Title: Whispers -Chapter Four

Time Line: Post Fin

Rating: PG-13

Arthur: Kitten a.k.a. Cat

Summary: The events after A Friend In Need II, from my point of view.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Xena Warrior Princess or Hercules the Legendary Journeys. I do however own the story line.

Gabrielle saw the hit coming, but did not have time to react. The next thing she knew she was laying on the deck of the ship with Xena kneeling down next to her "What happened" was all she could ask.

Xena said nothing she simply looked over her shoulder. Gabrielle followed Xena's line of vision and her breath caught at the site. She watched Akemi stab Ares and Hercules send the little demon across the ship. She now witnessed Hercules holding his brother staring in disbelief of the blood draining from the God of War. Gabrielle tried to stand but was stopped by Xena's hand holding her down.

Xena turned to the bard again "I believe they are here to help" she paused again turning back to the scene that had played out before their eyes "You are not conscious and can do nothing, stay here." With that she released Gabrielle and walked to the men. Gabrielle watched as Xena stared down at the two and then as Xena returned to her side, her eyes full of questions. "Who are they?" she asked. Not waiting for an answer "I know them, both of them" she paused looking back "I know them well Gabrielle."

Before Gabrielle could answer she became aware of another Olympian making themselves known. Gabrielle smiled as Aphrodite came to her side. Before she could even try to stir from unconsciousness her world went to a pink swirl and the ship vanished. The last thing she had seen was a pissed off Akemi making her way to Aphrodite's back. Her world went black.

Aphrodite cried as she helped lay Ares in his bed "How can this be Ares you are immortal?" she questioned as she wiped away another tear.

"He can't hear you Dite" Hercules answered "He has slipped into a coma." Hercules continued to settle his brother in and then began to investigate the wound to his stomach. Over his shoulder he added "Please check on Gabrielle, I will need to speak to her as soon as possible." Behind him Aphrodite shook her head acknowledging the order and silently left the room.

Hercules pulled back the vest covering the wound. A smile lit his face "Well brother what ever she used it wasn't permanent" he noted as he checked the wound to find it healing "My guess is that your powers have been weakened and just took some time heal." Satisfied after cleaning Ares up that he would be ok with some rest he left in search of the babbling bard he had come to respect and love as a sister over the years. As he left the room Ares opened his eyes. His voice was weak with the loss of blood "Xena you are so close" he again closed his eyes and gave his body the rest he needed.

Hercules wasn't to familiar with Olympus, as he had not been here all that many times, as he followed the white halls of marble hoping to find Aphrodite. He came to the throne room and was startled at what lay before him "So this is where Xena had it out with the last of my family" he let out as he walked around the grand room taking in the destruction caused by one life. For the first time he had a bad thought of Xena, that perhaps she was selfish in her drive to save one life and it cost so many, but he pushed that away as soon as it came. Instead he focused on the situation at hand "If I were Dite where would I take Gabrielle" he mumbled to himself as he left the throne room. His journey led him to a pink door at the far end of the Hall leading from the Throne room "Only one Goddess I know who adores pink" he said as he opened the door and entered.

Gabrielle was unsure how long she was out, but when she came to she was shocked to see where she lay. Looking around she found she was in a huge bed covered in every shade of pink you could imagine. Gabrielle immediately reached for the small bag that always stayed at her hip to find it gone. She jumped from bed, but was stopped by a face she had not seen in a long time "Gabby calm down you are with friends now" Dite said as she pulled Gabrielle into a hug "I am sooo sooo sorry to hear about the Warrior Babe" she whispered in her ear.

Gabrielle broke the embrace and pushed Aphrodite back "Don't take this wrong Aphrodite I am glad to see you and even happier to be off that damn ship, but where is the bag that was at my hip" looking down Gabrielle noted she wasn't in her normal attire anymore, but now wore a very sheer pink nighty similar to Aphrodite's except that it was a pastel green "and where the hell are my clothes."

Aphrodite stood back and crossed her arms across her chest wearing a pout "Well that is some hello, especially after we saved you from that creature." She turned away from Gabrielle quite upset that the bard hadn't even appreciated all they had done for her.

Gabrielle dropped her head with a sigh "I'm sorry Aphrodite it has been an unbelievable last few months and that bag was the most important thing in my life."

Aphrodite turned back now wearing a smile "That's alright Gabby I can't stay mad at you" she pinched Gabrielle's cheek "You are just so cute." She smiled at Gabrielle but noted the bard was still wanting that dirty little leather bag "Well I put your things over there, I just wanted to make you comfortable until you woke up" she pointed to a small couch with the possessions.

Gabrielle smiled as she ran over to the couch. She found the bag and carefully opened it to find the urn still intact. Collapsing to the floor she hugged the urn to her chest and let out tears of relief. Turning to a confused Goddess of Love "I'm sorry Aphrodite, but this is all I have left of Xena save her Chakaram."

Aphrodite was about to say something when someone entered her room. She turned to find Hercules "Well if it isn't the newest Stud Muffin God on Olympus" she said with a smile "When were you gonna let a girl know?"

Gabrielle looked from Dite to Herc and noted the differences in him. He seemed younger than when they had last met and a power seemed to come from him "How?" she asked surprised by the timid ness in her voice "and why?"

Hercules walked to Gabrielle's side and helped her to her feet "How, simple Ares unlocked the powers I had my father suppress years ago as to why" he paused "because something bad, bad enough to shake Ares is coming and I believed what he had to say."

Gabrielle looked at Herc as though he had lost his mind "You believed Ares, after all he has done to try to kill you" she shook her head "either I hit my head really hard or hell has frozen over."

Hercules smiled at her comments as he took in the changes in her. Sure she had grown up basically in front of him, but when Xena and her left for Japa she was still a child in many ways. This girl, no woman before him was anything but a child. He knew of Xena's death now, but could feel her all around and perchance it was because of Gabrielle this was true. Gabrielle was now the warrior she always wanted to be, and she also bore the scars of that choice. "Gabrielle you have been gone for some time now" he began "things change, people change and even Gods change. What I mean is from the time that Ares thought you two had died and he put you in that ice tomb, something changed in him. He had loved and lost and now understood a little of what I went through." He paused taking Gabrielle's hand in his "He has a heart, just doesn't know how to deal with it and usually ends up doing something stupid if not deadly." Hercules laughed "After he laid you to rest he searched me out and we talked, talked for the first time in our existence. We were both hurting and went to each other for comfort. We have kept up on that since." As he finished he let go of Gabrielle's hand and turned to face the grand window staring at the skies stretching out before him "If I turned him down this time I would have nothing left, no family at all. But, what swayed me the most was the idea of something worse than my family coming here and destroying everything in the name of revenge." He now turned to the women before him noting Dite wiping away another tear and then focused on Gabrielle "What ever has taken Xena is after you and will destroy all of Greece and the known world, I need to know what happened."

Gabrielle was taken back by the air of authority in Herc's voice as he spoke "You took Zeus's place, didn't you?" she questioned back.

"Yes" was his only response.

"Why did Ares let you take the throne, I thought it and Xena were his only ambitions in life?" she came back again.

Hercules looked down on her and thought again, maybe she hasn't grown up as much as I had hoped "His reasons were clear to me and that will be the end of this discussion, now answer my question as to what happened in Japa" he had sounded harsher than he had wanted to, but for once he had the weight of the world truly on his shoulders and his patience had run out.

Gabrielle was taken back at his tone, but never said a word of it. She sat down with the urn in her lap and began to retell the tale that she had hoped she never would. As she finished her story she noted that Ares had appeared at some point and stood quietly on the far end of the room. "and that is when that little bitch showed up on the ship" she finished as she looked up to Herc again.

Herc stepped back and approached Ares "She said something about another helping her from this land. Do you know of anyone that would be able to give her this power?" he questioned.

Ares stood there deep in thought for a few moments before he answered "There could only be one that hates both of them enough and would want Xena that bad" he paused as he met Gabrielle's eyes "and I think you know that person quite well."

The three Olympians turned to the bard clutching the urn. Ares continued "Xena is hiding within you and you have not told all have you bard" his voice ebbing anger.

Gabrielle dropped her eyes to the urn "Yes I do believe she is within me, I have seen her and talked to her in my dreams and when I was knocked out" she paused as she looked up again "I am not sure who would want her that bad other than you Ares, but I now don't believe it is you after her." She paused again "and no I didn't tell you everything."