"So the rumors are true then?" Eve said by way of announcing herself. "I'm a big sister."

Xena stood up and hugged her daughter, "I'm so glad to see you. I've been wondering when you were going to show your face around here."

Gabrielle hugged Eve next. "Nice to see you, kiddo. How did things in Chin go?"

"They weren't completely non-receptive to the idea of peace. We picked up some new followers, but it wasn't spreading as quickly as I hoped. I felt called back home."

Hercules introduced himself. "You don't remember me, but I'm Hercules. I was there for your birth. I gave you your first toy, a Hydra. I can see you've grown into a beautiful, young woman."

Eve thought about it. "Actually I do remember a Hydra toy. It must have traveled to Rome with me because I remember the son of the family I was tutored with beheaded one of its heads. He told me 2 heads would grow back in its place, but it didn't grow back, so he walked away with a black eye."

Iolaus laughed appreciatively at the story and offered his hand. "I'm Iolaus, a friend of Hercules and your mother. Your Hydra was named after me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you guys," she said. She made her way over to the twins, who both had just learned to sit up. She sat down beside them. "Aren't you two the cutest babies ever? Hi, I'm your big sister, Eve."

Joxer just looked at her with a fist stuffed in his mouth and Cyrene took the hem of her garment and pulled it up over her head.

Xena went over and sat down with her children. "This is Joxer and this is Cyrene."

"Who's their father?" Eve asked, tickling them and eliciting laughter from both the babies.

There was a momentary pause before Xena answered. "Ares."

Eve's eyes widened and then a look of revulsion appeared on her face. "Ares is not my…" Eve could not even bring herself to finish the sentence.

"No," Xena quickly answered, "there's not even the slightest possibility."

Eve breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Praise Eli. For a minute there, I thought I was going to have gouge my eyes out like Oedipus."

"You know I met a man once who knew Oedipus," Gabrielle interjected. The glares she got from both women told Gabrielle that they weren't in the mood to hear a story. "I can tell you two need to have a mother-daughter conversation. I think I'll go wash the twins' extra clothes."

"I can help with that," Iolaus offered.

"I need to polish my sword," Hercules added.

"They make real subtle exits, don't they?" Xena said, staring fondly after the 3 retreating friends.

"Mother, Ares? Are you insane?"

"I know you two have a history," Xena began.

"It's not about that," Eve interrupted. "Ares and I are ancient history. It's about you and these kids. Ares is not the kind of guy you have kids with. He's hotheaded, he's self-centered, he's manipulative and why are you smiling!"

"Honey, I knew Ares long before you did. I don't think there's another mortal on this planet who knows him better. I've been the object of his obsession and the target of his manipulations more times than I can count."

"Then you of all people should know better," Eve said in utter frustration. "Why did you allow yourself to get pregnant with his children?"

"Because I know him better than any mortal on this planet. There's a side to him that he doesn't show to anyone else. Sometimes I think he doesn't even mean to show it to me."

"Well, enlighten me, Mother. I have to know. What good traits could he possibly have?"

"He doesn't give up, he's intelligent, and whether you want to believe it or not, he has the capacity to love. And when he bestows that love, it's a passionate, loyal, fierce love."

"You've actually heard him say he loves another person, himself excluded?"

"Yes, and it was a long time before he could say the words, which showed the genuineness of them. What matters though is that his actions show when he loves a person. You saw how he showed his love for Aphrodite."

Eve conceded to the last part of that statement. "And he's shown his love for you on many occasions."

"He has."

"Does he know he's the father?"

"No, but I plan on telling him in the near future. The twins are proving their demigod status and I'll need his help with that."

"Do you love him?" she asked.

Xena didn't answer, but the look in her eyes said it all. "It doesn't matter. We're not going to live happily ever after. We're not really the type for that."

"I hope it works out between you two anyway. You deserve some happiness and if your happiness is found with Ares then so be it."

"How long do you plan on traveling with us?" Xena asked.

"Just until we get to Athens. There's a group of Elijans there who need some encouragement."

Xena smiled and playfully ruffled Eve's hair, "You're definitely cut out to give encouragement."