Part Five

Joxer saw Gabrielle and Xena coming from Maria's wagon and headed towards them.

"Hi Xena," he addressed the warrior princess before turning to his wife.

"Gabrielle, we need to talk." He looked at Xena. "Alone."

Xena held her hand up. "Okay, I get the message. I'll see you two later.

Gabrielle, I'll take the gown back to the tavern. You two have fun."

Gabrielle watched as her friend walked away before turning back to her husband.

"Joxer! Why did you send Xena away?"

Joxer gazed at Gabrielle with a very serious look on his face. "Gabrielle, we

need to talk and like I said, alone. Xena understands."

"Sorry, Joxer. So, what do you want to talk about?"

Joxer stared at the gown that Xena carried in her hands as she walked away from

the two of them. "What's that?"

"Maria gave it to me. It's for the baby."

Joxer answered in a distracted voice, "That was nice of her."

"Joxer, you said we needed to talk," Gabrielle reminded him.

"Yeah, we do." Joxer paused for a moment before he turned around to face her and

asked very softly, "Gabrielle, do you want our twins to be born in the Amazon

village?"

Gabrielle looked at him and saw the concern in his dark eyes. "I'd like them to

be, but if you don't, I understand."

Joxer placed his arms over her shoulders gently as he drew her close to him.

"You know I'd never deny you anything. If I can make it happen, I'll do it with

all my heart." He stopped for a moment, looking down into her eyes. "It's just

that I don't want our sons to be treated less than dirt."

Gabrielle's eyes lit up in understanding as she moved closer into his embrace

and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Joxer, I promise that our sons will

be treated as equally as our daughters. I - no, we will make sure of it."

Joxer leaned down and kissed her. She hungrily returned the kiss, growling low

in her throat with pleasure. Joxer then moved away slowly and she gazed up at

him, puzzled. "Why'd you stop?"

"We've got to start packing if we're going to go to the Amazon village," Joxer

replied, reaching out to caress her cheek tenderly.

Gabrielle threw her arms around Joxer, laughing happily. "Thank you, Joxer. I

love you!"

Joxer returned the hug. "I love you too, Gabrielle. C'mon." Joxer slid his arm

around her shoulder and she slipped her arm around his waist and together the

two began walking towards Cyrene's tavern.

As they walked towards the tavern, Gabrielle chattering excitedly, Joxer

couldn't help but feel worried inside. He kept his misgivings to himself and

laughed in delight when Gabrielle placed his hand over her swelling stomach to

feel the babies moving underneath it.

"Hello you two," Cyrene greeted the couple with a smile as they walked inside

the tavern. She served a traveler his meal and a mug of mead before walking over

to them. "Xena was just going to get Eve from Arose. I think that your sister

will appreciate the break from babysitting the little monkey," she said with a

wink to Joxer, who smiled.

Gabrielle laughed in response. "She's definitely kept Arose on her toes, that's

for sure," she agreed.

Joxer cleared his throat. Cyrene gazed at him curiously. "What's the matter?"

"We've made a decision that the twins should be born in the Amazon village,"

Joxer responded.

Cyrene blinked in surprise. "Oh. So, when are you planning on going?" She began

wiping down a table where an earlier customer had spilled some ale.

"We should be ready to go tomorrow," Gabrielle said.

Cyrene nodded. "It's been good having all of you here, but you must do what you

feel is right for the children and yourselves."

Gabrielle raised her eyebrow. "Even though I totaled your pantry?" she asked

with a blush.

Cyrene smiled wryly at that. "Maybe you did me a favor. The new shelves are

twice as sturdy as they were before!"

Joxer laughed softly as Gabrielle's face grew scarlet. He leaned down and kissed

her as Xena came into the tavern holding Eve's hand. Arose, Ricky, and Jace

followed behind them.

"Uncle Oxer!" Eve cried out as she ran over to the couple. Her blue eyes shone

with happiness as Joxer lifted her up and whirled her around. "See what Auntie

Arose made for me?" she giggled, pointing to the now-tilted flower wreath on her

head and the two flower garlands around her neck. She leaned over and gave him a

loud smack on the cheek.

"Yes, Evie. They're very pretty," Joxer smiled as he returned the kiss and

rubbed noses with her.

Eve giggled and reached out for Gabrielle, who took the child in her arms and

laughed as Eve repeated what she did to Joxer. Gabrielle then put her down and

Eve ran back over to Xena.

"Gabrielle and Joxer were just telling me that they've decided to go to the

Amazon village for the birth of the twins," Cyrene looked up from washing the

table.

"Really? When?" Arose asked curiously.

Jace said nothing but gazed at Joxer carefully, trying to see how Joxer really

felt about the whole thing. Joxer's face never changed expression and he frowned

at this.

"We should be ready to leave tomorrow," Gabrielle said with a smile.

"Good. I've been getting kind of itchy, to tell the truth," Xena admitted. "Not

that I'm not glad to visit with you, Mom," she added in quickly, turning in

Cyrene's direction.

Cyrene smiled wisely as she gazed at her daughter. "I know, Xena. I'm surprised

that you managed to stay for this long!"

"Very funny," Xena growled before a smile emerged and she laughed. "You've

always known what's on my mind."

"I'm your mother. I'm supposed to know these things," Cyrene said smugly.

Everyone laughed at that and Gabrielle, Joxer, Xena and Eve went to their

bedrooms to start packing for their journey to the Amazon village.

Ricky, Arose, and Jace left the tavern and began walking back to the wagons.

"Jace, something's bothering you. I can see it in your eyes," Arose said.

"What's the matter?" She slipped her arm around Ricky's waist and Ricky slid his

arm over her back.

"I don't think that Joxer really wants to go to the Amazon village," Jace

replied, biting his bottom lip. "He'd never tell Gabrielle, though. He doesn't

want to disappoint her." He paused for a moment before he looked at Arose

curiously and saw that she seemed to be troubled too. "What did Gaia say to

him?"

Slowly, Arose repeated what Gaia had said to Joxer about Amazon customs

regarding babies born into the tribes. "...And that's pretty much everything,"

she concluded with a sigh.

Jace nodded. "I can see why Joxer's concerned. Has anybody told Gabrielle?"

"I think she has an idea, but I don't think that she knows everything," Arose

replied.

"Maybe someone should tell her," Ricky said softly.

"I don't think that Joxer would like that. He'll think that we're butting into

their business," Jace disagreed as they arrived at his wagon. "The only thing we

can do is support their decision." His dark eyes suddenly began to twinkle.

Arose's eyebrows rose up. "Jace, what are you thinking of doing?" she asked

suspiciously.

"Well, I am an honorary Amazon after all - and you're an Amazon yourself.

There's no reason why we shouldn't be there when the twins arrive," Jace replied

with a smile.

Arose slowly returned the smile. "Jace, I like the way you think."

"Yes! I like the way I think, too. I'm so bad!"

Arose giggled. "Wait! What about Ricky? I can't leave him!"

Jace smiled. "Ricky can come. He's your consort."

"Oh yeah!" She turned to Ricky. "Do you want to come?"

Ricky answered her with a kiss and Jace slapped him on the back. "Okay, you two

lovebirds! We've got much to do. Let's get packing."

Early the next morning, Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer along with Eve were ready to

go. Cyrene gave Xena plenty of food and water for the journey. "Joxer, you take

real good care of her."

"I will, Cyrene!" Joxer replied then under his breath, he finished with, "If I

can get near her!"

"Little brother, little brother! Wait!" They turned around to see Jace pull up

with his wagon and that Arose and Ricky were with him.

Joxer growled, "Will you stop calling me that? I hate that!"

"Take it easy, Joxer," Gabrielle murmured. "Jace, what's the matter?"

"We're coming too. After all, you will need your Amazon nursemaids!" Jace said

cheerfully.

"Our what?" Gabrielle asked with a frown. "I've never heard of that tradition!"

"Amazon nursemaids," giggled Arose. "Jace made it up! We'll help you on your

journey and if you get tired of riding on Sugar, you can ride in here."

Eve let out a squeak as she tried to get down from Argo. "Me! Me! Me ride in

wagon! Please, please, me ride!"

Xena laughed. "Eve, you ride with Mommy okay, so I won't be lonely."

"Okay, Mommy!"

"You know, my back sort of hurts. Joxer, do you mind if I ride in the wagon?"

"Of course not!" Joxer dismounted Sugar and helped Gabrielle down. He then

helped her into the wagon and reached out to caress her cheek when she was

settled in comfortably. "If you need anything, let me know."

Gabrielle covered his hand with hers. "Thanks, Joxer. I will."

Joxer watched as Gabrielle closed her eyes for a little rest. Jace placed his

arm over Joxer's shoulders. "I know you're worried, but it'll be okay."

Joxer nodded as they walked away from the wagon. "Can you ride? I need someone

to talk to. An older brother."

Jace's eyes lit up and he smiled. "Sure, I can ride and I'd be glad to talk to

you!"

The group waved and called out their goodbyes to Cyrene, Maria, and Mario.

"Behave yourself, Ricky!" Maria called out, wiping a tear away from her eyes.

"And be careful!"

"Yes Mama!" Ricky called back, turning around for a moment to wave goodbye to

his parents before turning back around to drive Jace's wagon. "Are you okay back

there, Gabrielle?" he asked the warrior bard.

"I'm fine. Very tired though," Gabrielle answered in a sleepy voice. "I'm going

to try to sleep a little."

"Okay," Arose replied. She moved a little closer to Ricky and sighed happily as

she watched Xena laughing at something Eve had said. Her eyes then turned to her

brothers and she saw the very worried expression on Joxer's face and she sighed

sadly.

"He'll be all right, Arose," Ricky tried to reassure her.

"I don't know. Some Amazon tribes can be pretty strict regarding what customs

they follow and how they're followed," Arose replied. "I have a feeling that

we're going to have some trouble once we get to their settlement."

"Maybe not, Arose," Ricky said as he guided the two horses around a narrower

section of the road.

"I hope you're right, Ricky."

Jace rode next to Joxer on his own horse, named Dancer. "So, what's on your

mind?" he asked with a smile.

Joxer sighed. "Arose told you what Gaia said about babies born into the Amazon

tribes, didn't she - and especially what's done with male babies?"

Jace's smile fell from his lips. "Yes, she did. Yet you still agreed to go to

there anyway."

"I love Gabrielle too much to disappoint her. She really wants this for the

twins," Joxer said quietly and the two fell silent for a while, lost in their

own thoughts.

"You're afraid that you're going to get shoved aside by the tribe, aren't you?"

Jace asked suddenly.

Joxer nodded, miserable. "Sometimes, Gabrielle really gets caught up in their

'traditions' and she'll agree to anything that's suggested to her. I don't

know... Am I being selfish?" he whispered, gazing down at the reins tightly

entwined in his fingers.

Jace thought for a moment before replying. "I don't think you're being selfish,

Joxer. This is a very special time for the two of you and of course you want to

be involved. It makes perfect sense that you do. I don't blame you for being

worried and concerned over Gabrielle and the twins too - and how the babies will

be treated by the tribe."

Jace paused again before continuing. "But, I also think that you might not be

giving Gabrielle enough credit either." Jace's eyes were gentle as he gazed at

Joxer. "I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, Joxer, but Gabrielle's perfectly

capable of telling anybody to go jump off a cliff if she wants to."

Joxer smiled a little at that. "That's very true."

Jace returned the smile. "Now, that looks much better!" he chortled.

"Actually, I feel a little better than I did before," Joxer admitted.

Jace gazed at Joxer with a very serious expression on his face. "You know, I'm

always willing to listen if you need someone to talk to."

Joxer nodded. "I might be doing a lot of talking with you then." He raised his

eyebrows. "It's always great to talk with Gabrielle or Xena about different

things, but sometimes, there's stuff that only can be said between brothers, you

know?" he said quietly.

"Yeah. I know," Jace reached out and patted Joxer's shoulder.