Reactions And Resolutions
Chapter 12
by DQiscool
"Of course I’m Xena," She replied, stepping towards him.
"No!" He screamed at her.
"Hercules!" I’m alive," She said. She finally reached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Here, when we were in that cave, on our way to free Prometheus, you said that you never thought you would meet someone that could make you feel like she did. But then you met me. I didn’t believe you, you then said that you knew that you could trust me with the secret of where to go if Prometheus was ever captured. I thanked you for showing me the light and we said that we were lucky to have found each other. No one knows that but us," Xena said. He spun around, almost knocking her off her feet.
"You!" He yelled. He swung his fist at her and it connected with all his strength behind it. She flew a few feet back and hit her head on a tree. Xena screamed, she landed in a heap and then stood up. She was crying.
She looked at that tree and remembered dying because of one. She ran at him, tackling him and beat on his chest. Tears flew from her eyes as well as his. They seemed to be drowning. Each of them had held back so many tears for so long, they finally let them out. They managed to sit, and he pulled her into his arms as they wept. "I’m sorry," She said.
"No, I’m sorry," He said, stroking her hair. "I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you," He added.
"I’m sorry I gave up. Hercules, I’m so afraid," She admitted. He was startled at that. The Warrior Princess didn’t fear anything.
"What of?" He asked.
"I don’t know!" She screamed through her tears. "For the first time, I’ve doubted myself. My abilities to survive. Hercules, I died. I could die again," She said.
"I won’t let you," He said rocking her. "And you have every right to be afraid, you died, Xena. You went through something terrible. For the first time, I was doubting myself too," He said. They just sat there as Apollo lazily flew across the sky. Just holding each other, letting all their long buried emotion out. Their tears seemed to fall like waterfalls. So much hurt, anger, so much love came out of their mouths, some that they didn’t even know about until that moment.
"You couldn’t have protected me," Xena said, once she had calmed down. For the first time since he had learned of her death, he thought completely rationally.
"I know," He said quietly. "but I can try. I can’t always, but I’m not going to leave you this time, Xena. I don’t care if you don’t want me to, I will follow you," He threatened. She smiled at him, knowing that he was serious.
"Just promise me one thing," She said.
"Anything," He replied.
"If I die, you won’t go risking your life. I want you to live for me," She said.
"That’s what I said to Toris, that he should live for you," Hercules admitted.
"I know," Xena said. She knew that they were far from being done talking, but she didn’t care. That was all the emotion she could handle for one day. So they merely slipped into the silence they were used to. Neither saying a word, just holding each other. It was as if they thought that if they let go, one of them would slip away.
Meanwhile, Gabrielle awoke from her unconscious state. She looked around and adjusted to the sudden light and saw Cyrene, Iolaus, and Toris gathered around her. "Hercules!" Gabrielle yelled. "Xena.." She began.
But Cyrene cut her off. "went to find him," She finished for her. Gabrielle sighed, relieved and laid back on the bed.
"What happened!?" Iolaus asked confused. "I saw the sarcophagus," He added.
"Long story, we went to the amazons and Xena somehow got into Autolycus’s body. I eventually fed her ambrosia and she came back to life," Gabrielle explained.
"I’m guessing that there’s more to it than that, but I’ll let it wait," Toris said smiling at the young girl. Gabrielle sighed, relieved, not ready to do the bard thing right now.
"So, she went to find him," Gabrielle said.
"Yea," Iolaus said. He took her hand and kissed it. "You two girls gave us quite a scare," He said. " You shouldn’t push yourself so hard Gabrielle," He scolded.
"I know, it’s just we had to find you," She said. "We stopped by Alcemene’s, but were too late. We would have been here sooner if it wasn’t for me," She added, ashamed.
"Gabrielle, you were sick from exhaustion. Much longer and you could’ve gotten seriously ill. Even worse than this," Cyrene said, knowing that the girl was comparing herself to Xena. Her daughter could go days without rest and be fine. "Not everyone is a Warrior Princess," She teased. Gabrielle smiled, amazed that Cyrene had read her so easily.
"Yea, we can dream though," Gabrielle sighed.
"Can I talk with her?" Iolaus asked. Toris and Cyrene took the hint and excused themselves from the room. Iolaus took Gabrielle’s hand in his again. "Are you all right?" He asked.
"Well, besides being tired.." She began.
"No, that’s not what I mean," He interrupted. "You were so upset at Xena leaving you. Are you all right with everything now? I mean, her being back must be wonderful, but everything you had to go through. Are you really all right?" he asked.
" Oh, I forgave her," Gabrielle admitted, embarrassed at having been so mad at her friend. "It’s Xena who’s hurting," Gabrielle said. Iolaus looked at her, confused. "There’s something wrong, Iolaus. Something she won’t talk to me about. She was cut with a knife and the wound’s not completely healed. But, that’s not all, some of her confidence is gone. Sometimes she’s fine, but other times, it’s like she’s afraid of her own shadow," Gabrielle said, concern showing in her eyes.
"That doesn’t sound like Xena at all," Iolaus said. By the obvious look of annoyance on Gabrielle face he continued. "Well, after near death experiences, the best of warrior’s have been known to be afraid, have dreams. Imagine it, she actually died. And it must be worse for her. I mean, she is the Warrior Princess. Everyone thinks she’s invincible, and she probably began to think of herself that way," Iolaus tried to explain.
"Why didn’t I see it?" Gabrielle asked ashamed.
"You were too close," He said, He brushed a stray lock of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep, our friends will probably be back in the morning," He said quietly. As he started to leave, he stopped when Gabrielle called his name. "Hmm?" He asked.
"Thanks," She said. She then rolled to her side, facing away from him and he smiled, and then left, shutting the door behind him. Gabrielle slowly drifted into a deep sleep.
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