DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. This story was inspired by The Owl.

Letting Go
By Kristjan Brezovnik

"Stay here," a woman told her daughter and covered her with empty boxes.

When she was finished, she looked around to make sure nobody saw her. When she didn't see anyone, she moved on. She didn't get very far. She had only made a couple of steps, when she saw a car. When the car accelerated, she turned and ran as fast as she could.

A few minutes later, Callisto walked down the same alley, on her way home. She avoided people and only went to town when she needed something, though an immortal scarcely had any needs. She stopped for a moment when she heard shots, but then she continued, not being bothered at all.

"She must be here," one of the shooters said. "Fire one shot per meter, that ought to scare her out."

The two other shooters spread out, going into opposite directions, and started to shoot. Callisto merely lifted her eyebrows and continued to walk. The leader of the shooters gave her a suspicious look, but he soon decided that she wasn't posing any threat. He did decide to question her, though, and when Callisto came closer, he stepped in her way.

"Have you seen a young girl?" he demanded.

Callisto gave him a sharp look and then smiled.

"My, what a brave bunch you are, three men searching for a little girl." She shook her head. "Pathetic," she concluded and wanted to move on, but the man grabbed her arm.

"I…" he started, but Callisto punched him in the nose, killing him instantly.

The other two shooters heard the commotion and when they saw their boss down, they forgot about the girl and started to approach Callisto. Callisto looked at them, bored, and waited.

When the shooters came closer, one of them checked their boss.

"He's dead," he declared, surprised.

"Of course he's dead," Callisto said and grinned. "You will be too if you don't get out of my sight right now."

The shooters looked at each other, surprised.

"You'll pay for this," the one who checked their boss said and wanted to attack, but Callisto was faster.

She hit him in the throat and kicked the other shooter in the stomach. The kicked shooter doubled over and she kicked him into the head. Then she turned to the first shooter and kicked him between the legs and then into the head, sending him on the ground. Callisto looked at the three shooters and shook her head, disgusted.

"Pathetic," she said and moved on.

She only made a few steps, when she heard some noise among the boxes. She stopped for a moment and then smiled.

"You can come out now, they're… indisposed!" she called and giggled.

When nothing moved for a few moments, she moved on.

The girl had seen what had happened and she was still a bit scared. But she knew one thing, the men had taken her mother and she needed help to find her. The strange woman who had knocked out the men looked like a good choice, but she also scared her. When the woman moved on for the second time, the girl made her decision and crawled out. The woman stopped and they stared at each other for a few moments. Then the girl looked at the three men.

"Are they dead?" she asked.

Callisto lifted her eyebrows.

"One of them," she said.

They stared at each other for another few moments and then Callisto turned to leave.

"Wait!" the girl called and Callisto stopped.

"Yes?"

"I… I need your help."

Callisto gave her the you're-kidding-right look.

"Sorry, kid, I don't help people."

"But…"

"Are you deaf? I said no."

"Please," the girl said on the verge of tears.

Callisto shook her head and left.

The girl stared after her and tears rolled down her cheek. She stood still for a while, not knowing what to do. She finally turned to the men, figuring that they might have some clue as to where her mother was. She carefully approached them, searched them and took their wallets. Then she ran away.

A couple of days later, when Callisto returned home from a walk, she noticed that someone was in the house. She opened the door and listened.

"I know you're here!" she called in a sing-song voice and listened. "Under the bed!" she added when she heard a faint noise.

She approached the bed and looked under.

"You!" she said, surprised and annoyed, when she saw the girl. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Okay, get out. I won't hurt you. I promise," she added when the girl didn't move, scared.

She stepped away from the bed, crossed her arms and waited for the girl to get up.

"How did you get here?" she asked. "Come on, I won't bite you," she encouraged the girl when she hesitated.

"I was looking for my mom and I was hungry."

Callisto stared at the girl for a while. She didn't know why, but the fact that the girl was searching for her mother seemed to change everything.

"What happened to your mother?" she finally asked.

"She was kidnapped."

"By those men?"

The girl nodded.

"And they wanted to kidnap you too?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"My dad's a juror at an important trial and they wanted to influence him."

"I see. And how did you get here?"

"I took those men's wallets and found out that they may have taken her to the mountains."

"I see."

She observed the girl for a while. The girl had obviously not thought about the fact that her mother would be guarded, she just wanted to find her. She sighed, she missed her own mother.

"I'll help you," she decided and the girl's eyes lit up. "What's your name?"

"Alexandra."

"I'm Callisto."

"Hi," Alexandra said and offered her her hand.

Callisto stared at it for a few moments and then took it.

"Eh," Alexandra said hesitatingly, "do you have something to eat?"

Callisto looked at the girl again and saw that she was dirty and looked hungry.

"Why don't you undress and wash yourself and I'll go and get some food."

Alexandra looked around.

"Where do I wash myself?" she asked.

"Outside, in the creek. There's a pool there. And also wash your clothes."

"But I don't have anything else to wear."

"You can wear one of my dresses until yours dry up. I'll get you a towel."

Callisto went to the closet and Alexandra started to undress. Callisto returned with a towel and a dress and waited until Alexandra was naked. Then she took her to the creek and went shopping. She didn't need food for herself but for the girl.

When she returned, she prepared some food for the girl and then changed into her armor. She smiled when she saw Alexandra's eyes widen.

Alexandra was surprised when she saw what Callisto had put on. She had never seen anything like it, but it looked like some sort of armor and it made Callisto look even more child-like. What surprised Alexandra even more were Callisto's weapons, a sword, a couple of daggers and some round thing.

"Do you have those wallets in your bag?" Callisto asked when she was dressed up.

Alexandra nodded and Callisto rummaged through the bag for the wallets. She quickly found them and examined them.

"This trial, is it the one about some guy named Venizelos?"

"Yes."

Callisto nodded and put the wallets back. She then took pieces of Alexandra's clothes and held them closer to the fire, so they would dry up faster. When Alexandra was done eating, Callisto told her to rest for a few hours while her clothes dried up. Callisto glanced at her from time to time, knowing that she would never have children herself. She remembered catching her own mother observing her as she slept and she smiled at the memory. She missed her mother. She shook her head and prepared the necessary equipment. All she needed herself was what she was wearing, but the girl needed more.

When the clothes were finally dry, Callisto woke up Alexandra. Alexandra dressed and they left.

They walked for several hours and then stopped for the night. Callisto made a fire and prepared some food for Alexandra.

"What about you?" Alexandra asked when she saw the small amount of food.

"What about me?" Callisto asked.

"Won't you eat?"

"I don't need to."

"Oh."

Alexandra had no idea what Callisto meant, but she decided not to inquire any further. She decided to change the subject.

"Why do you live near those ruins?" she asked.

Callisto gave her a sharp look and Alexandra gulped.

"Those ruins were my home," Callisto said quietly.

"Oh," was Alexandra's only response.

They were quiet for a while, Callisto not willing to talk and Alexandra afraid to, but the fear for her mother's life made Alexandra ask one more question.

"When will we find my mom?"

Callisto gave her a long look.

"Maybe tomorrow, but probably the day after."

The next day passed uneventfully. Callisto was annoyed at first because Alexandra was so slow and tired quickly, but she finally stopped caring. They stopped a little earlier in the evening and when Alexandra ate her dinner, Callisto put out the fire.

"Why did you put out the fire?" Alexandra asked.

"Because I don't want to let anyone know we're here."

"But it's cold without fire."

"You'll just have to make do," Callisto said curtly.

Alexandra was quiet for a while. Although Callisto was on her side, she was still afraid of her.

"Can I sleep next to you?" she finally asked.

Callisto looked at her, surprised. A part of her wanted her to say yes, but another part objected to her indulging her wishes. She wanted Alexandra to lie next to her, to finally experience how it would feel, but she also knew that this would only happen once and then Alexandra would be with her mother again and she would be alone again. Still, she wanted to know.

"Okay," she said.

Alexandra took her bedroll and laid it next to Callisto's. Callisto hesitated for a while, but then she gathered enough courage and put her arm over the girl and cuddled up closer to her.

When she woke up the next morning, Callisto quietly lay beside the girl, savoring the sensation. She understood now how her mother felt when she and her sister cuddled next to her on stormy nights. She felt that in her arms nothing could happen to Alexandra and Alexandra probably felt safe, like she did in her mother's arms.

She finally let go of the girl and prepared a breakfast for her. Then she woke her up and after Alexandra had finished eating, they moved on.

After several hours of walk, they reached the estate they were looking for. Callisto looked for a suitable place for Alexandra to hide. She soon found it and told the girl to lie in and wait. When Alexandra was comfortable, Callisto gave her the bag and covered her. Then she left.

She went around the wall of the estate once and soon found the easiest way in. She saw that there were several guards, but that they were all relaxed. She scouted the place, located the hostage and counted the guards. She was relieved that there were no cameras. When she had all the necessary data, she made a plan and quickly started to execute it.

She eliminated the outside guards, first those that were the farthest from the house. Then she entered the house and systematically started to kill the guards. She cleaned up the ground floor and then moved on to the first floor.

She first freed Alexandra's mother. She kicked the door open and threw her chakram. The two guards dropped dead, their throats cut. Callisto glanced at Alexandra's mother and saw the fear in her eyes. Suddenly she felt that there was someone behind her. She turned around and threw her dagger, killing the guard. Then she approached Alexandra's mother, who tried to back off, afraid.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Callisto said. "Turn around."

"Who are you?" the woman asked.

"Callisto. Alexandra asked me to help her," she added.

"Alexandra? How is she? Where is she?"

"She's fine. You'll see her soon. Now turn around."

The woman did and Callisto cut her ties.

"Wait here," she then said, "I have to take care of the other guards."

Callisto retrieved the dagger and observed the wound and the blood on the knife. Killing just didn't feel the same anymore, she felt nothing, no pleasure, no regret, nothing. She shook her head and wiped the dagger. Then she threw it to Alexandra's mother.

"Here. Just in case," she said and left.

Alexandra's mother took the dagger and pressed it to her chest, still afraid.

Callisto quickly disposed of the rest of the guards and then returned to Alexandra's mother.

"Come, let's go," she said.

The woman got up and followed Callisto. On the way, the woman stared at the corpses, shocked.

"Did you kill them?" she asked when they got out.

"Mhm," Callisto said, listening if there was perhaps someone still alive.

There wasn't. There was, however, a car approaching. Callisto hid the woman.

"Where are you going?"

"Make sure they won't pursue us," Callisto said and left.

Alexandra's mother moved to get a better view. She didn't see Callisto until she attacked. She saw her jump at the truck door and kill the driver and co-driver. Then she saw her go to the back. She heard screams and shots and finally men started to come flying out. Callisto soon followed them and Alexandra's mother could see that she was being shot. She suppressed a scream and was about to sneak away, when she saw Callisto get up and say something to the surprised man who shot her. The man tried again and Alexandra's other could see that he was scoring hits, but Callisto kept standing. Suddenly Callisto's hand moved and Alexandra's other could see that she used the circular weapon, killing the remaining two men. When she saw that Callisto was returning, she returned to where Callisto had left her.

"Let's go," Callisto said when she got back.

She had noticed the tracks, had seen the strange look in Alexandra's mother's eyes and the way she looked at her body and she knew that the woman had seen her kill the men and also get shot. She sighed, this was definitely not good for making friends.

Alexandra's mother followed her and they quickly got out the way Callisto came in.

"Where are we going?" Alexandra's mother asked when they entered the forest.

"To your daughter."

"Alexandra?"

Callisto nodded and motioned her to be quiet. Alexandra's mother obeyed and they quietly continued to walk.

They soon got to the place where Callisto hid Alexandra.

"Okay, Alexandra, you can come out now!" Callisto called and started to remove the branches.

The branches started to move from the inside and with Callisto's help, Alexandra was quickly out.

"Alexandra!"

"Mom!"

Mother and daughter ran to each other and hugged. Callisto stared at them, memories of her childhood coming back to her. She shook her head, now was not the time.

"Come, let's go."

Alexandra and her mother followed Callisto.

Callisto quietly led the way and avoided looking at Alexandra and her mother, who were talking to each other. The day passed uneventfully, they only stopped shortly for lunch. When they stopped for the night, Callisto prepared dinner for them. After the dinner, Alexandra cuddled up to her mother, like she did to Callisto the night before. Callisto observed them for a while and then turned away.

Alexandra and her mother woke up terrified when they heard a scream. They were confused for a moment, but then they saw that Callisto was all sweaty, breathing heavily and had tears in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alexandra's mother asked.

Callisto gave her an angry look. Then she got up and left.

"What happened, Mom?" Alexandra asked, confused.

The woman caressed her.

"She had a nightmare."

"Will she be okay?"

"Yes."

Callisto was upset, not angry, just disconcerted. She had not had the nightmare in a long, a very long time and it hurt more than usually. She was confused why she had the nightmare and she finally got to the conclusion that it must have been because of Alexandra and her mother and all that had happened in the past days. She calmed herself and returned to the camp.

When Callisto returned to the camp, Alexandra and her mother noticed that she was calm again, only the red eyes and her more quiet demeanor suggested that there had been something wrong. They quietly watched her as she prepared a breakfast.

After the breakfast, they moved on.

They traveled quietly, Callisto not wanting to talk, Alexandra's mother a bit afraid to and Alexandra too tired.

In the afternoon, they finally reached Callisto's house.

"You'll be safe here," Callisto declared when they entered. "You can stay here until the danger is over."

"But I have to let my husband know I'm safe," Alexandra's mother said.

"I'll tell him. First, we get cleaned up and then you'll tell me where I can find your husband. You can use my clothes until I get you more. Undress."

"What?" Alexandra's mother asked, surprised.

"Undress," Callisto repeated as she opened her closet.

"There's a creek outside," Alexandra explained as she started to undress, "we'll wash ourselves there."

"Outside?" Alexandra's mother asked, not too enthusiastic about the idea.

"Yes. There's a pool there."

"Oh."

"Here, you can put these on. I'll get you other clothes, but you better wash your own."

Alexandra's mother nodded and also started to undress.

Callisto quickly took off her armor and underwear and went to the creek. Alexandra wanted to follow her, but she decided to wait for her mother.

After they got cleaned up, Callisto thoroughly interrogated the woman. When she found out all she could, she told the woman to write down a list of things she and Alexandra might need for their stay and prepared the last bits of food that were left. Then she left.

When she returned, it was already late at night. She quietly carried the things in and then changed into her nightshirt. She sat next to the fireplace and observed Alexandra and her mother, who were sleeping in her bed. She sighed. She remembered how her mother held her and her sister when they were afraid, especially on stormy nights, and how she felt safe. She also remembered how she held Alexandra and how… She searched for the right word and frowned when she found it. Motherly? It made me feel motherly? She sighed. Gods, Mama, how I miss you.

Alexandra's mother heard when Callisto returned. She wanted to know if she had seen her husband, but she decided to wait till morning. She closed her eyes again and listened to Callisto walking around. She heard when Callisto finally sat down, but she had a feeling that Callisto wasn't sleeping. She opened her eyes and saw Callisto sitting next to the fireplace. She thought Callisto was just sitting, but then she noticed that she was staring at them. She was confused. She though about what she knew about Callisto and found out it wasn't much. She was very mysterious. She obviously didn't need to eat and apparently she was impervious to bullets. On one hand, she was a ruthless killer, but on the other, she seemed vulnerable like a child.

Suddenly Callisto noticed that Alexandra's mother was watching her. She frowned for a moment and then got up and left the house. She was upset for letting her mind wander off and for not noticing that Alexandra's mother was watching her. She envied them, both of them, Alexandra and her mother. Alexandra had a mother, someone to go to when she was alone and scared and needed help, and her mother had a daughter, someone to take care of and protect. They were both vulnerable, but they also had each other, a bond between them. Gods, how she missed that. Unfortunately, her own mother was dead and she herself could never be a mother, a curse of immortality. She knew there were other children, orphans, who needed to be taken care of, but she never had enough courage to actually get one. She frowned at the idea of not having the courage. It was kind of amusing. Perhaps now she would gather enough courage and perhaps taking care of a child would bring peace to her.

When Alexandra and her mother woke up in the morning, a breakfast was already waiting for them.

"Good morning," Callisto said and flashed a cute smiled.

Alexandra's mother was surprised by the change in Callisto's behavior.

"Good morning," she said.

"I warmed up some water, so you can refresh yourselves."

"Thank you."

"I brought food and clothes for you and other things you wanted, but you'll have to sort them out."

"Thank you. Did you talk to my husband?"

"I did. He's glad you're all right."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll be outside if you need me."

Alexandra and her mother refreshed themselves, changed their clothes and ate their breakfast.

"Sweetie, why don't you make the bed and sort out the things Callisto brought?" Alexandra's mother said after they ate their breakfast. "I need to talk to her."

"Okay," Alexandra said.

Her mother smiled and left. She looked around for Callisto and saw her sitting among some ancient graves. She was confused. She slowly went towards her, giving Callisto enough time to notice her.

When she got to the Callisto, she noticed that she was sitting in front of a family grave, but she couldn't read what was written on the tombstone. Callisto glanced at her and waited for the woman to start the conversation. The woman sat beside her.

"Thank you for helping us," Alexandra's mother said.

Callisto gave her a long look.

"You're welcome."

"Why are you helping us?"

Callisto thought. She really had no clear idea yet, she just knew it somehow felt right.

"I don't know."

The woman hesitated for a moment.

"How much do we owe you?" she asked.

"Nothing."

The woman was surprised.

"Nothing?"

"Yes."

"Thank you."

They were quiet for a while.

"May I ask you a personal question?" the woman asked.

Callisto looked at her.

"You may, but I may not answer."

"Oh. Well, yes, of course. Eh, how come you live here, among these ruins."

"I was born here."

"Here? But these ruins are a couple of thousand years old."

"So?" Callisto asked, amused. "I'm immortal," she added and smiled, knowing that the truth would sound very unbelievable.

Alexandra's mother stared at her, surprised by the answer. But when she thought of it, it made a few things clearer, although it was still unbelievable.

"Is that why you don't eat?" she asked.

Callisto lifted her eyebrows, amused.

"Yes," she said.

They were quiet for a while and then Alexandra's mother got up.

"I'll go see what you brought."

Callisto nodded and looked at the grave again. She smiled, it was time to let go.

"Perhaps there is still hope for me, Mama," she said and put her hand on the grave.

She sat still for a few moments and then got up and returned to the house.

The End