There was a knock on the door and after a moment it was opened by Cora who saw Xena standing outside with Aurora in her arms.
CORA
Oh hi Xena. Is there something I can do for you?
XENA
Actually I was hoping that I could talk to you about something.
CORA
Of course. Come in.
Cora gave a little smile to the baby as she let Xena in and shut the door as Xena sat on some pillows with Aurora in her lap. Cora walked over to a table and began pouring a couple cups of tea.
XENA
(Joking) Have you ever considered getting some actual chairs in here?
CORA
No not really. Sitting places with no backs is good for posture. Plus pillows are more comfortable anyway. Especially in my line of work.
After finishing pouring the tea Cora walked over sat across from Xena in another pile of pillows as she handed Xena one of the cups. Xena looked at the liquid and gave it a subtle sniff.
CORA
Relax Xena it's just a cup of tea. I was just about to have some before you came over and it would've been rude to drink and not offer you any.
Xena gave an appreciative smile as she took a couple sips from the cup and sat it down. Cora drank some of her own then placed her tea down as well.
CORA
But I highly doubt that you came here today for tea time. So what can I do for you?
XENA
Actually I was hoping you might have some kind of insight or help me figure out what's been going on with Gabrielle lately.
CORA
What do you mean?
Xena explained that Gabrielle had been acting very different and that she'd been unable to get any answers from Gabrielle as to what was bothering her.
CORA
I see. And when did you first begin to notice this sudden change in Gabrielle?
XENA
It was right after we came back from our first trip into the spirit realm. At first I thought it was because she was afraid of what she saw. That dark part of my past that she hadn't actually witnessed first hand until then. But...
Xena paused as she even in that moment she still tried to figure out what it was that Gabrielle was refusing to talk to her about as Cora caught on to where Xena was going.
CORA
But now you think that it might be something else completely.
XENA
Exactly. I've tried to get her to talk to me but all that's done is lead to us arguing and ending up right back where we started.
CORA
So why come to me? Not that I don't wanna help you if I can. I'm just curious. After all I've dedicated my life to my work as a spiritual guide. So I'm not really an expert on relationships
XENA
Because I thought that you could use your abilities to possibly help provide some kind of insight to what Gabrielle might be going through.
CORA
I see.
Cora went silent for a moment as she thought.
CORA
I can help in some regard. But unfortunately I can't just send you into the spirit realm and show you what Gabrielle's thinking. It doesn't work like that.
XENA
I know that Cora. I do have some experience with the spirit realm. So I know a good amount of how things work in there.
CORA
Oh right. I forgot about your list of "many skills". I guess just wasn't aware that dealings within the spirit realm was one of them.
Xena gave a false menacing smile.
XENA
(Joking) Must be something in the water that's making everyone think they can get away with being a smart ass to me today.
Cora smiled, seeing right through Xena's mock anger.
CORA
(Joking) Could be.
But seriously if you really want to get to the bottom of Gabrielle's odd behavior as you put it, I would need you both here to do that.
Xena sighed.
XENA
I really don't think she's gonna go for that right now. For some reason she doesn't seem to want me to know what's wrong.
CORA
So you thought coming here to go behind Gabrielle's back and violate her private thoughts and feelings would be a good idea for fixing whatever might be wrong? And what do you think would happen once she found out? Or did you just think and hope that she wouldn't?
Xena looked away in shame as in her desperate attempt to find out what was happening with Gabrielle she hadn't even considered the ethical and moral issues with what might've happened if Gabrielle discovered that she did such a thing. Or that fact that she had asked Cora to help her.
XENA
I'm sorry I guess I hadn't thought about it that way.
Xena looked back at Cora.
XENA
I just don't know what else to do. I'm worried about her.
CORA
I know. That much is obvious.
Cora finished her tea and put her cup aside.
CORA
You know I think that the test coming up in a few days might be just the thing you both need for sorting out your problems.
XENA
I really don't think that's gonna work.
CORA
Why's that? The test isn't possible to complete without good, clear teamwork and communication. Which as you've explained it to me, seems to be one of the major problems for you and Gabrielle right now.
Xena sighed as she got a sad look in her eyes.
XENA
Actually I meant it wouldn't work because after becoming mad and frustrated with Gabrielle not talking to me, I kind of told her that the wedding and tests were off until she did.
Cora shook her head disapprovingky.
CORA
(Sarcasm) And I'm sure that went over very well didn't it?
XENA
Yeah, I could tell that she wasn't happy about that at all. Even though she tried to pretend it didn't bother her. It's not like I don't still wanna marry her. I just...
Cora could see how much the whole situation was obviously bothering Xena.
CORA
It's okay. We've all said things we didn't actually mean in the heat of the moment. While there's nothing you can do to erase what you said, you can go back and patch things up from what happened today. It won't solve everything, but at least you won't have that hanging over your head as well as everything else.
XENA
Maybe. But that still doesn't help me figure out what's wrong with Gabrielle.
CORA
No, but it's a start. Plus like I said this next test might help shed some light on that. You just need to hope that Gabrielle agrees to continue now.
XENA
I really hope so.
Meanwhile as Xena had been speaking with Ephiny and then Cora, Gabrielle was standing in front of her full length mirror in their bedroom. She held the last item she had bought that she pulled out of her bag as she looked at her reflection.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) This is just one more step to getting rid of "that" Gabrielle forever.
And with that thought Gabrielle gathered some of her hair in her grip and used the scissors that she held to begin to cut away long, golden locs. All the while feeling as though she was cutting away from the images that she had seen of herself within the spirit realm.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) No more easy target.
"Clip".
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) No more needing someone to save me.
"Snip".
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) No more not being able to protect the people who matter to me.
"Cut".
It took a bit but once Gabrielle was done she stood with a pile of hair at her feet as she stared at the new reflection looking back at her in the mirror. She gave a satisfied smile as her once long hair was now in the style of a fairly short bob.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) Huh not too bad. It's different, but not bad.
(Thinking to herself Sarcastically) Let's see how easy it is to grab my hair now.
A little later after Gabrielle cleaned up, Xena came back home with Aurora.
XENA
Gabrielle I'm back. Look I'm sorry about earlier I just...
Xena stopped mid sentence as she saw Gabrielle sitting on the couch and noticed the big difference in her appearance.
XENA
Gabrielle did you cut your hair?
Gabrielle casually shrugged as she absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her now much shorter hair.
GABRIELLE
Yeah I guess I just wanted to change things up.
(Thinking to herself) Technically true.
XENA
Okay?
Next Xena noticed that Gabrielle had apparently changed her outfit as well.
XENA
And I see you got yourself some new clothes too.
GABRIELLE
Yeah while I was out I saw a couple things that caught my eye.
(Thinking to herself) Also not a lie.
Xena wasn't sure what to make of this sudden and drastic change. Not that Gabrielle couldn't change her look if she wanted to. Or that Xena didn't like it. Infact Xena thought that the short hair actually fit Gabrielle fairly well. It made her look older, more mature and even more attractive to Xena than she already thought Gabrielle was. And the new clothes certainly didn't hurt in that regard either. But the timing of Gabrielle's recent behavior paired with the sudden change in appearance did cause even more concern on Xena's part. But she decided to take Cora's advice and not push Gabrielle into telling her what was very clearly going on. Though seeing the "new" Gabrielle only made Xena even more determined to get to the bottom of whatever this was happening inside Gabrielle's head.
TO BE CONTINUED...