Worth the Wait

by MeganRenee1987

Ares has waited centuries to find the true reincarnation of Xena's soul. Now in the 21st century, he has bigger issues to deal with than just battling warlords and a yapping bard. Uber Xena. X/A. G/J. Please review if you like it.

Disclaimer: While I wished I owned Ares, God of War, I don't, nor do I own any other characters from "Xena: Warrior Princess" which happen to be the property of Universal/Renaissance Pictures, a division of MCA Entertainment. The following story is a work of total fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

Rated: M(ature) for adult language, themes and some sexuality (after all, who didn't want to see Ares and Xena get it on?)

Author's Note: This uber Xena piece is just for laughs. It's not intended as an accurate or intense fanfic, just an idea around scenes that I found humorous. I hope you like it and it makes you laugh. Please leave a review if you do! Enjoy!

Worth The Wait

By MeganRenee1987

I.

"Ancient Greeks used myth to explain everything from the path of the sun across the sky to the changing of seasons. Imagine the creativity--someone asked you a question you couldn't answer, you just made up a fantastical story to explain it. These stories were much more than a mere explanation, they were entertainment--the center of religion, of life. Today, we look at myth and wonder how anyone could ever believe such a thing--women getting pregnant by swans, statues coming to life. Then again, we wonder because in the scientific age, we know the answers--we know the answers--we know that Zeus was a horny old man and Pygmalion probably had mental issues involving his love for non animated objects, but Ancient Greeks appreciated things they couldn't explain while we appreciate only what we can."

Allison Mayfield looked around the overly crowded auditorium. Most of the two hundred students were awake. That meant it was a good day.

As she glanced around her eyes concentrated on a figure in the front row. He was dressed in all black and sat slouching while. All of a sudden, Allison felt awareness of his presence. It was a dense fog that had her mouth going dry and her concentration faltering. His dark eyes were on her, piercing her from his seat without moving one muscle.

"Your homework," she forced herself to continue without looking at him, even though she was aware of him, "is to think of a myth. Think about it. Write it down in your own words and bring it to class with you next week."

The sound of rustling paper nearly drown out her voice.

"Can we use TV for a source?"

"Sure, from what?"

"Like 'Xena: Warrior Princess'," the boy answered.

Allison flinched. She hated this moment. No matter where she taught, the Hollywood representation of history haunted her. Maybe it was because it was so closely related to her subject, maybe it was because almost ten years after the show ended, people were still deeply affected by it. Allison didn't know, but whatever it was, it annoyed her when people tried to take Hollywood and make it into history.

She took a calming breath. "That doesn't count. Xena wasn't real. True, the show has a lot of mythology in it, but aside from being totally historically impossible, Xena fictionalized all of its events. Try reading a book for a change. It's not that I'm not a Xena fan, but sometimes the real myths are better than the special effects."

A sigh of exaggeration went through the crowd. Apparently, several of them had planned on using good ol' Xena for an example.

"It's not that hard. You have your pick of the Gods--Zeus, Hera, Artemis, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Hermes--plenty that Xena didn't even mention."

The crowd took this for the sign to leave and slowly filtered out. She was left in the empty auditorium alone to gather her notes and briefcase. Today hadn't been the worst day of class and usually the first day was always bad. She'd weed out the fakers next time by what kind of myths they brought in.

"I liked your lecture, even though you forgot one of the most important gods."

The deep baritone caused her to jump, yet at the same time she'd known she wasn't alone. She turned. It was the man from the front row. Somehow, she'd known that voice belonged to him.

"Thank you, and who would that be?"

"Why, the God of War, of course."

"Aw, how could I forget the God of War," she extended her hand. "Guess I was just never into all the bloodshed. Allison Mayfield."

He took it and warm tingles traveled up her arm as she studied him closely. He towered over her with dark eyes and dark hair hanging in ringlets around his shoulders. He was the stuff Harlequin Romance covers were made of. He seemed dangerous and Allison couldn't remember a time that a man had this kind of effect on her. He wore all black--a tight black tee shirt that hugged his muscles and tailored black slacks that hugged other parts of his anatomy. At the same time that she felt this raging attraction, she also felt a sense of familiarity. He may seem dangerous, but Allison knew deep down, he'd never hurt her.

"It's a pleasure," he said, without revealing his name. "When I heard the world's greatest authority on Greek myth was lecturing, I had to come--"

"Hardly," she laughed, sliding another look at him. "Do I know you? You look really familiar."

"Dr. Mayfield?"

Allison turned to her name. It was the same kid who had asked the Xena question. Allison had to fight the urge to shoo the kid away. She would rather talk to the stranger, and that alone said a lot about her, she realized. She had never put anything before work before, and here she was, ready to chuck a book at the kid who lingered near the front row.

"Yes?" she said reluctantly.

The kid's eyes bugged. "I knew you were famous, but I didn't know you were that famous!"

Allison blinked. "Excuse me?"

"That guy--he's Ares--on 'Xena.'" The kid obviously knew his Xena-trivia. He was clearly impressed with the fact that Allison had been talking to the stranger.

Allison turned to the mysterious stranger but he was gone. Disappeared without a sound. If he had stuck around, maybe she could have figured out where she knew him from…the kid said he was on the show, maybe that's where she'd seen him before. She shook her head, trying to clear it of the feeling of the man's touch. That was all she could concentrate on.

"Can I help you, anyway?"

x.X.x.

It had been an increasingly long day. Allison was learning quickly that she despised being new at a job. Everyone had stopped by her office to welcome her. Ever the sleazy head of the department had found numerous reasons to check in on her.

Poor Danielle, Allison's assistant had had a long day settling into the new office. In the end both had slipped away from the overzealous welcome wagon. After dropping Danielle off, Allison relished returning to her new house, to her peace and quiet.

She still couldn't get the stranger's face out of her head. She had to know him. Maybe she'd met him when she was on tour lecturing all around the world. She was still working on her connection with him while she changed out of her professional clothes and into a pair of sweatpants and a sports bra.

She did her daily yoga routine to find peace; her kickboxing workout to purge tension and her gymnastics to find balance. As she came up from her last flip, he was standing in the doorway, watching her intently.

The urge to scream died on her lips as she saw the desire in his eyes. Once again, that feeling that he wouldn't hurt her took over and she found herself less than surprised to see him there. She'd almost been expecting him.

"I love what you've done with the place. Most people have furniture in their living rooms, not a punching bag."

"I have more use for the punching bad," she said, squaring her shoulders. Shouldn't she be afraid to find a strange man in her house, staring at her like that? "Who are you?"

"I've gone by many names over the years," he answered. "But once upon a time you knew me by a name that I haven't used for a while now."

"I think you should go," she said, backing away from him as he began walking around her gym/living room.

"You really don't want me to."

And strangely enough, it was true. So, she lied. "Yes, I do."

"Well, maybe I don't want to."

"How did you find me?"

"I've been watching you for a long time, Allison."

Still, no fear. She stopped backing up and decided that the only way to make him leave was to stand up to him. If that didn't work, she hoped she could take him, but she knew it wouldn't come to that.

"Who the hell are you?" she said in a cold voice.

"You know, I never really knew if you were the one before."

"What are you talking about? If you don't leave, I'll--"

"Do what?" he demanded. "You and I are old friends."

"I've never seen you before in my life," Allison returned.

"You've seen me, just never in person," he conceded. At her confused look, he just gave her that devastating smile. "Xena."

The way he said the name caused shivers to go down her spine and her eyes to widen.

"You're the actor who played the God of War--"

"You mean, I'm God of War who played the actor who played the God of War. A particular good performance, I might add."

"I've lost my mind," she bowed her head. "Did you really just tell me you're the God of War? As in Ares?"

"Yep," he said nonchalantly.

"Good. Just checking," Allison muttered as she left the room.

Ares met her in the kitchen. She didn't seemed surprised to see him. She moved to her briefcase and pulled out the file folder that Danielle had put together for her.

She opened it and gazed at the contents for a few minutes. "That proves it."

He raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"I'm crazy and you're dead!" she slid the file down the bar to him. "That says that Kevin Smith the actor who played Ares on 'Xena: Warrior Princess' and 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' died in 2002."

Ares tossed the file aside unamused. He spread his arms wide and leaned heavily against the counter while raking his gaze up and down Allison's body. She could swear she felt it as if he was actually touching her. "Nice trick, huh?"

Unsure of what he meant--his gaze or the mysterious fact that he had risen from the dead, Allison merely shrugged, still in shock. "Not really. I need to lie down."

This was not going as he'd planned. He'd been prepared for hysterics or sheer disbelief but not this quiet resignation that had him confused and startled. He had to do something to get more of a reaction out of her. How else could he tell her what he wanted? "Allison--"

She turned and caught the knife without thinking of it. "Shouldn't people this crazy be kept away from sharp objects?"

"You're not crazy," Ares sighed; sometimes he hated the 21st Century. Mortals were so quick to believe themselves insane versus something that didn't immediately make sense. Sure, the weapons of mass destruction were worth the couple of millennia he'd endured as an almost forgotten deity, but really, with all of the psycho-babble bullshit in a Dr. Phil soaked universe it was getting to be impossible to appear to the reincarnation of the love of your immortal life without this kind of reaction.

"Oh, really?" she whirled around and treated him with her sharp gaze. "A television actor who died almost ten years ago, magically appears in my house professing to be the God of war and I'm not crazy? Yeah, right."

"Okay, it does sound a little crazy, but what about the knife? You caught the knife," he reminded her.

"What knife?" she looked down at the knife she held in her hand. "Oh, that knife. I really need to lie down."

"You don't believe me," he said, matter-of-factly.

"Nope," she agreed. "Well, it was nice chatting with you, God of War."

Before, she could get two steps toward the staircase, she was upstairs in her bedroom.

"See?" he said waving his arms. "You're in your bedroom. We were in the living room and now, we are in your bedroom."

"That was a quick trip," she sighed, pulling back the covers and climbing into bed. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she was in her flannel pajamas and her bedroom was dark.

"What a dream," she muttered, shaking it off. She fell back asleep within minutes.

Allison woke up to breakfast in bed. Waffles and bacon. It made her mouth water as she remembered that last night she hadn't gotten any dinner. Wait, last night had just been a dream. Still, she must have missed dinner or her stomach wouldn't be growling. There was no sign of the chef or anyone else who could have fixed it and brought it to her.

"Shame to let it go to waste," she muttered ignoring the impossibility of it all. She dug into the breakfast as if she were starving. She'd almost finished when his voice startled her.

"Enjoy your breakfast?"

Allison nearly choked. "Am I still dreaming?"

"You weren't dreaming before," he answered her. "I told you, you aren't crazy. I'm very real."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to remember who you are."

She blinked but said nothing. He waited for her to make some kind of reply but she remained silent.

"What are you thinking? I can see the gears grinding," he said drolly, from the edge of the bed.

"Nothing. I'm just counting all the times I've done drugs in my lifetime and trying to figure out why they all decided to kick in at this moment."

"You're not crazy. You're not on drugs," he was beginning to sound like a damn broken record.

"Of course, my hallucination would say that," Allison answered.

"What will it take to prove to you that I really am Ares, God of War?"

"This is some prank. Who put you up to this?"

"So we've moved past the crazy hypothesis and the drug theory into the practical joke game, excellent," he muttered to himself, suddenly beside her in her bed with his hands tucked behind his head against the headboard.

"Was it my mother? The dean because I wouldn't go to dinner with the old goat?"

"I'm not a joke, either."

"This isn't making any sense."

"Why? When you were younger, you used to believe in the Greek Gods--"

"And the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus but I don't see either of them stopping in for a visit!"

"This is not out of your ability to believe. It is unlikely but it is happening."

"You're telling me that Ares, God of War has been waiting for me to wake up just so he could tell me he's real?"

He nodded smugly. "And I even made waffles."

At her pointed look, he shrugged. "Okay, I ordered waffles."

"Okay, I believe you," she said in a tone that plainly said she didn't. "What do you want?"

"You to remember," he repeated. "You owe me something and I've been waiting a long time to collect."

Allison didn't hear the second part of his statement, instead she focused on remembering. "Remember what?"

"Your past."

She blinked. "This is like a cheesy episode of 'Xena'."

"Exactly," he answered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

When he just looked at her, she shook her head. "No. No. No."

"You know it's the truth," he taunted her.

"Go find someone else to be the reincarnation of Xena. Not me," she threw back the covers and stood up. "I have to go to work. Because that's what I do. I teach. I don't run around Los Angeles righting wrongs."

He stood by the sink as she brushed her teeth. "Why is it so hard to believe? You're the reincarnated soul of Xena. I'm Ares. See, two halves of the whole."

Allison spit into the sink. "Nope. You're the product of my imagination--a result of studying one too many myths as a child. As for me being Xena, that was just a repressed desire I had as a little girl watching a television show. See, all rational explanations."

"Really rational of you to talk to figments of your imagination," he countered.

"Maybe I'm not talking to you, but rather to myself so I'll snap out of it."

"Good luck with that," he replied snidely. "I'll see you later, teach."

With that he was gone, leaving Allison looking heavenward and yelling, "Don't you dare show up in class, do you hear me? You worthless make-believe bastard!"

II.

"Are you sure you're okay, Allison?"

Danielle's voice broke into Allison's concentration. "I'm fine. Just had a crazy night."

"I know what you mean. All last night my neighbor kept singing this crazy song, 'Joxer the Mighty--'"

Allison nearly wrecked the car. "Why? Why would he sing that song?"

"He was drunk. He's a tire salesmen. Maybe you've see his commercials. John Oxer but when he's drunk, his words come together and sound like--"

"Joxer," Allison finished with an uneasy sense of dread. She had a fleeting hope that it was surely a coincidence. Then it struck her that her assistant's name was Danielle, which sounded an awful lot like Gabrielle and the fact that Danielle had followed Allison from job to job for the last six years.

"Damn," Allison muttered under her breath. Maybe she was still dreaming. "I am not a warrior-princess."

"What?" Danielle asked, jolted by the sound of Allison's voice.

"Nothing, just planning out today's lecture."

The rest of the ride was spent in silence as Allison tried to come to terms with the fact that she was really being visited by a million-year-old deity.

Somehow she'd known he'd be waiting for her. Sure enough, she no sooner walked through the door of her office when she felt his presence. He sat behind her desk with his feet propped up, looking as though he belonged there.

"Make yourself at home," she said dryly.

"No longer surprised to see me? That must mean--"

"I'll admit the coincidences are similar."

"The Joxer thing did it?" he asked in disbelief. "I knew I should have started with that one first."

"It doesn't mean I believe or accept anything you have to say."

"Always the skeptic."

She crossed her arms over her chest and sized him up in one look.

"And always that look," he smiled. "God, Xena, I've missed you."

"None of that. Don't call me, Xena. People will think I'm crazy. No one needs to know that the God of war keeps dropping in on me."

"Whatever you want," he smiled with that same sense of satisfaction. "You can't fight who you are. By the way, you don't have to worry about that dean hitting on you anymore."

"Oh, no," her face fell. "What did you do?"

"Me? Nothing. But your husband told him that if he ever bothered you again, he'd snap him like a twig. I think the man believed him."

"Husband?"

Ares lifted his left hand. A gold band glittered in the light. Allison glanced down at her own hand where a matching band formed.

Ares's laughter filled the room. "Honey, I'm home!"

x.X.x.

When Danielle found Allison passed out in her office, she didn't immediately freak out. She shut the blinds and half pulled, half dragged Allison to the couch in the corner of the room.

Allison had been acting strangely. It had started yesterday after class when she'd numbly walked back to her office and asked Danielle to look up "Xena: Warrior Princess" on and to find something about Kevin Smith, the Kiwi actor from New Zealand. At first it hadn't seemed like an unusual request--everyone knew that Allison resented the show but had a certain fondness for it in spite of her resentment.

Danielle had presented her findings to Allison, who didn't even look at the file. She half-muttered something about a guy who looked like a character from the show sitting the front row of her class but that's all Danielle could get out of her.

Allison lay with her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful. Danielle smiled. Was there any reason that a person would not follow Allison to the ends of the Earth? Danielle had turned down job after job gladly for the chance to stay with her. She couldn't explain why she wanted to stay--maybe because they were a team, they'd been all around the world together. Six years was a long time.

Danielle went to get the first aid kit out of her desk. One quick whiff of the smelling salts and Allison lunged forward.

"Are you okay?"

Allison looked around. "What happened?"

"You passed out."

"Oh, yeah," Allison sat up, and looked around the room. "I've just been a little stressed."

"I know. You've been working too hard."

"Thanks, Danielle," Allison said with a faint smile. She rubbed her head.

"That's some ring," Danielle turned to pack up the first aid kit so that Allison wouldn't see how much she was hurt that Allison hadn't told her.

"Oh, God," Allison's eyes caught on her finger.

"Something wrong?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, I'm not sure that I even believe me now," she sighed.

Danielle looked at her closely. "Try me."

"Ares, God of War is stalking me. He thinks I'm the reincarnation of Xena."

"From the T.V. show?"

Allison nodded. "He even looks like the Ares from the show."

"He sounds human enough," Danielle replied. "Stalking you--"

"He was here waiting for me this morning."

Now, Danielle blinked. "Impossible. I locked the office last night and I unlocked it this morning."

Again Allison nodded, unsure if she was able to do anything else. "He scared Dean Motley off."

"The creep hanging all over you? How did he manage to do that?"

Allison lifted her hand. "Apparently, he told him we're married."

"But you're not, right?"

"Not to my knowledge," Allison sighed. "Am I crazy? Have I really lost all my marbles?"

"I'll admit that is some story but it doesn't surprise me that it happened to you."

"Why do you say that?" Allison's eyes flew to meet Danielle's.

"Because there's something about you, Allison. I noticed it the first time I met you. You draw people in, no wonder a Greek God is chasing you."

It was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to Allison. She fought back tears. "Thank you."

Danielle smiled.

Allison took a steadying breath. "You don't think I'm crazy?"

"No, maybe heavily intoxicated but not crazy."

The two women erupted into a fit of giggles.

III.

Dean Motley purposely ignored Allison that day at lunch. Allison's amusement was short-lived as her "husband" sat across from her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Now, there's that open hostility that I've missed," he said in a bored tone.

"Were you expecting anything less? If I am who you say I am, don't I have a reason to be hostile?"

"Touché," he said gazing at her intently.

"What?" she shifted under the weight of his stare.

"Nothing. You just amaze me."

"Why? Because I don't look like Lucy Lawless? Guess you got the wrong girl. Here's your ring back--" she tried to pull the ring off but it refused to budge. She tugged harder but it remained.

"Don't bother. It won't come off."

"It's going to cut off my circulation!"

He laughed. "No, it won't."

She sank back against her chair in a pout which caused him to watch her carefully. "You look like her, you know."

"Really? I don't recall Xena being dirty blonde on the show."

"Look, I just pitched the idea, I didn't finalized the details. They fictionalized a lot of the events of her life, including what she looked like. But hey, that's Hollywood, babe."

"Don't call me babe," she flinched. "And Xena had blue eyes."

"Lucy has blue eyes. Xena had green like yours," he replied. "Her hair was a little darker but the eyes are the same. They still take my breath away."

In spite of her attempts to stay neutral, his compliment did get to her and a rosy blush spread to her cheeks.

"You're more like her then you think."

She blinked. "Oh, really? I must've missed the episode where Xena worked her way through college as a cashier at a grocery store, or that she drove a Beemer or taught Greek mythology at UCLA."

"Don't worry. I have the right girl. I've known that you were the one since you were sixteen-years-old."

Allison hadn't been expecting that. "You've been watching me since I was sixteen? That's not a little creepy."

"Do you remember what happened to you when you were sixteen?" he asked in a low voice.

Allison tried to play it off. "A lot of things happened when I was sixteen."

"The coffee shop," he reminded her. "Ring any bells?"

Instantly, Allison's mind flew back to that day in particular. She was working as a waitress right around the corner from the apartment she shared with her mother. It was a nice job and everyone knew her. Clarice and her husband owned the coffee shop. That day started like any other day. Allison had shown up right after school and was in her uniform before she hit the door. Coffee served, orders taken, she was in the process of bringing out food when the doorbell jingled. She barely had time to look up before she was hauled up against the robber. He stunk of days without a bath and cheap wine.

"Anybody moves and I'll blow her fucking head off," he shouted.

Instantly, everyone quieted.

"Now, everyone get out your wallets and put them on the edge of the table. Girlie, here is going to collect them."

He shoved Allison forward just as Clarice came out from the kitchen.

"Whoa, fella," Clarice said in a patient voice. "We don't want anyone to get hurt here."

"Then shut the fuck up," he snapped. "Tommy, get the register!"

From behind him, another masked figure emerged and moved behind the counter. Allison returned to the first assailant with the bag of wallets.

"Why are you doing this, son?" Clarice asked.

The masked man leveled the gun at the old woman who had been kind enough to give Allison a job. Without thinking of it, Allison leapt into action. She delivered a hard elbow to the man's sternum and then with his head close enough to hers, she head butted him hard. He lay on the ground, his nose gushing blood, while she grabbed the coffee pot from the burner and managed to smash it across the back of Tommy's head. She managed to subdue both robbers until the police arrived a short time later. She was a hero, people wanted to shake her hand and say they'd been there the day little old Allison Mayfield had defended the honor of Clarice's coffee shop.

"You remember," Ares's voice pervaded her thoughts. "I knew at that moment when you had both guys lying on the floor that you were truly Xena's soul reincarnated."

"You set that up?"

"I had to be sure. What better way to test you? Anyone else without her strength couldn't have done it."

"You were testing me? Clarice could have died!" she snapped.

"No, you would have saved her. I know you would have. I know you, Allison, believe it or not. You're just like her."

"Stop saying that," Allison snapped. "Look at me, warrior princess I am not!"

"By whose standards? Television? They only have an idea of what she was like. A few stories I told them that got them started on producing a show that was hardly biographical. In reality, she was very different from how she was portrayed."

"Oh, really? I bet she was a gentle hand-maiden too, wasn't she?"

"I wouldn't go that far," he laughed. "She was definitely a force to be reckoned with, and so are you."

"Oh, yeah. I have people shaking in their boots," Allison said, taking a drink of bottled water. "Look, it's not that I'm not flattered but I really don't think you've got the right girl."

"I'd stop saying that if I were you, it's only making me more convinced that you're the one I want."

"No, you want Xena. I'm Allison," she said in a strong voice. Then taking his hand, she placed it on her chest. "Allison, not Xena," she moved his hand back to his chest. "Ares." This time when she moved his hand back to her chest, she knew she should have stopped before. His eyes had darkened and she could feel her pulse pick up as the same heat melted through her as it had the day they'd shook hands.

"Allison," his voice was unusually deeper than before. His hand lingered on her chest, moving up to caress her neck. "Your pulse is racing."

"It's frustration," she bit out, struggling for breath and fighting the urge not to throw him on the lunch table and have her way with him.

"Really? I don't think so. Your breathing is ragged," he observed with that careful tone of voice. "Pupils dilated. If I didn't know better, I'd think you want me."

"Think again," she muttered but she couldn't find the enthusiasm such a statement needed to hit its mark.

"That's just what I thought. You'll fight it to the end," he leaned forward, across the table, closing the distance between his mouth and hers. "But then, I wouldn't have it any other way."

The kiss was slow at first, timid because he wasn't sure if she would welcome him or bite his tongue. Instead, she parted her lips just a little bit and he took full advantage, plundering her mouth and forcing her tongue into the most erotic tango she'd ever experienced. She found herself yearning for more, but that could only mean trouble. She tried to pull away, but she couldn't. No kiss had ever been so right in her life, she realized.

"Is this seat taken?"

Ares pulled away from her to glance at Danielle who stood holding her tray.

"Already a pain in my ass," he muttered. Turning back to Allison, he left her with one heated look. "If nothing else proved it, that did. I'll see you tonight."

Allison took a calming breath. "Don't bother. It won't happen again."

Ares stood up. "Good, I like a challenge."

He walked away and Allison couldn't help admire the view. "Hate to see him leave, but love to watch him go."

"So that was him?" Danielle looked at her curiously.

"Yeah," Allison tried to shake off the feeling of his kiss, of his lips on hers, his taste, his heat. It wasn't working. It was just making her want him more.

Danielle couldn't believe that Allison was seriously buying to that whole seduction act. What's worse, she still wore his ring. Just seeing the two of them getting cozy had forced Danielle to cut her trip through the lunch line short. When she looked down, she only had a bowl of plain lettuce--no tomato or cucumber or dressing. She hadn't even gotten a drink. Danielle had locked in on the strange man leaning across the table kissing Allison, and her only goal in life was to interrupt them.

Now, Allison sat in a daze with a slight blush and swollen lips that were parted in a semi-smile.

"He didn't look like much to me," Danielle said, trying to draw her friend out her daze.

Allison didn't reply. She tried to concentrate on something else--anything else but him.

"Well, now we know you're definitely not crazy. That kiss was real enough. I think Dean Motley nearly choked."

Allison immediately snapped out of it with a laugh. "Good. Then it wasn't for nothing."

"Are you sure you're okay? Should we call campus security? You look funny," Danielle said softly, she was no longer hungry for her lettuce but was worried about Allison who seemed to be enjoying the attention of the strange man too much.

"I'm fine. And really, what could campus security do? He's a god," the last was said in a hushed whisper.

"Apparently, that kiss meant more than nothing."

x.X.x.

He hadn't wanted to kiss her--no, that was a lie. He had wanted to kiss her, but he hadn't wanted to kiss her at that moment. He wanted to hold off until she desperately wanted him. The only problem with that plan was he hadn't counted on the fact that he desperately wanted her.

Ares flopped down on the plush sofa in his Manhattan apartment. It wasn't a temple but there a lot to be said for 21st Century tributes--they came in all shapes and sizes. Business was booming for the God of War; he had apartments, houses, condos all around the world, all richly decorated with instruments of war that he'd kept around as souvenirs over the years. In many ways, his homes were like temples. When certain people needed him, they knew where to find him. He had accumulated enough wealth and power in circles average people knew nothing of.

She'd finally returned to him. After years of waiting, she was back…and meaner than ever. The thought made his heart beat faster.

There had been other Xenas over the years--one born in each generation, yet for all of his interfering, none of them had that true fire that his Xena had. The first had been a farm girl who married a slow-witted farmer. She had fainted dead away when he appeared before her, professing to be the God of War. Then her body had been found at the bottom of a ravine. There had been others too--a daughter of a knight at the Round Table, one of Catherine of Aragon's ladies-in-waiting, Michelangelo's favorite model, the sister of two brothers who chose for fight for the North and South in the Civil War. He'd found pieces of Xena in many forms. They were all pieces that he liked when put together, but separately something was lacking--her fire. One was too fragile, one was too strong, one too silly, the other too serious. But Allison was different, she had it all.

Even the bard.

No matter how many times, Ares had found her, the annoying blonde had already been there and had a greater influence on her life than he could reverse. And if Gabrielle didn't find her before--he cut off his thoughts sharply. There was no time to think about that. Things had changed. He didn't want Xena for war. He knew better than that. No, she had made him a promise a long time ago, and he was going to see that she kept it, and for the first time in a millennia, he had hope that this time he could do something right.

She knew about the bard, but clearly they weren't inseparable. Allison just saw her as an assistant, not a really close friend, which was good. He didn't see the 'soul-mate' like bond that Xena and Gabrielle had shared. Allison was rather alone when it came right down to it, her heart guarded and unsure of those around her.

Trust issues, he could handle. She was worth it. Dealing with the bard was another thing. She didn't even know him, but didn't like him. Acting like a jealous lover when he'd kissed Allison, marching over just to interrupt them. Then again, maybe it was a good thing, they'd stopped. It wouldn't have taken much more for him to zap them to a more comfortable, private setting.

He wanted to do things slowly. He'd been waiting for this chance for a long time, and he wasn't about to screw it up because he wanted her.

He felt a warm glow--she was thinking about him.

IV.

"What are you doing?"

"I wondered when you were going to pop up again," Allison said without looking at him. Her eyes were locked on the screen where she was--of all things--playing a videogame. "You've been watching for me for at least forty-five minutes, sitting right there on the couch."

"Impressive," he nodded with a smile. "You still didn't answer my question. What are you doing?"

"Killing you," she answered with a buttery sweet smile. She turned to look up at him from her crossed-leg position on the floor a split second before turning back to the video game.

"What?" he raised his eyebrow.

"I'm killing you," she said in a sing-song voice. "Look, there I go."

Sure enough, the character that was supposed to be him growled in rage and then exploded on the screen as another took his place on the throne.

"Look at me, I'm the God of War," she said tossing down the controller and jumping up to do her victory dance.

"They have a videogame about killing me?" he asked in disbelief.

"They have two," she answered pleasantly. "A kid in one of my classes brought it to me to check all the mythology. It was his example of myth. It's a fun game. I might let him use it."

"You had fun killing me?'

The sound of his voice and the wide-eyed look he was treating her to, was all the more comical, even though she realized it had to be shocking.

"It wasn't you--it was a character in the game. Don't take it so personally," Allison said, with a soft punch to Ares's shoulder.

"Whose bright idea was that?" he demanded, gesturing to the game.

She shrugged. "Relax. Think of it as a way of spreading your legacy to the next generation."

"By killing me?" he turned his eyes on her again. "Really? That's not my favorite way of being remembered!"

"You're such a drama god," she laughed, and then walked past him to the kitchen.

"It's not funny!" he said, as she closed the refrigerator door. "Mortals becoming gods because they kill gods."

"Good thing no one really believes in you anymore."

"Ouch!" he said drawing as if she burned him. "Way to add insult to the injury."

"I didn't mean anything by it. It's just a stupid video game."

That seemed to placate him even though he still pouted. She looked at his arms crossed across his chest as he stared off to the side while watching her from the corner of his eye.

"So what inspired this visit?" she asked, changing the subject while she prepared to cook.

"I wanted to see you," he answered. "Even though now I honestly can't remember why."

She shot him a look and then bent down to get a pot from the bottom cabinet, giving him a lovely view of her behind.

"Oh yeah, now I remember," he said, walking up behind her and placing his hands on her hips.

She stilled at his touch, the delicious fire lighting through her. She managed to stand up with little trouble, even though it took some effort. "I--you shouldn't--"

"Shouldn't what?" he said as against her ear.

She turned around to face him, there was a scant inch between his lips and hers. His eyes kept flicking down to her lips. Behind her his arms locked securely, enjoying the feeling of Allison's body against his.

"Do this?" he asked, dropping a light kiss on her lips. "Or this?" this time when he leaned in, the kiss was deeper and longer.

Allison's hands moved up to Ares's jet black hair to rove through it while pressing her mouth more firmly to his. Everything else was forgotten but the fact that Ares was standing there in her arms kissing her crazy. With one arm, he cleared the counter of what would have been her dinner and lifted her on to the counter. She was already eagerly tugging his shirt over his head and while he focused solely on her mouth. Her hands moved from his hair to every inch his chiseled torso that she'd uncovered.

"Do I have to turn the hose on you two?"

It took a second to register that there was someone else in the kitchen with them. Ares lifted his head but refused to move away from Allison. Instead, he held her where she was, sitting on the kitchen counter with him standing between her knees, his hands on her waist. She managed to pull down his tee shirt, cover his abs and stomach.

"Danielle, hey," Allison said, wiggling from inside Ares's embrace.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he hissed in her ear. "I'm already more that willing."

That stilled her. "Let me go."

"Why? You liked it a minute ago."

"I have to go--Danielle--"

"Send her away. Tell her you'll see her tomorrow," he said in a cool voice. "I'll be eternally grateful."

"I'm sure you will be. Have you ever thought there's a reason we keep getting interrupted?"

"Sure. She has no life."

Allison managed to slip out of his arms and saunter over to Danielle. "Sorry about that. What's up?"

"Allison, please say you weren't going to--"

"Oh, she was," Ares said with an irritated look. "But once again, the frumpy assistant to the rescue."

"Allison, you can't! I mean, I know you like him--but really, think about it! Why did Xena never end up with him? He was bad for her and he'll be bad for you too."

"Sounds like someone is jealous," came the comment from the counter. Allison turned to see him arm crossed, leaning against the counter, clearly eager to return to what they were doing before Danielle had interrupted them.

"I'd rather die," Danielle retorted.

"That can be arranged," Ares took a menacing step toward her.

Allison stepped between them. "Okay, okay. I can tell you two don't like each other. That's fine. Danielle, you just have to trust me. I'll do the right thing."

"It didn't look like you were doing the right thing when I walked in."

"It sure as hell felt like she was," he answered making a face at Danielle.

"Could you go?" Allison turned around. "Please? I'll talk to you later."

"Count on it," he said, disappearing in a burst of light.

"Allison, you are playing a dangerous game. Stop and think," Danielle said, looking at her friend carefully.

"I know that. I can't believe that I almost--"

"I know," Danielle agreed. "He's very sexy and I'm sure that it's extremely tempting but he's a god, Allison and if the myths are right, he's only after something."

Allison didn't answer. She was looking away.

Danielle stepped toward her. "Do you know what he could possibly want from you?"

Allison exhaled loudly. "An heir."

x.X.x.

Sitting at her kitchen table, Allison was dreading this conversation as much as she could. She had so much to say and even though she knew Danielle would believe every word of it, she wasn't sure whether or not to confide in her. Deep down, Allison was beginning to question whether it was so wrong to give into Ares. Really, all the things he had done to Xena had only served to make her stronger, right? In the end she had become the ultimate ass-kicking chick, a role model for girls everywhere if the premise of the show was to be believed.

"I started getting flash backs of memories the first time he kissed me," Allison said staring down into her mug of tea rather than meeting Danielle's eyes. "Things that I couldn't possibly make up, things that weren't even on the show."

"How do you know he didn't put them there?" Danielle asked pointedly.

Allison shrugged. "I guess I don't, but I don't think he would have put memories of other men there too, would he?"

That silenced Danielle…for the moment.

"There were men before him," Allison said in a quiet voice. "Apparently, my past life as Xena was really active. I was a warlord who turned good but even then I had my pick of the guys."

"Just like Xena on the show."

"Yeah, and just like her, I usually turned them down, but when he kissed me, I remembered with detail the first time he kissed me and a promised a victory in some god-forsaken place, I made a vow to him--they never put that into the show. Sure they had him begging Xena for a kid during the fifth season, but it all started way before that…way before I even thought about being good."

"You mean, Xena, right? Before Xena even thought about being good?"

Allison looked up at her. "No, I mean me. It's me, Danielle. Don't you see, I'm Xena."

"No, you're Allison!" Danielle snapped. "This guy has your brain all wired wrong. You might have been Xena back then, but now you're Allison Mayfield, professor of Classical Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Now, snap out of it."

Allison opened her mouth to object but stopped. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm reading too much into this. It was a bit much to claim to be Xena, wasn't it? It doesn't matter who I am now, because he believes that I'm the same warrior princess who promised him an heir. She went back on her promise when she went on the straight and narrow and that was fine when he was still fascinated by his job, but he's not anymore. He wants to retire."

"He told you that?"

Allison shook her head. "No, but I knew. He wants an heir to take over his mantel."

"And then what? What's he going to do then?" Danielle demanded.

Allison shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm even right about the heir thing. That's the only reason I can figure he wants me. The God of War never gives up on a promise to him."

"All this you got from one kiss?"

"It was a good kiss," Allison said softly.

"You can't give into him!" Danielle jumped up from the table and began pacing. "You can't have his baby. Really, Allison, how would you explain that to everyone? If you don't have his baby, then he'll leave you alone and wait for the next reincarnation, right?"

"I guess so."

"Then that's what we'll do. You just have to learn to be stronger when it comes to him," Danielle said crossing her arms over her chest.

Allison resented the order. Who was Danielle to tell her to resist Ares? Dissention flared in her eyes for a brief moment before it fizzled out as she looked at Danielle who was trying hard to help her out of what Danielle perceived to be a dangerous situation.

"I don't think he means me any harm by it," Allison said in a meek defense of the god she had been momentarily groping on her kitchen counter.

"That's what they all say. He's bad for you, Allison. He was bad for Xena, and he's bad for you."

"I don't think he wants to corrupt me or win me back to his side," Allison intervened. "I really don't see the connection between the cold-hearted Ares on the show and the Ares that I deal with. He knows that I'm no fighter and he's not once mentioned me joining a war or anything like that. I think he just wants to have a kid."

"So he's changed his goals of trying to get you to lead an army to trying to get you to have his child? Oh, yeah, he's changed," Danielle was pacing. "Why are you defending him?"

Allison sighed. "I don't know. I know that he was bad for her, but if you say that I'm not her, then why should he be bad for me?"

"He's an Ancient Greek God--the God of War, no less--masquerading around here like a mortal, trying to seduce you into giving him a child! You've known this guy for what three days now and you're ready to jump into bed and start the baby-making process!"

"I'm on the pill," Allison said, plaintively.

"Like the pill really works on God of War sperm? What about all the women he's been with--you don't know what you might catch!"

"I seriously doubt the God of War could catch an STD."

"You don't know. He's like what, millions of years old? Think of all the nasty hos he's been banging waiting for you to be born!"

"Stop!" Allison squealed turning away from Danielle. "Just stop."

"At least, Xena knew better," Danielle muttered to herself. "She never let him close enough to her."

"No, because she had that yappy little bard with her the whole time!" Allison snapped before she could stop herself.

"Are you calling Gabrielle yappy?"

"When did she ever really shut up on the show? Always judging Xena, acting like a guard dog to her. Xena had to clear everything with her--like she was her mother! What if Xena wanted to have some fun? She had to look at Gabrielle's judgmental eyes every time."

"Fun is one thing, sex with Ares is something else," Danielle replied evenly. "And Gabrielle was just looking out for Xena who sometimes wasn't smart enough to come in out of the rain! By the way, that's what real friends do for each other!"

With that, Danielle stormed out of the house, leaving Allison alone and ashamed for snapping on her friend.

V.

"Go away."

She didn't even open her eyes to know that he was lying on the bed beside her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, tenderly.

"I have a migraine and my best friend--and probably my only friend, hates me because of you."

She felt his fingers touch the center of her forehead and the pain receded until it was nothing but a memory. She opened one eye. "Thanks."

"It's what I'm here for," he put his hands behind his head as he leaned against the headboard in a familiar pose. "So you and little Danielle get into a spat?"

Still regarding him with the one eye, she stared. "Yes. All because of you."

"Let me guess, she thinks I'm bad for you and listed a thousand and one reasons why I was bad for Xena and therefore bad for you."

"There was some reason-listing, if I recall," she muttered rolling over. He lay on the opposite side of the bed in the same pose.

"Did you believe her?"

"You can't be good for me," she replied. "Pop up out of nowhere with these earth shattering kisses, making me forget who I'm supposed to be."

"The question is, did you remember who you were?"

She sat up. "I know what you want from me."

"Oh, really?" he turned to face her. "And what might that be?"

That gaze again. The one that made her feel like he was touching her even though he sat far enough away. Allison felt dizzy.

"You want an heir."

"That's one part of the equation," he said, pinning her into place with those dark eyes.

"There's more? I thought surely that would be it!"

"A kid, sure, in due time. Right now, I want you," the words had a tremendous impact on her. Her iron will turned to mush and her skin began to tingle.

"Other than my child-bearing capabilities, what could you possibly want me for?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Love, companionship, confidence," those words sounded strange to him, having never spoken them out loud, "Trust, hope, honesty."

Allison went completely still. She stared at him hard, not wanting to believe him, yet praying that he was telling the truth.

"You don't trust me, and you're right not to. Now that you remember --"

"I only remember bits and pieces," she corrected him. "Not everything."

"Can you remember if--" he stopped himself before finishing the sentence he'd been dying to know for well over two thousand years.

"What?" she took his hand, causing his eyes to meet hers across the shadowy bedroom. "I can try."

"Can you remember if…she forgave me before she died?" his breath caught in his lungs as he waited for the answer.

Allison closed her eyes and concentrated. "You did an awful lot to her."

He looked away. "I know."

"But you loved her."

He turned back to find Allison staring at him. "I think she forgave you. I can't remember a specific moment--her life wasn't like what I expected."

His fingers laced through hers. "I know."

"I'm pretty sure she forgave you, Ares. I'm pretty sure she loved you too, she just couldn't be with you."

"Yeah, she might've mentioned it a time or two," he said, trying to shake off the tender moment. Some things he'd never get used to, like Xena's impact on him. "But that doesn't mean you can't."

Now, it was Allison's turn to shift uncomfortably. She didn't immediately respond.

"Don't tell me you're still worried about what Danielle thinks," he said gazing at her intently.

Allison flopped back down in the bed on her stomach. "She's my friend."

"She's in love with you," Ares responded, tracing the curve of her back with his finger. "Just like the bard loved Xena. Some things never change."

"Danielle--no," she said in disbelief.

"Then why else would she get so mad that you kissed me?"

"She just doesn't trust you."

"And you do?"

"For the moment," Allison said, her head still turned away from him. His hands became more insistent as he kneaded away the tension in her shoulder blades. "That feels heavenly."

He smiled. "You're so tense."

"Wouldn't you be?" she asked. "Oh, wait. You're a god, you know what tension is."

"I was mortal a few times," he muttered. "People today have a lot less to worry about than before."

"Really? How do you figure?" she moaned a little from the sensations of his fingers as they pressed into her skin to relax her.

"We had to worry about survival day to day. We could get killed by ruthless mercenaries or eaten by a bear."

Allison laughed.

Her laughter broke the tension, and Ares continued to give her a back massage, but soon his touch became more than that of masseuse. Soon, Ares was kissing her neck and running his hands up and down her back.

"Ares--you better go," she whispered.

"Why?" he asked in a deep gravelly voice.

"Because I don't think I have the strength to say no and I seriously doubt that Danielle will be around to interrupt."

"Good."

"No, not good. Please."

He sighed and moved away from her. "I'm not giving up, you know."

"I wouldn't expect any less."

The next morning, when Danielle came downstairs, still pissed off at Allison, a pile of yellowed scrolls adorned the middle of her kitchen table, along with a thick book of the translations.

"Thought that you might be able to learn a little bit about yourself."

The note fell from inside the book of translations as Danielle opened it and began to read.

x.X.x.

Allison found Danielle pouring over the scrolls later that day in the office as she tried to sneak in. Danielle didn't look up but silently founded Allison into the office and waited until Allison had turned around to see her standing in the doorway.

"He brought me Gabrielle's scrolls," Danielle said in a strange voice. "He saved every one of them."

Allison nodded.

"Did you ask--"

"No. I didn't say anything about it."

"Nothing happened last night, did it?"

"No, he was there but I sent him away," Allison said, knowing that Danielle probably wouldn't believe her but she had to try to convince her at least.

"Good. I'm reading the scrolls and making notes. I'll fill you in on what I find," she turned away.

"Danielle?"

She turned back to face Allison.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it," Allison took a calming breath. "You're my best friend and I couldn't imagine what would happen to me if you weren't there to watch out for me."

Danielle smiled. "Thanks."

They stood there for a minute before a knock on the door interrupted them. Danielle turned to see a lovely young blonde woman standing at the door.

"Hello? Allison Mayfield?"

"Yes?" Allison answered.

"Hi, my name is Callie Stowe, I'm your new graduate research assistant!" she extended her hand, and Allison who was busy staring at Danielle took it. The look they exchanged was less than surprised.

"Are you sure? I have an assistant," Allison said calmly. "Danielle Baker."

Callie took Danielle's hand. "Hello! I've been looking forward to meeting you. I'm sure I have the right office, Dean Motley assigned me here this morning. It's policy for qualified professor with such a heavy workload to have more than one assistant."

Allison looked at Danielle. "I've only ever had one."

Callie smiled. "I'm sure there's something for me to do around here."

VI.

He chose the moment Allison, Danielle and Callie returned from lunch to make his first appearance of the day. He stood off to the side, away from all the crowds of people enjoying their lunch outside in the sun. Allison perked up instantly when she sensed him, and when she saw him standing by himself staring at her intently, she had to fight the urge to run to him. Danielle followed her gaze and then nodded her approval at the request in Allison's eyes.

"No funny business," Danielle called after Allison as she walked toward Ares.

"Who's that?" Callie asked, watching the scene progress.

"Probably the biggest mistake of her life," Danielle answered, crossing her arms over her chest becoming immobile as she watched the two of them interact.

Meanwhile, Allison reached Ares. He leaned down to kiss her, something he'd been wanting to do since she woke up this morning, but she dodged his attempt.

"Not here," she nodded toward Danielle stood guard.

"Right," he nodded, an annoyed look crossed his face as he gazed at Danielle.

"That was really sweet, giving her the scrolls."

"Maybe she won't think I'm pure evil," he replied.

"Well, it's a good start."

"So things are okay between you two?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Allison nodded a faint smile grazing her lips. "Thank you."

Damn that happiness that came over him when she was around. It was enough to make him sick.

Allison heard Danielle's impatient sigh.

"I have to go," she learned up and kissed his cheek. "You're not such a bad guy."

Then she was bounding back to Danielle leaving Ares with the imprint of her lips on his cheek as he vanished.

"I saw that," Danielle said eyeing her friend.

"See, I can control myself," Allison retorted, making a face at Danielle. "It's not all crazy hormones."

They had barely taken two steps toward the entrance of their department when they were interrupted by another important man in their lives.

"Danielle! Danielle!"

The new voice had all three heads turning, and one shaking her head in disbelief and shame.

"What are you doing here?" Danielle hissed as the clumsy man tripped over his own two feet in the attempt to get to her, while carrying a mangled bouquet of flowers.

"Don't you know, after--dinner last night?"

"Dinner?" echoed Allison, with a smirk on her face.

Danielle shrugged. "I was upset and it was just--dinner, John."

"John? As in John Oxer? As in Joxer?" Allison asked innocently, earning another pointed look from Danielle that plainly told Allison she wasn't helping.

Danielle pulled Joxer off to the side while Allison and Callie watched them.

"Who's that?" Callie asked, as Allison turned to go into the building.

"Probably the lowest moment of her life," Allison said with a smile.

The rest of the day went smoothly after Danielle slipped discreetly back in the office. She poured over the scrolls while Callie made every attempt to be the dutiful graduate assistant to Allison.

As they bid Callie goodbye, Danielle turned to Allison.

"I like her. She did everything today, I had all day to read the scrolls."

"Learn anything interesting?"

"Well, the good news is, if you want to learn about Xena's past, study the first seasons the show. It's the most accurate. By season five, they had morphed Xena from mortal woman into comic book super hero."

"Not nearly as dramatic as real life, but important nonetheless."

"That's Hollywood for you. She had a really interesting life, Hollywood aside."

"Good. I'm glad," Allison shot Danielle a look out of the corner of her eye. "So how was dinner last night?"

Danielle rolled her eyes. "I was drunk. He came over. We made pasta."

"Was that all you made?"

Danielle refused to meet her eyes.

"You didn't!" Allison gasped.

"I was drunk…and upset!" Danielle reminded her.

"And now he's obsessed with you. At least, Gabrielle never went all the way with Joxer!"

"I'm not proud of it!"

"Was it good?" Allison asked with a mischievous smile.

Danielle debated her answer. "Well, it wasn't bad."

Allison nearly wrecked the car--she was laughing so hard.

x.X.x.

"Allison?"

Her office looked empty. All of the lights were off, but somehow he had a feeling she needed him and that she would be here of all places.

"She's not here," from behind the desk, the voice made Ares cringe. Callisto spun around in Allison's desk chair. "Long time no see, Ares."

"Callisto."

"Call me Callie, this time," she smiled coldly.

"Where's Allison?"

"Worried?" Callisto said leaning forward to concentrate on Ares. "Good. You should be."

"Leave her alone."

Callisto laughed. "Every time you find her, I turn up and ruin it. Didn't you expect it this time? A bit lazy on your part."

"I had hoped you'd given up."

"Give up making Xena's reincarnations miserable? Never. It's the only reason I keep coming back."

"She hasn't done anything to you.'

"Is she breathing?" Callisto muttered. "You didn't really think you were going to get a happily ever after, did you?"

When Ares didn't answer, Callisto cackled. "Ares, you big softy. Don't you know that the moment she experiences happiness I will find her and take it away. It's my only purpose in life."

Ares felt every muscle in his body tense.

"Besides, how do you even know that she's the right girl? Have you seen the way she's been acting? Like a wide-eyed school girl, dancing around and falling in love? Are you serious? The old Xena would have never given into you so quickly. Tell me, Ares, have you bedded her yet?"

"Why do you care?"

"The only thing that could make me happier than shattering her false illusion of happiness with you, is to destroy what you want most as well."

It was amazing how the fictional version of Callisto could be so cute and cuddly whereas the real life reincarnation could be downright evil. Perhaps had she been reincarnated as Xena's daughter, as her character had been in the show, things would have been different. Just another example of how very different real-TV and reality was.

"She doesn't remember, yet, does she?" Callisto asked, pondering. "If she did, she wouldn't be so eager to skip over to you in the middle of a conversation with the bard. So right now, it's all exciting having a dark mysterious stranger to play kissy-face with. Well, well, well. I'll have to see what I can do about that."

"I'll only say this one more time, leave her alone, Callisto."

"Or you'll what? Kill me? Haven't you tried that before? It won't work. I'm going to remind her of everything you've ever done to her. I'll make her hate you one way or another."

"It won't work this time. You're too late. She's hooked."

"Oh, really? I think you underestimate the power of the bard. She doesn't like you, but she likes me. An advantage I can use."

"Why can't you let it go?"

"And let her be happy reincarnated life after life, with friends and family that love her?" Callisto asked incredulously. "Did you forget what she did to me? Maybe she's not the only one with memory problems."

"Really, Callisto? Is it all about Xena?" he said taking a step closer to where she sat behind the desk. "Or is about something else--something more personal in nature?"

Callisto raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe you're disappointed about the ways things turned out between us?" Ares said, deliberately baiting her. "You could never be the warrior Xena was and you'll never be the woman Allison is now."

"I'd rather slit my throat," Callisto muttered. "Then be like a giggly school girl who's had every advantage. She doesn't deserve to clean Xena's boots. She's all smiles and laughter. Xena would kill Allison if she knew that was what she would become. She may be the apple of your eye, Ares, but she's rotten to the core in mine."

"You're wrong about her, you know," Ares said in a cold voice. "I think that Allison is exactly what Xena would have wanted to become had she not chose the path she chose all those years ago."

"A blathering idiot? I think not."

"I think she may surprise you," Ares said as he dissolved.

"Oh, goody a challenge," Callisto hissed.

VIII.

"You don't look like Lucy Lawless," Danielle said between handfuls of popcorn.

"You don't look like Renee O'Connor," Allison replied, snatching the bowl away from Danielle. "Why do you suppose he chose to play himself?"

"He could be an actor--fans would worship him," Danielle answered. "He could become the center of attention and do his own stunts. For a god, I would think that being an actor is the closest thing to revealing yourself to the mortals around."

"He's a good actor," Allison said, tilting her head to one side studying his image on the television.

"He's playing himself, of course he's a good actor."

"What about when he wasn't playing himself? He had to act like an actor," Allison pointed out.

"You've really got it bad for him, don't you?"

Allison shook her head. "I have a thing for him. Sue me."

"Couldn't fall for a normal man, could you? One with a steady job, a nice car, a place to live. Couldn't find that? No, you had to be the one who falls for a Greek God. I knew you were trouble," Danielle said, dodging a pillow. "A thing? A thing? You're so corny."

"Maybe, but it works for me," Allison said with a laugh. "Maybe you should concentrate not on me but rather on that hunk of man that's serenading you night and day."

"John?"

"Joxer," Allison corrected.

"I see why Gabrielle wasn't that into him."

"Aww, give him a chance."

"One low in the rollercoaster ride and I'm attached to him forever?"

"He can't be all that bad. He did bring you flowers."

Danielle nodded. "I guess."

Hours later, they were only on the third season, with popcorn scattered about and the light from the television casting shadows on the wall. Allison lay asleep on the couch, her face turned away from the TV while Danielle lay asleep on the floor.

Ares watched Allison sleep before debating what he should do. He knew that if he left her here, Callisto would find a way to get to her. It had happened countless times before. This time would be different.

He woke her with a kiss. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times before realizing that he was standing over her.

"We have to leave," he said in a quiet voice. "Something has happened."

She sat up. "What? What's going on?"

"You're in danger, Allison."

"What?" it was not making sense to her yet. Ares took her hand and guided her to her feet.

He led her to the kitchen. "I can't explain it right now, but we have to leave."

"I can't--"

"Yes, you can. Allison, please, I know I have no right to ask you to trust me, but you have to."

"We can't leave Danielle."

He was in no mood to argue. He merely nodded. "Whatever. Just take my hand."

When she opened her eyes--she hadn't realized she'd closed them--they were somewhere new. Danielle was still asleep only this time she was safely deposited on a sofa in the corner of the room.

Allison checked on her friend before glancing around at the swanky room. From the emptiness of the skyline, they were far away from civilization.

"It's not much, but I call it home," he said causing her to spin around.

"It's nice," she answered after recovering from her shock.

He shrugged, admiring her form in those cute pink striped pajamas.

"Stop it," she said turning away from him.

"What?" he asked innocently enough.

"Why did we have to leave?"

"Have you read the scrolls?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"No, Danielle's been reading them. She tells me when she finds something interesting."

"So you haven't read them?"

She shook her head. "I haven't even touched them. Danielle keeps them under lock and key."

"Someone is after you, Allison. A name that might sound familiar, Callisto."

"Callisto?" then it clicked, Callie Stowe was Callisto. "She still hates Xena?"

"And by extension, you. There's a lot you don't remember yet. It will come to you," he said in a low voice. "She's going to come after you, Allison. She'll take away everything you love and leave you broken and alone. It's happened before."

"How did she find me?"

He looked away.

"You led her to me?"

"It's not like that was my intention," he said defensively. "She always manages to turn up."

A pause stretched between them.

"So…if this has happened before, how does it usually play out?"

"Well, you usually win," he said again without meeting her eyes. Sometimes you had to lie. It was the only way.

"That's good news."

"But usually, you've remembered everything before she shows up."

"And I don't really remember anything," she finished. "Maybe that's the problem. Maybe you have the wrong girl. Before you start denying it, even you've said it, I don't act like her, and I can't remember anything but these weird flashbacks that are a mixture of what I've seen on TV and probably false memories. That's just great."

She turned and walked away from him back toward where Danielle lay sleeping.

"There has to be something we can do," she said to herself. Then it clicked. She turned to him. "Kiss me."

Ares had heard of a lot things in his day, but this managed to surprise him. "What?"

"I have a plan. Kiss me."

"Works for me," he said with a cocky smile and a little shrug.

She was in front him before he'd even finished speaking. He dipped his head and touched her lips. Allison welcomed his kiss and within a few seconds forgot her original reason for demanding it. He managed to back her up against the wall and pin her there while his mouth ravaged hers. Allison's hands found themselves tangled in his hair while the tension built between them. He broke away from her to tug her shirt over her head.

"Remembering anything yet?"

She licked her swollen lips. "Nope. Guess we better keep trying."

He smiled and put his lips to her pulse. "I can do that."

His kisses traveled down her neck and lingered on her collarbone. Allison's eyes rolled back in her head as she found herself giving into him. His clever tongue was drawing the most amazing patterns on her body and she moaned in enjoyment.

She felt him pull back for a split second and opened her eyes to find herself in the middle of an enormous bed with black silk sheets and a black gossamer canopy. Ares had moved to her navel and continued to his way around her body, memorizing this moment because it would probably be the only one he ever shared with her.

"Ares," she whispered, and instantly his mouth met hers. He pulled away to look her fully in the eyes. This was her last chance to stop this, he wanted to be fair. When she locked her fingers behind his neck and gave him that sexy little half smile, he knew that this was what she wanted.

He united their bodies and fought to keep control. In all of his wildest fantasies, it had never been this. He began to move cautiously, watching her face for any sign of distress, whereas Allison couldn't remember ever being so connected with any other man in her life. She closed her eyes and gave over to the sensations of their entwined bodies, feeling her own release surging through her veins.

"Ares," she chanted in a whisper. "Please."

He could only take so much and her light, airy whisper was enough to break him. He followed her over the edge of the abyss happily, knowing that he would have waited until the end of time just for this moment.

x.X.x.

She woke up alone. She didn't know why it surprised her when it shouldn't have. He'd gotten what he'd wanted, why would he stick around? Still, her body still burned with the memories of last night, and she couldn't be angry with him. So her plan hadn't worked, she still didn't remember anything but those few flashbacks and even those wouldn't help her against Callisto.

Allison found a black satin robe draped across the bed and smiled. At least he'd thought of her. She pulled it over her naked body and stood up to examine the room where Ares spent most of his nights--she hoped.

She mentally slapped herself. It was foolish to think that he wasn't active--she knew the myths by heart. Ares had a god-like sex drive and couldn't possibly be faithful to one woman for eternity--even if he was convinced he loved her. Even if he thought she was Xena's reincarnated spirit.

Allison shrugged off the chill she was feeling. She had to force herself to be more Xena-like. Xena would never let a man get to her like that. She had barely noticed that Ares was alive. She sure wouldn't have fallen in love with him…would she? No, she had Gabrielle and the greater good. That didn't mean she didn't get lonely, though, right? She was human, and Ares was incredibly sexy. Allison couldn't imagine turning him down for anything that he wanted. Why would a girl want to?

Allison moved around the well furnished room admiring the God of War's taste. He would have nice things, having been around forever. Swords, daggers, shields, spears all made for dark, mysterious bedroom fare. Still, the place was littered with such things. What else would a God have in his house, Allison muttered, traveling to a large dresser that sat in the corner.

A picture caught her eye. It was her prom picture from when she was in high school. She wore a pretty powder blue gown and her date--Bobby Haskins--had worn a white suit with a blue vest and tie.

"I've never been a fan of white."

His voice nearly made her drop the picture frame she was holding. A nagging feeling told her that Xena would have known that he was there.

"But that night I made an exception," he finished, crossing the room to her.

She looked at him curiously. "Huh?"

"You were so beautiful and the little fool would have never gotten up the nerve to ask you to the prom even though he desperately loved you," Ares continued taking the picture and staring at it.

"You--took me to prom?"

"When I told you, I'd been watching you for a long time, I meant it," he replied. "Besides, I wouldn't have you going with anyone I didn't approve of, and since I don't approve of any other man, I decided that sometimes it takes a god to do a man's work."

"I never knew--"

"I know. I was the perfect, awkward school boy on his first date with the pretty girl of his dreams."

"Why--" wasn't she angry, Allison wondered. She should be furious that he had presumed to interfere with her life, but there was no anger in her. It had to be the result of good sex--no, great sex. She tried to shake off the memories that invaded her mind at the thought of sex.

"Because I wanted to," he answered.

"Who else from my past have you dressed up as?" she demanded, unsure of how she was supposed to feel.

"Just him," he answered. "I didn't like 'im."

"Hardly seems the point. I liked him."

"You liked him better when I was him."

She couldn't argue that Bobby had been more charming than ever before or after. She shrugged and turned away.

"Any luck with the memories?" he asked. "Maybe we should try your plan again."

"I'll let you know," she said as she sauntered out of the room and where Danielle was waiting.

IX.

"I have a few things to tend to," Ares said kissing Allison's neck a little while later, enjoying the scathing look he received from Danielle. "Stay here. I'll be back soon."

He was gone that instant.

"Looks like you two had an interesting night," Danielle muttered over the rim of her coffee cup.

"We were trying to get my memory back," Allison replied with a slight shrug.

"Is that what they're calling it these days?"

Allison shrugged.

"Well, did it work?"

Allison shook her head. "Nothing. Well, it was definitely something, but as for trying to figure out what Xena would do, nothing."

"That answers my next question," Danielle said with a smirk. "So the God of War is good in the sack?"

"Indeed," Allison said noncommittally.

"Don't you dare play it off like that. I want details."

"Have you wondered why he has all these weapons lying around?"

"He's the God of War, shouldn't he have weapons lying around?" Danielle answered. "And don't think that by changing the subject you've official ended this conversation."

"I was just thinking that maybe he has some of her stuff."

"Xena's? What makes you think he would waste his time tracking down all of her stuff?"

"He tracked down all of Gabrielle's scrolls," Allison reminded her. "Why not her weapons?"

"How would you even know if they were hers in the first place?"

"Because I'm assuming there would be a door with a big 'X' on it," she muttered, standing up and walking toward the opposite end of the room.

Sure enough, hidden in the dark stone of the wall, there was a faint outline of a door with an even fainter 'X' in the middle.

"If you've already drawn your conclusions, why bother bringing me into your plans?" Danielle said getting up and following her. "And how in the world did you even notice that?"

"I don't know. I just saw it from across the room and knew."

"Apparently, not only does his kisses refresh your memory but his--"

"Watch it," Allison cut in.

"--enhances your senses. Where can I get me some of that?"

Allison was busy with the wall, trying to find a way inside, but she spared Danielle a look. "If the scrolls are really true and Xena didn't kill all the Olympians, maybe Ares can hook you up with Hermes."

"Hermes? Why? I want an important god, or even half-god. Hey, do you think Hercules really looks like Kevin Sorbo?"

Allison rolled her eyes and concentrated on the stones and finding a way in.

x.X.x.

Ares found Callisto in the middle of Allison's kitchen. The only thing left not in pieces was the kitchen table, where she sat perched and ready for war.

"You're hiding her," she hissed when he appeared. "Sneaky move. Usually, you let her fight her own battles. What, afraid the little idiot can't take me?"

Ares crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll bring her back if you want. Kill her and be done with it. It won't satisfy you, like you think."

"Let me be the judge of that," Callisto hissed. Then she noticed Ares forlorn expression and lack of wit he usually possessed. "What's wrong with you?"

"I got the wrong girl," he answered.

Callisto stared. "What?"

"Allison is not the reincarnation of Xena's soul. So kill her if you must, but you'll be killing the wrong girl."

"You're lying."

"I wish I was. You're the one who kept telling me that Allison didn't act anything like her, and I kept ignoring it, a mistake on my part. I've realized it now. So where do you want to do it? Here? My temple? No, not my temple. Too messy."

"You're telling me you'll bring me the bitch and let me kill her?"

"I don't care what you do with her. She's not Xena," answered Ares. "You can have her friend too. Neither of them mean anything."

"And how did you come to this startling conclusion?"

"I just know."

"But how?"

"Trust me, I know."

"I don't trust anyone, War God. How do you know she's not the one? You seemed certain about her yesterday, so what changed your mind in one night?" Callisto smirked, and then like a light going off, she perked up. "You bedded her? That's how you knew she wasn't Xena?"

"I have had an eternity to memorize everything about her and I've let it torture me day after day."

"And it took bedding her to make you realize that she wasn't Xena? Men really are pigs. I knew she wasn't Xena the first moment I laid eyes on her. Not to mention the fact that she was absolutely crazy about you. And you--" Callisto practically wretched, "--playing the part of handsome admirer, showering her with attention and gifts, acting like some lovesick school boy. Disgusting."

"You don't have to remind me how low I've fallen."

"If she was worthy of your attention--if she had been Xena's soul reincarnated, I could understand. Just take one look at her--she's all laughter and sunshine, not once eightieth the warrior princess."

The muscle in his jaw tightened. "Is there really a point to this now? I told you that I was wrong. Kill the girl, kill the annoying friend. I really don't care."

Callisto seemed to take joy in the fact that Ares had been mistaken and was made miserable. "It doesn't bother you to sentence a young, innocent girl to slaughter by me?"

"I'm the God of War, not a charity case. We may not like each other, but if you're so dead set on killing her and she isn't anything to me, why should I piss you off further by delaying your attempt? Do it. Be done with it."

"You've never been wrong before," Callisto muttered.

"I've never wanted it so much, either," he answered.

"Broken-hearted Ares, if the Gods on Olympus could see you now. By the way, I took a gander at the scrolls. Did you tell her those were fake?"

He shook his head. "I figured if I cut out most of the stuff I did to her and just how powerful she happened to be, I left it as the bare minimum, it might help her like me."

"And when she remembered--"

"She would never remember," he answered, crossing his arms. "Look, I've been obsessed with her for centuries. Don't you think I would have concocted all types of schemes for her to forgive me for the past? Right now, I've got that silly girl thinking that I'm sweet, sensitive and wounded. She'd kill the bard without thinking if I asked it of her."

"Then why not keep her around, if she's such a devoted puppy?" Callisto asked.

"I have enough women falling at my heels, begging me for attention, I don't need another. Especially a ditzy, know-it-all college professor who can spout my history off better than if she'd been there when I did it the first time."

"Really gotten on your nerves, has she?"

"Oh, yeah, you could say that."

"Poor dear. Got your hope all up just to be smashed--how perfectly fitting," Callisto said with a smirk. "Still, I wouldn't be here if I had been so damn gullible. I don't believe you."

"Really? I thought I was being quite honest."

"Maybe," she tilted her head to one side to study him. "But honesty doesn't suit you. Deception is more your forte, isn't it?"

"I won't deny that I've done my fair share of deceiving and manipulating, but for once, I really don't have the energy to do much else than tell you to go ahead if you insist but you'll be killing an innocent. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other."

"Very well, I suppose I can take care of your little problem," Callisto said with a smirk. "And I'll be waiting for you to find the real Xena."

"What makes you think that after this debacle I'll even look for her again?"

"That's what you said after the first time, when that little farm girl ended up at the bottom of the ravine and her big oaf of a husband carried her back to the farm house cursing your name. Remember?"

"How could I forget? The question is, how do you remember?" he asked.

Callisto laughed. "Like I would tell you my secret."

"What's the harm?"

Callisto seemed to mull this over. "Xena had a lot of enemies, when she turned good, people were eager to get back at her. You just have to know where to look if you want ever lasting revenge."

"Intriguing."

"Alti was more than helpful in giving me the power to be reborn over and over, with all of my memories and all of my rage with the fullest intent of killing Xena for all of eternity," Callisto fairly gleamed with pride. "That's the part that Rob Tapert and the boys left out."

"You don't say," Ares said scratching his beard.

"It gives me something to look forward to for all of eternity."

Ares crossed the room and looked at her intently. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, eh?"

"Something like that. Now, Ares, where's the girl?"

X.

"Give it up," Danielle sighed in frustration. "We're never going to get in there."

"Have a little faith," Allison said in a calm voice. She was backing across the room with her eyes high above the door.

"What are you going to do?" Danielle asked, eyeing Allison's movements.

"I'm going to open the door," she took a running start and then did a back flip that launched herself upward to where a banner of some infamous warlord hung on the wall. She grabbed the banner and hung there.

"What are you doing?" Danielle blinked. "Then again, why should anything you do surprise me?"

Allison moved the banner she hung on to slightly to one side before revealing the rounded stone.

"What's that?"

"It's the key," Allison answered, placing her palm in the mold and turning the dial. The bottom panel popped loose and she flipped to the ground.

Danielle merely shook her head. "One minute you're the mild mannered professor and the next you're hanging from the ceiling. What is going on with you?"

"Maybe I'm finally fulfilling my destiny," Allison said prying the door open more and slipping inside. Danielle followed her.

"One night with Ares and you're like Wonder Woman," Danielle said following her.

"You're exaggerating," Allison said.

"See, look at you now," Danielle commented. "You're taking the lead, doing crazy flips, if I didn't know better I'd say--"

"Look," Allison cut her off. They had reached the end of the corridor and were in the doorway of a large room. Portraits of a woman that looked similar to Allison hung on all of the walls in various outfits. The largest one hung over a fireplace, and depicted her in the traditional Xena garb.

"I think he is a little obsessed, don't you?" Danielle asked, raising an eyebrow.

Allison didn't reply. She was too busy staring at the sword and chakram in the center of the room to notice anything else.

She walked toward it slowly. Slowly everything else melted away. She grazed her fingers over the hilt of the sword and felt the tingles spread up her arm. She closed her eyes.

Danielle walked around the room, her fingertips lightly touching each portrait of Xena throughout the ages. She kept talking even though Allison had stopped responding.

Finally, after several minutes of speaking with no answer, Danielle turned around to see Allison dressed in Xena's leather outfit holding the sword.

"Allison?" she said carefully.

Allison twirled the sword and turned toward Danielle's voice. "Not quite."

"Xena?"

"Sound familiar," it was Allison's voice but nothing about the woman reminded Danielle of Allison.

"I take it you regained your memory," Danielle said, looking over her.

"Mostly," Allison or Xena as Danielle wasn't sure to call her sheathed the sword and picked up her chakram. "Only one way to find out."

She flung the chakram around the room where it sparked off of most of the trinkets in the shrine and returned to her hand as if it had always belonged there.

"Yep, I've still got it."

"Allison--Xena--"

Allison turned. "To make it simple, just call me Allison."

"But are you really Allison in there?" Danielle peered at her friend as if she were looking at a stranger.

"It's really hard to explain. I'm Allison, but I'm also Xena. I could quote Homer and kick ass at the same time. It's a weird feeling," Allison took Danielle's hand. "It's still me."

The two stared at each other for a long moment, searching each other's eyes.

"Lookie what I found!"

Both heads turned toward the door where Callisto stood with an evil smirk on her face.

"That's gotta burn, Ares," she said over her shoulder. "She gets her memory back and is already loving up to the bard over you."

Ares appeared less than amused, arms crossed against his chest.

"Callisto," all business, Allison was banished and only Xena stood before Callisto.

"She's baaaaaaaaaaackkkkk," Callisto laughed heartily. "I think I'll enjoy killing you more this time than any other. And you said you had the wrong girl."

Ares shrugged. "I had to buy some time."

"Then let's not put it off any longer," Xena twirled the sword and the first clang echoed through the room.

"Danielle--Ares get her out of here!"

Ares appeared behind Danielle and tried to take her arm.

"No--I won't leave her."

"It's not like you can help her now."

"Oh, like you did by bringing Callisto here?" Danielle demanded. "You practically signed her death warrant--"

"She remembered who she was because I brought her here, and it's better she fight Callisto here than anywhere else."

While they spoke, the women had continued swinging swords and circling each other like animals on the prowl. Callisto made a daring kick that Xena caught and dropped her down to the ground. Callisto slid away and flipped up.

"I must admit, you're a better fighter than I remember," Callisto said in a taunting voice. "Then again, a night with the God of War does wonders, doesn't it?"

"Jealous, Callisto?" Xena demanded.

"No, why should I be? He only came looking for you when I turned him down. How do you think this whole thing got started?"

It shouldn't have affected her, Callisto knew how to push Xena's buttons, but still something about her tone of voice had her drawing back her sword and striking with more force than she thought she possessed.

"You're enjoying this!" Danielle muttered watching Ares's expression as his eyes twitched back and forth with each impact of sword against sword.

"It's been a while since I've seen her in battle. I would be lying if I said that it didn't effect me," he said tilting his head with a raised eyebrow.

"You're disgusting."

"Relax."

"My best friend just realized that she's Xena, Warrior Princess and she's fighting her greatest enemy while I do nothing but watch, next to you."

"So? Enjoy the show. I've been waiting centuries for a rematch."

"I hate you, you know that, right?" Danielle rolled her eyes.

"So, tell me Xena, how does it feel to know that you gave into Ares? You did the do with him," Callisto laughed. "Can't be so honorable now."

"We all make mistakes," Xena returned, to which Ares shouted, "Hey!" across the battle.

For every move Xena made, Callisto made the opposite one, leading them into a dangerous tango that Callisto took advantage of when she spun around and sliced into Xena's shoulder.

"Oh, God," Danielle turned away.

Ares couldn't resist. "Yes?"

If looks could kill, Danielle would been standing over Ares's dead body.

"Callisto, stop this," Xena said calmly. "You have the power to walk away. After all, how many times have I killed you already?"

Callisto screamed in outrage and lunged, which was what Xena was waiting for, she tripped Callisto and threw the chakram to drop an wrought iron chandelier over her shoulders, pinning her to the ground. Xena caught the chakram.

"Kill me!" Callisto screamed.

"No," Xena replied. She found a bit of rope and tied Callisto's feet. "With the proper therapy, you might just be able to let go of the hate that controls you."

"I'll never stop hating you, Xena. NEVER!"

"Then I feel sorry for you," Xena replied, leaving Callisto pinned to the floor of the shrine that Ares had created in her honor.

x.X.x.

Danielle followed Xena out into the open room in awe.

"Allison, that was amazing!"

She didn't say anything, but turned around abruptly dodging Danielle and drawing back and knocking Ares's still invisible head back.

"Damn, Xena, what was that for?"

"Take your pick," she said, as he held his nose. "For manipulating me? How about for seducing me when you knew better--"

"Hey, it was your idea--"

"The kiss was my idea."

"Okay, well you started it then."

"And how long have you known me? Have I ever gone all the way before? What makes you think I would've done it this time?"

"It led to you getting your memory back, so don't get mad at me," he said in defense of his actions. "And don't pretend you weren't into it."

Before he saw it coming, she landed another punch.

"Ow, that's really getting old, Xena."

"Good. I hope it hurts," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And what was that for?"

"Pretending to be Bobby Haskins and taking me to prom."

"You had fun!"

"So?"

"You are the most confounding woman, I've ever met in my life!" he snapped.

"Then why do you keep seeking me out?" she demanded. "You brought Callisto to me--"

"Which led to recovering your past lives. Seriously, we're going in circles," Ares held out his arms. "Come to papa, Xena. You know you want to."

She sighed in disgust. "Gross."

"You didn't think it was last night."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope."

"Can you at least do something with Callisto?" Xena said changing the subject.

"Sure, there's a nut house I know that has her name on it."

"She needs anger management, not a psych ward," Xena's comment was punctuated by the sharp banshee scream from the next room. "Okay, nut house it is."

"I'll be back, Xena," he said as he disappeared, leaving Danielle and Xena in the same room.

They stood facing each other for a minute before either of them spoke.

"So, should I call you Xena now?"

"Nah. I can already feel her slipping away," Allison laughed. "Apparently, that part of me only comes out around danger and Ares."

"Ah," Danielle said, turning away. "It was nice of you not to kill Callisto."

"Yeah, she'll have a hard enough time where he puts her."

Danielle didn't answer. She kept her back to Allison.

"Danielle? What's wrong?"

"You were amazing, Allison. You were like a totally different person. I envy that. You're Xena. How cool is that?"

"What's Xena without her Gabrielle?" Allison asked, wrapping an arm around Danielle's shoulder.

"But I never remembered."

"What?"

"All this time--everything, I've never remembered anything. Maybe I'm not your Gabrielle. Maybe I'm just your assistant and that's all I'll ever be. Tomorrow morning when I wake up this will all just be a great dream."

"What are you talking about?"

"You remembered your past lives. You broke the barrier. I couldn't. I even read those scrolls with no luck--"

"Well, Danielle, I hate to break it to you, but those scrolls were fakes," Allison smiled. "Ares had them edited so that when you read them, you wouldn't hate him and thereby cause a roadblock to his grander plans. He knew I wouldn't do anything without your approval."

"I didn't approve last night," she said jokingly.

"Yeah, well, I was upset and drunk--"

"That's my excuse," Danielle hugged Allison. "I just feel so left out. I couldn't remember anything--I couldn't help you when you fought her."

Allison didn't say anything for a second. "Maybe there is a way you can remember."

Danielle looked up at her. "Really?"

Allison dipped her head and touched her lips to Danielle's. Immediately, a flash of images flooded Danielle's subconscious. Suddenly, she knew exactly who she was with just the innocent touching of lips.

"I'm gone for two seconds--"

Allison jerked back from Danielle who shot Ares a look.

He stuck out his tongue. "How does it feel to be interrupted?"

Allison turned around. "I still haven't forgiven you, yet."

"You will. You always do."

Allison sighed. "Yeah, right."

"I think I liked you better when you didn't remember who you were," he muttered.

"Well, it's too late now. How about you?" Allison turned to Danielle after making a face at Ares. "Do you remember who you were?"

She nodded.

"Good," Allison took her place between Ares and Danielle as they left Ares's temple.

"So what do we do now?" Danielle asked.

"I could think of a few things," Ares said, raising an eyebrow, to which Allison shot him a look.

"Ares, how did you know that Allison would regain her memory?" Danielle asked, as they neared the exit.

"She tried to put the pinch on me last night," he answered, rubbing his neck. "Call me crazy, but I knew it was a safe bet that she was had discovered the inner warrior princess."

The three of them disappeared into an orb of light.

Epilogue

The sun was bright as Allison and Danielle leaned back on the blanket on the quad across from the Classic Department building. Danielle closed her eyes while Allison gazed at the faces students behind heavily darkened shades. They hadn't mentioned what happened but it was there, lurking beneath the surface.

"Has he been around to see you?" Danielle asked.

"He pops in from time to time."

"Sometimes I think it never really happened," Danielle said, her eyes still closed. "Then I'll remember and know without a doubt that it did. It's weird isn't it--knowing that another person is inside you and you have all their memories?"

"You're the same person with or without the knowledge of who you were in a past life. It is a bit different knowing for sure who you were, but don't let it totally change you. Be who you are with a little extra knowledge."

"I feel like I should write down all of your adventures," Danielle said opening one eye.

"Don't waste your time, no one would care about the misadventures of a college professor," Allison said with a smile. "Speaking of adventures…"

Danielle sat up and look at the bumbling klutz crossing the quad. "Oh, no."

"At least go talk to him. Maybe he'll grow on you."

Danielle shot Allison a look before gaining her feet and meeting him halfway.

"Speaking of growing on people."

Suddenly, she was cradled against a broad chest with a kiss pressed to her forehead.

"I wondered when you'd show up," she said relaxing against him.

"Like I could stay away," he muttered. He put a hand over her stomach. "You haven't told her yet?"

"No, and I don't think you should be around when I do."

"She can't still possibly be mad--"

"She never liked you anyway, I seriously doubt that when I tell her you put a bun in my oven, she will help you pass out the cigars."

"Good point," he answered, with a low laugh that rumbled in his chest. "So much for the pill, eh?"

He couldn't see her eyes from behind the dark shades but knew that she was giving him a dirty look.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. "You're wrong, you know."

She turned her head. "What?"

"When you said that no one would care about the misadventures of a college professor--I'd care."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," he said, pressing another kiss to her forehead.

She sighed and leaned back against his chest, enjoying the feel of the sun against her skin. "Good."

THE END.