Xena: Warrior Princess- A Legend Never Dies

Chapter 12

As Gabrielle left with the men and Callisto, Xena heads back to the hospice.

"We are heading out, Lilla. I just wanted to talk to you first. It's about Gabrielle. You know how much I care about her, right?"

"Of course, you love her with all your heart."

"Yeah. I don't know if she knows that though."

"I'm sure she does. Can't you just tell her?"

"I'm going to try but I'm not good with words. It's easy when we just get out of battle or when we are about to die but this time I asked her not to participate in the battle and I'm not going to fight either. I don't know what to say to her."

"Just speak from your heart. Be blunt about it."

"I can do that. Thanks for the talk."

"Wait weren't you going to ask me something?"

"No time. I have to go talk to Gabrielle."

Xena reaches the place nearing nightfall and begins pacing back and forth muttering to herself. After a little while Gabrielle steps into her vision.

"You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes. I was thinking we could sit this fight out. Callisto can handle it."

"She's a good warrior."

"She is but that isn't what we are here to talk about."

Xena nervously picks at the moss on the tree she stands next to.

"You seem upset, Xena. Is there a problem?"

"Not upset. Nervous maybe, but not upset."

"Nervous? About what?"

"I'm not good at this whole feelings thing. I don't know how to handle them. For years I just ignored them and told myself that the feelings were silly or that they weren't real. I don't know how to express it. I thought that I pushed the feelings down enough to not feel them anymore but they are still there. They have always been there and I can't escape them, I can't get rid of them and I don't know how to tell this."

"Just say it. How bad could it be?"

"It's not bad. Just scary. A good scary."

Xena began pacing again and muttering. Gabrielle grabs onto her shoulders and forces Xena to look at her.

"Just say it."

"It's so easy for me to say this after battle or when we are about to die. It's something I feel that I have never expressed enough. Gabrielle, when I met you, you didn't just walk into my life, you walked into my heart and you have stayed there. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you are very special to me and..."

Gabrielle cuts Xena off with a kiss.

"I love you too, Xena"

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you Gabrielle. Not just as your friend, but as your wife."

"If this is your way of proposing, then I accept."

"We should get back to town. The fight should be about over and our men should be returning."

Gabrielle took Xena's hand and they walked back toward Amphipolis together.