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Disclaimer: The characters Xena, Gabrielle, Mel, Janice and Jack are all the characters of Universal/MCA, and no copy~right was meant to be intended. As for any other characters, they are made up. Good for me.

Violence: None what so ever.

Note: If the mention of a mentally disabled person bothers your please don't read this story.

Spoilers: Yes, some lines in this story refer to the death of Solan.

Romance: None.

Onto the story hey!!!

Another Time Another Place
By ObiHope

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I read a story, called Of Mice and Men. It is about two men, George and Lennie, they have a dream they are gonna do together. Companionship is the maintext in the story, it shows how companionship helps in your life. With the aspects of dreams and companionship, I created this story.
Also Lennie was mentally dissabled. As Ren is in this story. Daria, the main character is like George, the one who looks after them both. The main story is, Daria has a dream, but believes she can't do it because she has to take care of Ren. But when they begin their epic journey into the past of their ansestors everything changes.
Along with the help of Ted Kleinman, they search for the missing answers, together.
Also this story is based on the discovery of the Ice Maiden and Ice Man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Ms Covington, Rob would like to see you now, in his office' I listened to the Intercom before me. I put my finger firmly down on it turning it off. Standing up I walked to the door and left the room.

I went down the hall until I came to a door with a gold plated sign on it with the word 'Robert Tapert, Exectutive Producer' written on it. Slowly I opened the door and peered inside. The man behind the desk looked up and smiled.

'Come in Daria,' he said.

I, walked in and sat down in front of his desk. There were posters hung up around his office, with titles such as 'Time Cop' and 'Xena', his desk had a computer on it, and a pile of papers, he was sifting through. He came across some pieces of paper stapled together. He flicked through them then placed them onto the desk.  He then looked up at me and said:

'This is your worst script yet Daria, what's up!!!?' he said in a low tone.

'Well, I, I, I just, well, I....'

'Nothing, I suppose, it is just you!' he added. 'this is the last time Covington, if the next script isn't improved, bye bye job!'

'But ,but' I tried to protest.

'Not buts, try to research, Raimi and I don't have time for you!' he added. 'There are many other writers who would love to have your job' I looked at the ground, then back up a Rob. He handed her scripts back and blinked his eyes.

'Now go and think about the way you are going to write a next script' Rob added. I stood up and exited the room quietly, not daring to look back.

'You better get your act together, these scripts are pathetic!!' he added. I continued towards the door quietly and walked away, closing the door quietly behind me.

~~~~~~~~~~~

'What's up?' asked a raven haired woman from her sofa. She picked up the remote and flicked over the channel a few times, trying to pretend she was interested in my day.

'Don't ask!!!' I said angrilly. She threw down her books and looked at her friend, who was watching television again, ignoring her every movement.

'You really want to know?!!' I yelled. My friend turned her head around and smiled. I, went to the fridge and grabbed two diet Pepsi and chucked one to my friend and slumped down in the sofa beside her.

'I'm pre menstal, about to lose my job and my dog was hit by a car this morning!!!!' I muttered aloud. My friend looked at her confused and then turned back to the television.

'So what did he tell you this time' my friend said not looking away from the television. I picked up the Tv guide and whipped it over the back of my friends head, making her look at me.

'Do you do anything else other than watch Tv?' I questioned.

'Nope, I do sometimes go....what do they call that place?'

'Outside, kitchen, toilet'

'Yes the last one, toilet'

I sat back in mt sofa and sighed.

'Rob tells me I need to write better scripts' I added. My friend look around at me, 'I always wanted to be a script writer, I always wanted to do that' I added starring into nowhere.

'I thought your dream was to travel the world, do everything there is to do' my friend replied.

'No, Ren, my dream was that, but I decided to do this' I added misserably.

'Why?' Ren asked, frowning.

'Because, all those years ago, when you fell of that horse, you lost your way of thinking. Now I promised your mother, I was going to look after you, after she died, and I'm keeping that promise' I paused deep in thought.'the truth is, I can't afford to travel the world, with you around,' I added. 'cause I have to look after you' I added looking at Ren. Ren smiled sheepishly, then looked back at the Tv.

'All you seem to do is look at the Tv all day,' I added standing up. 'I don't see you getting a job' I added smiling. I stood up and placed the can on top on the bench in the kitchen. I grabbed my coat and headed for the door. Ren turned around, realizing I was leaving.

'What are you doing?' Ren asked shyly.

'I'm getting us some dinner,' I replied as I opened the door. 'what do you want?' I added.

'Pizza, please!!' Ren replied happily. I laughed, then nodded as she shut the door behind her. Ren then turned back to the Tv, and watched it once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was walking along the busy streets of New York, the sound of traffic and people rushing about was all around me. Though I was used to it, she wished to escape it, the busy life in New York city. I came along a small shop. I had never noticed it before. I looked inside the window to see lots of antiques from all ages. I then came across something that looked amzingly familiar.

I entered the shop, and walked up to the place I had seen the object, I picked it up carefully. It was a black and white photograph from the 1940's during the war years. I looked at the two people in the picture. There was a woman, with raven black hair. She had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, but strangely enough she looked exactly like Ren.

The woman wore a suit, and a she wore glasses. She sat beside another woman, out the front of a general store. The other woman, had a leather jacket on and a rough old looking hat. She had blonde hair and green eyes. She was much shorter than the other woman, but looked the rough type.

I had seen this woman before, but where. I turned around and approached the elderly woman behind the counter. I placed the photo on the counter and looked up at the aged face.

'Do you know who these people are?' I asked.

The old woman picked up the photo and looked at it.

'Oh, the lady with the blonde, light coloured hair,' she pointed her out. I nodded. 'she is Janice Convington, one of the best archeologists of her time,' the woman paused for a moment. 'even though she lived under her fathers reputation of the grave robber, she didn't give up in proving his theory on the Xena Scrolls was for real,' the old woman stopped and looked at the other woman.

'This young woman here is Melinda Pappas,' she said looking up at me. 'she was living in her fathers shadow too, but when she met Janice the two of them led an incredible life' she added with a gentle smile.

I studdied to photo for a long time, before looking back up at the old woman.

'How much for this photo?' I questioned.

'For you nothing, I have this feeling it belongs to you' the old woman replied. I smiled, and exited the shop.

~~~~~~~~~~~

'Hey Ren!!,' I yelled from the front door of my appartment. 'can you get off your arse and help me with these pizza's!!' I added, as I stumbled through the doorway.

Ren got up and scurried to the doorway and grabbed the pizzas. I shut the door behind me and sat down beside Ren on the couch and opened the pizza boxes layed on the coffee table. As I took a piece of my pizza out of the box I took out the photo and looked at it.

Ren took her pizza with chocolate topping on it and ate in it on bite. She then noticed me studying the photograph in my hand. Ren leant over and looked at it too.

'What's the photo of?' Ren asked confused. She looked at Mel that looked like her. 'hey, that woman looks like me!!!!' Ren said excitedly pointing at the figure in the photo. I looked up at Ren who was once again stuffing her face with the pizza.

'I think I've seen this picture before,' I said, even though Ren wasn't listening to her. 'I remember, my mum gave me the family album, and there was a picture in it of this same woman,' I pointed to Janice. I stood up and opened a wardrobe, I pulled out an old box, and and opened it. I then yanked out an album, and blew all the dust off it. I then took the album back to where I was sitting, but found Ren was now layed out on the whole couch, watching the Tv again. I growled under my breath, then decided to sit up on the kitchen table that was covered with script after script and Ren's comic books.

I pushed everything aside and placed the album on the table. I opened it up and took a bite of my pizza. I then flicked through several pages before reaching the page I was looking for.

On it was a photo of the same woman, Janice in the other photo. I had seen the photo before. On the page was also a newspaper clipping from 1978. It read:

Janice Covington,
Born 15/2/1921 - Died 6/8/1968
The beloved wife of Jack Kleinman and mother of Daisy, she was one of a kind. She died young, not living her life out to the full pertentual. She had so much still left to do. We will miss her, God Bless Her soul
With love Mel, Jack, and Daisy.

I was now very intrueged. I had never looked at her families history before. But something confused me. If Janice had married Jack Kleinman, her grandfather, why was her name still Covington? and where was her grandfather? And did Jack have any other children after Janice died? I took another slice of her pizza, and took a bite from it. My mother was Daisy Covington, I understood that. But was there any other children.

I picked up the phone and dialed my mums phone number. I heard the phone answered and my mums voice came through the ear piece.

'Hello' she said.

'Oh hi mum,' I said cheerfully.

'Hello Daria'

'Hey mum?'

'Yes?'

'What happened to grandpa Jack?'

My mother was silent for sometime.

'He got remarried years ago, soon after your grandma died, why?'

'I am researching our family tree' I replied.

'Oh, well if it would help your grandfather remarried, that is why we never saw him soon after your grandma died and also that is why you never saw him when you were growing up.' she paused the continued. 'by my memory, Jack married Rosie Hannigan' her mother added. 'they had a son she then married a man and they had some children' she stopped to take a breath and think, 'I do recall one of their kids names, Ted Kleinman'

When I heard the name name Ted Kleinman I had this sudden feeling that I knew him. Then it came to me, he gave Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert the idea for Xena. My mother continued on the phone.

'I don't know how you could contact him though' my mother added.

'No need,' I added. 'I'll find a way to contact him' I continued. I said my goodbyes to my mother then hung up on her. I then looked at the picture again, I knew what I had to do now.

~~~~~~~~~

I got into work early just to do this. I walked towards the executive producer offices. I then came upon the room she was looking for. On the door was a gold plate, it read. Sam Raimi, executive Producer. I knocked on the door, and when I heard a voice saying 'yes' I entered slowly. I then sat before the desk and looked up at the man sitting behind his desk.

'Yes Daria, what do you want?' he asked not looking up.

'I was wondering, do you know a Ted Kleinman?'

Sam looked up, confused. He looked at me wearilly.

'Oh yeah, he's the guy that gave us the idea for Xena,' Sam added. 'Rob and I were out of ideas, Kleinman then came to the rescue with the Xena Scrolls you see,' he added. 'why do you ask Daria?' he added.

'I need to know how I could contact him' I added.

'Here,' Sam wrote on a piece of scrap paper, 'here is his address,' he added. I took the piece of scrap paper and folded it up and placed it neatly in my pocket. I stood up slowly and thanked Sam.

'How is your next script going?' Sam asked as I begun to walk away.

'I'm working on it' I replied smiling. That was a lie. I turned around and left the office.

~~~~~~~~~~

'This must be it,' I muttered to myself. 'this is Ted's place' I approached his front door and knocked on it and waited for it to open. The door slowly opened to reveal a fairly tall man standing before me. He looked at me and smiled.

'What can I do for you?' the man said smiling.

'Can I speak with Ted Kleinman' I asked.

'Your looking at him, come on in, and I'll get you a coffee' he added leading me inside.

I sat at his kitchen bench and watched as he poured them both a coffee each. He handed me a mug, and sat down opposite me.

'What brings you here to see me?' he asked.

'I was wondering if you had any of Janice Covington's things?' I questioned.

'I might, lets take a look shall we,' Ted replied. 'what's your name?' he asked as he led me to his attic.

'Daria Covington' I replied.

'Are you Janice Convington's granddaughter?' Ted asked curiously.

'Yeah, and you are Jack Kleinman's grandson' I added.

'Yeah, how did you know that?' Ted asked.

'I have been researching my family tree, I'm trying to find out as much as I can' I replied.

Ted opened the attic door and led me inside and turned on the light. We both began to search the attic for what we were looking for.

Ted came across another box, he pulled it out and opened it. Inside was a jacket and hat. He called me over, and I dropped my things and rushed over towards Ted. I looked at the items of clothing, I then pulled out my photo of Janice Covington. I then looked at the jacket and hat, they were Janice's hat and jacket. Ted also took out a diary, he looked at it then placed it back into the box. He then looked over at me,

'This what you were looking for,' Ted said with a gently smile. 'you can come here as much as you want, treat this attic as if it was yours' he added warmly.

I stood up. 'thankyou' I replied. I smiled at Ted. 'why don't you come over for dinner at my place tonight?' I added. 'and we can look through Janice's stuff together' I suggested.

'Sure' Ted replied.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ren looked up as I came home with Ted following behind me. We both carried a box between us, we placed the box on the floor and Ren stood up and scratched her head. I looked up to see Ren's curious face.

'Ren, this is Ted Kleinman, Ted this is Ren, my best friend' I said smiling uneasilly. Ted shook Ren's hand, and Ren smiled cheerfully.

'Well, Ren, why don't you go order some Chinese or something' I said. 'what do you want Ted?' I said turning around to the man standing behind me.

'I don't mind' Ted replied.

'Pizza with chocolate topping!!!!' Ren said aloud.

'Ren!!!?' I said angrily. 'we had pizza last night'

'Doesn't matter,' Ted added. 'I feel like pizza'

'Yay!!!' Ren said running to the phone. She rung up the pizza delivery and ordered the pizza's. Ted and I sat down at the kitchen table and looked through the box.

First we pulled out Janice's clothing, her jacket and hat. After placing them aside we then found her whip, Janice's prized weapon. Then we came across a diary. We both looked at one another, then at the diary they held before us. I opened it up, and I flicked through it until I came to the last page. It read:

This may be the last time I ever write in this diary. Who knows. I've been sick for a long time. The doctor calls it cancer. I just call it a pain in the arse. Mel came over again today along with Jack. Poor Jack, and Daisy. I can't bear to think they may be alone without me if I die. I love them both. My poor Daisy, she is going to grow up never knowing her mother. Just as I had got life going, this blasted thing takes control of me. I can feel it.

I consider myself a lucky person. I have lived through a war or two, I've seen so much in this short lifetime. But so much is left unfinished. I want to know, what happened to my ansestors. I will die never knowing what really happened to them both. I will die, not knowing the answers. I want to know, I would give anything to know. But my life has been cut short, so my studies of the Xena Scrolls are officially closed.

I am proud I continued the legacy of my ansestors, I stepped out into the world and showed them what I could do. And I am thankful that I found those scrolls that day.

Which reminds me, clumsey Jack took the scrolls after he left the diggings. Damn fool huh? But he's my Jack. I suppose we fell in love, when I realized what he was like under all that stupidity. Sorry Jack.

Anyway, I better not waste too much time writing in this blasted thing, I would like to say, it has been a great life, and I have loved every moment of it.
Janice Convington, 6th August 1968

As we finished reading it, Ted picked out a video cassette. He handed it to me.

'I had this old video reel copied' he lifted out a tape from the 1960's. 'watch this video' he added.

I put on the video and began to watch it. With Ren out of the room, this should be easy. I watched, as I saw a middle aged woman walk around her garden in her nightgown. Janice sat down and played with a small child, only two years old. I felt the tears welling up. That little child was me, and I was born in 1966. My mother was born in 1943, after Jack and Janice were married.

I watched the video a little more then turned back to Ted who was sitting behind me.

'That was me,' I said sighing. 'I'm that little toddler in this movie, I know now how the family tree went.,' I added. 'Janice and Jack departed from the diggings in Macedonia in 1941, a year later they meant back up in California, in 1942, I found that out a couple of years ago, they married only half a year later. They had a daughter Daisy, my mother in 1943, in 1963 she married my father who then died in 1970, when I was only six. I was born in 1966, and Janice died in 1968 of lung cancer.' I fully understood the story.

'Then there was Mel,' I added. 'Ren's grandmother. 'Ren has no existing family today' I continued. 'all I know is that she died in 1979, she had a rare case of the flu' But she married, and along the line Ren was born. But no family live today' I added.

I picked up the diary again, I re-read the passage in Janice's last entry. But so much is left unfinished. I read... I want to know, what happened to my ansestors. Then the last line struck me... I will die never knowing what really happened to them both.

 'I have to complete Janice's studies,' I said reading it over and over again. 'I will complete them for her, are you going to be in it?' I said looking up at Ted.

'Sure,' he said smiling. 'lets do this for Janice' he added.

Ren ran into the room and pushed us aside and placed a CD into the Sony PlayStation beside the Tv. She then sat down on the couch and began to play Tomb Raider.

'Is she always like this?' Ted said looking at me confused.

'Yes,' I replied looking at him. 'but companionship is the best thing in life,' I added. 'she's got me and I've got her, it's worked for this long, so why not longer' I finished.

'Well put,' Ted commented. He sat beside Ren on the couch and looked at her. 'hey Ren, mind if I play too?' he asked smiling.

'Yeah!!!' Ren said turning around smiling at him. She handed him a controller and they played together. I watched admirably. It was good to see Ted enjoying himself with Ren.

I sat down beside Ted and watched as the two of them played together.

'What do you know about Janice's ansestors?' I asked curiously.

'Well, we know there names were Xena and Gabrielle,' Ted replied. 'I've read that from the scrolls, the rest you will have to look for in the diary' he added. I turned and picked up the diary once more and looked into it again. I came across what I was looking for.

We travelled back to Macedonia in search of any more scrolls or enclosed tombs. We found nothing. In all my diggings I have found nothing. Jack, Mel and have searched this whole landscape and found nothing.

I would give anything to find their tomb. Unable to trace exactly where they went I am not sure on what became of them. I found several other scrolls, they pointed out that Xena and Gabrielle did have children. Gabrielle married Joxer, they had a son. Xena on the other hand is complete mystery to me. She had a daughter, but I am not sure on the father.

I will keep searching as much as I can, but I don't want our daughter Daisy's life to get into chaos because of my lifestyle. I will keep searching as much as I can though, and won't rest until the job is done.
Janice Covington, 3rd April 1948

My mother would have only been five in 1948. I looked at the box once more searching for the scrolls they found. I came across two extra scrolls wrapped up neatly. I carefully opened them, and looked inside. There was a sheet with the scroll's translation on it. I picked it up and read it......

~~~~~~~~~~

'I'm....so sor....ry Xe..na' Gabrielle shivered from the coldness around them. Xena wrapped another blacket around her freezing friend and rubbed her arms to circulate the blood flow.

'Hey it was an accident,' she said with a smile of reassurance.

'B..ut I fe...el so guilty,' Gabrielle replied. 'I should...n't have walk...ed on.... the we..ak ice' she added.

'Come on' Xena said helping Gabrielle to her feet, 'we have to find shelter' she added walking into the snow storm. The snow asulted them with full force. Xena tried to cover them both with her cloak. She peered out of the cloak to see a cave. She led the bard inside and the two of them sat down on the cave floor.

Xena got up and placed her bag down. She looked about for something to start a fire. She walked up the cave back to the entrance. She was in luck. There was an old fallen tree outside with enough firewood to start a fire. She collected some and walked back inside.

Gabrielle lay on the ground now, and appeared to be unconscious. Xena walked up to her sleeping friend and peered at her.

'Gabrielle?' Xena said shaking her friend softly. 'you gotta keep awake enough so you can have something to eat and we can warm you up' she added. Gabrielle muttered and opened one eye and peered at Xena.

'Xena?' Gabrielle said quietly, she sat up and looked at her companian as she started a fire. Xena returned and focused her attention back on Gabrielle who was now laying back down, closing her eyes again. Xena rushed up to her and picked her up.

'Come on Gabrielle,' Xena said. 'fight it, don't fall asleep' she added. Though it took several minutes Gabrielle managed to wake back up. She had to work fast.

Xena collected all her things and pulled out her cooking things. She had just enough left over vegetables and meat to cook a stew. She pulled out a pot and placed all the ingrediants into it and placed it on the fire. She then turned back to Gabrielle.

She had her eyes closed again, her lips were tinted blue and her face a ghastly white. Xena picked her up again and shook her hard. It took a while to wake her up this time, but Gabrielle finally opened her eyes. Xena held her weakened frozen body up to hers and held it there. Gabrielle closed her eyes again but Xena stopped her.

'Gabrielle, stay awake!!!' she said aloud, yelling. 'come on, stay with me' she added. Gabrielle looked up at Xena shivering.

'I...can't fe...el......my .....fingers.....and....feet....my legs are...now...goi...ng numb...' Gabrielle said barely in between her shivers.

'Come on Gabrielle,' Xena said encouraging. 'you have to stay awake for me' she added. Gabrielle slowly nodded and sat back into Xena's chest and snuggled down. Xena reached over at the fire and checked on the stew.

She looked back at Gabrielle who looked back at Xena and smiled despite her obvious pain. Xena placed her hand on her head, and stroked it gently. Gabrielle looked down at the fire and closed her eyes again. Xena noticed, as Gabrielle's body slumped in her arms.

'Gabrielle!!!!' Xena yelled picking Gabrielle's limp body in her arms shaking it violently. 'wake up!!!' she yelled now standing up. Gabrielle opened her eyes and looked back at Xena.

'Come on, promise me you're gonna stay awake for me?' Xena said angrilly. 'you have to!!!' she added aloud. Gabrielle grinned then blinked slowly.

'I'll..........try' Gabrielle replied. She bit her lip, then realized even that hurt.

Xena looked back at the stew to find it was now ready. She placed Gabrielle in her right arm and pulled the pot off with her left, she put it on the ground and reached for a spoon and bowl. She put some stew in the bowl then turned her attention back to Gabrielle who was still awake. She smiled.

'I.... to...ld you... I w...as g...oi...ng to try' Gabrielle said with a smile. Xena smiled back and took the spoon and scooped out some stew and placed it at Gabrielle's mouth. She accepted the warm substance in her mouth and it made her feel warm inside and much better. After her meal Gabrielle felt sleepy and welcomed sleep without haste. She hoped that the new day brought sunlight, instead of the harsh dim sky, they had seen that day.

~~~~~~~~~~

'Daria' said a voice from behind me. I stopped reading and looked behind me to see Ted was peering over my shoulder trying to read what I was reading.

'Interesting hey?' he said as he sat beside me. I looked up at him.

'Yeah,' I replied. 'I think I'll finish it tommorro,' I added. I placed the transcript beside me and looked over at Ren who was still playing the Playstation.

'So Ren beat you huh?' I said playfully, punching Ted in the arm.

'Yeah, she bet me ten times in a row at that blasted game,' he replied. 'she sure is good' he added.

Ren overheard our conversation and turned around to look at us.

'It isn't because you are no good Ted, it is just I have played it more that you' Ren said looking at Ted and smiling. I stood up and placed the scrolls back with their transcipts in the box. I walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer and pulled out some ice cream.

'Anyone for ice cream?' I asked looked over at them both.

'Yeah!!!' Ren exclaimed. I looked at her and shook my head and smiled. That's my Ren.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I sat in my office and worked on my newest script. I was having trouble though. I was an ansestor of the main characters used and I couldn't even make any adventures up. I picked up my latest script I had just written and re-read out the last passage...

'Gabrielle is drinking the Lemsiroot. (aka Vicks Vapour Rub) Xena notices.
Xena: What are you drinking?
Gabrielle: Lemsiroot (Pauses, notices Xena is giving funny look) You said it was good for my skin. (continues to drink it)
Xena: On your skin , you're not suppose to drink it.
Gabrielle: (Muffled voice) So what could happen. (Realizes she can't feel her tongue) I can't feel my tongue. Xena I can't feel my tongue.
Xena: The numbness should go away in a few days.
Gabrielle: (Muffled voice) Oh nuts!!!

'That's not funny,' I said aloud to myself. 'This isn't comedy, no one would want to use this' I added. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. I replied with 'come in' A man walked in. He wore jeans, a cap and a checkered shirt. He didn't look that old either. He was better known as Josh Becker, the king of comedy in the show. He rushed up to me and looked at the script I was writing.

'What ya doin' he said as he read it.

'Working on my newest script,' I replied. 'but it sucks doesn't it?'

'No,' Josh replied. 'it's funny' he added.

'Nope,' I said aloud, I scrunched it up and threw it in the bin. 'it sucks' I added. 'I thought that if I wanted to write a comedy if I just thought on what Ren would do in the same situation it would be funny but it didn't work out as I had planed' I finished.

'I liked that script,' Josh said smiling. 'I reckon I would of enjoyed directing that' he added. 'doesn't matter now though does?' he added. 'I'll be going now, see ya later Daria!!' he said as he walked out of the room, as she shut the door I opened the draw in the desk and pulled out the transcripts and scrolls. I opened the scroll and out popped the transcript. I picked it up and continued to read it....

~~~~~~~~~~

Gabrielle awoke feeling much better than last night. She looked about for Xena, and found her laying beside her. She looked up at the cave's entrance to find it was still as dark as it was before outside. The snow was still plummeting down from the sky. She turned her attention back to Xena, and as she moved Xena stirred too. She opened her eyes and looked at her companian and smiled.

'I take it you feel much better' Xena asked with a gentle smile.

'Yeah' Gabrielle replied, she sat in silence then gave Xena a sheepish grin. 'and thanks for what you did last night' Gabrielle added.

'For what?' Xena asked confused.

'For keeping me awake and all,' Gabrielle paused. 'if you hadn't I would of died for sure from the cold' she added. Xena smiled and stood up. She looked outside at the snow which hadn't really improved. Looking back at Gabrielle she shrugged her shoulders.

'I don't know what we are going to do now,' Xena said sitting back down. 'have you got any suggestions of something to do in this blasted cave whilst we wait for this storm to end' Xena said smiling hesitantly.

'We could get breakfast for a start,' Gabrielle replied almost laughing.

'Yes, that would be a good idea' Xena added. She looked over at the pot of unfinished stew. She picked it up.

'Anyone for left overs?' she asked smiling. Gabrielle grinned in return and nodded as she begun to laugh. It was going to be a long day indeed.

~~~~~~~~~

'Daria!!!' I heard the voice yell at me. I looked up and saw Rob glaring at me. I gulped nervously as his eyes seemed to glare even more.

'What are you doing!!!?' he asked angrilly. I placed the transcript down quickly and smiled.

'I'm researching' I said trying to cover the truth. His eyes narrowed and he looked at the transcript and picked it up.

'This better be research!!!' he said aloud. 'remember this is your final chance Daria, I am expecting this script in three days starting today!!!' he added. My eyes widened.

'Okay,' I said quickly and nervously. I'll do it' I added smiling. Rob placed the transcript back onto the table, I looked nervously at him as he walked out the door, slaming it before me. Something told me, he wasn't very happy with me.

~~~~~~~~~~

'Ren I'm home,' I yelled. 'Ren popped her head out from the fridge. I slumped down in the couch and flicked on the Tv. Ren sat down beside me and watched too.

'Hey Daria!!,' she said happily. I looked over at Ren and smiled.

'Hey yourself' I said with a smile. Ren grinned sheepishly.

'I got three days, two now starting tommorro to finish that script,' I said as I stood up, 'that makes me feel just dandy' I added as I sat down at the kitchen table.

'Well, I got something that will make you feel better,' Ren said aloud. She jumped up from the couch. 'I played Sony!!!!' Ren said giggling.

'Yeah Ren,' I said trying to sound sarcastic. 'that made me feel a whole lot better to hear about your escapades in the house' I added. I picked up the scroll and transcript and opened it again. Ren stood up and sat beside me.

'So what's for dinner!!!?' she yelled.

'Check the fridge, there is probably left overs in there somewhere.' I replied.

'I checked already Daria!!!,' Ren said. 'you see I ated it all up' she added.

'Oh great,' I replied. I stood up and took the phone. 'what do you want?' I asked.

'Well, I have chocolate covered pizza,' Ren replied.

'No Ren, chose something else other than pizza!!!!' I yelled angrilly.

'Okay Chinese for you Daria' Ren's bottom lip quivered. I sighed.

'Sorry Ren,' I replied. 'look if you want pizza, I'll have it'

'No, I want to get Chinese for Daria!!!' Ren, said with a gentle smile. I smiled in return. Though she didn't know I rang up the pizza service and ordered some pizza. Ren deserved her pizza, she was one of a kind.

I sat down and picked up the transcript and continued to read it........

~~~~~~~~~~

After they ate breakfast they sat doing their own thing. Gabrielle wrote in her scrolls and Xena polished her armor. Simutaneously they looked up at the cave entrance to find a change, but nothing. It was still very dim outside, and the cave entrance was covered in snow.

Xena turned back to her polishing but Gabrielle looked at Xena. Xena looked up confused.

'What?' she asked confusingly.

'Nothing,' Gabrielle muttered. 'its just I had a thought' Gabrielle added.

'About what?' Xena asked.

'What it would be like if Solan was alive here with us' Gabrielle replied. Xena looked down at the ground and sighed.

'I don't know' Xena added.

'I just feel sad,' Gabrielle added. 'I don't know why, but I just do' she continued.

'Why?'

'I just feel so guilty,' Gabrielle replied. She looked up at Xena. 'it eats away at me,' she said softly. 'I just feel that he should have lived his full life out' she added. Xena neared Gabrielle and sat beside her.

'Alti told me, she put a curse on Solan,' Xena said placing her arm around Gabrielle. 'the curse made Solan never get loved by anyone' Xena added. 'that makes me sad' Xena continued. 'but I know it wasn't your fault on what happened, it was just the way the gods made it' Xena added. 'but no one can predict the future can they?' Xena added.

'That fortune teller did!!' Gabrielle replied changing the subject. They both laughed.

'I still think that, it was just another normal day' Xena added.

'No, she said that something dangerous was going to happen and it did,' Gabrielle replied. 'we were stunk in a capsized ship' she added.

'No, no no my bard friend' Xena added. 'I still think it was just another normal day' she playfully puched her in the arm. Gabrielle retelliated.

'Hey!!!?' she yelled punching Xena in the arm, she tackled her to the ground. Xena then grabbed Gabrielle behind the neck making her crawl into a ball and beg for mercy.

'Let go, let go!!!' Gabrielle said, laughing. 'please, you know I am ticklish there!!' she added laughing to the ground. Xena let go and looked down at her bard friend.

'Don't mess with the warrior princess then' Xena added laughing to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~

'Hey dinner's here!!!' Ren yelled at the top of her lungs. I looked up from the paper I held in my hand and watched as Ren took the deiliveries from the man standing at the door. I got up and pulled out my purse and payed the man.

As I shut the door I looked over at Ren who was sitting on the couch once more. I got up and sat beside her. Ren looked at me, confusion clouding her face.

'Um, Daria, you never sit here with me and watch Tv!!!' Ren said aloud.

'I know, I feel like it though Ren' I replied.

'What did you find out from the scroll Daria!!!?' Ren asked as she stuffed her face with the pizza.

'Well, alot,' I replied. 'you would be quite surprised with who you are the desendent of Ren' I replied. I picked up the pizza box and pulled out a slice for myself.

'Who?' Ren asked.

'A warrior princess,' I replied. Ren's face lit up.

'I fight like her!!!?' Ren said exitedly as she stood up and jumped on the couch waving her arms about. I pulled her down and looked at her as if to say stop.

'I'm sorry Daria!!' Ren said appoligetically. I smiled.

'Doesn't matter' I replied. We sat in silence once more.

'What's your dream Daria!!!?' Ren asked.

'I've told you Ren' I replied.

'Yeah, but I forget' Ren said aloud. 'please tell me, how you want to be?' Ren added.

'Well I want to travel the world' I replied. 'I want to see Africa, Europe, Rome, Asia. I want to do what I can do in life' I added.

'Why, don't you be a warrior princess then Daria!!!' Ren added excitedly.

'What?' I replied looking at her.

'You could be brave like me and we could do everything, not like everyone else does,' Ren added. 'we are all warriors!!!' Ren added. I looked at her. Something snapped inside me, my whole world changed at once. Ren was right.

I could travel the world, climb the highest mountains, slide down the sand dunes, see the pyramids at Giza, visit Rome, see the great China wall, visit Greece, see Stone Hedge, be like that warrior inside.

Then I snapped out of my thoughts of what I could make of my life. I looked at Ren and shook my head.

'There is one thing I have that a warrior princess has to do that,' Ren looked at me confused. 'courage' I added. I stood up and began to walk away. Ren shook her head.

'No no no!!!' Ren said angrilly. 'you gotta something else that is even more powerfull that courage' Ren added. I turned around at the words and looked at her.

'Faith!!' Ren added. 'I looked at her and at the ground.

'What faith?' I asked looking back up at her.

'For me,' Ren added. 'you had just enough faith in me, just enough to look after me'

'What, I only took care of you cause I promised your mother I would' I replied.

'No, you cared about me!!!' Ren added.  I stood in silence. 'have the faith Daria!!' Ren added. 'you gotta have faith in yourself, and you gotta take a chance!!'

What Ren was saying was the words that a wise man would tell his pupil. I looked at her.

'I can't just leave my job Ren!!!,' I yelled 'its not that easy!!' Ren looked up at me nervously

'Goodnight Ren' I said as I walked into my bedroom. Leaving the room silent.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was my second day on the script. I couldn't go to work though. I felt like going to Teds. Ted was happy to see me, I had to get out of the house, Ren drove me nuts last night. Ted and I had a quiet day of just chatting and drinking coffee. Besides it was Ted's day off anyway.

'So what were you able to find out huh?' Ted asked as he passed me a coffee mug.

'Well nothing much, I'm still reading this scroll' I replied. I picked up the scroll and transcript.

'Aren't you supposed to be working on your new script?' Ted asked wearilly.

'Na I'm finished with that' I replied. Ted nodded, but then looked at me confused.

'It's just yesterday I dropped into your place and hung out with Ren, didn't she tell you?' he asked.

'No,' I replied. 'sorry, she doesn't tell me anything, that is why I have to leave the answering machine on all the time' I added. Ted smiled.

'Well, Ren told me you've been stressed out lately cause you have to finish this script, or you get fired' Ted added.

'Yeah, I guess so' I replied. 'to tell you the truth I am scared of walking into work tommorro' I replied. I picked up the transcript and looked at it. Ted looked at it too, and we begun to read it together.....

~~~~~~~~

The snow still fell outside as bad as it had been for the last ten or so hours. It was quiet once more in the cave. Xena sat looking into the fire and Gabrielle wrote on her scrolls. The cave was silent. Finally the silence was broken.

'Hey Gabrielle?' Xena said aloud getting Gabrielle's attention.

'Yeah' she muttered not looking up from the scroll.

'Soft or hard?' Xena asked.

'What?' Gabrielle said looking up from the scroll.

'Is what you are going to think of soft or hard?'

'Hard'

'Living?'

'Yes'

Xena sat in thought for a moment.

'Does it think?'she asked finally.

'Yes'

'Does it walk?'

'Travels where ever its owner goes' Gabrielle replied.

'A dog?' Xena asked confused.

'No!!' Gabrielle replied.

'Is it an animal?' Xena asked.

'No!!'

'Then what?' Xena finally asked, giving in.

'The Warrior Princess's head!!' Gabrielle replied. 'Rock hard it is!!' The two of them began to laugh aloud. The laughing seased and all was silent again. Xena looked up and watched the bard at work once more.

'We've been through alot haven't we?' Xena said quietly. Gabrielle looked up and smiled.

'Yeah,' she replied scratching her short blonde hair 'I suppose we have' she added. 'but sometimes, I think of the bad things, and I wish they would go away forever and I would never have to think of them again' Gabrielle added. Xena approached Gabrielle and sat beside her.

'Someone once told me, that bad things happen in life, but its all for a point,' Xena paused. 'you can't shut out the world from the bad things you have to stand up to them' Xena added. Gabrielle looked up and Xena and smiled.

'The memories hurt less and less each day, but I can never forgive myself,' she added. She placed the quill down onto the ground with the scroll. 'but, its made me a wiser person' Gabrielle added.

'Yes,' Xena said 'I agree, you have grown up alot since the innocent, nieve young girl I met in Poteidaia all those years ago' Xena added. Silence filled the cave once more.

'Soft or hard?' Gabrielle asked.

'Oh, soft' Xena replied.

'Does it think?'

'No, but it does have feelings'

'Is it an object?;

'Nope!!' Xena replied smiling. Gabrielle rubbed her short hair thinking.

'Is it alive?' Gabrielle asked finally.

'Probably not' Xena replied.

'Does it show any emotions?'

'Yes, alot'

'Is it caring?'

'Yes!!!'

Gabrielle sat once again pondering another question.

'It isn't alive, it has feelings, emotion and it isn't an object,' Gabrielle muttered to herself. 'what is it?' she asked confusion covering her face.

'The hug of my best friend' Xena replied. Gabrielle smiled and with that, they embraced in a long hug, and when they broke, their conversation was droned away by the sounds of the snow storm outside.

~~~~~~~~~~~

'You want another coffee?' Ted asked standing up from the table. I looked up at him and nodded. I placed the transcript down and picked up the remote for the Tv and turned it on. The news was on. I sat and watched it. Then a report that caught my eye came on. There was a picture of two frozen bodies in the snow, at least a couple of thousand years old. I kept watching as they showed the bodies close up, and the commentary that accompanied it said:

'Two bodies were found today in the snowy alps today. A hiker elegedly found the two bodies, which had been perfectly preserved for thousands of years. The snow apparently melted revealing its secret it has held there for thousands of years, Dr Peter Hutchenson explains...'

'It seems that the bodies are of two woman, One appears to be a warrior woman, telling by the armor that is still preserved on her body and this weapon a sword and whip, We can connect this warrior woman to the studies of Dr Janice Covington in 1941, she found what was known as the Xena Scrolls, and the Chakram, which has been trapped in the Tomb of Ares ever since its discovery in the same year. We are predicting that the weapon known as the Chakram was this warrior womans weapons. We don't know where the scrolls are now, all we know is that Janice had them in 1941'

'The other body seems to be that of a younger woman, she is wearing a blouse, and skirt, and I think she had short hair. But one of the most noticable things on her body was the tattoo around her neck, and chest area, we would love to find out more, but all we can do is track down those scrolls'

The report came to an end and I sat shocked on what I had heard. I picked up the transcript and read it some more.....

The snow storm stopped, later that day, and the two companians prepared to finish their journey. Gabrielle packed up her scrolls and bedroll, whilst Xena prepared their cloaks so they would be nice and warm. After heating them selves by the fire, the two woman stood up and began to leave the cave as it was before. What lays ahead in their journeys nobody knows, except the bard, and her friend......the end of this story is a complete mystery.

Transcribed 26/31946.

I finished the scroll wondering on what happened exactly. It was a mystery. I placed the scrolls back with their transcripts as Ted walked back in with the coffees. He placed them on the table and looked at me. I looked up at him and placed my hands firmly around the mug placed before me.

'Ren was right last night,' I said quietly, 'I've gotta have more faith in what I do. I'm going to go to work tommorro and let him fire me' I said with a smile. 'I'm going to finally conquer my fears and my dreams with my best friend by my side!!!' I added with a grin ear to ear.

~~~~~~~~~~

I walked into work that morning, and stood right up to my bosses desk, and told him I never even tried to work on a script, he fired me there and then, but I didn't care. I had my life to live, I had enough money to do what I wanted to do, and by god I was going to do it. Or by the gods I will do it. I caught the next plane, Ren and I, put our flat up for rent and went to the snowy alps.

It was a long flight, but worth it. We arrived at the spot where the bodies lay a couple of days later. There was rope cutting the bodies off from anyone who wanted to get close. I stepped up to the bodies and looked at them.

They were both holding each other, probably from the freezing coldness of the alps. Both had their foreheads pressed one against an other.

Ren walked slowly up to them too, and looked on. She looked up at me, with a smiple question...

'Are they the people out of the story?' she asked, with a serious face for once. I nodded. Then looked back at Ren.

'The doctor who is trying to find the scrolls is around here somewhere,' I said quietly, 'I intend to keep it a secret,' I added, 'as a tribute to them' I continued......

The two companians lay in the snow, shivering together. Gabrielle closed her eyes, and Xena shook her to wake her. She opened her eyes and sighed.

'Its,....so...cold....Xe...na!!' she said shivering.

'I know....but....you...have...to...stay....awake....for me...' Xena replied, trying to get warm.

They had been caught off guard by yet another storm, they tried to find shelter but it was hopeless, they attempted to start a fire, but it smuldered out within seconds of being lit. Gabrielle looked over and Xena's pale face. She had blue tinted lips and dark bags under her blue eyes. The same as Gabrielle. Xena took Gabrielle's hand and held it tightly..

'You...have....to...stay...awake...' Xena said. 'after....all....we... have..... been.... through.....we.. need... to ...hold ....on..' Xena said, she took her arm and hugged her companian tightly, as Gabrielle did too.

'We....have....to....fight..'she added. 'we....have..so...much more....good...to bring to .....the....
world...' she continued.

'We....are....going...to die...Xena,' Gabrielle said.

'Even if....we....do....I will....never....leave ....you' Xena replied.

'I love you....Xena....' Gabrielle whispered. Placing her forehead against Xena's.

'I...love...you...too Gabrielle,' Xena replied.

The two lay there, embraced in one final hug before the darkness claimed them for ever.

I looked about to see if anyone was looking, and lifted the rope and stepped under it. I stood looking down at their bodies, and suddenly felt very saddened. I took out a rose, and bent down and placed it between them both, and I stood back up and gave them an Amazon salute. Ren watched on and stepped under the rope too, and stood beside me and mimiced the salute.

I looked over at her and brought her into my arm. I smiled to myself.

'There is something that is even more powerful than faith Ren,' I said quietly, I turned to look at her. 'love' I added, pulling her in even tighter. We stood there and mourned for the two companians that lost their lives to the coldness of the alps. Why were they travelling? Nobody knows. Did they have families of their own? That would remain a mystery, forever hidden beneath the snow.

I looked down at the bodies again, and noticed a scroll, I slowly bent over and picked it up. I took it in my hand tightly. I opened the scroll, it read:

The End.

'No one will ever know about them Ren,' I said holding the scroll tightly once again. 'I will keep it a mystery, for them,' I added. I took the scroll and ripped it up and threw it away. No one would ever know on who they really were.

As for Ren and I, we travel the world still to this day. We saw the Great China wall, the pyramids at Giza, I took Ren to Disney land, and I climbed to the top of the highest mountains. But we finished our travels for a while back at home. I decided to visit where Janice layed. As I placed the flowers down onto her grave I whispered under my breath.

'It ends where it begins Janice, in another time, another place'

With that I grabbed Ren in my arm and we walked off together, but also two other people can be seen walking off together. The ghosts of Xena and Gabrielle can still be heard in the alps, and if you listen carefully, you can hear them on the wind. What do they say, well they talk on and on, even in the afterlife they both have time to spend listening to one another, and as for Ren and I, we still travel to this day, and we still do everything there is to do, I've conquered my dreams with my best friend.

THE END

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