FADE IN

A clearing at sunset. Xena and Gabrielle are riding their horses at a slow trot, coming to a halt. Darion is sitting in front of Gabrielle on the horse, Gabrielle's arms around him, while he holds the reins and pretends to be guiding the horse himself, beaming with joy. Gabrielle smiles indulgently.

DARION:
     Yah!

XENA (grabs the reins before the horse can bolt):
     Whoa, not so fast. This is our stop.

GABRIELLE:
     Ohh--all right then. C'mon, Darion--let's make camp.

DISSOLVE TO

Night. Xena, Gabrielle and Darion are sitting around a bright campfire, its reddish reflections flickering on their faces. Xena is busy polishing her boots while Gabrielle is telling a story; Darion, sitting next to her and eating an apple, is hanging on her every word.

GABRIELLE:
     So, the day kept repeating and no one could remember what had happened. Except Xena, who had been chosen by Cupid to stop the feuding between two families and thus allow their son and daughter, who were in love with each other, to be together at last.

DARION:
     Wow! You got to relive the same day over and over again? I wish I could do that!

GABRIELLE (curiously):
     Why?

DARION:
     Well... (scrunches up his face) You know, that way, if you mess up, you always have a chance to fix it the next time around. (he thinks a little more and his face brightens) And besides (waves his half-eaten apple), you can eat as many apples as you want and your tummy's not going to hurt the next day!

GABRIELLE (smiles):
     Trust me, Darion, it's not something you'd really want to happen to you. It gets pretty tiresome after about the third time.

XENA (lifts her head):
     Gabrielle, what do you know? You couldn't remember anything from day to day. You weren't the one who had to wake up in the same barn and hear Joxer yell "Rise and shine!" in that (clenches her teeth) cheery voice every da-- (catches herself) --every single morning a hundred times in a row.

GABRIELLE (chuckles):
     Well, you're right. That's one memory I don't especially miss.

DARION (pauses briefly to finish the apple):
     I wish I could have met Joxer... (after another pause, quietly) Gabrielle...you told me Joxer is--gone...

GABRIELLE (wistful):
     He is, honey.

DARION (looks down, obviously struggling):
     How did--I mean, you know--what happened to him?

Xena gives Gabrielle an uncomfortable look. Gabrielle looks away for a moment, then turns to Darion and clears her throat.

GABRIELLE:
     He--he was-- (her voice breaks off as the camera closes in on Xena's anxious face) --it was a Roman commander. Joxer-- (choking back tears) See, I was captured by the Romans and he tried to save me, and-- (she lowers her head)

DARION (reaches out to touch her hand):
     I'm sorry I made you sad...

GABRIELLE (tries to smile through tears):
     It's all right, Darion...

DARION (thinks for a moment, quietly):
     He was a real hero, right?

A close-up on Gabrielle's face. She is clearly moved, her eyes bright with tears. She puts her hands on Darion's shoulders as the camera pulls back.

XENA:
     Yes, he was.

GABRIELLE (darts a quick, surprised look at Xena, and then looks back at Darion):
     Of course he was a real hero, honey. See, Xena thinks so too. (she forces herself to smile and strokes Darion's hair) Now, try and think some happy thoughts, okay?

DARION (nods, smiling bravely):
     Okay, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:
     Now, young man, I think it's about time you got some sleep.

She kisses him on the forehead.

DARION:
     Goodnight, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:
     Goodnight, Darion. Want me to put you to bed?

DARION (indignantly):
     I can do it myself.

He walks to the other side of the campfire and settles into a small bedroll while Gabrielle watches him.

XENA (reaches out to touch Gabrielle's hand comfortingly):
     Gabrielle...

GABRIELE:
     I'm all right.

A brief silence. Xena looks over at Darion, listening to his even breathing--he is obviously sound asleep already. She then turns to Gabrielle.

XENA (in a half-whisper):
     Gabrielle, mind if I ask you a question?

GABRIELLE:
     Sure.

XENA (looks at Darion and speaks softly):
     Tell me something...it's not that I have anything against Darion, but... (looks at him again) ...how long do you see him traveling with us?

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, you know I can't leave him.

XENA (quickly):
     I wasn't suggesting--

GABRIELLE:
     I know.

XENA:
     Gabrielle, if you want to raise him--I'll support whatever you decide to do. I just wanted to make sure that you know what you're getting into.

GABRIELLE:
     Look, Xena, I want to find his sister. I promised him I would. If she's alive--we'll find her. (looks at Xena) You'll help me, won't you?

XENA:
     Of course I will. But what if we can't?

GABRIELLE (sighs a little sadly, glancing at Darion):
     Well...I know that with the kind of life we lead, it's difficult to have a child around. He shouldn't have to deal with the kinds of things we face day after day. Remember what you said once, Xena, when Eve was little--maybe it's just wrong to expose a child to all this violence. (Xena looks away, anguished) Sorry... But Darion...he needs me, Xena. He's got no one else. And...I need him too. I've never really had a chance to--you know--

Xena nods and wordlessly squeezes her hand, obviously overcome with emotion. A brief silence.

GABRIELLE (obviously changing the subject):
     So, what now? We're all done in Corinth...I was thinking that we could head back toward Amazon lands. It'll be good to see Eve. And I did promise her that I would come back to help hunt down the gang that raided Darion's village. (a little reluctantly) Maybe we'll even find his sister.

XENA:
     Sounds like a plan. Right now, let's get some shuteye.

Xena stands up and goes over to lie down in her bedroll; Gabrielle stands as well, follows her and lies down between Xena and Darion.

GABRIELLE:
     Goodnight, Xena.

XENA (drowsily):
     'Night....

Gabrielle sighs and closes her eyes.

DISSOLVE TO

Later that night. Xena, Gabrielle and Darion are asleep in their bedrolls. The fire is nearly out. There is the sound of rustling leaves around the campsite. Xena opens her eyes; the noise is repeated a few more times. She sits up quietly and reaches for her sword next to her. Without waking Gabrielle or Darion, she walks slowly toward the source of the sounds--behind a row of bushes. She points her sword out in front of her and then sees three dark figures dart from the bushes and run. Xena races after them into the woods. They have a good head start, but as they reach a moonlit clearing, Xena leaps, flips in the air and lands right behind the slowest of the three men, grabbing his neck and knocking him down. He manages to get up, draw his sword and parry her blows for a few moments until she kicks the sword out of his hand. Meanwhile, the other two men disappear into the woods.

MAN (falls to his knees):
     Please--please don't kill me, Warrior Princess! Have mercy, I beg you!

XENA (looks in the direction where the other two men ran):
     Looks like you and your friends are much better runners than you are fighters. (lowers her sword) All right. Are you going to tell me what's going on the easy way--or the hard way?

MAN:
     I swear, Warrior Princess, we didn't mean you or your friends any harm! We were just told to follow you because there've been rumors that you were working with a traitor to Rome--

XENA (raises her sword to the man's throat, her face hard in the moonlight):
     Are you from Rome? Do you work for the Emperor Claudius? (the man nods, sweat pouring down his face) A traitor--do you mean Agrippina?

MAN (trembling):
     Yes--we were ordered to find out if she was with you--

XENA:
     Well, she's not. (the corners of her mouth curve up in a sneer) You'd better run back to your Emperor and tell him he needs to find better help.

The man gets up and runs. Xena looks after him, then sighs, shaking her head, and starts walking back to the campsite. Then she stops and listens intently to something; in a moment, the smile on her face indicating that she is sensing Ares' presence.

XENA:
     Still sneaking up on me?

ARES (materializes in a flash of light, with a familiar grin on his face):
     Looks like you caught me again.

XENA (teasingly):
     Well, better you than a bunch of Roman spies, I suppose...

ARES (wryly):
     I'm touched. Anyway--I thought I'd stop by.

XENA:
     Uh-huh. In the middle of the night?

ARES (grins):
     Hey, that's the best time of the day.

XENA:
     You know, just because you're a god and you don't need sleep doesn't mean nobody else does.

ARES:
     Well, it's hard to catch you alone these days, now that you've got your little friend hanging around...

XENA:
     By now, I would have thought you'd be used to her hanging around.

ARES:
      Her? I'm talking about that kid.

Xena chuckles and Ares grins; there's silence between them for a moment. Then, Ares takes a step back and looks down, obviously struggling with something, then looks at Xena again.

ARES:
     So--I hear they're doing pretty well with the rebuilding in Corinth.

XENA (a little bitterly):
     Since when are you so concerned about the rebuilding of cities ravaged by war?

ARES (pauses briefly, fidgeting a little, then looks up at Xena):
     Xena, look... About Sabina... I didn't mean to--

Xena suddenly holds out a hand, signaling him to be quiet. A child's cry can be heard at some distance--it's Darion.

XENA (a worried look on her face):
     Ares, we'll talk about this some other time. I left Gabrielle and Darion alone at the site, with those Romans prowling around--I need to get back and make sure they're okay.

ARES:
     Come on, Gabrielle can take pretty good care of--

Before he can finish, Xena races away.

ARES (sighs):
     Like I said...it's hard to catch you alone these days.

He vanishes in a flash of light.

CUT TO

The campsite. Gabrielle is sitting up, comforting Darion.

XENA (runs up to her):
     Is everything all right?

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah...just a bad dream. (looks at Xena, puzzled) Where were you?

XENA (grimly):
     We had visitors.

CUT TO

A horse and a cloaked rider gallop through the fields under the full moon and approach a village. Everything is dark; only one house near the edge of the village has a light flickering in a window. The rider brings the horse to a halt near the house and dismounts. The rider's face is lit by the moon. It's Agrippina.

CUT TO

Inside the house. It's small but cozy, a fire burning in the fireplace. A young man who seems to be a little over twenty is sitting at a table with oil lamps positioned at each corner, reading from a scroll by their light. He is pale-skinned and freckled, with short blond hair and pale blue eyes, wearing a peasant outfit of gray pants and a dark green shirt.

The door opens. He looks up at the sound and sees Agrippina come in. He smiles at the sight of her and stands up.

YOUNG MAN:
     Mother.

AGRIPPINA (smiles proudly):
     Domitius... (she comes closer and they hug and kiss each other tenderly on the cheek) So, how's Greece?

DOMITIUS:
     It's wonderful, Mother. (inhales deeply) In this land, the very air one breathes seems to be saturated with the exquisite spirit of Grecian poetry and arts.

AGRIPPINA:
     You're quite the poet yourself, my boy. (they break the embrace) Well, if you think it's been good up to now--it's about to get better. (off his curious look) You have heard of Xena, Warrior Princess and Gabrielle--

DOMITIUS (interrupts):
     Oh yes--the Bard of Potidaea. Of course! Her scrolls are some of the best writing I have ever had the pleasure to read. (eagerly) Do you mean to tell me there's a chance of my meeting Gabrielle?

AGRIPPINA:
     More than a chance, Domitius. We're going to meet her, and Xena.

DOMITIUS (obviously interested):
     Are they going to help us?

AGRIPPINA:
     I don't know yet, son. But I have hopes.

Close-ups of Domitius and Agrippina smiling at each other as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER