Xena looked up slightly. “You didn’t ruin my plan I just gave you something which you weren’t ready for. I put too much on your shoulders and that was wrong of me.” She looked at her hands. “I forget that you’re not me.” Gabrielle breathed in deeply hearing her hollow words hit the air. “No I guess I’ll never be you, not now and not ever.” She would never be Xena and she would never be able to break out of her shadows ether and be her own person. Xena turned looking at the younger women hearing the pain of in her words. “Gabrielle I didn’t mean it like that.” Gabrielle pulled up her fingers looking at the pendent in it which she had hidden under the sheets. “Its okay you don’t need to explain yourself Xena.”

Xena put a hand through her hair in frustration gods she just kept on putting her foot in her mouth. She turned putting her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder. “How is your arm?” Gabrielle moved her arm out of reach as she pushed the pendent under the pillow she could see a large bruise on it. “It’s fine.” Xena eased her fingers out moving them over the bruise. “I didn’t mean to hurt you Gabrielle.” Gabrielle moved her arm away from the taller woman’s fingers. “I know you never mean these things Xena, you just can’t control your anger sometimes.” Xena looked at her for a long moment. “No Gabrielle you don’t deserve for me to treat you this way you shouldn’t stay here with me.”

Gabrielle turned looking at the other woman as she lay on her back adjusting the covers. “I stay here because you’re my friend and I care about you.” Xena shuffled slightly looking at the ugly bruise feeling her words come out in a rush. “I’ll get you some herbs for that.” Gabrielle eyed the bruise. “I’ve already put some herb mix on it.” Xena looked down sadly she couldn’t even tend to the younger woman’s wounds anymore even the ones that she’d made. Joxer was right all they had done lately was argue with each other. Also now she’d taken it that one step to far and she’d hurt the younger woman. She looked down she had been treating her like a child.