Part 12:
Jett and Jace were heading for the dance school when a boy ran up to Jett. "Are you Jett the bounty hunter?"
"Yes."
"I've got a message for you." The boy handed Jett the scroll and waited. Jett dropped a dinar in his hand and the boy left.
Jace watched as Jett opened the scroll and read it with a grim look on his face. "Bad news?" he asked.
"I've got to go after and bring back Tolly," answered Jett, shaking his head in disbelief.
"TOLLY? But he's a farmer!" Jace exclaimed as he stared at Jett in astonishment.
"I know, but according to this he's wanted for several killings and I've been ordered to bring him in dead or alive." Jett handed Jace the scroll and Jace quickly read it.
"If I didn't just read this, I'd say you were out of your mind," Jace said finally as he returned the scroll to his brother. "Well, I hope you bring him back alive. There's got to be a reason why this happened. Tolly's got a family."
Jett sighed as he returned Jace's gaze and rolled the scroll up into a tight roll. "He used to have a family, you mean. I better go talk to Mel. I'll have to take a rain-check on helping you."
"I understand. Be careful, okay?"
"I will, Jace. Thanks."
Jett walked away and Jace headed back to his dance school alone. He was almost there when he spotted Eve. "Eve, why aren't you in school?"
"Hi, Uncle Jace. I ripped my skirt and had to come home and change it." She pointed to the large rip.
Jace's eyes widened with distress when he saw the damage. "Oh no! Not the skirt Xena worked on so hard to make for you?"
"Yes..." Eve suddenly broke down and cried.
"Hey," Jace said as he took Eve in his arms and gently patted her back. "Don't cry, Evie. Maybe it can be repaired. I'll have Pierre take a look at it. He's an expert on sewing. He makes most of my outfits."
Eve nodded as she wiped her eyes. "Thanks, Uncle Jace. I better get to the house and change!"
Jace nodded as Eve hurried away.
Joxer was chopping wood when Eve came into the yard. "Eve, what's the matter?"
"Tore my skirt! Had to come home and change!" Eve exclaimed, not bothering to stop or turn in Joxer's direction as she ran into the house.
Gabrielle turned from checking the meat she was browning for the stew she was going to make for that night's supper when Eve came thundering over the threshold. "Eve?"
Eve sighed as she came to a halt to catch her breath. "I tore my skirt."
Gabrielle's eyebrows rose. "Not..."
Eve rolled her eyes. "Yes, Aunt Gabrielle, the one Mom made me! Uncle Jace is going to see if Uncle Pierre can repair it. I don't have time to talk. I'm going to be late as it is and you know how Foon Li gets if anybody's late for his astronomy class."
Gabrielle nodded as Eve ran back into the spare bedroom to change quickly. Eve waved goodbye as she ran back down the road towards school. Gabrielle came out and went over to Joxer. "I hope Pierre can repair her skirt."
Joxer placed his arms around his wife. "If anyone can, he can."
Melody kept reading the scroll over and over. "This makes no sense! Tolly? That man wouldn't harm a fly!"
"Mel, I know it makes no sense. I couldn't believe what I was reading at first either, but there are just too many witnesses. He's killed his own family and a few neighbors in cold blood. I've got to bring him in. It's my job."
Melody turned away from her husband. "I hate your job."
Jett wrapped his arms around her. "I know you do, but I'm good at it and it puts food on our table."
Melody stood stiffly in her husband's embrace. "Why can't you be a farmer?" she asked softly.
Jett laughed. "Me, a farmer?" He slowly broke the embrace and Melody walked over to the window. He sighed as his hands fell loosely to his sides. "I've got to go before his trail gets too cold," he added in quietly.
Melody leaned against the windowsill and stared outside. "When will you be back?"
"As soon as I get Tolly and take him in. I'll try to be back before Xena comes."
She nodded once. "You better go, then. Say goodbye to Andy."
"Mel…"
"Just go, Jett."
Jett hesitated for a moment and almost began walking toward her before his face grew expressionless and he slowly walked from the room instead, hearing the sound of Melody softly crying as he walked out the door of their home and into their small front yard where Andy was playing with his wooden sword. "Those are pretty good moves, son."
Andy turned and looked at his father with a big gap-toothed smile on his face. "Thanks, Dad!"
Jett sat down on a rock. "Come here, Andreas. I need to tell you something."
The smile left the little boy's face as he approached his father and stood in front of him. His father never called him that unless something was wrong. "Yes sir?"
"Andy, I'm going away for a few days and I'm leaving you in charge."
Andy stood before Jett as tall and as proudly as a five year old could manage. "I'll do a good job, Dad."
"I know you will." Jett replied as he ruffled his son's hair and then knelt down and gave him a big hug. "I've got to go now. Be good for your mother. I'll miss you," he whispered in Andy's ear. Jett rose to his feet and walked into the stable where his horse was, Andy following behind him. The little boy watched his father with a solemn expression on his face as Jett saddled up then mounted his horse.
Andy moved to the side and looked up at Jett. "Everything will be just as you left it, Dad."
Jett nodded and started to ride away when Melody ran out, calling to him. "Jett! Jett!"
Jett wheeled his horse around and Melody ran over to him. He quickly got off his horse as she ran into his arms. "Please be careful. I love you."
"I'll be careful, Mel. I promise. I love you too," Jett rasped in Melody's ear. He held her a little longer, closing his eyes as he deeply breathed in the vanilla scent of her hair then let her go. He walked over to his horse, remounted, and rode away, looking over his shoulder once before urging the horse into a gallop.
Melody felt her son's hand touch hers. "Don't cry, Mommy. He'll come back."
Melody sadly smiled down at her son and put her arm around his shoulders. "I know."
Eve arrived at school, slightly out of breath from her full run from Gabrielle and Joxer's home and saw Adora talking to Stephanos. She hurried over to them. "Dorie, why aren't you in Foon Li's class? You know how he feels about students being late!"
Adora and Stephanos ignored Eve. Suddenly, Adora reached up and kissed Stephanos forcefully on the lips. "I've got to go now, Stephy, but I'll see you later," Adora purred.
Eve stared at the two of them. "What's going on here?" she demanded.
"What's it look like, Evie?" Adora replied. "I asked Stephanos to the dance and he said yes."
"But you can't go to the dance! You're grounded and Stephanos is my boyfriend!"
Adora smiled at Eve. "I'm going to that dance and sweet Dad ain't gonna stop me."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"I'll use my powers if I have to."
Eve shook her head. "Your powers? I thought you lost them."
"Nah, I've just been Daddy's little girl, but now it's time for Daddy's little girl to grow up. See you, Stephanos."
"Stephanos is MY boyfriend," Eve repeated.
Adora smirked. "Really? Let him speak for himself. Stephanos, are you Eve's boyfriend?"
Stephanos looked at Adora and grinned. "Eve? Who's Eve?" He then took Adora's hand and they walked inside. Adora turned around and stuck out her tongue at Eve.
Once inside, Adora took Stephanos inside a storage closet. "Better turn myself back, handsome, and take the spell off you. There's nothing worse than a best friend stealing a boyfriend."
Aer giggled as she changed herself back into her "Dinah" disguise and looked at Stephanos, who stared at her blankly. "Well, handsome, as soon as I leave here, you won't remember a thing that happened in the last twenty minutes." Aer snapped her fingers and left Stephanos alone in the storage closet.
Stephanos shook his head and looked around, wondering what he was doing in a storage closet. He walked out and spotted Eve hurrying down the hall. "Eve! Hey Eve! Wait up! I'll walk you to your class."
Eve stopped in her tracks and whirled around to face him. Stephanos halted in the middle of the hall when he saw the look on Eve's face - and her eyes. The blue eyes were like her mother's were when she was furious and the young man gulped nervously. "Eve?"
"Don't you Eve me, Stephanos!" she snapped.
"Eve, what's wrong?" Stephanos asked with a very confused expression on his handsome features.
"You can take Adora to the dance. I wouldn't go with you if you paid me!"
"WHAT? Adora? I don't want to take Adora! I want to take you!"
Eve turned around and walked away from Stephanos, paying no attention to him as he called her name several times before he finally gave up. He turned around and walked to his philosophy class, shaking his head in puzzlement.
When Eve got to Foon Li's class, she opened the door and walked inside. The astronomer from Chin looked at her disapprovingly. "You're late, Eve."
"I'm sorry, sir," Eve replied. "I..." she started to give an explanation as to why she was late, but the astronomer put his hand up, signaling her to keep silent.
"I don't like students to be late for class. Lateness creates disharmony. You will write me an essay on the composition of stars and it is due next week. Now take your seat," he said.
Eve started to walk to her usual seat but decided not to sit there and took another one instead.
"Is there something wrong with your seat, Eve?" Foon Li asked.
"No sir," answered Eve.
"Then I suggest that you sit in your own seat."
Eve nodded as she went back to her own seat and sat down. Adora smiled at her but Eve ignored her.
