ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. VILLAGE - EVE

Xena is walking across the village square. She watches as several people clear out the debris left from the fight. She has a small pail and a loaf of bread in her hands. She looks at the food and continues to the hospice.

INT. HOSPICE - EVE

Stepping inside, she sees Gabrielle sitting in the center of the room, a baby cradled in her arms.  She is surrounded by children who are watching her intently while she tells a story.

Xena leans on the wall and watches from a distance as even the adults in the room are enthralled by the tale Gabrielle is telling.

Cassandra joins Xena, and takes a seat on a crate.

CASSANDRA

Your friend there is very special.

XENA

I know.

CASSANDRA

She has many talents. She fights like a
seasoned warrior. Treats the sick and
wounded as if she's been doing it all her life.
And she is a master storyteller. She has
kept the little ones captivated for hours.

XENA

She has many skills.

Xena looks to the old woman for a moment, then back to Gabrielle.

XENA

(Cont’d)

She should have been the finest
bard in all of Greece. Being with
me made her those other things.

CASSANDRA

Well, she certainly doesn't seem
to be suffering because of it.

XENA

Oh, she has suffered. More than
any one person should have to.

CASSANDRA

And what could you do differently
to make things better for her?

XENA

I'm not sure there is anything.

CASSANDRA

Then you shouldn't let it worry you.

XENA

It doesn't worry me. Sometimes I just
wish things had been different.

CASSANDRA

Seems you and your friend
do have a lot in common.

Cassandra gets up and leaves Xena to watch Gabrielle. Gabrielle looks up from her audience and sees Xena. She finishes the story and then gets up to join her partner after handing the baby back to its mother.

XENA

(grinning)

Beauty and the Beast huh?

GABRIELLE

I didn't think they needed a story of war here.

XENA

Am I your beast, Gabrielle?

Gabrielle reaches up a hand, tenderly touching Xena's cheek.

GABRIELLE

No. You are my beauty.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

Xena is finishing banking the fire as Gabrielle is sitting on the bedroll with a pile of scrolls around her. As Xena tosses the last log on the fire, she notices Gabrielle staring into the flames. She moves next to her and takes a seat.

XENA

Did you find it?

GABRIELLE

Find what?

XENA

Whatever you were looking for.

GABRIELLE

Oh, not really looking. Reminiscing really... thinking
back. Do you ever wonder what would have happened
if we had been separated permanently years ago?

XENA

Say, if the ambrosia hadn't worked?

GABRIELLE

Exactly. Or if maybe Perdicus had lived.

Xena gives Gabrielle a thoughtful look that may even be a bit hurt.

XENA

Perdicus?

Gabrielle realizes immediately what she has done and turns to reassure Xena.

GABRIELLE

Oh Xena, I didn't mean it that way. I love you.
You know I love you. I was just wondering what
would have happened if things had been different.

XENA

I guess we'll never know so there's not
much sense in really worrying about it. Right?

GABRIELLE

Right.

Xena takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly as she contemplates the need to change the subject.

XENA

Too nice a night to stay inside.

GABRIELLE

Absolutely.

She looks up at the sky.

GABRIELLE

(Cont’d)

The sky is so clear.
Look at all the stars.

Xena lays down on the bedroll and tucks her hand behind her head, staring up at the stars.

XENA

It's a ladle.

Gabrielle laughs and pulls her boots off before lying down next to Xena. Her head comes to rest on Xena's shoulder, as Xena wraps her arm around Gabrielle's back.

GABRIELLE

It's a bear.

XENA

Ladle.

Gabrielle laughs, and pokes Xena in the ribs.

GABRIELLE

Bear.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT

From the edge of the woods, a light seems to take form from the very expansion of the stars that Xena and Gabrielle had been looking at before falling asleep. The light comes together in a fine point on the ground, and slowly takes a familiar shape.

EPHINY steps out of the light and looks down at her friends. She smiles, seeing them entwined around each other.  There is a thick blanket covering them, to ward of the chill of the night air.

EPHINY

Some things never change.

She kneels down next to Gabrielle and gently shakes her friend.

EPHINY

(Cont’d)

Hey sleepyhead, wake up.

Gabrielle wakes slowly, clearly not enjoying being brought out of her warm slumber.

GABRIELLE

Wha....

She looks up and then shakes her head before lying back down and closing her eyes.

GABRIELLE

(Cont’d)

Sorry, Ephiny. I'm too tired to
dream tonight. Come back tomorrow.

Ephiny tries to hold back a laugh, but she isn't very successful.

EPHINY

You're not dreaming Gabrielle.
Come on now.  Wake up.

Gabrielle shakes her head again and opens her eyes.

GABRIELLE

I have to be dreaming, you're dead.

(beat)

Unless of course....

(beat)

Oh no, not again.

Now Ephiny truly laughs as she shakes her head and helps Gabrielle out of Xena's grasp.

EPHINY

No, Gabrielle, you're not dead.

Gabrielle rubs her eyes and tries grasp what's going on, but she isn't doing very well.

GABRIELLE

Then why are you here?
Is Xenon in trouble again?

EPHINY

No, no, Gabrielle.  They are fine
and the baby is growing like....

GABRIELLE

A centaur?

EPHINY

Yes. A centaur.
No, I'm here for you and Xena.

Gabrielle gives her friend a confused look, then glances down at Xena.

GABRIELLE

But we're fine. Better than we have
been in a long time, actually.

EPHINY

I know, but since you got here, you've both
had little questions running around in the
back of your mind. And I think you need the
answers to those questions. But you have
to know that you might not like what you see.

GABRIELLE

I've already seen that. Nothing you could
show me would be as bad as that.

Ephiny nods as she too looks down at Xena.

EPHINY

I understand. Shall we wake
her up and begin?

GABRIELLE

Both of us?

EPHINY

(nodding)

Both of you.

Gabrielle kneels down and shakes Xena gently.

GABRIELLE

Xena? Wake up.

XENA

Huh? What's wrong Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE

You need to wake up.
Ephiny is here for us.

Xena sits up right away, looking directly at Ephiny.

XENA

Hello, Eph.
What are you doing here?

EPHINY

I'm here to answer some of your
questions, Xena.  Come on.
It'll be all right. I promise.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO