Part Ten:
The next morning everyone was up bright and early - even Gabrielle -
and ready to go. "Say Hercules, where are you headed while Iolaus and
White Dove are on their
honeymoon?"
Hercules smiled at Joxer. "Well, I heard something about trouble in
Sparta. Thought I might check it out."
"Hey, that's great! Maybe we can go with you and help."
Both women looked at Joxer sternly. "Joxer, did you forget? We made
other plans," Xena said sharply.
"Yeah! We're going to see Grandma and Uncle Jett," both girls chorused.
Joxer shook his head. "No, I haven't forgotten. I just thought Hercules
could use our help." Joxer thought for a moment. "I know! Why don't I
take the girls on to Cyrene's and
you two could go help Hercules?" he suggested.
Gabrielle smiled at Joxer then at Xena. "Hey, that sounds like a plan
to me."
Xena slowly shook her head. "I don't know."
"C'mon, Xena! I can do this. I know the way and if I get lost I've got
Eve and Dorie to help. Please let me do this."
"Joxer, it's not that I don't trust you to get there. It's just
that..." Xena bit her lip
uncertainly.
Joxer sighed, his posture slumping a little. "Yeah, I know. I can't
fight very well and if something were to happen to the girls... I
understand, Xena."
"And what about if something happened to *you*, huh?" Xena murmured as
she placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly. "Thanks, Joxer."
Joxer returned the smile and thought for a moment. "Hey, wait a second!
Hercules could go with us then you two can go and help him while Cyrene
and I stay with the girls.
Xena, you and Gabrielle need this. I've noticed you've *both* been
itching for some action. "
Xena laughed. "You know Joxer, if I didn't know any better I'd say you
were trying to get rid of us!" she teased.
Joxer felt his face turn a little red. "I just want you two to have a
little fun."
"All right, then. Hercules, you mind having a little company on the way
to Sparta then?"
Hercules nodded and after saying goodbye to Erythia, they made their
way to Cyrene's. It was nightfall by the time they arrived and both girls
were sound asleep. Cyrene was
cleaning up when she heard them riding in. She went out to meet them.
Seeing her granddaughter and Joxer's daughter, she smiled. "Oh, the
little angels! Bring them
inside," she said softly. "It's good to see all of you."
"Good to see you too, Mom."
Joxer took Adora and Hercules took Eve inside, while Xena and Gabrielle
took care of the horses. Once they had the horses settled in for the
night, they returned to the tavern.
Gabrielle looked around and frowned. Not seeing Jett, she turned to
Cyrene and asked curiously, "Isn't Jett supposed to be here this weekend?"
Cyrene looked up at her. "There was an attempted prison break yesterday
and the warden believed Jett was behind it. His privileges were taken
away and he's been put into solitary
confinement. I'm sorry to give you such bad news, Joxer."
Joxer stood up. "Did he do it? Do they know for sure?" he asked
sharply.
"He said he didn't," replied Cyrene.
"If Jett said he didn't do it, then he didn't! Jett may kill for a
living but he's not a liar!"
Gabrielle could feel that Joxer was getting very upset. She went to him
and held him. "It's okay, Joxer."
He smiled at her sadly. "It's not fair, Gabrielle. Jett shouldn't be
punished for something he didn't do."
"I know Joxer, and we'll take care of it."
Xena looked at her friends. "Gabrielle... Joxer, I'm sorry, but we
can't interfere - at least not now. Joxer, it'll be all right. Besides, we
already promised that we'd help Hercules,"
she reminded them.
Both lovers nodded at Xena's words. Joxer yawned and stretched. "I
understand, but it's still not fair. I'm going to check on the girls and
then go to bed myself."
Cyrene stood up. "Joxer, I already checked on them and they're both
fine. Now why don't you go get some sleep yourself?"
Joxer nodded and turned around to go upstairs. Gabrielle ran over and
gave him a kiss. "I'll be joining you shortly. Sleep well."
Joxer returned the kiss. "Thanks, Gabrielle. I'll try." He turned to
the others. "Goodnight, all."
"Goodnight Joxer," everyone replied.
********
Adora turned over and shook Eve. "Eve! Eve, wake up."
"Uh huh ...what?" Eve mumbled.
"WAKE UP!" Adora shook her harder.
"What's wrong, Dorie?"
"My Uncle Jett's being blamed for something he didn't do and you and me
are going to help him."
Eve was immediately wide-awake. "What? How are we going to do that?"
"We're going to go and get him."
"Adora, are you crazy? I'm in enough trouble already!"
"Eve, please! I'd help you. We won't be gone long. We'll teleport..."
"Tele-WHAT? What's *teleport*?"
"I mean that we'll pop into where Uncle Jett is and get him out."
"You ARE crazy! And how do we hide him from the others if we get him
out?"
"Oh, don't worry! They won't even know he's here."
"I don't know, Dorie," Eve said doubtfully.
"Please, Eve?"
Eve rolled her eyes. "Stop doing that!"
"Doing what?"
"Using your puppy eyes to get me to give in."
"But it always works."
Eve groaned. "I know, I know! Okay Dorie, but we better be back before
anyone knows we're gone."
Adora gave Eve a hug. "We will! I promise you, Eve. Okay, give me your
hand."
Eve reached out and Adora took her hand and they vanished. When they
reappeared, Jett was sitting up on the sole piece of rat-chewed fur he
was allowed for a bedroll and staring
at them openmouthed. "What are you two doing here? How in Hades did you
get inside?" he demanded.
Adora smiled at him. "Sorry Uncle Jett, we don't have time to talk.
We've got to get back!" Before Jett could say anything else, Adora waved
her hand. When the bright light
cleared, she ran over and picked her uncle up. "Okay. Give me your hand
again, Eve."
Eve stared at Jett and shook her head. "I guess they won't know it's
him," she said finally as she took her friend's hand once more.
Adora smiled again and with a flash of light, they were inside the
bedroom they were sharing for the night at Cyrene's tavern. With her uncle
in her arms, she turned to Eve.
"Good night, Eve."
Eve looked over at her. "Good night, Dorie." She laid down wondering if
they could really get away with this. She stared at Adora's uncle who
looked, she thought, very
confused.
******
The next morning everyone was up bright and early - even Gabrielle -
and ready to go. "Say Hercules, where are you headed while Iolaus and
White Dove are on their
honeymoon?"
Hercules smiled at Joxer. "Well, I heard something about trouble in
Sparta. Thought I might check it out."
"Hey, that's great! Maybe we can go with you and help."
Both women looked at Joxer sternly. "Joxer, did you forget? We made
other plans," Xena said sharply.
"Yeah! We're going to see Grandma and Uncle Jett," both girls chorused.
Joxer shook his head. "No, I haven't forgotten. I just thought Hercules
could use our help." Joxer thought for a moment. "I know! Why don't I
take the girls on to Cyrene's and
you two could go help Hercules?" he suggested.
Gabrielle smiled at Joxer then at Xena. "Hey, that sounds like a plan
to me."
Xena slowly shook her head. "I don't know."
"C'mon, Xena! I can do this. I know the way and if I get lost I've got
Eve and Dorie to help. Please let me do this."
"Joxer, it's not that I don't trust you to get there. It's just
that..." Xena bit her lip
uncertainly.
Joxer sighed, his posture slumping a little. "Yeah, I know. I can't
fight very well and if something were to happen to the girls... I
understand, Xena."
"And what about if something happened to *you*, huh?" Xena murmured as
she placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly. "Thanks, Joxer."
Joxer returned the smile and thought for a moment. "Hey, wait a second!
Hercules could go with us then you two can go and help him while Cyrene
and I stay with the girls.
Xena, you and Gabrielle need this. I've noticed you've *both* been
itching for some action. "
Xena laughed. "You know Joxer, if I didn't know any better I'd say you
were trying to get rid of us!" she teased.
Joxer felt his face turn a little red. "I just want you two to have a
little fun."
"All right, then. Hercules, you mind having a little company on the way
to Sparta then?"
Hercules nodded and after saying goodbye to Erythia, they made their
way to Cyrene's. It was nightfall by the time they arrived and both girls
were sound asleep. Cyrene was
cleaning up when she heard them riding in. She went out to meet them.
Seeing her granddaughter and Joxer's daughter, she smiled. "Oh, the
little angels! Bring them
inside," she said softly. "It's good to see all of you."
"Good to see you too, Mom."
Joxer took Adora and Hercules took Eve inside, while Xena and Gabrielle
took care of the horses. Once they had the horses settled in for the
night, they returned to the tavern.
Gabrielle looked around and frowned. Not seeing Jett, she turned to
Cyrene and asked curiously, "Isn't Jett supposed to be here this weekend?"
Cyrene looked up at her. "There was an attempted prison break yesterday
and the warden believed Jett was behind it. His privileges were taken
away and he's been put into solitary
confinement. I'm sorry to give you such bad news, Joxer."
Joxer stood up. "Did he do it? Do they know for sure?" he asked
sharply.
"He said he didn't," replied Cyrene.
"If Jett said he didn't do it, then he didn't! Jett may kill for a
living but he's not a liar!"
Gabrielle could feel that Joxer was getting very upset. She went to him
and held him. "It's okay, Joxer."
He smiled at her sadly. "It's not fair, Gabrielle. Jett shouldn't be
punished for something he didn't do."
"I know Joxer, and we'll take care of it."
Xena looked at her friends. "Gabrielle... Joxer, I'm sorry, but we
can't interfere - at least not now. Joxer, it'll be all right. Besides, we
already promised that we'd help Hercules,"
she reminded them.
Both lovers nodded at Xena's words. Joxer yawned and stretched. "I
understand, but it's still not fair. I'm going to check on the girls and
then go to bed myself."
Cyrene stood up. "Joxer, I already checked on them and they're both
fine. Now why don't you go get some sleep yourself?"
Joxer nodded and turned around to go upstairs. Gabrielle ran over and
gave him a kiss. "I'll be joining you shortly. Sleep well."
Joxer returned the kiss. "Thanks, Gabrielle. I'll try." He turned to
the others. "Goodnight, all."
"Goodnight Joxer," everyone replied.
********
Adora turned over and shook Eve. "Eve! Eve, wake up."
"Uh huh ...what?" Eve mumbled.
"WAKE UP!" Adora shook her harder.
"What's wrong, Dorie?"
"My Uncle Jett's being blamed for something he didn't do and you and me
are going to help him."
Eve was immediately wide-awake. "What? How are we going to do that?"
"We're going to go and get him."
"Adora, are you crazy? I'm in enough trouble already!"
"Eve, please! I'd help you. We won't be gone long. We'll teleport..."
"Tele-WHAT? What's *teleport*?"
"I mean that we'll pop into where Uncle Jett is and get him out."
"You ARE crazy! And how do we hide him from the others if we get him
out?"
"Oh, don't worry! They won't even know he's here."
"I don't know, Dorie," Eve said doubtfully.
"Please, Eve?"
Eve rolled her eyes. "Stop doing that!"
"Doing what?"
"Using your puppy eyes to get me to give in."
"But it always works."
Eve groaned. "I know, I know! Okay Dorie, but we better be back before
anyone knows we're gone."
Adora gave Eve a hug. "We will! I promise you, Eve. Okay, give me your
hand."
Eve reached out and Adora took her hand and they vanished. When they
reappeared, Jett was sitting up on the sole piece of rat-chewed fur he
was allowed for a bedroll and staring
at them openmouthed. "What are you two doing here? How in Hades did you
get inside?" he demanded.
Adora smiled at him. "Sorry Uncle Jett, we don't have time to talk.
We've got to get back!" Before Jett could say anything else, Adora waved
her hand. When the bright light
cleared, she ran over and picked her uncle up. "Okay. Give me your hand
again, Eve."
Eve stared at Jett and shook her head. "I guess they won't know it's
him," she said finally as she took her friend's hand once more.
Adora smiled again and with a flash of light, they were inside the
bedroom they were sharing for the night at Cyrene's tavern. With her uncle
in her arms, she turned to Eve.
"Good night, Eve."
Eve looked over at her. "Good night, Dorie." She laid down wondering if
they could really get away with this. She stared at Adora's uncle who
looked, she thought, very
confused.
******