FADE IN

On the same scene. Gabrielle looks at her with a sigh of regret and shakes her head, then picks up the horse's reins and starts to walk. Zenobia walks next to her.

ZENOBIA:
     You know--you disappoint me. I used to admire Xena...and you. I heard all the stories about how the two of you fought the Romans--to help Boadicea, to defend the Amazons, to keep Egypt free from Roman rule. I heard about how you were crucified by Caesar, and survived. You inspired me to fight for the independence of my own people. And now, you take the Romans' side?

They come out into a moonlit clearing and continue to walk.

GABRIELLE:
     We're not taking any sides. We're helping innocent people to protect their homes--their lives. Just like we did in Britannia and in Amazon lands--just like we always have.

ZENOBIA (laughs):
     Really. And how many innocent lives has Rome taken compared to the Visigoths?

GABRIELLE:
     The people of this town had nothing to do with that.

ZENOBIA:
     They're Romans! They reap all the benefits of the empire and its conquests.

GABRIELLE:
     Zenobia, we promised to protect them. And we will. There's nothing else to talk about.

She mounts her horse and is about to ride off.

ZENOBIA:
     Gabrielle!

Gabrielle turns to look at her. Close-up on Zenobia, her face lit by the bright moonlight.

ZENOBIA:
     Don't tell me there isn't some part of you--deep down--that would be happy to see the Roman empire crumble.

Close-up on Gabrielle's face. She looks troubled and doesn't quite know what to say.

Pan to Zenobia. She smiles slightly, clearly knowing she has struck a chord.

ZENOBIA (continues):
     Don't tell me Xena doesn't feel that way.

Close-up on Gabrielle's troubled face.

CUT TO

Xena on her bed, still unconscious. The camera zooms in on her face and then her closed eyes, and continues to zoom in, taking us inside her mind.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena walks into a lavishly decorated Roman temple, with a fire burning in front of the altar. Holding her sword at the ready, she looks around warily.

FEMALE VOICE (off-camera):
     Xena!

Xena flinches and whips around, looking for the source of the voice. A faint laughter is heard.

XENA:
     Who's there?

VOICE (laughs again, still off-camera):
     Oh, Xena...

XENA (contemptuously):
     I don't know where I am or what this is, but I'm not playing your games. (She sheathes her sword) Come out now or leave me alone.

From behind one of the statues, Agrippina comes out. She is wearing a long purple dress and a gold necklace.

XENA:
     You!

She stares at Agrippina.

AGRIPPINA:
     Are you surprised?

XENA:
     Not really.

Agrippina walks around the temple, then stops and turns to face Xena.

AGRIPPINA (suavely and with only a faint hint of mockery, not open taunting like Callisto or Livia):
     You could at least tell me you've missed me.

XENA:
     I haven't.

AGRIPPINA:
     Pity. I told you we made a good team.

XENA:
     A good team for what? Lying, cheating and killing your way into power?

AGRIPPINA:
     Anything. (pauses) Maybe even defending the Roman empire from barbarians.

XENA:
     I'm not. (pauses) I wasn't. I was defending one colony.

AGRIPPINA:
     Today, it's Moesia. Tomorrow--those barbarians could be a threat to the whole empire. (she circles Xena slowly, then stops) Be honest, Xena.

XENA (scoffs):
     You're a fine one to talk.

AGRIPPINA:
      Tell me there isn't a part of you, deep down, that would be glad to see Rome fall. Even to a horde of ruthless barbarians.

Xena stares at her thoughtfully, then looks away.

XENA:
     I'm defending innocent people from slaughter. It's what I do.

AGRIPPINA (coolly):
     Oh yes. The Greater Good.

She walks toward Xena until they're standing face to face, a hand's span apart. Xena flinches slightly and eyes Agrippina with visible distaste but does not step back. The camera starts to zoom out.

AGRIPPINA (continues):
     But you're not really fighting for the Greater Good, are you? We both know this is all about your daughter.

As she speaks, the camera continues to zoom out rapidly and we:

ZOOM OUT TO

Xena's room; Xena lies unconscious. Eve and Ares sit by her side; Ares appears to be deeply in concentration, his eyes closed. Eve looks at him expectantly.

Ares opens his eyes. He looks pained.

EVE (looks up at Ares):
     Well?

ARES:
     She's--dreaming. I think she believes she's already dead.

EVE (frightened):
     What--what does that mean?

ARES:
     She could stay like this... (avoiding Eve's eyes) for the rest of her life.

EVE (gasps):
     The rest of her-- (trails off) You can do something--can't you? (off his silent, uncertain look) Ares, you're a god. (angrily) I know you can get into dreams. You did it before to torment her--

Close-up on Ares as he flinches and grimaces slightly.

EVE (continues):
     --aren't you going to do it now to save her?

ARES (snaps at her):
     It's not that simple! This is no ordinary dream. There are--realms--inside the human mind where even a god's powers are-- (He trails off, shaking his head; then, suddenly, he erupts in anger, banging his fist on the bedside table) Dammit! (to the unconscious Xena) Why wouldn't you listen to me?

In her dream, Xena sighs and frowns a little, tossing her head. Eve, her mouth tightening as if she were about to cry, reaches over to brush the hair off Xena's face.

The camera starts to zoom in on Xena's face for an extreme close up, and continues to zoom in, taking us inside her mind.

ZOOM IN

On the temple where Xena talks to Agrippina.

AGRIPPINA:
     Your daughter. You'd stand by her no matter what, won't you?

XENA (bitterly):
     Look at you. You made your psycho son Emperor of Rome.

AGRIPPINA:
     But we're not talking about me, Xena. I'm not claiming to be a hero. (She continues to slowly circle Xena) You stood by your daughter when she slaughtered the Elijans.

XENA (hotly):
     That's not true! I would have killed her if that was the only way to stop her.

AGRIPPINA:
     Maybe. But you didn't. (pauses, smiling triumphantly) Then, you shielded her when she had to pay for her crimes under Amazon law--

XENA:
     My daughter had changed.

AGRIPPINA:
     Let's say that she had. But--would you have worked quite so hard to save a reformed criminal who wasn't your child? Hmm?

She puts her hand on Xena's shoulder. Xena flinches and throws it off.

XENA:
     Don't touch me.

AGRIPPINA:
     And now, your daughter leads Roman troops--again--and you went into battle to protect her. Ironic, isn't it--considering that you weren't there to protect her--a long time ago--when it really mattered.

Xena's face contorts in pain and rage.

XENA:
     Get away from me!

She shoves Agrippina away. As Agrippina laughs, there is an explosion of bright, blue, blinding light. When it fades, we see a close-up of Xena's face. She is lying on her back surrounded by something glittering and blue. She shivers with cold. The camera pulls away a little to show that she's lying in an ice coffin just like the ones in Looking Death in the Eye.

Her eyes widen suddenly. Through the lid, she sees Octavius standing over her coffin; he's holding a laughing Baby Eve. He is seen from Xena's point of view, from below, through the bluish ice.

OCTAVIUS:
     Little Eve... Now that your mother is gone--you belong to me. I can raise you to be the greatest warrior Rome has ever known.

He lifts the child up as we cut to an exterior view of the coffin and Octavius with baby Eve, inside an austere room of white and gray marble.

Steps are heard behind him. Julius Caesar comes into view, wearing his toga and gold laurel wreath.

Interior view from the coffin as Xena struggles in vain. Through the lid, she sees Caesar take Baby Eve from Octavius.

XENA (kicks and punches desperately at the coffin's lid):
     No!

Caesar kisses the baby's forehead.

CAESAR (to Baby Eve):
     Rome is your mother.

An exterior view of the coffin. We see Caesar handing Baby Eve back to Octavius, and Xena struggling inside the coffin.

With a powerful punch, Xena shatters the coffin's lid and sits up, panting. She looks around wildly. Where Octavius and Caesar were standing before now stands Livia in her Roman armor and red cloak. She laughs.

With a snarl, Xena swings at her. Livia parries the blow.

LIVIA:
     He was right, you know. Rome is my mother. (she makes a sword thrust that nicks Xena's arm, making her bleed) And maybe it always will be--no matter what I call myself.

XENA (with a cry of rage):
     No! You're not my daughter!

LIVIA:
     Really. (clicks her tongue reproachfully) Tsk-tsk-tsk. After all this time of trying to convince me that I am--

She charges Xena with a furious yell. They continue to fight, parrying and blocking each other's sword thrusts, kicking and flipping.

There is a sudden flash of light and the setting changes to that of an arena filled with spectators who are hooting, clapping, yelling and whistling.

Xena looks momentarily disoriented and Livia takes advantage of this to deliver a kick to her midsection that makes her fall backwards.

In a leap, Livia stands over her and brings down her sword.

FADE TO BLACK

A bright flash of light. Close-up on Xena's face. She looks around fearfully. The camera pulls away to show her tied to a cross, like in Destiny except that she's in full armor and with her boots on.

CAESAR (off-camera):
     Xena.

Pan down to show Caesar standing on the beach in his Destiny armor, grinning.

CAESAR (continues):
     You will always have a place of honor--

On the word "place," his voice is joined by Livia's. The camera pulls back to show Livia in full armor standing next to Caesar, a bloodied sword in her hand. She laughs.

CAESAR and LIVIA:
     --among my conquered.

Pan up to Xena. She throws her head back and screams.

The camera zooms out rapidly, her scream fading.

ZOOM OUT TO

Xena's room. Eve and Ares are still sitting by Xena's bedside. Haimon is standing by the wall, looking anxious.

The door opens and Gabrielle comes in.

HAIMON:
     Gabrielle! (hugs her) Thank the heavens!

GABRIELLE (rests her head on his shoulder for a moment):
     I'm all right.... (gently extricates herself from his arms) How's Xena?

Eve looks to Ares, who sighs and reluctantly lifts his eyes to meet Gabrielle's.

ZOOM INTO

Xena's dreamworld. Xena hangs on the cross, her head drooping, her eyes closed.

Suddenly, she moves, opens her eyes and snaps her head up.

XENA (with a nasty, crooked grin):
     If you think I'm going to spend eternity like this--think again.

She jerks her right arm and starts grinding her gauntlet against the rope while twisting her wrist around trying to reach the rope with her fingers.

ZOOM OUT

To Xena's room. Close-up on Xena's face, her facial muscles twitching slightly. Her head snaps back from being moved.

GABRIELLE (off-camera):
     Xena! Xena!

The camera pulls back to show Gabrielle desperately shaking Xena by the shoulders.

GABRIELLE:
     Wake up!

ARES (grabs her shoulder):
     Stop it. It won't do her any good.

GABRIELLE (looks up at him):
     Send me into her dream. You can do that, can't you?

ARES:
     No. I can't.

CUT TO

Xena's dreamworld. With a cry of victory, Xena wrenches her right hand free.

CUT TO

Gabrielle sitting at Xena's bedside holding her hand.

EVE:
     There's no chance to negotiate. (sighs) I didn't think so.

GABRIELLE (looks up at her):
     Eve...I spoke to-- (trails off)

EVE (nods and lowers her head):
     Zenobia.

GABRIELLE:
     Be careful. She's out for revenge. She'll stop at nothing to hurt you.

EVE:
     I know.

GABRIELLE:
     So she led a rebellion against Rome--and you were the one who put it down.

Eve stares at her as we

DISSOLVE TO

DISSOLVE TO

Close-up of Eve's face. She looks worried and guilty.

DISSOLVE TO

DISSOLVE TO

Xena's room.

EVE:
     Gabrielle, I'm--worried about Orphelia. She's back at the villa with just a couple of her maids--and Virgil... Yesterday I sent two soldiers over to keep an eye on her, but if the Visigoths raid the place, they'll all get killed. I should go out there and bring them into the town. Now's the best time to do that, while it's dark.

GABRIELLE:
     Then you should go.

EVE:
     And leave Mother...

GABRIELLE (gently puts her hand on Eve's arm):
     There's nothing you can do. (looks at Xena) Maybe this time, no one can bring her back except herself.

The camera zooms in on Xena's face for an extreme close-up, and then we

ZOOM INTO

Xena's dreamworld. With a yell of both supreme effort and triumph, Xena leaps off the cross and lands in the sand.

Off-camera, applause is heard.

AGRIPPINA (off-camera):
     Well-done.

Xena turns toward Agrippina, who stands there clapping.

XENA (grins crookedly):
     I'm glad you approve.

The camera pulls back to show them standing on the beach as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO