"You're alive….." Xena whispered her amazement, staring in wonder at the Bard, as if waiting any minute for her to crumble in a pile of ashes at her feet…It was just too good to be true, and she was definitely reluctant in accepting this absolutely unexpected reality.

In response, tears began streaming down her friend's face, way too troubled to say anything. She just covered her mouth with her hand while shaking her head in approval, shame, remorse and regret capturing immediately her heart under their heavy chains.

" But how….? You were dead….I held your dead body….."

She didn't receive a response though, for the very next second, the Bard's arms were wrapped around her neck, and she was crying so hard that she could barely breathe.

"Shhhhh…..its ok…"

"I'm so sorry Xena! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I swear it. Zeus was playing with my mind. I had no control over my body….I had these visions….with the One God, but it was Zeus all along…..Gods, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry…." she kept repeating in between sobs, her eyes reddened and swollen with tears

" Yeah Blondie…what can I say? I'm sorry too…I'm sorry that I didn't do a decent enough job when I stabbed you the first time. But don't worry. I like to clean up after myself, and I promise, this time I'll do it right even if I have to plunge this blade through your skull a thousand times! " Ares growled from behind Xena, while closing the distance between them.

Within a blink, he brutally pushed Gabrielle away from his Princess, and there was so much spite and fierce determination in his eyes that judging by the Bard's expression she clearly feared for her life.

"I thought you said Zeus killed Gbrielle…" Callisto asked with her trademark dirty grin that she was saving for special occasions, staring quizzically at the Love Goddess who was way too focused on the scene unfolding before her to even think about answering her.

" Oh Xena! " Callisto simply continued, apparently unimpressed by the fact that she was right about to witness the live murder of one of her favorite characters. " So I was right all along….It was Ares the one who sent Gabby to Tartarus….That makes a way better story, you gotta admit it… a bit of drama is always the right ingredient to spice things up…"

"Ares let her go! " Xena ordered in her old, steely voice, grabbing his hand in mind air, just when he was about to strike. "I need to talk to her…."

For a minute here, Ares' eyes turned pitch black, and it was not against his alleged victim that his fury was directed this time, but against his own Chosen.

" Are you insane? She tried to kill my daughter. There's no way in Hades that I'm going to let this parasite live! Now move out of my way or I might just forget the fact that you're the mother of my child!"

A punch in the nose sent him flying backwards though, and it didn't take long until he landed straight into Callisto's arms and they both fell to the ground with a loud thud.. Vociferations naturally soon filled the air.

" I said I wanna talk to her." Xena hissed glaring daggers his way while he and Callisto were still struggling to get up without looking even more lame than they already did. "Now either you let me do it, or I'll make sure to stick that dagger up your ass!"

"Seriously Xena? Are you actually taking that murderer's side? " he spitted, standing up and taking a few steps their way.

The Warrior Princess instinctively moved in front of her Bard.

" Wait, wait , wait! Did I hear you well? Did you just say…..your daughter? ! " Callisto interrupted and an hysterical laughter broke out from deep inside her. "As in yours and Xena's ?...Is that so Xena? You're a mommy….again?" she asked, her eyes roaming quizzically from Ares to the Warrior Princess and back until she finally glanced away in Aphrodite's direction, waving her hand at the baby girl sleeping in the Goddess' arms. " Hi there Honey…..I'm auntie Callisto! It's good to finally meet you" she said, heading towards the baby.

Before she knew it though, there was a human wall separating her from the child. Both Xena and Gabrielle on the one hand and Ares on the other, moved strategically in front of Dite to protect the Messenger.

"Don't even think about it, you psychotic maniac!" the Warrior Princess threatened, grabbing the dagger from Ares' hand- without the slightest effort- much to the God's surprise.

" This is funny!" Callisto's caustic remark slashed the air. "One minute you're fighting and the other you're siding against a common enemy….Call it reversed psychology if you will….You can thank me later for my divine intervention, by the way. Still, I can't help wondering though my beloved Xena, how comes that if Gabby here tried to take your child's life, you still defend her tooth and nail? When I killed Solan, you wanted my head on a silver platter….And now, you'd even split Ares- your loyal watchdog- in half just to keep her safe….Who's the maniac now….? "