Copyright disclaimer: I in no way what so ever own any character mentioned in this story . . . well okay I do own Angel. I am in no way gaining any profit from this story either.

Warnings

Violence/sex/subtext disclaimer: Violence: Nope. Sex: Kinda yeah one short scene but nothing graphic. Subtext: Ack never!

Feedback: always welcome

One

Xena and her new friend Angel were sitting around the campfire, glaring at the frying pan that held the blackened remains of two fish. Their dinner. "Umm well it's just a little burned." Xena muttered "All you have to do is scrape the black bits off." She demonstrated by picking up a fish and brushing it off with her fingers. The fish crumbled in her hand. Angel laughed as she nudged the pile of fish with the toe of her boot "Just a little burned hm Xena?" She mocked "Exactly what part of that fish is supposed to be edible again?" Just as Xena opened her mouth to respond a brilliant flash of blue light stopped her. The light faded to reveal, in all his glory, Ares the God of War.

Xena just sighed as he stepped closer, trademark smirk on his face. "Hi Ares!" Angel said happily, despite Xena's feelings for the god, Angel really liked him he seemed nice enough. "Hi Angel. Hello-o-o Xena" Ares smiled coyly and seated himself next to Xena on a log. "So wadda ya want Ares?" Xena grumbled, she was cranky and in no mood for any of his tricks tonight. "Actually, Xena I'm here on business this time, much to your disappointment I'm sure" He smirked again and then sighed as Xena lifted her eyebrow in a questioning manner and also to say as if.

Angel was picking up on some potentially violent vibes from Xena so decided to take up the conversation. "So what kind of business are you on, Ares?" she questioned. "Well it seems the two by the invitation of Zeus himself have been invited to Olympus for dinner tonight . . . thanks to Aphrodite." He whispered the last part to himself. "Oh wow!" Angel exclaimed, Xena just shrugged "No thanks." She muttered and started to poke at the second charred fish "We already have dinner plans."

"What dinner plans, Xena?" Angel demanded as the second fish turned to dust too.

"I'm not going to Olympus." She growled and elbowed Ares in the ribs.

Well I'm going, you can stay her alone if you want to!" With that said Angel stood up and pulled Ares to his feet "Let's go." She said and both god and mortal disappeared in a flash of blue.

It was times like this that Xena missed Gabrielle, at least she would have been on her side. With an exasperated sigh Xena stood up and kicked the frying pan across the clearing "Fine!" she yelled, "I'll go with you."

Ares chuckled as he reappeared next to her and moved an arm around her waist "Thought you'd see it our way." He smirked then transported them both to the main hall of Olympus.

Two

The main hall was elaborately decorated and damn near blinding to their eyes. There seemed to be light everywhere. Next to Xena stood a tall white pillar, which she leaned against and glanced around. Her overall impression was gold and white, mainly because those were pretty much the only colors present with the occasional splash of blue and red thrown in here and there. "Woah!" Angel sighed as she looked around "It's gorgeous!" she gasped. "Eh it's alright I guess." Xena muttered. The truth was the room took her breath away, it was so beautiful.

A voice cut through theirs as Aphrodite walked in. She was dressed in a surprisingly decent outfit compared to her normal day wear, a pink two piece dress with a see through dress thing thrown over, the top piece barley covered her breasts and the bottom skirt went down and stopped just above her knees. "Just alright, Xe?" she asked, seeming hurt, but in a playful way "I'll have you know I decorated the main hall since absolutely no one else in the family has any taste." She looked around slowly as if admiring her work and propped her hands up on her shapely hips with a nod "Yep it used to be just so . . . blah!" she crinkled her nose and made a face at the memory.

Suddenly she clapped her hands together, the sound echoing through the cavernous room. "Any way!" She exclaimed, "You two gotta change before dinner."

"Change?" Both Angel and Xena asked at once.

"Of course sillies!" Aphrodite giggled "You don't think you're going to dinner with the fam dressed like that do you?"

"Well actually yeah." Xena said then shrugged "Whatever you say Dite." She turned to Ares and smirked. It took his breath away. "So are my things still here?" she asked and he just nodded "Uh yeah it's all your room . . ."

"Great lets go." Then they were gone.

Angel turned to look at Aprodite nervously "Um what am I going to wear?" she asked quietly. Aphrodite looked her over slowly then smiled "I have got the perfect outfit for you girl I just have to get Athena to part with it." Angel smiled and decided she was going to like this goddess.

Three

Xena turned to look into the full-length mirror that adorned the inside door of the wardrobe, eyeing her reflection critically. "Hmm." She hummed and turned, looking over her shoulder to view her back "I don't know . . . what do you think?" she asked Ares who was seated on the large four poster bed. He rested his chin in his hands and propped his elbows up on his knees. He looked her over slowly, taking in every detail. The dress was black silk and hung off her shoulders, threatening to slip off, the neckline really didn't exist, just a continuation of the shoulders which circled her chest. The waist was tapered in and fit her slender form snugly then simply fell into a sheer flowing skirt that brushed the floor. On her feet was a simple pair of black slippers.

He seemed to be examining her intently and she was starting to get nervous. She was about to speak when he got up and silently walked across the room to a low set vanity table. He bent over and opened a small box made of silver, rummaging around inside. "Ha!" he exclaimed and pulled something out of the inner depths of the silver box then stepped up behind her. She faced the mirror as he lifted something over her head and lowered it to her neck. She was unable to keep her self from gasping when he moved his hands and she saw what he had put around her neck. It was a fine silver chain that circled her neck and resting in the hollow of her throat, set in a silver frame was a large, blood red ruby, it had also been one of her more favored items when she had been with Ares. Did he really remember or did he just think it would finish off the outfit nicely she found herself wondering, it did give the dress the finishing touch she had to admit. "You always did like that necklace, Xena." He sighed almost sadly "It looks great on you . . . " He swallowed hard then decided they better go before he said something he would regret " So uh dinner is waiting." He muttered and hurried out of the room, Xena close behind.

They met up with Angel and Aphrodite at the doors to the dinning hall, the two women stared at each other for a long moment. Angel was wearing a white sleeveless dress that was held together at her shoulders with a round gold clasp, the dress was tapered at the waist like Xena's to fit her form and the skirt, which came to her knees, was pleated. The neckline and hem of the dress was embroidered with gold thread and her pale blonde hair was piled on her head with a few ringlets falling to frame her face. "Woah she cleans up pretty nice doesn't she?" Ares smirked and the four of them entered the dinning hall for dinner.

Four

The hall was much like the main hall except for the long table situated in the middle of the room and at the table was seated every god Xena could think of, from Zeus to Dionysus. She walked next to Ares and whispered to him quietly "What is going on here?" Ares just shrugged and whispered back "This is all Aphrodite's doing she thought a family reunion would do us all good and she likes you so you got invited too." He pulled her chair out for her and after pushing it into the table took a seat next to her.

Once they were all seated the meal started to be served and people made small talk. "Ah, Xena!" Zeus smiled cheerfully "Welcome to Olympus and out lovely little reunion." She could hear the strain he laid on the word lovely and smiled "It's a pleasure to be here, Zeus and thank you for inviting us." She sighed and rolled her eyes to Ares, what had he gotten her into. "Now I have to make small talk with your father?" she groaned quietly in his ear and Ares just shrugged again "You have to make the best out of a lousy situation." He muttered. The best of a lousy situation eh? Well Xena smiled at that. A few idea started swirling around in her head and about half and hour after they had sat down she turned to Ares and smiled sweetly "Ares" she said, he turned to face her "Hmm?"

"Would you wear a crown on flowers for me?" She asked wickedly.

Ares face went through several transformations in a matter of seconds misunderstanding, shock, and a few others but the end result was an embarrassed anger. "I most certainly would NOT wear a crown of flowers!" he growled, loud enough that about half the table heard him. Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite all turned to him and smirked. "Well, Ares" Athena started "There was that one time you know." The three goddesses snickered and Ares turned bright red. "Shut up Athena!" he yelled and everyone looked at him. He got quiet, as did his sisters.

About half an hour later, Xena decided she was bored and everyone seemed to have forgotten Ares' little outburst so she leaned back in her chair a bit. She waited about a minute then exclaimed loudly "Ares! Get your hand out of there! Can't you at least wait till we get back to your room after dinner?"

Everyone froze. Zeus could be heard choking on his food and Xena turned to look at Ares, who had a fork half way to his mouth at the time, his head slowly turned and the fork fell to the floor as he blushed a deep red. Well that was something she'd never seen before. She glanced around slowly, smirking, to see every God and Goddess staring at her and Ares in shock, some had their mouths hanging open and others just blinked at her.

A long moment of silence passed before she heard a loud "Whoop!" from the head of the table. She turned to see Zeus, fists pumped in the air as he cheered "That's mah boy!" and Hera sat next to him with the faintest trace of a smirk on her lips. Now Ares was redder than the ruby at her throat, he stood up suddenly and grabbed Xena to her feet, dragging her out of the hall and towards his own chambers.

Five

"What do you think you were doing in there!" Ares Demanded as Xena collapsed on his bed with laughter. "I was making the best of a lousy situation!" She gasped between fits of giggles. "Did you see their faces? And then Zeus!" Her face was red from laughing so hard and she gasped for breath but still she laughed. "And . . . and you!" She giggled "You blushed so hard I thought for sure you were going to crawl under the table to hide!" he glared at her for a moment then his face broke into a brilliant grin. "For a minute there I was tempted to actually." He admitted and dropped down onto the bed next to her, chuckling. "Next time though please warn me before you pull something like that alright?" he asked her but she shook her head "No way! The look on your face was too priceless I'd love to see it next time too."

Ares sighed and shook his head. It was no use even trying with this woman and he knew it. He looked down at her, laying on her back on the dark red sheets, giggling quietly to herself now. By the gods she was beautiful he thought to himself and without thinking leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

The giggles left her suddenly, leaving in their place a soft warm kind of glow and a fluttering feeling in her stomach. His kiss was so inviting she found herself returning it. Her arms moved around his neck and his circled her waist as he pulled her on top of him. Her heart fluttered now as she felt the warmth and firmness of the strong, muscled body beneath her own. Before she could even register what was going on in her mind, that suddenly seemed hazy, she was naked and laying beneath the god, writhing in ecstasy.

He collapsed on top of her, panting into her shoulder.

"What?" She asked him quietly a few minutes later after he rolled on his side and buried his face into her long raven tresses. "Nothing." He murmured quietly. Xena shrugged lightly and closed her eyes, a few minutes later she heard him again, louder this time as he spoke the words she always thought forbidden "I love you Xena." He sighed against her shoulder as he placed a gentle kiss against the smooth ivory skin. He thought her asleep she knew it so she stayed quiet and slowly let herself be lulled into sleep.

Six

She yawned, stretched, and then snuggled deeper into her covers in a failed attempt to catch some more sleep. Five minutes later her eyes fluttered open. A smile graced her lips as she found a tray holding a plate of eggs and a piece of ham with a glass of water on the bed next to her, where Ares should have been. She sat up slowly and ate the meal quickly before hopping out the bed, with a sheet wrapped around her loosely. She rummaged through the wardrobe and found a decent enough gown to wear a nice and simple red gown.

After she dressed she set out to find Ares and her friend who she had forgotten and abandoned the night before. "Oh gods who knows what they've done to her." She murmured as she walked through the hallways.

Within two minutes she decided she was lost. "Ares!" she called and before his name left her lips he was there. "Can I help you?" he smirked and Xena rolled her eyes in his direction with a grin "Actually yes you can." She said "With two things. One I got lost and two I'm looking for Angel." She shrugged a bit and Ares nodded. "No problem." He flashed a smile that could melt an iceberg "Angel is in the main hall, ready to go home . . . not that she wants to." He laughed "She's fallen in love with Olympus." They both chuckled now. "Well better get to her." Xena sighed.

Angel jumped when the pair appeared behind her. She shoved Xena playfully on the arm and scolded her "You ditched me with a bunch of gods I didn't know!" her tone was light "I had sing for Apollo!" she giggled and Xena just smirked "Ready to go?" she asked and Angel nodded. "Right-o!" she smiled then turned to Ares "Let's go God-o." She smiled. Ares shook his head and rolled his eyes, moving an arm around each of their shoulders and transported them back to the camp.

He turned to leave. Xena watched until he was just about gone then she called out "Oh, Ares I love you too!" with a grin then she walked off to fetch the horses.

Moments later in the main hall on Olympus stood a confused but very happy God of War, blushing a bright red.