WHAT!?

Gabrielle watched as Xena disappeared into the forest wall to catch their dinner. She poked once at the fire, before putting her stick down. She glanced at Eve and then checked behind her to make sure that Xena was out of range, then back to Eve. She fiddled akwardly with her hands, trying to decide how to begin.

"Um, Eve?" she fumbled through the words.

"Yes, Gabrielle?" came the cheerful, but almost frightened to be cheerful response.

"Um, did you... And Ares ever...?" Gabrielle winced at the words as they tumbled out of her mouth. The firelight flickered off their faces in silence before Eve responded.

"Me and Ares," Eve tried out the words, the question sending her a flood of unwanted memories.

"Yeah," said Gabrielle. "Well... What I mean is -- Did you?" Eve smiled half-heartedly.

"No."

Gabrielle nodded and poked at the fire again.

"Good," said the bard, not looking up.

"I would have," said Eve quickly, as though Gabrielle didn't realize that. "He just -- didn't want to," Eve blushed and felt guilty, wishing she hadn't said it.

Silence.

Eve looked at Gabrielle, who seemed intensely focused on the fire.

"Why?" she asked the bard nervously. Gabrielle looked up and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Finally, she closed her eyes and tried again.

"I'm not sure Xena could take it if you had." Eve looked like she might cry. Gabrielle noticed and was quick to explain.

"Oh, of course she'd forgive you. She'd forgive you no matter what. You're her daughter, Eve."

"Then...why?"

"She wouldn't be able to forgive him," said Gabrielle, dropping her gaze.

"Ares? So what? He's a--"

"She loves him," Gabrielle said softly. Eve choked on her words.

"WHAT???" she finally struggled out.

"She loves him," Gabrielle said again, louder this time, but still her eyes did not leave the flames.

"No," Eve shook her head in denial. "She can't. It's--It's--"

"I know," Gabrielle condoned, staring into the golden flames. "It's Ares. But she loves him. You can see it."

"No..."

"I know it's hard to accept, Eve. Believe me, I know. I know what it is to hate him and love her. I know what's it's like to try and save her every time you see that flicker in her eyes, mirrored in his." Eve swallowed hard and nodded.

"But I also know what it's like to know that each time you stop them, that each time you hurt him, you hurt her." Eve lowered her eyes to the ground, as she recognized the words of the bard as the truth.

"I..." said Eve not looking up. "She does, doesn't she?" she laughed, that hollow laugh edged with pain and guilt, that tore Gabrielle's heart apart.

"Yes," said Gabrielle simply.

"She loves him." Eve smiled ever so slighty, she doubted that the bard could tell in the dim firelight. "Xena and Ares."

...h.o.m.e...