RETURN UN TO ME AND LET ME HEAR YOUR SONG

Blood Jaguar looked up slightly hearing the long lingering silence once more she shook her mane of fur ignoring the pain in her body. Some thing told her that her counterpart was waiting for her to speak. She looked at her bloody clawed hand there was only one right choice for both of them and it terrified her. It was the only way though that they could solve their differences fully. She put her clawed hand on her face feeling words come out in a painful whisper. "I'm not meant to be here, which is why I should return the true Gabrielle's body." She looked away feeling the pain in her chest. "My existence is painful and I want it to end."

She looked at her body. "I don't want to die I'm terrified of dying but I can't live forever in pain. I will truly loose my mind in time it's the price I pay for being this way." There she'd said it! Every word of it hurt but if there was ever going to be peace between her and her counterpart she had to be the first to speak and her word had to be genuine. She felt her teeth cut against lips as she turned to Xena. "I don't want you to pay the price for my anger and rage you don't deserve that. I know that I'll hurt you and others in time, it's in my nature." She looked down as she eased up her clawed hand looking at it. "I kill and I harm, it's just the way I survive."

Gabrielle looked at her counterpart for a long moment before turning to Xena. "Like Blood Jaguar I no longer wish to be this way. I wasn't meant to be here in the first place, I was just created to please some one else." She turned looking at the sun god whose face was showing pain she turned back lowering her gaze. "I now that Huitzilopochtli loves me but I know he's not my true lover." She looked up meeting Xena's light blue eyes. "I know you are, I knew the moment you kissed me that you were. I don't remember anything none of the moments we shared the places we went, but I know you. My body knows you and I recognised your face when I saw you, even though your skin and yours eyes were different."

She tensed her wings slightly feeling the feathers ruffle. "I would rather be the real Gabrielle again, I mean maybe this time we can make a real difference for her since Blood Jaguar and I have come to a truce. I just hope that you'll remember the both of us, after we are gone and your Gabrielle returns." Xena looked at them both for a long moment. "I consider you both my Gabrielle and I always will." She raised her lover's skull looking at it feeling her eyes dart. "Are you sure this is what you both want?" Blood Jaguar nodded as she looked up. "Nether of us were meant to be, things just turned out this way." Gabrielle slowly stood up watching as her counterpart did the same she turned to the meeting her good eye. "I guess I'll see you again on the other side."

Blood Jaguar eased out her clawed hand watching as Xena slowly stood up followed by Itzli who was keeping quite as he listened to everything. "Yes I guess I'll see you there." She moved her clawed fingers sadly as she turned looking at the pool of creation which had opened once more. "To death then." Ares didn't think as he moved forward coming to stand close to the horned werewolf, he ignored Xena's look of burning anger. True he was interrupting a very personal moment but he needed to say his piece to this being. He folded his arms watching as the one good eye narrowed while the jaws formed a sneer of disgust. "I find it fascinating that you exist."

Here felt his cold smile widen. "Here I was thinking that the real Gabrielle was soft, but now I see you I know that, that isn't true because you're here." He pulled out his arm pointing at the dead snake. "You can do all that damage and destruction all on your own its truly wonderful worthy of any god of war, you have the power to rule the world." Blood Jaguar stepped forward she could sense his fear although he was hiding it well. She watched as Huitzilopochtli stepped closer she turned back to Ares hearing her ice cold words hit the air. "I have no interest in anything you have to offer Ares. I've always hated you and nothing will ever change that."

She leaned forward so she was close to his face. "If you ever think about getting in the way of my self and Xena again I will hunt you down and kill you. Don't think for one second that I'm bluffing you little bastard, I've been around for a very long time I remember all things you've done in last life time as well as this one." She smiled watching as he stepped back realizing that he'd over stepped his mark as he should have realized in the first place. She wasn't Horn Hind she was much worse and he was a fool for not realizing it. "Don't think that I won't get a kick out of tearing you to pieces, I'll enjoy it in just the same way you enjoy watching me suffer."

Ares kept still as he looked up feeling a smug smile spread across his lips. "Why did you kiss me then if you don't like me?" Blood Jaguar didn't think as she smashed her clawed hand across his face watching as he stumbled side ways crying out in pain. "You flatter you're self let me tell you something about sexual frustration." She watched as he pulled himself up, she could see the blood running down his lip from her heavy blow. "When you want sexual release that badly anything looks good, even if it's fifth. I didn't enjoy kissing you, you were the only thing that was lying around at the time. What I did was no different from eating rotten maggot ridden meat when I'm staving."

She eased up a clawed finger putting it against his face before he could move out of the way. "Of all the rotten meats I've come across you were by far the worst, I'd rather relive myself personally than touch you again." She leaned forward sniffing the air sensing his fear which was getting stronger. "I wouldn't flatter yourself in front of me ever again, unlike Horn Hind I will eat you alive and I'll enjoy doing it." She opened her mouth showing of her razor sharp teeth as she breathed on him. "Unlike Horn Hind I also don't want to play, I like to kill and believe me when I say I will tear the flesh from you bones inch by inch while I eat your insides." She felt an evil smile form as she watched him stumble back. "Its all part of my nature, so take a good long look and always remember that I'll be watching you from behind the real Gabrielle's eyes."

Xena watched as the huge werewolf stepped away from Ares who was backing away quickly. She turned as she came to stand next to her. "You kissed him?" Blood Jaguar eased up her clawed hand. "As I said I needed sexual release and I got no pleasure out of it." Xena looked at her for a long moment she shook her head, she'd kissed Ares many times so she had no right to say anything. In fact she'd put her lover through so much pain with her plans of teasing powerful men and she'd almost gone beyond the kiss in a few times. She knew enough about her sexuality to know that there was a point of no return. Yet here was all Gabrielle's carnal nature in this horned werewolf and even with all that she hadn't over stepped the mark that she had when it came to Ares and other men.

Women had been a completely different story though, but even then this being had never gotten far enough. She looked up sharply as she met the one good eye. "Those women you tried to force yourself up on, did you care about them?" Blood Jaguar narrowed her good eye. "No I didn't care about them I just wanted them to be some one else." Xena moved a step closer to her. "Who did you want them to be?" Blood Jaguar raised a clawed finger using it to ease up the tall woman's dark hair. She watched as it spilt through her fingers. "I wanted them to be you, the real Gabrielle would never tell you this but I will. She likes the fire and the darkness when she has sex with you she even likes pain every now and again."

She eased up the hair again watching it spilt through her fingers. "In that myself and her are no different and you are the only one who can take away the tension and the sexual need, any one else in her eyes would never measure up." She watched as the last of the hair spilled through her clawed fingers. "You hold more power over her needs than you can possibly imagine." She leaned closer. "Just as you hold the same power over me…." Xena eased up her hand putting it under the huge jaws stroking gently. "I believe that you hold that same power over me and always have, I've always been too proud to admit that to you and to my Gabrielle." Blood Jaguar leaned closer putting a clawed hand on her leather bodice. "Then I will say that I am just as proud and in that we are both very much a like."

Xena eased up both hands pulling the huge head down so the horns were resting on her shoulders she leaned over gently kissing the centre of the werewolf head just above the eyes. Blood Jaguar smiled slightly as she pulled her self up very slowly in all her doubts the one question that fuelled her desperation had been answered, Xena did love her. Huitzilopochtli moved closer to the tall werewolf whose horns were higher than his head dress he watched as the good eye met his. He looked down for a long moment before looking up. "I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you." Blood Jaguar eyed him before stepping back. "I don't care for the suffering you've caused me I thank you for allowing me life even if I was the part you tossed away."

She turned walking towards the bubbling pool she raised her clawed hand as she came to stop in front of it. "My counterpart is the one you should be grovelling to." She felt a cold smile form as she looked at him. "If I were you I'd start grovelling." She looked at the boiling pool again. "I doubt the real Gabrielle is going to be as kind. I know I wouldn't be if you'd lied to me so you could have sex with me." Xena turned to the angel who had said nothing as she was looked down at her feet in a nervous manner. She came forward gently taking hold of her hand bringing her forward. "Are you okay?" Gabrielle moved around so she was in front of the taller woman she gently put a hand on her face. "I'm fine I believe this is how it's meant to be Xena."

She gently eased her self up meeting the other woman's lips feeling the instant wanting in the soft kiss. She smiled as she pulled away looking down. "Your Gabrielle loves you I know this because I love you." She pulled out her wings slightly. "I'm going to miss you." Xena gently took hold of her hand kissing it. "I'm going to miss the both of you." Huitzilopochtli breathed in as he came closer he watched as Xena let go of the angels hand as she stepped back. He breathed in deeply as he met her glowing gaze. "I wanted to apologise to you, I have done you a great wrong." Gabrielle turned fully to meet his sad golden gaze. "Was it all a lie?" Huitzilopochtli shook his head. "No it wasn't all a lie, I love you and I always will." Gabrielle looked up slightly giving him a warm smile. "Perhaps the real Gabrielle will forgive you. I would be kind to you but it's not my choice to make it's hers."

Huitzilopochtli put a hand on his chest. "If she did not forgive me then I would understand, I can only hope that one day in the future she will." Gabrielle looked up slightly at him. "Perhaps." She moved away slowly from him coming to a stop close to the bubbling pool on the opposite side of her counterpart. "May be I'll see you again one day." Huitzilopochtli looked down sadly. "No I don't think you will." He looked at Xena for a long moment. "Some things are just meant to be and others are not." He stepped back further looking at both sides one after the other. This would be the last time he would ever see ether of them again as long as he lived, that was one thing he was truly sure off.

Xena eased up the skull watching as the light blasted out of the eye sockets she moved slowly closer looking at the pool which was bubbling and churning. A part of her had wanted to do this from the start but now that she was here she felt a painful sadness. Both these beings were going to have to die so her Gabrielle could be reborn. It seemed so sad that to have one life two had to be destroyed to make it so and both of these being were living breathing with there own thoughts wants and hopes for the world. The whole thing made her feel so more like an executioner since she was the one who would be ending their lives. Even though they had both said that, that was what they wanted.

No one ever wanted to die though she knew that from experience even the most willing feared death at the end. She raised the skull as she came closer to the pool only to feel herself stall she looked at her shaking hands trying to steady them. Blood Jaguar turned slightly looking at Xena's twitching hands. "Its okay, just say the words." Gabrielle turned looking at the tall woman who blue eyes were darting as she tried to stay in control of her emotions. "It's alright Xena we both go willingly we don't blame you for anything it's all our choice." Xena looked at the jade covered skull she slowly eased it out in front of her she could see them both looking at her in silence.

She raised the skull high above the pool as the words came to her lips full of pain. "Even jade will shatter, even gold will crush, even quetzal plumes will tear. One does not live forever on this earth, only for an instant do we endure." She watched as the fire burst outwards once more as the jade patterns began to float causing the skull to do the same. The jawbone slowly opened sending hot air blasting outwards causing her to step back. Blood Jaguar didn't think as she used her clawed hand to push Xena back and away from the pool which was churned even more as the skull floated above. Its fire some patterns of jade moving faster and more violently in circles. "You must stay back the pool will consume your flesh as well if you get to close."

She looked at her counterpart who was perfectly calm. "I'll see you on the other side Gabrielle." Gabrielle turned back to her meeting her good eye. "Yes on the other side we'll meet again Blood Jaguar." She breathed in watching as white fire blasted downwards in streams from the now flaming patterns which spun even faster. These steams slammed in to the boiling pool she felt her eyes close this wasn't going to be nice. She swallowed trying to hide the fear she was feeling as she covered herself with her wings. Blood Jaguar leaned over putting both clawed hands on her face she lived with pain yet this terrified her on every level.

Now in this moment she knew that she couldn't stop what was about to come to pass. Perhaps a small part of her liked the freedom to much she opened her fingers watching as huge tentacles of flesh covered with eyes and with hooks and claws came flying out of the bloody waters. She could see her counterpart shaking her fear given away by her wings feathers sharp movements. The ten huge long pulsing tentacles rose higher above them fuelled by the fire which still burning in to the stream from the jade circles. She turned looking at Xena for a long moment seeing that her counterpart had pulled up her wing so she could do the same. They were so alike and unalike and maybe that was what made them part of the woman that Xena loved.

The blood dripped down from the pulsing flesh all around her, unlike her counterpart death wouldn't hold any surprises. Since she could remember the real Gabrielle's death well enough. She felt the agonizing pain as one of the tentacles came down slamming in to her body wrapping around her chest like a vice causing her to roar in pain as the hooks forced their way in to fur. She heard her counterpart scream as they did the same to her, she closed her eyes as these tentacles began to pull her violently towards the pool. There was no use in fighting no use in struggling it would amount to nothing. She could feel her heart trying to beat faster which was hurt because of the pain in her chest as the tentacles squeezed tighter their hooks pushing in further causing blood to flow.

Xena stood still watching as the tentacles began to drag both beings towards the pool. The others tentacles on each side came down wrapping around both each beings arms, legs and necks. She didn't want to watch but she couldn't peel herself away from looking. It was a gruesome spectral as gruesome as something from hell, only it made her shiver all the more. She had no idea what this thing was that had risen up from the pool all she knew was that her made her stomach turn it smelt like rotting flesh. Itzli didn't think as he pulled Xena further back before she could stop him. "It's a demon from the seventh hell you have to stay away from it!" Xena turned sharply. "It's from the seventh hell why in Tartarus would you have something from there in a pool of creation?!"

Itzli pulled her even further back. "Because to create new things you have to destroy things, that's this demons job!" Xena turned back watching in shock as something started to happen. She could see the hooks going in deeper she found the breath leaving her as the fur start to disappear from the werewolf's arm as the tentacles started to pulse harder. She wanted to close her eyes yet she couldn't she wanted to block out the roars and pain and the agonizing screaming which cut through her heart like a knife. All she could do was watch as the horrible demon dragged both beings even closer to the pool while sucking up their flesh and bone. She felt her gaze widen as the werewolf was dragged in up to the waist.

The angel screamed as she was dragged in to the pool her wings where slowly coming apart. The feathers were falling in to the pool as the bone and flesh started to come through, the boiling pool only seemed to speed up the process. Skin vanished, revealing muscle and bone, she just couldn't block out the screaming it was awful to listen to. They were both slowly being taken apart piece by piece she put a hand to her mouth feeling her hand start to shake uncontrollably. Of all the things she'd seen in her life she was finding this one, one of the most difficult to watch. She could now see the almost skeleton werewolf with its skull now showing through, its only good eye looking up as its skeleton hand gripped the stone as it refused to let go.

She heard the angel's final scream of pain as she let go only to be dragged in to the boiling pool instantly, her skeleton body sinking instantly in to it. She felt a tear start to trickle down her face she wiped it away hearing the last agonizing roar as the werewolf was dragged under. Her clawed hand left long scratch marks as she was finally pulled under as the demon disappeared in to the pool taking them both under fully. She moved closer to the pool watching as it began to churn even more, everything was so quite it way almost a deadly science, in that no one wanted to speak or so it seemed. The screaming had stopped and there was no movement. She leaned closer trying to see if she could see anything in the boiling pool.

She shook her head as she pulled herself up there was nothing there. The next moment caused her to leap back in shock as the huge werewolf skeleton burst upwards causing bloody water to be thrown outwards she hit the ground hard as it landed hard on top of her. She could see the one green eye moving in the socket as the jaws opened in a silent scream. The good eye turned to look at her just for an instant which felt like an eternity before the light slowly faded in it and the whole head collapsed sideways. The huge tentacles which were still wrapped around the skeleton dragged it back in to the water in one violent motion. She blinked lying there frozen in place only to feel Itzli drag her up on to her feet.

Itzli quickly brushed down the tall woman's black bodice. "Are you okay?" Xena stopped his hand movement. "I'm fine." She looked down watching as Gabrielle's skull slowly drifted forward the fire was still drifting downwards in the bubbling pool. She raised her hand as the glowing eyes began to glow brighter her arm seemed to move of its own accord as her fingers grabbed the fire patterns pushing them together. She stepped back as the jawbone slammed shut as the skull drifted downwards so it was floating closer to the surface of the pool. Green light blasted up filling the whole pool blinding her for an instant. She stepped back as the green light slowly moved inwards and upwards forming a spire which drifted inside the skull filling the eyes with green light which moved outwards in steaming waves.

The spires of fire and jade stopped spinning as they all fell down hitting the pools surface disintegrated away causing sparks of white fire. She leaned closer seeing a spine start to grow up out of the water. It shot upwards locking with the skull she breathed out as the rest of the skeleton started to reform starting with the ribs, collar bones as well as arms and hands. She was sure that the lower legs and pelvis were forming despite that she couldn't see them. The green light was wrapping around the bones slowly disappearing inside them. She felt her heart started to pound in her chest as the blood in the pool started to flow upwards on to all the bones including the skull covering it all for an instant.

She could only stand there and watch in shock as muscle and tendons started to grow covering the bones and the very insides stated to reform. She could see them all just for an instant, she could even see the heart which began to beat before it was covered by the muscle. Fair skin slowly started to form covering the whole naked body as blonde hair began to grow. There were no wounds nothing the skin was untouched the seamless she stared at the naked body of her lover for a very long moment. She looked up seeing the beautiful face which had now formed with its contours and lines. The long blonde hair hung down over the face, she inched closer as the clothing started to reform.

The red bodice appeared followed by the velvet red and black skirt and the black belt with its steel patterns. The light brown gauntlets were next to appearing around her lovers wrists as the younger woman's fingers began to twitch. Gabrielle's body suddenly started spasm as her eyes opened only to reveal milky white colour. The forest green colour slowly moved outwards from the pupil filling the whole iris which glowed for an instant before it faded and the eyes retuned to normal. The body began to spasm again causing the eyes to close, her lover fell forward both her hands clutched the edge of the pool as she lay completely unmoving.

Xena breathed in feeling her hand move towards the long golden hair. She was finally back, she was finally here. She felt her hand movement stop as the young woman's body moved and a long groan hit the air. The pain that followed hit her hard causing her to clutch at her chest as she tried to take it she couldn't stop herself stumbling back. She looked down seeing blue light as it started to flow outwards from her body. Gabrielle saw the white light which was like that of heavens gates only to see it fade away leaving nothing but darkness. For one instant there was nothing. She turned hearing two voices as they started talking in her mind and everything around her became lighter. She couldn't tell what these voices were saying but she could now make two beings in the shadows.

The first was a red furred werewolf with massive bull horns who was talking with what looked like a small female angel whose huge wings were outstretched on ether side. It was a friendly conversation from what she could make out, she could see the clawed hand rising as the werewolf spoke. The angel leaned up gently touching the bull horns as the werewolf leaned down, it was such a surreal moment in her mind and none of it made any sense. She watched in stunned silence as the bull horns with there smaller outer horn broke lengthways. Huge stag horns burst through them shattering them apart as they grew to their full length and their velvet ripped away. She could see the angels glowing eyes in the darkness green light was moving outwards from them in streams which reminded her of smoke.

She could see the werewolf's one glowing green eye and a white blind one with a length ways scar running across it. She breathed in sharply as they both turned to look at her. Everything faded in an instant being replaced once more with darkness and a long deafening silence which encompassed everything around her. A painful rush of sound filled her ears she felt her eyes snap open she found her self closing them again due to the pain which was going through her head. It was a burning agonizing pain her mind felt like it was about to explode. She couldn't stop herself from shaking a part of her wanted to throw up while the rest of her wanted to pass out, her lower body was freezing cold as if it was in water.

She felt her fingers dig in to the solid ground as she started to drag herself out of the freezing water if it was that she just couldn't tell. She pulled harder feeling her body start to move as she struggled to get out. She groaned feeling an agonizing pain go through her chest which caused her to cough which in turn caused her throat to burn. She tried to open her eyes again watching as everything went in and out of focus. She pulled herself up on to knees trying to keep her self steady which was difficult because of the dizziness which she was feeling. She felt her stomach twist violently almost causing her to throw up. She leaned forward feeling her hands touch the wet ground.

She blinked trying to open her eyes again only to see double vision which made her close them once more. She was in Tartarus at least that was how it felt in this moment, she just couldn't concentrate and everything hurt. Something didn't feel right inside though, it was empty painful feeling as if she was missing something. She could feel the cold breeze on her skin it was blowing her hair back as well as her soaking wet boots against her skin. She looked up again, opening her eyes slowly watching as bright light pieced her vision. She breathed in deeply finally seeing something come in to focus she blinked harder watching as her sight returned.

She could see a tall dark haired woman standing close to her holding her mid section her teeth were grinded together she seemed to be in a lot of pain. Blue flames were rising from her body, she watched as the woman turned to look at her opening her eyes. Her eyes were as blue as sapphire, sapphire which was being pieced by the mornings sunlight. She looked down only to look up again as a name slowly came to her lips. "Xena?" The next moments turned agony as her mind was bombarded with imagery so many images of herself and this woman. She found herself screaming in pain as they forced their way back in to her mind as everything came back in to crystal clarity.

She felt the pain in head vanish as she looked up seeing her lovers face. "Xena…." She had died gods she could remember it all now so clearly. On Tezcatlipoca's temple steps she'd died for her lover. She pulled herself to her feet feeling herself scream in pain as she stepped forward. Her body hurt so much she looked down watching as the green fire started to come out of her body. She could see the Huitzilopochtli coming towards her he came to a stop close to her lover so there was a space between them. She inched slowly forward ignoring him, she had to touch her lover it was the only thing that mattered. She moved further forward ignoring the dizzy feeling which was causing everything to go in and out of focus, she had to feel her lover again she couldn't feel her soul.

She moved her hand closer touching the other woman's the blue flames didn't burn her at all. Her heart pounded faster and harder as a beautiful sensation returned to her, the feeling of her lover echoing in to her soul. She could see her beautiful light blue eyes staring back at with pure love and wanting. She breathed in deeply as everything turned to darkness as her eyes closed and she fell forward. Xena didn't think as she grabbed her lover mid fall wrapping her arms around her as she hit the floor on her knees holding her tighter feeling the sensation return which she had missed for so long. She could see the fire all over her body and lovers going out.

She pulled her lover to her stroking her long blonde hair she could feel the tears coming to her eyes and yet she couldn't stop them. She held the younger woman tighter enjoying the smell of her hair and the feel of her skin. Gods she couldn't believe this was real it yet she knew it was, she pulled her lover to her kissing her head gently. She breathed in not being able to stop herself as her whole body slumped forward as the exhaustion hit home all at once. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer she was just too tired and to worn down. She felt her eyes slowly close as she sank in to a blissful darkness which was so unlike the others before it.

End of part 82

Silvermoonlight

I admit it, I watched Gremlins far too many times as a kid, plus I've always wanted to write a scene where something jumps out just when you least expect it :)