Hearts in Time (exerpt)
In honor of Xena month, ‘tis a random scene extract from a fic called “Hearts in Time.” The information / summary bit below isn’t entirely necessary, but it’ll help make sense of things.
Hearts centers around two young women - Abigail and Quinn - from modern times, who have just recently discovered their matching dreams are actually memories from their previous lives as Xena (Quinn) and Gabrielle (Abby). Exposed to a scheming Alti and barely rescued by Abby’s budding-sorceress cousin Nikki, the trio became caught in Alti’s spell and ended up being thrown back in time. After landing in the center of the Amazon village, they have joined up with the Warrior Princess, Battling Bard and several familiar Amazon friends, hoping to defeat the evil Shaman’s band of enemies and find a way back to their own lives.
A sequel of sorts to Lions and Dragons, there are a few changes to normal cannon caused by that story. Although its’ set time-wise in early fifth season - with Gab’s short haircut and sai-fighting - both Xena and Gab actually have memories up to the end of the series, playing into LD and what happened there. Xena isn’t pregnant, and Eve was never conceived. As a result, most of the dead Gods - Athena and Artemis especially - are alive and currently on good terms with the pair; Ephiny is still alive and Gabrielle’s regent, while Amarice became an official member of their tribe rather than the Northern Amazons. Finally, Xena and Gabrielle are now lovers, and Alti is an uber-bad as opposed to simply scary trouble.
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“Ya know, it’s funny - none of my memories included bugs the size of bricks.” Nikki muttered, flicking aside a beetle that had fallen on her shoulder. Her pale skin was flushed with exertion from their trek, glasses slightly crooked, thick braid of long auburn curls hanging like shimmering rope down the back of her borrowed shirt. A light rucksack of supplies was hoisted over one shoulder, a staff gripped easily in the opposite hand, its end thumping the dirt as she followed Eponin over the newest game trail. “Insane gods, pissed off warlords, idiotic bandits, and the occasional annoying Joxer, yes. But the massive insects and this disgusting humidity just totally escaped me.”
Glancing ahead at her cousin while several of their companions snickered, Abby couldn’t help a small smirk. “Whiner.” She teased. “Come on, Nik, it’s fresh air and nature. Besides, you could use the exercise. Work off whatever’s got you huffing and puffing like a boar in heat.”
Louder laughter came from the rest of the group trotting through the trees; Nikki made a face over her shoulder, though the look in her eyes said she wasn’t really annoyed. “Oh, bite me, Amazonette. Not everybody can go for miles without even sweating a drop, ya know.”
Abby’s grin widened, equal parts amusement and sheepish pride. Amazonette, huh? Unlike the young sorceress - who’d flatly refused to wear anything but breeches if she couldn’t keep her beloved blue jeans - both Quinn and Abby had opted for the more traditional, if more revealing, Amazon leathers. Not that the blonde would ever have picked something like this back home, but they were mostly comfortable, and they did cover more than a bikini might have. And it wasn’t as if she looked bad in the rust-colored warrior garb. Indeed, with her hair braided tightly back out of the way and a pair of spare sais tucked into her boots, she really looked like a younger carbon copy of Gabrielle. Not as tan, or quite as muscular in the shoulders as the bard that strode at her side - but still, the resemblance was uncanny, especially when you added the whole ‘past life me’ equation into the mix.
Yeah, then it just gets weird as hell. Abby sighed. She liked Gabrielle, a lot - which was weird all on its own, considering she was basically liking herself - but occasionally she’d forget. Then the Amazon Queen would say something, or do something, or get a certain expression on her face, and it was like looking into some faintly distorted mirror. Idly, she wondered if Quinn was having the same problem dealing with Xena. Probably not, she concluded; the tall brunette seemed fairly good at ignoring stuff that would make most people spastic. And speaking of not-looking-bad-in-leather - damn. I thought half the featherheads were gonna swallow their tongues when she came out of that hut. Not that I blame them. She’d be drop-dead gorgeous in a potato sack. In leather, she’s beyond sexy. The blonde blinked, her last thought a shock even to herself. Sexy? Whoa, where did that come from? Sun must be baking my brain.
Gabrielle’s light, warm laugh tugged Abby from her thoughts. The bard was shaking her head at the continued teasing, green eyes dancing as she motioned toward a decent-sized clearing several yards up ahead. “There’s where we’re supposed to meet Xena and Quinn. Guess we got here first. As for the walking thing, I think Abby’s got an unfair advantage.”
“How do’ya figure?” Solari asked curiously from a few paces back. Pushing dark hair off her forehead, the Amazon ducked a low-hanging branch, padding into the wide-open glade and leaning against a handy tree trunk. Only a few steps behind her, Thea followed cheerfully, booting a rock out of the way before sprawling on the forest floor. Digging through the rucksack at her side, the youngest Amazon retrieved a few trail bars, passing them to her companions.
Setting aside her own small pack, Gabrielle lifted her arms and stretched, rolling her head gracefully from side to side before she answered. “Well, she,” a friendly nod to Abby, “is basically me, from some point in the future. And with the dreams and being here, we’re closer than ever, right?”
Agreement all around as Amarice slipped from the trees, settling herself on a fallen log beside Nikki and gratefully accepting a held-out waterskin. The bard grinned, and Abby swore she could see mischief flaring in the innocent expression. “Well, I’ve walked over most of Greece at least twice by now. There’s got to be some benefit in that besides the blisters.”
Eponin groaned, and Solari rolled her eyes. “That’s not even funny, your Maj.” The weapons master retorted. Nikki, on the other hand, gave her cousin a mock-glare over the top of her glasses. “So that’s how you do it. I knew you were cheating.”
“Oh yes, I planned on everything happening just like this, just to make fun of you.” Abby deadpanned, quirking an eyebrow and flicking an acorn at the young sorceress in the same breath. Another round of soft laughter followed before quiet descended on the glade, broken only by the usual forest noises and light rustling as the Amazon party dug into their rations. Abby leaned a hip against the nearest tree and stretched her own sore leg muscles, fairly grateful for the rest. All teasing aside, she was rather surprised she’d held up as well as she had. They’d been roaming through this rather-unused area of the Amazon territory since early morning, looking for signs of the raiders and their camps. Xena and Quinn had been with them until a little before noon, when they’d hit a long, steep ravine that ran miles in either direction.
Gaze resting absently on the dappled patterns of sunlight against a fallen log nearby, Abby mentally shook her head. Both Warrior Princess and her future counterpart had leapt fearlessly over the treacherous gap, long legs and split-second timing carrying the pair neatly to the opposite edge of a drop so sheer it made the younger woman’s breath catch. Amarice had planned on going after - and tossing a rope over so the others could follow easier - but the few finger-width ledges that cleft the stone had crumbled away almost as soon as Quinn bounded onto them. So instead of the rest making any sort of ‘risky, half-baked crossing,’ (Xena’s argument) they’d reached a compromise. The Amazons, Nikki and Abby would go on ahead and explore this side of the ravine; Xena, in turn, had promised she and Quinn would search this smaller area, then circle around to another likely crossing point a few miles down and meet the rest of them in a particular little clearing.
At least she didn’t say she’d meet us back at the village. I think Gabrielle might have killed her. A faint grin touched Abby’s lips. With the connection between their essences closer now than it could ever have been normally, she’d felt the exasperation and frustration beneath Gabrielle’s burning glare as if it had flared under her own skin. Moments when Xena left her blonde partner behind were certainly few and far between these days, but each of those moments seemed to take an eternity, and Abby knew it irritated the bard to no end. Especially when there was possible danger, and especially when it had to do with Alti.
--- A momentary lock of gazes, annoyed emerald to soothing sapphire, and they were woven once more into a silent communication that needed no words, yet spoke louder than any of them.
~You’re leaving me again, going into trouble.~ Gabrielle’s irritated intensity didn’t quite mask her worry, fear a murky undercurrent in this voiceless language of expression and heart. ~What if there’s trouble?~
~They wouldn’t be anything I couldn’t handle. And I have Quinn with me.~ The warrior reassured her partner with more patience than most people would believe she possessed. ~She may not be formally trained, but she’s better than an average Amazon. I’ll be fine.~
Gabrielle swallowed hard, lower lip trembling so slightly no one else could have seen it. ~You can’t be sure - ~
~Alti isn’t with them. We’d know.~ The swelling warmth in Xena’s eyes softened further, if such a thing was even possible. ~And even if she was, she won’t get me again, love. Never, remember? I swore, and I’ll swear again until the moon dies.~
~And wisdom itself fades.~ The end of the familiar, teasing oath brought a faint smile to the bard’s face. ~I guess we do have friends in high places sometimes.~ Mischief flickered in lines of her body, slowly relaxing just a hair. ~Shana would knock your head off if you were that careless.~
~Only if Mer or Lena didn’t get there first. And our Amazons hadn’t nailed my hide to a tree.~ Came the laughing reply, complete with quirked eyebrow. ~ Aphrodite might even risk a broken nail to kick my ass.~ ---
Whoaaa. Abby blinked, her mind returning to her surroundings with an almost physical jerk. Shakily, she drew a few deep breaths, letting the unexpected flood of emotion seep back out of her veins. Another lovely side-effect of her connection to the bard growing deeper; things that Gabrielle experienced ‘now’ were surfacing as memories in Abby’s own mind. Not just random sensations, or the deep empathy that let the younger blonde sense the bard’s emotions. No, these were full chunks of time, so incredibly vivid it was as though Abby were reliving the moment herself. Even worse, they were happening more and more often, with less and less time between the actual event and her ‘recollections.’ And they took over with absolutely no warning.
Still, they were kind of cool. And they certainly gave some insight to the complex relationship that had so haunted her dreams. I didn’t know Xena and Gab could talk like that! It wasn’t telepathy, not exactly - but it wasn’t just body language, either. I swear, I could hear her voice - I mean, Gabrielle could hear Xena, just like she was talking. And I know Xena could hear her, I just know it. Plus, that whole conversation only took a few seconds in real time. It’s incredible. I’ve never seen anything quite like that.
The snide, sarcastic part of her mind intruded with a smirk, presenting an image of her own mostly-silent goodbye to Quinn. She’d surprised herself with a sudden flash of anxiety at the time; it wasn’t like they hadn’t been separated before, they didn’t even live together back home, but it still sent a pang through her chest. And she knew Quinn could see the hint of worry in her eyes, the slight tilt of her head and faintly drawn-down eyebrows fairly screaming her emotions. The words had leapt unbidden into her mind. ~Will you be okay?~
And like magic, there was the slightest gentleness in Quinn’s own cocky grin, a sparkle in her gaze across the chasm that was obviously meant to reassure. ~Of course.~ The answer was as plain and visible as daylight itself. ~See ya in a couple hours. Take care of Nik, huh?~
~Always.~ Her own smile had grown warm, one hand lifting to wave as she managed a teasing expression. ~If you find some, nail one of those losers for me.~
Back in the present, Abby was stunned. She hadn’t even thought about her relationship with Quinn being the same, not once. Yeah, they were connected, essences tied together like Xena’s and Gabrielle’s - she wasn’t stupid or blind enough to deny that. But they weren’t soulmates, or romantically involved at all. So shouldn’t the Warrior Princess and her Amazon Queen have a deeper bond? Shouldn’t lovers and the like trump best friends, no matter how close? But the ‘talk’ between her and Quinn hadn’t really been any different than the silent conversation between the lovers. Lost in her musings, it took a few seconds for the young blonde to realize someone was talking to her.
“So, Abby - how long have you and Quinn been together?”
That certainly jerked her attention back to her companions in a hurry, staring across the clearing at Thea like the Amazon had lost her mind. “What?” She half-yelped, certain she hadn’t heard right. “Me and Quinn?”
“Yeah.” Sprawled casually at the base of a tree, the lanky brunette leaned against the trunk at her back, a cheerful grin on her tanned face. “We know it took her Maj - ” Gray eyes flicked teasingly to Gabrielle, who made a face, “and a certain Warrior Princess more than five years to admit they were an item. Did it take you guys that long?”
Eponin finished a sip from her waterskin and wiped her mouth with one hand, honey-colored gaze calm but interested. Solari looked curious, one brow rising in a fair impression of the Warrior Princess; Amarice had her head tilted to one side, thick red-gold curls almost glowing in the sunlight. Even Gabrielle seemed to be waiting on an answer.
“Well, um - ” Abby stammered, knocked utterly off-balance. Why on earth had they assumed that? Weren’t there any simple friends in the Amazon tribes? Then again, these were the people that knew Xena and Gabrielle (and their relationship) the best. It probably never occurred to them that Abby and Quinn might be different. And it wasn’t like they were the first people to assume it, not by a long shot; back home, people were constantly thinking the pair of them were more than friends, even ones that had known them forever. Speaking of which, Nikki certainly wasn’t being any help. Aside from a hastily-stifled snort of laughter, her cousin hadn’t made any sound at all. Abby could feel the flush crawling up her neck and cheeks, knowing she had to look ridiculous. “Well - we’re really - I mean, we’re not - ”
“Oh, Hera’s left tit! Not you, too!” Apparently, Thea had gotten something from the stammered babbling - though considering she turned to stare at Gabrielle with her arms folded, it probably wasn’t what Abby had intended. “What is it with you two and not admitting you love each other? I swear by Artemis, it’s like some kind of blood instinct. Or else you just like making each other miserable instead of doing - ”
“No!” Abby interrupted, bringing everyone’s attention back to her again. Oh, she did not want to hear what else Thea thought she should do with Quinn! Just thinking about it had the younger woman blushing so badly she felt dizzy. “I - I mean, I’m straight.”
In the few seconds of silence that followed that announcement, Abby wrested back a small bit of her dignity to see Gabrielle staring at her with an honestly puzzled expression. The bard blinked, brow furrowed. “So am I - at least, I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with my posture. My seat, occasionally, but I walk just fine.”
Solari smirked. “Well, there have been a few days you had trouble walking.” She winked rakishly at the Queen, who grinned even as she colored slightly.
Slightly would have been a welcome understatement for her counterpart. Crimson from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes, Abby wondered if a hole might just open up and swallow her. A distinct thud came from the other side of the clearing as Nikki lost her balance and tumbled backwards off her perch, laughing so hard tears stood out in her eyes. Still mortified, Abby felt a flash of resentment. I’m so glad she’s having fun. Smug little snot.
“Abby?” Eponin frowned, leaning over to touch her wrist gently. All the Amazons, Gabrielle included, looked utterly confused. “What’s wrong?” Amarice glanced down at the young sorceress, still giggling uncontrollably, and folded her arms, obviously unsure whether or not to be offended on behalf of her ‘future Queen.’
“It’s not - nothing’s wrong, Ep, really.” Abby took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying with limited success to tame her wild flush. She had no clue why the whole thing suddenly embarrassed her so badly; after all, it wasn’t like she hadn’t heard worse. And for heavens’ sake, it wasn’t like her new friends would have heard the term before. “I didn’t mean straight like that.”
“It’s slang.” Nikki had finally managed to right herself from the forest floor, wiping her eyes beneath her glasses. She flicked a glance at her cousin, looking vaguely sheepish beneath her lingering amusement. “Like ‘having a centaur’ means you’re mad. Straight means she isn’t interested in women.”
“Oh. OH!” Thea’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, lips parting slightly in blatant shock. Eponin and Amarice’s eyebrows seemed to be trying to fly off their foreheads, while Solari spat out her mouthful of water with a hacking cough. Gabrielle looked caught in a mix of startled awe and disbelieving amusement. Before the bard could speak, however, Thea piped up again, still stunned. “But you, and Quinn - why - ” Her voice turned almost mournful. “You don’t have a boyfriend, do you?”
Abby sighed, glancing expectantly at her cousin for the next snarking comment. To her surprise, Gabrielle had turned one of her Amazon Queen warning gazes on the young sorceress; Nikki caught the expression and bit her lip to keep from laughing again, almost contrite. Stumped and vaguely relieved by the defense, the younger blonde shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
In point of fact, she hadn’t had one for more than a year, but there was no way she was bringing that up. It had nothing to do with the conversation, and besides, it wasn’t like Thea didn’t have enough ammunition.
“And you never even thought about Quinn that way?” Solari pressed. She didn’t look like she believed it was possible. “Not even once?”
“No.” The word came out by rote, born on embarrassment and exasperation without any real consideration of the question. Quinn was her best friend! Abby winced mentally. Nevermind the whole gay thing - what idiot fantasized about their best friend? That was like asking for trouble when you were already hip-deep in shit.
Of course, the fact that you were oogling those same hips and their leather casing a few minutes ago doesn’t have anything to do with it. Her sarcastic side mocked ruthlessly. Or maybe you’d rather remember falling asleep wrapped up in her arms night before last? Don’t forget how much you love making her smile, either. And then there’s the way your body always knows she’s close, no matter where you are. She’s the most important thing in your life, and you know it. You’d do anything to protect her.
She’s my best friend. Period. Abby ignored the smirking voice in her head with fierce determination, turning her look on the forest instead. “Why are we having this conversation?” She half-wailed, half-groaned. Of all the stupid things to focus on while they waited, why did it have to be her non-existent love life?
“Because it’s more fun than anything else we could come up with?” Nikki retorted, half-ducking her head to avoid Eponin’s raised eyebrow as she grinned at her cousin. “I mean, the other option is talking about the non-existent bad guys or pointing out the same wildlife we’ve been walking through all day.”
That got a bit of laughter, as the rest of the group accepted the change of subject with decent grace. Turning to the forest, Nikki nudged her glasses up and motioned in a random direction. “Ooo, look, a berry bush! Oooo, an oak tree. I ask you, where’s the fun in that?” Her voice caught slightly, then returned, her snarky ‘discovery’ tone laced with teasing. “Oooo, look, dirty and armored Warrior Princess. And another Amazonette. Damn, what’d they do, get dropped down the cliff?”
Less than half a second later, twin blond heads whipped up and around, two sets of emerald eyes widening as two waiting hearts stopped dead. Sure enough, Xena and Quinn were just coming up the nearest path. Both were streaked with dirt and muck, long dark manes tousled, bronze skin scraped painfully in various places. Xena sported a cut on her lower lip, Quinn a rapidly-darkening bruise across her cheekbone, and both had soaked patches on their clothes. Gabrielle found her voice first. “Xena!” On her feet in an instant, the bard not-quite-ran to her partner, immediately enfolded in a warm embrace. Xena’s long arms held the Queen close, her chin resting in soft blonde hair. Her voice was at its lowest, a soothing rumble felt as much as heard. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re fine.”
Abby would have been touched by the gentle affection between them . . . at least, if she had really noticed the exchange. She’d somehow found herself upright and airborne barely a moment after Gabrielle, instinctively homing in on her own warrior. Quinn’s arms were already open, and Abby half-threw herself into them gratefully, her own grip wrapping tight around the brunette’s waist. Gods, Quinn - soft heat rose from the contact, chasing away the fear that had jolted through her bones at the first sight of her best friend. Horrible, gut wrenching fear that Quinn had been hurt, wounded -
“It’s not as bad as it looks.” The taller young woman murmured gently into Abby’s hair. She grinned, just a bit, and the motion sent another wave of warmth straight to the blonde’s heart. “Falling out of a tree sucks more when you’re over a cliff, but Xena snagged me.”
“My hero.” Gabrielle teased, bumping the Warrior Princess with her hip. She’d loosened her death grip on Xena fairly quick, though one arm still curled lightly around the warrior’s waist. Xena’s own arm was draped gently over the bard’s shoulders, tapered fingers playing absently with soft blonde hair. Full lips curved in her usual smirk, accented only slightly by her cut. “Yeah, and she got me out of the way when the tree’s roots gave out. Pretty damn good timing.”
Abby smiled back, still half-tucked in the comfort of Quinn’s arms. The close contact was fiercely reassuring, even with every part of her best friend’s back stretched tight and painful. Running her fingertips gently over the abused muscles, she felt them twitch beneath her touch, a hardly-there flinch passing over her shoulders. Her eyes met Gabrielle’s, and the Amazon Queen returned her almost imperceptible nod with one of her own. Obviously Xena’s body was hurting, too, not that either of them would say anything about it. A moment of perfect understanding passed between the two bards.
Warriors.
“Oy, Quinn, you try to slide down that ravine on your face?” Having gotten to her feet, Nikki padded over and studied the returning pair, one hand propped on her hip. “You two look like crap. Come ’ere.”
A soft blue-green glow swirled around the young sorceress’ fingers, and she lifted a hand to Quinn’s bruised cheek. After a few seconds, the dark wound smoothed and faded, scrapes up and down her lean body following suit. Finished, Nikki crooked a finger at Xena. “Your turn, Warrior Princess.”
“Nah - ” Xena opened her mouth to protest, then shut it again as Gabrielle pushed her a few steps forward, a no-nonsense expression on the Amazon Queen’s face. “Don’t even think about it, Xena.” The blonde folded her arms. “If she can help, you’re going to stand there and let her treat you.”
A wicked grin set her eyes sparkling. “Besides, I have plans that require you healthy.”
Xena’s smirk widened, and she stood passively while a giggling Nikki turned her magic the Warrior Princess’ own wounds. Abby groaned and buried her face in Quinn’s convenient shoulder. Seeing Thea’s amused grin, the younger blonde cursed under her breath.
It was gonna be a long walk back to the village.
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Comments welcome, though I know it kinda sucks.