He

swung

though the trees with the grace of a ballerina, and Gabrielle was

extremely

impressed. 'I bet he would make a great dancer.'

Soon they stopped in a big tree. Joxer pointed down at the waterfall

and

river. "Water, " he said proudly.

Gabrielle looked down. 'Well,' she thought, 'he's learned another

word.'

"Yes, water. That's water." She smiled at him.

Joxer smiled back, and then suddenly pushed the woman off the branch.

It was

at least a fifty-foot drop, and Gabrielle screamed all the way down.

Joxer

dove in after her. As they both surfaced, he began to splash her.

Gabrielle

was boiling mad.

"You stupid savage! " she screamed, "Look what you did!" She

attempted to

slap him and keep her head above water at the same time, almost

failing in

both efforts.

Joxer was confused. His mate was angry with him. He didn't

understand. What

did he do? She wanted water, and he took her to water. Why was she

yelling

at him? Gabrielle said nothing more as she paddled towards the bank.

Joxer watched her, still confused. Suddenly, he saw movement in the

water.

It was one of his worst enemies - a crocodile. And it was swimming

towards

his mate.

Joxer swam powerfully towards his enemy. He had seen the crocodile

kill many

of his friends, and even one of his cousins. He remembered how Jace

had come

so close to being the crocodile's meal, but had narrowly escaped. The

crocodile was now in front of Gabrielle. She screamed as the jaws

nearly

closed over her. Before she knew exactly what was happening, Joxer

had the

crocodile in his grasp. They both went under the water. Gabrielle

crawled

onto the bank and watched with horror as the fighting continued.

Joxer came to the surface, only to be pulled back under by the

crocodile.

Monkeys and other jungle creatures in the trees were screeching and

chattering, and to Gabrielle they sounded like they were cheering.

Joxer

came up again, this time clutching a very sharp stone in his hand. He

began

to stab the crocodile, using all his might to pierce the tough hide.

The

crocodile struggled to get away, but the jungle man held him tight.

Soon it

was over, and the crocodile was dead, but Joxer had been injured as

well,

and he slowly sank beneath the water. Gabrielle ripped off her heavy

skirt

and dove in, swimming out to him. She dove down and bought him back

up,

pulling him behind her to the bank, where she laid him down. She

began to

breathe into his mouth for him, alternating with pressing

rhythmically on

his chest, and suddenly he was coughing up water. He looked at her

and she

was smiling. He smiled back at her, then tried to stand up. She held

him

down.

"No, lay still. You are hurt, understand? Hurt." She showed him the

blood on

his leg. He gently pushed her away and began to call out in his

language.

Suddenly three monkeys appeared. One went and stood by his

head. "Joxer, my

friend, you were great."

He smiled grimly at his friend and pointed to his wound. "Meero, I

need

you and your brothers to get me the stuff that will help me."

"We will, my friend, but right now you need to be protected." He

called to

the other monkeys. "We must build a shelter for our friend."

Gabrielle watched as the monkeys made a shelter big enough for both

Joxer

and herself. She was overcome with wonder - this was amazing.

"This will help to protect you, my friend," said Meero. "I can now

get you

the healing plant."

Chula came over. She had seen the whole thing. "And I also will

protect you

and your mate, Joxer."

Joxer smiled at her and gazed back at Gabrielle. The woman shrank

away in

fear, unwilling to leave him, but terrified by the big cat. He called

for

Chula, who came to him. He touched her and then took Gabrielle's hand

and

placed it on Chula. "Friend " he explained weakly. Gabrielle

understood -

this jaguar was the one he had spoken to earlier in their camp -

Joxer's

friend. To show she understood, she hesitantly petted Chula, who was

surprised at first, but didn't really seen to mind.

Joxer fell unconscious. Gabrielle went to the river carrying a piece

torn

from her skirt. She wet it, and went back to him and placed it on his

head.

~**~

Drake had come out of the tent carrying his knife.

"I'm warning you, Xena, if that damned savage hurts Gabrielle, I'll

cut his

bloody throat from ear to ear."

It had to be late afternoon by now. Gabrielle had crawled into the

shelter

to check on Joxer, and exhaustion had overcome her. When she awoke,

she

found herself lying on his shoulder, his arm possessively wrapped

around

her. Her face flushed with embarrassment. She peered down and noticed

that

while they had slept, his leg wound had been treated and wrapped in

some

type of frond as a bandage. She silently thanked the monkeys she

realized

were responsible. Disengaging herself gently from the strong arm

around her,

she crawled quietly out of the lean-to and sat on the riverbank.

Chula slunk

over to sit beside her, and despite the fact that she knew the jaguar

couldn't understand her, she began to talk to her.

"How can I force him to go back to England? He'll never fit in. And

he'd

have to leave all his friends and his family here, for what? To be

forced

into an uncomfortable suit to sit at a big table full of people who

will

view him as a novelty and talk about him like he isn't even there? I

hate

that life, and I was born to it. I can't imagine how he'd feel.

Still, he

does have real family there, blood relatives. Brothers. A father. They

deserve to see him, and to know he's alive." She looked at the big

cat,

whose soft eyes seemed to hold understanding. "And - I like him. I

really

don't want to go back without him." She looked down at herself. Her

formerly

crisp white pantaloons were muddy and limp. Her blouse was missing

several

buttons and one entire sleeve. She couldn't remember the last time

she'd

seen her gloves, and her dainty kid boots and lisle stockings had

long since

been abandoned. Sighing she took off the blouse, since it wasn't

covering

her undergarments well anymore, anyway. Her pin-tucked camisole was

still

nearly white, at least. "I'd never survive here. All he did was bring

me to

take a bath, like I wanted, and I almost got us both killed." Without

thinking, the woman had begun stroking the jaguar's head, and Chula

quite

liked it.

A snort from the lean-to startled them both, and Gabrielle pulled her

hand

back into her lap. "See, you like her, too," Joxer growled to his best

friend.

"There *is* something about her," the jaguar admitted. The injured man

crawled over to sit beside them, favoring his bandaged leg. He smiled

at the

woman, and took her hand, placing it on the jaguar again.

"Chula," he explained. Gabrielle nodded. "Chula friend," he assured

her

again.

"I know," she responded seriously. She touched the bandage on his leg.

"Hurt?"

He sort of shrugged. "Hurt." It was far from the first time he'd been

injured, out here, she supposed. Another word. She couldn't believe

that she

was considering a relationship with a man who she couldn't even speak

to in

entire sentences. Perhaps her father had been correct when she had

first

expressed her desire to come to the jungles of Borneo. She was daft.

~**~

Xena convinced O'Malley that, as vast as the rain forest was, they

would be

more likely to find Gabrielle if they split up. She really didn't

relish

searching for her friend with the guide, who was barely suppressing a

murderous rage. She only hoped that she found the couple before Drake

did,

or someone might end up dead. It was almost ironic that the jungle

man, who

O'Malley kept referring to as "that savage", seemed far more

civilized at

this moment to her than the dark man with the careful manners.

They had made away through the treetops, so there was no trail to

follow.

But Gabrielle had mentioned 'water' before her unexpected

disappearance, so

Xena headed toward the mighty river she knew to be nearby. She had

purposely

sent O'Malley the other direction, deeper into the jungle. The

riverbank was

overgrown in many parts, so once she reached the water, she found

herself

having to weave back and forth to make her way along it. But it felt

good

to be doing something with purpose to it, and she focused all her

senses on

her task. A familiar voice drifted over the thick foliage, and she

knew she

was close to her goal.

~**~

Gabrielle was kneeling on the bank, smoothing the wet soil. She had

been

anxious, and when she felt like that, drawing was her release. She'd

found a

stick that was the right length and thickness, and in an even spot,

she had

begun to sketch the jaguar in the sand. Joxer had leaned over her

shoulder,

his weight on her and proximity to her a slight distraction, but she

was

focused on her work. When she finished, she looked to him, eyes

shining. His

expression of wonder was sufficient reward. "Chula?"

"Chula." she agreed. "Jaguar." He rolled the new word around on his

tongue,

seeming to enjoy it. But when she smoothed the picture away, he

whimpered in

disappointment. She set right back to work, though, and soon his

expression

changed to one of joy, as Chula, sitting beside him, recognized the

figure

first and told him what she was drawing.

"Joxer?" His eager tone made the artist giggle. She finished up in a

few

quick strokes - a good likeness, if she could say so herself.

"Joxer," she said with satisfaction. Her knees protested as she rose,

stiff

from the length of time she'd been squatting down. She dusted the

sand off

her hands onto her pantaloons, and looked up to find her nose almost

touching the muscular chest of the jungle man. He grabbed her arms as

she

tried to back away, keeping her there.

He didn't know how to say it in her words. He liked what she had

done. She

was his mate, he was certain of that. She had rescued him when he was

injured - stayed with him while he was healing. Now she had made

something

that looked like him in the sand. She was his. But he always assumed

that he

would know what to do when his mate showed up, and he didn't. He held

her in

front of him and stared into her eyes with confusion. Perhaps the

female was

supposed to know what to do.

Gabrielle was aware of the possessiveness in his gesture, and began to

babble nervously. "I can do better with pen and paper. I have

watercolours

back at the camp. Maybe I can show you some of my other work..." Her

brain

was so addled that she didn't see Chula's ears rise, or hear the

slight

rustling in the brush. Joxer did, however, and managed to shove her

behind

him just before Xena burst from the undergrowth. He bared his teeth

and

growled, the big cat at his side doing the same. They stood frozen

like that

for a minute, before the bodyguard raised her hands in a gesture of

surrender. "Xena," Gabrielle breathed in relief, although a pang of

disappointment rose in her as well.

Joxer relaxed, and crouched down in spite of the pain in his leg,

placing a

big hand on Chula's head. "Xena, friend," he explained to the jaguar.

The tall woman was nearly speechless, pointing at the big

cat. "Friend?" she

squeaked.

Gabrielle stepped out from behind the ape-man, bedraggled and once

again

weary. "Friend," she nodded tiredly.

Xena stared at the woman standing by the jungle man and the

jaguar. "His

*friend* - why am I not surprised?" She came up to them and noticed

Gabrielle's condition. "Gabrielle, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"No, Xena, he saved my life."

Xena nodded her head. "We'd better get back. See if jungle boy will

come."

Gabrielle smiled at the memory of his possessive actions. "I don't

have to -

I'm pretty sure he'll follow me. "

They headed for the camp, and sure enough, Joxer followed. They moved

slowly

so as not to strain his wound. As soon as they arrived at the camp,

O'Malley

came charging at Joxer.

"You heathen monster! If you harmed Gabrielle, I'll kill you!"

Joxer did not understand the dark skinned man's words but he

understood the

actions that accompanied them. He ran towards O'Malley, but his

injured leg

gave out, and he fell to the ground. Xena charged over and sent a

kick right

into Drake O'Malley's face, knocking him on his back.

Gabrielle ran over to Joxer to help, but Joxer was already on his

feet. He

knew that the males did the protecting. He stood as tall as he could

and

walked over to O'Malley. He picked the man up by the front of his

shirt and

glared into his eyes.

O'Malley stared into the deep brown orbs of the jungle man. Those

eyes were

penetrating his very soul. They were boring into him. He tried to

look away

but he could not. It was just like being hypnotized, only more

unnerving.

Drake began to whimper like a frightened child.

Xena and Gabrielle stared. Joxer was doing nothing, and yet O'Malley

was

petrified. Gabrielle went over to him. "Please let him go, Joxer."

Joxer turned and stared at her. His eyes still held the glare, which

frightened her, and she pulled away and sat down on the ground, her

face in

her hands. Joxer knew that his eyes had frightened his mate and he

made

himself calm down, releasing O'Malley, who crawled away from him.

Xena stood over Drake. "Get your stuff and get out of here. Your

services

are no longer required."

Drake got up and stared angrily at them, but mostly at Joxer.

"You are going to be so sorry, savage, that I promise." And with that

he

gathered up his belongings and was gone.

Joxer slowly went over to Gabrielle, who was still sitting on the

ground. He

touched her face with his hand.

"Gab... Gab... "

Gabrielle looked up as he was trying to say her name. He had managed

it with

some difficulty the first time, and she had blamed it on the newness

of

human communication, but now he seemed stuck.

"Yes, Gabrielle. Gab..ri..elle."

He tried again but could not get it out. He turned away sadly.

Gabrielle had an idea - she hated to be called this, but it might be

easier

for him. She tugged on his arm.

"Gabby, Gab-by," she said slowly.

He slowly repeated the name "Gab-by."

"Yes, that's right - Gabby." She smiled at him.

"Gabby, Gabby, Gabby," he cried happily.

Xena watched the exchange. "Well, Gabrielle, looks like you're going

to be

called Gabby, whether you like it or not."

The artist smiled at her friend. "He can call me that, but no one

else."

Xena and Gabrielle began to laugh. Joxer stared at them - what were

they

doing? Gabrielle approached him, noticing his confusion. She began to

tickle

him suddenly. Joxer found himself making that noise, too, and he had

trouble

catching his breath. When Gabrielle stopped tickling him, he stopped

making

that sound. She grinned playfully at him. "Laughing," she explained.

He looked at her. "Laughing," he copied.

She was about to go on, when they heard a sound in the jungle. Sheera

was

slowly coming out of the brush, clutching something tightly. She

cautiously

walked over to Joxer and placed the object in his hand.

"This was with you when I found you so many seasons ago." She patted

him

affectionately, then returned to the jungle. Joxer stared at it and

gave it

to Gabrielle. It was a golden locket. Gabrielle opened it up, and it

had a

picture of the infant Mansfield triplets, Jett, Jace, and Joxer, on

one

side, and a picture of Lord and Lady Mansfield on the other.

"This is your real family," she told him, breathlessly. She took his

hand

and pointed to the woman in the picture and then at him. "Mother,"

she told

him.

He looked at the picture and back at her, then pointed to the place

that

Sheera had disappeared. "Mother."

"No," she explained patiently, pointing again to the woman in the

locket.

"Mother." He looked doubtful, but nodded and repeated obediently.

She nodded her head. Then she pointed at the man. "Father," she said.

He touched the picture himself, "Father."

"Yes, father."

He smiled and curled the fingers of Gabrielle's hand around the

locket. She

hesitated for a moment, and then fastened it around her neck. Xena

came up

behind them. "Gabrielle, we have to leave tomorrow."

She looked at her friend. "What about Joxer?"

"I guess he'll be coming with us. Gabrielle, we're not safe here

anymore.

Who knows what Drake might do? It's time to go home."

Gabrielle nodded her head. Was he ready for this? She knew deep down

inside

herself that his father would be glad to see him. But she wasn't that

sure

anyone else would. She just hoped she was doing the right thing.

~**~

At the home of Lord Malcolm Mansfield in London, England, two

identical men

were talking together.

"Gabrielle is coming home day after tomorrow. I bet she missed me,"

proclaimed Jett cockily.

"Yeah, like she would miss a hole in the head. Come on, Jett, she

doesn't

love you."

Jett poured a drink for himself and his brother. "Maybe not, but I

never

said I loved her, either. She's one of the few single women around

worthy of

my time. She's not difficult to look at, and her family is more than

socially acceptable. It would be the perfect match. Besides, with her

money

and mine, I'll be well set for life."

Jace nodded his head. "Yeah, if only we get the whole thing. But

father has

split his will *three* ways, for you, me, and Joxer."

Jett threw his drink on the floor. "Why can't that old man realize

that

Joxer is dead?"

"Because until a body is bought to me, your brother is still alive.

The men

I sent found your mother's remains, but never his. I know he's alive.

I feel

it in my heart," stated their father forcefully as he walked into the

room.

Jett turned on his father. "When are you going to wake up old man?

He's

dead - he's been dead for twenty-two years. "

~**~

It had not been the easiest of things for Xena to arrange their

passage out

of Borneo, but a merchant ship bound for the tip of Italy had room,

and the

promise of a large sum of money, with a hefty upfront payment,

convinced the

captain to make accommodations for three travelers. Once he spotted

the

ape-man, he nearly reneged anyway. But the two women were persuasive,

and

passage was booked.

Once aboard the vessel, there was plenty of time to prepare Joxer for

his

English debut. He was a fast learner, and soon had a proficient grasp

on the

English language, although occasional slips in his wording indicated

that he

still often thought in orangutan. The sailors were charmed by the

young

artist, cool towards the Amazonian bodyguard, and terrified by the

wild man

who would on occasion go swinging through the rigging, so the trio was

usually left alone. The women had managed to round up clothing for

Joxer to

wear, and although he hated it, he eventually grew accustomed to the

long

pants, suspenders, stiff collared shirt and waistcoat. It took them

weeks to

convince him he couldn't remove the cravat the minute he was out of

their

eyesight, though, and a decent frock coat was unavailable. They were

fortunate to find one sailor whose shoulders were as broad as their

friend's, from whom they obtained the shirt, but he was much too wide

in the

rest of his body for his coat to fit Joxer properly. The shoes caused

him no

end of misery. Xena had been of the opinion that they should cut his

hair,

but Gabrielle felt that the mane was far to glorious to remove, so

they

settled for tying it back in a neat ponytail.

Etiquette and manners were proving to be a bit more difficult for the

young

man to grasp, since neither of the women could adequately explain the

reasons for many of the customs of the day. He finally was able to

master

the use of silverware, and even to unerringly choose the right fork.

He

still occasionally picked up the soup bowl, but a stern glance from

his

blonde beloved was enough to remonstrate him, and he would remember

the

spoon. He learned a proper bow, and he finally would kiss Gabrielle's

hand

rather than sniff it.

In fact, the biggest problem they were facing was his relationship

with

Gabrielle. Once the word was a part of his ever-expanding vocabulary,

he

took to calling her his 'mate,' which brought color to her cheeks

every

time. It did, however, explain why it had been so difficult, their

first few

nights on board, to get him to stay in his own cabin, rather than the

one

Xena and the artist occupied. Both women attempted to find a better

term,

but he was stubborn about her title. Finally, they managed to

convince him

that the English word 'betrothed' had the same meaning, and only

privately

did Gabrielle voice concerns about how her father and Jett were going

to

deal with this. And even more privately she allowed her heart to

flutter at

the implications.

They also struggled with how much of Joxer's true history Lord

Mansfield and

the family should be privy to. Somehow, both women realized that the

idea

that apes had raised him would probably not make him terribly welcome

in

British Society, let alone a proper betrothed for Lord Taylor's only

daughter. Gabrielle found it quite charming that his simplicity made

the

idea of lying nearly incomprehensible to him. They were on the train,

nearly

to the English Channel, before she felt comfortable that he

understood both

the untruth and the need to tell it. A message had been sent on ahead,

detailing their expected arrival, only explaining that Lord Mansfield

should

be at the station with Gabrielle's father, since there would be a

surprise

for him.

The short ride across the Channel was spent refreshing him on the

family

relationships, manners and the ever-important fiction of his youth

having

been spent with gentle natives. Technically, that was the truth -

only in

this version, the natives were human. He still pouted when pressed to

lie,

but Gabrielle found that ever so appealing.

As the final leg of the long journey home drew near its end, the

artist

fidgeted and fussed. Her feelings for this strange man made the

importance

of everything going well at his presentation doubly important to her.

Noting

her distress Joxer reached out and took her hand in his, caressing it

gently. She smiled up at him, and he spoke comfortingly to her. "I

promise,

I'll do my best not to shame you. I know I'm not smart enough to

impress

your friends, but I hope you'll still be my mate," he frowned and

corrected

himself, "my *betrothed*, after they see me."

She squeezed his hand. "You are *very* smart. I know you'll do fine.

And we

probably need to talk more about betrothal after you've had a chance

to

settle in." He appeared every inch the English gentleman, but she

could

sense the wild animal just beneath the fine surface, and it drew a

small

shiver from her. She touched the locket that hid under her blouse,

reminding

her of why they were there. The train screeched to a stop, and the

familiar

smells and sounds of London drifted through the open window of the

car.

Gabrielle stood and pulled him up with her, tapping Xena on the

shoulder.

"Here goes nothing," she announced, to no one in particular. They had

managed to obtain Joxer a decent frock coat in France, and Gabrielle

dusted

it off, adjusting it on the man's shoulders. Taking his arm, she

followed

Xena to the door.

She spotted Lord Taylor first, and at the sight of her father,

realized how

much she had missed him. The men moved together towards her on the

platform,

and were there as she stepped down. After a tender hug and kiss from

her

father, she turned to the other men present. "Lord Mansfield, Father,

Jett,

Jace - this is my betrothed." She took the jungle man's arm. "Your

brother

and son, Joxer Mansfield." Her own father gasped, while Lord Malcolm

clutched his chest, and Jett scowled in anger. Jace fainted dead away.

Joxer stared as he watched the elderly man crumple to the ground,

holding

his heart. Xena and Jett went to him at the same time. Jett glared at

her.

"Stay away. We don't need your help." He turned to Jace, who was

slowly

waking up. "Help me with father. Now."

As he struggled to his feet, Jace stared at the other man, the

stranger who

looked like him. "Joxer?"

Joxer stared back. He was watching the scene before him. He came

forward and

bent down to check the fallen man, but Jett angrily pushed him

away. "I

don't know who you are, but you'd better leave my father alone."

Joxer stared at the man on the ground. He knew this man from the

picture his

betrothed had shown him. He touched the man's face. "Father?"

Jett stood up, his hand clenched into a fist. He punched Joxer in the

face.

Jett was a master at boxing, and he knew all of the moves. This was

new to

Joxer and he was too stunned to move out of the way.

Jett kept punching him mercilessly. Joxer's face was now bleeding,

the blood

coming from his nose onto his clothing.

"Stop it!" screamed Gabrielle. "Jett, leave him alone! He's your

brother."

Xena grabbed Jett forcefully, who finally let go of Joxer, dropping

him to

the ground.

"Your father needs you take him home and call a doctor," the bodyguard

growled. "Don't cause him more heart trouble by beating to death the

son

he's spent all these years waiting for."

Jett looked down at Joxer, and then turned to check on his father.

Jace had

already helped the old man into the coach. The elder Mansfield looked

up at

Jett. "Jett, I saw my son, Joxer. Please, did I really see him?"

Jett shook his head in disgust. "No father, it was a cruel joke."

Lord Mansfield hung his head. Tears ran down his face. He had so

hoped it

was true.

Jett stared at Jace. "Get in now, Jace."

Jace stared over at Gabrielle and Joxer. "No. I want to see if he's

all

right."

Jett knocked Jace up against the train station blackboard. "Don't you

dare

defy me! Now you get in that coach, and take father home."

Jace hung his head, but climbed in. "I am sorry," he said sadly,

looking at

Joxer and the women, and then he had their driver take him and his

father

home.

Jett turned to the artist. "You may come to the house when you get

rid of

him. Think about it, Gabrielle - you and I are meant to be married."

Gabrielle leapt up and began hitting Jett on the chest. "I hate you!

You

bastard! I will never marry you!"

Jett grabbed her wrists and held them tight, anger on his handsome

face. "I

don't have time for your childish games." Then he knocked her to the

ground.

Xena started forward to help her friend when Joxer stopped her.

"No. I will do this."

He stood tall with his hands clenched into fists, the way he saw Jett

do it.

He threw a punch, but Jett ducked it and returned the punch. But Joxer

learned quickly and also ducked. He even got a blow in himself that

sent

Jett to the ground. Jett slowly got up and wiped the blood from his

mouth.

He knew that he would be no match for this muscular man right now. He

was

angry, and anger was a distraction. "I don't have time for this. But

we will

meet again." He then hailed a hack, climbed inside and left.

Xena came up to Gabrielle; there were tears in the blonde artist's

eyes. "Oh

Xena, that was a disaster! Nothing went the way I thought it would. I

messed up everything "

Gabrielle sobbed on Xena's shoulder. Joxer came over and touched her

arm.

"Please don't cry, Gabby. I'm sorry I disappointed you. Please,

Gabby, don't

cry."

Gabrielle reached for his face and pulling a handkerchief from her

sleeve,

wiped first her own face, then the blood from his nose. "No, Joxer you

didn't disappoint me. Come on, let's take care of that nose."

Lord Taylor had been quiet though all of this. "Gabrielle, what is

going on

here? Who is that man?"

"Father, I told you, he's Joxer Mansfield. He was raised in Borneo

by -

natives." She removed something from around her neck, and handed him

the

locket. He opened it up and stared at it.

"Lord save us. It *is* Joxer Mansfield."