How to merge outline into curve shape?

I might be going about this the wrong way and am having trouble doign this.

I have some artistic text, that I converted to curves.  This artistic text, included outline which I would like to keep with the text.  But now - I would like to apply a fill, to fill the entire creation, including the outlines, seamlessly.  Basically, replace the outline color with the fill, and the fill itself - such as linear fountain fill.

How should this be done?