Title: More.

Author: A.M. Glass aka Leapr

EMail: glasswrks@yahoo.com

Copyright: June 18th, 2000

Disclaimer: Robert Tapert, UNIVERSAL/MCA and RENAISSANCE PICTURES et al, have something to do with "Xena: Warrior Princess". No copyright infringement is intended or inferred. The story along with any/all original characters are the sole property of the author and can not be used without expressed permission first.

Spoilers: Let's see... umm, an episode or two of Season 5. One episode from Season 4. "Return of Callisto" from the 2nd Season.

Song: "She's More" is written by Andy Griggs, who also sings it.

Author's Note: This is my first Xena fic in I think a year or longer. I hope you like this small piece. As it's a songfic, Xena's thought will be the song lyrics. This story takes place PRIOR to the last three episodes of Season 5. This story does take an alternative look at Xena's and Gabrielle's relationship.

Xena looked at Gabrielle and smiled, it was a pretty picture. She was holding Eve in her arms, cooing to her. She turned away and looked across the small clearing where they had set up camp, and sighed. This was the way it was supposed to be, she may not have thought so at first.

'I like blue eyes, her eyes are green,' she thought to herself when Gabrielle looked at her and smiled. 'Not like the woman of my dreams,' she smirked. 'And her hair's not quite as long as I had planned,' Xena sighed.

She really didn't want to cut Gabrielle's hair, but it was the only way she knew to free her from Alti's grasp.

'Five foot three isn't tall,' she chuckled to herself. She knew better than to make any comments on Gabrielle's height, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized, that she was the perfect height.

"Xena, are you alright?" Gabrielle asked.

"Oh, I'm fine. How's Eve?" she replied, going over to sit next to the two most important people in her life.

"She's fine, I think she's falling asleep. Do you want to hold her?"

"Naw, that's okay. I think she likes being in your arms," Xena said, looking down at her daughter.

"Are you sure? I mean, she is your daughter..."

"Gabrielle... "

"I know... I know. I just have to get used to it, that's all," she replied, as she reached out and stroked Xena's cheek.

"I love you," Xena whispered as she placed a kiss on Gabrielle's cheek.

"I love you too Xena."

'She's not the girl I had pictured at all, in those paint-by-number fantasies I've had,' Xena realized. "Paint-by-numbers. Do you think that'll catch on Gabrielle, you know Salmoneous' newest scheme?"

"I'm not sure Xena. I mean how would he get all the pigments together, and who would want to draw out-lines of pictures that someone else would take credit for painting?"

"Who knows, one of these days he's actually going to come up with something that people will want," she said.

"I hope so," Gabrielle told her.

~~~~~

'So it took me by complete surprise, when my heart got lost in those deep green eyes. She's not at all what I was looking for...' "She's more," Xena whispered, as she covered Gabrielle and Eve with a blanket as they slept. As she sat down, she thought about when she knew... how she felt about Gabrielle. 'No, it wasn't at first sight, but the moment I looked twice. I saw the woman I was born to love.'

She knew she couldn't do or say anything to Gabrielle. She could explain it away, saying that she was waiting for Gabrielle to make the first move, or that she wanted to be sure that Gabrielle knew what she wanted. She could have said so many things, except for the truth.

She wasn't ready. She wanted to be the person Gabrielle could love, without danger, or fear. She wasn't ready to take responsibility for someone else's heart. And she witnessed the end result of her fear.

Gabrielle married Perdicus.

She should have spoken up then, but she couldn't.

It wasn't the right time. And she thought she'd never get the chance to say a word, but the Fates had another plan in mind. And that plan included Callisto.

She wasn't going to think these things now, they were in the past. The huddled forms, less than ten feet way, were her future. Her lifeline.

'Her laughter fills my soul, and when I hold her I don't wanna let go. When it comes to her, I can't get enough.' She knew that to be very true. She never wanted to let Gabrielle go, ever. "So it took me by complete surprise, when my heart got lost in those deep green eyes. She's not at all what I was looking for...she's more."

~~~~~

"Can I go see her? Please?"

"Only for a few minutes. Get me if there's any change."

"I will, I promise."

Eve walked into her mother's bedroom, noticing how dark the room was as a cloth had been placed over the window, to keep the light from coming in. Moving towards the bed, she couldn't see how the once larger-than-life person, the one she called mother could be in here. Waiting to die.

Sitting on the bed, she took hold of her mother's hand and brought it to her face, kissing the back of it.

"Mama... Mama, can you hear me?" she whispered.

"Eve?" she heard, the voice raspy.

"Yes, it's me. Mama.. don... don't leave me, please," she cried, burying her head on her mother's chest.

"I'll never leave you Eve... never."

"Xena?"

"Gabrielle?"

"I'm here sweetheart. Is... is there anything I can get for you?" Gabrielle asked as she fought the tears that threatened to spill down her cheek.

Xena opened her eyes and stared into the face of the woman she had loved for so many years and smiled. 'More than I dreamed of, more than any one deserves. I couldn't ask for more than a love like hers,' she thought. "Eve?"

"Yes Mama," she said wiping her tears away.

"You take care of your Mother. Do you understand?"

"But Mama... you'll..."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes Mama. I understand."

"Gabrielle?"

"Ye... yes Xena?"

"... it took me by complete surprise when my heart got lost in those deep green eyes..."

"Xena... save your strength... please," Gabrielle pleaded. Xena turned to look at her daughter, she had grown up to be a fine woman. Someone she was proud of.

"She's not at all what I was looking for..." she whispered to Eve. "She's more...."

"Xena!?!"

"Mama!!"

~~~~~

"And that's their story. Now off to bed with you."

"Please Mama, can't I hear another story of Granma Xena and Mama Gabrielle?" the little girl with strawberry-blonde hair asked.

"No... it's time to go to sleep. If you don't, your mother will kill me."

"I heard that. Go on Brianne, go to sleep."

"Yes Mother."

"Are you filling her head with stories again?"

Eve shrugged, "Can't help it. Family tradition," she said gazing into her bond mate's green eyes.

"Alright. Are you coming to bed?"

"In a moment."

"Hurry," Arianna said, kissing her gently on the lips.

"Promise."

Eve walked outside her home, and gazed into the night sky.

"Mama... Mother. I'm not sure if you can hear me or not, but I miss you both. I love you."

"Eve?"

"Coming." She turned to head inside when her mother's words came echoing back to her. 'So it took me by complete surprise when my heart got lost in those deep green eyes... she's not at all what I was looking for...'

"She's more," Eve said as she closed the door and made her way to the woman who had captured her heart.

The End.