Solon. I can forever be grateful to the young man whose life was cut short because of me. I know he and his mother have both forgiven me. But I'll never forgive myself. Not fully, anyways.

The young man found an interesting way to reunite us. His mother and his friend. Or was it Aphrodite? Or did she help Solon? Or a little of both?

We may never know exactly how it came about. All I know is that we are very lucky that someone was looking out for us so that we can still be together today.

Xena just whispered in my ear. There is one god that didn't want us together. Ares was always attempting to break us up either for the mission or for the long-term.

That's what Ares did at the beginning of our interesting journey. He attempted to have Xena permanently end our relationship. It nearly worked if I hadn't awakened when I did…

I can't blame Xena. While the warrior princess may never have forgiven me, she would never have become violent with me if not for Ares.

Ares did his thing again. Like the time Xena hit me when she was under trial for murder. Or the time I had to hit her because she was under his spell and leading an army.

Let's just say of all the gods we dealt with Ares was my least favorite. The only time I could even somewhat like him was when he gave up his godhood for my soulmate and our daughter. But that's down the line.

We're talking about the most unusual way for two soulmates to get back together. Instead of just talking to one another, we had to sing to one another. Oh and dance. Neither one my strong suits. Now Xena she has many skills.

THE BITTER SUITE

It wasn't real. Callisto wasn't real. Yet the things that this fake Callisto said were making sense. Too much sense. It was Xena's fault. She did hate her! Causing her to scream.

Gabrielle can barely feel it as Joxer picks her up. She barely realizes it as all Tartarus breaks out because Xena was now in the Amazon village.

The Amazons are attacking. Ephiny has an injured arm. Yet, Gabrielle can barely get herself moving when Joxer tells her to run.

In fact, Gabrielle barely gets two steps when Xena lassos her feet. The bard was easily knocked from her feet to the ground.

The pain was unreal. Gabrielle could feel each bump, stone, rock and fire. She screams in pain and at Xena to let her go but to no avail. She was grateful when darkness overtook her.

The next thing Gabrielle knew she was being held above Xena's head. She heard the word vengeance and knew exactly what the warrior princess was up to.

Quick thinking on Gabrielle's part had her kicking Xena's head. It caused the warrior princess to drop the bard. They stood and stared at one another. Shouting that she hated Xena, she rushed at the warrior. Both end up going over the cliff and land in the water below.

The next thing Gabrielle knew she was hiding behind bushes completely naked. It was beautiful land. It had to be Elysian Fields. Heroes go there. Dead heroes. Dead naked heroes.

When she hears the mandolin and the song, Gabrielle runs attempting to find better cover. Unfortunately there are only the bushes to hide behind. And so much for Elysian Fields theory.

The last person Gabrielle wanted to see was Joxer, especially when she was naked. Thankfully he at least gave her something to wear. But sing in the Land of Illusia?

Gabrielle was grateful for another thing. She was home. She knew the people. She knew the place. It was in Poteidia! In fact, there were chants of her name.

The bard was led through the village as the rest of the villagers break into song. She's confused. But grateful to see everyone. Especially when Lila showed up singing.

But then, Lila handed Gabrielle a scythe. While she hated Xena and what the warrior had done to her, could she take the weapon and kill her? Killing to be kind? Was that such a thing?

The next thing Gabrielle knew she was standing at a door. It opened to hear that Xena had killed her. While there had been a part of her that had wanted to, she couldn't go through with it.

Xena killed an illusion? Was that supposed to make Gabrielle feel better? And what was that wheel thing? What was any of this? It was about us? Was there still an 'us'?

Suddenly the landscape changed. It was gloomy. It was how Gabrielle was feeling inside. Xena said it was to scare them. But what if she was wrong?

The warrior princess was actually asking Gabrielle for an opinion? That was a first. And just like that. Every time they accused one another of the past the deafening echoes began. And Xena blamed her for it increasing the echoes.

How did she feel this very moment? Gabrielle wanted to cry it hurt so bad inside. She wanted to crawl back to that Amazon hut and not face the outside world. But that was not a possibility.

Once again, Gabrielle finds herself singing. This time it's a duet with Xena. It's about the pain they both feel. And for a little while it is helping. Until they both begin playing the blame game on whose fault it is.

That's when Dahok's flame appears again. Gabrielle can't go through that again. While not a fan of Xena's at the moment, she yells for help from her former friend. Even shouting for the warrior to not let go.

Gabrielle finds herself on Dahok's altar. She quickly scrambles from the blood-soaked altar. She can't go through this again.

That's when Xena says something Gabrielle never thought she'd say in a million seasons. The place was meant to scare and that they would have to face whatever it was together.

That's when a coffin opened. A figure flew around and trumpeted. More coffins opened with hooded figures exiting. They began singing. Hate is the star…

Gabrielle was not shocked to see who the figures are. They all represent hatred for her or Xena or for them both. What she was surprised by was suddenly being chained to Dahok's altar. Xena was now bound above her on a cross.

The bard shouts no! Gabrielle doesn't want to be killed by evil Xena but she doesn't want Xena to have to endure broken legs by evil Gabrielle again either. It's a horrible situation.

It's the Land of Illusia. They have to sing how they are feeling. It's the only way. Gabrielle never thought she could ever hate her soulmate. That the trust would go away. How could she hurt Xena?

Now if only they could turn to love again. Gabrielle knew it wouldn't be easy. Merely singing a song. But she knew them being soulmates. Sharing a bond so deep. It would be possible. They would be safe cause they would let love be their guide.

All the hated figures are destroyed except one. It's as Gabrielle had always attempted to live her life. Love was the key. Hatred was never the answer. Yet, she and Xena had lost their way.

And who was on the other side of the darkness? Solon! Gabrielle couldn't believe it was Solon who had done all of this. Yet, a young man born of Xena surely would have the power. Perhaps with a little help from a certain goddess of love.

Gabrielle jumps through the waterfall with no problem. But Xena has a problem. The tormenter was still floating around. Is there one thing Xena hasn't told?

Xena lied. Gabrielle was troubled, but not shocked. Ming Tien was an evil young man. But to have lied about killing him was a bit of a surprise.

Another song. Gabrielle listened and cried. Especially when Xena sang to her son. It was so Solon could finally discover the true parentage. It was about time he knew who his mother was.

Gabrielle cries some more when Solon and Xena get to hug. Mother and son. How it should have been always. But never could have been in life.

And suddenly Gabrielle finds herself hugging Xena in the serf. They look at one another with such love. They were finally home. Finally.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Xena practically wailed out a vocal. It didn't matter that it didn't make sense. It was the pain she was feeling. That's what mattered.

Ares. Always around when Xena didn't want him to be. Her son was dead. What was there to be done? There was one thing. One person to be killed. The one who had cost her her son.

Xena rides to where she knows the bard will be. The Amazons will take her in. But they cannot protect her. No one can protect her from the warrior princess.

Ephiny was a casualty as Xena worked her way toward Gabrielle. She could nearly taste the vengeance she had planned for the bard.

The warrior princess fought off Amazons and throws Joxer off before lassoing the bard's ankles. She tied the rope to a horse and off they went. Through fire and rough terrain. It didn't matter as long as Gabrielle was being battered.

Finally, Xena made it to her destination. It's a clifftop where she can rid herself of her hated enemy for good. She lifts Gabrielle over her head and walks to the edge. A shout of 'vengeance' before throwing her over.

But before Xena was able to, Gabrielle wakes up and kicks the warrior princess just enough to cause her to lose her balance. A shout of 'I hate you' and the bard charges Xena. Not quite prepared for it, both tumble over the side of the cliff.

First an eye. Then Callisto. Then singing. What the Tartarus was going on? Had Xena hit her head and she was imagining all this?

The Land of Illusia? Never heard of it. Xena was becoming more pissed off by the second. Suddenly she was clothed and sitting on a throne.

Xena listened carefully to Callisto. After all, this was a place that she had never been. There must be rules to it. Something about the wheel but what? And singing. What was with the singing?

Finally something more interesting. Was Gabrielle in this land too? Did Xena spin the stupid wheel so that she could find the bard? Yes was the answer.

Instead of taking her to Gabrielle, Xena finds herself in a castle full of chanting warriors. And of course at the head of an army like this would be Ares.

Instead of answering Xena in words, even Ares began singing. The singing was getting old and getting on the warrior princess' nerves. Even if it was to praise her warrior attributes. And after the number finds herself in warrior clothing.

The singing, while annoying, was intriguing Xena. Yes, vengeance could be such a hoot. Especially when it was on the right person. Such as Gabrielle.

The door opens to reveal Gabrielle. This is her moment. A scythe? Not a good weapon against a sword. Xena easily defeats the bard and kills her.

Xena removes the sword. Joxer comes over and checks. The bard was no more. Ares picks her up the warrior princess. They dance as he recruits her. But all Xena can think of was how she killed Gabrielle.

Let go? Xena knew it was the biggest message of all. But she couldn't quite learn it just yet. But what she could do was be in shock that she had killed Gabrielle.

Suddenly, Gabrielle was there from another door. Xena had killed her, but it was just an illusion. No that wasn't supposed to make it better. She needed time to think. It was a wheel about them.

And just like that, they were in a dark place. Xena thought it was meant to scare them. What if she was wrong? Did Gabrielle have any better ideas?

The bard shot back that was a first. That it was always Xena who made the decisions. Of course the warrior princess made the decisions. Gabrielle always took too long to reach a decision.

Their voices raised and echoed. Xena could barely tolerate the reverberations. What was causing it? They were. Or should she say Gabrielle was.

Gabrielle asked why it was never Xena's fault. Why was she never to blame? It wasn't never. It was just in this case it was all the bard's fault.

It was the past. It was what was drowning out the other so they could barely hear one another, even if it was to accuse. Xena figured it out. They had to talk about the present. How did Gabrielle feel now.

And in true Illusia style, they both began to sing about how much pain they were in. Unfortunately, it turned into a shouting match about whose fault it was once again.

The tarot wheel once again appeared. This time flames shot out of it. Gabrielle screamed that it was Dahok. Even as much as Xena hated the bard at the moment, there was no way she could allow Dahok to take her again.

Xena was standing next to Dahok's altar as Gabrielle laid upon it. She watched as the bard scrambled from the bloody altar. This was the darkest place yet.

Grabbing a hold of Gabrielle, Xena informs the bard that this place was of torment, just like all the places before it. The thing they had to do was get through it together.

The song starts. After revealing the six robed figures, four of which are Caesar, Krafstar, Ares and Callisto, the warrior knows what it's about. Xena turns to Gabrielle. She tells her they are fighting hate. She realizes that she has to forgive the bard to get out of this torturous world.

Before Xena could react, Gabrielle was chained to the altar. She was bound to a cross behind the bard. Two robed figures reveal themselves. One is evil Gabrielle. The other is Evil Xena. Xena calls out to the bard as the evil Xena was to use Dahok's knife to murder Gabrielle.

More singing. Only this time it was healing singing. It was singing from the heart. Xena knew it would take more than singing, but it was true. They would come together to overcome their damaged pasts. They'd be safe because love would be their guide.

Xena was grateful when she was released from the cross. She was grateful when all the evil of their past exploded. Yet there was still the one mysterious robed figure flying around that had the warrior princess worried.

Suddenly, there was an opening. And through it was Solon. Was Solon responsible for all of this? Getting Xena and Gabrielle to not hate one another once again?

Xena watched as Gabrielle ran right through the waterfall. Solon disappeared. Something informed the warrior princess it wouldn't be that easy for her.

As soon as Xena's outstretched hand touched the water, it felt like boiling water had touched it, if not worse. She understands why. It's the lies. It's the hatred.

It was time to confess to Gabrielle that she killed Ming Tien. It was time to confess that she had lied. And it was time to do that in Illusia fashion by singing. Thankfully after putting her soul on the line, Gabrielle nodded her forgiveness.

That's when Solon reappeared. Xena knew that she had to beg him for forgiveness as well. After all, she had lied to him since birth.

Xena was grateful when Gabrielle took her hands and pulled her through. Now it was time to face Solon. They were able to say they loved one another as mother and son.

The next thing Xena knew she was hugging her bard. Gabrielle and she were home. At long last.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Xena brought in the fish she had caught. The fire was already burning brightly in the cave thanks to her bard. Gabrielle had a scroll and was busy writing. It was as if nothing had happened.

Their eyes met. Both knew so much had happened. There were things that would forever mark their souls. Since their souls were linked…

"Thank you, Xena." A dark eyebrow rose. It had been a while since Gabrielle had thanked her soulmate for an everyday task. "It's going to take a while, isn't it?"

"Gabrielle, we just went from wanting each other dead to loving one another." Xena went about preparing the fish for her soulmate to cook. "It's definitely one for the scrolls."

Gabrielle glanced at the scrolls on her bedroll that she had been writing on. "That's my personal scroll. That's not for anyone but you or myself to read."

"I don't think too many would believe what happened." Their eyes met once again. "What are you going to tell your Amazons. I hurt many of them. I broke Ephiny's arm."

"Especially since I have no injuries from that drag." Azure eyes closed as she remembered what she did. "I tackled you off a cliff. They won't know that. I'll tell them…To mind their own business?"

Both bard and warrior chuckled. "Seriously, we'll be traveling. I'll send them word that we've reconciled. But it won't be easy the next time we visit."

The pair ate in silence. It wasn't unusual. It was how they often ate around a campfire. It really was like everything was back to normal.

In fact, when it came time for bed, the pair snuggled together. There would be many more nights of discussing the lies, the anger, the hate and the betrayals that led them to nearly killing one another.

But for the first night since reuniting, they needed to just be like they always had. They needed to hold one another. They needed to love one another.