DISCLAIMERS:

Violent Content Warning: This story contains scenes of a violent nature.

Sexual and Alternative Warning: This story also contains scenes of a sexual nature between two women. This story is not for those under the age of eighteen.

Uber Warning: This story is an uber. The two characters are based off of the leading ladies of XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS.

Author’s Notes: This is the final story to my Zena/Gabby series. I would like to take a moment to thank my best friend Terri for her support throughout the series. Also to Wolfie for being the first to post my Zena/Gabby writings. And to all who read my work.

I will be starting on a new uber series, but it will not be Zena and Gabby related.

All POSITIVE comments are welcome. Negatives I will simply ignore. Send your thoughts to startrek@ellijay.com.

By: Teagen2

I didn’t want to die. I knew that much, but it seems J has other ideas. "You’ll be happy to know Walker, that we are going to kill that dumb ass niece of mine right after we get through with you." They all raised what object they had in their hand. "That pretty little kid of yours would make a good Hell Cat some day.

"No." I said with all the strength I had, it came out a soft uttering. "Leave...her...alone." I hissed through the pain.

"Which one Walker?" she chuckled. "That punk ass little shit thinks she can switch sides and get away with it? I don’t think so, Zena and its all your fault." I received another hit. I heard the cracking of bone. "If you had left her alone, you wouldn’t be in this situation. I bet your sorry now you ever ‘looked’ at her."

"Never." Another hit. "Ahhhhhh!!!" This one to the knee.

"You don’t seem to be getting me, Walker." She was beginning to get even more upset.

"You are NEVER gonna see that kid walk, see that kid grow. I know that’s gotta be tearing you up, right?" Of course it was, but I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction.

"If your....gonna....kill me...do it."

"Oh we’re going to. Believe me." I was hit again in the head.

I had turned on Ze’s scanner in the jeep and was able to find a crowd of cops on Madison. Zena’s gonna kill me for showing up. I moved through, flashing my badge when I was stopped. I moved to the first cop I recognized, Burns. "Burns, where’s Zena?"

"We don’t know." he said quietly.

"You don’t know!!!" He pointed to a cruiser, which I knew was Ze’s.

"She radioed for back up, but when got here, she was gone. We’ve been trying to raise her on her radio, but she isn’t responding." I moved over and looked into the car. Nothing was unusual. The keys were still in the ignition. He tapped me on the shoulder and pointed over to the right. My heart stopped. Ze’s beretta was lying on the pavement.

"Do you have a cell phone?"

"Uhhh no. Steve does." he gestured.

"Can you ask if I can borrow it?"

"Sure." He jogged over and got the phone for me. "What are you gonna do?" I didn’t answer. I moved to the gun and looked around.

Straining my eyes, I saw a drop of blood. I headed in the direction it was from the gun. There were definite signs of footprints going in this direction. Burns followed wordlessly behind me. Once I seemed to have lost any evidence as to which way they went, I dialed Ze’s pager number and listened. I heard a soft noise of running, then it became clearer. Suddenly three girls, wearing Hell Cat rags ran right into us. I ran in the direction that they came from.

"Zena?" I called, getting no answer. I walked past a fence and I was jerked backwards. I turned, thinking it was Burns, but saw no one. Go Back. I carefully began my trek back when I saw something. "Damn it." I cursed realizing I hadn’t brought a flashlight. When I was close enough to make out it was a person, my knees nearly buckled. I knew this wasn’t a passed out drunk. I knew his wasn’t a homeless person. It was my baby. "Zena?"

I started to cry as I carefully made my way to her. She was on her back. She had been beaten, badly. "Baby?" I dropped to my knees and felt for her pulse on her neck. She jerked as soon as my fingers touched her skin. "Zena." I said relieved.

"Gabby?" she breathed.

"Shhhhhh. Don’t move. I’m here." I saw the hint of a smile on her face before she opened her eyes. Her left eye was completely bloodshot. This was not good.

"I’m gettinggg.....your jerrrssseyy all bloody."

"Its okay. I’ll make you by me a new one. BURNS!" No answer. "He knows I’m here somewhere." Ze turned her head and looked at me.

"Hold me." she whispered. I wiped my wet face with my hand.

"You might have a broken back or something." Do It.

"Please." I reached under her head and sat, cradling her head in my hands. "My heart." she breathed.

"What?"

"My heart......it hurts." By the way she was trying to catch her breath, she meant it physically not emotionally.

"Your gonna be okay, Ze."

"I’m.....dying."

"No." I said sternly. "You are NOT dying. Your gonna be fine." A trickle of blood ran down from the corner of her mouth. I wiped it off with my hand. "Who did this to you?"

"J." Oh gods no. This is all my fault. "Gabbbbbbyyyy."

"Yes?"

"Tell her about me."

"Huh?"

"Megan."

"No. Now you listen to me, you are not going anywhere. Do you hear me?" I looked up.

"BURNS!!!"

"Yeah?" I heard.

"I found her!"

"How is she?"

"Bad."

"I’ll get an ambulance."

I turned my attention back to Zena. I stroked her cheek, avoiding the cuts. "Tell her how much I loved her." My resolve weakened and the dam burst. My heart was torn from my chest and stomped on.

"I will. I promise." I whispered. I rocked her gently. I heard the beginnings of a siren in the distance, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good.

"I love you, Gabrielle." Her eyes began to cloud over.

"I love you. Always."

"Don’t let J win."

"I’ll get her if its the last thing I do." I wiped my eyes again.

"Gods it hurts." she winced. I soothed her the best I could. "Gabby."

"Yes Baby?"

"Take my pendant and ring. I don’t......trust the....hospital with...them."

"I will."

"Keep the ring......I’ll wait for you." I simply nodded. I felt it in my entire body when she went still. I knew Ze was gone and there was absolutely nothing that would bring her back.

By the time the medics got there, she was long gone. I did what she asked me too. The hardest thing I had to do was remove that pendant from around her neck. It had not been off her body since the day I gave it to her. Now I hold the freshly cleaned star in my hand. I had to wipe several drops of blood off of it. The more I thought about it, the madder I became. Oh yeah. I’ll get J alright. This time for good.

They let me see her one last time. Tubes now in her arms where they tried in vain to bring her back. I stroked her hair, not saying goodbye, just ‘See you in a little while.’ "Love you, Ze." I kissed her and tried my best to walk away without looking back.

Anyone who dared step in my way was a fool, a dead fool. My jeans and shirt, stained with my wife’s blood. My mind left me when Ze left. I knew I wouldn’t exist without her. My only problem with joining her was Megan. The only person Ze loved as much as me. I walked to the door of the house and went in. I dropped my keys, not caring where they landed. I began to remove my clothes, dropping them haphazardly on the floor as I walked a straight path to the bathroom.

I turned on the shower, as cold as I could get it. I didn’t want comfort. I ducked my head and stood, letting the water run over my head and body.

We had to rinse off in freezing water. I shut off the water and stepped out. Sometimes after a hard night, Ze would put a towel in the dryer and be waiting when I stepped out and would wrap the warmth around me, along with her arms. Not anymore. Those little things made my heart ache with love.

I treaded to the bedroom and slipped one of Ze’s t-shirts and a pair of her boxers. I climbed into bed. Curling up in a fetal position, I began to cry. Ze is gone. Ares was in the room. He jumped up onto the bed and laid down next to me. He knew something wasn’t right. I reached over and rubbed his head. The t-shirt had the scent of Zena still in it. Now I will have to hope her clothes stay that way. I felt my eyes drifting shut on their own accord.

I awoke to a sharp knocking on my door. I ignored it. Ares lifted his head, but returned to his position as well. Now I knew I was in no danger. "Gabby?" I heard a call from the living room. It was Jenny’s voice. She carefully stuck her head into the doorway. "There ya are. When you didn’t come for Megan, I got worried. Everything okay?" Then she took in my red, puffy eyes. "Gabby what’s wrong?" I cleared my throat.

"Can you keep Megan for a little while?" I asked in a gruff voice.

"Sure. No problem. Gabby you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?"

"Zena’s dead." The admission brought new tears to my already wet eyes. She gasped in surprise.

"Oh no." I heard her begin to cry as well. "Oh gods no." she whispered as she put her arms around me. She rocked me gently until she was able to form a complete sentence again. "What happened?"

"She was....beaten to death....by...."

"Who?"

"J."

Cammy was just as devastated as Jenny upon hearing the news. They ‘moved themselves in’ when they decided I shouldn’t be left alone. They’re right I shouldn’t be alone. I didn’t even trust the frame of mind I was in. Randy caught hold of the news from our boss and immediately came over, but I wasn’t much company.

I received a phone call from the commissioner. He said if it was all right with me, they were going to give Zena a police procession funeral. I couldn’t deny my love that. I agreed. Zena was a cop through and through. She was not just a cop. She was my friend. I shudder to think what my life would be like if I had never met her. Simple, I would have no life. I would be another wasted youth statistic that the city would shake their head at. I owe her so much. I owe her justice. I want to do something that CRASH was never able to do, bring Janet ‘Big J’ Dasson into a court room and make it stick.

They had a case. She killed a police officer, one offense they love to throw the book at you for. Zena eyed opened for a moment during the ambulance ride and was able to tell them that my aunt did that to her. If J was brought in, she’d easily get life with no chance of parole. With Big J gone, the Hell Cats would not be as fierce an enemy.

I was surprised. Very surprised. Over 300 police personnel were in Ze’s funeral procession. A grave site service was the way they did things. Funny....I never even knew where her dad was buried until I had to put Zena next to him. They had the firing of the rifles, everything. Two men folded the American flag that was draped on her coffin and presented it to me. This is the way I wanted Ze to go. Everyone she worked with was there. A few close people I worked with were there. Randy stayed by my side the entire service, holding my hand. I guess I need to consider him my best friend now. I opted for Megan to stay home. I couldn’t face my daughter right now. Knowing I will have to raise her alone is a cold thought.

It took two more days before I had the courage to hold and play with my daughter alone. Talking to her, but knowing there was no way she would understand what I was trying to tell her. Randy knew of my plans for J. Of course she disappeared into the woodwork, but I can find her and I will. "I have to do this for Mommy, Megan. She loved you very much. Just like I do, but I have to do this. Its the right thing to do." I rocked her as she slurped her bottle. I was praying that this wasn’t the last time I would hold her. I placed her back into her bed. Looking around, Cammy and Jenny were in the next room.

The way I was dressed would tip them off that I was going out tonight. I dressed in my black Cargo jeans and Ze’s black hooded sweatshirt. I opened the bureau drawer carefully, pulling out Ze’s beretta, which was just returned to me this morning. I loaded the clip in as noiselessly as I could. I lifted the sweatshirt and tucked her gun into the back of my jeans. I walked to the table next to the couch and put my nine millimeter into the crotch of my jeans. I carefully moved to the door and slipped out. I started the jeep. The dock.

I knew this to be one of J’s ‘hideouts’. I observed the building. There were several people milling around. Yep. She’s there. I picked up my radio. "Unit 34."

"Yeah, Randy J is in 123 West Dock. Get me some backup."

"Whoa Gabby. Hold it. Don’t do anything until I get there....Gabby?....Gabby?" I had dropped the radio. I was the one that was gonna nab J.

I recognized the woman outside of the door. It was one of Tate’s friends. I slipped the hood on, I approached. "Who the fu..." My fist connected perfectly, knocking her unconscious.

"One down." I whispered. I pulled Ze’s gun out of my jeans. Taking a deep breath and opened the door. At the academy you are taught to access a situation quickly. Jag and Panther in one corner, Sleepy was sitting next to J. No one was behind me, good. I fired several shoots in various directions before pointing it at my aunt.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked, raising her hands when I gestured with the gun. Using my free hand, I tugged off the hood, revealing my face.

"Your worst nightmare. Who the fuck do you think it is?" I spat. She was surprised. "You think you can kill my wife and get away with it, I think not Aunt Jane?"

"Kill? What are you talking about?" she said nervously as I approached. I pulled out my nine and pulled the hammer back. I was now sporting two guns, one in each hand. One pointed at her comrades and Ze’s at her.

"You know damn well what I’m talking about. Zena told me it was you. So don’t try to deny it you crazy bitch." I moved closer.

"Wait. Wait, Little G. We roughed her up a bit, but she was alive. I swear."

"I can’t figure something out, Big J. Why did you feel like such a big dick and threaten Zena, but with me you tremble like your gonna piss in your pants?" I smiled. "I’ll tell you why. I’m crazy and you know it. I’ll kill you in a blink of an eye. You treated me like shit when I was little. It was Lila you liked and you got my baby sister killed for it, too.I never liked you and you know it." I acted like I was gonna pull the trigger, but I didn’t. "You ain’t shit, J." I smiled.

"Neither are you. Go ahead. Pull the trigger. You think it’ll make your bitch come back?"

"No it won’t, but you call her that one more time and your blood’s gonna make a beautiful splatter on this couch."

"Before you come with me J, I want you to know something. You killed my wife, my friend, my heart and I’ll be damned if you are gonna get away with it. You beat her and left her to die like a dog." My anger was building. The only thing to keep me from pulling the trigger was Zena. "Death is too good for you. I want you to spend the rest of your life in prison, where you can’t deal your way out of trouble."

The Hell Cats will eventually dissipate because of J’s leadership style. No one knew of her plans, shipments, dealings, but her. No member, not even Sleepy or Panther would know a thing about keeping her operation going. "Get up." I motioned. She didn’t move. The hair on the back of my neck did. I felt a hand in my hair.

"Adios, Little G." *Pop* I turned around to see......Boa. Everyone was staring at me opened mouthed. I reached behind my head, blood. I raised Ze’s beretta and fired two rounds in J’s direction. I dropped heavily onto the floor......One way or another. I kept my promise.

"Gabby!!!" Randy hovered over his fallen partner. She was lying face down on the floor.

"Oh gods." he commented upon seeing the bullet wound to the head. He felt and found no pulse. "Not you too. Gabby no!" Pushing down his emotions, he began chest compressions.

It was a futile effort after ten minutes, but he kept going until the paramedics took over. He had no choice. After they picked up his partner and left, he looked around the room. He saw the men with ‘CORONER’ written on their jackets, place the body of Janet Dasson onto a stretcher. He didn’t know how to feel. Half said. ‘Ding Dong the bitch is dead’, but the sad part wished that she were alive so his friends would be. "I’ll miss you guys." he said to no one in particular in the room.

Waiting, waiting, waiting. I sat at the mouth of a river. Not wanting to move despite Xena’s promise she will come. I’m afraid if I move, she won’t. They have sinced left me be. I looked over for the hundredth time to the meadow behind me. I looked again. "Hey, Stretch."

"GABBY!" I jumped to feet and she ran to me. Time had no meaning here. To me it felt like hours, but I had no idea. "How long?" I said over her shoulder, squeezing her tightly.

"Four days." I suddenly let go and looked into her eyes.

"Fours days?" I asked exasperated. "Why?...Who?....What happened?"

"Boa." she said quietly. "I tried to bring J in just like I promised, but...."

"Oh baby. I’m so sorry." I whispered. "Its all my fault."

"No, Ze. I chose to go."

"And Megan?" She sighed.

"With Jenny and Cammy. They’ll take good care of her. I’m sure." I simply nodded.

"I love you, Gabby."

"I love you, too."

I heard from my mothers all my life about my real mothers. I have photos and stories. When I look at the one I was told was Zena’s favorite I think, ‘They are as different as night and day.’ Then I am reminded of the fact, Night and Day are never seen together, but they can not exist without each other. On my tenth birthday, I was given a choice. A choice that would alter the way I see them. My mom asked me whether I wanted to remain a Walker or become a Thomas.

What followed were stories of how Mama was found by Mother one day when she was working. How they loved each other. How they loved me. How heroic they were in spirit. I am turning eighteen today and I am proud to say I am Megan Allisa Walker. Today I received a gift, a chain with two identical stars on it. Only the inscriptions on the back differ. I knew what they were and knew what they signified, but never saw them before. My family comes from a proud line. But its sad really that have three American flags, three shields, and three loving people that I won’t meet until it is my time. I thought seriously about becoming a police officer, but it is a lot more dangerous now than it was back then, believe it or not. I know that when it is my time, I have family waiting for me in the form of my real mothers and my adopted ones. I am not scared.