Chapter One

Expecting

"Is this going to take much longer?" Queen Gabrielle asked with obvious irritation and impatience in her voice.

"Not too much longer," Xena answered, smiling affectionately at her.

"Just a little more, then we'll be finished," King Belos said, looking up from the map he and Xena were studying. "With the barbarians on the move again, we need to make sure our defenses are in place and our advanced troops are ready."

"I know," Gabrielle replied with a tired sigh. "But my feet have swollen up again, and my back hurts. Xena, you have to do something!"

"I'll be right there," Xena told her as she let her eyes lovingly caress the swollen belly of her very pregnant soul mate. "We're almost finished here."

Gabrielle sat down again in one of the uncomfortable chairs in Belos' War Room to wait.

Although it didn't seem so to Gabrielle, it was only a short time later when Xena finally said, "Come on, my Queen, let's do something about your feet, and back," with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Then she nodded to the King. "With your permission," she said to him.

"By all means," he replied. "Help put this poor woman out of her misery," he added with his own loving sarcasm.

"You two just wait," Gabrielle said, playing along. "Once this baby's born it'll be all mine. Just see if I let either one of you near him."

"Or her," Xena added.

"Or them," the king said, referring to Gabrielle's often complaint that she was far too big to be carrying just one baby.

Helping Gabrielle out of the chair, Xena nodded to the king, then followed the queen to her quarters.

Xena removed Gabrielle's clothes and shoes, and helped her to lay on her bed. Then using cool, scented olive oil began to massage Gabrielle's feet. Then slowly worked her way up her legs, and finally she gently kneaded the aching muscles of her back. When the massage was finished, Xena filled the bath tub with lukewarm, scented water to let Gabrielle soak, and to doze. When the bath was over, Xena helped Gabrielle to dress.

"It happened again!" Gabrielle said. "Did you feel it?"

"I sure did," Xena said.

"It seems like whenever either one of us rubs my belly, the baby touches back, but he doesn't kick like when Belos does it."

"Maybe SHE thinks we're the same person. You know, since our souls are supposed to be joined."

Gabrielle smiled at the thought. "You're probably right. So I guess that makes you as much a part of him as Belos is."

"You mean 'her'."

"Why do you keep insisting it's going to be a girl?"

"Because I know how much you want a daughter."

"Oh, Xena. It really doesn't matter. Just so he, or she, is healthy. That's the important thing."