e-mail: Xinda.Wang@mci2000.com

Chapter 1, The Battle
     As Xena walks along the road away from Athens, she recalls what happened earlier that day. She and Gabrielle bid a tearful good-bye as they parted. The bard, headed towards the Athen's City Academy for the Performing Bards, the warrior heading where ever destiny leads her. The two best friends would probably not see each other for another two months.
 
     Xena's thoughts were interrupted by the cries for help in a near village. Riding Argo, she leaped into action. Because her mind wasn't on the battle, she nearly lost. After killing the head general, Xena continued to fight the remaining army. Kill after kill, Xena began to tire, losing what little focus she had had. By the time the army began to retreat, Xena was wounded, having several broken ribs, possibly a fractured backbone, extensive cuts and bruises, some varying between a scratch, or a few inches deep, and a severe concussion. Making sure that all the villagers were tended to, Xena painfully got on Argo's back, and started to ride out of the village, looking for a place to rest, and to heal her own wounds, but before she could get very far, a poison dart entered her neck. Because of her concussion, her reflexes were slow, so she couldn't stop the dart. The poison immediately started to take it's effect, making her dizzy. Xena fell off Argo, closed her eyes, and relaxed.
*****
     At the Temple of Ares, the God of war was watching his favorite warrior in action, smiling from ear to ear. All was going great until he saw his student fall from her horse, with a dart sticking from her neck. Anger boiled inside of him, then a sudden urge to rush to her side.
     By the time Ares arrived, Xena's body was limp, with no life whatsoever. He knelt down beside the frail body, took her in his arms, rage boiled his godly blood, "YAAAAAAAA! NOOOOOOOOO!" His scream shook Earth. "No, Xena, why did you have to die? Why? You're supposed to be strong, invincible. You battled so many, heck, you even kicked my butt a few times, now you let some little attack kill you? Why?" Ares sobbed. He cradled the body of Xena. Then, something unexpected happened. A single tear dropped from Ares' eyes. It splashed upon Xena's lips. "Ugh," the Warrior Princess moaned. A sparkle hit the god's eye. His tear had revived his creation! "Ares, wh....what are yyyou doing here?" Asked Xena weakly. "Shhhhh," The God of War crooned. "Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright, just relax, shhh."
Chapter 2: The Temple
 
      As the God of War brought his fallen warrior into his temple, his priest, Leman, inquired to his God, "Ares, what is she doing here, what are you doing?" Ares quickly explained what had happened, and ordered the still confused priest to get bandages, salves, water, and arnica, medicine for the poison dart. He brought her into the back of his temple where he magically made a bed appear. As he laid her down onto the bed, Xena started to groan. "Hey it's all right, your safe, don't worry, just relax." Ares coaxed Xena back to sleep.
     When Leman brought all that Ares had asked for, Ares told him to keep everyone out, that only he was to enter, and only to refresh his supplies, and bring him food and water. "I am not to be disturbed! And try and keep the other gods away! Now go, until I summon for you again!"
     Ares, first, using his godly powers, changed Xena's wear from a leather-tight outfit, to a flowing, transparent, nightgown. Then, he began to wash her wounds. He could tell that it pained the Warrior Princess when he cleansed her life-threatening lacerations. "You know, I don't if you can hear me or not, but I just have to tell you, I don't know why I did what I did today. I guess it was just instinct. It literally killed me when I saw you dead, just lying there, weak, and defenseless. I know that you hate me, and I know that I am supposed to hate you because you are good, and I am evil, but I just can't. I'm confused, I know that I am supposed to kill you, but I can't. I don't know why, but you're the center of my world, you always have been. Even when you turned good, and followed my half-brother, you still were my world. I guess you always be my life. I l-l-love you." Ares finally blurted out. Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand caress his face, it was Xena. Ares could tell, that with every movement, Xena was in pain. "It'll be okay." She finally made out the words, then fainted from the pain. "Don't leave me! Please I don't know what I would do if you died. Stay with me. Please." Pleaded the God.
     The next few days nearly destroyed the strong God of War. Xena's fever rose to tremendous heights, and she became delirious, crying out for Gabrielle, for Hercules, for her mother, for Lyceus, everyone but Ares, but he continued to care for her. Never sleeping, always cleansing, healing, caressing, and loving Xena. Sometimes Xena would start to attack something from her imagination. He had to hold her down so that she didn't hurt herself.
     At last, Ares fell asleep. When he woke-up, he saw Xena's intense blue eyes gazing at him, confused about what had happened. "Hey, welcome back to the living." Ares said softly.
      "What happened? Where am I? What are you doing here? Where is Gabrie--"
     "Whoa! Slow down!" Ares stopped Xena. "You were defending a village, you were critically injured. Then a poison dart hit you, and you died. I revived you, brought you to my temple, and cared for you. As for Gabrielle, she's at the Academy." Ares decided to leave out the part where he mentions his love. "Here, you must be thirsty, have some water." He lifted Xena's still weak head, and allowed her to drink. "Ya hungry?"
     "Yeah, how'd you know?"
     "Well, you haven't had anything to eat and drink for almost five days!"
     "Five days?!"
     "Yeah."
     "What happened during those five days?"
     "You were delirious, kicking and screaming."
     "Who did I imagine?"
     "Gabrielle, Cyrene, Lyceus, Hercules, just about everybody...but me."
     "Oh... Listen, I might have been delirious at the time, but did I here you say that you loved me?"
     "Yeah, you did."
     An awkward silence filled the room. Suddenly Xena realizes that she's not in her usual leather attire, and that this was Ares she was talking to.
     "Hold on, where's my clothes, and how did I get into this-this-this crappy thing?!"
     Ares gave her his famous grin, with a touch of evil, and all mischievous. "I changed you, and your clothes are in the closet, along with the rest of you weapons."
     "Yeah, and another thing, just because you supposedly say that you saved my life, doesn't mean that I should trust you right? Right. So what did you put in the food and drink?"
     "Why, what do mean?" Ares realized that he was so caught up in Xena's recovery that he completely forgot about how he was going win her back.
     "I mean, you are the God of War, what did you put in the food to make me evil again?"
     "Nothing, honest."
     "Yeah, honest." Snorted Xena.
     Ares showing a truly hurt face, repeated again, "Xena, when I said I loved you, I meant it, I wouldn't poison you. Please believe me."
     Xena was in disbelief, how dare he continue to lie to her like that! Did he expect her to actually believe him? Xena finally decided to get out of this place, and continue with her journey. Struggling to get out of bed, she soon realized that five days without food and back-flips, as well as painful injuries took a toll on her physic.
     "Whoa, what do you think you're doing? It's obvious that your still weak! You can't be thinking of leaving in your condition, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you'd be a sitting duck!"     
     "Shut up, Ares. Just shut up, you son-of-a-bacchae! I'm getting out of here, one way or another, so don't try to stop me."
     "All right, I can see you are eager to get out of here! I'll let you go under one condition, you let me help you get your strength back."
     "What?!"
     "I said, I'll let you go only when I know you won't be a sitting duck."
     "Sitting Duck?! You got a lot of nerve, you crazed weasel!"
     Then, with all her summoned up energy, Xena attacked Ares. Because Ares was stronger, he quickly moved out of the way, making Xena fall to the floor. But Xena refused to give up, using the bed to balance herself, she once again attacked Ares. And like last time, Ares moved out of the way with ease. Xena continued to do this until she collapsed from exhaustion.
     "Now, are you willing to take my deal?" Ares asked as he carried the worn out Xena back to the bed.
     Too tired to argue, Xena reluctantly agreed.      
     "Come on, what are you worried about, wasn't I the one who made you what you are today?"
     "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."
     "Oh, ow, score one for the Warrior Princess!"
     "Yeah, yeah, let me tell you, that is really getting old!"
 
Chapter 3: The Recovery
 
     As soon as Xena could walk again, they began the intensive training. Doing sword play, flips, all the skills that made Xena who she was. Because she hadn't done her notorious back-flips in almost a week, she needed practice. To her disappointment, she did need Ares to help her with her recovery. He was there to catch her when she failed to "walk the walls." In fact, they even had a few laughs along the way.
     One day, near the end of practice, it finally hit Xena, Ares was in love with her! It had been almost two weeks since the accident, and Ares hadn't made any indication that the "love gig" was just an act. He never tripped over his words, or his actions. He was never pushy, never indicating that his love for her should be taken into the bedroom. "I wonder what's the big idea? I mean, it just doesn't make sense. Ares has only loved one person in his whole never ending life, and that one person is himself. What's the catch?" Xena pondered.
     So she marched straight to Ares. "Hey, Ares, are you really in love with me?" She asked bluntly.
     Ares was surprised by Xena's simple question, but he knew the answer. "Yes, I am. What was the tip off?" He asked, sarcastically. He had made several indications of his love.
     "Well, for starters, ever since I got here, you never once asked me to be another one of your warlords. You never made me make love with you, you never even mentioned my old days, you know, when I was evil."
     "Yeah, well, you know, I'm a ladies kind of God!" Ares said with a flashing smile.
     "Oh yeah, I know." Xena said, agreeing.
     The two began to laugh. When they finally stopped themselves, they gazed into each others eyes. "Xena." Ares said, lifting her chin up to meet his.
     "Ares, maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean, we're enemies."
     "No, we're not, not now, not ever."
     His lips met hers in a passionate kiss. The next thing they knew, both of them were lying in bed trying to keep up with each other. Ares hands placed themselves on her breast, and started their way down, caressing each square inch. He was about to kiss her, when a fireball whizzed over their heads. Xena and Ares both sat up, stunned. There, standing at the foot of the bed, was Discord. "Well, Ares, I guess you were right, the mortal, the merrier! I have to complement you though, getting the Warrior Princess into your bed must not have been an easy task. I'm sorry to have to end it so soon!" Discord screamed, throwing another fireball.
     "Discord!" Ares shouted.
     By this time, Xena was already in her leather clads battling the jealousy-enraged goddess. "You picked a bad time to be jealous, Bitch! Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Xena cried. She flipped onto Discord's back. Kicking her in the stomach, then flipping off, she grabbed her sword. "Ares! You deceived me!" Discord shrieked, then disappeared.
     Ares rushed to his loves' side. "Hey, you okay? I mean battling Discord isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world."
     "It is when you've battled Callisto, and had you as a teacher." Xena said gratefully, looking up at Ares.
     Ares couldn't help but smile. "I have to go. Thanks for saving my life, and for loving me." Xena said. She gave a fairly decent good-bye kiss on the lips. Then she did something that even she did not expect she would do. She whispered, "I love you."
     Ares chuckled, "Just remember who said it first!"
     "I will, believe me, I will."
     As she rode away on Argo, Ares' finger tips touched his lips. He beamed, "Yeah, be careful Xena."