AUTHOR'S NOTES:

As always, the characters in this story are not mine. I'm only borrowing them for a short while. Xena and Gabrielle belong to Renaissance Pictures and MCA/Universal; so do Ares and Aphrodite, though the creators of Xena: Warrior Princess borrowed them from Greek mythology just like they borrowed Caligula from Roman history.

This story incorporates a few elements from the original script of the Season 6 episode The God You Know (in which Xena is never stripped of the power to kill gods, and the dilemma of how to kill Caligula and save Aphrodite is resolved in the same manner as in the story), as well as a colorful episode from Suetonius' "Life of Caligula" from The Twelve Caesars (the story of Praetorian captain Cassius Chaerea and the passwords for the night watch -- quite possibly as fictional anything on Xena, Warrior Princess, and definitely too good to pass up).

Many thanks to Tango for the beta!

ONCE A GOD

She wasn't sure which she hated more: the palace or the prison.

She had left the guest quarters, with the oppressive luxury of the bedroom and the bath-chamber, and stalked briskly through the hallways – all marble and gold and rich curtains of silk and velvet, and faint spicy fragrances, and everywhere a subtle air of self-indulgence and cruelty – until a long flight of steps took her down to the dungeons. Here, the darkness was relieved only by sickly torchlight and the damp air smelled of human misery.

As Xena walked behind the guard who led her to his cell, a dull ache crept into her chest. She wasn't sure why, until she realized that she dreaded seeing him here. Not that she liked seeing anyone in a Roman dungeon; but this was different. He was a god. Had been a god. She had a vague memory of him shattering the chains on her wrists with the careless flick of a hand. For many human lifetimes, he had been invulnerable to all this, and still would have been, if not for her. He was here because he loved her. The thought made her slow down her pace, though only for a moment; the oblivious guard walked ahead, and she followed.

She hadn't expected to find Ares here in Rome; or Aphrodite, for that matter. All she knew, from the shifty Archangel Michael, was that the emperor Caligula, had somehow gained the power of a god – very bad news, combined with a reputation for violence and depravity that stood out even by Roman standards – and she, with her god-slaying powers, was the one who could stop him. She'd been already moving in for the kill when something hurtled into her and she found herself on the ground, pinned by a man's arms, knowing exactly who it was before she even saw him. Ares had said something about Caligula and Aphrodite's lives being bound together. I can't let you kill my sister. She couldn't – not Aphrodite. But if Caligula was a threat to Eve… She had to find out what this bond was. And break it.

The guard motioned toward the cell and shuffled off – and then Xena saw him, lying on a narrow bunk. Hearing her step, Ares sat up and then rose quickly to his feet. His sword and gauntlets were gone. He'd kill the bastards once he got out, and she'd gladly help him. Even in the half-darkness, she saw the flash of joy and relief in his expression as she came up; but that was gone by the time they faced each other, his hands on the thick bars between them. She took off the mask.

"You okay?" she asked.

He shrugged with a bitter smirk. "I guess this is one of those new experiences that come with being mortal, huh?"

Xena touched his hand, the warmth of his skin comforting as his fingers wrapped around hers.

"I'll get you out."

Their eyes met for a moment; then he looked away. "I'll be fine. Just get my sister out alive."

She wondered if he resented needing her help. "How did you get here? I mean – to Rome."

"I heard about Aphrodite."

"How?"

Ares sighed. "Started with dreams," he said grudgingly, avoiding her eyes. "The Fates. I didn't want to pay attention at first – didn't want to be like some mortal fool making a big deal out of dreams and omens. Then one of them showed up on the farm – the youngest, looking like just another kid from the village… I should have picked up right away on who she was," he added, as if to himself, and then trailed off.

"Ares," she said gently, "you're not a god anymore."

He looked up. "Yeah – right now, that's kinda hard to forget." He tapped his finger on the metal of a bar and she winced a little.

"So she told you Aphrodite was here and in trouble – and you came here to help her."

"Yeah, well – too bad I can't do a thing."

"Maybe I can."

He leaned forward, gripping the bars again, and in the half-dark she saw his eyes flash. "You can't kill him, Xena. You kill him, she dies too."

"I'll do what I can to help her," she said evenly. "So that's how he's become a god – this bond he has with Aphrodite…"

"That's how. He's not a full god yet, mind you, but he's getting there. Sucking her godhood from her, bit by bit" – he spoke as if every word was something he spat out with disgust – "like those demons that feed on human blood – "

"How can he do that?"

"She must have agreed to let him, somehow." He paused and added, "She's out of her mind, you know. You saw her – "

"I know." She didn't want to dwell on all the reasons Aphrodite had for losing her mind. "Look, I'll do whatever I can. I promise – she'll be safe."

He moved his hand, as if to touch her shoulder. "Be careful."

Xena nodded and turned away, and slipped the mask back on.

~ x ~ x ~ x

As she stepped through the large, ornate doors into the banquet hall, a wave of sounds and smells rolled over her: wine and perfume, the lilting melodies of flutes and sweet spicy incense, the hum of voices and the whiff of sweat, the clink and clatter of cups and plates, the thick aroma of freshly roasted meat and exotic sauces. There was also an intangible presence of unease that hung about the room, an edge of tension in the chatter and laughter and in the way people stood and held their goblets, as if the revelry could always turn to danger. She saw that Gabrielle was in the middle of the hall, dancing; and then Caligula, reclining next to Aphrodite on a large couch covered in rich crimson cloth, sat up and clapped twice. Gabrielle stopped and turned to see her walking through the hall. The chatter hushed.

"Saba," Caligula said peevishly. "You're late."

"I'm sorry, lord. I was – changing into something more appropriate." With that she threw off her cloak, revealing her party dress, a skimpy, shimmery black thing of silk and lace that left her midriff covered only with ribbons, exposing glimpses of skin. The emperor leered at her.

"Very impressive," he said. "I was getting so bored, I was thinking of having your friend beheaded." He pointed to Gabrielle and burst into a high-pitched giggle; there was a flurry of nervous laughter in the hall. Caligula's eyes glittered as he relished the effect, more a fey child than a ruthless tyrant.

"Thanks for stalling," Xena said quietly, coming up to Gabrielle.

"What did you find out?"

"Not much," she muttered hurriedly. "Can't kill Caligula without killing Aphrodite, not while they have this – bond. We've got to reach her – try to get her out of here and to our quarters, okay?"

Aphrodite, half-lying next to Caligula, stirred drowsily and muttered something.

"Sure," Gabrielle whispered. "What about – "

But Caligula was already beckoning to Xena to come closer.

"So," he said. "Do you dance, too?"

"My sword is by far the better dancer, lord."

"Really," he drawled. "Then maybe there is a way you can entertain me."

He snapped his fingers, motioning to an attendant who leaned toward him. The emperor paused for a moment, as if pondering something, then grinned gleefully and gave order to the attendant, who quickly disappeared. So he was going to have her fight some champion – maybe a gladiator, and then, likely as not, order her to kill him. Why did she have to mention her skill with a sword?

"Come drink some wine," he said, a spark of sly merriment in his eyes that could have seemed innocent if she didn't know better. She sat down next to him and received a finely carved goblet, from which she was careful to sip no more than twice. Gabrielle, meanwhile, unobtrusively perched herself next to Aphrodite, who stirred again and sat up with a moan, her eyelashes fluttering open.

"My lord would have me fight a challenger," Xena said. "One of Rome's best, no doubt."

He snickered and stole a sly look at her. "Oh, it's a surprise… And speaking of which – when are you going to surprise me and take off this mask?"

She chuckled, taking another sip of wine. "If I told you that, then it wouldn't be a surprise – would it?"

The mask had to stay. She couldn't run the risk of someone at the palace recognizing her; too many people in Rome had seen her less than two years ago, at Augustus' court and in the arena with Livia. Too many people knew she could kill gods, and Caligula couldn't be allowed to know that until the right time. It would be a surprise all right.

"Oh, I like you." He raised his goblet, his gaze sliding shamelessly up her body and then back to the mask, locking on her eyes – his own eyes a strange flecked gray, with an unnerving glint that was somewhere on the edge of madness. "I like you."

And then the door opened and two guards came in, dragging with them a bewildered-looking Ares; and after another fit of merriment that left him nearly in tears, Caligula managed to say, "There's your challenger."

"Why him?" Xena asked, as casually as possible. Her eyes met Ares' for a moment; then, he glanced furtively at Aphrodite to find only a vacant stare.

"Because I felt like it." Caligula paused to drink, then smirked at her, a droplet of red trickling down his chin. "Besides, why not?"

She could have feigned indignation at being told to fight an unknown; except that she wouldn't put it past the emperor to respond by having Ares killed on the spot. Xena rose to her feet and walked out into the empty space in front of the couch, where Gabrielle had danced before. Attendants brought two swords, handing one to Xena and one to Ares. From the way he adjusted his grip on the hilt, she could see that, however bleak the situation, it made him feel better to hold a sword. Maybe she could turn this to their advantage.

"My lord." She raised the sword, its blade gleaming gold in the reflected lights of many candles. "At your pleasure."

"Of course you are," he drawled, with the predictable lewd gloating. "But – let's make this interesting. If you lose, then I get to give you an order. Sure, I could do that anyway – I mean, I'm an emperor and a god … but this way, it'll be fun. I could order you to take off that mask, for instance – or …" He snickered and gestured toward Ares. "Or to take his place in the dungeon for the night. I'm full of ideas, you know. If you win – well, then you get a wish. Anything you like … as long as I like it too." Another laugh; then he waved his hand almost dismissively, as if bored already. "Begin."

Xena bowed her head slightly and turned to face Ares, in a total stillness in which even the thin clink of a goblet somewhere in the hall startled. Their eyes met. I think it's better for both of us if the next order comes from me and not Caligula. The corner of his mouth curved in a half-smirk as his eyes said, But you still want a good fight, don't you? She clenched her jaw -- You got it -- and they both charged. Their swords met with a clang as if in fury and slashed through the incense-sweetened air. She spun around but Ares dodged her kick – he knew her moves too well – and grabbed her foot and sent her flying backwards. She leaped up and charged again. He fought as if he had no intention of losing. Now they circled each other in slow dance-like steps, parrying each blow, until they were face to face, blade locked against blade, breathing hard. He grinned a little, as if he'd forgotten where they were and why.

Damn it, he was good; better than she'd expected, with him mortal. Slowly, he pulled back, always alert to not give her an opening, then, lightning-quick, moved to strike; she blocked and they sparred in an elaborate weave – oh, how she'd have loved this if it weren't the game of life and death that the crazy emperor had made it. She jumped, flipping in the air, and slammed her boots into Ares' chest, this time too quickly for him to anticipate it; she thought she had him now, but in his fall he managed to kick out his legs and trip her as she landed, so that they both ended up sprawled on the floor, and back on their feet for more. His sword slashed at the ribbons on her midriff, nicking the skin, drawing blood. Behind her, Aphrodite let out a frightened squeal.

"Not making this easy," Xena said through clenched teeth.

"Nope," Ares shot back under his breath, his eyes sparkling.

And so they went on, until she managed to catch a moment when his grip on his sword weakened; a powerful kick sent it flying from his hand, and before he could recover she spun and kicked again and took him down with a harsh "Yah!" Another moment and she was standing over him, feet planted on both sides of his body, twin blades pointed at his chest – and three lazy claps from the emperor announced that the contest was over.

"Well. That was – good," Caligula said, sounding mildly amused. Aphrodite and Gabrielle, Xena noticed, were no longer by his side. She inclined her head; the guests applauded until he silenced them with an impatient hand-wave. "Choose your wish. But first," he added, as an afterthought, "finish him off."

There was some scattered applause and cheers, along with a few groans of disappointment from the women. Ares shot a disgusted glance at Caligula and shifted his eyes to Xena with a mute "Now what?"

She twirled the swords with a showy flourish – only to drop them and sink down until she was straddling him. Ripping open his vest, she slid her hands over his chest, slick with sweat and rattled by broken breaths. As he gaped in shock and alarm, she swept down, cupped his face and pressed a long hard kiss to his mouth. He tensed and made a muffled sound of protest; then she felt him shudder and his lips opened, his tongue moving against hers in response.

A murmur rippled across the room, then an uncertain laughter. Caligula joined in with raucous mirth, clapping wildly. She pulled away and looked up, adjusting the mask.

"My dear," he choked out, still clapping, "that isn't quite the 'finish off' I had in mind. But if you mean to fuck him to death, this will turn out to be much more entertaining than I expected."

After an uncomfortable pause, there was a ripple of obliging laughs among the guests.

"Xena," Ares whispered hoarsely, "I hope you know what – "

She pressed her fingers to his lips without turning her head. "Actually, lord – my wish is to claim this man – " she flashed a brazen grin – "for my own private entertainment."

"Oh." He gave her a sulky look. "And I was so hoping for a good show." He twirled the medallion on his chest, sighed dramatically and shrugged. "Very well. He's yours."

"Thank you, emperor." She rose and helped Ares to his feet, and, staying in character, ran a hand up his chest with practiced lasciviousness. He gave her a slightly panicked look.

"And now, with your permission – " she bowed slightly to Caligula – "I will take my leave."

"Go on." The fey smirk was back on his face, and as she turned to go he called out, "Don't let him wear you out – we've got a chariot race tomorrow!"

~ x ~ x ~ x

"I have to tell you," Ares said as they walked briskly down the hallway, "in all my fantasies, I never got to the 'sex slave at the Roman court' scenario."

She snorted. "I hope you like sleeping on the floor."

"Depends on who else is on it."

Xena glanced toward him. "You're actually enjoying this, aren't you."

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that little exercise."

She knew it was true even before he said it. "Okay, I won't. About time somebody showed those Romans a decent bit of swordplay."

"I could have beaten you, you know."

"Yeah – with one hand tied behind your back."

"Well, under the circumstances, letting you win was the smart thing to do – "

"Oh, is that what happened. I guess we'll just have to settle for a rematch when this is over, huh?"

"Deal," he said; and then they walked on in silence. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was: that at the moment, it was far from clear when and how this would be over. And he must have been, because after a few moments he said, a sudden quiet intensity in his voice, "Can't believe that little freak has got his hooks into my sister."

"She'll be all right." Xena looked down, feeling a small painful tug at her heart. "Trust me, okay?"

He shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice, do I."

~ x ~ x ~ x

Gabrielle opened the doors of the guest quarters and gave Ares a surprised look.

"Caligula let you out?"

"I'm her stud for the evening," he said jauntily, nodding toward Xena as he walked through the door. Gabrielle rolled her eyes.

"Well, actually…" Xena met Gabrielle's stare and added hastily, "It was either that or kill him."

"I can see how that would be a tough choice," Gabrielle said, looking from Xena to Ares. Whatever smart remark he was about to make faded on his lips when Gabrielle added, "Your sister's here."

"Where is she?" he asked quickly. "Is she all right?"

Gabrielle shook her head with a pained look and gestured toward the inner room. "She doesn't recognize me… Well – I think maybe she does a little, but she has no idea who I am."

Aphrodite sat on the bed, rocking slightly, mumbling something, pulling at her clothes. There was something withered and lifeless about all of her: the skin, the hair styled in elaborate ringlets according to high Roman fashion, the heavily made-up eyes. This time Xena could no longer ignore the ache inside; and it was even worse when she turned to Ares and saw his face.

He sat next to his sister and tried to take her hands. "Aphrodite – "

"Don't touch me." She slapped his hand away, the hollow eyes staring through him, past him.

He grimaced. "Sis – don't..."

"Don't call me that," she said vehemently. "I'm not your sister – my brothers were gods, get it? I'm a goddess!" She was almost shrieking now, then crying, the words tumbling out fast. "And you're some smelly mortal who should be turned into a rat for laying your filthy hands on a goddess without her permission…"

Gabrielle sighed. "She's already threatened to turn me into a mosquito."

"Useless," Ares said under his breath. Xena, standing by the bed, squeezed his shoulder in sympathy; he didn't seem to notice. He reached out clumsily to touch Aphrodite's hair, but she jerked her head away and collapsed on the bed face down, crying and muttering. In the jumble of words, one could make out only, "I want to go home" and "I'm a goddess." Ares glanced at Xena before turning away; he looked as if he had been punched in the stomach, repeatedly and hard.

"We…" Xena paused a moment, a quick spasm at her throat. "We need to get her out of here. It won't do if Caligula starts looking for her and she's here with us."

"I'll take her back," Gabrielle said. She leaned over the goddess and touched her shoulder. "Aphrodite, come on…"

Aphrodite whimpered and moved to swat her away, but then sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Just to take you back to your room," Gabrielle said gently. "Come on."

Ignoring her, Aphrodite fixed her eyes on Ares. He looked up at her, warily hopeful; but in the next instant she let out a bright girlish laugh and squealed, "Hey – you're kind of cute," and, grabbing his collar, attempted to glue herself to his mouth.

"Uh, bad idea – really bad idea," he gasped, valiantly trying to free himself from his sister's clutches without using violence while Gabrielle helped pry her off him, the three of them a tangle of arms and legs that looked like a scene from some sick bedroom farce. Xena clenched her jaw, not even trying to push away the pain clawing at her gut, not wanting to think about how he felt. Aphrodite's laughter now had a hysterical edge, and soon she was crying again, crumpled on the floor. Ares dropped his head in his hands, his shoulders hunched.

"Aphrodite, come on," Gabrielle said again. Xena stepped up to help her, and together they lifted the poor mad goddess off the floor – her face streaked with tears and makeup, her hair coming undone. She was still crying but docile as a child when Gabrielle finally led her away.

After they were gone, Xena paced across the room a couple of times, then stopped and looked at Ares. He hadn't moved.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Ares looked up, his face hollow. "Nothing you can do. I just can't believe…" He trailed off and shook his head. "She was always so…" He struggled with words, then, giving up, rose abruptly to his feet and wandered to the antechamber. Xena hesitated – maybe he wanted to be alone – but after a moment followed to find him pouring himself some wine from a carved silver carafe. She came up and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get her back."

He drained his goblet in a few gulps, put it down abruptly on the tripod table and turned to face her. "I – Xena, I haven't told you everything."

She frowned. "About what?"

"What Clotho told me. The youngest of – "

"Yeah, I know. One of their typical cryptic little prophecies, I bet – "

"Not that cryptic," he said grimly.

"Well?"

He drew a deep breath. "The goddess of love will be freed by double death – when the Slayer of Gods is no more."

"Oh." She took this in, pondered it a moment. "Double death?"

"Her own and Caligula's, I guess." He gripped her arm. "You see what this means, don't you? Aphrodite and you." His eyes said the rest: The only two people I care about.

"It doesn't have to mean that. Come on, Ares – you of all people should know how the Fates talk..."

"Well, what do you think it means?"

"I don't know yet. Give me some time." Once she had it figured it out, it would seem so obvious she'd kick herself for not seeing it right away. Damn it, she almost had it, except that she was still missing some twist, some link… "Don't mention this in front of Gabrielle. I don't need both of you worrying about this."

He swallowed hard. "Xena…"

She leaned closer and, on impulse, kissed him; his lips were warm, and tasting faintly of wine. "Just trust me on this."

"You said that before," he said, his breath brushing her face.

"Yeah." She smiled a little. "This time, I hope I made my point."

To her relief, she saw a soft twinkle of a smile in his eyes. "I don't know. Want to explain it again?"

They both laughed quietly; and she did, very slowly this time, until a knock on the door forced them to break apart.

"Perfect timing as usual," Ares muttered, rolling his eyes.

Xena pulled away, out of breath, half-grateful for interruption. There was no telling how far things could have gone – and, aside from all the other reasons not to let that happen, she couldn't afford to lose focus. (What other reasons …? No, definitely not going there.) Another knock, and an unfamiliar female voice said, "My lady Saba?"

Not Gabrielle. Quickly, she put on the mask. "Yes?"

"The emperor sends dinner with his compliments."

"Bring it in," she said.

~ x ~ x ~ x

"So how did you get to Rome?" Gabrielle asked, moving aside a plate with the bare bones of a roasted pheasant. The dinner, set out on a low table in front of two couches, had been as lavish as one might expect at an imperial palace, with plenty of delicacies still left on the ornate plates.

Ares shrugged and reached for a pastry. "Sold those farm animals. Got a horse. If I ever spend another night at a fleabag inn between here and Amphipolis, it'll be one too many."

"No more trouble with bounty hunters?" Xena asked.

He gave her an oddly flat look. "Trouble for them. Four guys tried to ambush me near Athens."

After a short pause, Gabrielle spoke up. "What happened?"

"You mean, who's dead, me or them," he said wryly. "A very good question."

He hadn't enjoyed killing them. Aloud, Xena said, "Lucky for us Caligula has no idea who you are."

The three of them exchanged a silent look. There was no need to spell out the likely consequences of the psychotic emperor-god learning that he had the ex-God of War in his power.

After the palace slaves had cleared the dishes, Ares retreated into the bath chamber and Gabrielle made herself busy with a new scroll. Xena lay back on the couch, frustrated by the forced inactivity – not even a sword to sharpen or a horse to brush – and by Clotho's still-elusive riddle. After a while, Gabrielle said suddenly, without looking up, "So you're going to sleep in the same bed, huh?"

Xena sat up sharply. "I suppose. Wouldn't want the servants to report to Caligula that we didn't. So what?"

"Oh, nothing." Gabrielle chuckled.

"Gabrielle…" The last thing she needed right now was to think of … that. Let alone for Gabrielle to nudge her in that direction.

"Come on, Xena. You like him."

"It's hardly the right time for girl talk, don't you think?"

Gabrielle finally lifted her eyes from the scroll with a small laugh. "Like there's ever a right time for girl talk with you." She paused and added, more serious, "Well, just in case you're worried about what I think – I'm fine with it."

"You weren't fine with it back in Amphipolis."

"He's different now."

"Maybe he always was…" Xena said quietly, almost to herself; then shook her head and winced. "Look, this isn't exactly our biggest problem right now."

"Sorry." In the silence that followed, Xena rose from the couch and walked around the room, stopping to look at the night-robe Caligula had sent her, slung over a chair – a robe from Ch'in, blazing orange dragons embroidered on fine jet-black silk. It made her think of Ming Tien; another twisted soul who had to die.

"Caligula's sparing no expense for his guest of honor," Gabrielle said. "Are you really going to do this chariot race tomorrow?"

"I have to. Unless I can figure out a way to kill him first ... without losing Aphrodite."

"You know he's got men all over the city looking for Eve."

"I know."

Gabrielle nervously twisted the quill in her fingers. "Xena, we can't get through to Aphrodite. It's just –hopeless. She's too far gone."

"I know."

"So what are we going to do? We can't let her die. We just can't. Especially after what she and Ares did for us… What?"

"I've got it," she said, almost in a whisper.

"You've got what?"

"How to kill Caligula and save Aphrodite." Of course. So obvious.

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I'm ever sure of anything."

Gabrielle threw the scroll aside and stood up. "So what is it?"

Xena hesitated a moment, as if explaining her idea might jinx it. Before she could say another word, a door inside opened, and they heard Ares coming out of the bath-chamber.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow," she said. "It'll be fine."

Sure, it would be fine – except that she was about to share a bed with Ares, and there he was with a linen towel around his waist, his hair wet, traces of water on his bare chest glittering in the candlelight. Xena bit down on her lip and made herself look away. This was going to be a long night.

Some time later, Gabrielle was in her own adjacent bedchamber – sleeping the sleep of the innocent, no doubt – and Xena lay with her back to Ares, acutely aware of his closeness, his nearly naked body, the fact that he was as restlessly awake as she was, knowing that she could turn and reach for him and, damn it to Tartarus, it would be good. She was so used to thinking that if she let herself get too close to him, he would pull her into the darkness she'd fought so hard to escape. But here he was, a mortal man – mortal because he had given up the world to save her; here in Rome, risking his life to protect his sister. She wondered if she should tell him she'd figured out the prophecy. Would he be willing to gamble Aphrodite's life on her insight? No, he might try to stop her, and she couldn't afford that. Couldn't afford to lose focus. That was it. Focus. He had taught her that once, in another lifetime... Right now, she needed sleep. It wouldn't do if she was anything less than fully alert tomorrow. She pulled the thin blanket over herself and tried to get more comfortable.

In the end, she did fall asleep. When she woke up, her mind still adrift with half-remembered snatches of strange dreams, she wasn't sure how long she had slept, or how close it was to dawn – there were no windows in the bedchamber, only the hazy light of a small orange-tinted lamp. She was lying on her back, and Ares was next to her, his breathing even, his eyelashes fluttering a little as he slept, his lips parted slightly. She sighed and turned away, closing her eyes.

Sleep was already taking hold of her again, and she might have been dreaming, when there was a loud bang, and then another and another, and it wasn't a dream.

She sat up abruptly; Ares, too, jolted awake and shook off the momentary bewilderment at his surroundings. There it was again, the heavy pounding of fists on the door.

"Something tells me this isn't breakfast," Xena murmured. She got up from the bed, always remembering the mask, and came out into the antechamber.

Gabrielle stumbled out of her room with a sleepy, "What's going on?", and immediately, a rough voice on the other side of the door provided the answer, punctuated with another bam. "Open up! Open up, or we'll break down the door!"

Xena went to open and found herself facing several stone-faced Praetorian guards.

"This is some wake-up call," she said coldly.

"The emperor wants to see you – now," said one of the guards. He nodded toward Ares, who had come up behind her, wearing his pants now but barefoot and without the vest. "You and the boyfriend."

"We'll get dressed," she said. Whatever Caligula was up to, it could only be bad news.

"Come as you are," the guard grunted; and another added, with a nasty chuckle, "Emperor's not big on formalities."

All she had time to whisper to Gabrielle was, "Try to get hold of Aphrodite."

~ x ~ x ~ x

The throne room, in colors of crimson and gold, had a fantastic look – most of it blanketed in shadows that deepened in the corners, the torches and lamps clustered around the opulent throne and casting their bright, shimmery light on the massive seat with the puny man in it.

Caligula leaned forward, his lips twisted in a smile, almost rubbing his hands with glee.

"Well, well," he said. "What a surprise. Ares." He paused for effect. "Formerly known as God of War."

Ares' look turned from shock to grim defiance; there was no point in denials. Xena wondered how Caligula had found out, but the mystery was solved at once.

"Amazing." Caligula broke into the familiar high-pitched laugh. "A spirit with wings came to me and told me who you were. Said I could become the greatest of all gods if I sacrificed the God of War to my cult of blood."

Michael. That bastard, trying to force her hand because she hadn't killed Caligula yet.

"That's – inspired, isn't it? Spilling the blood of a former god – the God of War, no less – for my glory. Oh, yeah." Even now, there was something horribly childlike about his delight, as if he'd found a new toy and couldn't wait to take it apart. "Of course, you could always plead for your life in the forum and swear your allegiance to me and my cult. If you were persuasive enough… who knows…" he looked up, as if mulling over his options. "I could make you a priest in my cult. Maybe even the high priest in my new temple. That would be incredibly amusing – to have the former God of War worshiping me as a living god." He chuckled. "What do you think?"

"Worship this, you little worm," Ares snarled and lunged forward. The praetorian guards grabbed his arms and wrestled him away from the throne, but Caligula, immortal though he was, couldn't help shrinking back. "You want to know what I think?" Ares went on, his voice thick with anger. "I think stealing my sister's godhood doesn't make you any less of a pathetic, messed-up freak. Now you can be one for eternity."

Caligula leaped to his feet, his lip trembling. "How dare you!" he shrieked. "I'm a god! The greatest of gods! Do you know what I can do to you? Do you? I'll – I'll – I'll…" He sputtered, looking for a suitably impressive threat. "I'll still have you pleading in the forum, only it'll be for a quick death!" He sank down on the pillows strewn over the seat, panting, almost on the verge of tears. When he regained control, his mouth shaped itself into a smile that made Xena's skin crawl. "Oh, you're going to die all right. Just wait until we find that Elijan whore. What a grand double sacrifice – the God of War and the Messenger of Eli." He gave a raspy cackle. "And I'll make sure your demise is very slow and spectacular."

Ares remained stubbornly silent, and with a disappointed huff Caligula turned to Xena. "And you. Saba, or whatever your name is. I'm guessing you knew exactly who he was all along. So, if you don't want to be third on that list – you're going to tell me exactly who you are and what you're doing here. You can start by taking off that mask. Unless you want my men to take it off for you."

"With pleasure," Xena said. She raised a hand – the praetorians weren't restraining her – and undid the clasp in the back. The mask fell at her feet, hitting the stone floor with a small clang.

Caligula examined her features with indifferent curiosity; but she felt someone else's gaze on her, and shifted her eyes to see a centurion standing to the left of the throne. There was something vaguely familiar about the man, who was in his middle thirties, tall and with curly brown hair. He cleared his throat and said, "Emperor," and Caligula turned.

"What is it?"

"This is Xena," the centurion said. "The warrior princess."

Taken aback, Caligula peered into her face, then looked at the centurion again. "Are you sure, Chaerea?"

"Quite sure, lord. Several years ago, Augustus had me serve under her command against Livia."

"I am Xena," she said.

"Uh, X-Xena," Caligula stammered. "I've – I've heard a lot about you. The Warrior Princess. They also call you – " his eyes were shifting rapidly – "the slayer of g- g-"

"Gods," she said contemptuously. "Also the mother of the young woman you so charmingly called 'the Elijan whore.'"

The throne room fell very quiet; one could hear the hissing of the torches and Ares' ragged breath. Caligula's eyes bulged slightly. Finally regaining speech, he yelled, "Guards! Put her in chains – now!"

The two praetorians standing beside Xena moved to seize her. Before they could lay a hand on her, she turned and downed one of them with a kick to the knees while delivering a backhand punch to the other; he staggered but remained standing and reached for his sword. In the next instant he was on the floor groaning and the sword was in her hand. The first man tried to rise but this time, a kick to the chest sent him flying to the wall. Xena looked back to see that the guards who had been restraining Ares weren't faring much better; he kicked up a sword that was lying on the floor, caught it and held it up, as if testing his grip. Their eyes met.

Four more praetorians rushed them, swords drawn, and Xena and Ares whipped around to fight them back to back, parrying the blows.

"Stupid clods!" Caligula shouted, his voice rising. "Chaerea! What are you waiting for?" He turned to the centurion, who hadn't budged from his spot. "Get more men!"

Chaerea strode toward the open doors of the throne room. Xena, who had just taken down another guard, was about to charge after him; but something about his manner made her wait. Instead of going out, the centurion slowly and deliberately closed the doors and bolted them shut, then turned around and walked toward Xena and Ares.

Caligula's face was an ever-shifting grimace of fear, shock and rage. "Traitor!" he shouted. "Disloyal dog!"

Paying no attention, Chaerea came up to Xena and stopped.

"Is it true what they say? You can kill gods?"

"Yes."

With a swift motion, he pulled his sword from its sheath. "Then take this. I want it done with my blade."

As Xena took the weapon, the emperor let out a weak, wordless scream. The centurion turned to him, and the barely noticeable smile that creased his lips was a distant reflection of that grotesque smile of Caligula's when he had threatened Ares with unspeakable torments.

"Sire," he said. "The watchword for tonight is – Slayer of Gods."

Ignoring the cryptic remark, Xena took a step toward the throne where Caligula cowered. His scream became a whimper.

"Xena – Xena, wait. What are you doing?" Ares clasped her arm urgently. "You can't just kill him."

He spoke loudly enough for Caligula to hear, and the emperor sat up, a quick flash of hope in his face. "That's right. You can't. See, Ares knows you can't kill me. Because I'm the greatest of all gods. I'm going to restore the Olympian pantheon to its former glory." He turned to Ares, and his face, with no trace of the former sulky arrogance, acquired an ingratiating expression that was perhaps the worst of it all. "You know I wasn't really going to sacrifice you on the forum, right? It was a joke." He tried to laugh, his teeth chattering. "I – I just wanted to see your reaction. I mean, we can settle this – god to god, right? Of course, technically you're not a god anymore, but once a – "

"Bloody harpies in Tartarus," Ares said. "Shut up."

Xena put a hand on his shoulder. "Ares. Please trust me." She added, keeping her voice low because she didn't want Caligula to know what a trump he held, "I won't let her die, okay?"

He licked his lips nervously. "Xena – "

"I know how to save her," she whispered. "She'll be all right. I promise."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said. "It's the only way."

Ares sighed and stood aside, and she walked up the steps of the throne. Caligula was shaking like a small hunted animal, his face streaked with tears, a string of saliva hanging from his mouth. She felt sick to her stomach, or perhaps her soul.

He attempted a smile. "Can we negotiate? I – I swear I won't harm your daughter. And, uh – when I called her a whore? Th-that was just a figure of speech."

She didn't flinch. When she reached the top step, his hand went up, and there was a flash of crackling blue light in it: the living god had suddenly remembered he had powers. She swatted at his wrist with the flat of the sword, and the small fireball flew off to the side and shattered a vase while Caligula yelped and rubbed his hand. She stepped closer. Caligula either wasn't able to teleport himself yet, or had forgotten in his mortal terror that he had that ability.

"Wh-what if I made you empress?" he blubbered. "Please. You could rule the world with me – wouldn't that be fun? I could give Ares command of all my legions. I mean, I know that's a step down from being a god, but – "

It made her feel dirty to do this. And yet when she looked into Caligula's gray eyes, Xena saw, along with the fear and the pleading, such scorching hatred that she knew it was crazy to even think about letting him live.

"I'm sorry," she said, and stabbed him in the heart.

~ x ~ x ~ x

When Xena came down the steps of the throne, Chaerea reverently took the bloodied sword from her hands.

"Rome is in your debt," he said.

Xena nodded, distracted. The other praetorians were already back on their feet or helping their injured comrades; none seemed particularly moved by the emperor's fate, or interested in stopping his killer.

"What was that about the watchword?" she asked.

To her surprise, Chaerea turned a deep red. "It was – something that monster did to torment me," he said brusquely. Then he added, "I'm going to get my friends – we need to have things under control before word gets out that Caligula is dead."

Xena glanced at Ares and saw his worried look. "Wait," she said. "Can you take us to Aphrodite?"

The centurion nodded. "Follow me."

Just as they approached Aphrodite's quarters, a panicky-looking Gabrielle ran out into the hallway.

"Xena! Thank the heavens – I was about to go looking for you. Is Caligula – "

"Yes," Xena said abruptly.

"Aphrodite's dying."

"Damn it," Ares said, pushing past both of them and through the doorway.

In the bedroom, two maidservants were fussing over the bed where Aphrodite lay still in an almost sheer silvery gown. "Get out of my way," Ares said savagely, and the frightened women sprang back. He bent over Aphrodite and lifted her up. Her head fell back lifelessly, the heap of golden hair cascading on the pillow; her arms hung limply at her sides.

"She's breathing," Ares said. "Sis. Come on." Sitting down on the bed, he lifted her head and stroked her face. She gave a small moan. "She's alive… Come on. Stay with me, sis." He turned to look at Xena. She saw tears in his eyes; his jaw trembled slightly, his mouth distorted with pain. "You told me she wouldn't die," he said in a choked voice. "Damn it, you promised."

"I know," she said – silently praying, to any power that would listen, that this would work. "Ares, step aside."

"Xena – "

"Come on," she said softly. "Let me."

Reluctantly, he rose from the bed, letting go of Aphrodite. Her head lolled to the side, and her breathing – if still there – was so low it could no longer be heard. When Xena knelt over her and touched her cheek, it was cold.

Taking a deep breath, Xena pressed her palms to Aphrodite's neck and closed her eyes.

She had no idea what to do next. She knew only that, with every ounce of her will, she wanted to give up this alien power inside her so that Aphrodite could live. Live. Live. Live, her own blood thumped in her ears. Take this power. I don't want it. Live. Live.

She felt a surge of heat rush through her body and into her hands; when she lifted her eyelids a little, she saw that her hands were enveloped in a faint red glow which seemed to be flowing into Aphrodite's skin.

It's working.

Behind her, she heard Gabrielle gasp, "Xena!", and Ares made a sound of both joy and shock. She closed her eyes again, shutting out everything else, focused completely on giving her power to Aphrodite. The heat pulsing in her hands was dying down; and just then, Aphrodite convulsed and gulped for air and coughed.

The power was gone.

Xena took her hands off Aphrodite and looked up at Gabrielle and Ares. Gabrielle laughed and shook her head, and Ares' face lit up with a slow, incredulous grin, as if he were still afraid to believe this was real.

"How did you – ?" Gabrielle started.

"I gave up the power to kill gods to revive her." Looking at Ares, she added quietly, "No more Slayer of Gods."

"Hey! What in the world is going on?" Aphrodite, fully awake, sat up on the bed. "Hi, girls!" She looked over Xena in her embroidered Ch'in robe and giggled. "This is a different look for you, warrior babe... Ar! What are you doing here? Where is 'here,' anyway? Are we in Rome? I seem to have, like, this total blackout." She winced and rubbed her head. "And what's with the staring? Stop that! It's majorly freaking me out. You're all looking at me like I just came back from the dead."

"Funny you should say that," Xena muttered. She stood up and let Ares sit next to his sister; and Aphrodite looked somewhat taken aback but also genuinely moved when Ares squeezed her in a hug and said, his voice tight, "Welcome back, sis."

~ x ~ x ~ x

Aphrodite listened in amazement to Gabrielle's quick recap; the report of her amorous association with Caligula ("Caligula? Ewww!") seemed to shock her more than that of her death and resurrection. Finally, she waved it all off with a blithe "whatever," momentarily distracted by the disheveled state of her hair which she'd just noticed in the wall mirror. She pouted and snapped her fingers – and nothing happened because, of course, she was now mortal. (Was this what Clotho had meant by "double death"?)

"It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!" she wailed, stamping her feet as she tried, vainly, to fix her hair. "It's not fair!" She threw herself on the bed, kicking her feet in the air and pummeling the pillows while Ares patted her on the back. Then she sat up and whirled around to face Xena with an accusing stare. "So I'm mortal? I can't believe you brought me back for this! It's so gross!"

"You're welcome," Xena said wryly. Now that it was all over, she felt curiously empty.

Ares put an arm around his sister's shoulders, with a sheepish glance at Xena. "Deep down, she really does appreciate it." Aphrodite kicked his leg and whined, and he gave a sigh of resignation. "Very deep down."

"It's all right," Xena said. "She'll get used to it. You'll be there to help… I'll see you both later, okay?"

She headed toward the door; Gabrielle followed, while Ares stayed behind trying to comfort Aphrodite.

"Are you all right?" Gabrielle asked as they came out into the hallway.

"Fine. Just want to take a long bath."

"You're not feeling bad about killing Caligula, are you?" Xena said nothing, staring straight ahead as she walked, and Gabrielle continued, "Xena, you had no choice. He was evil."

She shook her head, never slowing down. "I'm not so sure. He was – damaged… You're right, though. I had no choice."

A stocky praetorian with a bandaged head was waiting outside their chambers; Xena recognized him as one of the guards in Caligula's throne room. He was holding Ares' gauntlets and sword.

"Xena," he said, bowing his head slightly. "I've brought A- – " he stumbled, as if it felt too strange to call Caligula's recent prisoner by the name of the God of War – "your friend's things back from the guards' room."

"Thank you," she said. "How's the head?"

"Not too bad," he shrugged. "No hard feelings, I hope. We had to follow the Emperor's orders, but no one's too sorry to see him dead."

"Then I guess everybody wins." Xena took the sword and gauntlets from him. "Thanks again for these."

"Will you come the celebration tonight? Chaerea would like you to be the guest of honor."

"No thanks," she said quickly. "The guest of honor thing gets old after a while."

Gabrielle gave her a questioning look. "Chaerea?"

"Someone who wanted to be Caligula's assassin," Xena said.

The praetorian chuckled. "You don't know the half of it. You heard what he said about the watchword, right? Well, Cassius Chaerea, he's a pretty shy man when it comes to certain things. You might even say a prude. Or as some would call it, a man of old-fashioned Roman virtue. So the emperor, he used to tease him by giving him these funny passwords for the night watch."

"Like what?"

"Stuff like…" He choked back a laugh. "'Hard erection,' if you'll excuse me. 'Rosy nipples.' And Cassius, poor guy, had to repeat this to the guards on watch. Drove him crazy."

Dead serious though it all was, Xena felt like laughing.

"You should put this down in your scroll," she said to Gabrielle. "Moral of the story: bad jokes can kill you."

~ x ~ x ~ x

Xena had been soaking in the hot tub for a while, relaxed and drowsy, when something made her sit up and open her eyes. She saw Ares.

He was standing a pace away from the edge of the pool, wearing only a towel, and she wondered if she had dozed off; how he could have gotten so close without her noticing? Thin steam from the water billowed around him, a haze gold-tinted by the candles and lamps, and for a moment she could almost believe that he had just appeared from nowhere in a burst of light and smoke. It made the breath catch in her throat. He took a step closer. She remembered, so vividly it made her shiver, the way she used to feel his presence – the thick aura of power and danger and sensuality that was the Godhood of War, that was poison in her blood. But he was mortal now…

Finally, she spoke. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might want some company."

Xena caught herself smirking. "In my bath?"

"Why not? It's – good clean fun."

"Oh, I bet."

Ares came closer, over to her side of the pool, and she leaned back so that her breasts were almost exposed, the water lapping hotly at her skin; his gaze slid downward and lingered before shifting back to her face, and the warm, mischievous sparkle she saw in his eyes felt like a reflection of her own.

He cleared his throat and sat down on the floor, stretching out his legs.

"How's Aphrodite?" she asked.

"Getting lessons in basic hair care from Gabrielle."

"Really. Does that mean she'll be getting a haircut?"

"You know, I bet that would solve half her problems of mortal life. Well – at least until that first wrinkle … ugh!" he added with a theatrical shudder. He reclined, leaning on his elbow, so that his eyes were almost on a level with hers, the cocky expression on his face mellowed by tenderness.

"You risked your life to help your sister," she said quietly. "I never realized how much you cared..."

He winced slightly and rubbed his beard, almost squirming. "Uh-oh. I think I'm in danger of losing my reputation as a heartless bastard."

Xena's mouth quirked in a tiny smile. "I've got bad news for you, Ares. You lost that one a while back."

"Damn."

They both laughed; but when the laughter trailed off, the look in Ares' eyes was suddenly serious.

"Xena – what you did for Aphrodite…"

"I never asked for that power, Ares. I'm glad I could use it – like this."

"You're not going to miss it?"

"Well…" She grinned. "It's too bad I won't be able to settle a few things with that bastard Michael."

"That – is a shame."

They were looking at each other, the silence between them taut with waiting. On impulse, she said, "You miss being a god, don't you."

Ares shrugged. "I don't know." He looked pensive for a moment. "Maybe being a god isn't all it's cracked up to be. I mean, look at Caligula."

"Hmm."

That touch of mischief crept back into his eyes, and he added, a husky note in his voice, "Right now – I've got everything I want."

She arched an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"

"Call it my – "

"Arrogance?"

"I was going to say, man's intuition."

She chuckled and shook her head – and just like that, she knew he was right. She held his gaze, her lips parted slightly. Slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, he stood up; and, at the same time, she began to come out of the water, up the steps of the pool. He watched her silently, and then held out his hand in a smooth gesture that had a touch of playful gallantry. With the water splashing at her ankles, she took his hand and stepped out on the mosaic tiles of the floor.

They looked at each other a moment longer, not touching yet, except for her fingers curled lightly around his and his fingertips brushing her palm. Then he took her in his arms; his mouth on hers was both soft and demanding, and she reveled in the lean hardness of his body, the heat of his skin, the feel of his softly furred chest. They broke apart for a moment and he murmured, "Oh yeah – everything I want" – and she laughed and kissed him again, her tongue tangling with his, her teeth biting gently into his lip.

He pulled away, swept back her wet hair, his eyes searching her face. "So this is it."

"This is it," she said.

"No more games?"

"No games."

"Good," he said.

When they kissed again, it was with the absolute knowledge that the thing they had, in their different ways, denied each other for so long was about to happen. This was it; there was a kind of calm in this certainty but there was impatience too, as if, having waited so long, waiting another minute would be unbearable. The fever inside her coiled into a tight knot. She could feel him against her skin through the fabric of the towel, the heat and hardness of him, and wanting to touch him she slid her hand down his stomach. He caught her wrist and murmured hoarsely, "Not yet."

"I want you now – "

His lips seized hers, cutting off her words. Then he said, "Come on," and pulled her toward a low linen-covered couch a few paces away, no doubt meant for massages; they sank to their knees, their arms entwined, their mouths colliding again in a short breathless kiss. She was about to pull the towel off, but his hands locked on her arms, stopping her.

"Lie back." The look in his eyes was teasing and inviting at the same time. "I promise you'll enjoy this." He eased her down on her back; then he said, "Close your eyes."

"Ares – " she breathed out, impatient.

"Come on," he said again, "close your eyes," his voice so soft and rich that it seemed to surround her, lull her like a caress; and her eyes did drift shut as she waited. There was a thin jangle of glass, and then his hand brushed over her stomach. She felt the touch of something warm and liquid, and caught the faint scent of flowers and spice; perfumed bath oil. He rubbed it in slowly, making a soft glow spread under her skin, his palms sliding over her abdomen and moving up to stroke and cup her breasts, his fingertips circling her already stiff nipples. She was squirming, gasping – "so good" – her hips lifting off the couch, and there was more, a velvety trickle of oil on her skin and again his caress, delicious, soothing, maddening. "Look at me," she heard him say; she opened her eyes and watched his hand trail down, to her belly and lower, toying with the dark damp curls. She shuddered and raised herself toward him, opening her thighs, craving his touch, relishing the hunger in his gaze. Their eyes connected, and when he did touch her he was watching her face so raptly that it gave her a new jolt of excitement.

"I've waited so long to see you like this," he said quietly, his voice thick with desire.

"I'm glad – you waited," she managed, almost lightly.

"So am I."

She closed her eyes again, and hummed her pleasure as he caressed her, stroking gently, thrusting hard until she was crying out – her body shaking as the fever surged relentlessly toward its peak; then he slowed down, barely moving his hand, just enough to keep her wanting more, teasing with the promise of release. He leaned down to kiss her protest away; and while she sucked greedily on his lips, his fingers thrust into her again, deeper, almost roughly – again – the knot of heat uncoiling and shooting through her flesh, her blood, her skin.

She lay back, catching her breath, still basking in the last of that warm tide, watching Ares through half-lidded eyes, his palm flat and heavy on her stomach.

"So – was it worth the wait?" he asked.

Xena grinned a little. "I was waiting for more than this."

"Do tell."

She sat up and leaned toward him, and kissed him, clasping her hand on the back of his neck; then pressed her forehead to his and stayed still a moment, her eyes closed. She loved him. Of course she loved him –

"I love you," he said. Perhaps it should have shocked that he would say it just then, as if he was inside her head; and yet nothing felt more natural.

"Ares," she whispered, her lips brushing his face; she kissed his mouth, kissed his eyes, quick hot kisses that left them both breathless. Her hands slid over his chest and down, to tug at the towel and strip it off him. He was so beautiful and gods, he wanted her so much; she felt a giddy joy at the sound he made, at the small tremors that flickered across his face when her fingertips grazed his hard flesh, running up and down the length of him. He clutched at her shoulders and pulled her toward him, and they were kissing again, wildly, blindly, thirstily.

They broke apart, and Ares pressed her down gently until she was on her back. He lingered another moment, to squeeze her breast and roll his thumb over her nipple; and then he was between her legs, on top of her, inside her, and as she arched to meet him she heard his deep groan and saw his features dissolve in pure bliss. His eyes half-closed, he dipped down to kiss her, to trail his mouth over her neck, her ear, her hair, and an almost-painful tenderness welled up in her chest. She would have closed her eyes, surrendered completely to the sensations of their lovemaking, but she wanted to see him, too – human, so human, a messy strand of hair falling over his eyes, sweat trickling down his face, his breath ragged. She stroked the back of his head and captured his lips, and everything she couldn't or wouldn't say was in that long, sweet kiss.

A new fever was rising inside her now; she cried out and bucked hard against him, and their kisses grew frantic as the final spasms overtook her and pulled him after her.

It was over and they lay in each other's arms on the narrow couch, Ares' fingers buried in Xena's hair, her hand idly wandering over his chest, sweat-soaked and still shaken by uneven breaths. It dimly occurred to her, in her contented half-slumber, that neither of them had any idea what would happen next. Were they together? Would they go their separate ways and see each other sometimes? Did he still want to fight at her side, as he had once offered? But there'd be plenty of time to make plans, and plans didn't always turn out as intended. Right now, they had this, and – it was good.

"So," Ares said. "Where do we go from here?"

Xena raised herself up on an elbow and looked at him, studying his face. Then she gave him a lopsided grin.

"To a real bed."

THE END