"Ares! Ares!"

The urgency in her voice and that powerful tug in my chest, as well as the absolutely uncomfortable sensation that every inch of my skin was being stretched to the point of being ripped off my bones, finally forced me to open my eyes.

…I drew in a couple of inhumanly long and deep breaths- in all appearances, this was turning into a really nasty habit- despite the sensation that my lungs were already on the verge of exploding, as if I had spent the last hours under water, completely deprived of oxygen- an unexplainable feeling may I add, given the fact that unlike mortals, Gods are not conditioned by the presence of air to survive …..

And then, as my vision finally became clearer, and the previous layer of fog covering my retina gradually vanished, I saw her. She was leaning over me, with a mixture of concern and surprise in her eyes, her lips half parted while still calling my name.

"Princess….." I gasped, reaching to touch her face, not quite trusting the image before me.

" Were you having a nightmare? I didn't even know that Gods could dream…."

"I was…..?" I muttered, looking around to check my new premises. We were in my room….In bed…..She was still naked….I was naked too, for that matter…

" It sure looked like you were" she uttered, that shocked expression refusing to leave her beautiful visage. "I barely woke you ….You…you couldn't breathe…And you were crying…." she replied, gravely stressing the last word.

" Huh…..Whaddya know… " I mumbled with a shrug, not quite knowing what to say, hardly restraining the impulse to wipe away the tears she was talking about….I still couldn't feel them gliding down my cheeks though….It was as if my body was still numb with the pain of having lost her again….

"What was the nightmare about….?" she curiously asked, searching for my eyes.

The thought itself gave me the creeps. That was the last thing I wanted to talk about….

"I don't remember" I lied " …I only remember Dite performing some strange ritual to Gaia…..She was wearing a robe…."

"That's it?"

"Yeah whatever, it was just a stupid dream…."

She just threw me an incredulous look in return. I refused to add anything else though, I just rolled over, not standing that inquisitive gaze any more….I was afraid that if I looked at her one more second, I would start screaming my frustration like a lunatic…..What was happening to me? First there was the vortex, and now that freaking dream…..To top it all, that peculiar, totally irrational feeling that something was terribly wrong in our relationship despite the fact that things couldn't have worked better, not even in my wildest dreams, surpassing my any expectations when it came to us, was eating me alive….

And then, right out of nowhere, as if a bucket full of ice cold water had landed on my head, thus brutally waking up my napping brain, it hit me….What if it wasn't a dream? What if it was a vision ? Some twisted but painfully real, unavoidable future event? ….Hardly had I finished that thought, that there it was ..That disturbing coldness creeping inside my very soul... I could feel it again…..

I stirred when she touched my shoulder.

"Are you sure you're ok? " she questioned, in a low, distressed voice.

When she draped an arm over my waist though, and once her full breasts touched my back, I couldn't stand it any more…..This whole situation was driving me crazy…..I just felt like I was second away from exploding.

"No, I'm not ok! " I snapped, pushing her away….

I still don't know why I did that….I shouldn't have done it…I sure didn't mean it…" Would you mind giving me some space?" I calmly inquired, not daring to turn around and face her. Fates knew, I couldn't have lived with myself after seeing the hurt shadowing the familiar brightness of those gorgeous blue moons I loved so much.….

" What?"

She was obviously perplexed.

" Some space…..I need some space….I need to think…." I harshly repeated,despite myself.

I must have sounded like a madman. I did act like one…

"To think about what?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"The war…Us….Everything."

"What about us?"

I couldn't say it out loud….I couldn't. Fuck, I couldn't even think it without cursing my own name the second after.

"Ares?" she murmured. The discreet fear in her tone made me literally wanna blast something,

Nevertheless, despite my any second thought, I did the only thing that in my mind sounded right that very moment. I left….

XXX

"Aphrodite!" Gabrielle's clear voice echoed throughout the fresh night air like a bell.

It only lasted a split second until the Love Goddess made an appearance, filling the Bard's camp with a delicate perfume of red roses and peonies.

" Well if it isn't my favourite Bard! Heya there Gabby!" she said merrily, hugging her friend.

" I need a favor " Gabrielle rushed to announce, cutting the chase, and getting straight to the point.

"Wow there! Where are your manners, cuttie? I haven't seen you for ages, we could at least socialize a bit first….And where's the Warrior Chicka? " the Goddess retorted, intrusively scanning the place.

"It's been only a week since we've met in Pylos, remember?" Gabrielle made sure to remind her, gazing at her with pleading eyes. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about…."

"Oh I know….." Dite quickly interrupted, winking at her friend. " You have the hots for some tall, muscular, godlike guy and you don't want Xe to find out. " she chuckled. "Well don't you worry, Little One, cause I can definitely keep a secret!"

"That's not it…."the Bard contradicted. Needless to say, Aphrodite was more than disappointed.

"It's not? "

"No…"

"Well, don't you worry then! I so happen to know the perfect guy for you, Gabs! It's official, the lonely days are over! O. V. E. R , I tell ya! ! His name is…."

"It's not a love problem Dite! I need to get to Athens….and fast! " Gabrielle finally spat, almost chocking on her words. "I need to stop Xena from doing the biggest mistake of her life…."