ACT THREE

FADE IN

Close up of fireplace. Pan back to see Gabrielle and Aphrodite sitting on the floor. The fire is burning brightly and shadows are jumping on the two women's faces. Aphrodite turns to Gabrielle.

APHRODITE (smiles):
     Did you see the way Ares ran after Xena?

GABRIELLE:
     It was rather hard to miss. (smirks) Not that it's surprising.

APHRODITE (pause):
     You see it, don't you?

GABRIELLE:
     How could I not? (sighs)

APHRODITE:
     Xena Warrior Princess, Ex Destroyer of Nations and all around good girl has as much of a thing for Ares as he has for her.

GABRIELLE:
     Ironic, isn't it? I don't think she even knows she is.

APHRODITE:
     Could be worse, she could be lusting after someone really gross.

GABRIELLE (smirks again):
     I thought she was.

CUT TO

Close up. We see a tanned male hand. Camera moves back. Ares is asleep and Xena is glaring daggers at him. His hand is placed on her breast and her hand is poised over his head ready to hit him. As her hand comes down he rolls over, pulling her into an embrace. Gabrielle and Aphrodite burst into the room.

XENA:
     This is not what it looks like.

APHRODITE:
     Then what is it?

GABRIELLE:
     I don't want to know. Stay like that, Xena, then we'll have enough room.

Aphrodite and Gabrielle climb into bed with Xena and Ares. Xena eyes the two women strangely.

GABRIELLE:
     Greba snores, really snores.

APHRODITE:
     I thought Dad used to be bad. You could hear him half way across Olympus. He had nothing on her.

XENA:
     Yik!

APHRODITE:
     What was that?

GABRIELLE:
     The closest you'll ever get to Xena squealing.

APHRODITE:
     My brother moved his hand, did he? (grins)

ARES (mumbles in his sleep):
     I don't want to go to Tartarus today, Mother.

XENA:
     Okay Ares, wakey, wakey.

Ares pulls Xena a little closer and sighs in his sleep. A loud bang is heard and a scream comes from the other room. Greba comes running into the room and jumps into the bed with the other four. Ares wakes up from the commotion.

GREBA:
     Something attacked me!

Horace comes strolling into the room with laughter filled eyes and a satisfied smirk on his doggy face.

GABRIELLE:
     Greba's back.

APHRODITE (deadpan):
     Oh yay!

Ares notices everyone else in the bed, he also notices the close proximity between Xena and himself and smirks.

ARES:
     What's with all the togetherness?

XENA (shifts trying to make as much room between herself and Ares as possible):
     It's a long story.

GABRIELLE:
     What are you going to do about those thugs, Xena?

XENA:
     It depends. How many are there, Greba?

GREBA:
     Hmm...let me see, (starts counting on her fingers) one, two, three.....I saw seven.

XENA:
     Seven. Is that all?

ARES:
     So what's the plan, Xena?

XENA:
     We go in and beat them up, work for everyone else?

GABRIELLE, APHRODITE and ARES:
     Yep.

GREBA:
     Isn't that kind of unladylike?

GABRIELLE:
     Anyone else getting deja vu of Diana?

XENA (mumbles):
     I liked Diana.

CUT TO

All is dark except for one candle illuminating the room. Various bodies lie sleeping. Two lay next to each other, both attempting to fall into Morpheus' realm.

THUG #1:
     Hey Abderus, you still awake?

ABDERUS:
     Yeah Bro, what is it?

THUG #1:
     I was just thinking 'bout home and stuff.

ABDERUS:
     What about home?

THUG #1:
     I miss Mamma and her cooking and stories and...

ABDERUS:
     Don't think about that. We have a new life now.

THUG #1:
     Yeah, good night Abderus.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE