From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
   As I threatened to do a week, two weeks?, ago. here is the second ff story I   
   every wrote, and the follow up to "I Won't Be Long."   
                   You'll probably have to pay a bit closer attention since I   
   don't have anything like 'he said,' ; 'she said' .   
      
      
      
      
                                                Well, Maybe a Little Longer   
      
      
          The Cast   
   Eve      - Xena's daughter   
   Cyrene   - Eve's daughter. Wife of Perdicus   
   Perdicus - Gabrielle's son, Husband of Cyrene   
   Lila and Herodotus  - Cyrene's and Perdicus' Twins   
   Aphrodite - Goddess of Love   
      
      
      
       "Did you get her to eat anything?"   
      
       "No, not really. I don't know what to do. It's been almost a month since   
   Mother crossed over. Even Aphrodite couldn't do anything with her."   
      
       "If she just could have been here when it happened, then maybe she could   
   have done -  something."   
      
       "Maybe, Cyrene, I don't know. I just know that if she doesn't start   
   eating, and living, again, she won't last another month."   
      
       "Sometimes the twins seem to cheer her up a little. Maybe I should let   
   them stay with her more."   
      
       "I know they do.  But after a while, they get so sad seeing her that   
   way."   
      
       "Yes, you're right, Mother.  I just wish I knew what to do. Even   
   Perdicus, her very own son, of all people, can't get through to her.   
      
                       ~~~~~~~~~~   
      
       "Perdicus, I'm so glad you're back!"   
      
       "Is she any better? Has she eaten anything, gotten out of bed?"   
      
       "No she hasn't. No one can do anything for her. Even Lila and Herodotus   
   can't cheer her up, not for long, anyway."   
      
       "Eve, maybe if you tried to get Aphrodite to come here again. She  IS   
   the Goddess of Love, surely if anyone can help her, Aphrodite can."   
      
       "But she got here right after the funeral, and even though Gabrielle   
   wasn't nearly as bad off then as she is now, she couldn't do much to help   
   her."   
      
       "Well, maybe if Aphrodite knows how much worse off she is now, she might   
   try harder, or try something different. We just can't give up. I don't want   
   my mother to die too; not now! She still has many years, many  *good*   
   years, left to live!"   
      
       "Alright, Perdicus, I'll see what I can do. I'll try to get in touch   
   with her, somehow, some way. Do either of you have any ideas how to do   
   that?"   
      
       "I remember Gabrielle telling me that whenever Xena wanted Ares, she   
   would go off by herself and just call him, and he'd appear."   
      
       "That's true, Cyrene, but Ares was in love with her. He probably always   
   had that godly ear listening out for her, or maybe he was secretly watching   
   her all the time."   
      
       "Yes, but Gabrielle and Aphrodite are friends, good friends!  Maybe if   
   you called her, saying how much Gabrielle's needs her help, she'd hear you,   
   and come."   
      
       "You're right, Cyrene, it's worth a try."   
      
                       ~~~~~~~~~~   
      
       "Well, I tried. I went out into the middle of the field, and I yelled,   
   and I yelled, and now I'm so hoarse, I can barely talk."   
      
       "What did you say?"   
      
       "I said,  I  yelled,   'Aphrodite can you hear me? It's Eve. Gabrielle   
   needs you, she may be dying! Please come! Help her!'  Things like that, over   
   and over. Maybe she can't hear me, or doesn't want to."   
      
       "Mother, you just can't give up like that. Maybe you can try later, or   
   tomorrow."   
      
       "Cyrene, I don't know if my voice will hold out. Maybe all of us should   
   call her, together. Maybe with enough voices, including Lila and Herodotus,   
   she might hear us. But not right now. My voice needs to rest. And I"m sure   
   Gabrielle needs tending to."   
      
       "You're right, Eve. Tomorrow morning then, right after day break, we'll   
   all try."   
      
                       ~~~~~~~~~~   
      
       "Lila, Herodotus, now listen to me. Your Grandma Gabby is very sick, and   
   she may just get worse. So we need you two to help us. We have to call for   
   Aphrodite to come help. She's very far away, so we all have to yell very   
   loud, and maybe for a very long time. Do you think you can do that for her?   
   Good! I knew it."   
      
                       ~~~~~~~~~~   
      
       "Mama! My throat hurts so bad, I can't yell any more. Please don't make   
   us yell any more."   
      
       "I know Lila, all our throats hurt. You and Herodotus drink some water.   
   You two have done a very good job, we're very proud of you. I think your   
   Papa and Grandma Eve and I can finish."   
      
       "They're right, Cyrene, we all have done our best. We've been out here   
   for almost an hour, I guess she's just not coming."   
      
      
       "Isn't just like you Mortals, no patience at all."   
      
       "Aphrodite!!  Oh thank the stars you've come! We've been calling and   
   calling. We thought you couldn't hear us . . . or something."   
      
       "First of all, I  -heard-  you people! You all were yelling loud enough   
   to wake the dead! And yes, Eve, I heard you even yesterday, but I just   
   couldn't get away. But first,  what  -is it-   with you people's voices, I   
   can barely hear you.  Here, let Auntie Aphrodite use a little Magic. There,   
   that should do it."   
      
       "So what was so important on Mt. Olympus that you couldn't get away?"   
      
       "Mt. Olympus!! I haven't been there for years! Why would I want to stay   
   in that old drafty, lonely place? There's nobody there, you know.  Besides,   
   since Xena imprisoned Ares in that tomb, I've been busy, let me tell you!"   
      
       "Busy doing what?"   
      
       "Oh, Cyrene, you wouldn't believe the things Ares did once Xena gave him   
   back his godhood. He just went crazy!  Wars, riots, uprisings, rebellions.   
   I love my brother, don't get me wrong, but he was way,  -way-  out of   
   control!  Here in your little corner of the world -- you don't get much news   
   here, do you?  Well, it's been all I can do to try to undo some of things he   
   did. And it's hard trying to be everywhere at once, let me tell you!"   
      
       "You're right, Aphrodite, we don't know much about the rest of the   
   world, but right now my Mother is dying, and she needs your help, just like   
   you needed Xena's help to make you a goddess again!"   
      
       "Perdicus, you don't have to try to make me feel guilty, I know how much   
   I owe to Xena. And I know Gabrielle needs my help, that's why I'm here. So   
   why don't we stop talking and let me see her?"   
      
                       ~~~~~~~~~~   
      
       "Gabrielle. It's me, Aphrodite.  Can't you even open your eyes? I know   
   you can hear me. You don't want me to have to use my powers to make your   
   eyelids disappear do you?  That's better.  Now, I understand you've been a   
   little under the weather here lately. I know you miss Xena, we all do. But   
   she's still up there, waiting for you.   She can read you thoughts, you   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)