Disclaimer: In chapter 1.

Author's Notes: In this and the coming chapters we'll be coming across some familiar faces. Also, a few questions you might have had will be answered, but you'll also have more. I'm sorry, I can't help myself. I'm sure you'll all thank me later.

The blonde trailed hot kisses down her lover's stomach, leaving little love bites along the way. A hand in her hair guided her to her destination. She settled between the legs of the brunette and teased with her tongue on the inside of a toned thigh.

"Emma."

Her lips descended to the spot that she knew would drive this gorgeous woman wild…

"Emma."

"What!" Emma shouted at the person who had shaken her shoulder. She instantly blushed. "I'm sorry Gabrielle." She rubbed her faced and squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to banish the vision. "I guess I was really tired..."

"Miss Swan needs an incentive to get up in the mornings," Regina commented snidely. She didn't seem Emma shoot her a look of panic. "I'd suggest a bucket of cold water," she tilted her head thoughtfully, "or an electric shock."

"Maybe one day I'll shock you…" Emma mumbled under her breath as she got up. She avoided looking at or near Regina for the rest of the morning.

After sharing some stale bread, which Regina ate with a pinched face, and Emma ate in two seconds, they continued along the road. Xena and Gabrielle were due in a town soon, and would deal with Regina and Emma's portal problem afterwards. That's if the two mothers didn't kill each other first. They only travelled a short while before Gabrielle remarked to Xena.

"Do you think they had a fight last night?"

"No."

"But Emma is acting strangely. Regina is always a bit… cranky, but Emma usually just ignores her comments. Now…." Gabrielle gestured behind them. Regina was walking ahead of them again, but today Emma was walking behind, head down and scowling.

Xena shrugged, "If they fought I would have heard it. They aren't quiet people."

"I know," Gabrielle sighed. "I hope she isn't angry with us. I thought she was ok when we went to sleep."

"Gabrielle," Xena used her affectionate warning tone, "It has nothing to do with us. Just leave them be."

"Fine. But if there are fireballs you're doing the cooking for a full moon."

Xena rolled her eyes but made no further comment. She didn't need to.

Stupid duck, Emma cursed. Stupid Regina. Stupid wraith. Stupid Gold. Stupid freaking fairy tales. Emma was so caught up in her internal rant that she didn't notice the rock that jutted out in front of her. Naturally she kicked it with her foot and stumbled forward. Her legs managed to catch her and she ignored the looks from the others and pretended nothing happened. If she had seen the second-long look of concern from Regina she might have had something new to rant about. Sure, it hadn't been the first time she'd had x-rated dreams about women, she was comfortable with who she is, but it was the first time her son's adoptive mother starred in one. She had been trying her best to forget about it all morning, and the fact that the dream was still affecting her body.

"Hold up." Xena ordered.

Gabrielle stopped at her side naturally and watched Regina huff and turn to walk back. She saw the amused expression on Regina's face, and Gabrielle turned just in time to put her arms out to stop Emma from walking into her.

"Huh?"

"Miss Swan, pay attention!" Regina scolded. She noticed Emma's face go red and ignored her to listen to Xena.

"There's someone ahead. Stay close and focused," she looked pointedly at Emma.

Emma swallowed and nodded, afraid to disappoint her hero.

Regina rolled her eyes and continued walking along the road. Xena walked quickly to travel beside her, and Gabrielle kept pace with Emma. She wanted to make sure her fellow blonde didn't get herself killed because of her bad mood.

"I don't want you using your powers unless absolutely necessary." Xena stated calmly.

"Concerned I'll hurt your girlfriend?"

Anger flashed in Xena's eyes, "I'm concerned you'll hurt yourself. You lost control last time." She held up a hand to stop Regina from speaking, "Now I don't know what happened since you left, and frankly I don't care, but if using your powers means losing control of yourself then you shouldn't do it."

Regina looked ahead so she could reign in her emotions. She would never admit it, but she was afraid of magic here and what it could do to her. "Fine."

Xena relaxed ever so slightly when she realised they were approaching a trading caravan. They jovial dwarf of a man greeted them warmly from a distance

"Welcome, welcome!" He exclaimed as they arrived beside his caravan of goods.

"Are you lovely ladies looking for something pretty? I have the pedants with the brightest jewels this side of Athens."

"Ooo!" Gabrielle found a pile of blank scrolls.

Xena smirked slightly, "No, thank you." She thought for a second, "Do you have oil for armour? It's a bit rusty."

Regina snorted.

"Not mine," Xena growled, "It's for a friend."

"I do, I do!" The man turned and rummaged through a basket. "You know, I used to have plenty, but ever since Castarn conquered the area he has been bleeding the place dry. Farmers have been using up all my stock to keep their tools working." He pulled out a vial. "Here it is. 4 dinars." He held his hand out. "I guess that will change now that he's dead."

"What happened to him?" Gabrielle asked as Xena dropped the money into the stumpy hand.

"They say he was killed by a creature of Hades, scary floating thing that sucked the life right out of him."

Regina's face paled. She locked eyes with Emma and minutely shook her head.

"Strange," Xena shrugged. "Do you have any skins for a bedroll?"

"I sure do. How many do you need?"

"Two."

He went around the other side of the caravan to retrieve them. He carried them across his arms, "That'll be 20 dinars."

"20!" Gabrielle gasped, "That's more than we paid for the ones we have. I'll give you 15."

"The ground is very cold this time of year. 19."

"Dude, do you think four gorgeous women can't find a way to keep warm at night? 16 is all you're getting."

Three of the four women stared at Emma. She shrugged, "What?"

Xena was the first to recover. "17. We'll be in the village by nightfall and will be happy to purchase them there."

The man let out a loud belly laugh, "You drive a hard bargain, my friends. 17 it is." He smiled as her exchanged the bedrolls for the dinars. Xena tied them to Argo's saddle and thanked the man for his time and news.

Regina waited till they were out of earshot before she rounded on Emma. "What the hell was that?"

"I was helping negotiate," Emma stated matter-of-factly.

"You implied we were nothing more than easy whores!"

"Hey!" Emma yelled back. "I didn't say that! Besides, there is nothing about you that's easy. And I should know."

Regina stopped and gaped.

Emma realised the woman wasn't beside her and turned, "You have tried to get rid of me since the night I arrived in Storybrooke."

"And if you just left none of this would have happened." Regina stepped into Emma's personal space.

"Well I didn't, so suck it up." Emma snapped. "Too bad you got pulled into the portal, then you could have been finally rid of me!"

"Ladies, ladies," a deep sultry voice purred, "Surely there are better ways to express your anger."

Emma was too busy glaring at Regina to recognise the voice, but the brunette turned in shock. "Ares," she used her well trained Mayoral façade.

Realisation dawned on Emma and she spun to face the leather-clad man. She breathed in sharply before she put herself between him and Regina, a glare set firmly on her face.

"Hello Regina," he smiled.

"What do you want Ares?" Xena demanded.

The smile stayed on his groomed face as he continued to look at Regina, "I have a proposal to make to my dear old friend."

"Friend?" Emma frowned between the God of War and the woman she had just been about to… "Wait, you know Ares?"

Regina smirked, "We have met before."

"Met?" he laughed. "This world could have been yours if you had stayed. We could have ruled together."

"I am less interested now than I was then."

He looked between Regina and Emma, "So I see."

"She said she isn't interested," Emma said firmly, "so back off."

Xena hid her amusement with practice. "You're not wanted here Ares. I suggest you leave."

"Or what?" He grinned. "You'll have to fight me? Please, we've been there, done that. No, I will make my offer, and you will accept Regina."

"Over my d…"

Regina cut Emma off. "Hurry up, Ares. I don't have all day. I will listen, but that is all."

He gave a knowing smile, "The way home lies within a forest to the north, between the great cliffs and the lost city."

"Why are you telling us this?" Gabrielle asked sceptically.

"Simple, for your simple mind," he glared at Gabrielle, then turned back, "I will take you there, Regina, right now, and we can bring whoever you want to this world. They can serve us as we rule all the lands."

"I said," Regina conjured a fireball in her hand, "that I am not interested."

Xena drew her sword and Gabrielle held her staff in front of her. Emma still stood protectively in front of Regina, but she could feel the heat emanating from the fireball. One problem at a time, she reminded herself.

"By the Gods," Ares rolled his eyes, "Will you people lighten up?"

Insulting his manhood - probably not the best idea… Emma internally commented. "I'd suggest leaving before these two open a can of whoop-arse on you."

He laughed and gave Regina a sickly sweet smile, "Call if you need." He nodded to the Warrior Princes, "Xena." Then he disappeared in a grey cloud.

Emma spun around and saw the purple in Regina's eyes and the fireball still in her hand. "Regina, you can put it out now, he's gone." Emma held the brunette's other hand and squeezed it tight. "Regina, please stop."

Emma didn't know how magic worked, but she breathed a sigh of relief when the fireball fizzled out and the purple haze faded and the brown irises returned. O-oh, that look isn't good. Emma stepped back quickly.

"Don't touch me!" Regina yelled and stormed off along the road.

"Hey! I was just trying to help!" Emma shouted after her and followed.

Xena and Gabrielle exchanged a looked before doing the same. Xena sheathed her sword led Argo by the reigns. She hoped she wouldn't need to carry Regina over the saddle again. She glanced at Gabrielle and groaned when she saw the look on her face.

"What?"

"Regina seems to get awfully angry when Emma touches her."

"Regina doesn't play well with others." Xena stated from experience.

Gabrielle gestured towards the other women, "Do you think maybe they…"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

The bard decided to keep a close eye on the two mothers and work out just what made them tick. "I think you're wrong. I think there's something there."