Title: Rope The Moon.

Author: A.M. Glass aka Leapr

EMail: glasswrks@yahoo.com

Copyright: April 20th, 1999.

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.

Author's Note: First off, I consider this a "Romantic Friendship" piece. It's a "song" story. The song in question is called, "Rope the Moon", clever huh? It was written by Jess Brown, Jim Denton and Aggie Brown. It can be found on either "Kickin' it up" or "John Michael Montogmery: Greatest Hits" cd's. I found that while I listened to the song, it fit within the "Xenaverse" quite well. Let me know what you think.

Spoilers: This story contains certain aspects from a few episodes, I've had to bend the timeline somewhat, because of the lyrics. Basically, the story would fall somewhere within the first season.

Special Thanks To: Tracy, my editor, a godsend if there ever was one.

I don't have a lot to show
for these years of hard work...

If you look at what I own.

"That not entirely true," Xena muttered to herself as she walked along side Gabrielle, pulling gently on Argo's reins. She did have a few more scars here and there, but not much else. The vast amount of wealth she had amassed over the years... gone. She wouldn't touch any of it, it was blood money, pure and simple.

Still she's always telling me
to hold on to my dreams...

Even when my hope is gone.

Xena wasn't sure if what she was doing would ever make up for everything she had done over the last ten seasons, she only hoped it would, some day.

Some may say that dreamin' just for fools
there are times when I thought that might be true.

Xena hoped that there would never come a day when Gabrielle would regret following her. She wasn't sure she could stand falling from the lofty heights her friend...

But...

She thinks I could rope the moon...

'When did that happen?' she asked herself.

Smiling, she realized that the young woman who doggedly stuck by her, even when she didn't want her to, had become her friend.

Someone who wasn't after anything, except friendship, which she offered time and time again by the simplicity of her actions.

When I look at the sky,
but can't see through the clouds...

She shows me the brightest stars...

Xena had never really thought of the stars as anything but a tool to navigate, to find her way, not anymore. She looked forward to those nights when they were side by side on their bedrolls, the fire crackling in the background, gazing up at the stars and trying to figure out what they looked like.

If I think about turning back
'cause I'm having my doubts...

She tells me I've come so far

Xena looked over towards Gabrielle who seemed lost in her own thoughts.

'She's helped me so much, I doubt she'll ever really know how far I've come because of her,' Xena mused.

Nothing in this world comes easily
but I can't lose with her right next to me.

'If Gabrielle hadn't knocked some sense into me...' she shivered at the memory.

'Cause she thinks I could rope the moon...

Oh, she thinks I could rope the moon.

Xena stopped, wanting to see how long it would take Gabrielle to notice that they were no longer walking together.

"Xena? What are you doing back there?" Gabrielle asked walking back to her friend, at least she hoped that's what they would become someday. She wasn't sure how Xena felt about her, she liked to keep her thoughts to herself.

"Gabrielle... I just wanted to tell you..." she faltered.

"What? What is it Xena?"

"I wanted to tell you... to pay attention to your surroundings. You never know what's around the next bend," she replied, taking the easy way out.

"Oh... okay, sorry. We should be at the temple pretty soon huh?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, we should reach the Temple of the Fates very shortly," Xena answered. "Come on, let's get going," she said, once again pulling on Argo's reins, and thinking of her brother Lyceus.

'One day Gabrielle... I'll tell you what you mean to me. I promise.'

The End.