ForevaXena's FanFic . . .

Heaven On Earth

by Julia Ford

Disclaimers: The characters Xena, Gabrielle, and company are owned by MCA/Universal/Renaissance Pictures/Studios USA (have I missed anyone?). Kennedy and Dawn may seem familiar and I thank X:WP for the inspiration. The other characters are my creation and are not intended to resemble anyone else living or dead (except for one of my buddies and she knows who she is <g>). My apologies if the story and or characters resemble anyone else's! Many of the places in Toronto that are described really exist…come & visit sometime.

Subtext: Oh yes. If you object to intimate relationships between two women and/or if it is illegal where you live or for your age, do not read any further.

Violence: None worth mentioning.

Thanks: Having not written a modern day uber story before I was a little nervous about starting a series. My thanks to one of the great uber bards for having a look and giving me positive feedback. And, as always, my thanks to FX for humouring me by posting my stories <g>

Inspiration: A very special upcoming double wedding in the Xenaverse <g> and my own journey through the priesthood.

August 11, 2001

I'd love to hear your thoughts about my creative endeavors. I can be reached at fordju@attglobal.net

CHAPTER 2

It was first thing Monday morning and Kennedy was sitting at her desk trying to prepare for the evening's council meeting. She was weary after the weekend. She'd arrived home at a fairly reasonable time Saturday night but wasn't at all sleepy. Much later, when she was finally ready to drift off Mark arrived had home in a savage mood. Kennedy had been forced to pretty well hog-tie him before he calmed down. The fact that his girlfriend could beat the pulp out of him if she wanted didn't win Kennedy any points with Mark. Of course the alarm for Sunday morning seemed to go off before she had been able to get back to sleep and Sunday had been awful once she got home from church.

Kennedy sighed, stood up, stretched her long lean body and walked to the window to look out at the green trees in the back of the church. Thoughts of riding a horse along a green trail were pleasantly floating in her mind until she was jarred back to reality by the ringing of the phone.

"St. John's Church, Father Ken here, how may I help you?" asked Kennedy as she picked up the phone.

"Father Kennedy, this is Joan Brown from the Bishop's office. He would like to see you…today," said the voice on the other end of the line.

"Today?" asked Kennedy while thinking, 'Damn, I must be in shit again!'

"Yes, please be here promptly at 4 p.m."

"May I ask what the agenda is so I can come prepared?" asked Kennedy.

Joan's voice softened a little from the very professional tone she had been using when she replied, "Just bring yourself. That's all you'll need."

"Very well, I'll be there at 4pm," said Kennedy as she hung up the phone. 'Just bring yourself she said…I must be in so much trouble. Damn it, somebody must have told him about Anne and Susan's wedding.'

Kennedy walked in circles around her office. She'd never been good at following rules and she'd been called into the Bishop's office more times than probably any other priest in the diocese. That wasn't what bothered her. That some jerk had been so narrow-minded as to fink on her because of the marriage drove her up the wall. 'If it had been some man and his fiancé they wouldn't have pestered the Bishop! What makes some people so afraid of the love of two women for each other? Didn't Christ come preaching love?' the frustrated Kennedy asked herself.

It was all giving Kennedy a headache. She looked at her papers and shrugged her shoulders. They'd wait until she got back. Right now she needed to go for a run so she headed out of the Church and over to the rectory. She got changed and started to run at what was for her a steady pace, but one that would have left anyone in the dust!

It was noon when Kennedy got back to work in her office after she'd finished a full marathon and showered. She was still pissed off that somebody snitched, but had tired herself out enough that she wouldn't do something stupid when she saw the Bishop.

**

"Kennedy, the Bishop will see you now," said Joan, the matronly woman who worked in the Bishop's office.

Kennedy hated those words, because she was always in shit when she heard them. Anyway Kennedy stood, squared her shoulders and walked into Bishop Stephen's office.

Now Bishop Stephen wasn't such a bad bishop, he just had no idea whatsoever how to deal with Kennedy. He wanted nice spineless priests who would do an adequate job in the parish and not cause any problems. Kennedy wasn't spineless and she almost always caused problems. But she was an excellent down to earth preacher, flawless at running a church service, peerless administrator, related fantastically with parishioners of all age groups and had developed one of the most dynamic and tolerant parishes in the Diocese. Her besetting sin was an inability to follow church rules. She was always pushing at the boundaries…assuming that of course she hadn't stepped over them altogether.

Most of the time when Stephen had Kennedy in for a talk it was usually for just a minor wrist slapping. However, Stephen really couldn't ignore this last one. From what he understood Kennedy had broken at least three major rules in one swoop. First she had married a couple outside the church building. Secondly she had not used the standard service. Finally the couple happened to be two women. It was the last one that was the real kicker. This was Texas after all!

Stephen was sure glad that his bishop buddy from Toronto happened to call this morning. Bishop Monroe had agreed to take Kennedy off his hands and have her work as the Bishop's Chaplain for the next six months. If Kennedy hadn't started following the rules by then Bishop Monroe would figure out what to do with her. Stephen was basically washing his hands of Kennedy and that's what he'd called her in to tell her.

On entering Stephen's office Kennedy was reminded of how traditional the man was. A wooden desk with dark leather covered chairs in front of it was near the window. Along the east wall were bookshelves, row upon row of books and none of them looked to have been published any more recently than 50 years ago. A sherry decanter with cut crystal glasses stood on a small round table by the west wall near two wing-backed chairs.

"Will you have a glass Kennedy?" The Bishop had poured a glass of sherry and was holding it out to her.

Kennedy shook her head. "No thanks, but please feel free to go ahead and have one yourself."

"Don't mind if I do. Have a seat Kennedy." Bishop Stephen waved towards one of the winged-back chairs and then sat himself down on the other one.

Kennedy was in trouble; deep trouble and she knew it. Never before had she been offered anything to drink and their discussions had always occurred across the great desk, but now both sherry and the 'comfy chair' were offered. 'May the gods be merciful to me,' prayed Kennedy as she sat down in the chair Bishop Stephen had indicated. It was a funny thing about Kennedy. Although a Priest in a religion that professed belief in one God, when push came to shove and she was in trouble her prayers were almost always to the gods - plural. Anyway, prayer said, she sat and waited for the Bishop to speak.

"Kennedy, do you know why you are here today?"

"No sir. Joan didn't tell me."

"Anything go wrong over the weekend?" The Bishop was hoping that Kennedy would confess about Anne and Susan's wedding, so he wouldn't have to reveal anything about the person who told him.

"Wrong, sir? Not to my knowledge."

The Bishop gave Kennedy a long look. Seeing her steely blue eyes and look of determination, he knew he would have to present what he knew. She was not a woman easily tricked or manipulated into saying what one wanted. The Bishop sighed.

"I have it on good authority that you broke a number of Canon Laws in one fell swoop. Let me see now, there was marrying a couple outside, not using the prescribed service and a little problem of the fact that both the bridegroom and the bride were female! What did you think you were doing?" Stephen was on his feet and angry. "What justification in this world could you possibly have for your actions? How can you possibly say you've done nothing wrong?"

Kennedy sized up the Bishop and decided to stall a bit and hopefully give him a chance to cool down.

"What exactly did she tell you that I did?"

"She?" The Bishop looked at Kennedy quizzically.

"The one who gave you the information."

"Oh. She was a he, and he told me plenty. Not only did you do the service but you also stayed for the reception, which, except for the gay caterer, was devoid of men. What were you thinking? Don't you care about Canon Law or your reputation for that matter? And what about the Church's reputation? Damn it…this is Texas!" The Bishop was fuming.

It took all of her will power to stay calm. There was only one man that knew what she had been up to was Mark. 'The bastard,' thought Kennedy, 'he's betrayed me to the Bishop. I'll kill….'

The Bishop saying, "Well Kennedy, what are we going to do with you", interrupted Kennedy's train of thought.

"Do with me?"

"I cannot have a person who works with such blatant disregard for the rules and reputation of the Church as a Priest in this Diocese. This morning I was planning to make you resign your orders."

"And now?" Asked Kennedy in a very quiet yet somehow menacing voice.

"A Bishop friend of mine is willing to try and reform you. Have you heard anything of the Bishop of Toronto?"

"As in Toronto, Canada?"

"Yes."

"Not much. I think the Bishop's name is Don Monroe." Kennedy's mind was swimming. Was Bishop Stephen seriously going to pack her off to Toronto so this Don fellow could try to reform her? The thought that perhaps she should resign her orders crossed her mind, but she was way too angry to give in and give the Bishop what he wanted.

"Right, now you are to report to Bishop Monroe and will work as the Bishop's Chaplain for the next six months. If you are, in the Bishop's opinion, ready to take a parish on then you will be assigned to one. If you are not deemed fit to return to a parish, you will be asked to resign your orders. Any questions?"

"Bishop, if I don't agree to this transfer…." Kennedy was struggling to keep her voice calm and conversational in tone. No way she was going to lose it in front of this man.

"Then I will remove your license, ask you to move out of the rectory and I guess you will have to go back to being a corporate raider!" Unlike Kennedy, the Bishop was not even attempting to hide the emotion in his voice. He was furious.

Kennedy pondered her options. Go back to being a corporate raider? She became a priest to make amends for that life. Go to Toronto? At least it would be cooler there in the summer than in Texas. And she wouldn't have to be anywhere near that betrayer Mark, assuming he survived her wrath.

"Very well Bishop. When do I leave?" asked Kennedy, who decided to take the less distasteful of the two options.

"Sunday afternoon. I will go to your council meeting tonight in your place and announce that I have asked you to help out my friend in Toronto. You will spend the week packing and then preach a goodbye sermon on Sunday, without any mention of the real reason why you are going. Understood?"

Kennedy simply smiled, nodded and stood up. "Will that be all Bishop?"

"Yes Kennedy. Good luck," said Bishop Stephen as he shook Kennedy's hand and walked her to the door. He had thought that she would have fought him and his decision to send her away. And as she scared him shitless he was pleased as punch with her seemingly calm departure.

By the time Kennedy got home through the brutal rush hour traffic she was definitely pissed off. Pissed off about being forced to leave and go to another country no less! Pissed off that Mark had betrayed her. Pissed off that she had to pack and say goodbye to a bunch of people. Kennedy hated packing. No question about it Kennedy was in a 'no tamper' mood.

It was into this mood that Mark intruded when he got home and walked up to Kennedy to give her a kiss and got the back of her hand across his face instead.

"What was that for?" spluttered Mark as he picked himself up off the floor.

"What do you think it's for you deceitful bastard?" The edge on Kennedy's voice was one of just barely contained rage. As she walked towards Mark, her blue eyes bore into him.

"Oh, my little conversation with the Bishop this morning? I didn't tell him anything but the truth. You're a disgrace of a priest breaking the rules like that…"

Mark, if the truth was known, wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and should've known better than to say anything to Kennedy. But he didn't and before he finished Mark found himself bodily carried to the front door, placed on the doorstep, deprived of his house key and the spare key to her BMW and told to be back in three hours to pick up all his stuff.

"You're throwing me out?" Like I said Mark wasn't the brightest.

"You got it. No way I'm letting you come to Canada with me and by next week I'm sure the Bishop will have another occupant for this house." Kennedy snarled at Mark.

"Canada?"

"Yes, you dumb bastard. I'm being exiled to Canada for what the Bishop perceives to be my sins. I hope you're fucking happy about what you've caused because you sure aren't in for any other form of fucking from me! Now go!"

The low growl with which Kennedy said the last words had such a threat of violence behind them that Mark backed away. When he returned three hours later with a couple of his buddies to help, he found all of his belongings stacked outside the door.

Kennedy watched from the upstairs window as the men loaded Mark's stuff and drove away. Oddly, once they left a feeling of profound relief swamped Kennedy as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had been expecting to feel either sad or angry and the sense of relief surprised her. 'Hmmm, maybe I should have thrown him out long ago,' thought Kennedy as she went downstairs thankful he was gone.

The news that Kennedy was being sent away tore through the congregation at a speed unrivaled by the fastest Internet connection. Parishes were like that, quick at the gossip and slow at forgiveness. One would have assumed it would be the other way around, but not so in Kennedy's experience.

The number of people who came out to the Sunday farewell service touched Kennedy. With a wry smile she looked out over the congregation. Kennedy wondered how many would have got up and stormed out if she had told them the real reason she was being sent away. As the Bishop had said, they were in Texas after all. Kennedy longed to find out, but decided against it.

The presence of Anne and Susan had surprised Kennedy as she had expected them to still be on their honeymoon. Even more surprising was that they had hung around until after all the speeches and presentations that followed the service. Speeches that the cynical side of Kennedy had thought were pure crap.

"Come on Kennedy." Susan and Anne each hooked an arm onto the priest's as she walked out of the parish hall.

Smiling down at her friends Kennedy said, "And just where am I going? I thought Canada was the next stop."

"Just over to the rectory, we have a few things for you."

Kennedy allowed herself to be led home, except it wouldn't be home in another couple of hours…and taken to the fairly secluded back yard. Pausing at the garden gate Kennedy heard music. After raising an eyebrow in question at Susan, Kennedy opened the gate went in to discover the whole of the lesbian community there waiting for her. They were there to give her a genuine send off with love and tears.

Walking among the women Kennedy heard all sorts of stories about Toronto. About the gay district affectionately called the "ghetto". About The House, Slack Alice's and Pope Joan's - favorite hangouts of some of the women. About Pink Turf soccer, Rainbow Hoops basketball, and the Notso's (short for 'Not So Amazon') baseball league. About the Pride Day party that draws almost 1 million people to the city each year.

"Susan?"

"Yes Kennedy?"

"Why are they all telling me about all the gay and lesbian hot spots?"

"Well, tall, dark and gorgeous, since you tossed Mark out of the house they're all hoping that you've seen the light." Susan hip checked Kennedy affectionately.

"Including Gina?" asked Kennedy as she spotted the woman who had propositioned her at the wedding reception.

"Yeah, especially Gina, although she's heartbroken about your leaving."

"She'll live," replied Kennedy wryly.

The party in the backyard turned out to be just the thing to cheer Kennedy up. Later when she drove out of the driveway for the long drive north, she was actually feeling optimistic about going to Toronto. 'I wonder if Bishop Stephen realized that he was sending me to a gay and lesbian hot spot. If only Bishop Don turns out to be a decent sort,' thought Kennedy as she guided her BMW onto the Interstate.

CHAPTER 3

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