"Mother?" Eve and Jadxea called in unison as they emerged from the forest, tear-stained and clinging to each other. Their Amazon companion followed, her eyes wide, shaking her head in amazement. The two dark siblings ran through the field, eventually letting go of each other as they raced for the remnants of the temple.

Carefully, and with the occational cry of pain from Gabrielle, she and Hope were pulled to their feet, and their arms were looped over Xena and Terreis' necks, respectively. They slowly limped their way out from behind their stone barrier and made their way toward the forest. Eve made it to them first, throwing her arms wildly around Xena's neck and laughing as she cried. Jadxea soon followed, her little body impacting Gabrielle, and clinging there suddenly. Gabrielle grit her teeth to try to keep from crying out, but the innocent attack was too much and she collapsed in Xena's arms.

"Xea," Eve quickly grabbed the child and pulled her back away, "she's hurt! Let her go!" The pair watched Xena lower Gabrielle onto the grassy field and then sunk in beside them.

Terreis and Hope dropped to the other side of them quickly, and Hope slid herself closer to Gabrielle. She gazed nervously over at Eve and Jadxea, but her nerves were calmed when they smiled at her, and Jadxea reached across their mothers and took her sister's hand.

"I'm okay," Gabrielle insisted, breathing hard through her nose. "I'm fine."

"Listen, tough guy," Xena joked, the dust and soot smudges on her face and hair made her look even more comical, "I don't want to hear about how fine you are. Just relax so that I can tend to this. You," she turned to Terreis, her manner oddly abrasive and official, reminding the Amazon of the Queen Gabrielle she had met in the village, "I need you to go into the forest and gather herbs for a poultice."

Terreis bowed her head quickly in respect and then jumped to her feet and grabbed a hold of Shirra as she passed her. The two ran into the forest with practiced skill, and disappeared behind the foliage.

"Hey," Gabrielle called, and Xena met the soft green eyes that seemed to claim her soul, "you..." Gabrielle reached up and gently touched Xena's cheek, "you look aweful."

"Oh yeah?" the warrior laughed, gazing down at the bard with every ounce of love and respect in her body. "Well, you're no ray of sunshine yourself!"

Gabrielle tried to laugh, but the effort was just to much and it looked more like her muscles were involuntarily spasming, until she was able to calm herself. "Hope," she reached over and laid a hand on the young blonde's thigh, "I'm so proud of you! Do you know that?" she waited for a responce that didn't come for a few seconds. Finally, Hope worked her face into a small smile and nodded to her mother. "Good," Gabrielle nodded, exhaustion beginning to overpower her as she slumped back into the crook of Xena's embrace.

"Mamma," Jadxea called softly, squirming forward and vying for attention.

"There's my Little Bit," Gabrielle smiled lovingly up at her child, taking the girl's hand, and trying not to show the pain she was in. "You were so brave in there! Pretty impressive," she gripped her hand tighter, beginning to lose any resistance to the stinging ache caused by movement.

Jadxea shrugged, nervously, her eyes glued to that pain-contorted face. "Good teacher," she mumbled absently.

Xena winced, but resisted the sting in her side, as she twisted to press her lips softly against Gabrielle's forehead. "Shh, don't talk. You need your energy," she instructed softly. "This is going to hurt, sweetheart..."

"Just like old times," Gabrielle scoffed with a half-smile. "So much for progress and training," she joked, her voice hardly a whisper, and then tucked her face into Xena. A wave of pain shivered through her body and she cried out with it weakly.

Eve reached over to help as Xena began ever-so-gently pealing away straps of clothing that had been burnt into her skin. "There are clean cloths in the packs with the horses," Eve's voice shook as she spoke, offering her help with the most delicate of touches, which seemed to elicite even more outcries from Gabrielle.

"If those Amazons are smart, they'll find the horses and grab the packs while they're out there!" Xena never looked away from her work, but her voice held an edge of fear and urgency that was unmistakable.

"Mother," Eve watched Xena's tight face nervously, "is she..."

"Don't say it, Eve!" Xena snapped. "Don't even think it! We just have to clean this as quick as we can and hope that the Amazons know what they're doing out there. Can you untie this?" she released the knot that her shaking hands wouldn't work apart. Eve quickly took over, her own hands working with difficulty, but releasing the material faster than Xena could.

"Mother?" Jadxea squirmed closer, her attention quite keen to the conversation happening beside her. Gabrielle screamed as a piece of leather was peeled from what would have been the face of the dragon. "Mamma?" she tried again, desperately attempting to swallow away to lump in her throat. "D-do you want to hear a story?" Gabrielle was sobbing weakly into the leather wrapped to Xena's stomach, but the dark warrior caught Jadxea's eyes, a tear slipping past both of their defenses at the look, and nodded to the child to continue. "I...I s-sing of King Sisyphus, and his struggle of h-humanity against..."

A dark hand was suddenly set on the child's shoulder, a light-hearted, if shaken, voice following the warm comfort it gave. "Not exactly the best choice in this situation, Jadxea," Xena attempted a smile at her child. Jadxea nodded, her gaze finding Hope, and another tear slipping through to find the blonde biting her lip and crying while she watched Gabrielle writhe against Xena.

"Wait!" Eve sushed them suddenly, a hand held out as she gazed around the clearing. "Do you hear that?"

Xena raised her head from her work, Gabrielle quieting slightly, and listened with all of her senses. When nothing came, she closed her eyes and breathed hard, trying to clear her nerves and quiet the blood that seemed to be pounding in her ears. But still... nothing. "Eve... what-"

"Sh!" Eve insisted, her eyes closed now and a smile beginning to play itself across her lips. The little family waited, all listening now for the sounds that Eve was so intent to.

A bright white flash soon greeted their eyes and they shrank and ducked away from it. Eve, however, with her eyes closed and therefore shielded from the searing brightness, sat up on her knees, leaning into the light, reveling in it. It vanished as fast as it came upon them. And when the little group turned back and opened their eyes to where the blinding light had come from, they found the forms of three people standing over and smiling down at them. The three girls, tucked in and huddled around their two mothers, gazed up at unfamiliar faces, puzzled, but an odd calm washing over them suddenly. Xena, however, pulled Gabrielle closer, one arm circling her shoulders, the other wrapped across her neck and holding her head against her stomach. The widest range of emotions spread through her as she found each person who stood before her, in turn.

The last form was the one whom Xena shrank away from, pulling Gabrielle tight and shaking her head. "Celesta, no," she pleaded. "It's not time yet. You can't take her. We haven't had enough time!"

"No, no, Xena," a man, the tallest of the three, knealt in front of her, smiling kindly, "it's all right. Celesta isn't here for Gabrielle. She's safe."

"Eli," Eve suddenly breathed, recognition crossing her face like a flash of light all her own. Her elated smile beamed from her suddenly bright face. A large, gentle hand was set against her cheek as his blue eyes and fond expression bore down on her.

"My sweet Eve," he addressed her with unprecidented affection, "you have never waivered in your beliefs. That is something that not everyone can boast. It is what will always guide your family back home to each other. So," he took her hand, "how would you feel about helping me bail out these two troublemakers again?" Eli's warm smile slid over to the tangled mass that was Xena and Gabrielle. Slowly and carefully he guided Eve's hand, placing it against Gabrielle's back, the blonde spasming against the pressure. With his hand laid over hers, both Eli and Eve closed their eyes and breathed.

Hope and Jadxea leaned forward, their eyes steadily increasing in size as they watched the torn and burnt flesh mending before their eyes. Gabrielle began gasping, clutching at Xena's arms as her breathing slowly began evening out. After only a short, though nerve-wracking and painful, moment, Eli and Eve pulled away to reveal Gabrielle's smooth, tanned back. The dragon tatoo was completely ruined, with pieces missing, and others melded together that didn't belong, during the healing process. But, Gabrielle's burns and injuries were gone none-the-less, and she sat up slowly, holding her head as if it would ward off her sudden head-rush. Her long, soot covered, blonde hair fell in a cascade down her newly healed back as she sat between Xena's knees, meeting each face that stared down at her. Jadxea immediately pounced into her mother's arms, clinging to her neck desperately, and trying not to cry.

"I'm okay," Gabrielle assured, breathing deeply, and stroking her child's dark hair. She turned back, following Eve's movements, and found the elder daughter kneeling beside Xena, applying pressure to the chakram slice without Eli. It took only a second, and when she pulled away, the only trace of an injury was the cut in the new leathers.

Eve fell in beside Xena, her arms falling around her mother's waist, and her head resting on her shoulder. The four-some took stock of each other, assuring that all of this was real to one another. While Xena was laughing and pretending to steal Jadxea's nose off of her face, Gabrielle turned to include the one child she hadn't found yet.

Hope was on her knees, gazing up at the soft, pale face of Celesta with calm, knowing eyes. The Goddess reached out slowly to the young blonde, a sweet, encouraging expression assuring her while her hand extended ever closer. Without a second thought, Gabrielle scrambled to her knees and wrapped a strong arm across Hope's chest pulling her backwards.

"No! No! Not now! Not now of all times, please!" Gabrielle had knocked both of them over now in her attempt to keep Hope far away from Celesta. Hope now half-laid in Gabrielle's unsteady, but strong, arms. "It can be different now! Please! Don't take her from me now! Please!"

Celesta gazed pleasently down at Gabrielle, her mouth drawn up in a sad smile. "It is her time, Gabrielle. I do not choose these things, it is simply her time."

Gabrielle shook her head, finding her daughter's face in her arms, still staring up at Celesta in enrapt facination. "She... she's fine, though. She's not injured, she's not ill! Please! Don't take her from me," her last plea was lost in a sob, and she looked back down into Hope's focused, deep emerald eyes. For a moment, just a second, Hope was a baby. Her baby; sweet, happy, curious, angelic, a gift. Her hope. And, once again, someone was trying to take her baby away from her.

"Gabrielle," a quiet voice suddenly announced itself, and the third form stepped from behind Eli and knelt between him and Celesta, in front of the mother and child, "you don't have to worry now. There will always be someone there for her now. She won't be alone."

Gabrielle could do no more than gape at the lanky boy kneeling at her feet. But Xena quickly moved close, and sunk in near Gabrielle's side. She slowly reached out and touched the boy's cheek, his name sliding effortlessly from her lips, "Solan..."

Solan smiled at Xena, his blue eyes sparkling. "I've come to take her home, mother," he nodded to Hope. "It's her time."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Gabrielle suddenly demanded, pulling Hope even tighter. "She finally has the chance for life and you're just going to take that from her? No! I won't let you! You'll take me first!" she declared defiantly, making Jadxea and Eve very nervous suddenly.

"Gabrielle," Solan touched her leg lightly, a tingling sensation spreading where he touched, "you have to understand, Hope was only allowed this opportunity for one reason. She had to redeem herself. And she's done that. She saved you, Jadxea, my mother, my sister... she saved the world, Gabrielle. And now, it's time for her to go home," his explanation was kind and soft but informative.

"She has finally fullfilled her destiny," Eli knelt beside Solan, speaking in the soothing tone he always seemed to reserve just for Gabrielle. "She finally made her choice... she chose to be The Child of the Light. She chose to be your daughter. And because of this, now she has the chance to come with us. She will be loved, and cared for, and happy for the first time." Eli's gaze shifted to Hope, whose attention was now glued to him. "Would you like that, Hope? To finally be happy? To be truely free?"

The young blonde nodded slowly, her whole face frozen in awe as she sat forward, out of Gabrielle's grasp, and took Eli's hand that was offered to her. Gabrielle and Xena rose to their feet in sync with Eli, Hope, and Solan. Both mothers waited, tense, with baited breath while Hope and Solan stared at each other, their eyes locked, and their expressions nearly unreadable. Carefully, Solan reached out and took Hope's hand, smiling kindly at the blonde. Both children looked back at their mothers, some triumph somehow washing over them, pride radiating off of all of them like physical energy.

"Wait!" Jadxea suddenly cried, rushing forward and taking a tight hold of Hope before anyone could stop her, tears pouring like a waterfall down her dark little face. "Wait! Hope, please don't go! Please! I'm sorry I told you I couldn't stay with you! I'm so sorry! I'll stay! I'll stay with you, I promise. Please!"

Hope turned, letting go of Eli and Solan, smiling down at the baby sister that clung so fervently to her. "Jadxea? Jadxea, it's okay. Shh, it's okay. I can't stay here. I don't belong here anymore. I have to go. But, it's going to be okay."

"I'll come with you then!" Jadxea insisted, her words almost unrecognizable through her tears. "I- I could come with you! And then-"

"No, Jadxea," Hope interjected softly.

"And then, then, we could be together! Just don't leave me! Just... just please don't leave!" Jadxea lost herself to tears finally, clutching at Hope's waist, her face buried in the silk of the robe. Hope combed her fingers through Jadxea's soft, black hair, raising sad, knowing green eyes to meet her mother's.

Gabrielle had resorted to clamping her hand over her mouth to control the sounds of her weeping. She rushed forward suddenly when Hope met her eyes, pinning her attention on Eli now, pleading with him. "Don't make her lose her sister, please. Please! Do something! Take me instead! Just don't take my Hope! Please!"

"Mother," Hope touched Gabrielle's face, forcing her change of focus, "no. Thank you... but no. This is my time. I know it. You can't leave. You have to raise Jadxea... for both of us. You have to teach her; you have to watch her grow. And, you have Xena again. She belongs here; not I," Gabrielle shook her head, looking down at the child sandwiched between them now. "Yes, you know it. This is how it needs to be. Be glad for me, mother! I'll have peace, happiness. It's all I've ever longed for. I've never asked you for anything, mother. Give me this? Just this chance to be happy?"

Gabrielle glanced around, looking desperately for an escape, a loophole, something. But there was no way around this simple request that was the one thing a mother could never deny her child. Quickly, Hope was wrapped in a fierce embrace, the sounds of Gabrielle's tears unmistakable as their identical blonde hair mixed. "I love you, Hope! I love you so much!"

"I know!" Hope nodded, nearly subcoming to the tears herself. "I really do know, mother. And I... love you!" she admitted, the first time the phrase ever passed her lips. Mother and daughter seperated, and Hope sniffed and bit her lip, looking down at the child attatched to her. Jadxea's bright blue eyes slid up to meet her sister's, and the elder smiled at her. "I'm going to miss you," her gaze shifted to her mother, and then to Xena and Eve behind her. "All of you."

"No you won't," Gabrielle tried to smile through her grief as she reached out and pulled Jadxea away, the child clinging to her instead. "You won't even know we're gone."

Hope smiled, a true happy smile; the same that had once been worn by the beautiful golden baby tucked onto Gabrielle's lap so many, many years ago. She turned back to her travelling companions, taking hold of both Eli and Solan's hands, a warmth radiating through her. A light touch met her shoulder and some calm spread instantly through her entire body, a peace had suddenly washed over her, enveloping her like the softest of blankets. She glanced back and found Celesta's hand set upon her shoulder, the everlasting candle burning bright in her other hand. There was quiet suddenly, stillness and harmony, and Hope felt as if she had been searching for just this moment all of her life.

Gabrielle tucked her face into Jadxea's hair when the blinding white flash came again, and when it finally cleared, there was nothing left. No great prophet of a man; no sweet, sad Goddess and her candle; no lanky little boy with the kind face of his mother; and no lost child of an evil God and an Amazon princess. A presence moved behind them, and Gabrielle sighed out her last tear as Xena's arm wrapped around her and Jadxea, her hand looped in the child's silky hair. Eve slid in beside them, her forehead set against the crook of Gabrielle's neck, joining in the group stare at the place where Hope had disappeared. "So much...," Gabrielle whispered, "so much she could have been. So much she could have done. No one will ever know who she really was."

"It doesn't matter," Xena assured, her voice sliding across Gabrielle's ear sweetly. "We know! She knows! That's what matters. It matters that she proved you right. All those years ago, when she was born, and you told me that she could fight her dark side. You were right about me, I should have known that you were right about her. And now we do know! And that's what matters!" Gabrielle nodded against her, a fast, shakey breath suddenly escaping that small, tough body.

Horse hooves suddenly came pounding through the forest and soon, two riders emerged with three extra horses tethered to them. The Amazons came up on their royal family in utter puzzlement. No injuries, no hurried shouts that the Queen didn't have much time. Just a family, standing in the clearing, wrapped in each other's arms and staring off into nothing.

"My Queen," Terreis pulled up alongside them, and swung off her horse quickly, "are you well?" The young warrior searched Gabrielle's body with her eyes, but was greeted with no sign of any injury of urgency.

"Quite well, Terreis," Gabrielle sniffed and wiped away the tears from her face. "Thank you for all of your assistance. It will not go unacknowledged." Shirra had jumped off of her horse by now and was walking circles around the little family unit, as if insistant that she find some wound to tend to. "And you as well," Gabrielle nodded to the unfamiliar Amazon. "We would all be dead if not for the two of you." Gabrielle attempted a smile at the younger warrior who swelled with pride at her words. "The name... Terreis; it suits you. I have a feeling that you will become the great leader that she was not able to grow into. Give her honor, Terreis, as you've shown here today."

"I will," Terreis assured with fervent nodding, attempting a respectful bow at the same time, but losing her balance in the process.

"And you," Gabrielle addressed the older warrior who was making her third lap around the family, "I don't know your name, but if you circle us like a vulture one more time, you'll be spending the rest of the journey outside of our company."

Shirra froze in her tracks, unprecidented amounts of shame flashing across her face. "Yes, my Queen," she quickly bowed and then ran back to the horses.

"My Queen," Terreis began spinning, examining their surrounding area nervously. "The young woman. The one that I pulled from the temple... where is she?"

Gabrielle stopped, her mouth falling open, trying to form some kind of an explanation. But suddenly, from her chest, the little body attatched to her cleared her throat and looked up at her Amazon friend. "She's not here," Jadxea answered, and then a remarkable and large smile spread across her little mouth. "She had to go home again." Gabrielle pulled Jadxea close and kissed the girl's hair before she released her, letting the child's reply be the final words on the matter.

"Hey, Little One," Xena rested her chin on Gabrielle's shoulder, looking over her lover to find their child, "what do you say we head back to Amphipolis and pick up that pony of yours? I hear that she's the best horse ever! 'Everybody loves her'!"

Jadxea's face broke into a bright, beaming smile as she brushed the tears and sadness off of her face. "It's no joke! Kepi's the best horse anybody's ever had!" she boasted. One of the horses, a brown mare, snorted and stamped seemingly in responce. "Oh," Jadxea blushed, "except for you Danae!"

"Xea," Gabrielle began, the world once again somehow settling in to something normal, "why don't you ride Danae on your own? I'll ride with Xena," she smiled back at the dark woman whose strong arms held her close. She wasn't willing to lose that comfort yet.

The child scampered off, and found her mother's horse, climbing up quickly and easily. Xena kept her hold on Gabrielle's waist as they pulled the reins of the grey horse around to be mounted. Eve had just climbed into the saddle of her own old horse, beside Shirra, who was recounting how unexpected it was to find the horses wandering the path beyond where they had refused to travel before. Xena let go of her lover and swung herself up into the saddle, and then reached out with her opposite hand to help the blonde. "Care for a ride, Your Worship?" she offered sarcastically.

Gabrielle grinned and clasped the warm hand tight, her left foot finding the stirrup, and lifted her atop the horse where Xena settled her; in front. The warrior's arms wrapped securely around her bard, an assurance that those arms would never leave her again. Gabrielle pressed her hands against Xena's grip on her and leaned her head back against the warrior's chest. "Are you here?"

Xena nuzzled the blonde hair at her neck, urging Gabrielle to look up at her, and then swooped down to catch those soft lips in her own. She kissed her deeply, conveying comfort to every doubt that could ever come up between them again. The kiss broke slowly and reluctantly, but Xena's arms never waivered in their grip on her bard.

With a glance around to be sure their children were ready, Xena and Gabrielle lead the procession away from the coast, the crumbled temple, and the obligations that the past once held.

"I think a trip to Potedia is in order," Xena declared as they rode. "What do you think, Jadxea?"

...

Much thanks to all of you who stuck with me through this journey. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did! It has been a strange and wonderful journey of my own. Creation began while exploring the rooftop of my New York City apartment at 4am, and four notebooks and six months later, its conclusion was found in the little room that used to belong to my cousin, who introduced me to Xena when we were 7-years-old. It was a labor of love which I look forward to finding again someday soon.

May the Gods be with you!

Catherine Maya