Darkness

Post-Episode 68

By Jinxie

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters; I just made up the stories. The beginning and ends of episodes are quoted from the actual TV series.

Content Warning: This is a series that takes place between episodes. The stories build upon the TV series and it is advised that you watch the episodes then read the post-episode (this story) in between. Many references by the characters are very specific to the episodes, so you may not get everything unless you watch at the same time or have the episodes memorized. The series does lead to a romantic relationship between two women, so if you don't like it don't read it.

Goal: To fill in the rest of the story of Xena and Gabrielle that I felt the series left out. This is more how I would have wished the show to go. I strive to make it a realistic love story of how the two get together and share their lives together. Please feel free to email me with constructive feedback Jinxie2013

End of Episode 68 (S3,E22): .

Gabrielle has fallen into the lava pit with Hope in her arms. Xena and Joxer are staring into the pit, shock clearly on their faces. Callisto approaches them, laughing to herself. "I never thought I'd feel so good again. Seeing poor, dear Gabrielle sacrifice herself makes it all worthwhile. It finally gives me a reason for living and I have you to thank for it, Xena!" She continues with her high pitched childish laugh.

Xena's face quickly turns to fierce anger as she lets out a yell. She turns around with the Helios dagger in her hand and stabs Callisto in the gut. Her eyes are brimming with tears at the loss of her friend. "No more living for you." She says to Callisto as she falls dying to the ground. Xena's face is etched with pain and devastation. She turns back toward the pit and begins to weep.

A month later…

A healer runs into the room of her patient. The patient is screaming in her sleep, sweating so bad the sheets are soaked. The woman tosses and turns, becoming violent in her nightmare and in reality. The healer doesn't dare to wake her, afraid that she herself will be hit by the young woman in front of her. Suddenly, the patient's eyes fly open. She is awake, as if for the first time in months; though she was awake only a few hours ago. The healer approaches the patient and offers her water and a towel to dry off. "Thank you." The young woman says. The healer leaves the room.

Gabrielle strips her clothes off and leaves them in a pile on the floor. They are completely wet with sweat from her nightmare. She towels herself off, then puts on a new sleeping shift from a nearby closet. Her mind is deeply disturbed from her dream. All she remembers from it is falling for what seems like eternity. She remembers pain and suffering, mostly emotional; some physical. That was it, that was the dream. She picks up a scroll and quill next to her bed. For some reason, writing helped her cope with the frequent nightmares.

It is said that darkness is the absence of light. For me, it is worse than that. Darkness surrounds me like its alive, consuming my mind and soul. I have no idea who I am, where I am, what I am. I do not know anything. I am void of all memory. I don't seem to know what to do. I haven't left this hospice yet, because I have nowhere to go, that I know of. How can my life be this? Surely I once knew who I was, where I belonged? Every night my nightmares are the same. I wake up the same. I write the same. Is this what my life is; every day repeating itself? Do I just stay here forever? She set her scroll aside and took a long drink of water. Snuggling down in the bed, she fell back asleep.

Her dreams were different this time. This time, she dreamed of a tall woman in warrior's armor. The woman has long, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Her smile was as bright as the sun, warming her heart at the sight. The woman is speaking to her, but no sound hit her ears. She cannot understand what the woman is saying. After a moment, the beautiful woman approaches her, touching her cheek with her hand, cupping it gently. She leans down and kisses her softly on the lips.

The dream ends, waking her once again. "Xena?" Gabrielle whispers to the empty room. I

remember that touch. I remember those eyes, which look deep into my soul. That smile which calms my heart and speeds it up at the same time. Xena! Where are you? I have to find her.

She gets out of bed at dawn, stepping out into the crisp early morning air. She walks to the local messenger establishment in the town in which she's been recuperating in for a month. Her mood is happy and light as she now has all her memories back. However, she misses Xena dearly and knows that she has to get word to her. "Hello. I need to get a message sent out to Xena of Amphipolis."

The manager looks at her and lets out a little squeak. "Xena? Um, alright I suppose. What do you need with the Warrior Princess?" He has only heard of her in stories.

"She's a friend of mine, I need to let her know that I'm…" She pauses, "Alive. She thinks I'm dead." The man gives her the parchment to write her note. "Can you show me where we are? Like on a map?" The man pulls one out and points. "Thanks."

Xena, I miss you. I somehow survived fall into the pit. I am coming to find you. I will be going through Potedia first, then Amphipolis. If you get this note, please stay at your mom's inn so I can find you. Love, Gabrielle. After handing the man her note, she leaves the town in search of her life.

Beginning of Episode 69 (Season 4):

Hades is walking through a village that has been burnt to the ground. Dead bodies are strewn about. "Tartarus. Elysian Fields. Tartarus. Elysian Fields." He is pointing to the bodies as he goes.

"Hades!" Xena yells as she approaches him. "My friend Gabrielle. Where is she?"

"Gabrielle? Well if she's dead, she didn't come to me." He says as he walks off to resume his job.

"I saw her die! She had to come to you." Xena is upset, desperately seeking an answer.

"Why would I lie to ya?" He replies. "Look, if you'd like to see Solan, I could arrange a few moments." He stops as she cuts him off.

"No, no, no. You leave Solan out of this. He doesn't need to know about my problems. It's Gabrielle I want to see. Come on! You owe me!"

"Xena, not all the world's dead come to me." He says as he begins walking again.

She chases after him, "She was Greek. The Olympian gods control her destiny."

"I admit it does seem like she'd be mine, like these people. Charon and I are gonna be busy."

Frustration consumes her, she yells at him "I'm not interested in your workload, Hades!" She pauses and softens her voice, "Look, I just wanna know where my friend went after she died."

"Did she, uh, belong to any spiritual orders?"

"No." she replies, then a thought hits her.

"What is it?"

"Do Greek Amazon's come to you?"

He replies, "No."

"Then that's it. Gabrielle's initiation into the Amazons meant she went to a different land of the dead." Hades walked away from her.

"Well I can't help you then." He gets onto his chariot. "I don't know where that is."

"I do."