Author's Note: I have just recently discovered Xena. (I have been binge watching it for weeks). This is just a story I thought up that doesn't really fit anywhere into the timeline of the show. Probably occurs somewhere between season 2 and 3. A little bit of romance: one-sided Ares/Xena and Joxer/Gabrielle. There's one OC in this story, but he isn't super important just a bad guy. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Xena despite how much I wish I did.

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Xena, the warrior princess, certainly did not feel like a warrior at the moment. She felt absolutely helpless as her best friend, Gabrielle, was once again facing death. This was not an unusual occurrence as Gabrielle was often in peril due to her willingness to save others despite the dangers to herself. Xena always saved Gabrielle in the end, but this time was different. This time Gabrielle was facing death alone.

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Everything was normal as they journeyed across the countryside with the sole purpose of justice. Xena and Gabrielle were on their way to Amphipolis, Xena's home. A couple days ago Xena heard that a warlord was planning on raiding Amphipolis within the week, so the heroines quickly set out with the sole intent of stopping the warlord.

Xena walked in front of Argo reigns in hand as Gabrielle silently walked beside Xena. Xena had thought it was rather unusual for Gabrielle to be so quiet, but at the same time Xena simply enjoyed the silence. About an hour into the journey with no words being exchanged between the two, Xena grew suspicious. She constantly glanced at Gabrielle to make sure she was still there. Gabrielle had a fine layer of sweat on her forehead, but Xena paid no attention to it as the sun shined brightly in the sky. The silence was beginning to bother Xena so she decided to strike up a conversation.

"Gabrielle, do you have any more theories?" Xena asked even though she definitely did not want to endure five hours of Gabrielle ranting about some "life-changing" theory that was really just total nonsense.

"No," Gabrielle replied as they continued walking. Xena stared at Gabrielle in shock. Gabrielle would never, has never passed up the opportunity to talk especially when Xena encourages her too. Xena stopped in her tracks and turned to study Gabrielle in concern.

"What is..." Before Xena could finish her question, Gabrielle fell down onto the hard, dirt road. Xena rushed to Gabrielle's side and quickly examined her condition.

"High fever, quick breaths, low heartbeat... gods Gabrielle, why didn't you say something?" Xena said to herself as she scoped Gabrielle off of the ground and mounted Argo. She then rode off on Argo holding Gabrielle in her arms. She pushed Argo hard, but they were still a solid day's journey away from Amphipolis. Argo was exhausted, so Xena had to make camp for the night. Xena carefully laid Gabrielle against a tree and laid down blankets. She then placed Gabrielle onto the makeshift bed and wrapped her up tightly in the blankets. She then made a fire. Satisfied with her work, Xena then removed Argo's saddle and tied her up for the night not before making sure Argo had enough food and water.

Xena then laid beside Gabrielle and watched her friend in concern. "Just a few more hours, Gabrielle. You'll be fine, I promise." Xena whispered in self reassurance. Sleep quickly lured Xena in and she fell into a fitful slumber. Morning couldn't come soon enough as Xena quickly packed up camp and set off to Amphipolis on Argo with Gabrielle in her arms. It was a long three hour journey with Gabrielle desirously mumbling nonsense in her unconscious state. Occasionally, she would call out for Xena causing Xena to stroke her hair in comfort and tell Gabrielle that she was right here. After the hard journey, they arrived in Amphipolis forgetting about the ruthless warlord's threat.

Xena immediately took Gabrielle to the town healer who was oblivious as to what could possibly cause such a sudden illness. Meanwhile, Xena mentally went through all of the poisons she knew, none of which would cause such results. Xena's mother, Cyrene, also tried to help but she couldn't think of anything either.

Gabrielle was laid on a bed, and Xena sat to her side clutching her hand as Gabrielle remained perfectly still almost like she was asleep. The only reason Xena knew Gabrielle was alive was the steady fall of her chest as she inhaled and exhaled. Two days passed and Gabrielle's condition remained the same while Xena physically deteriorated in her concern for her friend.

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Xena was holding Gabrielle's hand when Cyrene burst into the room. Xena didn't even bother to turn her head.

"If you're here…"

"An army is coming, Xena. A warlord has come to raid Amphipolis." Cyrene told Xena out of breath from having to run all the way here. Xena was broken out of her emotionless state as she instantly let go of Gabrielle's hand.

"How far away?" Xena asked her mother remembering the reason they had traveled to Amphipolis in the first place.

"They'll be hear in a couple hours at most." Xena mentally swore.

"Alright, I'll meet them before they reach Amphipolis." Xena stated as she started to march to the stables to fetch Argo.

"Xena," Gabrielle mumbled incoherently as the warrior princess reached the door. Xena hesitated as she recalled how seriously ill her friend had taken. She'll be dead anyway if you don't stop the warlord, Xena thought. She was right, besides Gabrielle would want her too.

"Look after Gabrielle will I'm gone." Xena commanded as she marched out of the door.

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Within an hour, Xena found the warlord's camp. She left Argo about a mile away, so she wouldn't get caught and then walked until she ran into their camp. Xena hid in the bushes as she counted the men.

"About 27," Xena mumbled not able to count the ones inside the two tents set up. She then saw a rock next to her and decided her best bet was to separate the men, so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by numbers. She threw the rock into bushes about three yards away.

"Did you here that," a young guard asked the other who nodded. Four other men joined them as they walked to the bush. They entered the bush leaving them invisible to the other men and Xena attacked picking them off one by one. She grabbed the last man and wrapped her arms around his throat until he stopped squirming.

"Great, just another 21." Xena mumbled sarcastically. I don't have time to take every man out individually, Xena thought, Gabrielle needs me. Straightforward attack then, Xena reasoned.

Xena flipped into the camp doing her signature battle cry, "Alalalalalalala." The men then swopped her at once. Xena immediately responded by spinning around with her arms out effectively punching about ten men in the face. She then pulled out her chakram and threw it at four men cutting their swords in half. Xena smiled as she fought the men off. She punched, kicked, and back flipped until only seven men were left. Xena then pulled out her sword. The seven men backed up not eager to attack the warrior princess as she had quickly disposed of their comrades.

"Who's in charge," Xena questioned the men eager to fight the warlord and get back to Gabrielle. The men just stared at the big tent as a tall, well-muscled man walked out with a sword at his side. At the same time, five other men walked out of the tent behind him. The man stopped two yards in front of Xena.

"You must be Xena," the warlord inferred as he looked at his scattered men across the ground. Xena ignored the man and looked at her own reflection in her sword as she picked at her teeth in annoyance.

"I'm…"

"Can we skip the formalities? I'm in a hurry," Xena interrupted impatiently earning a smile from the warlord.

"Very well, I had thought you would want to know the name of the man who's going to kill you." The warlord said as he drew his sword.

"Why, you know him?" Xena asked sarcastically earning a laugh from the warlord. He then points his sword at Xena.

"I have a deal for you, since you're in such a hurry how about we fight and the loser has to do whatever the winner commands." Xena raises her eyebrow in suspicion. This man knows what I can do, yet he challenges me to a one on one fight. He's definitely got something planned, Xena thought as she continued to act disinterested. She then shrugs in response.

"Sure, why not." Xena agrees as the warlord smiles and launches into an attack. The man strikes hard and fast with Xena blocking each of his blows. She stumbles back as his sword slices her right arm.

"What's wrong princ…" The warlord's smirk is knocked off of his face as Xena knocks away his sword and hits him with hers on the side of his face with the blunt side. He stumbles back in rage. Xena smiles as the man growls at her. He charges and Xena flips over him. She then kicks his behind sending him into the ground. Xena drops her sword as the warlord gets back up. She gestures for him to charge and he does so infuriated. She kicks him in the gut causing him to hunch over in pain. Xena quickly puts the pinch on him with victory in sight.

"Looks like I won." Xena says slyly as the warlord struggles.

"Please," the warlord begs as his nose begins to drip blood.

"Relax, I've just cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You'll be dead in thirty seconds. Now, I think we had a deal. I want you to leave and never return. Become a farmer, disband your army, and leave Amphipolis alone. Do we have a deal?" Xena questions the dying warlord. He nods his head and she cups her hand around her ear wanting him to say it out loud.

"Yes, I'll leave Amphipolis alone and disband my army." The warlord struggles out. Xena smiles in victory and removes the pinch.

"That wasn't so hard," Xena states as the warlord coughs on the ground. She then picks her sword up off of the ground and sheathes it. Then she turns to his men. They stare at her as she raises an eyebrow.

"You heard him," Xena states gesturing for the men to scatter. They remain still as Xena whips around to catch an arrow coming straight for her head. She breaks the arrow in half and drops it to the ground. One man stands in the doorway of the big tent with a bow in his hands. The man wears solid black armor complete with a helmet covering his head and face.

"They did, but this man doesn't have an army. He is, or should I say was my best fighter; however, I do have to commend you on defeating him so easily." The man says as he approaches Xena. He pauses as he stands beside his defeated soldier. He quickly takes out a dagger and guts the failure. The man drops to the ground dead.

"I'm Ambrose, the immortal one." The man says as he removes his helmet to reveal a battle scared face. The man has gray hair and looks to be in his late forties, pretty old to be a warlord. His blue eyes stand out against his pale skin. A huge scar runs diagonal from his left eyebrow all the way down to the bottom right corner of his mouth. Xena remains stoic as the man drops his helmet and dagger to the ground.

"And I'm unimpressed," Xena says causing the man to throw his head back in laughter as Xena crosses her arms.

"Your reputation does you no justice. I had to make sure you were really worth the fight before challenging you myself."

"Really," Xena questions detachedly.

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Two hours later, Xena rode into Amphipolis on Argo. She put Argo into the stables and made her way to her mother's house where Gabrielle was. She winced as she entered the house. Xena had won the fight, but Ambrose was more trouble than she thought he would be, after all most cocky warlords usually turned out to be pathetic. Ambrose was a skilled fighter. Xena took several hits before turning the tides and making quick work of him. She had started to walk away when she swirled around and threw her chakram splitting an arrow in half and decapitating Ambrose.

Cyrene ran out of Gabrielle's room, Xena's old room, to greet her daughter. Cyrene gasped as she took in Xena's appearance. Xena had a long cut on her right arm running all the way from her shoulder to her elbow, a gash on her left thigh, and a cut on her right eyebrow along with other bruises littering her body.

"Xena, are you…" Xena shook her mother off and entered Gabrielle's room. "How's Gabrielle," Xena asked as she entered the room to see Gabrielle's still unconscious form. Cyrene sighs knowing that her daughter won't rest until she knows that Gabrielle is fine.

"Her condition hasn't changed. She's called out for you a couple times, but I managed to calm her down." Xena sat down in her seat next to Gabrielle's side as her mother continued.

"A friend of yours stopped by earlier. He was really concerned for Gabrielle. He sat by her side for hours before leaving to go help you after I told him you had been gone for hours. He was a clumsy fellow, who couldn't even draw his sword without hitting himself in the face. I think he said his name was…"

"Joxer," Xena finished as a small, sly smile appeared on her face. Cyrene nodded while Gabrielle started to callout for Xena again.

"It's alright. I'm here, Gabrielle." Xena shushed Gabrielle as Cyrene exited the room sensing she wasn't needed any more. Xena soon fell into an uneasy sleep clutching Gabrielle's hand.

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Xena woke up, and Gabrielle's condition had deteriorated. Gabrielle was now constantly gasping for air and calling for Xena. Gabrielle was dying and for once Xena had no cure, no plan, and no way to save her friend, her bard, her salvation, her only family, and her sister was dying.

"I'm no warrior nor princess, Gabrielle. I'm not a hero; I'm just a regular person put up on a pedestal destined to fall from it one day. I was destined to fail eventually and my biggest regret is that I failed you. I can see your pain, yet I can't ease it. I've failed, and I'm so sorry." Xena released Gabrielle's hand and stared at the ceiling.

"Why? Why, gods of Olympus, why? Gabrielle is innocent; I'm the one who dragged her into this life. I'm the one who's made all of the decisions to defy you. It's my fault, and yet like the damn cowards you are you take it out on the young bard." In a mad rage, Xena punches the wooden wall putting a hole through it and causing blood to run down her ruined hand.

"Xena," Joxer calls through the hole. He puts his eye to the hole. Xena doesn't answer him as he quickly runs around to the entrance. She then lowers her fist and stares at Gabrielle's lifeless form. Joxer enters the room like a clumsy idiot. He trips over himself and falls on the floor. Xena controls her annoyance as Joxer stands up.

"Xena…" Joxer stops himself as he takes in Xena's disheveled form. Her bruises, cuts, and bags under her eyes shock Joxer. He has never seen the warrior princess so vulnerable.

"She'll be fine, Joxer." Xena says without taking her eyes from Gabrielle's form. Joxer removes his eyes from Xena and looks at Gabrielle.

"What happened?"

"I failed. She was sick, and I didn't catch on." Xena whispers a few tears running down her cheek.

"Xena," Joxer starts but is interrupted by Xena.

"Please, Joxer, go. I don't want any sympathy." Joxer leaves the room at Xena's words. Xena wipes away her tears and glances at the ceiling once again desperate to save Gabrielle.

"Please, I'll do anything. I'll complete any damned quest for any damned god if you just save Gabrielle. Please, I've helped you gods. Hades, I saved your sister, captured Atymnius, and returned your helm of invisibility. Ares, I have defied you at lot, but I also restored your godhood. Aphrodite, I thought you had a soft spot for Gabrielle. She was your friend when you needed one. Please, gods of Olympus, please... Save Gabrielle. She's the only light I have left in my life. I swear I'll do anything." A silence encases the room as Xena waits for a response from the gods to her plea. Xena's form goes tense and then relived as she detects a familiar presence.

"Ares," Xena states as Ares appears on Xena's right. Ares has no grin on his face as he takes in Gabrielle's lifeless form. He then turns to Xena to see her disheveled figure. Her hair is a mess, her eyes tired with black bags underneath, her skin is pale compared to her usual tan, and her body is littered with cuts and bruises.

"Xena," Ares replies flatly despite a twinge of sympathy that is evident on his face. Xena continues to stare at Gabrielle.

"Are you here to take me up on my offer?" Xena asks bluntly while staring at Gabrielle watching for any change in her condition. Ares looks at Gabrielle then at Xena.

"No," Ares states. Xena turns to him in shock and anger. She then stands up and stares Ares down.

"No... Why the hell not? This is your chance. You can finally have me as your Warrior Queen. I'll do all of your bidding. You'll have me on your leash. Everything you've ever wanted and you say no. Why?" Ares gently brings his right hand up to wipe away a stray tear falling down Xena's cheek. His hand lingers on her cheek only for Xena to shove him away in rage and to turn back to Gabrielle. Ares places a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"The gods of Olympus know I want nothing more than you ruling at my side, leading my army, but I can't. The offer, it's so..."

"Appealing, perfect, wrong." Xena completes the sentence as Ares turns her to face him.

"Exactly. You say that you would do anything, but once Gabrielle was safe you would defy me. You wouldn't be willing. You would hate me, and Gabrielle would try to save you." Ares answers. Xena stares at Ares until she turns away and sits back in her chair taking hold of Gabrielle's hand.

"So that's it... She has to die. It would be better for you not to have me at all than to have a defiant me." Xena says solemnly.

"If I did this you'd hate me, more than you already do." Ares says gently as if Xena were a child.

"No more than I would if you don't save her." Xena whispers as she clutches Gabrielle's hand tighter.

"True," Ares responds so quietly Xena could barely hear him.

"Then why?" Xena questions Ares her voice full of confusion and exhaustion.

"Because I love you. I love you and as much as I want to take your offer, I can't. I would be taking advantage of you in a weakened state. A state I've never seen you in before." Xena shifts in her chair and speaks like a fragile child, "Anything Ares. I'll do anything, just save her."

"I can't save her." Xena exhaustingly turns to Ares.

"I thought as much. The gods are angered at me. Athena refuses to give her blessing, so..."

"So Gabrielle can't be healed." Ares concludes as he looks at Gabrielle with an unseen sympathy.

"Then she's doomed. She'll die and I can't save her." Xena whispers like a pained animal as she looks at Ares with tears in her eyes. Ares remains silent as he crouches next to Xena.

"Perhaps," Ares whispers as he stares at Gabrielle. Xena gives no response to the slither of hope he provides.

"There is one way I could save her, but the consequences could be dramatic. I would lose my godhood… If I give up my godhood, Gabrielle could be saved." Ares finishes. He says it like the answer not an option, not a choice, a statement of fact. (Love this reference)

"I can't..." Xena is cut off by Ares gently kissing her. He then pulls back.

"I don't want anything. I've finally realized that I've being going about you all wrong. No more tricks, no more lies, no more battles. I only have one chance of winning your heart." Ares gently removes Xena's hand from Gabrielle's and takes Gabrielle's in his own.

AN: Fin. I've always found the relationship between Ares and Xena to be very interesting. He continually hurts her, but he never follows through all the way. I wrote this as an experimentation of their relationship. I also love Joxer, and his adoration of Gabrielle. I wish she would return his affections. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this story, feel free to review and tell me what you thought. Criticism is welcome along with praise.