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. All other characters that appear belong to me. 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.

Villain, Hero
By Kristjan Brezovnik

Callisto was cleaning her weapons after she had disposed of a group of bandits.

"Nice work."

Callisto looked up.

"Ares. What do you want?"

"Well, I just came to inform you that you have become an object of a bet."

"Don't even think about it, Ares."

"Sorry, but all the gods are in on this one."

"Then I guess all the gods are going to be dead soon."

"Oh, come now, be a sport, will you? I'm sure it will be no problem to you."

"I don't care whether it's a problem or not, I will not take part in your little games."

"It's not like you have a choice."

"I don't care!"

"Well, with that attitude of yours I'm sure to win."

"Win what?"

"Favors, what else? Anyway, it seems that Aphrodite has some special interest in you."

Callisto was surprised.

"Aphrodite?"

"Yes. She claims that you can live a hero's life in spite of your past."

Callisto laughed.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No. Anyway, I said that you couldn't. Other gods started to bet and so Zeus got the Fates to put you into another reality where you would be a hero."

"Listen, you piece of…"

"See you."

Ares vanished and Callisto suddenly felt that something was different, beside the change of scenery. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was at first, but then she realized that she started to remember things that didn't really happen. She was confused for a moment.

"Damn you, Ares!" she screamed when she realized that she was in another reality.

Suddenly she recognized the scenery. She turned around and there it was, Cirra. Callisto stared at her home village with mixed feelings. She knew that in this reality Cirra was also burned and her parents also murdered, but it wasn't Xena who did it, it was Virgilius. This time, however, the village was rebuilt.

Suddenly Callisto found herself walking toward the village. She stopped for a moment and then decided to take a look at the village.

She slowly approached the village and she noticed that people weren't afraid of her and that they greeted her with respect. She was confused for a moment, before she remembered that she was a hero in this reality. She grinned.

"Callisto! You're back!"

Callisto turned and saw a man approaching her. She stared at him, confused because she found him familiar. The man came closer and wanted to hug her, but Callisto knocked him down. The man stared at her, confused.

"Are you okay, Callisto?" he asked as he got up.

Callisto glared at him.

"You're Hyppolitus," she suddenly realized.

"Yes."

"My… husband."

"Yes."

"Mama!"

"Mama!"

Callisto jerked and looked at the two girls. They were twins. My daughters, Callisto realized. The girls hugged her and Callisto just stood still. The girls finally looked up, confused because their mother didn't hug them back. Callisto stared at them for a few moments and then left. Her family stared after her, confused.

"Papa?" one of the twins finally asked.

Hyppolitus caressed them both.

"I don't know, Erato. Why don't you and Iole get back to the house and I'll see what is troubling your mother."

"Okay."

The twins returned home and Hyppolitus followed his wife.

Callisto just walked straight away from the village. She was still shocked from seeing her family and she needed to sort out her emotions. She was surprised that she actually felt any other coherent emotion beside hate. All this was entirely new to her, love and fear. She hadn't loved or been loved or been afraid of anything ever since Xena destroyed Cirra and it was disturbing her. She realized that she wasn't afraid for herself, but of losing her family again. She knew that they loved her and deep down inside she felt that she loved them too and it scared her.

Hyppolitus followed his beloved wife. He had no idea what was going on, but he felt that Callisto needed him. He soon sighted her in the distance. He saw that she was just walking, obviously deep in her thoughts. He started to walk faster and he soon caught up with her. Callisto didn't seem to hear him or she chose to ignore him.

"Callisto," he softly called.

Callisto jerked and looked at him. Hyppolitus saw in her eyes that she was deeply disturbed about something.

"What?" Callisto asked and stopped.

"Something is bothering you."

Callisto stared at him for a few moments and then resumed walking. Hyppolitus followed her and gently took her hand. Callisto grabbed her dagger and pressed it against her neck. She stared at him for a few moments with a murderous look in her eyes. Hyppolitus had never seen that look in Callisto's eyes and it scared him. The murderous look slowly disappeared and was replaced by confusion and fear. Callisto gulped and put her dagger away. She turned away. Hyppolitus gently caressed her.

"Don't touch me!" Callisto yelled at him as she turned around.

"What's wrong, Callisto?" Hyppolitus asked.

"What's wrong?! Everything's wrong! This whole world is wrong!"

Hyppolitus saw that Callisto's eyes were wet. Callisto noticed it too and she turned away.

"Why don't you come home, Callisto?"

"I don't…"

She stopped when she realized what she was about to say. She sighed and looked away again. Home. She had missed her home and now that she had one, she felt uncomfortable about it and she was afraid to go there.

"Callisto?"

Callisto took a deep breath and faced him again. Hyppolitus offered her his hand. Callisto looked at it and then started to walk back to Cirra. Hyppolitus quietly followed her.

When they got back to the house, Iole and Erato looked at her questioningly and then at their father. Hyppolitus smiled at his daughters.

"Why don't you help me get the dinner ready?"

The twins followed their father to the kitchen and Callisto looked around the house. She had never seen it before, but she knew her way around it anyway.

The dinner passed quietly and Callisto felt uncomfortable under the constant gaze of her daughters. When it was over, she went to her and Hyppolitus' bedroom and lay down. She listened to the voices and noise that her family made in the kitchen and in the main room. She almost dozed off when she suddenly felt movement on the bed. She reached for her dagger and opened her eyes. It was her daughters, who cuddled up to her, one on either side. Callisto froze and lay still. She had no idea what to do and she felt weird and uncomfortable. Slowly, very slowly she relaxed and finally, she pulled her arms from under her daughters and hugged them.

When Hyppolitus came to the room a few minutes later, he saw that Callisto had been crying. He sighed. He took a blanket and covered them. Then he gently kissed Callisto on the forehead and left. Callisto felt the kiss and she stared after him as he left. It felt so strange, being loved again.

In the morning, when Callisto woke up, she noticed that she slept longer than she usually did. Then she felt two tiny bodies cuddling against hers. She looked at them and smiled. She realized that she liked having them around. She continued to lay still until the girls finally woke up.

"Good morning," she smilingly greeted Iole, who was the first to wake up.

When Iole saw hear mother smile at her, she also smiled and hugged her. That woke Erato.

"Good morning," Callisto greeted her smilingly.

When Erato saw her mother smile, she also hugged her.

Callisto felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but then she hugged her daughters back.

"Is everything okay, Mama?" Erato asked after they stopped hugging.

Callisto stared at her for a few moments and then smiled.

"Yes, everything is okay now," she said and caressed her.

"Good morning," Hyppolitus said when he came into the bedroom after he heard voices.

"Good morning, Papa," the twins said in unison.

Callisto stared at him for a few moments and then smiled. Hyppolitus smiled back and picked up the twins.

"Let's get you dressed up," he said and took them into their room.

Callisto stared after him for a while and then got up. She realized that she was still wearing her armor. She stood still for a few moments and then decided to change into a more suitable dress. She took off the armor and picked a dress and shoes from her closet. She refreshed herself, dressed up and went to her daughters' room.

Hyppolitus was still there, helping them dress, and Callisto observed him. She found it strange that he took care of the girls, but then she realized that she should actually be proud that her husband could do something else beside wielding a sword. My husband, she thought. She remembered saying something about love being the trick of nature to get us to reproduce and she smiled when she realized that this trick gave her a wonderful husband and two wonderful daughters. She observed her family and she felt good.

Finally, the girls were dressed up.

"You okay?" Hyppolitus asked his wife when he saw her leaning at the door frame.

Callisto smiled and nodded. Hyppolitus slowly lifted his arm to caress her and Callisto let him. She then took hold if his hand and kissed his palm.

"The breakfast is ready," Hyppolitus said and the whole family went into the kitchen.

Callisto quietly observed her family and thought. It was weird, scary even, to have a family again. It also felt good, not being alone anymore. She looked at her husband and then at her daughters and smiled when she remembered again what she had said about love. She wondered if this was how her life would have turned out if Xena hadn't killed her family in the other reality.

Hyppolitus observed his wife. He felt that there was something wrong with her, but he didn't know what. He saw that she was confused, even scared, and it worried him. He also noticed that she was starting to relax. He knew that their daughters also felt that there was something wrong with their mother and he decided to talk to her as soon as they were alone.

After the breakfast the girls went out to play and Callisto also went out. Hyppolitus cleaned the dishes and then followed her. He found her outside the village, sitting beside the brook, staring at the water. He sat down beside her and considered what to say. Finally he took her hand. He felt that she wanted to break it free, but then decided against it. He decided to wait and let Callisto start when she would be ready.

They sat quietly for a while, just holding hands. It surprised Callisto that her husband didn't say anything. She realized that it also made her feel safe, not being pushed. Her husband knew that there was something wrong with her and he let her know that, but he also let her decide when she wanted to talk about it. She finally looked at him.

"You want to know what's wrong with me," she said.

Hyppolitus looked at his wife.

"Yes," he said.

Callisto sighed. She wasn't sure how to put it or how her husband would accept it. She was surprised when she realized that she didn't want to hurt his feelings. She sighed again.

"This whole world is new to me," she said. "I come from a different reality where my village had been destroyed and I'm a… warlord. The gods made a bet that I could live a hero's life and Zeus got the Fates to put me into this reality where I am a hero." She paused. "All this family business is new to me and it scares me."

She frowned at herself for confessing that she was scared. Hyppolitus looked at her for a few moments, thinking about what his wife had said.

"You're not alone anymore," he finally said and put his arm around her shoulders.

Callisto froze for a moment, surprised, and then leaned at him. She felt loved.

"Guess who's coming for a visit today," Hyppolitus said after s while.

"Who?"

"Xena and Gabrielle." Hyppolitus felt his wife stiffen. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Callisto took a deep breath.

"In the other reality, Xena killed my family," she said quietly.

Hyppolitus understood how hard it must be for Callisto to suddenly have to like the woman who had murdered her family. He gently kissed her on the side of the head.

"You're not alone, Callisto," he said.

Callisto sighed. She felt strange, but also safe because she knew that Hyppolitus would be there for her.

"Why don't we prepare the house, hm?" she said after a while.

Hyppolitus smiled and let go of his wife. They got up and Hyppolitus took Callisto's hand. This time Callisto didn't object and they returned home, hand in hand.

Several hours later Xena and Gabrielle came. Callisto and Hyppolitus went out to greet them and Hyppolitus carefully observed Callisto. Callisto felt a bit odd, being friends with Xena. She felt the urge to hurt her. Suddenly she remembered the bet and Ares. She grinned, she would not let Ares win, no way. She took a deep breath, pushed her killer urges aside and put on her best friendly smile.

"Xena, Gabrielle! It so good to see you again!" she said and hugged her friends.

Hyppolitus rose her eyebrows, surprised, but he knew that Callisto would not harm Xena and Gabrielle.

"Callisto! You've been away for a long time," Gabrielle said.

"Yeah, well, business, you know."

"Where are your daughters?"

"Playing. Don't worry, they come every five minutes. They just can't wait to her more of your stories."

"Come in," Hyppolitus said and the three women followed him.

The visit passed pleasantly and Xena and Gabrielle left in the afternoon. Hyppolitus had to admit that Callisto was a superb hostess. The whole family waved the two friends good-bye and then the twins ran off to play again.

"Are you okay?" Hyppolitus asked his wife when the twins were gone.

Callisto smiled.

"I'm fine," she said and then hesitantly kissed him.

Hyppolitus was surprised for a moment and then kissed back. When they stopped kissing, Callisto stared at her husband for a few moments, feeling really good.

"You were a great hostess today," Hyppolitus complimented her.

"Thank you," Callisto said and smiled sweetly.

"Want to help me clean up the dishes?"

Callisto thought.

"Why not."

Over the next few weeks Callisto really grew to love her new life and her family. She enjoyed playing with her daughters and she even made love to her husband. To her, it was for the first time and after she had gotten over the initial resentment she really enjoyed it. Hyppolitus understood her and he was very gentle and backed off when he felt that Callisto was unsure.

Callisto had completely forgotten about the bet, but the gods hadn't and one day, when she was cleaning the dishes, everything was suddenly gone. Callisto stood still for a few moments and then screamed out loud. She fell to her knees and cried. She had finally experienced love again and now the gods have taken it away from her and let her remember it. It was not fair! They will pay. All of them. She lay on the ground, curled up like a fetus and let the tears flow for as long as they would, for they would be the last.

"Ares, you bastard, she remembers!" Aphrodite said furiously to the God of War as they observed Callisto, invisible. "How could you?!"

"Well, I want her back in the fold. And she will be more than happy to join it now."

"Not if I can help it, buster. You lost the bet and I'm calling in my favor. I want you to leave Callisto alone for good."

Ares stared at his sister with disbelief.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Wrong. And don't even think about sending Strife or Discord after her."

"Come on, Aphrodite, you want to waste your favor on a mere mortal?"

"She's a special mortal and besides, that's my job."

"Aphrodite, don't make a fool of yourself."

"Watch me. Go back to Olympus and leave Callisto alone. Beat it!"

Ares cursed under his breath, furious at himself, and disappeared.

Aphrodite made herself visible and started to approach the sobbing Callisto. Callisto sensed a presence and looked up. When she saw that it was Aphrodite, her eyes became demonic. She screamed her battle cry and attacked the goddess, knocking her down.

"Hey, chill out!" Aphrodite said as she got up and barely avoided being hit again.

Callisto didn't listen to her and kept attacking. Her eyes shone demonically, her heart full of rage.

"Callisto, listen to me!"

Callisto's mind was set on one thing only, on making the goddess suffer. She threw her chakram at Aphrodite and attacked with her sword. Aphrodite avoided the chakram and then started to avoid the sword.

"Callisto, I'm…"

Aphrodite screamed in pain as the chakram sliced her neck from behind. She turned around and Callisto used the goddess' inattention and cut off her head. Then she started to cut the body apart. She was quickly done and then picked up Aphrodite's head.

"You're dead," she said. "You're all dead."

She dropped the head and kicked it away. Then she put away her weapons and left.

"Damn," Aphrodite swore, "this sure hurts."

She concentrated and her body reassembled itself. She touched her neck and looked at her body. It was unharmed.

"Huh, she sure kicks some butt." Aphrodite looked around. "Now, where did she go?"

Callisto walked down the road, her eyes staring at nothing. There was only one thing on her mind, the gods will die.

"Ah, Callisto."

Callisto turned, immediately unleashing her chakram. This time, however, Aphrodite vanished and reappeared on the other side of Callisto.

"Callisto, listen to me!"

Callisto turned and charged again. Again, Aphrodite disappeared and reappeared on the other side.

"Callisto, please, listen to me." Callisto ignored her and caught her chakram. "Oh, well, you asked for it."

Aphrodite shot an energy bolt towards Callisto, who screamed in pain when the bolt hit her.

"Now, will you listen to me?"

Callisto screamed and attacked.

"Oh, boy," Aphrodite murmured and shot another energy bolt.

Callisto avoided it, so Aphrodite shot two more, one of which hit Callisto.

"Damn it, Callisto, will you listen to me?! Please."

Callisto got up and stared at the Goddess of Love for a few moments.

"Talk," she finally said coldly.

"Can I come closer?" Callisto nodded and Aphrodite approached. "Look, I'm sorry. It wasn't intended that you should remember."

"It wasn't intended?!!" Callisto was furious. "I found love again and you ripped it out of my heart!!"

"It was just an illusion."

"Illusion!! It was real to me!"

"I know it was. Now you know that you can still feel love."

"Not anymore."

"Yes, you can. That illusion showed you that you can."

"But I won't. Every time I loved someone, that love was ripped from my heart."

"Everyone dies sometimes."

"I know that! One family was murdered and the other just ceased to exist."

"I know and I'm sorry. But you can love and have a family again, if you want."

"I don't!"

"Look, Callisto…"

"Why do you care?"

"I'm a Goddess of Love and this is my job."

"Ha."

"Look, Callisto, if you find love again, then I promise that I will help you."

Callisto stared at the goddess with disbelief. Then she started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Aphrodite asked.

"You want to help me?"

"Yeah. You have a problem with that?"

"I don't trust gods."

"I know that. Still, I want to help you."

"Why?"

"Because I like you."

Callisto stared at Aphrodite with disbelief.

"You like me?"

"Yes, and I want to help you."

"Can you give me back my family?"

"No."

"Then you can't help me."

"I can. If you find love again, then I'll make sure that it is not ripped from your heart again."

Callisto didn't believe her.

"Where's the catch?" she asked.

"There isn't any."

"You expect me to believe that you're doing this for nothing?"

"Of course not. As I said, you have to find love in order to have my protection. No love, no protection."

Callisto laughed.

"And how do you plan to get Ares off my back?"

Aphrodite smiled.

"Don't worry, I've already taken care of that."

"How?"

"Well, he lost the bet and I won, therefore he owed me a favor."

"And you asked him to leave me alone?"

"Yes."

"And he agreed?"

"It's not like he had a choice."

Callisto thought.

"I'll think about it."

"I'll be watching. Good luck," Aphrodite said and vanished.

Callisto stared at the empty spot and then resumed walking.

She had been walking for several hours and she thought about her family, the one that never existed in this reality. Suddenly she realized that tears were running down her cheeks. She wiped them. She considered Aphrodite's offer. It was very tempting and Callisto realized that she was terrified. She shook. She was afraid of finding love and then losing it again. She sighed as she remembered her husband and her two daughters. She missed them a lot.

"Hello. What have we here?"

Callisto jerked and turned around. There were ten bandits.

"Beat it, you morons, before I make fish food out of you," Callisto said.

The bandits laughed and Callisto attacked. She threw her chakram and killed two bandits. Before she caught it, she decapitated another. The bandits became more cautious and they surrounded her. Callisto didn't wait for them to gather courage and she attacked.

She was so engaged in the fight that she didn't notice the newcomer. When she heard that someone disposed of a bandit behind her back, she turned and dropped her jaw, shocked.

It was a man. He nodded and quickly disposed of another bandit.

"Watch out!" he suddenly called.

Callisto ducked, parried the blow and slit the bandit's stomach. She quickly disposed of another attacker and then turned to the newcomer, who was just finishing off the last bandit. She stared at him with disbelief.

"Hi," the man said. "Are you okay?"

"What's your name?" Callisto asked.

"Hyppolitus."

"Hyppolitus," Callisto whispered. "I knew it. Aphrodite, you whore! If you think I'm gonna marry him just because he's Hyppolitus, you better think again!"

Hyppolitus stared at her, confused, and dropped his jaw when the Goddess of Love appeared.

"You don't have to fall in love with him, Callisto. In that illusion you did and I thought that you also might in this one. No sweat if you don't, there are plenty of men around, and women, and I'll protect you no matter who you choose. Give him a chance, maybe he's the one." Callisto turned to Hyppolitus. "Don't worry, I'll make him forget this little conversation. See ya."

Aphrodite waved her hand and then vanished.

"Hi," Hyppolitus said. "Are you okay?"

Callisto nodded.

"Yeah."

"My name is Hyppolitus."

"Callisto."

"The Warrior Queen?"

"Yes. You have a problem with that?"

"Me? No. I have no quarrel with you. I don't like what you do, but I won't fight you unless you give me a reason."

Callisto grinned.

"You might not live long enough to decide whether I gave you a reason or not."

"Oh, come one, Callisto, give the man a break," Callisto heard Aphrodite say.

She jerked and looked around, but Aphrodite was nowhere to be seen. She sighed.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To Macedonia."

"That's a long way. Why are you going there?"

"To visit my parents."

"Oh." Callisto thought. "Mind if I come along?"

Hyppolitus was surprised.

"No."

"Great."

"Why do you want to come with me?"

"It's as good a destination as any."

The End