What Now The Future Brings
by Vickey Brickle-Macky

Disclaimer: Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys are owned by Renaissance Pictures and Universal Studios. I'm just borrowing the characters, not that I wouldn’t want to borrow Ares on a permanent basis.

Some strong language, arguments, tasteful sex between Ares and Xena and no real violence. A little Gabrielle bashing.







They were camped by the sea, the four of them. Ares waited at camp while 'his' ladies went on ahead to the shore itself. None of them were fully recovered from the events on Mount Olympus several days ago. The larger world itself was just beginning to realize that something was different, something had changed just beyond the fringes of their awareness and understanding. The mortals were just beginning to realize that their gods were gone. Not all the gods were dead, but those that still remained were diminished in strength and abilities. Fading away to nonexistence unless they chose like him to be mortal. They no longer had the power to control mortal lives the way they always had. Mankind was going to be able to be self determining of their own fates rather than have their destinies determined by the gods as they always had been.

It hadn't just been Xena's doing that had signed the God's death warrants and was now ushering in this "Twilight of the Gods". He was fully responsible too. It would have been so easy to let Gabrielle and Eve die, as they bled to death on the floor of the audience chamber on Mount Olympus. And they had died, the divine spark had left their bodies. He had felt it and he had seen that when Xena's sword passed harmlessly through Athena's body. Xena had lost the ability to kill gods. Athena had seen it too and immediately took gleeful advantage of the situation and would have killed Xena if he had not interfered. He did it for love, for love of her, of Xena. He also had to admit he had a soft spot of Gabrielle and Eve as they had also been his once too. Though never in the way Xena had been, and he hers.

He still didn't understand how that had happened. Who the unknown other player was that could grant Xena such powers and abilities. There was much more going on than he was seeing, a larger game plan than even his family was aware of. He still didn't have a grasp of who or what this god of Eli's was that was causing people to flock to his side rather than to the old gods as they had always done. But whatever this god was it had power, enough to give Xena the ability to defend her daughter and physically hurt and kill his fellow gods and goddesses. And in some unknown way he was somehow part of this grander plan. He had seen that with Eli--he had known, dammit he had known, and welcomed my killing blow as part of some greater destiny for all of them. He and that turncoat Callisto who was now some sort of heavenly being that he didn't even understand. She had been his creature like Xena, and then one of them, a goddess, now she was something other, part of this new god's creatures. It was getting very confusing and terrifying for all of them.

So what plan did it serve for him to be fully mortal with no hope of regaining his immortality or powers? What was he going to do now? He was the God of War and no matter what Eli's followers thought there was still going to be a need for him. Mankind was not going to overnight turn into peaceful sheep, people couldn't change their basic natures. So who was going to be the new kid on the block and take his place? He suspected that they were soon going to find out as there had to be a balance between good and evil and so far he was only seeing the good.

As far as what he was going to do next, he didn't have a clue. He'd be a warrior, but he wasn't sure how he'd really hold up when confronted by a mortal adversary. He could fight, but most of his was show backed up by his powers, and not real abilities, and skills like Xena had. In a real fight he would lose big time and he knew it. He liked his skin such as was now-- intact. This pain thing he could do without. He had had enough of pain before when Dear Departed Daddy Dearest had turned him mortal as punishment on several occasions. His arm was still sore from where Xena had cut him during the battle. Now he had to do the eat and sleep things again, and to know what it was like to be really bone weary tired and ache all over.

He was asking himself it was worth it, was it going to be worth it--he hoped so. His actions were now setting whatever that was yet to come into being. He was now the turncoat God--that was how he'd be now remembered by all. For the love of a mortal that probably didn't give a damn about him anyway, he had brought Eve and Gabrielle back to life without Athena's permission sacrificing not only himself, but the fate of his fellow gods by his actions. Gods, he hoped this was going to be worth it and he just hoped his sacrifice for her hadn't been in vain. Yeah, for the bigger picture he still wasn't sure whether he had done the right or wrong thing. But for the more immediate future of his and Xena's maybe life together it was. And that was what he wanted--a life with her, by his side always, mortal, immortal, he didn't really care just as long as they were together--that's what counted, what mattered.

Somewhere along the line of knowing her and being in her life, she had taught him to love, to care, to feel. And she couldn't see it. She still thought it was a trick, some kind of plan within a plan like he usually had when they met. This was not trick. He loved her, he really loved her with all the depths of his being. And his feelings hadn't changed with his mortality in fact they were more intense and painful, these feelings, these emotions within this body. He had never been this fully mortal before because he had always retained some of his powers. Now he had none. His heart was now bleeding as much as his wound had bled. He was beginning to see everything in new ways, with new understandings, and it scared him. Being fully mortal was a terrifying experience and no wonder mortals had prayed to the gods to endure just living day by day.

How was he going to convince Xena that he was sincere? That he was willing to change to be whatever she wanted of him for her love. So far he didn't have a clue. Then he was also going to have to convince Gabrielle and Eve that he was sincere too.

Gabrielle was still skeptical with good cause, and Eve? Eve was in shock still trying to figure out what and who she was. Xena had done that too once but somehow he sensed that Eve's struggle to find herself was going to be harder in view of all the other prophecy stuff that had been heaped on her head as well as her divine origins. If he hadn't seen Xena infused by the spirit of Callisto with his own eyes he wouldn't have believed it either. This immaculate conception stuff was still bothering him, at least if he got Xena pregnant they'd have fun doing it and she definitely remember it. But to get a woman pregnant that way was plain cheating in his book. And he was still trying to figure out why it had been necessary to do it at all? Then pick of all women, Xena, as the vessel for this? Why his warrior princess, why not some nobody pleasant woman, someone completely unknown? So far this was not making a whole lot of sense and he had had twenty five years of thinking this over and still wasn't any closer to an answer. They were still missing pieces to this puzzle and he wanted to understand and not be left in the dark like this.

He looked back down the hill to where the three woman still sat overlooking the water. They needed this, this peace this quiet. They all did. He knew that their battles weren't over. This was just another small bit of space between, the quiet before more storms. Sunset was just beginning across the waters and he saw Xena rise at last from where she had been sitting with Gabrielle. They would be coming back soon.

Eve was still playing with the grasses by her, not seeming aware of anything or anyone. She had been this way for awhile since she had been told the truth in Eli's temple by Callisto. She was no longer the fierce warrior she had been, she wasn't much of anything, she just existed because she had to because Xena and Gabrielle said she had to. If it had been up to her she would be dead. Living and going on no longer mattered to her, nothing did. Her spirit was broken and she didn't want to regain it because she felt she didn't deserve to for all that she had done. Her eyes were so haunted. It hurt to look at her or to be looked at by her now, remembering what she had been, so proud, so much a warrior with the potential of surpassing her mother's skills, but sadly there had been no heart, no compassion, no feelings for others there. He could only care about and guide the warrior, but not the woman.

He still found it hard to believe that he never connected Livia as being Xena's daughter. The girl growing up had been so much like his warrior princess that he had been drawn to her like an arrow shot from a bow. Hoping to not make the same mistakes with her that he had with Xena to make her perfection, to make her into his lost love. To make his Xena and his heart be reborn again. For he had really believed Xena dead and as far as he knew the child was as dead as the mother had been. In his grief he had believed all had perished. He had believed the surface deceptions and never bothered to go beyond the appearances and see if they were all really dead. He was still holding a grudge over his being deceived like that.

He had finally come to terms with her being dead and forever gone from his life. Then out of nowhere she returns as beautiful as ever. When he saw her alive he almost lost it. His heart leaped for joy, so happy he was she was back, back in his life, and they might have a chance to repair all the damage they had done to one another and start anew. But it was not to be as she had found out that he had been pursuing Livia/Eve, training her, guiding her, and even having a few minor flings with her.

She blamed him for not knowing--that wasn't one of his powers--never had been. In many ways he was just as blind to seeing past appearances and knowing what was going to happen next as any mortal--she never had caught on to that. A god was supposed to know these things according to her--yeah, right. His Dad maybe could do that and some of the other gods but he had never had that ability unless it had to do with war and war of the sexes didn't count.

After Xena found out she could only see red over what he had done to her daughter in her absence, what she had become. And they fought bitterly. Instead of a joyous homecoming, it became a pitched battle between them. Xena mad at him for putting her and Gabrielle in that ice cave and not being able to wake up for twenty five years and missing out on seeing her daughter grow up and guiding her. It was the blood thirsty, power hungry monster that her daughter had become that hated her guts and wouldn't believe she was her daughter and who she was that really had her upset as well as she couldn't believe that he didn't know, hadn't suspected a thing. According to her he should have--and grudgingly he had to admit he should have known too. He'd almost suspect it then shake it off because as far as he knew Eve was dead. Watching her grow up he wanted Livia to be Xena so much and she wasn't. It was because she reminded him so much of her. Now he understood why.

So now what? he asked himself watching the trio approach. Where do they all go from here? There had to be reasons why this all happened, as well as reasons for the future. Before he would have been able call on the Fates to help him sort out what needed to be done but they could no longer hear him or else they chose not to answer--he wasn't quite sure about what had happened to them. So he would have to wing it and hope he got it right this time.

He unfolded himself from the ground to stand and meet them. None of them looked too great, nor should they after what they all had been through. Their bruises and cuts were healing, but the scars on their souls were going to take longer to mend if they ever could be mended.

"The rabbit's almost done," Ares told Xena as she walked towards him with a slight limp. She acknowledged his words with a brief nod, no more, and then turned to watch Eve come trailing in slowly behind her to sit again some distance from the group as she had been doing.

"Good. I see you remembered how to cook," she almost smiled, looking up at him grateful for his presence and willingness to share the camp tasks.

"I'm relearning. Since I've known you I have spent more time as a mortal than I have ever had to. I have discovered I do like to eat," he replied, turning the meat once more, and stirring the ashes of the fire where the tubers had been cooking to see if they were ready, which they were, then speared them to get them out of the fire to cool so they could eat them.

"It smells wonderful," Xena complimented, as she took her belt knife and picked up one for Eve and handed it to her. Eve looked at it and eventually picked it up and ate sparingly of it only because her mother was watching her, making her eat.

Xena gave one to Gabrielle who took it almost absentmindedly and began eating. Ares helped himself as did Xena, Their companions may not have been hungry but they both were. The rabbit was done finally and portioned out, followed by some dried fruit and wine. Deep silence hung heavy between them all as the twilight deepened into evening and the stars came out. Only the sounds of the night creatures could be heard over the crackling of the campfire.

"So where are you heading from here?" Ares finally asked, hating the silence and how depressed they all were.

Xena shook her head, not meeting his eyes. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe back to Amphipolis to see if my mother is still living or if anyone I knew is. I would like her to see her granddaughter. I still have not gotten used to being twenty five years ahead of myself. The world is so changed from what I knew and I am so out of place," she said looking up at the stars then over to Gabriella who was listening with her head down.

Ares wasn't sure what to say to her that didn't sound flippant or unkind. He had been alive for many thousands upon years, but outside of his brief stretches of mortality here and there he hadn't really had true awareness of time passing. It was not something important to an immortal. On some level he was becoming aware of what she was saying as time had stopped for him when he had put her and Gabrielle in their ice coffins. Everything had stopped with her 'death' and had restarted when she had come back. The intervening years had just passed with no remembrance or significance to them, just as most of the previous centuries had. He hadn't even thought about it before this. How could he explain to her that he had lived yet not lived without her being in his life? Would she believe him? Would she even care? The only words of comfort he could offer were, "it'll just take awhile to adjust."

She nodded, a little reassured. "I know. We can't go back in time because 'now' is where we are supposed to be. I don't think if we could go back that what has just happened could have really been altered that much," she said with a finality in her voice.

"No, I don't think so either. We all tried to change what was prophesied and it backfired. I for one have learned you can't change fate to suit your own ends," he said with a sigh, stirring the ashes and adding more wood to the fire.

Xena looked at him and quirked and eyebrow. "That's a new one for you. You who used to change the rules to suit your ends however you could."

Ares looked embarrassed, and meekly met her eyes, "yeah, I know. I can't do that anymore. As a god I could get away with stuff like that--now I can't. There isn't going to be any divine reprieves for me--not this time. I play the games I used to and I'm dead--really dead this time. I'm not ready to die yet. I've got to figure this mortality thing out. Before I played at being mortal, now there's no playing--this is it--endgame. Somehow I have to make it right this time," he confessed sincerely, and stared off into the flames of the fire.

Xena heard his words, but she wasn't sure what to make of them, whether to believe him or not. Too many times she had trusted him, and then been betrayed. The only thing she did know was he was scared, and this was as close as he was going to come to admitting it in front of Eve and Gabrielle. To her, face to face he could say it, but he wasn't going to drop the bravo easily or the arrogance. He was now weak and vulnerable and wasn't coping with it too well.

"Xena, I'm going to turn in and get some sleep," Gabrielle announced tiredly, not having anything she really wanted to say and too much already on her mind she didn't want to say quite yet when she was this tired. Standing up and brushing the dirt off she went over to where her bedroll was a few feet away and started laying it out. As soon as she was through she got under the covers and laid with her back to them without a word.

Eve did the same not saying a word to anyone, laying hers close by Gabrielle's, looking back over her shoulder every once and a while at Ares and her mother still sitting by the fire. The haunted, tired look was still in Eve's sad eyes, and it had both Xena and Ares concerned. When she was done she finally said, "good night, Mother, Gabriella," pointedly not saying good night to Ares and crawled into her bed and threw the covers over her head.

Xena sighed at her offspring's rude manners, and glanced over to Ares who was seeming to take it all in stride. If Eve's coolness towards him was bothering he wasn't letting it show. Xena didn't even want to know how close he and Eve had gotten in her absence. And she doubted if either were going to tell her. Maybe that was for the best. They all had issues with one another which were not going to be worked out and resolved for awhile.

She was tired, but she was restless too as she could tell he was. The food had at least helped their bodies, but otherwise her spirit felt leaden. Ares got up suddenly and walked away from the fire towards the sea, sensing he wanted to be left alone she let him and didn't follow.

The crescent waxing moon was rising above the tree tops across the rise, its silver light starting to brighten the landscape. She could hear wild dogs barking in the distance, but they were no threat with the fire. Except for the four of them they were quite alone on this isolated shore line. They had come here because it was away from other people, mortals who had no idea of what major events had just happened to their world. Away from people that might recognize them too. None of them were unknown nobodies, ordinary people, their destinies had never allowed them to be, but now they all had to figure out how to be just plain people if they could.

After Eve's birth that is all she had wanted to be, plain ordinary, raise her daughter, and put down roots somewhere she wasn't known--yeah right--not too many places she wasn't known. If the Gods had just left her alone, none of them would be in this fix now, the Gods hadn't and so most of them were gone and now they just had to wing it with their lives and cope with the aftermath as best they could.

Now she had a grown daughter she wasn't sure what to do with. A bloody warrior like herself that had suddenly been shown the truth about herself and her divine origins, and was being led on a spiritual path that none of them fully understood. Eve couldn't even defend herself now, and didn't want to, deliberately leaving herself wide open and vulnerable. It wasn't even the same as when Gabrielle couldn't defend herself. It was much worse as Eve wanted to die and let herself be a target which meant in a fight someone was going to have to watch her daughter's back as well as their own. Eve wouldn't even fight or defend them if they went down either. She'd just sit and stare and do nothing. And considering how badly people wanted her dead for what she had done as Livia, all the killings of women and children and whole villages it was very dangerous for all of them.

After they stopped by her mother's village and maybe Gabrielle's home village to see if any of their people were still alive they should really think about going to another part of the world where Eve couldn't be recognized or them. She wasn't even sure how many people knew that she was resurrected and back. She didn't want the cycle of violence to continue. She just wanted to be able to put her sword down for awhile and not have to watch her back. She really did want to just settle somewhere and grow old.

Then there was Ares. He had been remarkably quiet, and very nontalkive for him. So far he hadn't made any mention of plans for himself or with them. He was just hanging with them. Actually, it was more hanging with her as Gabriella and Eve were not happy with him traveling with them. He was being tolerated because she had invited him along to keep an eye on him.

She still had feelings for him, and it was clear he still cared otherwise he wouldn't have saved her daughter and her friend and sacrificed his own family and immortality. He had finally told her point blank that he loved her, and meant it. Though she hadn't handled it well. It was still bothering her that she had given him such a very lame "thank you" on Olympus after what he had done and given up. She should have said more, but she had been too stunned, tired and in shock from the events of the battle with his family. Up until now there hadn't been any breathing room to sit and think and figure out what to say to him. And she still didn't know what to say to him.

Xena roused herself from her thoughts and noticed that the moon was quite a ways above the tree tops now and the fire was burning down and he still hadn't returned. Stiffly she got up and added a few more pieces of wood to the fire before heading in the direction Ares had gone earlier. She found him finally almost at the same spot that she had been before dinner, sitting down in the tall grass staring out across the moonlit waters. He was aware of her, but didn't turn as she approached.

"Can I join you or do you want to be left alone?" she asked, stopping her approach, waiting for his response.

Ares shrugged his shoulders, "if you want. Surprised you're not crashed out already and not giving me the silent treatment like everyone else is," he said with a sigh, motioning her to sit if she wanted to next to him.

She did come closer and sat down cross legged in the grass close to him. "Not ready to sleep. And I think you and I need to talk."

He sat with his long leather clad legs drawn up almost to his chin and his bare arms wrapped around them. Turning to her he nodded and looked at her, cocking his head a little, but there was none of the usual arrogance, just a sort of resigned defeat mixed with curiosity in his dark eyes. "Yeah, I know. I been sort of bracing myself for it," he replied quietly.

"It's not that bad, Ares. I just want to thank you again for what you did saving Eve and Gabriella. I understand why you did it. I just have trouble accepting you did do it, if that makes any sense?" she said, hoping she wasn't putting her foot in her mouth.

He chuckled a little over that. "It does. I'm still having troubles with what happened myself. Still questioning whether I did the right thing or not--and still I keep coming up with the same answer--yes. I would have done the same thing under the same circumstances. I just wouldn't have let the circumstances gotten as far out of hand as they did so it wouldn't have had come down to their lives and yours . . . versus my family's," he told her sincerely, with a slight catch in his voice that he tried to hide but couldn't.

"I didn't want to fight them--I never wanted to fight them. I just had no choice. Athena wouldn't give me a choice, none of you would. I killed Hades, and Hestiva, gods I cared about and had fought for against their enemies. But everyone turned on me because of that damned prophecy. . . . All I wanted was to be left alone, and to keep my child alive," Xena said sadly, picking at a blade of grass by her feet.

"I know. I tried to tell Athena that, but she was just as stubborn and paranoid as Zeus had been over Eve. Some goddess of Wisdom she was. She just wouldn't let it go. I'm going to miss her and everyone else. I wonder if even gods when they die go to the Eulslyan Fields. Never did have a chance to ask Hades that, now I can't--," he said with a moan, biting his lip, to keep the tears back as it all started catching up to him.

Xena didn't know how to answer him on that, but she did reach over and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, feeling him shiver under her touch and drew him to her into her arms. Ares didn't resist, didn't go all macho, I can handle this, because he did need her, he did need her strength and love to help him sort through these overwhelming human emotions he was feeling. This time he was fully mortal, fully human with all that entailed including human emotions he didn't know how to deal with. And the ex-god cried in her arms, letting lose all the pain, grief, anger, and myriad other emotions over everything in his long life--what mortals had done in his name, the loss of his family, fellow gods, thinking she was dead and losing her for years, regrets over his behavior with her, what he had done to Eve, Gabrielle, and uncountable other things she would never be able to gasp even awareness of. Only with her did he feel safe enough to let all of it go, only with her did he have that kind of trust to let himself be open and vulnerable, and know too that she could understand him, and help him to understand himself.

She just held him and let him go, knowing he needed to do this, even though he was going to hate himself in the morning for it--it had to be let out here and now and not fester. Finally after a while he began to quiet, though the grip on her never lessened. She ran her hand through his thick, short, raven locks, and planted gentle kisses on his head. Slowly he raised his tear stained dark eyes to hers, a little embarrassed, but calmer than she had ever seen him. She returned his look with love, acceptance and understanding. "Are you okay," she asked, keeping her worries for him out of her voice.

"I think so," he managed to say, his throat a little raw. "So this what being fully mortal is like--it sucks," he said braving a wan smile to her as he wiped the wetness from his face with the back of his hand.

Xena took over gently wiping his tears away with part of her cloak, giving him a reassuring smile. "Yeah it does, but it's not all bad. You never got the full package before. But it does have it's benefits too," she added.

He quirked a dark eyebrow on that, "yeah, like what pain? Grief? Anger?--I'm real familiar with those already. I just notice that they feel a little different, somehow sharper than before," he admitted, turning himself to lie his head fully in her lap while she stoked his hair.

"They always seemed to me to be sharper too, that's why I fought you so hard to stay mortal. I just didn't want to lose my feelings, and whatever it is that makes me, me. As an immortal I didn't feel that way, but I could never get you to understand that," she sighed, looking down at him and seeing for once he was really understanding what she was saying.

"I am beginning to understand now though what you kept trying to tell me. On a lot of things over the years, I have been rather dense," he admitted with a grin, reaching up and lightly running a finger along the underside of her chin when she did not flinch back from his touch. "I promise I will try and listen to you when you think I'm going to do something dumb. And I know I do dumb things, and act out of anger not thinking. I can't do that now. I remember all to well the last time I tried to behave like a god in a mortal's body--it doesn't work too well," he laughed grimly.

"No, it doesn't. So what are you going to do?" she asked, not seeing any subtle way to ask, as his finger started traveling down her neck. She wasn't minding his touch and was actually enjoying it. Immortal or mortal, he was still Ares, and she was still willing to give him chances, and still had hopes they could work it out and not get into some stupid fight like they always did as she did still love him.

He sighed at her question, "I really don't know. This wasn't something I had a lot of time to think about. Right now I am just winging it, like everyone else seems to be doing. I've been trying to think of opinions of what I can do. The only thing I do know is that we all need to keep a low profile until we get out of the neighborhood. So far none of my family's priests and priestess have come after us, but I figure it's just a matter of time. I may have been the God of War, but even you know I'm no real warrior when I'm mortal," he told her truthfully.

"Yeah, I had been thinking that too. You can fight, but only to a point. You don't have all the reflexes and moves you did have. You're going to have to learn to defend yourself as a mortal. At least you're being honest about the situation, that's a step. But it's Eve and Gabrielle I'm really worried about. They aren't in any shape to fight anyone right now. Eve won't even pick up a sword. I'm not sure what to do with her if we do get attacked. It scares me," he told him honestly, letting her own guard down, letting the barriers between them go down. He was being honest with her so he deserved the same.

"I know. I've been watching them both and worrying too. There's a lot of fiction between them, just over you, over what has happened--I won't even get into how they both hate my guts. I can't say I don't blame Gab for being pissed at Eve over Joxer's death--I liked the guy, a bit of dimwit at times but he cared and he tried even if he wasn't a real warrior. Aphrodite used to go check in on him and let me know how he was doing and even I'd drop by myself, but he didn't know. He got himself a good wife and kids too, and I made sure his village, and your mom's never got bothered after I thought you were dead," he told her.

She looked down at him rather incredulously, "you did that because of me?" real shock as well as tenderness in her voice. "Ares, I don't know what to say, except thank you," as she leaned down and kissed him in gratitude for that more than small favor.

And he didn't turn down her offered lips, as he met hers willingly with his hand reaching back to pull her head down to his. Their lips met gently, softly at first, and then with increasing intensity willing each other to feel what the other was feeling and then some. Her raven hair falling around them like a veil, brushing against his chest and arms. His other arm sought out her waist and she felt herself gently being pulled to him and she went gladly, with no resistance to lay her body on top of his upon the grass. The hand that had gripped her waist now traveled upwards along her side to work lose the straps that held her armor on. Those he knew how to take loose whether he was mortal or immortal, though right about now he still wished he had the power to make her clothing fall off or vanish with a thought. That had been a really handy thing in situations like this.

She was smiling under his kiss as he tried to get one side undone and couldn't, and she could tell he was getting frustrated, just a little. She decided he needed help before he got mad and broke the strap and she'd really be in a fix. Before he knew what was happening, Xena lifted up off of him, breaking their kiss, and was sitting up beside him to undo the buckles, sliding her armor off and her boots to be only clad in her under tunic, her robe going on the ground next to them like a blanket.

He sat up on his elbows watching her being both amused and pleased at the same time, not having had that great of hopes on anything happening between then except talking if even that.

Considering how rocky their relationship had been since she had defrosted, her behavior was really surprising him. He was afraid to question and break the spell, but there was a part of him that needed to know whether this was really what she wanted to do because she did love him or for other reasons. His pride still couldn't let him make love to her just because she was only grateful for what he had done for her. The old Ares would gave taken advantage, but he couldn't, not now. He wanted it to be right between them. No mistakes, no regrets, certainties of what they were going to do, and the directions this would change their lives.

With some hesitation he spoke, "Xena, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, meeting her eyes, wanting to read in those blue depths for himself the answer to his question.

She drew back puzzled as she was coming back to lay back down with him. "Yes, don't you?" she asked, really confused now.

"More than you'll ever know," he said, looking at her, his heart pounding now. "But I gotta know that you do want to do this because you love me and this isn't just a thank you lay," he said hoping he wasn't coming off all wrong and really blowing it.

Xena flinched at his choice of words, but yeah, a lot of it was because of the gratitude she felt. But she did love him too, and she had missed his arms being around her, holding, his kisses, just him when he was like this--human. Recovering her composure, she told him, " no, it's not. I do care about you. I want to put the past behind us, start over if we can, if it's possible."

"Maybe," he told her being honest, "I'd like that too, starting over if we can. I don't want to lose you again, but I don't want to hang around either if there's no hope either. I've done that for years. I just can't do it any more. I love you. Xena. I always have, and always will, and if that makes me a fool so be it. But that's how I feel. For me there is no one else," he said with a note of finality in his voice as he watched her sitting up next to her now, trying to gauge what she was thinking and feeling.

She shouldn't have been shocked by his words but she was, for he was out and out sincere with every word he meant, and he wasn't holding back. He was saying the words she had wanted to hear from him since the beginning of their relationship. The power and strength of his feelings, and the sheer love she could feel coming from him for her was overwhelming her, almost scaring her in it's intensity. But he'd also had twenty-five years plus for it to build up to these levels. She couldn't just blow him off, not now, because she was reading the cost to him to be this open with her in his eyes. It would kill him in more ways than one to turn him now. Though part of her was still questioning if they could they make it work? Did they have a real chance? She hoped so for both their sakes. It was her move now, and she needed to do something quickly before he gave up and closed himself off as she saw him starting to do because of her silence.

"I do love you too, Ares," she said, seeing him tense up. "And I do want you, and I want to make it work. There is still Gabrielle and Eve to worry about. Can you handle that as I just can't go off with you and just leave them behind? They are as much a part of me as you are. I wish it was simple, uncomplicated, just you and me but it's not, until they decide to go off on their own paths if they want to. I think there is hope for us, but it's going to take a lot of work if we ever want to be happy and not at each other's throats fighting," she told him, accepting what she was saying and not jumping up and flying off the handle.

"I kind of figured that, but as to Gab and Eve I've already accepted that they are part of the deal. It's all of you or nothing. I've learned that finally. We'll have our time together when we can, but now we all have to stick together to survive, be a family of sorts. Maybe you and I can have that kid I always wanted and this time you don't have to worry about me making him into some kind of god or taking him away," he said giving her a slight smile, letting her know it was okay.

"Him? Pretty sure of yourself, still. Could be a girl you know. And when were you so kid crazy?' she asked, facing him returning his smile relaxing.

He cocked his head amused, and shook it slightly because she really didn't know him. "Been that way, you just never noticed. I remember how I felt holding Eve when she was little, talking and playing with her, watching you feeding and caring for her, listening to you and Gab tell her stories and singing to her. I love hearing you sing--I really missed that. You were so happy, you had this kind of glow about you then. It was so wonderful to watch and share in when you would let me. I always wanted you to have my children, Xena, and not because of any power plays or future plans, just because they would have been ours, out of our love, because we cared enough to make a child together," he said taking her hand in his, clasping it to his chest where his heart was. "Love me, Xena. Let me make love to you," he asked his voice soft and love and full of desire for her.

She didn't grab her hand back and let him hold it "Ares. . . ," she wasn't sure what to say to his heart tugging plea as he was getting to her, he always did. "Gods, why do you always make it so hard?" she asked looking into his soulful, hopeful dark eyes that were tearing at the strings of her heart, melting it.

He smiled at little at her, "because it always is that way between us. I love you and I will keep repeating it to you forever if need be until you finally accept and believe how much I care. Even if we don't make love--I'll be a tad disappointed, but I will accept it, I will still be here for you no matter what, whenever you decide you want me," he told her, taking her hand and kissing it, then turning it over to kiss her palm which sent shivers through her.

He was getting to her bad, she did want him, and resisting him was getting harder and harder. If she did step over the line would she be committing herself or not, she didn't know? But she did know he was. Old Ares "love and leave them" was willing to commit himself body and soul to her all the way, and it wasn't a line, it was for real. But was she willing to step over the line all the way and commit to him wholeheartedly? Commit yes, wholeheartedly--that was another thing. There were still a lot of doubts and reservations and then there was Gabrielle. They were soul mates, at least that's what they kept being told, but she and Ares were tied together too and had been through time too as she knew this was not her first contact with him. They had been together in other lives besides this life.

"I know Ares, I am believing you this time. I don't know why I can't make up my mind... why it can't be easy," she said sadly, her emotions and feelings becoming more and more confused.

She looked at him trying not to see the God he had been, but the man he was now and what he was becoming and could become if she just gave him the chance. She was trying to figure out what he was feeling too, their eyes meeting across the short distance between them, both full of such mixed emotions, being scared, afraid on both sides, but wanting to love one another not for lust's sake, but for love's sake regardless of the risks of pain and hurt, wanting to heal the old wounds, and really let themselves lose themselves in one another. Bright sky blue eyes, meeting midnight depths wanting, longing, hoping not to be hurt again, wanting to be happy again to find joy again in their love. Their carrier wave was singing strongly between them pulling her closer to him. She reached out a hand and touched his face and saw hope reflected there. His hand reached out to touch her face and he saw forgiveness there, belief in him and the beginnings of trust.

She leaned forward as he did too, his hands grasped both sides of her face and brought her waiting lips to his to meet gently, lightly brushing them, feather light, and then he kissed her fully letting her feel what he was feeling for her, for them, and it intensified as she let loose her pent up feelings, merging together with his. Xena's arms went around his neck and she moved her body instinctively closer, wanting to be nearer to him. Holding back no longer, he crushed her to him, burying his face into her raven hair, "Xena,... gods, Xena, I love you," he half gasped, half moaned as he brushed the hair from her neck to plant kisses along it making her tingle more as he sought out her sensitive spots with his lips, tongue and slight nips of his teeth.

She let him lose himself in her however he wanted as they sank back to the earth intertwined and not holding back any longer. What remaining layers of clothes were quickly discarded in the tidewash of feelings overtaking them both. This was a battle of equals not of one trying to claim dominance over the other as so many of their trysts had been before. She had forgotten how wonderful his lean hard muscled body had felt. And there was a difference too in the feeling of this mortal body versus the god he had been as this was him, not some projection of what he wanted to be, just what he was and she was not being disappointed in the performance and lovemaking skills of the man.

He had thought he had felt it all as a god, but he was finding he hadn't even gotten close before. He had never made love as a mortal before, and was finding there were a lot of differences in sensations, textures, tastes and feelings. The difference of real solid flesh against real flesh, versus his pseudo flesh before--there wasn't any comparison now. He loved what he was feeling, and he was finding out what it was to be fully and truly alive in all senses of the word. Although, he was having to call on reserves of power within himself to keep up with her that he had never had to before. As a god she had worn him out-- not an easy task to do under any circumstances, but ohh what she was doing to him now--let her never stop--keep doing it, baby, keep doing it--don't stop, he mentally commanded, letting out a joyous moaning groan. She was going to kill him, he decided, but damn what a wonderful way to go, he smiled to himself as they soared higher and higher within their lovemaking. They came together at the highest point within a white hot blaze of light like nothing they had ever experienced before. A merging of two lost souls, binding together, fusing into one, so earth shattering in its incredible intensity for both that the joyous merging went on forever-- pain into pleasure and beyond to finally explode incredibly together in a blinding burst and then in the aftershock to drift back in gentle spiraling waves downward finally sated, satisfied fully bonded together in perfect love, bliss and joy to rest together nestled in each others arms.

The birds were beginning to sing and welcome the new day. It was becoming the first lightening of the rosy dawn sky when they both became aware of the approach of someone through the tall grass. Years of battle readiness kicked in as they both snapped to awareness at once, though more slowly to their state of undress and the close proximity to one another. She with her head laying on his chest while curled around him and his arms encircling her protectively possessively, his face nestled against the top of her head and her hair. Sometime during the night her cloak had been found and used as cover but their clothes were scattered around them. It was very obvious where and how they had spent the night, not that they were planning to keep it a secret anyway. The person stopped just short of them, probably having seen them and not needing to go any further to find them. The person either Gabrielle or Eve, they could not see from their angle up the hill through the grass. However, they both could feel mixed emotions of anger, irritation, and disgust as well as deep bone crushing sorrow radiating from the observer. Whichever one it was was silent. They never said a word, just a dismayed sigh could be heard on the wind and their visitor quickly turned around and left walking back the way they had come hurriedly then running through the tall grasses not to camp but angling off to the right instead.

Xena pulled away from Ares who looked almost bemused by what had just happened. She sat up, looked around, then located her shift a little ways from her on the ground and began putting it on. "Ares, get up and get dressed. We've got to find out who it was," she told him visibly upset now as she began putting on her armor and other pieces of her outfit.

"Why?" he asked, shaking his head, not comprehending her rush to go after whoever had stumbled deliberately or accidentally upon them. She glared at him over her shoulder as she reached for her boots and began putting them on.

"I need to talk to them--explain," Xena replied, not believing that he couldn't comprehend what was wrong.

No, he still wasn't getting it, but he was also dealing with women who generally were touchy about such things. He was beginning to wake up enough to at least get an inkling of the problem and was hoping it was not going escalate into something major. "What is there to explain? I'm sure it was pretty obvious what happened. We were going to have to say something to them today--weren't we?" he asked wondering if she was getting cold feet already and they were going to end up in a fight over this because what they had done in love was going to ruffle someone else's feathers and feelings. After last night he was more determined than ever not to lose her and do whatever it would take to stay with her.

She sighed unhappily, "yes, but after you and I did some talking and we both figured out what to say to them. I didn't want this to happen. It's going to be hard enough explaining as it is," she said, standing up and looking down at hi expectantly waiting for him to do something besides lay there watching her.

"Maybe, maybe not. Gabrielle should have figured something like this might have happened. Eve--I dunno, she's kept her distance since you came back and I had a talk with her over you. I made it clear you come first always with me," he told her looking up to meet her eyes and let her know he was telling her the truth on this. Reluctantly he sat up, then stood up, reaching for his pants and began dressing.

"I'm still having problems with you and Eve. I know you didn't know--still, it bothers me. Like somehow you should have," Xena told him turning away a little looking off in the direction the person ran off to.

"I'm not all seeing and all knowing like my Dad and even he could be fooled by mortals. We aren't infallible, especially me. And in her I saw another you, but not you. I don't want substitutes, I want you and only you. If it's any constellation I feel really rotten over it, okay? I wish I could undo what happened. When I found out Livia was Eve it shook me up bad, real bad. And I wasn't used to those kind of feeling either. I still think of Eve as your little baby I held in my arms and tried to protect," he told her sincerely. "I look at Eve and still see Livia, I'm not adjusting too well yet and all I see is a broken women, a broken warrior. But I am trying to see her as your lost daughter, I really am," he added finishing dressing.

Xena believed him on this. he was being sincere--he really hadn't known, hadn't even been able to entertain the possibility of Eve being alive after the death scene Xena had staged. The only hitch to their plans had been Ares taking her and Gabriella bodies to the ice mountain and entombing them. That was something they had never figured on, his intervention. If it had gone as planned Octavus would have collected their bodies, taken them elsewhere, then they would have woke up, and disappeared from Greece with Eve to live in quiet obscurity. However, it had had all happened the way it had for some greater purpose then any of them were seeing yet including the Gods, and somehow they would all have to adjust to the changes that had happened.

She did have to agree with him that Eve was a broken woman and warrior, and she wasn't sure how to repair her. "I'm glad you can see her as that. Out of curiosity how long have you known her?" she asked needing to know somehow.

The questioned started him and he looked at her strangely. "Almost ten years off and on, Why?" he questioned, puzzled.

"Since she was fifteen?" Xena asked, thinking that was about the first time she had encountered Ares herself. She wondered what her daughter had been like then and what drew his notice to her. "How did you meet?" she asked wanting to know how and when her child had become this blood thirst killer.

He shrugged, "Octavus and taken her to Greece for some inspection tour--I forget what and while she was Athens she came to my temple. He had already been training her since she was seven or so with weapons, but she was not happy with her progress. She wanted to be a great warrior, someone feared and respected. You were her ideal, she wanted to be like you except better. Since had been born she had grown up on listening about your battles and adventures. So she prayed to me asking to become a warrior like you and I answered her as I did you when you asked." Ares told her simply. "As far as I knew she was just another Xena wannabe, just like the hundreds or so that asked me the same thing over and over after your death. There was a difference in her that I hadn't sensed in other girls, a potential to be like you that interested me and I began to watch over her and guide her."

Xena could understand that. She hadn't been the only woman warrior to catch his attention over the years or the only one to come to his temple for guidance. She felt a tinge of jealousy but quickly damped that down. "What was she liked then?" she asked, the mother wanting to know as they began walking through the tall grass in the direction the woman had vanished.

He looked thoughtful trying to remember the girl then and smiled. "She was very beautiful and reminded me of you then. I guess that's what stuck in my mind about her. The resemblance. In the beginning, she was good kid, actually kind of sweet natured and loving, wanting to please everyone and hating to fail at anything. Some of the guys she worked out with had told her she wasn't good enough, or tough enough to be a real warrior, and it got her furious. So she came to me to ask for help to be a real warrior, and to make her tough and uncaring as that was how she thought a warrior had to be. I tried to talk her out of it, tried to tell her that you hadn't been. That your strength had been in that you cared about people, but she wouldn't listen, and she insisted that she had didn't need to feel, that only the victories mattered. She then went out of her way in her mind to prove herself by doing blood sacrifices in my name," he said sadly, hoping Xena would forgive him his part in Livia's creation as a blood thirsty monster.

Xena nodded numbly believing him, because he wouldn't lie to her on something this important. So now she knew how it had started. Eve had approached him, not vice versa. It had been a conscious choice on her part, not cohesion. She had been following Callisto's old path not hers it seems. And where had Callisto been? Why hadn't she seen what was happening and tried to intervene. Why had this child been allowed to go down this path at all? Callisto had been fueled by rage and revenge, but there were no similar motives for Eve that she knew about. "And she wouldn't listen to you?" she asked with a deep sigh as they walked up the hill towards the tree line. At least it was getting light and they could see now.

Ares shook his head as he went through his memories. "Nope, she did for a while, but she liking killing, liked the blood, liked to see people cringe and beg for mercy. Hell, she was scaring me. She was worse than Callisto had been at times, and Callisto was pretty bad," he replied with shame, remembering his part in creating that monster too.

"We were both responsible for Callisto. I set her in motion, you just helped her along. She went from warrior to goddess and now she some sort of heavenly being, an angel, supposedly redeemed for all time--I still don't understand it even though I was there and came back from that other place," she said, still surprised that she had been allowed to come back.

"You seem to have a habit of coming back from the dead--what does this make--the second, third, fourth time?" he inquired.

"Third, I think not really sure any more. Each time I think it's final--I wake up and I'm back. Each time changed from what I was. I'm not even sure what is happening to me anymore and why this keeps happening?" she told him honestly as she scanned ahead to see if she could see anyone or anything.

"And I see the changes in you--not bad but there's differences--good differences. I like them," he told her, surprising her completely.

"You do? I thought you liked the old warrior me better."

"Maybe years ago, but not now. Plus I've had years to think about it, and you. You were never out of my mind, Xena. I used to go visit you and Gab a lot on the ice mountain, talk to you, hoping it was all some terrible dream, and we'd all wake up, and things would get back to normal. And I swore if there was anyway you could return I'd make it all right between you and me, no matter what it took. I didn't know I'd actually get my wish and you would come back," he grinned at her, happy and still in wonder of her being restored to him.

"If things had worked out they way they were supposed to I would have been back sooner and Eve wouldn't have become Livia, or it really would have been over my dead body. I still am trying to adjust to being twenty-five years ahead of myself while the world went on without me. You at least lived those missing years --I didn't and now I have to adjust to a world I don't even know." she replied, stopping and looking at him. "I believe you when you say you want to make it right, but that's going to take time, just don't push. Right now, I just want to find who ran off like they did. Maybe it would be better if you went back to camp and see who is still there."

Ares stood there and looked at her puzzled, then just shrugged not understanding why she didn't want him coming along, "All right, I don't understand why, but if you think it would be better," he said agreeing, not sure what she was up to.

"Yeah, maybe I need to talk to who ever it was that ran off and they might not want to talk if you're there," she told him honestly with a tinge of regret in her voice.

He nodded agreeing with her for once. When it came to Gabrielle and Eve they would rather talk without him around. He was tolerated that was it. He and Xena getting together was the one thing neither of them wanted and he was very aware of it. He just hoped after whatever talk went on, Xena wouldn't get cold feet about them, not now, not after last night. He also had enough sense not to get possessive or demanding with her either--how many fights and arguments had been because he felt like he owned her? He'd had twenty-five years to go over every argument, every disagreement, every stupid mistake he had made with her--and there had been too many to count for him to do another stupid thing and blow it when he actually might win this time if he kept his temper and tongue. "Yeah, I know," he agreed. "Neither one of them is going to be too happy with us as it is. But I'm not sorry last night happened and I hope you're not having regrets---are you?" he questioned, trying to read her expression and not having much luck.

"I... don't know, sorry Ares. Yesterday, everything seemed so crystal clear and now... I'm not sure after last night," she said truthfully. "It's not that I don't care for you. I do, and I can't kept telling myself I don't. It's just that I also care about Gabrielle and Eve too. Part of me is wondering if you and I can stand to stay together and make it work. Then I am wondering too, what they are going to do or want to do. For me, life just got more complicated." Xena apologized, hoping he could comprehend how last night had changed a lot of things for her. Though there was part of her didn't care if he did understand what was going on her mind right now.

He had been bracing for this, her sort of backing out. He wanted to lose patience with her but he knew if he did he could kiss off them having a life together, so he bit his tongue. "Xena, don't have to explain," he said finally looking at how lost she looked now, and knew if he pushed now she would skitz into the opposite direction so he took another tack. "I've waited all this time and I can wait longer if I need to. I want you to be happy with whatever decision you make," he said sincerely coming over to where she stood not believing he was being so reasonable and caring.

He took her hand and kissed it, his soft dark eyes meeting her startled sky blue ones. "Xena, I love you. And I will keep telling you that as many times as I have to make you see that I really do. All I want is for you to be happy. If it's with me, great if not...I'll figure out how to deal with it," he told her sincerely.

Xena's eyes got wide at the latter part of his statement, not sure whether to believe him or not, But his eyes told her he was telling the truth and he never could lie to her and not on something like this. "Ares, we'll figure some way to work all of this out, I promise," she said touching his face, her resolve crumbling again.

Ares gave her a slight smile in return and bridged the gap between them and pulled her to him, his arms around her waist as hers went around his as he kissed her gently on her lips. "I know. In the meantime you have to go do some talking to Gabrielle and I guess I do too, to Eve," he said looking over Xena's shoulder, seeing Eve coming down the hill approaching them looking none too happy at their intimate closeness. Xena broke away as if shot as she heard Eve's name mentioned, and turned to meet her.

"So there you two are!" Eve said disgustedly, coming to a halt with her arms folded across her chest. "What, Gabriella didn't find you? She left a while ago." she questioned.

"She did, but she left before I could say anything," Xena told her daughter honestly.

Eve just raised an eyebrow and nodded, not wanting to know more than that. It was obvious as to where and what the two of them had been doing all night. Great, she just needed this on top of everything else. She was just starting to get over Ares dumping her like a sack of hot coals for her mother, but no one said she had to like it. She still had feelings for him and was still pissed that he wanted her mother over her. Even if her mother didn't look that much older than her--she was still adjusting to that fact--why didn't he want her? He sure had before dear old mom had showed up. Since then he had made it abundantly clear he didn't want her, and was never ever going to come near her again as long as her mother was alive. Though what was bugging her more was her mother's running hot and cold with him. It was plain to her that her mom loved him, despite her denials, the fighting she did with him, and flat out ignoring of him most of the time it was clear there was something very deep between them.

Then there was her relationship with Gabrielle that had Eve really confused. She suspected there was a bit more than just friendship and comrade in arms going on but couldn't get a straight answer out of either one way or the other. If Ares knew the straight of it he wasn't talking and it was clear the three of them knew each other very well. Most of the time she felt like very much the outsider watching and listening to the three talk about the past. Ares was the only one she did know, and that wasn't that well. Talking had been neither of their strengths or interests. Xena was trying to make up still for all the missing years and so was Gabrielle by going on and on about how she had been as a baby and telling them about her grandmother and family, and Gabrielle's as well. They even had Ares getting in on some of the story telling too as it was clear he had been involved in Xena's life for a very long time and had known her as a child too, and that was still a hard concept to take in.

The familiar way they could all talk about the different Gods and Goddesses, heroes, and people she knew of from history and bard's tales was unnerving. The three of them took it in stride like dealing with Gods, and battling the forces of good and evil were everyday occurrences, no big deal. Ares had been a real live god one of the twelve, so yeah all this was normal for him. But her mom and Gabrielle had died and been reborn several times, met and battled beings all across the world. It was rumored that Xena was more than mortal or in the course of her adventures she had been changed so she could take on gods and survive the battles. They had been places, done things, she couldn't begin to comprehend.

Until she had met Ares, she had lived a fairly normal everyday existence with the exception of being Augustus' adopted daughter which in itself made her slightly special. With the return of her mother, her whole world was upside down, tore asunder, expanded, and was now completely incomprehensible to her. She was this chosen one, this special person for whom her mother had killed actual gods for who was to be a messenger of this Eli whom she didn't know that much about. She had grown up thinking she was Livia and now she was Eve a completely different person or she was supposed to be. She know had these powers or something going on within she didn't understand either. She had changed. She could feel it inside, but she still didn't believe or accept it like her mother did.

"I think she's rather mad at you, 'mother'," Eve said finally, "she woke up and saw that both of you were gone, and asked me if I had seen you. I told her not since last night when I saw you sitting by the fire by yourself. She had a few choice words to say about Ares here, and then left to find you. That was a while ago and I decided to come looking myself," Eve explained.

"Ares and I needed to talk," Xena said, not apologizing, and not backing down either. Ares stood behind her and kept quiet. He was letting Xena doing the talking to also see which way she was going to go on their relationship and what if anything she was going to say about it.

Eve just gave her a disgusted look. "So now what, "mother'? Things all smoothed out between the two of you? You two getting married? Dumping me and Gabrielle? What?" Eve asked angrily, her eyes snapping fire now with jealousy and anger.

Xena didn't flinch back and her eyes got cold and hard too, "no, I'm not dumping anyone, Eve. Ares and I talked. We needed to talk about a lot of things that happened between him and I There is a lot more he and I need to talk about. Nothing is completely settled yet. I do care about him and he does care about me. Marriage, truthfully, I don't know yet either. That I have to wait and see, " she said turning to him, "Sorry, I'm having to be honest here," she told him.

Ares shrugged, "Yeah, I know. We both gotta see what happens on that," he agreed with her and gave her hand a squeeze.

"So he's coming with us to grandmother's?" she asked, unhappily, hoping that he'd go off on his own today--elsewhere.

"Yes. You're grandmother likes him," Xena told her daughter.

"Actually, I remember her saying it was okay because I was a god, but she wished I had been Hermes instead or Apollo when she caught us together," he chuckled, reminding her in a low voice of that time in his temple.

Xena choked back a laugh from the memory of that occasion at her mother's when her mother had come bursting in and had found them together when the town had been under siege by Athena because of Eve and she was offering herself to Ares in exchange for his protection. "I remember and you got mad because I slid out of our deal. I do apologize for that. If mom hadn't come in when she had...," Xena sighed, turning to him, looking up to him with a slight smile, everything would have gone differently all the way around," she told him.

He smiled back, "I know. There wouldn't be twenty five years between us, and Eve would have had been my daughter under my protection with some brothers and sisters to keep her company. Plus most of my family would be intact too if you hadn't backed down," he gently reminded her.

She sighed and winced at his words, regretting all the actions she had had to do in defense of her child. "I did what I thought was right then. I thought I could win and I could keep her safe without your help. Nothing worked out as I hoped it would. I should have taken you up on your offer and it would have spared a lot of people we both cared about. Too many people have died because of my pride and stubbornness," she replied, thinking of all the pain and deaths caused by her decision to back out of their agreement had cost all the way around.

Eve looked a little stunned at revelations of their conversation. "You two are saying that if mom had given herself to you and you two had gotten together when I was a baby--none of this would have happened they way it did?" Eve questioned them both looking from one to the other for conformation.

Xena looked at her with guilt, "yes, if I had taken Ares up on his offer any time, even before you were born, none of this would have happened the way it did. He offered to protect me and you against the other gods and we would have raised you together. You would also have had brothers or sisters too," Xena admitted.

Eve frowned and shook her head not comprehending why Xena hadn't taken Ares offer, considering what had happened to all their lives because of her decision. "Why didn't you? I heard about that battle and the other ones. I don't see how you could have said no?" she told her mother, puzzled.

"There were a lot of reasons, none of them simple," she told Eve with a sigh. "I didn't trust him to keep his end of the bargain or believe him when he said he loved me. I thought it was a trick. Then there was Gabrielle too, after all we had been through. I really thought I could keep you safe without anyone's help. I thought if we could just hide out somewhere this would all blow over. I was so determined not to lose you like I lost Solon that I was crazy with fear and willing to do almost anything to keep you safe except the one thing I should have done," she said with deep regret, looking at Ares, begging him for understanding and forgiveness and saw that in his eyes as well as reassurance it was okay now.

Ares apologized to both of them, regretting many of his actions then and recently. "It happened and I don't have the powers any more to undo what has been done even if I could. We tried to do that once and reverse history, and made a worse mess out of the situation. Somehow it was supposed to come out this way or at least that's what the Fates kept telling me every time I asked. Funny thing, until just recently I didn't understand what they were saying about you and Eve. They always have to be so damn cryptic," he said, remembering. "Something about the reborn sleeper undying will wake when the messenger is needed. The warrior outside of time, outside of place will finish what has been started, with new battles to be begun and the order of things be undone. That which was of the old will join with the new so that balance and new life will thus ensue," he told them, not fully understanding all the message either yet.

Xena listened and memorized it, understanding the message and seeing that Ares did still have a part to play in all of this. Actually they both had one together if she was understanding the layers of meaning within meanings. Already she was wondering if last night's activities had added another complication to her life. She quickly dismissed that thought as not being feasible. If he still had his powers, yeah, it was almost a certainty if he wanted it to be so it would happen, as a mortal he had to take his chances. Now she could only wait and see what developed.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Eve asked them, seeing they did understand what the Fates had told Ares.

"Basically it's saying that your mom would awaken when you were most needed. You had to grow up the way you did for a reason without your mom's influence until now. Then because of what happened in Eli's temple you have become this messenger that Eli's people have been talking about for awhile. And Xena had to pick up where she left off battling the Olympian Gods over you to make room for this new bunch that's forcing themselves into the lives of mortals. The rest of it isn't that clear to me, so I'm not sure what's meant by the old and new and new life parts," he told Eve.

Xena quirked an eyebrow at him and saw that the part that was the clearest to her was eluding him. She decided not to enlighten him just yet unless her own interpretations were off. But it was clear Ares still had a roles in all this but she wasn't sure what those roles were yet. Ohh, to be able to talk to the Fates again and see what new directions were being laid out for them all. A side trip to one of the oracles might be in order since she had no means of going to the fates directly.

"How long ago did you talk to them, Ares?" she asked out curiosity.

He shrugged, a couple of months ago maybe. We've never been that tight, so I don't go to them unless something has been bugging me. And I kept getting these feelings that something was going to change real soon, real fast. And it did," he grinned. "If you're thinking of seeing them I don't think they'll talk to you.

"The Fates are outside of the Olympians so why should they not talk to me? Even Michael’s group have great respect for them," she told him.

"Okay, if they'll talk to you great but if they don't, don't say I didn't warn you. I take you have something you want to ask them?"

"A few questions, yeah. Maybe on the way to mom's we can stop at one of the temples, maybe one of yours? I don't think we'd be too welcome at anyone else's. Even Aphrodite is mad at me." she asked.

"Yeah. Sis isn't even talking to me either. I don't know what is happening with everyone who is left now. They've cut off all communication--period. At least the last time I was mortal they at least talked to me and let me know what was going on at home. Now I don't have a clue," he replied really hating being out of the communications loop. "We can try one of the temples. So far no one knows I lost my powers and I can get around my priests. Yeah, it's beginning to sound like a plan," Ares told her looking thoughtful as well as hopeful now.

"Good. In the meantime I need to go find Gabrielle and talk to her. You two can go on back to camp. I'll be back with her as soon as I can," she told Eve and Ares.

"Sure, I'd wish you luck, but you do need to do some talking to her," Ares said starting to turn to join Eve and go back to their camp. "Come on Eve let's head back," he told the younger woman who had been quiet during their exchange.

"Okay, I guess," she answered him, having some questions of her own to ask him now.

"I'll see you all later when Gabriella and I get through talking," she told them as they started walking up the hill and she went in the direction that her friend had gone.

After Xena was safely out of earshot Eve did begin to start asking questions of Ares, now that she was beginning to get answers on how her life and their had gotten messed by what she saw as her mother's stubbornness and stupidity. "Ares, I want to ask you is all what you and Xena said back there true? She had a chance for you to take us all under your protection and she blew it?" Eve asked wanting verification of what she had just heard.

"Pretty much. I had been asking your mom to join with me for years, even before you were conceived but she kept turning me down or else it would almost be a done deal and I'd blow it somehow and she'd get mad and go off with her friend. Or worse go off with my half brother Hercules. Then I'd really be mad and do something stupid to get Xena’s attention which never worked and ended up backfiring on me. No, your mom and me go way back and she's the only one that ever got under my skin the way she does," he said looking off into the distance where Xena had gone and sighed.

"And I didn't?" she asked, getting a little angry now to realize that whatever she and he had had hadn't really meant anything to him.

"Truthfully, no. I hate to burst your bubble, Eve but it was fun, it was exciting but you're not Xena. I love Xena, really love her, and it's taken me a long time to accept that I really had real feelings for her. I have wanted her for a long time, but if there was a chance for us I blew it long ago through my own stupidity. Now she doesn't believe me and doesn't trust me. In all the time I have been alive there has been no one I had considered worthy enough to reign by my side as an equal, or anyone that my family approved of that they were willing to welcome into their ranks. Though that was before you, sorry Eve," he apologized and she shrugged, just listening to him as they walked along getting slightly angry as he went on about Xena. "I wanted to make her a full goddess and she turned me down," he said with a bitter laugh.

Eve just started at him open mouthed. "You've got to be kidding. She turned down being a goddess?" not fully understanding how any mortal could do that.

"Yeph, told me to go get lost and she's rather be mortal than by my side for eternity. Though after I cooled down I began to get it through my thick skull why she turned me down as I had been rather an ass about a number of things which she and a number of people were quick to point out. I made the mistake of trying to force you mom to do things my way. No one can force your mom to do anything she doesn't want, not even the gods. The only one that can get through to her at all is Gabrielle," he said, and realized how much he had been rambling on about Xena.

"I'm probably boring you to tears," he said trying to change the subject.

"No, not really. At least I'm beginning to understand you, her, and Gabrielle. You all have years of knowing one another. For me, it's just a short time. I am also understanding what it was between you and me all these years too. I thought it was something wrong with me--if I was just a better warrior or something you'd care about me more than as a casual fling. I see now you were already taken and I never had a chance, not really," Eve told him bluntly, fighting back the tears that were suddenly threatening to overtake her calm exterior.

"I tried to tell you that you and I could never be what you wanted. I could give you the empire but I could never give you my heart and you were getting just a bit too blood thirsty to consider for the goddess category. I would have been there for you as I had but beyond that I just couldn't see anything," he told her, apologizing in his own way for disappointing her. "You were a damn good warrior Eve, now what are you going to do if I'm not being to noisy. How does all this Eli stuff fit in with you. You're not one of them now are you?" Ares questioned as they neared camp.

"I don't know. I'm not sure what I am anymore. I'm not Livia anymore, not that Livia but I'm not yet Eve either. In that temple I saw what mom and Gabriella said was Callisto as some sort of celestial being and there were others like her around her. She showed me my conception, my birth, everything. She showed me everything that Xena had been trying to tell me. And there was such love and forgiveness for what I had done coming from her. . . I still can't describe the experience, except I know it happened and it was real and I couldn't kill anymore after that. Then when they took me to see the Baptist and my sins were forgiven. . . mom was given the power to battle your family in my name," she told him going over to the fire and adding more wood to it to cook them something to eat while they waited for Xena and Gabrielle's return.

"So that's how it happened. I had wondered. One minute you were plowing through Eli's followers and battling Xena and the next thing I knew you were being hit by this beam of light and I could tell I had lost you. You had this look on your face, you and Xena both. I've seen mortals look awe stuck before but not like this. So it was Callisto that came to you? The new and improved Callisto? Still don't get that transformation and how it happened," he said having very vivid memories of 'his' Callisto.

"Yes, it was her. I take it the old Callisto was like I was, like Livia?" she asked stirring the coals around as she crouched by the fire as he stood nearby watching her.

"Yeph, pretty close. It kept bugging me how much you reminded me of her and Xena both and now I understand why. You look like both of them in one person. This immatuate conception bit really throws me. As I know it's for real as far as your concerned. I was there. I know. I saw it. I just didn't want to believe it. I mean I could do stuff like that if I wanted to but I never did. I preferred the direct approach if I'm going to get someone pregnant. I had Gabrielle and Joxer accusing me of taking advantage of Xena after she had come back to life after Caesar had crucified her and Gabrielle. Eli brought them back to life somehow. I never touched your mom, but I got accused of it anyway," he told her.

"Think Eli did it?" she asked, hoping to make sense of this.

"I thought so, but they both denied it and Eli wasn't interested in sex with anyone. I could tell it was a god thing and not normal, so I had to believe Xena on this. The only way I can figure it happened was when she died and came back, she came back pregnant somehow," Ares told an incredible Eve handing her some tubers to throw into the fire to cook.

She took them and put them in around the edges of the fire where she had coals banked up. What he was telling he was almost beyond the realm of possibility or belief. Things like this didn't happen in real life, or did they? "She came back pregnant?" Eve asked frowning and shaking her head. No, this was way too weird for her. But Ares believed that was the explanation for what had happened and he knew about stuff like this--or she hoped he did.

"Yeah, haven't been able to figure out any other explanation for this. Gabrielle even swore Xena wasn't with anyone for this happen. I generally knew when Xena had been around someone else, just like I knew when she had died and came back. I was there when Callisto gave your mom the spark of life for you and it freaked me," he told her honestly as he gave up standing and sat down cross legged next to her.

"You saw it?"

Ares nodded. "It was Callisto and Eli standing in this sort of portal to this other group's realm. They were manifesting themselves so Xena and Gabrielle could see them. I wanted to jerk Xena back from it but I was powerless to do anything. Most of the time we leave them alone and they leave us alone but lately they have been making themselves more and more known and encroaching on our territories and from what I've been hearing this is happening in other places too, not just here in Greece. Xena was my Chosen and I couldn't do anything to stop it," he said sadly, looking at his now too human hands.

"So what happened then?" Eve asked wanting to know all.

"Callisto said something about it only fitting that Xena be the vessel of good and they were all forgiving to one another. It made me ill, so I left right after that to go think about what had happened and to realize that your birth was going to mean big trouble for the gods. I mean the entire confrontation with Eli was over people abandoning their worship of me for Eli's path. I screwed up when I killed Eli. It would have been better if he had lived. I just made him a martyr instead, a hero to the people. Not one of my better moves," he told her, regretting his actions which he had been gloated into.

Eve decided not to say anything, but she did have to agree that killing Eli probably rallied a lot of people to his cause that might not have come over to the peace keeper. She was still too new to the ways of Eli to fully comprehend the ways of this religion. "I notice that no one likes this Callisto, why is that? What was so wrong about her? I have heard legends and tales of her growing up, but I have put what I have heard as bard's embellishments not facts. No one could have been that crazy," she said looking to him for verification.

Ares laughed bitterly. "I'm not sure what you heard but the reality of her was worse, especially after she became a goddess. I was scared of her even when she was mortal. She hated Xena with every being of her soul. She blamed Xena for killing her family when she was a child. Her whole motive for living was to pay Xena back any way she could, and she did. Your brother Solan got killed because of her. Then I thought I could manipulate her and use her to gain power over the other gods. Wrong, she used me, tricked me, even killed Strife, but in the end she was destroyed. When you were Livia, you reminded me a lot of her. The same insane rages, lust of blood, disregard for life or people, always power hungry, and not caring who got in your way to the top. Even in looks you are like her. I couldn't see that until now," he said, looking over at her to see how she had been taking his tales of her other 'mother-father'.

Eve was not too happy about what Ares was telling her, it made her shiver in disgust as she had been all those things he was telling her Callisto had been too. Evidently Xena must have been a saint compared to both of them, at least that was the impression she was getting that Callisto was a vicious and dangerous woman that somehow had gotten the chance to be a goddess and then to be an even worse monster that even the other gods were afraid of. But how did she end up as this angelic being from what she had been? That was the confusing part. One minute she was moral, then she was a goddess and destroyed and next she's something else? It didn't make sense. It bothered her that she looked like her too. How was that possible? "Ares, you say I look a little like her, how?" Eve finally asked.

He shrugged, "just expressions, features. You're a blending of the two of them somehow."

"That's creepy," she told him truthfully turning the tubers in the fire with a stick to cook them more evenly. "So how did she get from being a mortal, to goddess, then to whatever she is now. That's the part that's bothering me all this dying and coming back parts both for her and for Xena too. Once you're dead don't you stay dead? At least what I used to think was true," she commented.

"There are always exceptions to the rules, reprieves by the gods, and/or the powers that be for special circumstances and individuals," he replied. "Xena has died and been reborn several times now, each time more changed, stronger and more focused than she was before. Callisto died as a mortal and got a reprieve because I needed her, but she didn't need me and wouldn't stay focused on why she had been brought back forth. She got way out of hand and had to be destroyed for the sake of the world."

"Yes, she did," Xena spoke up from behind him.

So lost in his thoughts about the past he hadn't heard her return. Ares turned to see her concerned expression and Gabrielle's disgusted one. "Hi, see you made it back. Eve was asking me about Callisto, you, herself. I was just filling her in," he told her truthfully, staying put where he was, trying to get a gauge on how the talks had gone and couldn't tell from either one of them.

Gabrielle just rolled her eyes and glared down at him. "Like what exactly were you telling her?" she asked accusingly, her arms folded across her chest as she stared down at him.

"Nothing bad, nothing that she hadn't heard from you two or from history. I left out all the blood and gore stuff, Hope, Dahook, Hercules, all that. If you want to tell her all that have at it. She just asked how Callisto could go from mortal to goddess, die and be reborn and then get transformed into some angelic being. Truthfully, that part I can't answer as I don't understand it anymore than you two returning from that place and Xena ending up pregnant without help. I really would like an explanation on that. It's been driving me crazy for years," he told them both.

"Then it will have to keep driving you nuts, because I don't know how it happened either. It just did. As you used to say it's a 'god thing'. All I know is I found myself pregnant after I came back and as far as I know, no one took advantage of me while I wasn't quite me. Though you did try," she chided him, and gave him a same smile.

"But I didn't. Honest!" he swore with a slight smile of his own, his arms up in surrender, remembering how easily it could have happened, but taking advantage of her in that state hadn't seemed fair or any challenge so he hadn't. He could be a gentleman if he wanted to be despite opinion to the contrary.

"Yeah, I know. Otherwise you wouldn't have been bugging me so much about a child. And your reaction when you heard the news was priceless. I still think your family over reacted and none of this needed to happen," Xena shrugged.

"I thought so too, that's one of the reasons I sided with you. I just wish you would have taken me up on my offer then. It would have saved a lot of bloodshed and time," he said, trying not to think about his family and how alone he was in the world now and hoping she wasn't going to tell him to go get lost. She was sort of wearing that look, but he couldn't be sure until he asked. He decided to face it full on especially since Gabrielle was still looking daggers at him and Xena was starting to get that twitchy look she got when she something unpleasant to tell him. "So how was the talk?" he asked looking up at her and saw her eyes slide away. He braced himself. Gabrielle had gotten to her again--damn!

Xena looked at him sadly. "Ares, I don't want to talk about this right now. We're still going to Amphipolis and see if my mom's still alive. And we will be stopping at one of your temples to drop you off," she said averting her face so she couldn't see his pain and anger.

Ares just glared at Gabrielle. "Did it again, didn't you, Blondie? Blew me out of the water before I even had a chance to prove myself to her. Thanks loads! Here I am, mortal, and you all are going to drop me like a worn out shoe. It ain't fair! Not after I saved your lives, let you butcher my family, gave up everything, my godhood, my self respect, and this the damn gratitude I get?? Something just isn't right here, Xena. You'd give me up for her?" he asked angrily pinning her with a hard cold look, trying to hold back the tears threatening to overwhelm him.

"I, ... just can't do this, Ares. I care about you, but I also care about Gabrielle and my daughter too. Gabrielle and I have been through life and death together, so many things," she said meeting his eyes, looking for understanding in those coal black depths and not finding any, just confusion and bone deep hurt.

"And we haven't? I admit there have been more bad times than good, but you pushed the situation too. You weren't exactly innocent. Right now we have a chance, maybe for the first time. I wanted to show that even gods can change. That I can change. I'm willing to be anything, anyone to you. I love you that damn much and this time I am not giving up without a fight. What ever it takes to prove to you that I care and want a life with you, I will do. And that includes putting up with "miss high and mighty" over there too. I'm not leaving this time, Xena. You ain't getting rid of me, not yet," he told her determinedly, surprising even himself with the conviction of his beliefs in them He sat there with arms folded looking from Xena to Gabrielle who was shocked at his outburst and stubbornness to stay.

In the past he would have exploded, had a temper tantrum and left. Not this time. If he was going to prove anything to Xena, and he amended, Gabrielle. He had to keep his cool and wait the annoying blonde out. She had been counting on the old Ares flying off the handle and bolting. Not this time, not this, now mortal. This was a battle he had to fight on completely different ground, with different rules. He'd had years to think of what he had did wrong, and said wrong. No, losing his temper would lose him this battle and he wasn't going to lose it. It had already cost him too dearly. He'd swallow his pride and arrogance, and was going to make sure he didn't get gloated into doing something stupid.

Xena was surprised. She hadn't really expected him to stand fast. She was looking at him with renewed respect. Maybe he was sincere and this wasn't a ploy like Gabrielle kept trying to tell her he was using to win her sympathy before he did something to hurt her again. She hadn't been sure whether he had been on the level last night, but in the clear light of day she was seeing a strength and resolve in him she hadn't seen before. He was willing to fight for her, win her love, win her trust, with no tricks, no deceptions. She owed him at least the chance to prove himself and underneath all of it she did love him.

"Okay, you win, Ares. You will be coming with us," Xena said calmly, turning to Gabrielle and giving her a look of 'don't you dare argue with me on this' which Gabrielle just glared back at both of them, disgusted that she hadn't won like she thought she was going to despite their heavy duty talk and arguments over him. This was not going to be the pleasant trip that she thought it was going to be.

Then to the entire group Xena told them firmly, "We will all work this out. We still have a ways to go before we reach Amphipolis, so the sooner we get everything packed and on the road the sooner we'll get there. I'll go check on the horses. Gabrielle you want to get our water skins filled before we go?" Xena asked her, deliberately getting her away from camp and from Ares so they wouldn't get into a fight before they even left.

Gabrielle shrugged and just looked at Xena sadly, "Yeah, I guess. Might as well," she said still glaring at Ares who had risen now and was bending over, starting to pull the cooked tubes and warmed up leftover meat out of the fire for the trip. She found their waterskins by their packs, grabbing them up she headed for the stream close by the camp trying control both her anger and her tears at what had happened. She was furious at Xena for this betrayal. She never expected Ares to fight for Xena and not lose his temper. She had counted on that. That was usually enough to get Xena furious at him, especially if he verbally attacked her, then she would tell him off and give him the boot out of her life for awhile or until he came slithering in like the snake it was, Gabrielle thought to herself. But this was a new Ares they were both dealing with who had had a long time to reflect on his mistakes and decide what he wanted. It was very clear that he wanted Xena and was not going to give up either. He was still obsessed with her best friend, but it was also clear he really loved Xena and was willing to do anything to win her. Maybe even gods could change--nah, she told herself and began filling the waterskins.

They hadn't even been back from their deep sleep that long to get adjusted to this new world and all the changes that had happened. She was quickly learning that people were not as she remembered or were the towns and people they had met and been in so far. They even dressed and talked slightly differently. It was also clear from what she had seen so far that the Cult of Eli was more widespread and entrenched than it had been. They now had temples, their own priesthood, and almost set beliefs. She wondered how Eli would view all of this that had been done in his name? Would he be pleased or horrified by how things had evolved since his death? The Cult of Eli was also coming in to direct confrontations with the Roman Empire which had now spread into Greece, almost taking it over as well as much of the world from what she had heard from Eve, Joxer and Virgil. The Olympian gods were being replaced by the Roman ones or the Roman names were being used instead of the proper Greek ones. No wonder they had been so scared and weak when they had battled them. You lose power if your worshipers don't know your true name. The gods weren't completely cast out here, but their influence had been declining steadily over the years.

The changes had begun in her times and had spread forward just as the Fates had said that they would. She wouldn't admit it to Xena but this new world, this new reality they had entered scared her. What were they going to do once they had checked on their families and friends? Was there still a need for warriors such as them, or should they just settle down somewhere and try to live normal lives--if possible. It looked as though Xena was already leaning towards the settling down idea, with Ares, she added disgustedly. If that was the case she felt like maybe she should start looking at other options for herself. And what about Eve? Where was she going to fit in with her mother's plans or did she want to? It might be a bit uncomfortable long term with her and Ares after they had had a relationship together. Then Eve, too, had to sort out herself and figure out where she fit in Eli's plan. She had thought she and Xena together were going to do that with her, guess not, not now, she sighed as she finished her task and resealed all the jugs.

Coming back to camp she saw that Xena and Ares were already loading the horses up. They were laughing and joking about something as their laughter carried on the wind. Sometimes the two of them together surprised her as they could get along if neither tried to do one upmanship to the other. On simple everyday tasks they could work together and they had a longer history of working together than she and Xena did. They actually seemed happy together. maybe it could work out for Xena. She wanted her happy. That’s what counted. Gabrielle forced a pleasant smile on her face as she approached them. She still wasn't sure about her and Ares, but she would back off and see what happened.

"I see that you two are in a good mood. What's up?" She asked pleasantly as she approached them and handed them the waterskins.

Xena moved away from Ares who went to put more gear on the horses staying out of range deliberately in case the two women wanted to talk. She came over to Gabrielle, watching her to get a gauge of her mood. She could tell she was calmer and had come to some decisions. Xena replied finally, "Not much, just talking about old times and wondering how things could have gone differently," Xena told her, quirking an eyebrow to inquire if that bothered her. It didn't seem to so she went on, "as soon as you're ready we can go. Eve had to go check the bushes out and will be back shortly."

"Great, okay. The sooner we're on the road the better," Gabrielle said cheerfully. "Ares doesn't have any idea how our families are?" She asked, thinking he might have checked them out, maybe.

"No, it was too painful to and there was no reason after we were gone. The last time he checked on my mom was fifteen years ago and she seemed to be doing okay. He did like her. He didn't check on your family at all. I did ask, sorry," she apologized.

"That's okay. I didn't expect there to be any news. Joxer didn't know either. He went by a few times in the early years but after his family came along he put much stayed put," Gabrielle replied. "So I guess we see when we get there." Then changing the subject she added, "Xena, I did some thinking and I will try to give Ares a chance but if he hurts you...," Gabrielle warned, not needing to say anything more, she hoped.

"I don't think he will this time. There is a difference in him, a change. I can tell talking with him, watching him. Right now he needs me, needs all of us. This isn't like the other times Zeus took his powers. He can't go back. He's finally stuck as a mortal and he's scared," Xena told her frankly.

"Ares scared?" Gabrielle laughed, amused at the concept of the big, tough, bullying God of War being afraid and needing their help.

"It happens. You've seen him mortal before. He doesn't do it too well. Remember he didn't have to think about doing things normally. He just did them. Hell, I'm having to remind him to eat among other things. Remember how lousy a fighter he was too without his powers," Xena told her in a low voice.

"Yeah, I remember. Ohh, I see where you are going with this. He can't fight! So I take it, he is going to do low profile for awhile and you train him until he can take care of himself?" She questioned amused at how far he had come down and how much they all did owe him.

"Pretty much. Me, having to teach the ex-God of war how to fight mortal style, who would have believed it?" Xena smiled. "He's even talking about buying a farm if being a warrior doesn't work out. I've never seen him this depressed before. So as a favor would you take it easy on him, if you can?"

Gabrielle shrugged, "If I can. I will try, I promise. Come on he's starting to come this way. Let me go get my gear. Eve's back and almost ready too," she told Xena, looking past her to see the young woman work on securing her own gear to her own horse.

"Got ya," Xena said and went back to Argo to finish up her preparations while Gabrielle wandered over to pick up her gear and put it on her own horse.

Ares looked at Xena across the back of his black stallion as he finished tightening his cinches on the horse's harness. "Gabrielle all right?" He asked.

"Yeah. She's decided to give you a chance and promises not to push you," Xena told him, and her smiled.

"I guess that's good. I really don't want to fight with her. I always admired her spunk and the way she would defend you. I really hate getting in the middle between the two of you, but I'm not giving up without a fight," he said smiling at her, his eyes telling her how much he was determined to win her heart. "You about ready?" He asked, getting finished with his task.

"Yeah, and it looks like they are too," Xena smiled back, then grabbing Argo's mane she jumped up, swinging her legs and mounted the descendant of her original horse.

Ares, Gabrielle, and Eve mounted their horses and they headed off towards the road to Amphipolis.

To be Continued?

Vickey Brickle-Macky
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