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Regretful Destiny

By the Mighty Lu Bu

I don't own Xena

"Special thanks to Stardawn19 for her invaluable contributions to this story which included among other things, editing."

8

Gabrielle awoke, surprised to find herself naked in a bed. The room seemed strange and unfamiliar, and try as she might she could not remember how she came to be there. She suddenly tensed, realizing that she wasn't alone, as she heard the heavy breathing of another in the bed beside her. Her eyes cautiously glanced to down. It was a man. Fear began to settle in her heart as she realized the sheets of the bed tousled just enough, revealing he was also nude.

Slowly Gabrielle reached out and pulled the sheet off of the man's face. With a sharp intake of breath she exclaimed, "Oh my gods, it's Hercules!" Hercules groaned, waking at the sound of the bard's voice. Gabrielle jumped out of bed, quickly rapping herself with a bed sheet, and backed against a wall. Hercules sat up holding his head. Gabrielle feeling betrayed and confused shouted, "What did you do to me!

Hercules awoke with a surprise as he saw the distraught blonde woman staring at him in shock, "What are you doing in here?"

Gabrielle's face was red with anger as she cried in disbelief, "I would have never thought you would do this to me! Not you, you're Hercules! You just don't do these things!"

Hercules sat stunned for a moment, then he forced out, "I…I… didn't do anything." Hercules became aware of his own nudity as he asked, "Um, where are my clothes?"

Gabrielle couldn't believe him as she held up her free hand in a rage, "Don't lie to me, you got me drunk somehow! Why would you do this to me?" Gabrielle fought the tears as she began to slide to the floor.

Hercules honestly couldn't remember anything. He couldn't explain how he got in there either, but his stomach lurched when he saw bits of dried fluids on the bed. Hercules put his head in his hands as he asked himself, "By the Gods what did I do last night?"

He turned his head back towards the now teary eyed Gabrielle as he said, "Look, Gabrielle, I don't know what happened either. I wouldn't have done this too you. Something was done to us. Um…"

Gabrielle's breathing slowed down as she started to regain control of her emotions however she was still hurting as she asked, "You really are saying you didn't take advantage of me?"

Hercules replied with a reassuring smile, "I wouldn't dream of it." Then there was a knock at the door.

Gabrielle's eyes went wide in fear as she realized exactly who was behind that door. Gabrielle tried not to be loud as she demanded, "My clothes quick."

Hercules tossed her skirt and top to her as he began scrambling for his pants. Gabrielle slipped on her skirt to cover her lower region when the door burst down followed by an angry warrior princess brandishing her sword.

Gabrielle was still topless as Xena shot her an icy glare, then she redirected her attention, and a far colder stare at Hercules who was still trying to put his pants on, "Xena, It's not what you think."

Xena raised a very cold eyebrow, "Oh?"

Hercules relented, dropping his head downward, "Well, it's exactly what you think, except that I don't remember anything about anything, and Gabrielle doesn't either."

Xena's ice cold eyes returned to the form of the now fully dressed Gabrielle, "You don't remember busting up a bar with your little playmate here?"

Gabrielle's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Busting up a bar?"

Xena replied, "I never thought I'd hear about you attacking people Gabrielle? That bartender has a splitting headache. Another person has a cracked jaw. All of them saw you with a staff and in the arms of this man right here, who single handily brought down the building."

Hercules was also surprised, "I swear Xena, I don't know anything about that."

Xena lowered her sword reluctantly, "Well, it isn't like either of you. Hurry up and get dressed so we can get out of here before they try to stone the both of you."

They walked past the broken door, and headed out of the Inn, dodging evil stares along the way. Gabrielle was still in a state of shock, "She didn't even ask."

Hercules shrugged his shoulders, "I think she is distracted by the fact we tore up a whole town." He quickly noticed Gabrielle hanging her head sadly, "I don't know how it happened but I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done that to you if I was aware of my actions."

Gabrielle's eyes met the blue eyes of Hercules; she released a single tear, "Well, it's not good. I had sex with a man last night that I didn't plan to have sex with. I feel… violated."

"Gabrielle, I'm.. I just.. Yeah. Let's just go, get as far away from this place as we can."

Gabrielle nodded. They were both glad to be leaving this place behind.