Just An Afterthought

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, though I wish Ares was mine :D

After the showdown on Mount Olympus Ares was left mortal. To everyone's surprise he had given up his powers to save the lives of three mortal women. He no longer was the once fearsome and powerful God of War.

Word had spread of Ares' sacrifice and now every Warlord in Greece was out to kill him. Xena and Gabrielle decided to help him as they owed their lives to him. The warrior princess offered her old farmhouse, making it Ares' new home. It would be the start of his life as a farmer. He had been very skeptical at first but seemed to warm up to the idea a little when he met his overly friendly woman neighbour Greba.

They were busy cleaning up the old house when Xena decided she needed to speak with Gasgar, one of the Warlords who was searching for Ares, leaving the bard and former God alone. Gabrielle wanted to clear out the fireplace, and even though Ares hated doing any form of physical labor, he briefly helped remove some heavy material. Soon a small fire lit up the main room, casting a glow on the two occupants and filling the small place with a pleasant warmth. They silently sat in front of the fireplace, both lost in their own thoughts, patiently waiting for Xena to return.

Gabrielle enjoyed being around the mortal Ares. He still had that same sense of humor. It amazed her how he never failed to make her laugh, just like that time when he had lost his powers because of that stupid enchanted scroll. However, she seriously doubted Ares liked the idea of staying mortal. It had seemed fun for him the last time because he knew his godhood would be restored eventually. Why would he want to be stuck living in a dingy old farmhouse for the rest of his life? He probably would have preferred a castle or palace, something that resembled his old life style a bit more.

The ongoing silence was making Gabrielle uncomfortable, so she tried to start a conversation. "Ares?"

Ares had been staring at the fire. He slowly lifted his head to look at her. "What?" He sounded less than pleased with the interruption.

Gabrielle noticed that the glow from the fire made him look more like the God he used to be. She couldn't deny it, he was very handsome and attractive. She certainly understood how a woman could fall for him. Easy on the eyes was an understatement. She felt herself blushing at the admission and just hoped that the flickering firelight would hide her flushed cheeks. He cocked his head, a smug smile lingering on his lips as if he knew what she had been thinking.

"I.. I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I know that giving up your Godhood must have been a huge sacrifice." She tried to keep her voice as steady as possible.

Ares leaned back in his chair and stared at the blonde woman in front of him. There had been a time when he thought of her as an obstacle, a nuisance, someone who kept Xena away from him. No more. Gabrielle had grown alot, changing from a young insecure village girl into a beautiful and strong woman with the skills of a very competent warrior. She wielded those sais with expertise. He would never have offered her Xena's succession if he thought she didn't have the potential. Ofcourse, the main reason had been to lure Xena over to his side but if Gabrielle had taken him up on his offer that day, he sure as hell wouldn't have minded. The peace loving Bard had captured his interest. Not that he was going to tell her that this instant.

"If Xena lost her power to kill the Gods than Athena would have killed her. I saved Eve in order to save Xena. You were just an afterthought." Oh yes, he really liked Gabrielle, but she was such a good person, always trying to walk the path of peace, even though she was a warrior herself. It frustrated him beyond belief but on the other hand he also found it strangely appealing. And.. well, Xena would have been devastated if she had lost her best friend on Mt. Olympus. He was sure it would have destroyed her in the end and in spite of her constant rejection of him, he just couldn't let that happen.

Gabrielle chuckled softly. "Well.. uhm.. thanks anyway!" Somehow she wasn't surprised by Ares' answer. Why would he save her beyond any selfish reason? Why would it be any different now? Xena was all that mattered to him. It would always be that way. He probably still found her annoying. She would never come close to Xena's skills. She would never gain the same admiration from him as Xena did. Gabrielle felt a pang in her heart at the thought. It shouldn't bother her this much.. but it did. Why? Could she be having feelings for Ares? Someone who had caused her enough grief to last an entire lifetime? Impossible! Never in a million years would she fall for that man. But.. what if he had died like the other Gods? The little bard realized that she would mourn the loss, that she would actually mourn him. She felt as if she had been dealt a hard blow to the stomach.

"Gabrielle? Are you.. alright?" Ares' hands were placed on her shoulders, lightly shaking her.

She looked up into his handsome face. By the Gods, he was gorgeous. She tried to calm herself, forcing a smile to her lips. "Yes, i'm fine.. I'm.. tired, just tired.. That's all. It's been a long day." He nodded and sat back in his chair, just as the door swung open and Xena walked in.

Later that night the three of them shared a bed because it was the only one in the house. Ares lay in the middle with Xena on his right and Gabrielle on his left. They were sound asleep but he was wide awake.

He looked over at Xena who had given him the cold shoulder from the beginning. The former God of War let out a frustrated sigh. This was not the way he had pictured things to be. Suddenly he felt Gabrielle shift and snuggle up to him. Her arm rested across his abdomen and her head was nestled next to his shoulder. She appeared to be sleeping peacefully. A smile pulled at his lips. Ares had to admit he really liked the physical contact from the blonde beauty. He laid a hand on her arm and caressed it. He would try to get some sleep. No doubt tomorrow would be another long work filled day.

Gabrielle awoke and found herself cuddled up next to a very muscular body. Her first thought was to back away until she remembered she was sleeping in the same bed as Xena and Ares. She looked up to find Ares sleeping. The movement must have roused him from his sleep, for his eyes opened. Their gazes locked and he gave her a surprisingly warm smile. She realized what position she was in and she couldn't stop herself from turning red. She was sleeping in Ares' arms!

Ares was sure Gabrielle would have thrown a fit for being this close to him but instead she blushed a nice shade of red. He couldn't stop looking at her face.. her lips.. Woah hold on, Ares! This is still Gabrielle.. Xena's the one you really want, remember..? Then WHY did he want to kiss her? Because he saw alot more in her, that's why! He wasn't going to pass up on this opportunity. Slowly Ares lowered his head to hers. He saw her eyes widening in surprise but she didn't make a move to stop him. Their lips met in a gentle caress, barely touching one another. He carefully shifted his body and pulled her closer. When she parted her lips, he deepened the kiss, locking them in a passionate embrace.

Gabrielle could not believe she was kissing Ares! Part of her wanted to break the kiss and scream at him but her heart was not in it. She cared for this man. There was no way around it. Letting go of all other thoughts she ran her fingers through his dark, greying hair. Ares' tongue battling her own made her lose all sense of reality! There was this odd sensaton in her stomach. Bufferflies. She smiled against his mouth and wondered how Xena had been able to resist him all these years. Ares was intense. He was fire, he was war. Had been war. His kiss was full of lust and passion. It made her head spin. And he wasn't even a God now!

After what seemed like an eternity they slowly broke apart, both breathing a bit faster.

Well that was quite the lip lock. Ares stared at Gabrielle, pondering what to do next. She was no Xena, but she was special in her own way. He admired her spirit and she could hold her own in battle. She dared to stand up for what she believed in. She dared to stand up to him. His hand moved to her short hair, letting the golden strands slip through his fingers. They were very soft and pleasant to the touch. Her green eyes were sparkling. He could tell, even in the pale moonlight.

Gabrielle found herself enjoying his ministrations. Maybe it was wrong of her with Xena in the same bed and with their history.. but right now she didn't care. It was clear as day that she wanted him. She was tired of having to fight all the time. She didn't want to fight this. Then she remembered her conversation with him earlier. If Xena lost her power to kill the Gods than Athena would have killed her. I saved Eve in order to save Xena. You were just an afterthought, he had said. She was going to be sick. He was toying with her!

Ares leaned in again. This time she stopped him. "Don't." Gabrielle whispered, a hard edge to her voice. "Just an afterthought right?" She felt tears well up but kept them at bay. She wasn't going to cry! Not in front of him. She turned her back on him. Gabrielle refused to be some substitute for Xena.

What the.. ? No! He wanted to hit himself for his stupidity. Ofcourse she would think he was playing her! He couldn't blame her after all the ploys he used to get Xena back but.. Wait a minute.. Did blondie feel something for him? Romantically? Would she have reacted the same way if she didn't? Oh, he doubted it. Quite possibly Gabrielle had been in denial of her own feelings for him. They have had numerous encounters over the years, mostly when he was still the God of War, but also when he had been a mere mortal. He had felt the attraction shimmering underneath whenever he got close to her in the past. Ares was also fully aware that as a God he acted differently, ruthless. Emotions were a hassle. As a mortal he didn't have the same problems with expressing his feelings. It made him softer.. weaker. He knew that if he ever returned to being a God he wouldn't be able to admit them to the little bard. His ego would always get in the way or he would say all the wrong things! Besides, he really had to let go of Xena. She had been his greatest warrior and that would probably never change but he needed to move on. Ares made up his mind. Snaking an arm around her waist, he pulled her to his chest. He wasn't going to let this one go. He burried his nose in her hair, ignoring her struggles.

Gabrielle was backed up against his well muscled chest, a strong arm across her belly. Ares' hot breath on her ear sent a delicious shiver down her spine. His next words made her heart skip a beat.

"Maybe I lied."

R&R.