hang on to your wigs, shits about to go down...
——————-

Venus shook feverishly as she sat with her back pressed flat against the wall. Tears were running down her face as she clutched the gun in her hand. Venus didn't want to do this, not when she had just begun to enjoy her life, not when she had just begun to live. But something was clear to her, that being that this was something she should have done a long time ago.

Ultimately, as far as she was concerned, she had it coming. Eventually, what she did to others was going to be done to her. Who would have thought that she'd be the one to do it herself? Venus guessed that was karma in itself.

She sniffed as she slowly brought the gun up to her head. Her hands were shaking as she did so, she almost dropped the gun but clutched it tightly. She needed to do this.

So many things were now apparent to her. She understood why The Boss had spared her life many years ago, and once again when she had gone to turn herself in. The Boss didn't care about her, Venus knew as much. He only cared about what Venus could do for him. She was an amazing Assassin, which was why he had kept her alive all this time. She knew The Boss wouldn't spare her again. It was clear to both of them that Venus was no longer the Assassin she once was. Things had changed.

Closing her eyes, Venus ran through her happy memories. She had significantly less than most people, but Venus didn't care as her mind was filled with images of Xena. She pictured the taller woman smiling, looking at her softly. She pictured the taller woman kissing her. Instinctively, Venus brought her free hand up to her lips, running it over softly.

Fresh tears fell from her eyes as Venus' grip on the gun tightened.

This was it.

Venus moved to pull the trigger when her apartment door suddenly flew open. Venus, who had been seated against the wall, facing the door, felt her eyes widen as she stared up at Xena, standing there, panting fiercely.

In less than a second Xena was right in front of her and the gun was taken out of Venus' hand. It all happened so fast for the brown-skinned woman to fully comprehend.

As she watched, Xena unloaded the bullets from the gun before throwing the now empty pistol around the room. She was still panting heavily and now took Venus' face in hers, pressing her head into hers.

Venus' heart had quickened in her chest, she immediately felt it slow down the longer Xena held her.

"Xena," Venus said after a moment of silence. "I have to do this, it's the only way for you to listen to me, you need to protect yourself."

Xena reached down, hugging the smaller woman tightly as she buried her head in her locs. Xena could feel Venus' steady heartbeat against hers. Their hearts seemed to beat in sync.

"If you think that by killing yourself you're going to be protecting me you're very wrong."

Venus furrowed her brows in confusion. She couldn't understand. Surely, that was the only way.

"Venus, I refuse to live in a world without you." Xena whispered into her ear, causing goosebumps to rise on Venus' skin from where her warm breath caressed.

"How did you know?" Venus whispered. "How did you know what I was planning to do?"

Xena pulled back slightly, not taking her hands off fully from Venus. She was determined not to let her slip away any longer. "I had a feeling. A strong feeling."

Venus looked at her doubtfully through a tear-stained face. "A feeling?"

Xena nodded, bringing her face back so her lips brushed against the woman's ear. "You're my soulmate Venus, I have no doubt about it. I'm able to feel what you're feeling, I'm not able to stay away from you. I don't know what my life was before I had come to know you, but whatever that was, I cannot go back to it, I cannot live without you."

Venus blinked in surprise, not at the words that Xena was telling her, but because she knew exactly what the taller woman was talking about. She felt everything that Xena felt. She could feel the woman's aura radiating around her. It was now that Venus came to realize that this was why she had been so drawn to Xena. It was because they were meant to be. It was almost as if it was fated.

Venus swallowed hard at this realization, Xena was still brushing her lips gently against her ears. Living little butterfly kisses in her wake.

"Xena, what are we going to do?" Venus asked, her voice shook slightly.

Xena was about to respond when there was the sound of clapping.

In a split second, both women had gotten to their feet as they turned towards the direction of the sound. To Xena's absolute shock and dismay, it was none other than Agent Daniels that was standing there.

He stood in the doorway of Venus' apartment clapping as he looked from Venus to Xena, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Wow, that was very romantic." Agent Daniels said mockingly. His voice was dripping with sarcasm as he looked straight at Venus. "You are having an Affair with the Assassin that we've been after?"

Xena hated the way he spoke. She hated how Agent Daniels described it as being an 'Affair', made it sound so trivial when it was something much more.

"Agent Daniels," Xena's voice was hard as she spoke. "I don't expect you to understand-"

"Oh no, I understand alright. I knew something was up, I followed you straight from work. I don't know what I was expecting, but not... this."

Agent Daniels laughed then. It was a hollow laugh, empty. Xena's eyes widened at his revelation. She hadn't noticed he had been following her as her mind was completely preoccupied with Venus. Xena felt anger boil inside her. She was absurd to think that Agent Daniels would have bought her story for a second.

Agent Daniels turned his attention to Venus. "How are you doing Jasmine? Or wait, it's Venus, isn't it?"

Xena felt her anger flare up as she stood in front of Venus, putting her body between the two of them. "Don't talk to her."

Agent Daniels' eyes widened, and he doubled over, slapping his knee as he laughed. "You're protecting the Assassin," His eyes were wide. "You're protecting a fucking killer? What's wrong with you?"

Xena knew that there was nothing wrong with her, in fact, this was the most right she had felt in a long time.

This whole time, Venus had been standing there, back pressed against the wall as she watched the events unfold before her. She was shaking slightly, not because she was scared for herself, but rather for Xena. Venus didn't know a lot about the law, but she knew enough to know that Xena was going to be in a shit ton of trouble.

"Oh wow," Agent Daniels now said, crossing his hands smugly over his chest, "just wait till Agent Fox finds out. You're a disgrace."

Xena found herself thinking that she really didn't care what Agent Fox had to say. She really didn't care about anything but the woman behind her.

"There's probably a S.W.A.T team on their way here already. Your little girlfriend's identity was confirmed not so long ago. You can't protect her."

Xena felt panic flare up within her and began to approach Agent Daniels, her mind was spinning rapidly, she needed to find some way for Venus to escape, to get away from here. Xena didn't care how much trouble she got into, she just knew she had to find a way for Venus to get away.

However, Xena's brain went completely blank when Agent Daniels drew out his gun, aiming it straight at Venus.

"You know.." Agent Daniels began. His voice was dangerously low. "Why wait till they get here? I think I'd take her out myself."

Something had shifted, but Xena wasn't sure what it was. Agent Daniels' eyes were blazing, but they were blazing in a completely different way. Something dark had seeped through him.

Xena was frozen in her position. "Agent Daniels... what are you doing?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm doing." Agent Daniels responded, all emotion had left his voice. It was hard, empty." Make any slight moves and I blow her brains out even faster."

Xena's heart was beating fast in her chest once the situation sunk into her.

"You can't shoot her." Xena said, her throat closing up, "you're required by law not to unless given a feasible reason. She's not resisting, she's not armed, she's not a threat."

"Oh, I think we both know she's a threat." Agent Daniels retorted, "besides, she wanted to shoot herself minutes ago, I'm just helping her out."

"It's not up to you," Xena's voice had risen significantly, "you cannot shoot a suspect, you will be charged if you do so."

"Who are they gonna believe? Definitely not you, the one sleeping with the suspect."

He was right.

It was clear to Xena that Agent Daniels was going to shoot Venus, no-he planned to kill her. His gun was aimed straight at her head, his eyes had glazed over completely.

"Agent Daniels," Xena tried once more. Her voice was soft. "If this is a personal problem you have with me, take it out on me, not her."

Agent Daniels looked at her and smiled. "But where's the fun in that? I wouldn't be able to watch you suffer."

He brought his attention back to Venus, his hands going straight to the trigger, just as Xena reached into her waistline.

Before Agent Daniels could fire, she fired.