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Disclaimer:
The characters of Xena, Gabrielle, are property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures, they do not belong to me (although I wish they did!). All other characters and the story are property of the author. No infringement of copyright is intended and no money is being made in any way. So don't send the copyright cops around to put a Bard still wet behind the ears behind bars, coz that would just be mean!.

Love/Sex Warning:
Well, there isn't any sex but it is suggested. It does, however, involve a little bit of romancing between our two favourite gal pals so if you don't like that sort of thing you should probably go read something else other than this little tale.

Spoiler:
None that I know of.

'I wish you'd let me do that' Gabrielle said as she walked towards the lake's edge

'Gabrielle, I told you once, I'm fine, I can take care of it. It's only a scratch' Xena replied and smiled reassuringly at her best friend.

Gabrielle sat herself down next to her staff, her chin resting on her hands.

'It still looks pretty bad to me'

The warrior turned her head and gave the bard a warning look.

'Ok, ok, I'm just a bit worried, the wound is taking an age to heal, and hey, best friends are suppose to do that right?, you know worry when their friends are hurt...'

'Alright Gabrielle' Xena interrupted her friend 'If it's not properly healed within the half moon, you can take a look at it ok?'

'Ok, but you try and keep it clean!' Gabrielle replied, a scolding tone present in her voice.

Xena smiled and turned back to the task at hand.

The bard pulled her staff towards her and used it to ease herself off the ground. She began practising with it; twirling, jabbing, swinging, all the things the Amazons and Xena had taught her. She glanced towards the lake's edge, Xena was still busy. Gabrielle picked up the warrior's Chakram and began tossing it in the air and catching it on her staff. She began to toss it higher and higher as she got better at this new skill.

'Gabrielle?'

The bard momentarily lost her concentration and as she threw the Chakram, it got caught on a tree branch.

She looked up worriedly at the branch and quietly cursed Hades. If Xena caught her with the Chakram, the little bard would be in deep trouble. Gabrielle turned her attention back to the water, Xena still had her back to her.

'Yeah?'

'You're very quiet, are you ok?' Xena asked still cleaning her wound.

Gabrielle nervously reached over and scratched her back.

'Er.., yeah, sure, I'm fine'

When she was sure Xena's attention was elsewhere, she carefully used her staff to knock the branch. The Chakram moved inch by inch, until finally it was ready to fall. Gabrielle gave the branch one last whack and the Chakram came spinning down with its characteristic sound. To Gabrielle's totally surprise, the weapon of the warrior landed directly on top of her head.

Xena turned and bolted out of the water at the sound of her weapon to see it coming to a halt around the bard's neck.

'Gabrielle???..' Xena growled from a hundred yards or so away from her friend.

'Er, ok Xena, don't go mad, look no harm done, here you go....'

'What is it?' Xena questioned 'What's the problem?, you thinking of wearing that as a neck piece or something?' The warrior smiled at the frustrated bard.

'Xena!' Gabrielle panicked 'It's stuck!'

'It's what?'

'It's stuck, for the love of Zeus, this just had to happen to me didn't it?!'

'My Chakram is stuck around my best friends neck!' Xena said trying to get it straight in her mind

Gabrielle looked to the floor waiting for Xena's lecture but instead heard very uncharacteristic laughing coming from the warrior.

'By the gods Gabrielle!, that's the funniest thing I've ever seen!' The warrior slumped to the floor, her body unable to control itself under the onslaught of laughter.

'Oh, well I'm glad someone finds it funny!, but this thing is stuck big time!' Gabrielle said as she continually tried to release the Chakram.

The bard glanced over at the warrior who now sat with her back to Gabrielle, her body shaking visibly.

'Xena!, will you please stop laughing and help me?!'

'I'm sorry Gabrielle, I haven't had a good laugh for ages' The warrior replied and eased herself off the ground. 'Here, let me take a look'.

The warrior grabbed the Chakram with both hands and gave a mighty heave.

'Gods Xena, remove the round killing thing, not the little bard's head!'

'Sorry, hold on, here we go again' Xena heaved as gently as she could.

'It's no good Gabrielle, it's not going to come off that way'

Gabrielle began to panic.

'Xena!, what are we going to do?, how in Tartarus are we going to get this thing off?'

'I guess we'll have to go into the next village and ask the blacksmith to heat it slightly so that it will expand and get it off that way'

'Xena, it's a whole two days walk into the village, I can't wait that long. It's already starting to cut into my neck!'

Xena moved away from the bard and began to pace around the lake's edge.

'Wait a minute!, I've got it. I used this method to slip out of some shackles a few years ago'

'Well?, what do I have to do?' Gabrielle asked with relief

'You may not like it but...'

'Let's get on with it!' Gabrielle shouted impatiently

'Ok, hang on a minute' Xena replied and jumped into the lake.

When she emerged, she had a large fish in her hand.

'What's that for?, you like to work on a full stomach right?'

'Nope, this is your ticket to freedom my little bard!' Xena said a smirk on her face

'Excuse me?'

'Stay still, close your eyes, and pray to the Gods this works!' Xena called to her friend

Gabrielle did as she was bid, and the warrior began her work. Slicing the fish into strips with a cooking knife from one of the saddlebags, Xena gently threaded them through the Chakram. Gabrielle squirmed at the feel of cold wet flesh against her skin.

As carefully as she could, Xena looped the fish strips and pulled them up over Gabrielle's head. As she did this, the Chakram moved with ease against the natural lubricant of the fish's skin.

Xena wiped the mess from around the bard's neck with a wet cloth and made sure the Chakram hadn't hurt her in anyway.

'And...., there all done!' Xena said and smiled at her friend.

'Oh gods!, thank-you Xena!' Gabrielle said in utter appreciation and on the spur of the moment she reached up and planted a kiss right on Xena's lips.

The warrior's eyes shot wide open with disbelief.

'The Chakram hurt that bad huh?' The warrior said coyly wiping her hands and trying to regain her cool exterior.

Gabrielle suddenly embarrassed at her actions laughed nervously and looked towards the floor.

'Gods Xena!, that wound is bleeding heavily again!. Sit down, let me have a look at it!'

The warrior obliged and sat of the fallen tree her friend had sat on earlier.

The bard rummaged around in her pack for cloth she could use as a bandage. She settled on a green piece of material.

'Hold still, this could hurt a little' Gabrielle spoke gently

The warrior winced as the bard wrapped the bandage tightly around her arm.

'Your getting to be a real little healer Gabrielle!' The warrior said in admiration

'Thanks; is that ok?' Gabrielle said and looked at Xena.

The warrior moved her arm from side to side.

'Yes, thanks Gabrielle'

'No problem, I mean, you got the Chakram off me, I sort out your wound, it's a fair deal'

'Oh, right, so I guess I owe you one of these then...' The warrior smiled.

'What?...'

Before Gabrielle could finish her sentence, Xena had pulled her towards her and was kissing her senseless.

Xena reluctantly finished the kiss and held Gabrielle's gaze with hers stroking her hair gently.

'By the Gods Xena, if that's the kinda thanks I get, I should get that damn thing stuck around my neck everyday!'

'Gabrielle, if I knew you felt that way, I would have done it sooner. I love you Gabrielle, I always have'

'I love you too Xena, I think I have right from the first time we met'

The two soul mates smiled lovingly at each other.

'You know, I don't think I thanked you properly for getting that thing off my neck...' Gabrielle said suggestively

'Oh?..' The warrior played along nuzzling Gabrielle's neck 'What do you want to do about it?

The bard nodded her head in the direction of the bedrolls.

'You're gonna make dinner for me?' Xena teased

Gabrielle swatted Xena's good arm playfully. The bard slipped her arms around the warrior's neck and kissed her tenderly. Xena lifted the bard into her strong arms and carried them both over to the bedrolls. She laid the bard down and hovered over her. Gabrielle read her look.

'Look, am I gonna get on with my thank-you or are you gonna hover there all night?'

The warrior smiled down at her bard.

'I love you Gabrielle'

The bard smiled back.

'I love you too Xena'

The End

Well, it's the fifth piece of fan fic I've written now at the tender age of 17 (although the fourth is currently being co-rewritten). I'd love to know what you think about it, so if you've got a spare minute or two after reading this you're most welcome to email me with your thoughts.

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