Chapter One

Xena was blinded by the hate and vengeance for her son and was being fueled by the God of War.

To her, at that very moment, Gabrielle was the only evil in the world she needed to stop. In her mind she had no time to think of all their adventures fighting for the greater good, or the tough times they had pulled out of together, or even the fact that the loving Bard was just protecting her own 'daughter'; not because she wanted the reign of Dahak, but because the Bard always saw the good in people before she saw the bad.

Xena held Gabrielle high in the air, as revenge and adrenaline coursed through her veins. The blond stayed limp in the air, and when the final nerve struck in Xena, the Bard fell deep into the arms of the ocean.

Xena gave out a laugh that expressed the hurt for killing her best friend but also the happiness for the revenge carried out for her son. She looked over towards the sea and was sure there was no way Gabrielle could emerge from the fall.

"Xena.." Ares cooed behind Xena.

"Ares." Xena glanced over her shoulder with her eyes lowered and one eye brow raised.

"Join me. I am all you have left. I can help you heal and be free again. Rule with me, Xena." Ares placed his hands on her shoulders and seductively pleaded once again.

Xena's eyes were full of lust, but she was still hesitant in joining with Ares.

"Xena!" Joxer came running down the hills.

"I'll be back for that answer."Ares disappeared.

Xena rolled her eyes and her nostrils flared, with the emotions running through her body, she was contemplating throwing him over the edge too.

"What!? You slimy rat!" Xena's eyes lit up in anger.

"Gabrielle...Where...is...she?" Joxer placed his hands on his knees and bent over trying to catch his breath.

"Gabrielle?" Xena paused and looked over the cliff. "Oh. She's dead." A mischievous grin was now traced lightly on Xena's face.

"What? Wait, Xena...you wouldn't." Joxer looked pleadingly at Xena. His obnoxiousness faded and the maturity in his tone had risen in his voice.

"Oh, I would." She retorted as she grabbed the reigns of Argo and started to walk away.

"Xena..."

"What?"

"Before you leave can I say something?" Tears filled up Joxer's eyes but before he could mourn he knew he had to try and calm the fire in Xena. Even though Gabrielle was dead by Xena's hands, the Bard would still have wanted Xena to keep fighting for the greater good and not for all the evil and hatred in the world.

"Final words, Joxer?" She said annoyed but would try and listen. By this point the warrior was beginning to numb herself to the world

"You know...knew" Joxer paused at the harsh reality "...Gabrielle as well as I did. How could you have expected her to give up something that you yourself cannot give up? It has turned you into a beast full of revenge Xena. How is..." Joxer rolled his eyes. "was...she supposed to get through it or kill her own child." He closed his eyes and grabbed his hat tight in his hands. "All I am saying is that you taught Gabrielle to not kill for the longest time and then you act so surprised when she can't kill or won't let anyone kill her own supposed child. Whether you like it or not Xena, she pained through it's birth, she saw a smile of a child, of a baby, an innocent in her eyes. Solan was once the same...I'm sure you felt that when you brought him into the world, that you never cared if he was going to be good or bad, but what ever happened you would try your best to mold him into good. Well...Xena, what about Gabrielle?"

Xena gulped and pursed her lips together and thought about the things he said. The one thing she kept thinking was how right he was and how bad she now felt for killing her best friend. She closed her eyes and patted Argo with one stroke.

"It's too late, Joxer." She saddled up and road away.

Joxer closed his eyes and sighed. "Well...Gabby, at least I tried. I love you."

He looked to the ocean for one last comfort but was only pained. It was now time for him to go tell her friends and family, and he would start with the Amazons.


AN: My first Xena: Warrior Princess story hope you all will come to like this story! Feel free to leave reviews and feedback! (Btw, this is a very short chapter to kind of get the ball rolling. I am working on chapter two already so it'll be up in a jiffy!) Enjoy :)