ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Gabrielle is lying in bed. She is awake. There is a knock on the door.

GABRIELLE

Come in.

Sappho enters, carrying a large book under her arm and a bottle if ink and a few quills in the other.

SAPPHO

I thought you might enjoy having

these, if you find yourself

in a mood to write.

GABRIELLE

Thanks, but I’m more interested

in getting out of this bed and

up on my own two feet.

SAPPHO

I’m sure of it, but just in case....

She places the items on the bed next to Gabrielle

SAPPHO

(Cont’d)

How are you feeling?

GABRIELLE

I’m fine. My back still hurts, but

Xena says that’s normal.

I know I’ll be up in a few days.

Sappho smiles gently. Having spoken with Xena, she knows the reality of the situation, but she can see that Gabrielle is not ready to admit the truth to herself or anyone else just yet.

SAPPHO

I’m sure everything will

work out for the best.

GABRIELLE

Of course it will.

Gabrielle looks to Sappho, tears shimmering in her eyes.

GABRIELLE

(Cont’d)

It has to.

(beat)

It just has to.

SAPPHO

I’ve noticed something about

our respective partners

over the last week or so.

GABRIELLE

What’s that?

SAPPHO

They are very much alike.  I’m sure

whatever the outcome, you and

Xena will find a way to make this work.

GABRIELLE

Have you and Adrienne?

SAPPHO

Yes, thanks to you and Xena.

GABRIELLE

Well, considering that we haven’t

found out who’s behind this yet,

I’m glad some good came out of it.

SAPPHO

Oh don’t give up yet. Xena and

Adrienne have got a plan cooking.

They’re going to flush the culprit out.

GABRIELLE

I hate being this helpless.

SAPPHO

You’re not helpless. You’ve been

slowed down, but not stopped.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - EVENING

Gabrielle is still lying in bed, but she is awake and alert. Xena is sitting next to the bed, running her fingers through Gabrielle’s hair.

GABRIELLE

I’m not going to walk again, am I?

XENA

It’s still too early to tell yet.

GABRIELLE

I still don’t have any feeling and

I can’t move my legs, Xena.

XENA

The wound is still pretty new

Gabrielle. Give it more time.

GABRIELLE

(angrily)

More time? How much more time

do you need to see that I’m never

going to get out of this bed?

XENA

Gabrielle....

GABRIELLE

No! No, Xena please spare me the

pep talks. Don’t sit here and tell

me everything will be all right

when we know it won’t be.

XENA

(firmly)

We don’t know that.

Xena is trying not to get angry.  She knows Gabrielle is striking out because the reality of the situation is starting to hit home.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Whatever the outcome may be,

you can’t give up. It’s not your

style. Whatever happens, you’ll

be all right. We’ll be all right.

GABRIELLE

Let’s suppose for just a minute

that I’m not going to walk again.

What are we going to do?

XENA

The same thing we always do.

Make the best out of a bad situation.

We’ve had tons of practice doing that.

GABRIELLE

And where will we go?

XENA

The way I see it we have several options.

GABRIELLE

Care to share?

XENA

Sure. We can go somewhere nice

and build a little house, live in peace

and quiet for the rest of our lives. Or we

could go back to either Amphipolis

or Poteidaia and set up there.

Xena grins and tweaks Gabrielle’s nose.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Become goat herders or something.

GABRIELLE

Yuck.

XENA

(chuckling)

Okay, we can go....

GABRIELLE

You know, no matter where we

go, or what we do, if I can’t

walk, I’m a burden.

XENA

Don’t say that.

GABRIELLE

It’s true. I can’t walk.

I can’t run. I can’t fight.

XENA

(firmly)

Now you listen to me. You have never

been or will you ever be a burden.

GABRIELLE

Xena....

XENA

No! I don’t want you to think like that.

So you can’t walk... that doesn’t mean

everything else in your life stops. You

don’t stop thinking, you don’t stop

writing, and you don’t stop loving

me. Just like I don’t stop loving you.

Gabrielle smiles and pulls Xena’s hand from under her chin, kissing it before she closes her eyes and a tear slips down her cheek.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Tell me Gabrielle... what would have happened

if I had never got my sight back? Or if this had

happened to me? You’d be doing the same

thing. Telling me about how we could make

it anyhow and find other things to do.

GABRIELLE

Like this would have happened to you.

XENA

Hey, I’m the one that Callisto

nailed with an arrow, remember?

GABRIELLE

How did that happen anyhow?

XENA

Same way it happened with you. Lucky shot.

I was too busy concentrating on something

else to fend off the attack. Just like you were.

Xena slips from her chair and kneels next to the bed.

XENA

(Cont’d)

I love you. We will get through this.

This is not the worst thing that has

ever happened to us Gabrielle.

(teasingly)

I’d say in comparison it’s a pretty

simple problem to overcome.

GABRIELLE

I say again... I’m keeping you.

XENA

Good, because I’m keeping you.

And if I have to, I can make you one

of those chairs like Autolycus had.

Then you can be mobile.

GABRIELLE

We could probably go get that one.

I’m sure he’s out of it now and

chasing the girls around.

XENA

Somehow, I think Azel is putting

a crimp in his chasing.

Xena sighs, kissing Gabrielle on the forehead.

XENA

(Cont’d)

But that doesn’t matter. What does

matter is that we’ll get through this.

GABRIELLE

Just like always.

XENA

Just like always. There is another

option I haven’t mentioned yet.

GABRIELLE

Do tell.

XENA

Sappho has offered to let us stay

here. Once you’re better, she’d like

you to help her teach at the school.

Gabrielle smiles at the thought, then bites her lip.

GABRIELLE

What about you? What would

you do on this island?

XENA

Get a great tan?

Gabrielle gives her the ‘come on, be serious’ look.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Okay, I’m sure I could get a spot

training the militia, or maybe serving

as security advisor to Sappho.

Xena pauses, giving Gabrielle an evil teasing grin.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Or I could be a model for the art

classes. I am experienced you know.

GABRIELLE

Keep dreaming.

XENA

Adrienne could teach

me to throw pots.

GABRIELLE

Or you could teach her

how to actually work clay.

Xena laughs now and gives Gabrielle a gentle hug.

XENA

(reassuringly)

That’s my girl.  We’re

going to be fine.

GABRIELLE

I never thought we’d really

be discussing this. Leaving

the road and what to do.

XENA

Well Gabrielle, if we’re going to

do it, Lesbos is a beautiful place to

settle down. It’s quiet and it’s safe.

Gabrielle nods her agreement giving Xena a long hug in return.

GABRIELLE

I love you.

XENA

I love you too.

CUT TO:

INT. TAVERN - EVE

Xena and Adrienne enter the local tavern. Several of the islanders are there and the crowd seems happy. They each take a seat at the bar and slowly look around.

XENA

Is he here?

ADRIENNE

No, not yet, but give him time. He’ll

be here. Demis is a good poker

player and never misses a game.

XENA

Funny, he wasn’t playing the

other day when we where

at the magistrate’s office.

ADRIENNE

Yeah, I know. That is

very unusual for him.

XENA

Is that when you began

to suspect him?

ADRIENNE

I’m not sure suspect is

the right word, but I knew

something wasn’t right. I just

want to get a look at his hand.

XENA

Do we have to leave it

attached to his wrist?

ADRIENNE

I think that would be best.

XENA

You people don’t have a lot

of fun on this island, do you?

CUT TO:

EXT. BALCONY - EVENING

Gabrielle is seated in a chair looking out into the sky, which is a myriad of colors. She looks down at her legs and then draws a deep breath indicating that she’s trying not to cry. Then she looks back to the sky.

GABRIELLE

Why? Why did you let this happen?

Especially now. What can I do?

What must I prove? Help me.

Xena is standing back in the shadows listening to her partner, slowly she steps forward and places her hands on Gabrielle’s shoulders.

XENA

You don’t need to make any deals.

She moves and kneels in front of Gabrielle.

XENA

(Cont’d)

I swear to you and whatever God

or Gods may be above, that we

will do whatever we have to.

GABRIELLE

I’ve been thinking....

XENA

Not about something silly like

you staying here and

my going off without you?

GABRIELLE

(smiling)

I REALLY hate it

when you do that.

Xena smiles and brushes her fingers through Gabrielle’s hair.

XENA

I’ve discovered since the bonding

that it’s much easier now.

GABRIELLE

I know. There are times when I

can almost hear your thoughts.

XENA

Inside my head has got

to be a scary place.

GABRIELLE

Not as much as you might think.

Xena smiles and takes a deep, slow breath and releases it as slowly.

XENA

Adrienne and I put our plan into

action tonight. We went to the

bar and talked a little too

much and a bit too loudly.

GABRIELLE

It’s a good thing these people don’t

know you. They’d know it’s a trap,

because that’s not your style at all.

XENA

Yeah but, they don’t know it and

now all we have to do it wait

for someone to fall into it.

GABRIELLE

Promise me something?

XENA

Yes, Gabrielle I’ll let them live.

GABRIELLE

(smiling)

Thank you.

XENA

Chalk it up to my getting

soft in my old age.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE