"If you don't get out of my face, swamp breath, I'll make you wish you had." Meg frowned and started walking away from the giant cyclops.

"But--" He studdered. "But, you're so pretty!" He exclaimed.

"And not available." Meg added. "Or haven't you heard? I'm Hercules' girl. That means that you'd better scram, ugly."

The cyclops looked genuinely hurt. "But I thought Hercules was going with that beautiful Warrior princess, Xena."

Meg laughed. "No way. They're just friends...Where did you hear this from, anyway?"

"You know...here and there. They've been seen just about everywhere in Thebes. It's all over the city that Herc's got himself a new girl."

"Herc would never...ever cheat on me..." Her voice trailed off. She snapped back into reality when she saw the dissapointed cyclops walk away. "Hey!" She yelled to him.

"How would you like to escort me to Thebes?" She gave him a dazzling smile.

"I would--that is...You want me to?"

"Sure." She laughed. "You're tall dark and semi-handsome, for a guy with one eye." She looked up at him. "Extremely tall, dark and...WHOA!" She cried out as the cyclops swooped her up into his massive hand and started walking towards Thebes. *************************

"Thanks, Xena. I think I will try that new strategy." Herc said enthusiastically.

"You're welcome." she gave him a warm smile, momentarily breaking her cool exterior. "Now don't forget, if faced with a giant, always hit him-"

"Between the eyes. I know. " He turned to Xena's friend. "And thanks, Gabrielle for that advice. I know now how to ask Meg."

"It was my pleasure." The other replied warmly.

"I'll miss you two." He told them. "I'm sorry you have to go."

"I know." Gabrielle sighed. "That's the awful thing about travelling with a warrior Princess. You're always leaving behind good friends." She smiled atXena. "No offense." She added.

Xena raised an eyebrow. "None taken." The three shared a hug, and Gabrielle gave Herc a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll miss you." They each mounted their horses and left, leaving Hercules staring behind them.

"There you are!" A voice came from behind our hero as he turned around to face Megara.

"Hi,Meg!"He smiled at her lovingly. She knew from that smile that there was absolutely nothing going on between Herc and Xena. Still, she hadn't rode a cyclops into the city just to stare at her boyfriend. She was going to give the boy a piece of her mind.

"Don't you 'Hi Meg' me!" She replied harshly. "What were you doing, spending all of your time with Xena?"

His amazing smile didn't waver. "I was just talking strategy." He said innocently, taking her hands into his. "I'm sorry, Meg. I know we don't spend much time together,but that's going to change. I promise. " She melted. I mean,who could resist? Just as she was about to kiss him, he pulled back sharply. "Megara, I don't mean to alarm you, but there's a cyclops behind you." He said calmly.

"Isn't there always?" Meg muttered sarcastically. "Don't worry, Herc. He's just a friend."

"Oh..well can we go somewhere where no one can bother us?" Herc inquired.

"Not lately. I mean, between die-hard Herc fans, and Xena the Boyfriend Thief, it seems like we can't get in a private moment edgewise!"

"I'm sorry." Hercules apologized. Meg slightly relented. "It's just that between you being mobbed by half of Greece, and--"

"Hey, Loverboy, time to fly!" a voice rudely interrupted, followed by a loud "neigh".

"What's wrong, Phil?" Inquired Hercules.

"A Minetaur is loose. You gotta get him." Flashing Meg an apologetic look, he ran to Phil and Pegasus. Phil and Herc jumped on, and Meg was left staring after them.

"I guess it's just you and me, big guy." She said,turning to the cyclops, only to realize that he, too was gone. "Amazing." she muttered. Just then she heard a loud crash coming from behind. She ran towards it, trying to figure out what it could be. When she saw a minetaur destroying a building, she yelled at it to stop, but it ignored. "Hey! Bull-butt! Knock it off, before I sick my boyfriend on you!" As soon as she said this, she regretted it. What's happening to me, she wondered. I used to be so independant. Now, I depend on Hercules to do everything for me. This is getting ridiculous. The minetaur still ignored Meg, and she picked up a large fallen stone and hurled it at his head. It let out a fierce shriek of pain, and stumbled back. Meg smiled to herself in satisfaction. Her smile dissapeared as he walked towards her, and looked down. This guy was HUGE! "So," he said in a raspy voice "You are the one they call Megara. I have been paid handsomely for you capture." He picked her up and, as Thebians watched on in amazement, carried her off to the forest. Meg didn't bother struggling. This just wasn't her day. Herc arrived about twenty minutes later, confessing to onlookers that he hadn't been able to track down the Minetaur after all.

"That's because he was here all the time." An attractive girl told him softly.

"What? Where is he now? And where's Meg?" He looked over to the rock on which he had last seen his beloved.

"She's dead."The girl replied shortly. Herc stumbled back, as if an arrow had pierced his heart. He had a flashback of the last time he saw her. And when they'd first met. He touched a small silver pendant that Meg had given him. He didn't even hear the girl ask him out. All of a sudden, he started to cry.

Don't worry, folks...It will get better(EMAIL ME WITH COMMENTS!)

TO BE CONTINUED....