To Find the Light

by Debir

Picking up where Enter the Dark ended, Xena and Gabrielle search for Deerdra who is doing some searching of her own. Their respected journeys will impact their lives forever.

11. Chapter 11

"To Find the Light"

by

Debir

Chapter Eleven: "Reunited and it Feels-"

We'll give the lovebirds some privacy and take a brief trip back in time to take a peek at Xena and Ares, er, Leonius' first day together.

They're riding side by side not saying much. 'Ares' is proud of himself, fooling Xena like he has and separating her from Gabrielle. He can barely contain himself.

Xena can see him out of the corner of her eye. "What's with the smile? You have a horse hair up your nose or something?"

Finally, a reason for 'Ares' to laugh out loud. He cuts loose with the loudest guffaw, it startles his horse. He has to reign it in before it bolts.

Xena has Argo come to a stop and looks over at 'Ares', "Alright, what's going on with you?"

He has to come up with something quick, "Beautiful day. Beautiful woman. What's not to be happy about?"

Xena's not buying, "Uh, huh."

He spurs his horse to walk on not wanting to answer any more questions. Xena encourages Argo on staying a step behind so she can keep a skeptical eye on Ares/Leonius. She knows something is off with him, but bids her time, waiting for the right moment to test him.

The rest of the trip is quiet save for the horses thud thud thud on the dirt road. By late in the afternoon, they arrive at a medium sized village. The usual fair being sold on the streets: live chickens in cages, hanging mystery meat, and various articles of clothing, trinkets and do-dads. The village does have the most important thing for a wary traveler, a tavern.

They pull up to the hitching post. Xena reads the sign, "The Purple Cow. Sounds promising. Maybe they'll have some good grub."

'Ares' was wondering what that was making that gurgling sound, "I'm so hungry, I could eat that cow tail and all."

"You can have mine."

"MmmMmm. What a fine one it is!"

Xena slugs his arm, "Get your mind out of the gutter." She shoves him forward.

"Oh. Ow." 'Ares' laughs as he stumbles into the tavern garnering everyone's attention- everyone being seven people, not including the bartender.

Xena ignores the men's stares and orders their food, "Two bowls of stew, a loaf of bread, and two tankards of ale."

The barkeep grumbles, "That'll be four Dinars."

Xena says,"Oh, he's paying" and nods toward 'Ares.'

'Ares' frantically pats all around Leonius' body searching for a coin pouch. "Ah, ha!" He slaps four Dinars on the counter. "There."

The barkeep isn't impressed. He casually slides the coins into his coin box and replaces them with their food and drink.

They sit at a table across from each other with Xena facing the door. Behind her, two men are having a heated argument that escalates into a fist fight.

'Ares' perks up, "Finally some action. Dinner and a show."

Xena takes a swig of ale, "Not today." She goes over to the sluggers and grabs the chair one was about to bean the other with. "What's this about?"

Slugger one says, "It's none of your business, that's what it's about." He tries to pull the chair away but it doesn't budge.

Xena isn't angry, yet. "You're interrupting my meal. That makes it my business."

Slugger two, who's cowering on the floor, answers. "I said Ares was a back-stabbing coward who's abandoned his followers."

"He has not!" Slugger one pulls on the chair again. "You're the coward!"

Xena's still calm and sees this as the perfect opportunity to test, or rather, tease 'Ares'. "What makes you think Ares has abandoned you?"

'Ares' joins in the debate, "Yeah. Why'd you say that?"

Slugger two cautiously stands up, "My men and I made offerings to him before a big battle and we got clobbered."

"Maybe the offering wasn't good enough to get his attention." 'Ares' suggests.

Slugger two offended, "Ten barrels of our best ale, five sheep, and two virgins ready to be plucked?"

'Ares' adjusts his waistband and mumbles, "I missed that one."

Xena looks at slugger one, "I guess you disagree with your friend?"

"Heck yea, I do! Ares is the greatest god ever. He's never let my men down."

'Ares' puffs up and Xena starts in. "Maybe he was the greatest, but he is getting a little long in the tooth."

'Ares' deflates. He wonders what she's up to.

"Have either one of you seen him lately?" She continues, "It's a sad sight." She slowly shakes her head. "What little hair he has left is gray and that wine? Well, now he has a belly on him that rivals any pregnant woman."

'Ares' flushes red with anger, but holds his tongue.

Xena knows this and finishes with a doozy, "And you'd be wasting your time with those virgins. I heard he can't, a-hem," she raises her thumb and slowly lowers it, "Anymore."

The men snicker at her jester setting 'Ares' off.

He grabs the chair and flings it across the room, "You take that back!"

Xena is calm but deepens her tone, "Why?"

He gets in her face, "You know why!"

Xena is still calm, "Yes, I do." She grabs him by his earlobe, "Excuse us, gentlemen." She leads him outside then shoves him against the buildings wall, "What have you done with Leonius?"

'Ares' rubs his ear, "He's still here enjoying the show. Or at least he was."

"Why?"

"You know why. Those damn spirits are after me."

"So you hijack another man's body?"

'Ares' shrugs, "I didn't think they'd look for me here. So now you know. What now? You going to crawling back to Gabrielle?" He gets in a shot of his own, "Although, she did look pretty happy with Deerdra. She may not want you around."

Xena gives him a look of 'did you really just say that to me?'

'Ares' immediately regrets his jab. He puts his hand up in front of his face, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't hit me."

Xena is still angry at his deception, but can understand his fear. She's also angry because she feels he's right about Gabrielle. She grabs him by his lapels and hurls him toward their horses, "Let's go."

'Ares' is confused. Is she upset with him or not? "Go where?"

"Wherever this road takes us." Xena grumbles as settles in her saddle.

'Ares' is still wary, "So, you're still going to let me travel with you?"

"Yes, but we're going to have a few ground rules while you're in that body . One, no egging on bar fights. Two, no waging of war. And three, no sex."

"This isn't going to be any fun at all."

"Take it or leave it."

"Oh, I'll take it." His ego comes rushing back, "And I'm going to wear you down on one of them. Guaranteed. War or sex. You'll see."

That's what Xena's afraid of. She spurs Argo on and get ahead of him.

He watches her bound off, "Yes sir. You'll see."

Flash forward to a dock in Greece. Gabrielle and Deerdra are trying to gain passage on a ship sailing to the pharaoh lands i.e. Egypt. They are told of a merchant ship that is getting ready to shove off. They find the Captain and after many words and coin are exchanged, they are granted passage.

The two and only women on board walk around getting acquainted with the ship. Where everything is located and what kind of crew they'll have to contend with on this voyage. After their walk-a-bout, they settle down starboard and take in the ocean view.

"I love the ocean. It's so calm and serene." Gabrielle's heart is as light as the ocean air, until she remembers what happened the last time she took a voyage to an unknown land.

Deerdra sees the darkness in her face and knows why it's there. "That was a long time ago. She's back now and is doing fine." She puts her arm around her shoulders, "She's okay."

Gabrielle still feeling blue. "I know. It' just.. loosing her that way. Seeing her headless body." She buries her face into Deerdra's chest, "I don't want to have to see her like that ever again."

Deerdra does what she can to comfort her, "Shh. Shh. You won't. She died to clear her conscious and save those villager's souls. It's done and over with. Debt paid in full. She's free to do whatever she wants now, just like you."

Gabrielle wipes her eyes, "I'm sorry to be such a downer. It all just came flooding back. I'm sorry."

Deerdra puts her hands on either side of Gabrielle's face, "Never apologize for how you feel."

A quick kiss and they embrace, much to the delight of the crew. Whoops, hollers and cat calls abound. The Captain yells, "Get back to work!" and glares at the women.

"We shouldn't be doing that here." Deerdra states the obvious. "They'll be watching us now."

"Yeah." Gabrielle chuckles, "Maybe a Hydra will attack the ship. That will divert their attention."

A large dark form in the water gets Deerdra's attention. "Careful what you ask for."

Gabrielle's get as big as saucers, "What?"

Deerdra raises three fingers and counts down, "Wait for it. Three, two, one-"

Sure enough, a Hydra shoots out of the water screaming its ugly head off. It's snake-like body towers over the ship's stern. The crew in that area yell and scramble, falling all over themselves trying to get to the other side of the ship.

Deerdra, her eyes wide with anticipation, turns to Gabrielle, "Fun!" She snatches a sword from a fleeing crewman and hands it to Gabrielle, "Here. In case it tries to eat you."

Gabrielle's heart pounds in her ears, "What are you going to use?"

Deerdra snatches two more swords from screaming men. "Stay here!" and she's off to slay the beast,

Gabrielle says more to herself than to anyone in particular, "Well I'm not going up there."

Deerdra picks her way through debris and crew fleeing the Hydra's jaws. She reaches the stern just as the beast is about to chomp down on the First Mate. She grabs him by his waistband and jerks him out of the way. She then jams both swords into the Hydra's neck. With a mighty pull, she rips the blades apart, slicing the beast's neck open. It rears back, letting out a blood curling scream of its own. Its blood spurts everywhere, coating the deck and water in bright red.

Deerdra is pleased with herself, "Ha. Ha!" Then she sees another dark form in the water. "Uh, oh. This could get interesting."

She makes her way back to Gabrielle, who's standing near the Captain. She yells, "You need to hold on to something!"

Gabrielle takes Deerdra's hand. Deerdra smiles, "I mean something solid and stationery!"

Gabrielle hasn't seen the other Hydra, "Why?"

"Things just got worse!" She points, "Look!"

The wounded Hydra is staring at something in the water. The ocean where it's looking starts to bubble and churn and another, bigger Hydra shoots up from the depths.

"Oh, crap." Gabrielle takes a step behind Deerdra.

Deerdra yells at the Captain, "Steer us out of their way but stay on course!" She turns to Gabrielle, "Maybe we can harness some of their energy."

"To what end?" Gabrielle can't imagine what she has in mind.

Deerdra just grins, "You'll see."

The Hydra's screeching gets louder and louder as they jockey for position. The larger one gets the upper hand and bites the wounded one around its neck and forces then both under the water. The resulting wave propels the ship forward and breakneck speed.

Deerdra cheers, "Woo, hoo! Ready to catch some waves?"

Gabrielle and the remaining crew cling to anything solid that's nailed down. For her and the Captain, it's one of the ships masts.

The Captain yells to Gabrielle, "If you don't mind me saying so, your girlfriend is insane!"

Gabrielle yells back, "She's my wife...and I agree!"

The waves grow in intensity as the creatures tumble around just under the waters' surface.

Deerdra stands in the middle of the ship trying to maintain her balance. The rocking motion of the ship makes it look like she's surfing. As fast as the waves grew, they now begin to tapper off. She rushes to the side of the ship. The Hydras have gone under the ship with the larger one chasing the smaller one. They are headed toward the bow.

"Here we go!" Deerdra makes a beeline for the bow, grabbing the anchor along the way. She yells to everyone, "Get ready!"

She starts to whirl the anchor by its rope like a side way lasso. As soon as the larger beast surfaces, she throws the anchor, hooking into the back of its neck. She quickly lets go as the larger chases after the smaller and lets the rope go whizzing by. When the rope reaches its end, the ship lurches forward slowly gaining speed as the Hydra chase continues.

The Captain is worried, "She's going to get us all killed! If that creature dives, it'll take us with it!"

Gabrielle tries to reassure him, "She won't let that happen! She'll cut the rope before then!"

The Captain isn't so sure, "I hope you're right!"

Gabrielle manages a smile, "Don't worry! She's a lousy swimmer!"

Sure as the sun is bright, Deerdra picks up another sword and stands at the ready, sword poised above her head and aimed at the taut rope.

The ships speed has drastically increased under their new monster power. One-hundred knots easy.

Deerdra's enjoying the ride, maybe a little too much. She has a crazed look on her face and lets loose with an equally maniacal laugh. "Ha,hahahahaha!"

Gabrielle is concerned yet exhilarated, "She is crazy. Gods, I love her."

The laughter stops. "Oop!"

Like a flash, she cuts the rope. The large Hydra has plunged back to the depths and has created one final gigantic wave in its wake.

Deerdra hollers over her shoulder, "Hold on! It's a big one!"

The wave picks up the ship and raises it good twenty feet above the ocean like some big funky surfboard with Deerdra hanging ten at the front. The islands whiz by: Lemnos, Scyrus, Chios, Mykonos, Crete. They are well on their way to the Egyptian port of Alexandria atop a tsunami sized wave.

Deerdra yells over the rushing sound of the wind, "We'll be in Egypt by sunset!"

The members of the crew are either laying flat or crouched up next to the sides of the ship. All are praying to their gods for protection from drowning, and the crazy woman perched ever so regal at the bow.

Deerdra looks back at Gabrielle and the others and chuckles. "Gabrielle! Come join me! The view is amazing!" She extends her hand, but Gabrielle hesitates.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

Deerdra feels a tad insulted, "Gabrielle, you ought to know by now that I won't let anything happen to you! I wouldn't have suggested it if it wasn't safe!"

Gabrielle has to concede that point to her, "That's true!"

She sloowwly makes her way over to Deerdra's outstretched hand. Deerdra helps her up and the two stand on the very edge of the bow. The wind gusts and nearly blows Gabrielle off her feet. Deerdra grabs her and holds her tight against her own body.

"For the love of Zeus, Deerdra, don't let go!"

Deerdra whispers into Gabrielle's ear, "Never."

With that simple declaration- and Deerdra's firm grip- Gabrielle relaxes and does enjoy the trip and the view. She closes her eyes and looses herself in the sensations: The cool mist on her face. The wind rustling through her hair. The warmth of their bodies. For a moment, she feels as though she's flying. Utter freedom.

The sensation starts to dissipate. She opens her eyes, "Are we slowing down?"

"Yep. And none too soon. Look." Deerdra points to a speck of land on the horizon.

Gabrielle gasps, "That can't be what I think it is!"

Deerdra smiles, "It sure is. Next stop, Alexandria." She turns to the still cowering crew and shouts, "Land Ho!"

That gets everyone's attention, especially the Captain. "We're still going to fast and since the masts were broken, we have no way to slow down or stop for that matter."

Deerdra reassures him, "No worries, Captain! There's still plenty of time for us to slow down. And, I guarantee we will not smash into the dock."

The Captain eyeballs her, "How can you be so sure?"

Deerdra waves him over, "Look for yourself."

He makes his way up to the bow. Alexandria is still a speck and the wave had petered out. They are now 'sailing' on their own propelled by the waves momentum. Deerdra's confidence is contagious, the Captain starts barking orders at the men to clean up the deck and prepare for docking.

By the time the ship slows to ten knots, the port is in full view and the deck is spotless. The Captain still has one concern, "Just how are we going to come to a full stop without crashing into the dock or even another ship?"

Deerdra smiles wide, "Like this" and takes the helm. She spots a space between two already docked ships. "Hang on!" She cranks the wheel hard to port- tossing everyone about- and lets the last of the tsunami wave's energy push them into the dock. They come to a complete stop with a gentle 'thud.' The crew regain their footing and quickly lower the gangplank and secure the ship.

Deerdra yells, "All ashore who's going ashore!"

Gabrielle shakes her head, "Have I told you lately that you're a nut?"

Deerdra grins, "Many times, my love. Many times."

They kiss then lock arms and disembark.

The Captain yells after them, "Hey, what about my ship?"

Deerdra yells back, "What about it?"

He answers, "These repairs aren't going to get fixed for free, you know!"

Deerdra blows him off, "True."

He shoots her a go to Hell look.

Gabrielle reprimands her, sort of. "Deerdra..."

"Okay." She reaches into the front of her trousers and pulls out a small money pouch.

Gabrielle gives her a sly grin, "I wondered what that was."

Deerdra smiles and without taking her eyes off of Gabrielle throws the pouch over her shoulder to the Captain. "Here, buy yourself a new one!"

They reach solid ground still lost in each others eyes. The hustle and bustle of the port city doesn't exist in the world that is Gabrielle and Deerdra.

Gabrielle runs her hands across and around Deerdra's stomach and asks all sexy, "I wonder where we can get a room?"

Their Utopian bubble is burst when a stranger answers her question, "That building over there has rooms and serves meals."

They answer in unison, "What?"

The stranger responds, "That building over there caters to overseas visitors like yourselves, for a price."

"Oh, thank you." Deerdra digs out another pouch and hands the man a couple of coins.

Gabrielle says, "I am kind of hungry."

Deerdra agrees, "Me too and I wouldn't mind a warm bath."

"Ooh, me either."

The stranger pipes up, "They have both inside." He holds out his hand expecting another coin.

Deerdra shakes his hand instead, "Thank you."

They step inside the building with the white washed facade and are taken aback. The inside looks as if it was cut out of a palace and plopped down near the port. Silk drapes, velvet cushioned seats, and rugs as far as the eye can see. Kind of like wall to wall carpeting for the desert set.

The man at the desk looks down his nose at the out of towners, "My I help you?" His tone isn't friendly at all.

Deerdra ignores it, "We need a room with access to a bath."

He sniffles, "I'd guess so. How long will you be staying?"

Gabrielle answers, "Just for the night."

He looks through his papers, "Um, hmm. The last room down the hall connects to a private bath."

Deerdra replies, "That'd be perfect."

"That will be fifteen Denarius." The clerk expects the women to complain or not be able to pay. To his surprise, Deerdra pulls out a gold coin.

Before placing it into his eager hand, Deerdra tells him, "We'd like our meals served in our room, and make sure the towels are fresh and clean."

He examines the coin and determines that it's real. His attitude improves ten-fold, "Yes, ma'am. Right away." He claps his hands, sending two employees scurrying down the corridor.

He hands them the room key. Gabrielle snatches it from him, "Give me a minute, but don't be too long," then casually strolls away.

Deerdra grins, "We won't be leaving early tomorrow."

She signs the guest book in Egyptian Mrs. and Mrs. Jane Smith. He looks at it and wonders, 'Who are these people?'

Before Deerdra leaves, she pumps him for information. "By the way, has a Greek woman calling herself Xena passed through here? She's a tall woman with dark hair, probably wearing a brown leather bodice and skirt. She'd have a sword slung across her back and a round metal thing hanging from her belt."

The clerk furrows his brow in thought, "No, I would have remembered someone like that. If you wish, I can have someone ask around for you."

"That'll be fine. Tell us what you've find out tomorrow." She flips another gold coin his way, "We'll also need a couple of horses as well."

The clerk bows, "As you wish."

Deerdra finally enters their sleeping quarters. It is just as plush as the lobby. "Fancy. Gabrielle?"

She scans the room and right before panic takes hold, she spies a trail of grapes leading into the bathing chamber.

Gabrielle's standing in the middle of the bath, warm vapor rising all around her lithe form.

Deerdra can't stop her grin, "Is all that steam because of you or is the water that hot?"

"Come in and find out."

Deerdra wastes no time stripping and climbing in. She dunks down and resurfaces directly in front of her love.

Gabrielle wraps her arms around Deerdra's neck, "What too you so long?"

"I wanted to make it clear to him that we weren't to be bothered."

"You did, huh?"

A sexy wet kiss later and she adds, "And ask about Xena?"

"Yep. He hasn't seen her but is going to ask around. He'll report back tomorrow."

"Mmm, good."

They start generating their own steam. A knock on the door puts the make out session on pause.

"That's probably dinner." Deerdra says.

"Probably."

"Are you hungry?"

"Uh, uh."

"Shall we continue in the bedroom?"

Gabrielle kisses Deerdra's neck, "Definitely."

(the much debated Fade To Black scene brings us to daybreak)

The sun begins its ascent and our weary travelers are still sleep, spooning, naturally. But all is not well.

Deerdra is having a nightmare:

She and Gabrielle are in bed. She wakes and Gabrielle has her back to her. Deerdra smiles and kisses the nape of her neck. Not getting a reaction, she gently rolls her over and quickly finds out why.

A big red stain covers the sheet, soaking the bed in a pool of blood. A bloody dagger lays beside her.

Deerdra freaks out, tripping over herself getting out of bed. "No! No! No!"

Waking life Deerdra is thrashing about in bed mumbling, "No. No. No."

Gabrielle shakes her, "Deerdra! Deerdra!"

Deerdra does wake, in a panic."No!" Sweat runs from her forehead.

Now Gabrielle's panicking, "By the gods, Deerdra. What's wrong?"

Deerdra pants, "It was a dream. It was only a dream."

Gabrielle calms down a little, "What was? What did you see?"

Deerdra would rather not tell her, but thanks to Margret's gift, she must. "We were laying in bed, I rolled you over and you were covered in blood."

Gabrielle doesn't like the sound of that. The last time Deerdra had such a nightmare, she ran away. "It was just a dream. I'm right here and you can see that I'm fine." She takes Deerdra's hands, "It was just a dream."

Deerdra's still trying to get her heart to stop doing jumping jacks. "I know. It's just-"

Gabrielle interrupts, "A dream."

Deerdra understands her concern. She kisses Gabrielle's hands, "Let's say we grab a bite to eat and get out of here."

They gather their things and head for the front desk decked out in the latest desert attire. Loose fitting linen clothing. The clerk practically tackles them as they approach.

"Thank goodness you're up! I have news of your friend, Xena. At least it sounds like your friend. "

The women look at each other. Deerdra has mixed feelings, but Gabrielle perks up, "You've found her?"

The clerk gives details, "A nomad talked to a merchant about a woman warrior wandering the desert protecting small villages from marauders."

Deerdra replies, "That could be her."

The clerk is still excited, "He said she threw a round metal thing at the marauders and it flew back to her and she caught it!" He said the last part in disbelief.

The women answer in unison, "That's Xena."

Gabrielle presses for more information, "Where did this nomad see her last?"

The clerk scratches his chin, "He said he had been traveling three days."

Deerdra chimes in, "So, in other words, however far three day's worth of travel will take us is where we might find her."

The clerk agrees, "Yes. I she is in no hurry. Yes."

Deerdra sees that Gabrielle is ready to take off running, "Were you able to acquire some horses for us?"

The clerk is one eager beaver, "Yes, yes. They are packed and waiting for you."

Deerdra plays it cool. "Thank you for your hospitality. For you." She hands him a smaller gold coin.

He grins, "Thank you! I hope you stay with us again."

Deerdra mumbles, "I bet you do."

Gabrielle beats her outside. "Wow!"

He has acquired for them two Arabian horses and has had them dressed to the nines.

"Well," Deerdra says, "If you're going to go wondering around in the desert, you might as well go in style."

And so their search begins. Ride to a nomad's encampment, wheel and deal, sleep. By the third day, their steeds dressage has been traded for food and water and information. Not necessarily good information, but information none the less. So far, all they've found is sand and more sand. At this point, evening, Deerdra's gotten bored and is trying out a twist to an old time filer- balancing coins on her elbow then snatching them before they hit the ground all while bobbing along on horseback.

The Ca-Clack, Ca-Clack is getting on Gabrielle's nerves, but she is polite about it, "You know, that could draw the attention of those sand serpents we were warned about."

"You believe them? Giant serpents swimming under the sand? Come on. Things like that don't exist."

[a Hydra on land...a Drydra? I made that up. We'll go with that]

"Said the two thousand year old woman who just fought two giant sea serpents."

Deerdra puts the coins away. She chuckles, "Remember the last time I played with the coins?"

Gabrielle's not laughing, "Yes. I nearly lost you."

Deerdra wants to keep things light, "Oh, you know it's going to take more than a talking tree to do me in. I was referring to how much it annoyed Xena."

Gabrielle comes out of her dark cloud, "Yeah, you were good at that."

"Yep. One of my many talents."

That gives them both a good chuckle. A familiar sound puts an end to their jocularity.

They stop and listen. It happens again, but more distinct now. Xena's war cry wafts across the dunes.

They look at each other.

Deerdra says, "Good, you heard it too. I thought it might have been a sound mirage."

Gabrielle strains to hear better, "No, that's Xena. It sounds like she's on the other side of that dune."

They find a shrub to tether the horses to then climb up the dune. On the other side, sure enough there's Xena putting the beat down on some bad guys.

Deerdra asks, "Think she needs some help?"

"No, there's only three of them." Gabrielle is mesmerized by Xena's fluid motions. She had forgotten just how poetic her movements could be.

Deerdra isn't sure what to think or feel now that they've actually found Xena. Worry and insecurity make themselves at home in her subconscious. "Is Gabrielle's love for me strong enough to out weigh her feelings for Xena or have I just brought about the end of us? Why did we have to find her so soon?"

They start Xena's way. It's gotten dark and she hasn't seen them yet. The bad guys are putting forth a good effort. The fight is still going on when they reach the bottom of the dune. Xena's ready to end the fight. She hurls her Chakram and hits all three across the face, knocking them out cold. She waits for the steal to return to her hand and waits and waits.

Deerdra steps into the moonlight holding the Chakram, "Excuse me, Miss. I think you dropped this."

Xena whips around at the familiar voice, "Deerdra? Where's...?" then she sees Gabrielle. She can't contain her glee. Her smile out shines the moon. She beams, "Gabrielle!"

They don't exactly run to each other, but they do hug for a very long time. Deerdra has to suppress her jealousy.

Xena looks over Gabrielle's shoulder, "Oh. Hello, Deerdra."

Deerdra teases, "What, no hug?" She hands Xena her Chakram, "It's good to see you."

Xena doesn't believe her, "Yeah?"

Deerdra's honest, "Well, Gabrielle's happy to see you."

"Uh, huh." Xena turns he attention back to Gabrielle, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be on your honeymoon?"

Gabrielle's taken aback, "You know about the wedding?"

"Yeah. I overheard Iolus and Hercules talking. I'm happy for you."

Everyone glances up, expecting a lightening bolt to strike. It doesn't.

Gabrielle gives her a playful push, "Liar. We heard about Ares' latest trick. How are you, really?"

Xena blows it off, "I'm fine. It was no big deal. Just another side trip."

Deerdra jumps into the conversation, "So what happened with him? We've been told three different versions. Which one is the real one?"

Gabrielle's curious as well, "Yeah. What did happen?"

Xena's not about to offer up any details. "Condensed version? I did know it was Ares. We had some 'fun'. He lost his hold on Leonius. We stopped having fun. He left. I came here. The End."

Light bulb for Deerdra. She snaps her fingers, "That's it! Ha, ha! That's why! Ha, ha,ha!"

Xena and Gabrielle just look at her. She explains through her bouts of laughter, "Leonius told me he couldn't, you know. Then Ares couldn't. Ha, ha! What a blow to his ego!"

All three laugh so hard they cry. They are still snickering as they spread out their bedrolls near a campfire. Deerdra knows the two 'friends' want to talk so she turns in.

Xena sits next to Gabrielle and the two talk in hushed tones.

"So, you and Deerdra, huh? How's that working out for you?"

"If you're asking if I'm happy. I am. Believe it or not, I do love her."

"Oh, I believe it. You've had a thing for her ever since you two first met. I knew it was only a matter of time before you two got together."

That surprises Gabrielle, "Really?"

"Yep."

"Are you okay with us being together?"

"I kinda have to be now, don't I?"

"I'd like for you to be happy for me."

"I am. I wish it was because of someone else, but I am happy you're happy."

"Thank you, Xena. I love you."

They hug. Xena whispers, "I love you, too." But she thinks, "But my heart is broken."

The three zonk out and are fast asleep. A cool breeze blows across Gabrielle's face, stirring her from her slumber. She can just make out the outline of a tall, muscular being with outstretched wings. She whispers, "Michael?" The form shakes his head and motions for her to come over. She hesitates, looking over at the sleeping warriors. Should she or shouldn't she go to him? She doesn't sense any danger and they are right there if she yells. She makes sure her sai are in place then walks over to him. In the moonlight, she sees that it indeed is an Archangel, but not Michael. This one is much taller with flowing red hair and looks angry.

In a voice that would make the ground quake, he speaks, "Do not be afraid, Gabrielle. I am here to speak to you about Deerdra Reese." He practically growls her name.

Well, Gabrielle is afraid. Is he an Archangel? "Who are you and what do you want with Deerdra? She's done nothing wrong."

He snorts and says under his breath, "Harumph. That remains to be seen." Then he answers her, "I am the Archangel Uriel. As I have said, I am here to talk to you about Deerdra Reese...and your future together."

"That doesn't sound ominous at all. I gather you don't like Deerdra."

"I disagreed with Michael. I do not believe her to be the right person for the task he has given her. Her emotions are... erratic. But I wish to discuss you and your twin children's future, not hers."

Gabrielle gets weak in the knees. "How do you know? Are they from above like Eve?"

His answer is short with no explanation, "No."

Her heart sinks, "Are they from-below?" Please say no.

Another blunt, "No."

She's relieved but confused, "Then where did-?"

He cuts her off, "My only concern is with their safety."

She gets weak in the knees for a different reason, "Is Dahak after my unborn children?"

He grows impatient with her, "No. I am talking about Deerdra and the danger she will inevitably bring to them."

"But, Deerdra would never harm a child especially mine."

"Her task is to hunt down demons and kill them. Do you not think they will seek revenge against her?"

She's been to distracted by how to tell her to think of the danger posed to them all, "I hadn't had much time to think about that." Now that he's brought it up, the joy she felt melts away and is replaced by doubt and fear. "l have to tell her. I have no choice, she's my wife."

His doom and gloom countenance lightens a bit, "Ah, but you do. You can walk away with Xena."

"Walk away? You mean leave Deerdra? I can't do that! I love her too much."

"More than your children? Is she really worth risking their lives? We know how loosing Hope affected you. Are you so willing to go through that pain again?"

This is depressing. Gabrielle hangs her head, "I...I don't know. I need time to think."

He backs off, "I understand, but your wait can not be long. Once she finds out, leaving will be all the more difficult." He puts his huge hand on her shoulder, "I know you will make the right decision. God be with you." He morphs into a ball of fire then ascends to the Heavens.

Gabrielle's jelly legs give way. She plops down and puts her head in her hands and begins to cry.

Xena hears sobbing. She looks around. There's Deerdra. Where's Gabrielle? She follows the sobs and finds her a wet mess. "Hey, what's this?"

"Oh, Xena!"

Xena wraps her arms around her, "Shh. Tell me."

Gabrielle gathers herself, but is timid, "For starters, I'm pregnant."

Xena's response catches her off guard, "I kind of thought so."

"You did? Deerdra doesn't even know."

"That's because she sees you every day. I saw right off you were a little plump-in a good way. Is that why you're upset? You don't know how to tell her you..."

"I didn't cheat on her. They are her children. A gift to us from the gods, I presume."

"Okay, so you didn't cheat on her. What's the problem? You don't think she'll believe you?"

Gabrielle's getting agitated, which dries up her tears, "Of course she'll believe me. I just don't know if I should tell her."

"She's not dense. She'll know something is up when you don't fit into your clothes anymore."

"I don't know if I should tell her, because of Hope."

There's a topic that hasn't been brought up in a while, "What does Hope have to do with it?"

Here we go. Gabrielle's about to spill her emotional guts out about the whole Hope/ Eve dynamic, "It's always bothered me how your daughter turned out compared to mine. I still wonder if things would have turned out different if I was able to raise her or at least been present as she grew up."

Xena's nearly at a loss for words, "Gabrielle, I wasn't there for Eve as she grew up. It was only later that we, you and me, were able to put her on her path of peace. As for Hope, her paternity set her up to be evil. There wouldn't have been any guarantee she'd be any different had we raised her."

"I know that, but even though she was evil, it still hurts." She wipes her eyes having made the decision, "That is not going to happen with these children. I am going to be in their lives. Period. Even if that means leaving Deerdra."

Shock a roo. "Leave Deerdra? What are you talking about?"

"Deerdra hunts down and kills evil. It's only a matter of time before evil hunts her and I don't want my children in the line of fire."

"Our children. Hers and yours. You are going to tell her, aren't you?"

"I don't think so. If I do, she won't want to leave-not that she will anyway."

"Gabrielle, you have to tell her and let her decide what she want to do. At least talk it over with her."

"No, it will be easier if she doesn't know." She burst into tears and buries her face in Xena's chest, "I wish I never talked to him!"

"Wait. Talked to who?"

"An Archangel. Uriel. He told me-."

"To leave Deerdra. Are you sure he was an Archangel and not a demon pretending to be one?"

That didn't occur to Gabrielle. She backs off from Xena, "I didn't think of that. He did have a ton of anger aimed at her."

"Wouldn't that make more sense. I mean, an Archangel did choose her to be their champion. Why would another one want to hurt her?"

Gabrielle stops to think, "You're right. That doesn't make sense." She shakes her head, "Demon or not, he had a point. Our children would be in danger." She walks a bit past Xena to get a good look at Deerdra, "How do I tell the woman I love that we can no longer be together without telling her the truth?"

Xena doesn't agree with Gabrielle. Lies only beget more lies, but right now she needs support not criticism. She puts her arms around Gabrielle's shoulders, "You take a deep breath and tell the tallest tale you've ever told."

Gabrielle manages a half smile then takes a deep breath.

Xena stays behind as she walks over to Deerdra. She reaches down to wake her, but Deerdra mumbles, "You okay? You were gone for awhile."

"Not really. We need to talk."

Four words that would wake anyone. Deerdra looks up at her and sees the tear stains, "What's wrong?" She glances around, "Where's Xena?"

"Xena's giving us some privacy." Gabrielle reaches her hand out to help her up, "Let's take a walk."

Deerdra's getting a bad feeling. The further out they stroll, the stronger the feeling. "Okay, you've had enough time to gather your thoughts. Tell me what's on your mind?"

Gabrielle takes a deep breath and begins. "I'm concerned about you and us. Or me. Or...sigh. How do I say this?"

Deerdra's never liked beating around the bush. "You just spit it out."

That's a good a plan as any. "Back on the ship, when you were fighting the Hydra. Your- erratic behavior frightened me."

"Frightened you? I frightened you? I would never..." Deerdra is stunned.

"Then you started having those nightmares about me again. And, well. Deerdra, I'm afraid of you."

"What? I...I would never...afraid of me?" Her heart sinks.

"I know you wouldn't do anything on purpose, but then again there's Stephany. You didn't mean to hurt her, either, but you did."

Deerdra can't believe her ears, "I was under a spell when that happened. Nothing like that will ever happen again, I promise."

"Really? You can make that promise to me doing the work you're doing? You're not exactly making friends in the demon world, you know."

Deerdra's having her doubts about her reasons, "They know if they even think about harming you there'd be Hell to pay. What's going on?" She glances Xena's way. "It's her, isn't it? Now that we've found her, you want her back." She's getting angry and mocks Gabrielle, "Oh, there's Xena! Bye Deerdra! Thanks for the ride! It's been real!" She grabs Gabrielle by her arms, "Is that it?"

Gabrielle knows that Deerdra is hurting, but her arms are starting to smart, "Ow! You wouldn't hurt me, huh?"

Deerdra quickly lets go. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to wrap my head around all this. Are you saying you want to leave me?"

"For my safety, yes."

Deerdra's heart doesn't just sink, it disappears. She pleads, "Gabrielle, please. Xena can come with us. You know she'll keep you safe from me." Tears stream down her face, "Don't do this." She holds Gabrielle's hands, "I love you more than anything. The demon thing. I can tell Michael I've changed my mind. Please sweetheart. We can work this out."

This is killing Gabrielle. Her eyes well up, "If you did that, you wouldn't be happy. You'd end up angry and resentful toward me. I love you too much to do that to you."

Deerdra blubbers, "Is there anything I can say to change your mind?"

Gabrielle's voice cracks, "No." She gives her one last kiss, "I love you, Deerdra," then runs to Xena's open arms.

Deerdra falls to her knees and yells, "Aaahhh!" Above her in the clear night sky, two lightening bolts flash, crashing into one another. One a pale blue and the other fire orange. Deerdra knows. She clinches her fist and screams, "Uriel!" She glances Gabrielle's way and sees her sobbing in Xena's arms. She knows there's no point in talking to her now. Maybe in a few days when she's had a chance to think. She hangs her head and walks away.

She doesn't get far before the ground in front of her opens. A Drydra rises, snatches Deerdra in its jaws, then disappears back into the sand.

High on Mount Olympus, mirror Hera puts her arms on her hips, "That will not do. Aphrodite! Have Hermes summon all of the other gods, we have a wrong to right."

"What can we do, Mother? Their minds are made up."

"My granddaughter is not going to be kept from her children. If those angels can interfere, we can as well."

"By doing what? Changing Gabrielle's mind?"

"By changing the future."

"Mother, what are you up to?"

"I'm going to assemble all of the gods and all of Deerdra's witch friends and send her into the future/"

"Who? Deerdra? What will that accomplish?"

"Not Deerdra. Gabrielle...to Deerdra a thousand years from now."

"I still don't understand."

"If the past affects the present and future then the future can influence the past. Gabrielle will fall for future Deerdra then bring those feelings with her when she returns."

" And she won't be so gung ho about leaving Dee. You're taking a huge risk, Mother. Plus, even with all the other gods' power, there won't be enough to bring her back."

"Deerdra will find a way. You'll see." She crosses her arms, "You'll see."

Four nights have past and Deerdra has dug herself out and tracked down Gabrielle and Xena. They are still in the desert defending the defenseless. Right now they are sacked out. Well, Gabrielle is asleep, Xena sees Deerdra standing, watching from atop a dune.

Xena sneaks away and the two meet mid-way. Xena looks at Deerdra's tattered, muddy clothes and mussed hair, "You look like Hell."

"Sand beast."

Xena scans the ground. Deerdra reassures her, "Don't worry. I took care of them." She stares at Gabrielle, "How is she?"

"As good as can be expected."

"That's not my fault."

"I know. She's coping. Her heart was broken too, you know."

"I didn't have to be."

"She had her reasons."

"And I suppose you know what those reasons were?"

"Yes."

"I guess I do, as well." She kicks at the sand, "I hate to admit it, but it's always been you she's wanted. I was just a place holder. I get it."

Xena lets her ramble. Her heart breaks for Deerdra, but she gave Gabrielle her word.

"I was only fooling myself. True love always finds its way back to each other. Just take care of her, okay? I won't come around...unless one of you summons me." She looks at Xena with a twinkle of hope in her eyes.

Xena shoots that down, "I don't see that happening, but okay. And don't worry, she's in good hands."

Deerdra looks down, defeated. "Okay. I'll go now. Take care of yourself, Xena." One last look at Gabrielle, "Gods be with you," and she slowly walks away.

Xena stops her, "Hey! A few days ago, you yelled out a name!"

Deerdra stops but doesn't turn around, "Uriel. An Archangel. He doesn't like me much."

So it wasn't a demon. "Oh, okay. Take care of yourself."

Deerdra gives her a half-hearted wave and walks on.

Back on Olympus, mirror Hera scowls. "I will fix this. I promise"

Aphrodite bounces in with news, "All the gods and witches are here and agree to help."

"Good. Let's get started."

CONTINUED