FADE IN

The same scene as before.

GABRIELLE:
     Darion, I'm really sorry... I'm afraid some bad people took all the trees.

Darion looks upset, then his face lights up suddenly.

DARION:
     Why don't you ask Ares to get one? I bet he could. He's got all sorts of tricks.

XENA:
     Powers.

GABRIELLE (looks at Xena a little mischievously):
     You know, Darion has a point.

XENA (brusquely):
     Gabrielle, I'm not going to call on Ares just so he can get us a Solstice tree. We're talking about the God of War here.

A familiar blue light flares up. When it clears, Ares is seen sitting in a chair.

ARES:
     You are?

XENA (sighs):
     Hello, Ares.

DARION (overjoyed):
     Ares! Can you get us a tree for Solstice?

XENA (firmly):
     He's not going to get us a tree for Solstice.

ARES (gets up and gives her a playful look):
     Worried about ruining my reputation?

XENA (chuckles):
     Maybe.

GABRIELLE (teasing):
     She's right, you know. At this rate, you'll be rescuing cats from trees next.

ARES (points a finger at her in pretend outrage):
     Hey, hey, hey. I don't have to take that from you. (turns to Xena) So. You want a tree or not?

Darion opens his mouth but Xena glares at him and he stays quiet.

ARES:
     I mean, if you do, just say the word. I've got an eye on this great tree on a rock on Mount Athos. It's about three hundred years old...

DARION:
     Wow!

GABRIELLE (in dismay):
     What! You want to cut down a three-hundred-year-old tree on a mountain peak? What a horrible--

ARES (grins):
     Thanks for the extra incentive. (to Darion) Come on, kid. I'm going to teach you something about the spirit of Solstice.

Before anyone can say a word, he sweeps Darion up in his arms and vanishes in a flash. The sound of Darion's excited squeal hangs in the air.

XENA (looks at a distressed Gabrielle and shrugs):
     Well, it was your idea...

CUT TO

A moonlit rock high in the mountains where a lonely tree stands. There is a flash of light; Ares appears with Darion in his arms and sets him down on the ground.

ARES:
     All right. Now watch. This is what we do with trees.

He raises his hand, taking aim.

ARES:
     Bang. You're dead.

He shoots a lightning bolt from his hand, neatly slicing off the upper half of the tree just below the branches. The tree sways and falls.

CUT TO

The same room as before. Ares appears in a flash of light with Darion on his right arm and the tree under his left. He puts down the tree by the wall.

ARES (grins, putting down Darion):
     At your service.

Xena responds to his grin with a mischievous half-smile.

GABRIELLE (distressed):
     Did this tree actually stand on a mountain?

DARION (excited):
     Yeah, it sure did! It was really exciting! (raises his arm) Ares just did like this and--

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     All right, all right. I don't want to hear the details. (glares at Ares) If it's here, we might as well decorate it.

ARES (smirks at her):
     You're welcome.

Gabrielle goes out of the room, dragging the tree with her.

DARION (to Ares):
     Hey, merry Solstice! (runs out of the room after Gabrielle, shouting) Hey, everyone, we got a tree!

Left alone, Ares and Xena stand facing each other at close range, looking at each other silently.

XENA (smiles a little):
     I can't believe it...you actually gave me a Solstice gift.

ARES:
     What, that? It was just a chance to kill something on Solstice Eve. Even if it was only a tree.

XENA (teasing):
     Must be a tough time of the year for you, with all the talk about the spirit of peace...

ARES (makes a face):
     Awful. But hey, I appreciate somethings about Solstice...

XENA:
     Like what?

ARES:
     Like you and me being under the mistletoe right now.

XENA (raises an eyebrow):
     No, we're not.

ARES:
     Yes, we are. Look.

He moves his finger. A twig of mistletoe fixed over the door detaches itself from the door frame, floats through the air and hovers right over Ares and Xena. Xena looks up, smiles and shakes her head. They come closer and melt into a tender, passionate kiss. Still locked in a kiss, they sink down on their knees on the rug.

The camera pans to Eve, who comes up to the door and stops short as she sees Xena and Ares kissing. She looks troubled. In a moment she turns and walks away.

CUT TO

Eve walking in the hallway. Virgil comes up to her, a clay mug in each hand.

VIRGIL:
     Lila's serving mulled wine--I thought you might want some.

EVE:
     Thanks. (she takes one mug from him and starts to sip the wine, an absent look on her face)

VIRGIL:
     Is something wrong?

EVE (distracted):
     What? Uh--no. I was just going outside to get some air, that's all.

Still sipping the wine, she walks away into the anteroom, grabs her coat, which is hanging on a hook by the front door, and walks out. Virgil watches her as she goes, looking somewhat concerned.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares pull apart from their kiss, the mistletoe still hanging in the air over them. They open their eyes and smile at each other.

ARES:
     See you soon.

He vanishes in a flash of light. The twig of mistletoe floats down gently into Xena's lap. She picks it up and looks at it pensively.

CUT TO

Eve standing on the porch. The snow has started to fall again. Eve stands silently, watching the snow fall and sipping the wine. The door behind her is heard opening and Virgil steps out, with his warm coat on as well. They stand silently for a few moments.

VIRGIL:
     So, is this Solstice everything you thought it would be?

EVE (with a faint smile):
     It is. It's good to spend this time of the year with family and friends. I haven't done it in a long time...if ever.

VIRGIL (looks at Eve who still has the distant look on her face):
     But something is bothering you.

EVE:
     Not really. It's just...I've got some things on my mind. (after a pause, she turns to him and smiles again) I shouldn't shut you out. All right, it's seeing my mother and Ares together. It just...feels strange.

VIRGIL (nods and looks down):
     Oh. (looks up again) Are you still--

EVE (vehemently):
     No! It's not that at all. It's more that... (sighs) ...it was so tempting to blame him for everything I had become, everything I did (her voice drops) as Livia. Including-- (her voice breaks off)

VIRGIL:
     Eve... (he touches her hand)

EVE (quietly):
     How can you bear to touch me?

VIRGIL:
     Eve...Solstice is supposed to be a time of forgiveness and renewal. You've found a new life, and you and I have come a long way toward finding forgiveness. Maybe now is the time for us to reach the end of that path.

They turn and look at each other, staring into each other's eyes, and start leaning closer to each other very slowly. Then they stop.

EVE (softly):
     Are you sure?

Instead of replying, Virgil leans even closer until their lips touch, and they share a brief but tender kiss. The camera pulls back to show them kissing against the snowy backdrop. Almost immediately, they pull back and look into each other's eyes, only now fully realizing what has happened. They seem confused and slightly embarrassed; finally they smile at each other.

VIRGIL:
     Why don't we go back inside--you must be getting cold.

EVE (smiles at him):
     I'm not.

They stand still for another moment. Then Virgil gestures for them to go inside and they do so, Eve going inside first and Virgil following.

CUT TO

The main room. The Solstice tree is fully decorated now, with gifts wrapped in brightly colored fabric lying under the tree. A large table has been brought into the room; it is laden with food--roasted meats, vegetables, bread, fruit, sweets--and drink. Everyone is sitting around the table. The camera pans around the table to show Xena saying something to Eve; Virgil putting food on Kara's and Theon's plates and then talking quietly to Eve; Gabrielle stopping Darion from reaching for sweets and pointing to the plates with meat and vegetables first; Haimon putting a choice cut of roasted goose on Darion's plate; Lila and Sarah looking happily at the gathering at their table.

Everyone is talking and laughing, the voices blending together. The camera moves back in the room to show everyone at the table, passing food around and eating. The sound of laughing and talking echoes through the house.

DISSOLVE TO

The same room, late at night. The festive noise fades away. The fire in the fireplace has almost burned out, a few flames still flickering amidst the glowing embers. A couple of candles are still burning on the mantelpiece. Everyone is gone except for Gabrielle and Haimon, who are finishing cleaning up the table.

GABRIELLE:
     That should be about it. (smiles at Haimon) Thank you for helping out.

HAIMON:
     Thank you for the best Solstice I've ever had. Good night, Gabrielle.

Haimon puts his arms around her. Gabrielle is stiff until gradually her body begins to relax and she rests her cheek on his chest. Haimon tenderly strokes her hair.

GABRIELLE:
     This is nice.

HAIMON:
     It is. Too bad that it has to end.

Gabrielle pulls back to look up at him, startled. Haimon chuckles ruefully.

HAIMON:
     This is the part where we both agree that we're not ready to be together yet, isn't it?

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     Haimon, you don't know how badly I want to say yes to you. But it wouldn't be right. It would seem too much like I was running away from my problems. Something's been going on inside me for a long time that I haven't wanted to face. I can't do that anymore. It wouldn't be fair to you--and I know it wouldn't be right for me.

HAIMON (nods sadly):
     I know. I think I knew that even before what happened with Taphius...even back in Corinth. Being here with your family made me realize how much I've missed having one of my own. I guess I wanted to be part of something like that so badly that I was trying to push us into something before we were ready for it.

GABRIELLE (strokes his cheek):
     You'll always be family, Haimon--no matter what happens.

HAIMON:
     I know.

He kisses the top of her head and remains pensively silent a long moment.

HAIMON:
     I love you, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (nods shyly and looks away):
     I know...

HAIMON:
     Some day we're going to be together.

GABRIELLE (nods again, still not meeting his eyes):
     I know that too.

They stay still, his cheek resting on the top of her head, their eyes closed, as the last flames behind them flicker out in the fireplace.

CUT TO

Gabrielle returning to her bedroom with a candle in hand. She puts down the candle on a nightstand by her bed, sits down on the cot where Darion lies fast asleep, and looks at him wistfully, then bends down to kiss his forehead. The camera pans over to Xena, who lies asleep in her bed. As the camera moves in closer, we see that lying on Xena's open palm on the pillow is the twig of mistletoe.

FADE OUT

THE END

[The Ancient Greece Conservation Society attests that no actual trees were killed or otherwise harmed during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 8 Episode 6 A Merry Little Solstice Story By: Aurora and LadyKate Written By: Aurora, LadyKate, Tango and Sais 2 Cool Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Eve Adrienne Wilkinson Ares Kevin Smith Darion Alexander Gandar Haimon Michael Vartan Virgil William Gregory Lee Kara Kate Smeda Theon Gregory Stephen Lila Willa O'Neill Sarah Tandie Wright Telemos David Wesh Original Airdate December 27, 2002 The Ancient Greece Conservation Society attests that no actual trees were killed or otherwise 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.