Author's Note: I know! I know! It's been forever...but as you read you'll understand why it took forever to post this chapter. Get ready for more Gods to show up! I know...I'm evil! :D
Oh! Almost forgot! WARNING! WARNING! Foul language ahead! Plus...innuendo of sexual violence!
"Damn it Gabrielle!" Xena gritted out the exclamation as she began pacing in front of Gabrielle.
Out of everything that Elaine could have told Joxer…
"I…I couldn't …" Gabrielle's arms were wrapped around herself, fighting off the chill of Xena's anger.
"Even if….EVEN IF we were together….she had no right…" Xena's anger grew the more she thought about what Elaine did.
Having witnessed Joxer's heartache all those years ago, she could only imagine the pain that he must have felt when Elaine said those things to him.
Closing her eyes she tried to take a deep breath to calm herself. She remembered the pain in his eyes when she had touched his shoulder.
Shaking her head she could only imagine the hurt he had felt hearing Elaine say Gabrielle was IN love with her.
Xena's face hardened as she imagined Elaine and crushing her wind pipe for hurting Joxer that way.
Gabrielle winced at Xena's words. How was she going to say this to Xena…how was she going to admit that the thought of Xena and she being more then just best friends without…without sounding like Elaine was right.
Because she wasn't.
She wasn't at all right.
Having thoughts and acting on them were two very different things.
"Xena…I've….I've been thinking…about…about…" Gabrielle looked up from the ground and at the back of Xena's form as she tried to say the words.
Xena turned and did a double take at Gabrielle's form.
"About what Gabrielle?"
Gabrielle looked pointedly at Xena, "about us."
It took Xena a few seconds to understand what Gabrielle meant. And then Xena's eyes bulged.
"Gabrielle…"
"I know Xena…I know…it's just…I know you're my soul mate….I know you're the other half of me and I just thought…" Gabrielle tried hard not to cry as her reasoning's for considering a physical relationship with Xena made her feel self conscious.
Xena was suddenly grabbing her, "Tell me you didn't tell Elaine. TELL ME!"
Gabrielle shook her head with a wide eyed bewilderment.
Xena physically relaxed and breathed out a sigh of relief. "Gabrielle you know I love you...but right now...I can't think about a relationship with anyone. I...I just found out I'm pregnant and I have no idea who the father is. If it's some God or...or..."
"I understand Xena. I do...it's just...I've been thinking about it...that's all. But now..." Gabrielle stopped talking as tears formed in her eyes once more and she pressed against the ache in chest.
"I know." Xena said the words somberly as she too had felt the heart ache of what Elaine was doing. It was as though something inside her could feel she was about to lose something important to her.
Never in a million years would she have thought Joxer was so important to her...until Elaine had pointed out how she didn't deserve his love. That he did love her...that she at least loved him as a friend.
The words had bothered her too much till she realized that she did love Joxer like a brother. As much as she tried to suppress who he reminded her of the inevitable name that popped in her head caused her to wince at what was occurring.
She wouldn't lose Joxer...not the way she lost her brother. She wouldn't let that happen. Damn everything...she would make sure that Joxer lived a long and boring life.
"We can't lose him Xena...we...I can't stand the way he's looking at her." Gabrielle's voice was deep as she said the words, her eyes looking at the leaves on the forest floor trying to think of a way to make Joxer see Elaine the way she did.
Xena closed her eyes and shook her head. That's not what Xena was worried about. IF anything it was the opposite. "She's in love with him Gabrielle. And she's willing to do anything to keep him from getting hurt. Something that I should have been more worried about."
Xena felt the blame for what was occurring. Shaking her head at herself she noticed the way that Gabrielle was looking at her.
"What?" Xena asked.
"She's...there's no way...she doesn't KNOW HIM Xena..." Gabrielle tried to fight the panic that Xena's statement had caused. Because if Elaine did...she...
Gabrielle couldn't complete the thought, knowing that Elaine had already managed to kiss Joxer in front of her three times, each time had made Gabrielle want to break her neck for even touching Joxer. If Xena thought that Elaine was in love with Joxer, Gabrielle was more than certain Elaine would seduce him to keep him away from them.
And the sudden image of Elaine doing that entered her mind's eye and Gabrielle suddenly stiffened at the very real urge to find Elaine and stick her sais through her hands at the thought of the woman touching Joxer like that.
Xena knew exactly when Gabrielle realized what Xena had been worried about since last night from the way her eyes blazed.
Elaine had instantly been handsy with Joxer...and if she had been like that after having just met him...she knew that it was inevitable that Elaine was going to push herself onto Joxer. From what Armand had told her earlier she was almost certain that Elaine was going to try and get Joxer under the pelts.
For the last hour glass she had been trying to think of a way to warn Joxer, but after what Gabrielle just did she knew it would be useless.
She had seen the look of anger on his face as he tended to Elaine's broken nose. And she could clearly she the rage in Gabrielle's eyes as she thought about what Elaine could end up doing with Joxer.
"Gabrielle you need to calm down..." Xena tried to make the bard see reason, but when Gabrielle's eyes met hers she knew that Gabrielle's stubborn head wasn't about to listen to her.
"I won't let her touch him Xena." The words were said with such vehemence that Xena knew there was something Gabrielle was keeping from her. Her random thought of earlier that Gabrielle might be...well...she might have feelings for Joxer coming back to her.
But after what Gabrielle had just admitted to her, Xena felt as though Gabrielle were very confused right now. Which she had every right to be. Too many things had happened that would cause anyone to be confused.
Yet Xena had the very distinct feeling that Gabrielle wasn't telling her the whole truth. Which was sad and very much unlike her.
"Gabrielle...we don't have a choice who Joxer has..." Noticing how Gabrielle's eyes blazed in anger at what she was about to say Xena quickly amended, " is friends with. He's a grown man Gabrielle...and as hard as it is to admit it he has changed. Elaine had to point it out to me for me to even notice that he has...but he has. I think he...buried his armor Gabrielle. His helmet too."
This made Gabrielle's eyes widen as her mouth slowly began to open in shock.
"Armand told me he saw Joxer digging a whole outside of town." Xena said as she kept her eyes on Gabrielle's.
"Xena..." Gabrielle whispered her name like a plea, knowing what Xena was about to say, and not being able to accept it.
"She might be good for him Gabrielle. We both know that Joxer has been trying to be something he wasn't born to be. We're the one's he's been acting the part for. IF...and it's a big if...IF she's able to convince Joxer from being a warrior...then I think it's best if we let her travel with us and accept what's happening."
Gabrielle felt herself tremble, knowing exactly what Xena really meant.
"No Xena..." Gabrielle's voice trembled along with her body, her eyes piercing Xena's, "I...we can't let her..."
Xena finally reached out her hands and held Gabrielle's shoulder's, feeling the bard shaking slightly, and stared into Gabrielle's eyes.
"We died Gabrielle. We died and I thought that it only affected us...but it affected him too. She...she made me see that I haven't been thinking about him when it comes to what happens with us. And she was right. I haven't been thinking about Joxer. And as crazy a moment as this is for me I know that right now Elaine wanting to protect Joxer is not entirely a bad thing."
Gabrielle slapped Xena's hands away and took a step back. "XENA! She thinks she has to protect Joxer from US! US XENA! HE'S A PART OF US!"
Xena looked at Gabrielle with a sad smile. "I know that now...I just wish I had remembered before Elaine came along."
Gabrielle's anger wouldn't abate. If anything it grew as she saw the way Xena had...resigned herself to what was happening.
"I'm not going to let her seduce him Xena. He just told..." Gabrielle stopped herself and clenched her jaw shut as she looked away from Xena, trying to control her anger.
Xena though knew exactly what Joxer had told Gabrielle.
"Gabrielle..."
"No Xena. You're wrong... you're wrong." With that Gabrielle turned and began to make her way back.
Xena stared after her best friend and knew that she might very well have been right earlier. The idea had made her laugh...and now the evidence that she was right was making itself visible in the worst way possible.
"Son of a Bacchae." Xena grit out, and closed her eyes as she understood just how torn apart they were all becoming.
"So mom said you're from a different dimension." Cupid stated with a smirk.
Elaine looked up at Cupid and couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. Sorry to be the one to tell you this...but you're played by an actor that happens to have taken the role of Julius Cesar and a few other characters. Plus...he's kind of a dick in person...sorry...no offense." Elaine grimaced as she realized what she had just said to Cupid.
"None taken." Cupid said with a confused look on his face.
Ares couldn't help but smirk and suppress a laugh at the information. "What about me? The man that 'plays' the God of War...what's he like."
Elaine paled as she turned to look at Ares.
Ares suddenly stopped smirking as he saw the look on Elaine's face.
"I ah...I never got to meet you or...the actor that played you." Elaine managed to get out, trying to avoid telling him what she knew.
"He's dead isn't he." Ares said with no nonsense.
Elaine winced at the words and said nothing, but slowly nodded her head sadly. "I'm sorry...you...he was a great guy. He was married with three kids..."
Ares turned and walked away from Elaine with a tick in his jaw.
Elaine shared a look with Joxer and then Aphrodite, a clear 'I'm sorry' on her face at what she had revealed.
"It's alright cupcake. That's why we're confined to the dimensions we're in." Aphrodite said with sadness in her own voice.
"Yeah but...it's still weird finding out that...you died somewhere." Joxer said in a kind of sympathy for Ares, not sure he knew what a dimension was or why they were confined to it.
"I'm sorry I upset your cousin Aphrodite. I didn't mean to." Elaine said as she looked at where Ares was now standing away from them.
Aphrodite, Cupid, and Joxer looked oddly at Elaine.
"Sweetcheeks...Ares is my brother."
Elaine laughed at that, "Yeah on the show but...everyone knows mythology show's you're Uranus' daughter. I mean unless here it's...what? What's the matter?"
Elaine saw the pained and shocked face of Aphrodite.
"You mean...Daddy...he's...he's not really my Daddy?" Aphrodite asked in a voice that was more befitting a little girl then a grown woman. But the real pain in them made Elaine want to slap herself for being so honest.
She really needed to think about what she should and shouldn't say.
"I'm...I'm sorry Aphrodite. Maybe here he really is..." Elaine's rushed apology wasn't fast enough as Aphrodite's eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears and suddenly vanished from in front of them.
"Wow...you're as bad as he is socially. Maybe you two are meant for each other." Cupid said with a bit of anger as he pointed at Joxer.
Joxer jumped slightly at the motion, afraid he was about to get barbequed by Cupid on behalf of Aphrodite.
"I'm sorry Cupid. I'd never want to hurt your mom. She's one of the few people that actually help Gabrielle and Xena. I wouldn't purposely cause her pain or any ill will." Elaine looked at Joxer as he nodded his head at what Elaine was saying.
Aphrodite wasn't really evil. And she had been more of a help to Xena and Gabrielle then any of the God's.
"The actress that plays her has two daughters..." Elaine stopped as Aphrodite popped back with tears now traveling down her face.
"Mom are you..." Cupid moved towards her but Aphrodite raised her hand in a stop gesture and said with a sniffle, "I'm fine."
"Aphrodite I really am..."
"Save it toots. I know you are. You just...be careful what you say." Aphrodite warned. Her face showing no real malice in the warning, but truly concerned about what would happen if Elaine said the wrong thing.
Elaine had opened her mouth to respond when something happened that left both her and Joxer open mouthed in shock.
The Queen of the Gods suddenly appeared next to Aphrodite.
"What's this I hear about you yelling at your father?" The words were addressed to Aphrodite as the goddess of love had wrapped her arms around herself as a ways of comforting herself.
"Holy Crap! You're...Meg...I mean...you're HERA!" Elaine tried hard not to freak out...but once the blue green eyes turned to look at her she was an absolute goner!
"And who exactly are you?" Hera asked in her regal stance.
Elaine didn't respond though...just kept looking at Hera with an open mouth awe that had even Ares look over at what was taking Elaine so long to respond.
Joxer felt incredibly uncomfortable. Never in his life did he ever think he would meet any of the God's...but with the friends he had made he had seen his fair share. But...HERA?! Hera he most definitely never thought he'd ever meet and was scared that the goddess would scour him for being associated with Hercules. Everything in him froze when he saw her...afraid to even breathe too heavily.
But seeing how Hera was staring at Elaine he reached blindly over and touched Elaine to try and get her to respond.
"What? Oh...sorry...you're just...INCREDIBLY beautiful. How the fuck could Zues cheat on you?!" Elaine exclaimed as she stared at the goddess.
Now one would think bringing up Zues' infidelity would immediately make Hera want to eviscerate them...but with what Elaine said caused the Goddess to smirk in amusement.
"Besides you being gorgeous and baring his children...all incredible children...how the hell does he have the balls to tell you not to hurt his illegitimate children when he pretty much tricked you into becoming his bride. Which under the circumstances you would have never done if he hadn't tricked you since he IS your brother and how he can obligate you to submit to his infidelity is beyond ridiculous - its just plain crazy."
All four of the Gods as well as Joxer looked at her with furrowed brows after her tirade.
"Sorry..." Elaine's face furrowed in thought, "I mean...I totally just geeked out didn't I?"
Hera slowly allowed a small smile to form on her lips, "I believe the term describes what you just said quite well."
Elaine just couldn't believe Hera was in front of her and continued to stare in awed silence once more.
"You didn't answer my question my dear." Hera's voice and lithe less regal and more nurturing after having understood that this young woman knew more about her then most humans tended to. And quite frankly it was a change for someone to side with her about her husband's infidelity.
"Oh...ah..." Elaine started and quickly looked over at Ares who was looking at his mother with this strange look on his face. Elaine reached over and grabbed him and pulled him to her side. "Come on Ares. Introduce me to your mom!"
If she had been a man she would have been punched in the gullet for grabbing him, as is he adjusted himself and scowled at her and then turned and dropped the scowl at his mother's raised eyebrow.
"Ah.." Ares hesitated a moment before Elaine nudged him with her elbow. "Mother...this is Elaine. Elaine...my mother...Queen of the Gods...Hera."
Ares would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't of looked over at Elaine who's smile beamed up at him.
Elaine turned and with a huge smile extended her arm towards Hera. "It's a pleasure to meet you Hera."
Hera laughed slightly as she recognized the look on her son's face and the joy on Elaine's at being introduced by her son, extending her hand out and shaking the young woman's with humor as she was not accustomed to the action at all.
"Elaine. And who is this man you have with you?" Hera's eyes turned and locked with Joxer's, making the poor man's knees tremble and gulp at the goddess' stare.
"Oh...sorry. Where are my manners. This is Joxer." Elaine reached for Joxer's hand and felt the iron grip he suddenly placed on her hand even as she smiled at him with happiness on her face.
A quick glance at her son and back at the quivering man made Hera's face split with a smile.
"Joxer and I have been given permission by your daughter to court...oh...oh Hera...I'm...I'm sorry about upsetting her." Elaine's happiness instantly fading as she looked between Hera and a still miserable faced Aphrodite.
"Yes...well...as...unfortunate a way she has come to know the truth, I think it was time she learned it." Hera said causing the other three Gods to stare at her with open mouths.
"You mean...Elaine was right?" Joxer croaked out as he saw the look of hurt on Hera and Aphrodite's face.
"But...but mom..." Aphrodite's voice coming out soo pained and raw as she looked at the only mother she had ever known.
Hera turned to look at Aphrodite and immediately placed her hand against her cheek. "I never meant to hurt you. I only wanted to protect you from the way your father was killed. I wanted you to be free to live on Olympus and not hidden in the depths of the ocean like Zues would have wanted."
Elaine couldn't help but feel like she was witnessing something extraordinary that the show had never touched on. It was mind boggling to see how much of a...mother...Hera acted like.
"So I took you to Olympus...and raised you as my own. Zeus knew better then to argue with me when he saw you for the first time. As many issues as we've had over the years I've never regretted my decision." Hera's expression showing how her mind was taking her back to that moment in time.
Aphrodite began to cry and Elaine couldn't bare the sight much longer before she moved and pushed Aphrodite towards Hera.
Hera was shocked for a few seconds but then held her daughter against her for the first time in how many millenniums was beyond her.
Aphrodite was just as shocked but immediately tucked her head under Hera's chin as arms wrapped around her.
Elaine couldn't stop her own tears at the sight, and suddenly heard sniffling from beside her as Joxer too had become emotional at the scene.
He tried to suppress his tears...he really did...but Joxer cried as he thought about his own mother. And suddenly the feelings of missing his own mother making him blubber a word. "Mommy!"
Hera was suddenly bombarded by Joxer's body as he cried quite loudly against Hera's body.
Hera would have instantly zapped the man away if it wasn't for Elaine's saddened eyes that caught hers as she looked up and immediately made her hesitant to hurt the young man and listen to the girl's thoughts.
His father killed his mother. And you might remind him of her...
Aphrodite scowled at Joxer for a second, but soon let herself be coddled by her mother as the queen of the gods held both beings in her arms and caressed them until they both stopped crying.
"Your in love with that? Look how pathetic he is." Ares said with a grimace of disgust.
Elaine gave him a hurt look, "I'd never make fun of you loving Xena...or make fun of you crying."
Ares looked at her oddly for a second then said, "I'm the God of War...I don't cry."
Elaine just shook her held with a grimace and reached over and clasped Ares' hand. "Well it's a good thing I'm friends with Ares and not the God of War."
Ares wanted to protest the words, but the feel of her hand is his was comforting in a way he hadn't experienced in quite a while.
Ares said nothing, but adjusted his hand to hold hers in a more secure hold. Looking at Elaine he read her thoughts and knew that despite trying to distract her she obviously knew him better then he wanted.
I know you love Xena like you loved Aphrodite...but you can't obligate someone to love you because of a contract Ares. You deserve someone that loves you for who you are Ares. Now go comfort one of the people that did...and does love you like that.
With that Elaine leaned up and kissed his cheek and smiled at him before moving towards Joxer and extracting him from Hera's form. "It's ok Joxer. I know you miss your mother."
Joxer said nothing as he sniffled quite loudly.
Cupid who had watched the scene of his mother sympathized with Joxer and materialized a handkerchief for his mother and the obviously grieving mortal.
Joxer muttered a 'thanks' and blew his nose loudly making Elaine laugh and rub his back. The noise also caused Aphrodite to laugh a little and pulled away from Hera.
Hera wiped away the last remaining tears from the woman she had raised as her daughter and saw the pained smile that crossed her beautiful face.
Elaine couldn't help but be affected by the sight. Her mother had been more like a daughter then a mother. She looked at Hera and Aphrodite with envy, knowing they didn't realize just how lucky they were. And just how little time they had left with each other.
Elaine remembered the words Hera would use to convince Hercules that she wanted to help him.
She had a tremendous respect for her after that episode. Knowing without doubt that her mother would have saved her own skin instead of her.
Elaine felt herself becoming angry and guilty for feeling that way after all this time.
"You ok?" Joxer asked as Elaine's hands gripped him tighter suddenly.
Elaine stopped staring at Hera and Aphrodite and turned her eyes to Joxer, who was looking at her with concern.
Elaine's anger melted away as she looked up into his face. A smirk suddenly making it's way to her face.
Leaning up she kissed him directly on the lips, and Joxer solidly reciprocated the action.
Aphrodite winced at the sight and shared a look with Hera that thousands of years of glances had taught Hera her daughter was not happy with the sight Elaine and Joxer made.
Hera knowing it took quite a lot for her daughter to wince at any physical signs of love became intrigued with these mortal.
Pulling away from Joxer she saw out of the corner of her eye the way Hera was looking at her and Joxer and promptly blushed.
Even though Hera wasn't her mother...it kind of felt like making out in front of a parent.
"Sorry." Elaine said as both she and Joxer blushed.
Hera stood in her black corset that accentuated her bosom and the cape that covered her arms that swept down to the ground. Tilting her head as she examined the two mortals and felt the young man instantly radiate fear at her gaze even after having ambushed her.
He seemed familiar to her.
Elaine on the other hand, she seemed to not fear her or seem uncomfortable in the least by her. In fact she seemed to have caught the attention of her son.
Ares was looking at Elaine with a look in his eye that she had not seen in quite some time.
Yet the girl wanted to pursue a relationship with the strange looking man.
"So..." Elaine began and then walked towards Hera and linked her arm through Hera's and began to walk back towards the town, "you're Greek right?"
Hera turned her head and stared at the girl with a furrowed brow, "Of course."
Elaine nodded. "And you have a big family..."
Again Hera answered her, "Yes...", still not understanding where the woman was leading.
"And you're basically acting like the mother of all the gods...even though they're the children of your siblings and not yours." Elaine made sure only Hera heard her and not the others.
Hera's eyes hardened with something that Elaine could only explain as anger, but the Goddess gave a slight nod nonetheless.
Elaine smiled as she looked up at Hera with a radiant smile.
"Great...so what are we having for dinner?"
Hera stopped and stared at the girl and suddenly her questions made sense, and couldn't help but begin to smile as Elaine continued to draw them closer to the town.
"I don't eat mortal food."
Elaine sucked in a breathe and gave Hera a wide eyed look. "And you call yourself a Greek mother..." Elaine pursed her lips and shook her head in mock shame.
Hera actually laughed out at the joke causing Ares, Aphrodite, and Cupid to share a look of shock at the sound. The sound of joyful laughter coming from the goddess sounding foreign,having forgotten that she was capable of such a thing.
The growling of Elaine's stomach made Hera and the mortal woman both pause and stare at Elaine's grieving anatomy.
Hera looked up into Elaine's eyes and saw the embarrassment that her joke had not really been a joke at all.
"A day." Elaine answered the unspoken question.
Hera brought up her hand and produced a piece of bread to the girl.
"God Bless You." Elaine's enthusiastic reply was before her eyes went wide and she looked up into the Greek Goddess' eyes.
"Sorry... I kind of...ok...so I'm a christian...that doesn't mean I can't be your friend." Elaine said the words to the Goddess as she realized the anger in Hera's eyes had sparked up once more.
Hera would have pulled her arm away immediately if it hadn't been for Elaine saying the word friend.
"I'm a god. I do not need friends."
"Well too bad! You got one now! What is with this family?! All of you try and make people think you don't have feelings except anger and jealousy. Everyone has feelings. Everyone needs friends. MY God has friends..."
"A christian? That's not poss..." Hera suddenly stiffened as Elaine's words repeated in her mind and turned and looked at Aphrodite and Ares. The accusation in her gaze making them both understand exactly what she was thinking.
Elaine though also understood that Hera had finally understood she was from a different dimension and knew that she quickly had to save Ares and Aphrodite from an angry Goddess.
"It's totally not their fault! I'm a scientist and I...kind of accidentally ended up here." Elaine blushed as she admitted the last part, wincing when Hera raised an eyebrow at her.
"Didn't realize this dimension existed. Kind of thought I was just going to pop into a dimension like where I'm from but things are slightly different." Elaine explained.
Slowly Hera began to relax and just stare at Elaine.
Elaine knew why...but couldn't stop the thoughts of why she respected Hera so much from entering her thoughts.
Hera's eyes softened as she read Elaine's thoughts, felt her memories poor through the young woman's mind.
Elaine winced and looked away from Hera, about to remove her arm from around the goddess' when Hera placed her other hand on top of her hand.
"As long as you are here you will be under my protection."
Aphrodite shared a look with her son that expressed how much of a mess things were becoming. She needed to figure out a way to get Elaine out of there and as fast as possible.
If Hera was protecting Elaine, it was going to be even harder to stop Joxer from leaving Xena and Gabrielle with out her mother getting involved.
And just when Aphrodite thought things couldn't be looking worse, Hera said something that made what she was hoping to prevent near impossible.
Hera turned and looked at Joxer and reached out her hand to him.
Joxer swallowed and hesitantly went to Hera.
Hera grabbed his chin and stared into his eyes making Joxer panic at first but then couldn't help but stare back into the most incredible eyes he had ever seen.
She read his thoughts, and knew the confusion the man was in. Knew that his heart belonged to a blonde haired Amazon Queen. Knew that Elaine was making him think of a future with her and not with the women he considered his family.
It was mere seconds that Hera allowed herself to understand and feel sympathy for these two mortals. Pulling away seemed to snap Joxer out of his stupor and blink and jerk back from the goddess...afraid that he had done something to upset her. His mouth twisting in his usual worried way.
Hera smiled. "As will you."
Even Elaine was shocked at that proclamation. "Really? You'll protect Joxer?"
"From what I can see...he needs it." Hera looked back at Joxer and saw the young man blush.
Ares began to laugh but was quickly thwarted as Aphrodite back handed him in the stomach making him stop with a grunt.
Elaine just shook her head with a smirk as she looked at Joxer. "Well this is certainly an interesting development."
Author's Note: did you think? Good...bad? Want more? come on guys...give me somethin'! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!