Disclaimers: Characters not mine. It’s Rob Tapert and Co. who own ‘em. I just borrowed them for awhile. This story takes place after Soul Possession in season six.

Write the author at cnwinters@hotmail.com

Bonding of Souls: Soul Reunited

By CN Winters

“I think that’s the last of it.”

Mattie walked back up to the stoop of Harry’s front door. Carefully he took her hands in his. “It was fun while it lasted,” he grinned sadly.

Mattie moved to the top step and stood on her tip toes giving him a light kiss on the cheek. “I admit it feels rather odd for me. I can only imagine what you’re feeling.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure what to tell my mother. We fit perfect she said,” he began. “I have all these memories. Memories of me, of Annie, of Xena, of Joxer – it’s a big jumbled mess at times. I’ve got all these people inside me. All these emotions and memories. It feels like I’m losing my wife but I know…She’s never been my wife. And someplace in my heart, I know she never will be…Sure it’s all on paper. And sure we have to see a lawyer now but…it’s-.”

“Confusing,” Mattie nodded in agreement.

Harry gave a despondent nod as well. “Yeah…But know this Mattie – if you need a friend I’m here for you. You and Xe-Annie both. I mean that.”

Mattie rubbed Harry’s arm before pulling him into a tight embrace. “You too my friend. You too.” Slowly she pulled back. “I better get going. She’s waiting for me,” Mattie said pitching a finger toward the Escort that was now pack to the gills with her belongings.

Without any more conversation Mattie made her journey to the car. As she climbed inside she watched Harry slip inside the house that they had called home for the past 2 years. It is an odd sensation, she agreed silently. But she realized that her true spouse, the one she’d fallen in love with time and time again was waiting for her. So without further delay she shut the door and made her way across town.

Just as she expected Annie was sitting on the steps of her apartment building waiting for her return. Her face seemed to light up when the blue car came into view and she rose to her feet quickly, walking over to meet Mattie even before she could get the car into park. She opened the door for Mattie.

“Is this the last of it?” Annie asked.

“Yes…Harry came home early.”

Annie tightened her grip on the box of books she was holding. “Oh yeah. How’s he holding up?”

“Remember when I told you about Joxer – when he said he was in love with me. He and I talked about how we don’t choose to love the people we love. Or more to the point, how we choose to love certain people in different ways.”

Annie nodded. “Yeah, I think I remember…You couldn’t love him the way he wanted – as a lover.”

“Right…It was the same conversation all over again. But this time he gets it…I really feel torn here I have to admit,” Mattie replied.

Annie put the box down on the hood of the car. “Mattie, I would never make you choose. If you want to continue your life with Harry-.”

“No, I married Harry because of the soul inside him. I married you. Not the package. I mean, look at us. You’ve never involved with a woman in this lifetime. It’s been years since I’ve even considered my life with a woman . . . However we do have an advantage since our last lives were as women also. We were intimate then remember?”

Annie closed her eyes and concentrated. “That’s right. The digger and the southern belle,” she said opening her eyes. “Mel kept Janice very happy and I’m sure I’ll do the same.”

“I have no doubt of that,” Mattie nodded. “And although I’m a bit ‘out of practice’ in this arena I promised you forever – no matter what. That’s why I married you in this life. And I did marry you Annie. Or course, according to the state of California I married Harry and that’s another matter to resolve but…you get the point.”

“I do,” Annie answered. “And I can understand what Harry is going through right now. Living two lifetimes at once and being joined to hundreds of others it’s…it’s a bit mind boggling but like I said – Ares is not going to break us up – and neither is anyone else for that matter. I promised forever too and I meant it.”

Mattie ran her hand down the length of Annie’s arm and briefly locked fingers with her. “Come on, let’s get the rest of this stuff inside.”

After a few minutes they sat the last box down. They looked around Annie’s living room, which was completely filled with boxes and bags of various sizes and shapes.

“I think we need to find a bigger place,” Annie said as she surveyed the room. “I’m not sure how you managed to keep all this stuff.”

“You know Xena used to tell Gabrielle the same thing and could never figure out how she stored all that stuff in Argo’s saddlebags,” Mattie chuckled.

“Not much has changed it seemed,” Annie quipped.

Mattie playfully bumped into Annie for teasing her. “I’m not THAT much of a packrat.”

Annie reached into a box and pulled out a comic book. “Oh yeah? When did you get this? The third grade?”

“These happen to be collectibles. They are worth quite a bit.”

“Good. Let’s sell ‘em and buy a house,” Annie replied.

“Annie!”

“I’m just teasin’,” the brunette smiled.

Mattie started to look through another box and found a report card from her freshman year in high school. Annie said nothing. She just studied Mattie. “Okay,” Mattie gave in. “I’ll agree to go through this and get rid of the things I really don’t need any longer.”

Annie leaned down to one of the boxes and held up a badge. “Scouts honor?”

Mattie took the Girl Scout badge from Annie with a laugh. “Hey! I agreed with you. What more do you want?”

Annie turned and pulled Mattie into her arms. “Kiss me,” she said softly.

At first Mattie looked hesitant but Annie held her ground. If this was going to work they would both have to put aside anything they might have believed about this lifetime behind them. Annie never felt drawn to another woman before. But when she looked at Mattie she had a connection that she’d known for centuries. She had to know if Mattie felt the same way; if she could get past the fact her soulmate now had a new exterior.

Slowly Mattie stood on her tiptoes and planted a very delicate, cautious kiss on Annie’s lips. Annie knew she would have to press the advantage here so she went back and returned it with much more confidence and conviction. That confidence allowed Mattie to relax and soon she found herself not only receiving Annie’s kisses but initiating them as well.

After a few moments Mattie felt Annie working her backward until she felt the wall behind her. The kisses didn’t stop. In fact they became more feverish than before and both women were beginning to breathe hard. As Annie pulled back to look at Mattie she found a smile on the blonde’s lips.

“Guess that answers that question huh?”

“Did I ask a question?” Annie replied.

“Well you want to know if we can still burn after all these years. I think the answer’s yes.”

“You realize that this might take a lot more experimentation just to be sure. It might take days and days of research to be sure,” Annie grinned as she took Mattie by the hand leading her toward the bedroom.

The two navigated their way around the boxes cluttering the living room, heading toward a back hallway.

“Something tells me you’re gonna love that,” Mattie chuckled.

“Every moment of it,” Annie purred.

Mattie paused a moment. “Damn, does that sound familiar? When did you say that before because-.”

She didn’t finish. Annie silenced her with a passionate kiss before breaking away and picking her up to take her to the bedroom.

“Kiss now. Analyze later.”

TBC