ACT ONE

FADE IN:

INT. XENA'S FAMILY CRYPT - SUNSET

The door to the crypt opens with a creak, and Xena enters. Behind her, a flood of sunset light spills down the steps and into the crypt. Xena lights a torch anyway and sets it into a wall sconce.

Xena steps into the center of the space and looks around. Alone in Amphipolis, this place has changed the least.

Xena walks around the crypt, laying her hands on some of the relics. She touches Lyceus's tomb, and her father's, and the marker she placed for Cyrene.

XENA

Glad you're not here to

see this place now.

Xena looks around.

XENA

(cont’d)

No matter how far I went, somewhere in

the back of my head, this place was here.

(shaking head)

Not anymore.

The light from outside is blocked momentarily, then the iron gate opens again and Gabrielle enters. She pauses in the entrance and looks around, then she joins Xena near the center sarcophagus where Lyceus lies.  In her hands, Gabrielle carries a small bundle.

GABRIELLE

I brought this.

XENA

Thanks.

Xena puts her hands on Lyceus' sarcophagus and examines it, tracing the carved pattern in its lid with her fingers. A light dust is raised under her touch.

XENA

(cont’d)

This place has been here a long time.

Gabrielle looks around. In addition to Xena's immediate family, there are signs of older, less recent burials.

GABRIELLE

Your family's been here a long time.

Xena nods. She straightens up and turns to the far wall. Here there are empty alcoves. Across from them are the same types of alcoves, filled with small boxes that could be bone boxes, or ash containers.

Gabrielle joins her, and hands her the small bundle. Xena takes it and approaches one of the empty alcoves. It is next to an alcove with a carved wooden box inside, covered in dust but visibly newer than most of the other objects around.

Xena unwraps the cloth bundle and reveals a few items. One is a carved wooden crowned sun, another is a pair of sandals, a third is a necklace, and a fourth is a bloodstained robe. Xena studies them, then she folds the robe first and sets it into the alcove.

XENA

For better or worse, she was a

part of this family. I wanted a

part of her to be here, too.

Gabrielle slowly wraps the necklace around her fingers and then she puts it on top of the robe. Xena puts the sandals down, and last, Gabrielle adds the crowned sun.

GABRIELLE

I think she'd like that.

XENA

(thoughtfully)

Do you?

GABRIELLE

(nodding)

We all want to be a part ofsomething.

She was a part of us.

Xena nods. She reaches over to brush some dust off the box in the next alcove. She turns and walks over to a low stone bench and sits down. Gabrielle comes over and sits next to her.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

You all right?

XENA

(sighing)

Yeah. It just never gets any easier.

Gabrielle puts her arm around Xena's shoulders.

XENA

(cont’d)

But having someone to share

it with makes a difference.

Xena returns the embrace.

GABRIELLE

(softly)

Yeah, it does.

Xena and Gabrielle both look at the opposite wall. The last light of sunset spills through the gates and splashes over their boots.  Xena finally sighs and lets her hands rest on her knees.

FADE TO:

EXT. AMPHIPOLIS INN - EVENING

Xena and Gabrielle emerge from the crypt and walk across the overgrown space towards the inn.  A shadowy figure moves towards them as they reach the front of the ruined building.  

MAN

Wait.

Xena and Gabrielle pause. The man approaches them.

MAN

(cont’d)

I just wanted to say thank you.

(to Gabrielle)

You saved my life.

Gabrielle is still limping. She looks tired, but she smiles at the man anyway.

GABRIELLE

I'm glad we were here.

She looks past man.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Even if everyone else isn't.

MAN

(embarrassed)

It's just been so hard. Nothing's

right around here anymore.

GABRIELLE

Who were those men?

MAN

(shrugging)

Who knows? They come and take

whatever they can get their hands

on. Hardly worth bothering here.

There's nothing left.

Xena turns in a slow circle then faces the man.

XENA

You could have cleaned the place

up. Made it worth living in.

MAN

For what? No one wants to come here.

We can't even get merchants to buy

what little crops we have. Stefan

was right - it's time to leave.

The man starts to back away.

GABRIELLE

Didn't anyone think of taking over

the inn? Maybe the merchants

had no place to stay and....

MAN

The inn?

(horrified look)

Only the dead go there.

The man turns and runs off.  Xena goes over to a stump of a dead tree and sits on it.

Gabrielle watches her for a minute.

GABRIELLE

If....

Xena looks up.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

If we're going to go find a place

to sleep, we should get going.

Xena sits quietly. Her eyes search the old ruin of the inn.

XENA

Gabrielle, this is the last connection

I have left to my family.

Gabrielle walks over and crouches next to Xena.

GABRIELLE

I know, but....

XENA

I can't let this place die.

Gabrielle seems a bit confused. She puts her hand on Xena's knee.

GABRIELLE

I don't think you can make

people stay here.

(hesitating)

What do you want to do?

Xena sits quietly for a minute. She looks up at the inn.

XENA

I want to rebuild it.

Gabrielle turns around and looks at the ruins. She turns back around and looks at Xena.

GABRIELLE

You want us to rebuild it? You and me?

Xena, I’m no carpenter. Neither are you.

Xena seems wryly amused at something.

XENA

We can do it.

(pausing)

You're right. I can't make people

stay here. But I can't leave

this place like it is either.

Gabrielle sits down on the ground and wraps her arms around her knees. She studies the inn thoughtfully before she looks up at Xena.

GABRIELLE

That could take a while.

XENA

Do we have someplace

else we have to be?

Gabrielle seems satisfied with the answer. She nods.

GABRIELLE

Let's go see if there's a corner we

can lay our bedrolls out in then,

because I think it's going to rain.

Obligingly, thunder rolls over head. Xena gets up and offers Gabrielle a hand. Gabrielle gets slowly to her feet, favoring her leg. Xena watches her in some concern. She puts her arm around Gabrielle and they head towards what is left of the inn.

CUT TO:

INT. CYRENE'S INN - NIGHT

The sound of rain is heard. It drips down through the ruined ceiling and over Gabrielle's head as she searches for a dry spot.

She ducks under a broken roof support as lightning flashes, outlining her in silver light.

GABRIELLE

Gee, thanks.

XENA

(V.O.)

(yelling)

You find anything?

GABRIELLE

(yelling back)

A lot of mud! You?

XENA

(V.O.)

Rotten floorboards.

Gabrielle winces. She keeps searching, pulling aside several broken pieces of wood to reveal a closed, miraculously whole door.  It is down a half flight of stairs, almost under ground level.

GABRIELLE

Well, well....

Gabrielle carefully pulls the door open and looks inside. It is pitch dark.  Gabrielle brings her torch inside.

XENA

(V.O.)

Gabrielle, let's get out of

here before we get....

GABRIELLE

Xena! Over here!

Xena struggles through the debris and reaches the door.

XENA

Gabrielle?

Xena disappears through the door.

CUT TO:

INT. CYRENE'S INN - BACK ROOM

Gabrielle is standing against the wall, holding the torch up. Xena stands next to her. The room is very small, and obviously has not been used in a long time. Boxes and various debris lays scattered all over.

The roof is apparently intact, however, and it is dry.

GABRIELLE

Well, we've slept in worse.

Xena takes the torch and circles the room. She touches the walls.

XENA

Inn burned down a couple times.

She lays hand flat on wall.

XENA

(cont’d)

This is from the oldest part of it.

Gabrielle watches Xena closely.

GABRIELLE

From when you lived here?

Xena nods silently. 

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

I'll go get our stuff.

Xena stops her.

XENA

I'll go. Rest that leg.

Gabrielle for once doesn't argue. She sits down on a box immediately, obviously in some pain.

GABRIELLE

Don't get lost on the way back.

This place is a maze.

Xena goes to the door, leaving the torch behind so Gabrielle has light. She vanishes into the dark, just as lightning flashes outside.

In the silver light, Gabrielle clearly sees a figure outside the room watching her.

FADE OUT.
 

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO