Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Gabrielle stood at the top of the cliff, looking down as the wind gathered up her hair. Xena let her be, knowing how difficult this had been for her. The entire situation and circumstances surrounding her pregnancy and encounter with Dahak had taken a toll on her. She would give her this time to collect herself enough for travel.

Gabrielle stared down with tears in her eyes, and she snuffled before turning away and meeting Xena. Xena wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her away from the edge, and Gabrielle exhaled slowly, taking in the air. She knew a decision had been made, and there was no going back from it.

"Xena..." Gabrielle met her steeled eyes with tears shining in her own, and Xena gripped her shoulders tighter. "I can't do this right now."

"What do you mean?" She faced her. "Travel?"

She nodded weakly.

"That's fine. I understand." She glanced over the area. "We can head to a town and stay there for a time, let you recover—"

"No, Xena," Gabrielle gently interrupted her. "I mean...travelling in general with you. I need to get...my head on straight. I need some time with just me."

"Gabrielle..."

"It's nothing you did, I promise. It's just... She was my hope, Xena, and I need to figure out where that leaves me." She swiped a hand over her cheek. "Please, understand this."

Xena swallowed but nodded her head in understanding. "Of course." She walked a few steps away, the wind catching on the leather straps of her armor. "Where will you go? Home to Potidea?"

"No, I think I'll spend some time with Ephiny and the Amazons." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Focus on my strengthen my spirit and mind. I think that'd be good for me."

"The Amazons." Xena nodded. "I believe they would benefit you well."

"Thank you, Xena." Gabrielle wet her lips. "We can go back to Argo together, but from there, I must travel alone. Find myself."

"Of course."

They headed together towards where they had last seen the beautiful mount, and there were no words spoken, only an unease silence. Xena tried to piece together what she would do with Gabrielle with her, and Gabrielle held herself tight. They were not hunted by the villagers nor sought out by the creatures of the dark who lurked in that same darkness. It was just a long trek, and it made Gabrielle want to reconsider what she had just said, but she steeled her resolve. It had been done, and the damages were too severe, and she needed space. It was all that she would ask for from Xena.

And once they found Argo, Gabrielle took less than half of the dinars they had, some fruit and her bag of scrolls for the trip, and she turned to say goodbye to her dearest and beloved friend. She leaned up and kissed her on the cheek, smiling, and Xena squeezed her hand tightly, and she stood there as Gabrielle walked away. The sunset cast a shadow on Gabrielle as she grew smaller and smaller, and Xena could not help but notice how small Gabrielle looked. It wasn't the distance; it was simply how she held herself, and she knew it would take quite a while for her to recover. Xena would allow her this space. It was the least she could do.

Gabrielle didn't...no, couldn't look back as she walked away from her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she began to recount her steps to begin her journey back to the Amazons. She steadied her breathing, and she tried not to let the lie she had told choke her. She would be brave, stand up for what she believed and be glad she had saved her one and only Hope. She had done the right thing. Made the correct and only choice. Xena would understand, one day, and if she didn't then perhaps Gabrielle did not know her as well as she believed.


The trip back the familiar terrain of the Amazon and Centaur territory was long and arduous, but it was worth it. Gabrielle could see the children of both clans playing in tandem with what she assumed was a pet fox, and she smiled at the sight. Their laughter healed her aching heart, and she spotted that curly-haired stand in Queen, and she ran to greet her. She had written ahead to let her know she would be there, but she didn't know if the merchant had reached Ephiny before she did.

By the look of expectance and relief, the merchant had, and Ephiny embraced Gabrielle tightly, holding onto her forearms once they parted, and they shared a smile. It was a warm reunion, and Ephiny asked how her travels were, and Gabrille could only huff out a sigh, which caused laughter from Ephiny. She understood that sigh well, and there would be plenty more of them.

"It is well to see you." Ephiny guided her through the camp. "We took the courtesy of setting up a tent for you. We are working on building homes and huts, still merging our clans, but this should do for you at the moment."

"That's more than enough, Ephiny." Gabrielle adjusted the strap to her bag. "You received my letter?"

"I did." She nodded. "And... I must say I was surprised of its contents."

Gabrielle gripped her fourth finger and nodded, turning to stand in front of her Amazon sister. "I hope it wasn't too much."

"Of course not. You are the true Queen, and it was no trouble." Ephiny smiled at her warmly, affection brewing from its width. "I am... grateful to you and to Xena. For all you have done for my people, for my son, and it was no trouble. I am glad you have entrusted me with such a task."

"You're the only one who could understand," Gabrielle said. "From a mother to a mother."

She rubbed her arm. "You must be aching." Gabrielle tried to speak, but Ephiny shook her head. "It needs not to said. I can tell by your aura and face. We will work on that. Together."

Gabrielle chuckled and smiled at her. "And this is why I chose you, beyond being my sister and a fellow mother. Thank you, Ephiny, for everything."

"Of course. I will let you get settled. Dinner will be soon. You don't have to join us, but if you want to, Xenan and I would be glad to have you."

"Thank you, Ephiny." She tucked hair behind her ear. "I'll settle in then let you know."

"Rest easy. You are home now."

"I am."

Ephiny showed her the way to her tent, which was larger than Gabrielle expected, but she was still the true Queen of the Amazons, so it made sense. She could only hope they weren't straining themselves to build her a home, because of her title. She was nothing special. At least that was how she felt thusly. It was only a matter of time before that opinion changed, though for now it had taken up residency in her mind.

At her tent, Ephiny let her be to get settled in, and Gabrielle set her bag down at the small table and looked over the tent with her hands on her hips. There was a bed of straw and leather and wolf's skin to the far left, a table bedside her with fresh scrolls and a quill, and there was an open space as well as a firepit in the middle, an opening at the top of the tent for its heated licks. It was nice, and Gabrielle sighed to herself, shaking her head before sitting down at the table and accepting her new life. It was what it was, and... it hurt inside. Truly.

She ultimately decided to rest as Ephiny had suggested, stretching out between the leather keeping the straw in check and the wolf's skin cover, and she slept for the first time in weeks. It was a hard and short rest, and she roused to the sound of hoofs outside her tent. She shot straight up in a brief panic but at the sight of her nephew, she eased.

"Mom sent me to come get you for dinner," Xenan told her. "It's stew with bread we made today."

"Sounds hearty." She smiled. "I'll be right there."

He smiled back at her and returned to his home, Gabrielle picked some loose straw from her hair and rolled out of bed. She adjusted her top and strolled out of the tent, heading to Ephiny's home, and she could smell the stew. She remembered the last time she had an appetite, and she lowered her eyes, wanting to dismiss herself from this meal, however; upon entering the home, she was ushered into a seat and given a mug of fresh goat's milk.

Then came a wooden bowl with a healthy amount of stew, a slice of bread slipped inside, and Ephiny and Xenan joined her to say an Amazon's blessing upon the meal. Gabrielle couldn't pretend her stomach wasn't growling, her mouth wasn't filling with saliva at the sight of the meal, and she dug in once the blessing was finished. Ephiny and Xenan look on in slight horror at how she ate, then shared a laugh when it dawned on Ephiny Gabrielle had likely been living on salted meats and fruits these past few weeks, and they enjoyed their meal.

Xenan spoke of his activities and lessons, and Gabrielle admired the boy, remembering the day he was born in the middle of a battlefield, and Ephiny could see pain in her eyes. She knew it must be consuming her sister, and she mentioned there was pie for them to have for dessert. It did little to compensate for all she had and was enduring, but food was comfort in its own way. It would heal the superficial wounds, anyway. The deeper ones they would work on together in the morning.

Gabrielle had a plump and full belly once the meal was finished, Ephiny invited her to help with the dishes, and Gabrielle couldn't say no. They tended to the dishes while Xenan worked on an assignment his teachers had given him. They chatted of lighter subjects—how Xena had taken to the news of Gabrielle needing space, how the travelling was, and how Gabrielle was adjusting to being here. The last was not a light conversation, but Gabrielle kept it short. There would be more added to it tomorrow when they spoke again. Surely.

"Do you want to stay with us tonight?" Ephiny asked as they carried the dishes back to the house.

"I think I'll pass, but I am grateful for the meal. It's better than salted sardines and a peach." She chuckled lightly. "I need to adjust to not having someone beside me when I rest."

"You and Xena shared a bed?" Ephiny inquired.

"We shared everything." Well, they used to. "That was bound to change, wasn't it?" She gulped around the lump in her throat.

"Gabrielle... not everything has to change. Time does not erase the love and friendship the two of you have built." Ephiny set the basket of dishes down on the table, taking Gabrielle's and doing the same. "It may hurt now, but once you have recovered and once you two are together, all will be well. I am sure of it."

"Thanks, Ephiny. That means a lot."

"That's what I'm here for, why you came." She smirked. "You ought to rest."

"I should. Thank you for the meal. It was much needed." She hugged her goodnight, kissed her nephew on the cheek softly as he had fallen asleep after his assignment. She waved a hand through his mother's curls, and she stroked his cheek. He was a beautiful boy, and she was glad to see him. Glad to see them both.

She departed from the house and returned to her tent, seeing people putting out torches as she walked, and she lit her fire in her tent to bring light to the area. She sat with her legs pulled into her chest, staring at the flames and not feeling its warmth for only a few hundred heart beats then rose.

"Aphrodite," she called out to the air and sky, to where the gods resided, and she spun around. "Aphrodite!"

There was only a hairs breathe of time passing before the Goddess of Love appeared before her, donning her classic two-piece set of bubble gum pink attire. She laughed as Gabrielle did not know what bubble gum was, and she flashed a cheeky smile at her friend.

"You called?"

"And you know why." She searched her eyes. "Please, don't make me wait."

"All right, all right. Don't beg." She snapped her fingers, and there from a flash of pink appeared Gabrielle's beloved and much missed Hope. "One spawn of Dahak."

"Don't say that name," Gabrielle hissed. "She is not his. She is mine."

"Okay, cool it. I was only joking." She watched as Gabrielle scooped the young girl up into her arms and smoothed back her hair. The girl had grown since Aphrodite had taken her into her care, and it was alarming, but it was the spawn of a god of sorts. She was now more of a toddler than the baby she had taken in. "And you totally owe me for this. If anyone finds out I harbingered the spawn of a lesser and evil "god" then it's going to be hell on me."

"I know. I am beyond appreciative, Aphrodite." Gabrielle smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Yeah, well, what are friends for. You've helped me get my godhood back and all." She placed a hand on her hip. "She can walk and talk a little. She likes berries and hates—I mean hates—dress up. It's a total waste. To look like a doll and be so against dress up? Ugh!"

Gabrielle chuckled. "I'll be sure to try and sway her of that."

"Good." She peeked over at the baby girl she'd had in her care for weeks. "She's a doll, Gabrielle. But I don't know about this plan of yours."

"Aphrodite, you know me. I wouldn't risk it if I thought I couldn't do this." She searched her eyes. "She is Hope, my hope, and I will prove to everyone that she can be just that. Good and pure and hope."

She heaved a sigh. "All right, Gabrielle, but if Xena catches wind of this, I had nothing to do with it."

Gabrielle nodded. "I would sooner turn in Ares."

"Tsk, yeah."

Gabrielle walked over to the fire, bouncing her steps to keep her daughter calm and steady in her arms, and Aphrodite observed this silently. Gabrielle kissed her brow and turned to gaze at Aphrodite over her shoulder. She smiled and smoothed down her daughter's hairs. "What is it?"

"You look good." She crossed her arms. "Happy, I mean."

"I didn't lose all I lost to lose her." She sat down in front of the fire, and Aphrodite drew closer. "It'll be difficult, retraining half of her, but love is the most powerful thing of all, right? It'll take out any darkness or taint he believes is inside her. And I have plenty of love for her, y'know? There's no chance of him winning out."

"Damn straight." She grinned at her. "I'll be keeping an eye on you two, just so you know. I love seeing my work at play. And just because I lean more towards love between couples doesn't mean I can't thoroughly support the love a parent has for their child."

"Thank you."

"Any time, babe." She vanished.

Gabrielle gazed into the flames and felt the hard sheep press into her ribs, and she gently took it from her daughter's grasp. She remembered when Xena had given this to her, and she placed a kiss to the delicate sheep. She would sooner ask for forgiveness than permission.