A Hearts Decision Sequel to Confession in the Night. Takes place after "The Quill is Mightier". Comments/feedback to maddan3@hotmail.com Many thanks to Gabs for her beta reading!!!!! ------------------------------- Gabrielle watched Xena walk away from her. She was going to see her mother and Gabrielle had turned down the offer to come with her. Instead she was going to have some time by herself, thinking through this last couple of days and letting Xena spend some time alone with her mother. As she was walking on the road toa strange feeling come over her. As if someone was watching her. Instinctively, she knew who it was. "Ares you can show yourself now," she said, watching the God transform before her. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite bard." Ares said laughing. "Amazing, I thought that only Xena could feel my presence." "I'm a quick learner. Gabrielle said "So you are". Ares said and his laughing face disappeared and a more serious on replaced it. "I came to see you Gabrielle, I wanted to thank you." Ares said "For what? Destroying your plan, turn you into a mortal? You know sometime I regret that I didn't let you stay mortal." Gabrielle said and tried to sound as she meant it. "No you don't," Ares said. A small smile appeared on his face." There is only one thing you regret my sweet Gabrielle." "Really and what's that?" Gabrielle said, feeling like she's walked right into a trap. "That I didn't kiss you." " WHAT? Do you honestly think that I would have liked you to kiss me?" "Yes I do." Ares said smiling. "And you still want me to kiss you, no matter what you say." "Ares you're crazy. " "Am I?" Ares said and stepped closer. "Do you really think so?" He said touching her cheek with a gentle hand. Gabrielle tried to keep her heart still as his hand gently caressed her face. "Gabrielle don't deny it. You know what you want. And I'm the only one that can give it to you." Ares said and bent forward until his lips almost touched hers. "I can stop it now. It's up to you Gabrielle." Ares whispered to her and let his lips barely touch hers. Gabrielle felt the heat from his lips on hers. "No Ares, stop." She said and backed away from him. "Why?" "I don't know." She said and turned away from him and buried her head in her hands." II´m afraid." "Of me???" Ares said disbelieving. "Gabrielle, I would never do anything to hurt you." "Won't you? One day you will. And I don't know if I'm strong enough to wait for the day when you will grow tired of me and leave me." "Gabrielle, who knows what the future will bring, live today and forget about tomorrow." Ares said. "Forget?. How can I? You're a God, I'm mortal. Have you forgotten that?" "No, of course not, but" "Ares forget it, it won't work. Just leave me alone." "Gabrielle" "GO." "Alright." Ares said. "I will leave, but I will never give up." And in a flash of light he was gone. Leaving Gabrielle wondering if had chosen right. Part 2 "Alright Gabrielle, spill it out." Xena said to a unusually quiet Gabrielle. "What do you mean Xena? I'm just a bit tired." Gabrielle said, forcing herself to smile at her best friend. "I know you Gabrielle, something has happened, you have not been yourself for days. You hardly eat, sleep or talk, things that your are an expert at." "Thanks a lot Xena," Gabrielle said with hurt. "Gabrielle, you know what I mean. Your are not yourself. I'm worried about you, please tell me what has happened:" Xena said. "Ares." Said Gabrielle very quiet. "Ares? You have seen him, did he hurt you:" Xenas blue eyes turned to ice at the thought of the God hurting her best friend. "More the other way around I think," Gabrielle said turning and meeting Xenas eyes. "What do you mean Gabrielle, how could you possibly hurt him??" "I turned him down." "You turned him down?" Xena couldn't help it. She began to laugh. "You turned down the almighty Ares, God of War. Damn his ego really must be low right now." Gabrielle just looked at her without any sign that she thought that it was funny. Xena stopped laughing, looked at Gabrielle and realized that her mind had perhaps accepted that she and Ares wouldn't have a future but her heart hadn't. "By the Gods Gabrielle, you're really in love with him." She said amazed. Xena knew that Gabrielle had feelings for Ares, feelings of love. But she didn't know that they were so deep. "Its nothing Xena, it will pass, I'm sure it will." Gabrielle said. But Xena wasn't that sure. "Gabrielle, I don't know how to say this." "What?" "I don't think it will pass." "What??? What do you mean? Of course it will pass, it must." Gabrielle said almost hysterical. "Gabrielle, what if Ares would show up here right now, at this moment. What would you feel, What would you do?" Gabrielle stood silent watching Xena. Then her shoulders slumped down and she said in a tiny voice: "My heart would jump with joy and I would run to his arms. Gods Xena what do I do?" She said and stretched her arms towards her best friend. Xena took Gabrielle in her arms, rocking her slowly as though she were a baby, watching Gabrielle cry out her pain. She noticed after a while that Gabrielle was calming down a bit and stopped crying. "Gabrielle, I want you to lay down a bit and take a nap. I will go to the nearest village and buy some food." Gabrielle started to protest, but she realized that she was exhausted. And decided that taking a nap was a good idea. "Alright Xena, I will do that. Don't be too long and by me some walnut bread. And stay out of trouble." "Trouble, you're talking to me? I never get in trouble." Xena said flashing a smile at Gabrielle who just shook her head at her. "Just stay away from anyone that looks like a bad person." "Yes, mum, I will do that". Xena said sounding like a small girl. Gabrielle couldn't help it she started laughing and she still laughed watching Xena and Argo ride away to get some food. And soon she slept like a little girl. From a hill, Xena watched Gabrielle sleep. She hoped that Gabrielle would forgive her for what she would do now. She hated lying to her but she needed answers and there was only one person that could give them to her. Ares! To be Continued in Part 3.