Xena pulled Gabrielle in a little tighter and snuggled a little closer as the sun made its slow descent behind the mountains. She breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the cool evening air mingled with the sweet essence of the woman she had grown to know and love with every ounce of her being. With one last mortal breath that caught in her throat, Xena felt a panic unlike anything she had ever known course through her body. She felt herself fading, melting…disappearing.
"Gabrriieeellee," her mind screamed as the world twisted, convulsed, and spewed her out into a dense fog...cold, heavy, oppressing. She went tumbling, with no sense of up or down, left or right. This went on for an incalculable amount of time until suddenly, she found herself floating, suspended in a cosmic soup interspersed with twinkling lights. It left her feeling both free and weighed down at the same time...like floating with an elephant sitting on your chest. When the realization of what had just happened finally took hold of her thinking, Xena found she could take control of the situation enough to dissipate most of the over-bearing pressure that was crushing down on her. She tried to take in her surroundings, but besides the lights, there was nothing to gauge anything by. There was no floor, ceiling, walls, ground, or sky...nothing to help interpret her surroundings into anything tangible.
After a short time, Xena realized that she felt no real panic, just a sensation of being lost. She closed her eyes and gave in to it. She remained this way for she knew not how long.
"Xena…Xena," a voice was calling. It sounded somewhat muffled. She opened her eyes.
"Michael. Why am I not surprised?"
"Xena, I did not come here to cross swords with you, as it were. As a matter of fact, I am here to help you."
"Help me… how? Unless you can produce Eli to give me back my life… again, and someone else to die in my place to redeem those 40,000 souls, I don't see how you can help me."
"Right now that's not the issue. But your soul is. I had to put up a bit of an argument to have you placed here at all."
"Xena felt her ire rise a bit. "What do you mean?"
"Surely you must know that you have made a few enemies in the under realms. You've done away with Hades and now his cohorts know of your demise and would love nothing better than to see you thrown into the depths of Tartarus. So far Lucifer has not learned of your death, but of course we all know what he thinks. If he gets his hands on you you're finished. And that is our present concern."
Xena scowled. "Why are you so 'concerned' with what happens to my soul? I didn't think you were all that fond of me yourself?"
"Perhaps," Michael stated. But my feelings are irrelevant. I am bound to do what's just, what's right. I know that you have a sordid past, but I also know that you have more than redeemed yourself. You do not belong in either Hell or Tartarus. You have definitely earned yourself hero status and a place in the Elysian Fields Xena, and I am here to make sure that that happens."
"Why not just take me back to Heaven with you. Already been there, done that."
"That was my first inclination yes, but isn't Solan in the Elysian Fields? I assumed you would want to be with him."
A shiver ran through Xena. "I'd prefer not to be dead at all, but if I have to be then yes...yes of course I'd rather be with my son. What do you call this place?"
"We call it 'Limbo' although not all of those connected with the afterlife know of its whereabouts. Another option was to try and stash you somewhere in the River Lethe, but I could not really guarantee your safety there. This place is vast and can be clouded, even to the eyes of the immortals who know of its existence, so it seemed like the securest place to hide you, uncomfortable though it may be. I'm afraid I will have to leave you here until I feel it is OK for you to be moved."
"And I don't suppose you have any idea how long that will be?" Xena questioned.
"No, I don't. I've got to feel out just who is on our side...who I can trust. And I'm going to need some Earthly help. Gabrielle will have to join this fight; possibly Eve."
Xena tried to take a step forward only to find that it sent her spinning. She quickly righted herself and shook her finger at Michael.
"Oh no... No you don't. You are not dragging Gabrielle into this. Eve neither!"
Michael moved towards Xena and said rather sternly, "There is no other way Xena. I am quite sure I can enlist the help of Persephone, but she will be much more obliging if more women are behind me. I have already spoken to Aphrodite who has agreed to assist as long as Gabrielle will be by her side. Of course, I have many of the hosts of heaven with me, but it will provide for a much better outcome if we have a few allies down there. I also think I have a good chance of recruiting Ares. Most definitely a battle will be waged over this and I should imagine he would welcome that prospect."
"Ares? Maybe. As for Aphrodite, I'm a little disappointed that she would participate in something that is tantamount to blackmail. Doesn't she realize she could very well be sending Gabrielle to her own death?"
"She does. However she also realizes that it is our best option to keep you out of any torment. If Gabrielle, or Eve, dies, they have already earned their place in Heaven."
"Well I'm sorry, but that's cold comfort to me. I don't want anything to happen to either of them on my account. They've been through enough because of me."
Michael let out a sigh. "All right Xena. Let's get this settled. Do you or do you not want me to help you? Because if you really don't I will just drop this whole business and let things take their course. And I have already told you what that probably will be. If you really don't want my help I'll leave, right now. However, if you do, you must let me go about this the way I choose to. So what's it going to be?"
Xena shut her eyes and tried to let the whole scenario play out in her head. It was true if her loved ones died they would not be subject to any torture. But if they failed and Gabrielle and Eve died...well then, she'd still end up in Hell or Tartarus wouldn't she? She knew Michael's plan was probably her best option...her only option for keeping out of Lucifer's grasp. Then another thought occurred to her.
"OK Michael, but I have one request. If we succeed in keeping me out of Hell, or Tartarus, and Gabrielle is killed in the process, promise me you will send me to Heaven with her instead of the Elysian Fields. If we're both dead, I want us to be together."
Michael bowed his head. "That, I can do. You will hear from me shortly."
The Archangel started to disappear when Xena yelled, "Wait. Can I go to Gabrielle for just a few minutes? Just to let her know I am all right and see how she's doing."
"Michael put his head back and rolled his eyes. "Oh Xena! After all the trouble I've had to get you here in the first place? Very well, but it will have to be very short! And you cannot tell her anything about this. You must act as though everything is fine. Remember Xena, my rules! I will be getting in touch with Gabrielle myself as soon as I have a more structured plan in place."
"Don't worry Michael. I'll play it straight."
And then the Archangel was gone.
Michael did not appear before Xena, but his voice filled her head.
"Ok Xena, show time. Remember, Gabrielle must think everything is all right…for now."
Gabrielle was standing on the deck of the ship watching the sun go down yet again. She was speaking to the urn that contained her soul mates ashes.
And with that, Xena found herself on the ship's deck, next to her lover. She heard her words and responded with her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.
"…And to the place where I'll always remain…your heart. So… where to now?"
Xena looked around, while she listened to Gabrielle's response. So, she's going south with the chakram? Xena replied with the only words she could think of: "Where you go, I'm at your side."
"I knew you'd say that," Gabrielle answered.
Xena smiled and gently kissed her soul mate's head. For a fleeting second she felt happy, even peaceful. And then she was gone, back in her cosmic prison, but content that Gabrielle was doing OK…at least for the time being.