CHARACTERS:
Gabrielle
Virgil
Xena
Cupid
Joxer mentioned
Cordelia Chase
Angel
Wesley
The Oracles
and DOYLE!

Rating: PG
Summary: Cordelia Chase reads a scroll by Gabrielle, and finds the parallels a little too close to home. Two of my favorite shows get fixed. (Xena: WP and Angel The Series X-over!)
Spoilers: Through Eve and Post-Hero for Angel the Series.

Cordelia looked blankly at the scroll Wesley had left for her on top of her desk. Rolled up next to it was the English translation he had done, with a short note. The note read, 'A friend gave this to me, and I thought reading it might help you. Yours, Wesley'.

The former May-Queen snorted, but unrolled the translation and started to read. "I sing a song of Joxer the Mighty, the friend I ignored, the man I hurt, the lover I never let myself have..." Then the vision hit her, but this time it wasn't of someone in danger.

It was of the past.

Gabrielle carefully formed the words as she worked on her scroll. Her last scroll. After this one last story, Virgil would be the only bard in their little family. Her stories had died with Joxer.

Virgil watched her curiously from across the fire for a moment before he turned to Xena with a slight frown. "She hasn't cried."

"She will," Xena said softly. "She has to finish this first, in her own mind at least."

"Why?" Virgil whispered. "I mean, he was her friend and I know she cared about my Dad.... It's been months."

Xena turned soft, sad, blue eyes on her friend's son. "Don't you still hurt?"

"Yeah, I do." Virgil's eyes dropped. "Dad was the greatest, and it hurts to know that every time I go back to the Inn he isn't going to be there."

Xena nodded. "And it hurts us that he's not going to come crashing through the underbrush or tripping over a tree root just behind us on the trail. It hurts that we're never going to hear him sing his song or tell us a joke. It hurts most knowing that we missed the last twenty five years of his life." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What do you know about his relationship with Gabrielle before we faked our deaths?"

"I heard Mom and Dad fighting sometimes when I was a kid," Virgil told her as his eyes drifted back to Gabrielle. "One time Mom said that he'd never stopped loving that self-righteous little blonde, and Dad yelled that she had no right to talk about Gabby. Then the door slammed and he was gone for two weeks. Uncle Jace brought him back."

"So you know."

"That he was in love with her and always was? Yeah." Virgil shrugged. "I figured that out before that fight."

Gabrielle looked up, annoyed. "Will you two stop talking about me like I'm not here?"

"Then join the conversation," Xena suggested softly.

"Fine," the blonde spat. "Joxer was in love with me, and I loved him. Not the way he wanted me to love him. Because I wouldn't risk my heart again. Because my heart had been ripped out and stomped flat too many times before I saw how wonderful Joxer really was." She lept to her feet and rolled up the scroll. "But I did love him. Even the way he wanted. And I didn't know it until it was too late. So my heart has gotten ripped out again, and Gods help me, I don't think it will ever heal again."

Xena and Virgil stared at the Amazon Queen as she ran away from camp.

Gabrielle finally stopped near a log fallen across a small stream.

"Hi," said a slightly familiar voice.

The blonde warrior whirled around as she reached for her sais. She paused when she caught sight of her un invited companion. "Cupid?"

"Ummm. Yeah, but I'm about to give up the gig, ya know?" Cupid said with a small grin.

"You're not going to try and kill me are you?" she asked warily.

Cupid rolled his eyes and dropped onto the log. "No. I'm not here to kill you."

"Then what do you want?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Well, we're all about to go poof," Cupid said with a shrug. "So I thought I'd do one last Godly thing before I give up my Godhood."

"You're going to give up your Godhood? Without a fight?" Gabrielle stared at the blonde god. "You're just going to give up and die?"

'"Well, dying isn't exactly what I had in mind," he drawled. "I'm ditching the God-job, not the Immortality. I'll find another gig. Maybe with the Powers that Be...."

Gabrielle frowned. "So what's the last thing you're going to do with your powers?"

"Help you," he said softly. "I could feel your pain all the way on Olympus, Gabrielle."

"Not even the Gods can take away pain," Gabrielle snapped as she turned her back on the God of Love.

Cupid sighed and gently pulled her back against his chest. He held her stiff form there with his chin resting on her shoulder. "I'm not going to take the pain away, time will take care of that. But I can make sure that you and Joxer find each other again. As often as it takes."

"But Xena is my soul-mate," Gabrielle insisted as she turned her head slightly to look Cupid in the eye.

"I know that," he said with a soft smile and a gentle kiss on her cheek. His arms tightened gently around her waist. "But Joxer is your heart-mate. Trust me, I know this stuff."

Gabrielle was silent for a moment and they both stared off into space. "What do I have to do?"

Cupid closed one fist, then opened it slowly in front of Gabrielle. A small orb glowed with a soft blue light in his palm. "Take this into your soul. It's kind of a spiritual tracer. No matter who you become when you're reborn, Joxer will come to you."

"How?" she whispered.

"Just take it from my hand," Cupid whispered in her ear.

Her lightly tanned hand closed over his hand and the small orb in it.

Cordelia Chase put down the papers and stared ahead thoughtfully. Her eyes narrowed after a moment, then she stood up and grabbed her purse. She left the office, slamming the door behind her.

Angel looked up startled by the sudden noise. "Cordelia?"

When his friend and hapless secretary didn't answer the souled Vampire checked her desk, looking for whatever might have upset her enough to send her running. He quickly scanned the papers she'd left scattered over the desk top and cursed softly. The door slammed again as he chased after her.

Cordelia found herself facing the Oracles that Angel had discribed to her after Doyle had taken him to see them the first time.

"What have you brought us, lower being?" the male demanded with a bored tone.

"This," Cordelia reached into her purse and threw the scroll at his head.

It stopped in midair and gently floated into the female's hands. "The scroll of Gabrielle of Potadia? A valued gift indeed. Ask your question, Messenger."

"Why did you take Joxer away from me again?" Cordelia shouted. "I just opened my heart to him, and you took him away!"

The male tilted his head to one side as he regarded the dark eyed, dark haired, bronzed beauty in front of him. "You were Gabrielle. There has been interference."

"She knows too much," the female said quietly. "This cannot be allowed."

Gabrielle/Cordelia glared at them. "Allowed nothing! I'm sick of you so called higher beings yanking me around! The three of us were together again, all of us, for the first time in centuries, and you took Joxer away! We need him!"

"He had served his perpose," the male said.

"CUPID!" Cordelia screamed toward the non-existant ceiling.

"Yell a little louder," the former God drawled behind her. "I don't think they heard you in Moscow."

The mortal woman turned and slapped him. "You lying JERK!"

His hand came up and rubbed gently at his stubbled cheek. "Even as a cheerleader, you pack a heck of a wallop, Gabrielle... Umm, Cordelia."

"You said we'd have a chance to be together!" She shoved him.

"You did have a chance, lots of them," Cupid said softly. "You keep pushing him away, lifetime after lifetime."

"I wasn't pushing him away," Cordelia whimpered. "Not this time. I wanted him, I needed him. I was starting to fall in love with him. And they took him away, just when we could have started something good."

Cupid pulled her into his arms. "You can try again next time, you know that."

"But I had it this time," she whimpered into his shoulder, never noticing that the Oracles had vanished. "I really did. His clothes didn't matter, being poor and short didn't matter. Being a half-demon didn't even matter."

"You did get it this time didn't you?" Cupid whispered. "Oh, Cordelia... I'm sorry."

"I can't keep this up, Cupid," she sobbed softly.

"I'll see what I can do," he promised before he let her go.

"Cordelia?" Angel called softly when he found her slumped on the Post Office's basment floor.

"Angel?" she moaned.

He lifted her into his arms. "Come on, Cordy. I'm taking you home then we can talk about this."

Doyle opened his eyes slowly to find an unfamiliar face watching him. "D' I know ya?"

"Not really," said a dry British voice. "But we have a few friends in common. Angel and Cordelia as a matter of fact."

"What? Did ya get yerself killed saving them too?" Doyle asked as he sat up rubbing his eyes. He looked around and blinked. "Now the last time I checked, Hell didn't look like Delia's place."

"Ah, this isn't Hell, and neither of us is dead, Mr. Doyle," Wesley said gently.

"I'm not dead?" Doyle muttered. "Dennis? Are ya there, bud?"

The stereo turned on by itself. Doyle grunted. "I guess ya are then."

"Wesley? What are you doing in here?" Angel hissed as he carried a groggy Cordelia into her apartment. The Vampire froze as he caught sight of the other man with the former Watcher.

"What did you stop for?" Cordelia mumbled as her eyes managed to open. "Doyle?"

"Delia?" Doyle muttered as he took her from Angel's arms. "Hey there, Princess. Want to tell me what happened? Are ya alright?"

"Cupid gave you back to me," she sighed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm not going to be such an idiot again."

Doyle frowned and looked up at Angel. "Any idea what she's talking about?"

Angel shook his head.

"Yes, you do," Wesley said softly. "You read the translation, too."

Angel scowled at him. "All that scroll proved was that I've always done some pretty stupid things."

"Does this make Wesley Argo?" Cordelia asked with a yawn as Doyle lowered her to her feet. She stayed leaning against his chest.

"Certainly not!" Wesley sniffed.

Angel rolled his eyes. "Cyanne. Has to be."

"Thank you very much, Xena," Wesley snipped.

Cordelia shook her head. "Both of you get out. Doyle and I have stuff."

"You always did scream like a woman," Angel said as he dragged the other man out. "I guess we know why now."

Doyle looked at the woman in his arms. "Cordelia?"

"Shut up and kiss me," she ordered.

Please take a moment to write to Ephiney at ephiney@yahoo.com and let her know how you liked the story!

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer, and all other characters who have appeared in the series, together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of StudiosUSA and Renaissance Pictures; Angel: the Series, Angel, Cordelia, Doyle, Wesley, and all other characters who have appeared in the series, together with the names, titles and backstory are sole copyright of Warner Bros. Entertainment and Joss Whedon. No infringement of copyrights or trademarks is intended in the writing of this fan fiction. This story is copyright © 2000 by Ephiney, and is her sole property along with the story idea. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.