Grasp the Truth
by Ephiny4

Disclaimer: I don’t own em… Anyone else getting SICK of saying that? I also DON’T own the songs!
Subtext: NOT HERE! I don’t even see it on the show but hey- to each her own!
Sex: Implied?
Violence: I don’t THINK so…
Rating: PG or PG 13
Summary: Xena, Eve, and Gabrielle go to help Tara who is having ‘occupation problems.’ While there Xena meets up with Ares…
Author’s Notes: These songs, they are NOT mine! MOST OF THEM were written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun and I am making NO financial profit from them!! The one that isn’t is the song that was used in "Lyre, Lyre…" OMGOW, I just realized something- NO EPHINY IN THIS ONE! Can u believe it? LOL!! Takes place AFTER "Path of Vengeance"
Dedications: To all my loving, caring, beautiful friends on the message board… OOH and Cora cause the CD came today!!!!!!!!!! Love ya!

K- Me shut up now!!!

Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve walked into town.
"You’re SURE she’s here?" Eve asked as they walked into the tavern.
"Yeah, at least, that’s what her letter said." Xena answered.
"I’m glad you decided to stay with us a while longer Eve." Gabrielle said as they sat down at a table.
"Me too." Eve smiled.
"And what can I get for you?" The waitress walked up to them. "XENA?" It was Tara.
"Tara!" Xena jumped up and hugged her.
"Oh my god, and Gabrielle too!" Tara hugged her. She looked around at the LITTLE privacy they had. "Come on!" She said. She led the trio to a small hut next to the tavern.
"This is where you live?" Gabrielle asked. "Tara you deserve better than this!"
"No I don’t!" Tara said. "You said it yourself Gabrielle, I don’t deserve anything I don’t earn."
"I never said that."
"Well it SOUNDS like something you would say." Tara said.
"Who says you can’t earn it? What about your dancing? You know instead of doing it for fun, do it for money." Xena said.


X: The wrestlers, the tumblers, the clowns
The rest about the biggest show in town.
G: The music, the people, the towns
Your back is with the biggest of them all.
E: The sawdust, and the horses, and the smell
The towns that take you all around.
X+G+E: There’s no business like show business like no business I know.
X: Everything about it is appealing.
G: Everything the traffic will allow.
E: There’s nothing like that special feeling when you are stealing that extra bow.
X+G+E: There’s no people like show people they smile when they are low.
X: Even with a turkey that you know will fold.
G: You may be stranded out in the cold.
E: Still you wouldn’t trade it for a sack of gold. Let’s go on with the show.
X: The costumes, the scenery, the makeup, the props
The audience that lifts you when you’re down.
G: The headache, the heartache, the backache, the mumps
The sheriff you escorts you out of town. (Xena gives Gabrielle a ‘did you HAVE to mention THAT look!’)
E: The opening when your heart beats like a drum
The closing when the customers don’t come.
T: There’s no business like show business if you tell me its so.
X: Traveling around the country can be trilling.
G: Especially on opening night.
T: There’s no people like show people they smile when they are low.
X: Even with a turkey that you know will fold.
G: You may stranded out in the cold.
E: Still you wouldn’t trade it for a sack of gold.
All: Let’s go on with the show, let’s go on with the show!

"Well, maybe you’re right." Tara said. "I mean, I’m not THAT old! I could do it."
"Yeah." Xena said. "We’ll even stay for a while, help ya out."
"Yeah? You’d do that for me?" Xena smiled and went into her ‘fake’ mood and put her arm around.
"Oh Tara, for you we would move mountains."
"Yeah huh!" Tara said getting the joke. The two walked out of the hut.
"And we would walk on fire and ice, and we would…" Gabrielle smirked, shook her head and her and Eve followed them out the door.

Xena walked outside and looked up at the stars. It had been a LONG day. Xena, Tara, Eve, and Gabrielle (to a degree) were working on dance moves for Tara to use in her show ALL day! It was just like the battle of the bands, minus the whole pregnancy thing. She hadn’t beaten ANYONE up! She wasn’t used to that. Suddenly her thoughts drifted to Ares and he said. He didn’t want the warlord he wanted HER! Xena walked around the back, a HUGE forest.
"Home sweet home." She said under her breath as she continued to walk. Suddenly she felt him. He was right behind her. She knew she SHOULD be mad at him, but she couldn’t be! She started singing.

Rumors fly and you can’t tell where they start,
especially when it concerns a person’s heart.
I’ve heard tales that could one’s heart aglow.
Wish I knew if the things I heard are true.
They say that falling in love is wonderful, it’s wonderful so they say. And with the moon up above its wonderful, wonderful, so they tell me.
I can’t recall who said it, I know I never read it I only know they tell me that love is grand and the thing that’s known as romance is wonderful, wonderful in every way so they say.

Ares appeared behind her and started to sing in her place.
Rumors fly and they often put you down
And hopes are often let down
Is everything that you’ve heard really so?
Somehow I know that falling in love is wonderful, it’s wonderful as they say.
And with the moon up above it’s wonderful, it’s wonderful as they tell you
So many people saying that love is grand and
The thing that’s known as romance is wonderful, wonderful
So they say.

Ares wrapped an arm around Xena who put her head on his shoulder.
"Ya know, I USED to be able to stay mad at you for weeks!" Xena said, Ares laughed. "I can’t do that anymore!"
"Yeah well, all that good guy stuff is starting to stick I guess."
"And that doesn’t bother you?"
"Xena, I KNOW that there is NO possible way that you will become evil again but I ALSO know that I don’t WANT that. Yeah, sure I’d get my warlord back but in turn I would loose the most important thing in my life. The woman I love." Xena looked up at him, the sincerity in voice, in his eyes. She smiled and put her head back down on his shoulder.

A: "Wonderful, wonderful in every way…"
X: "I should say!"

Xena lifted her head and met Ares in a kiss, a PASSIONATE kiss. Just then Gabrielle and Eve walked up looking for Xena.
"MOTHER!"
"XENA!" They SHOUTED at the same time. Ares and Xena QUICKLY stopped and looked at the angry pair.
"What were you… How could you? UH!" Gabrielle stormed off.
"Um yeah! What she said!" Eve followed her.
"Not good!" Xena said.
"Nope!" Ares replied. "Why don’t you go and uh…"
"Yeah!" Xena gave him a quick kiss good bye and walked away.

Xena caught up with them in Gabrielle’s room in the tavern.
"Hey, come on." Xena said.
"Mother! That was ARES! The Ares that broke your heart!" Eve argued.
"The Ares that drove you insane." Gabrielle joined in.
"The Ares that tried to make you evil."
"The Ares who sided with Dahak."
"THE ARES THAT SAVED YOUR LIVES!" Xena said. The two stopped.
"Xena come on, there MUST be more to it than that!" Gabrielle said.
"Yeah Mom REALLY! What happened?" Eve asked. Xena started singing.

Don’t ask me just how it happened,
I wish I knew
I can’t believe that it happened
And still its true
I got lost in his arms and I had to stay
It was warm in his arms and I lost my way
From the dark came a voice and it seemed to say
‘There ya go, there ya go.’
How I fell and I fell and I just can’t recall
When I got lost in his arms and it beat it all
I said to my heart and foolishly went jumping in
And I got lost in his arms…

She looked back at the two HOPING that they would understand. They just looked at her, disgusted and left.
"I can’t believe it! How could she?" Gabrielle asked outraged.
"Oh get with it Gabrielle he’s a bad boy in leather what did you expect?" Eve asked putting a hand on her hip.
"But it’s just…"
"Yeah, I know!"

G+E: WAR! What is it good for?
G: Absolutely
E: NOTHING!
G+E: WAR! What is good for?
G: Absolutely
E: Nothing
G: War is a thing that I despise, cause it means destruction of innocent lives. War means tears in thousands of mother’s eyes. When their young go out to fight, they loose their lives!
G+E: WAR!
E: Good GOD!
G+E: What is good for?
G: Absolutely
E: Nothing.
G+E: WAR! What is it good for?
G: Absolutely
E: Nothing, WAR is the enemy of all mankind. The thought of WAR simply blows my mind. War’s handed down from generation to generation. Induction and destruction. Who wants to die?
G+E: WAR! What is it good for?
G: Absolutely.
E: Nothing!
G: Say it again!
G+E: What is it good for?
G: Absolutely
E: Nothing!

Ares was standing in front of a warlord who was going over his battle plan. Ares wasn’t paying attention, he couldn’t he kept thinking about Xena.
"My lord?" The warlord asked.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think?"
"Yeah, yeah, that’s fine, do it." He quickly disappeared. He couldn’t work like his thoughts were always on Xena!
"This isn’t good." He said as he sat down in his throne. He began to watch Xena through a portal. She helping Tara, dancing, laughing, joking. He couldn’t believe she was doing this! He began to sing.

I’ve had my ways with SO many girls and it was lots of fun
Just as it was for SO many girls.
But to save for ONE
I think it CAN be done!
My defenses are down,
She’s broken my resistance and I don’t know where I am.
I went in like a lion but came out a lamb.
My defenses are down,
She’s got me where she wants me and I can’t escape no how!
I could tell my heart when she’s around but my heart won’t listen now!
My defenses are down, I might as well surrender for the battle can’t be won!
Like a toothless tiger, like a girl without her man,
Like a solider without his armor.
My defenses are down!

Ares appeared by Xena’s side who was watching Tara’s first show.
"Hey." He said walking up behind her.
"Oh, hi." She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
"That’s all I get?" Xena smiled.
"I wanna watch this." She said softly. Ares looked up, Tara was great but her background dancers were AWFUL!!
"You do?" Xena lightly hit him on the arm and went back to watching the show. Ares stayed and wrapped his arms around Xena. When it was over Xena looked up at him.
"I should probably go talk to her." She said not wanting to but knowing she should.
"Hey!" Ares said in a ‘what about me?’ kinda way.
"Meet you in… 1 hour?" She asked seductively putting her hand on his chest.
"1 hour it is." He said with THAT grin and disappeared. Xena went out to find Tara. When she finally did she was practically in tears.
"What was I thinking?" She asked when she saw Xena.
"Tara! That wasn’t your fault! Next time will be MUCH better!"
"Next time! What makes you think there will BE a next time!"
"Because I know you! Tara, you don’t give up on ANYTHING! Remember when you were fighting Gabrielle, you knew that you would loose but you didn’t stop trying! And I should be mad at you for that cause she was complaining for WEEKS that her cheek hurt!" Tara let out a little laugh.
"I just don’t know where to go from here."
"Well, do what I do. Don’t think about what you DON’T have, think about what you DO have."
"What?" Xena started singing.

Got no diamonds, got no pearls still I think I’m a lucky girl
I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.
Got no mansion, got no yacht, still I’m happy with I got
I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night
Sunshine gives me a lovely day, moonlight gives me the milkyway!
Got no interest got no bank, still I’d like to express my thanks.
I’ve got the sun in the morning and the moon at night!
And with the sun in the morning and the moon in the evening I’m alright.

T: Got no butler, got no maid still I think I’ve been overpaid
I’ve got the sun in the morning and the moon at night!
Got no heirlooms for my kin…
T+X: Got no will but when I cash in, I’ll leave the sun in the morning and the moon at night.
And with the sun in the morning and the moon in the evening we’re alright!

They both started laughing. They sat around and talked for a while longer about the show.
"Well I’m gonna go see if I can whip those people into shape. Wanna come? Should be fun!" Tara said with a devilish smile on her face.
"Ya know, I would LOVE it I REALLY would." Xena said getting up. "But I have to meet someone."
"K!" Tara shrugged. "See you tonight?" She left.
"Hopefully you won’t." Xena said softly as she left the room.

Ares was reviewing maps in his temple when Xena walked in.
"Quick hour." Ares said with a smile on his.
"Oh was it?" Xena asked. "Cause if you want I can just come back later." She teased as she turned towards the door. Ares caught her arm and pulled her close.
"No that’s ok. Why don’t you just stay?" He leaned down and kissed her. They laid down on a divan that was near them and stayed there for the rest of the night.

Xena woke up to find herself in Ares’ arms.
"Hey." He said as she woke up.
"Hi." She snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. "What time is it?" She asked from the same position.
"About 9/9:30."
"WHAT?" She quickly got up and started dressing.
"What’s wrong?" He stepped out of bed and his clothes appeared on him as he did so.
"I HATE it when you do that! You KNOW I hate it when you do that!" Xena took a quick second to yell at him. "Tara’s show is about to start! Man I’m gonna get it!" She quickly kissed him and ran out the door.
"Bye?" Ares shook his head as he watched her leave.

"There you are!" Gabrielle exclaimed when she saw Xena. "Xena where were you we were worried sick!"
"You don’t wanna know!" Xena said. "You’d get mad."
"You were with Ares weren’t you? Look Xena last night I was thinking about what I was gonna say to you and know matter what it always sounded the same ‘Xena you can’t be with him even though it would make you happy!’ I can’t do that! I don’t like him and I NEVER will but I WILL put that aside if it makes you happy. Eve will too, we talked about it last night."
"Thank you!" Xena reached down and hugged her. Just then they heard music.
"Lets go!" Gabrielle smiled.

When they got there Eve and Tara were on stage singing, dancing and EVERYONE loved it!

T: The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you
E: While combing my hair, now
And wondering what dress to wear, now
I say a little prayer for you

Xena and Gabrielle ran on stage and joined them.

X+G+E+T: Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, forever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only be heartbreak for me

Looking over Xena saw Ares watching them, she montioned for him to come on stage
"I don’t think so honey!" He said but then Xena gave him ‘the look’ and his attitude changed. Tara, Eve and Gabrielle stepped back and holding each other Xena and Ares stood in the middle of the stage.

A: I run for the war, dear
While fighting I think of us, dear
I say a little prayer for you
X: At work, I just take time
And all through my coffee break-time
I say a little prayer for you
X+A: Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, forever we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only be heartbreak for me
A+X: I say a little prayer for you
T+E+G: I say a little prayer for you
All: Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, forever we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only be heartbreak for me
A: My darling, believe me
For me there is no one
But you,
Please love me too.

X: Oh I’m in love with you.

All: Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, forever we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only be heartbreak for me

THE END!!!!!!!!





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