Title: Dreams or Reality
Rating: PG-13
Violence: No real violence in this first installment.
Arthur: Cat
Summary: Time is never-ending for a God. It can be at times a curse or just the weapon needed to right a wrong and change a person's destiny. Time was all he needed to find the love he lost, but at what cost.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Xena Warrior Princess or Hercules the Legendary Adventures and do wish to infringe upon them. I do own the story line of this story.
Time Line: Post Fin
Present time…….……….….….
Shaking her head to rid the thought she tried to return her concentration to the task at hand, but the dream wouldn't leave her alone. Those eyes she saw every night in her dreams had bore their presence into her very soul.
Sitting at a computer, diligently computing the accounting for the company she worked for, she worked through the night. At least if she was working the dreams couldn't interfere, but then you have to get sleep at some point. "Maybe another cup of coffee will do the trick" she thought getting up and heading to her small kitchen. As she poured the coffee she yawned and looked up at the clock "Shit it is only 12:00 am, how am I going to make it all night if I am this tired now." Again shaking off the sleep she headed back to her small office. She continued typing away into the wee hours of the morning, until her body could not hold out and sleep enveloped her. She curled up on the couch and drifted off to sleep, silently praying the dream wouldn't come again.
Staring down at the figure on the couch the God of War again debated what he was about to do. He had been plaguing the woman before him with dreams of a past life for the past few months in a vain attempt to revive the hidden memories, but alas she was just as strong in spirit in this life has she had been then. Crossing his arms he bore into her thoughts. "Silly child, you work on that contraption you call a computer all day and now you dream about it" he thought while scanning her dreams finding her dreaming of finishing more work in her tiny office "well tonight I will give a more pleasant dream to ponder, perhaps one of me." He laid his invisible hand on her forehead and brought forth the memory he was thinking about. The woman let out a small moan followed by a sigh. Oh yes, she would enjoy the memory as much as he had.
In the Dream...............................................
She was walking down a path, not for sure where she was, but knowing at the same time she had been here before. The path led to a clearing and in the clearing stood a massive building. Taking in the building, everything seemed so real yet so distant, it was a foggy memory coming back. The stone building held two massive wooden doors that beckoned her from the top of three flights of stone stairs. A symbol was carved above the door, but meant nothing to her, or did it. She pushed the doors open and entered. Her dreams had never led her here before, all they had been full of prior to this was bloodshed. Nervousness began to fill her as she ventured farther into the stone building. The hall was lined with weapons and tapestries. The tapestries displayed visions of war and death. Her travel came to an abrupt end when she entered the room at the end of the hall. It was some sort of throne room and someone was sitting on the throne. Knowing this was a dream she began walking a little more confidently toward the figure, but as she neared she felt fear begin to fill her again. She was sensing a range of feelings from this man before her. Anger, fear, passion and death radiated from him. He was handsome, to handsome to be real, thus confirming the dream was a dream. She brought her eyes up slowly over the man to take him in. Black boots led to black leather pants topped off with a black vest barely covering a very muscular chest. "Damn the pythons of a God" she thought as she stared at his arms. He wore a pendent with the same symbol as outside the building around his neck and a dagger earring. His hair was long dark and curly "very sexy" she thought starting to have fun with this dream. Then turning her attention she looked upon his face. He wore a mustache with a goatee, but it was his eyes that stopped her dead. Fear raced through her when she saw the dark brown eyes that had haunted her for months. As she turned to run he spoke "Stop" was all he said and she obeyed. His voice was powerful and commanding and she felt her feet turn to cement as her fear grew. Somewhere from deep inside she found the courage to speak while he stood there groping her with is dark eyes
"Why are you doing this?" was all she could utter.
"Because I can" was his sarcastic reply. "You know me, if you let yourself and quit hiding from your destiny, it has been far to long" a smile crept on his face as he took a step forward.
Fear finally getting the best of her she let out a scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and woke up with a start to find herself screaming into the empty apartment.
She got up and ran to the bathroom. Splashing water on her face seemed to help, but she couldn't get his words out of her head. Maybe if she had a clue. Raising her head she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her long wavy auburn hair clung to her face damp with perspiration and water. Her bright blue eyes were wide, still brightened from the fear she felt in the dream. Her skin was fair but not pale. She had a cute little nose and very kissable full lips. She never thought of her self as very pretty, but she had had others tell her she was striking. With fear racing through her veins, her face came alive. She shook this off and rinsed her face once more. Deciding to give up the sleep theory she jumped in the shower and began her normal morning rituals.
Ares not visible to mortal eyes leaned against the wall watching her. "Her spirit is so strong" he thought "I will have to quit this game and be more blunt, Hell I didn't even touch her and she shrieked in fear." Shaking his head he disappeared. He reappeared in an apartment across town. "I will not let her wake up tonight until I have awaken her memories" he decided. He walked across the room and opened a portal displaying a war in a far away land "Now to have a little fun" he said aloud as he began to manipulate the people engaging in the war before him.
She finished dressing and headed to work. Her thoughts were still on the dream. "Well at least now I have a face to put to those eyes" she thought to herself as she negotiated the road to her office. "I'm the first here as usual" she thought to herself as she unlocked the doors and entered.
The day had been going quite well, actually better than work had been for the past couple months. Her thoughts were not distracted by the dream for some reason. It was as though the thoughts decided to take a break. Finishing up the monthly balance sheets she set her pen down and decided to take a break. She glanced at the clock on her desk as saw that it was already 1:00 pm and she hadn't left the desk since 7:00 am. Getting up she headed out of her office to the break room to grab a cup of coffee.
"Hey Julie" said her coworker Cindy "working hard as usual I see". Cindy looked Julie up and down taking in the tired looking woman.
"Yeh" was all Julie could muster as she poured her coffee.
"Are you still having those horrid nightmares?" asked Cindy.
"Yep" answered Julie "Well actually last night wasn't that bad". She then filled her friend in on the man in her dream.
"Wow if he is half as hot as you describe, you really have one hell of an imagination" replied Cindy after hearing the dream recalled. "Ya know, maybe if you didn't fight the dream and finish it out it, it will quit coming".
"You think" replied Julie.
"Ya, I read that somewhere that dreams are caused by our subconscious feeding the needs of our conscious and if you follow the dream out it will come full circle and end" added Cindy.
"Well I will give that a try" said Julie over her shoulder as she walked back to her office.
"Yes just give into the dream" thought Cindy. She then transferred into Ares and disappeared.
The rest of her day went the same as the morning and when she looked up it was already 5:00 pm. Most people were gone for the day and Julie decided to call it a day too and headed home.
Julie was fixing a sandwich when that feeling came over her. It wasn't something she had mentioned to anyone, including Cindy, but it was a strange feeling just the same. It was as though a warm invisible hand had passed down her shoulders and over her back and then quit. Shaking her head she took her sandwich to her office. "I am going to finish that damn report tonight and hopefully get some sleep" she thought to herself. To tune out her thoughts she turned on the radio and began to work. An hour hadn't even gone by when the uncontrollable urge to lay down came over her. She quit her work and moved to the couch. Her mind kept saying what are you doing, but her body had a mind of its own as she laid down. She was asleep with in seconds of her head touching the pillow and she entered the strange land in her dreams.
In the Dream……………………
Julie looked around and immediately recognized the temple from the night before, except she was alone. She tried to wake up, but couldn't. "What the hell is going on?" she said aloud. Her answer came too soon.
In a flash of blue light he appeared. "Who are you?" she asked sheepishly "and why are you doing this to me?"
"I my dear, am Ares God of War, and to as why I am doing this" he paused taking the look of fear she shot him "you belong to me and I am here to collect on an old debt."
Her fear subsided as she rationalized why she was having this dream over and over again "I am dreaming of you because of all those damn books on ancient Greece that I have been reading." She almost laughed "Now it makes sense".
He ignored her comment and continued "You don't know who you are do you?".
"Yes actually I do" she said in a smart ass tone "I am Julie Black, CPA for a boring little company and I have no life which is why I invented this world in my dreams."
"Really" he replied with a smirk on his face "Care to think again" with that he made a mirror appear and Julie looked at her reflection.
Her hand reached up and felt her hair, and the hand of the woman before her did the same except the woman in the mirror looked nothing like her. The woman before her had long black hair and crystal blue eyes much lighter than her own. This woman was dressed in a black leather dress. Julie than for the first time looked down at herself and saw the dark hair fall forward and the leather dress that fell to the floor. She looked back at the mirror and said at almost a whisper pointing at the image "But she is beautiful, and I am, well not".
"Oh my dear this is the true you and I am here to bring you back to finish your destiny" the smile on Ares face spread as he looked at her.
"No, no, no I am not a warrior person, I am an accountant and this is a dream and I control it" suddenly the need for control filled her and her courage grew as she turned to the man before her "I am ending this crap once and for all."
"No you are not" he hissed as he reached out and took her by the arm "I lost you once because of that damn temper and I am not losing you again."
She struggled against his grip, but it was unbreakable.
"I wanted to do this the nice way, but alas as usual you defy me and we have to go the hard way." He pulled her toward the alter in the middle of the room.
"What the hell do you think you doing" she screamed as he pulled closer to the alter. Fear began to grip her tighter.
"I am bringing you back to your right sense of mind once and for all" he answered her shortly. "Lie down" he ordered as he pointed to the alter.
"NO!" she yelled.
"I SAID LIE DOWN, NOW" he yelled back losing his patience. "It won't work unless you do it willingly" he added in a softer yet controlling tone.
"Why?" she asked.
"So I can bring you back" he sounded almost pleading.
She stared into his eyes and saw only kindness buried beneath the hardness and against her own best judgment she laid down on the alter. When she did a soft red hue enveloped her and her mind was filled with more images of war and bloodshed, but yet there were visions of love and others who cared for her. She was losing herself in the visions when they ended as suddenly as they had begun. She sat up and found he was gone. Jumping off the alter she began looking for a way out of the temple. It took her some time until she finally found her way out of the maze of halls. Once outside she took a deep breath and the air seemed so real. The birds were singing and the land seemed to be alive with all colors of springtime. She glanced down at her clothing for the first time since exiting the temple and saw she was in her faded blue jeans and sweat shirt once again. "Boy this dream as really taken a twist" she thought as she ventured out into the forest before her.
Later that day……………
This dream had thus far been far more pleasant then the previous ones, maybe Cindy was right just follow it through and it would end, but just then a noise up ahead caught her attention.
"I told you that she wasn't a simple little peasant girl, so I don't even want to hear about how she kicked your ass" spoke a man in ragged clothing looking toward a similarly ragged man sporting cuts and bruises.
"She didn't look that tough" the other man replied "and you could of told me it was the one who used to travel with Xena" he added.
"I thought it would teach you a lesson" said the first man with a laugh.
Julie watched this from the bushes along side the road as the men passed. "Xena, why is that name so familiar" she thought.
Getting up she continued traveling down the path not knowing where she was headed. She walked for what seemed hours and was thankful to see a village coming into view. She had tried at least twenty times to wake up, but to no avail. What ever this dream represented she wasn't through with it quite yet.
Entering the village she noted the strange looks she was receiving from the people, and brushed this off as they had never seen jeans before. She startled a young man near a stand of vegetables "Could you tell me where I am?" she asked.
The young man's jaw hung down as he lifted his eyes to meet the woman before him. He stuttered "this is Amphipolis."
Not remembering the village's name from her books she decided to ask another question "Tell me is there anywhere a girl could get a bite to eat?"
He didn't speak, he didn't look like he could, as he pointed to a building across the street.
"Thank you" she said as she headed toward the building leaving the young man still gaping at her distancing figure "No it couldn't be" he thought to himself. He watched her enter the tavern and then noticed he was not the only one who had thought they had seen a ghost.
She entered the darkened building to find it was a tavern or an inn of some sort. She walked up to the bar "Excuse me" she said to the barmaid "could I get something to eat and drink?"
"Sure" said the barmaid with her back still turned. As she turned around she asked "what can I get ya?" her voice stopped short as she gazed upon the woman before her. Not waiting for a response she yelled "GABRIELLE GET OUT HERE."
Julie stepped back at the girl's outburst and noticed a shorter blond woman coming out of the back room "What is it Eve I am real busy trying to" her sentence ended when she saw the reason for Eve's outburst. Dropping the bowl in her hand she ran to Julie and wrapped her in a hug "Xena! How? Oh forget it I don't care your back".
Julie stood there kinda shocked herself. She began pealing the woman's arms off "I'm sorry, but you have me confused with someone else" she said noting the saddened look in the woman's eyes "my name is Julie."
"No" was all Gabrielle got out when the room filled with blue light. Everyone was left motionless except Gabrielle. Backing up "Ares what the hell is going on?" she asked the now visible God of War.
"I am sorry Gabrielle" began Ares "I had hoped to finish bringing her memories back, but my powers weakened and when I returned she was gone."
"What have you done" accused Gabrielle her eyes still locked on Xena.
"I brought her back to finish what she started here."
"You can't" uttered Gabrielle "She said she had to stay dead." Her eyes were beginning to tear as she thought how far she had come to close that part of her life and now Ares's meddling had brought back a living version of Xena and it was ripping her apart all over again.
"I can and I did" replied Ares. He waved his hand to stop Gabrielle from speaking "Let me finish. I waited until she was born again and brought her back then." He smiled as he thought he had really done a wonderful thing. "That way the damn spirits are happy and I, I mean we can have her back." He walked around Xena wondering to himself what he should dress her in, perhaps leather.
Gabrielle grabbed him by the vest and spun him around to look at her "Ares, she had another life, she had another family, you can't take her away from that." She sighed as she again looked at Xena "She doesn't know us now. We are a part of her past. Please take her back."
"What!" exclaimed Ares "I can't and you don't know what her life was like there, I do." For emphasis he pulled Gabrielle toward the center of the room and made a portal appear. Julie's life flashed before Gabrielle. She fell to her knees and cried "Why, why would she suffer so much and be so alone all over again." Julie had had a rotten life. Her parents were killed when she was 2 and she was raised in foster care homes. She had few friends, and no one close in her life. All she did was work.
Ares pulled Gabrielle up and looked her in the eyes "The only way I can restore her is to give her the ambrosia." He sighed as his grip lightened on the bard "I wanted to show you everything before I did that, I did not just appear and abduct her, as far as she is concerned this is a dream."
"Oh Ares" whispered Gabrielle. "What have you done?"
"Look, I love her and I have waited over 4,000 years to find her. I was going to watch her and maybe run into her, but never really tell her who I am, but then I read her thoughts and saw her life. She has nothing there. She never found you again. The Gods of Japa threw the fates cycle into a frenzy and you two would never know each other again." His eyes fill as the emotion of the situation hit him "I love her and didn't want to see her in pain."
Gabrielle wiped a tear that had escaped from the God of War and lifted his chin like a small child "Ares you really do love her with all your heart, don't you?"
"Yes" was all he said.
"All I ask is that you let her make the choice." She raised her hand to stop him this time "What I mean is let her live this dream for awhile, I will protect her, and then if she wants this, give her the ambrosia."
Ares was smiling with relief "agreed."
"Then let her adventure begin" smiled Gabrielle.
The room filled with light and everyone was freed not knowing of the conversation they had missed.
Julie looked at the blond woman who was now backing away from her "I am sorry I am not Xena, I am Julie."
"No my fault, it's just that you look like my best friend, and I haven't seen her in awhile." answered Gabrielle. "How rude of me, I am Gabrielle and this is Eve."
"Pleased to meet you." sighed Julie relieved that the dream wasn't taking a sick turn "I was wondering about something to eat, but I don't have any money, would there be a way to work the meal off?"
"Sure, but you can eat first and we will talk about payment later. Come sit down and I will get you something to eat and drink" motioned Gabrielle to the table.
Julie sat down and enjoyed some of the best foods she had ever eaten. The weird thing is that everything tasted so familiar, yet she couldn't place where she would have ever eaten food like this before. The wine was good to and soon she felt the effects. This was certainly a potent wine, much stronger than what she was used to. The funny thing was that the thought that wine should not be effecting her in a dream never crossed her mind.
Later Eve, Gabrielle and Julie sat before the fireplace and Gabrielle told them stories of her Friend Xena. Julie was absorbed in the stories that she knew she had never heard before, but some how knew how they were going to end "and then she died and left you to carry on with out her" Julie finished the story before Gabrielle could.
"Well yes, sort of" said Gabrielle.
"It's like I was there when you tell your stories, well actually it's like I already know how they are going to play out." Julie shook her head and looked down into her glass. Her reflection came back from the wine and she saw the woman from the temple. "Is this what they saw?" she wondered. "Gabrielle, do you have a picture of Xena I could see?" asked Julie.
"A picture?" asked Gabrielle.
"Yeh a portrait or something with her image so that I may know what she looked like." replied Julie.
It was then that the quiet Eve spoke up "If you want to know what she looked like come with me" she grabbed Julie by the arm and dragged her to her feet. She sounded really upset.
Julie followed the young woman, but not by choice. Eve took her into a room off of the dining room and pushed her in front of a large mirror. The reflection was not Julie, it was that dark haired woman from the temple. " There you go, there is Xena, there is my mother." Julie turned to see tears streaming down Eve's face "and who do you think you are to look like her?"
"I don't know" was all Julie could say when Gabrielle entered the room.
"Because she is Xena, but doesn't remember us." Both woman turned to look at Gabrielle. "We need to go and speak to Ares."
"Ares, that is the name of the man who I talked to in a temple not far from here." Shaking her head Julie tried to clear her thoughts "THIS IS ONLY A DREAM!"
"Then what does it matter if we go and see him?" asked Gabrielle trying to calm Julie down.
"I don't know" said a quieter Julie "I suppose it doesn't, does it?"
"We will go in the morning then" said Gabrielle turning to Eve "and I think you had better stay here" the last was an order and not a suggestion and Eve realized it and left the room with out another word.
"No" said Julie suddenly "We will go now. If I am going to see this dream to the end, it will be tonight." She too walked back to the dinning room. Gabrielle dropped her head and thought "well it's good to see her stubbornness stayed with her, I guess" as she followed Julie out of the room.
A little while later Gabrielle and Julie headed off in the direction Julie had come from. They had received some strange looks as they left the village. Many never thought they would see the heroic duo together again.
Their Journey had been uneventful and the silence deafening. Julie couldn't take it anymore. "So you used to fight with this Xena, huh." she asked.
Gabrielle's thoughts were far away and missed the question.
Julie touched her arm and repeated her question "So you used to fight with this Xena?"
Gabrielle turned at the touch and the sound of the voice. It was her Xena. Her touch. Her voice. But not one memory of what their friendship had meant. Clearing her throat she answered "Yes."
Julie began to walk again. "Well earlier today I came across two pretty sad looking guys who said they had been beaten up by the girl who used to travel with Xena. Was it you?"
Beginning to laugh Gabrielle replied "Yep! Earlier today I ran into them." Smiling "They thought they could rob me. I taught them differently."
Julie couldn't put her finger on it, but something about the smaller woman's smile seemed so familiar. "How much farther do ya think we have left to go?" asked Julie trying to ignore the feelings that she was feeling for this woman. "I don't know her and this is a dream." she told herself.
"Not far, we should be there in a few moments." answered Gabrielle. She noticed Julie had a reaction to her laughter and smile. "Perhaps her memories are coming back on their own." she thought to herself.
The duo rounded the corner and were met by the imposing temple.
Julie looked back to the strange symbol above the door. "Do you know what that symbol means?" she asked Gabrielle.
Gabrielle looked up at the symbol. It was a symbol she had come to know all to well. Sighing she turned to Julie "That is the symbol of Ares God of War."
Julie gasped "That is the name of the man I have been dreaming of. Is he here to hurt me?" Her eyes were filling with fear.
Gabrielle was not used to seeing the invincible, well almost invincible, Xena with fear radiating from her eyes. Taking the other woman's hands she tried to comfort her "No he is not here to hurt you, on the contrary he is quite in love with you." She tried to smile.
Julie calmed down a bit. "That would explain a lot." Meeting the green eyes in front of her "I don't know why I fear him, it isn't like he can do anything, it is a dream." Suddenly a thought occurred to her and she burst out laughing.
Gabrielle loved the sound of her laugh and she had missed it so much, but what could be so funny she wondered. "Ok, what's so funny?" she asked.
Gathering her self-control Julie slowed to giggle. "It's just that" another giggle "Sorry, it's just that from all the history books I have read on Ancient Greece" she paused to stifle another giggle "Ares The God of War was pretty much a nothing." Her laughter picked up at the questioning look she received from Gabrielle.
"What are you talking about?" pressed the bard.
"Well you see" composing herself again "He was not a major player in the God's of Greece, if I recall he didn't have a whole lot of followers and was considered a male slut."
Now it was Gabrielle that was laughing. "If he heard that he would lose it."
"Why is that?" asked a curious Julie.
"Well maybe the scrolls weren't kept right or something, cause he is a major player as you put it and a force to be reckoned with here." Gabrielle made a mental thought to tame down her dislike for him and put him a better light in her scrolls.
"Well I am just going by some scrolls that were found not to long ago." Julie paused trying to think of the writers name. "I can't think of the writers name, but he was from a town pod, podi, oh never mind I can't think of it."
Gabrielle giggled knowing the name she was trying to think of "Boy I had better revise some of those scrolls quickly" she thought to herself. "Well enough chit chat, it is getting late and we had better get this over with." She said as she gestured to the temple.
Both woman climbed the stairs and entered.
It was quiet in the temple. Too quiet for Gabrielle. "Where are the priestesses?" she asked aloud.
"I don't know, every time I have been here there was no one else." answered Julie.
"Interesting" said Gabrielle. Straitening up "Well no time like the present to straighten this out." She took Julie by the arm and led her to the throne room.
When they entered, no one was there. "Well I guess we can make ourselves comfortable and wait for Ares." said Gabrielle.
Both woman took a seat at the table and waited.
TBC………………………………..........