Chapter Twelve
Deja vu -- Again!
After a big breakfast, Mattie had them arrange four dining room chairs in a small square so they could all sit close enough to hold hands.
"Where's my chair?" Harry asked.
"I think it would be better if it was just the four of us," Mattie told him. "I don't think there were too many times when you and Xena were close enough, emotionally, for what needs to be done, you know?"
"Besides," Annie added, "You should go on to the office. I'm sure the police are waiting for one of us to show up."
"What do I tell them?"
"Just say the house is being searched and we're being questioned, and we'll be in as soon as we can."
"Okay," he said, trying to hide his hurt feelings. "But call me just as soon as you're finished. Let me know how things worked out."
"You have my word," Annie assured him.
After he left the four of them positioned themselves as Mattie instructed -- Annie and Xena across from each other, and Mattie and Gabrielle the same.
"Where, exactly, are we going?" Xena asked.
Mattie laughed. "I guess I should tell you. I have several places in mind, but I think the first place should be is where Xena feels the strongest emotion -- right after Eve was born. A mother's love is one of the most powerful loves there is. If I remember right, Hercules and I left you two alone for a while so you could bond."
"It's been a while since I've thought about that," Annie said.
"I'm not sure if I remember," Xena told them.
"Well, then let's see how it goes," Mattie replied, and letting her voice take on a slow, soothing tone, she began. "Close your eyes. Concentrate on your breath. Focus on each and every breath you take. I want you to feel it enter through your nostrils-- move through your diaphragm-- and release it out again. We're going back to that time and place-- back-- back-- back. Now-- on the count of ten-- I want you to-- find yourself-- in another place-- another time-- another body. One-- two-- three-- four-- five-- six-- seven-- eight-- "
They were there -- Xena was sitting under a tree with Eve in her lap and Gabrielle and Hercules were standing nearby.
"Have you thought of a name?" Gabrielle asked.
"Her name is Eve," Xena answered.
"You've already named her?"
"Solon did when we were in Tartarus."
Hercules and Gabrielle quietly left, allowing Xena and Eve time alone.
"We're gonna be together now, Eve-- you and me-- and your brother, forever and ever. You hear that, Solon? Forever. Forever."
Suddenly, they were back in the dining room. Both Annie and Xena were had tears running down their cheeks, and then they were in each other's arms, reassuring each other and being comforted at the same time.
"It- it was so real!" Xena managed to say. "It's like a memory I never had, but it was MINE! I could feel it!"
"I know," Annie agreed. "I thought I'd never forget that moment, but it was almost gone."
Mattie and Gabrielle smiled at each other, both happy and sad at the same time. Then Mattie went into the kitchen and brought out two glasses of water, and waited patiently for Annie and Xena to finally let go of each other. They gratefully drank the water.
"To be so short that certainly was intense, more than I expected," Mattie said. "Maybe we should wait a while before we try another one."
"No! I don't want to wait," Xena told her. "Something was there, something I haven't felt since we were brought here -- something warm, and natural. I want to keep going. I don't want to lose that feeling."
"Okay," Mattie agreed. "We'll go again. This time it will be more dramatic. We're going back to the time you had to stop the Persian army, and we were in that old barn and I had been hit with a poisoned arrow and we both expected me to die."
"I think I remember that," Xena said. "You insisted I stop the army rather than go after the antidote, right?"
"That's right," Gabrielle answered. "I knew I was going to die. And I accepted it."
"Well, if everyone's ready, we'll begin" Mattie told them. "And just like before, measure your breathing, but also think -- remember, we were in the barn. Concentrate -- and again, on the count of ten, we'll find ourselves-- in another place-- another time, and in other bodies. One-- two-- three-- four-- five-- six-- "
Once again they were transported back. Xena and Gabrielle were in the barn and Gabrielle was drifting in and out of consciousness.
"Gabrielle?"
"I'm still here-- I think. Strange-- I seem to have moved beyond the pain."
"Here-- I have a poultice ready for you."
"No, please, don't-- don't bother with that. I can't fight. I can't be of any help to you, so please-- I'm just distracting you."
"But you're my source, Gabrielle. When I reach down inside myself and do things that I'm not capable of, it's because of you. Don't you know that by now? Let's just see this one through together, all right? Here we go."
Trying to be as gentle as she could, Xena carried Gabrielle up to the loft. After Xena showed her the boiling oil was next to the ladder, Gabrielle said, "About China-- I hope you know I never meant to hurt you. I only did what I thought was right."
"Gabrielle, that's all in the past. All I want is to be with you right now. You're my best friend-- my family. I love you, Gabrielle."
"I love you, Xena."
"Till the other side. Then-- we'll be together."
"Till then."
And just as suddenly as the first time, they found themselves back in Annie's dining room. For several seconds, no one moved, and then as if a signal was given, Annie and Mattie, and Xena and Gabrielle were embracing, so choked with emotion none of them could speak. And without knowing why, they switched, and Annie and Gabrielle were holding each other tightly, as were Xena and Mattie.