Sex: Not sure
Subtext: K, say it with me now- FRIENDS!!!!!!!
Violence: More likely than not
Rating:
Author’s Notes: Ok, ok if ANY of you can even STAND to think about S4… Who remembers Najara? That’s right folks, everyone’s favorite wacko is back!! This takes place AFTER The God You Know but BEFORE You Are There! However the whole ‘people can’t love thing’ NEVER HAPPENS! K, let’s play like in S3 when people COULD love without Aphrodite!
Summary: While Ares, Aphrodite, and Eve are traveling with the girls, they meet an old adversary who cheated out age!
Dedication: Cora hon, you get this one!
The Jinn Don’t Die
By Ephiny
Xena and Ares were walking in front of the rest of the crowd. Gabrielle and Aphrodite were right behind them talking with Gabrielle’s arm around Eve who was just listening to what they were saying.
“So.” Xena said. “Anywhere you need to be?”
“No. I doubt Aphrodite does. You?”
“Nope! Aren’t we exciting people?” She joked.
“Oh, yeah very!” They laughed. Just then they heard a scream and everyone ran towards it. Xena just stood there, shocked, looking at the woman who screamed. She knew her! Xena and Gabrielle leaped into action. Later Ares joined the fight as well, he just couldn’t resist. ‘Great now I’m REALLY turning into a good guy!’ he thought. After the fight was over they turned to the woman on the ground who was now being cared for by Eve.
“Hello again, Xena.” She said.
“Hello, Najara!”
“You two know each other?” Aphrodite asked.
“Oh yes.” Xena said.
“Shouldn’t you be aged?” Gabrielle asked.
“The jinn have kept me young and…”
“Helped you escape from prison?” Xena asked. “Well, don’t worry, cause just like before, you’re going back.” Xena got out some rope and tied her arms behind her back.
“She’s an Elisian.” Eve whispered in her ear.
“What? So, you went back huh?”
“I was foolish to stop the way of love. I won’t let that happen again.”
“We’ll see how long THAT lasts.” Xena put her on Argo and they left. Soon they were on the road again. Najara watched everyone as they continued walking but now all in a straight line.
“You STILL look at me as the bad guy Xena?” Najara asked.
“You are.” She answered flatly.
“Not compared to you!”
“Meaning?”
“To sum it up, I’m a follower of Eli like your daughter here. We embrace the way of peace, and you! You claim to be a friend of Eli, yet you’re pathetically in love with his murderer!” Xena’s eyes got wide as she turned around and gave her the look, everyone else kept quiet.
“I’m just stating the facts Xena.” Najara said very matter-of-factly.
“Do yourself a favor,” Xena said to her. “Don’t talk anymore!”
Everyone was sitting around the campfire in silence. Xena got up and started walking around.
“You ok?” Gabrielle asked. “Ever since Virgil came into camp with that letter from Hercules you’ve seemed a little…”
“I’m fine!” Xena said not sounding very convincing. “I’m going for a walk.” She quickly walked out of the campsite.
“Wow!” Eve said. “What do you think was in that letter?”
“I dunno. Xena will talk when she’s ready.” Gabrielle said as she went back to writing.
About a half an hour later dinner was just about ready.
“Can someone go get Mom?” Eve asked as she finished cooking the food.
“Yeah, I’ll get her.” Ares said he got up and walked off into Xena’s direction. He walked for a while until he heard crying. ‘Xena doesn’t cry!’ he thought. He walked up and she leaning against a tree with tears in her eyes.
“Xena?” He asked. Xena quickly brushed away the tears and put on this act like nothing was wrong.
“Hey. What’s up?” She asked.
“Dinner’s ready.”
“Thanks, I’ll be there in a minute I just want to wash my face.” She didn’t want anyone knowing that she was crying.
“Xe.” Ares grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Talk about what?”
“You were crying Xena.”
“Ares I don’t cry. I mean after all why would I cry?” She asked as she started pacing around nervously. “I mean I loose people I love all the time I should be used to it by now!” The tears started to come back.
“Xena, what are you talking about.”
“Autolycus is dead. Salmoneous is dead. Iolaus is on his deathbed in the next town. He’ll die unless Hercules finds the cure in time, he won’t.” The tears were now falling down her face. Ares didn’t know what to do. He never liked ANY of the people that Xena just mentioned but he hated to see her like this. He walked over to her and put his arm around her expecting her to pull away. Instead Xena faced him pulled in him into a hug and he held her as she shed tears over her friends. Ares KNEW that she had NEVER done anything like this before and that’s what worried him.
It was EARLY the next morning. Xena didn’t want to worry anyone so she and Ares left a note and went to town to see Iolaus.
“Thanks for coming with me.” Xena said as they approached the hospice.
“No problem.” Ares said still half asleep.
“Think I’m going soft?”
“No, I don’t think you’re going soft. I think that you have a right to be worried.”
“Just making sure.” They entered the room. Iolaus was lying on the bed not looking well at all. Xena sat down on the bed next to him.
“Xena?” He asked quietly.
“Hey. Where’s Hercules? Why isn’t he here with you?”
“He doesn’t know yet. They JUST sent out word last night.” Xena closed her eyes to let it all seep in. Why the hell didn’t they tell him as soon as possible?
“Do you know what happened?”
“Draco and a woman. They had a poison. They’re the only ones with the cure.”
“Draco! The woman… Did you see her, can you describe her?”
“She looked a lot like Gabrielle. Short blond hair, slightly taller though. Kept talking about something the ginn or the finn…”
“The jinn!”
“Yeah that’s it.”
“Najara!” Xena turned around to look at Ares who had stayed back so Iolaus would see him.
“I’ll get Argo out of the stables.” He said as he left.
“What was he doing here?” Iolaus asked.
“Never you mind. You just hold on! I’ll take care of Draco and Najara and get the antidote, just DON’T leave me!” She bent down and in a sisterly way kissed him on the forehead and left.
Everyone had woken up and was eating breakfast when Xena and Ares came riding in on Argo. She quickly got off and before anyone could say anything put the pinch on Najara.
“What did you poison him with?” Xena asked.
“Honestly Xena I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t you lie to me!”
“Alright! Alright! Draco and I wanted to get even with you and Hercules, he’s caused us some trouble over the years. We decided to kill two birds with on stone and go after Iolaus!”
“Iolaus?” “Curly?” Gabrielle and Aphrodite shouted at the same time while standing up.
“Where’s the cure?”
“Draco has it!” Najara struggled. Xena released the pinch and got up.
“Keep an eye on her. Stay here, relax. Take a day off, I’ll be back later.”
“Xena NO you are NOT going alone!” Gabrielle shouted.
“Who said anything about going alone? Come on Ares.” She said as she linked her arm on his, they got on top of Argo and galloped off, leaving behind a very angry and puzzled bard.
“Xena?” Ares asked when they were out of camp. “Why am I doing this again?”
“For me.” Xena said and Ares raised an eyebrow at her. “And because when we get back, I’m gonna give you a REALLY long backrub?”
“That’s it.”
Xena and Ares entered Draco’s camp and hid behind a tent.
“So, what now?” Ares asked.
“Hmm?”
“What’s the plan?”
“Plan? Who said anything about a plan?” She snuck behind some guards and took them out. Dressed in their armor Xena and Ares walked into Draco’s tent.
“What is it?” Draco asked lazily looking up from his maps. Xena walked up to him and took the helmet off.
“Surprise!” She said as she punched him in the face and he lost consciousness. A few minutes later he woke up.
“Xena!”
“Morning Sunshine.” Her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“What do you want?”
“Do you REALLY need to ask?” Ares raised an eyebrow at him.
“Ohh, the poison. You want the cure.”
“Ooh, very good!” Xena said. “Now! Where is it?”
“I don’t think so Xena.” A voice form behind them said. It was Najara. She knocked Xena on the back of the head and Najara and Draco stood across from Xena and Ares.
“The way of love?” Xena asked.
“All the way!” Najara said as she pulled out her sword, the others did the same, it was Najara vs. Xena and Draco vs. Ares. Ares hit Draco in the face and sent him flying across the tent.
“That’s some man you got yourself there Xena.” Najara said as they continued fighting.
“Yeah, I like him!” Xena said as she did a front kick to her stomach. “Just don’t you be getting any ideas!” She hit Najara and she landed next to Draco who were both unconscious. Xena walked over to Najara and looked at her belt.
“She had it all along!” Xena said as she took the cure from Najara, tied them up and loaded them on the horse.
Najara and Draco were in prison, Iolaus got the cure and everything was back to normal. Xena and Ares were taking a walk talking about what had happened.
“See, this ‘greater good thing’ isn’t THAT bad!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah! You know you still owe me that back rub.” Of course, he didn’t mean it, he was just trying to be smart. Xena motioned to a large rock on the side of the path.
“Sit.” She said. He was a little surprised but happily obliged. She sat down behind him, slid her hands under his vest and started rubbing his back. Ares moaned in delight.
“You are good at this.”
“I have MANY skills!” She leaned down and kissed the back of his neck and worked her way up to his ear.
“I do love you!” She whispered in his ear. He turned around and met her lips in a passionate kiss which became even MORE passionate as the night went on!!!!
Please e-mail the author of this story with your comments. ephiny4@aol.com
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