By Milou

When Gabrielle woke up, the sun was shining high in the sky. That means she overslept. She looked for Nathaniel but he wasn’t there anymore. Has he left ?

"Good morning Gabrielle!"

"Nathaniel? Where are you?"

"I’m coming, wait a minute."

Nathaniel came out of the woods with a basket full of strawberries and raspberries.

"I was looking for something to eat, unfortunately, that’s all I could find. I didn’t want to go too far in the woods."

"That will be just perfect. I just LOVE strawberries !"

"Beth is crazy about it too. Are you sure you’re not related to her somehow?"

"Except that I will marry her father, no."

"Who is her father exactly? She never introduced me to him. I think he’s an important man but I never saw him."

"You mean you don’t know who her father is?"

"No I don’t. Why? he is really someone important? He must be, because Beth became Queen really young, so he must have helped her."

"I can’t answer you Nathaniel. If Beth haven’t told you, its because she had her own reasons. She will tell you someday. But you can ask it to her."

"Please, tell me Gabrielle!"

"No, I cant. Beth is already mad at me I don’t want to make things worse."

"Alright! I will ask her later."

"Yes go to her today, I know she is upset and will need someone to talk to. Beside that, I think that you really look like your dad. He must have been really proud of you Nathaniel."

"Yeah. I guess he was. But I miss him."

"Of course you miss him. Iolaus was a lovely man, loved by everyone around him, he made people laughed too. He truly was a wonderful man."

Both of them were having tears in their eyes so they changed the subject. Nathaniel decided to go ask if he can see Beth. They had to separate but they knew they would meet again, of course, Gabrielle was marrying the father of the woman he loved. They hugged. Nathaniel left, and Gabrielle started packing her stuff. Dite appeared.

"That’s so sad ! ! ! Iolaus dead ! ! that’s incredible and I didn’t even know."

"Aphrodite! What are you doing here? Are you watching over me?"

"Yup, sometimes I look up to see how you’re doing and I saw this cuty young man I couldn’t help myself I listened to your conversation. Now I see why he is so cute, it’s from his daddy."

"But I’ve got other things in mind than think about my dead friend. I’ll mourn him later. Now I’ve got to concentrate on Beth."

"Things didn’t work out the way you excepted them to?"

"Not really. She is so angry with me I don’t know why. Do you think I should tell her who was her mother?"

"I don’t know sweety, it’s a tough question you are the only one who knows what to do. You always did. Ok, gotta go, see ya later..."

Gabrielle decided that she would try again to talk to Beth, if she didn’t succeed, she’ll call for Ares and he’ll decide what to do next. So, she begins to walk to the Amazon camp. She hoped that she would be warm welcome. She was thinking and she didn’t see the hole in front of her, it looked like a trap. And she fell right in. Stupid me! How am I gonna get out of this. She tried to get up and noticed her ankle was painful, she wasn’t able to get up. She was trapped. She fell unconscious, thinking that she should call Ares.....

When Gabby woke up, her ankle was still hurting but someone had put a bandage around it. She looked around her to see where she was. She was in a little jail or dungeon, she wasn’t sure about it. The only thing she was sure of, was that it was from an amazon’s camp. Probably Beth’s camp. She knocked at the door to talk to the guard.

"What do you want ?"

"Who is the Queen of this camp?"

"Our Queen is Beth the greatest one, you didn’t know THAT ?"

"Take me to her, please."

"You’re kidding right ? We found you in our territory without permission. The Queen has nothing to do with that."

"I said, take me to your Queen, if you wont, I’ll go by myself and you’ll regret it believe me."

"Let me laugh ok ? HAHAHA ! How a little thing like you can escape from here ? ? ? ?"

"Watch it, I’ll show you..."

The guard looked at her, with a big smile meaning she didn’t believe in Gabrielle’s strength. Gabrielle drops a big kick on the door with a wonderful flip, and the door fell. The guard just stood there, speechless. Before she could call for others, Gabby put a hand on her mouth.

"You got any other questions girl? Take me to your Queen, I really need a chat with her."

The guard did as Gabrielle told and took her to the Queen’s hut. The guard went first to announce a visitor to her Queen.

"Someone wants to see you my Queen."

"I don’t want to be disturb by anyone!"

"But she really insisted on seeing you quickly."

"She ? ? repeated Beth suspiciously, who is this she? An amazon from my tribe?"

"I don’t think so my Queen, but she looks like a warrior, maybe she is from another tribe far from here."

"I don’t care of what you think, I don’t wanna see her."

"But you got to listen to what I have to say Beth, believe me."

"Gabrielle! You here! How could you dare? Leave us alone, back to your post in the dungeon."

" I know you said you didn’t want to see me until you said so, but I really want things to work out between us. We’ll be seeing each other often since I’m marrying your father. Beside, I thought we were friends."

"My friend ? ! ? You only pretend to be my friend to please Daddy. You never liked me. You used me to get to my dad."

"You’re right on one thing Beth. I never liked you. Because the first minute I saw you, I loved you. Yes, I really care about you. Like I would have loved my own daughter and more than your mother would have been able to."

"You don’t know that ! You don’t know a single thing about my mother."

"I know more than you think I do Beth. I know more than everyone. I guess its time to tell you the truth, I know your mother."

"What are you saying ? ? ? ? It’s IMPOSSIBLE ! ! ! ! You said you didn’t know her. You lied to me?"

"I had too. At first I didn’t knew your were her daughter, but Ares finally told me."

Beth started crying and the rain began to fall outside. Gabrielle noticed something was strange but didn’t know what. She saw Nathaniel coming from the rear door. He just stood there until Gabrielle slowly called his name. He ran to Beth and carried her in his arms.

"Daddy ! ! ! ! ! ! Ares God of War I want you here immediately."

As she screamed her anger, they all heard thunder outside. Ares quickly appeared beside her. Nathaniel was totally surprised by this apparition. Aphrodite followed Ares.

"Here was were those strange feelings came from. Ares your daughter has something special..."

"I knew it ! every time she cries, rain falls, when she screams its thundering. Don’t you see, Beth is a God just like her parents. How it’s possible that you didn’t sense her powers before, Ares?"

"Don’t accuse me my love. When she was young, I blocked her powers. I didn’t want her to be different from others and, I admit it, I was a little afraid of her using her powers for bad like her mother. I totally forgot about them until now."

"That’s why she is so full of anger, we have to release her powers, or it will drive her crazy. She was so sweet before. She has to be again. Let’s help her." Answered Aphrodite.

Aphrodite knelt down beside her niece and made her glow. Beth grins in pain and lift up from the ground. Aphrodite looked surprised and Beth opened her eyes and came back to the ground.

"Ok, I, I, have to go.. Ares come and see me tonight, we really need to talk."

"Oh ! Ares, do something for her eyes please they were so pretty before."

"My eyes ? What’s wrong with my eyes ? ?"

"Nothing sweety, let me get them back to normal, at least I can still do THAT."

Beth stands up, looking more beautiful than before, if it was possible. Her powers released were giving her something more. But Gabrielle couldn’t tell what. Ares looked at Nathaniel.

"Who are you? What are you doing here ? ?"

"I’m Nathaniel... Sir, It’s an honor to meet you sir."

"Explain this to me Beth ! Who is this young man?"

"I’m in love with him dad. I don’t have to explain anything else, you and Gabrielle, on the other hand have a lot to tell me."

"Later. I wanna know more about this man. You are in love with my daughter? I’m warning you to treat her right. Who is your dad I hope he is a great warrior or you’re good enough for my daughter."

"Ares! that’s enough! Beth can decide herself who is good enough for her. And if you want to know, yes Nathaniel’s father was a great warrior. You actually knew him well. His father’s name was Iolaus. Is that remind you something ?"

"Iolaus like Hercules’ best friend ?"

"Exactly!"

"Daddy??"

"Yes darling what it is ?"

"I want you out of here. I need to talk with Gabrielle alone. Maybe she will explain me a lot. Go see aunty, Nathaniel, you too you must go but don’t too far, I’ll rejoin you after my speaking with Gabrielle."

"Alright sweetheart. Gabrielle I’ll catch with you later, don’t you think it’s time for us to plan our wedding ? ?"

With a charming smile, he disappeared. Nathaniel gave a little kiss to Beth and leave the two girls alone.

"Now we can talk heart to heart Gabrielle or should I say mommy?"

"I know everything Gabrielle, didn’t you miss me, MOTHER ? ?"

"NO ! that can't be. Hope ? ? Is that you ?"

Beth looked at Gabrielle and starts to laugh, but not with Beth’s laugh with an evil laugh. Gabrielle looked for a way to escape, but Beth - Hope just looked at the doors and they all closed.........

"Hope? Where is Beth ? How can you be there?"

"Gabrielle, help me please. I don’t know what’s going on with me."

Gabrielle finally noticed that Beth’s eyes never came back to normal. Hope was taking over her daughter to have her body and her powers.

"I won’t let you win this battle Hope. You took my daughter from me once, you won’t this time."

"She is not your daughter, she is mine ! !"

"You never loved her. Ares did and he took care of her, and I will now."

"You never loved me. How can you love her ? You tried to kill me so many times. I won’t let you control her and all her powers."

"I loved you Hope. That’s why I had to stop you. I still love you, you’re my daughter. But spare Beth, she is like your sister in my heart. I love you both."

Hope suddenly fell on the ground and seemed battling against herself. Gabrielle had a vision in the same time. She saw Michael, the archangel, he said that the other gods had to fall so that the only god of love could rules. The god of love, could it be Beth ? ? Finally, Gabrielle saw something coming out from the body on the floor. She ran to her.

"Beth ! Beth ! are you alright sweetheart ?"

Beth slowly opened her eyes. Gabrielle had her wonderful smile. Beth’s eyes were green again. She hugged her tight.

"I love you Beth, I really do."

"I know that’s why I came back. I couldn’t let her hurt you. That’s all she wanted. Who was she ? Was she your daughter ? ? Why she was after me ?"

"Yes this was Hope, my daughter. You don’t know why she was there ? Hope is your mother Beth."

"I knew. I heard you two talking. But I couldn’t believe it. My mother was a monster like that ? so that means you’re my grandmother ? that’s so strange."

"You’ll get used to it. Just like I did...."

During the same time, Ares went to see his sister.

"What it is Dite?"

"Something’s wrong with Beth! She became too powerful when I released her powers. Her anger didn’t disappear, it increased. She wasn’t herself anymore."

"What are you talking about ? I let Gabby alone with her ? Do you think she is in trouble?"

"I don’t know Ares. And I don’t like it."

"Come on ! Just take a look at what they’re doing."

That’s what they did. They saw Beth on the floor and Gabrielle holding her and trying to wipe her tears. The scene was touching. They seemed so close, just like Gabrielle with Xena but on a different way. Just like Beth was her daughter of blood. It was almost that.

At least, Beth was now enjoying the fact of them getting married. They would only have to announce it to Xena and Ares must go talk to this guy, Nathaniel. He had to know what were his intentions with his daughter........... He said good-bye to his sister and appeared beside Nathaniel who was fishing. The young man didn’t expect Ares beside him. He was so surprised, he fell into the lake. Ares couldn’t stop laughing. Maybe he was going to like the young man after all......