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Chapter 32:Complications

Ares POV

"Athena? What does the Bitch want now?" I asked in a strangled voice, barely restraining my fury at hearing that witch's name rolling off my ditsy Sister's tongue.

"Don't panic. She doesn't know about Eve…not yet anyway."

Xena let out a relieved sigh.

"Than what is it Dite?" My Princess asked with a frown. I could see how worried she was. I could easily read it in her eyes.

"She wants to see Adam …She found out about Xe's pregnancy and wants to check it out…She was telling something to Hades about paying you a visit soon…so I came to warn you…That's all I know."

"I bet Discord made an appearance in the meantime…It must have been her the one to tell Athena about my child…She couldn't have found out otherwise."

"I didn't see her Ar, but come to think about it, you might be right."

"Xena!"

The door opened and Gabrielle came in. "Dite what are you doing here..?"

"Athena is coming." My Princess answered in a cold voice, wasting no time with telling the story.

"Athena?"

"The problem is that she can't see you….let alone Evie..."

"Guys, I need to go. I don't want her to check upon me and see that I'm missing and then...you know…"

"Ok…Thanks Aphrodite!" Xena uttered.

"Take care of my Sweet Pies."

The next second, she was gone in a shower of roses.

"Why did she leave?" Eve asked sweetly but our minds were somewhere else.

"I thing I have an idea..." Xena soon uttered, a cunning smile spreading widely on her face.

"Awee…awe..."

"Hush love..!Sweetie..." She bent down and looked at Eve. "...stay here with your Daddy ok?"

She flashed me a very familiar gaze before looking back at her daughter…I knew that sparkle in her eyes….She had a plan….

Eve just nodded her acceptance.

"Tell me…I need to know….." I required to know…I did know from the start thought that asking for information was a lost cause.

"Ares take care of her till I come back…I need to feed Adam first…Come Gabrielle." She commanded in her usual manner letting me in the dark with her plan as always….

After she left I started to think at all the possibilities, all the escape routs. Athena was very astute…Maybe Dite couldn't see the problem from all the angles but I could…It was definitely more to the matter than it met the eye, that was for sure…What I was positive about though was the fact that I wasn't overreacting about Athena's morbid intentions…I had this strange feeling that I just couldn't shake off, and knowing Athena as I did, that was never good news.

"Daddy...whose Athena?" Eve inquired in a clear, crystalline voice, touching my knee gently and staring at me with those lovely baby blues, scanning my own for an answer.

"No one important Sweetheart..."

"Do you know her?"

"Yes."

"Is she beautiful?"

"I guess…"

"Does she have long curly hair like aunt Dita…?"

I had to smile at that image. It was too funny.

"Come to daddy." I replied in return, lifting her and placing her on the bed, next to me.

The effort made me unconsciously whine in pain.

"Does it hurt?"

"Just a little bit Sweetheart...But by tomorrow I will be stronger than a lion!" I joked, feigning an attack that ended with a lot of tickling.

That certainly made her laugh a lot. She loved playing with me. And I loved to see her happy like that.

"Mommy was worried….you know..." she reopened the subject as soon as our little game ended. "…. and I was worried too….."

"She was?" I asked in amazement, my heart leaping with joy.

"Yep...She stayed with you all day long and yesterday too….I was with grandma Cyrene. But I came to visit you too…"

"You did, little Princess?" I said kissing the top of her head, giving her a big hug.

"I sure did."

"I'm glad you did, Honey. It was probably your presence that made me feel better."

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you too, Evie."

I couldn't remember if except to Xena I had ever said those words to anyone before…Nevertheless, it was no surprise that I chose to tell them to her daughter too…She was part of her…She was her…I had spoken the truth though. I did love her with all my heart.

The instant the room lightened, my heart stopped. I suddenly found myself preparing for a fight when, as the fog cleared, I saw Dite again.

"Ares...Eve comes with me." She announced, seriously.

"What?"

"I don't have time to explain but it's all part of Xena's plan…Come Evie." My sister urged, extending her hand for Eve to take, but the little girl just stood there, staring at me.

"Go Eve, Dite will take good care of you …or else…" I added, throwing my Sister a menacing look. She was well aware of what it meant.

"Of course I will…She's my niece, isn't she?!" Dite bit back, on an offended tone.

"You'd better!" I made sure to underline to her obvious exasperation.

She just rolled her eyes and got ready to vanish.

"Bye Daddy!" Eve said, waving her little hand at me.

"Bye Sweetie! Be good!" I replied, but by the time I finished my phrase, they were no longer in the room…The place felt empty without her.

I got up and headed to where Xena was with a determinate 'this time I will not be let in the dark' look on my face.