Sorry this took so long. I had planned on updating a lot faster but writers block put a stop to that. Xena/Ares is so hard to write and still keep them both in character. I know this chapter is kind of short, but I figured it was better than nothing. I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can.
Xena spent the next day thinking about it. Once again, Ares was taking up most of her thoughts, but it was for a different reason this time. She couldn't believe that she was actually starting to think of Ares in this way. That she was actually considering the fact that Ares was telling her the truth for once.
She found she couldn't help it, though. Ares was different, and not just because he was a god. He got to her in a way that no other man ever had, not even Hercules. It was admittedly frustrating, too. Mostly because he was always trying to trick her or mess with her head.
Problem was, this time, she was actually starting to believe him. She knew him pretty well and she could read people pretty well, figure out if they were lying or not. And all of her was screaming that he wasn't lying this time.
Now, all she had to do was figure out what exactly she felt for him. Did she love him? She wasn't sure of her feelings for Ares. She never had been.
She knew that Gabrielle was worried about her. She'd been distracted all day, but she had put a delay on any talks about how she was feeling. She had told Gabrielle she would tell her everything once she figured it all out.
She didn't really sleep much that night, instead sitting and watching Gabrielle sleep while at the same time not really seeing her. It was around two hours before dawn that she heard someone in the bushes not far away. She raised up and pulled her sword out quietly. When the person stepped out into the open, she sighed and lowered her sword.
"Aphrodite, what are you doing here?" She whispered warily before sheathing her sword again.
"I need to talk to you." Aphrodite whispered, motioning her away. Xena sighed again and followed her away from camp and earshot of Gabrielle.
"I suppose this is about Ares." Xena said when they got far enough away.
"Yeah." Aphrodite said. "Look, Ares is going to kill me for getting involved in his personal life like this, but I had to talk to you."
"About what?" Xena asked now, pretty sure she already knew the answer.
"About the fact that he loves you." Xena rubbed a hand on her temple.
"He told you that?" Aphrodite nodded.
"But that's not the only point. Xena, he's telling the truth."
"Right." Xena said. Aphrodite stepped closer to her.
"Look, I know you have no reason to trust him and I know he's done some pretty bad things over the years. But, Xena, I am the Goddess of Love for a reason. He loves you." She met Xena's eyes apprehensively. "And you love him, too."
"I do not-" She cut off, glaring at Aphrodite. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because you deserve to be happy, and so does he. And I figured it would be easier to decide if you knew he wasn't lying this time. He's not." Aphrodite disappeared and Xena sighed, sitting on the rock nearby.
Why did this have to happen? She was perfectly happy thinking that Ares was an evil son of a bitch and traveling with Gabrielle.
What Aphrodite had said didn't really ease her mind, it only made all this harder. It was easier to think that Ares was lying that he was the same man who had tricked and betrayed her so many times in the past.
How could she risk her heart on that? Maybe he was telling the truth now, but what about later? What would happen when that fear from thinking that she was going to die wore off?
"Xena, you've been off since we woke up, distracted. I know it's odd that Ares saved us, but there's something more. What's going on?" Gabrielle pressed the next day over breakfast.
She was worried about Xena. She could tell she hadn't gotten any sleep the night before and she had been distracted and deep in thought the entire day.
"Gabrielle..." Xena hesitated for a moment before looking up and meeting her eyes. "You would risk everything for love. I know you, hell, you've risked your life countless times for me."
"And you for me." Gabrielle said, smiling. "It's not really a risk if you think of the consequences of not risking it." She sighed and tilted her head a little.
"Yes, but what if your not sure you can trust the person your talking about?"
"I suppose you would have to decide if it's worth it or not. Maybe if you do, you'll get hurt, but maybe if you don't you'll regret it forever." She paused, frowning at Xena.
"Xena, what are we talking about?" Xena didn't answer, but Gabrielle wasn't stupid.
"This is about Ares." She said, letting out a disbelieving breath. "Your letting him get to you again."
"I'm not-" Xena shook her head. "Look, he didn't do anything to me besides save my life..." Xena hesitated again. "And tell me he loves me." Gabrielle's eyes widened at that.
"He told you he loves you." She said. Xena nodded and stood up.
"He told me he loves me and then he left. He's actually letting me decide for once. He says he doesn't want to hurt me. Then Aphrodite shows up, backing him." She turned back to Gabrielle. "Thing is, I think I believe him this time." Gabrielle was still, staring at her with wide eyes.
"And what do you feel for him?" She asked after a minute.
"I don't know." Xena sighed. Gabrielle hesitated.
"Xena, this is Ares. He's not exactly known for his honesty and good intentions." She sighed again and met Xena's eyes. "You do love him, don't you?" She asked. She knew Xena, probably better than anyone. She knew that look in her eyes.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Xena growled, pacing.
"Maybe because it's true." Gabrielle said with a snort. "Look." Gabrielle held up her hands when Xena turned a glare on her. "If you do love him, and you think he's telling the truth," she closed her eyes with a pained expression, "maybe you owe it to yourself to find out for sure." Xena's eyes snapped to hers.
"What?" She hadn't been expecting that.
"I can't say that I'm not worried about all of this. I mean, it is Ares. But you deserve to be happy. And if you think that that is with Ares, I'll support that. Your my best friend, Xena. I'd stand by you through anything."
"Thank you." Xena said, smiling with a hint of tears in her eyes at the words.
"Ares!" Xena looked around the small clearing, waiting. She had decided to take Gabrielle up on her advise after all. First thing first though. She had to find out what she felt for Ares.
"Xena." Xena turned to meet his dark eyes and she hesitated. There was only one way to know for sure, though.
She only hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and bringing her hands up to his head. She pulled him down to meet her lips in a kiss.