The City of Lost Angels

by Pat Winterburn


tapsxena@yahoo.com

Disclaimers: They belong to their fans. Plus Studio U.S.A. and Ren.Pic.

Violence: Yes, but nothing graphic.

Sexual Content: Always, but nothing graphic. It's between two women in love. Ok?


Two women walk hand in hand down a busy street. Dressed in costumes and carrying weapons from another life time, they cautiously make their way through the crowds of people that take no notice of them. Confused and scared, they realize this is not their home town of Amphipolis, perhaps not even Greece. They don't understand the giant structures that surround them or why the air they are breathing is brown and burning their eyes. No one will stop and answer their questions as to where they are. In fact, most people are ignoring them as if they don't exsist. For this is the City of Lost Angels and no one gives a shit.

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Xena and Gabrielle awakened from a deep sleep. Looking around at their surroundings, they felt an emptiness in their hearts, confusion in their minds, but worst of all, Gabrielle could feel Xena's rage. This was not her Xena, her lover and her friend. The woman that stood beside her held the anger of Xena, Destroyer of Nations. What in Tartarus was happening? Who were these people staring at them and why are we here?

"What do you mean we're in the 21st century?" Asked a stunned Gabrielle.

The woman in the white coat, explained a process called "cloning." How the two hairs found in the hilt of Xena's sword gave them the DNA required for this process. As the woman talked on Gabrielle's headache got worse.

Xena sat off to one corner of the room, trying to decipher fact from fiction in her mind. Images, people and places from long ago filled her memories and she was upset that these people were stupid enough to bring someone like "her" back to life.

"I was dead for centuries." Xena growled.

"You should have left me that way."

One thing Xena and Gabrielle soon learned that even in this life time there is a reason for everything. Usually a reason that neither one of them wanted to know.

"Alti!" " Centuries later and your still looking for revenge?" Xena was furious!

Alti had led Gabrielle away from Xena only to have her arrested by the local police. Upon finding this out Xena went into a rage, breaking Gabrielle out of jail and now they were on the run.

But Alti had found them and again when she couldn't control Xena, she would have to kill her and the bard as well.

Xena had other plans.

Xena was still hurting after her fight with Alti. Unused muscles ached and a large cut on her shoulder needed cleaning and a bandage. She could sense Gabrielle's fear mixed with her own. Fear was something Xena was not accustomed to and it made her angry. They needed to find some shelter and food, for night was coming and Xena didn't trust these darkening shadows that lay before them.

As they kept walking, a poorly dressed, slightly dirty couple approached them. The young male was shy, but asked the warrior and her bard if they were looking for a place to sleep and food. Xena's hand flexed on her chakram, but stopped when Gabrielle pointed to the young mans companion. The girl was very young and very pregnant.

"Do you always ask strangers carrying weapons if they are in need of shelter?" Xena asked.

"You looked lost." He replied. "I could see it in your eyes."

"My name is Adam and this is my girlfriend Sarah." He went on talking.

"We are on our way to the shelter for some food and if you'd liked to, you can stay at the old factory with us for the night."

"It's not much." Adam offered. "But the soup is hot and the bread is fresh and no one will bother you at the factory." "Its been closed for years."

As the foursome walked down the street, Xena noticed that Adam never stopped looking around in a nervous fashion.

"Should we be expecting some unwelcome dinner guests?" Xena 's eyebrow arched in question.

"There are always preditors hanging around the soup kitchens." He went on to explain.

"They look for hungry runaway kids." "Offering them food, money, clothes and drugs for sex." "Sometimes these kids get caught up in the porno rings, start making movies and are never heard from again."

Neither Xena or Gabrielle understood what a movie was, but offering kids food and money for sex was something they both understood. Xena didn't know what calendar year it was, but obviously the earth hadn't changed that much since the Romans had ruled.

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The weeks flew past as Adam tought Xena and Gabrielle how to live in this new world.

New clothes had been obtained at a Salvation Army and Xena had laughed at the thought of an army helping people instead of conquering them.

Rival gangs fought for territory of the old factory, but Xena and Gabrielle soon showed them that sais', swords and chakram's were still excellent weapons, even against guns.

As the couple became friends with more of Adam and Sarah's companions, Xena realized that medical help was going to be a necessity.

They had found a way to turn the water on in a section of the factory. Showers and cleanliness became a priority. If you weren't clean, you couldn't stay.

Volunteers from the local health clinic, gladly left medical supplies with Xena and Gabrielle. It meant they didn't have to travel down in that area and risk their own lives.

The word soon spread amongst the homeless of the new doctor and her companion.

As Xena treated her patients for cuts, sprains, broken bones and other illness', Gabrielle passed out pamphlets from the health clinic on after care healing.

Anyone who couldn't read, Gabrielle welcomed them to return for a reading and writing class she held twice a week.

When some of her students would find jobs, they would always return with food, some money and a thank you for helping them out.

Days were spent helping the needy and homeless. Nights were spent in each others arms.

Gabrielle praised the ancient Greek Gods and even thanked Alti as her orgasm ripped through her body sending her once again into the Elysian Fields. Panting and gasping for air, she held on to Xena tightly praying to Aprhrodite that they would never be apart again. Xena kissed her gently and wiped away the tears of love as Gabrielle fell asleep to dream of her lover.

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As society tends to do, it ignores problems that can be swept under the table. The "haves" of this world blissfully ignore the wants and needs of those who "have not."

They only tend to join in the "cause" when something becomes a worthy reason.

Sarah gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy. He weighed 7lbs. 6 ozs., had blonde hair and blue eyes.

With the help of Xena's skills, Sarah had brought him into this world on a warm June night. The stars had twinkled brightly, even through the smog and seemed to bless this child.

Adam's tears ran down his cheeks and prayed to anyone who would listen that his son be given a better life, then the one that had been given him.

Sarah lightly touched her sons cheek and watched him nurse at her breast.

Gabrielle hugged Xena tightly and thanked her for delivering the baby safely and applying those pressure points as they had run out of demerol.

Adam hadn't understood why Xena was jabbing his girlfriends abdomen, but knew in his heart that this warrior and healer knew what she was doing. He never questioned her.

When the news leaked out to the local newspaper and t.v. station about this child born to a homeless couple, the local Children's Aid Society petitioned the court to have the baby removed and put into foster care.

A legal aid lawyer had fought and argued valiantly on the couples behalf, even showing the pictures of their living conditions. It was clean and safe as the old factory had been renovated in the large area where they lived. It seemed the owner had allowed them to live there and had even given them money to fix it up.

The old office areas were warm, clean and safe. Xena had made sure of that.

The Justice of the Peace had even married the couple to try and ensure of them keeping the baby, but the courts ruled the baby should be put in foster care until better housing and parenting classes were made available to the couple.

As the police and the Children's Aid people came to take the baby away, Gabrielle prayed to her old friend Aphrodite for help. It had been a long time and another life that Gabrielle had last seen her old friend, but knew in her heart, that if love still exsisted in the world, so did Aphrodite.

As miracles sometimes do happen, a lawyer representing the owner of the building, slapped down some papers in front of the Children's Aid Rep. and said "read!"

It was a leagal document stating that the lawyer's client will assume all responibility for the couple and the child and will provide a home and parenting classes.

Children's Aid and the police agreed when they saw the signature of the client. No one would agrue with her.

Xena and Gabrielle both looked at the signature. Two familiar names appeared to them that only they could see.

It was signed in ancient Greek to their eyes and read Tapesus, Wizard and Aphrodite, Goddess of love.

That night while laying in Xena's protective arms, Gabrielle said a prayer of thanks to her old friends. Both she and Xena wondered if Aphrodite and the Wizard still exsisted and now they had their answer.

They would miss Adam, Sarah and the baby, but new they would be well taken care of.

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Rival gangs and ancient warlords. Each wore their colours but traded their horses for mortcycles and cars.

In Xena's eyes there was no difference and she would deal with them the way she always had.

"Get in my way and you will die!" Xena had told the leader of this one gang who's colours were blue and red with a skull and cross bones on the back of his leather jacket.

"I do not choose sides." Xena had explained to him.

"I choose my own fate and destiny and neither of your gangs are a part of that."

The leaders name was Ray. He was big, ugly, smelled and reminded Xena of many a fool that had dared to cross her path.

"This big dope is going to be a problem, Gabrielle." Xena spoke as she paced up and down the hallway.

"We had better start posting some lookouts." Gabrielle replied. "Where is a good Amazon when you need one?" She stood looking at Xena hoping her smile would calm the frustrated warrior.

Two young heads popped up from the top of the stairs. Eve and Candy were both runaways and victims of an abusive home. In their short time living with this new family, both girls had found friendship and love with each other. Trust was something they still had problems with, but had begun to feel safe with the healer and the teacher.

"We'll volunteer!" Eve's grinning face peeked over Candy's shoulder.

"We're awake most of the night anyway and prefer to sleep all day."

Xena agreed and showed them to walk silently around the building. Keeping in the dark shadows, watching for any movements of unwelcome guests. Gabrielle taught them how to make bird chirping noises. Alerting her and Xena to any dangers quickly, could mean the difference of someones safety.

It was three nights later when Xena and Gabrielle were awakened by the familiar chirping of these new Amazon lookouts.

Ray's gang was out in full force for the party. Motorcycles burnt rubber, while circling around the large vacant parking lot. Empty beer and liquor bottles were thrown, smashing windows sending sharp glass flying. Guns fired off shots into the darkened night, but everyone inside the factory would be safe tonight.

Xena and Gabrielle had fought the entire Persian army before. This band of thirty motorcycle hoods would be no match for them.

Xena yelled. "Now Gabrielle!"

As Gabrielle pulled on a heavy chain, a large drum of dirty oil fell from the roof upon the bikers. As one fell, it's weight toppled another until all six had dropped.

Motorcycles slipped and skidded out from underneath their riders. Bikers in their leather jackets and dirty blue jeans became greasy black bog monsters. The crunching of broken limbs and mens screams where not unfamiliar to Xena's ears. Even Gabrielle paid not attention to their cries.

Ray stood up and pointed his gun at Xena.

"Your going to die for this you fucking bitch!" He screamed.

"Been there, done that!" Was Xena's reply as she threw her chakram at Ray's gun.

The force of the chakram hitting Ray, knocked the gun out of his hand and him on to his ass from the greasy oil.

By this time, the police had shown up. Handcuffing their captives and leading them into a large van, the dectective turned to Xena and Gabrielle.

"Well doc." He grimaced wiping his hands of oil.

"I don't know how you thought of this, but the city owes you a big favour."

"We've been trying to catch these guys for months."

"Looks like we've got enough evidence this time with the guns and probably stolen bikes, to put them away for awhile."

Both women just smiled and shook the detectives hand.

"We've had experience in this sort of work." Xena smirked.

The next day the sun rose up again in this city we call L.A.

Another runaway teen has found his way to the safety of this old factory. His mothers boyfriend had been sexually abusing him. When he had told her this, she slapped his face, called him a liar and kicked him out. At 14, he had been alone on the streets for three weeks. In that time, he had sold his body too many times for food and a place to sleep. On the morning he had come to us, he had been beaten by his "trick" the night before.

An elderly pensioner had been kicked out of her apartment. Her rent had gone up again and being on a fixed income, she couldn't pay. What few clothes she had and her faithful old dog, she came to us this morning looking for shelter. She had told us of her family living in New York, but they were too busy with their own lives to help her out.

Everyone is welcome here. There are families you are born into and the ones you make. These people are the new family that have chosen to be with us. The homeless, the hurting and the runaways.

For this is the City of Lost Angels.

The End.


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