Gabrielle stared blankly at the strange blue box. It was just sitting there, looking absolutely ridiculous against the scenery of ancient Greece. She tilted her head to the side, and Ares chuckled a bit.

"That's the space man's ship," he muttered, confused by the words as he said them- even though he knew they were true.

Gabrielle gave the god a skeptical look. "A ship?" She said, mocking her companion, "How would this thing even stay afloat. It looks nothing like a ship!"

Ares rolled his eyes, exasperated. Why did he even decide to help this annoying child? Oh, right- Xena. He looked at the ground unusually sheepishly for a man who was usually so arrogant and brash.

"Well, he doesn't sail, he flies…" He pointed to the sky, which was a pale blue painted with the red of the sunset, "Up there. And he goes through time, too- to the past, and future."

Gab scoffed, but Ares ignored her, slowly walking around the TARDIS. He inspected it, looked at the characters inscribed on the side. At first, he couldn't read them, but as he stared they slowly shifted around, turning magically into Greek letters.

"My Gods!" Gabrielle shouted from around the ship, "I can read the words, now! Maybe you're right Ares, this thing is more than just a box."

Ares was about to retort back sarcastically, but bit his tongue. It wouldn't do any good now, and would only cause animosity between them. Right now, what they needed was to cooperate, even as much as it pained the warlord of a god to get along with such an irritating little brat.

"Push to open," He read aloud, as Gabrielle joined him again, "These must be the doors." He stretched out his hand and grasped the handle, and pulled. The doors didn't budge, so he pushed. Still nothing. "Damn it," he frowned, folding his arms across his chest, "It must be locked or something."

Gabrielle's expression mimicked his. He looked at him, and then back to the box, and then to back to the God, who seemed sincere in his disappointment.

"What is this thing, again, anyway? Who is this space man guy?"

Ares huffed, obviously annoyed with the trouble she was putting him through. "Gods forbid I ask a simple question," the bard thought silently to herself, frowning. She was relieved when Ares actually answered.

"He's a guy, from a different planet. They call him "The Doctor."" His voice was low, almost as if he were telling a fable or scary story, "He looks just like a human, but he's not. And he says that the Greek gods aren't from this planet, either, but I don't know that I believe him." He paused for a second, as if reflecting on himself. "When I saw his ship, I came to see what he wanted- I've met him before and I don't like when he is around. Trouble follows him and it never ends in war, which is exactly what I don't like." Gabrielle snorted, but Ares shot her a cool glance. She quieted, and he continued, "This time when I saw him, he was looking for Xena. He said he needed her help for something. Wouldn't tell me what, but it seemed important."

"So you think that he is the one that took Xena?" Gabrielle interjected.

Ares shook his square head. "No, I don't. Trouble on that mountain started weeks before he got here. Plus, those metal things you've told me about don't really seem like his style. He's more of a non-violence, kill them with logic kind of alien."

Gabrielle nodded. "So, they have him too."

"Yup," For once Ares and Gabrielle agreed, and of course it had to be over something this terrible. They had both lost their best friend, the loves of their lives. Even if, in Ares' case, the love was unrequited- the fact was plain for everyone to see- he ended the lives of his family for Xena, and he would do it again in a heartbeat. She was his god, although he would never, ever, say those words out loud. He buried his face again, and let out a choke disguised as a cough to keep himself from tearing up. "How are we going to help her?" He asked as he looked up to the bard for answers.

"So… uh…" Gabrielle found herself trying to comfort the distraught god (a notion that was almost as distressing as the situation was). She inspected the structure once again, putting her hand against the wood, "Let us in…" She whispered in exasperation, "I need to help Xena and The Doctor."

Gabrielle had closed her eyes, silently willing the box to let them in. She begged silently to the 'ship,' to whatever gods (save Ares the seemingly useless) that may be watching over her right now. 'Let us in, let us in, let us in, show us the way, help us find them,' She chanted these things over and over in her head for many seconds, her eyes closed tight and her full body weight bearing into the door. After a moment of this, a sound like a crack rippled through the air, and suddenly the air around them was very hot and thick. A strange noise seemed to come from the inside of the box, as if the wooden structure was coming to life.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and looked at Ares in shock. Their eyes met, and their expressions of shock and surprised mirrored eachother. "What in olymp-" Gabrielle's exclamation was stopped short by a small, subtle sound, one that barely registered amongst the commotion of heavy machinery coming from the strange blue box.

Creaaaaaaaaaak.

The noise echoed through the calamity, so subtle that Gab and Ares almost didn't hear it.

The door to the TARDIS had opened.