Xena went back to the place she'd first met Ares in this lifetime, his old temple turned church. Ironically, it was her first face-to-face meeting place in the last lifetime too.
She ran into the priest. "How can I help you my child?" he asked kindly enough as he eyed her leather and armor.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."
"How long has it been since your last confession?"
"Too long."
"Are you sorry for your sins?"
"Immensely. I have killed many times. Mostly in the heat of battle but other times as well. I justified it as vengeance for my brother's murder."
"Vengeance is mine saith the Lord."
"Yes." So different from Ancient Greece when not carrying it out resulted in punishment from the gods. One of the many things that were different from those days. "There isn't enough penance in the world to wipe my slate clean.."
"But here you are. Go. I absolve you from your sins," he said with a sloppy sign of the cross.
"If only you could, but you couldn't even absolve my horse."
The priest vanished into thin air to be replaced by Ares. "My disguises never fool you for long, do they? Why are you here? I'm not in the mood for another fight."
"I want answers to some questions. Why did you find Gabrielle?"
He still had enough of his powers left to morph the altar into a suitable throne. He draped himself across it to take on the appearance of not caring though it was far from true. "It was my penance if you will. Gods can be sorry for the things they do also as I've been trying to tell you. I don't care for her, but you do, and that's what matters."
He was very convincing, but she remained wary. "You tried to make peace? Why do I find that hard to believe coming from the god of war?"
"Believe what you will, but alliances are a part of war too. She was my ally in helping you back to your former self regardless of my personal feelings. You must be seeking an end to our warring as well to show up here. So if you're looking to bring me a peace offering, you might start with bringing me Camilla."
"You can't think I'm just going to hand her over. I don't know why yet you've always been so desperate to have a child with me."
"Maybe a part of me wanted a way to hold onto you because I knew us as a couple couldn't last. I'm not as easy to brush off if we share a child."
"That was surprisingly honest."
"Not saying I didn't see the benefit of your plan either for a new generation of demigods. I'm always up for power and domination, but I don't need to tell you that."
"No, you don't." It was hard to accuse him when she'd lusted after the power and domination herself. They fueled it in each other due to their similar natures, which is why she could never see a future for them.
"But something happened when Camilla was born. I experienced a tenderness toward her that I had never felt toward any of my other offspring probably because I've spent more time with her than any of my other children, but I guess the biggest difference is I love her mother. I would never use her."
Her hackles went up immediately. "You love my dark side, which I am committed to fighting. I don't know when you're going to learn I am not that person anymore, nor do I want to be."
"I know. I thought I loved your dark side too. I was wrong. I love your gentleness and your passion, which is greater in your fight for good than it ever was when it was when you were motivated only by hate and anger. Your capacity to love and protect is something I never thought I could admire in anyone, but I do. I admire it in you. I love your light side. I suppose I just love all of you, the whole package."
It wasn't exactly a romantic sonnet, but she was hearing it as one. She didn't react though. Years of training, mostly from him, had taught her love could be a weakness that could be exploited.
"I know that means we don't have a chance in Tartarus now. I've accepted that. It was worth the sacrifice for you to be your whole self again. But if you think that means I've given up on being involved in Camilla's life, you're wrong."
If she'd thought she was melting before, she was practically a puddle inside now. "Oh?"
"I know more than about anybody what it means for a child to grow up without a father's love and approval. You may not see it, but she needs me."
"I agree."
Now he was caught off guard, and he sat up. "What?"
"You've convinced me. I must be out of my mind, but I believe you, and you're right for once that having a good father matters, but I swear if you-"
He'd already gotten off the throne and was grinning from ear-to-ear. "I know. If I hurt her, you'll pulverize me. What does this mean for us?"
"One step at a time," she warned.
She brought Valentina in, who was hiding just outside with Camilla.
Any remaining reservations dissolved when she watched him with their daughter. He let Camilla grasp and drool on his finger while he looked down at her with an expression that was full of love. Love had defeated war. Who knew?
