Warning: This story contains scenes of intimacy between two consenting adults of the same gender. If this offends you, or you are under 18 years of age, stop reading now. The author accepts no responsibility for noncompliance of this warning.

For the sake of clarity, Xenan is not much bigger than when he first appeared in "Is There A Doctor?", and this is what I think really happened to Solan. This story begins shortly after the events of "A Day in the Life".

Comments can be sent to me at: [email protected]

Chapter 1

"That's it Gabrielle...yes...yes! Harder...almost...harder...again...YES!"

With one last pull, Gabrielle flung the fish on the end of her line out of the water, watching it arc over the head of Xena.

"Hey, watch it! Are you trying to hit me with that thing?"

Her eyes twinkling with more than the reflection of the sun off the surface of the river, Gabrielle smiled at her lover. "Now where would I get an idea like that? Besides, I wouldn't want to ruin our dinner by getting it caught in your armor."

"Funny," Xena drawled with arched eyebrows, as she watched Gabrielle retrieve the fish and remove the hook from its mouth. "But maybe you'd like eel instead?"

"Only if I can use your chakram to slice it open to prepare it." Noticing the small smile Xena was trying to keep from spreading into a wider grin, Gabrielle continued. "No? Then I guess I'll stick with the trout instead." After rebaiting her hook, the bard cast the line out into the middle of the stream. "How many..."

"Gabrielle," Xena whispered, trying to get the young woman's attention. Holding her left hand up, she motioned for quiet, as she set her own pole on the ground. Eyebrows furrowed in concern, the warrior concentrated on listening to the slight creeping movements she could hear coming up behind them from the dense brush of the glen. She rested her hand on her chakram, and bent her knees into a slight crouch, waiting to pounce on anyone foolish enough to attack the Warrior Princess and the Amazon Queen. Aware that the bard had also discarded her pole and picked up her staff, Xena waved her silently into a more defensive position as their 'company' continued its approach. With one last quiet rustle of leaves, the intruder strode into their camp. A young intruder, carrying a fishing pole.

"Solan?" Xena, eyes wide in surprise, dropped her hand from her chakram, and stared dumbstruck at the boy.

"Xena!" the young man shouted in happiness when he saw who he had unexpectedly bumped into, not knowing how close he had come to seeing the Warrior Princess in action again.

Regaining her composure, Xena approached her boy, and bending down on one knee, drew him into an embrace. She cradled the back of his head with her hand, and squeezed Solan tightly to her before finally releasing him. "But what are you doing here? And where's your uncle Kaleipus?"

Gabrielle tapped Xena on the shoulder and gave her a slight frown to remind her to go gently on her son. "Not that we're not happy to see you, Solan," the bard told the boy as she too gave him a hug, and then kissed him on the cheek. "But it is a surprise. Is everything all right with you and your centaur family?"

Catching Gabrielle's hand, Solan held it lightly. "Oh, sure, everything's fine. But Uncle sent me to his cousin's village so I could get to know more of my family. I've been here most of the summer."

"But why are you out here alone? It could be dangerous for you, by yourself like this." Xena tried to keep the worried concern out of her voice, but was only partially successful. "What if we had been thieves? You could have been hurt."

"Oh, Xena, I've been here lots of times to fish. You're the only ones I've ever found here. Besides," Solan explained in the bravado of one very young, or one very inexperienced, "..the centaur village isn't that far away. They know where I am."

"Well, ok," Xena replied, but she was not convinced. She stood up. "And since you're here to fish, why don't you join us for dinner? Then I'll take you back to your village. I'd like to meet your uncle's cousin."

"Sure." Shrugging his shoulders, Solan really didn't understand what the big deal was, although he was happy to spend time with the two women. With a little luck, he hoped he could get Xena to tell him more about his dad Borias. He had heard all of Uncle Kaleipus' stories, and he was sure that Xena had a few he didn't know. He was just about to ask when the smaller woman poked him in his ribs.

"Hey, Solan," Gabrielle put an arm around the young boy. "Did you know Xena can catch fish without poles or hooks? Maybe if you ask her nicely, she'll show you how to do it," she said as she winked conspiratorially at the other woman.

"Would you, Xena?" Solan's voice was filled with wonder, awe, and a bit of hero worship.

"Well...," Xena looked to the sky, as if deciding what to do. "Of course, I will, Solan. But first, let me see your hands." She took the boy's hands into her own, and pretended to inspect them closely. "Good, you have nice long fingers, just like me. And do you know why you need long fingers to fish with me?" Xena dropped to her knees again before the youngster when he shook his head 'no'. "Because you have to tickle the fish out of the water," she explained and launched into a tickle attack, getting the boy to giggle in delight when she ran her fingers over his sides.

Gasping for air, Solan threw his arms around the neck of the warrior. "Oh, Xena, I love you!"

The smile left her face and her eyes became hooded with the pain from the knowledge that she could never tell the boy he was her son. Grateful that the youngster couldn't see her expression, she hugged him fiercely to her chest. "I love you too, Solan," she said seriously. "You're a special little boy."

Hearing the note of sorrow in the other woman's voice, Gabrielle tried to lighten the mood for her hurting friend. "Hey, c'mon you two. Those fish aren't going to jump out of the water by themselves, and I'm hungry!"

Xena released her son, and leaned back to look at her son. Rising to her feet, she held out her hand to Solan, grasping it lightly in her own. "Ok kiddo. One fishing lesson coming right up."

Solan smiled up at the tall woman, his clear bright eyes matching those of the warrior. "Won't Uncle be surprised when I tell him that fish can be tickled!"

Squeezing his hand, Xena looked out over the stream, not really seeing it. "Oh, I don't know, Solan. I think your Uncle Kaleipus is used to getting surprises from me." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "C'mon. Like the woman said, those fish aren't going to jump out of the stream themselves. Let's see how we can do."

Gabrielle left her two friends alone while she went to gather wood for a fire. Returning to the camp in a short while, she dumped the branches and sticks she had found and busied herself with starting the fire, smiling to herself every time she heard Solan squeal in laughter. After the small sticks and tinder finally caught, she added a few of the larger branches to the growing flame and decided to see how the fishing lesson was going. As she sat on the bank of the stream, she watched Xena and Solan, both with their backs to her, crouched low over the surface of the water, looking for fish.

"Ok, Solan..see that fish there? It looks like it's right there, waiting to be caught. But it's a tricky fish. So you have to sneak up on it," Xena explained as she dipped her fingers into the water, "...and SURPRISE him!" Lightning quick, she grasped the trout with both hands, and jerked the wiggling fish out of the stream. With practiced ease, Xena threw the fish over her shoulder. It landed on the riverbank, not far from Gabrielle. "Solan, I think you have your dinner right in front of you."

The boy glanced down, and saw a particularly large trout motionless in the shallow water, almost teasing him with its close proximity. Dipping his hands into the stream as he had seen Xena do, Solan carefully moved forward silently, trying not to alert the fish to his presence. Wriggling his fingers near the sides of the fish, he lunged forward and grabbed it, bringing it out of the water to show Xena triumphantly. And just as nonchalantly, he threw the fish over his shoulder as he had noticed the warrior gracefully do.

"Hey!"

Both turned around at the sound of Gabrielle's voce, to find her holding the wiggling fish, her face and upper chest wet with water.

"Oh, Gabrielle! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Solan clambered out of the water, and knelt in front of the smaller woman. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"No, Solan," Gabrielle answered him, although over his shoulder she could see Xena shaking with laughter. "I'm not mad at you. Why don't you pick up the fish, and meet us back at the fire?"

After Solan headed back towards camp, Xena waded out of the shallow stream and approached Gabrielle, still trying to stop laughing.

"I suppose you think that was funny," the younger woman said while flicking fish scales at the warrior, trying her best to glower. Finally laughing herself, Gabrielle shook her head. "Like mother, like son."

Xena glanced in the direction Solan had gone. "Yeah," she said, with unmistakable pride in her voice. Her broad smile clearly showed her love and admiration for her boy.

Remembering that she should be getting dinner ready, the warrior reached down and helped Gabrielle to her feet. She snaked her arm around the woman's waist, and lightly brushed her lips across the bard's, teasing and darting her tongue into that of her lover. "Mad at me for laughing?"

"Hmm, I'd have to say 'yes'," Gabrielle grinned.

Bending down again, Xena playfully tugged on the woman's lower lip, her tongue once more gaining access to taste her partner's sweetness. "And now?"

"I'm afraid so," the bard whispered as Xena grasped her more firmly, drawing her into the warrior's body.

"I guess I'll have to try harder to convince you to forgive me," Xena breathed, leaving delicate kisses and small nips along the graceful column of the blonde's throat, before moving back to her mouth. As her hands roamed over the bard's back, she crushed the smaller woman to her as her tongue twisted and twirled in a sensual dance with Gabrielle's, leaving them both breathless with desire. At last pulling away, Xena took a steadying breath and locked her eyes onto the bard's. "Let me show you tonight just how sorry I am."

"Promise?"

"Oh, I promise," Xena said as she left one last kiss on the bruised lips of Gabrielle. "And you know I never break my promises."

"Thank the gods." Gabrielle grabbed the warrior's hand, and smiling, led the taller woman back to their camp.

They both noticed right away that Solan had been busy. He had found one of their knives, and after splitting the fish to remove the bones, had placed the tender meat into a frying pan. He smiled when he saw Xena nod her head in approval of his accomplishment.

"It seems you've learned a lot since I last saw you, Solan. You really are becoming a young man," Xena praised the boy.

"My cousins keep me busy, and teach me lots of different things. Uncle Kaleipus says it's good to learn something new from everyone I meet."

"And what else have you learned, Solan?," Gabrielle asked as she splashed some wine from their supplies into the frying pan to keep the fish moist as it cooked slowly over the fire. This was one of Xena's favorite dishes, and she wanted to make sure nothing got scorched while she listened to the youngster tell them about the centaurs.

"Well, most of the boys my age in the village already know how to use a crossbow. They've been showing me how to shoot."

Xena's brows knitted in concern. "I thought both you and your uncle decided you didn't want to be a warrior. Did you change your mind?" The woman hoped her son didn't hear the anxiety in her voice.

"Oh, no, Xena! They've been teaching me how to hunt game!"

The dark haired woman nodded in understanding, although she thought the boy was still a little too young to be taught how to use weapons, even if it was only to find dinner. The conversation died down as Gabrielle handed each of them a portion of fish and some biscuits that had been left over from the morning meal. Solan was the first to take a bite, and declare the meal excellent. Xena smiled at the comment, knowing that the recommendation was greatly enhanced by the fact that he himself had caught the fish. Still, she couldn't help agreeing that the food was indeed excellent.

Gabrielle munched on a biscuit, and smiled when everytime Solan's plate got anywhere near empty, Xena jumped up and got him more to eat. The boy had eaten three of the fish and a few of the biscuits when he reached for the backpack he had brought, and pulled out a handful of berries to share, and another surprise.

"Oh, nutbread! My favorite!" Gabrielle's eyes lit up when she spotted the dessert.

"Really? Mine, too," Solan said as he passed her the bread, after breaking off a hunk for himself. He bit off a large piece and smiled at Xena when he saw her shaking her head.

"I don't know how you two can even think of more to eat after what you finished for dinner. Did you guys have a competition going on to see who would eat more?"

"Nope. No one can beat Gabrielle." Solan bit into the bread again.

Catching her lover's eye, Xena winked at her. "That's for sure." Getting up, the warrior picked up Argo's saddle and put it on the war-horse. After she adjusted the straps, Xena turned to her son. "Well, Solan, I think it's time we get you back to the village. I don't want anyone getting worried about you. Coming, Gabrielle?"

"No, I think I'll just get things cleared up around here. You two have fun." Although it wouldn't take long to do the few chores, the bard wanted to give her friend all the time alone with her son that she could. "Just 'promise' you'll come right back," she insisted, stressing 'promise' to make sure Xena understood.

"Oh, I promise, Gabrielle. I promise." Jumping up into the saddle, Xena waited while Solan stood up, and wiping his now clammy hands on his pants, approached Gabrielle.

Suddenly shy, Solan wouldn't raise his head to meet Gabrielle's gaze. Fortunately, the bard was not as timid and bent down and hugged the boy. "Good-bye Solan. You take care."

Finding the strength to return the hug, Solan nodded. "Bye, Gabrielle." Squeezing a little harder, he whispered, "I love you."

Gabrielle kissed the boy on the forehead and whispered back, "I love you too, little guy." She grabbed his hand, and led him over to Argo. Grasping him under his arms, the blonde lifted the boy into Xena's embrace. Solan settled himself in front of the warrior, and then leaned against the woman behind him. Xena held the reins in front of him, crossing her arms over the boy's chest. Seeing the shifting emotions covering Xena's face, Gabrielle touched the woman's knee. "You be careful."

Nodding mutely, Xena nudged the horse forward.