ACT FOUR

FADE IN:
26 INT. TEMPLE/ALTAR - NIGHT (CONTINUOUS)
Marmax is attending Ephiny.

MARMAX
What do you do? Push?

EPHINY
I'm pushing.

Marmax puts his hands on her belly.

MARMAX
That was a strong kick. This is going
to be a healthy little centaur.

Ephiny looks up in surprise into Marmax's eyes.

MARMAX
I knew when you said you wanted the baby to be born in Athens because they're more tolerant. Phantes was a
centaur.

EPHINY
Yes. Have a a problem with that?

MARMAX
No. Centaurs are brave. That's something I admire.
(feels her stomach)
But it hasn't come down at all. Not
since your labor started.

EPHINY
I said I'm pushing!

MARMAX
Xena! Get over here!

XENA
What's wrong?

EPHINY
I keep pushing, but nothing happens.

Xena places her hands on Ephiny's stomach and feels the baby's position.

XENA
It's breech. We have to cut it out.

MARMAX
What!

XENA
If she can't deliver it, the baby and
she will die.

EPHINY
Do it, Xena. Save my baby.

Ephiny cries in another painful contraction. Xena grabs a candle nearby and comes close to Ephiny's head.

XENA
Ephiny. Look at this candle.

Xena holds the candle in front of Ephiny's face.

XENA
Now concentrate. Watch it very closely. Think about Phantes and how proud held be of his little child. Stare at the flame so hard, you can see him in it.
(whispers to Marmax)
Get me hot water, clean knives, a dozen needles and as many clean rags as you can find.

Marmax runs off. Many of the patients are leaving, escorted by some guards. But the POWs watch intently. Ephiny is dazed as she watches the candle. The hypnosis is working.

XENA
Now Ephiny, you'll feel no pain. We're all here with you. Your baby will be healthy. Just relax.

Hippocrates comes over with some needles.

HIPPOCRATES
Marmax is coming with the rest.

XENA
What are you still doing here? And why are the Mitoans still here?

HIPPOCRATES
(points to Marmax)
They're not leaving without him. And
I'm not leaving you.

Xena takes the needles and places them in the acupuncture meridian points.

XENA
And Galen?

Galen sits among the debris, carefully picking through it.

HIPPOCRATES
He's too shocked to do anything without
us.

Marmax comes over with the rest of the supplies.

XENA
Ready?

MARMAX
Yeah.

Xena has exposed Ephiny's stomach and cuts into the abdomen. Marmax is stanching the blood flow with compresses.

MARMAX
Be careful. There's a centaur in there.

XENA
Very observant.

Xena cuts into the uterus. She puts the knife down and carefully reaches in and lifts out the baby centaur. She holds it by its four legs and gives its rump a slap. Its little hooves squirm around. It cries lustily.

XENA
Cut the cord.

Marmax cuts the umbilical cord. Xena holds him up to the light and scrutinizes him.

XENA
Ephiny, you're the proud mother of a
perfect little baby.

MARMAX
It's beautiful.

XENA
(quietly, to Marmax)
And it could be dead tomorrow if this
war rages on.

Xena wraps the little tyke in a blanket and hands it to Ephiny's waiting arms. Xena concentrates on sewing Ephiny back up. Gabrielle starts wheezing next to them. Marmax looks at Gabrielle.

MARMAX
It's Gabrielle.

XENA
Hippocrates.

HIPPOCRATES
C'mon, Galen. Give me a hand here.

Galen walks over in a daze. Xena hands the needle to Hippocrates. She turns around to Gabrielle.

XENA
She's fighting to stay alive. C'mon
Gabrielle. I know you're in there.

27 MITOAN AREA

As the Thessalian guards are distracted by the birth of a centaur and Gabrielle's demise, the POWs watch Marmax with Xena and listen to the sounds to the war outside. The group hunkers down and the POW Leader takes control.

POW LEADER
(whispers)
Now's our chance.

The POW Leader signals them to move.. The POWs attack the guards, knocking them down and going in for the kill. A few arm themselves with the Thessalians' weapons.

POW LEADER
Save the General!

The POW Leader runs for the altar.

28 ALTAR

The war cry gets everyone's attention. Hippocrates stops his sewing of Ephiny's abdomen. Marmax is holding the baby centaur in his arms, as Ephiny tries to relax after the hard labor and surgery. Xena wearily takes a battle stance, but is stopped by Marmax's voice.

MARMAX
Stop I order you to stop this
instant.

POW LEADER
But, Sir! You're not yourself. That woman has you under her power.

MARMAX
I'm more myself now than I've ever
been. I've made a decision. The war is over.

The POWs protest.

POW LEADER
Sir, you can't be serious!

MARMAX
Silence! The war is over and I'm ready
to negotiate with the Thessalians.
We've become everything we despised.
But I'm going to stop this madness.
Marmax points at the POW Leader.

MARMAX
Go out and tell our men to stop fighting and pull back to the Midean Highlands. Then send a messenger to the Thessalians telling them we want to negotiate.

POW LEADER
But, Sir, we're winning.

MARMAX
Both sides have already lost. Do it.
That's an order.

POW LEADER
Yes, Sir.

The POW Leader exits with two other POWs. Gabrielle stirs and makes a small noise.

XENA
Come on, Gabrielle, you're doing great.

Gabrielle stirs again, then convulses. She's going into shock.

MARMAX
What's happening?

XENA
I don't know.

Xena tries to stop Gabrielle from thrashing. Gabrielle makes one last convulsion and is still.

MARMAX
What's wrong?

Xena checks her breathing. Nothing. Then she checks her pulse. Nothing.

HIPPOCRATES
She's dead.

XENA
No. She can't be dead. I won't let
her. Gabrielle! Come on, wake up!

Xena shakes Gabrielle's body violently. Gabrielle is a rag doll in her arms.

XENA
Breathe!

No response. Xena looks in vain at Hippocrates, who can't think of what to do. Xena has an idea.

XENA
(wildly, to herself)
Maybe she needs air.

Xena bend's down and gives Gabrielle mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Gabrielle is not responding.

XENA
I won't lose you!

Xena starts pounding on Gabrielle's chest.

XENA
I said wake up and breathe!

Xena tries blowing air into Gabrielle again. Xena starts to cry. Hippocrates gently pulls Xena back to calm her down.

HIPPOCRATES
Xena, stop it. She's dead. She's in a
better place now.

XENA
Come on, Gabrielle, I know you're in there. Prove it to them. Breathe!

Xena starts pounding on her chest again.

XENA
You never backed away from anything! You've got your whole life ahead of you. Fight!

MARMAX
It's time to stop now. Let her cross
over peacefully.

XENA
What do you care? You've killed so
many.

MARMAX
And so have you. Let it go.

Xena tries mouth-to-mouth again. Xena sits back and looks at the dead Gabrielle.

XENA
No! Please. Gabrielle. Don't leave
me ...

Xena shakes her body one last time. Gabrielle gasps. The
two men are in shock. Xena sees her friend coming back to
life.

XENA
That's right. Come on! You can do it!

Gabrielle starts to breathe. Everyone responds with cheers and crying. Her color is coming back. She slowly wakes up. Xena cries in relief. Galen has seen the second coming. He bows to Xena.

GALEN
You're Asclepius! You've come back to
earth!

XENA
Get up, Galen. I'm not Asclepius. You should know that by now. Gabrielle really performed the miracle, didn't you?

A small smile crosses Gabrielle's lips. Xena takes her hand and holds it tight.

CUT TO:

29 INT. TEMPLE - DAY

Daylight filters gloriously through the windows. The sounds of the battle have stopped. Birds chirp outside.

30 ALTAR

Xena sits next to Gabrielle, who is on the mend. Galen delicately cleans Democritus' wounds and redresses them, as Democritus lies on the table next to Gabrielle. He's awake and staring at her sleeping face. Marmax has his men behind him as he approaches Xena.

MARMAX
I've come to say good-bye. I must return to my men and start the negotiations with Thessaly. With some hard work, the killing will stop.

XENA
I wish you success.

MARMAX
Thank you, Xena. You and your friend have been an inspiration to me. Tell Gabrielle I've found that peace inside me, and I plan to share it.

XENA
I will.

Marmax points to the wound in his shoulder.

MARMAX
You did this, didn't you?

XENA
(Nods)
Sorry.

MARMAX
Don't be. I've had worse wounds, but never one that taught me so much.
(beat)
Good-bye.

Marmax salutes Xena and leads his men out of the temple. Hippocrates sits nearby and writes on some papyrus.

XENA
(to Hippocrates)
What are you doing?

HIPPOCRATES
I'm writing down everything you taught us. I want all future healers to understand what values you feel are necessary to practice. We must pass on your wisdom.

XENA
(glancing toward Gabrielle)
I'm not so wise. I make plenty of mistakes.
(turns back toward Hippocrates)
There's a lot about me you shouldn't
emulate.

HIPPOCRATES
But so much more that we should. I
hope I'll make a good healer, one day.

XENA
You already are. You have the most important quality. You care for your patients enough to search for the truth. Whatever it takes.

HIPPOCRATES
Thank you. I've decided to renovate this temple and start teaching. Medical techniques. Ethics. But most important, the honor of being a healer. Maybe I'll make them take an oath ...

XENA
I'm sure you'll come up with something.

Gabrielle stirs. Democritus smiles.

DEMOCRITUS
Hey. Good morning.

GABRIELLE
(smiling back)
Good morning.

31 RECOVERY AREA

Hippocrates walks over to a beaming Ephiny, who sits near a window watching her son attempt to stand for the first time. The daylight pools around him. She laughs,

EPHINY
That's right. Come to Mama.

The little centaur totters into her arms. Ephiny looks up at Xena and Gabrielle, smiles and waves.

32 ALTAR

GABRIELLE
Xena ...

XENA
Yes.

GABRIELLE
Thanks for saving my life. Again. You
always seem to be doing that.

XENA
It was you who decided to come back.

GABRIELLE
How could I leave you? When we have so many wars to stop? And despots to foil? And innocents to avenge? You'll need a hand.

XENA
I couldn't do it without you. But you're going to have to rest for a while.

GABRIELLE
You won't believe this, but while I was away, I had the most amazing dream. There was this peaceful green field, surrounded by the most beautiful trees. And I saw my grandmother and my uncle Merops. Want to hear about it?

XENA
I can't wait.

FADE OUT.

THE END