Chapter 34: Rest

Xena had reached the eighth month of her pregnancy. Despite Ares' protective nature, she continued to lead her daily yoga class to stay connected with her body and maintain a sense of balance.

Once class was over, she decided to head back to her office to grab her things for the day to head home. Before she could make it to her office, a wave of fatigue momentarily stopped her. She took the nearest seat by the front desk as beads of sweat formed around her head. She picked up a piece of paper and began fanning herself. Emma noticed Xena's discomfort and approached with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Xena, are you okay?" Xena acknowledged her with a mild shrug trying to cool off and catch her breath. She turned to Emma with a request,

"Could you grab my water bottle from my office, please?" Emma nodded and rushed to Xena's office. She closed the door softly behind her. From her waist sling, she pulled out a bottle of sleeping pills. Carefully, she emptied a pile onto a sheet of paper and crushed them into a fine powder. The small room echoed with the crushing sound as Emma meticulously prepared her harmful concoction.

After transforming the pills into a powdery substance, she poured it into Xena's water bottle. Confident that most of the pills had dissolved, Emma vigorously shook it. Pleased with what she'd done, she quickly went back to Xena, hiding her true intentions behind a worried look.

Xena lifted the cup to her lips and took a long sip. The cool liquid momentarily soothed her dry throat, but the relief was fleeting. Emma stood nearby with her eyes wide and unblinking while she watched Xena closely, knowing something was about to unfold.

Within moments, Xena felt a strange heaviness settle over her. The world around her began to blur, and an unnatural fatigue crept into her limbs. Confusion flickered across her face as she looked toward the yoga studio. The once familiar room now seemed distant and distorted, as though she were looking at it through a thick fog.

Her heartbeat quickened as unease set in. What's wrong with me? she thought, her mind growing cloudier by the second. She blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the dizziness, but it only worsened. She reached out for something to steady herself, but her hand trembled, and the space around her started to spin.

Determined to fight the growing weakness, Xena gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand. Her muscles felt sluggish and her body swayed under the weight of the overwhelming exhaustion. She managed a few cautious steps while her legs trembled beneath her. But then, everything went dark.

With a sickening thud, Xena's body hit the floor. The sound of her collapse echoed through the gym, and in an instant, the peaceful atmosphere shattered. Gasps filled the room as gym members rushed toward her, their panic rising with each passing second.

"Somebody help her!" one person shouted, while others crowded around, unsure of what to do. Xena laid motionless, her body limp on the cold floor. The frantic voices and the chaos around her were a blur but one thing was clear: something was terribly, horribly wrong.

Ares bolted towards the crowd, every step feeling like an eternity as if time itself had slowed. His heart was racing faster than he had ever felt before, and his legs seemed unbearably heavy, moving as if under some invisible weight. He knew something had happened to Xena...again.

When he reached her, his panicked voice called her name. The soft moans escaping her lips added to the fear in the air. Without hesitation, Ares scooped her up into his arms, her weight feeling heavier than usual, and he swiftly carried her towards his car.

"Hold on my sweet, everything will be okay." Emma observed the scene as a wicked smile creased her lips.

~XA~

Ares burst into the hospital; desperation etched across his face.

"Help! Someone, please help my wife!" His powerful voice echoed through the quiet halls. Nurses rushed to his side, one of them pushing a bed toward him.

"Sir, lay her down here. We'll take care of her," a nurse instructed with a calm yet urgent tone. Gently, Ares laid her on the bed, his eyes never leaving her face.

"She just collapsed. I don't know what happened," he stammered, his worry clear in every word.

"How far along is she?" One nurse asked as she wrapped the blood pressure cuff on her arm.

"8 months," he nervously replied, as he watched them work. The medical team swiftly took charge, leaving Ares standing in the hallway, his heart pounding with fear for Xena. The staff gently guided Ares towards the waiting room. Ares took one last worried glance towards the direction they took Xena.

The waiting room offered little comfort as Ares paced anxiously. Each passing minute felt like an eternity as he awaited news about Xena's condition. The low hum of the fluorescent lights seemed to echo the tension in the air. Ares couldn't shake the worry that gnawed at him. The clock on the wall ticked away, each second a painful reminder of the uncertainty in the air.

~XA~

Once Xena was brought into her hospital room, the nurses couldn't say another word before she abruptly raised up and started vomiting all over the floor. Ares, standing by her side, gingerly rubbed her back in an attempt to offer comfort. The nurses watched the troubling scene. Once Xena was settled back onto her bed, the team shared their findings with Ares.

"We found a large amount of sleeping medicine in Xena's system," one of the nurses explained. Ares' brows furrowed as he interjected,

"Sleeping pills? That can't be right. Xena doesn't take any." The nurse nodded,

"We understand. We're waiting for the doctor's analysis and ultrasound results to understand the full extent." Ares grabbed the edge of a nearby chair and demanded,

"What does this mean for Xena and the baby?"

"We're doing our best to address the situation. The doctor will be in shortly to discuss the full findings" the nurse replied as she left out the room. Ares turned his attention to Xena.

"Xena, can you tell me what happened?" he asked gently as he took a seat beside her. Xena was still trying to recover from the effects of the ordeal, but she tried to recount the moments leading up to her collapse.

"After yoga, I felt overheated, so I sat down near the front desk. Emma noticed and asked if I was okay." Ares' chest tightened as he listened to her weak voice.

"I asked her to get my water from the office." He listened carefully as the details came together. They both realized at the same moment, exchanging a look that showed how serious things were. Emma had betrayed them, poisoning Xena's water and putting both her and their baby child at risk.

Ares' eyes burned with fury as he absorbed the gravity of Emma's betrayal. His pain and anger mixed together, creating a storm inside him that overwhelmed everything else. Xena's eyes blazed with anger and hurt as she processed the betrayal by someone she considered a colleague. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She knew Emma was jealous, but she never believed she would do something this treacherous that would harm her child. The doctor entered the room. He glanced at Xena's medical chart before turning his attention to the expectant couple.

"So, what line of work are you in, Xena?"

"I'm a yoga instructor." The doctor nodded, his expression growing more serious.

"Well, that'll have to change now," he stated matter-of-factly.

"There's a small tear in your uterine wall. We need to take precautions. You'll have to be on bedrest until delivery." His words hung in the room, changing the course of Xena's life and pregnancy. Ares leaned forward and asked,

"What are the risks if she doesn't stay in bed? We need to understand everything." The doctor explained,

"Continuing normal activities could worsen the tear, leading to more severe complications for both the mother and the baby. She could also deliver prematurely. We want to avoid any unnecessary strain. Bedrest is crucial for a safer pregnancy at this point." Fear gripped their hearts as they looked at each other. They nodded, a shared understanding passing between them.

She was released the following day. Ares pushed her in a wheelchair, as they exited into the garage. Once they reached the front door of their home, Ares carefully lifted Xena from the wheelchair and cradled her in his arms as they entered. Inside, the aroma of a home-cooked meal greeted them. Gabrielle was already there and busy in the kitchen. She had taken it upon herself to prepare a meal that would last for a few days. Ares settled Xena onto the couch and arranged extra pillows and blankets to ensure she was comfortable. Returning to the kitchen, he prepared a plate of food and filled a pitcher with water. Gabrielle approached, offering a warm smile to Xena.

"Hey, glad to have you back. How are you feeling?" Xena managed a faint smile in return.

"Tired, but I'll be okay. Thanks, Gabrielle." Ares handed the plate and water to Xena.

"Eat up, love. We're here for you." Once Xena was comfortably eating and chatting with Gabrielle, he kissed her on the forehead,

"I need to make a run, sweet. See you in a while." She grabbed his hand, smiling, shaking her head with understanding.

~XA~

Ares materialized in Emma's apartment, his presence filling the room with an intensity that matched the fury burning within him. The air seemed to thicken as he confronted the source of his anger.

Emma, startled by his sudden appearance, looked up from whatever she was doing. Her nonchalant expression quickly turned into one of surprise and, perhaps, a hint of fear. Ares' eyes blazed with a rage that demanded answers.

"What in Tartarus do you think you're doing?" He growled, his voice low and threatening. The air crackled with the tension between them. Emma stammered while she attempted to maintain composure,

"Mr. Ares, how did you get inside my home? What's going on?" Ares took a step closer, his gaze piercing through any facade she might attempt to uphold.

"Don't play dumb with me, Emma. You poisoned Xena. What kind of sick game are you playing?" Emma's eyes widened, and she took a step back. In an innocent voice she replied,

"Poisoned Xena? Mr. Ares, I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would I do something like that?" Ares grabbed Emma's arm with a hard, firm grip.

"Don't insult me with your lies. I can sense the darkness in you, Emma. You're jealous, and you've crossed a line. Tell me the truth, or by the gods, you'll regret it." Emma hesitated. The room hung in a tense silence, waiting for the truth that lingered between them. Ares held Emma's gaze with an intensity that seemed to pierce through her very soul.

"I know about the picture you had sent to Xena, trying to drive a wedge between us. That was a petty move, but what you've done now threatens my family. And for that, the punishment is death." Emma, now truly terrified, stammered incoherently, unable to find the words to defend herself. Ares' wrath was suffocating, and the realization of her actions were settling in.

Desperation was clear on her face as she fumbled to pull out her phone, hoping to justify her deeds by showing Ares the videos and pictures she had captured of Xena and Hercules. However, Ares, uninterested in her feeble attempts, snatched the phone from her hands. With a swift, almost casual motion, Ares crushed the phone in his grip, the sound of shattering glass punctuating the gravity of the situation. The remnants of the device fell to the floor. Emma's face paled further, realizing that her secrets were unraveling before her. In a desperate attempt to divert Ares' attention, she tried to deflect blame.

"It's not my fault! Xena stole everything from me. This was supposed to be my life, my happiness!"

"Oh, Emma," he smirked,

"You were never worthy of my attention. Xena didn't steal anything from you." His laughter echoed through the space. His patience with her was gone. He held his hand out in front of him. With blackened eyes, he conjured a blazing fireball.

Emma stared wide-eyed at the swirling inferno that materialized before her. She opened her mouth, perhaps to beg for mercy, but the fireball surged forward, engulfing her completely. The room shook with the unleashed power, and the scent of burning ash filled the air.

In just a few seconds, Emma was nothing more than a pile of ashes. The fire disappeared, leaving behind a quiet stillness, with only the fading traces of Ares' anger hanging in the air.

Ares stood over her, the weight of his actions heavy in the air. The cold look in his eyes couldn't hide the storm inside as he realized he had to stop the danger Emma brought to his family. As Ares disappeared from Emma's apartment, the truth of her death sank in. Her jealousy and spite had led to this final end, leaving a life lost too soon.

~XA~

Xena could sense the tension that clung to Ares as soon as he came back home. She looked at him with wide, concerned eyes. The air in the room felt heavy, and she could almost taste the lingering bitterness. She softly asked,

"Ares, what have you done?" Ares met her gaze with a tense stance. There was a storm raging of anger and sorrow within him. With a detached tone, he answered her,

"I took care of the threat, Xena. Emma won't be a problem anymore." She creased her brows,

"Took care of? Ares, what have you done?" Xena pleaded in a whisper. Ares looked at her with his eyes full of emotion.

"You don't want to know the details, Xena," he muttered. Xena could hear the sadness and regret in his voice. He couldn't stand when Xena looked at him like that. He turned away, slowly making his way upstairs. He knew Xena understood in the long run. He felt a sting as he admitted what he had done. He knew he couldn't let this become a pattern, unwilling to risk losing Xena.

He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The sound of the water hitting the tiles filled the space, drowning out his thoughts. He stepped under the hot spray, hoping it would not only clean his body but also help clear the emotions that still weighed on him.