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.

You're Not Alone
By Kristjan Brezovnik

It was a sunny day and Xena and Gabrielle had just left their camp and were on their way. They were joking about something when Xena suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Look."

Gabrielle looked. What she saw was a blonde woman wrapped in a sheet walking over the meadow.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"I don't know, but the hair is very familiar. Come, let's go after her."

They changed direction and went after the woman.

"Hey!" Xena called when they got closer, but the woman didn't respond.

Finally, they reached her and froze, shocked. The woman was Callisto and she looked terrible. She had blood and bruises all over her face and she was dirty and smelled awful. She walked like a zombie, staring at nothing.

"Gods, what happened to her?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know. Callisto."

Callisto kept walking.

"Callisto!"

No response.

"She must be in shock," said Gabrielle.

Xena agreed and took Callisto's arm. Callisto stopped.

"What are we going to do?" asked Gabrielle, feeling sorry for the blond warrior.

"Let's take her back to the camp. We'll wash her there, get her some clothes and something to eat."

"Okay."

Xena gently yanked Callisto and Callisto started to walk.

When they got to the camp, Xena led Callisto to the pond.

"Ah, Gabrielle, do you want to take her into the water and wash her or shall I do it?"

"Ah…"

"One of us has to get clothes and food."

"Okay, I'll do it."

"Good. I'll be back soon."

Xena mounted Argo and rode away and Gabrielle undressed herself. She went to Callisto, took her hand and led her into the water. When they were neck deep, she unwrapped the sheet. She noticed that her whole body was like her face, even worse. She gulped, shocked. She pulled herself together and used the sheet to wash Callisto.

When Xena returned, Callisto was lying on Gabrielle's bedroll, covered with Gabrielle's blanket.

"Any problems?" she asked.

Gabrielle shook her head.

"No."

"I managed to get some clothes. I hope they fit her."

Gabrielle helped Xena dress Callisto.

"They fit," Gabrielle said when they were done.

"Aha. Ah, Gabrielle, do you think you can take care of her alone for a couple of days?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to find out what happened to Callisto and make sure something like that doesn't happen to anyone else."

"Oh. Okay, just don't do anything stupid."

Xena looked at her surprised.

"I won't."

"Good."

"Okay. I'll try to return as soon as I can."

Gabrielle nodded again and Xena left. Gabrielle stared at Callisto for a while.

"Callisto," she finally said.

Callisto didn't respond.

"Callisto, are you hungry?"

No response. Gabrielle stared at her a while longer and then took a scroll and started to write.

She had been writing for some time when she heard noise. She looked and saw that Callisto had curled up like a fetus and that tears were running down her cheek. She stared at her for a few moments, surprised, and then put away her scroll and went to Callisto. She kneeled beside her a considered what to do. She decided to caress her. She slowly extended her arm, feeling awkward, and hesitatingly caressed Callisto's hair. Then she dried her tears.

"Shh," she said softly, caressing her cheek and hair. "It's all right, Callisto, you're safe. You're not alone anymore."

She felt strange soothing Callisto.

Callisto had been crying for a long time and Gabrielle tried to soothe her. Finally, Callisto stopped crying. Gabrielle used that and brought her stuff nearer to Callisto. She caressed Callisto again and continued to write.

During the night Callisto's screams woke Gabrielle up quite a few times and each time she hugged Callisto, caressed her and soothed her.

When Gabrielle woke up next morning, she noticed that Callisto was already awake and was still staring at nothing. She caressed her and then made herself some breakfast.

"Callisto," she tried again after breakfast, but Callisto didn't respond.

Gabrielle sat down beside her and caressed her. Then she continued to write.

Gabrielle wrote until noon and then made herself lunch. She was just finishing eating when Callisto suddenly jerked.

"Callisto?"

Callisto shivered. She got up and ran to the pond and threw up. Gabrielle was surprised. She quickly ate the last bite, resheathed her dagger and ran after Callisto.

"Callisto, are you okay?" she asked, concerned, as she kneeled beside her.

Callisto didn't respond. She moved away from the spot where she threw up and submerged her head into the water and cleaned her mouth. When her head was out again Gabrielle put her hand on her shoulder.

"Call…"

Callisto suddenly turned and knocked her down. She straddled her and took her dagger.

"Hello, little one," Callisto said wickedly and ran the tip of the dagger across Gabrielle's throat.

Gabrielle gulped, scared.

"I see Xena is not around. How about if I slit your throat and leave you here as a surprise, hm?"

Gabrielle had finally had it.

"Go ahead!" she said, angry and frustrated, and pressed her neck harder against the blade. "I've had it with you! I keep trying to help you and you keep hurting me! You complain how nobody understands you or gives you a chance! Nobody dares, because you kill those that do! You don't let anybody get close to you because you're afraid you'll get hurt, so you hurt others! You think you're so righteous when you want to hurt Xena, but you don't know her! She was evil, but she was nothing compared to you! Sure, she let you die, but not because she was afraid of you, because you are evil and she wanted to save innocent people from your madness! Do you think it was easy for her hurting you again!? She has changed, but you are still as evil as before! Go ahead, Callisto, slit my throat, if it will make you feel better!"

By then Gabrielle was crying. Callisto stared at her, astonished, and slowly removed the dagger. Suddenly Gabrielle pushed her away. Callisto prepared the dagger to defend herself, but fight was not on Gabrielle's mind. Gabrielle went to her stuff and started to pack. Callisto observed her, confused.

Finally, she looked at herself and noticed that her clothes and armor and weapons were gone, replaced by some new clothes. She also felt the bandages under the clothes and then remembered what had happened. She almost threw up again and she quickly drank some more water.

Gabrielle had finally packed and was leaving. Callisto stared after her. She wanted her to stay because she didn't want to be alone and she wanted to find out what happened after she got out of jail. But at the same time she knew that Gabrielle was right, she was afraid to let anybody get close to her, because she was afraid she would lose them. Her need for company finally won.

"Gabrielle!" she called after the bard.

Gabrielle ignored her.

"Gabrielle!" she called again. "Please stay!" she added.

Gabrielle stopped, surprised, and turned around. Callisto got up and approached her.

"Please stay, Gabrielle," she said. "I promise I won't hurt you."

Gabrielle hesitated. She looked Callisto straight in the eyes and finally decided to take a chance. She quietly returned to the fire, drying her tears, and took out her stuff again.

They sat down, staring at each other for a while. Callisto opened her mouth to ask something, but Gabrielle was faster.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

Callisto closed her mouth, surprised.

"Yes," she said.

Gabrielle started to prepare food. Callisto quietly observed her gathering courage to ask the questions.

"Where is Xena?" she finally asked.

"She went to find out what has happened to you."

Callisto bit her teeth as the memories of the abuse and torture and gang rapes and the mass grave occupied her mind. She shook her head trying to forget.

"How did you find me?" she asked after a while.

"You were walking like a zombie over the meadow. You were in a shock and you looked awful, so we took you back to our camp. Xena left to get supplies and some clothes for you and I washed you. Then she left to find out what happened to you. She was pretty angry."

"When did you find me?"

"Yesterday."

"Where?"

"Not far from here, just behind that hill."

Callisto looked. Then she calculated how much time she would need to get to that hill on foot and then tripled the time. She sighed.

"How did you get out?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto jerked.

"They thought I was dead and they threw me into a mass grave."

Gabrielle was shocked.

"Oh."

Finally, Gabrielle finished making the lunch. Callisto silently ate it and then lay back and thought. Slowly she fell asleep.

Gabrielle cleaned the dishes and then sat near Callisto and observed her.

A couple of hours later Callisto was having a nightmare. Gabrielle hesitated at first, but she finally sat closer to Callisto and caressed her.

Suddenly Callisto woke up and sat, breathing heavily, her eyes wet. Gabrielle quickly turned away knowing that Callisto would be embarrassed if she knew that she was being watched. Just as Gabrielle turned away Callisto looked around. When she saw that Gabrielle was not looking, she relaxed a bit and took a deep breath.

Gabrielle noticed Xena in the distance and was about to get up.

"Gabrielle," Callisto said.

Gabrielle turned.

"Why did you help me?" Callisto asked.

"Because you were hurt," said Gabrielle and got up.

Callisto stared at her, surprised.

Xena soon got closer.

"How is she?" she asked Gabrielle after she dismounted.

"Better," Gabrielle said. "She's not in shock anymore."

"Good," Xena said, took a bundle and went to Callisto. "Here," she said and threw her the bundle.

"What is that?" Callisto asked, surprised.

"Your belongings."

Callisto rose her eyebrows and opened the bundle. She noticed that most of her things were there. She looked at Xena.

"So, did you find out what you wanted to know?" she asked.

"Yes. They paid for it."

Callisto was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"The men that abused you were tried and executed."

"What!?" Callisto was upset. "How dare you!?"

Xena and Gabrielle were confused.

"How dare you kill them!? They were mine!"

"I didn't kill them, the executioner did."

Callisto was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I questioned the commander of those guards and he confessed everything. The king had him and the other guards executed. You weren't the only one they abused, you know."

Callisto was surprised.

"I'm sorry," Xena said.

Callisto almost wanted to ask her what for, but she knew what Xena meant. She hated her, but still, she had to admit that it wasn't Xena's fault. She nodded and turned away.

Xena turned to Gabrielle.

"Are you okay?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"Have you eaten?" she asked.

Xena shook her head.

"No."

"Then I'll make you a lunch."

Xena nodded and then left to take care of Argo.

The rest of the day passed quietly. Callisto was thinking and Xena and Gabrielle talked to each other. Before they went to sleep, Xena told Callisto that she and Gabrielle were leaving the next morning. Callisto only nodded.

Xena was surprised to see that Gabrielle put her bedroll so close to Callisto. It took her a moment to figure out why. She smiled.

During the night Callisto woke up several times and each time Gabrielle took her hand. The first time Callisto wanted to break the grip, but Gabrielle didn't let go. Callisto didn't struggle and soon realized that she felt much better. Xena watched them from her bedroll and smiled when she saw the effect Gabrielle was having on Callisto.

When Xena woke up in the morning, she noticed that Gabrielle was cuddled against Callisto. She was disturbed for a moment, but then she smiled. Soon she noticed that Callisto was also awake. She was surprised. She closed her eyes and pretended that she was still sleeping.

Finally, Gabrielle woke up. She was surprised to find Callisto there and not Xena. She yawned and got up. Xena heard her and also got up.

"Good morning," Gabrielle said.

"Good morning."

They went to the pond to fresh themselves. When they were gone, Callisto opened her eyes. She stared at the sky for a while and then sat up. She looked at the bundle and considered whether she should change clothes.

After a few minutes she decided against it. She took all her weapons, except her sword, and hid them in the clothes. Then she went to the pond to fresh herself. When she got there, Xena and Gabrielle were already leaving.

Callisto refreshed herself and then returned to the fire where Gabrielle was already preparing the breakfast. She sat down on her bedroll and quietly waited.

Gabrielle soon finished the breakfast and the three women quietly ate it. Then Gabrielle cleaned the dishes and she and Xena started to pack. Callisto quietly observed them.

When they were about to leave she decided to take a chance.

"Can I come with you?" she asked.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at her, astonished.

"You said that I don't know Xena," she explained. "What better way to get to know her than traveling with her. I promise I won't hurt you," she said.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other, confused.

"She has a point," Gabrielle said. "Can she?"

Xena hesitated, staring at Callisto. She didn't trust Callisto. She looked at Gabrielle. Damn it, not that pleading look again. No, Gabrielle, don't! Don't! Damn.

"Okay," she said.

Callisto quickly packed her belongings and followed them.

The End