H&M: After a Long Day (locked to Gabrielle) (NC-17)

[iolaus_lj]

Who knew that repairing and sanding floorboards could hurt more than fighting a hydra?

Iolaus had been on his knees most of the day, hard at work on the flooring to the derelict building that would house Herculaneum. Almost a third of the surface had to be replaced with new wood, which required measuring, cutting, fitting, then more sanding

Comments

[potadeiabard]

"No, I didn't lose my memory. The Darsham, Enlightened One, sent Xena forward in her karma life to defeat a very powerful enemy." One of Gabrielle's hands moved from Iolaus' face to lightly touch the ends of her short hair. "Her name is Alti and she had taught Xena most of her skills."

She shook her head, displacing the memories and returned her gaze to Iolaus. "I made Naima send me after Xena to my next karma life when we were together again. We weren't ourselves, I was male, but I recognized her immediately. My soul knew hers." Her lips twitched slightly at the memory of looking in the mirror and seeing a male face looking back at her.

[iolaus_lj]

"That's incredible," he said, fascinated by her reminiscence. "So, what you're saying is, our souls don't stay in the Elysian Fields or the Light or whatever their afterlife is when they die. They go on to live other lives as different people? Over and over again?"

[potadeiabard]

"Yes. I didn't believe it either at first but after Naima sent us forward, I couldn't doubt it any more. Naima said that Xena and my life are forever connect, just as hers and Alti's are connected. Through many lives we will meet each other and Xena will defeat Alti in every carnation."

Gabrielle grew silent for a moment, debating whether to tell Iolaus about her own crucifixion and coming back from the dead. There would always be rumors about her and Xena's death, that he probably no longer paid attention to them.

[iolaus_lj]

"No kidding?," he said, bemused. "So, we just keep going? Dozens, maybe hundreds of lives? And we keep meeting the same people, over and over again? Huh. How about that. I'll bet that keeps the Fates pretty busy!"

Absently brushing a strand of damp hair from her forehead, he seemed to be looking beyond her. "Wonder why Michael never mentioned that to me," he murmured, thinking aloud. "Must have been one of those need-to-know things."

[potadeiabard]

"Not the same people, just certain ones that are bound to us..." Gabrielle's eyes grew large as what else Iolaus said finally sunk in. "Michael? Blonde with black wings, Archangel Michael?"

She cupped his cheeks once again, this time to hold his head still while she searched his eyes. "You met Michael? The only way I know that you can see him or meet him is through death. What happened, Iolaus?"

It didn't matter that he was sitting in front of her, and it didn't matter that she herself just came back from the dead. It tore at her soul that he had died.

[iolaus_lj]

Iolaus had been thinking aloud and so was startled by her reaction to a comment he thought only he would understand. And by her distress, he suddenly realized that the rumors he and Hercules had heard of Xena and Gabrielle's deaths were far closer to the truth than either had credited.

Reaching up to gently place his hands over hers, he returned her gaze and confirmed, "Archangel Michael. Definitely blonde but no wings. Well, not that I ever saw, anyway, and I was there for a while." In fact, he'd been made a Guardian of the Light . . . until he'd betrayed it to warn Hercules of the Reckoning.

She'd asked what had happened, meaning his death.

Dahak happened, he thought, wincing at a sudden flash of remembered pain

[potadeiabard]

Gabrielle held Iolaus tight, not wanting to think that he had also experienced death and had gone on to the Light. She and Xena were brought back through Eli and Iolaus had already said he'd not heard of him. Curiosity was there as to how he was returned to the living, but at the moment all she cared about was that he had been brought back.

"Do you remember when I said that I stopped fighting and that my inability to do violence almost got Xena killed? That was true, but I didn't mention it did get us killed." She pulled back, only a little bit so that she could look into his eyes. "Caesar captured me as bait for Xena and of course she came to rescue me." Her lips curled into a sad smile, "She's always rescuing me, it's one of the reasons I am learning different weapons and increasing my skill."

She would spare him the details of how very close hell came to winning the eternal battle with Xena as its warrior. "Eli, the one I told you about before, was able to bring Xena and I back. Not before meeting Michael, of course."

[iolaus_lj]

"Oh Gabrielle." So many emotions warred within him; anguish that she had been made to suffer such a terrible fate, sadness at the self-recrimination in her voice as she blamed herself, and relief and gratitude to the mysterious Eli who had returned her to life

[potadeiabard]

Gabrielle's heart and soul clinched at the pain in Iolaus' voice. If she could take it away she would, but all she could do was comfort him. Gently, her hands that had cupped his cheeks forced Iolaus to turn to look at her. "Xena has died at least three times. Well, you know of one time. I've died twice myself. I think it's a hazard of what we do

[iolaus_lj]

Gods of Olympus, thought Iolaus as he listened to her words and saw the mix of emotions in her eyes. He recognized so many of his own feelings in her anger and pain and regrets.

Taking her hands in his, he gently clasped them to his heart and said, "So would I, if I'd been in your place. You listened to your heart, Gabrielle, and refused to abandon someone you love. And 'would have' betrayed the Light is not the same as actually doing it."

Closing his eyes, he fought to find the courage to tell her about true betrayal. It was time he knew the truth. It was time he spoke about Dahak.

"Gabrielle--"

"HEY IN THERE!" shouted a voice, muffled by the bathroom door and the hotel room door and punctuated by heaving pounding. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THERE, STARTING A YACHT CLUB? I'VE GOT NIAGARA FALLS COMING DOWN MY WALLS AND CEILING!" More heavy pounding. "I'M CALLING THE MANAGER!"