FADE IN

Same scene as before. Gabrielle looks at Duman, clearly troubled.

GABRIELLE:
     I'll find out the truth myself. (Angrily, she points a finger at Duman) Do not follow me.

She starts to walk away.

DUMAN (shouts after her):
     The truth? You think she'll tell you that?

Pan around to see Gabrielle's conflicted expression as she walks away.

CUT TO

A man in his 40's, Saalim, Najara's assistant, is fixing a broken chair inside the shelter. Gabrielle walks in behind him.

GABRIELLE:
     Saalim. What do you know about Neimah?

The urgency in her voice startles him, and he turns around. The chair leg he was fixing drops to the ground, the chair tilting to one side.

SAALIM:
     What do you need to know?

GABRIELLE:
     Everything. I need to know if she's everything she says she is.

SAALIM:
     She's in the kitchen if you want to talk--

GABRIELLE (cuts him off):
     Do you know anything about Malia?

SAALIM (looks down):
     Malia... (He shakes head sadly) She disappeared. No one knows what happened to her. (looks up at Gabrielle) We're all very worried about her. She was a good friend to all of us.

GABRIELLE:
     Do you think that Najara--I mean Neimah--might have harmed her in some way?

SAALIM:
     You can call her by her real name. Many of us know what it is.

Gabrielle gives him a surprised look.

SAALIM:
     I was one of Najara's men in Phoenicia, many years ago.

Gabrielle watches him uneasily.

GABRIELLE:
     Then you do know her history.

SAALIM:
     Which part of her history? Saving hundreds of innocents from warlords and slavers?

GABRIELLE:
     Or should I say--her philosophy. Convert or die.

SAALIM:
     I know. (the camera pulls in for a close-up) I was given that choice.

Gabrielle stares at him, fascinated.

SAALIM:
     I was very young when I ran away from home and joined a gang of pirates. I had been with them for a year when Najara captured us. (He lowers his eyes) One of my friends...he could have become a good man too. But he had once made vows to the goddess Anat in appreciation for healing his sister, and he was afraid his sister would die if he converted to another faith. (He looks up, his eyes meeting Gabrielle's) I won't defend what she did. And yet--

GABRIELLE (in wonderment):
     And yet she has earned your loyalty.

SAALIM:
     At first when I followed her, it was mainly out of fear. Even when I started to see the good she was doing, a part of me hated her for killing Raheem. Then I met her again after she had escaped from prison. She told me she knew she had been wrong--she had changed her ways. And then I knew that no matter what else she did, she still saved my life. Maybe even my soul. I don't like to think of what I would have become if I hadn't met her. (He pauses) And if there's one thing I'm sure about--it's that she wouldn't have done anything to harm Malia or any other innocent person.

Gabrielle stares at him, not sure what to think.

CUT TO

A hand holding a cleaver comes down in a violent chopping motion, with a thud.

The camera pulls back slightly to see an eggplant chopped in half, then further back to show Najara in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. There are several other women and men around her, doing various tasks as they prepare dinner.

CUT TO

Gabrielle walking down the hall in a determined stride.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares galloping into the city of Petra and riding through the streets.

CUT TO

Najara throwing the chopped eggplant into a large pot of boiling water. She throws a pinch of salt in the pot.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares dismount in front of the shelter.

CUT TO

Gabrielle walks down the hallway, then pushes the kitchen door open and strides in.

GABRIELLE (loudly):
     Najara.

Startled, Najara turns to see a very perturbed Gabrielle standing in the doorway. Najara looks at her servants and nods to them to continue cooking while she wipes her hands with a towel and walks toward Gabrielle.

NAJARA:
     What's wrong?

GABRIELLE:
     I want to talk about Malia.

They stare at each other for a moment.

NAJARA (worried):
     I think it would be best if we talked someplace more private.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares at the shelter door. Xena knocks. Jannah, the young woman who greeted Gabrielle and the refugees, opens the door.

CUT TO

Najara and Gabrielle walking through the hallway.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares at the shelter door.

JANNAH:
     Oh yes, they're here. I believe your friend is talking to the Holy Mother.

Xena looks puzzled.

ARES:
     Leave her alone for a week and she joins a cult. Figures.

CUT TO

Gabrielle and Najara come into an inner garden and stop, Najara turns to Gabrielle.

NAJARA:
     How do you know about Malia?

Gabrielle hesitates. Najara nods.

NAJARA:
     One of the king's spies, wasn't it?

CUT TO

Xena walking down the hallway.

CUT TO

NAJARA:
     Believe me, Gabrielle--I'm just as worried about Malia's disappearance as--anyone else.

Gabrielle watches her silently.

NAJARA (sighs):
     You still don't believe me, do you?

Gabrielle hesitates. Before she has a chance to say anything, Xena walks out into the courtyard and stops short when she sees Gabrielle standing with Najara (who is facing Xena). Najara flinches slightly at seeing Xena, and Gabrielle turns around.

GABRIELLE (happily):
     Xena!

She starts to walk toward Xena. Xena opens her mouth to speak, then clenches her jaw, as if not sure what to say. Finally, she speaks, her voice bristling with anger and disbelief.

XENA:
      This is the Holy Mother?

Gabrielle opens her mouth to speak but before she can, Xena turns around abruptly and leaves. Gabrielle darts a quick look at Najara, then dashes after Xena.

CUT TO

The front of the shelter. Xena walks out through the garden gate in a quick stride and comes out in the street.

Gabrielle comes running after her.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena. Wait!

Gabrielle catches up to her at a street corner.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, I can explain.

Xena continues walking, with Gabrielle following her, and turns onto a busier street. Gabrielle is out of breath trying to catch up. Finally, Xena stops and turns around brusquely, taking a deep breath.

XENA:
     I just never thought--she would be back.

GABRIELLE:
     I know.

XENA:
     Don't tell me she's changed. Again.

GABRIELLE (a little sheepishly):
     Well...

XENA (rolls her eyes in disgust):
     Oh--no, no--

She starts walking again, Gabrielle following.

GABRIELLE:
     All I know is, she's been doing good, Xena. She's opened a shelter, she's helping the people here--

XENA (sarcastic):
     And she's given up fighting.

GABRIELLE:
     Yes, she has.

Angry and distracted, Xena jostles past a donkey-driver with a cart.

DONKEY DRIVER:
     Hey, watch it, lady!

GABRIELLE (to the donkey driver):
     Sorry--

XENA:
     Right. Until her voices talk to her again.

She turns into an almost empty side street and continues to walk. Gabrielle follows.

GABRIELLE:
     She told me she hasn't heard them in nearly thirty years.

XENA:
     And you believed her.

GABRIELLE (almost yelling):
     Xena, for once, please trust me on this. I don't want to fight. Yes, I have my doubts, too--

Xena comes to an abrupt halt and whips around, staring at Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (continues):
     --but after everything that I've been through, I have to give her another chance.

The two women stand facing each other.

GABRIELLE (lowering her voice back to normal):
     You know I've changed a lot since we last saw Najara.

Xena nods slowly.

GABRIELLE:
     Back then, I was on a peaceful path--

XENA (stricken):
     ...and Najara said that if you stayed with me, it would destroy you.

Gabrielle stares at Xena, her eyes widening in shock.

GABRIELLE (quietly):
     Is that why you're so scared of her? (after a brief pause) Because you're afraid it's true? Or that I think it's true? (Off Xena's guilty look) Xena, you should know better than that by now.

XENA (smiles a little):
     I guess I should, huh? (She puts an affectionate hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.)

GABRIELLE:
     Give her the benefit of the doubt. That's all I ask.

Xena takes her hand off Gabrielle's shoulder and studies her face, then nods vaguely.

XENA:
     Let's go back.

They start walking toward the shelter.

GABRIELLE (touches Xena's arm):
     Thank you.

The two of them turn back and head toward the shelter.

XENA:
     I still wish you'd have found another place to stay.

GABRIELLE:
     I know--of all the shelters in all the cities of the known world, I had to walk into Najara's, huh?

They both chuckle.

GABRIELLE (continues):
     Don't worry, we won't be here long.

XENA:
     Is Haimon here?

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah. (after a brief pause) Let me guess. You sent him ahead because you thought he and I needed to talk.

XENA (chuckles):
     Did you get a chance to talk?

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah. He's still getting used to the idea that he has a son. (pause) And I'm still getting used to the idea that he's here.

They approach the shelter gate. Then Xena stops and turns toward Gabrielle. She looks worried.

XENA:
     We've got a problem. (Off Gabrielle's alarmed look) The Romans are looking for him.

GABRIELLE (whispers):
     Of course... He's a traitor.

CUT TO

A group of Romans ride into Petra. The camera lingers over their hard, expressionless faces as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE