FADE IN

The dining room at the inn. Evening. Haimon sits at the bar, staring pensively into a half-full mug of ale.

Xena walks in, looking around. She seems worried.

XENA (walks up to Haimon, harshly):
     Where's Gabrielle?

HAIMON (turns to look at her):
     I don't know. I left her at the stables... (he trails off, flustered)

Xena gives him a sharp, suspicious look.

XENA:
     Well, she's not there now. She's not at the inn either and I can't find her anywhere else.

HAIMON (gets up abruptly):
     I'll go look for her.

XENA:
     I'll find her.

HAIMON (losing patience):
     Xena, you can't cut me out of this! You can't act as if Gabrielle and I are nothing to each other.

They stare.

XENA (sighs, relenting):
     We'll look for her together.

CUT TO

Outside the stables. Haimon and Xena are searching the grounds, Haimon carrying a lantern.

Xena sees something on the ground and picks it up with a quick motion. Her face turns grim. The camera zooms in on the object in her hands. It's the scroll.

XENA (narrows her eyes in quiet rage):
     Akelos.

CUT TO

A close-up of Gabrielle, her face lit by firelight.

GABRIELLE (nervously):
     Akelos.

The camera pulls back to show Akelos sitting at the campfire. Gabrielle is standing between the two thugs who kidnapped her.

AKELOS:
     Yes, that would be me. And you're Gabrielle. The so-called battling bard. (guffaws) Apparently, minus the "battling" part.

GABRIELLE (trying not to show fear):
     What do you want with me? You know, Xena is going to be really mad when she finds out about this. I mean, you have not seen mad until--

AKELOS (interrupts):
     That's exactly what I'm counting on. (chuckles) I don't want Xena getting in my way when the boys and I take Paratta. And if Xena's busy trying to get you out of a jam--well, that gets her out of my way, doesn't it?

GABRIELLE (feisty):
     You know, you may be biting off more than you can chew.

AKELOS (laughs):
     Oh, really? You mean, the little girlie may be a fearless warrior after all? (He bursts out laughing, echoed by his men.) I don't know how you've managed to keep so many people fooled until now.

GABRIELLE (bluffing):
     Maybe I'm fooling you.

AKELOS:
     What?

GABRIELLE:
     Maybe the little girlie thing is just an act. Maybe I'm just biding my time to--lull you into a false sense of security. And then, when you least expect it--wham!

She makes a chopping motion with her hands. The two warriors react, grabbing her arms.

AKELOS (to the warriors, laughing):
     Nah, don't worry. (to Gabrielle) Good try.

He laughs heartily again. Close-up on Gabrielle's face, worried but still trying to look feisty.

CUT TO

The stable, lit by lanterns. Xena, her face grim, is saddling Argo. Haimon stands nearby.

HAIMON:
     Xena, listen to me.

XENA:
     I am going after Gabrielle. (She tightens the straps on Argo's saddle with a jerk.) You can come with me if you want.

HAIMON:
     Don't you realize that's exactly what Akelos wants? (Xena whips around, furious) To distract you while he loots the village? You're playing right into his hands.

XENA:
     And what do you suppose I should do? Sit back and relax and hope that Akelos just invited Gabrielle over for a cup of a wine and some girltalk?

HAIMON:
     You could ask Ares to help you.

XENA (vehemently):
     I have never asked Ares for help and I'm not about to start now. I'm not going to let anyone fight my battles for me--least of all a god.

She's about to mount Argo but Haimon puts a hand on her shoulder. She gives him a startled look.

HAIMON:
     Then let me handle it, on my own. While you stay here and defend the village.

XENA (explodes):
     You--!

HAIMON (bitterly):
     Thanks for the vote of confidence.

XENA (forcing herself to stay calm, more gently):
     Haimon, look--it's not that I don't trust you--

HAIMON:
     It's just that you don't trust me with Gabrielle.

Xena stares at him silently.

HAIMON (continues):
     Xena, you were the one who told Gabrielle that it's all about the greater good. We're here to protect these people.

XENA:
     This is different!

HAIMON:
     Why? Because it's Gabrielle?

XENA:
     Yes!

HAIMON:
     Look, I've read her scrolls. She's told you before that the first thing is the greater good. She would want you to stay here and fight.

Xena stands still, staring at him.

HAIMON (continues):
     I'm going to do this.

Xena says nothing as he goes over to his horse and mounts in the saddle. He rides off. Xena walks slowly to the doors of the stable and she stands still, watching him ride off, her face hard.

The camera pans away from Xena to the dark sky.

DISSOLVE TO

The sky turning a light gray. Pan down to an army on the move. A long shot of the soldiers marching down the road, with Akelos riding at the head of the army.

DISSOLVE TO

Haimon, riding through the woods.

DISSOLVE TO

The remnants of a campfire. Four of Akelos' men are sitting around, eating. Pan to Gabrielle sleeping on the ground.

DISSOLVE TO

The village gates. Xena is tensely pacing back and forth.

The camera pulls back to show the two villagers who were talking to Haimon before standing in front of her, looking rather sheepish.

VILLAGER No. 1:
     We do hope that your friend is going to be all right.

VILLAGER No. 2:
     You know, we heard she was a warrior herself. Can't she fight?

Xena gives him a troubled look.

XENA (mutters to herself):
     I wish she could...she's so--defenseless right now.

She looks away uncomfortably and resumes her pacing as the sun rises in the distance.

CROSS-FADE TO

Haimon riding through the woods.

CROSS-FADE TO

An extreme close-up of Gabrielle's face as her eyes fly open.

The camera pulls back to show Gabrielle sitting up abruptly. This is Season 9 Gabrielle again--in brown leather armor and with short hair.

The four warriors guarding her are talking and laughing about something in the background. One of them suddenly notices Gabrielle, who is now standing up, and drops the chicken leg he's been eating.

WARRIOR #1:
     Hey, that's--

GABRIELLE (angrily):
     --the little girlie.

The warrior rushes toward her but she beats him back with a couple of well-placed kicks and punches, slamming him into another warrior who runs up behind him so that they both stumble. The two other warriors draw their swords. Seeing this, Gabrielle yanks the sword out of the scabbard of the warrior she was pummeling before. As the two warriors charge her, she spars with one of them, knocking the sword out of his hands, and spin-kicks the other.

Off-camera, a horse neighs. Gabrielle turns abruptly and sees two horses grazing by a cluster of trees. She sprints toward them but two of the warriors she fought before charge after her. She spins around and kicks one of them while knocking out the other with the flat of her sword.

Gabrielle runs toward the horses and grabs the bridle of one of them.

HAIMON (off-camera):
     Gabrielle!

Gabrielle whips around joyfully.

GABRIELLE:
     Haimon!

Pan to Haimon as he rides into the clearing.

HAIMON (bringing his horse to a halt):
     Gabrielle! You-- (he pauses, somewhat deflated) You don't need any help.

GABRIELLE (grins):
     Maybe not. But it's always good to have backup.

Regrouping, the warriors charge them again with a disjointed chorus of yells.

GABRIELLE:
     You're gluttons for punishment, aren't you.

Haimon grabs two of the warriors and slams them into each other, knocking them out, while Gabrielle quickly takes care of the other two with rapid spin-kicks.

Haimon and Gabrielle turn to each other.

HAIMON (a tender smile lights up his face):
     You're back.

GABRIELLE (smiles back at him):
     Yeah.

They lean toward each other and almost kiss but are interrupted by a groan from one of the warriors as he scrambles to his feet.

HAIMON (exasperated):
     You've got to be kidding.

The warrior looks at them hesitantly for a moment, then turns and runs.

GABRIELLE (businesslike):
     Come on, let's get out of here. Xena needs us back in the village.

HAIMON:
     Wait.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     What?

HAIMON:
     First things first.

He draws her toward him and they kiss tenderly in the now-bright sunlight.

CUT TO

Akelos' army at the gates of Paratta. The gates are locked.

AKELOS (raises his voice):
     All right, you pathetic sheep. Open the gates--or I'll make you.

There is silence inside.

AKELOS:
     All right, boys. Ready--

The camera pulls back to show a row of archers. One of the warriors lights their arrows with a torch.

AKELOS:
     --aim--

The archers lift their bows, aiming at the gates.

AKELOS:
     Fire!

Just as the archers are about to release their arrows, we hear the familiar "whoosh" of the chakram. It slices off the tips of the arrows. The warriors turn their heads in shock; so does Akelos.

Pan up to Xena standing at the top of the gates. She catches the chakram and stares down at Akelos, a look of hatred and revulsion on her face.

AKELOS (startled):
     Xena! You should be--

XENA:
     --busy? (sneers) Not too busy to keep this date.

AKELOS:
     You're a smart woman, Xena. I'm sure you know by now that your little friend is in my hands.

GABRIELLE (off-camera):
     Not anymore.

Akelos turns around and gapes. Before him are Gabrielle and Haimon, on horseback.

AKELOS:
     You!

GABRIELLE:
     When you least expect it.

Pan up to Xena. Her face lights up with joy.

XENA:
     Gabrielle!

GABRIELLE:
     Xena! I'm all right.

The joyful look on Xena's face turns somewhat conflicted when she sees that Gabrielle is back to her old self. Then, after a moment, she smiles again.

Pan down to Gabrielle as she dismounts and walks toward Akelos.

GABRIELLE:
     You want to fight me, Akelos? (grins) Or maybe you're scared? Maybe you should have listened when I said I was just fooling you. Maybe you fell right into-- (she glances up at Xena) our trap.

Looking furious, Akelos dismounts and walks toward Gabrielle. They start to spar. Akelos is much bigger than Gabrielle, but her agile movements and sword-work are giving her an edge and Akelos is clearly getting tired and exasperated. Gabrielle ducks a blow of his sword and spins around, kicking him in the stomach. He doubles over for a moment, grunting, then swings at Gabrielle and manages to get in a swipe at her face, making her stagger a little.

Pan to Haimon as he moves to dismount and come to Gabrielle's aid, but then clearly reconsiders and stays where he is.

Pan up to Xena, still at the top of the wall, as she too makes a move toward Gabrielle but then stays where she is.

Gabrielle quickly recovers. Parrying Akelos' next blow, she spins quickly and kicks the sword out of his hand, then trips him up and sends him sprawling on the ground. He finds himself with Gabrielle's sword at his neck and looks up, panting in fear and fury.

GABRIELLE:
     Order your men to turn around.

AKELOS:
     You're not going to kill me.

They stare each other down. Then, he tries to grab her sword but Gabrielle quickly yanks it up, flips it in her hand and hits him on the head with the hilt of the sword. He's knocked out cold.

GABRIELLE (surveys Akelos' men):
     Any more questions?

CUT TO

Evening. Xena, Gabrielle and Haimon are sitting at a table in the tavern at the inn, with some food and mugs of ale in front of them.

FEMALE VOICE (off-camera):
     A toast!

Gabrielle, Xena and Haimon turn around as the camera pans back to show the village woman who had earlier expressed doubts about Gabrielle's abilities. She is standing at one of the tables, raising a mug.

WOMAN:
     To the Battling Bard!

EVERYONE IN THE TAVERN:
     To the Battling Bard!

Gabrielle grins and raises her mug to them. The sound of clinking. Gabrielle clinks mugs with Xena, then with Haimon.

XENA (takes a quaff of ale):
     So...I guess the Battling Bard's reputation is safe now.

GABRIELLE (grinning):
     Yeah, I guess so.

A brief pause.

XENA:
     So. You wished yourself back.

GABRIELLE:
     It's a funny thing. I did--just before those guys grabbed me. (she chuckles) I was just so tired of--everyone treating me like a kid.

She gives Haimon a meaningful look. He smiles at her, a little uncomfortably, and squeezes her hand.

GABRIELLE (continues):
     And nothing happened. Nothing. And believe me, I really meant it.

XENA (puzzled):
     And then?

GABRIELLE:
     And then, at sunrise-- (she shrugs) just like that. (pauses) Maybe the spell wore off?

Xena looks at her, clearly struck by something.

XENA (whispers):
     Sunrise...

GABRIELLE:
     What?

XENA (quickly gathers herself):
     Nothing. (tries to be casual) Maybe it did wear off. Or maybe--

FEMALE VOICE (off-camera):
     Excuse me. Gabrielle!

GABRIELLE (turns):
     Yes?

Several villagers are standing behind her.

YOUNG VILLAGE WOMAN:
     Come and have a drink with us! (points to the bar)

XENA (grins at Gabrielle):
     Your adoring public awaits.

GABRIELLE:
     Well, all right--just one--

The villagers pull her away. Haimon stares at Xena.

HAIMON:
     It was you, wasn't it?

Xena stares at him, silently.

HAIMON:
     At sunrise. You wished for her to turn back.

Xena takes a gulp of ale, then forcefully puts the mug down.

XENA:
     Yeah.

HAIMON:
     So that means... (pauses) Only the wisher can undo the spell. It was you--

XENA:
     Yeah. (She gets up) I'm going to go for a walk.

HAIMON:
     Xena.

She turns around, warily.

HAIMON:
     I'm not going to tell her anything. (pauses) If you want to tell her--

XENA (with a small nod):
     Thank you.

Xena walks out, throwing one more glance at Gabrielle who is being feted by the villagers at the bar, her back to Xena.

CUT TO

Outside the tavern. Nightfall. Xena walks out, then stops and turns around, looking toward the tavern.

There is a flash of light as Ares appears next to her.

XENA (glances at him, with a teasing smirk):
     I thought I'd lost you.

ARES:
     Well, she did almost scare me away for good. (he puts an arm around Xena) Good thing she's back to normal.

CUT TO

Inside the tavern. Gabrielle motions to Haimon to come over to the bar. He comes over.

GABRIELLE:
     Where's Xena?

HAIMON:
     She went for a walk.

Gabrielle turns toward the door for a moment, then turns back to Haimon.

GABRIELLE:
     Have a drink with us.

Haimon puts his arm around her.

CUT TO

Ares and Xena, outside. Xena is watching Gabrielle and Haimon with the crowd, through the door.

ARES (serious):
     Are you glad to have her back?

XENA:
     I am.

She turns to Ares and they kiss as:

FADE OUT

THE END

[Haimon's masculine pride was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 9 Episode 9 You're Only Young Twice Story By: LadyKate and Sais 2 Cool Written By: LadyKate and Sais 2 Cool Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Ares Kevin Smith Haimon Michael Vartan Magda Eve Pearce Akelos Josh Erwood Original Airdate February 13, 2005 Haimon's masculine pride was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com

This script is provided by GDev Resources.