The Quest

Gabrielle tells Iolas what she wishes she could've told Xena before her death. "I would've told...how empty my life was before she came, and all the lessons I learned, and that I love her." Later Gabrielle bonds with the coffin. "Xena, I'll always love you...I always thought of you as my home." And finally the big one, Xena speaks to Gabrielle through Autolycus and they lean forward and have a nice, long kiss. Jonathan T pointed out to me that after the kiss, Gabrielle says to Autolycus "Get your hand off my butt." But it isn't clear if Autolycus put it there, or Xena. (Autolycus says to his hand/Xena: "This is not helping our working relationship." What isn't?...Xena's affections for Gabrielle?) Also, in the middle of the episode, Gabrielle says to Xena's coffin: "We'll be together one day." Which suggests a VERY strong bond that would bring them together after death. And finally, after all is well, Xena and Gabrielle share a moment: "You know, for a few moments I knew what it was like to be you." "And?" asks Xena. "It was warm, friendly, loving." replies Gabrielle, and affectionately lays her head on Xena's shoulder.
About the hand on butt scene, KAM points out: It appeared to me that Xena gets pissed off when Autolycus leaves his hand there and knocks him down. She then pulls him away...he's upset that she put him in that situtation when he says "this isn't helping our working relationship".
Robert points out: one can see Ephiny and Velasca's "competition" for Gabrielle as having more than political overtones. (Particularly in light of the scene between Velasca and Autolycus.)