There was a sharp pain and then a panicked yell that rang out in the distance.
GABRIELLE
XENA!!
And then it all fell dark and fairly quiet. Only the sounds of distant, muffled voices could faintly be heard. But before long that too faded into nothing. No sound, no light, no physical feeling. It was all just gone. Nothing but a small flame of a once raging fire remained. Though it too fought to stay lit. Slowly it began to flicker as it shrunk little by little until only a dull red glowing ember remained that too grew dull as it threatened to soon go out completely. As it faded a small voice broke through the silence. It was faint but something about it called to the flame. Though weak the embers began to fight to stay lit. But as the embers fought suddenly a drop of rain fell next to the dull light. And then another, and another. As the rain began to come down it hit the small, struggling cinders. Little by little, unable to withstand the onslaught, the dying embers grew weaker and weaker until they were nearly completely extinguished. But just as all seemed lost the dulling cinders suddenly found themselves being shielded from the drizzle that was gearing up to become a full downpour. A silhouette had appeared and crouched down. Using itself to protect the embers from the rain. The rain continued and the silhouette remained over the small cinders. Through the long downpour, the silhouette stayed as the small voice continued to speak softly in the distance. Though the voice would leave for a bit every so often before always returning a short time later, the silhouette never moved from its guarded vigil over the tiny flickering embers. As even through those long silent moments it remained. Time passed and gradually the rain stopped as the struggling cinders began to grow hotter as the silhouette watched and began to slowly fan the fighting embers until a tiny flame was finally lit once more. It was small but strong as the silhouette sat back and watched as the small fire slowly grew.
?
(slight groan)
Eyes opened and shut slowly a few times as the surrounding world gradually came into focus. A gentle movement stirred another pair of tired green eyes to flutter open as the rest of the body felt the movement. A blonde head raised as Gabrielle yawned and casually ran her fingers through her short hair as she sat up straight from leaning forward in her chair. She stretched out the stiffness in her back and shoulders from the unnatural position of sitting in a chair and falling asleep while leaning forward and laying her head over her folded arms as they rested on the edge of the bed where Xena layed. Not knowing that anything particular had woken her, Gabrielle sighed as she looked down at Xena to check on her before being about to get up to stretch out and walk around a bit. But her plans abruptly changed when she saw the set of blue eyes looking up at her along with the small, gentle smile that quickly appeared as a still tired voice spoke.
XENA
(tired tone) Hey.
Gabrielle smiled as an incredible feeling of joy and relief washed over her and she softly placed her hand against Xena's cheek and smiled as Xena's hand reached up and covered hers.
GABRIELLE
I was so scared I was gonna lose you.
Apart from when Aurora had been kidnapped, the days following the standoff and ultimate retreat of Alti had been some of the longest in Gabrielle's life as she sat by Xena's bedside waiting and hoping that she would survive. After the barely living Xena was brought to the village healers, it had taken hours of hard work and skill for the women to get both the external and internal bleeding to stop thanks to the damage Xena had sustained at Alti's hand when she was impaled with the multiple jagged pieces of a broken building. Xena's injuries had been so severe that even after the healers had done their best, it was still very uncertain whether or not Xena would live. So Gabrielle's next few days were spent taking care of Aurora and staying by Xena's side as she waited and hoped that Xena would once again do the seemingly impossible and pull through something that would have killed any other normal person. So seeing Xena awake made Gabrielle feel like the weight of everything that had been looming over her since shortly before Xena had left on that hunting trip just a relatively short time ago finally being lifted off of her.
SKYLA
Knock, knock.
It was later in the day when Gabrielle and Xena heard Skyla's voice paired with a knock on the wall next to the curtain that divided Xena's bed from the others in the infirmary. Gabrielle turned in her seat to see Skyla carefully poking her head through the curtain.
SKYLA
We heard the good news. I don't suppose you guys want any visitors right now, do you?
Gabrielle looked at Xena who just shrugged slightly. Gabrielle then looked back at Skyla and motioned for her to come in. She did and stood awkwardly at the foot of Xena's bed.
SKYLA
So how are you feeling Xena?
Xena shrugged.
XENA
I've felt worse.
Skyla looked around and noticed that Aurora wasn't there.
SKYLA
I'm surprised Aurora isn't with you.
GABRIELLE
Ephiny's been helping watch her for the last few days so I can get at least some sleep between looking after both her and Xena.
SKYLA
That's good.
There was an awkward silence as Skyla stood there not knowing what to say. Once Alti's hold over Skyla, Clover, and the rest of the villagers had been broken everyone had felt truly awful for what they had put Xena and Gabrielle through. Especially Clover who had led the charge against the two. After a moment Skyla idly picked at the end of the blanket that covered Xena as she looked at her and Gabrielle.
SKYLA
For what it's worth I know I speak for everyone else when I say that I can't tell you both how sorry I am, how sorry we all are for everything that's happened. I know that just apologizing doesn't even begin to make up for what we put you two and Aurora through, but then again I can't exactly think of anything that would.
Skyla looked away slightly as she felt ashamed for what she and the other women in the village had done. She held back her tears of guilt as she looked back at Gabrielle and Xena.
SKYLA
After everything you've both done for us, we just turned on you and put you all through a horrible situation. But while we were in danger and didn't even know it, you still fought to save us. I can't even begin to tell you both how grateful we all are for what you did.
Xena looked at Gabrielle.
XENA
I take it that since everyone seems to be thinking straight again you somehow defeated Alti.
GABRIELLE
That's the weird thing, after you fought Clover and then got taken down by Alti, everyone had me and Ephiny surrounded. Then Clover got back up and came towards us. I thought for sure that she and the others were gonna kill us but then Clover and the rest of the village suddenly turned on Alti. And I guess she realized she had lost and wasn't getting what she came looking for, because after no one listened to what she was telling them she just swore vengeance on us and disappeared.
XENA
So Alti lost control over everyone and then when she realized that she lost got pissed off and just left.
Xena thought for a moment before continuing.
XENA
You're right that is odd. It's not like Alti to seemingly give up so easily.
GABRIELLE
It's not just that she gave up, it's how she seemed to suddenly lose her influence over everyone that doesn't make sense to me either.
Again Xena paused slightly as she thought before coming up with something that could likely explain how that could have happened.
XENA
Actually, I think that one can be explained pretty easily.
CLOVER
How?
Xena and Gabrielle looked over and saw Clover, who sported a puffy, black eye from when Xena had punched and knocked her out. And while not looking pretty at the moment, it had looked far worse a couple of days prior when everyone saw her the day after she had gone toe to toe with Xena.
XENA
(joking) Nice eye. Looks like it hurts.
CLOVER
It did a day or two ago.
(sarcasm) And thanks for this too by the way.
Xena smirked.
XENA
(joking) Anytime.
SKYLA
Clover, you can probably explain what happened to everyone better than I can. You know since you were actually there when Xena and the rest of the hunting party first ran into Alti.
Clover sighed as she walked over to the nearby wall and leaned back against it as she looked at the other three women in the makeshift room.
CLOVER
I don't know about that. Because honestly, everything from after our first encounter with that woman up until after I woke up from being knocked unconscious all feels so hazy.
GABRIELLE
Like you don't really remember what you said or did?
CLOVER
No, I remember everything that happened... Unfortunately. But like I said, I can't think of another way to describe it other than everything about it When I think about it now just feels really... off. Almost like my mind was in some kind of fog or anything.
SKYLA
I know what you mean, I started feeling like that too a little after you guys came back from that hunting trip. I didn't say anything at first because I just thought I was coming down with something and that it would pass. But then the next thing I know while I know everything I did beforehand, I felt like being woken up from some kind of weird dream-like state.
XENA
Exactly. I think when Alti first showed Clover those visions of my past, she also did something to alter her mental state, making it so she could manipulate Clover into doing her bidding.
GABRIELLE
Oh yeah, you mentioned that might've been what was happening when I visited you while you were imprisoned before being forced to of the village with Aurora.
Clover made a very irritated grumble as she thought of being used like that by anyone. Let alone someone as clearly evil and malicious as Alti.
CLOVER
(angry mumble) Damn bitch. If I ever see her again...
Skylar walked over and put her hand on Clover's arm in an effort to comfort her, knowing just how upset with the whole situation Clover was despite her attempts to hide just how much her leading the rest of the village against Xena and Gabrielle really bothered her. After a moment Clover relaxed a little and sighed as Gabrielle was again reminded of how much the two were like herself and Xena in their early days together. Gabriella then continued.
GABRIELLE
Okay, that explains Clover and the others from the trip. But what about the rest of the village? They were clearly under some kind of spell. Maybe not as strong as Clover, but the whole village seemed too quick to just follow what Clover was saying.
Xena shrugged.
XENA
My best guess is that whatever Alti did to Clover, she made it so it would spread like some kind of disease to whoever came within its reach. So before anyone knew what was happening the whole village had been swept up in Alti's madness. That was why when I knocked out Clover and somehow broke Alti's hold on her, everyone else went back to normal too.
Gabrielle shook her head in disbelief at the lengths Alti had gone to this time.
GABRIELLE
Unbelievable. How did Alti even get that kind of power?
XENA
No clue. But I highly doubt we really wanna know the answer to that one.
GABRIELLE
You're probably right. However, there is one more thing about the whole mind-altering aspect of all of this.
SKYLA
What's that?
GABRIELLE
If Xena's right about Alti's influence spreading to anyone close to someone else who's already been infected, then why wasn't Ephiny or myself affected?
CLOVER
Good question. But I'm gonna take a guess and say Xena has a theory for that one too.
Clover looked from Gabrielle to Xena.
SKYLA
That wouldn't surprise me. Thought when it comes to anything involving Xena and Gabrielle, nothing really should anymore.
GABRIELLE
So what do you think Xena?
Xena smirked.
XENA
You people make it sound like I'm some kind of all-knowing being or something.
GABRIELLE
(joking) Don't get too full of yourself Xena.
You just happen to know more about this kind of stuff than anyone else in this village.
Xena chuckled for a moment as she thought.
XENA
Honestly, the best reason I can think of for Gabrielle and Ephiny not being affected by Alti could be because they already knew about my past before all of this. So she couldn't use that initial shock and anger of that newly found knowledge to plant her metaphorical seeds of manipulation.
GABRIELLE
Huh, I guess that makes sense.
Clover and Skyla looked at each other for a moment before returning their attention back to Xena and Gabrielle as they both thought of something they hadn't before.
CLOVER
So you're telling me that aside from Gabrielle, Ephiny also already knew about your... history, Xena.
Xena rubbed her forehead in minor frustration with herself for completely forgetting that she had told Ephiny to keep quiet about her previous knowledge about some of Xena's dark past for her own safety.
XENA
Right, I forgot that only Gabrielle and I knew that Ephiny was already aware of some of who I used to be.
GABRIELLE
Please don't be upset with her. If it wasn't for Ephiny neither Aurora nor myself would have made it through that snowstorm. So that goes without saying that I wouldn't have gotten back in time to save Xena, which in turn would have doomed everyone here when Alti finally got her hands on whatever she wanted here.
XENA
She really stuck her neck out for us on this one.
(Joking) Remind me to kiss that woman the next time I see her.
Gabriella playfully slapped Xena's arm.
GABRIELLE
(Joking) Hey, the only one you're allowed to kiss around here is me.
Xena smirked.
XENA
If you insist.
The two shared a couple of gentle kisses as Skyla leaned closer to Clover but still spoke loud enough for Xena and Gabrielle to hear her.
SKYLA
(joking) Xena's not even awake a full day after nearly dying and they're already back at it.
CLOVER
(joking) We should probably leave before their clothes start flying off. It's already bad enough we can hear them if we get too close to their house at the wrong time.
Gabrielle pulled back from the kiss as she sat back down in her previous spot.
GABRIELLE
(joking) I told you we had to shut the windows beforehand when it's warm out.
XENA
(Joking) Just ignore them, Gabrielle, They're just jealous that their sex life isn't nearly as good as ours.
CLOVER
(sarcasm) Oh ha, ha. Excuse us for not being a couple of sex-crazed maniacs like the two other people in this room.
Xena raised her eyebrow.
XENA
(joking) You say that as though it's an insult.
Gabrielle giggled as the small group changed the conversation topic to something other than Xena and Gabrielle's well-known appetite for one another as they chatted a bit longer before Clover and Skyla left Gabrielle and the healing Xena to rest. It was a bit later when Ephiny brought Aurora to her mother's and visited for a few minutes to see how Xena was doing and was happy to see that she seemed to be doing well. She then left the little girl with them as she left saying that she would be sure to tell everyone else of Xena's recovery status. Later that night Gabrielle sat watching Xena sleeping soundly in the infirmary's bed and Aurora securely asleep in her arms. She smiled to herself as she let the last bit of her fears of coming so close to losing everything she loved most fade away. As Gabrielle took one more look at Xena to make sure she was okay, Gabrielle leaned her head against the wall behind her chair as she closed her eyes, and drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep. Happy and relieved that both her family and her home were finally back as they should be. Back to themselves, with everyone forgiven, ready to move forward and safe.