Disclaimer: They don’t belong to me unfortuntely, I’m just borrowing them for my story

Pairing: Ares/Gabrielle

Rating: G

Author’s Note: Well after watching the finale episode, I really think they should have included Ares in this one. So I have written what the ending should have been.

Gabrielle boarded the ship bound for Greece, carrying with her the small urn containing the ashes of her beloved friend and companion. So much had happened in the last few days.

As she disembarked, tears flowed as she looked upon the land alone for the first time in over 25 years. She rubbed the urn as the memories of her life with Xena flooded her mind. She shook her head, Gabrielle knew there would be plenty of time to mourn her friend, but then again as Xena said. She would always be with her.

Gabrielle went to the nearest village and dispatched a messenger with a note for Eve informing her of her mother’s passing. She also included that if Eve should ever have need of her aunt, she would be there. After that task was done, she had sent word to the other friends that they had made during their journeys.

Now came another task she knew she had to do. She mounted her horse and headed down the trail that would lead her to another friend, whom she had to inform in person. After several days, she arrived at her destination, the Halls of War. As she walked in, she noticed the Halls had changed little since the last time she was here, with the exception of several pictures of her and Xena that lined the walls along with a couple of her scrolls.

She stopped at one picture that caught her eye. It depicted them at the temple where Xena had obtained her new chakram. Gabrielle reached up and ran her fingers over the image of her friend. She sighed, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Gabrielle flinched as a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her, a soothing voice in her ear told her who the owner was.

“Let it go little one, let it go.”

She turned in his arms looking into his eyes, as he raised his hand and wiped another tear that had found its way from her heart and down her face. She stared at him as a tear also escaped his eye.

“I can’t, it hurts to much.” she answered trying to control the flood of emotion that was coming.

He pulled her close to him, “I know, let it go, Let her go.” he said choking back his own grief

Gabrielle returned his embrace. They held each other for a few moments before they both collapsed to the floor and wept. After a few hours and the tears were done, she looked at her friend, “How did you know?”

“I’m a god, I been keeping watch over you and I also felt her leave.”

She smiled, “I had forgotten you were a god again. Wait here I have something for you.” Gabrielle got up and grabbed her bag. Reaching in she pulled out the urn, walking over to Ares, she handed it to him.

“I was going to take her home, but considering you loved her as much as I did, I thought you should have it.”

He gave her a small grin, “I know just where to put her.”

Ares took her hand and lead her to the next room, where the urn of Xena would be placed. The room was trianglar in shape, with torches at each corner. At the head of the room, stood a white marble pedistal. Ares took the urn and placed it on the pedistal. “She was a great woman and a damn fine warrior, she deserves a place of honor.”

“Yes.”

Gabrielle removed the chakram from her belt and began to place it behind the urn when Ares stopped her.

“No, you are carrying on her legacy, the chakram is yours now. “

She nodded and returned it to its former place. Ares and Gabrielle stood back, looking at the monument, they said their silent goodbyes to their fallen friend, then left arm in arm. Ares walked her out to the entrance of the Halls.

“Where are you going from here?”

“To the Land of the Pharohs, I hear they need a girl with a chakram,” she said with a chuckle.

“Well where ever you go, you are under my protection. Not as my chosen or warlord but as my friend. I have already lost Xena, I don’t want to lose you too.”

“Thank you Ares, that means a lot.” she reached up and gently kissed his cheek, then mounted her horse and rode away to begin a new chapter in her life as the new Xena.