Chapter 23:Her first word

Ares POV

"It was just a kiss Dite." I indirectly tried to tell her. That was definitely not a reason to be so happy about it since it gave me more headache then alleviation.

"Just a kiss? Ar…come on…a kiss is always the beginning of something else…She wants you."

She sounded pleased with her realization so far.

"Ohh that I know." I ended angrily and she kept staring puzzled at me. "But she is being careful about it; lying to herself and lying to me too about her feelings…She says that it meant nothing."

"Well…tell her how you feel…"

"Yeah, sure, that would certainly make all the difference in the world. Come on Dite, you know her…."

" Then I'll just have to talk to her. "

"Don't even think about it." I threatened.

"We must fix that broken trust somehow…"

"We? "

"Yeah as in you and me…we…"

She was surely imagining something because she was deep in thought.

"Dite keep your hands off this….Promise me! "

She indulged a couple of minutes later, but she didn't look thrilled about it.

"Do you want ambrosia then?"

Her words ringed in my brain as loud as a bell.

I considered the option for awhile, but in spite of the fact that the idea of winning my powers and status back was very appealing and tempting, I was well aware that the minute that would occur I would loose Xena forever. …

"No."

"No?"

According to her reaction she certainly had expected a very different answer.

"Are you like for real? I would have never believed that I could ever hear that coming from your mouth."

"Well these days I seem to do things that I myself never would have believed possible… Look…It's not that I don't want it…" I continued. "I do….I'm craving for it… but I want Xena more than anything…Definitely more than that damned ambrosia."

"I know that…" She smirked. "I'm the Goddess of Love aren't I?"

"Staying mortal is the only way…" I said without thinking at her well chosen words to make me blow up.

"Being mortal means that she can learn to trust me more. Becoming a God again would only ruin everything for us…And I'm not willing to take that risk."

"Well good luck with that then…." She answered, a wide smile painted on her lips.

"…I need to split…. There's a major Love problem in Thebes but call me if anything…ok?"

I nodded and she vanished in a shower of rosy petals.

I sighed…..I just needed patience…a lot of patience…Maybe there was a chance after all…Maybe not everything was lost.

The day passed quite quickly and I soon found myself tired and ready for bed. As I was passing through the hall where the rooms were, I heard noises coming from inside Xena's room…so I eavesdropped just a little bit but to find out that Eve was in no mood to go to sleep and that her mother was really tired judging by her voice.

"Shhh Evie…please don't cry…Go to sleep baby…Mommy is tired…You know big girls don't cry…pleaseee..."

I cracked the door open just enough so I could enter and then I closed it back after me. Xena didn't even hear me…She was way too tired for that…and Eve was crying too so that made it even more difficult for her to actually realize that I was standing just a few feet away.

I put my hand on her shoulder and she turned startled to face me.

"I heard noises so I…"

I didn't let her time to say anything; I just took the loudly crying Eve in my arms…her screams ceased the moment she felt the warmth of my chest.

"Wow…I have been trying to put her to sleep for hours…"

"She sure missed me. " I answered mildly, smiling down at the now giggling child.

Xena on the other hand way still to taken aback by my sudden presence there to offer a reply. She did smile though, and her gorgeous smile made my day.

"You can sleep now little Princess…"

She waited for a couple of seconds more before she took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Did you put the crib in here?"

"Actually I did….your mother wanted it here..."

"Thanks!" She casually said, and for once, things were looking bright.

I told Xena good night and I put Eve to sleep.

When I woke up in the morning after falling asleep on a couch near Eve's crib, somehow everything looked different….It all started with a lovingly uttered word:

"Daddy!"