"What do you have to say about Hope?"  Gabrielle looked at Xena, "I was just saying that I miss her." 

"You miss her?  She's a monster, there's nothing to miss." 

"'But maybe if I was a better mother, if I held her in my arms, and then I know she would've had a pure heart.  Don't you see Xena?  She's my blood, she's my daughter."

Xena studied the worried face of her friend, she watched as the tears fell from Gabrielle's eyes.  Gabrielle thought about the times she held Hope, she thought about the many times she could've held Hope.  Gabrielle missed her daughter.

Xena left her friend alone, leaving her sidekick to mourn the loss of the evil that once grew inside of her, the evil that killed Xena's son.  The Warrior Princess had many things to worry about, especially of the evil that was growing inside of her, the evil that was killing her.  Xena knew that Dahak was remaining silent for too long, he was surely up to something.

  Xena was suddenly startled when she felt the cold hand of her friend upon her shoulder. 

"Xena?"  Xena turned towards her friend and smiled.  She placed her hand on her friend's.

"Gabrielle, how about you start packing so we can get on our way, ok?"  Gabrielle nodded.  She knew there was something wrong with Xena.  Gabrielle knew that there was something seriously wrong.

Xena sat alone, in the middle of a thick patch of trees.  Her heart started to pound as she pictured herself riding on a horse, attacking a village.  She smiled at the thought of that slaughter, the times she could've saved many of those innocent people from destruction, but instead killed them all.  Suddenly she opened her tear filled eyes, knocking herself back into reality.  She knew those attacks were sick, evil, and in the past.  She screamed as she removed her chakrum from her side and threw it at a tree.

Gabrielle heard the shrill cry from where she was.  She quickly lifted her head and stood up.  She ran towards the sound of the scream.

Xena then stopped and heard many footsteps coming towards her.  An army of soldiers suddenly appeared holding their weapons.  Then one of them spoke. 

"Xena we are ready for your commands on the village.  What torment shall we greet these innocents with?"  Xena smiled as she slapped her hands together. 

"Burn the place, than bring me all of those who fought against you, and lasted over 30 seconds.  We're going to expand this army faster than you can say Ares!"  Gabrielle slowly approached the large amount of people who were facing Xena. 

"Xena, what's going on?"  Xena looked at Gabrielle.  "Who are you?"  Xena asked as she looked at the strange woman in front of her.

Gabrielle was shocked by her friend's reaction.  She never knew that this moment would come. 

"Xena, it's me, Gabrielle."  Xena raised an eyebrow and then smiled. 

"Gabrielle, I'm sorry I don't know who you are, but I assume you know me.  But anyways, I'm afraid we won't get to know each other."  Xena then signaled two of her men towards Gabrielle.  Then Xena said as she looked  at the best friend she never knew, "You have a night to live, tomorrow I'll kill you."  The two men grabbed Gabrielle's hands and tied them together. 

"Xena!  This is some kind of joke, right?  You don't have to tie me up, I'll stay out of your way!"  The cold hearted warrior smiled. 

"That's right, tomorrow, you annoying blond, tomorrow you'll be gone for good."

The army silently walked off, preparing to burn done another village.  Xena was sitting near the tent that held Gabrielle.  She held the staff that had been taken from this strange Gabrielle.  She swung it in her hands, seeing visions that sparked her memory.  Then a shiver ran down her spine. 

"Ares!"  she cried with joy. 

"My little warrior."  said Ares as he looked at Xena and smiled.  She walked towards him and gave him a starry glance.  He leaned down towards her and they kissed deeply.  Xena pulled away and flashed a half smile at the god of war. 

"You're back my little princess!"  "Back?"  asked Xena as she looked strangely at Ares.  "I mean it's been so long since I've seen you." 

"Oh." said Xena as she inched her way back into Ares' arms.  "It's glad to have been missed."  Xena smiled again, and Ares' heart melted as his dreams were finally coming true, he could have love and victory all in one.  And this beautiful lady was going to give it to him.

Gabrielle could hear the laughing of Xena and Ares, she wanted to know what was going on.  Then suddenly she heard Xena say something. 

"Ares, I think there's something wrong with me.  Inside of me, I feel something.  It hurts, it doesn't feel right.  Now there's this strange girl claiming she knows me.  I have no idea who she is."  Gabrielle remembered the way she felt when she was carrying Hope. The pain and fear, but happiness in one.  Gabrielle was stunned, there was something wrong with Xena.

The next day Xena woke up to a sharp pain in her stomach.  She held her stomach as she closed her eyes.  Then she had a vision of herself fighting herself, but they looked so much different yet so much alike.  Xena screamed in agony as she watched the two warriors fight.  The pain grew stronger and stronger as the one that looked more like her was winning.  She then opened her eyes as one of her men came inside her tent.  She looked at him deeply, then walked towards him, felt his chest and kissed him.  While kissing, she drew her sword and plunged it into his stomach.  She pulled her sword out as another one of her men came.  The man looked at Xena and she knew what he was thinking, so calmly she said, "I needed a good kill, now get out of here before I feel that need again."  The young soldier walked away.  Xena left the tent also, and entered the tent that Gabrielle was in. 

"Xena!" Gabrielle whispered as she saw her missed friend walking towards her. 

"Shut up."  Xena said as she looked at Gabrielle.  "I'm in the mood for a good kill, you're the lucky one that gets to please me."  Gabrielle looked at Xena as she pulled her upwards, then pushed her to have her walk faster.

Xena called out to her men as she held Gabrielle close to her.  One by one they ran to the voice that lead them.  Xena smiled as her warriors approached her and formed a circle around her and Gabrielle.  Xena drew her sword. 

"Say good-bye my little friend."  She said this as she pulled the sword to Gabrielle's throat, just as she was about to slice, she fell to the ground holding her head in sheer pain.  Even though Gabrielle knew Xena was evil, Gabrielle still knelt beside Xena, knowing her goodness must still be inside.

Xena saw once again the two forms of herself fighting.  This time though, the good one killed the evil one.  Xena stood up and hugged Gabrielle.  The men that were once circled around them disappeared.

  Xena turned to her friend and said, "Thank you, even though I was evil, you still stood by me.  It was like I was locked up and someone else was controlling me.  I just can't explain how it felt." 

"Xena, you don't need to explain.  I understand."  Xena smiled as Gabrielle looked at Xena and said, "I love you."  Xena tossed her hair back and said, "I love you too."

Everything was ok for them then, even though Xena knew there was something growing rapidly inside of her, something that she didn't know if she could defeat. TO BE CONTINUED...