Maybe Someday
By Michelle

Disclaimers: Xena and Gabrielle are the property of MCA/Universal/Renaissance and I'm just using them for this non-profit bit of fan fiction entertainment. I don't think they own Ares, since he's a god and all, but if they do put him under their name also I guess.
Violence/Sex/Subtext/Profanity- None of the above.
Rating:Ê PG
Author's Notes- I just saw "You Are There" and I couldn't resist writing this. I also have to admit that I'm one of those people that likes Ares and Xena together, so this is about them. This takes place at the end of the episode, after Ares' godhood is returned and it's a short, semi-fluffy piece dealing with the two of them. That's it, feedback is appreciated, thanks.

Ares beamed in behind Xena.

"Hi." She said with a smile as she turned around.

"I just came to say thanks." He told her quietly.

"You didn't have to." Xena told him.

"Yes, I did." He told her. "Xena, you might not have done it for me, but you gave me back the only life I knew and I owe you my thanks for that."

Xena was quiet for a minute. "I did do it for you." She said quietly. "Sort of. I mean, I did it for reasons that I said, because it wouldn't be fair to the world to give them back Aphrodite without you, but I also did it for you."

"Why?" Ares asked her, a little taken aback. "You've always made your feelings for me perfectly clear."

"Have I?" She asked with a sad smile. "What about when I was a young girl, madly in love with you?"

Ares smiled himself. "That was a long time ago."

"It was." She agreed. "And we've both changed since then, but some of the feelings are still there. I saw that when you gave up everything to save my daughter and didn't even ask anything of me."

"You know why I did it." Ares told her quietly.

"Yeah, I do." Xena acknowledged. "Ares, just because I didn't take you up on your offer, didn't mean I don't care."

"I know." Ares told her. "I understand, but you know I'm never going to give up."

"I wouldn't want you to." She told him with a smile, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "You never know, one day I might just say yes."

"I can't wait." He told her.

Just then they heard Gabrielle approaching.

"You should go." Xena told him, knowing her friend would never be able to unerstand her relationship with Ares.

"Yeah." Ares agreed, preparing to go. Before he did, he turned back to Xena. "Xena?"

"Yeah."

"I'll never give up." He told her with a smile and then he disappeared.

"I know." Xena whispered with a sad smile as she watched him go. "And someday, maybe you'll get the answer you want."

The End