Liar, Liar
Disclaimer: not for profit, just for fun… there is an enormous lack of Xena/Joxer Fics out there… and I have caught the bug because I wrote one as a challenge and now I can't stop. Xena, Joxer, Gabrielle, etc. are property of MCA Universal.
ACT III- Aha!
Joxer stood by the stage as it was being decorated. He cringed as his brother did his dance routine in front of everyone. He shrunk a little every time he heard Jace's voice as he practiced with delight. "Yes, that's the groove, right there. I like this groove. Yes, this does it for me. Oh, very much, very good. Mm-m-- yes, I like this one-- turn around, that's it-- back, back, step, step-- " He danced with abandon and Joxer wished he would just stop.
Amoria spotted him and walked up to him with a grin. Joxer looked at her and smiled "What are you smilin' at?" he asked putting an arm on her shoulders.
"Your brother." She said with a nod towards Jace.
"Oh. Uh-- yeah. I'm really sorry about that." Joxer said removing his arm form around her shoulders.
Jace shouted with glee, "Oh, I'm so sexy!" and Joxer cringed yet again.
"What are you apologizing for? Look at him. He's amazing! He's so uninhibited." Amoria said admiringly. Jace chose that second to do a split and really hurt himself as he went down. "Now, that is a true sign of a secure man."
Joxer did not want to be out manned by his effeminate brother. So he stood taller and thought about letting go of his inhibitions. Then he completely over compensated. "Oh-- oh, yeah-- yeah. I'm just sorry he's not dancing… more... You know-- "
Amoria smirked and turned to the flustered brother, "Hm-m. So-- think you could get him to teach me some of those moves?"
"Oh, yeah-- any-anything for you. You know? Um-- uninhibitedness runs in my family."
"Joxer." Amoria said putting a hand on his elbow.
"Yeah?"
"You're trying too hard again."
"Right. I'll go-- get-- Jace." Joxer said and walked away.
Amoria smirked and turned to her fellow band of Amazons. "Come on, girls."
Gabrielle had been watching the exchange with some interest. She couldn't believe that Joxer was falling for someone so wrong for him. Just then Xena was walking towards her. She had not taken the time to notice the frustrated look Xena carried in her features. The determined stride of the warrior did not keep her from greeting her friend. "Hi." She said tersely and continued on her way.
Gabrielle reached out and stopped Xena's progress. "Xena-- I, um-- I wanna ask you something."
Loosing her patience, the older woman paused with a sigh, "Well, make it snappy. I've got a lot of single Greek losers to turn down."
Gabrielle turned her to look towards Joxer and Amoria saying, "what do you think about Amoria-- for Joxer?"
Xena paused and smiled internally. She looked at Amoria, then Joxer and shrugged; "works for me."
"Are you crazy?"
Xena shrugged Gabrielle's arm off of her and turned to face her. "Why did you ask me if you already have an answer?"
"Because she's so wrong for him! He should be with someone that's like-- like-- "
The warrior waited for a moment, then supplied, "-- you?"
"Come on, Xena." Gabrielle rolled her eyes.
"Well, hey, if…you're… not gonna take him, it's not fair of you to stop someone …else… from trying'?" With that the woman walked away. Her annoyance dissipated as she went on her way. She was pretty proud of herself. Although she enjoyed having Joxer all to herself secretly, She wanted him to be happy and she bristled when Gabrielle so callously disregarded his feelings. Now Gabrielle didn't want him to be happy with anyone else. What if she ever found out about Joxer and her? It wasn't like Xena cared if Gabrielle got angry at her' but Gabrielle seemed to have a false sense of entitlement to the man.
She passed by Joxer and gave him a thumbs up and a wink and continued on her way.
--
--
Joxer slinked inside the tavern. He didn't know exactly how he was going to get his brother to teach Amoria some moves. Maybe just maybe if he apologized he would get the desired results. What was he apologizing for? He didn't feel that he needed to. After all Jace was the one who was wrong. He walked up to Jace determined to act as if he approved of his lifestyle and tapped his shoulder. "Jace-- how are ya, Bro?" He sat down across from his bewildered brother and continued. "Listen-- I know whatcha thinkin'-- I've been acting crummy to ya-- and I probably shouldn't 'a said what I said."
"Really?"
"Look-- you're a grown man. You wanna-- dress like a clown, and-- act like a spaz, that is …none… of my business."
"Joxer-- back in the old country… " Jace began disappointed, but Joxer dismissed his words with a wave of a hand.
"Jace-- you're not from the old country-- and you're not from Spain-- and I doubt very much if you've ever even had a plate of Paella."
Jace looked on disappointment shrouded his features like a vail, "I am-- your older brother by half an hour-- and I see that is going to make all the difference in the world. I 'cept your apology-- because I know it is as good as I'm ever gonna get from you-- because you obviously don't know any better. Adios." Jace stood and walked away from his brother.
Joxer sat there for a moment in reflection. He thought about what Jace just told him, and what Xena and Gabrielle said and he really began to feel regret about the way he had been acting. After taking the time to reflect, he had decided that he needed to accept his brother just the way he was. He stood to go find him.
--
--
Xena walked through the back stage. They were doing the final run through of the show and were cutting it real close. "All right, come on. The concert's starting soon."
"Um-- Xena, right?" she heard from behind her. She turned to face this kid with zits on his face. Tall and gangly and instantly felt her blood boil.
She took a breath to calm herself and said, "She left town-- just missed her."
The kid began to plead with her. "Before you say no, hear me out. I may not look like much, but… in a few years… when my face clears up… I'll grow up to be the kind of man your child will be proud to call Dad."
Xena couldn't help but smile at how sweet this child was in front of her. She took the flowers the kid offered her and said, "You know what, kid? That is the nicest offer I've had all day. You shouldn't be in so much of a hurry to grow up." She stalked off, her blood returning to a boil. "Mother." She growled and headed off to find her.
--
--
"Hm-m-m-m-m-m. Mm-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m." Cyrene moaned as she received this massage. Suddenly there was a sharp pain on her neck then a familiar voice filled her ears.
"I'm going to kill you."
Cyrene sat up on the massage table and turned to her frustrated daughter. "All I want is for you to have a family, Xena."
"I have a family." Xena retorted a bit frustrated. She sat next to her mother and sighed. "I've got Gabrielle… I've got Joxer… and as much as it pains me to say it, I've got you. This child's life will be filled with more than enough love."
Cyrene folded her arms beginning to see her daughter's point. "Still, it doesn't replace a father."
Xena growled and stood again, "Oh, for crying out loud, what century are you living in?" then she turned to face her mother to impress her point. "They used to say, that behind every great man there had to be a great woman."
Amoria had been watching the exchange and joined Xena and her mother, "but in these times of change, you know? It's no longer true…"
Another woman came up to them and joined the conversation. "Sisters are doin' it for themselves."
"Girl, isn't that true?" Amoria said.
Xena nodded and sat down again, "Now, what we need to do is celebrate the conscious liberation of the female state."
Amoria continued "It's a state of mind."
"Oh, we aren't makin' stories or layin' plans…" Xena said.
"'Cause a man still loves a woman, and a woman still loves a man."
"Yeah That's right." Xena smiled at her mother and hugged her.
Just then Jace popped up having heard the whole conversation. "I love it! I love it! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"
"You've always danced to the beat of your own drum, Xena. I suppose it would be foolish of me to stop you now." Cyrene conceded.
"Thanks, Mom."
Cyrene gave her mother another hug but then thought about who could possibly leave her daughter in such a position. She leaned back and looked up at Xena, "Now, who did you say the father was?"
Xena looked at her startled, she never thought her mother would even want to know. She thought about what she should say. Should she lie again? She smiled at her "Gabrielle." Cyrene opened her mouth to speak, but was halted when her daughter sprung to her feet. "I gotta go get the show on the road."
"Well those are amazing fingers." Cyrene said as she watched her daughter walk away.
--
--
"We still need you to perform. Can you please just warm up, in the dressing room?" Gabrielle said walking through the back stage looking for Xena. "Uh, no, you need-you need to put on your costume. Just go to the left. It's on a rack.' She turned a corner and was blocked by instruments piled in a corner. "Could we please
clear this area?"
Xena walked to the back stage trying to navigate in the chaos. "What's going on?" She turned to Gabrielle wondering what the hold up was. "Come on, the crowd's going wild."
"Xena, nobody wants to be the first band."
"All right. You go out there, and stall." She looked around the room and fixed a scowl on her face. "I'll deal with the bands." She reached out and grabbed a passer by, by the collar as Gabrielle went out on to the stage.