I Think I'm Paranoid
by Raye
summrbrez@yahoo.com
Spoilers for season 5 up to "Antony and Cleopatra" (I think).
"I Think I'm Paranoid"
by Garbage
You can look, but you can't touch
I don't think I like you much
Heaven knows what a girl can do
Heaven knows what you've got to prove
I think I'm paranoid
And complicated
I think I'm paranoid
Manipulated
Chorus:
Bend me, break me
Any way you need me
All I want is you
Bend me, break me
Breaking down is easy
All I want is you
I fall down just to give you a thrill
Prop me up with another pill
If I should fail, if I should fold
I nailed my faith to the sticking pole
I think I'm paranoid
Manipulated
I think I'm paranoid
And complicated
Chorus
Paranoid
I think I'm paranoid
Chorus
Steal me, deal me, anyway you heal me
Maim me, tame me, you can never change me
Love me, like me, come ahead and fight me
Please me, tease me, go ahead and leave me
Bend me
Break me
Any way you need me
As long as I want you baby it's all right
Bend me
Break me
Any way you need me
As long as I want you baby it's all right
"You really think Eve'll be safe here?"
"Safer than Greece. The only thing she has to worry about right now is
that cold she picked up," she said absently. They'd gone over their
decision to remain in Rome a dozen times or more. Right now she was only
interested in one thing--getting as far away as she possibly could from
the Foro Boario. She didn't care what they called it, cattle markets were
not among her favorite places.
Gabrielle and Joxer walked cautiously alongside rows of scaffolding in
various heights. They said this amphitheatre would be the largest in the
world. It certainly cast a large shadow. The darkness created by the
half-formed structure stretched midway into the piazza. The vendors would
appreciate the shade more if it lasted until midday, but by then the sun
would be beating down on them from overhead and the only comfort to be
found would be under the Arch of Janus. It had been quite the sight to
behold her first day in the strange city.
"Hello? Gabrielle? Joxer?" She and Joxer turned in unison to find a
familiar face dart above the crowd briefly as the small man bounced on his
heels to keep his eyes on the couple. They'd met Eldred on their first
trip through the crowded forum. After speaking with them for a short time
and finding that they were strangers to the eternal city, he had left his
bushels and pecks of produce to the attention of his daughter and insisted
on showing them around the area. He'd also made certain that Xena had the
best of everything that he could provide that would help Eve through her
first cold.
"Hey! Where you go today, my friends?" Eldred cried good-naturedly as he
broke in between the pair and threw an arm about each one in turn.
"Uhm...actually, we weren't really sure." Joxer looked behind Eldred's
back and shrugged his apologies at Gabrielle. They'd planned on a more
leisurely day than they would have with the boisterous man, but he was a
wonderful guide, and he seemed to enjoy trying out his Greek on them. She
lifted a shoulder and rolled her eyes in hopes of conveying her "Aw, what
the heck" attitude.
Eldred, oblivious to the exchange, continued on happily. "Good, good. I
help you then." His Greek was broken, but his enthusiasm came through loud
and clear. "We go this way, heh?" He began pushing them forward and soon
they were walking along listening eagerly to the man's ongoing commentary.
They had stopped in front of a many-columned temple as Eldred told the
tale of the twins, Romulus and Remus, their escape from infanticide, and
the eventual founding of the city. Gabrielle listened intently, Eldred was
a wonderful storyteller and the tale was one close to their hearts at the
moment. At the end of his narrative he turned to the temple before them
and explained to them that it was the Temple of Vestal. "It's one of the
most sacred places in Rome. The priestesses here keep the fire of Rome's
life force burning at all times. It has never gone out, and never will go
out as long as there is a spark left in the heart of this great city." He
waved a hand in front of them after finishing his impassioned speech. "But
I go on."
She laid a hand on his arm and smiled. "You should be proud, this is a
beautiful city filled with wonderful people like you."
"You are too kind. What do I do? I show you a few things in town, tell you
a few stories...Ah, but I've nearly forgotten a good one, eh? This one's
good." He started to walk around the temple, but paused and turned to
them. "Follow me..."
"I hope it's a stand that sells that pasta stuff, I'm starving," Joxer
said.
"Shh," she whispered in return adding an elbow to his midsection for
emphasis. He rubbed at the tender spot below his breastplate and looked
surprised. "Sorry, but be quiet. We'll eat soon." She grabbed his arm and
started for the spot she had last seen Eldred.
They found him at the side of the temple. He was stooped over looking at
its outer wall. Gabrielle joined him dropping to her haunches. Joxer edged
in between the two and rested his forearm on her shoulder. She barely
noticed. If someone asked her, she wouldn't be able to say when the
aversion had ceased to exist.
"Some say that this isn't just a drain," Eldred began. He pointed to the
large circular stone shaped to resemble a human face, the mouth of which
hung open to allow the water to pass. "Rome has an elaborate drainage
system, very good," he continued, "but this one...they say it is special.
They call it 'Bocca della Verità,' the Mouth of Truth. Eh? You put your
hand here." He demonstrated by placing his hand in the gaping mouth. "And
if you lie...Vrump! It is gone!" He brought his arm back to reveal an
empty sleeve. He wiggled his brows as he pushed his hand back through the
cloth. "See? I no lie," he laughed. "Let's see you do it," he coaxed.
She looked up at Joxer. "You're closer," he declined with eyes widened.
She rolled her eyes at him "Fine." She placed her fingertips into the
mouth.
"No..no!" Eldred said. "No cheating. The whole hand." He pushed her hand
in until only her wrist showed. "Now, what do you say, eh? We make it easy
on you," he said with a wink to Joxer. "Say you no love him."
"Uhm..." Joxer began.
"Gabrielle drew her hand out. "But I don't." She laughed uneasily.
"No?" Eldred questioned. "But I thought...I'm sorry." He shook his head.
"The way you...I thought. Very sorry." He straightened up. "You try
something else then."
"No, Gabby. Say it." Joxer dropped to his knees beside her. "If it's true,
if you don't love me, nothing will happen."
"Heaven knows what you've got to prove, Joxer. My luck hasn't been too
good lately, that's all. I'm just a little paranoid. Let's see you do it,"
she said.
He reached out and edged her hand back into the drain with his. "I love
you, Gabby."
She closed her eyes and tried not to feel the warmth of his hand covering
her own. She tried to think of how ridiculous this all was. She tried to
think of how she and Xena would laugh about this later. She took a
steadying breath and said, "I don't..." She opened her eyes and looked at
him. "I don't..." She closed them again, opening them only when she had
turned to face the Mouth of Truth. Eldred's shadow fell over them as he
leaned in. "I don't... like sailing. This is the stupidest thing," she
added as she yanked her hand from the opening. "I can't believe people
would--"
Joxer stood up and looked down at her.
"Don't do that," she ordered.
"What?"
She pushed against her knees forcing herself up. "Just don't" She pushed
past him and began to walk back to the piazza.
"Okay. I won't do...whatever it is you don't want me to do," he agreed, as
he followed her retreating form.
"No wonder I think they married," Eldred shrugged in confusion. "They are.
They just don' know it."
The End.
Author's Note: Thanks to Melanie for the great lyrics and to Billy Wyler,
Gregory (my first name's really Eldred) Peck, and Audrey Hepburn for
creating _Roman Holiday_. My sincerest apologies for my blatant rip-off!
The Bocca della Verità is real. It is located on an exterior wall of a
small ante-room of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The Mouth of
Truth is believed to have been an ornamental drain dating from ancient
Rome. It was moved to the church at a later date. It is also thought to be
a fertility symbol. So what was it doing in such close proximity to the
vestal virgins, I ask?
Oh, and the Colosseo? Wasn't even thought of yet, but this is X:WP where
you can pick any year, decade, century and fly with it. So there. : p
"Xena: Warrior Princess" is ©MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures.
"I Think I'm Paranoid" written by Duke Erikson & Shirley Manson ©1998
©2000, Raye. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without prior
written permission is prohibited.
This is not for profit. Copies for personal use only must include all
copyrights and disclaimers.
by Raye
summrbrez@yahoo.com
Spoilers for season 5 up to "Antony and Cleopatra" (I think).
"I Think I'm Paranoid"
by Garbage
You can look, but you can't touch
I don't think I like you much
Heaven knows what a girl can do
Heaven knows what you've got to prove
I think I'm paranoid
And complicated
I think I'm paranoid
Manipulated
Chorus:
Bend me, break me
Any way you need me
All I want is you
Bend me, break me
Breaking down is easy
All I want is you
I fall down just to give you a thrill
Prop me up with another pill
If I should fail, if I should fold
I nailed my faith to the sticking pole
I think I'm paranoid
Manipulated
I think I'm paranoid
And complicated
Chorus
Paranoid
I think I'm paranoid
Chorus
Steal me, deal me, anyway you heal me
Maim me, tame me, you can never change me
Love me, like me, come ahead and fight me
Please me, tease me, go ahead and leave me
Bend me
Break me
Any way you need me
As long as I want you baby it's all right
Bend me
Break me
Any way you need me
As long as I want you baby it's all right
"You really think Eve'll be safe here?"
"Safer than Greece. The only thing she has to worry about right now is
that cold she picked up," she said absently. They'd gone over their
decision to remain in Rome a dozen times or more. Right now she was only
interested in one thing--getting as far away as she possibly could from
the Foro Boario. She didn't care what they called it, cattle markets were
not among her favorite places.
Gabrielle and Joxer walked cautiously alongside rows of scaffolding in
various heights. They said this amphitheatre would be the largest in the
world. It certainly cast a large shadow. The darkness created by the
half-formed structure stretched midway into the piazza. The vendors would
appreciate the shade more if it lasted until midday, but by then the sun
would be beating down on them from overhead and the only comfort to be
found would be under the Arch of Janus. It had been quite the sight to
behold her first day in the strange city.
"Hello? Gabrielle? Joxer?" She and Joxer turned in unison to find a
familiar face dart above the crowd briefly as the small man bounced on his
heels to keep his eyes on the couple. They'd met Eldred on their first
trip through the crowded forum. After speaking with them for a short time
and finding that they were strangers to the eternal city, he had left his
bushels and pecks of produce to the attention of his daughter and insisted
on showing them around the area. He'd also made certain that Xena had the
best of everything that he could provide that would help Eve through her
first cold.
"Hey! Where you go today, my friends?" Eldred cried good-naturedly as he
broke in between the pair and threw an arm about each one in turn.
"Uhm...actually, we weren't really sure." Joxer looked behind Eldred's
back and shrugged his apologies at Gabrielle. They'd planned on a more
leisurely day than they would have with the boisterous man, but he was a
wonderful guide, and he seemed to enjoy trying out his Greek on them. She
lifted a shoulder and rolled her eyes in hopes of conveying her "Aw, what
the heck" attitude.
Eldred, oblivious to the exchange, continued on happily. "Good, good. I
help you then." His Greek was broken, but his enthusiasm came through loud
and clear. "We go this way, heh?" He began pushing them forward and soon
they were walking along listening eagerly to the man's ongoing commentary.
They had stopped in front of a many-columned temple as Eldred told the
tale of the twins, Romulus and Remus, their escape from infanticide, and
the eventual founding of the city. Gabrielle listened intently, Eldred was
a wonderful storyteller and the tale was one close to their hearts at the
moment. At the end of his narrative he turned to the temple before them
and explained to them that it was the Temple of Vestal. "It's one of the
most sacred places in Rome. The priestesses here keep the fire of Rome's
life force burning at all times. It has never gone out, and never will go
out as long as there is a spark left in the heart of this great city." He
waved a hand in front of them after finishing his impassioned speech. "But
I go on."
She laid a hand on his arm and smiled. "You should be proud, this is a
beautiful city filled with wonderful people like you."
"You are too kind. What do I do? I show you a few things in town, tell you
a few stories...Ah, but I've nearly forgotten a good one, eh? This one's
good." He started to walk around the temple, but paused and turned to
them. "Follow me..."
"I hope it's a stand that sells that pasta stuff, I'm starving," Joxer
said.
"Shh," she whispered in return adding an elbow to his midsection for
emphasis. He rubbed at the tender spot below his breastplate and looked
surprised. "Sorry, but be quiet. We'll eat soon." She grabbed his arm and
started for the spot she had last seen Eldred.
They found him at the side of the temple. He was stooped over looking at
its outer wall. Gabrielle joined him dropping to her haunches. Joxer edged
in between the two and rested his forearm on her shoulder. She barely
noticed. If someone asked her, she wouldn't be able to say when the
aversion had ceased to exist.
"Some say that this isn't just a drain," Eldred began. He pointed to the
large circular stone shaped to resemble a human face, the mouth of which
hung open to allow the water to pass. "Rome has an elaborate drainage
system, very good," he continued, "but this one...they say it is special.
They call it 'Bocca della Verità,' the Mouth of Truth. Eh? You put your
hand here." He demonstrated by placing his hand in the gaping mouth. "And
if you lie...Vrump! It is gone!" He brought his arm back to reveal an
empty sleeve. He wiggled his brows as he pushed his hand back through the
cloth. "See? I no lie," he laughed. "Let's see you do it," he coaxed.
She looked up at Joxer. "You're closer," he declined with eyes widened.
She rolled her eyes at him "Fine." She placed her fingertips into the
mouth.
"No..no!" Eldred said. "No cheating. The whole hand." He pushed her hand
in until only her wrist showed. "Now, what do you say, eh? We make it easy
on you," he said with a wink to Joxer. "Say you no love him."
"Uhm..." Joxer began.
"Gabrielle drew her hand out. "But I don't." She laughed uneasily.
"No?" Eldred questioned. "But I thought...I'm sorry." He shook his head.
"The way you...I thought. Very sorry." He straightened up. "You try
something else then."
"No, Gabby. Say it." Joxer dropped to his knees beside her. "If it's true,
if you don't love me, nothing will happen."
"Heaven knows what you've got to prove, Joxer. My luck hasn't been too
good lately, that's all. I'm just a little paranoid. Let's see you do it,"
she said.
He reached out and edged her hand back into the drain with his. "I love
you, Gabby."
She closed her eyes and tried not to feel the warmth of his hand covering
her own. She tried to think of how ridiculous this all was. She tried to
think of how she and Xena would laugh about this later. She took a
steadying breath and said, "I don't..." She opened her eyes and looked at
him. "I don't..." She closed them again, opening them only when she had
turned to face the Mouth of Truth. Eldred's shadow fell over them as he
leaned in. "I don't... like sailing. This is the stupidest thing," she
added as she yanked her hand from the opening. "I can't believe people
would--"
Joxer stood up and looked down at her.
"Don't do that," she ordered.
"What?"
She pushed against her knees forcing herself up. "Just don't" She pushed
past him and began to walk back to the piazza.
"Okay. I won't do...whatever it is you don't want me to do," he agreed, as
he followed her retreating form.
"No wonder I think they married," Eldred shrugged in confusion. "They are.
They just don' know it."
The End.
Author's Note: Thanks to Melanie for the great lyrics and to Billy Wyler,
Gregory (my first name's really Eldred) Peck, and Audrey Hepburn for
creating _Roman Holiday_. My sincerest apologies for my blatant rip-off!
The Bocca della Verità is real. It is located on an exterior wall of a
small ante-room of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The Mouth of
Truth is believed to have been an ornamental drain dating from ancient
Rome. It was moved to the church at a later date. It is also thought to be
a fertility symbol. So what was it doing in such close proximity to the
vestal virgins, I ask?
Oh, and the Colosseo? Wasn't even thought of yet, but this is X:WP where
you can pick any year, decade, century and fly with it. So there. : p
"Xena: Warrior Princess" is ©MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures.
"I Think I'm Paranoid" written by Duke Erikson & Shirley Manson ©1998
©2000, Raye. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without prior
written permission is prohibited.
This is not for profit. Copies for personal use only must include all
copyrights and disclaimers.