Chapter 21: Running out of Air

**Author's note: This particular scene was inspired by something that Lucy said during a convention. She had said she wanted to act a scene where the character knew they were dying quickly and there was nothing to do about it, and they had to deal with it and the thoughts that went through their head at the time. It's a short update for dramatic effect, but a new one shall follow shortly. Thanks for the reviews and adds :)**

"Nothing is ever easy. Not even picking up some kids from a babysitter." Xena grumbled.

Xena was filled with a realization. Overreacting never helped any situation. She put her sword and chakram away. She cursed that she had tried to mess with the painting in the first place. When she had fell through the painting, she had heard the glass barrier lock into place. She assumed that hitting the glass had activated a mechanism to release water.

'I should have known in a trap like this.' she thought.

As the water pooled around her ankles, she turned to look at Gabrielle and reached her hand out toward the blond, stopped by the thick glass. Gabrielle returned the look and placed her hand on the glass as well, horrified at the water in the recess.

'What are we going to do.' She thought to herself.

Gabrielle was in awe of the morbidity of the fact that, behind that glass, Xena looked like a beautiful work of art. A frozen piece of humanity, tragedy forever captured. They couldn't even talk to each other. Both women mouthed an 'I love you' to each other. The water was filling quick. There was no time to waste. Shaking out of a sense of helplessness, Gabrielle reached for her sais.

'If the glass can't be broken, maybe the seal or lock could.' the blond thought to herself. She dug her sais into the edging of the glass door, desperately trying to make a dent. Each strike brought more thoughts.

'I never should have left her, then we wouldn't have been in this mess.' -Strike

'I should have told her sooner.' -Stab

'I can't let her drown in there.' -Strike

'She can't die and leave me here. Oh dear gods, Eve!' Gabrielle thought in fear, becoming more hysterical and frantic in her actions of trying to free Xena.

Xena winced at the sight, she too didn't want to give up. All the possibilities of what they had just gained were dangled before her and was hard to be lost. She pulled her sword out and stabbed at the edging of the closed door. As she stabbed, and Gabrielle dug, her eyes filled with tears at this damned turn of events. Memories began to flash before her eyes. Her daughter Eve's smile, her laugh, her birth. Gabrielle smiling at her. She remembered seeing Gabrielle being taken by the slavers. She remembered seeing Gabrielle jumping into the the pit with Hope. She remembered the kiss in the dream scape when she had died. She remembered the kiss on the ship. All of these, and many other memories flashing in her mind's eye made her heart hurt.

"This is so unfair. Even I don't deserve this!" Xena yelled to the heavens.

Her scream reverberated around her, she, being the only one who had heard it. Stabbing the stone wall seemed to be getting nowhere. There was so much more to live for, and here she was, soon to be drowned in a cramped space. Not even a death by the sword. She growled in frustration. She closed her eyes, not ready to give up, not by a long shot. She paused in her frantic stabbing and thought for a moment with her eyes closed. The water was as high as her ribs, and it was ice cold. 'Water meant for drowning probably isn't warmed to be a comfortable temperature.' she mused. Things around her seemed to be strange, slow, and surreal. Like she was watching a fuzzy dream from the outside. She watched Gabrielle, who was still trying her best to get her out of there.

She couldn't die in front of Gabrielle again. It was promised the last time she had died that she wouldn't do it again. The water was soon up to her neck, when she thought of another idea. She took a deep breath and stretched out as long as she could. She braced her hands against the stone wall and her feet against the glass barrier. Gabrielle was still frantically digging at the edges, oblivious to the older woman's actions. She could feel the pounding reverberating on her feet and the sound traveling through the water. Pushing and kicking with all her might, nothing budged. Quickly standing up, the water was up to her ears. She tilted her neck back. Only her mouth and nose were uncovered by water. She sucked in one last large breath and dove in again, hands at the glass door this time. Gabrielle had fallen to her knees in tears, watching Xena struggling to leverage herself against the barrier. Xena could feel her lungs tightening. The bubbles released from her nose and mouth were becoming less and less. A tiny exhale of a breath was all that was left. She let it go, looking into Gabrielle's eyes. The pain on Gabrielle's face could only be rivaled by the pain in her own heart.

Her lungs hurt, as if they would collapse into themselves. Her eyes felt as if though they were bulging. She had to be brave. She must not show the pain in her lungs, the fear of being separated for a lifetime, to the woman she loved.

Xena mocked rocking a baby in her arms and pointed at Gabrielle. Hoping she understood that it meant she wished her to be Eve's mom. Gabrielle nodded in response.

"I'm sorry." She mouthed, looking at Gabrielle one last time with a smile. Gabrielle returned the smile through tears, then looked away not wanting to see the outcome.

'She is so beautiful. I always end up hurting her. I hope she knows how much I loved her.' Xena thought sadly.

'Please'. Gabrielle begged to many of the gods in her thoughts, in the hopes that they would hear and grant Xena's release.

Xena hoped in her heart that Gabrielle would forgive her for breaking a promise.

To be continued in Chapter 22