FADE IN

Fade up on Gabrielle soothing Darion back to sleep while Haimon looks on in confusion.

GABRIELLE (turns to Haimon, smiling):
     Are you hungry? You must have been riding a long time...

HAIMON (nods gratefully):
     A hot supper sounds great right now.

GABRIELLE (chuckles affectionately):
     I hope you don't mind if it's only warm.

She puts some stew in a bowl and hands it to Haimon with a piece of bread. Obviously famished, he starts eating while Xena eyes him with a mix of curiosity and anxiety.

XENA:
     So, is there some news of Sabina? (off Haimon's surprised look) You usually turn up when there is.

HAIMON:
     Well, you're right.

XENA:
     Don't tell me she's up to her old tricks again.

HAIMON (shakes his head):
     No--just the opposite.

XENA:
     Meaning what?

HAIMON:
     She's been captured by the Corinthians.

XENA (gives him a look that can't quite hide her disappointment):
     Really. Well--less work for me, I suppose. (pauses) When did that happen?

HAIMON:
     Some three months back. (off Xena's surprised look) I only just found out for sure. The rumor I heard was that after they got her, they sent you after her on a wild goose chase--because they didn't think you'd approve of what they had in mind.

Xena is silent for a moment. The look on her face turns angry, then grim.

XENA:
     What did they do? Kill her?

HAIMON:
     I finally got someone to tell me the whole story. They branded her and sold her into slavery.

Xena lets that sink in a moment.

XENA:
     I can't blame the Corinthians for wanting payback. But this... (she shakes her head sadly) This isn't justice. No one deserves to be a slave. Not even Sabina.

HAIMON:
     Well, I hate to admit it... (he looks down) I always thought I'd cheer when Sabina finally got what she had coming to her. I mean, after everything we've seen her do to innocent people... (he trails off) But now...I feel the way you do--something in my gut tells me this just isn't right. I've done some asking around, but no one seems to have any idea what happened to her after she was sold in Corinth.

XENA:
     Well, finding out what became of Sabina will have to wait. We've got another problem to deal with first.

HAIMON (nods):
     I heard about the raids in the last village I passed through. (having finished his meal, he puts the bowl aside) I thought maybe you and Gabrielle could use my help.

At the mention of her name, Gabrielle lifts her head and glances at Haimon. The look that is exchanged between the two of them does not go unnoticed by Xena. She clears her throat uncomfortably.

XENA:
     Look--the two of you have a lot of catching up to do. Why don't you go and...take a walk or something? (to Gabrielle) I'll look after Darion.

GABRIELLE:
     You're sure?

XENA (rolls her eyes):
     I'm pretty sure I can handle this. Go on.

CUT TO

Deep in the forest. Haimon and Gabrielle sit beside one another under a large tree. There is an air of familiarity and ease in the way Haimon holds Gabrielle's hand.

HAIMON:
     So you took Darion and left the Amazons for good.

GABRIELLE (frowns and nods):
     I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I'd sent him away.

HAIMON:
     Did you ever think that maybe this all happened for a reason, Gabrielle? You told me before that we couldn't be together because of your responsibility to the Amazons. This could be our second chance--ours and Darion's. We could settle down together and give him the home and family he needs.

GABRIELLE:
     You mean the two of us--?

HAIMON:
     I know it's sudden--and I know how hard it was for you to walk away from the Amazons. But maybe what Xena says is true. Everything happens precisely as it should. Maybe this is the Fates' way of trying to tell us something.

GABRIELLE:
     Maybe...

She smiles and gives him a thoughtful look, saying nothing. Haimon pats her hand and gains to his feet.

HAIMON:
     Just think about it, okay? Will you promise me that?

GABRIELLE (nods):
     I'll think about it.

CUT TO

Night at the campsite. Everyone is asleep near the remnants of a campfire--a heap of glowing ambers. Darion starts tossing and turning in his sleep, muttering something. Gabrielle sits up with a worried look on her face and goes over to him. She strokes his hair and tucks in his blanket, and in a few moments he is quiet again. Gabrielle walks back to her bedroll and is about to get under the blanket when she hears a sound in the trees. The sound is repeated again. Very quietly, Gabrielle puts on her boots, slips the sais in them, and goes toward the trees to investigate.

CUT TO

Gabrielle walking stealthily through the trees. The branches rustle ahead of her and we see a shadow move behind a large tree. Gabrielle strides resolutely toward the shadow and finds herself face to face with Taphius, who steps out from behind a tree, his sword pointed at Gabrielle. With a deft move, Gabrielle kicks the sword out of his hand. He bends to pick it up.

GABRIELLE (irritated):
     You again.

TAPHIUS (quickly regains his composure):
     I've done a pretty good job tracking you, haven't I? I bet you never even knew I was there.

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     All right, Taphius. I've got to hand it to you, you're pretty good at tracking.

TAPHIUS (proudly):
     I'll have you know I'm the best hunter in my village... I mean, within five hundred leagues of my village.

GABRIELLE (tries hard to be conciliatory):
     That's wonderful. You know, being a great hunter is a big accomplishment--you can be really proud of that...

TAPHIUS:
     Oh no you don't. You're not going to get rid of me that easily. Being a hunter isn't enough for a man like me. I've been training for this past year, ever since my friend who served in Bellerophon's army got home. I'm good. Some day I'm gonna be the best. And you're going to help me prove it.

GABRIELLE (gently):
     Taphius, I just disarmed you with one kick. I really don't think you're going to prove much by going up against me.

TAPHIUS (offended):
     That's just--just because I wasn't ready to fight.

GABRIELLE:
     Taphius, you've still got a lot to learn. A warrior has to be ready to fight anytime.

TAPHIUS (clearly stung):
     Oh yeah? Then why aren't you ready to fight me?

GABRIELLE:
     I already told you, I don't fight without a good reason. (exasperated) Look, I'm not going to stand here in the woods, in the middle of the night, chatting about it with you.

TAPHIUS (trying to be sarcastic):
     And why not? You seem to be all talk and no action.

GABRIELLE:
     You want to see me in action? Watch this.

She turns around and starts to walk away.

TAPHIUS:
     Now wait a minute--

GABRIELLE:
     And you'd better not follow me.

As she starts to walk away, the camera pans to Taphius.

TAPHIUS:
     This isn't over!

Shaking her head, Gabrielle walks back to the campsite. After a few moments she hears a noise behind her. She stops, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes, and whips around to see a dark figure behind her.

GABRIELLE:
     All right--you're asking for it.

She charges, her fist shooting out at the man's face.

MAN:
     Gab--

Her punch connects and he goes down on his back with a groan.

GABRIELLE:
     I told you not to--

She stops short as the moonlight falls on the man's face--it's Haimon.

GABRIELLE (gasps):
     Haimon? (She kneels next to him) Oh god--I'm so sorry--I thought you were Taphius--

HAIMON (props himself up on an elbow and rubs his jaw):
     Who?

GABRIELLE (helps him to his feet):
     Never mind... Are you okay?

HAIMON:
     Well, you didn't break my jaw. Just a split lip.

GABRIELLE (stricken):
     I'm so sorry...

HAIMON (smiles):
     It's okay. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

GABRIELLE:
     And that's supposed to make me feel better? (she touches his bleeding lip and he winces) Let's get back to camp--I'll put some healing ointment on it.

They start walking back.

HAIMON:
     So who's--what was it, Taphius?

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     Just a kid who's been following me around the past couple of days, trying to get me to fight him.

HAIMON:
     Why?

GABRIELLE:
     He wants to prove himself as a warrior. (she shakes her head and chuckles bitterly) Funny, there was a time when I used to watch Xena deal with that kind of thing, and I almost envied her...

HAIMON (gives her a strange look):
     So how do you feel now that it's you?

GABRIELLE (thinks a moment):
     Strange... You know, he was telling me how he heard about all those things I've done, and it was almost as if he was talking about someone else...some other person who looks like me and has the same name...

HAIMON:
     Are you going to fight him?

GABRIELLE (a little too vehemently):
     Of course not! Next thing I know, I'll have to fight every warrior wannabe who wants to try his luck. (looks at Haimon, slightly puzzled) What were you doing out in the woods, anyway?

HAIMON:
     Some kind of noise woke me up and then I noticed that you and Xena were both gone from camp. After a while, I started getting worried and--

GABRIELLE (frowns):
     Xena's gone from camp?

HAIMON:
     She is.

GABRIELLE:
     I hope she hasn't found any trouble.

CUT TO

The campsite. The fire is burning again; Gabrielle is putting ointment on Haimon's lip. Xena's bedroll is empty.

GABRIELLE (smiles and speaks in a half-whisper):
     There--all better now.

HAIMON (smiles back at her, a little mischievously):
     You know, I can think of another way to make it better... (he reaches up to kiss her)

GABRIELLE (ducks out of the way):
     Oh no. You should let it heal a little first. (kisses him tenderly on the cheek) Get some sleep, okay? I'll go look for Xena.

CUT TO

Gabrielle is walking through the woods, calling out, "Xena!"

CUT TO

Ares and Xena lying under a tree, covered with a fur bedspread. Xena is asleep, sprawled on Ares' chest, while he has an arm around her. He lifts his head, listening.

CUT TO

Gabrielle walking through the woods.

GABRIELLE (calls out):
     Xena!

There is a flash of light and she finds herself facing Ares.

ARES:
     You're going to wake her up.

GABRIELLE (looks embarrassed):
     Oh--you mean she's--

ARES (smirks):
     --just fine.

GABRIELLE (nods uncomfortably):
     All right--I guess I'll just, uh, see her in the morning.

She turns around and starts to walk back toward camp--only to stop and flinch when she finds Ares standing in her path.

GABRIELLE:
     I wish you wouldn't do that.

ARES:
     Hey--godhood has its perks. So, Warrior Wannabe still won't leave you alone?

GABRIELLE (looks at him warily):
     Were you watching me? (off his meaningful look) What do you care?

ARES (shrugs):
     You're a warrior. Call it professional interest.

GABRIELLE (sharply):
     I don't serve you, Ares.

ARES:
     You don't work for me. There's a difference.

GABRIELLE:
     Maybe it's time for me to hang up my sais.

ARES:
     And then what? Settle down with that goody two shoes you left back at the camp? Please tell me you're kidding. Can you look me in the eye and honestly tell me that you wouldn't miss--

GABRIELLE:
     Ares, I'm not going to stand here and play your little games.

ARES:
     Riiight. And you think you're not going to play Taphius' little game, either.

GABRIELLE:
     You're really eager to have me fight him, aren't you?

ARES (rolls his eyes):
     Trust me, it's not a show I look forward to watching. I'm just telling you that you may not be able to walk away from this as easily as you think.

GABRIELLE:
     Come on, he's just a hotheaded young fool...

ARES:
     Here's a free tip for you. A fool can be the most dangerous enemy of all--if only because you're liable to underestimate him. Which is exactly what you're doing right now. And that means he can take you by surprise.

GABRIELLE (firmly):
     Look, Ares--I'm not going to let some stupid kid draw me into a fight...

ARES:
     You still don't get it, do you? You don't always have a choice about these things. That's how it is when you're a warrior. (looks at her probingly) Or do you still have trouble accepting what you are?

He is gone in a flash of light. Gabrielle stands still for a moment, looking thoughtfully at the spot where he vanished.

CUT TO

Gabrielle returns to the campsite and climbs into her bedroll beside Haimon.

HAIMON:
     Did you find Xena?

GABRIELLE (curtly):
     Yes. (her tone and expression soften a little as she rolls over to face him) How's your lip?

HAIMON (leans in to kiss her):
     Much better.

GABRIELLE (pulls her head back):
     Haimon, I don't know if this is such a good idea in front of--

HAIMON (whispers):
     Relax. Darion is sound asleep.

GABRIELLE:
     But sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the--

HAIMON (nods thoughtfully):
     Okay. How about if we go--

GABRIELLE (frowns and shakes her head):
     I can't leave him alone.

HAIMON (sits up in exasperation):
     Eve and Klymene are sleeping five feet away in case anything happens.

GABRIELLE:
     You don't understand at all, do you? He's just a little boy. He's lost both his parents--

HAIMON (flinches):
     No. I wouldn't understand anything about that, would I?

Gabrielle pauses, letting that slowly sink in. She blushes and reaches out to touch his hand.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm sorry.

HAIMON:
     You're not doing Darion any favors by hanging over him all the time. You can't protect him forever.

Gabrielle sits up, drawing her knees to her chest.

GABRIELLE:
     I can do everything I can to make sure he's safe and that no one ever--

HAIMON (points to Darion):
     Take a good look at the kid, Gabrielle. He is safe. And he's happy. Darion adores you.

Haimon sits up and brushes his lips against hers.

HAIMON:
     And he's not the only one.

He tightens his grip on Gabrielle's shoulders and she looks away, swallowing hard.

GABRIELLE:
     Haimon--

HAIMON (kisses her throat):
     If you want me to stop, I'll stop.

GABRIELLE:
     I don't...

HAIMON (grinning as he massages her shoulders):
     You don't...what? You don't want me to stop? Or you don't want this?

GABRIELLE (sighs heavily and meets his gaze):
     I don't know.

Haimon smiles gently and pulls her into his arms. They kiss passionately and sink down onto the bedroll so that they're lying side by side. The kissing becomes more and more intense until Haimon pulls back slightly.

HAIMON:
     Maybe we should go someplace a little more private.

Gabrielle opens her mouth to respond but Darion's voice calling out stops her.

DARION (sleepily):
     Gabrielle?

Gabrielle quickly pulls away from Haimon.

GABRIELLE:
     What is it, sweetheart?

DARION:
     I'm thirsty.

Gabrielle casts a half-amused, apologetic look at Haimon and gets up. Haimon sighs and his head falls back in frustration as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO