Maternal Instincts
Remember how it looked the last time we were
here? What a difference a year makes, huh?
XENA
One year, two months, and twelve days, but
who's counting?
GABRIELLE
It'll be fine. You'll see.
XENA
After all that Kaleipus has done to make this
happen, I certainly hope so.
GABRIELLE
I'm not talking about the treaty, Xena.
XENA
Shh.
Solan. Solan, you dirty rat!
SOLAN
I almost had you! I've been practicing!
XENA
Very impressive. Don't you do it again. What do
you think, Gabrielle? Some tracker, huh?
GABRIELLE
He's a natural. Hi, Solan.
SOLAN
Hi, Gabrielle! Wait 'til you see! I got a staff, just
like yours!
GABRIELLE
Really. That's great!
XENA
Sounds like you've been pretty busy since we
were here, huh?
He's learned a lot.
XENA
He's clearly had a good teacher. Hello, Kaleipus.
KALEIPUS
Xena. It's been a long time.
Forever.
KALEIPUS
Thank you both for coming.
GABRIELLE
We should be thanking you. This treaty, it could
be the start of reuniting the Centaur nation.
KALEIPUS
That's why the delegates brought their children,
so they can appreciate the legacy we're leaving
them. A legacy of peace, and hope.
GABRIELLE
Hey, what are we waiting for, huh? Solan, I'll race
you to the edge of the village. On your mark. Get set.
Go!
SOLAN
No fair! That's cheating!
GABRIELLE
You'll never catch me!
XENA
Kaleipus, you should know that nothing's changed.
I didn't come back here to claim Solan. And besides,
you're more a father to him than if he was really
yours. I just came back here to give him a chance
at a safer future. Thanks to you, the future's never
looked better, for everyone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A child. I always wanted a child.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
Surprise!
GABRIELLE
Ephiny!
I can't believe this. Xenan? Why didn't you send
word that you were coming?
EPHINY
And spoil the surprise? Besides, as a Centaur
Prince, this treaty's important for Xenan, huh, huh?!
(to the kids) Why don't you two go play? Give
Gabrielle and me a chance to catch up, huh?
SOLAN
Okay.
EPHINY
Ooop!
Sorry, Sweetie, but you might lose him. Lucas will
be here when you get back. Now, scoot!
SOLAN
Come on, Xenan.
Gabrielle, what is it? What's wrong?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's pathetic.
Both the totems are on fire! What do you think
you're doing?!
CALLISTO
Just sending a message to an old friend.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can't believe it's only been a couple of months.
It feels like a lifetime since Xena and I were in
Britannia.
EPHINY
Word was Xena helped Boadicea defeat Caesar.
GABRIELLE
That's true. While we were there I, uh, I got into
a--a very bad situation.
EPHINY
What do you mean? What happened?
GABRIELLE
I had a child. And, sh--she died. I named her Hope.
That's what she was. She was my hope that, um,
despite everything that had happened...this child
was--was worth it all.
EPHINY
You can't blame yourself for her death. Only the
Fates know why sleep steals a child's life. I'm
so sorry.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cut those men down, now! I want the group
responsible for this.
XENA
It wasn't a group. Look, there's no footprints.
Nothing's been disturbed.
KALEIPUS
It could be a god, Ares maybe, angry over the treaty.
XENA
No, it's not his style. There's only one who would
relish something like this. And unless the impossible's
happened, she's trapped for good.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You sure you'll be okay?
GABRIELLE
I'll be fine. Now go, or you'll be late for your meeting.
Ephiny, don't forget Lucas. This wolf, it's by Senticles,
isn't it?
EPHINY
Uh-huh?
GABRIELLE
Yeah. Xena gave me a wooden lamb last Winter
Solstice. I gave it to Hope.
EPHINY
Why don't you get some rest?
GABRIELLE
I will.
Whoever you are, I know you're there. So come
out. Now!
I'm sorry. I--I'm not gonna hurt you. What's your name?
HOPE
Fayla. Are you Xena, the Warrior Princess?
GABRIELLE
No, I'm not Xena. I'm Gabrielle. Xena's a friend
of mine. Maybe I can help you.
HOPE
It has to be Xena. The monster-lady made me promise.
GABRIELLE
Monster-lady?
HOPE
She said she'd hurt me if I told anyone else. And
she can. She's a god.
GABRIELLE
Fayla, this monster-lady, did she tell you her name?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Callisto. I sensed it earlier, but how could she
escape? (to Hope) This message she told you
to give me, what is it?
HOPE
She told me to tell you that she knows your little
secret and she's gonna take it to the grave. That's
all. Now, can I go?
Wait.
Callisto knows about Solan.
GABRIELLE
But, how?
XENA
Whoever freed her must've told her. But who that
is or how they know-
KALEIPUS
Doesn't matter. Bottom line is protecting Solan.
XENA
What about hiding Solan in the Ixion caves?
KALEIPUS
Should be safe there.
GABRIELLE
Maybe we should take Fayla, too. How about it, Fay-
Tell me again how Xena looked when you told her
that I'd take her precious little secret to the grave.
HOPE
Like she'd been stabbed through the heart with
her own sword.
And that's exactly how she'll feel too, when Solan
dies. Stabbed, stabbed through the heart.
HOPE
Ow! That hurts.
CALLISTO
Pierced to the soul of such exquisite pain.
HOPE
Don't!
CALLISTO
Oh, I wish I could've seen it.
HOPE
Stop!
You'll get your chance. Why do you think I freed you?
CALLISTO
To make her suffer?
HOPE
To make her stop. My father's kingdom is at hand.
The age of darkness, when Dahak will snuff out
the people Xena loves, 'til he's crushed her very
soul, and as she goes, so goes the world.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
No way! I'm not a baby! None of the other kids
have to hide.
KALEIPUS
You're not one of the other kids.
XENA
Kaleipus, do you mind if I talk to Solan alone?
What's with him, anyway?
XENA
He's worried about you.
SOLAN
Why? I can take care of myself.
XENA
He is your father. Maybe not by blood, but he
couldn't love you any more if he were. And when
you are a parent and your child is in danger, that
is the scariest feeling in all the world.
SOLAN
You're saying he's scared.
XENA
I'm saying he loves you. And though you might
not understand the reason, you have to trust that
someone who loves you that much is only trying
to do what's best for you. Right?
SOLAN
I guess so.
XENA
So, do me a favour, cut him some slack, all right? Deal?
SOLAN
Deal. But you owe me.
XENA
Big time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks.
Where did you get this?
HOPE
I didn't steal it. It's mine. It's always been mine.
The people who found me said so.
GABRIELLE
Found you?
HOPE
They said it was in the basket with me. All's I
remember is lots of water, me crying for my mom.
But she never came.
Gabrielle! Gabrielle!
Xena says to hurry. They're ready to go.
Is there something wrong?
GABRIELLE
No. No, I'll be right there.
Look, um, there's something that I have to do,
here. So I want you to do a favour for me, okay?
I want you to wait in my hut 'til I get back. And this
way, I-- I'll know you're safe.
HOPE
Don't see why you care.
GABRIELLE
You will. Do you promise?
HOPE
I promise.
GABRIELLE
Bye.
Bye-bye...Mommy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wait. I smell burning.
Really, Xena? Is that any way to greet an old friend?
Especially considering the warm welcome I just
gave you.
XENA
How'd you do it, Callisto? Who helped you? That
lava pit should have held you forever.
CALLISTO
Well, that's for me to know and you to find out.
But I didn't come here to talk about me. I came to
meet your precious little son. Solan, isn't it? Flesh
of your flesh, bone of your bone, blood of your blood.
Can't wait to see all that.
XENA
Hurt my son and I swear by any god you name, I'll-
CALLISTO
You'll do what? You're gonna make my life a living
hell? Old hat, Dear.
You did that years ago, when you, uh, barbecued
my family. But now it's my turn to host the cook-out!
And where is the guest of honour?!
Solan. Solan, dear. Come meet your Auntie Callisto.
XENA
No!
Gabrielle. Clever you, fooling me with the old
bait and switch. Good plan. After all, even I can't
be at two places at the same time, now, can I?
Solan? I thought I told you to wait back there!
Zeus child, what are you doing here?
I don't understand! Even Callisto can't be in two
places at once-
XENA
She's not working alone. She as good as said so.
GABRIELLE
What?
XENA
Someone is helping her.
I just don't know who?
Kaleipus.
GABRIELLE
Oh!
XENA
Kaleipus. Kaleipus, what happened? Where is
Solan? Where's Solan?
KALEIPUS
Safe...went for help.
XENA
Who did this?
KALEIPUS
(whispering) The--the child.
XENA
What? I can't hear you?
KALEIPUS
Raise him.
ACT THREE
I'm so sorry. Kaleipus was one of the finest people
I ever knew.
SOLAN
Like my father, and my mom. But, why does
everyone I love die? Is it me?
XENA
No. No, of course not.
SOLAN
Then why are they dead? Everyone who ever
loved me?
XENA
They're not. You still have m - many, many friends.
And they've all said how much they love you and
want you to come and live with them.
SOLAN
But I don't want to. I want to live with you.
XENA
What?
SOLAN
I won't be any trouble, I promise. I'll catch my own
food and keep up. And I'm hardly ever sick.
XENA
Solan, I don't think-
SOLAN
Please. My uncle always said, if anything
happened to him, you'd be there for me.
XENA
And he was right. But all your ties are here. Don't
you wanna be with someone that you know,
someone that you care about?
SOLAN
Yes, you. You said we were friends, and
real friends are like family, right?
XENA
Like family.
SOLAN
Then take me with you, please? Don't leave me.
XENA
When all this is over, you be packed and ready
to go. We've got a lot to talk about. We might as
well do it on the road.
Hope. Hope. Are you here?
Hope, what's happened?
HOPE
Uh, that half-assed old man. He caught me
coming for Solan.
CALLISTO
So you had to kill him, and look what it's done
to you. Weak as a little kitten. Which means,
Solan is mine.
HOPE
No! You have to get me out of here.
Leave me now, and join the rest of your puny
gods when Dahak destroys them. Lose everything
I promised, everything Dahak brings.
CALLISTO
Well, what is a little more time?
And when you're well, we'll obliterate them all.
HOPE
No, better to crush their dreams, destroy their
future. We'll kill what they love most...their children.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Come on, boys! Quickly, now! Hurry! Quickly!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fayla!
Where have you been?! I have been looking all over
for you! You said that you would wait here, remember?
HOPE
I'm sorry, but she wouldn't let me! I tried to get
away, but she-
Who? Who, Callisto?
HOPE
I have this power to move things. I don't know
why. She says it's 'cause I'm evil.
GABRIELLE
That is a lie. You are not evil. Never believe that.
HOPE
My mother thought so. She tried to drown me in
a basket. She wanted me dead.
GABRIELLE
She wasn't trying to drown you. She was trying
to save your life.
HOPE
You weren't there! You don't know!
GABRIELLE
I do. The basket is all there was. I--I had to put
you in it or, I had to watch you be killed. Now I had
no choice. I loved you.
HOPE
You--you loved me?
GABRIELLE
I--I prayed that the gods would protect you, and
they did. They brought you home.
We have to go. I'm sorry, Mommy, it was me. I
helped Callisto get out. And now she's coming
for the kids. We have to go! Come on, hurry!
GABRIELLE
No. Wait, wait. Xena has to know this.
HOPE
No, Xena hates me!
GABRIELLE
She doesn't hate you. She just doesn't understand.
Now, she will see what I've known all along, that
you can fight your dark side, just like her.
HOPE
But I'm scared. If Callisto finds out I told, she'll
kill me! She will!
GABRIELLE
She will not find out. I will take you to the safest
place there is, until we can go. Okay?
HOPE
The safest place? You promise?
GABRIELLE
I cross my heart. Don't be afraid okay? Now,
come with me. Let's go.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Almost ready.
HOPE
Solan?
SOLAN
That's right.
HOPE
Safest place there is.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The children? She's targeting the children?
GABRIELLE
She's coming from the south.
EPHINY
I'll round up the kids, get 'em to the caverns.
What makes you think you can trust this child?
GABRIELLE
What makes you think that we can't? Xena, she
gave us Callisto's plan.
XENA
Exactly. Callisto wouldn't tell her anything she
didn't want us to hear. The child's probably a
pawn or worse.
GABRIELLE
That is not true. Xena, you were always so quick
to blame her, weren't you? Well, she is not evil!
She's not!
XENA
Hope? The child is Hope?
I'm sorry. I never meant to lie. Xena, I couldn't kill
her. She's my daughter. You're a mother, you
know this! I had to save her.
XENA
Maybe it's not too late. She's young. Poison'll kill
her if her powers aren't mature.
GABRIELLE
Poison? Xena, she is my child!
XENA
She is not a child! She is a body, a vessel, an
instrument for evil. That is all!
GABRIELLE
You are wrong! Xena, Hope is the victim here!
That is why I sent her to Kaleipus' hut, so she
would be safe from Callisto.
XENA
You sent her to Kaleipus' hut?
Solan?
Solan? Hey. Hey, Solan.
Solan?
Xena? No. No. No.
XENA
Get out.
GABRIELLE
Xena-
XENA
Go! Solan.
Solan please. I'm here, now. Your mamma's here.
Just like you always wanted.
ACT FOUR
Xena, it's Ephiny. Xena, please.
Go away.
EPHINY
Xena, Callisto's coming. We need your help.
XENA
Go away.
I said, get-
Xenan!
Mommy?
What are you doing here? I thought I told you to
wait in Kaleipus' hut?
I know, but it was awful. I couldn't stay there! I
was scared!
GABRIELLE
Why? What did you do?
HOPE
I ran. As soon I got there and saw that boy dead,
I ran and hid.
GABRIELLE
Hope, are you saying that he was already dead
when you entered the hut?
HOPE
I thought Callisto did it, so I got scared and ran away.
GABRIELLE
Oh, of course. It had to be Callisto. You said that
she's after the children, right?
HOPE
She is. So, please, can we go now? I don't wanna
die like Solan.
GABRIELLE
How did you know his name was Solan?
HOPE
You--you said so, remember? Now, please, can
we go?
GABRIELLE
Yes. Yes, we'll go.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hurts, doesn't it? Losing your family. Rips out
your heart, your guts, your feelings. All that's left
is the pain, right? Welcome to the club.
Now!
Fall back!
Go! Take cover!
CENTAUR
Retreat! Hurry!
Stupid fools. I'm doing you a favour.
You'd like to kill me. Wish you could.
Why drag this out?! Can't you see I bring you the
gift of oblivion?! Come out, come out, wherever
you are? I promise it won't hurt. Much.
Dead end.
XENA
You got that right. It all ends here with me.
CALLISTO
You don't seem to get it, do you? You've won. All
these years I've spent living to destroy you, thinking
that only if I could give you the same pain that you
gave me, I'd be rid of it, and life would go on. And
then I do, and nothing changes. I don't feel better,
just empty. So you let me go, Xena. You can't win
this battle. And you've already won the war.
It's not that simple. I won't let it be.
I'm warning you Xena, you're nothing to me now.
XENA
You're breakin' my heart.
Walk away.
XENA
Go to Tartarus.
Get down!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Run!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You'll trap us both! That's your plan, to trap me
here while my pain keeps growing and growing
and you die and yours ends!
XENA
You're wrong, Callisto. You let your pain kill you
years ago. I'm gonna live with mine.
Look out!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(to the kids) It's okay.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If--if I had just done what you said when you told
me to do it, then they would still be alive. Kaleipus
and Solan.
XENA
No. Don't you even speak his name.
GABRIELLE
Xena.
XENA
No. No, you lied to me. I trusted you, and you lied
to me. And now Solan is dead. My son is dead,
because of you.
I love you, Xena.
STARRING
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
GUEST CAST
Hudson Leick as Callisto
Amy Morrison as Hope
David Taylor as Solan
Danielle Cormack as Ephiny
Jeff Boyd as Kaleipus
Reece Rodewyk as Xenan
Chad Bennett as Sentry
Phil Adams as Centaur
Written by: Chris Manheim
Directed by: Mark Beesley
Disclaimer: Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was harmed during the production of this motion picture.
