Chapter Fourteen

CLANG! went Jack's sword as it met Helvira's stroke for stroke. He was surprised at the strength that was in her blows. Had he not killed her? Was this not her ghost he was fighting? Could ghosts materialize to the point that they were this strong? He knew that they could if they were cursed, as had been the Pirates that had taken the Black Pearl. He would have loved to have put a curse on Helvira if he had known how.

His sword met hers again, slicing through the air. Could this woman actually be alive? The only way he could tell was to slice her and see if she actually bled red blood, but to do that he had to get clear enough of her to get a cut in. He danced around as though he had suddenly taken leave of his senses, which caused her to pause just long enough that he slipped past her guard and sliced her above the left bosom. He was rewarded with a thin ribbon of red blood which her snake's forked tongue instantly flicked out and licked.

He didn't know how the bitch had done it, but she was alive! It made his skin itch all over, and he renewed his efforts at striking at her. His sword was a jewel and beautiful to handle. It made a singing noise as it fought, meeting hers again and again. He would not give in to her, and he would not let her take Will. His back was to Will, and that bothered him as he could not be sure that Will was safe. He was oblivious to all those around him as he strove to kill the bitch.

All around Jack, the people had broken into fighting. They had found that their money was missing and thought that the person next to them had taken it. Blows rained heavily upon every one, and there was plenty of action for all.


Meanwhile, from his post in one of the alleys, Brendan had seen the fighting break out. He started to rush forward but hesitated as he remembered Dawson. Grabbing the knife from his boot, he turned and, handing it to Dawson, told him, "Just try not to fall on it, and stay close." He hoped he had not made the wrong decision by entrusting a weapon to the kid, but the boy had to have some way of protection should they get seperated. Turning back, Brendan drew his own sword and rushed into the heat of battle.

Dawson looked at the knife he held in his hand. It was sharp and very wicked looking, and he wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. He thought, "Just try not to fall on it", was very good advice. Trembling in excited anticipation from the action that he was about to see, Dawson followed behind Brendan so closely that if Brendan had stopped, his nose would have hit him in the rear. He looked for Faith but did not see her.


The minute they had arrived, Xena had started in fighting. She could see Jack and knew who he was fighting. She could also see Will but could not reach him. Knowing that Jack would need help with Helvira, Xena started fighting her way to his side even as she thought, Isn't that the same bitch he already killed once? Damn, ain't life funny! Every time you think you kill somebody, they come back. She remembered all the ones who had come back to haunt her.


Lex pulled his sword out and began trying to fight his way to where Will was. He would rescue Will while Jack was handling whoever it was he was fighting. She was a weird-looking woman with a snake wrapped around her, and by damn, if she didn't look exactly like one of the Witches they had just rescued! Could it be the same one? As he stood with his mouth agape looking at her, one of the fighters jumped into his face with his sword outstretched and Lex set into fighting him hard. "CLARK," he called over the roar of battle, "DO YOU SEE THE WOMAN FIGHTING THE CAPTAIN?"

It seemed that the fighting had broken out all around them the very second they had stepped into the crowd. Though Lex had stopped, staring at something with a shocked look on his handsome face, Clark had not stopped fighting for even a second. His lover had left himself open, but Clark protected him as fiercely as a lion, his sword sending enemy after enemy falling though he did not kill a single one of them. He had his back to Lex's, fighting off two at one time, when he called to him about some woman the Captain was fighting. Even as Clark wondered what could be so fascinating about the bitch that had drawn his lover's attention, he called back to him, "I DON'T EXACTLY HAVE THE TIME TO LOOK AT SOME WOMAN RIGHT NOW!"

"WELL, YOU BETTER MAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THIS ONE! YOU'VE SEEN HER BEFORE!" Lex yelled even as he threw the guy he was fighting after having driven his sword through his gut. The dead guy hit three others, knocking them all down. Lex turned to see who Clark was fighting and lopped off the head of the one on the left, sending blood spewing.

Despite his strong ethics, Clark had to smile at the way Lex so easily handled the enemy. He wished he could be like that, but his blasted morals would never allow him to be. Finally managing to knock the sword from his opponent's hand, Clark delivered a quick blow to his head, then kicked him out of the way even as he fell.

Turning his back to Lex, Clark turned to try to look for the Captain only to find a blade poking him in the face. He smiled at the sword, innocence shining on his face, until a wicked grin flashed over his lips and he drove his knee up into the other man's groin. The man fell instantly, holding himself and screaming out in pain, and Clark stole that moment to look for the Captain. His blue eyes finally spotted Jack, and like Lex's before him, his mouth fell open in shock at the sight of the woman. Finally recovering himself just in time to meet another sword that had been headed for his neck, Clark yelled, "THAT CAN'T BE ELVIRA! SHE WENT WITH WOLF!"

Lex yelled back even as he continued to slice away at two men who were attacking him, "I THINK YOU'RE WRONG! I THINK IT IS HER! THERE CAN'T BE TWO WOMEN LIKE HER, CAN THERE? AND THERE'S NO MISTAKING THE LACK OF CLOTHES!"

"MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING NEW IN WOMEN'S FASHION?" Clark asked. "OR, AT LEAST," he added, his determined blows driving yet another opponent back, "IN HARLOTS'?"

Lex shook his head even as he stabbed the one on the right and continued to fight the one on the left. "IT HAS TO BE HER! I'D BE WILLING TO BET IT IS! WE'VE GOT TO GET TO WILL AND GET HIM SAFELY OUT OF HERE! JACK WOULD WANT US TO!"

"BUT THAT CAN'T BE ELVIRA!" Clark protested again. "IF SHE'S HERE, AND SHE'S EVIL, THAT WOULD MEAN WOLF -- " Fury filled him as he thought of their friend laying dead somewhere, and before he knew what he was doing, he had not only met another blade but had slipped past the wielder's guard, his sword going for his gut. Lex, having finished his man off, had turned and was just in time to see what Clark was about to unwittingly do. Knocking him out of the way, he drove his own sword home instead.

Without a further word, they continued to make their way to Will's side, fighting all the way but failing to realize that they were slowly drifting apart in the sea of fighters.


Carl did not have a sword, but he had brought the pole and was using its hook as a weapon, jabbing here and there. Being little and super fast, he was able to get in a stab, run, and be on the opposite side of the battlefield with a new opponent before his last one even hit the ground. He was covering a lot of ground and taking out men all over the place when he was suddenly surrounded by three with drawn swords pointed down at him. Looking sheepishly up at the towering brutes, he swallowed a gulp and said weakly, "Hi, guys?"

Suddenly, right behind the group that had Carl pinned down, Cole appeared. He yelled at the three, "HOW ABOUT PICKING ON SOME ONE YOUR OWN SIZE?" even as he lobbed three energy balls in quick succession right at the three men, putting them out of Carl's misery. "Carl, you need to be somewhere safe." He lifted Carl up and sat him on the top of one of the tents. "Stay up there till it's over."

Carl wanted to argue, but he knew Cole was right. "Okay, but if you need me . . . " his voice trailed off.

"If I need you, I'll call." Not that that's going to happen, he added to himself. He was turning around to leave when he was suddenly surrounded by buddies of the guys he had just offed.

"We saw what you did," one said. "We've gotta kill you now." They waved their swords at him, loathe to strike a man who did not have a sword drawn. Cole pulled his sword and began to lay to on the nearest one. He could have thrown energy balls and been done with it, but then he would have missed out on some of the action. Lobbing energy balls all the time wasn't a lot of fun, and that way you never got any exercise except for your pitching arm.

The fighting between the four men became hot and heavy. Suddenly, another one started sneaking up from behind Cole. Carl, who had been watching the entire thing, jumped off of the tent and landed on the man's head. The man started fighting like crazy, trying desperately to pull Carl off, even as Carl pulled out his little dagger and began stabbing him. The man swung his sword wildly in an attempt to knock Carl off but instead killed one of Cole's attackers.

Cole soon took out the other two. Turning, he lobbed an energy ball at the one that Carl was riding. He smoothly caught the Gnome in mid-air and put him back on the tent. "Stay up there, Carl," he told him again but then relented, "but thanks for the save." He bounded into the crowd and straight into another fight.


Even though Xena had not called Autolycus' name, he had followed behind them at a safe distance. He knew she was angry at him at the present time, because he had been moving first on her and then on Gabrielle every time he caught one of them alone, not caring which one he got as long as he got one. He winced, thinking back, at the remembered pain each had delivered him. Neither the hilt of a sword nor a staff was a fun thing to have in one's groin.

Now he was just as busily scooting around and emptying out pockets while everybody fought around him. He was never much of one for fighting if things could be obtained in other ways, and he was always looking for things. He knew exactly when Xena's eyes made contact with him, and he didn't look up, just darted around and got another pocket.

He thought he was going undetected when a big, beefy guy reached out and clasped a hand on him. "So you're the little runt who's been making his way through the crowd, stealing from everybody and stirring up so much trouble?" The guy's ham-sized fist wrapped around his neck, and he lifted him off of the ground by his throat.

Autolycus swung wildly with his feet, trying to kick the guy, but he couldn't quite reach him. His startled mind failed to register his sword. He had given himself up for a dead man when the man suddenly released him with a gurgled roar of pain. "Whoa there, big fella!" Autolycus cried for even as the man's hand released his throat, he began to fall on top of him. Autolycus tried to scurry out of the way, but still the man's lifeless body caught him, trapping him underneath his weight.

Faith appeared where the man had stood, her boot resting momentarily on his massive rear as she pulled her sword out from his back. Looking down at Autolycus, she informed him casually, "You can give me some of your loot after we get out of here, but you're digging your own way out."

"Don't leave me under here!" Autolycus cried out in protest. "I won't ever get out of here! They'll kill me! This guy must weigh a ton! Don't just leave me under here!"

Faith shrugged. "Should've thought about that before you let him pick you up." Hearing the swing of a blade behind her, she whirled to meet the sword. A swift upper swing blocked the blow, and she kicked the man back. Even as he stumbled backwards, her sword sliced through his middle, separating his torso from his legs.

Blood rained down around Autolycus. "WHAT'RE YOU DOING! SETTING UP A TRAP FOR BUZZARDS!" he yelled up at her. "I DON'T WANT TO BE BUZZARD BAIT! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he yelled again at her retreating back as she delved deeper into the crowd, the blood of her opponents following her everywhere.


Brendan was well into making his way to his Captain when something white fell across the blade of his sword. Startled, he looked down at it only to find a snowflake shining up at him. "What the -- !" the wolf started to growl, but no sooner had he spoken than a fist plowed into his face, knocking him back into Dawson and sending them both to the ground that was already beginning to be covered by snow.

Shaking his head fiercely to clear his senses, Brendan raised his sword again just in time to block a fatal blow. As his sword met his opponent's, his legs kicked up, slamming into the man's and sending him stumbling backwards. Brendan quickly jumped to his feet and, with a quick blow from the hilt of his sword, had delivered the fallen man unconscious. Without another thought to the white stuff, the wolf delved back into the fighting.

Dawson lay on the ground where he had fallen with the wind knocked out of him. Gods knew how long he would have lain there if not for the falling snowflakes falling on his face, but they revived him. He got up, looking for Brendan, only to see that his friend had disappeared on him. He could not see him anywhere. He stood in the midst of the crowd, looking around, trying to see who he could see.

Blood was flying through the air and mixing with the snow. He followed the direction from whence the blood came and saw that Faith was generating it. Snowflakes shimmered in her dark hair, and her body, clothes, and hair were all smattered with blood. He prayed that none of it was hers even as he realized that, even when bloodied, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Should he go to be close to her?

He saw many others fighting but none that he recognized except for the Captain. He did not want to get close to him as long as he was fighting the strange woman with the snake. He had caught sight of the Captain just at the time that the Captain had managed to slice the woman's left breast. Dawson winced when the snake licked it, then sank its fangs in although the woman did not even appear to notice. He trembled at the sight.

Just where the Hell had Brendan gotten to! He finally decided just to go where Faith was even if it did make her mad. He wanted to feel safer. He began to make his way there.


Jack could not believe that Helvira did not notice that the snake was biting her, and the look of hatred that she kept shooting at Jack chilled his spine. Then he felt something white, wet, and cold hit him on the face. He had no ideal what it was. Some kind of weird rain, or maybe there was a bird up there with a stomach problem?

Why did it have to crap on me and not Helvira! he thought. Then he saw a flake land on her face and had to smile. Makes no difference to the bird which one of us he gets. Must be a condor, he mistakenly presumed as the flakes continued to fall. He continued to fight Helvira, matching her strike for strike, neither of them winning second blood.

As Helvira met Jack's sword yet again, her black lips parted to scream out over the roar of battle, "MAXAMILLION, GET YOUR LOUSY BUTT TO WORK! DO IT ALREADY!"

Her words puzzled Jack. What could she mean? Was she talking to her snake? He watched carefully for her next move, but Helvira fell silent as she continued to fight him, still trying to break past his guard. Fencing with Will and daily life had hardened Jack's muscles and made him even more wary of his opponent. He was stronger than he had been the last time he had fought her yet he still had not been able to fight her to a standstill, let alone win.


As the fighting had raged throughout the auction area, one man had kept to the alleys, determined to finish his meal. When his boss' voice screamed out, grating his ears, however, he knew he had best get to work. He took one last sip of what little remained of the slave's blood before tossing her to the pavement. Picking up one of the chains he'd broken off of her, Maxamillion, who had added the "million" part to his name after killing his millionth victim, strode purposefully from the alley. He kept the chain in one hand and his sword in the other. Avoiding every pesky blow that came his way and running his blade through the heart of each who ignorantly tried to fight him, he made his way to the auction block.

The auctioneer was at a lost as to what to do. He knew the auction must go on somehow, but he was not about to try to break up such a fight by himself. Even the other traders had delved into the battle, and he had been left alone to guard the last of the stock. Hearing approaching footsteps, the auctioneer turned to meet the oncomer, but when he saw the mountain of man who approached, he gulped. He glanced at the boy, looked back at the man, and took a sailing leap off into the crowd, choosing to take his chances therein instead of against such a monster.

Having seen the terrified look on the auctioneer's face, Will turned to face the direction he had looked in. Maxamillion's lips parted in a slow smile, his blood-stained teeth gleaming out at Will as he told him, "You're coming with me, boy."

"Not if I can help it." Will moved quickly, swinging the chains that bound his hands toward the man's head, but the man, who had sheathed his sword upon the auctioneer's fleeing, grabbed the chains smoothly. His grin grew more devilish as he yanked Will, sending him toppling face forward onto the block. Before Will could even try to move, Max whipped the chains he held against the boy's back. Will cried out as the chains ripped his shirt away and cut deep gashes into his back. Then, as swift as lightning, the man whipped his sword out and, standing over Will, swung downward. Will's cry turned into a roar of pain as the man cut through the backs of his legs, slicing off his hamstrings.


Jack's blood ran cold. Some one had hurt Will! He had to get to him! He kept fighting and backing as quickly as he could, desperately trying to reach him. As Will's roar of pain reached Jack's ears, Helvira threw the damn snake right into his face. Jack blindly grabbed at the snake, trying to get a hold of any part of it while still trying to fight with his sword against Helvira whose laughter rattled his ears.

Her laughter broke Jack's heart for he knew Will was dead and that her Maxamillion had killed him. The bitch was going down! He sliced the snake's head off with one deft blow and became like a madman, not caring if he was hit or not. He redoubled his efforts with his sword, making his advance so hot that Helvira fell backwards a few steps. Little did Jack know that when he sliced the head off of the snake, it had began flying around and around, its mouth and jaws working as it tried to bite everything in its path.


Xena's head jerked up at the pain-filled cry. It could only come from one person -- Will! Her heart leaped in her chest as she looked at where she had last seen him and saw that he was laying still on the auction block. Was he dead? She prayed that wasn't so. She reached for her chakram and was about to throw it when she almost stepped on some one whose mouth flew open. "Hey, Xena! Be a pal! Get me out of here!"

She started to glance down to see who was down there even though she recognized the voice when something flew by her head, making a smacking sound. It did not come back past her way, but she could see that it was a snake head. "Where the Hell did that come from!" she asked.

"I don't know," Autolycus told her, "but get me out of here before it gets me!" She kicked and dragged the dead body off of Autolycus just as the snake circled back around again. She took a swing at it but missed.


Brendan had looked up the instant Will had screamed. He was still looking up, trying to determine the quickest path to the auction block and if there was any way he could make it there despite the battling crowd all around, when his acute ears picked up the strangest sound. Turning his head to the right, Brendan let out a yelp as an all-too familiar head flew right at him. He instinctively slashed out with his sword; his blade sliced right through the middle of the snake's head. The two halves fell to the ground, and Brendan, though scared the wolf was about to come out at any time, jumped onto the halves, the heels of his boots stomping them into the pavement for extra measure.


Clark's heart had nearly stopped beating when the roar of pain had met his ears. Though his mind told him that it was Will, his heart screamed out for his beloved Lex. The fist that did not wield his sword shot out, avoiding the blow of his opponent's sword as his fist hit him full-force into the chest and sent the unexpecting man flying. "LEX!" Clark called, spinning on the heels of his boots as his eyes tore frantically around the crowd.

He spotted his love looking up at the auction block and completely failing to notice the sword that was mere heartbeats from slicing into his back. Fear and fury filled Clark at once for he knew there was no way he could make it to him in time. He barely had time to register the burning of his eyes before fire shot forward from them, burning the man to soot in less time than it took him to take a single, shocked gasp of air.


Lex had been desperately fighting his way to the auction block to reach Will when Will had been attacked. He had not meant to lose sight of Clark, and he heard him call his name just as fire came out of nowhere and burnt an attacker that he had not known of to mere soot. The man's sword clattered to the ground, and the fire continued to rain through the sky. Lex fell to the ground even as flames shot over his head.

He did not have a clue as to who was shooting the fire. He knew that if Cole had been lobbing energy balls, they would have been better controlled. Whoever was doing this was completely out of control as the flames hit not only people but tents, causing everything it hit to immediately catch on fire. He spotted Clark, and his mouth fell open. What the Hell was coming out of his lovers' eyes! Flames! Again barely dodging the fire, Lex ran for Clark, hoping to reach him before he had killed too many or, worse yet, one of their own.


Faith had been fighting two when a pain-filled roar from a familiar voice had met her ears. Her head had jerked up to look toward the auction block and Will, giving her enemies an opportunity. She did not yell out when one of their swords cut into her shoulder but instead stepped back, yanking her own shoulder out of the blade and swinging her sword through their chests. She sliced through the heart of one and continued her blow, passing through the heart of the second in the same swing, but never did she realize that a sword was about to meet her back.

Dawson saw the sword aimed straight for Faith and screamed out her name. Hearing him, Faith turned but found the sword right at her heart. Dawson had managed to come up behind Faith's attacker. He didn't know how to fight, but he had an ideal what to do. Holding the knife in his hand, he plunged it deeply into the back of her attacker and was rewarded with the blade landing in the heart and killing the man instantly. He fell to the ground, dead, laying between the two.

Dawson stood, looking at Faith. He saw that she was injured and was wondering if she would allow him to help her even when his butt was suddenly singed. He jumped straight for her, knocking her to the ground and landing on top of her. He was surprised when she grabbed him and pressed her lips to his.

As Faith's lips took Dawson's from beneath, she rolled him onto his back. The collision between his rear and the ground put out the flames even as her tongue plunged downwards into his mouth. His arms snuck around her. His tongue tried to dance with hers as his hands fondled her rear.

Faith did not try to pull away from his embrace but instead deepened their kiss. Her hands reached downwards, caressing the sides of his legs. She was just before sliding them between their bodies to his groin when she heard a voice from above. "Well, well, well. Couldn't wait to taste the merchandise, could you, girl?"

Faith's eyes rose up to see first a black high heel tapping up and down on her fallen sword, and then as her gaze traveled higher, the sneering face of Selene. "This is almost too easy," the woman spoke even as she drew her sword.


Cole had managed to get free of fighting long enough to shimmer to where Will was. He was the first one to reach him, but the minute he materialized, a streak of flame headed straight for his face forced him to shimmer back out. Where were they coming from? he wondered even as he heard a scream from the auction block. Looking toward it, he saw Maxamillion, who had been scooped to pick up Will, engulfed in fire. He was dancing around, madly beating at the flames, when he exploded.

When Cole shimmered back, he was alone on the auction block with Will, and he knelt down beside him. He could not tell where he had been stabbed without turning him over, because there was so much blood pouring from the younger man's body. Then he realized that it was coming mostly from his legs. The skin was sliced off where the hamstrings should be, crippling Will should he survive. Could it be that he was not dead, only extremely injured?

My Gods! he thought. We must get him help immediately! Where's a Lewis when you need one? He was not really sure what to do to stop the bleeding, but a thought came to his mind. Must get Brendan. Where is he?

Cole did not want to leave Will, but he had no choice. He had to get Brendan. Zoning in on Brendan's scent, he shimmered to his side just in time to see him stomping something into the earth. "Brendan, you've got to get to Will; he'll bleed to death!" He laid his hand on his friend's arm and shimmered him to Will's side.


The explosion of Maxamillion drew Helvira's attention for one brief second, and Jack made good on his attack. He drove his sword home, straight through her heart. It was the same maneuver he had used the last time they had fought, but this time he sliced her open and severed her heart from her chest. He pulled off his coat, put the heart in it, and wrapped it up therein as though his coat was a bag. He was then finally able to run to Will's side where Brendan was already working on his friend.

The second Jack leapt onto the auction block, his eyes were met with Will. His lungs nearly stopped breathing and his heart beating as he saw how still Will's chest seemed to be and the blood that covered his body. Jack fell to the floor beside Will with tears running down his face. His trembling hands gently pulled Will's head into his lap. As Jack's body gently rocked Will's, the snow fell even harder. If Will died now, it would kill Jack, because he knew he did not want to live without his dearest friend . . . without the man he loved.


Xena had seen the attack on Faith and had come up behind Selene. Poking her in the back with her sword, Xena demanded, "Back off of her, bitch, and give her a chance to get to her feet or I'll cut you in two." She held her sword and made Selene back up. Then she flicked Faith's sword to her even as the girl rolled to her feet. Faith caught it easily, and Xena's gaze turned back to Selene. "The fight will be fair," she warned, glaring at Selene, "or you'll answer to me."

"What concern is it of yours?" Selene hissed at her. Though she had backed away as commanded, she had no intention of going through with the rest of this woman's orders. As if some little tramp could ever order me around! she thought seethingly.

"She's one of mine," Xena growled back at her. "She's able to fight her own battles. That's why I'm giving her a chance at you instead of me just running you through."

Xena reached down and lifted Dawson up. "Come on, kid; get out of the way. There's woman's work to be done." She dragged Dawson out of the way and settled back to watch Faith in action. Xena saw Faith bleeding but knew it would not stop her and that the girl had to be allowed to fight her own battles as much as she was able.

Out of the corner of one eye, Faith glanced appreciatively at Xena and Dawson before returning her full attention to Selene. "I've been waiting for you ever since I saw you in the tents, bitch."

"What?" Selene asked coldly. "Don't tell me that you thought I was for sale."

Selene's laughter died in her throat as Faith snapped, "In your dreams, bitch," and drove forward. Her blade was aimed to slice upwards between Selene's legs for the way she had treated Dawson, but Selene blocked her just in time.

The fight was swift and furious. The two women danced in a circle around each other, like a hawk and a snake, as they battled. Both took any opportunity they were given. Faith drew first blood, her sword taking a deep cut from Selene's hip, but Selene drew second, her sword biting into the wound in Faith's shoulder that another had created before her. Faith bit back the cry of pain that rose in her throat, and Selene smiled at the betraying emotion she saw flicker, for just a brief second, in the girl's dark eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked icily. "Did I hurt the little girl pretending to be a woman?" Faith saw red at that comment, and before Selene even knew what had happened, she had slipped past her guard and dove her sword into her heart. Instead of falling or even crying out in pain, Selene smiled at her. "Nice try."

At that moment, Xena realized that this woman could not be killed in ordinary matters. She had to be an Immortal, and one of the sure-fire ways of dealing with them was to take their head. She knew Faith would not think of that and wondered how to tell her, but when she saw that Faith was so surprised that she had not yet taken her sword out of Selene's heart and Selene's blade was whistling through the air as it headed straight for Faith's throat, Xena whipped out her chakram, threw it at Selene, and cut her head off.

Selene fell to the earth, dead. Her head rolled to Faith's feet, and Faith kicked it for extra measure. Her kick sent the head flying against the wall next to Dawson where, upon impact, Selene's head burst open, blood, brains, and tissue exploding everywhere. Dawson screeched and ran from the wall. He thought he was going to be sick, and he had to fight to keep the bile down. He didn't think he could ever get used to fighting like this.

Reaching Faith, he wanted to hug her again but wasn't sure if she'd let him. Instead, he reached down, picked up her sword from where it had fallen out of Selene's heart when she had fell, and handed it back to her. Her fingers brushed his as she took it.

Xena, Dawson, and Faith quickly made their way to the auction block just in time to see Jack reach Will. The tears rushing down his face touched them deep in their hearts. Was Will dead, or could they save him?


Lex finally reached Clark, who seemed to have taken out the rest of the crowd. With a flying leap, Lex landed on his lover's back, knocking him to the ground beneath him. Ripping off his shirt, he covered Clark's eyes with it. "Clark, are you all right?" he asked worriedly. He did not let go of him.

"Lex?" Clark's breath shook as he answered, and Lex could feel his beloved trembling. "What . . . What just happened?"

Lex did not tell Clark how much damage he'd done. He just reassured him that most of them were all right and that he had not attacked any of his friends. "You took out some of the enemy, and you burnt down the tents." Knowing that this would not be enough to assure him for Clark undoubtedly knew he had killed in the process, Lex added gently, "And you saved my life again and stopped the evil man that was trying to take Will." Lex had gently rolled Clark over as he had been talking, and his breath brushed across Clark's lips as he told him, "You're my hero, Clark." Then he kissed him gently. "But just for good measure, keep my shirt on."

Clark did not speak again. He knew Lex was trying to keep him from concentrating on the full effect of what he had done, but nothing, not even the sweet nectar of his lover's lips as Lex kissed him, could keep him from knowing that he had killed. He had to fight to keep his body from visibly shaking at the thought. He had no intention of taking Lex's shirt off not only for fear of those horrid flames shooting forth again from his eyes but also because he did not want Lex to know that tears filled his eyes. They had too many other, more important matters to attend to.

Lex stood, pulling Clark to his feet. "We've got to get to Will. I don't know how bad he's hurt." His heart was as heavy as his beloved's as Lex served as Clark's eyes, guiding him through the fallen bodies to the auction block. Though he could not see his face, Lex still knew that Clark was crying but did not know how else to reassure him. For now they would have to concentrate on the other problems at hand, but once he got him alone, Lex would find a way to cheer up his beloved and take his mind off of what had happened.

Most of the group had reached Jack's side by the time Lex and Clark reached the auction block. Only Autolycus and Carl were missing. Autolycus was out in the sea of dead bodies, lifting whatever he could from their corpses, but Carl's voice met their ears. "HEY! SOMEBODY GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!" He was still on top of the only tent that had not been burnt.

To Be Continued . . .