Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from XWP or HLJ.
Summary: Crazy stuff... What happened to Xena and Ares after her car accident in the "Xena Warrior Teen" series.
Rating: PG
Love, Life and Chicago
By X13
It has been 3 years since Ares and I got together. We were eighteen and off to college. I wanted to go to Chicago then I would travel to Greece, and maybe to New Zealand. But for college I wanted to be in Chicago. I heard the city was beautiful and the sites were amazing. Plus I wanted to get away from my family. Ever since the accident I was suffocated by them. Always asking where I was going after school and who I’d be with. They always knew I’d be with Ares but still they asked.
I like taking bike rides. Long ones to the middle of nowhere. Out in the fields and beyond. I had some memories that were still fuzzy after Ares brought me back. I remember my horse Argo. That is probably why I love bike riding. The wind through my hair, and the freedom. I love the city but being in a place with no people and the fields are only with sheep and cows. I also remember a friend. She was a girl about six inches shorter than me. She had blonde hair and greenish eyes. But the name is lost. When I asked Ares about it he was obviously hostile about this girl, I left it at that.
~*~
I watched her ride. I wish I could give her a horse but I can’t. Zeus or Zech took my powers. He is only a few years older than me but still the king of the gods. He is mad since I brought Xena back to her true form. He found out when Apollo and his gang jumped Xena in the ally. Now I can’t orb to her when she sits in the fields. It is the only peace and quite we get since her parents hover over us like specimens under a microscope. She will be worried but knows I would tell her at school. If I had seen her at school. Graduation is a week or two away and I haven’t heard from any colleges. Xena has heard from about thirteen. She is smart. I am now thinking it was a mistake to bring her back. She asked about the blonde again. I snarled at her. That blonde ruined her and I won’t let her take Xena away from me again.
She turned Xena against me countless number of times. Not ever. Then there is my annoying half-brother Hercules. He also had an impact on her life that turned her away from me. Plus the fact he also loves her causes me grief. I heard from my dad, if you can call him that, Hercules is also going to Chicago for college. Now why would he do that? But these last three years with her has been like holiday in the Elysian Fields. I remember our first day together when my “family” wasn’t home. Xena and I really hit it off. I know I will never forget…
~*~
I love the peace and when I think of peace I see the girl. There is another figure trapped in my memory a man. He is tall and has beautiful long golden hair. He has a companion. A curly blonde haired guy with the height of a rat compared to the tall one. I know I don’t really like him. He is always there. And the tall one is good looking strong like Ares but an opposite. Good not evil. But the good news is I am free from my family. My train is leaving in a few days and I will be riding it hoping to never come back.
In Chicago
The train arrived in Chicago with two weeks to spare before school started. I began my adventure by seeing the sites. Navy Pier, The Field Museum, The Planetarium, The Shedd Aquarium and The Science and Industry Museum. I went to the John Hancock and the Sears Tower. It was a sunny day out so the view was beyond believable. I could see Indian and Wisconsin from the magnificent site.
“It is spactactculare isn’t it?” I turned and saw a young man that looked like the one from my dreams. “My name is Hercules” he said extending his hand to mine. ”First time to the Windy City” I spaced out and barley gave an answer.”Nuhun.” he was drop dead gorgeous. I shook my head and replied. “My name is Xena. I am starting college here and this is my first time to Chicago” he smiled “Xena hun? I once new a girl named Xena. You look a lot like her.” I sighed and knew I was in love. Well maybe not love but lust.
“How ‘bout I take you to a night club I know. I see you have seen all the tourist attractions.”
It was true. My hair was pulled in a pony tail under my hat that said SUE. My sweater said CHICAGO and my earrings were little fish. My bag said Science Industry Museum with the Chick exhibit displayed on it. My necklace had all nine planets strung on it. I looked in the glass and saw a reflection of a tourist. I wanted to be a Chicagoan. My expression told Hercules all. ”Don’t worry. With me there you will be part of the city in no time.” His simile was very reassuring. He grabbed my hand and we went down the elevator.
That night I saw the city all lit up. I felt at home there. This is where I needed to be for the rest of my life. It was getting cold by the time we got to the El so I leaned in against Hercules.
He didn’t push me away. Then I had flash backs of us together. I wondered if he knew who I was.
“Hercules?”
“Hmmmmm?
“I remember” he opened his eyes and looked straight at me.
“I am not mad” he sighed in content and started to hum. I settled against his strong body and fell asleep.
I woke up with his arms wrapped around my body as if he thought I would leave in the night. I felt his body shift as he sat up in the queen size bed in his condo.
“I’d missed you” his finger wrapped around a strand of my hair. ”It has been about five-thousand years.” I asked the question that pondered my mind.
“How did you keep young?” he chuckled and sighed.
“Zeus or Zech as he calls himself couldn’t let his beloved son die” his voice had a trace of regret to it. “Did you want to die?” my question startled him but he answered, ”After I heard from Ares that you died I didn’t want to live anymore, neither did Ares, but short and short Zeus made me immortal.” Ares… I love him; I think but Hercules is better for me and I’m better for him.
Ares brought out my dark side as I did his. He was a magnet of pure darkness till I met him. After his countless run-ins as a mortal his good side grew but my presence brought back darkness and betrayal from both ends of the battle field. Whether war or love.
~*~
Even if my immortality was gone I still had my surveillance mirrors. And I still had Xena… till I saw her asleep in the arms of my bastard half-brother; smiling never the less. Rage boiled inside me. How could she?!? How could HE?!? He knew very well that Xena and I were together. I wouldn’t shut up about it. The bragging, the teasing, the endless power that I had Xena and he didn’t. It used to be him on the other side of the rope. Staring and wishing it was him. I bent towards the mirror as to kiss her as Hercules left the room and fell through. Xena screamed and Hercules came running to the room.
“You bastard!!!” he screamed. Xena sat up and snuck off to get dressed.
“Xena wait!” Hercules and I shouted at the same time. She turned and looked at both of us and fell to the floor crying. We both rushed over to her circling her with our arms. Her sobbing slowed down and her breath rasped. She had a coughing fit and I rushed to get water. Hercules remembering his “godly powers” zapped one up for her. She drank the water in gulps and it fell down her chest. The both of us couldn’t help watch it down, down, down. She looked at the both of us gave a small peck to each got up said she was sorry and walked away. Hercules tried to stop her but she kept walking. I stood up and fell onto the bed. I sat wondering what I did to screw up my relationship with her so badly. Soon shouting started and I heard my name and a series of curses.
“…well at least he won’t give up!!!”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“You know what? Forget me! I am leaving” she stomped into the room and grabbed her stuff throwing it into her bag.
“Xe-“her look cut me off.
“NO! Don’t you even try Ares!” she snarled once more and stomped out.
“XENA!!!! Wait!” the door slamming was the only response.
~*~
I flew down the stairs my eyes like rivers. The tears kept going. I heard shouting when I left.
Probably Ares and Hercules deciding who I liked more. That is what pissed me off. They made it a damn contest on who Xena likes more. But no way was I going to put up with it anymore. I walked till dawn, my legs were killing me and my head was pounding. I found and cheap quiet hotel and slept like a baby.
I woke up and my legs still felt sore so I took a hot bath. I found shampoo and soap but I had my own so I poured it all into the tub and bubbles quickly filled it. I soaked for hours and fell back to sleep. The water wasn’t high enough to drown me but I woke up with bubbles on my chin. I let the water drain and put on a terry cloth robe that was left for me. I flopped down onto one of the beds and put on the T.V. It was crap, but I had nothing better to do, so I got dressed and went to the university I’d be for the next four years.
~*~
I paced around Hercules’ room like a caged panther. He left trying to find Xena but I knew his luck would be limited. He was still pretty new to this god thing but searching for mortals was easy, except if you were Xena.
I knew how she felt that we were making a game of it. I didn’t try to I just wanted her happy. I remember when the irritating blond would call upon me when Xena was away. After the encounter with that girl I can’t remember her name, but Xena and blondy fought out to kill her or convince I was the “evil” one I offered to make bard girl a god to rule beside me. Well it just was so Xena would give herself to me and it didn’t work. For about the last year till Xena died bard kept bugging me. When Xena was in Chin and death was close the bard called me again to help Xena live. I had watched earlier and knew Xena didn’t want to come back and she was happy this way, so I didn’t interfere. The girl hated me for that. She wanted Xena alive and with her. She said she thought about it and wanted to become a god.
*Flash Back*
“Ares” I materialized next to her.
“What?”
“Bring Xena back!”
“NO! She is happy this way”
“Then make me a god”
“So you can try to bring her back? Hahahahahahahahahah! Nice try girlie, see ya’ later”
*End of Flash Back*
I hated what I made of the girl. Her lust for power grew immensely and I started it. I knew the girl was being drawn to the power ever since I appeared to her more. I stayed close to Xena a lot.
When she went hunting I accompanied her. It was when the blond wasn’t telling Xena how “evil” I was, we had the best times together. Now I had to go out and find her. Not the blond but the love of my life.
~*~
I jogged around the track keeping my blood moving in the chilled weather. It has been about six months since my last encounter with Hercules and Ares. I love them but being away at college was taking up my time. I saw Herc a lot on campus but after I ignored him for a while he dropped out. It made me think of all the times he “dropped” out and Ares kept on going. It was nearing Valentines Day and I kept think of Ares. His face his body… chills of pleasure ran through my body. I turned the last corner and headed back to my room. I walked in and my roomie Gabby looked up from her poetry writing. We had become okay friends but she was much too chatty for my taste. My best friend here was Scarlet. She had hair a fiery red that exploded in massive curls. She was mastering in Martial Arts and yoga. She reminds me of someone. The appearance is not familiar but the sprit; is powerful. Scarlet also has an amazing way with words she once said “To conquer others is to have power; To conquer yourself is to know the way.”(Who said this? Email me!!) I hang in her dorm most of the time ‘cause she is lucky she has her own dorm. In the main office I have myself down in her dorm number 666. I walked into her dorm and she was in a position of to me pain.
“Oh, hey by the way this came in the mail” she picked up a parcel and tossed it to me with her feet. I caught it and walked to my bed and ripped it open. I cried out when I saw it. A ring of black onyx and a pure black roes with droplets that were red looking like blood dripped onto the rose. There was a card it read:
Dear Xena,
These last few months without you have been hell. Jerkules has been in deep pain after I got my hands on him for what he did to you. I have my godhood back but I knew I should give you time. I want to see you so much. My heart yearns for the sight of you. Just call me please and we should get together sometime…soon. I fear for my life of the heart you have torn mine and my brother’s in two. Please talk to me and call me when chatter- box is away.
Love with my immortal pained heart,
Ares xoxoxoxo
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