TITLE: Tender Distress

BRIEF: Five years after Xena's death and Gabrielle has become everything she didn't want to be. She is bitter and angry and trusts no one and worst of all, has Ares ensuing her at her lowest ebb. Will the arrival of an old friend help her?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Xena and those incorporated with the show, although all other characters are of my own making.

AUTHOR NOTE: Your reviews were welcomed, but I'm unsure whether or not to continue as there weren't that many. Please review and let me know.

Ares smiled as he watched Gabrielle through the glass mirrored wall in front of him. He laughed as saw what used to be this innocent little girl pierce an old mans heart with her dagger. She wasn't that girl anymore, he mused. Not since she had spilled blood by her own hands. He had waited for this for a long time. He knew she was the one; not the one he wanted, but the one he needed. The fates had showed him The Prophecy of Time and it depicted that a young girl - Gabrielle would learn the art of battle from a great warrior and eventually after her mentor's death she would become the one person to start The New World. A world where good and evil would be pitted against each other until one side came out on top.

"And Gabrielle will be the one to lead one side to victory." He smiled again, content that he now had her solely in his grasp. It was only three days ago she had begged to be his wife. Long gone was little Gaby who would rather chew off her own head than become the wife of Ares, God of War. He had spent a long time building up to this day, though. He had tried everything to turn Gabrielle in the ways of evil. He had killed anyone she got near to, making her believe it was her fault. He had stolen the souls of her mother, father, her husband and that bumbling idiot Joxer and forced them into 'revealing' that she was to blame for their deaths also. All of this as well as Xena's death five years ago had a bitter effect on her. However, it wasn't until she lead one of the last amazon tribes into battle that had deadly consequences for everyone, this time at her hands, that she really did turn towards Ares. She had come to him and begged for his help for her to take revenge for the murders of her sisters. And when he presented the opportunity to kill the man, she had grabbed at it with both hands.

There had been no going back for her after that, he remembered. She had protested to him that it was the first and only time she would ever need his help, but in reality they both knew she was tied to him; addicted to him just like Xena had been all those years ago. Ever since then, every little thing she would do, she had asked for Ares' assistance and it was his assistance that forced Gabrielle from the rightful path she had been on to one of death and destruction. There was a very fine line between saving the innocent and punishing the guilty and she had crossed that. Actually, she had crossed that line quite a while ago now, because she had actually moved on from punishing the guilty to preying on the innocent.

He glanced at the mirror, seeing her make her way up to his tower. Tomorrow he would make her his bride, he decided. Then after that, she would be the Goddess of War and would be on the side of evil forever, making him the new King of The New World. He looked forward to it. In fact, he was desperate for it.

"Did I do you proud, Ares?" She asked as she stepped through the large door.

"More than proud, Gabrielle. I have made a decision about you."

"About me?" She asked, coyly, a clear idea of what he was about to say. She walked towards him, wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him passionately. He responded, holding her tight as though he couldn't get enough of her; even though it was Xena's face that flooded his mind. He didn't want Gabrielle. He never had. He needed the power she possesed and this was the only way to get it. Ares, God of War was mostly a laughing stock in the world these days and by having Gabrielle on his side during 'The Turn of The Tides' as it had become known in The Prophecy, he would regain much momentum and be restored as the greatest power in the world.

"Tomorrow I want to take you as my wife." He told her through her kisses. She stopped and looked up at him, smiling.

"I've waited for this for so long."

"Um, me too." He lied. Well, half lied, really. He did want to make her his wife, but not for the same reasons she did. Truth was, she was no Xena. But she was the one. She would have to do.

"Tomorrow." She said happily, burying her head in his chest. He glanced down at her and rolled his eyes.

Yep. She was definetely no Xena.