Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Gabrielle may own my heart, but I don't own her. Xena: Warrior Princess is not mine. Nor is Mass Effect. You can thank BioWare for that amazing game. Also, sorry I'm not sorry for writing this crossover.

Requested by Chakwas. Dedicated to everybody that is a fan of both Mass Effect and Xena: Warrior Princess.

The endless agony would not stop. The cries for those that had fallen crowded her mind, closing in and constricting her, suffocating her thoughts until nothing but the pain was left. It was all because of love. Love, the greatest of all strengths, powerful enough to transcend through time and to bring absolute happiness for those that possessed it, was also the greatest weakness. With one stray glance, love can be twisted into heart-wrenching agony.

Nothing hurt more than its loss. It rips the very soul to shreds and leaves but a broken shell. She shared the pain of every loss, for she was the cause of the agony. And now, she was burdened by the cries of billions as their planet lay in ruins, loved ones dead around them.

She needed to do something - anything to stop the screaming. She began to panic, blinded in her own mind by the overwhelming pressure of suffering. Her survival instincts flared and she did the only thing she could to escape the madness.

In an explosion of gold sparks, her mind cleared, as if the connection linking her to the chaos was spontaneously severed. She stumbled, the sudden clarity staggering her.

"Aphrodite?" a voice snuck through her confusion. No, not just any voice. The voice. The voice she hadn't heard in over three thousand years.

She opened eyes she hadn't realised were closed and was greeted by a glorious sight. Sure enough, she was standing there, her perfect face etched with concern. In her panic, Aphrodite must have transported herself to the one place she had felt safe. To the person she loved.

"Gabrielle!" she sobbed, embracing her tightly as if her life depended on it. In a way, it did.

She felt gentle hands run over her hair as Gabrielle shushed her. "It will be alright. What's wrong?"

The hands had an instant calming effect, and Aphrodite felt her mind begin to slowly creep back to her. "It was horrible." she sobbed, "So much death. And they were all crying out, and I can't help them. It's too much."

Gabrielle broke the embrace and led her to a fallen tree, where they sat beside each other, Gabrielle holding Aphrodite's hands gently. "Tell me what happened. There might be something Xena and I can do. Please."

Aphrodite took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. It was all just took much. In her thousands of years alive she had never had to deal with that much anguish. She couldn't even begin to put what happened in to words.

Gabrielle noticed her pain. "It's alright. Take as long as you want. I'm not going anywhere."

Aphrodite bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I just can't."

Gabrielle hugged her. "I understand. Would you like me to stay with you?"

"More than anything."

They sat there embraced in calm silence until Xena returned from hunting.

"Aphrodite. Long time no see."

Aphrodite reluctantly removed herself from Gabrielle's warmth and stood to meet her. "Xena."

Xena raised an eyebrow. "You're looking different. Older."

"Xena." Gabrielle warned.

Aphrodite touched her arm. "It's ok. The warrior babe is right. I'm not from your time."

"How many years?" Xena asked.

"Three thousand, give or take a couple hundred years. It's hard to keep track."

"You know how risky time travel can be. One small mistake and history is rewritten. Why did you come back?" Gabrielle asked.

"I didn't mean to. There was just so much noise and pain, then suddenly I ended up here. I must've instinctively jumped."

"What happened?" Xena asked.

Aphrodite sighed and Gabrielle rubbed her back in support. "There were these things, Reapers or something, that started attacking planets, Earth among them. They were killing everybody, and they can't stop them. I can't even stop them. Soon there will be nobody left."

"Aphrodite, is there anything we can do?" Gabrielle asked.

Aphrodite shook her head.

"Everyone?" Xena asked. "They are going to kill everyone?"

Aphrodite nodded.

"Take us with you." Xena insisted.

"What? Why?"

"Because of the greater good." Gabrielle responded. "There has to be something we can do. Anything. Even the smallest assistance would be better than doing nothing."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I am." Xena replied. "Gabrielle?"

"Right beside you."

"You girls know your chance of survival is low?" Aphrodite asked.

"Naturally."

"And there's no guarantee I'll be able to return you to this time frame? You might not be able to ever see people from here again."

Gabrielle looked into Xena's eyes. "It doesn't matter. So long as we are together." A sudden thought hit her and she turned to Aphrodite. "Will you be alright going back? You mentioned being overwhelmed by the prayers."

"You babes will give me hope. That should be enough to keep me sane."

"Are you sure?"

"Like I have a choice, anyway. I have to go back."

"Well then. Is everybody ready?" Xena asked.

Gabrielle nodded.

"Hold on tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride."