Subtext: Subtext? That’s a swear word in MY vocabulary! Not gonna happen.
Sex: Nope!
Violence: Maybe yes, maybe no
Author’s Notes: This takes place after OAHAF but BEFORE TGYK! And for the sake of the story… Aphrodite didn’t turn insane, she did NOT lose her powers, and love is still in the world, yadiyadiyadda.
Summary: Ares crosses paths with a warlord with an interesting trick up his sleeve.
Spoilers: Motherhood, Old Ares Had a Farm, The Deliverer
Dedications: DELENN!!
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: I would LOVE any feedback on ANY of my stories- I just realized I left this part out of my others! Ephiny4@aol.com
K, boring part is over- NOW READ! Have fun!
The One That I Love?
By Ephy
Ares had decided he had enough of the farm. He walked into Corinth and headed straight for the tavern. To his surprise he found Xena there, alone. She saw him as soon as he walked in. She motioned for him to come join him. He walked over to her table and, to his surprise and delight she hugged him.
“Hey!” She said with a smile on her face. “How ya doin?” ‘Oh gods I love that smile’ He thought.
“Good! You?”
“Pretty good.” They sat down.
“So where’s Gabrielle?” ‘Please say she’s gone, PLEASE say she’s gone’
“Oh she’s gone!” ‘YES’ he thought. “She went to Potetdiea to visit her sister and niece.” ‘YES, YES, YES!’ “I’m meeting Eve in the next town tonight.” ‘NO, NO, NO!’ “You’re welcome to join us if you like.”
“Sure!” Just then the waitress came and put Xena’s plate down in front of her and walked away. Xena and Ares stared down at the food, it looked DISGUSTING. Xena made a face.
“What’s that supposed to be?” Ares asked.
“Duck!” She looked at him pathetically and then back at the ‘food.’ “Ya know, I’ve got this sudden craving for fish. There’s a stream about a half hour away in the direction we’re going.”
“Let’s go!” They got up and left.
When they got the stream Xena walked into it as Ares leaned against a tree and watched her. She bent down, grabbed a fish with her hands and threw it out of the water. She continued to do this as Ares watched her.
“Since when can you do that?” He asked as she walked up to him with the fish.
“I have many skills! Ooh! I haven’t said that in a long time!” Ares laughed. She looked at him; she couldn’t believe how much she loved talking to him, being with him. She wouldn’t have said that ditzy little afterthought to ANYONE else. They ate lunch and then went to meet Eve. They found her right before the entrance.
“Mother!” She ran up and they hugged for a minute. “I missed you!”
“I missed you too!” She kissed her daughter’s head before breaking the hug. Eve looked at Ares and put on a fake smile.
“Ares!” She shook his hand.
“Hello Eve.” He said politely. Xena suspected Eve to be this way, but she was very impressed with Ares.
“We have a problem.” Eve turned to Xena. “There’s a warlord about to attack this town, its one of Athena’s. Or rather he WAS.”
“Well, we got work to do! I know how you feel about this! You still wanna stick around?” Xena asked.
“Of course.” Eve walked ahead of Xena and Ares as they headed towards town. Xena gave Ares a look.
“What?” Ares asked. Xena just continued to stare for a minute.
“I was very impressed with you just now! The way you handled Eve.” Ares looked at her.
“Well she’s your daughter. How can you hate someone with such a good start?” Xena looked at him, she got ready to kiss him when Eve cleared her throat very loud as if to say ‘I’m still here.’ Xena and Ares both bowed their heads to the ground as they continued to walk on.
“The warlord will arrive tomorrow.” The town’s head of security told Xena.
“Ok! Get together everyone who can fight. Ares and I will TRY to just take him out quickly tonight but if we can’t you’ll need to be ready.” The man left as Xena walked into Ares’ room. He was lying on his stomach on the bed. She sat down next to him and started rubbing his back. He let out a sigh and turned over.
“Oh gods I love you.” Xena whispered, all though she didn’t mean to. She meant to keep that to herself.
“What?” Ares asked as he sat up. Xena’s eyes bugged out.
“NOTHING!” She got up and turned her back to him, he chuckled at how nervous she was. He got up and stood behind her and pressed his forehead against the back of her head. She leaned back, enjoying the feel of his touch, his body against hers. She turned around and leaned her head on his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
“Nothing. I just want you to hold me for a while.” She blinked. ‘Did I just say that?’ She pulled away- she did NOT just say that. Ares himself was a little shocked that she would say that but he was happy he was getting her so worked up. He decided to work off of it.
“You know, if I had to do this whole ‘Twilight of the Gods thing’ all over again there are SO MANY things I would do different.”
“Yeah?” She turned to him.
“Like I wouldn’t have forced that deal on you. I would have offered my love unconditionally, with NO strings attached.” He stepped towards her and took her hands. “Well, I would have done some things differently too.” She swallowed. “I would have let you help us.” He leaned down and kissed her for a long time. He then proceeded to her neck.
“OH!” Xena let out in delight. “Ares?”
“Hmm?” He asked still going at her neck.
“I love you.” He slowly stopped and brought this head up to hers.
“Do you?”
“I have ever since we were in Britannia. You asked me to trust you and I realized…”
“I love you too!” He kissed her again, she returned. They laid down on the bed, him on top of her.
“Ares?”
“Yeah sweet?”
“We gotta go! We have work to do.”
“Yeah, yeah I know.” He stopped and they laid there for a minute, loving every second of feeling each other.
“Come on.” Xena said finally. “Let’s go.”
The warlord, Damen was sitting in his tent. He was SUPPOSED to be listening to instructions but was in a daydream.
“DAMEN!” Athena shouted. “I only have so much time until Charon realizes I snuck out of Tarturas, PAY ATTENTION!”
“Yes my Goddess.” He said, scared out of his mind. “So let me get this straight, all I need to do is sprinkle this powder on his head?” He asked picking up a SMALL sack.
“And I’ll handle the rest!” Athena said putting her hands on her hips. Damen bowed and she disappeared, screaming as she was pulled down into Tarturus.
Xena and Ares hid behind a bush next to Damen’s tent.
“We gotta get those guards away from there.” Ares pointed out.
“I’ve already taken care of that!” Xena told him. “Give it a minute.” Ares grinned down at her, damn it, she’s good at this! He brought his head down and kissed the back of her neck. Xena moaned in delight as she tipped her head back. All of a sudden there was an explosion at the other end of camp and the guards went to investigate.
“That was all you wasn’t it?” Ares asked as he stopped kissing.
“Yep!” Xena moved forward.
“Oh I love you, Xe!” Ares said as he followed her, she chuckled. The guards started to come back.
“I’ll take care of them, you handle Damen.” Xena told him.
“Sure Sweet.” They gave each other a quick kiss and went off in different directions. Ares walked into the tent.
“What’s all the commotion?” Damen turned around. “Ares! It’s been a while.”
“Yes it has. The last time I saw you, you were going crazy trying win a woman who was the other way!” He drew his sword as Damen drew his.
“Well, at least I didn’t give up everything for ONE woman, I wasn’t THAT whipped!” They began to fight. This washed up poor excuse for a warlord was NO match for Ares, until something happened. Damen pulled some powder out of the sack that hung on his belt. He threw some on Ares head and on his own.
“What the hell?” Ares said as they started glowing a shade of blue. Ares blinked, when he opened his eyes he was looking at his own body! He looked down, he was in Damen’s body, Damen was in his.
“What did you do?”
“Just a little something from Athena, think Xena will still love you?” He gave devilish smile. Just then he seemed to look beyond Ares. “Turn around!” Ares turned around to see Xena in front of him.
“Xe, Sweet listen to me…” Before he could get another word out Xena punched him in the face, knocking him out. Damen chuckled and walked up to her.
“Nicely done Xena.” He said putting his arm around her. She kissed him and then they carried him back to town, where he would face a judge the next day.
Xena noticed a difference in Ares. She couldn’t put her finger on it but he WAS different. Eve walked up to her.
“What’s wrong?” She asked sounding worried putting her hand on her mother’s shoulder.
“Eh, I’m fine. It’s just… Have you noticed that Ares has been acting a little weird today?”
“Now that you mention it! What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know, something about Damen irks me too. I think I need to have a word with him.” She left her daughter and walked into the prison where “Damen” was being kept. He looked up when he saw her some in.
“Xe! Sweet!” He ran up to the bars.
“Don’t do that!” She scowled at him.
“You can’t recognize me? Xe, It’s me! Its Ares!”
“Oh please! Look Damen I’ve seen people try this a hundred times, the whole insanity thing doesn’t work! The judge will order you killed anyway! Save your breath! You’re gonna need it!” Knowing she wasn’t getting anywhere she left him as is. When she got outside she saw “Ares” and walked up to her.
“That guy’s a nut!” She said. He gave out a little laugh. “I’m serious he thinks he’s YOU!” He stopped laughing and grabbed her arm.
“You know Xena, I think you should stay away from him.”
“Why? You don’t think I can take care of myself?”
“Oh I KNOW you can! I just think you should stay away from him is all.”
“If it means that much to you.”
“Thank you!” Xena smiled and they went off to eat lunch.
The court held the trial that afternoon. It was decided that Damen would be hanged at sundown. Xena, “Ares,” and Eve joined the crowd to watch the hanging take place. “Ares” held Xena tight as they brought “Damen” out.
“Xe!” He shouted. “Come on! Trust me!” He was pushed to the noose as Xena shook her head.
“Any last words?” The executioner asked.
“As a matter of fact yes! Xe, ask Ares if he knows when you fell in love with him.” There were murmurings from the crowd. “Ask him!” He shouted once again.
“Well go on tell him!” Xena said softly. Damen hesitated for a second.
“Well, on Olympus when I gave up my Godhood for you of course!”
“What?” Xena asked looking up at him.
“That’s wrong!” Ares shouted out to the crowd. “She loved Ares since her and Gabrielle were in Britannia. I asked you to trust me, just an hour before Gabrielle lost her blood innocence.” Again murmurings from the crowd emerged.
“This is preposterous!” Damen shouted. “Continue with the execution.” They proceeded to do so.
“Maybe not!” Xena whispered.
“What? Xena are you crazy?”
“There’s THAT too! Why are you being all formal, calling me Xena? He called me Xe, and SWEET?” She looked deep into his eyes. Normally when she looked there she saw love and passion, right now she anger and hate. “You’re not Ares!” She declared. Ares was just about to be hanged when Xena’s chakram cut the rope just above his head.
“You’ve got the wrong man!” Xena shouted. Damen ran away but was stopped by Eve’s fist.
“I don’t care if I am the messenger of peace! No one messes with my Mom.” She said looking down at his unconscious state. “This CAN’T be Ares!” She told the crowd. “Ares doesn’t run like a coward!” Ares smiled at her. Xena ran up to him and kissed him.
“I’m so sorry!” She said leaning her head against his.
“I wouldn’t believe him either!” He said softly.
“Oh I hope we fix this, I REALLY don’t want to be looking at this face everyday!” She laughed. Ares let out a small laugh.
“But you would?”
“Of course!”
Xena, Ares, Damen, Eve, and some guards were sitting inside a Judge’s Chambers.
“Are you SURE this will fix things?” Xena asked Damen.
“Yes! I am sure!” Xena took the rest of the powder from the sack. She sprinkled some on Ares head and some one Damen’s. They both glowed blue and they were back in their right bodies. The guards held onto Damen and Xena drew her sword and pointed it at Ares.
“Prove it!” She commanded. He stared at her for a moment, pushed the sword out of the way and kissed her.
“I would sooner die in your arms…” He said. Xena laughed.
“Then live without you in mine!” She finished. Once again they kissed.
“Oh please!” Damen said.
“Take him away!” Eve commanded. Xena and Ares stopped kissing. “I’m not calling him Dad!” She told them. All three broke out laughing glad that everything was back to normal.
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