~ Nightfall Once Again ~
by Red Hope

Disclaimers: Violence: Of course there is violence in this, its Xena Warrior Princess. *L To sum it up, there is sum gun shooting, little head banging.

CopyRight: Xena, Gabrielle, Melinda Pappas, Janice Covington, and the Amazons all are owned by Universal/MCA and Renaissance Pictures, not mine, I wish though. But, the story line is all mine and not yours as well as the characters, Emily Leukos, Doctor Longhem, Wilson Havagin, Doctor Nathan Johnson, and Doctor Julia Philistine so don't mess with them or the story line. Otherwise I will come after you.

Sex/Subtext: Yeah there is defiantly both of those. There is love between two women which if offends you, then don't read this story. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. Otherwise enjoy yourself.

Started: October 18, 1999

If anybody has comments about my story please let me know at:

redhope@redhope.net

Part 1

Section One

~*Part 1*~

The small hand held the golden bird as emerald eyes studied it. The light from the ceiling above glistened and sparkled off of the small golden bird. Carefully the bird was laid back down on the wooden dresser. Casually green eyes moved up to look into a mirror above the dresser. Green eyes stared at the reflection of themself. A short blond in her late twenties, standing tall. She wore a red silk shirt, buttoned down, completely buttoned. The young woman wore jet-black pants that were soft velvet, a silver belt around her waist. The shoes were black leather that fit in well with the attire. Her strawberry blond hair was straight, hanging loose to her shoulders, bangs stopping just above her brown eyebrows. Lying nicely on her chest was a necklace consisting of a staff skewed through a chakram and a deep blue sapphire centered within. The blond turned her head to the right a little to look at a doorway to a large size bathroom.

"Mel you ready?" The small female got no response at first and didn't think she would, but before she turned her head to look at the mirror once again, she heard a southern accented voice call back.

"In a moment Janice" A small grin corked onto the blond's lips as she looked back into the mirror. Small hands reached down onto the wooden dresser, grasping a pair of feather earrings. The archeologist slipped them in and then grabbed a small tube of her soulmate's tan shade lipstick. The blond stared at it for a moment then sighed, hating to dress up. Pulling the top off and twisting some of the lipstick up, she carefully applied the lipstick. Placing the tube back down on the dresser by the golden bird, Janice heard the sound of high heels moving on wooden floor. The small form turned around to gaze at her tall lover.

"Y'alls ready to go?" Janice didn't reply to her soulmate for a few moments as she became memorized by her partner's beauty. The southern belle stood tall with her dark hair pulled up into a bun, blue eyes glistening, dark glasses had been removed for the night. Her red lips stood out with her cobalt blue silk dress that reached to her ankles. The soft dress had thick straps across the shoulders and cut with a deep "V" line, showing ample cleavage. The dress hugged Melinda's broad hips and flat stomach then came out some traveling down her muscular legs. Mel herself wore the same necklace as Janice, but instead of a sapphire it contained an emerald in the center. A small grin formed on the blond's lips as her eyes travel back up to tall form to meet blue eyes.

"Yup I think I am" Mel smiled and walked over to her partner, only shoulders length away, her eyes sparkling down at the small female. Janice smiled up at the aristocrat and spoke in a low voice. "You look magnificent Mel" The southerner's smile began to turn more sexy, driving the archeologist mad with the beauty. The tall belle brought her large hands up, slowly unbuttoning the top two buttons on Janice's red silk shirt, the archeologist closed her eyes briefly and reopened them once Mel's warm hands left her chest. The aristocrat then reached behind the small blond, grasping a small spray bottle of perfume, on it was written Ice Breeze. The tall southerner then very slowly moved the smaller woman's silk shirt out the way, then sprayed some of the perfume on her small soulmate's chest. Mel then put the cap on the perfume, placing it back on the dresser once again. The belle straightened out Janice's red shirt, but leaving the top two buttons still undone, showing extensive cleavage.

"You look sexy" The blond's reaction was something Mel didn't expect the small female slightly blushed at the comment. Melinda grinned and grasped her soulmates hand, stepping to her right opening the bed room door. They both stepped out of the room, walking down a hall a little ways and coming too large set of wood stairs to their left. The soulmates made their way down the stairs and headed out the door directly at the base of the stairs, Janice locked the door behind and looked to her soulmate.

"Which car Mel?" The southerner grinned and looked to her partner and replied.

"Let's take the Convertible tuh the party" Janice nodded with a smile, dropping Mel's hand and jogging over to the large garage to the left of her. She went to the front of the garage swinging open the two large white doors, walking in she flicked a switch. The lights came on automatically reviling the back of a cherry red 1937 Cord Convertible made in America. Then there were two more sections of the garage that held two other cars, one gorgeous Silver Ghost still in good condition. Mel had told Janice that the car use to belong to her father, it was built around 1909. The last car was the car both Janice and Mel commonly used, a silver Chrysler 1943 Airflow. Janice smiled at the convertible then heard the aristocrat coming by the sound of heels hitting cobblestones. The blond turned her head to see the lanky belle stepping into the large garage, she walked up to the passenger side. The belle opened the door and stepped in, feeling the cool leather of the seat touch her upper legs and back.

The archeologist opened up the driver's door, hopping in and closing the door behind her as she turned the key in the ignition. The car came to life with ease, Janice looked on the small dash board looking for a switch. She found it and flicked it up, a whining sound could be heard as a small motor pulled the hood of the car back. The hood bunched up in the rear of the car, then disappeared into a small compartment in the back. The small blond slowly backed the car out of the garage and once far enough out, she directed the rear of the car towards her left. The wheels rolled off pavement and onto the cobblestone lane that looped around in front of the white mansion. Janice put the convertible into drive, turning the wheel to her right, following it to the end of the lane and to the exit of the mansion's loop. Taking a right, the two soulmates headed towards the South Carolina University in the heart of Columbia.

~*~*~*~

The dark haired belle shifted her weight from her right leg to her left one, the bit of wine in her crystal glass swaying in the stemware from the movement. To her left she heard a deep breath that was slowly released, a sign to her that patience was being forced best as possible. Mel refocused her eyes as a question was thrown at her.

"Isn't that true Miss Pappas?" The belle looked to her left a little to stare at a tall brown haired man, very thin, wire glasses, and a brown jacket on with khaki pants. Mel smiled some as she responded with a deep southern draw.

"Yes Doctor Longhem" A pause as Mel turned her eyes to Janice then looked back to the tall man. "Doctor Covington and I have found extraordinary artifacts and proof to the Warrior Princess's once existence" The tall man nodded, beside him stood a smaller female, she was a little taller then Janice. She had thin brown hair that hung down, her cheekbone structure was unusually high much like Mel's. The woman wore a long following silken black dress that reached just below her ankles. What neither Mel nor Janice could take their eyes off was the small golden bird that hung from her neck that sparkled and shined from the chandelier light above. Now it was that very woman who began to talk, not saying anything earlier, let alone introducing herself.

"Have you and Doctor Covington gone through all the artifacts recovered?" Janice was the one who took this question, finding it amazing how light this woman's voice was.

"No not yet. Miss Pappas and I just recently returned from overseas in Greece with our findings. We've been catching our breaths from the expedition" The woman nodded as a small smile creeped onto her lips.

"Yes rumor has it you two had a bit of an adventure in Greece" Janice nodded as she responded, feeling the need to know this person's name.

"We did, but made it through the fiasco with no problems" A pause. "By the way your name is?" The brown haired woman laughed for a moment then smiled to Janice and her tall soulmate.

"I am sorry for my rudeness, I am Doctor Emily Leukos. The University in the department of European History just recently hired me by the Dean. I've heard many good things about you and Miss Pappas and the Xena Scrolls, its great to finally meet you two" Janice lightly smiled as she brought her hand up, shaking the other woman's small cool hand, Mel doing the same. Mel kept her smile as she gazed into the other woman's dull blue eyes.

"Well I am glad that Doctor Covington and I are on the University's good side for once, we were not for a while" All four people in the small group laughed some. Janice happy she could finally laugh at it, knowing that at the beginning of the year was a large struggle with the University and Dean. A struggle over the Xena Scroll's believability and possible actuality of Amphipolis and Poteidaia. Janice and Melinda both believed it, but the department and Dean would not listen. Janice had a burning desire then to seek out Amphipolis, rediscover it, but the University wouldn't fund the campaign. Eventually they all came to a compromise, Mel agreed to fund for half of the expedition, the University the other half. That's when Janice and her soulmate flew to Greece and into another story.

"Yes well the Dean talked highly of you two, non stop about the Xena Scrolls and discovery of Amphipolis. I did hear you tried to find Poteidaia but had no luck with it" Janice shook her head while Mel drank the last bit of wine in her wineglass.

"Well we did find Poteidaia, but there was extensive evidence that some where along Poteidaia's history it was burned to the ground" The brown haired woman nodded, the taller man beside her widen his eyes in amazement. This didn't go unnoticed between Janice and Mel. Doctor Longhem then retorted a question.

"Poteidaia was burned completely to the ground?" Mel was the one to nod as she crossed her arms against her chest, glass in hand, hanging.

"Yes, we reckon it wuz burned by something rather drastic. But as to what that was we have yet tuh find out. Doctor Covington and I are still translating Gabrielle's Scrolls, we are hoping they will reveal az to what happened to the town" Then both Doctor Longhem and Leukos nodded their heads together. Emily Leukos then asked her question that had been in the back of her head.

"So when do you plan on your lecture about the Xena Scrolls and discovery of Amphipolis and Poteidaia?"

Janice smiled in pride as Mel let her soulmate answer the question, knowing how much she enjoyed that pride.

"First Miss Pappas and I plan on translating the scrolls, putting them in order. Then organizing our artifacts, and last coinciding them with all our compiled information on Xena and Gabrielle" Doctor Leukos nodded in understanding and all four members of the University looked to the entrance of the large dinning hall. A butler entered the forum where everybody from the University is gathered, he loudly announced that dinner was prepared and ready to be served at any time. Slowly people in the forum entered indoors to the Dean's large mansion, they shuffled into the dinning room. Everybody sat down, the Dean at the head of the table, then down the long side of the wood table sat all the Doctors of certain aspects of history. Most from head departments, a few Doctors were also teachers, known for their renowned abilities as archeologists, Janice being one of them. Sitting beside Janice was Mel, then across from them, two seats up, sat Emily Leukos, her eyes locked on them. Then to Emily's right, closer to the soulmates sat Ben Longhem, then after him, directly across from Janice sat a rather large man.

Janice hated him.

Doctor Wilson Havagin, his area of expertise was Ancient Rome. He was average height, pudgy cheeks, baldheaded wearing a casual tux and his brown eyes were centered on the large turkey in front of the Dean. Doctor Havagin had a tendency every time Janice's presence was near to remind the blond that Rome conquered Greece. Those little reminds constantly flamed the small archeologist's large temper, starting colorful wordy fights with ease.

The Dean smiled to everybody at his table, Doctor Nathan Johnson, been at the University since 1915, practically came with the University, now at the age of fifty-five or older. Dedicated to the University and history, been at the University of South Carolina for years starting as a teacher. That's why he got the job as Dean, dedicated. Janice had to admire the dedication, even before, during, and after the long debate about the Xena Scrolls. But she disliked one thing about the Dean.

He has a thing for Mel.

The northerner's jaw became tight over that. To many times had Janice caught the Dean flirting with her Mel. Every time though was a failure on the Dean's part considering the translator pretend to be dense and not take notice when in fact she always did. Janice couldn't quite decide which Doctor Johnson took a better liking to, Mel's breasts or the aristocrat's money she generously donated twice a year, or maybe just both. Either way the archeologist didn't care and wanted to tear the Dean into shreds, but restrained herself on Mel's wishes, knowing it would go over bad with the community, real bad.

Then sitting four seats closer to the Dean from Mel was a lanky, bony female with bleach blond hair, cold amber eyes and dark eyeliner on. Doctor Julia Philistine, the Doctor of Gossiping and Hatred. She was the main member of the University that is constantly spreading vicious rumors about Mel and Janice, mostly consisting of them being lesbians, together. Nobody within the University had directly question neither the archeologist nor the aristocrat, considering people went by tradition. The common tradition that only guests stay in one's house for around a month otherwise they are a vital part of the person's life. Much like a child, sister, brother, mother, aunt, father, other family, or husband, but never a "friend." In the end that meant to anyone that they were lovers, especially considering neither woman dated men or is seen with any, just the two of them. Julia Philistine seemed to take much enjoyment in reminding the people of the University of this bit of information, hoping to see the end of Janice Covington. Janice knew, Melinda knew that Doctor Philistine was incredible jealous of their findings of the Xena Scrolls and other information, artifacts.

The rest of the Doctors of the table, Janice either sort of knew or didn't care to get to know. Mel knew them all, considering the Dean had introduced all the teachers to Mel, the biggest money donator of the University. The translator remembered every single doctor she was introduced for mental notes. Mel in the back of her mind never trusted anybody except her soulmate, she constantly kept note of things going on.

The Dean began to carve the large turkey, passing plates down with the slices. Along the long wood table was cover with array of different foods. Broccoli, mash potatoes, gravy, rolls, sliced carrots, a mixed vegetable palter, beets, and a large garden salad bowl in the center. Nobody said much, everybody worked on getting their food together and getting either glasses of wine or water. By the time everybody was happy with what was contained on their plate, they began their meal.

Janice hadn't taken any vegetables except for the mash potatoes, hating any other vegetables. Mel on the other hand had a little of everything on her plate. She looked to her soulmate's plate, making her frown over the lack of food. The tall female moved her left knee to her left, hitting Janice in the side of her leg. Quickly emerald eyes looked over to Mel with a question behind them. The translator's eyes moved to the plate then back to Janice, the archeologist quickly caught what she meant. Then Janice mumbled something low to her partner that the belle easily caught.

"I think I'll pass" Sapphire eyes narrowed briefly at Janice then Mel whispered back in a threatening tone.

"If ya don't get any veggies on your plate, I'll force you" The blond looked up to Mel with one eyebrow up, an amused look on her face. Janice chuckled for a moment and then huffed reaching out for the bowl right in front of her. It contained the mixed vegetables, sure to make Mel happy, that's all she'd do it for, to make Mel happy. The southerner smiled to Janice, while the archeologist gave her a dower look for a moment then it change quickly to a smile and twinkle in green eyes. It was all about love.

The Dean looked up from his plate as he swallowed a bit of turkey. He then broke the small conversations going on between people.

"So Doctor Covington, when do you plan on having your lecture about the Xena Scrolls and your other discoveries?" Janice looked away from her partner and down to the table to lock eyes with Doctor Johnson. Janice replied in a loud voice that silenced all at the dinner table.

"I am hoping with in a month if not earlier. There is a lot of artifacts and evidence that Miss Pappas and I need to go over and organize" Doctor Johnson nodded his head as he dropped the tip of his fork to a piece of turkey. He then posed a question before lifting the meat to his mouth.

"Well I would love to get together with you and Miss Pappas to go into more detail on your plans. I hope you both can find sometime when we can get together" Janice nodded her head, as all eyes were on her except Mel's. Mel was keeping her sights on the Dean and the others around her.

"Miss Pappas and I can defiantly find sometime to meet with you" The Dean smiled as Janice kept a small smile forced on her lips. Doctor Nathan Johnson swallowed his turkey meat again as he replied.

"Great sounds good to me" Janice smiled as she returned to eating her food, as did everybody else, except for Doctor Philistine. She looked down to her left at the soulmates, a smirk on her face.

"Doctor Covington, will you and Miss Pappas need any assistance with translating the scrolls?" The small blond archeologist closed her eyes as she gulped down a few peas. When she reopened her eyes they were filled with anger over the question and the person. Mel knew exactly what her soulmate was feeling through their connection and just the tightening of Janice's jaw. The aristocrat gripped her fork tight as she waited for Janice to retort to the other woman, as did everybody else. The blond looked down at the bleach blond lanky female, anger evident in her eyes, her voice though was amazingly stoic.

"No Doctor Philistine, Miss Pappas is an expert in the field of translating" The tall female nodded, the smug look still on her face as she threw a mocking statement at Janice.

"But if I am not mistaken, Miss Pappas doesn't have a degree in the field of translating ancient syntax. She is not recognized in the field as a Doctor" Janice's temper went a few notches up, the tension more then evident in the air. Mel pressed her left leg tightly up against the archeologist's to calm her. Janice knew what that meant, the belle's own temper was fuming as well. Mel looked down to Doctor Philistine, her blue eyes taking on a dangerous look to them, her tone was stoic but an edge to her words.

"I may not have a bit of small piece of paper that says I am a doctor in the field. I wuz taught by my daddy whom was the Dean of dis University before Doctor Johnson. He wuz highly respected and well known for his abilities in translating ancient syntax. So do not sit there and tell me I do not know how tuh translate syntax when I was taught by the best syntax translator known" Doctor Julia Philistine felt stunned and slapped by the words, she knew she was beat. She turned her gaze back to her food, everybody was silent for a moment then the buzz of conversation started back up.

Janice waited till she felt calm, as did Mel. The northerner then looked to Mel for a moment, a grin swept across her lips. Mel grinned in return, both passing a word of pride in secrecy. For the remainder of dinner everybody ate and talked in small groups. Janice and Mel constantly being questioned about their trip to Greece and findings. Of course both woman glazed over the adventure, knowing nobody would believe them about their decedents coming back to life to stop an immortal. They knew that would not go over well. By the time desserts came, everybody was laughing in smiling in good humor, happy that the long evening was almost over. Especially a certain blond archeologist that was becoming antsy to leave the dinner meeting. The belle herself was getting rather bored with the formal night, even a proper southerner belle could handle only so much formality. And only two soulmates could with stand so many hours of keeping their hands off one another. Janice looked up from her pecan pie slice to be met by dull blue eyes, Emily Leukos eyes at that. Doctor Leukos smiled to her, Janice faintly smiled back not liking the woman completely, and especially over the vexatious butterflies she caused in Janice's stomach. The blond knew that the female was planing something just by the bird pendant that hung from her neck. Leukos continued to gaze at Janice with curious eyes as the small female began to eat her dessert. Emily Leukos then took to notice that a set of eyes are now centered on her. The doctor looked to the person to be met by threatening intense blue eyes. The belle smiled to the brown haired woman, her smile had evilness to it, as did her look. Doctor Leukos faintly lop-sided smiled to Mel then dropped the half smile then quickly moved her gaze some where else. The southerner return her eyes back to her dessert, content with herself with a smirk on her ruby red lips. Across from Janice Doctor Havagin was lifting a piece of his pecan pie studying it then popping it into his mouth. He hardly chewed the tidbit then gulped it down and then looked to the small archeologist across from them, a small smirk on his lips.

"So Miss Covington, did you find any interesting evidence about Caesar killing the Warrior Princess?" Janice took a deep breath as she felt her semi good mood drain from her. Of all the people who had to ruin the rest of her evening it had to be this man. Janice looked up with a small smile playing on her lips as she talked in a mocked tone.

"No Mr. Can't-have-it-again. It seems that from the scrolls I've skimmed through and Caesar was actually set up by Xena to be killed during the Ides of March. So no she wasn't killed by the tyrant" Around the table there were plenty of snickers filling the room and people with smirks to their lips. The large man's upper lip twitched as his anger flared up. He hated this woman as much as she hated him, even more so when she got his goat. Once again the small archeologist managed to get Doctor Wilson Havagin's temper going, but he decided to dismiss it and looked to Doctor Longhem beside him, striking a conversation up with him instead.

By the end of the long grueling dinner, all the members of the history department began to migrate to another location of the mansion, the living room. There the men smoked their cigars and had small shots of brandy. The few women that were there drank hot tea, some with herbal flavoring, some none at all. Janice on the other hand didn't have anything, having a large yearning to have a brandy and cigar, but withdrew. Janice mingled with a few of the doctors, listening in on the conversation, but not talking much, feeling no need. Mel though was standing beside the Dean chatting with him over a cup of strong tea, Doctor Johnson smoking a cigar. The archeologist turn her head towards her soulmate to see her talking with the Dean, they both stood in front of the fireplace. Janice watched as Doctor Johnson made some joke, making himself laugh and Mel just a bit, the belle almost playing it off. As the older man laughed he brought his free hand, with no cigar, up to rest on the aristocrat's upper forearm and squeezed. He didn't relinquish his hold, the small archeologist gritted her teeth at the sight.

Janice stalked over to her lover and the Dean, her stride containing power to it, her green eyes flashing. Out of the corner of her eye, the southerner saw her partner coming and knew as to why. With Mel's left hand, she brought it up to grasp the Dean's smaller hand and efficiently removed the man's hand from her arm. Nathan Johnson dropped his arm back beside himself, Mel moving her hand to now rest on her hip. She lifted up her cup of herbal tea taking a sip as she nodded to what the Dean was telling her. After bring her cup down from her mouth that's when Janice came up beside her. The small blond looked to the old Dean, a forced smile on her lips and stoic tone forced as well.

"Doctor Johnson" The Doctor Nathan Johnson smiled to the smaller woman as he spoke.

"Doctor Covington, so nice of you to join us. Miss Pappas and I were discussing the latest happenings in Columbia since you've both been gone" Janice bobbed her head up and down.

"Oh, keeping Miss Pappas updated on the latest gossip" The old man chuckled some and replied back.

"In a matter of speaking, a little gossip here, a little news there" The Dean brought his cigar up, taking a long drag on it then blowing the smoke off to the side. He then looked back to the pair with a small smile. "So when do you and Miss Pappas have sometime to stop by my office? The sooner the better" The archeologist considered the question, her head down in thought. She then looked up to her soulmate, blue eyes looking back down at her. Janice became memorized by the translator's eyes, the way they glowed from the fire burning in the fireplace. Mel knew Janice was becoming lost in them, she inwardly grinned at the affect. Then a man's deep voice cut through the blond's world. "Doctor Covington?" The smaller woman blinked twice and turned to look at Doctor Johnson again with a stoic face.

"Sorry was just thinking. I believe this Wednesday Miss Pappas and I can stop by your office to get things organized" The older man nodded a kept his smile.

"Sounds wonderful, over lunch then" Both women nodded in agreement. The belle took her last sip of tea and settling the small cup onto a table beside her. The aristocrat then looked back to Doctor Johnson, her eyes dull.

"Well Doctor Johnson, itz been a lovely evenen with y'all. But I think Doctor Covington and I are going tuh retire for duh night" The Dean smiled as he reached over to the table with his cigar, snubbing it out in an ashtray. He then looked back to the two women, serious face.

"I am glad yo enjoyed yourselves this evening Miss Pappas" He paused as she looked to the archeologist. "And you Doctor Covington" The Dean looked back to the tall belle, holding his hand out, palm up. Mel smiled and lifted her right hand up, placing it in his hand. He began to lower his head as he did the southerner looked to her soulmate. Janice looked up with darken eyes, Mel rolled her eyes referring to Doctor Johnson. The archeologist smirked at her as the Dean brought his head back up from kissing the translator's hand. Melinda quickly looked back to the man with a very bright but fake smile. The Doctor smiled back and dropped his grasp. "I'll be looking forward to our meeting Wednesday" The tall female kept her phony smile on and nodded with a response.

"Till then Doctor Johnson. Thank you for your hospitality this evenen. Dinner wuz wonderful" The Dean nodded with a smile. Janice could feel what little control over her temper begin to dissipate.

"It was a pleasure Miss Pappas" The belle nodded and began to walk towards the door, Janice right behind her. Mel then called back in her polite southern accent.

"Goodnight Doctor Johnson" The older man watched the two women go, walking through the large white door the butler opened. The blond and belle both disappeared into the night as the door shut behind them.

~*Part 2*~

Janice slowly walked in, her left hand still grasping the cool golden doorknob. Reaching to her right, the blond flick up a switch, the large room was swiftly illuminated by the large brass chandelier high above her. Directly in front of her lay the large grand stairs that lead upstairs to various bedrooms, to her right was the entrance to the den room, to her left through the high doorway was the dinning room. Janice stepped through the doorway into the lobby of the white mansion. Following her was the southern belle, her high heels clicking on the wooden floor. Once stepping through, Mel pushed the door behind her and turned around to lock it for the night. She turned around to find a short blond only a breath away, she looked down with a grin to her red rose lips. Janice grinned back up at her soulmate, then she voiced her opinion on the long evening they went through.

"I can't stand that hell of a Dean" Mel kept her smirk as she brought up her hands to rest on the archeologist's velvet hips.

"I know yo can't, and I don't fancy him either. Thank you for not saying or doing anything" The archeologist sighed dramatically, dropping her eyes to the floor of the house. "Janice?" The archeologist didn't look back up, kept her gaze down on the floor. Mel released her right hand, bring it up to cup her soulmate's chin, lifting the blond's head up. Yet Janice still wouldn't look to the belle. "Love, please look at me" Slowly emerald eyes lifted up to lock with crystal blue ones. "I know you don't like the Dean, but we can't endanger our positions…not yet any way" A brown eyebrow rose up at the end part making the belle grin some. "We both know we need the help of tuh University till we get enough publicity on our own tuh not need their help any more" Janice took a deep breath, slowly releasing it as she chewed on that.

"Yeah you're right Mel. I just can't stand letting him touch you and that damn University" Now the smaller woman heard a tsk thrown at her a few times, Janice had to grin.

"You know that was my daddy's University, and it's a good one too" The blond's eyes widen for a moment as she felt the large hand drop from her face and return to her hips.

"You mean it was" The tall belle chuckled at the emphasize Janice made on the word "was."

"No I mean it is, just it isn't az good az it wuz when my daddy ran the show" The archeologist grinned up at her partner, her green eyes twinkling.

"Don't know how he managed it with some of those pompous windbags of aristocrats there" Mel smirked down at the other woman as she slowly lowered her lips down to Janice's, stopping so their air mingled.

"Am I one of those kind of aristocrats?" The smaller woman grinned while gazing into twinkling dark sapphire eyes.

"Nothing like them what so ever" Mel closed in the rest of the distance, sealing her lips with Janice's. The evening from earlier becomes forgotten nor cared about. Small hands grasp the belle's side, Mel feeling herself pushed back against the large door. The two soulmates continued to devour each other in the kiss, the taller female keeping a tight grip on Janice's hips. Janice though ran her hands over the tall belle's body, feeling her body and her tall lover's body fills with desire. They finally broke the kiss, the northerner brought her lips to the translator's soft neck, kissing her lightly. Mel released her hold on her soulmate, bringing her hands up to Janice's red silk shirt. She tried to quickly work the buttons undone, finding it increasingly hard with her body reacting to the archeologist's soft lips, moans escaping Mel's lips.

~*~*~*~

The small blond looked across the dark barn at her mirror image, her daughter. Her daughter that looked exactly like her in ever way physically, but nothing like her mentally. The bard didn't move, she kept a tight hold on her soulmate's upper arm. Both women watched as the Destroyer wrapped it's arms around it's mother, crying in pain. Gabrielle's daughter wrapped her own arms around the large gray spiked monster. Gabrielle could feel guilt build in her, she quickly pushed it down knowing what happened the last time she felt that guilt for her daughter. Slowly Hope and her son began to sink to the ground, blood trickling down Hope's back.

Xena could feel the strong hold her bard had on her, she wanted to turn the bard away from the sight. But she knew Gabrielle wanted to watch, she knew the bard felt like it was her last paid respect to Hope. The warrior though felt the contentment at finally ending the long duel with Hope, paying her son Solan back for his death. His death that her soulmate's daughter had done. Xena never thought she could hate somebody any more then she did until now. A force of darkness had torn her last link to Borius from her. How ironic the situation was in her mind.

Both soulmates had learned a hard lesson they both paid for dearly. Gabrielle taking the large amount on her shoulders due to the warrior throwing the guilt at her. To this day the Warrior Princess still regrets her actions she had done to her bard. She never imagined she'd try to kill her own soulmate, never. But it almost happened. The hatred almost conquered her. They both had turned from each other in anger, blinding them. Love was what saved them, saved their souls.

Now the large monster lay on the ground, face forward, Hope directly underneath, both dead. A few tears trickled down the bard's cheeks in the pain of it all. She stared at the two bodies in early light of the day. She didn't feel the pain of the death, but of her feelings. Gabrielle wanted to kill her own daughter for Hope's defiance to the bard. Gabrielle wanted to kill her daughter because she almost took the one thing that meant so much to the bard away. Her soulmate. The bard felt herself become content for filling her yearnings to avenging her soulmate. Gabrielle felt disgust with herself for having these emotions.

Gabrielle's heart ached from over whelming disgust towards herself. She began to cry, she turned to her right into strong waiting arms. Xena nuzzled her lover's long strawberry blond hair while the bard cried, her protective arms tightly wrapped around the bard.

Janice placed the parchment down on her worn desk and brought up her right hand, rubbing her temples. She sat back in the seat and rested her head against the wooden chair's headrest. She took a deep breath as she considered what she just read, wondering if she completely translated the syntax wrong. To the archeologist none of it made any sense. Slowly Janice removed her hand from her temples, placing both hands on the desk. She gazed up at three weapons hanging on the wall above her. The bard's staff that she had given to Mel in the cavern, the warrior's well crafted sword from their findings in Amphipolis. They were both placed to form an "X", then in the centered was located a round weapon. It was a dark metal, which could be split in half if thrown right by the owner. In the middle was a waved handle used to catch with ease. The small blond stared at them for a while, becoming lost in her thoughts. After a few minutes the small female felt her body begin to tingle, she knew who was coming behind her, making the blond grin.

Mel came up behind her soulmate, leaning down some and wrapping both her arms around the small female's upper body. The translator wore a dark purple robe, Janice had on a loose white night shirt on with navy blue boxers. It was still morning, the eastern sun shined through the window, the smell of coffee lingered in the air. Slowly one warm soft hand slipped down Janice's white shirt, caressing just her chest. The belle didn't let her hand go any farther down, knowing if she did the two of them wouldn't make it far in translating the scrolls today. With Mel's other hand she reach out, grabbing the old scroll and began to read it. It took a few moments to let her mind convert the syntax to English, by the fifth line it came to her more clearly and rapidly. Finally finishing the section, the southerner placed the parchment back down on the desk and reached for her soulmate's leather cover note pad. Mel lifted it up and read what Janice had written as a translation to the scroll. The small blond didn't say anything, letting her soulmate read over her translation, hoping it was correct. The tall female began to smile as she read the translation, finding her archeologist becoming better and better over time. Mel dropped her chin onto strawberry-blond head as she continued to read, her hand still caressing soft skin. Finishing the last sentence, the aristocrat placed the notebook back down on the desk, bring her one hand out of Janice's shirt and wrapping both her arms around a small waist.

"It looks good honey" The smaller female sighed as she stared at the scroll, her right hand running up down Mel's arm.

"It doesn't make any sense though" The tall belle shrugged her shoulders for a moment and removed one hand from Janice's waist. She pulled off her dark glasses and brought one end up to her lips, slightly sucking on one end of her dark glasses. The southerner considered her soulmate's words, then brought the glasses away from her mouth.

"Well it does sound a bit strange, but I am sure there are a few other scrolls or so that better explain this one" Janice took a deep breath while she idly ran her fingers up and down Mel's arm.

"Yeah there has to be, knowing Gabrielle" Mel smiled some as she gave her lover a tight squeeze around the waist for a second, then released her.

"Take a break and have some breakfast before you get grumpy from the lack of food" The archeologist rolled her eyes at the end part and slowly began to rise up from her chair, Mel removing her arm. Both women slowly padded out of the large den into the lobby of the house then through there to the dinning room. Making their way through the large dinning room, they came to the well-equipped kitchen, a normal size square worn wooden table in the center of the room, and four chairs on each side. The table was set with two forks and knifes, lying on top of napkins, set beside each other. Janice walked to the bleach white refrigerator, pulling the handle, opening up the rounded door and gazing in. She spotted a glass jug of orange juice and pulled it out. The belle on the other hand made her way over to the stove to crack some eggs over the warm pan on top. Janice placed the container onto the table and went over to a cabinet rather close to where her soulmate was making scrambled eggs. The archeologist removed two large basic glasses and stalked back over to the table, pouring the orange juice into them. After placing the jug back into the fridge, the blond turned around to see Mel placing down two plates with food. They both contained two chocolate chip pancakes with syrup, scrambled eggs, and two strips of bacon. Janice thought she was going to die right there, she loved all three and wouldn't know where to begin. The small woman quickly sat down beside her lover, Mel had a smirk on her face. Janice picked up her fork, as did the translator, before the blond even started on her food she looked to her partner.

"I've defiantly missed having your cooking when we were in Greece" The southerner chuckled some as she started on her food as did Janice. They both relatively ate in silence, a normal routine for them both, a comforting silence. As usual the archeologist's stomach wasn't satisfied with just what was on her plate, Mel ended up pulling out a bowl of mixed fruit that she knew her soulmate would devour. That's exactly what the blond did, but she knew Mel's favorite's been the cantaloupe. With a devilish grin the smaller woman picked out some of the cantaloupe at certain times, and then fed it to her soulmate. The belle slowly and tantalizingly ate the fruit, her tongue running across the northerner's fingers, her lips sucking off the reminisce of the juice from Janice's fingers. By the end of breakfast both soulmates sat back in their seats relaxing as they sipped on cups of coffee, milk and sugar added. Janice pushed her seat off to the right some, to better face her soulmate, then she placed her right elbow on the top of the chair head. She smiled to Mel then spoke in a content voice while Mel took a few sips of her coffee. "So what did you think of that scroll?" Mel placed the mug back down onto the table and looked to the other woman with stoic features.

"Itz interesting that's for sure. It ain't normal compare to the other scrolls we've read" The small blond nodded as she replied.

"It conveys more emotions then what Gabrielle normally puts into her stories" Mel also nodded as her right hand made its way to grasp the mug, but not lifting it.

"We need tuh find the other scrolls dat are before it" A pause as she lifted her white mug. "What wuz the name of the scroll?" Janice nodded her head twice as she sipped down some of her coffee, placing her own white mug back down on the table.

"She titled it A Family Affair. I think that monster was Gabrielle's grandson and it was obvious that the dying female was the bard's daughter. But the part that got me was…" Janice closed her eyes for a moment and recited a section from the scroll "The small blond looked across the dark barn at her mirror image, her daughter. Her daughter that looked exactly like her in ever way physically, but nothing like her mentally" Janice stopped and opened her emerald eyes again to look into sapphire ones. "How could her own daughter look exactly like her? That's the part that has me really thinking" Mel dropped her eyes to stare at the floor, her mug resting in her hand above her lap. Sapphire eyes then looked back up, Janice's own eyes unfocused as she thought about different possibilities.

"Well we aint gonna find out jus' sitten around here" Janice looked up, a small smile forming on her lips, both women stood up with their mugs, heading back to the den. The dirty dishes and utensils forgotten about in the sink.

~*~*~*~

Mel sat on the long, soft comfortable sofa, her legs crossed, back against the sofa. Beside her on the sofa lay nine other scrolls all rolled up. The belle had her dark glasses on, a scroll in her lap, fountain pen in hand with her own leather notebook resting on her right knee. Her chin was propped up on her arm, her elbow on her left knee as she read the scroll in ancient syntax. Not to far from her off to her left was her soulmate at her desk.

They found two other scrolls that proceeded the one Janice had been reading earlier, the complete story. Mel had taken one scroll to translate while Janice took the other translating that one. It was late morning now, their same morning cloths still being worn. The belle looked up from the parchment to the clock resting on her soulmate's desk, it read 11:43 AM. She then diverted her eyes to her partner sitting in the seat. The archeologist was leaning somewhat forward in the chair, reading over the scroll, occasionally stopping to write something in her leather cased book. The tall female then looked back to her scroll and went back to finishing up the last paragraph.

Around noon was when the dark haired woman finished up translating her scroll. She uncrossed her legs, stretching them out in front of her. She grabbed her notebook and closed it then rolled up the scroll and then stood up. She padded over to where her soulmate sat, still deep in her reading. Mel neatly placed her notebook down on the archeologist's desk to the blond's left, the scroll on top. The smaller woman looked up to gaze into blue eyes, she smiled. The belle smiled back as she peered down at the blond's work, finding it rather well translated, only a few small mistakes here and there. She then removed her dark glasses from her face and looked to her partner, bringing up her large hand to idly rub the blond's back.

"Love, I have tuh go to my appointment wid Doctor Clayton at one" Janice stretched her legs out and brought her arms above her head, stretching them out as well. She dropped her arms down to rest on her lap, turning her head to look at the tall southerner.

"God I forgot about your appointment" Mel chuckled some as she moved her hand up from Janice's back to her neck to massage it.

"Yo going to stay here and keep translating? Doctor Clayton said it wouldn't be uh long appointment" Janice considered her options for a moment as she stared at the scroll in front of her, then she replied.

"Yeah I think I'll stay here and finish up this scroll. Unless you want me to come?" The aristocrat smiled at the request.

"No I'll be fine, you stay here and get that finished up" The blond nodded and then cover her mouth as a yawn came to her. "And you outa take uh nap" The archeologist grinned as she kept her eyes on the translator.

"I can't believe I am tired, its only noon" Mel shrugged her shoulders, her hands moving farther down to knead the blond's upper back.

"Your body iz still getting use tuh the time difference my guess" The blond nodded some as she moved her eyes to stare at the parchment again.

"So how about we go out to dinner tonight and figure out how we are going to organize everything for our meeting tomorrow with Doctor Johnson" The tall female nodded a couple of times as she finished massaging the blond's upper back, her fingers moving to rake through the strawberry-blond hair.

"Sounds good love" Mel leaned in to kiss Janice lightly on the lips then straightened back up. The belle gave her soulmate one last glance then made her way upstairs to their bedroom, her robe following behind her. Janice grinned to herself then looked to Mel's leather bound notebook, running her hand over it briefly then she looked to her scroll once again.

Janice continued to work on her scroll, then around fifteen minutes after Mel had disappeared upstairs, she heard the click of heals. The belle stepped of the last stair and walked into the den, a small smile on her lips. The archeologist looked up from her scrolls to meet blue eyes gazing at her, the belle leaning against the doorframe. Melinda now wore an ankle high tight black skirt, a small slit to it on the side. Her hair was back up in a bun with a sky blue shirt on, glasses on and small golden hoop earrings in. Janice smiled across to her, receiving a more loving smile. The tall southerner then straightened up off the doorway and strolled over to the smaller woman and leaned down kissing her again.

"The keys are in the car" Mel nodded. "You sure you don't want me to come?" The belle's smile turned more into a small grin.

"Naw I'll be fine love, finish up the scroll" Janice nodded as she reached up with her left hand to hold her soulmate's nearest hand.

"Okay drive safely" Mel leaned down and kissed her partner on the forehead.

"I will, promise" Janice smiled as she leaned forward and lightly kissed the larger hand and then released it. The translator turned around and walked out of the room and to the door of the mansion. Both soulmate's gazed through the doorway to each other, Janice waved, the other woman waving back as she walked through. The archeologist watched the door close till she heard the door click back into place. The archeologist sighed and looked back to her scroll and began to read, finding it amazingly hard, her eyes feeling a bit heavy.

~*~*~*~

The large white door silently opened up, a tall figure walking through. They stopped once the door was closed behind them, then they looked through the doorway to the den. Mel grinned to herself, on her daddy's desk, now Janice's was her soulmate, asleep. The archeologist had her arms up on the desk, her head lying on top of her arms, eyes closed, her chest slowly rising and falling. With ease the tall belle slipped off her high heals, placing them beside the door on the floor. The aristocrat then quietly walked into the rugged den and made her way over to her soulmate. With caution not to wake her lover, the tall southerner slipped one arm under Janice's legs and wrapped her other arm around the blond's mid back. She then lifted the smaller woman up into her strong arms, Janice stirring some. Slowly sleepy green eyes peeked up at Mel with a bit of a confused expression.

"Its okay love, go back to sleep, I've got you" A very faint smile crossed the archeologist's lips as she buried her head into Mel's chest, making the belle grin to herself. Quietly and swiftly the translator climbed the stairs and walked into their large bedroom, she then stalked over to one side of the bed. Carefully Mel placed the blond into the bed and pulled the covers over top of her small soulmate. She then walked into the bathroom and changed, throwing on a red silk nightgown on and headed back to the bed. She slipped under the covers and scouted over to her soulmate, Janice subconsciously knowing whom it was. The archeologist snuggled into strong arms, feeling them pull her up against a larger warm body. Both women then fell into a deep peaceful sleep, their own dreams becoming intertwined as much as their souls.

~*~*~*~

The late western sun shined in through the window and onto the two soulmate's faces. Slowly blue eyes opened up to stare up at the ceiling, her body feeling refreshed from the nap. She moved her head to the left to gaze at the smaller woman tightly wrapped in her arms, she grinned to herself. Then she watched as Janice turned on her side, her face turning into Mel's neck. The blond snuggled up against the large body, feeling the protection, her body coming back to life. The archeologist then nuzzled the smooth neck and then began to lightly kiss her soulmate's neck. She then felt the translator squeezed the blond for a moment then release, Janice chuckled and brought her head out some to gaze into sapphire ones. Janice grinned and was the first to speak.

"Hey" Melinda smiled as she leaned in to kiss her soulmate on the forehead.

"Hey to you too" Janice's grin formed more into a loving smile as she brought one hand up to brush a piece of small dark hair away from her soulmate's eyes. The smaller woman then wiggled out of the belle's grasp and rolled on top of Mel now sitting on her. Janice's had one leg on each of the aristocrat's side's right at her stomach. Mel grinned up at her as she moved her two large hands to the smaller woman's sides. The archeologist leaned down to kiss her soulmate deeply then they broke the kiss, Janice coming up just a little so her nose still touched Mel's. The blond gazed into the sapphire blue eyes, she had a grin on her face as did the taller female, her hands still on Janice's sides. Slowly Janice took to notice of something in Mel's eyes, her expression taking on a confused look. The smaller woman straightened back up while keeping her eyes locked with Mel's.

"Mel?" The dark haired female chuckled some, knowing her partner noticed what are in her eyes. Mel broke her eye contact and began to look up far as she could and freed her left hand. Very carefully the translator with her index finger removed something very small and clear from her eye. Janice held out her small hand as the belle placed the small object into Janice's hand. The archeologist studied it for a moment then her confused look took on a realization. "Contacts, I'll be damned" Melinda grinned up at her soulmate as she took back the small contact and placed it back into her right eye. The smaller woman playfully slapped the southerner on the stomach then spoke in a partially outrage voice. "Ya never told me you were getting them" The translator grinned as she rested both her hands on top of her own stomach, a content look on her face.

"Didn't want tuh, wanted to surprize ya. I know how ya didn't fancy the dark glasses. So Doctor Clayton told me they just came out wid these small plastic contacts" Janice shook her head briefly as she crossed her arms against her chest and lopsidedly smiled down at her soulmate.

"Yeah I heard about them, didn't think they were using them yet. Actually those ones you have are rather small then what I hear. The ones I heard about are suppose to cover your entire eye" The southerner slightly nodded as she replied.

"That's what Doctor Clayton said too, but they jus' came out wid these new ones called Corneal Contacts. He wants me to wear them to bed for two nights just so I can get use tuh them" Janice nodded as she leaned down and placed a light kiss to her partner's forehead.

"I like them a lot. Thank you for the surprise, good thing they don't effect your eye color" Mel chuckled some in the process of keeping her smile.

"Well I clearly expressed tuh Doctor Clayton that I wanted to make sure that the color of my eyes didn't change because of them. I know how much you love the blue of my eyes" Janice grinned as she uncrossed her arms and brought them down to rest on top of Mel's hands.

"They just aren't a blue, more like a brilliant sapphire with no end of depth to them" The aristocrat continued to smile up at her soulmate as she intertwined her fingers with the blond's small hands.

"Thanks" The archeologist grinned and leaned down to kiss her soulmate deeply. She sat back up straight.

"So you up for dinner out Mel? My treat" The belle grinned up, her thumb lightly caressing her lover's hand.

"Let me think here" Janice chuckled as a smile swept her rose lips, waiting for Mel's answer. "I'd fancy a supper out with ya Janice"

"Great, lets get ready" That's when Janice hopped off her soulmate and Mel rolled out of bed. The pair began to change.

~*Part 3*~

Janice crossed her legs at the ankles under the wooden table, she looked from the people in the restaurant back to her soulmate. They both sat in a booth, across from each other, it was a decent restaurant, nothing fancy but not to basic. The type of restaurant the two soulmates could easily agree on and Janice could deal with the dressing requirements. That being the archeologist in her usual attire of khakis, brown button up, worn leather jacket, low cut boots, and her fedora on the seat of the booth. Mel on the other hand wore a black skirt to her knees, then a button up cotton red shirt, her hair up in a bun. The small blond for her part was still trying to become accustom to her lover not wearing glasses, but she likes it. They both now sat waiting for their salads to arrive.

"Janice, do ya have anything in mind to tell Doctor Johnson for tomorrow's meeten?" Janice sat there thinking, then a small grin eased onto her lips.

"Well not necessarily tomorrow but sometime in the future I'd like to do" The dark hair aristocrat arched an eyebrow at the smaller woman. That's when the red head waitress came and placed their salads down. Mel had ordered a regular house salad, Janice though had a Caesar salad, and for some reason that had surprised the belle. The red head then looked to Mel with a regular face.

"What would you like for your entree Ma'am?" Mel's cobalt blue eyes looked down to the menu, she quickly found what she desired.

"May I please get the salmon" The waitress nodded.

"Grilled or broiled?"

"Oh my defiantly grilled, thank you" The red head nodded yet again and picked up the menu, she looked to the smaller woman with a huge smile. This did not go unnoticed by neither Mel nor Janice.

"And you miss?" Janice closed up her menu in her lap, handing it to the skinny waitress.

"I could go for a turkey club sandwich myself"

"The works?"

"Yes, love it with everything and extra mustard if you can" The waitress brilliant smiled to her and winked.

"I'll defiantly tell them to add the extra" The red head then gathered herself together and left the pair alone. Janice looked back to Mel with an irritated expression, the belle grinning.

"Why me Mel?"

"Because you're cute"

"I am not cute, I am…

"Cute"

"Mel!" The southerner chuckled.

"Seriously why she like me and not you?" Mel shrugged her shoulders. "You know, before you, B.M." An arched dark eyebrow. "B.M…. Before Mel" The southerner laughed and shook her head then moving her right hand across the plate to the fork lifting it. Janice did the same and looked back to her partner before digging into the salad. "Like I was saying, B.M. I would have loved all the flirting, but now its just annoying" The southerner chuckled and began to munch on her garden salad, Janice doing the same. Afterwards Mel looked up from her first bit.

"So back tuh Doctor Johnson" A roll of the green eyes. "Janice" A huff. "So tell me Janice, exactly what would you fancy tuh do to Doctor Johnson?" The northerner smirked across the table as she swallowed a chewed up crouton. Janice then leaned forward over her salad closer to Mel. The archeologist whispered to Mel with her green eyes gleaming.

"I'd like to male-bitch slap him" Blue eyes widen in utter surprise and shock. The southerner's back straightened immediately, as an outrage voice talked low but in hard tone.

"Janice Covington!" A deep breath from Mel as the small blond sat back in her seat for a moment with a content look. Then there was a silence and the belle thought about those words, she broke out into a fit of laughter in seconds. Janice joined her soulmate, they both stopped laughing in a minute and smiled to each other. Their forks had been forgotten on the table. The translator shook her head as she wiped away the small tears from her cheeks and picked up her fork once again. "Janice Covington, what am I ever gonna do wid you?"

"Hopefully keep me?" Blue eyes twinkled.

"That and I have a few other things in mind" The smaller woman grinned to Mel as she dug back into her salad.

"Seriously Mel, I have no idea what to say to Doctor Johnson" The translator went serious at the now reason as to going out for dinner in the first place.

"Going tuh just pull everything from thin air?" The archeologist shrugged her shoulders as her fork pierced a few leaves of lettuce.

"Well I was going to sit down and check over things while you were out, but I fell a sleep of course" Mel nodded her head.

"Okay so how many scrolls do we have right now?" Janice chewed on her food as she thought, swallowed and looked to Mel again.

"We have between…thirty and I'd say forty" The belle nodded again and reached for her glass of water.

"Which of we have what twenty-two you'd say translated?" The archeologist nodded her head.

"Not to mention we need to go through the artifacts" A pause as she watched Mel drink some water. "I think there was around…twenty-five artifacts" The tall southerner then grinned.

"Well it'd be twenty-nine" An up lifting of a brown eyebrow and an answer. "If yo counted duh necklaces, staff and sword" The archeologist grinned as her body and mind mentally checked for the necklace around her neck, finding the weight still there.

"But we're not, so its about twenty-five" Melinda chuckled as she went back to the last bit of her salad as did Janice. Janice gulped down a few large pieces of lettuce.

"So Janice, we report we have forty scrolls and twenty-five artifacts?" The small archeologist shook her head and Mel looked at her confused.

"No, we report we have thirty scrolls and twenty-two artifacts incase we discover any scrolls we should keep personally along with artifacts" The translator nodded in understanding.

"You think we might run into some important scrolls?"

"Not necessarily that Mel, we might run into some personal items that shouldn't be allowed in public" Janice pushed her plate with the remains of salad dressing away from her. She then reached in between her shirt to lift the necklace up for Mel to see. "Not only is this a private thing for Xena and Gabrielle, but for us Mel, don't you feel the connection?" The belle dropped the fork to the plate and reached for her own same necklace but with the emerald stone. She stared at it for a moment, her eyes became lost in the emerald, it captured her. Her soul felt a tug, it was apart of her the sense of power and love exploded in her. The feel of darkness and light swirled within her soul, it was her connection to her soulmate and decedent undoubtedly. She could almost see Janice inside of the emerald, then she thought she did, her heart skipped a beat as she looked back up. Janice herself looked back up from her sapphire gem in her necklace, they both felt it, no words had to be spoken.

"You're right Janice" Janice smiled to her soulmate. That's when Janice's favorite woman returned with a tray. The waitress picked up the two plates and she looked to the archeologist with a grin.

"Is there anything I can you two?" Janice shook her head with a fake smile.

"No, I think we're okay" The waitress nodded her head.

"Okay then, just let me know if you need anything at all" The small woman nodded her head again and watched the red head leave. Janice looked back to her smirking soulmate.

"Not a word Mel" The belle couldn't help but chuckle at her partner.

"Not a word then Jan" Green eyes narrowed at the nickname.

"Now Mop, we both can do the nicknames" The belle sighed with grin, she'd forgotten that Janice loved to tease her about her initials, Melinda Olivia Pappas.

"Mmm" The southerner leaned closer to Janice. "I think I fancy sweetheart over Mop" The strawberry blond grinned and leaned forward even closer.

"Sweetheart…or Love?" Mel's grin morphed into a loving smile.

"Love" Janice nodded her head and sat back in the seat. The waitress returned with the dinners, this time she didn't have time to flirt, another table awaiting her. The soulmates dug into the entrées ready for the food.

"Janice, when do you think we'll be able to have the scrolls translated and the artifacts ready?" The archeologist pulled out the second little toothpick from her club sandwich and took a third bite. She swallowed the morsel then responded.

"I'd think…in three weeks, two if we work hard at it" The translator nodded her head and ate another bit of moist salmon.

"So that's all we have tuh tell Doctor Johnson then?" The archeologist looked up from her sandwich.

"Suppose so Mel" A pause. "Any other questions we'll just have to wing em" The belle nodded her head. The rest of the early dinner went on with chitter chatter about things going on locally that Doctor Johnson had told Mel. Janice had just listened and here and there she'd question Mel's report. Overall she really never went in for the local gossip like Mel, but for some reason she'd defiantly listen. Maybe it was only because Mel was telling it, because she liked to listen to the southerner's voice. That had to be it. Janice grinned to herself at that. Then she looked up to see their waitress return with a beaming smile.

"Would you ladies care for a dessert?" Janice looked to her soulmate in question, Mel shook her head. The archeologist looked back to the waitress.

"No thanks, just the bill" The waitress let her smile turn a bit more sexual as her free hand with no tray went to Janice's right wrist.

"You sure you don't want any coffee or something?" The archeologist's jaw had tightened, her eyes slits. This was getting personal.

"No thank you, the bill would be fine" The words came out with an edge, the woman squeezed Janice's wrist and released it to disappear. Green eyes lock with cold blue eyes.

"Janice, its getting private" Janice nodded her head as she watched Mel's eyes soften back. She could tell her translator was starting to get angry with the waitress herself. The archeologist looked to her right to see the waitress coming, Janice moved her left hand up onto the table. Mel looked to her soulmate's hand to see her hand open and then she looked to Janice whom nodded to her. The aristocrat then brought up her left hand to clasp Janice's hand, the small blond intertwined their fingers. Janice looked up to the approaching waitress, the waitress was staring at the locked hands. The waitress noticed blue and green eyes looking to her and she slightly flushed and looked to Janice with a sheepish smile.

"Here's the bill Miss" She placed the white small slip of paper onto the table and brought her hand back up. "Have a good day" The red head looked to Mel with a smile and the translator nodded her head, the waitress doing the same. A quiet agreement had been pasted between the aristocrat and the red head. The waitress then turned on her heals and stalked off to another table of hers. Janice looked to Mel with a grin and squeezed Mel's hand for a brief second then let go of the warmer hand.

"Glad that work" The tall belle chuckled as she watched her small soulmate removed her leather wallet from her back pocket. Green eyes stared down at the bill and she removed twelve dollars from her wallet. She picked up the bill with her hand containing the money and placed the bill with money in the center of the table. The archeologist reached for her hat and put it on. "Ready Mel?" The translator nodded her head and scooted out of the booth seat, as did Janice. They both made their way out of the restaurant and out to the early evening, the sun about to touch the horizon within fifteen minutes or so. Janice looked to her tall soulmate. "The park?" Melinda looked down to the smaller woman with a smile. I think the romantic side is coming to life. That thought was the first thing to come to the tall woman's mind.

"Let's go" Janice nodded and both women crossed the road and made their way down two blocks and took a left down Columbus Street. Straight ahead of the two women lay the Colombian Park, well cared for. Mel had always admired the small park, it had a lake right in the middle with a small path looping around the lake and picnic tables here and there along with benches. Then there was one area that held a plethora of children's swings, slides, seesaw, and a sandbox. They entered the park and Janice made a diagonal for the little playground, the aristocrat right behind her. The archeologist walked over to the swings with a grin on her lips, she sat in the one directly in the middle. The taller woman came over and leaned against the pole of the swing set watching her soulmate.

"I haven't been on one of these things in ages"

"Maybe 'cause you're a little to old for them" The archeologist laughed and Janice pushed back with her feet and slowly began to swing, building up speed. Blue eyes watched the entire time. "Want me tuh come back there and push ya?" Janice laughed a few times as she closed her eyes feeling the wind pass her, some of her childhood memories came back.

She could hear her own voice laughing when she was younger, almost feel her fathers touch on her back as he pushed her. Mel watched her friend's face, seeing it etch a smile on then ever so slowly that small face went into a deep sadness. The belle's heart dropped and she closed her own eyes seeing a young Janice on a swing laughing and being pushed by Harry Covington. Melinda's eyes reopened and she moved behind Janice. The archeologist still had her green eyes tightly shut and then she actually felt to large warm hands to her shoulder blades pushing her. For a moment Janice thought she was really young again, then her mind came back around, her images became memories once again. Her boots scuffed onto the dirt below and she immediately came to stop, her hands still grasping the ropes of the metal swing.

Two large arms encircled around her neck a warm body pressed against her back. Janice dropped her head back, her hat almost coming off her head as she peered up into liquid blue. Janice smiled and a smiled was mirrored back to her. "Sunset aint gonna wait around for us" The small blond nodded her head and stood up from the seat and readjusted the fedora on her head. The archeologist looked around to see nobody within close distance, so she reached over to grasp Mel's hand, their fingers weaving together. Mel smiled.

"How about right over there?" The aristocrat looked to the bench her soulmate nodded to. It was new looking and was near the lake's edge in an open area, the sun's rays glowing on the soft calm surface of the lake. The two females quickly made their way over to the bench and sat down. The sun was just beginning to disappear below the horizon into another world, it was putting on its grand faunally for its watchers. And that's exactly how it went, an dazzling array of colors streamed across the sky, becoming mixed in the clouds like paint and was reflected by the lake far below. It was sight to behold. Janice smiled and shifted closer to her soulmate, dropping her head onto the strong shoulder and wrapped one arm around Mel's waist. Blue eyes twinkled in the sunset and the translator placed an arm around Janice's shoulder and dropped her head onto Janice's own head.

Emotions, the realist entity in the everything.

The lovers watched the sun disappear from them, only to leave a glowing moon and sparkling stars high above to guide them through the night. Mel brought her head up to feel her cheek be touched by the coolness of the new night air. The archeologist looked up to her other half with a deep smile, Mel leaned down to capture sweet lips. They became lost in the kiss as seconds pasted with no sense of time. The kiss broke and eyes were locked in a deep intent of love, sheer love.

"Thanks for the lovely evenen Janice" The archeologist smiled and stood up from the bench, Mel still sitting.

"Welcome love" The belle grinned in reply and stood up.

"This all makes me feel so young" Janice chuckled as they began to make their way back to the mansion, only five blocks away.

"We are young Mel" The tall woman thought about that. Janice linking arms with the southerner, knowing society wouldn't question that. They walked out of the park and onto the sidewalk.

"I reckon so" The archeologist grinned to her soulmate.

"We only have eternity together Mel"

~*Part 4*~

A large buzz went off, the small woman felt her soulmate remove her arm from her waist and roll to her other side. The buzzing stopped, then a small switch was flicked as the southerner rolled back from the alarm clock on the table to her Janice again. The large arm wrapped around Janice's midsection again, the blond's back into Mel.

"We need to get up Janice"

"Hmm" Mel squeezed the archeologist's stomach for a moment, still no reaction. Mel grinned and brought her lips to the back of Janice's neck, the northerner shiver in reaction. Sky splashed eyes narrowed for a second and a large smirk formed on Mel's lips. Her hand slowly caressed up Janice's lightweight cotton tee. A warm hand went to Janice's right breast. Green eyes flew open in astonishment. "I'm up, I'm up" The aristocrat laughed as she saw her soulmate shoot up in bed, sitting up, green eyes foggy. Janice looked to the other woman, Mel's large hand had fallen to Janice's lap now.

"Mel" Blue eyes batted in innocence. The small blond grinned, but Mel didn't have her out of the bed, yet. So that invading large but yet seductive hand began to journey under Janice's boxers. The archeologist was positive her entire body was flushing, because she was becoming very warm all over. So in reaction the archeologist grasped Mel's hand, removing it from her boxers and she leapt out of the bed, leaving the sheets in a mess. "Mel, you know we've got a meeting and we really can't be late" The belle laughed as she watched her lover quickly stalk over to the large bathroom door. Then she heard a muttered cuss word then the door slamming. The translator was pleased with her technique of getting her soulmate out of bed, she made a mental note of it for future reference. The southerner then made her own way out of the bed and proceeded to make it. Within five minutes the bed was made and Janice from Mel's guess was finishing up her shower. Within another five minutes, Janice came padding out of the bathroom with a towel on her almost red hair brushed down with a little water droplets dripping off the ends. Mel shook her head and walked into the bathroom for her own shower.

As Mel took her shower, Janice dressed. The archeologist put on a nice pair of forest green corduroy pants, silver belt, then a button up flannel green, gray, and slight blue plaid shirt on. She looked up in the mirror and smiled to herself and brushed her hair back behind her ears. Janice then debated whether to put up her hair now or later? She sighed and decided to leave it be for now. She turned her head to see her partner come walking out of the bathroom, her mouth gaped, Mel moved to Janice while she pushed her black bangs back, wearing nothing. "Gotta use the bathroom" Janice quickly moved to the door of the bathroom.

"Janice shoes?" The archeologist raised up on hand as she entered the bathroom.

"I'll get them" The belle laughed to herself as she opened the drawers to pull out a pair of cotton underwear and bra. She loved the effect she had on Janice as she teased her. But she knew Janice would find the right moment to get her back for it, and Mel looked forward to it. Mel hurriedly dressed into a nice pressed pair of black pants, a red shirt with a fancy animal belt, her wet hair going up in a bun with the bangs still down. She tucked in her shirt then buckled her leather belt and finally pulled a little of the shirt out. Last she reached for some "Spring Mist" perfume, spraying it on her chest and some on her shirt. Then she pulled out two pairs of socks, one black and another dark green. The tall woman then moved to the closet to her left to open it and pull out one pair of low cut nice brown boots and plain black slip on shoes. Mel walked to the bed and placed the boots with green socks on top of the bed then sat down. Janice sauntered out of the bathroom. She came over to the bed and proceeded to put on the green socks as Mel sat to put on her black ones. The aristocrat dropped her shoes to the floor and stood up to slip into them, Janice though lifted one boot up at a time to tie them on. She finished within seconds and looked to Mel with a smile.

"Breakfast?" The archeologist's eyes widen as her smile lengthened.

"Defiantly"

They both began to leave the room, Mel reaching for the doorknob.

"Grits?"

"Mel!" The southerner laughed and opened the door, the soulmates made their way down to the kitchen.

~*~*~*~

Now our two characters are within an important meeting. Before they had entered, a secretary of Doctor Johnson's greeted the pair. As we recall, the waitress from the restaurant from last night was flirting with Janice. But now it was Melinda Pappas's turn to be flaunted with by Doctor Johnson's secretary. This we can guess quickly sent Mel's soulmate into a funk. So now the archeologist sat in a wood chair in Doctor Johnson's office in a mood. Janice couldn't quite remember the last time she'd gripped a chair arm this hard before.

"So you presume that by three weeks you'll have the rest of the Xena Scrolls translated?" The archeologist nodded her head.

"That's what Miss Pappas and I are shooting for" Doctor Johnson nodded his head. He sat in a large padded wood chair behind his large wood desk. On the desk was a large cover of glass, on each right and left side it was stacked with papers. Then there was a small ashtray with three butts of cigars not to mention the office reeked of cigar. Mel for her part couldn't stand the odor, she never disliked cigars. But this brand the Dean smoke she loathed.

"And does this length of time include going through the artifacts or not?" Janice looked to Melinda, the translator looking to the archeologist. The northerner quickly looked back to the Dean.

"No, we'll probably need a week to do that" A pause. "Then we'll need I'd say…five days to prepare for our presentation to the University" The Dean of the University nodded his head a few times and considered the length of time. His hands link laying calmly in his lap, his eyes unfocussed. He looked back to the pair.

"Then you're estimating you'll need a month to be prepared for the presentation?" A nod from both women. "Well then, I'll have a date set up for the seminar to be on the…27th of November. Sound fine?" The archeologist furrowed her brows for a moment but Mel asked the question.

"Doctor Johnson if I ain't mistaken but that tis uh Sunday?" The doctor nodded his head with a stern expression.

"Yes Miss Pappas it is, I'd like to have it in the afternoon after church. I believe more people will show up for the lecture then" The archeologist sighed inwardly at the church part, she never went in for that religion thing. Thankfully for her neither did her taller soulmate.

"That does make good sense Doctor Johnson" The Dean nodded his head to the belle's reply.

"Now then, are there any further things that need to be discussed?"

"Yes, will Miss Pappas and I be allowed to study the artifacts at her mansion or would you'd prefer the studying to be within the University?" The older man looked to the archeologist.

"I'd like for you and Miss Pappas to keep the artifacts in the confines of the University for safety purposes" The archeologist nodded her head.

"Well I think that's all Miss Pappas and I have to tell Doctor Johnson" The Dean smiled and stood up, as did the other two women. Doctor Johnson stepped around his desk and shook hands briskly with Janice then Melinda.

"Miss Pappas, I'd be grateful if you'd stay for a moment. I have something I'd like to discuss with you in private" The translator looked to her partner. Mel knew that this must have sent the archeologist even more into a mood. Janice just nodded her head very faintly. "Nice seeing you again Doctor Covington" The small blond looked to the Dean with a fake smile.

"Same here Doctor Johnson, have a good day" The tempered archeologist shuffled out of the office into the waiting

room, to now deal with the secretary. The five foot eight inch Dean looked back to the southern belle with a smile once the door shut.

"Miss Pappas, I'd like to discuss with you about the University's funds" Mel groaned inwardly. Sometimes, sometimes all this money she inherited could be a real pain.

~*~*~*~

The small blond eyed the secretary behind the desk. The small blond secretary was busy typing up something from a hand written document. Janice's eyes dropped to the floor, as her mind became lost in thought as she waited for Mel. Her mind began to wonder back to the scrolls she had read. She tried to come up with possibilities as to how Gabrielle's daughter Hope was born. Her and Mel hadn't run through all the scrolls to bring up the father.

So right now Janice and Melinda are amidst about whom the father was or why Hope was considered evil. All the pair knew was that Hope had been born from the bard and ended up looking exactly like Gabrielle. Hope had a group of followers that brought her back from the dead. Hope then hooked up with Ares, as Janice puts it, to have a son name the Destroyer later on. Some where in there Hope and Gabrielle both fall into a pit to supposedly die. Xena finds the bard along with Hope and her son in Amphipolis. In the end, Xena and Gabrielle manage to kill Hope and the Destroyer in a barn of Amphipolis.

But what Janice was aching to know was how Gabrielle had betrayed her own soulmate. Obviously it hadn't torn the pair's relationship otherwise they wouldn't have still been together. Even more so when they had returned that short period in time with her and Mel, they certainly were in-love and not distant. Janice sighed wishing she could read syntax like it was her normal language to translate the scrolls faster.

The door to Doctor Johnson's creaked open, Mel half stepping out with her back to Janice. The translator took another step and is completely out of the door, the Dean leaning against the doorframe. He stood there with a half smile and a cigar hanging out of his mouth.

"Yes well, Doctor Johnson I'll consider it" Doctor Johnson smiled and nodded his head, he pulled the cigar out of his mouth and blew the smoke off to the side. The cigar almost finished.

"Great Miss Pappas, have a wonderful day"

"You do the same Doctor Johnson and thank you" The Dean smiled and watched as Mel turned to Janice, he closed the office door. The belle rolled her eyes down at the archeologist, Janice standing up from her seat. The pair both moved for the door of the room.

"Bye Miss Pappas and Doctor Covington" The archeologist clamped her mouth shut from retorting, knowing it would be bad. So Mel did instead, looking back to the secretary.

"Bye, have a good day" And with that said the pair disappeared into the hallway of the quiet University, the door closing shut.

"So what was that all about?" The soulmates walked down the long hallway to the end, their shoes making echoing sounds as they went.

"Yo mean Doctor Johnson?" The northerner nodded her head. "He just wuz asking for more money for duh University" Janice rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Go figure, they can never suck enough money out of you it seems" The aristocrat chuckled at that.

"Nope they aint gonna ever stop" Janice shook her head. They came to two double glass doors, the archeologist pushing it open and holding the door for Mel. They stepped down three pairs of steps and onto the concrete walk way of the parking lot.

"I bet they'll expect you to donate all your money to them after you kick off" The southerner laughed at that.

"I reckon so, won't have tuh worry about that for a while" The pair were opening the doors to the Chrysler Airflow they drove over in, Janice driving. With a slam of the doors, the popping in and a turn of the key, the car quickly came to life. They left the University only to drive a few miles to home, parking the car in the garage.

~*~*~*~

"I reckon I am gonna take a shower Janice" Green eyes peered over to the southerner.

"Yeah, why…had one today?" Mel sighed and shook her head.

"Doctor Johnson lit up one of them smelly cigars while I wuz with him" The archeologist wrinkled her nose.

"Ah, I never cared for the brand he smokes" The tall belle grinned.

"Good, keep it dat way" A deep breath. "I can't stand them and now I smell of it" Mel slipped out of her shoes then reached up to pull the small hair pin from her hair. Her dark hair flowed down below her. Janice moved over to their bed and sat down. She propped one foot up at a time on either leg to untie her leather boots. The archeologist was directly behind the southerner's back and watched as Mel stripped out of all her cloths. Janice grinned to herself as she watch the belle stalked into the bathroom, the door left open. She couldn't see from this angle into the bathroom, but she heard the shower turn on and Mel slipping in. The small female hurriedly took off her clothes, her green eyes sparkled while a mischief grin was on her lips.

Mel closed her eyes and leaned her head back into the stream of water. The shampoo immediately rinsed out of her hair, her hands reaching to her hair to push out the shampoo. The belle then felt a small warm hand on her waist then another hand touching her hand behind her head. Her head was pulled down and her lips capture in a deep kiss. The kiss was long and sensual as the water came down her face, a warm body pressing into her, her own hands going down the other person's small waist. The kiss ended with their lips burning, Mel opened her dark blue eyes to stare at a nude and partially wet wickedly grinning Janice. She quickly noticed the smaller woman's eyes were a deep green that sparkled. Pay back time was the first thing Mel mused. The translator was pushed against the tiles of the shower, the coolness of the tiles shivering up her back. Janice profoundly captured Melinda's lips again while her small hands wandered over Mel's body. The southerner melted to the touch as she whispered when that controlling mouth went to her right breast.

"Oh my" Mel's world shattering into a million different colors from her soulmate's touch.

~*Part 5*~

The small archeologist put her hands together then brought them over her head and stretched her feet out under the desk as well. Each of her elbows popped making her cringe for a moment in reaction, she hated that. Janice looked over to her left at Mel sitting on the comfy sofa. The archeologist is dressed in her normal cloths, khaki pants and an off white button up shirt. Under the shirt she wore a light white tee so she let the first three buttons undone and un-tucked, her boots off. Mel though decided to be comfortable and just wore her red silk night gown and her purple robe on to keep her warm. Janice pushed the chair out abruptly and stood up, walked over to Mel and blue eyes looked up. The archeologist grinned and took the leather book and scroll from Mel to place it on the floor. The belle grinned back and sensed what her soulmate intentions were. So the aristocrat lay back on the sofa and Janice crawled on top of her lanky body. The archeologist's small head rested on Mel's chest and Mel wrapped her arms around Janice's back while green eyes closed.

"Tired?"

"Nah, just wanted to…"

"Cuddle?" A warm smile eased onto Mel's lips first then it was caught on Janice's lips.

"Yeah" The translator chuckled. "Mmm, I think in a few minutes or so I'm going to go over to the University"

"Artifacts?" Janice nodded her head in response. "I reckon I'll stay here tuh work on duh scrolls" The small woman brought her head up, chin on Mel's chest.

"You sure you don't want to come?"

"Naw, tomorrow" Green eyes blinked and Janice placed the side of her head back down on Mel's chest.

"I think I'll just check everything out can go over things in detail tomorrow" The aristocrat nodded her head.

"Sounds good" The archeologist sighed, her arms wrapped around Mel's sides. Janice's strawberry-blond hair flowed over her shoulders, the tips just touching Mel's body. She brought up one large hand to lightly massage Janice's head. Now the small woman felt herself begin to feel sleepy, the head massage feeling real good. Melinda grinned as she noticed Janice's breathing beginning to slow up. Then out of no where a grumble erupted from the small Janice.

"Goddamn I don't feel like moving" The tall woman laughed at her soulmate's words.

"Ya ain't got tuh"

"I need to check out those artifacts"

"They can wait"

"What time is it?" The tall belle turned her head to the left to look at the clock on Janice's desk.

"Itz 'bout ten after two" Janice just slightly nodded her head.

"Hmmm good, then I'll go a little later" Melinda chuckled and lifted her head for a second to place a kiss on Janice's head. A huge smile formed on the small woman's lips. "Mel?"

"Hmm?"

"How did this happen?" A dark eyebrow arched up.

"How'd what happen love?"

"You know, how did I manage to get so damn soft?" The translator grinned, her one hand still working a massage on Janice's head.

"I got lucky" Janice laughed for a second.

"No really, I've changed a lot since I first met you" Mel smiled to herself.

"Yes and you're happy?" Janice lifted her head up to look to Mel.

"Of course I am, never been so happy and content in my life Mel" The belle smiled, her hand moved to brush back a vagrant piece of hair from Janice's face. Janice then leaned forward to lightly kiss Mel on lips and then placed her head back on the belle's chest. Mel quickly realized from the start that Janice is showing her vulnerable side, a thing not to take lightly too. "Lately I've been feeling more like myself, understand myself better"

"I can tell ya have" The archeologist sighed.

"Ever since I've come to grips with being Gabrielle's descendant" The small blond lifted her head again to look seriously into Mel's eyes. "That was the same for you with Xena huh?" The aristocrat nodded with a small light smile.

"Yes, I've understood myself since I've known Xena's my ancestor" Melinda took a deep breath. "I wuz able tuh understand this side of me that iz an almost darkness" Then Mel grinned a little to Janice. "And now I know where I get my strong side dat comes tuh life every once in uh few" Janice chuckled.

"Yeah I've noticed that about you Mel, you get this strong protective streak to yourself every now and again. I just never expected that of you when I first met you in Macedonia" They both chuckled at that. "But I like it" The tall woman smiled at Janice's last words.

"Well I fancy that ya can once in while let go of dat stoic tough side of yourself tuh be soft" Janice let a warm smile ease on to her lips, her eyes were very soft at that moment.

"Me too" A pause. "Thanks for letting me feel safe to show it Mel" The aristocrat's own smile was very warm.

"Well I still fancy that tough side when need be" Janice chuckled and then looked to clock it read two thirty.

"I'd better go" Janice dropped her head back down on the belle's face and tightly hugged Mel, the southerner returning the tight embrace. The archeologist then crawled of Mel's body and wink to the taller female. The translator chuckled and watched Janice heads up stairs.

The northerner went to the room and pulled her boot out from the closet and tied them on quickly. After that she went back to the closet to pull out her old worn leather jacket placing it in her left arm and moved to the dresser of the room. She picked up the small golden bird given to her and Mel by Starling. Janice slipped it into her jacket pocket then she opened up a drawer of the dresser. Opening it all the way, Janice pushed back the socks to reveal her revolver with holster. She slipped on the holster and pulled out the revolver, it was filled, back in the holster it went. Sifting through the socks again the archeologist found a box of bullets and removed a dozen slipping them into her pant's pockets. Janice then slipped on her leather jacket, snatched her hat off the dresser, and made her way down stairs. The archeologist stood in the doorway and smirked to her soulmate who sat on the sofa again.

"When ya gonna be back?" Janice shrugged her shoulders.

"Probably in a hour or so I'd say" A grin from Janice and Mel arched an eyebrow at her in question. "I think I am going to take the Indian bike" The translator grinned.

"Be careful"

"I will, hell that thing saved us both over in Greece" Mel just nodded.

"Bye" Janice grinned.

"Bye Mel, see you soon" And with that the archeologist headed out of the door. Janice reached the door of the garage and cold chill shot through her. She stopped dead in her tracks. No that couldn't be, she's trapped in that damn cave. Janice shrugged it off and went inside of the garage, in a heartbeat she exit the garage again with the bike at her side. She hopped on it and hit the starter with her boot, it boomed to life with a roar. Janice put it into gear and brought her feet up as she went down followed the loop of the mansion lane.

Part 2

Section Two

~*Part 6*~

Janice opened the door to the room and reached to the wall on the left, she flipped the switch. Stepping in the archeologist shut the door behind her and walked over to the table centered in the large room. On the table lay a variety of artifacts from Janice's two digs. There are two groupings, one dealing with expedition from Amphipolis and the second from Poteidaia. The one from Amphipolis contains the most artifacts. The Poteidaia one although had only two artifacts, one item was the head from the Zeus statue. Then the second one Janice furrowed her brows at, reaching over she picked up the object. It was a dagger the hilt of a bird, the same bird the Amazons used to represent their Nation. On the blade it was tarnished with a red tint to it, Janice figuring it to be blood. Carefully the archeologist placed it back on the table. She then moved to the Amphipolis findings, most of the objects from the dud coffin of Xena's and Gabrielle's. Janice was about to reach for one object but the door to the room open. She pulled back and looked to the person at the door.

"Oh hi Doctor Covington, wasn't sure who was in here with the lights on and everything"

"Hi Doctor Leukos. How are you?" The doctor stood half way in to the room, a smile on her lips.

"Fine thanks, you?" Janice shrugged her shoulders.

"Pretty good" The archeologist then turned to completely face the other woman. "Is there any other reason as to why you peaked into this room?" Emily Leukos furrowed her brows.

"I don't understand Doctor Covington, I was just wondering who was in this room" Janice nodded her head.

"Come in and close the door" That's exactly what the doctor did. Janice's eyes were cold and she narrowed them now at the other woman. "Care to explain why it didn't seem to phase you that Poteidaia wasn't burned down?" Leukos flustered.

"It did actually" Janice crossed her arms against her chest.

"Didn't seem to, considering Doctor Longhem was shocked and you had no reaction to it" Doctor Emily Leukos straightened up and she all of a sudden wasn't flustered.

"Okay I wasn't surprised Doctor Covington"

"Care to explain why?" Leukos crossed her own arms against her chest. Janice didn't like this.

"I just assumed it" That did it. Janice's temper went off and she stalked forward rather fast. She reached to Emily Leukos' neck and revealed a golden bird necklace.

"Well what the hell is this?" The doctor's eyes widen at the archeologist's angered words, Janice's hand up high on the necklace making it hard for the woman to breath. Her words came out in a stutter between rasping breaths.

"Its…it's a neck…lace…that was given…to me by…my mother"

"Then why does it look just like the Amazon bird?" Leukos shut her eyes as she struggled for air.

"Becausssse it…is" Her head was jerked down for a moment then the necklace was released. The woman took deep breaths as Janice took a few steps back. The archeologist reached into her coat pocket then Emily Leukos looked back up. "Trust me Doctor Covington, you'll never find everything out about Xena and Gabrielle" Janice rolled her eyes and grinned.

"Next time Doctor Leukos know whom you're friends are before your enemies" Pulling her hand back out she held the golden bird then tossed it to Emily. She doctor caught the golden object and looked down at it, her mouth dropped.

"Oh my god" Leukos looked back up with an astonished expression. "I didn't know" Janice crossed her arms against her chest again.

"Didn't think you did. I guess Starling doesn't get word out soon enough huh?" The doctor looked back up, her expression going serious again. She handed the bird back to Janice, the archeologist placing it into her jacket and her arms crossing once again.

"I'm sorry Doctor Covington" The small woman slightly smiled to Emily Leukos. "No, Starling doesn't get many visits from other Amazon's out there, about three times a year if she's lucky" Janice nodded her head.

"I kind of thought your last name is Greek" Emily Leukos nodded her head.

"It is, Greek for bright or white" Janice nodded her head and turned back to the table of artifacts, Emily stepping up beside her.

~*~*~*~

The front door opened and the belle looked up to meet a pair of emerald eyes.

"Janice, what ya doing back so soon?" The small blond smiled across to Mel on the sofa.

"Ah, thought I'd come back early that's all"

"How'd duh artifacts look?"

"Um pretty good" Mel nodded to the response and the small woman entered into the den and stood in front of Mel. The southerner looked up to the other woman with a smile. The small blond studied Mel, her eyes going up and down Mel's length, her eyes stopping at the translator's breasts. The southerner had noticed how hard toned the other woman's voice was sounding then normal.

"Come with me Mel"

"Where?"

"Upstairs" The belle arched an eyebrow and stood up, she was then lead up stairs to their room. The small female closed the door then locked it, which astounded Mel. She then came to Mel and placed a hand on her waist the other going to the back of Mel's head.

They kissed.

To Mel the kiss felt awkward. It was demanding, never once was a kiss with Janice been demanding. The kiss had always been giving, filled with love.

The kiss ended and Mel was roughly pushed down on to the bed. The small woman crawled onto Mel's body and began to kiss Mel all over.

"Janice?" Dark green eyes looked up to the belle.

"What?"

"Yo feeling okay?"

"Yes" The small hands grasped aristocrat's wrists and forced them down, cold lips going to Mel's soft neck. The touch was different, it occurred to Mel rather quickly. Nor was the moment touching her soul like it should.

~*~*~*~

Small hands lifted up the leather bound book from the table.

"So tell me Doctor Leukos, you know anything in the history of Gabrielle's life about her daughter named Hope?" Emily Leukos' eyes widen at the archeologist, Janice opened the leather book to the first page. There on the page was a perfect drawing of Gabrielle about to be kissed by Xena.

"I do know about her as matter of fact Doctor Covington" Janice turned the page.

"Mind telling me a little about her?"

"Well she was born by Dahok" Janice interrupted.

"Dahok?" Emerald eyes peered up from the leather book.

"Yes, he was the one god of evil. Dahok infected Gabrielle with his daughter Hope. After Hope was born Xena quickly found out she was a force of darkness and tried to kill Hope. Gabrielle protected her daughter and ended up placing her into a basket sending her down a stream and lied to Xena saying she killed the child" Emily stopped for a moment then continued.

~*~*~*~

A cool mouth went to Mel's left breast while a cold hand went her other breast. The belle moaned in responds, her arms still being tightly held down by the small form.

~*~*~*~

"Then Hope showed up in a centaur village that Xena and Gabrielle arrived in to visit Xena's son, Solan"

"Solan?"

"Yes, there's quite a bit of hidden history about her son nobody knows much of. But as it turned out Hope like I said turned up at the centaur village. She had grown dramatically to the age of five or so within a month" Emerald eyes widen at that.

"Go on"

"Well as the story goes she ended up killing Solan. Once Xena found out Hope was alive and Gabrielle had lied to her, she grew angry with Gabrielle. Gabrielle though realized Hope was a force of darkness and killed Hope with some poison. After that Xena and Gabrielle separated, both were in extreme pain and anger"

"Damn"

"That's not all of it"

~*~*~*~

The belle's cloths had been removed and lay on the floor off the side. Cold hands snaked down to Mel's stomach as the small woman's lips went to Melinda's stomach. Mel felt her heart refuse this touch from the small person, but her body reacted to the touch. Her mind screamed louder as those lips went farther down her body. The touch and body on top of her immobilized her body.

~*~*~*~

"Yeah she came back to life right?" Emily Leukos nodded her head in answer.

"She did by a group of followers" Janice looked to the book in her hands and opened her jacket, slipping it into her inside pocket she had.

"Then the followers brought her back"

"Yes and Hope had Callisto's help" Janice nodded and listened. "There had been a debt from a while back that Gabrielle owed to Ares and called it in at that current time"

"Debt to Ares, over what?"

"Nobody knows, but the debt in payment in return was that if Xena killed Hope Xena would die too"

"Of course Gabrielle wouldn't let that happen" Emily Leukos nodded in agreement.

"No of course not, so she ended up stopping Xena at the last minute and pushed herself and Hope into a fire pit, it was suppose to have kill them both"

"But it didn't and they both showed up in Amphipolis and Hope had her son the Destroyer from Ares"

"Yes Doctor Covington, then Xena and Gabrielle managed to kill them both"

~*~*~*~

Those ice lips came back up to Mel's breast and a cold hand kneaded her other breast. The touch on Mel's body was forceful, never had it been. Then belle screamed as teeth sunk into her breast hard.

~*~*~*~

"You see though Doctor Leukos, the part I don't quite understand. Is how did Hope managed to live through that pit but not her son, both being of her and or father?"

"I am" Janice's back stiffened up, her eyes glossed over as they unfocused. "Not sure" The archeologist closed her eyes for a second, look forming into pain. "Doctor Covington you alright?" Emerald eyes flew open and looked to Leukos.

"Shit, I need to go"

"Where to?" Janice quickly moved to the door.

"To my home" The door opened. "Actually Doctor Leukos, I want you to come with me" The Amazon looked to Janice.

"Where's your house, I'll take my car?"

"It's on Randolph Street, big white mansion" The doctor nodded and Janice nodded back and bolted out the door. Leukos could hear the archeologist running down the hallway quickly. Emily Leukos quickly turned off the light and locked the door behind her as she head down the hall at a power walk.

~*~*~*~

Janice's bike hit the lane of the mansion, decided to take a short cut and went directly across the lawn instead of following the loop. Her mind was screaming to her, her heart raced. Not again. That was the only thought that popped into Janice's head as she turned off the bike and let it fall to the ground. She busted through the door and as soon as she did a scream erupted through the mansion. Bedroom.

"Mel!" Her soulmate's name came from her mouth as if it was in agony. Janice ascended the stairs in a quick fluent motion. She came to the door and grabbed the handle, locked. Janice gritted her teeth and kicked at the door. Another loud scream of pain exploded in the belle's voice. Not again. Same thought. "Mel!" A third agonizing scream and Janice took three steps back. She removed her revolver and pointed it at the doorknob. The doorknob fell of off and dangled from the door from the shot, a little smoke rising from the barrel of the revolver. Janice kicked the door and it swung open. She ran in and was caught off guard by the site.

The archeologist stared at what she thought was the mirror. "Get away from her!" The mirror image stood at the foot of the bed, blood on her lips. The mirror image faced Janice as the archeologist came off to the side of the bed. Now Janice was off to the side of the foot of the bed, the mirror image had her right side to the foot of the bed. "Back off now!" Janice had her gun up pointed at the stranger. The mirror image did as she was told and took three steps, Janice moving to where the mirror image had stood. The archeologist heard muffled sobs from her soulmate, she took a quick glance to see Mel nude on her side rolled up into a ball. Janice looked back to her mirror image. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm one of your old family members" The voice was cold. Janice thought the voice of this mirror image had just one to many packs of cigarettes, the voice scratchy. Then the mirror image raised one hand and without belief the gun was taken from Janice's hand as it floated in air. It quickly went to its new owner, the mirror image. A shot was heard, a scream from Mel, then a body falling to the ground.

~*Part 7*~

The ending of the last part left us with a mirror image of Janice Covington whom had forcefully taken Mel and shot Janice. We could easily believe that Janice Covington is dead, but it all depends. Soon another person will find out the truth as our Doctor Emily Leukos came rushing up the stairs of the mansion. She looked down to the floor to a bedroom to see Doctor Covington lying on the floor, eyes closed, blood trickling down the right side of her face. The doctor quickly ran into the room, she bent down to the smaller woman. Nobody else in the room. She'd noticed that the bed sheets had been made into a mess.

Emily Leukos lifted Janice's head with one hand, she touched the bloody spot on the side of Janice's face. She breathed a sigh of relief, it only grazed the side of her head. The doctor just lifted Janice up and spotted a sofa across the room in front of a wide window. She placed the archeologist onto the sofa and rushed into the bathroom. The doctor came back out and dabbed away at the graze on the side of Janice's head with a washcloth. After she cleaned it, she held the washcloth against the graze with pressure for a few minutes. Doctor Leukos pulled away the washcloth in hopes that the pressure stopped the bleeding, it had. The Amazon looked to the floor again to see the archeologist's hat, she went over a lifted it up, placing it by Janice.

She then quickly found her way down to the kitchen and retrieved a cup of water and hurried back up stairs to Janice. The doctor sat on the edge of the sofa and lightly patted at Janice's cheeks.

"Doctor Covington wake up" A groan and Leukos tried again. "Come on Doctor Covington, wake up" Hazy green eyes drifted open to stare up at Emily Leukos.

"What happened?"

"All I know is I came rushing up stairs here to find you passed out on the floor with a graze on side of your head" Janice lifted up one hand to touch the side of her face, it was raw and ached. Oh yeah it was defiantly a graze, thank god. The archeologist sat up and the doctor handed the archeologist the cup of water.

"Thanks" A pause as Janice drank.

"What happened to you?" A gulp of water.

"When I got here somebody that looked exactly like me had…hurt Miss Pappas. And they took my gun to say and shot at me, bad shot too" Leukos grinned for a second then went serious again.

"Do you know who it was, especially if they look just like you?" Emerald eyes turned to the doctor.

"Yes I do, it was Hope" Doctor Emily Leukos thought her mouth hit the floor.

"How…how could you be sure?"

"Because I met Gabrielle and this woman looked exactly like her…and me" Leukos was amazed, her eyes wide, mouth gaping.

"Well…where do you suppose they went?" Janice shook her head for a moment, trying to clear her thoughts. Janice stood up from the sofa and paced the floor, she looked to the doctor.

"Was Dahok ever killed?"

"Supposedly yes by Hercules" Great even his legend is real. The archeologist shook off the thought.

"Well he was a god, so he couldn't have been killed. Was there any sort of sacrifice that had to be done to bring Dahok to life?" Emily Leukos stared at the floor as she thought.

"Yes, yes there was when he infected Gabrielle. Gabrielle in self-defense murder a young priestess of Dahok's it had been considered the sacrifice to Dahok, Gabrielle losing her blood innocence so to speak. Then Xena was suppose to have been sacrificed to be the opening of Dahok's arrival"

"Where did this happen?"

"It all happened in…Britannia"

"Okay Britannia is now England, that's where all the major fighting took place over Dahok?"

"No actually it all happened in Greece, there was a temple set up by Hope's followers that was said where Dahok would come to the land of the living" Bingo! Janice grinned to the doctor.

"So my guess is they took Miss Pappas to be sacrificed" Emily Leukos' eyebrows furrowed.

"How do you figure that Doctor Covington?"

"Because Miss Pappas is the decedent of Xena" Again the doctor's mouth she believed hit the floor. She'd believe it though, considering the number of tales she heard from her Mom whom was an Amazon.

"That still doesn't tell us where Hope took Miss Pappas"

"No it does, Hope plans to take Miss Pappas to Greece to that temple of Dahok's" Janice's looked to the Doctor Emily Leukos. "Look I am going after Miss Pappas…I mean Mel I can't let anything happen to her" Leukos nodded her head and replied back.

"Let me help Doctor Covington" Janice stalked over to the dresser and opened up the opposite drawer from where she kept her gun. She grinned as she lifted out another revolver and opened the chamber. Janice pulled open the draw beside her and bulled out her box of bullets. She placed the box on top of the dresser and began to fill the revolver.

"Its up to you Doctor Leukos"

"I'm coming then, especially if you're the decedent of Gabrielle's and Miss Pappas of Xena. It's my duty" Janice smile at the headstrong woman as she slipped the rest of her bullets into her leather jacket. Janice then quickly moved to the closet and opened it, she reach inside against the back, she pulled out a leather object. Leather coiled up object, her whip, which she quickly hooks to her side. Janice walked over to Leukos and grabbed her hat putting it on and then helped Leukos up.

"Let's go to the airport, they'll fly to Greece my guess"

"I'll take my car"

"I'm going on my bike" And that was that, the pair raced out to the mansion, Emily Leukos to her car and Janice to her Indian bike. Again Janice had sped through the lawn, not caring and out the drive, Leukos a little behind her. Janice could only hope her lover was okay and that the plane hadn't left the airport.

~*~*~*~

Janice turned off the bike and kicked the kickstand out from under the bike and hopped off. Doctor Leukos' car pulled up into the parking spot beside Janice's bike. The two women nodded to each other and they both ran into the airport and directly to a clerk inside.

"Excuse me Miss?" The airport attendant looked up to a gruff woman, she smiled lightly.

"Yes Ma'am how my I help you?" Beside the gruff woman stood a dark haired woman in nice normal attire.

"I need to know if there are any flights going to Greece?"

"No I'm sorry Ma'am none ain't" Janice's features went a little angry.

"There has to be"

"No Miss, but there was an American Air Force cargo plane that arrive here early this morning from Greece and is headed back to Greece in a few minutes"

"Where is it?"

"There is no way you can board it Ma'am" The archeologist gritted her teeth.

"I don't care just tell me where the hell it is!"

"Its…its down at the last gate, Gate "E" to your left, can't miss it" Janice looked to Leukos and they both looked to their left and saw a sign hanging down that read Gate A

"Shit" Both women broke out into a run down the airport, people moving out of their way. Janice was ahead with Leukos running right behind her. Gate B, Gate C, they are getting close. Gate D, a head Janice spotted Gate E, she yelled back. "Do you think Hope might still have followers these today?" The doctor yelled back.

"She could"

"I think she does" And Janice pointed ahead to a huge silver DC-3 plane that they could see through the glass windows. Leukos looked and saw Air Force attendants climbing aboard to the plane outside. They both reached Gate E and went to the door that would lead outside to the plane, an attendant at the door.

"Sorry Miss you can't go through"

"Look get out of the way"

"No only American Air Force personal are allowed to board this plane" Janice turned around to face Leukos and rolled her eyes. All of a sudden Janice whirled around to slug the man in the face, he fell to the ground. The archeologist grabbed the door and swung it open. The females raced out of the door and ran to where the stairs were to the plane.

"Hold it right there" Two sets of emerald eyes locked.

"Hope its not going to work"

"What, sacrificing Melinda Pappas? Oh it will Doctor Covington" Janice began to move for the steps.

"If you move another step well…" Janice's mirror image stepped out of the plane with Janice's first revolver pointed at her and Leukos. Too close. Hope then nodded her head and three men walked out of the plane with guns as well. "Take Covington" Two men walked over to Janice and grabbed her. "Her on the other hand, kill her I have no use for an Amazon" The archeologist was trying to be forced into the plane by the men, but she struggled. So one of them hit her over the head with his gun and she was dragged in. Hope walked into the plane leaving the third man to kill Emily Leukos. Leukos rushed him and knocked him to the ground his gun falling to the ground.

That's when the plane came to life, the props on the wings quickly turning. He swept his feet and hit the doctor's, she fell and he was on his knees. The man punched Leukos in the face knocking her unconscious. He then retrieved his gun and aimed at Doctor Emily Leukos.

"Get in here!" The man looked up to a guy hanging out the door of the cargo plane. "Forget her! Get in here before we leave you!" The man lowered his gun and jogged over to the steps, climbing them. The steps then were pulled in and the door shut with a hard slam. The cargo plane's wheels rolled and the plane moved to the eastern airstrip, sitting at the beginning of the strip. That's when Emily Leukos shook her head and got to one knee to see the plane on the runway. The cargo plane picked up speed and raced down the runway then lifted up into the air off the runway, the wheels going up into the plane. The doctor got up and ran into the airport and headed straight for a public phone.

~*Part 8*~

The top of the archeologist's head ached extremely, she slowly opened her emerald eyes. She spotted her soulmate just across from her, the belle's own eyes closed, Mel's arms tied to a post. The belle, Janice noticed, is dressed in an Air Force uniform, a navy blue zip up and boots, her long hair down. Janice tried to move but quickly found her arms tied behind her against something metal. The weight of her revolver and whip was gone, they had been taken. The small blond then noticed that she was in the cargo bay of the Air Force plane. There was a window above Mel, she noticed the clouds outside. Great, just great was all her mind could muse.

The archeologist looked back to her partner and noticed the marks on Mel. The belle's wrists from where she could tell were red, scratch marks just visible through the uniform on Mel's shoulders near her neck, done by nails. Then Janice spotted the long deep scratch made on Mel's left cheek also from the looks of nails and then there was a small light cut on Mel's lower left side of her lip. Janice felt anger swell up into her. Then blue eyes opened up to peer at her, Janice noticed even from here that Mel's eyes were very distant.

"Mel, you okay?" The belle blinked for a second.

"Yes, dat you Janice?" The archeologist smiled to her soulmate.

"Yeah its me Mel" The southerner stared across the airplane to the other woman. She stared hard into emerald eyes, they were brilliant and held love. She could feel her heart reel, her mind felt safe, her soul complete. That is her soulmate.

"It iz you" Janice slightly nodded.

"Yeah" The northerner noticed the belle's distant look almost disappeared, but something wasn't all quite right with the belle, Janice was sure of that.

"Janice, who iz dat other woman that looks like ya?" Janice took a deep breath.

"That's Hope" Sky eyes widen from across the cargo bay.

"Hope I though she wuz…"

"Killed?" Speak of the devil so to say, the daughter of Dahok walked into the cargo bay. "Yes I was killed as a matter of fact" Cold emerald eyes glanced up to Hope as did harden azure eyes.

"How did you manage to stay alive Hope?" Janice's mirror image looked to her with an evil smile.

"You tell me Doctor Covington" The archeologist's eyes narrow, Hope stepping closer to her.

"My guess you were reborn, but how is what I'd like to know" Hope nodded as she took a deep breath. She was dressed in exactly what Janice is wearing. Hope didn't seem so content at that moment to answer that question. So she looked to Mel.

"Well looks like your…friend woke up Doctor Covington" Janice glowered at Hope.

"Why did ya take me Hope?" Distant green eyes look to the southerner.

"Why did I kidnap you well…" She looked to Janice. "…I think Doctor Covington can answer that Miss Pappas" Hope smiled to Janice. "Care to share the explanation to Miss Pappas?" The archeologist looked to Hope and replied.

"She took you Mel because she plans to sacrifice" The archeologist averted her eyes to the watching Mel in mid sentence. "you to bring Dahok to the world" The daughter of Dahok smiled and looked to Mel.

"Doctor Covington hit the nail on the head" Hope crossed her arms against her chest. "You see Miss Pappas, when I was killed by my mother, she and her…warrior dug me hole far outside of Amphipolis and threw me in it" Dahok's daughter took a deep breath. "And that's where I remained till now"

"How did you manage to come back to life Hope?" Janice's look alike shifted her eyes to her.

"You're quite interested in knowing that huh?"

"Yes well I suppose its my nature" Hope arched a brown eyebrow, noticing the similarities of this woman to Gabrielle.

"Well I'll start from the beginning of this loving tale. When Gabrielle was in Britannia with Xena the pair had rescued a group of people from Romans. The group was religious based, their leader at the time was a man by the name of Kraftstar" Hope slightly smiled her eyes gleaming. "Xena left Gabrielle with Kraftstar while she went to fight Caesar, Kraftstar and his followers were at a temple at the time. They began a ritually and Gabrielle quickly found out that it was a sacrifice to a One-God the group believed in. In the middle of the ceremony Gabrielle noticed that a man was about to be sacrificed" Janice knew this part about to come. "So she stepped in the middle and took the dagger from the priestess at the time and stabbed the woman in self-defense. Gabrielle's own loss of her blood innocence was the sacrifice"

"I've heard this Hope, what's this got to do with you" Hope grinned and went on.

"It has to do everything with me. Kraftstar at the time became known as the Deliverer, one of Dahok's servants whom pledge to bring him to life. The Deliverer was suppose to kill Xena as an arrival but failed to do so, pity" Hope took a deep breath. "Xena killed him, the temple destroyed"

"But Gabrielle had been infected with you"

"If that's how you'd like to put it Doctor Covington, go ahead. Now then, I assume you both know of Germanys huh?"

"How couldn't we?" Hope grinned to Janice's reply.

"The stupid Nazes Hope?" Dahok's daughter looked to the belle.

"More precisely the Nazis, they consider themselves the one true race. Well they believe in a One-God" Green eyes narrow at Hope, blue widen. "What's his name…Hitler?"

"Adolf Hitler" Hope looked to Janice and nodded.

"Hitler as you both know rules Germany and has his Nazi followers, Hitler is also known as the Deliverer, the Nazis are the followers of Dahok"

"Let me guess they brought you back huh?" Hope smiled to the archeologist.

"Basically yes, this American Air Force plane was capture by the Nazi during the war and Hitler selected five special men, namely the clergy behind the religion. They masqueraded as Americans and flew into Greece as allies and went to your dig site Doctor Covington" Janice's eyes darkened at Hope. "Oh don't worry, they didn't harm your site, they just retrieved my bones and took me to Dahok's temple. There they committed me to my father's flames and I was reborn"

"I think we can guess the rest of the story" Hope uncrossed her arms and stared at the small other blond.

"I knew you were smart Doctor Covington" Janice glared for a moment then smirked.

"I always hate those Nazi bastards" Hope smiled to her and stepped over to her. She then bent down to one knee to stare into Janice's eyes.

"You do realize we are family" Janice replied with her teeth clenched tight.

"We are not"

"Oh but we are Janice" Hope leaned in closer to the archeologist. "Think about it, I am Gabrielle's daughter and you're her decedent, for all you know you could be my daughter" The archeologist's tried to move forward at Hope, but she only jerk, the bindings stopping her. "Just think Janice, you could be of me, you could have an evil inside of you that might creep up on you one day"

"Either way Hope, I'll kill you over what you did to Mel" Hope smiled her eyes locked with Janice's. The daughter of Dahok brought one hand up to touch Janice's cheek, the archeologist pulling away.

"Leave her alone Hope" Dahok's daughter grinned and then straightened up and walked over to the southerner.

"Then there is Xena's decedent" Hope's emerald eyes glared down at Mel. "So does even a proper southern belle have a tough side?"

"I do" Janice had quickly realized that her soulmate lost her accent, her tone was hard with an edge. She'd hadn't seen Mel like this since…since Xena had taken over her body.

"Well I have to give you some credit Melinda, you've made it this far" Hope then noticed that in those steel blue eyes something very dark came to life in them. She wasn't sure where that darkness came from nor was she sure she wanted to know.

"Hope we will stop you" Hope wickedly smiled to Mel and crossed her arms against her chest.

"I doubt it Miss Pappas"

"Don't count on it" Dahok's daughter narrowed her eyes and stepped away from Mel to now face both women again.

"You two are both descendants of Gabrielle and Xena, and I must say somewhere in the both of you Xena and Gabrielle remain. Their looks certainly survived over time. I'll leave you both to enjoy the rest of the five hour flight to Greece" And with that Hope disappeared into the main part of the plane, closing a large metal door behind her. Janice looked from the door to her soulmate. Mel's eyes were still ice cold, it made a shiver rippled down Janice's back. Those cobalt eyes then softened to Janice but there was some distance to them that Janice didn't like.

"Janice how are we gonna get out of dis?"

"I don't know Mel, but we will, promise" Janice smiled lovingly to her partner, Mel lightly smiled back.

~*~*~*~

Now this is the moment in time we begin to wonder. The time when questions arise within and we only can hope they are answered. That this adventure will have the right ending in our minds. That our characters make it through yet another ordeal, we'd assume it, assumption being all natural. Hence that assumption must be proven right or wrong as the adventure goes on. For our characters assumption, hope, and love were the only things driving them now. Their sense of adventure had been lost in this matter as soon as they found out whom their source of this whole thing revolved around.

Janice sighed at her fiasco she is now taking apart in. She dropped her head against the post behind her. She was angry, plain and simple. Angry at who was something you wouldn't guess. At herself.

Janice had let down Mel, her soulmate.

The archeologist banged her head against the metal post for a moment. The shot of pain didn't end her anger. Across from her Mel, asleep, the belle tired from what happened earlier with Hope. Anger fumed up in Janice. She knew something was going to happen when she left the mansion. But did she stay behind to protect Mel? Janice hadn't, she hadn't the last time in Greece. The archeologist closed her eyes and her hands fisted up behind herself. She'd never felt this anger, not since her father died.

"Janice, itz okay" The small blond opened her dark emerald eyes again and looked to her soulmate across the plane. They locked eyes. Melinda knew what just happened. The southerner wished she could comfort her partner but knew she couldn't physically. So she tried mentally. Her sky whisked eyes holding an unconceivable amount of love. Janice sadly smiled, a few tears came down. Her forest eyes dropped the floor of the plane. The archeologist took a breath and looked back up, certain walls had come back in the small woman's world.

"We'll get out of here Mel. I have an idea to get us out this mess" The translator automatically knew her soulmate put on her tough stoic mask. Mel didn't like the timing of it for once. She just nodded to Janice. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, how are yo doing?" Janice sort of shrugged with her tied hands.

"Fine. You sleep alright?"

"Yes uh little" Janice nodded her head. It had been over four and half hours since Hope first visited them. Janice knew they'd have to be landing relatively soon. As if on cue the large metal door swung open and Hope stepped through.

"Well ladies, we're almost there, flying over Vardar River now. We'll be landing in Thessaloniki soon" Nobody said anything, Hope looked to Janice with a smirk. "Doctor Covington you do realize your soulmate will be killed with a few hours? Her life used to bring the cleansing force of evil into this world" Dangerous flashing emerald eyes turned to Hope.

"You won't Hope" The demigod kept her sardonic smile and replied back.

"I will Janice. It's a shame family should fight"

"What would you know about family Hope?" Dahok's daughter took a few paces to Janice and bent down to her level.

"What wold I know about family? I know they can be real back stabbing, especially when it comes to the mothers" Hope then caught a small amount of hurt reappear in Janice's dark eyes. She knew something happened in the archeologist's life to trig that. "Then I have a feeling Janice you'd know what I was talking about when it comes to mothers. They just always seem to run out on you huh?" Slowly Hope rose back up to her full height, she looked over to the belle. Hope was caught off guard by the blue eyes looking to her already. There was a deep darkness swirling within that set of eyes. She'd seen that darkness before in her past. For once the daughter of Dahok felt a hint of fear course through her. For once she wondered if she was playing with fire instead of flowers. She turned her back on the pair and walked into the main part of the plane, leaving the soulmates.

The plane jerked right then. They could feel the plane lowering in altitude, they were getting ready to land.

~*~*~*~

"We have orders to kill you Covington if you become a problem" Emerald eyes stared up at the man. It was the same tall man that had slugged her earlier and dragged her onto the plane. Janice just nodded her head to the man. There were four men altogether. Two shifted, one went to Mel the other to Janice. The other two still standing had their guns out watching their friends untie the hostages.

Janice was untied first and stood up. "Turn around" Janice followed the man's orders. He grasped the archeologist's hands roughly and pulled them behind her back. Her hands were quickly tied tightly. She looked over to her taller soulmate to see Mel's hands tied behind her back as well. Then the sound of boots coming into the cargo bay of the plane could be heard.

"Are we ready?" The lead man behind Janice looking back to Hope.

"We are" Hope nodded her head and walked past Janice and Mel. Hope was dressed differently now. She had on a pair of regular khaki pants, and a light blue button up tucked in. For shoes she had on low cut boots, the hat and jacket gone, her golden hair down.

"Do we know if the truck is here?" The same man responded.

"Nestor and two of his men are right outside with the truck"

"Good, I want you four to stay in the back of the truck with Covington and Pappas. Don't let them do anything. Understand?" All four of the man nodded their heads. Hope shifted to the door of the plane, it was night time out. She pulled down the handle and heaved it open. It opened up slowly and she looked down, on the ground were two men with a set of stairs. They quickly attached the pair of stairs to the plane and Hope climbed down them. Next to follow was Janice being shoved through the plane. She stopped retaliating and quietly walked down the plane steps, her guard man behind her. Then to follow was Melinda with her man behind her. Lastly were the other two men that had been standing aside.

A man in a dark uniform stepped up to Hope from the driver's door. To Janice he looked like a Nazi, that's it. In front of them is a dark gray truck, it had a cover over the back, it certainly was an army truck.

"Get in the truck" The archeologist looked sidelong at her bodyguard, then climbed into the truck, then he went in. Next was Mel with her guard then the other two men. Inside there was already one man with a rifle, he eyed Janice as she climbed in. All seven people sat down on the benches inside.

"How long is it going to take to get to the temple?"

"We expect it to take half and hour or more" Hope nodded her head at the man named Nestor.

"Good, I'll ride in the front with you" Nestor nodded his head and went to the driver's side of the truck. Hope went into the passenger's side and climbed in.

~*Part 9*~

The truck jounced and Janice's head whipped back to hit the canvas behind her head. She shook it off. Her shoulders ached from the ropes pulling. Not to mention she was hot from the surrounding people, her skin crawling. The evil was just pouring out of these men's bodies making Janice feel unclean. The archeologist could only guess how the belle was feeling.

She lifted her green eyes up from the floor of the truck to her soulmate across the truck. The southerner felt those eyes on her and looked to Janice. Both their bodies swayed back and forth from the movement of the truck on the dirt road. Mel slightly smiled to her soulmate, the archeologist sadly smiling back. The archeologist could see darkness hidden in those blue eyes. They weren't bright any more, they were dark and glowing with what Janice thought was evil. Or was it darkness? Or was her mind playing tricks with her? Janice could not be sure. But the realm around Melinda was different that was for sure. The soulmates both sighed and laid their heads back against the canvas.

Janice didn't know what to do. She said she had a plan, but she doesn't. She'd never felt so stuck or trapped in her life. Opening had always been there in the past for her. But not now. Janice couldn't find any way out of this one. Surrounded by seven men and one demigod and in the middle of no where doesn't make things easy.

Melinda though on the other hand was gone. Oh sure she was still there physically. But something during that plane ride had changed this Melinda. Now there was only the shell of the southern belle. Something deep and dark had risen inside of Melinda Pappas. It was a side she'd never felt before, nor thought she could become. But it was there, it was strong. She would have fought it because of the incredible amount of darkness this side held. Yet she didn't. She didn't because she felt protected by it because it felt right. As dark is this side is something about it was so perfect about it. So Melinda Pappas averted to it in hopes it would save her and her soulmate, protect them. Would it? Or would this side engulf Melinda Pappas forever? Only time would tell.

The truck drove on for around a three quarters of an hour. It finally rolled off the road somewhere. It then went into an open area, almost like a field but with grass. They drove for about ten minutes on this open field. Then the truck came to a stop, the engine was shut off and two doors swung open. The two men hopped out of the back of the truck and climbed down to the ground. Next to follow were the hostages' guards, they stood at the bottom and nodded to Mel and the archeologist. Carefully Janice went down then stood aside and watched to make sure her soulmate got down safely. Lastly was the guard with the rifle. He hopped down to the ground and Hope came around to the back of the truck. Nestor and another Nazi held a flashlight shined down at the ground.

"Let's go inside" Nestor nodded to Hope and he led the way with the flashlight. The group came around the back of the truck. There in front of them about five hundred paces away was a huge temple. It was old, which was easily to tell. Parts of the sides of the temple had been ruined, some of the roof as well had toppled down. It was an aerie color the temple, a washed out black and gray. At the entrance of the temple it looked as if three guards stood at the door, torches lighting the way at the front doors and steps.

The group came to the steps. Janice took a good look at the guards. They were dressed as Nazi and on their left lapel were small Nazi swastikas pinned on. Guns hooked to their right sides in holster and rifles hanging off their backs.

They walked in, the three guards remained at the door's entrance. The inside of the temple was gigantic. There was a huge skull off to the left and to the right was an open pit, it was glowing a bright orange and yellow. Something in Janice's body twitched at the sight of that fire pit, her stomach turned. Melinda herself spotted that same pit, her jaw tightened up and she didn't have an explanation as to why. That pit though made her anger flow thicker.

"Do you want them down below?" Dahok's daughter looked to Nestor and replied back.

"Yes we must wait for nightfall to come to begin the sacrifice. Take them below with three guards. I want the rest to prepare for the ceremony and keep an eye out for intruders" Nestor nodded his head and looked to the six men around Janice and the aristocrat.

"Take them below and lock them up till its time" One of the guards nodded and all six men escorted Janice and Mel to the left where there are a set of spiral stone steps leading down below. They all went down with Nestor behind them. Hope looked from where the group left to the skull. She took a deep breath as her eyes narrow. She then shifted her eyes to the pit and a grin slipped into place. She whirled around and stalked of to the right through a doorway into some other part of the temple.

~*~*~*~

Mel stepped into the cell first her bonds being cut, Janice coming in next and her bonds also being cut. The soulmates turned around to watch the guards all shift. Nestor and three of his men left and went back up stairs, three remained to guard the pair. The three guards remaining moved to sit somewhere, torches burning brightly along the walls. They all out of earshot and their guns placed back into their holsters.

"How are you feeling?" Melinda looked to her soulmate and replied back.

"Okay, how are yo feeling?"

"About the same" They both faintly grinned to each other.

"Janice we need tuh figure uh way out of dis" The northerner nodded her head and she moved to sit on the ground, her back against the bars. Melinda did the same, sitting beside Janice. Both women had their legs propped up.

"Well we're not getting out of this cell. We need to do something when that sacrifice starts. That's our only chance" The aristocrat nodded her head. Janice reached up and removed her hat, she placed it to her right on the stone floor.

"For once being Xena's and Gabrielle's decedents aint helpen us out" The archeologist looked to her soulmate and nodded her head. Her small left hand went over and grasped Mel's hand. Their hands intertwined together and shifted to lie between their bodies. Janice dropped her head back against the bars, emerald eyes closing. Mel squeezed her soulmate's hand tightly then loosens her hold a little. The archeologist smiled. "Yo would think dat Starling and duh others would know about dis" Janice reopened her eyes then replied back.

"You'd think so. But they're sorta in the middle of no where" The southerner sighed and also laid her head against the bars. They both held tight the other's hand. For fear swept through their minds and bodies that this might just be the end. But something else deep within told a different story, they both clung on to that little something that seemed to hold a lot of little power.

~*Part 9*~

A cling, cling was heard. Janice and the translator both slowly opened their eyes. They'd been sleeping the entire day and the archeologist figured it to be quite late afternoon since the room was dark again. The soulmates had fallen asleep due to the fact they lost a considerable amount of sleep.

But now the jail door creaked open and Nestor stood in the gateway of the cell.

"Get up the both of you. It's time" Janice took her hat off the floor and put it on, she slowly stood. Then Melinda stood up from the cold hard floor. The soulmates stepped out of the cell once Nestor backed out of the way. The three guards from earlier stood just outside of the cell, their revolvers in their hands. "Follow me"

The pair walked behind Nestor, the three guards behind the soulmates. They climbed the stairs and came back up to the main part of the temple. There centered in the middle of the temple was a huge stone sacrifice table, chains hanging down off it. To the right of it lay a wooden table with a red cloth over it. On the table lay three swords and two particular daggers. The two daggers for some reason Janice recognized. One was long and narrow, mostly silver. The second one though was dark and a wider blade, the archeologist quickly spotted what looked to be dark bloodstain on the blade.

Melinda also took to the notice of the daggers, the wider bloodstain dagger jolted something inside of her. She'd felt like she'd seen it before. Had she?

Everybody stopped moving and Hope walked out of the side doorway. She now wore a red robe that matched the red shade of the cloth over the table. The hood over her head and black streaks over the robe, her hands just visible. Hope nodded her head to Nestor. He stalked off to the doorway Hope had entered through. She then snapped her fingers and three more Nazi guards came inside from outside of the temple, they came up behind the pair.

"I want three of you taking care of Covington. The other three take Pappas" Two men roughly grabbed Janice Covington and two other's grasped Mel. Janice struggled but the belle didn't. Hope walked over to the sacrifice table, the three men with the translator followed behind. Mel never struggled.

"Mel!" Melinda Pappas went into a daze mode, Janice's calling her name never reached her. The two Nazis holding Mel's arms pushed her down on the table on her back. They held her arms down and Hope moved to shackle her down. Dahok's daughter then went to the end of the table and chained Mel's ankles. "Mel!" The archeologist tugged free from the two Nazi guards holding her. Quickly the three Nazis at the sacrifice table rushed to Janice and stopped her, one pointing a gun at Janice. The small blond stopped and stared into the man's cold eyes.

"Janice, I recommend you don't make any more moves. I don't think you'll be much help to Miss Pappas if you're shot" The archeologist dropped her shoulders after Hope's words. The three Nazi guards grasped Janice and dragged her back to the other three guards. Now she was well surrounded by six men.

Nestor reentered himself now dressed in a red robe with a tall hat on. He walked over to Hope with an evil grin playing on his lips. That's when the fire pit behind erupted, flames coming high up from it. Nestor looked to Hope.

"Its time Chosen, it is nightfall once again" Hope smiled some as her eyes narrowed, she nodded. Nestor walked to the side of the sacrifice table where the three swords and two daggers lay, Hope going to the opposite side. Hope looked down at Melinda Pappas, blue eyes looked up to her, they were hard and distant. Mel then turned her head to look directly up, her eyes closing. The daughter of Dahok looked up to Nestor and nodded.

"Mel!" Janice struggled against the men holding her back. "Mel wake up!" One of them then pulled out his revolver and held it to Janice's head. The archeologist's pleads echoed off the walls of the temple.

Slowly Nestor lifted up the blood stained dagger from the table in two hands. He held it in both of the palms of his hands and outstretched his hands over Mel's body, his hands out to Hope. Hope lifted up the dagger and gazed at it. The fire pit behind them erupted again and Hope looked to Janice.

"Janice Covington, you will be next sacrifice to the One-God" The Dahok's daughter then looked back to Mel and curled both of her hands around the hilt of the dagger. She lifted the blood stained dagger over her head. Janice battled and fought against the men that held her.

"No! Mel wake up!" Hope took a deep breath. She clenched her teeth the fire pit erupted again. Nestor narrowed his eyes at Melinda Pappas. Janice Covington struggled with all her might against the six men.

Gunshots went off.

Hope whipped her head to the right at Janice and the men. Everybody was frozen in place. Gunshots rung again outside of the temple.

"Three of you get out there and stop whoever that is now!" Three of the Nazis nodded to Hope's orders and rushed off to the door of the temple. Gun shots rung through the air again as the three men went outside with their guns drawn. Hope then turned her head back to Melinda Pappas, her eyes still closed. "Nothing can stop the One-God!" She brought the dagger over her head once again.

Melinda Pappas' eyes flew open. Hope was caught in mid-action as her eyes became locked with Melinda's. Hope stared into navy eyes, they were twinkling. They flashed with danger, hatred, anger, and pure darkness.

Hope's eyes widen in disbelief as Melinda Pappas brought up her left hand. She broke the chains and grasped Hope by the robe at her chest. Dahok's daughter was then thrown over Melinda Pappas and crashed into Nestor on the other side. Hope and Nestor then crashed into the table behind, the swords and dagger flying off the table and onto the ground.

This caught everybody off guard. Janice stared in amazement. She then quickly realized her three Nazi guards were as well. Taking advantage of this, she brought up her right arm. The archeologist nailed one man in the face with her elbow then brought her fist forward to punch the second man in the face with the revolver. Lastly she kicked behind and hit the third Nazi between the legs. Gunshots from outside now went off more continuously.

Mel brought up her right hand and broke the chains. She then kicked up her legs and broke the other bonds around her ankles. Rolling off the table, she landed on her feet and faced Hope and Nestor on the other side of the sacrifice table. Hope stood up from the ground then Nestor did as well.

"Stop them!" The three Nazis all came to and the three race to Janice. Hope and Nestor though faced the dark Melinda. In Hope's hands still lay the dagger. Nestor picked up the slim dagger that was on the floor by his feet. Dahok's daughter then looked to the three swords on the ground, her eyes narrowed. The swords slowly lifted up into the air. Hope's cold eyes turned to Melinda.

The three swords flew through the air at the belle. The translator ducked and they swiped past and crashed into the wall behind her and embedded into the wall.

"You'll have to do better then that Hope" The blond growled at Melinda's words. The front entrance to the temple then boomed open, four Nazis came rushing in, bloody faces. Two other Nazis slowly backed in, their rifles down shooting at something. Hope and Nestor turned their heads to the scene. Melinda grinned at that and ran to the wall where the three swords stuck out of the wall. She tugged at the center one and it came out. She spun the sword with a grin, it felt right.

Janice ducked as a fist passed over her head. She leaned to the right as another one came at her. The archeologist grinned and kicked. She hit the Nazi right in the stomach, he back stepped coughing. Another Nazi came at her, one already on the ground unconscious.

The four Nazis that came in earlier with bloody faces noticed Melinda. They all raced towards the belle with their guns. Melinda saw them rushing her. She laughed, bent her legs some. Once they came two paces away she leaped into the air and flipped forward over them. The four Nazis stopped running and turned around to face her. They aimed their guns at her.

At the same time they all shot at Melinda. She saw it coming and leaped high into the air again with a war cry. Nothing hit her and she landed back to the ground with a devilish grin. They all looked to each other in amazement. The four men then pulled back their hammers on the guns and pulled the trigger. Nothing, no ammo. "Come on boys, show me what you really got" Two of them growled and charged Mel. The other two looked up to the swords above them and grinned.

The archeologist's fist connected with the Nazis face. He shook his head then punched Janice back, blood tricked down Janice's lower lip.

"I just love a good fight!" Janice pulled back her fist. But before she could punch the Nazi he went sprawling to the ground. Another Nazi on top of him. The archeologist looked up to the direction the man came flying from and saw a grinning Starling. "Starling?" The Amazon smiled and three women came up behind the Amazon Queen. One was Hellenes, the second Sylvia and the wondrous Doctor Emily Leukos. Starling was dressed in her Amazon attire, sword sheathed on her back and staff in hand. Hellenes and Sylvia were also in their Amazon garb with their swords in hand, masks over their heads. Emily Leukos on the other hand was dressed in dirty brown pants and her white blouse untucked, boots on.

"Thought you might like some help Janice" The archeologist grinned up at Starling.

"Your timing could have been a little better" The Amazon chuckled and then they all took to notice the Nazis getting back up. The three by Janice staggered up and glared at Janice. Starling lifted her staff and tossed it to Janice.

"Use my staff Janice" The archeologist caught it and stared at it for a moment in her hands.

"How the hell am I gonna use this thing?" She looked up to spot the three men coming at her. "Shit" The other six Nazis off to the right of the Amazons were getting up as well. Starling nodded to them and she moved with Hellenes and Sylvia. Starling drew her sword and the three Amazons advanced on the six Nazis. The doctor on the other hand went over to the brawl Janice is caught in.

Melinda kicked high and sent one man sprawling to the ground. She spun her sword again and advanced on the man with one of the swords. Metal crashed. Mel then swung her sword at the man's stomach, he jumped back. The belle laughed and brought her sword over her head as the Nazi to her right tried to bring his sword down on her. She then brought her blade down and swiped at her right, cutting the man. He fell to the ground beside two other Nazis. The aristocrat looked back to the last standing Nazi.

"Sorry we didn't get here earlier Doctor Covington" Janice drove forward with the butt of the staff. It made contact with the Nazi's stomach, he bent forward.

"For Christ sakes just call me Janice" Emily laughed for a moment then whirled around doing a high kick. The man was hit in the face and he went reeling to the ground.

"Only if you call me Emily"

"Deal!" Emily Leukos turned and watched as Janice did rapped hits to the Nazi's sides. She stopped and the man fell to the ground in a heap. The archeologist looked up to Leukos and nodded. The Amazon looked to where the other three Amazons were. She ran over and joined them. Janice looked to her soulmate. Her mouth fell.

Melinda Pappas just ran up the side of the temple wall, pushed off it and did a back flip landing on her feet with a sword in hand. The Nazi turned around with his sword. Behind the southerner the pit exploded again. Hope and Nestor the entire time had been standing aside watching the fights. Nestor narrowed his eyes at Melinda. He moved. Nestor shifted past the sacrifice table, dagger in hand, Mel had her back to him. Janice's eyes widen. Nestor raised his hand up with the dagger. "No!" Janice Covington broke out into a sprint and leaped once close enough. Staff in front of her body and she crashed into Nestor. The two of them went rolling onto the ground.

Pain shot through Janice's left shoulder. Her staff had spun across the floor and Nestor lay under her, the dagger in her shoulder. The archeologist looked down at the man, his dark eyes looking up at her.

"I'll kill you Covington" Nestor punched Janice and the blond rolled to her left onto her back. The dagger still embedded into her shoulder. She looked to her left to see Nestor picking up a gun from the ground that lay near an unconscious Nazi. He pointed the revolver at Janice and pulled back the hammer.

Melinda rushed Nestor right then. Her sword came down and knocked the gun from his hands. She kicked the man in the face. He went flying and crashed into the sacrifice table, slid down it, eyes closed head slumped forward.

"Don't mess with my soulmate" Blue eyes narrowed down at Nestor after Melinda said that. She turned around to Janice and walked over to her. The archeologist sat up as Mel bent down to one knee, the sword going to the ground. Janice grasped the dagger in her left shoulder. All of a sudden Janice's looked up and her eyes went unfocussed. "Janice?"

Gabrielle slowly pulled the long thin dagger from the woman's stomach. Blood dripped off the dagger's tip, the woman falling to her knees. She looked down to the dagger still in her hands, her blood soaked hands. The blade was masked in deep red. Gabrielle lifted up her red hands with the dagger and stared at them for a few moments, her eyes in horror. She threw back her head and screamed.

Janice's head jerked and she came to. The blond ripped the dagger from her shoulder and turned to the pit. She looked to the dagger again and then to the pit. She threw the dagger at the pit and it went flying in. The flames exploded from the pit as if in rejection. Janice's horror filled eyes turned back to Mel. "Janice?"

"Mel?"

"Hey yeah its me Janice" The belle's right hand went up to caress the archeologist's cheek. "You okay?"

"I think so. You okay?" Mel sadly smiled and nodded.

"Yeah" Emerald eyes shifted from the translator to the opposite side of the sacrifice table. There stood Hope, her eyes looking around. Her dark green eyes turned to Janice and Mel. She gritted her teeth and lifted the dagger in her hands. She sprinted ahead.

"Dahok will be reborn!" Janice's eyes widen.

"Mel!" Quickly Melinda Pappas stood back up and turned around to Hope. Dahok's daughter jumped up onto the sacrifice table and leaped forward with the dagger out at the tall belle. Mel braced herself and brought her hands up to catch Hope. The southerner's hands wrapped around Hope's wrists as the small blond smashed into Mel. They fell back onto the ground, Hope on top of Mel. Hope wrapped both of her hands around the red stained dagger's hilt and brought it over the other woman's chest. Mel's own hands around Hope's wrists pushing up.

Janice looked over to her soulmate and Hope. She began to stand up. Her body jolted and her eyes unfocussed again, her back going ridged.

Gabrielle looked up to Ares. Her eyes then shifted to the Fates. One of them held a pair of scissors, the scissors open and the blades between a thread, Xena's thread. Then all three Fates spoke simultaneously.

"If Xena kills Hope, Xena will die" Gabrielle stared at Xena's life thread. The Debt.

Spring eyes refocused and Janice looked over to her soulmate again as she sat on her knees. She watched as the pair rolled, Mel now on top of Hope. Melinda Pappas now had the dagger pointing down to Hope's throat. Mel grinned wildly at Hope and slightly laughed. "Stop!" Janice sprung to her feet and leaped towards the two women. She went barreling into Mel and the dagger skidded to the ground. Hope was left on her back stunned. Emerald and sapphire locked.

"Janice?" The archeologist turned her head to Hope. Dahok's daughter was getting up. Janice's eyes averted to the dagger. She reached out and clasped it. She bounced to her feet and whirled around, Hope stood up at the same time. Janice drove forward with the dagger. It sunk into Hope's stomach.

Two sets of emerald eyes locked.

Janice watched as Hope's eyes moved down to see the dagger in her stomach. She looked back up to Janice, Hope's expression hard. Janice looked deep into sea green eyes and saw something deep with in them.

They were filled with regret. And a small amount of goodness and love were held in them, a light.

The Daughter of Dahok backed away from the dagger then fell forward on her knees. Her eyes rolled back up into her head and then she fell to her side, her hands going to the wound. She closed her eyes and her hands went limp with her body, breathing stopped. Blood slowly seeped out of the wound.

Janice Covington looked down to the dagger still in her hands. It was coated in blood, as are her hands. Her eyes looked down to Hope to see the slow stream of blood crawling onto the floor, red as Hope's robe. Janice slowly brought up her hands with the dagger and stared horrified at her blood soaked hands and dagger. She could feel the warm blood trickle down her hands and wrists. She looked up and screamed. Tears spilled down her cheeks, her eyes going red as her hands.

"No no get it off me" Janice desperately tried to wipe the blood off on pants only smearing it onto her trousers. She dropped the dagger and it landed directly in front of Hope's open eyes with a cling. "No…no…no" She wiped the blood all over her pants and shirt, it only rubbed more into her hands. "Get it off"

Janice then felt to strong hands grasp her shoulders. She whirled around to stare up into soft sky eyes. Janice fell into her soulmate and Melinda wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. The archeologist placed her head into Mel's chest and cried. The archeologist's body shook and small arms wrapped around Melinda. Janice felt her knees begin to buckle under her and the soulmates slowly slipped down to their knees on the ground. Melinda's head on top of Janice's head. She began to cry as well. The two soulmates cried. Janice Covington tucked up into Melinda Pappas' lap.

Part 3

Section Three

~*Part 10*~

In a country that's been around for ages is where we center on. We slowly focus on a small forest located within Greece, the Amazon Forest. In the core of the forest is a fairly good size hut, smoke rising up from it. Inside are located four Amazons and two soulmates.

The archeologist shivers for a moment, her taller soulmate's arms tightening more around Janice. Where we last left off also left us off in sadness. We can only imagine then how the soulmates must feel at this point in time. Something that had them bonded through their souls had been shaken up by the past events. But as we all know wounds can be healed overtime and through love. Otherwise wounds will not heal, only grow and destroy people. Now the soulmates faced this enigma. Everything is like a puzzle and something came along and rearranged their perfectly set puzzle picture, leaving the soulmates to place the pieces back into their rightful spot.

Janice rolled to her right and into Mel's body. She tucked her head under the southerner's chin, her emerald eyes still closed. Wrapping her arms around Mel, the archeologist pulled her partner in closer, as close as she could. She was afraid to let go. For if she did she believes her soulmate would only face evil alone again.

Melinda placed her chin on top of Janice's head, her arms still securely around the smaller woman's body. The crackle of fire sprung up into the air from the fireplace in the small room of the Amazon hut. The room was warm, but they both still felt cold. It was late night, but still sleep didn't take them. Both feared their dreams that would come once they did sleep. They feared that if they just let their guard down for a moment that their soulmate would be swept away from their arms.

The small blond took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Mel?" It was muffled, but the belle heard her name.

"Yes?" Janice brought her head out from under Mel's head and looked up into sky blue eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came. Emerald eyes dropped for a moment. Mel brought up her top hand and caressed her soulmate's cheek for a moment. Janice looked back up and the hand moved back to Janice's waist.

"Mel…what happened back there?" The belle closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and reopened her eyes.

"I don't know Janice" Silence loomed in the air for a few heartbeats.

"Mel that wasn't you back there"

"It wuz not me…" A sigh. "It wuz uh dark side of me Janice" The fire popped in the background.

"I know, I never seen you like that since Xena first took your body" The belle slightly nodded her head.

"Dat wuz uh side of her Janice, we both know of it. I reckon itz inside of me too" Janice felt herself choking up some, she took a shaky breath.

"Yeah I had some flash backs when I was inside of the temple"

"I reckoned dat. What were they?" The archeologist took a long breath.

"The first one was with the dagger. The scene of Gabrielle killing that priestess of Dahok's. The second one was the debt Gabrielle owed to Ares" The belle's brows furrowed.

"Debt? What debt wuz dat?" The smaller woman shrugged her shoulders some.

"I don't know. All I know was if Xena ever killed Hope then Xena would also die" A pause. "Xena is a part of you as much as Gabrielle is of me. Something in me told me that you would die too if you had killed Hope" Stillness filled the small room again. They stared into each other's eyes, Mel slightly smiled to her soulmate.

"Thank you Janice" The archeologist furrowed her brow some.

"For what Mel? I…I wasn't there for you Mel. Twice now and look at what its cost us"

"Hold on now Janice Covington" The smaller woman took a deep breath and Melinda went on. "Look you couldn't have been sure dat Hope wuz in duh mansion. Yo didn't know" Janice quickly cut her off.

"No I did Mel. When I was at the garage about to get my bike. I felt something and it told me something wasn't right" Janice's eyes started to weld up with tears, she whispered out the end. "I ignored it"

"Janice yo couldn't have been positive. I don't blame yo at all. None of it wuz yo fault Janice, do yo hear?" Janice's eyes dropped, they then closed, and she bit her lower lip. She then whispered out to the translator.

"Mel I failed you" Janice opened her eyes again, they were becoming red while her cheeks wet. She looked up to Mel. She repeated the statement again. "I failed you Mel" It was filled with so much pain that it made Mel's heart shatter into shards of glass. Janice shook her head some and closed her eyes, the tears came down faster. She hated herself, that was all there was to it. The belle took a shaky breath and brought her hand back up to the side of Janice's face.

"Janice?" The archeologist shook her head, her eyes still closed. She took a breath through her mouth, finding it hard to breath through her nose. "Janice please look at me" For a moment the belle didn't think Janice would open her eyes, but those red sea eyes slowly opened back up and gazed at Mel. The southerner slightly smiled to the archeologist. "Janice yo lissen tuh me. Yo haven't failed me okay?" No response from the archeologist. "Janice if I tell yo dat you haven't failed me then dat means yo haven't. Yo hear? I say you haven't, I know you haven't" The belle slowly let tears come down from her eyes. "Janice you're not perfect to dis world but to me you are. You're only human" The small woman slightly smiled to her soulmate in response.

"I'm sorry Mel" The belle slightly smiled. Janice leaned in and lightly kissed her soulmates on the lips.

"Janice…" That's when Melinda Pappas felt everything come crashing down. She had just rasped out Janice's name. The archeologist quickly shifted her hands up. She pulled Mel in, the southerner's head going under Janice's chin. The small woman wrapped her arms around Mel, the aristocrat's own arms going around Janice's body.

The sobs rocked Melinda Pappas' body. The tears spilling out like a river. Janice's own tears came slipping out down her face. The soulmates rocked some in the bed. Their sobs echoed through the dark room as the raging fire's tears crackled with them.

~*~*~*~

Starling stood up from the wood chair and moved to the door. She turned her head thinking she heard cries. Her right ear going against the wood door, she heard sobs in the other room. Starling sighed and moved away from the door again and sat back down in the seat at the table. Around the common size wood table sat Hellenes, Sylvia and Emily Leukos. None of them went to sleep, to worried that the Nazis might have followed.

"Nobody goes in there. We wait for them to come out when they're ready" Hellenes and Sylvia looked up and nodded to their Queen.

"How did they sound?" Emily Leukos then looked up after talking, her eyes shifting to Starling. The Amazon Queen took a breath and reached out for a piece of bread on the table.

"They're healing" The doctor nodded her head and leaned back into her chair. "Emily thanks for coming when you did" Leukos looked over to Starling, she slightly smiled.

"Wish I could have been quicker about it" Starling shrugged her shoulders and smiled some to the doctor.

"You did fine. Neither three of us knew of what was going on" Emily nodded her head. Sylvia then looked up to Emily.

"Emily, how do you know Janice and Mel?" The doctor smiled to Sylvia and then responded back to the second in command.

"I work at the same University as they do" The second in command nodded her head. Sylvia then looked to Starling, the Amazon munching on piece of the bread.

"They seem quite different then last time we met them huh?" Starling nodded and Hellenes looked to the second in command.

"I noticed that too" Sylvia looked to Hellenes as the weapons master went on. "Mel especially, never thought that one could fight" Starling chuckled across the table, all three Amazons looked to their Queen in question. Starling swallowed the bit of bread and answered the unasked question.

"Well we do recall who's decedent Mel is of" Everybody grinned with a nod of their heads.

"The both of them" Everybody grinned at Emily Leukos' words.

~*~*~*~

Mel sat up on the bed, her legs over the side, Janice right beside her. The archeologist slightly smiled to her soulmate, she got one back. It was early dawn. They both had slept some but not much. The soulmates decided to get up and move around, feeling trapped in the small room to long. Janice stood up from the bed, her boots hitting the wood floor, Mel doing the same. The fire was about burned out, a small amount of sunlight creeping into the room from the window.

The archeologist shifted to the door and opened it. She peaked through to find nobody in the main room like earlier. Janice walked through then went to the door across the room. She opened the door to the outdoors, Mel came right up behind her. The pair went outside and Mel shifted to lean against the hut. She took a deep breath, Janice stood beside her. Over to their left front was the Nazi truck that they used to make it to the hut.

"You think you're ready to go home?" Mel looked down to her soulmate, Janice looking up to her. The archeologist's hat was off, left back inside of the hut. The small woman's hair was down covering her shoulders.

"Yes, I want tuh go back tuh Colombia" Janice nodded her head and looked back to the forest around them. The morning was cool, it felt clean. There was a slight mist to the cool morning. "Janice?"

"Yeah Mel?"

"I am home" The small archeologist looked up to her soulmate, Mel smiled down at her partner. A sweet smile slipped onto Janice's lips. She knew what Mel meant by that. A small hand reached over to Mel, a large hand reaching to Janice. Their hands interlocked mid-way.

"I'm at home too" They both looked back to the forest. The belle took a deep breath and slowly let it release, her breath visible in the air.

"It'll be Christmas soon" Janice smiled to herself.

"It will, I am actually excited even though there is a war" The translator nodded her head.

"I am too, it'll be our first Christmas together" The archeologist's eyes softened at that.

"That's what makes it so special Mel. I'll have you" Melinda squeezed the blond's hand.

"And I'll have yo, dat's all I'll ever need" The door to the hut then slowly opened up and Starling stepped through. The Amazon Queen looked over to the pair. She joined them, leaning against the hut as well.

"How are you both feeling?" Janice smiled and replied back.

"We're okay Starling. Thank you again for your help" The Amazon smiled and looked to Janice.

"Anytime, you're friends of this Nation in more then one way" The archeologist nodded her head. Mel looked to Starling.

"Where's everybody else?" The Amazon looked up to the tall belle.

"They're all inside resting" Melinda nodded her head and then she asked something else.

"I reckon dat Doctor Leukos will be coming back wid us tuh America" Starling nodded her head and answered back.

"She will" Starling was about to continue but the door to the hut creaked open again and the doctor came out with a smile.

"Y'all talking about me out here?" Starling looked to the Amazon and grinned.

"Yes we were actually. Care to join the chatter club?" Emily Leukos chuckled. But she decided to be different and lean against the hut on her left side, facing everybody. Her arms crossing against her chest.

"Doctor Leukos I never thanked you for yo help. I reckon I gave yo uh scare back there at Doctor Johnson's dinner table" Emily Leukos looked up to the translator with a smile.

"It is alright Miss Pappas, I should have known better tuh look at Janice like that" The belle grinned and the archeologist furrowed her brows. The small blond looked up to her soulmate.

"Look…scare? What did I miss that night?" The belle chuckled and looked down to Janice.

"Yo missed the dirty look Doctor Leukos gave yo" The doctor then piped in.

"And I got one back in return from Miss Pappas" Janice grinned up at her soulmate. Mel grinned back then looked to Emily Leukos.

"Please call me Mel" Leukos nodded with a smile, she retorted back.

"I'd fancy you calling me Emily then" The southerner nodded her head in response.

"When do you and Mel plan to head back?" The archeologist looked to Starling and answers the Queen's question.

"Maybe later today if possible" The Amazon nodded her head. Janice then looked to Emily. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask how you got here to Greece" The doctor grinned.

"I have a friend in the flying biz, her name is Cliona. As a matter of fact she's back in Athens waiting" Janice smiled.

"So she's our mode of transportation eh?" The doctor nodded her head.

"Yup, waiting there for us to show up. The sooner the better though" Janice nodded her head.

"Is Cliona also an Amazon?" Emily Leukos nodded her head with a grin.

"She is" The archeologist chuckled.

"Go figure" She then looked up to her soulmate. "Wanna go get ready?" Mel stared at the forest for a moment. She tore her eyes from the forest and looked to her archeologist.

"Yeah, let's go" They squeezed each other hands then released. Everybody shuffled back inside of the hut.

~*~*~*~

Melinda shifted to the bed, on it lay a pair of khaki pants, white blouse and boots. Emily Leukos had gratefully given Mel the clothes to wear, knowing the southerner wouldn't want to continue wearing the Air Force uniform. Janice was at the table near the head of the bed. On the small table was Janice's two revolvers, whip, jacket, and her hat. Miraculously Hellenes had found the two revolvers and whip on one of the Nazis figuring them to be Janice's.

The belle kneeled down and untied the boots she had on already. She then stepped out of them and pushed them off to the side. Next to follow was the Air Force uniform that she slipped out of in one fluent motion. Mel now just stood in her underwear and bra. She tossed the uniform onto the bed and lifted up the khakis and slipped into them.

Janice hooked her whip on, the last item. Her new spring eyes shifted up to see Mel in just the pants. The archeologist's eyes narrowed at the marks on Mel's body. She moved to the translator's side, Mel looking to her in question.

"Let me see" The belle turned to her soulmate. Janice took in the marks. There were slash marks going down the right side of Mel's chest. Mel's right shoulder also had healing nail marks. Right under the belle's neck was a deep bite mark. The aristocrat took a shake breath, Janice brought up her right hand. The archeologist's hand going to the slash mark across the belle's chest.

Melinda closed her eyes and shuddered from the touch. The touch was different then Hope's, Janice's fingers more soft and gentle. Slowly blue eyes open again and looked down to Janice. Emerald eyes already stared up to the belle. Very very slowly Janice let a warm loving smile cross her lips. Mel slightly smiled back, but it was sad.

"Janice" The archeologist pulled her soulmate into a hug. Mel wrapped her arms around Janice and dropped her head onto the smaller woman's head. A few more shaky breaths escaped the southerner's lips. She felt protected. Once they pulled back Janice Covington placed a very soft kiss to her soulmate's chest over the slash marks. The archeologist released her soulmate and Mel lifted the white cotton blouse from the bed. She slipped it on and began to button it up. Janice shifted near the table again and lifted her hat up off the table. Then reaching behind her head she pulled up her strawberry-blond hair and tied it into place with a band from her wrist. She slipped on her hat and turned to Mel. The belle was bending down to tie the low cut worn boots. The southerner stood back up.

"Ready?" Mel nodded with a small smile. The pair padded over to the small door and opened it. Inside of the main room of the hut sat the four Amazons. They all looked up as the soulmates entered. All the Amazons stood up from their seats, Starling moved closer to the soulmates as did the doctor.

"Are we ready to leave?" Janice nodded her head in answer the Leukos' question. The archeologist looked to Starling.

"Starling glad you were there. Thanks for the help" The Amazon smiled.

"Part of your duty Janice. Protect Xena and Gabrielle, including their decedents" The two soulmates smiled. "By the way, I think I'm going to try and sneak out of the Amazon Nation. I'll try to come visit you two during the winter" Mel smiled at that and retorted back.

"We'd love it Starling. We'll be in Colombia the entire winter" The Amazon Queen looked up to Mel and smiled.

"Wonderful, I'll try to come if those two over there let me go" Starling looked to Hellenes and Sylvia, the two Amazons were grinning. Janice grinned too and spoke up.

"You're the Queen, so don't let them stop you" Starling chuckled with a smile.

"I suppose you're right" Janice nodded her head and then without notice the archeologist pulled the Amazon Queen into a hug. The pair hugged tightly. Once they broke away Janice shifted over to the other two Amazons.

"Thank you both" Sylvia and Hellenes both smiled and nodded their heads. Janice hugged each of them. Once she broke free of the last hug Mel came up to the Amazons and Janice went to stand back near Starling. Mel thanked the other two Amazons and gave them huge hugs. Lastly Mel hugged the Amazon Queen. It all felt right. Everybody walked out of the hut and strolled over to the Nazi army truck. Emily Leukos hugged all her Amazon friends and climbed into the driver's side of the truck.

"Take care y'all" Starling nodded with a smile, the Hellenes and Sylvia both smiled.

"Take care yourself Mel and Janice" Janice waved and Mel nodded. The aristocrat opened the passenger side of the truck. She climbed in then to follow was the archeologist. They all sat inside and Leukos started up the truck's engine, it came to life in a heartbeat.

The Amazons all watched as the truck rolled down the very small path through the Amazon Forest. Hellenes then broke the silence.

"You think they'll be fine?" Starling stared off into the woods and the disappearing truck. She retorted back.

"They're soulmates" Starling then looked to Hellenes and smiled. Hellenes smiled back, Sylvia piped in.

"Nothing stops that love" All three Amazons grinned and turned around to walk back into the hut.

~*Part 11*~

The truck went through the gates of the Athens airport. It then rolled up to a parking spot and everybody hopped out. Off to their right was a huge DC-3 plane, silver. Leukos nodded to it. The soulmates followed the doctor to the steps of the plane. As soon as they did approach the steps did a woman appear at the top of the steps. She was a short female. Her hair is a deep red and reaches to her shoulders. She had on brown trousers, navy lightweight coat over a dirty white T-shirt.

"Now I was wondering Emily when you'd show up" The doctor grinned and climbed the stairs with Mel and Janice following. Once the three women entered they turned to the newer woman.

"Cliona I want you to meet Doctor Janice Covington" The archeologist smiled and reached out, shaking Cliona's hand. Then Emily looked to Mel then to Cliona. "And Cliona this is Miss Melinda Pappas" Cliona smiled to the southerner and shook her hand as well.

"Well its super to finally meet the two archeologists after the Xena history" Janice grinned. "Ah hold on for a moment" The Amazon turned her head sidelong to the door way to the cockpit of the plane. "Ashley get out here" Another short women with short blond hair came out of the pilot's room. Around her neck was also a bird necklace. Janice inwardly chuckled at that. "Ashley this is Doctor Janice Covington and Miss Melinda Pappas" The small Amazon looked to the two women with a smile.

"So you're the archeologist after Xena's and Gabrielle's history huh?" Janice smiled to Ashley.

"I am, have been for to long" The Amazons chuckled.

"We've heard a lot about you Doctor Covington" All three Amazons nodded at that. Cliona then cut in.

"Doctor Covington I do believe you know the Amazon Nation has been tracking you since your father" Janice nodded her head.

"Yes, I also heard all the Amazons got into a hissy fit over Miss Pappas here joining me" All the Amazons chuckled.

"We did" The two soulmate's grinned at Leukos' words.

"Well y'all can call me Mel make things simpler. And I do reckon Doctor Covington would fancy to keep it tuh just Janice" The archeologist looked up to her soulmate with a smile. She then looked back to Cliona and Ashley with a smile. Cliona answered back.

"Janice and Mel it is then" Cliona then looked to the doctor. "Now then I do believe its time we head back to America as much as I love Greece" Leukos nodded her head with a smile. Cliona looked to her assistant. "Get the door will ya? Then we'll head out of here" She looked up to Janice and Mel. "There're seats in the back, real comfortable too. I do believe it'll be a long trip back to America" Cliona then looked to the doctor. "And next time could you give Ashley and I more notice about these things" Emily laughed a little.

"Sure I'll just mark it on my calendar next time Cliona" The pilot shook her head and Ashley reappeared beside the group.

"We're ready" Cliona nodded her head and Ashley looked to Leukos and the soulmates. "If any you three would love something to eat or drink there's a small kitchen in the back stock with stuff" Cliona nodded in agreement.

"Well then, let us know if you need anything, Ashley and I will be in the cockpit" Everybody nodded their heads. The two pilots then moved to the head into the pilot's cockpit.

"Hey Cliona" The Amazon stopped short and turned to look at Janice. The archeologist grinned. "Can I fly the plane later?" The Amazon arched a dark red eyebrow at Janice.

"Do you know how to fly?" Janice kept her grin.

"Nope, thought I could learn" Cliona slightly nodded, Ashley already inside of the cockpit.

"Not with my plane Covington" Mel started to laugh, as did Leukos. The Amazon pilot went inside of the cockpit.

"Ah well thought I'd try"

The plane had quickly made its way to the western runway. It sat at the beginning of the runway as the engines warmed up and the props picked up speed. The airplane vibrated with a hum. Mel sat down in two seats, her body stretched out across them, her back against the plane. Janice on the other hand had gone up to the cockpit to watch the take off of the plane. Emily Leukos was across from Mel in a row of one-seaters. Her head back, eye closed trying to sleep.

Janice watched as Cliona's hand went down to a large handle. She pushed it up and the plane went racing down the runway. The runway underneath turned into a black streak as they sped down airstrip. As she watched out the cockpit window she saw the plane lift up from the ground and into the air. Janice took a deep breath. She hates heights. "Okay I think I've seen enough" Cliona laughed and Janice headed back into the main part of the plane. She stalked down the isles and spotted her soulmate to the left, Emily to the right.

"Hey" Melinda smiled and opened her eyes, she replied back.

"Hey yourself. Interesting up yonder?" Janice grinned.

"Uh…not really" A dark eyebrow lifted up at Janice's words.

"Uh huh" The archeologist grinned and Janice moved between the seats closer to her soulmate. "Come here" Janice smiled and took off her hat and weapons, placing them on the floor. She then crawled on top of Mel. Her back going into Mel's body, the back of Janice's head resting against Mel's chest. The belle wrapped her arms around her soulmate's, hands resting on Janice's lap. "What iz dat?"

"What?" Melinda moved her hands. Her large right hand opening Janice's left side of the leather jacket. Mel reached in with her other hand. She pulled out a leather object from the inside of Janice's coat.

"Jesus, I completely forgot about that" Mel looked at the leather bound book.

"What iz it?" Janice smiled.

"I think it's Gabrielle's diary" The translator's hand grazed across the top of the leather book, a quill was embossed in the front. The aristocrat felt like she'd held it before but knew she hadn't. "Look at this" Janice took the diary and opened the cover to the first page. Mel stared down at a perfect picture of Xena and Gabrielle, the bard about to kiss the warrior. Her blue eyes looked down to something written at the bottom.

"My drawing to my soulmate, I am yours forever. Love Xena" Janice looked down to the inscription as well, reading the same thing.

"That's a really good drawing she did" Mel nodded in agreement. Janice turned the page and there on another page was another drawing. This one of the soulmates in a camp at the foot of some mountains.

"Janice those are duh Amazon Mountains" The archeologist studied the mountains in the background.

"They are" A small hand touched the picture. "I think Gabrielle drew this" Mel grinned.

"I reckon you're right" Janice turned a few of the syntax pages and came to one page, a title at the top.

"Entity of the…Soul" Both the soulmates stared at the title for a moment. To them it held meaning that title. Both the soulmates knew this must be a private story considering the fact it was written in the bard's diary and not in her scrolls. Mel took a deep breath and looked down at the syntax, her mind began to translate the words. She began to read the story aloud the bard had written.

"The Warrior Princess and Amazon Queen finished their affairs at duh Amazon Nation. Okeanos had been stopped and duh Amazon Nation and Greece were safe once again. Now duh pair decided it wuz high time for uh vacation, so dat led them to Amphipolis. They were walking along duh road to Amphipolis, Xena riding and duh bard walking az normal. Duh small form took uh deep breath, her lungs quickly filled wid the morning air. Beside her she lissened to duh clip clop of duh horse's hooves…"

The End