Title: "Surprises"
Thanks To: The reviewer who suggested I pen this tale as a sequel to "The Call"
Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: R due to adult content
Summary: Surprises await Xena and Gabrielle when Joxer goes missing.
Warnings: Slash, Femme Slash, Odd Pairing
Disclaimer: Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, and all other characters within are © & TM their respective owners, not the author, and are used without permission. Everything else is © & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

They called his name as they marched through the forest and brushery. Fear clung to their hearts, and formed a thick, choking ball in the blonde's throat. "We've got to find him, Xena."

Xena grabbed her partner by her shoulders and turned her so that she could look into her eyes. She wasn't surprised by the gleam of emotion she saw sparkling in her green eyes; she had known she had been fighting tears for a while now. She herself was ready to kill whoever had kidnapped the friend who was more like an annoying, little brother to both of them. "We'll find him, Gabrielle, and if he's been hurt, I'll kill whoever did it but first I'll make them beg for mercy." Determined steel glinted in the Warrior Princess' blue eyes.

Gabrielle saw the wild expression in Xena's gaze and realized her beloved was swiftly slipping over the verge. She opened her mouth to speak words she hoped could calm her, although even she relished the thought of inflicting extreme violence over whoever had stolen their friend, when a scream split the still air. Gabrielle looked up in surprise, but Xena took no time to decipher the sound beyond recognizing Joxer's voice as she raced toward it. Gabrielle followed quickly, her mind already whirling with questions.

Of all the enemies Xena thought she might find, none were involved with the shocking scene she found. She stared out of huge eyes at the ordeal Joxer was going through at the bottom of the hill she leaned forward over. Never had she seen the likes of what was happening below! Joxer's moans and groans floated up to her, and she hesitantly released her grip on her sword's hilt.

"Did you find him?" Gabrielle asked as she rushed to stand beside her.

Xena threw out her arm, blocking her love from looking down at the ghastly sight below. "Yeah, I found him all right."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"We don't want to interrupt that!" She looked away as the moans and groans rose again.

Gabrielle's eyes widened. "Hey, that sounds like . . . " As the breathing below them became more labored and the moans more excited, Gabrielle could barricade her suspicions no longer. "Autolycus?!" she hissed in a whisper, green eyes wide and slightly wild from shock. She looked up at Xena, disbelief on her face. "Tell me they're not -- "

Xena returned the bard's gaze but said nothing.

Gabrielle struggled to form the words that screamed through her brain. "Joxer and Autolycus are doing . . . that!?! They can't be! Tell me they're not!"

Xena just looked at her, waiting for acceptance to kick in. Her beloved bard's face turned red and purple before finally returning to normal. She shook her head slowly, her blonde hair shimmering against her back. "I never would have seen those two . . . I can't believe it!"

Masculine voices screeched in twin screams of ecstasy, and in the pursuing silence, Gabrielle finally, slowly smiled. "At least he's happy."

Xena nodded her agreement. "Come on," she said, tugging on her lover's hand and leading her back to their private part of the forest. "They'll come back to us when they're ready." Her smile matched Gabrielle's. Their friends were finally happy!

The End