Follow up story to 'Deja vu And the Clones'. Harry (Joxer) believes the dreams he is having about Meg are really memories of her from ancient Greece.
He asks Annie and Mattie to try to find the woman she was reincarnated into.
by
Chapter One
Dreams
Ya know what? Im cookin in here. I need somethin to wet my whistle, Meg complained.
Try that, Joxer said, handing her a small, metal flask of wine.
Meg took a long drink. Thanks.
Hey -- whats with this whole cake thing?
Well, I needed a way to earn a few extra dinars, she said as she swiped a finger through the thick cream that covered her breasts, as well as her genitals, then stuck her finger into Joxer's mouth.
Mm-m-m-m.
What do you think? she asked.
Banana cream. My favorite." Then after a few moments, he said, You know? A classy lady like you shouldnt be here. Im gonna take you away from all this.
You are?
Yeah.
Well, what happened to your other good friend -- Gabrielle? she asked, sounding slightly sarcastic.
Oh, her?" he replied, now becoming somber. "Havent you heard? Shes dead.
"Ill drink to that, Meg said cheerfully, and a took another swallow from the flask.
Joxer now became angry and grabbed the flask from her. Cant you see Im grieving here?
Well, sorry, Babycakes, but dead is dead. Cant change that.
No -- but I can try, he said, and stormed out.
Hey, wait a minute! These cherries cost 5 dinars a bushel! she yelled at him, pointing to the two cherries she had put into the cream where her nipples would be.
Harry woke up suddenly and sat up, somewhat disoriented. He then realized he was in his own bed. He laid back down, and told himself and it was just a dream. Just another dream. Just another dream about Meg.
He wasn't sure when the dreams began. He could have been having them most of his life but never remembered them until just after Xena and Gabrielle showed up a month ago. And once they were settled in with Annie and Mattie, the dreams became more frequent, more realistic, and left him longing for more. At first he thought the dreams were just random scenes, not making sense, as most dreams are. But then he began to realize they were more than just dreams. They were actual memories of his life as Joxer. And all of them included Meg.
Every time he would wake up from the latest memory dream, he would try to remember the actual circumstances surrounding it. Sometimes he was successful, sometimes not. This time it took a while but he finally remembered some of it. Xena had signed a scroll promising to marry Ares if he would help her find Gabrielle after she fell into the lava pit, and taking Hope with her. He, as Joxer, had ordered a huge fake cake with a woman inside to try to tempt Ares into wanting her instead of marrying Xena. Unbeknownst to him, Meg was the one inside the cake.
Harry looked over at the clock. It was 5:15, still too early, but he had a feeling he wouldnt be able to get back to sleep. And being as quiet as he could, he took a shower, got dressed, went into the kitchen and started the coffee. He then started slicing potatoes and dicing onions to fry up for breakfast.
"The coffee smells good."
Harry turned around to see Annie standing in the door from the dining room. He immediately poured a cup of the strong brew and handed it to her. He then turned back to the counter and put the onions and potatoes into a frying pan and set the pan on the burner.
"They might actually cook if you turned on the burner."
"Oh, yeah," he replied and reached for it, but Annie's hand was on his, stopping him.
"Why don't you pour yourself a cup of coffee?" she said. "Let's have a talk."
Harry hesitated, then nodded his head and began to fix his coffee three teaspoons of sugar and one fourth of the cup with French Vanilla creamer.
After his first sip, Annie began. "I know you think we're so wrapped up in each other that no one pays much attention to you, and you're right. But it doesn't mean we don't know when you're around and when you're not. And it doesn't mean we don't know when things are bothering you. Mattie and I both have noticed that you've been distracted lately, and you're not as open and as cheerful as you were before Xena and Gabrielle showed up. Are they the problem? Would rather they weren't here?"
"What? No! Of course not! I love them being here! It's just that...." Harry hesitated, not exactly sure how to say what he wanted to say while Annie waited patiently. "It's just that I've been having these dreams."
"Nightmares?"
"No. Nothing like that. Good dreams, you know?"
"Care to share?"
"Well, I've been dreaming about -- Meg."
"Meg? Okay. What kind of dreams?"
"Well, they're not really dreams. I mean, they ARE, but they're more like memories. It's like I'm remembering the things we did, but just bits and pieces."
"Are you sure they're memories and not dreams? Dreams can be very realistic sometimes."
"At first I thought they were, but they're aren't crazy like dreams are. They're things I'm certain that happened."
"Can you give me a 'for instance'?"
Harry thought for a few seconds. "Last night I was dreaming about Meg jumping out of large cake at Are at someone's bachelor party. And I didnt know Meg was the girl in the cake until she popped out. But I know it happened just that way. At least, I think it did."
"Anything we can do?"
Harry shook his head rather than answer, but Annie knew there was something else on his mind.
"Harry? I know you. And I know there is something going on in that quirky little brain of yours."
"Well I was just thinking about...."
"Hmmm? About...?"
Harry took a deep breath and let it out. "About how the four of you went back to your past lives and got to relive all those times you had, and I was thinking, wondering, hoping if maybe Mattie could do the same thing for me -- and Meg."
"I don't know. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask her. I don't know why she would refuse."
"Who would refuse what?" Xena asked as she came into the kitchen and went straight to the coffee pot, then noticed the frying pan of uncooked potatoes and onions. "You do know this isn't cooking, don't you?"
"We know," Annie replied.
Chapter Two
A Past Life Visit
"Is Mattie up yet?" Annie asked.
"Yeah, she's taking a shower. Gabrielle?"
"She was still sleeping when I got up."
"You see?" Harry said with a puzzled tone of voice. "I don't understand how you guys can switch off like that. Don't you feel like you're, I don't know, cheating on one another?"
"When Xena first suggested we trade, I thought it was, like you said, cheating, and I was incensed that she would even think about it," Annie said. "But after the four of us had our thoughts and feelings exposed when we went back to our past lives, it's like Xena and I have the same soul but in two bodies."
"And it's the same for Gabrielle and Mattie," Xena added. "Two souls in four bodies, which makes us all soul mates for sure."
"So what about you and Annie?" Harry asked. "You guys ever...? You know."
"We thought about it, briefly" Annie replied. "But we're too much like sisters."
"Twin sisters," Xena said. "And Gabrielle said she and Mattie feel the same way sisters."
At that moment Mattie and Gabrielle came into the kitchen, both with damp hair. And like Xena, went straight to the coffeepot, and both noticed the uncooked frying pan of onions and potatoes.
"Something different for breakfast?" Mattie asked.
Harry got up and turned on the burner. "Since everyone's up, I might as well get these things started." He then went into the refrigerator and brought out a package of link sausage.
"Why are we up so early?" Gabrielle asked. "Some big case or something?"
"No," Annie replied. "I heard Joxer get up and take a shower. And when I smelled the coffee I knew there had to be a reason he was up so early."
"And somehow I knew, felt, sensed, that Annie was up, so I got up myself," Xena said. "So why are you two up?" she asked.
"When you got up, it woke me up," Mattie explained. "So I decided to take a shower while there was plenty of hot water."
"And I guess I must have heard or sensed something, so I got up and jumped into the shower with Mattie."
"You girls shower together?" Harry asked.
"Sure," Gabrielle answered. "Lila and I used to bathe together down at the river all the time. This is no different. Why, do you think there's something wrong with it?"
"No!" Harry replied hastily. "Not at all. Not a single thing wrong with it." But he couldn't help but imagine himself in the shower with the two of them.
"Harry has been dreaming about Meg," Annie said, changing the subject. "He thinks they're memories of the two of them. And he wants to go back to relive some of their times together." Then to Mattie she said, "Any chance you can do that?"
"I don't know why not. It shouldn't be any different than when we all went back."
Mattie then said to Harry, "So, just when would you like do this?"
"Whenever you feel like it."
"And do you have any specific place in time you'd like visit?"
"Well, I was thinking maybe the first time I met Meg. It was when she ended up cooking for some king, I don't remember his name."
"Wasn't that when Meg pretended to be you when King was it Liam? -- thought he was dying?" Gabrielle asked Xena.
"That was the time," she answered, but I think his name was Lias. Wasn't it?" she asked, looking at Annie.
"That was his name. Quite a lot of confusion, what with Meg and me and Diana looking so much alike."
"Yeah," Xena agreed. "But it was fun, too."
"Can we do it after breakfast?" Harry asked, getting them back on track.
"Sure," Mattie replied. "I guess it won't matter if I'm late getting to the office."
"Take your time," Annie told her. "I'm sure the three of us can handle things." Then looking at Gabrielle, she said, "Unless you'd rather stay here and watch, or participate."
"I think I'll stay. Maybe I can help or something."
'That's fine. So, Xena, it looks like it'll just be the two of us for awhile."
After they ate breakfast and Annie and Xena left for the office of the A&M Detective Agency, Gabrielle cleaned up the kitchen while Mattie and Harry got settled in the living room. When she was finished, she joined them.
"Okay, Harry," Mattie instructed. "Close you're eyes and slow your breathing, I want you to think back. Think about Meg, and how she looked. Remember her voice, recall the way she moved, the clothes she was wearing. I'm going to count to ten. One two three four five "
Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer were leaving the castle. Everyone was saying goodbye.
So, so long Xena, Meg said.
Goodbye, Meg.
It was fun being you for a while.
Just dont do it again in a hurry, Xena warned her good naturedly, but with seriousness in her voice.
Hey, Meg!" Gabrielle said. "Learn to read so I can write to you.
Yeah, maybe Ill just do that.
Impatiently, Joxer said to Xena and Gabrielle, Get, get going, get going. Well, um, so long, Meg.
So long, Joxer." Then in a loud whisper, she said, " Ditch the broads and double back-- Ill leave the kitchen door open for you.
Right.
As Xena and Gabrielle walked away, Joxer looked back at Meg one more time, then ran to catch up to them.
Hey, Xena, Gabrielle, wait up! I, uh Listen, I got some things to, ah, attend to.
Fine, Gabrielle said nonchalantly.
So, I wont be able to join you.
Thats okay, she said.
You sure? Cause I know how much you need a real warrior to watch your back, you know?
Joxer," Xena said, "she wont wait forever.
After a moment's hesitation, Joxer turned back around and ran for the kitchen door. Meg was waiting there and as soon as he got inside, she threw her arms around him and put a wet, sloppy kiss on his mouth.
And then Harry was back in the living room with Mattie and Gabrielle.
Chapter Three
Another Idea
"Hey!" Harry cried out. "What happened? Why'd you stop it? It was just getting good!"
"I didn't stop it," Mattie said. "It just ended. I was afraid thought, this might happen."
"Thought what would happen?"
"We went back together, but just as soon as I was out of the picture, so to speak, everything began to fade away and whatever happened afterward also ended."
"But I don't understand."
"It's like this I'm the one who has the power to let people visit their past lives. I dont know why or how I have this power, but I do. But if Im not there, not actually a part of the scenario, it never lasts more than a minute or two."
"But what about all those people who came to you when you were doing it for money?"
"They would go back to a past life, see something that satisfied them, or not, then either go away happy, or not, or come back for another short, very short, session."
"So in order for me to spend any real time with Meg, you, as Gabrielle, had to be there, then?"
"Exactly. But even so, it never lasts more fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. Whenever Annie and Xena and Gabrielle and I went back, it wasn't for a day, or an hour, or even a half hour."
"She's right," Gabrielle concurred. "We were never in our past bodies longer than fifteen minutes, and most of the time less than that."
"Well, that's just great! Now what? You four get to spend the rest of your lives with each other and all I get to do is dream about Meg the rest of MY life?"
"I'm really sorry," Mattie said sympathetically as she put one hand on Harry's arm. "I wish there was something I could do. Something else, but I don't know what it would be."
"Ah! Just forget it. Forget about the whole thing!"
Mattie and Gabrielle watched helplessly as Harry stormed out of the front door.
"You tried," Gabrielle said, trying to make Mattie feel better. "He should at least appreciate that."
"He will, later, after he cools down. But I do feel sorry for him. And he's right, we have each other, and he has no one."
"Well, I guess we ought to get dressed and get to the office," Gabrielle said.
A half hour later, Mattie and Gabrielle were dressed and waiting for the taxi to come.
"Maybe we can talk Annie into buying another car," Gabrielle suggested.
"I doubt it. She just bought the second one a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure she won't want to spend another ten thousand dollars so soon."
"When are you going to teach me to drive?"
"That's the easy part. But you, and Xena, still need social security numbers, and we still need to figure out how to get them. Then we'll see about the driver's license. "
"You got us birth certificates."
"I know, but it wasn't that hard to forge them."
The taxi came, and twenty minutes later they walked through the front door of the A&M Detective Agency. Harry was at his usual place behind the receptionist desk. "They're gone," he said before Gabrielle and Mattie could go into the main office.
"Where'd they go?" Mattie asked.
"On a case. Some woman called about her two little boys who are missing and they went out to check out the last place they were seen."
"Annie's VERY good a finding people," Mattie said to Gabrielle.
"One of her many skills?" Gabrielle asked with a grin on her face.
"Apparently so," she answered. Then she asked Harry, "Did they say when they'd be back?"
"No. But Annie said to lock up the office if they're not back by five."
"Okay," Mattie said, and she and Gabrielle went into the office to take care of the always waiting paperwork.
At noon Harry brought them lunch from the sandwich shop a block away. While they were eating, Mattie got the impression there was something on Harry's mind, but it was like he was waiting for the right time.
"Okay, Harry, what is it?" Mattie finally asked. "I know there's something."
"Well," he stammered. "I got to thinking about what you said about how Annie is so good at finding people."
"You know she is."
"I know. But I was thinking about something else, too."
"Uh oh," Gabrielle said in a humorous tone. "Two thoughts at once. That can't be good."
"What were you thinking?"
"Well, you know how you and me and Annie just happened to be living here in L.A.? And we just happened to be us in our former lives? So, I was thinking that if we, you and me and all of us, were here, together, then what if maybe somehow, somewhere, Meg was here, too. Or Meg's descendant. You know?"
"Even if Meg, and you obviously, did have descendants living today, the odds of them living in Los Angeles, or even in California, have to be millions to one," Mattie argued, then took a more agreeable tone. "Well, we'll see what Annie says about it when she and Xena get here."
But five o'clock came and there was no Annie and Xena, so they closed up the office and went home.
Chapter Four
An Understanding
Annie and Xena were already home when Mattie, Gabrielle, and Harry got there.
"It was after four thirty, so we just decided to it wasn't worth the trip back to the office," Annie explained.
"And you couldn't call?" Mattie asked.
"Sorry. I forgot."
"So what about the missing boys?" Harry asked.
"Oh, um, there's no case there," Annie answered as if she wasn't sure.
"What happened?" Gabrielle asked.
Annie and Xena looked at each other, then Xena said, "False alarm. The father picked them up at school without telling the mother."
"But I thought you said they were in a park when they disappeared," Harry said.
"Yeah, right. It was a park," Annie answered. "Right next to the school."
"So, there's no case," Mattie stated flatly. "Did you at least get paid for your time?"
"Nah," Xena replied. "We told them we were just glad everything turned out okay."
"Okay," Mattie said, "Maybe that was a good thing, because I think we have another case."
"What kind of case?" Annie asked.
"A missing person. Well, not so much missing as long-lost. And it will be another freebie."
"I hope it won't cost us too much, or take up too much of our time. So, who's the client? And who are we supposed to look for?"
"I'm the client," Harry broke in. "And I want you to find Meg. Or whoever she was reincarnated into."
"You want what?" Annie told him. "You want us to look for Meg? You can't be serious."
"Serious as a heart attack," he retorted. "That going back to my past life didn't work so good. It didn't last but a few minutes and it's just not enough."
"What makes you think we can find Meg? Do you have any idea how hard it would be to find the descendant of someone who lived twenty centuries ago?"
"I don't want her, our, descendant. I want to find who she was reincarnated into."
"And you think that would be easier? She could be living in China for all we know."
"And even if she was in Los Angeles," Mattie added, "What if she was in the body of little girl?"
"Or an old man?" Xena put in.
"Or a nun?" Gabrielle said.
"At least then I'd know. Come on guys, can't you at least try something?"
"I didn't say we wouldn't," Annie said, trying to assure him. "But don't expect results overnight. Something like this could take months."
"That's all I ask, that you make the effort."
"That won't be a problem. But you understand it will have to take a back seat to any real cases that come along."
"I understand completely. Okay how about I start on supper? Any requests?"
"Whatever you want to fix is fine."
Chapter Five
Looking For Meg
"So, how's it going?"
"Oh, just wonderful. Do you know how many Megs there are in the US? Well I'll tell you. I Googled 'Meg' and the first page had ten answers out of 186,000,000. One hundred and eighty six freakin' million! And in Los Angeles? Ten out of 3,780,000! How in the hell am I supposed to find Meg's reincarnated body?" Mattie was as aggravated as Annie had ever seen her. "I love Harry. And I really would like to find his soul mate, if Meg IS his soul mate, but this is next to freakin' impossible!"
Annie leaned down an kissed the top of Mattie's head. As rarely as Mattie swore, she knew she was more than just a little annoyed.
"So then I tried going to some past-lives sites. Only 126,000,000 of them," Mattie continued.
"Did you visit any of them?"
"I did. And I posted queries on the most promising ones. I asked if anyone who thought they might have been a woman named Meg who lived 2000 years ago in Greece and was married to a man named Joxer to contact me. So far I've gotten over two hundred replies. I started going through them a little while ago."
"Any prospects?"
"A few almost seemed legit. To tell you the truth, I think Harry needs to be doing this."
"Well, just save the ones you think might be something and let him make the final decision."
Mattie took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
"Would you like some tea?" Annie asked.
"Would I? Hell yes. Maybe some chamomile, if we have any left."
"Coming right up," Annie said as she went over to the corner of the office with the coffee pot, coffee and teas.
"Where did you send Xena and Gabrielle?" Mattie asked as she left the computer to join Annie.
"To the library. There's probably nothing there that you couldn't find on the 'Net here, but it gave them something to do. And I knew it's someplace Gabrielle would love to visit. I gave her my library card, so I'm sure she'll come back with an armload of books."
"It's funny, but I can't imagine our lives without them. It's so strange, two months ago we didn't even know they existed."
"Well, they didn't. And as evil as she was, that's the one thing we can thank Alti for." Annie sighed. "I never knew I could love anyone else as much as I do you."
"I know the feeling."
Just then Harry stuck his head in from the outer office. "You girls ready for lunch?"
"Any time," Annie answered. "After you get back, Mattie has some replies from some past-lives sites you need to look at. Maybe Meg, your Meg, will be one of them."
"I'll be back before you know it."
As Annie and Mattie sipped their cups of tea, Annie could tell there was something Mattie wanted to say, but she waited patiently.
"You know," Mattie finally said, "there might be a way to speed this up trying to find Meg."
"Oh?"
"I know it's a long shot, and I know it's not the most desirable way to do it. But did you ever think that maybe there might be some way to convince Ares to help?"
"No," Annie said immediately. "And not just 'no,' but HELL NO! Have you lost your mind?"
"Don't get excited, it was just a thought. I know he wouldn't do it, not without compensation. Which, as we both know, there is no way Xena would go along with it, even if we wanted her to."
"Nor would I," Annie added with emphasis. "But if Meg's here, somewhere, we'll find her, eventually."
The rest of the day was fruitless. Harry got aggravated at the misleading, and sometimes overly-erotic emails. Annie and Mattie tried other search engines, but neither really knew the criteria to needed to find the real Meg. Gabrielle called and told them they would meet them at home, she and Xena were having too much fun at the library.
That night after dinner, they all stayed at the dining room table, trying to figure out what they had to do, could do. But no one could think of anything new to try.
As the days turned into weeks, and then into months, there was virtually nothing. Harry tired of reading bogus claims after phony assertions after ridiculous proclamations from women contending that they were the sought-after Meg when it was obvious they were only looking for some kind of love and acceptance.
Annie and Mattie exhausted all their resources while they let Xena and Gabrielle handle the cases that seem to come just when they wanted, and needed, all four of them to do a thorough search, not only of Los Angeles, but all of California, and the west and southwestern part of the country.
Harry continued having the dream-memories, but they only seemed to depress him. And try as they may, neither Annie, Mattie, Xena nor Gabrielle could cheer him up for long.
Quietly and gradually, the search ground to a semi-permanent halt. Occasionally some new piece of information would pop up, but it never produced any positive results. And even though Harry never came right out and told them there was no use to continue, it was pretty much an unspoken agreement.
Chapter Six
When You Least Expect It
"Xena! You cannot be serious," Gabrielle exclaimed. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking this is something I need to do."
Gabrielle shook her head in exasperation, then looked to Annie. "Annie, talk to her, will you? Talk some sense into that thick skull of hers."
"Xena, I know why you think you need to do this. And I applaud your sacrifice. But this isn't the way."
"Don't you realize what will happen?" Mattie chimed in. "Do you really think this world needs another war god?"
"Half god," Xena corrected her. "He will be like Hercules a demigod."
"And you don't think that will be just as bad?" Gabrielle interjected. "With Ares as a father, he'll be just as ruthless and just as brutal."
"Maybe even worse," Annie added. "Before you do anything stupid, ask Harry. See what he what he has to say about it."
"Of course he'll tell me not to. That's Harry. But he's been too depressed for too long about this Meg thing. And if Ares can find her, then I'm willing to give him what he wants."
"I just had a thought," Mattie said to Xena. "What if you have a girl? Ares might not want a daughter."
"I have a feeling Ares if Ares wants a boy, it will be a boy. He is a god," Xena told them. "And what Ares wants, Ares gets."
"How long have you been thinking about this?" Gabrielle asked.
"Ever since he brought it up. For some reason I couldn't get the idea out of my head."
"What if he's screwing with your head?" Mattie asked. "What if he's making you want to do this?"
"Ares doesn't work that way," Annie answered. "He wants us her, to want him without any tricks."
"Xena," Gabrielle asked slowly, her brow furrowed. "Just when did Ares say anything to you about finding Meg? The last time I remember him being here was when he thought you were going away with him after he made the police think they had already searched this house for you -- us. There was no mention of Meg."
"She's right," Mattie added. "Unless you two have been seeing each other."
"Xena?" Annie asked accusingly. "Is there something you're not telling us?"
"No! I haven't seen Ares since I refused to go with him."
"Then when did he put the idea of trading Meg for an heir in your head?"
"I I ...."
Suddenly Xena was speechless.
"I still say he's been screwing with her," Mattie insisted. "We all know how devious he is. And like Xena said, what Ares wants, Ares gets."
"Well, it doesn't matter. If he can find Meg for Harry, then I'm willing to do it."
"That's still Ares talking," Gabrielle said. "Unless you can prove to us one hundred percent that this is your idea and not Ares', none of us will believe it."
"Well, believe it or not, it's going to happen."
"You know," Annie said. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea, getting Ares here."
"Why?" Gabrielle and Mattie said together.
"To get to the bottom of this. I'm pretty sure if he sees the Chakram and realizes we aren't playing around, he just might be willing to tell us the truth."
"Or teleport out and take Xena with him," Gabrielle said.
"I think we should take that chance."
"Sounds good to me," Xena told them.
"Maybe Xena should stay out of sight until we can get some straight answers from him," Mattie suggested.
"Like that's going to happen?" Xena countered. "I don't think so."
"Then...." Annie started to say, thought a second, and continued. "Then I'll dye my hair back to its original color, and Xena and I will wear the same clothes so Ares won't be able to tell us apart."
"Maybe we should wear our warrior costumes," Xena said sarcastically. "Then he won't know which of us has the real Chakram."
"You know," Mattie said, "if we all had Chakrams it would really confuse him. We can get replicas all day long off the internet."
"But will it fool him?" Gabrielle asked. "Even if he's not the ultimate creator-of-all-things-god, he still has powers we can't ignore."
"No," Annie agreed, "but it might keep him off balance." Then to Xena she said, "Okay, we'll go along with your plan if you'll let us do some prep work. No one here trusts Ares, at all, including you. But if you really want to do this, and there's no dissuading you, then we need to make sure he keeps his end of this appalling bargain."
"I suppose I could wait a few more days. In the meantime, I want to tell Harry what I'm going to do. I know he will protest, but in the end Im sure he'll want me to."
"Okay, if that's what you want to do. He's in his room, probably asleep, and dreaming of Meg. And I guess we'll go online and buy three more Chakrams."
"What about buying costumes like we wore when we were first cloned?" Gabrielle asked.
"You REALLY want to look like the good old days, don't you?" Mattie asked good naturedly.
"You, know," Gabrielle answered. "I do miss dressing like that. How many years was it that's all I wore?"
"You changed your style at least once a year," Xena told her.
"I guess I did, but only to make it easier to fight."
"We'll see," Annie said. "Maybe we can get some without paying through the nose for them. I wouldn't mind wearing them again, myself."
As Xena predicted, Harry wasn't at all happy with her plan, and he tried, but she wouldn't be talked out of it.
Annie only bought one Chakram replica online. They weren't cheap and there was no real reason to buy more than one. And they all opted to wear everyday clothes. But Annie and Mattie both changed their hair color back to the natural color. The result was that both Annie and Xena, and Mattie and Gabrielle, looked like two sets of identical twins.
"Well, if anything fools Ares," Gabrielle said as the four of them looked each other over, "the four of us should."
"I think you're right," Annie agreed. "Now all we have to do is call him and wait for him to show up."
Mattie got the two Chakrams and handed one each to Annie and to Xena, making sure Annie got the real one. If things got ugly, she knew she would have no hesitation to use it, where Xena might not act so quickly. Xena knew immediately she had the fake, but didn't say anything.
They all decided it would be better if Harry stayed out of sight.
"So, Xena, are you ready?" Annie asked her.
Xena nodded and then both she and Annie began to call out for Ares, first one and then the other, alternating, keeping up a steady stream of calls. They knew that eventually that nagging, gnat-like noise in his ear would catch his attention and he would respond. Nothing, they hoped, was more important than answering the call from Xena.
It took almost ten minutes, but at last Ares popped in with his signature reddish flash. For several seconds he only stared at the two Xenas, ignoring the two Gabrielles. Then he said with a leering grin on his face, "I always fantasized about having two of you in my bed."
"Maybe we can work something out," Xena, the real Xena, said with an equally suggestive smirk.
"Maybe," Annie echoed. She was immediately irritated with Xena's remark. But she knew if she didn't go along with her, Ares would know which one was the real Xena. "You never know."
"So, other than that, exactly why have the two of you summoned me. And it better be good things are getting really interesting with all those pirates in the Gulf of Aden."
"I've been thinking about your request. You know, wanting me to give you an heir," Annie said, beating Xena to the punch.
"It can happen," Xena concurred. "If you'll do a little something for me."
Ares looked back and forth between them, still not sure which one was the Annie-Xena and which one was the Xena-Xena.
"So just what is this 'little something' you want me to do?"
"I'm sure you remember Joxer," Gabrielle said.
Ares looked over at her as if seeing the twin Gabrielles for the first time.
"Unfortunately I do. So?"
"Back then he was married to a woman named Meg who looked identical to Xena," Mattie explained.
"SO?" Ares said, losing patience, wanting to get back to Xena.
"If you'll find who -- what body, she was reincarnated into I'll give you the son you want," Xena said.
"And that's all I have to do find a reincarnated soul in over six billion bodies on the planet?"
"That's all," Annie said.
"Why am I even here?" Ares exclaimed angrily. "You know that's an impossible task, even for a god!"
"No one said it would be easy," Mattie said. "I guess you don't want an heir after all."
"Nobody's talking to you!" Ares spat at her, then looked back at the two Xenas. "Do you know how long it would take me to do that? Years, that's how long. And I'd have no time to do my job!"
"What a shame," Gabrielle said sarcastically.
Ares glared at her then looked back at one Xena and then the other. "I ought to take you all out right now and be done with the lot of you!"
Ares put his hand up and a blue energy orb appeared. At the same time, both Annie and Xena brought out the Chakrams. Ares looked surprised, then shook his head. He closed his fist and the orb disappeared.
"You really think you can intimidate ME?" he asked.
"Maybe," one of the Xenas said.
"Maybe not," said the other one.
"You know what?" Ares asked. "I don't need this. You call me with some bogus request to find one needle in ten thousand haystacks, and then get defensive when I show a little bluster. Well, screw all of you. I'm out of here."
And then he was gone. And then he was back before anyone could say anything.
"Okay," he said, much of the anger gone from his voice. "I'm going to find this reincarnated Meg you so desperately seem to want. I've got resources you never dreamed of. I'm going to find her, and bring her here and one of you," he said pointing at one Xena and then the other, "is going to give me a child. And I don't care which one of you it is!"
And he was gone again.
Chapter Seven
Meg, or Not?
Annie, Mattie, Xena, Gabrielle and Harry were eating supper. Gabrielle was talking about the American History class she was taking and was trying to explain to Xena about the Civil War and the South's desire for state's rights rather than a powerful central government. And then without warning, both Annie and Xena said, "Okay, Ares, show yourself."
Ares appeared with his usual flash, and with him was a woman who looked exactly like Xena and Annie, including their long black hair. Annie never dyed her hair back to blond, but neither Gabrielle nor Mattie ever mixed them up. Harry did occasionally.
"Well," Annie said. "It only took you a month."
"Maybe so," Ares retorted. "But I'm here now, and I've brought you Meg like I said I would. So, somebody's got to pay up."
"Sure we will," Xena answered. "Just like that. You bring in someone who looks like us and we're just supposed to believe she's a reincarnated Meg and then one of us is supposed to spread our legs for you? I don't think so."
"How are we supposed to know if she really IS Meg?" Annie asked. "On faith? Because you said so? We have to have more than that."
"I knew you'd say something like that," Ares replied. "So, here's what you do, you keep her for a week, I'll come back, and if she's not the real Meg, I'll take her away and we'll pretend it never happened."
"You're talking about her like she's being sold at a slave market!" Gabrielle said, getting very angry. "Maybe we ought to find out what SHE wants!"
All of them looked at "Meg" but she was obviously too scared to do anything but stand there before them to be inspected.
Mattie got up from her chair and walked over to her and put one hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay? Can I get you anything? Are you hungry? Thirsty?"
The woman flinched at the touch, then said in a frightened voice, "Wh who are you people? Where am I? What's happening to me?"
"Don't tell me you snatched this poor woman away from wherever she was and brought her here with no warning. Or without her permission." Annie said, getting angry herself.
"Hey! You wanted Meg and I brought you Meg. One week and I'll be back." And Ares was gone.
Everyone crowded around Meg trying to calm her down but she seemed to be getting more agitated.
"Why don't you give her some space?" Harry spoke up. "Can't you see she scared half to death?"
The four of them backed away, leaving Meg standing alone. Harry got up from the table and went to her. "I know all of this is very traumatic for you, but we're all really pretty good people here and you have no reason to be scared."
Meg looked at all of them not knowing what to think. Finally, she asked, "Who was that man, and how did I get here?"
"As hard as it may be for you to believe," Annie said, "but that was Ares, the god of war. And he brought you here the way he goes everywhere by teleportation."
Meg looked at each of them in turn, Harry last. Then she asked him, "Where's your twin?"
Everyone was surprised at the question, expecting, rather, for her to be disbelieving and skeptical of the information.
"I don't have one," he told her. "It's a long story, and we'll get around to that later. My name is Harry, by the way. And this is Annie and Xena, and Mattie and Gabrielle."
He got Xena and Mattie mixed up again, but they could straighten it out later.
"Your name is Meg, right?"
"Kind of. My name is Margaret, but everyone calls me Maggie, or sometimes Mag, so I guess Meg is pretty close."
Mattie brought Maggie a glass of water, figuring she could use something to drink. She took it and downed half of it right away.
"Why don't we move into the living room," Annie suggested. "It might be more comfortable there."
After everyone was sitting, Gabrielle asked, "So, where are from?"
"I was born in Texas but my parents moved around a lot. I've lived in at least half the states, mostly in the south I hate it when it gets too cold. I WAS in Ft. Lauderdale when all of this happened. So, where am I now?"
"Los Angeles. Ever been here?" Annie asked.
"Once, about ten years ago. When my mom died, I went to live with my aunt, her sister, in Florida."
"What about your dad?" Xena asked.
"He, umm, he died in prison about fifteen years ago. That's why we moved a lot he wasn't a very honest man. But, then, neither was my mom. They were in it together."
"What exactly was 'it' ?"
"Scams mostly. Mom would seduce some poor married shmuck into taking her to a motel room and then dad would break in pretending he was a P.I. hire by the guy's wife, take pictures of them, and then make the guy pay through the nose to keep his wife from finding out."
"We're private investigators," Mattie told her. "But we don't do things like that."
Maggie smiled at her, then asked, "Why am I here? And was that REALLY Ares? Is there really a god of war?"
"Unfortunately, yes there really is a god of war. And he brought you to us because you are supposed to be the reincarnation of the woman Harry love in a prior life, named Meg."
"Did she live in Greece a couple thousand years ago?"
Everyone looked at each other, stunned and astonished at her question.
"Do you remember anything about that?" Mattie asked. "The reason I ask is because I have this talent. I can take people back to experience their past lives."
"Some things, mostly they're like dreams, but more real, like I'm remembering."
The four of them looked at Harry then back to Maggie.
"Can you tell us anything?" Mattie asked. "Any boyfriends, husbands, children?"
"It seems like I had lots of boyfriends, but only one husband."
"What was his name?" Harry interrupted.
"I'm not sure. It was kind of funny name, like Joker, or Josler, something like that."
"Was it Joxer?" Harry asked quietly.
"It could have been. That sounds very familiar."
"What about kids, any names?"
"Three kids, two sons and a daughter. I'm not sure of the names. One, the oldest might have been Vincent or ---"
"Or Virgil?" Xena asked.
"Maybe. It's possible."
"Meg Maggie, will you excuse us for a few minutes?" Annie asked her. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and find a plate and get yourself something to eat? We need to talk about some things in private, about you."
"Okay," she answered, still not sure about anything. "You will let me know what's going on, won't you?"
"Of course we will," Gabrielle said. "We just have to figure this out ourselves first."
Maggie nodded then went in the direction Annie indicated. When she was out of sight, Annie said, "Well, what do we think? Is she the real Meg?"
"Good question," Mattie replied. "I supposed I could take her back, take her and Harry back just to see. What do you think, Harry?"
"I think we should give her some time to get used to us, what happened to her, everything, before we start interrogating her and probing and prodding her."
"What does you gut say?" Xena asked him. "Could she really be Meg?"
Harry shrugged. "Part of me wants her to be. And part of me I don't know. Part of me is scared she is, and part is scared she isn't."
"Understandable," Annie said. "Maybe if you spent some time with her, you might get a better feel for who she is, or isn't."
Harry nodded, then went into the kitchen. Maggie was standing with her back to the sink, watching the kitchen door, holding the empty glass of water.
"Not hungry?" he asked.
"Not really. I ate a couple of hours ago."
"Can I get you anything? More water?"
Maggie shook her head. After a few seconds she said, "You seem like a nice man. Can you tell me what's going on?"
Harry hesitated, then said, "I guess this is my fault."
"How so?"
"Well, I was having dreams memories, like you, about this woman named Meg that I was married to way back in ancient Greece. And since Annie and Mattie are the reincarnations of Xena and Gabrielle ."
"Wait a minute! What the hell did you just say? That doesn't make any sense."
"I know it sounds complicated, and we'll explain everything to you, but right now I'm just trying to tell you why you were brought here."
"Okay, for now. So, why am I here? You said it was your fault."
"Right. So I was so desperate to find my Meg, in whoever she was reincarnated into, that Xena agreed to give Ares a son if he would find her. Who, it seems, is might be, you."
Maggie didn't say anything but Harry could tell from the look on her face she wasn't quite sure if he was telling the truth, or was simply crazy.
"Ares has had this thing for Xena ever since he recruited her to lead an army dedicated to him. This was way before I ever met Meg. But she turned away from him, met Gabrielle and dedicated the rest of her life to righting wrongs and doing good deeds. But Ares never lost the feelings for her. And even now, today, he wants her to give him an heir."
"You almost sound sincere. The only thing that sounds plausible, is that you're having dreams like I am."
"I know it's hard to swallow, but I'm telling you the truth, about everything."
"So, are they all twins? Two of them look just like me. That can't be a coincidence."
"She has to be Meg," Mattie said. "She looks just like you two. That can't be a coincidence."
"Maybe it isn't," Xena said. "Look at Diana, and Leah, and Meg. Four of us who are identical, in looks anyway. If you really think about it, it's almost creepy."
"And now Maggie shows up, another look alike," Gabrielle said. "It does sound kind of weird."
"But the question is is she really Meg? Or is Ares pulling a fast one?" Annie said.
"Well, if I take her and Harry back to Meg and Joxer maybe we can find out," Mattie suggested.
"If Maggie's willing to do it."
"Only one way to find out."
"You know," Harry said, "there's only one way to find out. Let Mattie send us back."
"She can really do that? Send people back to a past life? That sounds almost like a scam."
"I can really do it," Mattie said as they all walked into the kitchen. "If you'd be willing to try. And if it doesn't work, then we'd know for sure one way or the other."
"What will I have to do? Will it hurt?"
"It's easy," Harry told her. We've all gone back and no one's been hurt yet."
"If I agree to this, afterward, will someone please explain about Ares and about why all of you look like twins when you're not?"
"If you'd like, we will explain everything first. It may sound rather farfetched and you might think we're making it up. But at least you'll know."
Chapter Eight
No Going Back
"Why don't we help Harry clean up the dining room first?" Gabrielle suggested. "The we can all sit down and explain things."
Without another word everyone, including Maggie, began carrying the dirty dishes into the kitchen, wiping off the table, and hurriedly using a vacuum broom around the table to pick up any stray crumbs. Fifteen minutes later everyone was settled in the living room with coffee.
"Any questions before we begin?" Annie asked Maggie.
"Hundreds of them. But why not just start at the beginning? Maybe they'll be answered by the time you get to the end."
"Okay. I guess I'll start." Annie thought for a second. "I guess it really begins back in Greece when Gabrielle and I first got together ."
Three quarters of an hour later the story was still being told, and they were up to part where Alti had cloned Xena and Gabrielle. After another fifteen minutes Mattie was finishing up. "So, when I say I can take you and Harry back to your past lives, I really can."
Maggie hadn't said a word during the entire narrative. But the look on her face went from skeptical to outright disbelief to maybe accepting what they were telling her was just outlandish enough to have some truth to it.
"So how was this Alti able to clone you two? I've heard of it being done with sheep and dogs and cats, but not people."
"That's because you don't realize what a powerful shamaness she was. She used her magic to make it happen," Annie answered.
"And from one little hair you remembered who you were? And everything that ever happened to you? How is that possible?"
"I think it has to do with genetic encoding," Mattie told her. "But none of us remember everything the other does. Just like in real life, if the five of us wrote down what happened when Ares brought you here, the details wouldn't be exactly the same. But we all would believe what we wrote down was what actually happened."
"Also, when we went back together, it awakened memories in all of us," Gabrielle said. "So some things we do remember the same."
Maggie shook her head. "You know, the past lives thing I can believe, sort of. But Ares? It just seems so farfetched. There actually is a an entity that makes people want to go to war? I can't even wrap my mind around that! And this magic thing Alti and all the rest of it. That's going to take some time to well, I don't know if I'll ever believe that."
"There's no rush," Harry said gently. "It's a lot to take in at one time. And if I was in your place I'd be just as doubtful."
Maggie gave Harry an appreciative and slightly affectionate smile.
"So," Mattie said. "Are you ready to go back?"
Maggie didn't know what to say. She stammered a few times trying to get something out. Finally, she said, "Do we have to do it now? Can't it wait until later? Or maybe tomorrow? I just...."
"Sure it can wait," Harry told her. "There's no rush. Tomorrow's just as good as today."
Maggie reached out and touched Harry's hand. "Thank you."
The other four women exchanged knowing glances. They could see there was a bond forming between Harry and Maggie.
"I know it's still early here " Maggie said to Annie, whom she took to be more in charge than the others. "But I've been up since five this morning. And since it's three hours later in Florida than it is here, I'm really getting tired."
"Oh, of course you are," Annie said. "We have plenty of room, so you don't have to worry about some place to sleep."
"She can have my bed," Harry said quickly. "I can sleep on the couch."
"Are you sure?" Maggie asked. "I don't want to be any trouble."
"No trouble," he said brightly. "No trouble at all."
"Thank you," Maggie told him. Then to Annie she said, "I'm afraid when Ares brought me here he didn't bring anything else. No clothes, or shoes. Not even a toothbrush or shampoo or soap."
"That's not a problem," Mattie said. "We have extras of everything. And I guess you'd like to take a shower?"
"I really would."
"Well, since we're all the same size, I'm sure we can find something for you to sleep in," Annie said.
"Actually, I sleep naked. My aunt's air conditioner doesn't work sometimes and it's so hot and humid in Florida, I got used to sleeping with nothing on but a fan."
"Okay, then we'll get you something to wear for tomorrow."
"The bathroom is this way," Gabrielle started to say, but was interrupted by Harry.
"Don't get up! I'll show her where everything is." He then put his hand out for Maggie to take. "This way M'lady," he said gallantly, a semi-goofy smile on his face.
"Why, thank you, Kind Sir," Maggie replied, smiling back at him, and let him lead her to the bathroom.
"Well, looks like Harry may have found his Meg after all," Mattie said.
"If she's really Meg," Xena answered.
"Even if she isn't," Gabrielle added, "they seem to be attracted to each other. So what if she isn't the real Meg?"
"Because Ares is going to be here in a week and will be expecting his reward," Annie said.
"Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that."
A few minutes later Harry came back into the living room. When he saw them all staring at him, he said "What?!" Then went into the kitchen to start washing the dishes. They all followed him in.
"Does she have everything?" Annie asked. Then grinning, added, "Everything she needs to take a decent shower?"
"Yes! She has everything!" Harry retorted, a bit embarrassed at his sudden attraction to Maggie.
"You don't have be so uncomfortable," Gabrielle said to him. "If you two are hitting it off, I think that's great."
"We all do," Mattie added. "She seems really nice."
"Humph!" Harry answered, but was glad they were glad. "I got Maggie one of your robes," he said to either Annie or Xena, since they both had plush terrycloth robes. "So she would have something to wear when she got out of the shower."
Annie patted him on the shoulder then left to find some clothes for her.
"You know," Xena said with a sly tone in her voice. "If you play your cards right, you might not have to sleep on the couch."
Harry turned around to her. "If you don't mind, my business and Maggie's business is none of your business."
"Okay," Xena answered, grinning. "Im just saying...."
Harry turned around to finish the dishes, wondering if Xena had read his mind somehow.
Annie and Mattie were in the kitchen keeping Harry company when Maggie came looking for Annie. "I hope you don't mind but I called my aunt to let her know I wouldn't be there tonight."
"Oh, no, of course not. I should have told to call her earlier. What did you tell her?"
"Just that I was spending the night with my girl friend. Sometimes we'd go bar hopping and I'd spend the night at her house."
"Girlfriend?" Harry asked. "You have a girlfriend?"
Maggie gave a little laugh. "She's my girl friend, not girlfriend. We're both into guys."
"I didn't mean anything." Harry stammered.
"Don't worry about it. But there's something I was wondering about. You remember earlier, when I first got here I asked if you had a twin?"
"Yeah."
"Well, when I was in the shower I was kind of in the zone, you know what I mean? I was letting the water wash over me and calm me down and I guess I dozed or something, anyway I got this memory, I guess it was, about Josler?"
"Joxer."
"Joxer, yes. Anyway, I got this impression that there were three of him - you. A bad one and a good one and one that was -- different."
Harry took a deep breath. "Those were my older brothers, Jett and Jace. We were triplets. Jett was always in trouble with the law, a bad seed. And Jace was Well, I'm not exactly sure how to describe Jace."
"He was a showman," Annie said. "An entertainer. Jace liked to sing and dance and dress up in costumes."
"And you were the good one?" Maggie asked.
"I didn't want to be. I wanted to be a fearsome warrior like my father was. But mostly I was just a screwup."
"Hey!" Mattie exclaimed. "Don't sell yourself short. Maggie, Joxer was the truest, most loyal friend anyone could ask for."
"And he put his life on the line for Gabrielle and me more than once," Annie added. "Back when we were Xena and Gabrielle."
"Thanks, guys," Harry said, a little embarrassed.
Maggie touched Harry's cheek. "I thought so."
"Do you get those memories often?" Annie asked.
"Only when I'm sleeping, or almost dozing like I was in the shower. I just wanted to find out if the dream was true or not. But now I think I'm going to go on to bed. I'll see you all in the morning."
Everyone said good night as she left the kitchen. Annie and Mattie then went to their bedroom. Xena and Gabrielle had already gone to bed. And Harry got out the extra blankets and pillow and settled down on the couch.
"So, what do you think?" Annie asked. "Do you thinks she's on the level about the memories?"
"Well, she did know about Jett and Jace. I'm beginning to think she just might be Meg. Why? Don't you?"
"I don't know. There's just something that doesn't seem quite right."
"Such as?"
"Well, take us you, me, Harry, Xena and Gabrielle we all mostly have the same personalities we had when we were in Greece. But Maggie is nothing like Meg. Meg was illiterate, and crude, and kind of ditz. But Maggie's none of that."
"Well. she WAS raised up differently than Meg. I mean, Meg didn't have both parents to take care of her. Even if they were the crooks Maggie said they were, I got the impression they still loved her and took care of her."
"Maybe you're right," Annie conceded. "Maybe I'm just suspicious because I don't trust Ares as far as I could throw Mt. Olympus."
"We've still got most of a week. Let's just see how things go."
Chapter Nine
A Final Resolution
"Good morning," Annie said as Harry came into kitchen. "Still sleeping on the couch, I see."
"Yeah. Maggie and I don't want to rush things, you know? It's only been a few days."
"So I assume you two are getting closer. Do you think she's really Meg?"
"I do. She keeps bringing up all these things that Meg and I used to do. Sometimes they're just small things, like the time the we spent all day re-thatching the roof right after a big storm. And big things, like how drunk I got when Virgil was born, and that she didn't talk to me for a week afterward. I don't see how she could know all that and NOT be Meg."
"Well, if you think she is, that's good enough for me," Xena said as she joined them. "Looks like Ares and I will be having that honeymoon he's wanted all these years after all."
"You just HAD to say that, didn't you?" Harry said. "Do you have any idea how guilty I feel about this deal you have with him?"
Xena slapped Harry on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I knew what I was getting into."
"But did you really? Or did you think he'd never be able to find her?"
"Doesn't matter. A deal is a deal."
"Are you talking about me?" Meg asked as she came into the kitchen.
"Yes, we are you, and Harry, and Ares," Annie told her. "Until this thing is resolved, it's all any of us are going to talk about."
"Maybe I just should leave and then everything will go back to the way it used to be."
"Doesn't work that way," Xena said. "Whether you're here or not, Ares found you and I have to fulfill my side of the bargain. So you might as well stick around."
"Well, today's the day," Xena said cheerfully. "Ares should be here anytime."
"I can't believe you're really going to go through with this," Gabrielle said despondently. "There must be some kind of loophole, some way to not make this happen."
"Hey, a deal's a deal. He found Meg for Harry and I promised I'd give him a heir. No loophole as far as I can see."
"And she apparently is the real Meg," Annie said.
Gabrielle shook her head sadly.
"I don't know what you're worried about. It's not like I'm going away forever. An hour or so and it should all be over and I'll be right back here."
"Over?" Gabrielle's sadness changed to anger. "Over! It's just beginning! Do you have any concept of what you'll be creating? Of what the cost will be?"
"I'm sure she does," Mattie said. "But this is her choice, as bad as it seems to us."
"Thank you, Mattie" Xena said. "At least one person is on my side."
"I'm not on your side. I just respect your decision."
"And a good one it was, too," a very masculine voice said.
They all looked over to where Ares had materialized.
"So, since all of you realize I delivered what I promised, it looks like it's time I was rewarded."
Ares looked over to the three Xenas.
"Hmmm. Well, I know you're not her," he said looking at Meg. "So, I'm guessing you are my bride," he said putting his hand out to Annie.
"Wrong," Xena said as she stepped forward.
"Some god," Gabrielle said in disgust. "You can't even tell who you're supposed to be with."
"Doesn't matter," he replied as he took Xena's hand. "We'll be back sometime."
"Okay, Ares, I know I promised you I wouldn't say anything. But this is wrong, just plain wrong!" a strangely familiar woman's voice said. Everyone looked over to see who it was.
"Aphrodite!" Mattie and Gabrielle yelled out at once. And they both rushed over to her, resulting in a group hug. After almost a half minute they backed away from her.
"By the gods," Gabrielle said. "You look just the same!"
"Well, of course I do. You DONT mess with perfection. But you still looking like a boy. When are you going to let you hair grow?"
"I like it like this. And so does Xena."
Aphrodite shook her head, then looked at Mattie. "Well, at least you look like a real woman." She took a lock of her dark red hair. "I like the color. It goes with your eyes."
"Thank you."
"So, you're going by Mattie now, huh?"
"Well, since that's the name my mother gave me yeah. So what about you? What have you been doing all those years? Where have you been?"
"Well, with only two love gods to service the whole world, I have been rather busy."
"Two?"
"I do have a son, you know?"
"That's right Cupid."
"Well, technically his name is Eros, but for some reason everyone has picked up on Cupid. But he doesn't seem to mind."
Aphrodite looked past them to the three Xenas. "Three of you. Wouldn't THAT have given those warlords a fit, back in the day."
Xena and Annie had smiles of fondness on their faces. But Maggie was just astonished.
"So, what were you saying to Ares?" Annie asked. "And by the way, where did he go?"
"Oh, he's long gone," Aphrodite answered. "He knows he's been busted."
"What are you talking about?" Mattie asked.
"I'm talking about this little deal he had with Xena. It's bogus, you know."
"I'm with Mattie," Xena said. "What the HELL are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about her," she replied pointing to Maggie. "She's not really Meg. She's just Maggie."
"But, what she knows, everything she remembers," Harry said.
"A little mind trick. Ares put a bit of mind reading into her. Wherever she would go to sleep, her mind would find some little memory in Joxer's brain and then she would mention it to you the next time she saw you."
"The name's Harry, if you don't mind."
"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, that's it in a nutshell."
"How do you know all this?" Annie asked.
"You know Ares, he has to brag to someone about how clever he is. He never said exactly what was going on, but when he told me Xena was going to give him an heir, well, something smelled kind of fishy. And you know how I hate fish. Anyway, I did a bit of investigating, did a little snooping, and figured it out. But when I confronted him, he made me promise not to say anything. But I just couldn't stand by and do nothing. After all, you two, four -- are the only real friends I ever had."
"But what about me?" Maggie finally had the courage to say. "What who am I?"
"Oh, you're Maggie. And just about everything about you and your life is the truth. Almost."
"Like what?"
"Well, even though you look like Xena, which is what took Ares so long, your hair isn't black, it's red. And your eyes aren't blue, they're green, You see, you aren't Greek, you're Irish. Your last name?"
Maggie began to remember things Ares had blocked out. "That's right, I AM Irish. My name is Maggie O'Kelley."
"Unbelievable," Mattie said. "We never even thought about her last name!"
"Good old Ares," Aphrodite answered. "Put a little forgetting in all of you."
"I don't know how to thank you," Gabrielle said. "I'm sure none of us do. You're the best!"
"Hey, preaching to the choir here," Aphrodite said good naturedly, but nevertheless was pleased. "So, Maggie, I guess you're ready to go back home to you aunt in Florida?"
Maggie got a panicked look on her face. She looked at each of them and ended with Harry, fear in her eyes. "I I Harry?"
"She's staying here, with me," Harry spoke up.
"But she's not Meg," Aphrodite said. "I thought you wanted them to find Meg for you?"
"I don't care about Meg. I care about Maggie. She's here and I don't want to lose her."
Maggie reached out to Harry and he took her hand.
"Are you sure about this? I mean it's no trouble take her back. Maggie, are you sure you want to stay here with Joxer?"
"His name's Harry. And yes. I want to stay here, forever."
"Well, okay. If that's what you want."
"Come on," Harry said to Maggie. "Let's call your aunt and tell her where to send your stuff."
They started to go, but Maggie pulled away. "Wait! There's one more thing. I want to look like me again, not like Annie and Xena." She turned to Aphrodite. "Could you would you change me back?'
"Sure, honey, no problem."
Then to Harry Maggie said, "If you don't like how I really look, I'll go back to Florida."
Aphrodite wave her hand and Maggie's hair turned a luxurious shade of red and her eyes were bright green.
"Well?" Maggie said to Harry.
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he replied with a bit of a lump in his throat. "Let's call your aunt."
After they left, Aphrodite looked around then said, "Well, I guess my work here is done and I should be going."
"Uh, you didn't happen to do anything to Harry and Maggie, did you?" Annie asked.
Aphrodite got an innocent look on her face. "What ever are you talking about? You're actually accusing the Goddess of Love of making two lonely people fall in love? I am shocked!"
Everyone got big smiles on their faces.
"Okay, now I really have to go."
She hugged Mattie and Gabrielle again.
"Don't be a stranger," Gabrielle admonished her. "Check in once in a while, okay?"
"I'll do my best." And then she was gone.
[Bonus Epilogue]
Ares' Heir
Xena woke up and looked at the clock, it was just before midnight. She listened for a few seconds. Gabrielle was sound asleep. Xena got up and put on her robe. Usually she would go to the bathroom naked, but this time she didn't have to pee. She quietly opened the bedroom door and listened intently. Annie and Maggie were asleep, as were Harry and Maggie. Xena smiled, happy they were together.
Xena softly made her way through the house to the kitchen, then out of the back door, making sure it wasn't locked as she went outside.
"Are you ready for the most exciting experience of your life?" a voice asked.
"Ready -- and willing," she answered expectantly. "But I have to back by five. Everyone gets up early, you know."
"There's no hurry. They won't wake up until noon."
Ares scooped her up in his arms and in less than a heartbeat they were in the Great Hall of War on Mt. Olympus. Ares put her down and Xena walked seductively to the foot of his bed, letting the robe fall to the floor as she did. She then crawled on her hands and knees to the head of the bed, rolled over onto her back, arms over her head, legs spread. And with a shameless look of hunger on her face, she waited for the most stimulating and erotic experience of her life.
Ares began to remove his black leather shirt, his eyes never leaving the delicious body lying on his bed; his eyes couldn't get enough of it. After his pants were off he stood there proudly, allowing Xena to observe him in all his masculine grandeur.
"You will be gentle, won't you?" Xena asked. "At least the first time?"
Ares was a little surprised at her question, but then decided she was just playing with him. He knew of Xena's passion and sexual appetite, and if anything, gentleness was the last thing she wanted. He crawled to the waiting Xena on his hands and knees from the foot of the bed as she has done so only moments ago.
"I don't do gentle," he whispered into her ear. His mouth hungrily found hers as his manhood found its target and attempted its journey into paradise. But Xena shifted just enough that the organ missed its mark.
"Playing hard to get?" he panted, then reapplied the pressure, but she moved again.
"I'm serious," she replied. "I remember my first time. It was with a mortal, and he didn't know what he was doing and it hurt like hell. I want to enjoy this first time, and remember it as you promised the most exciting experience of my life."
Now Ares was thoroughly confused. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about my virginity."
Ares rolled off of her. "Your virginity? You're trying to tell me that after, what, thirty, thirty-five years you're still a virgin?"
Xena smiled. "I'm not as old as that. I've only been alive for eight or nine months Gabrielle and me. We were cloned from hairs from the original Xena and Gabrielle that Alti got from somewhere."
"Alti? That name almost sounds familiar."
"She was an evil shamaness way back when we were in Greece. She and I were allies for awhile. But after we had a falling out she has dedicated her life, her many lives, to killing me. She even tried to steal Eve's soul while she was in my womb."
"So she cloned you and the blond just so she could kill you again?"
"No. She fed evil images of Xena from that TV show into me before I was awake trying to turn me into an Evil Xena. Which actually worked, some, until Annie and Mattie, and Gabrielle, found a way to reverse it."
Xena let her finger tips trail over Ares' chest as they traveled down over his belly and even farther, trying to re-ignite his manliness, her hunger for him growing again. As she took him into her hand, he began to grow again, but instead of taking her, Ares got up off the bed and away from her.
"This isn't what I wanted," he said more to himself than to Xena. "I wanted fire and enthusiasm and real fireworks, not gentleness."
"You can still have it," Xena cooed. "Just not the first time."
Ares looked down at the waiting Xena, and despite the hunger and desire that brought him to his full maleness, something wasn't quite right.
"I suppose I could numb you there," he mumbled. "But it wouldn't be the same."
Suddenly he got angry. "Dammit! I want the REAL Xena, not some CLONE!"
"But I AM the real Xena. I was made from Xena's hair. And my memories are Xena's. And this body sure is Xena's. And it's YOUR body if you'd only take it!"
Now Xena's passion was turning into anger. "You can't be tender even ONE time? And what about a little foreplay? Does everything with you have to be 'slam, bam, thank you ma'am?' "
Xena's fiery anger began to interest Ares again. "Now THAT's the Xena I remember!" he said with a grin. "Hot, and angry, and take no prisoners. 'Kill 'em all!' Isn't that what you used to say?"
"I don't want to kill anybody. I just want you to make love to me, not treat me like some cheap tavern wench. At least once. Or have you forgotten about the son you want me to give you?"
Ares was conflicted. He wanted the body being offered to him more than any body he had ever wanted. Even more than the Gabrielle-look-alike that was Hope (what passion SHE had!). And as good as it was when Xena's body was inhabited by Callisto, it wasn't the same. Xena, the original Xena, was his first and only real love. And as much as he wanted the son promised to him, this clone-thing wasn't something he was comfortable with.
What if something was wrong with this Xena? What if this Alti, this so called shamaness, created a defective Xena? What if this Xena produced a monster and not the son he wanted? Ares had nothing but contempt for these mystics who thought they were as gods and would play with magic as if they knew what they were doing.
Ares waved his hand and Xena fell back down on the bed, asleep. Still naked, Ares went to his throne to sit and to think. He hated thinking! It was so much easier to scheme to create chaos. Decisions like this weren't what he was cut out for. Maybe a second opinion was needed. The trouble was, there was only one other god he trusted Aphrodite, as ditzy as she was. But he knew when she found out he had put the thought into Xena's mind that she wanted to give him a son, she would be really pissed off at him. And she DID thwart his attempt to get Xena to come with him willingly.
Finally, Ares made the decision. He would take Xena back home, put her into bed with that blond, and remove the memory of the past couple of hours from her. He'd gone this long without an heir, a little longer wouldn't hurt. And if he got desperate, there were literally millions of women he could choose from.
Ares put his clothes back on then picked up the naked Xena and in a heartbeat they were in her bedroom. As he deposited her down onto the bed, he looked at the naked, sleeping Gabrielle. For a moment he considered her as the mother of his son. But if she was cloned too, there still might be the problem of her purity.
With a shrug, Ares teleported out and returned to the mountains of Afghanistan to see what kinds of pandemonium he could create.
It was noon before anyone woke up, and they were all mystified why they slept so long. As they all vied to get into the one bathroom, Xena looked around for her bathrobe, never knowing it was at the foot of Ares' bed on Mt. Olympus.
The End