******** If it wasn't for her bright hair and pale complexion he might have missed her entirely. The incline was dark, as was her clothing, and she was small and quiet. "Gabrielle," he surmised, as the figure drew near - "Is that you?". "Yes, it's me Iolaus." "Are you all right?" he asked, hearing an odd constriction in her voice. "Yes .. yes. I just had to get out of there." "Did something happen? Are you hurt?" "No, nothing like that." She paused then, "Where's Cloe?" "She wasn't what she seemed. She's gone." Gabrielle could have asked him for more detail but if he wanted to go into it, giving more information later, then that was fine with her in this instance. With purpose, Gabrielle reached forward, grasping Iolaus hand. "I need to talk with you." She turned her head and saw a shaft of light bouncing near a precipice. It dropped off into a deep gorge, leading to lower hell. "We need to be very open and honest with each other." Apprehensive, wondering if this was another of Sin's tricks, Iolaus took her lead then sat with the bard on the ledge. Now that it was lighter he could see she was troubled, her eyes hiding, in vain, a pain and uncertainty he'd ever quite seen before from Gabrielle. "I know this situation seems impossible but we'll get through it and if we don't Hercules and Xena will somehow find a way to ..." "It's not that." Gabrielle blanched further, "Well yes, maybe it is a little but that's not really what I need to talk with you about." Her bowed head looked up and she stared into his eyes. Her brow furrowed as she further studied Iolaus. No, she thought again, it's not possible ... Then her vision trailed down to his chest, with it's complicated array of black straps and something more. "Iolaus," She reached forward and picked up his amulet where it dangled loosely, "How did this get broken?" Then, before he could answer with a brush off answer, "I mean *really*. How did it get broken?" Any doubts Iolaus may have had about this woman not truly being Gabrielle were washed away with the question; the gentle and nearly hesitant manner in which it was asked. He took a breath before telling the story, "When Hercules and I were in Sumeria ...." Iolaus told Gabrielle about Gilgimesh, the ruin of Sumeria and how he and Nebula attempted to rebuild while Hercules and his new friend wondered off to find help, from the gods. Iolaus mentioned his ripening love for Nebula, his indecision, and how Hercules had discovered Gilgimesh was not what he pretended to be. The King of Sumeria was possessed not just by his lust for power but by an evil entity that thrived on the weaknesses of others. Hercules fought him but Gilgimesh was determined to sacrifice his sister, Nebula, to his god -- and Iolaus could not allow it to happen. " ... and when the knife was thrown I was there, shielding her." This time it was Iolaus turn to bow his head, the memory difficult to repeat aloud although he thought about it often. He continued gently and fingered his amulet, "The dagger hit this before penetrating my chest." he said gently, "I never did find out what happened to the missing piece." Gabrielle could feel his pain as he spoke and hoped he'd eventually forgive her for this interrogation. More than anything she wished she didn't have to ask Iolaus this next question -- but she just had to. "And did it end there?" Iolaus looked at Gabrielle when he felt her hand squeeze his a little tighter, "No, it didn't end there." and his voice grew even lower, filled with anguish. He looked away from her, into the dark cavern below, "It had a name. They called him ... Dahak." Gabrielle closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. "At first I thought I was in the Sumerian underworld but soon came to understand that my soul was being held by Dahak. I waited for Hercules to come and help me. I knew he would come but Dahak was relentless. He came to me, looking like Hercules, and wouldn't stop his manipulations ..." The more he fought Dahak the stronger he came on until ... Iolaus hesitated, afraid he might choke on a sob, "He gave me a taste of power, of what it was like to be a god, and I fell right into his trap." Iolaus was angry he had died, mad at the gods - all gods - and their interference. And finally, and most grievously, he was furious with Hercules. Why hadn't he rescued him from this netherworld? How much time had passed? Had Hercules forgotten all about him? This time Iolaus couldn't prevent a small escape of emotion, "I was weak and afraid ... I let Dahak in. And I'll never forgive myself for it. Hercules has long since exonerated me, of course. He would. But I know what I did. I let that monster take me and he nearly destroyed Greece because I was stupid." "No ..." Gabrielle reached forward and touched Iolaus cheek, turning his head ever so slightly so he could look at her. The tears in Iolaus eyes were enough to break her heart. "You weren't the only one, Iolaus. I have a history with Dahak too." And Gabrielle told her story. How she had believed the followers of Dahak, how she had fallen into their trap. Then, she killed. Her first but not her last. Her blood innocence was lost and the next thing she knew was the sensation of floating, feeling something invade her body and senses. She didn't know what it was, only that Xena was near and she would eventually make everything all right ... but nothing would be all right. Not ever again. "Hope. That's where your child, Hope, came from." She nodded, feeling his strong arms slip around her, comforting her. "A part of me still believes if she had had the advantage of being brought up by me and not abandoned, Hope might have been good. She would have always had to struggle with her dark side but I could have been there to help her, to love her." Gabrielle gently pushed herself back from him and said, "Sin told me about you and Dahak, Iolaus. I didn't believe her but had to know the truth. I was ready to condemn what you did ... But how can I? If it wasn't for me Dahak would still be in his own realm -- It was me, through Hope, that gave him power and helped him surface. You fell victim to him because of my own ..." "Stop." Iolaus put soft fingers on her lips, "We both did something we regret but we also know that we were forgiven by the people, Xena and Hercules, and deity - The Light - that means the most to us." Iolaus took a breath and very gently pushed a tuft of hair from Gabrielle's forehead, "Sin is right about one thing. Forgiving ourselves is what's toughest." "If it makes a difference, I forgive you Iolaus." and through her grief a smile appeared. Once again, Iolaus took Gabrielle in his arms, "It makes all the difference in the known world." He spoke honestly then added, "I forgive you too." He was relieved when Iolaus felt a chuckle against his shoulder. After awhile Gabrielle reluctantly pushed herself out of their embrace, "What about the future, Iolaus? Sin has said we are both going to do something horrible. If it's true ..." "I know," Iolaus got to his feet and helped Gabrielle, "Do we stay here to prevent what will happen or do we go home and take our chances?" "And in taking that chance will it destroy more than our two lives?" Gabrielle and Iolaus stared at one another for a long while. "Do you know what I'm thinking, Iolaus?" Gabrielle asked, a very mild smile suddenly up turning her petite lips. Nodding very gently and allowing a smile of his own, Iolaus said: "Yeah, I know what you're thinking. It's time to give Sin our decision." ********** The debauchery was in full swing by the time Iolaus and Gabrielle returned to the cavern. Iolaus felt embarrassed having Gabrielle see men and women at their deviant worst but he was even more uncomfortable with his own sensitivity. He'd always thought of himself as a rather worldly man but the sight of these creatures, whether they be mortal or demon, doing their utmost to be vile was nauseating. "Hey there ..." A tall, muscular brute unexpectedly blocked Gabrielle's progress to the sofa where she and Iolaus were to await Sin. "Now, what's a pretty little thing like you doing still standing upright?" He then reached out to familiarly stroke her bare upper arm. "Come to Daddy." His grin revealed yellow, wide-gapped teeth. "Hey!" Iolaus growled behind Gabrielle, feeling an overwhelming need to protect her honor. However, he needn't have bothered. The warrior-bard already had matters well under control. With the impatient air of someone who was wholly tired of being interrupted and treated like a piece of meat, Gabrielle clenched her small right hand into a fist, reared back and punched the man as hard as she could across the jaw. Caught off guard, he flew backward and hit hard against the stone wall. He then crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Surprised but also amused Iolaus couldn't help a wise-crack when she turned to look at him. With a wry smile Iolaus said, "Let me know if I can help, okay? And please, don't hurt me." Gabrielle chuckled. "So, you've rejoined us!" Sin purred and came confidently toward the couple. She glanced at the minion who lay unconscious at their feet but, uninterested, quickly ignored his presence. Excited by other thoughts, Sin rubbed her hands together, "Did you discover new and interesting things about one another? Any great revelations?" she averred, a diabolical sparkle in her lovely eyes. "Are you now convinced that your past is a marker for your future, that you are better off down here where you can live in pleasure and do no harm to the outside world-- where there is no hope?" "There is hope." Gabrielle commented. "You are such an innocent charmer, Gabrielle." Sin's smile was phony, "And it's lovely to be optimistic but I've already told you both that ..." "You've told us." Iolaus said, abruptly. "But so far it's just been words." Sin looked from man to woman, as if coming to a sudden disappointing summation. She was a mother ashamed of her children. With a sigh, Sin directed their attentions to an empty, dark corner of the chamber, "I hoped to spare you this but you are so insistent and if it is the only way to sway you to my side then I will do what I must." Sin waved her slender hands, "But I want you to know this gives me no pleasure ..." Then, "Well, maybe a little." Suddenly, a projection of events not long into the future sprang to life before them. CONTINUE