An hour or two later, Gabrielle started having convulsions and was going into shock. Xena tried to restrain her but while doing so she got hit soundly in the nose and mouth making them bleed. Gabrielle finally stopped but not before hitting her a few times. Xena had just covered Gabrielle again when Ares reappeared.

"Yeowch, what happened to you?"

Xena smiled slightly. "Gabrielle got feisty."

Ares eyes widened. "And you didn't call me?" Xena cocked an eyebrow at him, an action that always drove him mad. Visibly. And Xena knew it. She could almost hear the leather of his pants stretch. She loved doing that to him. Xena turned back to Gabrielle.

Ares said, "Now why don't you let me heal those cuts, they look painful." Xena shrugged her shoulders "I'm used to pain. You should just stick to doing your job."

This is my job." Ares said softly.

Xena looked up quickly but stayed turned around. "I mean, we wouldn't want anything to cover that beautiful face of yours." Ares covered suavely. Xena turned around and was going to say something sharp when all of a sudden she felt an incredibly, warm sensation wash over her. She reached up and sure enough it was healed. Xena rewarded Ares with a grateful smile.

"Thanks"

"No problem, babe" Ares responded. Xena spun around and gave him a look that made him want to kiss her...bad.

So he did.

Xena was shocked when she realized what was going on, and even more shocked when she found herself actually liking it and returning the kiss. She enjoyed herself a moment longer and then realized how wrong it was. So she did the only thing she could think of, she kneed him in the groin.

Ares grunted and doubled over in pain. "OUCH, what was that for?"

Xena licked her lips. "I told you not to call me babe." Ares smiled (as much as a man in that position could of course) "Sorry"

"It's okay. Besides, the part before that wasn't half bad." Xena said the last part of her sentence almost silently. But of course, Ares heard it, though he didn't say anything.

Xena sat down by Gabrielle. Ares had left because he knew she was going to want to be alone. Eve woke up and started crying. Xena tried to rock her back to sleep but Eve wouldn't stop crying. For lack of anything better to think of, Xena started singing a song.

Jeez, Xena thought, Gabrielle always wants me to sing and the one time she can't hear me I do. The song was one that Cyrene had sung to her when Xena was small and couldn't sleep or was upset. Eve quieted and Xena finished her singing. She started talking to her.

"Eve what am I going to do, huh? I mean, Ares is being so sincere and he seems to be trying to care and not be cavalier and egocentric. Not to mention how great he looks in leather. And that smile, it's just so... oh Gods. Would you just listen to me? For heavens sake, he is the God of War! He wanted me to be evil, he had the furies drive me mad so I would kill my own mother! But then again, he hasn't tried to turn me in a long time. I just wish he would hive me a sign that he's serious. He's done a lot of things to try to win me, but he never, not ever tried being nice and caring and that seems to be working. Which is what is scaring me because I have prided myself on not succumbing to him. But now he's different."

By the time Xena finished blurting out her thoughts, Eve was sound asleep. "Hmmm, I must have a soothing voice, or I just bored her to sleep." Xena said.

After she had put Eve to bed again, Xena got in bed herself and tried to sleep. It didn't work. Xena closed her eyes and thought about how different Ares was, what to do about Kim, but mostly she thought about Gabrielle. Xena wondered what Gabrielle would say if she knew what was going her mind. No, she KNEW what Gab would say.

She'd say you're crazy. This is Ares, y'know, the God of War! WAR being the operative word. Xena thought.

She tried to take her mind off of Ares. She contemplated what her life would be like without Gabrielle in it. She could only see emptiness. A dark void that could not be filled by anything or anyone, not even Ares or Eve.

Xena was deep in thought when she felt a pair of hands combing through her hair. Softly, the hands started massaging the back and sides of her neck, down to her shoulders and back up. Xena turned, already knowing who it was.

When Ares' gaze met hers, she noticed something different about him. The arrogance, the narcissism, the sense of superiority was gone. She saw a look in his eyes she'd never seen before. There was no hatred, devilishness, or evil workings of any sort. She looked into his eyes and recognized the look. It was love. As soon as she realized it, she was shocked and relieved at the same time. She smiled at him and closed her eyes.

He waved his hand and they were transported to his bedroom. Xena was changed into a light green silken sleep dress. She looked at Ares and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Not my color really." She said.

Ares smiled. "You, my darling princess, look absolutely breathtaking in any color, but if you are not happy with it..." With a wave of his hand the color morphed from the green to burgundy. "Better?" he asked. "Much" Xena replied with a comfortable grin. She walked around the familiar room and came to her favorite objects there. It was a small stone display. On each stone there was a picture of an important time in Xena's life. There was a new stone each time she visited. (The fates gave future telling stone sets to all the Gods and Goddesses about their chosen ones.)

The rest were in a basket. Covered with a piece of cloth. There were six stones out from her past. The first stone depicted Xena as a teenager playing with her first sword The second was a carving of Xena holding a sword on horseback with an army behind her. The third was Xena giving away Solan. The fourth, a picture of Xena first meeting Gabrielle in Potedaea The fifth stone had Xena in Illusia with Callisto. And the sixth was of Xena, Gabrielle and Eve. Xena turned back and walked over to Ares.

"You know I can't get... distracted, not tonight." I know," Ares said. "I am merely content to have your wonderful company, Princess" Xena smiled and lied down on the bed. "Why do you call me Princess?" she asked.

It was Ares' turn to smile. "Because, you have the air of royalty. The attitude, the poise, ...the beauty, you have it all." Xena looked up sharply. "You don't take any crap from anybody, not even me. That's just what I love about you.

"Did he just say love? Xena thought. "Would you like something to drink?" Ares asked. Xena shook her head and closed her eyes. She was really tired. It had been an extremely long day. Ares poured himself a flask of wine and emptied it. Xena felt the bed shift under Ares' weight. He then stroked her arm. Xena was astounded that his touch could be so gentle, so warm.

"Are you comfortable enough? Do you want something? A Pillow or another blanket, perhaps?" Ares asked meaningfully. "No, I'm fine." She answered. She turned over to face him. She ran the back of her hand along his jaw line, over his chin, down his neck and back up. He did the same to her. He smiled softly and brought her head in for a kiss. It was gentle, not demanding.

Xena returned the kiss stronger. This time, instead of shock coming over her, she felt like this was right. She felt safe and welcome and at home in his arms. Ares was completely happy for the first time in the many eons of his existence.

This is so great. Ares thought. I finally am with Xena, and I didn't even have to trick her? Who would have imagined that telling the truth would be the key? Hmmm. If I had only tried this years ago, jeez, I could have had her. Ares traced his tongue over Xena's lips, outlining them. Xena felt his tongue slip into her mouth and greeted it with her own. After a few minutes, the kiss ended. They smiled at each other and Xena snuggled into his chest. She fell asleep there.