Disclaimer: Most of the characters used herein belong in their entirety to Universal/MCA, Renaissance Pictures, and all the powers that be (TPTB). They have been used without permission and no copyright infringement is intended. Please do not copy or cite this story without express permission of the author. Thank you. I've written this story as an outlet for my X:WP obsession. There's no need to read it first however. I must admit to enjoying large parts of Season 5! And yes, I am a glutton for punishment. Why do you ask?

Title: A New Yesterday

Sex: Nah, some of us know our limitations as writers...

Violence: Yeah some but nothing you can't handle.

Joxer bashing: Well, OK... a little.

Synopsis: Xena and Gabrielle meet their future in its past. Takes place in Season 5. This was originally written sometime in spring of 2000. I've recently rescued this story from an old backup and thought I'd edit/revise and post on FFN.

The Amazon stood sheltered in the trees beneath a full moon shining high in the midnight-black sky. The light breeze blew the smoke of the small fire toward her and she could smell the aroma of food cooking. She could see Joxer, through the leafy branches, slowly rocking Eve to sleep.

Tonight the child will die, and all will be as it should be...

She wiped the dampness from her sweat-soaked brow. The girl knew she had very little time before Xena and Gabrielle returned, and must act quickly. She knew she'd never be able to take on both of them at once. Her business here must be finished before they returned. She quickly slipped down the tree and tiptoed quietly behind Joxer. He was bent over at the waist, putting the child in her basket. As he put her down, she tapped him softly on the shoulder.

"Huh? Is that you, Gabrielle?" he said as he turned around. A hard fast uppercut was his reply.

He does have that glass jaw. She followed the uppercut with a kick to his chest, pulling her blow so that she wouldn't do him serious damage. Joxer fell, like a dead weight, in a heap at her feet. She dragged him out of her way toward a grove of trees and reached behind it, where she'd left her belongings. She searched for a small pouch tucked away amongst her satchel and slowly sprinkled some of the contents into his mouth. His reflexes cause him to swallow

There, that'll keep you quiet for a bit. I'm not here to kill you. Sorry Joxer, hope I didn't hurt you... too much. She walked back to the child and peered down into the cradle. She slowly reached for her sword, drawing it out slowly in an attempt to minimize any noise.

She put the blade of the sword to the sleeping child's throat. She stopped suddenly, noticing the jewel in the pommel of the sword. No...not with this sword.

She put the sword back in the scabbard and squatted down leaning over the cradle, unwrapping the child from her warm cocoon. She placed one hand lightly on the baby's chest and with her other hand reached for the knife tucked into the top of her boot. The child looked up into her eyes and smiled. She hesitated, and in that instant lost her only chance. A body came flying out of the darkness, hitting her with full force, knocking her knife out of her grasp and throwing her clear of the child.

Gabrielle quickly stood up and grabbed her sais where she'd left them. She couldn't see her opponent's face but could see that the girl was dressed like a young Amazon. The girl appeared to hesitate for an instant as she got to her feet, but quickly recovered and drew her sword. Gabrielle was surprised to see that the girl nearly matched each one of her strikes, blow for blow.

Her fighting style seems familiar. Could she be from my tribe? She and Xena had spent some time training a few of the Amazons in various fighting techniques, but Gabrielle couldn't remember which Amazon this might be. Gabrielle managed to maneuver the girl slowly away from Eve with each thrust of the sais.

A figure loomed out of the darkness, and Gabrielle stepped aside as a loud war cry broke the silence, awakening Eve from her sleep. Xena casually dropped her wet things as her foot swept out, knocking the girl into a tree. The girl smacked hard against it, biting her lip and getting the wind knocked out of her. She quickly turned as they both drew their swords almost simultaneously. The clanging of steel could be heard as they fought.

Gabrielle tried to get a look at the girl. She does look like she's from my tribe. I recognize the Amazon clothes. This is an Amazon matter. She clenched her sais with white knuckles as she waited for the fighting to stop.

Xena fought confidently, taking a few moments to judge her opponent's skills. Why did the girl attack Gabrielle? Xena knew she could easily defeat the girl although she was mildly surprised at the young Amazon's apparent ability. She has good steel. Xena could tell the quality of the sword by the sound the blade made as it was struck. The sword needs to be sharpened. The girl's been taught well, but not well enough.

Xena used her own sword to slap the Amazon's blade away and then delivered a drop kick to the girl's abdomen. The young Amazon fell backwards hard onto her rump. Gabrielle walked purposefully over to the girl, her eyes burning with fury. Before Xena could intervene, Gabrielle knelt down, pressing her sais against the girl's neck.

I think I'll let Gabrielle handle this for now. Xena turned and walked over to the squalling Eve, picking up the child.

"Why would you, an Amazon, attack this child?" she hissed through clenched teeth. Gabrielle's hands were shaking in fury.

A bit of blood oozed down the girl's neck where she'd been nicked by the sais. She flinched. Kill me, please, just kill me now. Her body seemed to ache everywhere.

Xena spun around, holding the infant in her arms. "She was trying to kill Eve!?"

"Answer me!" Gabrielle barked as she pulled the young Amazon upright to her feet. The girl was just a bit taller than Gabrielle. In reply, she angrily turned her head and glared, looking Gabrielle in the eye.

Gabrielle blanched. I don't think I've never seen eyes such a strange shade of blue on anyone but Xena.

Xena could see Gabrielle's startled gaze in the firelight. Fury darkened Xena's features as she finally stepped between them. She shifted Eve in her arms in an attempt to comfort her. Her hand then shot out and she quickly put the nerve pinch on the captive.

"I've just cut off the flow of blood to your brain; you'll be dead in thirty seconds if you don't talk. Who are you? Who sent you?" The young Amazon fell to the ground, writhing in agony, but said nothing.

"Talk or die." Seconds continued to tick away.

Gabrielle couldn't stand to watch the young girl thrash. Something is not right. "Xena, please. She won't speak, end this."

"Gabrielle, this isn't Tara, a lost child we can reform. You said she tried to kill Eve. We need to know who sent her." Xena tried harder to calm the infant as seconds continued to tick by.

The blond woman finally realized what had her so confused. "Her eyes, LOOK AT HER EYES!" she screamed over Eve's lusty cries.