Ear Fetish

Disclaimer: I don't own the show or any of the characters. If I did, Gabrielle wouldn't have lost to Varia.

Subtext: Only as much as in the show

Violence: Yes

Sexytimes: 'fraid not

With a yell, the sword fell upon the baby, cutting through the rib cage, impaling the heart and exiting the other side. The blood spattered and landed on Gabrielle's face, awakening her. She groggily wiped the blood from her face, and it wasn't until she saw her blood stained hands that she began to panic. She looked for Hope and saw Xena standing over the lifeless body of the baby, sword still clutched in her hand.

"Hope." She whispered. "No. No. No!" her wails of torment grew louder and more desperate as she continued.

A sickening sound filled the air as Xena wrenched her sword free. "It's over now." She said, attempting to comfort her friend.

Gabrielle sat up and drew Hope's lifeless corpse to her breast. "No, Hope, come on. It is just a trick. You're ok. You're alright. You've got to be."

Xena squatted down and rested her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "Come on, Gabrielle. It is over now. Let it go."

Gabrielle ignored her, focusing instead on the bloodied infant in her arms. She stroked her hair gently. "Come on, Hope. Wake up. I need you." She kissed her forehead, too shocked even for tears. "I love you, Hope. You can't be gone. Wake up. Please. I need you."

"Gabrielle, that thing is not your child. It is a vessel for evil, nothing more." Xena pleaded. "Let it go and let's walk away from this."

Gabrielle didn't move. "You. You killed her." She spat.

"It, Gabrielle. I killed it. It killed Galen! That thing was nothing but evil!"

Gabrielle turned at looked at her. "Xena, she was my child!" she yelled.

"No she wasn't. She was Dahak's"

Gabrielle looked at Hope again, one more stroking her hair before kissing her forehead. She then lay her on the ground like she was sleeping and stood up on shaky legs. Xena followd her and tried to pull her into an embrace. Gabrielle pushed her away.

"Don't you dare touch me." She spat.

Xena's face fell. "Gabrielle," she began.

"No. Don't you talk to me. You killed my daughter whilst she slept in my arms. How could you?"

"I did it for the greater good. I had to."

"You killed a child! My child! That's not the greater good! That's a monstrosity! You're a mother, you know this!"

Xena hesitated, at lost as to what to say. She struggled to think of what would make this right, of what would make Gabrielle see that she didn't want to hurt her, that she was protecting the whole world. "I love you."

At that, Gabrielle punched her hard in the face, causing Xena to rub her jaw.

"If you'd loved me, you never would have killed her!" she screamed.

"Calm down." Xena said gently.

"Go to Tartarus!" Gabrielle tried to hit Xena once more, but Xena was ready for her and caught her arm. Infuriated, she tried to punch with the other hand, but the attempt was futile, as it was easily captured. "Let me go!" she yelled, struggling to rip herself out of Xena's grasp.

"Not until you calm down." Xena said, pulling her into a tight embrace which pinned both her arms down, thus preventing Gabrielle from breaking free.

The floodgates thus erupted, causing Gabrielle to burst into tears whilst struggling viciously to get free.

"Shh. It'll all be alright." Xena said, kissing Gabrielle's forehead.

Soon the emotional exhaustion of the day caused Gabby's ears to ache.

Xena said: "Here. Use my earmuffs and cover those horrid things."

"Thanks Xena. I still hate you though."

"That's ok." Sighed Xena. "I was thinking of trading you in and now you made it easier."

"You should never have been allowed to reproduce anyway." Mumbled Xena. "Actually, you should have been drowned at birth, like a kitten."

"Thanks Xena!" Gabrielle said with a smile. She always was a dumb blonde.

The end.

A/N: Am I kicked out of the fandom yet? I was writing this story whilst traveling around Rome with my mother, and she kind of stole my book and finished writing it. I found it hilarious, so I posted it. I'm sorry. For the record, Gabrielle is my favourite character out of anything ever, and my mother just likes to troll my obsession of her. Thanks Mum.