"Goodbye? What do you mean goodbye?" he said- a hint of puzzlement in his voice- grabbing her arm and pulling her back by his side. What in the name of Hades did she think she was doing?! Had she lost her mind?!

" It's over, Ares…Lyceus was right…I already have too much blood on my hands as it is…" she repeated, looking aside, unable to face his burning gaze any more. She could clearly see the confusion painted on his face, just like she could notice something strikingly similar to pain in his eyes. It was almost as if every word was an arrow and every single one ended up hitting home…. What she definitely couldn't see though, was something invisible to the mortal eye- the fact that the War God's heart had become frozen solid by now - frozen in fear…- an unconscious but overwhelming fear of losing her…

"You're a Warrior…that's what we do- we spill blood- for a good cause…" he replied, tightening the hold on her arm but doing even the impossible to control his temper.

"You're a Warrior…that's what we do.- we spill blood- for a good cause…"

"Innocent blood…" she vainly tried to reason with him.

" There's no such thing as innocent blood! ….Victims are and always will be victims- Every war has its share- it's not something that a person wielding a sword can actually avoid. Plus, it's not like you've made a purpose out of killing women and children, Xena…! Your army doesn't fight children…" he started to shout just to end the last sentence on a considerably calmer note, despite the dark anger radiating from his aura.

" And yet, they die…" she bluntly contradicted, desperate to make him understand- to make him see things her way- to offer him something- whatever that something was- and explanation, a scenario that actually made sense, something that could somehow justify her decision- since Pythia's terrifying revelation didn't seem to have an equally strong impact on him as it did on her.

" Some of them…." he hissed, fighting the urge to break something. " But this isn't about those few drops of blood staining your hands, is it? It is about that damn vision itself….Seeing your brother again must have messed with your brain big time…." he concluded, chewing his lips in silent agony for a couple of seconds before he returned to his previous theory as if there were no other valid explanation for what was happening to her." … You're just troubled, Xena…but you'll forget all about this nonsense in no time…" he insisted- softly caressing her cheek now- frustration written plainly across his features. Why was she doing this? What did she want with him?

" Stop acting as if you know what I'm talking about! As if you understand ! You obviously don't! You think I'm delusional…" she finally burst, bitterness in her voice, slapping his hand before finally pushing him away from her- as hard as she could.

" Can you blame me? Really?! Come on, Princess! She showed you whatever it was necessary to convince you that what you are doing is wrong! " he ended up screaming back, at the top of his lungs. She was driving him insane! All this story was simply ridiculous and he had a terribly hard time believing that she had actually fallen for something like that…

Too furious to actually offer him a reply, the Warrior Princess chose the easy way out of that sticky situation, heading for the door again…With Ares things were never that simple though…..

" Don't even think about it! If you thought for one second that turning your back on me and just walking away was an option, you were dead wrong, Sweetheart! You made a sacred vow, remember?! You swore allegiance to me- a lifetime commitment! You are my fucking Chosen, and like it or not that's how things stand! This is not something you can walk away from! So whatever morality issues you imagine you might be having, just deal with them! Solve them and move on! " he growled, barely restraining the urge to slap those crazy ideas out of her head. Who did she think she was?!

"You can't force me to do something against my own will…This is my decision to take….my life…" she stated, only a murmur, quickly realizing that in this case, violence was not an answer- not if she wanted him to grant her request.

" May I remind you that your life belongs to me! It has been that way ever since you pledged yourself to me, darling!" he kept screaming, the pain in his eyes only growing deeper, consuming him.

" I'm not staying…..Ares….! You'll just have to deal with it…Find another Chosen or…"

….This time, her voice sounded as if it had no life into it…

She didn't get the chance to finish that sentence though, for moments later, she hit the wall like a rag doll with a force that knocked the air from her lungs.

" Yeah! Too bad I'd have to kill ya first! …" he threatened through clenched teeth, his fingers clenching menacingly around her neck, slightly hesitant about squeezing too much, as if he were still waiting for the confirmation that she was still in one piece after that rough collision with the wall. ". Just what part out of a lifetime commitment did you not understand, Xena?! And just for the sake of conversation, what in Tartarus will you be doing supposing you leave everything behind, huh? Have you thought about that?"

"I can always go back home….to Amphipolis…" she muttered, putting her hands on his, trying to loosen his grip.

" Home…..what home ? Are you by any chance talking about that hovel from which Cyrene kicked you out right after Lyceus' death without giving a damn about your pain and remorse…? …..Is it the same one where the villagers nearly stoned you to death?!" he spat, his ironic gaze making her feel incredibly uncomfortable….That wasn't a memory she was particularly fond of- she had been so weak that day….- devastated by her brother's early departure, that's true, but so unpardonably weak…

" She is my mother. She will eventually forgive me…" she answered, gritting her teeth in pain, gasping for air, struggling to catch her breath.

"Maybe…You'd only have the rest of the village to worry about….A piece of cake for the Warrior Princess…..or wait….you'd no longer be a warrior, will you…? Too much blood on your hands….." he mocked. " Face it Xena…that is only a fantasy- well a nightmare, really, if you ask me…. I can't even bare to picture you living in that tavern, having to put up with all those mindless fools that putz around that wretched place, always stinking of alcohol.…You'd just end up breaking their arms or snapping their necks before they finish their drinks…- quite ironic given your newly found obsession with the innocent blood and all…"

"I'm not expecting you to understand this….."

"Good…cause making an effort in that direction hasn't even crossed my mind….The only place you're going, is back to the Halls of War with me…For you, that should be home…."he let her know, in a low, haunting voice, pulling her closer and kissing her possessively on the lips.

" Haven't you heard a word I said?"

" I could ask you the same thing..Imagine that.." he retorted, somewhat mocking. " I am your patron God and you will do as you are told! You will obey me and…." he commandingly started again, just to stop all of the sudden, when, taking his time studying her expression, he realized that his efforts were pointless really...There was actually nothing that he could do to keep her from leaving….He could beat the Tartarus out of her, drag her by the hair back to camp...kill her if needed…but where was the fun in that?! She still wouldn't agree with his thinking….plus, wasting talent was so not his thing…No….this strategy was definitely not working. It was time to try something different.

" ….You know something? Maybe you're right …." he pensively stated, much to his Chosen's surprise. She simply couldn't believe it…Was he actually ok with this?!

"…..You run along to your mommy, do whatever it is that you need to do, enjoy the beauty of the peaceful rural life….milk some cows, feed some chickens, pick some flowers…Whatever…just try not to take too long…You know me…I get bored easily…."

" Goodbye Ares….." she whispered, a faint, sad smile on her lips… He still didn't get it- she was never coming back...Just like he obviouly refused to accept the fact that she had never intended to hurt him, quite the opposite…she was sacrificing everything she had- the perspective of a knew beginning- for him …It was for the better though that he had no idea just how much this decision was tearing her apart….

" Don't push it.." he warned, vanishing from the place, unable to control himself anymore….He needed time to think about everything that had happened, he needed time to understand- and once he got that covered, he could focus on a way to bring her back...