Disclaimer- I own nothing - In my dreams Ares is mine though.

Her stomach twisted as soon as the reality of Gabrielle's mindboggling betrayal started to plague her mind. Judging by the look in her eyes and by that barely sketched, bitter smile, more than anything, the Warrior Princess felt disappointed. Well…sad and disappointed.

She had genuinely dared believe that after everything they had been through, at least her devoted companion would not let her down. The Bard had boldly demanded her heart on a silver platter- a token of good faith that she was willing to sacrifice her former self in order to fit the redeemed warrior pattern, thus becoming worthy of her so called second chance – but their latest adventure to Chin had made that illusion flash vanish like a perfectly executed magic trick, leaving behind the kind of emptiness she had hoped to never feel again.

Apparently, she should have known better….- sooner or later, everyone ends up following their own twisted interest and Gabrielle was known to have a thing for both rules and common sense, so she obviously made no exception. The problem was that not only did she not understand a word of all the sordid details her friend had shared to her about her past and of the crucial role her mentor, Lao Ma, had had in shaping her destiny but she had definitely failed to understand the importance of putting the Green Dragon to sleep for the rest of eternity.

What stung more than anything though was the awareness that it was not out of concern that her companion had decided to temporarily switch sides and play friends with the enemy but moreover, it was purely out of spite that she had cowardly stabbed her in the back like that.

"You owe someone so much that you would just throw away these last few years?" her friend's words still echoed painfully inside her head, and now that the dust had settled, she could definitely see everything in a different light. Jealousy- over her debt towards a deceased woman with whom she had shared a connection years ago- had been the nail in the coffin for what she had thought they had – an unbreakable connection through which she was supposed to learn all about the good she could do in the world. Not anymore…

Despite the fact that days on end had already passed since they returned to Greece, Xena was still silently licking her wounds, doing her best to plaster a smile on her face from time to time just for the sake of avoiding any useless confrontation. Still, judging by the steel shining in her eyes, she was definitely getting tired of that charade. The mere idea that Gabrielle out of all people had been the one to throw her in jail and almost send her to her death, was eating her alive. She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep and Gods knew it took an active and extremely conscious effort to make eye contact with her. They might have called it a truce back in Chin but at least on her end it didn't feel like one. Xena had never been the one to take disloyalty lightly and the whole string of events was giving her a constant, barely manageable headache that acted like a silent reminder of their broken trust.

"I'm sorry Xena- I couldn't let you do this."

That night she was particularly restless and though in her turn the bard had struggled for a good half an hour to fall asleep, at least now she was snoring like a wild boar lost in Dreamland, completely freed by the shackles of reality, whereas Xena was still wide awake and desperate to shake those thoughts away for a few blessed moments. It was in vain though- that was a battle she couldn't possibly win, not when Gabrielle's words kept swirling incessantly inside her mind.

"Can we talk? Of course not. I betrayed you. The pathetic thing is….I thought I was saving you. My reverence for life kept a brutal tyrant in power, and led to my best friend's execution. I know you hate me Xena- no more than I hate myself."

It didn't take long until her gracious silhouette was engulfed by the dark shadows of the thick trees and bushes surrounding their campsite but as she put a bit of distance between herself and her sleeping companion, out of nowhere, the strangest feeling gripped her, one she could still accurately identify despite having only sensed it once before in her early childhood back when she was still living at Cyrene's tavern- panic.

In less than a blink, Xena was thrown off balance by the debilitating sensation that there was not enough air around her to fill her lungs or, if there was, then something was definitely blocking her windpipe preventing her to inhale properly. At about the same time, her heart started to pound furiously in her chest and as her throat began to close more and more, making her anxiety level skyrocket, a few cold beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Moments later, several others could be seen gliding on a sinuous path down the Warrior Princess' tormented face.

For what seemed like forever, she looked around, as if desperately searching for something, something that was missing although it was supposed to be there. Something that made her head spin even more, making her feel dizzy as if she were drunk. A furtive gaze at her shaking hands was more than enough to also turn her legs into jelly.

Just as she was about to let herself fall to the ground and curl into a ball, two strong hands gripped her shoulders keeping her up for a few seconds longer.

" Hey ! What's wrong? "

She instinctively wanted to answer but that crushing pain in her chest and those sharp, shallow breaths she was now taking, made communication pretty much impossible. As for her mind- it was completely blocked, frozen in that unbelievably humiliating and frightening moment that she would have preferred to never get to relieve.

''Are you hurt?!'' he asked in disbelief, completely forgetting to hide his shock, his alert eyes scanning her from head to toe, looking for any type of visible wound.

Once her panicked gaze finally met his and her palms rested on his chest along with her forehead, he finally understood she was physically unharmed and, gently guiding her towards the ground, he cupped her face in an attempt to control this hectic situation, aware of the inner pain she must she must have been feeling.

''Xena. Look at me !'' he ordered, on that calm but ever so firm tone she knew so well. ''Look at me ! Focus on your breathing, ok ? Deep breaths. '' he insisted, struggling to compose himself the moment her whole body began to shake visibly. '' Just follow my lead. Breathe in….breathe out. In …out . Keep your eyes on my lips -in …out. That's right, Princess. All the way in and out again…. Good girl! ''he lovingly encouraged, gently caressing the jet black hair cascading down her shoulders.

''Try to relax, ok ? '' he continued, running his hands slowly up and down her arms as she did her best to maintain the rhythm he had imposed for her breathing and as her body began to respond to his touch, that overwhelming sense of panic that had overcome her, started to gradually dissipate along with some of that unbearable stiffness in her muscles.

"Better? '' he whispered in her ear right before he pulled her in his arms.

She just gave a slight nod, too embarrassed to actually say it out loud and in response he only tightened his hold even more, relieved that at least up to that point she hadn't lashed out at him.

''It's ok Sweetheart….Everything's gonna be ok …." he whispered through their bond, rocking her back and forth the same way a concerned parent would do with their sick child.

A few minutes later, once the pleasant warmth of his embrace had transferred into her body, she slowly got back to her feet and taking one last deep breath, she focused her attention in the direction of the campsite.

The mere idea of having to go back there was making her nauseous all over again.

''Wanna get out of here for a bit?" he inquired, immediately sensing her growing anxiety once the sparks of a consuming inner battle began to ignite. ''Maybe a change of scenery is just what you need." he invited, extending his hand for her to grab, and to his surprise, he didn't have to say it twice. She placed her hand in his without hesitation, without looking back….

Needless to say, her dramatic reaction- the weird dynamics of that night- intrigued him beyond limits. He was literally in shock. She was always in perfect control of her emotions and on those extremely rare occasions when she wasn't, what transpired could barely be interpreted in any way. But this….this was something else entirely….

As the tips of their fingers touched, a clear image flashed before his eyes. A majestic landscape with high cliffs towering over the ocean and booming waves crashing and gnawing at the bottom rocks. He instantly recognized the place. It was in the land of the Celts. The sounds, the colors, the shape…it was an unmistakable location and though he had only taken her there once before, she appeared to have really enjoyed it given that her subconscious had chosen precisely that destination for their nightly rendez-vous..

There were few locations on earth that had the power to move him in any way- he did refuse to get attached to places or people - but this was one of those few, rare exceptions. There was just something about the perfect, continuous battle between water and rocks that had bewitched him from the start. Plus, she appeared to have liked it so…

As they materialized at the top of the cliffs, he could instantly see a certain sparkle in her eyes accompanied by a particular state of mind- she was both euphoric and serene and the alluring power of the ocean, he could feel it running through her veins, an unusual adrenaline surge that shot straight through their connection- which always made him feel more alive than ever.

Judging by her expression, the Warrior Princess finally felt like she could breathe again. There was so much space there that it was impossible not to be able to inhale and the strong, whistling wind only accentuated the sensation. The salty smell of the ocean, the seemingly endless horizon and his strong arms snaked around her waist was just what the doctor had ordered. At least for a few moments, everything else was meaningless.

She consciously leaned into him. She knew she could. Just like she knew she could finally let go of the façade and allow herself to cry. She could but she didn't want to. There was just too much rage boiling inside her, so very similar to the one of the ocean roaring at their feet.

''You didn't ask….'' she barely articulated, not really knowing whether she wanted him to hear her or not. He did though. Loud and clear.

'' There's no need to. Mixing Blondie and Chin in the same sentence doesn't sound right to me…''

''How do you know about Chin ….?''she inquired, turning around to face him.

''Keeping an eye on you is part of my job description, remember?'' he answered, a playful smirk dancing across his face. ''So…. wanna talk about it ?'' he quickly evaded, expertly throwing the ball in her court.

'''Not really …'' she faintly answered, her clear blue eyes now chasing the setting sun as an excuse to avoid his burning gaze.

''Suit yourself, but you might as well get it out of your system. Whatever it was that triggered that reaction in you, will come back with a vengeance. '' he reluctantly joked, making her crack a smile, despite her inner turmoil.

'Think so?''

''Oh I know so…. ….''

''Don't tell me the big bad God of War has been having panic attacks ….'' she teased, moving towards the edge of the cliff.

''Well, I must admit, I nearly had one when I found out you left to Chin without a proper goodbye. No farewell kiss, no chastity promises, no nothing ….'' he bantered.

''Chastity promises, huh?! '' she chuckled shaking her head, visibly amused by the idea. "Somehow it slipped my mind.''

'' You're killing me ….'' he answered, this time in a deep, velvety voice that instantly made Xena feel intolerably naughty. ''You should have told me you were leaving….''- a subtle reproach she couldn't have missed.

This time she didn't answer, but she did close her eyes when he gently brushed her hair aside so he could lean in closer and press a soft kiss against the side of her neck.

'So….How did it feel …to finally slay the Dragon….?''he murmured while his lips kept spreading kisses all the way to her collarbone.

''Oh, I didn't kill him. He's still alive and kicking.'' she coldly retorted, feigning disgust.

''Oh, he's pushing up daisies, all right!'' he firmly contradicted, taking a mental note at just how fast her heart had skipped a beat at his statement.'' You wouldn't have gone to Chin otherwise….'' he pushed. He knew her so very well- deceiving him was obviously futile.

''Believe what you want ..''

Her defenses were up.

"How does the Bard feel about it, by the way ? Cold blooded murders don't really suite her Xena's on a redemption path ideology. I must admit, I'm intrigued…''

''What do you want Ares ? '' she half yelled at him pushing him away, displeased with how the whole conversation was progressing.

''Did I strike a nerve? '' he cockily inquired, without actually waiting for an answer. ''It was not my intent.. You shouldn't feel guilty for having ended that cockroach's life, anyway. He more than deserved it. It was the right thing to do…Plus, I'm on your side, remember? ''

Once again, she was silent.

''Is this what you were freaking out about? The Bard disliking the dramatic elements of the story ?"

''She doesn't know….'' she finally confessed and for a second, it felt as if a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

He didn't seem surprised.

'Ok….She wouldn't understand your motifs anyway…''

"No, she definitely wouldn't …..''

She almost couldn't get herself to say it out loud.

'' She betrayed me'' she casually added- and then came the icing on the cake- " Almost got me killed.''

It was the War God's turn to embrace silence for a moment.

"This is new…I didn't think she had it in her .''the words tumbled from his lips, and though the Warrior Princess had expected to see at least a hint of satisfaction on his face – or at least in his voice – there was none.

"That makes two of us .''

''So what happened?...How …?'' he asked, genuine curiosity in his eyes.

''She told Ming Tien all about my plans .''

Despite the fact that Xena's face was emotionless, her voice was filled with bitterness and the War God couldn't help thinking that this must have been the last nail in Blondie's coffin. That snitch! He would have gutted her like a fish . Still, he had to play smart….His own hands weren't particularly clean either….

''Why would she do that ?''

''To save me from myself ….''she spat, making sure to drop just the right amount of sarcasm in every single word.

''That's a pretty convenient excuse.''

''My thought's exactly ''

''Ulterior reasons ?'' he poked, determined to get it out of her. He knew he had to in order to help her feel better about it.

'' Lao Ma."

''Jealousy .'' he made sure to voice the obvious, and for a second he couldn't help thinking that for years, he had felt exactly the same for that accursed woman . She had been the main reason why the Xena he knew- his pride and joy- had changed….And yet, as time passed he came to realize that the influence she had had on her had actually contributed to her transformation into the amazing woman she was today. "Blondie obviously has a problem with your old flames. I can actually see a pattern here ..'' he just had to laugh at the similarity.

''Do you now ?'' she teased, arching an eyebrow at his brutal honesty.

'' Hey! For all that's worth, I'm sure she regretted her decision the very next second .''

''Are you defending her now?!''

''Not in a million years. But still, as much as I hate to say it…She's good for you. Keeps you balanced. You need her. So you could as well bury the hatchet and move on.''

''Traitors are the last thing I need in my life …''she hissed, outraged by his insinuation. Plus I would have thought that after all the time we've spent together she might have understood how much I value loyalty….''

'' Isn't that a bit too judgmental given the fact that you've just lied to her about Ming Tien's early demise?''

''Those are two completely different things …''

''I have this hunch that Gabrielle would disagree. Breaking promises is also a form of betrayal - it pretty much equals breaking the trust someone has placed in you. Sounds familiar ?''

''How do you know about the promise ?'', she demanded to know, eyeing him suspiciously.

''I might have accidentally heard snatches of conversations here and there ….''he retorted with a smirk.

She just rolled her eyes at his answer.

''Eve's dropping. So typical of you…''

''Well…given the fact that you keep hiding things from me….'' he said, clearing his throat. ''A god's gotta do what a god's gotta do…''

''A god should be minding his own business! ''she harshly stated, inches away from his face, intimidatingly close, coming from the Warrior Princess.

''You are my business remember ? All the business I care about, to be more precise.'' he whispered seductively , his fingers now teasingly tracing her jawline. ''Wanna do something crazy ? It will take your mind off these intricate plots of your personal dramas. ''

Although she frowned a bit at his sudden change of subject, the perspective of putting her problems aside and out of her mind for a while was incredibly appealing.

''Crazy as in….''

''Skinny dipping in the ocean …''he clarified, glancing over her shoulder at the raging waves crashing against the rocks.

She looked at him as if he had gone mad.

''I might be disappointed with Gabrielle's behavior Ares, but I'm not suicidal!''

''Oh don't be a chicken! It must be….seven hundred feet at most ….'' he roughly approximated.

''Seven hundred feet ?! That would be like hitting solid ground ….''she muttered the last part.

''Not if you plunge into the water the right way, it isn't…''

"They don't really teach you Physics up on Olympus, do they ?" she mocked, obviously completely opposed to the idea.

''I might have skipped a few classes, but still. Come on, Princess! Where's your legendary sense of adventure?"

Taking a few more steps towards the edge, Xena looked down, her eyes scanning the turbulent ocean.

''What about those rocks at the bottom? We won't even get to touch the water, to begin with.''

"Well, no one asked you to jump straight into them, did they ? See that spot over there ?'' he replied, drawing an imaginary circle starting right next to the spot she had mentioned earlier and ending it at the edge of another rock formation- this one, particularly huge. . ''… that area is pretty safe if you ask me. It only takes a perfect jump.''

''That's s relief …'' she mumbled, rolling her eyes at how utterly ludicrous the whole idea was.

"Just have a little faith will ya'? It'll be fun.''

''Yeah I'll be definitely reminiscing about it in Tartarus…."

Still, before she got the chance to add any other protest in that same line, she could suddenly feel her night shift dissolving from her body, leaving her bare body completely exposed against the howling wind.

'' Don't be shy. It's not like I haven't seen you naked hundreds of times before.'' he reassured her, noticing the growing panic in her eyes.'' Plus, you are flawless…. Perfect, in every sense of the word…'' he added in a voice that screamed veneration , unable to take his eyes off her amazingly shaped, full breasts.

A jolt of electricity shot through Xena's entire body the instant his black leathers also vanished into thin air and despite the fact that she had had every intention to remove herself from the situation and put some distance between them, she felt as if their bodies were tied down by invisible threads. To make matters worse, she soon found herself trapped in a number of wild fantasies her mind was projecting, each and every one having them both as main characters, fucking like untamed beasts on every single inch of that cliff.

In a matter of seconds, without realizing it, the Warrior Princess' eyes closed for a moment as a wave of unprecedented ecstasy filled her entire being, making her escape a small moan in the process.

''That can definitely be arranged….There's nothing I would enjoy more .''he made sure to let her know, his voice dropping to a sultry whisper that brought the Warrior Princess back to reality with the speed of light. She had been careless and relaxed enough to allow him free access to her mind through the connection they shared.

''Ready to jump?'' he added, taking a few steps back and dragging her along with him .

''Not really .'' she simply stated, concern in her voice. ''I should really listen to my self-preservation instinct instead of my legendary sense of adventure. " she echoed.

''Just don't let go of my hand , ok? '' he urged, tightening his hold. ''On the count of 3? "

***HOPE YOU LIKE THIS YOU GUYS...THREE MORE CHAPTERS TO GO...***