Love 'n' War

Spoilers: I'll just say the entire series and have done with it...lol

Timeline: Present Day 28 October to be exact...well, to start with, anyway...then we go back in time about 2.5 million years ago...

Summary: My version of the entire show...definitely AU!

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

Note: This is a 'what if' story...what if...like I'm gonna tell you!

Ares threw himself over the back of the lounge and onto the cushion. He quickly grabbed the remote control sitting on the coffee table in front of his and switched the television on. Shit! Xena had already started. He quickly grabbed the VCR remote and hit the 'record' button.

He sat back and watched as a man on horse back dragged Eve along the ground behind him. Ares rose an eyebrow. This ep looks interesting...

He knew that it would be. Ever since the show had started six years ago, he and his wife, Xena, had been hooked. It had been the same with 'Hercules', only, Ares hadn't been all that thrilled with a show all about his brother...

The shows had always been good for a laugh, though. He knew for a fact that the shows had been based upon scrolls that had indeed been found over fifty years ago, but the mortals had no idea that they weren't Gabrielle's tales of the Warrior Princess, but had, in fact, been the dreams of what Gabby had wanted Xena to be...

As the introduction began, Ares quickly got up and headed for the kitchen. He grabbed the bag of popcorn and zapped it with his powers. They tasted sooo much better than the microwave version.

He listened to the intro in amusement. It never failed to make him laugh at the sheer inaccuracy.

In the time of ancient gods, warlords and kings,

A land in turmoil, cried out for a hero...

Well, some of it was correct. The gods had been in abundance then, always dropping in on their temples and loyal followers. They had never been as bad as the shows had portrayed them, but whatever...

That was, until the twilight. That had been painfully real, but many had survived.

The land hadn't really been in turmoil, and even less so than now. The present day was much worse than it had ever been a couple of thousand years ago, when all this had happened...

She was Xena, a mighty princess,

Forged in the heat of battle...

Ares scoffed silently. Screwed in the heat of battle was much closer to the truth! He remembered one time when she had come to him whilst he had been keeping an eye on a battle in Athens. She had come out of the aether and had coaxed him to take her on a nearby alter of one of the partially destroyed temples dedicated to the Goddess Of Love. He grinned at the memory.

The power, the passion...the danger.

Her courage will change the world...

Power..yes...passion...Gods yes! Passion was too mellow a word for what his Xena was. Danger? Yeah, right! As if Xena would get in the middle of a fight if it didn't involve love...or sex..with him!

He quickly grabbed a drink from the refrigerator, a block of white chocolate and the icing sugar from the kitchen cupboard and then sat down to watch the show. Motherhood, the caption stated. The name sounded familiar.

Ahh, the final episode where they kill the gods. Ares wasn't sure that he wanted to watch this. He was sure that Xena wouldn't want to. That kind of thing always depressed her.

As it was, she was still in bed, not wanting to miss her beauty sleep. It was 4am afterall. They had been traveling around Australia for the past year, but Xena wanted to make sure that they still taped Xena and Hercules, so every Saturday morning at 3:50am, she kicked him out of bed and wet back to sleep.

He missed sitting there and watching it with her. Sometimes, when she watched it later on in the day, Ares would point things out, like what was about to happen. Xena would glare at him, or hit him lightly on the arm and tell him that he was spoiling it for her.

"Hey, Dad!" came the whisper from behind him.

Ares turned around to see his only son, Cupid, standing there with a bottle of Frantelle Water in his hand. The God Of War put his index finger to his lips, indicating for his son to keep the noise down. They both turned to the closed bedroom down the hall, not hearing any stirring.

Cupid sat down on the sofa, next to his father and grabbed the chocolate. He put it in one of the two bowls of popcorn and held his hand just above it, watching as the white confectionery melted over the popcorn. Then he began to eat.

The two quickly became engrossed in program. The characters looked remarkably like the mortals and gods that they were supposed to be, with the exception of the true characters. For instance, Xena hadn't been the mortal whose daughter was the bringer of the Twilight. That had been Callisto, as had all of Xena's 'supposed' adventures, thanks to Gaby's overactive imagination.

Cupid was still the God Of Love, and Ares the God Of War. Hercules had still been his half brother and Athena, Artemis and Discord his sisters. Only Aphrodite, Xena and Gabrielle had different roles to play...

Ares had been a young god when he had first met the future Goddess Of Love. All of eighteen years old and as studly as ever...

Ares had just returned from twelve years of training and had come home to Olympus an educated god. Upon his return, he had walked along the cliffs that held Mt. Olympus and looked across the sea.

His attention was captured by the most beautiful goddess he had ever seen, standing in her beautiful shell, floating in the sea and staring up at him. Without being able to see that far down, Ares could still tell that she was smiling at him. He quickly transported himself down to the large rocks near where her shell was heading...

Her shell came to a halt just before it hit the rocks. She leapt out of the shell and onto the rocks, grinning at him the entire time. She stepped up to him and pinched his cheek. "Oooooh, you're just so cute!"

Ares just stood there in stunned disbelief. She obviously hadn't a clue as to who he was. "I'm War, " he stated flatly.

She regarded him happily. "You're a studmuffin! I'm Love."

Ares groaned aloud. He'd just fallen head over heels for the Goddess Of Love.

She tutted. "Don't despair, Sweet Pea, I'm not normally this ditzy, but you're such a honey!" She stepped forward and kissed him, full on the mouth. Her tongue invaded his mouth, blatantly inviting him to join in. He did so, eagerly.

The Goddess Of Love wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. Ares gathered her closer. She almost squealed in delight as she felt his arousal pressing into her taut stomach.

A gust of wind blew her long, dark hair around them. Never had Ares known a goddess with hair that beautiful, or that long...

The couple disappeared in a shower of blue light and red rose petals, only to appear in Ares' bedchamber, next to his large bed. "I'm Ares..."

"Xena..." she whispered, pushing him back onto the bed.

Ares grinned as she undid his belt, kissing every inch of skin that appeared as she removed yet another item of his leather clothing. "You're absolutely ravishing, sweet."

She moved up his now naked body and murmured, "I know," before capturing his mouth with her own once again.

Ares, concerned only with having this most beautiful and sweet goddess, reached up behind her and grabbed a handful of the filmy material that barely covered her body.

Xena speedily broke the kiss and grabbed his hand. "Oh, no you don't studmuffin. No one rips this little number. There are clips..." She gently guided his hand to the small clips at the small of her back.

The god relieved her of her clothing, if it could be titled as such. "Oh, yeah, babe..." Ares gazed in awe as her perfect breasts were revealed to him. Xena giggled at his reaction. Somehow, it was different with him

The God Of War pulled his goddess up until his mouth came into contact with her nipples. He sucked greedily, then turned them over until she was beneath him. Xena held his head to her chest, pleasure coursing through her immortal veins.

With a wave of his hand, Xena's flimsy clothing left her body, joining his on the floor next to the bed. With a wave of Xena's hand, her almost see-through outfit was hanging up in the nearest closet...

Ares' mouth moved higher, across her collarbone and up her neck to her earlobe. He nibbled lightly on the piece of flesh.

"Ares..." Xena whispered the plea. Ares lifted his head and looked deep in her eyes to the passion and desire that lay there. He held her gaze as his lower body moved, pausing when his erection reached the entrance to her core.

Then she smiled...

...and accepted him eagerly.

Their lips connected, their tongues meeting and dancing and Ares' body thrust repeatedly into Xena, the goddess enthusiastically matching each movement...

It wasn't long before the couple were overtaken with shudders of pleasure.

Later on, they lay together in Ares' bed, just holding one another. Xena snuggled deeper into Ares' embrace. The God Of War smiled and placed a small kiss on her head. "I don't think that we're supposed to be together, Xena." Ares told her.

Xena turned to face him. "I'm the Goddess Of Love, I can be with anyone," she grinned mischievously.

Ares glared, then disappeared, as did his clothes from the floor. Xena sighed, then pouted, also disappearing into the aether and back to her abandoned shell on the beach.

An "Ooopps!" echoed throughout Ares' bedchamber before her clothes quickly vanished.

Six Months Later

It was a tradition decreed by Zeus that every ten years, the gods would gather at Mt. Olympus to welcome any and all gods that had earned their title in that decade. The titles would be announced, then the gods who had earned them, so that everyone knew who was who. Then it was announced how they were related to himself or Hera, the King and Queen of the gods.

There being so many gods and goddesses, it was hard to get them all straight, but the closer related to the king and queen, the more important they were. The titles they earned displayed, showed the other just how powerful they were. Power and importance. They were the two things that made a god.

Xena watched as the others danced around the main hall. She was seriously bummed out. She had been for the past six months since she realized that Ares wouldn't talk to her. What good was an unhappy Goddess Of Love?

She spied the God Of War across the room, talking to Hades, God Of The Underworld. As usual, Ares looked somber, and dressed in black leather. Mmm...

Xena's depression was starting to show. Artemis had commented the other week at how unhappy the Goddess Of Love looked of late. Well, she wasn't going to let one measly god keep her from her happiness. The goddess immediately straightened her body, poised for a metaphorical attack.

Look out Ares, here comes hurricane Xena...

Ares immediately noticed when Xena began to head in his direction. He had been watching her out of the corner of his eye all night. He knew that he had overreacted that day they had been together, but he was War. War didn't apologize or make excuses.

He hoped that she didn't make a scene. He was in enough trouble as it was and he didn't need Zeus on his back about fooling around with his baby girl. Ares was glad that his mother was always on his side...

"Hi, Uncle Hades! Can I borrow this charming leather-clad stud? Mmm..." came the melodious tones of the Love Goddess.

Hades and Ares turned to where Xena stood. "Of course, my dear. Although, I must warn you, he doesn't seem very talkative tonight." the God Of The Underworld told his favorite niece. His brother had done well with this one...Hades thought.

Hades went to talk to Hera as Xena pulled Ares to a corner of the main hall. "What is your deal, Ares? Why do you keep avoiding me?"

Ares didn't say a thing, he just grabbed her arms and jerked her forward, taking possession of her lips with his own. He groaned, finally able to touch her again. Xena conveniently forgot what she was saying, what questions she was asking, and gave herself up for the pleasure of his beautiful mouth.

Suddenly, a gong was heard, calling the attention of all gods, and for them to take their seats, the formal introductions of the evening were about to commence.

The music came to a halt as the gods and goddesses all came together and took their seats at the long table in the center of the hall. Love and War were still looked in an embrace, guarded by the shadows that were cast toward the edge of the hall.

The couple pulled apart, then realized that the music had stopped. They looked toward the center of the hall where they saw Zeus frown at the two empty seats. They rushed to the table, taking their places. Zeus and Hera looked at the couple, as did every other Olympian. Hera looked at Xena with a smirk on her face, while Zeus glanced from his youngest daughter to glare disapprovingly at his step-son.

Artemis looked at Xena, the knowledge dawning on her. Hades chuckled, as did Athena, although Athena's pleasure was more due to the fact that her half-brother was in trouble...again. Hephestus just looked shyly at Xena in disappointment.

Xena noticed Hephestus' crestfallen look. Ooooh! He's such a sweetie! Too bad I'm already hooked on the studmuffin. The Forge ain't much to look at, but he sure is a sweetheart...

Zeus apparently decided against furthering delaying the meeting, standing and gaining everyone's attention.

"We have four new titles among us. For the last five years, the Forge has walked among us, as have War and Love for two years, and Wisdom, Warfare and Weaving.

"First, the Forge, Hephestus, nephew of Hera." Seated two seats down from Xena, Hephestus rose hesitantly. The gods and goddesses all applauded, then he sat down.

"Secondly, Goddess Of Love, Xena, youngest daughter of myself." Xena rose with a bright smile for the group of immortals. A few catcalls and whistles joined in the applause. Xena then re-sat herself.

Zeus glared at the next one. "Next, God Of War, Ares, son of Hera, also, my step-son." Ares stood proudly, not letting Zeus' disapproving air get to him. He smiled at Xena. Ares sat himself back in his chair as Xena smiled back.

The King Of The Gods cleared his throat in a disruptive gesture. "And finally, the Goddess Of Wisdom, Warfare and Weaving, daughter to myself and Hera, Athena," Zeus announced proudly. Athena rose from her seat. The other gods and goddesses all applauded, but a few with a lack of enthusiasm. They knew what a deceptive bitch Athena could be...

Being the last god to be introduced to the group, it was Athena's duty to make the pledge. It was more of an affirmation that they would do their best to live up to their new titles. Unfortunately, Athena liked to overdo things...

A number of groans could be heard when Athena's speech clocked eight minutes...and still continued. Xena and Ares played footsies under the table, grateful for something to do other than sleep, which a number of the other lesser gods, and even Apollo and Artemis had done.

Athena's speech had continued for a good half-hour before she paused. Just as she was about to continue, Zeus saw his chance, and cut in, while frantically gesturing for the servants to get refreshments and fast... "Yes, well, thank you, Athena. Now everyone...uh...look, the wine's here..." he gestured to the servants to come forward. "Let's dance!"

Ares and Xena immediately headed for the dark outskirts of the room, not wanting to be under Zeus' constant scrutiny. The couple held each other close for a slow dance. "So, what's the plan for the future, stud?" Xena giggled.

Ares pretended to consider it. "Hmm...I was planning on wooing you back into my bed, then say, sleeping with you, and then after that, well...sleeping with you sounded good, so I might do it again..."

Xena pouted, "Well, gee, that sounds sooooo romantic."

Ares chuckled, quickly transporting them back to his darkened room, where a large table sat at the end of the bed. Xena gasped when she saw it. Beautiful, tapered, red candles sat in candle holders in the center of the table. Two places were set. On the bed, two sets of formal attire lay. A gorgeous white tuxedo for Ares and flowing, midnight blue silk dress for Xena.

With a flick of his wrist, Ares had switched his clothes, from his trademark black leather, to the white tuxedo. Xena smiled and quickly did the same.

The goddess stared at Ares in his outfit and couldn't believe how the clothes fit him so well...he caught the flare of desire in her gaze kissed her. Xena moaned. "You wanna skip dinner?"

Ares sent her a mock leer, "I thought you wanted romance?"

Xena ran a finger over his chest, slipping it beneath his jacket. Ares bit back a small groan. She grinned, then withdrew. "Okay!"

"Tease..." he laughed jokingly.

She poked her tongue out at him. "Come on! I want to eat! This looks delicious..."

Ares sighed, but joined her. He held out her chair and pushed it back in when she sat. "Ever the gentleman, studmuffin," she grinned.

He flashed her a wicked smile. "Just you wait until later, sweets..."

Part Two

500 Years Later

It had been four and a half centuries since Zeus and Hera had created mortals.

Ares stood watch over one of his armies. They were involved in a battle with Athena's army, and Ares didn't trust his half-sister as far as he could blast her. His thoughts strayed to Xena. Five centuries after the night they had been introduced to Olympus, they were still together...

*~*~*

"Athena!!!" Came the outraged bellow.

The goddess didn't even bother to turn when the Goddess Of Love appeared by her side in the middle of the battle.

"What is it now, Xena?" Athena asked her sister impatiently.

Xena grimaced as one of Ares' soldiers decapitated one of Athena's. Then she remembered why she was there. "Have you seen what your soldiers have done to my temple???" She pointed to the ruins a few yards away.

Athena turned around, then quickly dismissed it. "Fine. When this is over, I'll build you a new one." The Goddess Of Warfare, Wisdom and Weaving turned her attention back to the battle at hand.

"That's not the point, Athena and you know it! That's the seventh temple this century! You don't see Ares' men blowing up my temples, do you???" Xena raged.

Athena gave a ladylike snort. "That's because my brother would never let his men battle near your temples. My army fights wherever is expedient."

Xena looked back at her temple and groaned. "I loved that temple..."

Athena sighed in exasperation. "Look, Xena, why don't you just sacrifice my brother on the alter and get him out of my hair for a little while, then I'll build you a new temple when the battle has ended...okay?"

Xena figured that this was the best deal she was going to get, so she took it. "Deal." Then she disappeared.

*~*~*

Ares was avidly watching the battle before him, when he felt two hands snake around his waist from behind. He looked down to see two very shapely hands sneak between the folds of his vest, to caress his otherwise bare chest.

"Xena," he whispered. No other would dare to touch him that way without permission. Not that he ever gave it. The entire half-millenium that they had been together, they had stayed faithful to one another. Xena had sworn a violent and lonely death on him, should he ever cheat on her. Just the thought of her leaving him was enough to curb any roving urges.

She giggled as her fingers moved downward to find him ready and waiting for her. "Miss me?"

"I saw you this morning..." he choked out as her fingers curled around his arousal. "Xena, I'm in the middle of something..."

"No one can see us, and Athena wants you out of the way. I'm more than happy to oblige."

"All the more reason why I should stay," he reasoned.

"Ares...her men totally ruined one of my temples! She's gonna build me a new one when this is over, so I want it over. Now, come with me, or else!" Xena told him firmly.

He groaned. "Just give me a sec." He disappeared, only to reappear seconds later. "I just told my General to kick Athena's ass. We can't have her army destroying your temples all the time, can we?"

She grinned, shaking her head. Xena grabbed Ares' hand and transported them to her ruined temple. He frowned. "This place is a mess! What are we doing here?" Ares looked around again.

Xena drew his attention to the only standing structure in the temple. The alter...

"Wanna make a sacrifice or an offering to the Goddess Of Love?" she murmured in his ear.

Ares decided that playing along might be fun, after all. "Umm...I don't really have anything to offer such a beautiful goddess...unless she would perhaps accept myself?"

Xena smiled seductively at him. "We might be able to come to an arrangement..." she murmured, whilst gently pushing him toward the alter. When the back of Ares' knees came into contact with the cold stone, Xena pushed him back, so that he was laying down on it.

Very soon, they were both naked on the alter. No mortal could see them, fortunately. Ares held her body gently as they kissed. Xena pulled back and moved herself over him, her lower body coming into contact with is ever so slowly...

"I love you, Xena," he whispered, just as passion overtook them.

*~*~*

Afterward, Ares was holding Xena in the crook of his arm when he felt her tears hit his chest. "What...? Xena, what's the matter?" he asked, quickly transporting them to their bedchamber and to their bed.

She sniffled, "You haven't told me that you love me since the day you asked me to marry you..." She sniffed again, as the tears continued to fall.

"That can't be true..." Ares denied. He thought back...it was true...

*~*Flashback*~*

498 Years ago

"I love you, Xena, and I know that I always will. Would you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife and goddess?" Ares looked up at his lover, and hopefully his future wife, from where he rested, on bended knee.

Xena squealed in excitement and jumped into his arms. It was all the god could do, not to fall backward. He quickly stood, with her in his arms and spun her around, kissing her with all of the passion and hope in him.

Hera appeared before them. "I hear that you two are planning a wedding."

Ares looked at his mother expectantly. He knew that Zeus would disapprove, but if Hera consented to marry them, then there was nothing he could do.

Apparently, Hera was in a good mood. "When would you like me to marry you?"

The couple looked at each other. It was Xena who answered. "How about now?"

Ares nodded. "It's not as if we have to organize anything. We'd better get to it before anyone can object."

Xena agreed.

Hera performed the Olympian ceremony that bound gods together in marriage. Hera was their only choice to marry them, since only Xena and Hera were capable of performing the ceremony, and Xena was the one getting married.

It was over in minutes. Hera left as soon as she had done her part, and left Ares and Xena alone for their first day together as god and goddess...husband and wife.

What they hadn't counted on, was Zeus' utter rage when he found out...

*~*End Flashback*~*

"I'm so sorry, Xena. I can't believe that you've put up with me for so long...I love you more than anything else that this existence has to offer, I hope you know that," Ares told her sincerely.

Xena nodded, her sniffles still coming every now and then. "That's all that's kept me with you, because if I didn't know, I wouldn't be here."

"I know, and thank you."

Ares lifted her hand to his lips. As her fingers came into contact with his mouth, they both gasped and put their hands on Xena's stomach. "We made a baby!" Ares nearly shouted.

"Two," Xena amended. "Twins...oh!" She turned to her husband. "Are you pleased?" She looked to him hopefully.

"I love all of you, and I'll never forget to tell you again. But Xena, you know that Zeus won't let it be known that these children are ours," Ares said sadly.

Xena nodded. Her father had been unreasonable when Hera had told him of their marriage. Zeus had insisted that not another soul was to hear about it. He didn't want it know that Love and War were in bed together, let alone married! Only very few gods and goddesses knew, but absolutely no mortals, since the marriage had occurred before their creation, and Zeus had forbade those who knew of the union to speak of it.

"It doesn't matter," she said to him honestly. "We'll love them, and they'll know that they're our children. No one else has to know."

Ares sighed sadly. "It'll have to be enough. At least until Zeus is gone."

Xena looked up at him in panic. "Ares, don't say such things! If you make him angry enough..." she trailed off. They both knew what could happen if they angered Zeus.

Ares decided to change the subject. "So, what are we going to name them...?"

Xena shrugged. "Maybe Aphrodite or Gabrielle for a girl, and either Cupid or Ryas for a boy...what do you think?"

Ares thought about it for a minute. "I like the name Aphrodite. Especially if she turns out to be as beautiful as her mother." He kissed the top of her head.

Xena sighed in pleasure. "I'm so happy about all of this, Ares. After almost five centuries, we're going to have children."

Ares laughed at the thought. "Yeah, I can see it now, little miniature Gods and Goddesses of War and Love. That'll have Zeus occupied for a century or two, at least!"

Xena giggled. She could just imagine their children running their grandfather ragged, and playing tricks on the other gods...

The couple fell asleep with that thought on their minds.

A few months later, Aphrodite and Cupid were born...

Continue

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws