Author's Note: Ok here's the curveball people! Try and be gentle and keep your mind open to possibilities of where this story can go! You guys know you love me!

Ares shimmered in to the temple with his back turned to Cupid.

"What are you doing here? I have…"

"DAD!"

Ares whirled around as the fear in Cupid's voice registered, along with the title that his son had not spoken in over a millennia.

The sight of Aphrodite laying limp in his sons arms made the coldness in his heart shatter as something as close to human fear flitted through it.

He was lifting Aphrodite into his own hold before he even knew he had moved.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Ares yelled as Aphrodite whimpered and shivered as a cold sweat broke out over her forehead. Her eyes closed as if she was having a nightmare.

"I don't know…one second we were talking about some girl named Elaine and the next…" Cupid shook his head trying to figure out what was going on.

Then Aphrodite's eyes snapped open as a scream sprang from her lips, and through instinct Ares cradled her all the more tightly to himself.

Both men began to quickly discuss what could be happening.

But a second later Aphrodite let out a shuddering sigh as something inside her began to fill with a new warmth that she had not experienced before. It grew and grew until she beamed with a white radiant light that shocked both father and son.

Slowly the glow subsided and Aprhrodite became slowly aware of who held her.

"Ar?"

"DO YOU MIND TELLING ME WHAT THE HELL THAT WAS?!!!" Ares roared as the fear finally subsided and anger at not knowing engulfed him.

Aphrodite paid little attention to his outburst as she realized that Ares was holding her to him like he did oh so long ago. Before there were so many mortals, before either of them had anyone but each other. A soft smile came to her lips as those long ago memories surfaced.

Ares watched the small smile form on her lips and couldn't stop the small quirk to his lips as he recognized that smile. A small that let him know she was remembering the past they shared.

"You haven't held me this close in a long time." Both Ares and Cupid smiled at the statement.

Slowly Ares placed her on her own feet, carefully as if expecting her to collapse again – but Aphrodite stood on her own without so much as a grimace.

"You mind telling us what that was?" Cupid asked his mother in a much calmer tone than his father had.

Aphrodite's beautiful face formed into an unattractive one as she thought about the question.

"I honestly don't know Cupie…It's never happened before."

"What happened before you went to talk to Cupid?" Ares asked.

Aphrodite's face became somber and formed into one of dred as she swallowed down a lump in her throat.

Ares knew that whatever had happened…was not good.

I can't stop feeling that I've managed to undo Joxer's fate. I can't help myself but feel relieved that I actually did it.

But as I stand here with him, watching the tears slowly slide down his face...I know that beyond everything...everyone would be better off.

The way Joxer's leaning against me makes me content and sad all at the same time. If he could ever love me back it would be a gift from God. And even if he doesn't...I would help him see through the horrors that I know he would face in this world without me.

Slowly Joxer pulls away from Elaine's embrace and turns to look at Xena. Xena's eyes were moist, as if the warrior wanted to cry - but Joxer doubted Xena would show any kind of weakness around him. Why should she? It wasn't as though their friendship had been a joke to her. All of those years thinking that Xena was just keeping her mouth shut for his benefit.

God's I'm an Idiot!

He should have known that he would just be a joke to her.

Elaine could see from the way he straightened his spine that his thoughts had become serious. Knowing that Joxer had a tendency to say things without thinking, Elaine quickly spoke before Joxer could get a chance to say anything.

"Joxer and I are going to be traveling together for awhile."

This caused Gabrielle to snap her head back to look at Joxer and Elaine. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach telling her that it was wrong that Joxer travel with Elaine. Xena's own eyes showing her shock as well, but it was Joxer's words that made her keep her protest at bay.

"I...I think I need....time...ta think about stuff...away from you guys..." Joxer stuttered out the words as he kept his eyes on the ground, and his head tilted down. Elaine knew it was because he didn't have the strength to look Xena in the eyes as he said the words.

Xena inhaled slowly, then quietly said "Ok."

Joxer nodded slightly.

Suddenly a flash of yellow blue and pink was beside Joxer and Elaine.

"WOW! You are putting off some MAJOR vibes!" Cupid exclaimed as he looked at Elaine and then Joxer.

Aphrodite's worried look was noticed by Xena. The pout of worry on the goddesses face causing something in Xena to realize that something must really be wrong to cause it. But all of her focus was cut off as she noticed the third party.

"Ares." Xena snarled as her lips curled in disgust.

Ares usually would smile or taunt Xena, but his eyes were focused on Elaine.

"How the hell did you get here?" Ares asked smoothly.

Elaine though just smirked in amusement and then a crooked smile broke out.

"Black hole! Created a link between two and hitched a ride here!" Elaine stated with a cute smile.

Ares grinned back at Elaine, for some unknown reason...he was impressed with the way she answered him. Almost coyly...but with an air of humor.

Of course the smirk caused a frown and furrowed brow on the warrior princesses face.

"You do realize that you being here has altered our universes timeline and all out future." Ares stated more than asked.

Elaine glanced at Joxer and then back at Ares.

"Somethings are worth altering time for."

"Ares what do you want?" Xena asked with less venom than normal - something about Ares talking with Elaine was unsettling...and Xena knew that she had to figure out why Ares was here.

"Sis came by passed out and looking like Hades paid her a visit...you can imagine my concern that this," motioning to Elaine, "mortal showing up might have something to do with it."

"Ares stay out of this! Why don't you go back to your..." Xena was already winding up for her one of many cut downs, but she never got the chance.

"What is your problem?!" Elaine exclaimed as she turned to stare at Xena.

It was at this point that mortal and gods watched in shock a show that none had ever seen before.

"Seriously you hardly ever give the man any chance to explain himself! Cut him some slack will yah?!!" Elaine said with such exasperation as she again turned back to look at Ares.

It only took a second for Xena to recover though. And it was the first time that Elaine understood why people feared her. The iciness of her words made her freeze for a second.

"You have no clue who you're talking to girlie! So I'm going to say this one time and nicely as I can. Ares is nothing but trouble and if he..."

Joxer watched in amusement as Elaine rolled her eyes and again interrupted Xena..he had never seen someone pull this off.

"Yeah Yeah! Blah blah blah blah! For some reason I think you're forgetting that the God that you know didn't exactly pick his job!! He was kind of given it at birth! I doubt when Hera and Zeus had him they were like," Elaine began to point at the three gods and speak in a manly fashion, " 'Well we have a goddess of Love so now I think we need a god of War...who wants to be God of War?' Do you think Ares was Jumping up and down going 'Pick Me! Pick Me!' NO! So why don't you show the man the respect he deserves!" Elaine said with a huff and again turned back to Ares.

All in the room except Elaine stepped back in fear as Xena's eyes sparkled with the craziness they often did when someone had pushed the wrong button.

"RESPECT!! THE MAN IS EVIL INCARNATE!!!!" Xena yelled as she began to walk towards Elaine in anger.

But everyone was shocked as Elaine just turned and snarled at Xena.

"Without HATE we wouldn't know LOVE. Without WAR we wouldn't know PEACE! Without DEATH we wouldn't know LIFE!!! Are you starting to get the picture princess?!"

Ares saw the second that Xena snapped and went to lunge for Elaine but before Xena couldn't even move Ares and made her materialize closer to him, but still remained next to Joxer.

Elaine turned towards Ares with a furrowed brow, as did Joxer.

Ares just stood their with a look of bafflement on his face.

Slowly though...Elaine's face formed into a soft smile as she understood that he didn't have a clue as to why he stopped Xena from hurting her.

"You're really a nice guy...you just can't be because of what you do." Elaine whispered the words just enough that Ares and Joxer heard her.

Ares just looked into Elaine's eyes with confusion.

Elaine lifted her hand and held his cheek, and at the gesture all looked on in shock.

"No one has ever thanked you for what you do...or what you have given up - to make sure that there's a balance to everything. But I thank you. For being something that no one wants to be, and for doing a job that noone would want to do."

Ares face was blank as he processed the woman's words, his eyes unable to look away from the look that was being bestowed upon him.

Then something happened that made Xena feel as though SHE had been slapped.

Elaine leaned up and gently placed a kiss on Ares' lips. Not long or romantic like she had with Joxer, but a kiss that showed emotions that Ares had only felt with one woman...and it was enough that the woman that he had felt it with again gasped in pain and clutched her heart.

"AHHH!" Aphrodite gasped and put a hand to her chest. Cupid immediately dove to grab his mother, but Ares took a second to act as he too went to help Aphrodite.

Slowly the ache in her chest began to fade and she was finally able to look up into dark brown eyes and bright blue ones.

"You've got to be KIDDING ME!!!" Aphrodite all but shrieked at Ares. Only Cupid and Aphrodite witnessed the blush on the god of war's cheeks before he stopped the sensation he had been experiencing.

"Are you ok?" Elaine asked as she moved over to see if Aphrodite was fine or not, Joxer beside her with a look of concern on his face as well.

Aphrodite couldn't help herself, she smiled in assurance at Joxer. Slowly Joxer smiled back, along with Elaine.

"Don't worry sweetcheeks! I'm ok." Aphrodite responded.

"Are you sure?" Joxer asked in a scared sort of way, very much uncomfortable being this close to three gods - especially these three gods.

"Let's just say that I do NOT want to get use to it!" Aphrodite said as Cupid slowly pulled her into an upright position. Aphrodite gave Ares a little stare saying they were going to have a 'little' talk.

Ares closed his eyes, trying to figure out what exactly had just happened.

Author's Note: I know you hate me! But I bet you never saw that coming now did yah?! REVIEWS people! I live for them!