Subtext: Let’s not get out of hand now shall we
Sex: kinda yes, kinda no, nothing graphic
Violence: If you don’t like violence, why are you watching Xena? Just a little bit
Spoilers: Dahakish episodes, Motherhood, Lifeblood, I THINK that’s it!!
Author’s notes: This is the first in a sequel filled with angst, passion, yaddi yaddi yadda, drama stuff.
Summary: Xena depressed when she and Hercules learn that Ares is…
Feedback: YAY!!!!! Ephiny4@aol.com
Dedications: My shipper friends!!
I HATE disclaimers… on to the show… ooh… and this one even has a promo!!!
A Love Lost
By Ephiny4 (Ephy)
Announcer: When an immortal dies…
Xena: Ares is a GOD he CAN’T die!
Hercules: We are rid of him and his scheming forever!
Announcer: Xena…
Xena: I can’t lose him again.
Announcer: Goes to hell!
Xena: (holding her sword) I’m getting him back whether they like it or not!
(Xena coming face to face with Hope)
Xena: If it’s a fight they want it’s a fight they’re gonna get!
Iolaus: Be careful!
Announcer: On an all new…
(Swords clashing. Hercules looking confused, Xena crying against a tree)
Announcer: XENA!
Xena and Gabrielle had just made up camp near Corinth. They were both eating dinner when Gabrielle started chatting away.
“I am so excited!” The bard said as she pulled her body into a ball as she continued to eat. Xena chuckled; she was excited too only she wouldn’t say it. They hadn’t seen Hercules and Iolaus in such a long time; they were meeting them the next day in Corinth.
“The only thing I’m NOT looking forward to is seeing Iolaus old!”
“You won’t!” Xena said taking a bite of her food.
“WHAT!”
“According to Hercules they got into a little trouble a while back! Aphrodite didn’t want Iolaus to die… Like us… So she gave him eternal youth, like Hercules.”
“She did!” Gabrielle asked with a huge smile on her face.
“Yep! You still got a chance at him!”
“Quite honestly Xena I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Ooh you lie!” Xena ducked just as food came flying at her.
Deep in hell, where the torture was the worst there was Lucifer’s Lair. He was sitting there in his own misery watching Xena laugh as she continued in a food fight with her best friend. Michael had taken pity on Lucifer (mostly to spite Xena) and gave him his looks back but he was STILL stuck in hell! Why should she be happy when he must suffer!
“That Xena can be one hell of a bitch can’t she?” A woman said behind him. He turned around and seemed to be face to face with Gabrielle.
“What? And you’re…”
“Men! All muscle, no brains. Surely you’ve heard of Dahak?”
“Hope!”
“Hmm very good! Now you want revenge on Xena? I can help you.”
“Why would you do that? I would think you’d be over what Xena did by now.”
“It’s not what she did. Someone very close to her betrayed my father, now he must pay!”
“He?”
“Yes HE!” She walked up to him and began to massage his shoulders. “You want your revenge? Listen to me.” She leaned down and kissed the back of his neck.
Xena and Gabrielle walked into Corinth. Excited they kept their eyes peeled for their friends. After a few minutes they found them walking down the road. Gabrielle ran up and practically jumped into Iolaus’ arms. Xena gave Hercules a hug and a kiss on the cheek, when Gabrielle finally let go she gave the same to Iolaus.
“We missed you so much!” Xena said breaking her hug with Iolaus.
“We missed you too!” Hercules told her. “So, you girls hungry? We have a lot of catching up to do!”
“That we do!” The four walked to the tavern to have something to eat.
The next morning Xena awoke to a knock at her door. Iolaus walked in.
“Wow! For once I woke up before you!” He teased her.
“That you did!” She stretched as she got out of bed. Just then Xena felt a stinging in heart as she put her hand over it.
“Hey, you ok?” Iolaus asked coming up to her.
“Yeah I’m fine!” Xena said with a confused look on her face. “Come on let’s go get breakfast.”
Xena felt sick for the rest of the day. She didn’t understand why, she had always been very healthy. The foursome then walked into the next town that seemed to be having some kind of celebration. Everyone was cheerful and happy which was surprising considering that this town was always the target of chaos. Hercules pulled a man aside for a moment.
“What’s the occasion?” He asked.
“You didn’t hear? Our prayers have been answered! By unknown good, no doubt, the world has been stripped of one of its most violent and evil creatures!” He answered. ‘Boy this guy really needs to cheer up!’ Xena said to herself sarcastically.
“Whom, exactly are you talking about?” She asked him.
“Ares, the God of War!”
“WHAT!” Xena practically shouted. Her friends gave her a weird look. After giving an uncomfortable smile she said,
“Ares is a GOD he CAN’T die!” Tears were filling in her eyes; she didn’t want her friends to see so she quickly ran away, Hercules was right behind her.
Xena got as far as the tavern before Hercules caught up with her.
“Boy! You know I’m having a bad day if I can’t out run you!” Xena said turning her back to him to hide the tears.
“Hey!” Hercules said sounding comforting. “What’s the matter?” He turned her to face him and put his hands on her shoulders, “We are rid of him and his scheming forever! Xena, we don’t have to put up with him anymore! Never again!”
A single tear rolled down Xena’s cheek. “He just had to say that didn’t he?” She said to herself. She opened her mouth as if she was about to say something but then stopped and ran into the woods. She leaned against a tree and started crying, no sobbing. Just then Iolaus came up and put his hand on her shoulder. She immediately stopped.
“Xena! Come on! It’s me! You don’t have to be a Wonder Woman Hero around me.” He told her as he pushed back a bit of her hair. She put her head on his shoulder.
“How much do you know about the Twilight of the Gods?”
“No more then what the stories say. But I guess that something happened… Something to make you cry over him.” After a long pause Xena started talking.
“It had come down to me and Athena. Eve and Gabrielle had just died and without Eve I didn’t have the power to kill gods. Athena was just about to kill me when Ares sacrificed his Godhood to save them. When Eve came back to life, my God-killing power was restored and I killed Athena. Then it was all over.”
“Why would a bastard like Ares do something like that?”
“Because he loved me!” Iolaus’ eyes went wide. “And the reason I was crying was because…” Xena’s voice trailed off.
“Because?”
“Because I never told him!”
“Never told him what?” Iolaus asked afraid that she would say what she was going to say.
“That I loved him back!” Xena said, relieved that she finally said it. However this left Iolaus speechless, how could he support someone who loved Ares? But how could he NOT support Xena? Another tear rolled down Xena’s face. Iolaus held her tighter; they didn’t have to tell Hercules about this.
That night Xena was lying on her bed when Gabrielle walked in and laid down next to her with her face buried in the pillow.
“How ya doin?” She asked lifting her head up and facing her friend.
“Oh, splendid!” Xena said, not sounding it at all.
“Xena the last time you said that you were experiencing major heartache.” Xena gave a little shrug. “Alright!” Gabrielle said. “Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?” Xena gave her a weird look. “Since when do you take death sitting down?” Xena just looked at her. “Do have to spell it out for you? You’d think you’d be able to connect the dots yourself!” Gabrielle teased; Xena smirked, but only for a second. “GO AFTER HIM!” Gabrielle said as if telling this to a child.
“I can’t afford it!”
“Xena, he doesn’t want a warlord he wants you! If you love him, go to him!”
“How did you know that I...”
“Oh please! How stupid do you think I am? I’m just glad I don’t have to watch the two of you flirt anymore!”
“We didn’t flirt!”
“Ooh, you lie!”
Ares woke up chained against the wall. He was in a pit all alone, he was thirsty too! Like he had never been thirsty before! He was trying to remember what happened when all of a sudden.
“Well if it isn’t my hunk of burning love!” Ares looked up to see Hope standing there before him. She shook her head at him. “You knew things would turn out that way didn’t you? Xena and my mother living happy lives and walking off into the sunset with that babbling idiot while I and OUR child died!”
“It wasn’t a child Hope. It was a monster!”
“If it was XENA’S little brat you wouldn’t be saying that now would you?”
“How did you pull this off anyway?”
“You can’t stop the will of Dahak!”
“Very original!” Hope shot him a look.
“My father wants Xena dead, and you in pain for your little betrayal! He will get what he wants!” Hope then walked away and left Ares with his thoughts.
Xena woke up VERY early the next morning so that she could get away without Hercules knowing it. That plan didn’t work! Hercules couldn’t sleep and was eating breakfast in the tavern when Xena came down.
“Hey there gorgeous! Come here often?” He asked when he saw her.
“Hercules!” Xena replied, shocked. “I didn’t think you would be up!”
“Oh I’m up! I’m glad I am I’ve been meaning to talk to you!”
“Umm I’m kinda in a hurry!”
“What ever it is can wait!” He said rather harshly. “I just want a few minutes of your time!” He linked her arm and walked with her out of the tavern.
“Well if you INSIST!” Xena said giving him a look.
“I’m sorry! I just really want to be with you right now!”
“Hercules?”
“You know you’ve been acting awfully strange lately!”
“I’VE been acting strange!”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. Ever since you found out that Ares died you’ve seemed… distracted.”
“So?”
“So two things. One, I can’t help but wonder why you are so spaced out over your greatest enemy. And two, I don’t think you see all that’s happening around you as a result.”
“K! One, It’s none of your business whether Ares was my enemy or not, and two. If you are so smart, what is happening that I don’t realize?” Hercules then spun her around and kissed her passionately. Xena was left speechless.
“Um, Hercules… I think we need to talk!” He arched an eyebrow.
“Something wrong?”
“Hercules there is a reason Ares’ death has thrown me off so much! I feel for him in such a strong way! He makes up so much of who I am. Now, I don’t expect you to understand… I love him. I don’t want to, but I do!” Hercules shook his head.
“You can’t live out your life with a ghost, Xena. Ares isn’t here anymore, I am!”
“He isn’t for long! The people in my life don’t stay dead for very long.”
“Lucifer isn’t going to like to that.”
“I’m getting him back whether they like it or not.” ‘How does he know about Lucifer?’ She thought.
“Well then I don’t like it! You are risking EVERYTHING to save that selfish bastard!”
“Hello! What were you out getting popcorn the last five minutes I LOVE HIM! And if you love me, no matter what KIND of love it is, you’ll let me do this!” She turned her back to Hercules and walked away. Hercules’ frown then turned into a devilish smile as Hope appeared in front of him.
“Oh you… are… good!” Just then “Hercules” turned back into his true form, Lucifer.
“Never would have thought it!” He said as Hope proceeded to kiss his neck. “Xena going after the God of War!” Hope groaned.
“You trust me now? I told you that would be her reaction, and now we know what to expect. We’ll be ready for her when she comes!” Lucifer smiled and kissed her as they disappeared back into Hell.
Xena continued to run until she reached an open field.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this!” She said under her breath. “MICHAEL!” she shouted. Michael appeared right in front of her.
“What do you want Xena?” He said, not in the friendliest tone.
“I’m here to give you a one time offer!”
“That would be?”
“Cast me into Hell!”
“Why?”
“Because… I need to talk with someone down there. And don’t worry, it’s not Lucifer.”
“Then its Ares!” Xena looked at him, shocked that he knew! “Oh come now Xena, people as far east as Chin no about that little thing you got for him, and I know that he’s in hell. More importantly, I know WHY he’s in hell!” Xena looked at him puzzled.
“Go on!”
The rain had started. Gabrielle stayed in bed all morning and Iolaus was drinking something looking out a window watching the rain. Hercules came up to him.
“You know where she is don’t you?” Hercules frowned at his friend. “Iolaus, we’ve always told each other everything!”
“Look I love Xena too!” Iolaus snapped at him. “If I knew where she was I’d tell you so that you can find her and she’d be safe!” He turned back to the window.
“I’m sorry.” Hercules apologized; he put his hand on his friends shoulder and left the room.
“Xena!” Iolaus said frustrated as soon as Hercules was out of earshot. “Please! Be careful!”
Xena appeared in the pits of hell. Not exactly a pleasant place to be. She quickly went on the search to find Ares. She was running along when all of a sudden she heard… “Xena!” A raspy voice called to her. Xena stopped somehow she knew that voice. “Xena! I knew you’d come!” Xena looked around and finally saw Amarice chained to the wall dirt all over her face, her beautiful hair a mess.
“Amarice!” Xena quickly ran to her friend. “What happened? You should be in the Amazon Land of the Dead!”
“They wouldn’t let me!”
“What do you mean?”
“Gabrielle didn’t tell you?” She paused. “I wasn’t REALLY an Amazon… At least not until that time that you and Gabrielle battled Alti for your baby’s soul. But it was too late, I had been living a lie too long, that forced me here!”
“I’m going to get you out of here, you don’t deserve to be here!”
“I wanted you to be proud of me!”
“I was! Being an Amazon didn’t make me proud of you. The person, the woman, the warrior you were that’s what I was… what I AM proud of!” Amarice smiled for the first time in years. “Look, I have to get someone first. When I get back just be ready for a quick run!” She kissed Amarice on the forehead and ran down the corridor.
Hope sat up in bed and looked around the room. Xena was coming! She got of bed and put some clothes on while starring at the man in the bed.
“Fool!” She said while starring at him. She loved how gullible men could be. She put on a fake smile and walked over to the bed. She laid down on top of him and stroked his cheek until he woke up.
“Time to wake up.” She told him. “Xena’s here.” Lucifer got out of bed and dressed and walked with Hope to where Ares was to prepare for Xena’s arrival.
Xena continued to run, but she had no idea where she was going. This was new territory for her, she didn’t know where ANYTHING was. She knew that she was on the right track, however when she came across Athena. She figured all the former Olympians would be in the same place.
“Come to gloat?” The former Goddess of Wisdom asked her.
“No. I’m not here for you.” Xena starred down at her.
“You do realize that if you get caught down here, it’s all over for you.”
“You of all people hardly seem in place to question me. After all, I’m the one who took you out.”
“So why are you here?”
“That’s none of your business. Let’s just say, I’m resurrecting someone who deserves it.”
“Who deserves it? You mean, someone you just can’t live without?”
“Maybe. Anyway its none of your business.” She started to walk away.
“Ares is quite a prize for them.” Xena stopped dead in her tracks as Athena smirked. “He won’t be easy for you to get.”
“If it’s a fight they want, it’s fight they’re gonna get. Enjoy your eternity Athena.”
“That’s probably the most unselfish thing you’ve said or done all day.”
“Excuse me?”
“After all you’ve said and done to him do you really think its fair to ask him to forgive and forget? Now that it suits you it’s ok if he loves you?” She snickered. “And YOU were mad at HIM?” ‘She right.’ Xena thought to herself.
“Tell me Athena. Who’s coming after you?” Athena looked at Xena rather hurt just to see her turn around and run in Ares’ direction.
After running for a few minutes she found Ares. He was chained against a far wall.
“Ares!” She shouted. Ares, astonished, looked up from the ground.
“Xena watch out! It’s a trap.” Xena took another step and what would appear to be a black powder bomb went off. She shouted a war cry and flipped right next to Ares. She used her sword to break the chains.
“Xena what are you doing here? Why did you…” Ares was cut off when Xena threw her arms around him.
“If you EVER scare me like that again I will kill you myself!” Xena said rather harshly to him as she held him tighter.
“Oooook!” Ares said hugging her back confused on what Xena was doing.
“Come on! Let’s get outta here.” The two flipped over the traps and started running. “As soon as we reach the rim of hell you’ll be alive again. This isn’t your domain, it’ll let you pass, if it was tarturus then we’d have a problem.”
“So Hope and Lucifer won’t be able to following us.”
“Right. And they can only leave hell a few times. My guess is they’ve already used up their turns while trying to get you here and figure out my plans.” They had been running too long, they both needed to stop. They knelt down behind a boulder to catch their breaths.
“Xena I gotta ask you this. Why did you come after me?”
“Look, I know this might not seem right but…” She paused. “I love you. I always did, that’s why I came after you but I don’t expect anything. I know it’s selfish to want you to come to me when I want you to when I pushed you away so many times. But I felt I needed to give you a second chance… At life.” Xena looked down. Ares at this time was terrified. What the hell was she saying?
“No!” Ares lifted Xena’s chin so that she was looking at him. “I waited for you for 25 years Xena. More than that! You are the only thing I ever really wanted. Not the warlord, not the hero. The woman. I love the woman.” Xena sighed in relief.
“You have NO IDEA how long I have been waiting to hear you say that!” Xena said smiling at him.
“I love you Xena.”
“I love you too.” They leaned in for a kiss.
“Oh now this is disgusting!” They looked up and Hope and Lucifer were standing there.
“Hope!” Xena snarled.
“Missed you Xena. So, how’s Mom?” She asked sarcastically. Ares didn’t understand why, but that got Xena really mad. She took out her sword and attacked Hope. Ares’ sword clashed with Lucifer’s. The four fought for a long time until Xena finally got an idea.
“Ares catch!” She shouted as she threw her chakrum to hit Lucifer. Ares caught it after it hit off Lucifer’s head and he threw it at Hope. Xena caught the chakrum and the two started running. They were almost at the entrance when Xena made a turn. “Xena! You’re going the wrong way!” Ares shouted after her.
“I have to get something. Go without me I’ll be right behind you.” Ares ran off in the direction off the exit.
Xena soon approached Amarice and was greeted with a smile. She took out her chakrum and cut the chains. The two friends immediately hugged and then ran towards the exit. They turned the corner only to find Lucifer and Hope guarding the exit.
“Looks like your luck has run out. So has your love!” Lucifer said to her.
“Hey, It’s still 2 against 2.” Amarice told him.
“Actually…” Hope said while pulling out a dagger. “It’s 3 against 1.” She then brought the dagger to Lucifer’s throat.
“What the hell are you doing?” Lucifer asked her.
“What I had always intended on doing. Xena, my father needs a new domain. Hell is the perfect place to start from; once we take over here we’ll move up to bigger and better things. You are the only one who has defeated us, well Hercules did too but we’re not going to talk about him. Join us, your friend too, I’ve seen her fight, she’s good.”
“If it’s not Ares it’s someone else!” Xena whispered to Amarice who started laughing. Just then Ares jumped in and kick Hope in the face knocking her out. Xena looked at him questionably.
“What? You actually thought I’d leave without you?”
“You’re with him?” Amarice asked disgusted.
“You do realize we’re going to be getting a lot of that!” Xena told Ares with a smile on her face.
“Alright!” Lucifer said, perhaps a bit louder than necessary. “I’ve got guards posted all along the exit. If you tell Michael about Hope and what she said, then I’ll let you go.”
“Done.” Xena said. She then looked at Hope. “Boy your taste in women has REALLY gone down.” She taunted him.
“Couldn’t have gone up.” He laughed. Ares sneered and put his arm around Xena as they left hell with Amarice right next to them.
It had been two days since they had come back from hell. Xena was on the porch of the tavern when Hercules came up to her.
“Hi.” He said.
“Hi.”
“Look, I understand that you love him. I don’t like it, but I understand it. And I’ll TRY Xe, I can’t promise you anything, but I will try to get along with him for you.”
“That means a lot to me!” She smiled and hugged her friend. Ares came out on the porch as they were doing so. Hercules broke his hug with Xena and hesitantly put out his arm for Ares to shake. The two clasped forearms. Hercules then left and Ares turned to Xena.
“Hey, what’s up with Gabrielle? She seems a little… out of it.”
“Yeah, she’s fine.” Xena said hesitantly. Ares looked puzzled and left.
“Is she?” Michael asked referring to what Xena said to Ares.
“What do you want?” Xena asked with no emotion in her voice.
“Simply to thank you for your information on Hope.”
“You owe me some more.” She looked at him.
“Do I?” Michael laughed evilly and disappeared. Xena stood there for a moment and was taken back when Amarice came up behind her and hugged her. She let out a small laugh as she returned it. Gabrielle watched on with a frown from inside the room as her friends watched the sunset.
“I’m so sorry!” She whispered so no one could hear and walked away.
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