Chapter 50: Maybe it's time for you to step down now

Xena POV

My new fragile, newly built up life…one with him out of all people, him who was trying so hard to become stronger and stronger for me. I simply couldn't stand the fact that everything might have gone down the drain the second Gabrielle told me what had actually happened. Everything had turned to ashes…. I felt as if all the sky had came down on me...I knew him…he wouldn't forgive that easily, and I just felt so bad because lately I was the one who had stupidly destroyed everything…take for example my stubbornness about not telling him about that poison, I should have done it- thus preventing all his pain…

What was I thinking? Why did I even let Hercules kiss me? I guess I just wanted to know if it was all over between us and the best thing is that now I knew it for sure...I had never really loved Hercules…not the way I loved Ares. I guess I had never seen Hercules more than the one who pulled me out of my own darkness and I would be forever in his debt for that...a best friend but nothing more…His kiss didn't turn me on, it was just a meaningless physical contact, extremely in contrast with Ares's …Only his kisses could make feel as if the entire world was running from under my feet, my heart pounding without stopping when I would just see him…I was in love with him.

As I was heading towards the stables-that's where I thought he was, my head began to hurt…and when I took a first glimpse of him, I felt a stab through my heart...He was just standing there, without moving a muscle, his back turned at me, looking into nothingness.

"Ares..?" I mumbled but it was a barely audible call even for me, so I initially thought that he hadn't heard me but when I wanted to say his name once more, he spoke.

"What do you want?" his voice was raw and cold. I felt like a scared little child for a moment, not expecting that iciness- not after our previous days together.

"Gabrielle told me…look…it was just a kiss." I took a few steps towards him but he started to laugh so I stopped dead in my tracks.

"…just a kiss?"

His laugh ended briskly."Just a kiss?"

He finally looked at me. He was fuming.

"Yes...it didn't mean anything…."

"You don't seem to understand..."

The very next second he was throwing me against the wall of the barn, all his weight coming onto me, his hands painfully bringing mine behind my back as if in a chain.

"Ares..." I stressed his name.

"You are mine…" he screamed, seizing my lips into a very possessive, bruising kiss.

"Was it like that? Did you like it?..." he inquired, looking me in the eyes and I just stared at him back, defiantly…Those eyes, that melting amber color was no longer shinning there, his eyes were as black as the night...they send shivers down my back…

"Answer me!" he shook me as if I had been a rag doll… His hands...he had surely left bruises on my arms by now.

"Answer me!"

"Would you let go of me already?" I struggled to free myself from his iron like grip but it was impossible.

"You're acting like a little child whose favorite toy has been stolen..."

He didn't flinch a moment but his jaws tightened and his grip too.

"Ares..."

He kissed me again but this time it was a bit different...He was almost gentle...And I say almost because he lingered on my lips once our kiss ended, and I instantly felt the pain and the iron taste of blood in my mouth...my blood...I gasped.

"You're driving me crazy..." he brushed my lips with his…When I looked at him my blood was on his lips. He started to kiss me deeply and I returned his kisses back even if at first I refused because I hated that attitude of his.

"I need you..." I heard him say, freeing my arms and my hands went involuntary to his neck.

He stopped for a couple of seconds, glancing at me with those hungry eyes and soon after, I found myself into the hay with him on top of me. He pinched my skin with his teeth and placed sweet kisses upon those places afterwards.

"Ares..." now his name was coming as an emergency from my mouth.

"I will make you forget each and every one of them and then, it will be only me..."

"You..."I whispered back.

… It had always been him.

"Me...Say it..." he commanded… "Say that you are only mine..."

"I'm yours..." the words came out of my mouth unbelievably simply, naturally. His kisses gradually become more intense and full of need.

I took his vest off and I placed my hands on his chest feeling the hair there coming through my fingers…so delicate. I placed small but hungry kisses on every place that I found free, somehow wanting to remove the pain that I had caused him without even thinking.

His hands were caressing every spot on my body that by now was almost nude...He was moving fast and I couldn't wait anymore either. I brought my head up to find his mouth, to kiss him one more time but then we both heard it…a desperate cry that made us instantly stop looking into each other eyes. That rich brown color of his eyes was back.

He stood up and began to put his clothes back on. I automatically did the same. He extended his hand and I took it and then we ran fast back into the house.

"Gabrielle..?" I yelled but no one responded, but the crying didn't stop so we made our way where Adam was supposed to be, in his room.

"Adam…" I said with fear and dread in my voice. "Ad.."

"Xena...how nice of you to join us!"

"Give me my son back, Athena…" I warned the very proud goddess of the war and warfare. Adam was crying loudly in her arms.

"Give him to her Athena..." Hercules insisted too… "You are different from all the other gods…"

"I knew that something was off...Don't you wanna know how I found this place...that stupid airheaded sister of mine..."

"If you harmed Aphrodite…" Ares warned hatefully…

"Don't worry brother…She is a goddess…But now I know...Xena made us all believe that her little precious Eve was gone, along with her Bard too…clever I might add, but how much did you think it would last till I found out huh?"

"What are you talking about…?"

"We both know that I don't need to remind you Xena...Don't play dumb, it doesn't suits you. But if I can't have the right child, I'll just take the other till you come and give her to me...willingly." Gabrielle must have fled with Eve...That's why she wasn't there and Athena didn't find her...yet.

"Shut up you little brat..." she yelled at my son…My chakarm wasn't by my side so I didn't really have a weapon to distract her with something.

"Athena..." Hercules insisted.

"This one...is not to be convinced..."Ares spoke with venom in his voice and looked at us.

"And what…what would you do little brother...I'm immortal and you…well you'll just have to stay with what you choose..."

"Just give my son back!" he said as an ultimatum but his sister refused.

"Sorry…but ain't gonna happen!"

"Then maybe it's time for you to step down sister." And then I saw the fireball going straight into Athena with so much force that she was knocked out, and seconds after, Adam was peacefully encased in his father's arms…no more crying. Ares looked at me sadly and placed Adam in his bed and disappeared with Athena in the ether…

I was shocked...He was a god again…