Party Time!

Rating: PG

Summary: Aphrodite organizes a baby shower...

Spoilers: My story, 'Sacrificial God'.

Disclaimer: There's no way in Tartarus that I own them!

Notes: This is the sequel to my story 'Sacrificial God' and is the second story in this series...

"Hey, girlfriend!" The blonde Goddess Of Love called as she appeared in front of the Goddess Of War and Peace.

Xena looked up from the mirror portal to the mortal world that she had been staring into. "Aphrodite?" she questioned. "What are you doing here?"

The goddess in question grinned at the soon-to-be mother. "Well, duh! You're having a baby and Auntie 'Dite's here to organize the celebration!"

Xena began to feel queasy as thoughts of the other goddess in charge of a party in the Halls Of War...

Without warning, Ares appeared by Xena's side, immediately alert. "What's the matter, my goddess?"

Xena indicated to Aphrodite and mumbled. "Your sister is planning a baby shower..."

The God Of War paled. "Here?" he asked his sister.

"No, in Athena's Athens temple," Aphrodite chided. "Of course here!"

Ares shifted his gaze from his sister to his partner and then back to his sister. "Uhhh...I'll just leave you women to it then, shall I?" Ares quickly disappeared.

Xena leapt out of her chair and shouted upward. "Coward!!!!"

Aphrodite rolled her eyes and grabbed Xena's hand, running nowhere in particular. "Come on!" she urged as the two goddesses disappeared in a flash of light.

Xena's "I'll get you for this, Ares!" echoed throughout the Halls Of War...

*~*~*~*

"Aphrodite, I'm getting tired," Xena told the other goddess.

The Goddess of Love gave an exasperated sigh. "Sweetie, we're gods. We don't get tired."

Xena decided to try again. "Well, I'm still on mortal time...and I'm pregnant!"

The recently formed goddess was irritable. She hated shopping, she hated parties, and most of all, the thought of putting up with every single Olympian god, not to mention any extras in the Halls of War for only Zeus knew how long, was enough to drive the soon-to-be mother out of her head.

Aphrodite didn't let Xena's darkening mood dampen her spirits. She grinned. Oh, I know! When I was having my little Cupie, I was always tired, and I was forever feeling all icky! Ugh! And then, there was the labor! Don't even get me started on that!"

Xena groaned. She really didn't need to be reminded of what it was like to be pregnant...

The other goddess continued. "But then he was born, and he was such a little sweetie! Oooooh! He was sooooo adorable and tiny, with his little wings and everything. He was flying around the room before he could even walk! Except for that one time when he flew too high and hit the ceiling..."

Xena chuckled at the thought of baby Cupid...then something occurred to her.

"Umm...Aphrodite? Cupid and my kids are going to be siblings, right?"

The Goddess of Love nodded happily. "Oh, yeah! I nearly forgot about that!"

"So, are my kids going to end up with wings...?"

Aphrodite just stood there looking stumped...

*~*~*~*

Ares and Xena sat side by side in the main chamber of the Halls Of War. Every Olympian god was in attendance, with the exception of Poisidon and Prometheus, for obvious reasons.

Xena repressed a smile when she noticed Discord. The lesser goddess was shooting daggers at Xena with her eyes, but Discord kept well away from her. Hera, on the other hand, openly disapproved of Xena and her condition, relaying her opinion to anyone who cared to hear it, which wasn't all that often.

Zeus, on the other hand, quite liked his son's wife, admitting to no one but himself that his son had made an excellent choice. He was thankful that he had listened to Hercules and had decided to give Xena a chance. Just because she was Ares choice, didn't make her a bad choice. If I keep this up, I might actually have to listen to the boy once in a while...nah! Zeus thought. The day that the king of the gods took advice from the God Of War was the day that he ended his reign...

Aphrodite was pleased with her work. Every god who mattered had extended their congratulations to the couple. The goddess was deliriously happy with the outcome of her plans. The majority of the gods were generally eating, drinking and being merry, save for the pregnant goddess.

Cupid had attended with his family in tow, giving Aphrodite a chance to catch up with Psyche and little Bliss, who had played tag with many of the unsuspecting gods, or had stolen their crowns or hats, then flew up to the ceiling where they couldn't reach him.

Xena had laughed uncontrollably while watching the young god's antics, until Cupid had retrieved his son from his hovering place just above everyone's heads.

It hadn't been as bad an experience as Xena had thought it would have been. At first, she and Ares had been more than a little shell-shocked at the redecoration of the Halls Of War, Xena laughing hysterically, while Ares scowled. But as the night wore on, both had loosened up with many congratulations and praise, never before having received either for any of his former deeds, Ares was stunned.

Aphrodite observed the room. Yes, everyone seemed to be in their element, apart from the too party poopers, Hera and Discord. It wouldn't surprise her if they were in cahoots together against her brother and his pregnant babe.

Her brother, on the other hand, well, he was more open and happy than he had been when he had discovered her little brightening up of the place. All of that boring stone and black everywhere...

The ancient marble and the new pink color scheme was sooo much prettier...she

thought happily to herself.

The End