~*Part 1*~

Xena turned her head to the right then gave a nod to her partner. "Alright, I'll be here."

The warrior-bard smiled. "Be back." She left the camp and strolled down towards the lake.

The warrior went back to preparing the fire in the early evening.

Gabrielle came down to the lake and kneeled down by the edge. She cupped her hands in the cool water. She brought up the water and splashed it on her face. The small water droplets trickled down her face then began to dry. Now her hands were in the water again but not cupping. Slowly she brought her wet hands up and threw her hair to wet her bangs back.

The young warrior began to stare into the water or rather stare at her reflection. A reflection of a warrior with short blond hair, small face, green eyes, and a newly chiseled expression. Her eyes drifted shut and she let her past come back to a time before she was a warrior.

Gabrielle could recall her days as a bard. She missed those days so much it left her feeling crushed. But these days she loved as well. Her mind drifted to the first day her and Xena kissed then to the night they first slept together. It left a small grin etching across her lips.

Her mind slowly forwarded her to Eve's birth. The grin went to a smile. Her mind flashed to the scene of when Xena and Eve reunited. Now she thought of her most recent memory, the island. The one day she was on the island with Xena and they repaired their relationship.

Now they were headed back to see Eve in the Amazon village. Her adopted daughter. That singular idea sent her mind reeling back to her only child. Hope. Hope was her last emotion and last daughter. One thing she'd always regret was never trying hard enough. In her mind the image of Hope became locked. The image of when Hope looked exactly as her.

The small warrior's eyes opened and she stared at herself for a moment. Then she noticed to the right in the pool's reflection another face that she assumed from her imagination. She stared at the reflection seeing it as her but back so long ago. Long ago when she had a young face, young attitude, and long hair. Finally it hit her this wasn't her imagination. Her eyes widen, she grabbed her sais, jumped up while spinning around. Her eyes narrowed.

The owner of the reflection folded their arms. "Hello mother."

"Hope?" The small warrior whispered with amazement "How did you-"

"That is little of your concern." Hope took a step out of the shadows and stood in the sunset light. She still wore Gabrielle's old outfit. Her long blond hair glowed in the sunset. "It's been awhile hasn't it?"

Gabrielle's eyes became deathly cold. She bent her knees becoming the predator. "What do you want?" Her eyes went dark.

"What every daughter wants." Dahak's daughter slowly gave a feral grin.

Xena lifted her head at hearing the two voices. Her eyes went to slits. Both the voices sounded like her soulmate's. She reached behind to unsheathe her sword and headed down towards the lake in the last minutes of light.

Gabrielle turned her head a little. "When will you give-up?"

Hope slowly chuckled. "Never." She unfolded her arms and took another step towards her mother. "I have… my parent's expectations to fulfil."

"You mean Dahak's orders." The young warrior flipped her sais under her wrists. "What are they?" Her eyes flickered to the right to see a dark form standing in the shadows by two trees. Her eyes went back to Hope quickly.

Hope saw the movement and knew before hand. She dropped her grin. "She doesn't need to hide." Her head turned to the left. "Come join us Xena."

The Warrior Princess materialized out of the darkness tall, stoic, and powerful. She strolled up with her sword in hand. She came to stand beside her partner and faced Hope. "Why are you here? Obviously not to attack us."

Hope slowly nodded to the warrior. "You've noticed." She folded her arms again and turned her attention directly to Gabrielle. Her eyes locked with green ones. "I've come to talk to you." Her eyes briefly went to Xena. "Both of you." She stared into her mother's hard eyes.

Gabrielle stared back. She was stuck in her stance. Slowly she turned her head away and stared at the ground. Her right hand came up to touch her soulmate's arm. "Xena?" she whispered while peering up.

The warrior turned her head away from the daughter of Dahak. She glanced down to her partner.

"Let's talk this over."

Xena slowly nodded and looked back to Hope. "Don't move," she growled. She walked off with her partner out of hearing distance from Hope.

They both could see Hope out of the corner of their eyes. Neither said anything at first.

"What you think?"

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure. You?"

"I don't know either… yet." The tall woman sighed and shifted her weight to her other foot.

"Let's let her talk." Gabrielle shrugged. "There may be something interesting in this."

Xena slowly nodded. "Maybe." She sighed a little. "Gabrielle be careful." She reached with her free hand to squeeze her lover's shoulder. "We both know she could be playing a game."

"I know… I know." The small woman sighed deeply. "Let's take her back into camp."

The warrior's eyes widen.

"Wait… wait." The young warrior held up a hand. "I know." She dropped her hand. "But think about it Xena." She paused. "It's almost night and it would be safer to take her into the camp. Then we can actually see her. It's going to be very dark out here… definitely without the moon."

The Warrior Princess grumbled a little. "You're right." She turned her head towards Hope then back to her partner. "Let's go." She turned towards Hope and started walking.

Gabrielle walked along side with her sais still out. Her body went ridged with her eyes cold all over again. "Follow me," she said directly to Hope as if she were a soldier. She turned to her right and walked towards the camp.

Hope silently followed behind.

The warrior narrowed her eyes, spun her sword, and followed behind Dahak's child.

The Amazon Queen came into the camp where the fire burned brightly to light the world around. She went to sit down on a rock with her hands on her legs. Her sais never left her hands.

Hope walked in front of the fire with her arms folded.

Xena came up beside her partner and stood there. "Start talking."

Dahak's daughter turned her side to the fire. She moved a little closer to it. "I have my… orders." Her right hand came up above the fire.

"And they are?" Gabrielle prompted.

Hope's hand went into the fire as the flames parted for her. "To capture you both." Her hand quickly came out of the fire and she slowly turned around on the heels of her boots.

Gradually the small warrior raised an eyebrow. "So here's your chance." She lifted her hands with the sais flashing. "Take it." Hands came back down.

Hope turned back to the fire. Her right hand went back into the flames, deep. She slowly raised her hand to lift a flame. "I can." She turned away from the fire to face the women again. "But I won't." She grinned a little. "I'm on daddy's bad side it seems mother." She quietly laughed with depth. "Dahak's will is not my own."

Gabrielle slowly shook her head.

Xena took a step forward. "We've played this game before." Her eyes narrowed.

Hope faintly shrugged.

The warrior-bard looked at her daughter with confusion. "Why… why are you here?" she whispered in a plea.

Dahak's daughter turned her head away. "Well it's certainly not because I had a choice." She whipped her head back. "Now did I?" Her eyes narrowed. "Since the beginning."

"You had a choice." Gabrielle was narrowing her eyes. "And you have one now." She sheathed her sais and stood up. "So make it." Her eyes went threatening. "Before I make mine."

The daughter of darkness glanced up and down her mother's length. She turned her head away and started to walk around the fire. "A new group of followers have come together. Dahak has an army of five hundred men and increasing." Her expression held not emotions and her voice cold. "Their leader is the Deliverer." Her eyes lifted as she came to the opposite side of the fire. "He's been reborn as well." She stopped walking. "Their mission is to seek you both out, pick up more followers, and people to sacrifice." She turned towards them.

"Why do they want us?" Xena folded her arms with her sword still in hand.

Hope's right hand came back up to play through the flames. "They want you, Xena, for the opening of Dahak's return. The Warrior Princess of darkness sacrificed to the one-god of darkness." She grinned while lifting her dark green eyes to the pair. Her eyes flickered to Gabrielle and the grin disappeared. "And you are to be taken to be infected… again." Her eyes lowered to the fire.

Gabrielle had begun to breathe a little heavy. "Again?"

"Yesss," hissed the child of darkness.

"Why again Hope?" Gabrielle started walking towards the fire. "Why?" She came right up the fire. "What's wrong with his daughter now?" Her eyes narrowed. "Why again Hope?"

Slowly Hope's dark green eyes lifted with vulnerability in them. "Because I can not carry out Dahak's will to capture my own mother." Her hand left the fire and she walked away from the fire to the edge of the camp.

"Why Hope?" Gabrielle side-step the fire. She menacingly came towards the other woman. "Why can't you take me?" She held out her arms. "I'm right here. You'll make Dahak happy like you always like to do." She dropped her arms. "Or do you finally have your own mind?"

"I've always had my own," yelled the Dahak's daughter. "I have since I was a baby." She started walking towards Gabrielle but stopped midway at seeing Xena come up beside her.

"That's such shit," whispered Gabrielle. "Like you said, you're daddy's little girl." She grinned smugly. "Now you know my side." She turned her back and started to walk off.

"Dahak never created me."

Gabrielle stopped in mid-stride. She turned back around to lock eyes with desperate green ones.

Hope's lips held a hidden sad smile. "He infected me too."

Xena stood silently. She examined everything said and done. She slowly sheathed her sword. A good sign.

The young warrior walked back up. She folded her arms against her chest. "One last time, what do you want?"

Hope lowered her eyes then glanced back up. She slowly whispered, "A second chance." She crossed her arms against her chest as if being in pain. "And I am not asking for you to be with me… but for me to be with you."

"Why now?" The small warrior shook her head in confusion. "Why?"

"Family runs thick as blood."

The Warrior Princess felt the deadly silence. She lifted her right hand to her partner's arm. "Come on." She nodded to the left.

The Amazon Queen slowly nodded and turned her attention away from Hope. She walked over to the opposite side of the camp.

"Are you okay?" The warrior placed both her hands on her lover's shoulders. She glanced down with worried eyes.

"Yeah… yeah fine." Gabrielle ran her right hand through her hair. "What you think?"

"I think this is interesting." Xena sighed faintly. "I don't know whether to believe her or not."

"Neither do I." The warrior-bard turned her head towards her old duplicate. She saw the sadden look on Hope's face. "Maybe there's something there."

"It's possible." Slowly the older woman shook her head. "But let's not get to concerned about that."

Gabrielle looked back and nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She took a deep breath. "We need a plan. We've gotta stop this army."

"Uh huh." Xena rubbed her soulmate's shoulders then released them. "Either way, I think we can use Hope."

"That's my thoughts." The young woman slowly nodded. "She could at least lead us to them." She folded her arms. "Could be a trap too."

"Either way, we'll get to them." The warrior straightened up. "Let's see what happens."

"What about Eve?" The small warrior shook her head. "Do you think they know anything about her? They may try to use her like they did Solan."

Xena closed her eyes and slowly opened. "Let's not go to her." She folded her arms. "She's older then what Solan was and she's with the Amazons."

"Yeah." Gabrielle faintly nodded. "Gods, I hope they don't know about her." She closed her eyes.

The warrior sadly smiled. "She's a big girl."

The warrior-bard halfheartedly chuckled. Her remorse eyes opened. "Thank Eli for that one." She turned her head to Hope. "Let's get this over with."

Xena leaned down to place a kiss on her partner's forehead. "Come on."

The pair walked back towards the woman of darkness.

The dark warrior folded her arms. "Can you take us to Dahak's army?"

Slowly Hope nodded. "I'll take you to them and help you stop them."

"One thing at time." The warrior narrowed her eyes and walked off.

Hope turned her attention to Gabrielle in question. "What now?"

"Sleep." Gabrielle walked over to her partner near Argo. She took the sleeping fur and bedroll from her lover's hands. She came back towards Hope and tossed them towards her. "Sleep close by the fire, its going to get cold."

The daughter watched the small warrior stroll off. She walked near the fire to prepare for the night.

The soulmates slept together as normal on the opposite side of the fire from Hope. But out of the way enough to watch Hope. Sleep would come slow and not for long with the soulmates.

~*Part 2*~

The group's trek begun early in the morning considering nobody could sleep comfortably. Xena walked with Argo in tow on her right. On Gabrielle's left was her stallion in tow. Between the soulmates was Hope so they could easily watch over her.

Hope glanced to her left at Gabrielle. Her eyes traveled up and down the small warrior's length taking in her body since so many years. She noticed how ridged and stoic was Gabrielle's profile. "You've changed." Her voice broke the silence.

Gabrielle slowly turned her head towards her old copy. "Yes." She grinned faintly. "And have you?"

Hope looked away. "Time does that."

"Oh, is that what it is?" The warrior-bard glanced ahead again. "Thought people changed themselves."

Dahak's daughter didn't reply.

The small warrior glanced over to her soulmate. "Do we have enough supplies for this?"

Xena nodded after a moment. "Yeah, we'll be fine."

Hope suddenly stopped walking.

The soulmates both stopped and turned towards her.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

The child of darkness lifted her index finger over her lips for silence. She lowered her hand and slowly turned her head to the right. She blinked and started jogging off into the woods.

The small warrior glanced up to her partner. "What is she doing?"

"I don't know." Xena narrowed her eyes, reached to unsheathe her sword, and jogged after Hope with Argo behind.

The Amazon Queen sighed and jogged behind.

Hope came through a few more trees and onto a road. She stopped in her jog and stared at the scene.

The soulmates came up behind with wide eyes.

"Hell," cursed the small warrior. She moved to a tree and tied up her horse.

Xena did the same. "It's a warlord taking the village." She glanced back to the scene of the town being attacked. Part of the town she saw was on fire.

"How can you tell?" Gabrielle finished tying her horse up.

"By that." The warrior pointed to the flag waving in the middle of the village. "Let's go." She broke off running.

The shorter warrior nodded and ran behind her partner.

Hope didn't say a word nor did she move. She just stared at the burning village. Then her eyes flickered to the soulmates and watched them fight the enemies. Her attention focused on Gabrielle.

Gabrielle did a roundhouse kick to send the man on his ass. She grinned and kicked him hard between the legs. She then kneeled down to punch him out cold. She lifted her eyes to see another male warrior headed towards a woman. She unsheathed her sais and sprung up to stop him.

The male warrior went crashing to his side as his feet were taken out from under him.

The Amazon Queen looked up to the woman. "Run!" she yelled.

The woman nodded and ran in complete fear.

The soldier got up and faced the small woman. He had his sword in hand and grinned to take on Gabrielle.

Gabrielle laughed deeply and flipped her sais. "Come on," she coaxed.

Hope watched her mother fight the warrior. As she watched a grin slowly crept along her lips. Her arms folded against her chest. Then she glanced to the right of Gabrielle and caught sight of a man on horseback headed towards Gabrielle. Her grin dropped.

The warrior-bard ducked as the sword slashed over her head. She brought out her right sai's blade and lunged forward to knock the man's sword out of hand.

The warrior gave a worried laugh.

Gabrielle laughed back with a grin. She lifted her right hand in a fist and punched hard.

The man went stumbling back holding his bloody nose.

The small warrior grinned and did another roundhouse kick. She watched him go reeling back to hit a house and fall to the ground unconscious. "This warlord needs better warriors," she mumbled under her breath. She started to turn around and as she did she heard what sounded like her voice scream her name. She glanced to her right to see Hope running towards her. With wide eyes, she looked to her left to see a horseback man coming at her with his sword at her.

Hope had picked up incredible speed in her run. She was a mere footstep from Gabrielle as was the horseback man. She took another large step, leaped, and aimed for Gabrielle.

Gabrielle raised her sais ready to try and stop the horseback man but knew it wouldn't happen. She growled while narrowing her eyes. She saw the sword aimed at her and closed in and a huge pain came to her side. It wasn't the sword. For she went crashing to her left side with a heavy load over her body. She heard a large growl from on top of her.

The small warrior lifted her head a little to see Hope on top of her. She then sought out the horseback man to see him being stopped by her soulmate. She sighed in relief.

Dahak's daughter lifted her head with a small grin. "Next time, watch your back."

Slowly a grin crept along the Amazon Queen's lips. "I'll try." She smiled a little. "Thank you."

Hope blinked. She shook her head at that not totally believing it.

The small warrior quietly laughed and heard a huge crack. She looked up from where it came and saw part of the house was going to fall over them. It was on fire. "Oh no." She wrapped her arms around Hope and started to roll away a few times.

The three large boards came crashing down to hit the ground with a boom. The wood continued to burn.

The child of darkness carefully opened her eyes as she rested on her back in the ground. She peered up to see the small warrior's body covering hers in protection.

Gabrielle lifted her head and looked to her left. She could feel the heat from the burning wood. She sighed in relief again and peered down at the other small woman. "Even."

"Looks that way." Hope had an expressionless face.

The older woman slowly stood up and held her hand out. "Going to get up?"

Hope studied the other woman's eyes for a moment. She took the hand and felt herself helped up.

Gabrielle looked to the left again and spotted her sais near the burning wood. "Oh Hell."

"Hold on." Hope walked over to them and reached down to lift them up. She could feel them burning but held none the less since fire and heat never scorched her.

"Are you alright?" Xena came up beside her partner.

Gabrielle glanced up with smile. "Yeah… we both are."

Slowly a smile crept along the Warrior Princess's lips. She lifted her eyes towards Hope. She watched the daughter of darkness carefully hand over to Gabrielle her sais. She patted her lover's back and looked back to the village. "Come on, we only have a few more warriors to take down."

"So, you joining?" The warrior-bard raised an eyebrow at Hope.

Hope shrugged. "Why not?" She faintly grinned and walked off towards a warrior that was fighting a farmer.

The small woman peered up to her soulmate.

Xena slowly smiled. "Come on." She spun her sword and went back in action.

Gabrielle followed with her still warm sais. She soon found herself backing up with her back to Hope.

The warrior was fighting three men and quickly found her sword knocked out of hand. Her sword skidding away. She sighed with a grin and started to use her hands.

The Amazon Queen saw it and would have helped but got caught up with two enemies.

Dahak's daughter finished stopping her opponent and sent the farmer away to safety. She turned around and saw what the two warriors were doing. She then noticed Xena lacked her sword. She turned her head to the right and saw the sword. Her eyes focused on the sword.

The Warrior Princess saw out of the corner of her eyes her sword floating in mid air. She didn't know whether to be happy or worried. She then saw the sword turn its point towards her and the three enemies.

The sword went reeling towards the group.

Xena lost focused and got a kick to her stomach leaving her bending forward to breathe. She knew her opponent was about to strike another blow. But she grinned when it didn't come. Her eyes lifted and she saw her sword sticking in the man's side. She grabbed the sword, pushed the guy down, and spun the sword to stop the other two men.

Hope chuckled deeply with an evil grin. She scanned around and saw the enemy starting to leave. She then caught sight of a staff by one warrior. Her eyes focused on the staff and it lifted in the air to float towards her. She snatched it out of midair and she strolled up towards Gabrielle.

The Amazon Queen saw the child of darkness come up behind her two enemies. She nodded faintly as she parried a sword blade.

The dark woman laughed and raised her staff. She twirled it and brought it hard across on man's back to send him on the ground. She brought her staff around and hit the other man behind the head.

Gabrielle bent down to take out the first man with a hard below to his forehead. She then bounced up and saw Hope tap her enemy with the tip of her boot.

The unconscious man groaned.

Xena twirled her sword as her last opponent widened his eyes, dropped his sword, and ran. Xena laughed and sheathed her sword. "They don't make good warriors like they use too."

The two small women strolled up beside Xena.

"Nope, afraid not Xen." Gabrielle grinned as she grasped her soulmate's arm.

The Warrior Princess chuckled and leaned down towards her friend. "Looks like it's just you and I." She kissed her soulmate warmly on the lips.

Hope narrowed her eyes but sighed sadly.

When Xena pulled back, the warrior-bard asked, "We're the good warriors left?"

"Yup." The tall woman winked then glanced through the village. "Let's see if we can't go help out."

"Yeah." Gabrielle glanced back to Hope. "Coming?" Her smile dropped at studying the other woman. Between the fact that Hope looked exactly like she had, held a staff, and wore her old clothes left her stunned.

"Gabrielle," whispered the warrior. She peered at Hope and saw how she looked like her lover so long ago. She then glanced to her partner. "Come on." She would need to talk to her warrior about this later.

"Um." The Amazon Queen peeked up to her warrior. "Mind if I talk to Hope for a second?"

Xena slowly nodded and smiled. "Alright." She placed a kiss to her lover's forehead. "See you soon." She turned away and walked off with a strong gate.

"Odd isn't it?" Hope dropped the butt end of the staff on the ground. She leaned against it.

The small warrior ran her hand through her hair. "It is." She sighed a little. "Look, I don't know what you're planning." She went serious. "You may have saved me back there but I'm still weary." She folded her arms. "If you're really intending to… leave Dahak you better not just convince me but Xena." She dropped her arms. "And you'll have a lot of convincing to do."

"I know," whispered the daughter of Dahak. "But I'm trying something new."

"Oh?" The small warrior corked an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Hope faintly smiled. "Trying a little hope."

"Doesn't always work." Gabrielle sighed and walked off.

"I didn't ask for this." The daughter of Dahak closed her eyes then opened again.

"Yes you did." The small warrior turned around and kept walking. She pointed a finger. "It was always your choice Hope." She shook her head while walking backwards slowly. "Try taking responsibility." She turned around and kept walking.

Hope closed her eyes and dropped her head against the staff. She then noticed the sting on her back. Her left hand reached behind to touch an ooze liquid. Her left hand came around and she stared at the blood on her fingertips. She rubbed her fingertips together while looking up towards Gabrielle's back. "Thick as blood." She sadly smiled and started following far behind.

~*~*~*~

Hope stood silently next to Gabrielle's horse.

Xena was down by Argo's saddlebags adjusting things.

The small warrior was just coming out of the village after waving goodbye to a few villagers. She came down the road away to her soulmate and Hope. She came up behind the daughter of darkness and she stopped. She grabbed Hope's arm. "Why didn't you say something?"

Dahak's daughter glanced to Gabrielle in question.

"Your back?" The small warrior narrowed her eyes.

Hope shrugged. "Didn't really matter."

"Oh for Aphrodite's sake." Gabrielle groaned. "You've got my stubbornness," she mumbled. She took a step back and released the arm. Her hand came up to graze over the dried blood. The slash mark, she noticed, was directly under the young woman's green halter-top. "Xena?" She glanced up.

"Step ahead of you." The warrior tossed the medical kit.

The Amazon Queen caught it and peered at Hope. "Come on sit down." She led the younger woman to a rock to sit on.

The dark small woman sat down on the cool rock and dropped the staff to the ground. She watched Gabrielle come behind her.

The warrior-bard pulled out a cloth.

"Here, you might need this." Xena handed a wineskin over with a grin.

The small woman chuckled and took the skin. "Thanks, forgot."

"No problem." The warrior strolled back over to her mare.

The young warrior wet the rag. "This is going to sting." She placed the rag against the younger woman's back.

Hope hissed and closed her eyes. She leaned forward.

"You got this from that horseback man huh?"

"Yes." Dahak's child could feel the sting all along her back.

Gabrielle sighed deeply and put the cloth away after cleaning off the dry blood. "Be more careful." She took out some salve. "And tell Xena or I next time about a wound. You don't need it infected."

Slowly a small grin creased Hope's lips. "Are you mothering me?"

The older woman went stiff and almost dropped the thing of salve. "No," she whispered. She continued placing the ointment on the wound.

Hope quietly laughed and relaxed. She felt the gently touch of the other woman's hand. A gentle and warm touch. And as she focused more she picked up on the hidden love in the touch. She remembered the touch from when she was a baby. "You did love me," she whispered.

Gabrielle's eyes stayed pinned on the wound. "I did." She finished putting the salve on and put it away. She closed up the medical kit and picked up the wineskin.

"What happened?" The small woman glanced up the young warrior. "At my birth."

The older woman stared down at the child of darkness. "A lot." She paused with hard eyes. "Maybe I'll tell you."

Hope dropped her eye contact and looked down at the staff. She lifted it up and stood. She turned her head to Gabrielle. "It would help." She walked towards the horses.

The Amazon Queen sighed and came over to her partner. "Here, thanks."

"Welcome." Xena put the supplies away. She looked over to Hope. "How much farther to the army?"

"Considering they're headed towards us, not much longer." The young woman shrugged. "By tomorrow midday I would think." She shifted her weight against the staff.

The warrior glanced down to her lover. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah." Gabrielle smiled reassuringly. "I can handle it." She grasped her lover's arm. "Just be there with me."

"Forever," whispered the tall woman. She leaned down to kiss her soulmate gently. She lifted her head back up afterwards. "Let's go." She walked up to take Argo's reins.

Gabrielle moved to get her reins. She untied them and walked into the woods headed back to their road from earlier.

~*~*~*~

Gabrielle lifted her eyes from the road to her soulmate.

Hope glanced to the small warrior and caught the look. She gazed ahead and said, "I think I'm going to walk ahead of you guys." She picked up her pace.

The lovers closed in the distance between each other.

Xena stared at Hope's back. Smart girl… like her mother. She furrowed her eyebrows at the thought that came naturally.

"What is it?"

"Nothing… nothing." The warrior shook her head and peered down at her partner. "Just funny thought." She shrugged it off. "What's up?"

"What we going to do Xen?" The Amazon Queen looked to her lover then at Hope's back. "She's really trying." She sighed. "I basically told her she's gotta convince you to convince me."

"Or convince you to convince me," whispered the warrior.

Gabrielle's head whipped up with a surprised expression. She knew it was Xena's way of saying she supported Gabrielle's decision.

The Warrior Princess smiled warmly but lost it a little. "But be careful."

"I know." The small woman turned her attention forward. "What about Dahak's army?" She shook her head. "How are we going to stop all of them?"

"I'm not sure." Xena considered for a moment.

"I wonder if Hope will really help us." Gabrielle had an amused smile. "It will be interesting."

"Uh huh." The warrior chuckled a little. "I guess twenty-five years did something."

"Yeah." The small woman snickered. "Besides making me want to think, it would do a lot of something else."

The older woman coughed for a moment. "Didn't I find out." She evilly grinned.

Gabrielle laughed a little and shook her head. "Okay okay… we need to be serious."

"Look." The warrior reached over to collect her lover's hand. "How are you handling the past mirror appearance?"

The short female sighed deeply while considering. "Its weird." She shook her head. "Every time I look at Hope my mind flashes back to the temple, the pit, and my parent's home." She peered up to her lover. "It's like looking at my younger self." She looked up to Xena. "How about you?"

A long sighed escaped from the warrior. "It's hard." She squeezed her partner's hand. "Confusing."

Gabrielle laughed with a sigh. "Yeah tell me about it." She stopped talking for a moment. "Xena?"

"Yeah?" The warrior looked down.

The Amazon Queen turned her head away. "I want to… teach Hope how to use the staff."

"What?" whispered Xena in a hard voice. "She has telekinesis."

"That's not enough." The younger woman lifted her stubborn eyes. "Her telekinesis was like my ability to talk to stop an enemy." She reflected in silence. "I know… the telekinesis can by dangerous but it won't protect her nor is it quick enough."

The warrior sighed. "You're teaching the enemy how to kill."

"But we're not sure if she's the enemy." The warrior-bard squeezed her partner's hand tightly. "Only the basics of the staff." She smiled warmly. "You can be there."

"What happens if she tries to kill you in this practice?"

Gabrielle sighed. "I don't think she will." She shrugged. "If she is with Dahak she'll capture me." She shrugged again. "Besides, if I can't trust her to practice with how are we going to have her by our side against that army?"

The warrior slowly sighed. "Alright but I'll be there."

"I want you to be." The small warrior smiled.

"Mind as well stop early then." Xena scanned around for an area to make camp.

~*~*~*~

Hope turned her head to the left to gaze at Gabriele. "Why'd we stop so early?"

Gabrielle tore her gaze away from the fire. "Glad you asked." She stood having just finished lighting the fire. She saw her partner come over with a saddlebag. "You ready?"

The Warrior Princess nodded. "Yup." She dropped the saddlebag on the ground.

The small warrior gazed over the dark woman. "Come on." She walked over towards the clearing's edge.

Hope followed along side.

Xena stayed behind. "Right off here to the right."

The Amazon Queen nodded. "I see it, thanks Xena."

The group came to another smaller clearing.

Gabrielle turned to face her younger self.

The warrior walked over to a tree and leaned against it.

"Okay, show me your fighting stance." The small warrior signaled with a wave of her hand.

"What?" Hope furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't know how to use a staff."

"Well you're about to." Gabrielle took a step and reached out to grasp Hope here and there to adjust her body. She then tilted the staff a little. "Perfect." She took a step back and nodded.

The younger woman corked an eyebrow. "You're teaching me how to fight?"

"Yeah." Gabrielle smirked. "Got a problem?"

Hope blinked as her hard expression dropped. "Okay… so what I do?"

The small woman kneeled down to unsheathe her sais. "First, you're going to learn defense."

~*~*~*~

Xena shook her head as she watched her partner and Hope fight. It was like seeing the past and future fight each other. It was the oddest scene she'd seen. It was complete irony to her.

Gabrielle lifted her sais to stop the staff coming over her head. She jumped back with a grin and put the sais under her wrists again. She did a kick towards Hope.

The younger woman sprung back and spun her staff. She grinned herself. Ran forward, planted the butt end of the staff in the ground, and jumped.

The small warrior's eyes widen and she sprung out of the way. She then quickly kicked at the planted staff to take it down.

Hope went crashing to her back with a groan. "Bad idea," she moaned.

"No, it was a good idea." Gabrielle came up to Hope's head. She glanced down with a smirk. "Next time, just distract me."

"Right." The small woman on the ground coughed and slowly sat up.

The warrior walked into the clearing, picked up the staff, and held it out to Hope as she stood.

Dahak's daughter slowly reached out to let her fingers curl around the staff. She stared into crystal blue eyes. "Thanks."

Xena briskly nodded and looked over to her partner. "Hungry?"

"I think so." Gabrielle shifted to her lover's side.

There was a rumble of a stomach.

The soulmates blinked at each other and turned their heads slowly towards a blushing Hope.

The daughter of the one-god cough and placed her right hand behind her neck. "Never had that happen before." She dropped her hand and spun on her heels. "I'm hungry too." She walked off towards the camp.

Gabrielle's eyes widen then she started to laugh hard.

Xena soon joined in with her.

Hope sighed deeply as she came to clearing's edge. She partially turned around. "It was all the fighting."

The Amazon Queen settled down. "It isn't that." She sighed and winked up to her lover.

The Warrior Princess smirked then walked.

The small warrior came up beside her younger self. "It's a joke." She smiled with hints of warmth. "I have a bad appetite… use to at least."

"Mmm." Hope slowly nodded and dropped her head to continued towards the camp. "What we eating anyway?"

Gabrielle quietly giggled. "I'm not sure." A grin creased her lips. "Any… suggestions?"

Xena was just listening with an amused expression. Her defenses were slowly calming down around Hope. She was seeing a new side to Dahak's daughter. She was seeing a new side to Gabrielle's daughter.

"How about salmon?"

The warrior-bard was about to respond but her soulmate cut in.

"Wrong seasons, wrong water, wrong-"

"Alright… alright." Hope held up her free hand. "Trout?" She peered up with a raised eyebrow.

The tall woman slowly grinned. "Now that's in season."

The soulmates looked to each other with huge grins.

Gabrielle turned her head away and lost the grin. She dropped her head a little and began to think.

Hope sighed contently.

The warrior saw the camp coming into view.

The smaller warrior ran her right hand through her short hair. She better not be playing games with us, thought she.

~*~*~*~

Gabrielle finished eating her trout. She looked over to Hope. "How's your back?"

"It's fine." The young woman didn't gaze up.

The Amazon Queen studied the dark woman for a moment. She then asked, "Does the Deliver or the rest of the army know what I look like now?"

Hope lifted her eyes. "They assume you still look like me."

Xena turned her head towards her partner.

The small warrior peered up with a huge grin. "Think it would work?"

Dahak's daughter glanced between to two warriors. "What would work?"

The warrior turned her head to Hope. "Having you pose as Gabrielle."

"We need to get those hostage out of the army first Hope." The short warrior placed her fork on her empty plate. "To do that we need a distraction." She paused as she gazed seriously at the one-god's chosen. "Do you want to do this?"

The youngest women slowly began to nod with stern eyes. "Yes." She thought in a few seconds. "What's the plan?"

After those plans Xena decided to go check on the surrounding area. Her attention went to Gabrielle. "You'll be here fine alone?"

"Yeah." Gabrielle nodded. "Go ahead."

The warrior nodded and disappeared into the woods.

Hope's cold eyes stayed pinned on the Warrior Princess leaving. She sat near the fire.

The older woman sat on a log farther away. She gazed over to the dark woman. "You're still jealous of her."

Dahak's chosen turned her head quickly towards Gabrielle. "How couldn't I be?" Her eyes narrowed. "You've always chosen her over me." She looked away.

The small warrior sighed. If only she knew the truth. Gabrielle stood up and walked over to the fire to place wood into it.

~*~*~*~

Gabrielle curled up into her lover's arms in the cool night. She'd just seen to Hope's back to make sure the wound was healing right.

The warrior pulled her soulmate in tightly to hold. "Tired?"

"Yeah." The small warrior tucked her head under Xena's. "You?"

"Mmm, I think I could take on two armies then I'll be sleepy."

The younger woman quietly laughed. "I'd like to see that." She kissed her lover's collarbone. "I hope things work tomorrow."

"They will." Xena tugged the fur over their bodies more.

"Xena…" Gabrielle stopped trying to form everything right. "What if Hope has really left Dahak?"

"Do you really think she has?" The warrior asked sincerely. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

"I'm not totally sure yet… fifty-fifty." The small woman sighed deeply. "I wanna believe you know?" She shrugged. "I really think she has a dark side."

The Warrior Princess didn't respond right away. This is a powerful thing. "It's possible." She then added, "I can certainly see the good in her. She may have a side of her that's Dahak then a side of her that is you."

The warrior-bard started to nod slowly. "That's what I think sometimes too." She paused. "Tomorrow we'll truly find out when we destroy Dahak." She lifted her head up and gazed into her lover's eyes. "If we win Hope then we stop Dahak for eternity."

"You believe that?"

Gabrielle slowly nodded. "Yes. Hope is Dahak's only key to getting reborn." Her eyes went intense. "She is Dahak's hope." She paused. "She's my hope." Her eyes narrowed into conviction. "This is a fight for Hope."

Xena brought her right hand across her lover's lips. "Then lets win her."

The small woman smiled sadly and leaned into kiss her soulmate with love.

~*Part 3*~

The three women ducked down in the brush. They glanced ahead to see the army milling around in their camp.

"Where are the prisoners?" Gabrielle gazed over at Hope.

The one-god's chosen scanned around and then pointed to her right. "In that tent. See the three guards?"

"Okay." The small warrior nodded.

Xena turned her head to her partner. "I'll head over there and take care of any men on the way." She grinned. "I'll signal for you to come."

"Right." Gabrielle nodded and faced Hope. "And you'll wait for out signal to distract the army."

"Got it." Hope nodded and raised her staff. "So, are we doing this or what?" She grinned.

The Warrior Princess chuckled. "Yup." She leaned over to kiss her lover. "Be careful."

"You too." The Amazon Queen responded. "You'll see you over there."

The warrior winked and disappeared.

Gabrielle watched her go then glanced back to the younger woman. "You ready for this?"

"Yes." Hope slowly nodded then gave a confident smile. "You?"

"Always." The small warrior took a deep breath. "You be careful Hope." She stared directly into Hope's eyes.

Hope stared for a moment but slowly nodded. "I will."

Gabrielle grinned. She looked off to the right to see her soulmate's sword flash in the sun. She gazed back to Hope. "One last thing." She stood up a little. "I did fight Xena for you." She started to move away but added, "I almost lost Xena."

Dahak's daughter shook her head. "Wait, Gabrielle."

The small warrior peered back as her right hand held open the brush.

Hope froze for a moment. But quietly said with a smile, "Be careful yourself… mother." Her voice and eyes were the warmest they had ever been.

Gabrielle smiled warmly at her daughter. "Just come back to me Hope." She disappeared.

Hope's eyes dropped to the ground. "We'll see," she whispered sadly while looking back to the army. Within a few moments she saw Xena and Gabrielle signal to her. She gripped the staff strongly and stood up. She went running into the camp with her staff at the ready.

All the people in the army noticed and pulled their swords out. They circled around the small bard.

"Gabrielle."

Hope turned her head to the voice to see the Deliverer step out.

"It's so good to see you and you're right in time." The Deliverer signaled to the men. "Get her."

The fifteen or so men all swarmed Hope.

Hope twirled her staff and started to fight the men off.

Xena and Gabrielle poked out of their hidden spot and started towards the tent that held the people for the sacrifices.

The one-god's chosen continued to fight just keeping the men away from herself. She would glance now and again at the warriors.

The soulmates neared the tent.

Hope glanced behind the soulmates to see three men coming out of the forest with their hands behind their heads in pain. She knew they were the guards Xena had knocked out. She also knew they would sound the alarm and everything would be lost. So she went to her own personal plan b. "Stop you fools!" Hope ducked. "I'm not Gabrielle!" She saw a dagger on the ground and lifted it up mentally.

The dagger went flying towards the deliverer to have it stop between his eyes.

The Deliverer sucked in a breath as he saw the tip of the dagger between his eyes. "Stop!"

The soldiers all stopped attacking.

Hope whirled around and pointed to the soulmates. "Stop them before they free the sacrifices. I will it!"

A number of men drew swords and came after the warriors.

Xena and Gabrielle stood back to back with their weapons out. They looked around frantically as numerous men surrounded them.

Hope lowered her staff and walked up to where they caught the two warriors. "Glad everybody finally figured this out." She shifted through a few men.

The Deliverer followed and saw Gabrielle. "She's changed."

"Very observant." Hope glanced over to the soulmates. "Drop your weapons."

Gabrielle's upper lip twitched at the cold voice. She felt a rage building in her.

Xena dropped her sword because she knew she'd need her hands free.

The small warrior screamed and went charging towards Hope.

The Warrior Princess moved to grab her partner. "Don't Gabrielle."

Dahak's chosen stood with a huge grin. "You can't win Gabrielle."

The warrior held her soulmate tightly. "Please Gabrielle."

Gabrielle still struggled but was settling down. She finally stopped and dropped her sais.

"Take them." Hope watched as the men rushed to take the warriors.

~*~*~*~

Dahak's daughter slowly walked through the camp and put her hands behind her back as she came up to the two poles. She spotted the soulmates tied to them with four guards. She came right up between them. "How's the weather out here?" She smugly asked.

Xena lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you join us?"

"No, that's alright." Hope grinned evilly. "My tent is better." She glanced over to Gabrielle.

The small warrior looked into deep green eyes. She told everything she could in her eyes to Hope.

Hope brought her right hand up to her mother's cheek. "I'm going home soon." Her expression was emotionless.

Gabrielle studied her daughter's eyes. She saw all she needed to see so she closed her eyes.

The Dahak's chosen dropped her hand and walked off without another word.

That had been late at evening and a cold evening at that.

~*Part 4*~

The morning came and so did the preparations for a sacrifice began. Right before the soulmates a stone table was set up and an altar beside it that contained five daggers. Then by that late morning a composite of clergy came circling around the body length stone table.

Slowly Hope and the Deliverer reappeared before them. Hope still wore her green halter-top, brown skirt, and brown boots. Her staff wasn’t in hand. The Deliverer stood beside her and began to speak.

"Today we will sacrifice one of the darkest mortals on this earth. Her sacrifice will begin the rebirth of Dahak." He grinned while his eyes fell on the soulmates. "It is Dahak's will!"

Each clergy nodded in agreement.

Three guards came up to Xena with their swords. One went behind getting ready to cut the ropes.

Gabrielle stood tall but her body shook. She couldn't believe this would be the end of her story.

"Stop!"

Everybody went still and turned their heads to the owner of the loud voice.

The Deliverer narrowed his eyes. "Do you defy Dahak's will?"

Hope turned her head to the ugly monster. "Silence!"

The Deliverer growled. "This is not Dahak's will!"

"It is my will!" The daughter of Dahak yelled. "Silence!"

The Deliverer reached to his sword at his side. "You've defied Dahak."

Hope laughed with a grin. "Daddy will forgive me… someday." She stepped back and held her right hand towards the altar.

The five daggers lifted up and went soaring through the air to land into the Deliverer's chest. They sent the Deliverer to his knees then on his face.

Dahak's chosen slowly turned to face the clergy.

The clergy all started an uproar in amazement. The three guards stood stun in their position.

The soulmates however went from shocked to grinning.

"Silence!" Hope yelled again.

The clergy settled down and looked up to the dark woman.

Gabrielle's daughter smiled with mockery. "Thank you." Her smile dropped. "Now, who do you truly follow?" Hope tilted her head. "Dahak or me?" She grinned. "Who is down here in this mortal world leading you? Is it Dahak or is it me?" Her hands went to her hips. "Who are you loyal too?"

The clergy murmured to one another and all responded, "Hope."

Dahak's daughter smiled brightly as her eyes sparkled. "Then listen to me." She paused. "The way of the one-god is the worst of them all. He will cleanse this world with chaos." Her eyes flickered to the Deliverer. "And if you follow Dahak, you will look like him." She held her hand out to the dead Deliverer.

The clergy all snickered lowly.

"My point exactly." Hope smirked while taking a step towards the clergy. "I've heard of another way." She glanced between the clergy. "It has better benefits too." She grinned but went serious. "It is the way of love that spreads strongly through this world. It accepts everybody." She smiled faintly. "I recommend you all look into it." Her eyes narrowed. "For the religion of the one-god no longer exists as of now." She paused as she said the last words in promise. "Dahak has no Hope."

Gabrielle dropped her head forward and closed her eyes. "Thank you… whoever."

Xena smiled to herself and dropped her head against the pole.

The clergy dispersed to go back into the camp.

"Ready to get off those poles?"

The soulmates opened their eyes to see Hope standing with a smug look and her hands on her hips.

Hope looked to the three guards. "Go and tell the army the news. I want this army destroyed by the afternoon. Is that clear?"

The three guards nodded with smiles. They quickly left.

Gabrielle's daughter turned her attention back to the soulmates. She lifted bother her hands and turned them.

The knots in the ropes loosened and came apart. The ropes then fell to the ground.

The soulmates rubbed their wrists.

Hope folded her arms. "I think I may need help in dispersing an army." She glanced up to Xena.

The Warrior Princess grinned. "It's easy."

~*~*~*~

Gabrielle's head was bobbing up and down as she stood up from sheathing her sais. "Thank Aphrodite this is over with."

Hope moved her head in agreement. "I agree." She put her hands on her hips as she watched the former soldiers begin to walk away.

The small warrior turned her head to her daughter. "So, what you planning now?"

"I don't know." Hope ran her hand through her bangs. "I was hoping…" She turned her head away.

"You can if you can finish the sentence." The Amazon Queen grinned.

The younger woman smiled a little. "Xena wouldn't mind?"

"Mmm." Gabrielle grinned while glancing around. "You convince me you convince Xena." She winked. "Package deal."

Hope laughed quietly the smiled sadly. "Can I travel with you and Xena for awhile?"

"Of course." The short warrior nodded with a smile. "We'd love it."

Gabrielle's daughter shyly smiled then gazed away. She dropped her head a little. "Gabrielle, I'm… I'm sorry about the past." She looked up with desperation. "Things were even confusing for me then." Her right hand came up to pull her bangs back. "I thought you betrayed me when I was a baby." Tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "I never knew you fought against Xena for me." She shook her head and whispered, "I'm so sorry." More emotions and more tears. "It was all my fault."

"It wasn't Hope." The small warrior grasped her daughter's shoulders. "It was Dahak."

Hope dropped her arms. "Like you said, I had choices."

"You did and you've accepted them." Gabrielle smiled sadly. "But what choice you didn't have was having Dahak as a father."

"But-"

"Don't but it." The mother narrowed her eyes. "Xena and I tried butting it." She sighed a little. "Dahak infected me and he infected you." She smiled sadly. "What's important is you broke through that." She squeezed the small shoulders. "You have your hope." Her emotions released with the tears coming out.

Hope smiled sadly and moved in to hug her mother tightly. She dug her head down into Gabrielle's neck and cried harder. "I'm sorry… sorry," she whispered in a plea.

"Sssh." Gabrielle rocked her daughter while trying to keep her safe. "It's over."

Xena came out of a tent after taking care the hostages. She glanced over to see her soulmate hugging Hope in the afternoon sun. She smiled warmly. "First it was Eve and now it's Hope." She grinned. "Family keeps getting bigger." She watched from a distance.

Slowly Gabrielle pulled back but placed a kiss to her daughter's cheek. "Okay?" She reached up to brush back blond bangs.

"Yeah." Hope sadly smiled then nodded. "Thank you."

"Thank you." The small warrior smiled confidently at her daughter.

The younger woman chuckled and looked behind her mother. "Mmm, look at that sight."

Gabrielle looked to her right to see her soulmate reflecting her armor in the warm sunlight. "Beautiful isn't it?"

"Uh huh." Hope snickered a little. "How'd you get her mother?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out." The Amazon Queen grinned at Hope then back to her warrior. She yelled, "Going to join us?"

The warrior quietly laughed and crossed the distance over to them. She came up to Gabrielle and kissed her warmly. When she pulled back she went serious. "The people that were held are heading back to their village."

"Will they be safe enough?"

Xena slowly nodded. "All came from the same village and there's twenty of them." She smiled. "Nothing to worry about."

The small warrior nodded. "Good." She grasped her partner's arm. "Hope is coming with us."

Slowly the tall woman's dark eyes lifted to Gabrielle's daughter. "Glad you could join us." A fine smile creased her lips.

Hope slowly nodded. "Glad I can come."

Xena sighed and held her right hand out.

Carefully and gradually the young woman took the arm and shook. She saw the warm smile given to her and she returned it. Yet she still saw a few walls high up in Xena's eyes. But this was a start.

They released arms and focused their attention on Gabrielle.

"Where to?" The small warrior peered up to her lover.

"To the Amazons."

The Amazon Queen nodded with a smile. "You think you're ready for that?" she whispered.

"Are you?" replied the warrior.

Gabrielle snickered. "Nope."

Hope furrowed her eyebrows. "Read for what?" Her hands went on her hips. "I'm missing something here."

"Uh huh." The young warrior slowly nodded.

"What is it?" The daughter glanced between her mother and the warrior. "Fine! Don't tell me!" She grinned and walked off. "I'm gonna go get my staff."

The short woman sighed with a chuckle. "I wonder what Evie will think."

"Her jaw will drop." Xena grinned at her partner. "She won't believe it."

"Well…" Gabrielle shrugged. "At least Eve will know what I use to look like."

The Warrior Princess huffed. "To say the least, love."

The small woman chuckled and sighed contently. "This is perfect." She smiled to her soulmate. "I got her."

"You've got your Hope." Xena wrapped an arm around her partner's waist. "Family of women."

The warrior-bard snickered. "Could be a bad scene." She peeked up to her soulmate. "A mini Amazon Nation."

The warrior rolled her eyes. "I don't think so."

"Could you just get a load of us four walking into a tavern full of guys?"

Xena laughed and shook her head. "I can imagine the men's gawking expressions." She pressed her lips together. "But then we are not all traveling together."

"Why not?" Gabrielle furrowed her eyebrows.

The warrior corked an eyebrow in suggestion. "No privacy."

The Amazon Queen's expression dropped. "Oh gods, you're right." She shook her head. "Day trips only." She saw Hope coming back with her staff. "Ready?"

"Yup." Hope joined them and leaned against her staff. "People are going to think we're twins."

Gabrielle grinned. "True, it'll be fun."

"For awhile anyway." The young woman straightened up. "You know people will be calling me Gabrielle."

"Take it as a compliment."

Hope lifted her eyes to Xena and grinned. "I will." She started walking now. The soulmates joined her.

The three women slowly walked away from the old camp, Gabrielle in the middle with her Hope on one side and her soulmate on the other.

"Mother?"

"Mmm?" Gabrielle glimpsed over to her daughter.

Hope evilly grinned as she tried to give an innocent look. "Can I get my hair cut like yours?"

Both the soulmate's eyes widen and yelled together, "No!"

Hope snickered evilly as she walked with a new happiness in her eyes.