Violence: Nope
Sex: Nope
Profanity: If there is, not that much.
Rating: G
Author’s Note: Takes place during, and right after "The Deliverer"
Trust?
By Illyandria
His eyes going from his sword to Xena, Ares said, "The temple...you didn’t destroy the temple."
Xena smiled, knowing it would get on his nerves. "What is it about that temple that bothers you so much?"
He looked at her incredulously, and shouted with determination, "There is no place for one god in our world! This is a world that *we* created! Zeus, Athena, Hades, Poseidon! It is *our* world!"
~*~
So stubborn, my warrior... But this time you should listen to my warnings. Why can’t you see that I’m only trying to spare us all pain? Why can’t you understand that this god is pure evil?
~*~
"And before that it was the world of the Titans. Oh, that’s right. Zeus overthrew them, didn’t he? You’re just afraid that history will repeat itself!" Xena said confidently, knowing she was right.
~*~
But what if destroying the temple would be for my own good? What if he’s right? No...I’m not going to destroy Krafstar’s temple... But I know a part of me is going to wonder what if...
~*~
"Whatever you think about us, Xena, you know us. You might love us, you might hate us, but we are not evil! This god is!"
~*~
Oooh, that was good, Ares! ‘You might love us...’ Haha! That was really good! I saw that flicker in her eyes! But...back to business...I *must* make her believe me...
~*~
Oh, you sneaky bastard! I heard you slip that little word in there! Love! Ha! Well...if you wanna play like that...
~*~
"Evil to *you*," she said, turning to walk away.
~*~
Don’t you walk away from me, Xena! Stop being so stubborn! Damn! Come on, just listen to me!
~*~
"Trust me, Xena!" Ares said frantically, though it didn’t show on his features.
She snapped her around to look at him. "Based on what?!" she asked levelly...not knowing that the man who loved her had only been trying to help...
~*~*__*~*~
~*~*__*~*~
She’d been wrong. She’d been wrong, and she knew it. Why hadn’t she listened to him? Now everything was a mess... Gabrielle had lost her blood innocence...she wasn’t sure if Bodaciea had won against Caesar or not...Ares was probably angry at her...
Wait a minute...why would she care if Ares was angry at her?
Oh, stop fooling yourself, Xena. You know you like him. How couldn’t you after what you’ve been through together? But why didn’t you listen to him?
Xena shook her head and muttered to herself, "I *should* have trusted him. I *knew* he was being sincere...but I was just so angry with him...after the Furies and everything... I *knew* he was being sincere!! I could see it in his eyes, now why did I -- oh, I am so *stupid*! My own little petty revenge of not doing what he asked stopped me from doing what was right... Gabrielle just lost her blood innocence, and it’s all *my* fault!"
She looked over at her best friend, curled up next to the campfire. She frowned angrily in spite of herself, and shifted her position on the log she sat on.
Suddenly, she felt it.
A cold tingle ran down her back as the hair on her neck stood on end. She suddenly felt dread in the pit of her stomach, sure that she was in for something.
As he appeared, though, she didn’t see anger in his eyes...she saw something worse. Disappointment. Disappointment in *her*.
When he sat down next to her on the log, she averted her eyes, staring at the ground. She hadn’t seen that look in such a long time. No...she’d *never* seen that look. Not from him. He was always proud of what she accomplished...but now...
"Why didn’t you listen to me?" he asked her softly.
The tone in his voice almost made her break down. He sounded so...so...gods, there was no other word for it but disappointed...something that she’d never ever wanted to hear in his voice.
She finally found the courage to look up at him. She shook her head, swallowing nervously. "I - I’m not going to make any excuses. I’m not going to go off like I usually do and say ‘I thought you were lying’ or ‘You know I can’t trust anything that comes out of your mouth’ or ‘After what you’ve done to me how can you expect me to listen to you’. Because all of that would be a lie. That’s not how I really feel. I - I was just angry with you...angry because of what you did with the Furies. I knew - I *know* - I can trust you...at least in something serious like this. Of course you’ll manipulate me when we’re playing around...when you’re ‘trying’ to get me back...but this wasn’t a game...and I should have realized that and went with it..."
Ares nodded, a hand slowly taking hers in it, rubbing his thumb over the tops of her silky fingers. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Well, it’s all in the past...nothing can be done about it..."
She bit her bottom lip. "I know...I know... But I am sorry. I’m so sorry." A tear started to form at the corner of her eye. "I - I can’t believe how utterly stupid I was...look what I’ve done... Gabrielle’s lost her blood innocence... And what if Dahak comes back? What if we haven’t seen the end of him?"
As her lone tear started to fall down her cheek, Ares leaned his head down and gently kissed it away.
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