me," Xena pleaded." "Never," Gabrielle replied staunchly. "Where you go, I go; where I go, you go." "Always."

Xena tipped Gabby's head up gave her a kiss that left her breathless. Well, almost. "Tell me more." The Warrior took a deep sigh. "Um, we were walking along a road. You were talking about something, I forget what, but I said something back." She paused and tucked her face into the juncture of Gabrielle neck and shoulder, hiding in the long, fragrant blond hair. "I let myself get preoccupied in the conversation and we were jumped by a bunch of outlaws. They were better than average, and separated us. You were outnumbered. By the time I killed them all and got to you, one of them had slashed your stomach open. You bled to death before I could stitch it up, and no matter what I did or how hard I tried, I couldn't get you back. You were in so much pain, Gabrielle... You were crying, you said you didn't want to go to Elysium without me because it would be Tartarus to you."

Gabrielle rocked her distressed lover, stroking the soft, dark hair. She turned her head and kissed a soft, wet cheek. The kiss was returned. Xena wanted to climb inside Gabrielle and never leave. She kissed her again, passionately, and slid a hand down to the top of her skirt. Between the two of them, each getting in the other's way, Gabby's skirt and shorts were removed and tossed aside, followed by her top.

Xena reveled in the feel of Gabby's smooth, soft skin under her hands. She touched and stroked everywhere, pulling the willing woman onto her lap so that the muscular thighs straddled her own. "I'm so glad you're alive. I want to feel how alive you are." Wrapping one arm around the Bard to support her, she laid the other hand on a firm breast while kissing the delectable lips so close to her own. She halted long enough to shuck her own leathers and shorts before picking up where she'd left off.

This time she held Gabrielle close, pressing her breasts against the Bard's with her hands cupping muscled ribs. "Alive." Gabby put her arms around Xena's neck and locked her wrists as the Warrior kissed every bit of her face. She kissed back, but knew Xena wanted, and needed, this to be a one way affair.

Before she knew it she was on her back with Xena's mouth fastened on her left breast. She closed her arms, hugging the Warrior to her as the soft tongue worked wonders on her sensitive nipple. The other was fondled by strong, gentle fingers which teased it stiff. Sensations from both of them flowed through her body and pooled between her legs. The Warrior switched, eliciting a whimper from the now squirming Bard. Just when she thought she couldn't stand it any more, Xena kissed and lick her way down to the golden nest as she spread her legs.

"Alive," the Warrior murmured as she stroked Gabby's silken thighs the way she liked, driving her wild. The hips rocked before her; she could smell her arousal and her nose flared in anticipation. "Alive." She didn't bother parting the Bard's nether lips, her swollen nub was bright pink and protruding; firm with excitement and begging for her touch.

She flicked it with the tip of her tongue. Gabrielle jumped in response and gasped. Xena did the same again, then began a slow, stroking. A pair of hands clutched her hair and pulled. Xena resisted. The hands moved behind her head and pulled again, this time in combination with a hip thrust. She snaked her arms under Gabby's cheeks and up over her hip bones for more control. Renewing her assault on the willing flesh, she heard Gabrielle's whimpers turn into deep, soft grunts as she stroked and licked and circled.

Removing her right hand from its place, she slid two, then three fingers into Gabrielle's beautiful body. The Bard arched with a louder grunt, her slick, velvety tunnel tightening around her fingers for a long moment before loosening a bit. Each time Xena tongued the inflamed nub, Gabrielle's inner muscles would grip her fingers. It was amazing. She quickened her pace until the Bard was pumping a fast rhythm against her. She knew Gabrielle was close....closer.

Suddenly Gabrielle went stiff, then bucked, her intimate muscles convulsing around Xena's fingers as she stroked them in and out in union with her tongue. A deep throated grunt accompanied each lift of her hips into Xena's mouth and fingers. The Warrior played out the orgasm as long as she could, until Gabrielle collapsed, panting.

She crawled up the sated body and lay on top, her ear over Gabrielle's thundering heart.

"Alive," she whispered, too low for Gabrielle to hear. A pair of arms draped themselves over her back and gave a lame squeeze.

The last thing she was aware of was the feel of a sleeping fur being drawn up over both of them, and she knew no more.

THE END

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