Xena & Gabrielle Ch. 08

"Gabrielle!!" Xena cried out, as her love was torn from her embrace.

"Help me, Xena!!! Please!!!" Gabrielle screamed as the chilled arms carried her toward the flames and the dark fires of Hell where her rapist was writhing.

Xena fought the cold wind, trying to get to Gabrielle. Every two steps forward sent her one step back. Finally she grasped Gabrielle's hands in her own, pulling her. But she was in a tug of war with a demon, as the evil thing sought to pull Gabrielle into the flames. To make her one with him....... for all eternity.

"You can't have her, Dahak. She's mine. I love her... and she hasn't an evil bone in her body! You can't fight me, and you know it. Let her go," Xena screamed out, not afraid of a demon. She would face hell itself rather than let her love perish.

A terrible scream could be heard, then suddenly the wicked wind ceased to moan. Gabrielle fell to the cold hard ground as the flames were slowly diminished. All was quiet, and the terrible frigid wind had suddenly disappeared. "Gabrielle, Baby, are you alright?" Xena crooned, pulling her into her embrace.

"Get me out of here, Xena," Gabrielle said weakly. "Now."

"It's going to be okay. I promise," Xena said as she carried Gabrielle from the temple and the blood-soaked altar.

"No, Xena you were right. Your first kill changes everything," Gabrielle said in a whisper before fainting in her lover's arms.

Xena carried Gabrielle as far as she could from the temple of Dahak, toward the woods. Suddenly the harsh rain began to fall and the trees whipped with the fury of the wind. It was as if the earth had began to tremble and rip apart. Xena knew she had to get Gabrielle to safety, but they had no where to go. Finally she had found a shelter made by many fallen trees. She carried Gabrielle there and lay her on a dry surface of ground upon some fallen leaves. Argo came close, and Xena was able to secure their saddlebags. Then Argo disappeared, disturbed by the tremendous storm. Thunder clapped and the earth shook. Lightening struck nearby trees, making them fall. But they were safe in their make- shift shelter, and Xena made a small fire. She boiled water so she might tend Gabrielle's wounds. She was relieved to find that a great deal of the blood covering Gabrielle was not her own. The only place she appeared to be injured was her most feminine place which had been unmistakably ravished. Gently Xena cleansed her beloved and placed folded cloths between her thighs to control the bleeding. Gabrielle would be sore and bruised for several days, but there was no permanent damage. As Xena assessed Gabrielle's abused flesh, she blamed herself. If only she had been there, then her love may not have been raped. She harshly blamed herself, feeling at fault for having left Gabrielle behind in the first place, especially after having promised never to leave the one she loved alone again.

Hours passed, night came, and in the morning, the sun rose. The storm was gone, but the world seemed to have been ripped apart by it's force. Around them, there was a cluster of many fallen trees, limbs having been ripped away cruelly by harsh, brutal winds. Gabrielle awoke, held close in the safety of Xena's arms. She startled, then began to softly sob.

"It's true... it all really happened," she cried as reality came, cruel and ugly, making her cringe.

"It's okay, Gabrielle. You're safe now. You're in my arms.... you are safe," Xena whispered, lightly kissing Gabrielle's lips, attempting to soothe her.

"Hold me, Xena. Hold me so tight," Gabrielle begged softly, wrapping her arms around her warrior and holding onto her with her dear life.

"I'll never let you go, little one, not ever," said Xena, as she held the bard close, lovingly stroking her up and down her back.

"Take me away from here, Xena. I never want to see this place again. I want to be far, far from here. I keep seeing her face... as she was dying. Her blood was all over me. It stained my hands. I keep seeing her..."

"I know, Baby... I never wanted that for you. If I could give anything to take it all back, I would."

"They wanted me to kill her... for him. So he would come. They wanted me to do it, so he could have his way with me," Gabrielle said in a choking sob. "He hurt me, Xena."

"I won't let him hurt you again, Gabrielle. I swear it," Xena said, clenching her teeth. "As soon as I find Argo, we travel. Wherever you want to go... we will head that way."

"Doesn't matter where we go... I just want to get out of here.... please, take me far away from this place. Make me forget... I don't want to remember."

Xena nodded, wishing it could be that easy to stop those memories. Gabrielle had been thru Hell. Xena's heart bled for her. First her parents had rejected her, then she had been forced to lose her blood innocence and kill Meridian, and to top it off, a demon had sexually assaulted her. Xena was sickened by all Gabrielle had been thru.

"There is a cabin about a four day's ride from here. We could go there... for awhile. You could rest and get better. You're going to be okay."

Not long after the storm had passed, Argo appeared. Xena and Gabrielle began their journey. Gabrielle was unusually quiet, sleeping in Xena's arms as they rode. When night fell, Xena made camp, placing Gabrielle down upon the bedrolls so she could sleep. She then lay next to her little love, pressing herself to Gabrielle's side. "I love you," she whispered into the darkness, hoping somehow her words would reach Gabrielle.

Gabrielle awoke the next morning screaming. Xena instantly awakened, sitting up in alarm. "I got you... I got you," she said as she enfolded Gabrielle into her arms. "You are safe."

Gabrielle embraced Xena tightly, resting her cheek on the Warrior Princess's shoulder. Her body was sore and she could feel the distinct soreness between her legs, reminding her of the rape. A demon had brutally violated her, taking something from her she had only before given to Xena out of love. She hated herself for being unable to stop him.

"Shhhhh..." Xena crooned, stroking Gabrielle's hair as she cried. "You're going to be alright. Everything will be alright, Gabrielle... I promise."

Another day passed, and Gabrielle was horribly sick. She was throwing up constantly, unable to keep anything down. Every time she thought of Dahak, the temple, Meridian, or anything relating to the experience, she would run off to the bushes, expelling whatever may be in her stomach. Xena was worried; Gabrielle was growing progressively weaker.

Xena made some tea, with herbs and honey, coaxing Gabrielle to drink. "It will stop your nausea. Drink," she insisted.

Gabrielle wrinkled her nose, but gingerly took a sip. The tea was delicious, and the first thing Gabrielle had kept down since the day of her rape. She drank every last drop of the tea, then smiled at Xena. "You should have been a healer," she said.

"I have many skills," said Xena with a little grin.

Another day passed, and Gabrielle was feeling better. She was healing nicely from the rape and the nausea had blessedly passed. Now she was ravenous. Xena watched as she devoured their morning meal as though she was half-starved.

"I'm glad to see you've gotten your appetite back," Xena said.

"Me too," Gabrielle replied. "How much longer till we get to the cabin?"

"A couple of days, I suppose."

"Can we stay there for awhile... so we can just rest.... and cuddle?"

"Sure, we can stay as long as you like," Xena promised, knowing that what Gabrielle needed most was rest and relaxation, so she could properly heal in mind, body and spirit.

"I can't wait, Xena...." Gabrielle said, laying down so that her head rested in her love's lap. Tenderly Xena began caressing Gabrielle's hair, loving how the tendrils twisted around her fingers, as though they had a mind of their own.

"I'm sorry about everything that's happened, Gabrielle. Truly I am," Xena spoke.

"Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault."

"I wish I could have protected you....."

"You can't stop destiny, Xena. Not even you can do that." Xena just nodded. Stopping destiny had been what she had been trying to do in the first place. Maybe it was time to cease trying to stop the inevitable. Whatever would be, would be. Maybe it was time to accept that.

"Maybe you are right, Gabrielle," Xena spoke softly, bending down to tenderly kiss the bard's cheek. Gabrielle just softly sighed, feeling comforted in Xena's embrace.

(Stay tuned for Chapter Nine)