TEASER: Secluded in the African wilderness, the trio start finding the close quarters a little TOO close for comfort. Frustrated with Gabrielle’s treatment of Joxer, Xena comes to a shocking conclusion concerning her friends, one that Gabrielle didn’t even know herself.

SPOILERS: Antony and Cleopatra. Ignore the rest of the season. It’s bad.
DISCLAIMER: Xena, Joxer, Gabrielle and the rest of the gang belong to no one but Ren Pics. But they suck. Muchly.
DISTRIBUTION: That Was Scary, Reality is Nothing But a Collective Hunch. Various list archives. Everyone else, please email me.

AUTHOR’S NOTES:
Remember that series of mine where I keep writing everything out of order? Well this is the first in that series , the moment in time series. If you’re having trouble keeping track of where and how this is taking place, feel free to look at the series timeline here:
http://www.geocities.com/mistiec_reality/momentintime.html

Beware, there are TONS of spoilers for the series and where it’s going.

DEDICATION: For Azina. She was the first that I know of to put Joxer in Egyptian clothes, and the image haunted me.

FEEDBACK:
I adore it. You should know that by now. I’m a slave to it. ;-)
 

~*~

It was hot enough to scorch, and for a second, Gabrielle wished for the cool linen of the beautiful white garment that had adorned her body for the past week. The Nile was beautiful, but Gods, was Egypt hot!
Taking a breath, she sighed, licking her dry lips and running her hands through her short blonde hair, and glancing at Xena, who was smiling at Eve as they waited. They always waited, and it was starting to annoy her. They were always waiting for him nowadays and why?
"Xena…" she suddenly said, her eyes thoughtful and a little annoyed as she turned to face her friend.
"Hmm?" Xena asked, gathering her child to her, flipping her long, dark hair back and wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"Why are we waiting for him? He's late; we should just leave him. It's his own fault."
A smirk lifted onto Xena’s lips. It seemed Gabrielle had given herself the responsibility of trying desperately to ignore the fact that Joxer was more than just family to them. Although Xena knew Gabrielle didn't mean the little quips she gave, it was starting to exasperate more than amuse her.  She had half a mind to tell Gabrielle to leave it alone and just admit she cared for the guy already, but instead, she merely pursed her lips and sighed. "Gabrielle, I’m not having this conversation again. He means just as much to you as he does to me, and we’re waiting for him, and that’s all there is to it."
Gabrielle gave her an irritated glance and just rolled her eyes, and Xena smiled. Taking a breath, she gave her aching heart a moment to settle, thankful for the moment of amusement that the blonde bard had given her.
Gabrielle was sometimes a complete mystery to her, mostly when it came down to Joxer. Joxer was a beautiful, loving soul, and the third part of their ensemble. He was what Gabrielle used to be; the sidekick, left behind when push came to shove, but a joy to be with none the less. He was also a great traveling companion, and having him around helped considerably, by keeping Gabrielle and herself from ripping each other’s throats out when they were alone in the close proximity of the secluded wilderness. He had a strange way of doing it. Usually he was able to get them so mad at him they wanted to rip HIS throat out, and she had to admit, it was a nice change of pace. She wasn't the only one that appreciated it. Gabrielle did too, though she would never admit it. She most certainly took advantage of Joxer's ability to annoy them more than Xena did, at any rate.
Those two. Xena shook her head and chuckled.
"What are you laughing about?!"
Her blue eyes caught the bard’s green ones, the question raised with a bit of hostility and defensiveness, as if Gabrielle was absolutely certain that Xena was laughing at her.
Xena didn’t bother to hide the twinkle in her eyes. "Nothing, Gabrielle. Just… nothing."
Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed, and she was about to pursue the matter further when a boat docking on the great river caught her attention. Standing, she felt her heart start beating a little faster, and a smile graced her pretty face as she immediately began scanning the passengers as they began unloading.
She had missed him. She would never admit it to Xena, but she had. It had been a long, hard, and very bloody visit to the Nile, and Gabrielle had a feeling that if Joxer were here, it would have been a bit more fun and a lot less morbid.
He had that affect. The ability to make her heart lighten, and make her realize that no matter how hard things could get, there would always be a reason to smile made her cherish his friendship. He was a good friend, their best friend. And she needed his friendship right now.
Her body shuddered involuntarily as she thought of that bloody night on that ship. Her face still wore the cuts and bruises of that night. Of being beaten so brutally, the pain in each heavy blow by a man who had once been an ally.
Gods, sometimes she hated the Romans. And she remembered, her garments stained so red, looking up to see her best friend in the same way, the stricken look of pain on her face that told her all too well that Xena's heart had just been broken, and Gabrielle's had broken with her.
Suddenly she couldn't get out of those Egyptian clothes quickly enough.
She needed Joxer back. She needed Joxer to smile and say dumb things and remind them what it was like when the four of them were together.
Xena needed it too. She could see it in her friends soft eyes, in the way Xena just as eagerly, if more restrained, looked down at the ship, waiting for their friend's clanking armor that signaled his arrival.
He stuck out like a sore thumb. Gabrielle felt herself freeze and suddenly she smiled, lifting her hand and waving when she spotted her helmetless friend as he looked uncertainly at the crowds, weaved his way through and managing to upset everything in his path.
"JOXER!" she said, so loudly she felt herself freeze, felt that alarm inside of her that made her arms suddenly come down and her mouth suddenly slam shut.
She didn't notice Xena giving her a side long glance, and the Warrior Princess only clamped her jaw and motioned with her free hand, eyebrow furrowing when Joxer accidentally dropped some one's cargo into the Nile.
"Come on, before someone tosses HIM in it."
Joxer was too busy stuttering his words of apology to the angry man who had lost his clothes to the crocodiles to hear Xena and Gabrielle coming up behind him, until Xena placed a hand on his shoulder.
Suddenly he yelped, and would have fallen over the edge of the canal if Gabrielle's hadn't reached out and grabbed him, yanking back, and letting him go just as quickly.
"IPE!... GABS XENA! HEY!" His face lit up joyously, and he looked as if he was going to engulf them into a huge hug, until the looks on their faces made him only smile widely and keep his hands at his sides.
Xena crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, looking towards the man. "How much did you lose?"
"Xena!" the man stuttered, face bowed down in reverence. "I... I'm sorry, I wasn't aware-"
"Here," Gabrielle tossed him a bag of gold, her eyes never leaving Joxer's in a tight glare. "That should take care of it."
Joxer's jaw dropped open at the amount of money that Gabrielle had just casually given away, but neither the Warrior or the Bard barely blinked.
While the man only stared in astonishment, Xena grabbed Joxer by the shoulder, and steered him away from the crowded river, taking care to make sure he didn't disturb a thing.
"Joxer, tell me one thing, how on EARTH do you survive when you're not with us?" Joxer felt his heart sink, and he sighed. He wasn't THAT much of an idiot. Gods, he WASN'T... these were his best friends, and Gods, sometimes around them he felt like he really was what they thought he was... a big... loser.
It had been months since they'd seen him and that was the first sentence they had managed? Gee thanks.
"Aww, Xena. I can take care of myself. Look, I'll even pay you back for-"

"Forget it, Joxer. That was Egypt's money. Payment for our help with their situation." Joxer looked into Xena's eyes, and suddenly found himself faltering. Something was different about them both. There were lines around their eyes, as if stress and worry had taken more than their toll on them.  Gabrielle wasn't saying a word, and Xena's words were clipped, and finally Joxer just shrugged.
He didn't know what happened, but he hadn't helped when he tossed that guy's stuff in the river. "I'm really sorry, Xena. I just... I didn't meant to make trouble for ya."
At the heartfelt admission, he saw Xena's eyes moisten a little, and a small smile graced her beautiful lips. "It's fine, Joxer. You didn't make trouble. No more than usual," was her sarcastic endnote, and Joxer found himself smiling back. "Here, hold Eve, will ya?"
Joxer smiled, and then suddenly the smile fell off as the daughter was placed into his arms. "Wow! She's gotten heavy! She's so big!"
"Tell me about it. Come on, let's go, we've got a lot of miles to put in today."
"Where we goin'?" Joxer asked, following along.
"South."
Xena didn't elaborate, and Joxer didn't ask. His focus was no drawn to the bard next to him, who hadn't said more than two words to him since he had seen her. He felt his heart skip a beat, and swallowed. How did she do it? She was even MORE beautiful than the last time he had seen her, and it had been too long. It had been way too long.
"How are ya, Gabs?" he finally asked softly, a trace of real emotion in his voice, so soft and gentle she felt herself freeze, manage a tight smile and only shrug.
"I'm okay, Joxer." And then she squeezed his arm, and walked ahead to Xena's side, leaving him to stare after the two of him.
"Maybe it was something I said," he said to little Evie, perhaps the only one in the group that looked happy to see him. She gurgled and laughed, and began the nonsense baby talk that he listened to with the most enthralled expression in the world.
"Yeah, I hate that," he said, smiling at the baby, who giggled in agreement.
The laughter caught Gabrielle's attention, and she turned her head slightly, taking in the scene behind her.
At the sound of the laughter from the pair, so innocent and carefree, at the look of his smile, the shining of his eyes, and the gay walk... she felt herself smile, a smile she thought no one else saw until Xena said quietly, "I'm glad he's back too."

Gabrielle blushed, coughed, and muttered something about a baby-sitter was always needed before rushing ahead.

Xena only rolled her eyes, and kept walking.

~*~
 

“I’m hot.”

Xena stifled the urge to clock her companion on the top of her head.

Taking a breath, she sighed. “Yes, Gabrielle. You’re hot. Joxer’s hot. I’m hot. It’s a HOT day. You don’t need to be reminding us.”

“Yeah,” muttered Joxer, definitely the person to suffer the most from the heat. Xena looked up, her eyes roving over his frame thoughtfully. “Joxer…”

He looked up, looking curious as he wiped the sweat from his eyes, looking up at the trees that they had set themselves up for the night.

Gabrielle had set herself up on the other side of the fire, her green eyes flickering back and forth between the two of them, apparently so hot and tired she could nothing but stare at them both, as Joxer, held Eve in his lap, who had picked that exact time to be fussy.

Xena sat back, and then leaned forward, tugging at his woolen shirt. “You think maybe we should put that way for now?”

Joxer and Gabrielle both gave her a look of surprise. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“I  mean,  the pants and stuff. It’s hot out here, Joxer. I don’t want you fainting from heatstroke, and that’s not gonna help. Here,” she dug into her pack, and emerged with a white linen cloth.

His eyes bugged out of his head. “You want me to wear that?!”

Gabrielle also looked a bit uncomfortable with the cloth. Immediately she got a mental image of Joxer in the skirt, and the result was… well… imaginative, to say the least.

“Xena I think he’s fine in what he has.”

“I don’t,” Xena said, shaking her head purposefully. “It’s not a skirt, Joxer, it’s what the Egyptians wear, and I want you to wear it while we’re traveling here. You have fair skin but I’ve got some lotion that will protect you from getting too burned.” When he still looked ready to argue, she passed a glance to Gabrielle. “Back me up here.”

Gabrielle pursed her lips, knowing it was probably wise that Joxer wear the white linen. But something about that just… bugged her.

Dammit. What was the matter with her anyway? The heat was making her head swim.

“Wear the dumb skirt, Joxer,” she said. When Xena’s eyes narrowed, she quickly amended, “the cloth.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but both women quickly growled, “JUST DO IT.”

That was all it took for him to plop Eve into Gabrielle’s lap and grab the cloth from Xena, muttering all the way to the privacy of the woods.

The two women were silent as they watched him leave. Xena was in no mood for a snide wisecrack or a smile, and oddly, neither was Gabrielle.

“You okay?” The dark haired warrior looked up to see Gabrielle staring at her curiously, concern flecked in her green eyes. “You’ve been really quiet for the past few days.”

Xena felt herself freeze slightly, and she shrugged non-committedly. “You’re not exactly a well of conversation either, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle didn’t bite, she merely kept looking at her friend, studying her closely. “You loved him, didn’t you?”

Xena didn’t say a word, but at the soft tone, felt her eyes well up. Hastily, she brushed the tears away. “I… it doesn’t matter. He’s dead. I killed him.”

“You had to. You had no other choice.” Gabrielle slid up from her position, and sat down next to Xena, sliding a hand down her back. “Xena, look at me.”

Xena didn’t for a minute, but when Gabrielle’s hand squeezed her shoulder slightly, she did, moist blue eyes meeting her green ones almost reluctantly. “It’s not your fault,” Gabrielle said softly. “I know it’s hard, but you’ll get through it. And… I’m here.”

Xena swallowed, didn’t say anything for a minute, and finally just nodded. “I know, Gabrielle. I always just ‘get through it’. I don’t… I don’t want to keep having to fight the men I love… I’m tired of it, Gabrielle.” She stayed quiet for a minute, and suddenly met Gabrielle’s stare. “You know you’re very lucky.”

“How?” the bard asked softly.

“You’ve got someone that you can love. If you choose to. It’s easy with him. He loves you unconditionally… and you could actually be with him…”

Gabrielle looked very taken aback, and suddenly her hand released Xena and settled around the child.

“I… Xena-“

“Okay. I look like a girl, don’t I?” Relieved, Gabrielle looked up to see Joxer, holding his regular clothes in a bundle in his arms, standing uncomfortably in the Egyptian skirt. Xena quickly turned to look at her, her eyes narrowing as Gabrielle looked away quickly, not saying a word, her back to him.

Not getting an answer from Gabrielle, he turned to Xena, on his face a worried frown. “Well? Do I?”

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t look like a girl, Joxer. You look fine. And it doesn’t matter what you look like because we’re the only ones that are out here anyway.”

“Why are we here, Xena?”

“That’s what I’d like to know, “ Gabrielle chimed in, running her hands through her hair and walking to where the horses were calmly trying to eat each other’s manes. Taking a brush, she began to brush Amber vigorously. “You haven’t told us yet.”

Xena shrugged, looking up. “That’s because I’m not really sure. I just… we’ve never been this way before… and I don’t think … We need a break from the Gods, from everything.”

There was something in the tone that made both Gabrielle and Joxer stare at her a second longer than she liked, and both immediately looked the other way.

Neither complained again.

~*~

It was irritating.

Gabrielle hadn’t felt this annoyed in months. And she wasn’t sure WHY she was so mad. It was the heat. It had to be the heat. It was driving her crazy. She was pink and Xena had never offered HER that stuff. But noooo… she could offer it Joxer, just cause he was a little whiter than she was.

She was burning too!

It had to be the heat. Yes, it was the heat. That was the reason why she couldn’t stop staring at him when he wasn’t looking. Because while she and Xena were sweating in their leather, he was so damn cool with his bare chest and slim hips and that skirt hugging his body-

It was the heat that made her stare at him as he applied the lotion all over his body.

And it was the heat that made her really want to kill him for looking so… almost… attractive while he did it.

“Joxer do you think you can do that somewhere else?” she growled, getting up and massaging at her neck, attempting to stretch out her frustrations.

He stopped in mid action, and the outburst caused Xena to look up as well. “And where would you suggest he do it, Gabrielle?” she asked, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

“Anywhere but here,” she muttered, glaring at him. “He’s driving me crazy with that rubbing.”

“I have to rub,” he said defensively. “Xena says it has to go all over.” He bit his lip, looking a bit nervous as he looked down at the bottle, and then looked hesitantly up. “Umm… can I ask…” his eyes flickered to Gabrielle’s angry face, and suddenly he turned to Xena. “Can you rub my back, Xena?”

“I would, but…” Xena motioned to her child in her arms.

“Oh. Okay.” He looked down at the bottle, and then retreated to the corner of the camp, trying an array of what looked like very interesting positions from Gabrielle’s view to try and reach the unreachable spots.

Images came to her mind, and she shut her eyes against them. “JOXER,” she choked, wiping the sweat from her eyes. “COME HERE.”

He looked up, but didn’t come. “I have to stay here because you don’t want me-“

“Shut up and get your ass over here.”

He glared at her, but obeyed.  Her hands on her waist, she held her hand out. “Give me the bottle.”

He smacked it into her palm.

“Turn around.”

Again he obeyed. With a labored sigh, Gabrielle slathered the stuff sloppily on his back, moving her hands over him, watching his muscles tense under the fingers. Her chest suddenly began to rise and fall a bit faster, and feeling the need to breathe, she caught her breath and walked around him, almost throwing the bottle at him.

“THERE.”

With that, she walked into the forest.

Joxer stared after, and then looked in bewilderment to Xena. “Can you tell me what I did to her? She hasn’t said two words to me since I got here.  What’s she so mad at me for?”

Xena just looked tired as she shrugged. “Hell if I know, Joxer. Do you mind refilling the canteens?”

Joxer shook his head, and with angered actions, he swooped down and grabbed the canteens, muttering angrily to himself about Gabrielle while Xena watched him leave thoughtfully.

This was really getting out of hand. It was one thing for Gabrielle to be testy. It was quite another to simply snipe at Joxer just because she was feeling uncomfortable with the proximity.

She sighed, closing her eyes, this situation beginning to irritate her more and more. Gabrielle had no idea just how lucky she really was. None. She was taking him for granted, and sooner or later, he would get tired of it and let her go and Xena had the feeling that the last thing Gabrielle wanted was to be let go.

Her eyes drifted to her friend as Gabrielle re-entered the camp, her hair noticeably wetter, and her hands stiffly at her side.

“Where’s Joxer?” she asked immediately.

“He went to go refill the canteens,” Xena answered easily. Her eyebrow rose at the look of relief on Gabrielle’s face.  “Something wrong?”

“No. Nothing.”

“You’re acting testy this morning.”

“He’s making me testy… by being… HIM.”

“He hasn’t done a damn thing to make you mad, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle gave her a quick look, but didn’t say a word, merely looked to Eve and quickly picked the child up. “She needs to be changed. I’ll change her.”

“You do that,” Xena said softly, shaking her head, and getting up. “I’m going to tend to the horses.” She paused, and then called back thoughtfully. “Gabrielle?”

“What?”

“Joxer’s getting a back bone around you. You better watch your temper. I don’t want to be middleman here.”

Gabrielle just pursed her lips, and looked back down.

Xena just shrugged and walked away.  A week. She’d give her a week before something snapped. A good week.

And if that didn’t happen, Xena would snap Gabrielle for her. She closed her eyes, memories of a Roman with beautiful eyes, the look of pain on his face as she killed him, and she shuddered.

Dammit, Gabrielle.  Learn from me, will you?

~*~

It took less than two days.

Two days for Xena’s heavy heart to suddenly get fed up with Gabrielle’s treatment of Joxer. Less than two days for Gabrielle and Joxer’s bickering to make her blood boil and her eyes narrow.

And it was all because she could see Gabrielle making the same damn mistake she had made time after time.

She watched in hooded silence as Joxer, being Joxer, looked over Gabrielle’s shoulder as she was writing. She noticed the bard stiffen, but not say a word, just continued to try and ignore him.  Gabrielle’s face lingered over his for a second, as she looked back, and then shaking herself, the bard continued writing.

Joxer smiled, and then pointed to something in the scrolls. Gabrielle smacked it with the quill, telling him not to touch it.

He sucked the finger she had hit, but didn’t say a word, just continued to read, his chest touching her shoulder as he mouthed along as she wrote.  His breath seemed to fall on Gabrielle’s neck, and suddenly she shuddered and pulled away.

Even Xena’s eyes widened at the tirade that followed.

“JOXER! What do you think you’re DOING!”

He looked surprised, and hurt, as he replied. “I was… just… “

“You KNOW I don’t like you looking over my shoulder. Dammit, Joxer. When are you going to learn that I DON’T want you annoying me when I’m writing! You’re just… you’re always… hanging around like some overgrown child! And -“

His eyes were wide, but suddenly he stood, his face angry, as he said. “What?!” in a voice so low and dangerous, Gabrielle’s words faltered.

“I-“

“Don’t you START this, Gabrielle,” he said, his face angry. “If you don’t want me around, all you have to do is tell me. Look. I won’t look at your precious scrolls anymore, okay?” He grabbed one and threw it at her, and shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder why I -“ He caught himself in time, and closed his mouth, looking away.

Xena caught her breath, and looked at Gabrielle’s face.

She looked stricken, as if she suddenly knew exactly what he had been about to say. Her mouth trembled slightly, and her eyes narrowed, standing straighter.  “What, Joxer?” she asked, her voice a dangerous hiss. “Why you love me?” she came forward, eyes searching his in an angry glare. “I never asked you to.”

He swallowed, and just turned, walking into the forest.

Gabrielle didn’t say a word as she watched him leave, on her face an unreadable expression that seemed hollow.

Xena’s heart was thumping furiously, and after a second of breathing, trying to calm herself down, she realized she was trembling.

Gabrielle’s eyes were red, and Xena just pursed her lips, asking in an even voice, “Well. Congratulations, Gabrielle. You just managed to make him question his love for you.”

Gabrielle turned, her eyes moist as she crossed her arms, hugging herself.

“That’s the first step,” Xena continued, her voice calm, almost conversational. “Now all you have to do is act like he didn’t hurt you. Like you don’t care you hurt him. Then he’ll forget all about this little pesky affection he has for you-“

“Xena,” came the choked voice.

“And then just move on. Maybe with Meg. She’s always liked him, treated him wonderfully. I’m sure they’d have beautiful kids-“

“Xena-“

“And then you can tell everyone that YOU put them together, because of your wonderful-“

“XENA SHUT UP.” Gabrielle strode forward, her face furious, and her eyes filling with tears. “I’m not proud of what I’ve done.”

Xena stared at her evenly. “Of course you aren’t. What woman WOULD be proud of hurting the man she loved?”

There was absolute silence. Blue eyes met green eyes with fierce intensity, boring into them, letting the truth sear themselves in her eyes.

Gabrielle shook herself, shaking herself out of her trance, looking at Xena with a face that could be described as shock.

Xena’s eyes widened, and suddenly she did something she knew was completely inappropriate.

She threw her head back and laughed as she realized exactly what had been going on. “You didn’t KNOW?!” she asked incredulously. “You mean all this time you DIDN’T KNOW?! And here I though you were just… repressing or something. You really didn’t know.”

Gabrielle didn’t seem to appreciate the irony of this at all.

Fortunately she was too shocked to do anything but shake her head. “Xena… I-I-I don’t…. LOVE him.”

“Oh?” Xena’s eyebrow rose. “You don’t.”

“NO! I-I-I… I-I-“

“You-you-you what, Gabrielle?” Xena asked innocently, a smirk on her face.

“I care for him. He’s a friend, and-“

“A friend who you also have been picturing naked.”

“I have NOT!”

“Oh yeah, you have. You’ve been hot for him for a while. And it’s been driving you crazy.”

Gabrielle still didn’t look convinced. In fact, her face was completely blank. “Xena, I don’t-“

Xena burst into laughter, laughing so hard she leaned back, tears coming to her eyes. Her ribs ached, and her voice grew hoarse, tears slid down her cheeks and it felt so good. It felt so good.

She hadn’t laughed like this in ages.

“XENA!”

“Oh, Gods.” Xena tried to calm down, really she did. But one look at Gabrielle’s confused and angry face, and she was laughing again.

“I don’t love him!” the Warrior just laughed harder. “I don’t!” Gabrielle said, stamping her feet. “So I… think he’s mildly cute. So sometimes I dream a little about him. So I care about him. That doesn’t mean that… he’s the only guy around for MILES, Xena! These things happen!”

Xena still was in no position to answer.

Gabrielle was rapidly losing patience, her eyes flashed, finding no humor at all in the conversation. “Xena! Stop it! I hurt him! I hurt him and it’s killing me, so will you stop this lunatic hyena laughing and help me try to fix this?”

Still trembling, Xena wiped tears from her eyes, and took a breath. “I know how you can fix it.”

“How.”

“Simple. Just tell him you love him.”

“But I -“

A hand was clamped to her mouth by her smiling friend.

“Gabrielle,” Xena began in a light voice, her mouth still threatening to turn up into a smile, even as she tried desperately to be serious.  “I’m going to attempt to tell you something, and you NEED to listen to this. You love him. It’s not something to be negotiated here. You do. And honestly, I don’t see what’s so wrong with it. You’re damn lucky, Gabrielle.” She sighed, her eyes moist as she shook her head sadly. “Learn from me, Gabrielle. Look at me, at the men I’ve let go because I was scared. And here you have a beautiful man who LOVES you.  Who you LOVE, and there is NOTHING stopping you from claiming that, from being happy with him.” Gabrielle’s eyes never wavered from her face, and Xena didn’t lessen her hold on her friend’s mouth, her tone now tender. "If you’re worried about me, don’t be. Joxer is perhaps the one man to whom I would never, EVER object to for you. I like him. And he understands us. More than anyone we know. Don’t blow it, Gabrielle.  You’d never forgive yourself if you lost him.”

And with that, Xena let her friend go, reaching down and plucking her child up, smiling softly to herself. “Eve needs a bath.”

Gabrielle was stock still, her features unchanging.

When Xena looked back as she slid into the forest, Gabrielle still hadn’t moved.

~*~

His eyes were burning, and he found it hard to see, until he wiped the moistness away from his eyes.

He stopped at the edge of the camp, frozen when he saw Gabrielle sitting, her hands in her lap. She looked up, tense and worried, her eyes dangerously wet, and when she saw him, a small, tight smile came up on her face.

“Hi.”

He didn’t say a word, just stood there, and she pursed her lips, looking around and suddenly picking up the bottle that had lain forgotten on the camp floor, she began, “I think we should… you know… re-apply this. I don’t want you to burn.”

He looked at her, not moving, until her face fell, and she said softly, “Please Joxer.”

Against his better judgement, his heart gave then, and he found himself walking forward, turning and sitting with his back to her.

He waited for the sloppy half job she had given him before, but instead, soft hands gently kneaded into him, making him catch his breath, stiffen.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “Just relax, okay?”

He wasn’t sure he knew HOW to relax, but he tried regardless, not saying a word as she continued to gently apply the lotion.

Her hands hesitated for a second, and suddenly she spoke, her voice soft, trembling, and repentant. “I don’t…  Joxer.”

“What?” he asked in a low, contained voice.

The voice was unsure. “You know that I didn’t…mean what I said… right?”

He froze, hearing the hopeful tone, feeling his heart shudder as a result. He closed his eyes, taking a ragged breath, and finally just shrugged. “Yeah.”

“And you know that if I could take back what I did… the way I’ve been acting… I would, right?”

His heart skipped a beat, and he answered a bit more labored, “I know NOW.”

There was another beat, and suddenly her hands slipped around him, holding him back firmly against her. “I would. I would,” she whispered against his ear. “You’re my best friend Joxer. I cherish you. I need you in my life. Please remember that.”

He was going to faint. Honestly he was. There was something in her voice… something about her voice that suddenly made him hope that…

It was the heat. It had to be the heat. It was making them ALL crazy.

He tried to speak, only to find his voice completely gone. He coughed, and tried again, turning his head so his face was inches from hers. “Gab?”

“Hmm?” Her eyes were shining as she looked down at him.

“So… we’re okay then?”

She looked a bit startled, and suddenly her face creased into a beautiful smile. “Yeah, Joxer. We’re more than okay.”  And with that, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his temple, in one loving caress, before leaning back and continuing her ministrations. “Come on, let’s finish up.”
 

~*~

Her soul felt freed.

Xena smiled, a new hope in her eyes as she walked into the camp, grinning as she saw the scene that should have happened all this time.

Gabrielle and Joxer were sitting cross-legged, facing each other, playing some sort of hand slapping game that had them both laughing and joking, and being friends.

“Well I see you two managed to work something out,” she said, her eyes dancing. Joxer just smiled, but Gabrielle froze slightly, and only gave Xena one long glance, before looking back down.

Oh, damn. She hadn’t told him.

Xena rolled her eyes, but found herself still smiling, as the pair merely went back to their game, Gabrielle laughing when she smacked Joxer’s palms lightly, her eyes twinkling.

Oh well.  They had a long time to be out here.  Xena’s eyes floated down to her child, who was now on the ground crawling to Gabrielle and Joxer, and then to her horses, who merely perked their ears at the noise and went back to grazing.

Things were getting back to normal, and somehow, Xena knew they would all be all right.

And at least she knew one thing that she was definitely looking forward to.

Yep, yep. Her eyes moved to Gabrielle’s face as the bard leaned in, whispered in Joxer’s ear, and then giggled as he only gave her a strange face.

Oh yeah. She was in love with the boy.

Xena crossed her arms, and shook her head.

Two weeks before she would admit it. Two weeks tops.

Xena walked to Argo, and began to pack up so they could leave. She turned back to the scene, and raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.

Check that.

One week.

FIN