DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. This story is set during the Xena - Warrior Princess episode Maternal Instincts. A part of the dialogue is from the Xena - Warrior Princess episode A Necessary Evil and a part from Maternal Instincts.

Peace Regained
By Kristjan Brezovnik

"Xena," Gabrielle said. "Do you think that, deep down, Callisto feels sorry for the things that she's done?"

"I do. I have to or I can't forgive her. If I can't forgive her, I can't move on." She paused. "Good bye, Callisto."

The words kept repeating themselves in Callisto's mind and it made her very angry. Gabrielle had forgiven her? How dared she! It seemed to Callisto as if the whole reason for her revenge became irrelevant and that infuriated her even more. She had killed Perdicus so that Xena would blame herself, but now that Gabrielle had forgiven her, Xena didn't blame herself. She didn't understand how Gabrielle could forgive her, she knew that she had killed her husband on purpose. But Gabrielle still forgave her.

As she thought the words over, she first thought that Gabrielle forgave her because of herself, for a selfish reason, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Gabrielle's own peace of mind was only a part of it.

Then a very disturbing thought suddenly occurred to her, how would she feel, if she forgave Xena? She absolutely refused to think about it for a while, but in the absence of being able to do anything else but stay alive in the lava and think, the thought kept returning and forced her to think about it.

She remembered well how Xena had let her die and how she had tricked her and trapped her in the lava and those two thoughts chased away any thought about forgiving Xena. But, the more she thought about the two events, the more the details became clear, details that she had refused to notice before.

She remembered Xena's look when she let her die and she realized that Xena wanted to help her, wanted to save her, but that she let her die because she believed that Callisto would escape again and kill more people. She had decided to commit one more crime, so that other people would live. Callisto knew that Xena's belief was correct, she would escape and she would kill people again. It was the same when Xena had trapped her in the lava, knowing how dangerous Callisto would be with godly powers.

But the look in Xena's eyes forced her to remember other details. She realized that Xena had the same look in her eyes every time they met, it was the look of remorse. She remembered Xena's apology. She knew it was a forced apology, but she realized now that it was a sincere one. She also realized that she had felt the sincerity before, when she had first heard the apology, but she had refused to believe in it.

She wondered if she could forgive Xena like Gabrielle forgave her.

Then suddenly something happened and Callisto felt a way out. She immediately seized the opportunity and escaped from her fiery jail.

She materialized on the edge of the canyon and stretched her muscles, moaning. Then she noticed a girl.

"Hmm, a child," she said thoughtfully. "I always wanted a child."

"Surprise!" Ephiny and Xenan shouted in unison.

"Ha! Ephiny!" Gabrielle said, happy to see her friend. "I can't believe this. Xenan?" she asked, looking at the little Centaur and then back at his mother. "Why didn't you send word that you were coming?"

"And spoil the surprise? Besides, as a Centaur prince, this treaty's important for Xenan, huh?" Ephiny looked at her son caressed him. "Why don't you two go play, give Gabrielle and me a chance to catch up, huh?" she asked and looked at Solan.

"Okay," Solan said reluctantly.

"Nope!" Ephiny said and took Xenan's toy away from him. "Sorry, sweetie, but you might lose him. Lucus will be here when you get back. Now scoot!"

"Come on, Xenan," Solan said and he and Xenan left.

"Gabrielle, what is it? What's wrong?" Ephiny asked, noticing the sad expression on her friend's face.

"It's pathetic," Callisto declared when she saw the Centaur tokens.

She observed them for a few moments and then started to burn them.

"All the tokens are on fire!" a man noticed and he and his friends came running. "What do you think you're doing?!" he demanded when he saw Callisto.

"Just sending a message to an old friend," Callisto said, observing the burning tokens.

"Can't believe it's only been a couple of months," Gabrielle told Ephiny as they sat in the hut after Xenan and Solan had left. "Feels like a lifetime since Xena and I were in Britannia."

"Word was Xena helped Boadicea defeat Caesar," Ephiny said.

"That's true. While we were there, I, uh... I got into a very bad situation."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"I had a child. And she... she died. I named her Hope. That's what she was. She was my hope that despite everything that had happened, this child was... was worth it all," Gabrielle said.

"You can't blame yourself for her death. Only the Fates know why sleep steals a child's life," Ephiny tried to calm her. "I'm so sorry."

"Cut those men down! Now!" Kaleipus ordered when he and Xena got to the site where the tokens once stood. "I want the group responsible for this."

"It wasn't a group," Xena observed. "Look, there's no footprints. Nothing's been disturbed."

"Could be a god," Kaleipus guessed. "Ares maybe. Angry over the treaty."

"No, it's not his style," Xena said and thought. "There's only one who would relish something like this. But unless the impossible's happened, she's trapped for good."

"You sure you'll be okay?" Ephiny asked Gabrielle.

Gabrielle nodded.

"I'll be fine. Now go. You'll be late for your meeting. Ephiny... Don't forget Lucus," she said and gave Ephiny the toy. "This wolf, it's by Senticles, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh. Yeah."

"Xena gave me a wooden lamb last winter solstice. I gave it to Hope."

"Why don't you get some rest?" Ephiny suggested.

"I will."

Ephiny left and Gabrielle washed her hands. Then she suddenly felt that she wasn't alone.

"Whoever you are, I know you're there. So come out. Now!" she demanded, her staff ready.

A girl appeared from behind some crates and she looked scared.

"I'm sorry. I... I'm not going to hurt you," Gabrielle said when she saw her and put away the staff. "What's your name?"

"Fayla," the girl said, scared. "Are you Xena, the Warrior Princess?"

"No, I'm not Xena. I'm Gabrielle. Xena's a friend of mine. Maybe I can help you."

Fayla shook her head.

"It has to be Xena. The monster lady made me promise."

"Monster lady?" Gabrielle asked, alert.

Fayla nodded.

"She said she'd hurt me if I told anyone else. And she can! She's a god."

"Fayla, this monster lady, did she tell you her name?"

"Callisto!" Xena said when Gabrielle told her the bad news. "I sensed it earlier, but how could she escape?" She turned to Fayla. "This message she told you to give me, what is it?"

"She told me to tell you that she knows your little secret, and she's going to take it to the grave. That's all. Now can I go?"

"Wait," Gabrielle called and stopped her.

"Callisto knows about Solan," Xena said, worried.

"But how?" Gabrielle asked and returned to Xena after Fayla was sitting on a chair.

"Whoever freed her must have told her. But who that is, or how they know..."

"Doesn't matter," Kaleipus said. "Bottom line is protecting Solan."

"What about hiding Solan in the Ixion caves?" Xena suggested. "Should be safe there."

"Maybe we should take Fayla, too," Gabrielle said. "How about it, Fay..." she wanted to ask the girl, but Fayla was gone.

"Tell me again how Xena looked when you told her that I'd take her precious, little secret to the grave," Callisto said when Fayla returned and she prepared a hairbrush and started to comb Fayla's hair.

"Like she'd been stabbed through the heart with her own sword."

"Ha! And that's exactly how she'll feel too when Solan dies. Stabbed, stabbed through the heart!" Callisto said in a sing-song voice as she combed Fayla's hair.

"Ow! That hurts," Fayla protested.

"Pierced to the soul, but such exquisite pain!" Callisto went on.

"Don't!" Fayla protested again when Callisto roughly pulled her hair.

"Oh, I wish I could have seen it!" Callisto went on, oblivious.

"Stop!" Fayla said angrily and the hairbrush flew out of the surprised Callisto's hands and crashed into the wall. "You'll get your chance. Why do you think I freed you?"

"To make her suffer."

"To make her stop," Fayla corrected her, stood up and ran her hands through her hair. "My father's kingdom is at hand. The age of darkness, when Dahak will snuff out the people Xena loves till he's crushed her very soul. And as she goes, so goes the world."

Callisto imagined Xena's soul being crushed when all her loved ones would be killed. She frowned when the image of Gabrielle came to her mind. Gabrielle, the woman who had forgiven her the murder of her husband. And here she was now, with her daughter, planning to hurt her again. For some reason Callisto found the thought of hurting Gabrielle again unsettling.

"Do you love your mother?" she suddenly asked and was as surprised as Hope was.

"What?"

"I asked if you love your mother," Callisto repeated the question.

"No," Hope said angrily. "She abandoned me."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

"Perhaps she was trying to save your life," Callisto argued and was surprised that she was speaking on Gabrielle's behalf.

"What do you mean?" Hope asked, confused.

"Perhaps she was trying to save you from Xena. You may have fooled Gabrielle, but not Xena. Maybe Gabrielle had abandoned you so you would live. You're half goddess, don't you hear her thoughts?"

Hope didn't respond and Callisto saw that she was thinking.

"Perhaps," Hope finally allowed.

"If you kill Xena, you will hurt her," Callisto pointed out.

"I know," Hope said absentmindedly and then shook her head. "I will ask her to join me."

"And if she doesn't?"

"I'll kill her."

Hope got up and left. Callisto stared after her. She noticed that Hope missed her mother, but that Dahak's legacy was far too powerful to fight. She shook her head and started to consider her options.

"Callisto," Xena said and took her sword when Callisto appeared in the hut.

"Relax, Xena, I'm not here to fight," Callisto said.

"What do you want?"

"Talk," Callisto said and looked at Gabrielle with a look that appeared sad to Xena. "And help."

"With what?" Gabrielle asked.

"I'll tell you later. First, I want to thank you."

"For what?" Gabrielle asked, confused.

"For forgiving me."

It took a moment for Gabrielle to remember.

"Oh."

Callisto took a deep breath.

"You know, I was angry at first, but I had plenty of time to think while I was in the lava and your words kept coming back. Then I suddenly started to wonder how I would feel if I forgave Xena." She turned to Xena. "For a while, I completely refused to think about it, I mean, if I forgave you, then that would mean that I had wasted my life." She paused for a moment. "Then I realized that it actually wouldn't be a waste because it eventually made me what I am today. Hmm, now that I think of it, I guess I should thank you for letting me die and trapping me in the lava," she said thoughtfully and gave Xena a long look. "I forgive you Xena," she said and both Xena and Gabrielle looked at her, surprised. "Wow," she said a few moments later, "that felt good. I should've done that a long time ago." She looked at Gabrielle. "Maybe if I did, I would've turned out like you," she said longingly.

There was a silence as the three women thought about what Callisto had said.

"Is this a joke?" Xena finally asked.

Callisto looked at her thoughtfully.

"That would be just like me, wouldn't it? Well, no, it isn't, I'm serious."

"You mentioned you wanted to help us," Gabrielle said.

Callisto gave her a long sad look.

"Tell me, Gabrielle, do you love your daughter?"

Gabrielle froze.

"What... What do you mean?"

"Hope, do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Hope is dead, Callisto," Xena said, wanting to stop Callisto.

"I'm afraid she's not."

"What?" Xena looked at Gabrielle. "You said she was dead," she said accusingly.

Gabrielle bowed her head and Callisto noticed that she was on the verge of tears.

"I lied."

"What?"

"She's my child! I couldn't just kill her!" Gabrielle cried and tears started to flow down her cheeks.

"She is evil, Gabrielle."

"She's just a baby," Gabrielle protested.

"Not anymore," Callisto said.

"What?" Xena asked.

"She's not a baby anymore. But you know that already, after all, you've seen her."

"When?"

"I believe she seems to prefer to call herself Fayla these days."

"What?"

"But you knew that, didn't you?" Callisto asked Gabrielle.

Gabrielle nodded, in tears.

"I suspected that she might be," she admitted.

There was a brief silence and Xena considered whether she should chide Gabrielle. She decided against it, knowing full well what it is like to lose a child, although she had regained her own. She decided instead to find out more about Callisto's plans.

"How did you escape?" she asked Callisto.

"Hope freed me."

"Why?"

"She needs someone to protect her until she becomes powerful enough."

"And she chose you?"

"Yes. In return, she promised to help me get my revenge by killing your son." She smiled when she saw Xena freeze. "Don't worry, I won't let her."

"Do you know where she is?"

"In the caves."

"What does she want?"

"Prepare the world for the arrival of Dahak."

"We have to stop her."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"What are you going to do?" Gabrielle asked, feeling that something bad was going to happen to her daughter.

Callisto gave her a sad look. She didn't want to hurt Gabrielle, but she knew she must.

"I'm going to kill her," she said.

"No!" Gabrielle cried and grabbed Callisto's arm. "Please, don't hurt her."

Callisto gulped. This was the first time in a very long time since she felt any other emotion except hate and pain. She caressed Gabrielle.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I know you love her and, in a way, she loves you too, but she is the daughter of Dahak and a threat to the world. I don't want to hurt you, Gabrielle, but she needs to be stopped."

"But she's just a child."

"She's evil, Gabrielle, and although she loves you, she wouldn't hesitate to kill you if you were in the way of her father. I know that because she told me so."

"Please," Gabrielle begged, crying. "Please don't hurt her."

Callisto gulped again and freed herself from Gabrielle's grip.

"I promise she won't suffer," she said and looked at Xena. "Prepare a funeral pyre," she said and disappeared.

"No!" Gabrielle cried and fell on her knees. "No, please," she sobbed.

Xena kneeled beside her and hugged her, but Gabrielle pushed her away, angry.

"You set her against Hope!" she accused her.

"You know that's not true," Xena said.

Gabrielle stared at her angrily for a few moments.

"Leave me alone," she then said.

Xena caressed her and left.

"Where have you been?" Hope demanded when Callisto returned.

"I went to see Xena and your mother," Callisto said and casually approached the girl.

"What for?"

"I talked to them. You know, your mother really loves you and she still refuses to believe you're evil."

"She left me."

"Only to protect you from Xena, who knew that you were evil. But then again, she doesn't matter, does she?"

Hope turned away and hesitated for a moment.

"No," she then said.

"Thought so," Callisto said and ran her sword through her.

"What..."

Callisto pulled the sword out and kneeled beside Hope. She stared at her for a few moments and then wanted to wipre her sword in Hope's clothes. She suddenly stopped, remembering she was a goddess, and looked at the blade. Fire engulfed the blade for a moment and when it disappeared, the blade was clean.

The Amazons had just began to build a funeral pyre when Xena felt that Callisto had returned. She returned to the hut and saw Gabrielle take Hope from Callisto's hands. Callisto then stepped back and Gabrielle kneeled, cradling Hope and crying. When Callisto glanced at Xena just before she disappeared, Xena noticed that there were tears in Callisto's eyes. That surprised her, but it also told her that there was a big chance that Callisto was sincere.

Later, when the ceremony had begun, Xena suddenly felt a presence of a god. She thought it might be Ares for a moment, but then she figured it was probably Callisto.

"Callisto?" she asked.

"Yes," came a quiet confirmation several moments later.

Xena wanted to ask her what she wanted, but she realized that Callisto was probably just watching the ceremony.

And Callisto did. She stood next to Xena and watched the ceremony. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks, but she didn't notice. When she finally did, she wiped them and then stared at the wetness at her fingertips, confused. It actually felt good to cry. She looked at Gabrielle and she felt genuine sympathy for her. She had hurt her before because she herself was in pain and all that mattered was hurting Xena. And Gabrielle had forgiven her and thus changed her life. And now she had hurt her again. Callisto wished there had been some other way to stop Hope, one that wouldn't involve hurting Gabrielle, but, unfortunately, there wasn't and she had hurt her again. She sighed. She hoped that Gabrielle would have strength to cope with Hope's death and she swore she would do anything to help her.

When Gabrielle had finally fallen asleep that evening, Xena decided to go out and think, but when she felt a presence of a god, she decided to wait. She felt the presence in Gabrielle's room, so she went there.

In the room, Callisto sat on a chair next to Gabrielle's bed, on which Xena had sat earlier, and caressed the bard. Xena was confused.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

Callisto looked at her and smiled.

"I'm protecting her from Morpheus."

Xena relaxed a bit and she was grateful. Callisto then got up.

"I need to talk to you," she said.

Xena nodded and they went outside.

"Tell me, Xena," Callisto said as they slowly walked out of the village, "how come you changed?"

Xena thought for a while before answering.

"I wasn't always bad," she said. "I mean, I was a tomboy when I was little, but I wasn't mean. But when Cortese attacked Amphipolis, my younger brother was killed. That's when I became a warrior. I wanted to protect Amphipolis, so I conquered all the surrounding territory." She paused. "I never killed women and children." She paused again. "Except Amazons," she amended. "I don't know how the fire broke out in Cirra, but I can assure you that it was not intentional." She glanced at Callisto and Callisto nodded. "I used to be ruthless, but by the time I decided to get rid of Hercules, I apparently lost my... touch. And Hercules said some things that made me think about my life." She paused, taking a deep breath. "When Darphus, my second-in-command, burned down an entire village and slaughtered everyone, I managed to save a baby. Darphus wanted to kill it, but I stopped him. He said I was weak and he made me run the gauntlet." She paused again, remembering the pain, not as much the physical pain as the pain of her bruised ego. "I survived and helped Hercules get rid of Darphus. Then I wanted to stop fighting and I buried my armor and my weapons near Poteidaia. Unfortunately, a band of slavers was passing by with the girls they had captured in Poteidaia. I always hated slavers, so I helped the girls. Gabrielle took me to her home and took care of my wounds. She wanted me to stay and get well in spite of her parents' insistence that I should leave. That's when I realized that I couldn't just leave my past behind and that I had to do something about it. Gabrielle followed me and she just didn't go away." She paused again as she though about their relationship. "I don't know if could do what I did if it weren't for Gabrielle."

Callisto thought about what Xena had told her about her life and it helped her to better understand Xena. She realized that they weren't that different at all.

"What will you do now?" Xena interrupted her thoughts.

Callisto thought for a moment.

"I don't know. I won't go around killing people, if that's what you're worried about." She thought for a moment. "I think I'll go visit Mama," she then declared. "What?" she asked when she saw that Xena smiled.

"That was the first thing I did after I met Gabrielle, I went home."

"Oh."

Xena stopped.

"Good luck, Callisto," she said and paused. "If you need someone to talk to, you can come to me or Gabrielle."

"Somehow I don't think she would be happy to see me."

"Not right now, but in time."

"I hope so," Callisto said thoughtfully and Xena lifted her eyebrows. "Xena," she said after a moment of pause, "tell Gabrielle I'm sorry and if there's anything I can do that will help her, I will."

"I will," Xena promised.

Callisto nodded.

"Good bye, Xena."

"Good bye, Callisto."

Callisto vanished and Xena returned to the hut. She thought about Callisto as she slowly walked back. She found it ironic that of all the people it was Callisto that had saved the world, at least for now. She wondered what kind of thoughts must have gone through Callisto's head when she thought about forgiving. But she was glad nevertheless, Callisto was the first and only one of her victims that had forgiven her. She hadn't realized before how much that forgiveness meant to her, but now she did. It meant a lot and she felt that her dark past had a meaning, it had brought her forgiveness and renewed her belief that she should help people.

Callisto, however, didn't go straight to the Underworld, she decided to stop by Gabrielle first. She put her hand on her head and concentrated for a moment. She stared at the sleeping bard for a few moments thoughtfully. Then she caressed her and disappeared.

Gabrielle suddenly found herself on a meadow. She was confused.

"Gabrielle," a very familiar voice said.

Gabrielle turned and froze, shocked. The young man approached her with a smile.

"P... Perdicus," Gabrielle finally whispered when Perdicus took her hands into his own.

Perdicus smiled.

"Hello, Gabrielle," he said.

Gabrielle hugged him and started to sob. Perdicus caressed her.

"Shh, it's okay, Gabrielle."

"Where are we? What is this place?" Gabrielle asked when she let go of Perdicus and wiped her tears.

"In your dreams."

"My dreams?" Gabrielle asked, confused.

"Yes," Perdicus nodded, smiling.

"How come?"

Perdicus shrugged.

"I don't know. Does it matter?"

Gabrielle shook her head.

"No," she said and smiled.

Perdicus caressed her, it was something he had not had the chance to do often while he was still alive. Gabrielle suddenly started to cry. Perdicus was confused, but he hugged her.

"Hey, it's okay," he said.

Gabrielle shook and broke the hug.

"I just lost my daughter," she said quietly.

Perdicus was astonished.

"Excuse me?" he said when the news sank in. "We had a daughter?"

Gabrielle shook her head.

"No." She sobbed at the painful memory. "I was raped by a god, Hope was his daughter."

Perdicus was speechless.

"Xena said she was evil, but she was just a baby," Gabrielle continued. "Callisto said the same thing and she... she... killed her."

Gabrielle started to cry again and Perdicus hugged her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he caressed her.

"She was just a baby," Gabrielle sobbed.

"She was evil, Gabrielle," a male voice said.

Perdicus let go of Gabrielle and they looked around.

"Hades," Gabrielle recognized the God of Underworld.

"Yes," the god said and came closer.

"Can I see Hope?" Gabrielle asked, full of hope. "I need to talk to her, let her..."

"No," Hades interrupted her.

"What?"

Gabrielle's face fell.

"She's is not here," Hades explained.

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked, confused.

"She was Dahak's daughter, she returned to his realm."

"So she might still be alive?" Gabrielle asked, her hopes rising again.

Hades shrugged.

"I don't know."

"But she might be!" Gabrielle said, excited.

"Gabrielle," Hades decided to stop her hopes, "she is evil."

"She is just a baby," Gabrielle protested.

Hades shook his head and waved his arm.

"Look," he said and pointed at the opening that had opened in mid air. "Remember them?"

"The knights," Gabrielle recognized them.

Hades nodded.

"They were killed by Hope."

"But..."

"Gabrielle, she is Dahak's daughter and Dahak is a god. His influence over her is much more stronger than yours."

"But..." Gabrielle wanted to object, but she didn't know what to say.

Perdicus put his arm around her and Gabrielle buried her head into his shoulder and cried. Perdicus caressed her.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle," Hades said and disappeared.

Perdicus quietly held his wife until she calmed. Then he let go of her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Gabrielle sighed and nodded.

"When Xena and I were in Britannia, I was deceived by followers of Dahak. I... I killed a woman and then Dahak raped me. A while later a had a baby. I named her Hope, because that's what she was to me, hope. Xena helped me at first, but when the knights started to die, she blamed it on Hope. I didn't believe her. She even tried to kill her, but I hid Hope. A couple of days ago, she came back. I didn't know that it was her, but I felt a connection." She paused, sad. "Then Callisto came and told us Hope had saved her to help her prepare the world for Dahak. I didn't believe her and I begged her to spare Hope, but she killed her."

"Callisto," Perdicus said, remembering the woman who had killed him.

Gabrielle noticed the distant look in his eyes.

"She has changed, you know," she said.

"What?" Perdicus asked, confused.

"Callisto. She has changed. She apologized for killing you and she even forgave Xena." She paused. "I forgave her."

Perdicus didn't respond and they were quiet for a while, Perdicus thinking about Callisto and Gabrielle about Hope.

"It will take a while until I can completely accept the fact that Hope was evil," Gabrielle said after a while, jerking Perdicus out of his thoughts.

Perdicus smiled.

"I know," he said and took her hand. "Come, why don't you tell me some stories?"

They walked across the meadow and Gabrielle started to spin the tales.

Xena patiently waited for Gabrielle to wake up. When she noticed that Gabrielle was dreaming, she wanted to wake her up, finding it strange that Gabrielle was dreaming when Callisto had said that she was protecting her from Morpheus. She had hesitated for a while and when she had seen that Gabrielle was not having a nightmare, she decided to let her sleep.

Suddenly she felt that Gabrielle was awake and she looked at her. Gabrielle was lying with her eyes open and stared at the ceiling.

"Gabrielle?" Xena asked and Gabrielle looked at her.

They stared at each other for a while and then Gabrielle sat up and spoke.

"I just talked to Perdicus," she said and Xena lifted her eyebrows. "And Hades," she added. "He showed me the knights and said that she had killed them." She paused. "Hope may be evil, but she is still my daughter and I love her."

Xena smiled.

"I know," she said.

"I don't even blame Callisto for killing her," Gabrielle said after a pause. "She believed Hope was evil and she stopped her."

"I'm sure she wishes there was some other way," Xena said and frowned when she realized she was speaking on Callisto's behalf.

Gabrielle nodded.

"I know and I forgive her."

Xena smiled again.

"I'm glad I can be your friend, Gabrielle," she said.

Gabrielle smiled.

"And I'm glad I can be yours, Xena." Her face became serious again. "But first, I need to mourn Hope."

Xena nodded.

"Do you want to be alone?"

Gabrielle considered.

"No, not right now."

In the distance, Callisto smiled. She had heard Gabrielle's thoughts and life became much more bearable. She had been afraid that Gabrielle would go after her again, like she did when she had killed Perdicus, but apparently she had accepted the fact that Hope was evil. Callisto envied Gabrielle to be able to forgive so easily and she understood why Xena cared for her. She sighed. She hoped that one day she too would find someone like Gabrielle, someone she could care for and who would care for her in spite of her past.

The End