Summary: Joxer runs into a woman from his past, that triggers dark memories of his past, and secrets he doesn't want his friends to know.
Disclaimer: Hey if TPTB don't want Joxer then why should I have a disclaimer.
Joxer slapped the coin on the bar with exaggerated motions, cracking a silly grin at Gabrielle who couldn't help chuckling softly. She knew that he was doing it on purpose, mainly to try and make her feel better. They'd had a hard day, and he somehow managed to make it bearable.
" I'd better go help Xena with Eve."
Joxer eased off his persona and nodded seriously. " Yeah, that might be a good idea. She looked like she was almost dead on her feet."
The bard squeezed his hand tenderly, enjoying the feel of that simple touch. She didn't love him, not in that way at least, but he was a good friend. He returned the contact by turning his hand and intertwining their fingers briefly.
" I'll be back in a few minutes."
Joxer leaned back taking great pleasure in watching her walk upstairs. In the way her hips gently swayed from side to side. The way her light blonde almost white hair glistened under the light from the windows. The way her muscles were pulled tautly...
" Well, well, well. If it isn't the mighty one..."
He stiffened, instinctively leaping away and around, until his back was against the wall. The female warrior closed the distance between them until the sword in his hands was pressing into her heart. The panic flooded his soul making his hands shake so violently that the sword vibrated and fell uselessly to the floor.
The warrior simply smiled and brushed her body against his, then pulled him into a kiss...
He gripped the water bottle tightly as he gurgled the mouthful of water desperately and spitting it into the bushes. His stomach heaved once again as he could still taste the bitter flavor of her mouth. His throat burned horribly as the dry heaves stopped again. He'd long since lost his lunch and his breakfast, for that he was thankful.
" Feeling better?"
Joxer closed his eyes not wanting to face his two friends. He got lucky, they'd missed it, all they'd seen was him racing out of the inn and out of town like Ares after Hercules. That wouldn't stop the questions though, or the concern.
He took a shaky breath and forced himself to stand up, swaying a second before finally getting his barring's. " I guess I shouldn't have had that second plate of lamb, huh?"
Gabrielle's concern melted into annoyance as she turned to head back. " I swear you can be such a moron."
He let out a soft sigh of relief, which he quickly turned into a cough as Xena locked him with a penetrating gaze. She was to sharp for his good, and right now he wasn't sure he could keep up his act. " We'd better get back..."
He felt rather than saw Xena fall into step beside him, her eyes on him the entire time, searching for the truth. He stopped as Xena sped up and moved in front of him, blocking his path. " Alright. What really happened back there?"
" I told you." He side stepped her, or at least tried to, but she was too fast. Over her shoulder he could see Gabrielle standing less than two feet away listening with obvious confusion.
" And that woman that kissed you had nothing to do with it." Xena responded.
" What woman?" A red ring appeared around Gabrielles neck and spread upwards as she reclosed the distance, her voice becoming deadly. " Joxer?"
The silly grin that he'd plastered on his face vanished, replaced by an emotionless mask that even Xena couldn't read.
" Stay out of it." In one swift spin he was around both women and walking briskly back with no sign of his usual clumsiness.
Gabrielle stared after him in shock, there had been only one time she'd ever seen him with that kind of grace, when he was under the bell spell. " Wh...How...?"
" I don't know but I intend to find out."
Xena stood in the doorway scanning the scum that inhabited the tavern, stopping as she saw the woman she was looking for. She recognized the warrior as one of Ares warlords. The dark haired woman had been one of Xena's soldiers back when she was still with Ares. The warrior woman was covered in scars, with weapons scattered all over her body.
Beside her she could feel Gabrielle stiffen as she too noticed the woman. She had wanted the bard to go back to the inn with Joxer but her friend had that dangerous look in her eye, the one that meant there would be some bodily harm done before the day was out.
Gabrielle pushed past her roughly approaching the table fast. Cursing herself softly she started after the bard, and grabbed her elbow. " Remember we're hear for answers, not to start a fight..."
The bard yanked her elbow away and whispered fiercely. " Don't worry, you'll get your answers." She twirled her sais once then smiled evilly. " One way or another."
Xena tried to keep up as Gabrielle seemed to sprint the finally yard. The bard somehow throwing the warriors massive weight onto the table and had one of her sais at her throat. " What the hell did you do to Joxer?!"
Xena shook her head and cursed the day her friend had given up ' the way. ' Yes, she'd hated seeing her friend unable to defend herself. Yes, she'd hated the way she was always ' discussing ' love and peace. Yes, she'd wanted to kill her friend sometimes, but at least she wasn't always letting her temper get in the way.
" I think what my friend is so nicely trying to ask is... " She cleared her throat awkwardly, hating having to play good warrior. " Why were you kissing him?"
The warrior cocked an eye brow and chuckled softly. The low rumbling sounding eerily like Ares.
" Oh, you mean the mighty one." She laughed louder as the bards hand tightened the sai against her neck. " What can I say? I've missed him ever since he quite working at Meg's."
Gabrielle's face became solid red as her hand convulsed drawing a thin red line of blood from the warriors neck. Xena tried to get past the cold, numb shock that engulfed her very soul. Through the haze of complete oblivion she was dimly aware that she needed to pull herself back together, if for any other reason so that she could stop her friend from killing the warrior.
The bards almost silent hiss snapped her back to reality. " You're lying."
Xena reached out and latched onto her friend just as the bard began to slice the warriors neck. Gabrielle elbowed her, to caught up in her anger, leaping back at the warrior and throwing a round house punch that made a sickening thud through the now rowdy room. " I'll kill you..."
Xena gritted her teeth and locked the bards arms behind her back. Ignoring the small bard that was violently growling and squirming, she calmly spoke. " You'd better talk fast before I let her go."
The warrior groaned softly and pulled herself to her feet. The bloody, swollen nose looking like nothing but a hang nail on her. " I'm sorry, if I'd realized you were the one's that bought him I never would have touched him." She smiled almost sweetly, " How much?"
" Excuse me?" Xena asked sharply through narrowed eyes.
" To borrow your property for a couple of hours. I promise not to leave him...permanently injured."
Xena ground her teeth and loosened her hold on Gabrielle's arms just as the bard let out a war cry, surging forward so powerfully that she almost went right past her target. Shrugging slightly she sat down on a nearby set to watch the fight. She glanced at the table momentarily and perked up. " Oooh pie..."
"... Was it really necessary to shove the last pit in her face?"
Joxer wearily glanced up at his two friends, who were looking very proud of themselves, especially Gabrielle.
" After what she said?" Gabrielle scowled darkly. " Tarnishing his honor like that."
Xena pouted at her friend. " But it was the last pie, and it was banana cream."
" Who's honor?" He didn't really care, but right now he needed some sort of distraction. The memories he'd worked so hard to bury had been brought back by that simple kiss.
Gabrielle plopped down next to him and bumped into him playfully. " Your's. You wouldn't believe what Jalin said about you."
He stiffened as the memories threatened to over take him. ' Oh, god no. Please not them, I don't want them to know.. Oh please... Anything but this...' He stared across the table into Xena's crystal blue eyes, as Gabrielle continued to talk.
" ...She actually said that you used to work for Meg. Can you believe that? Then if that wasn't bad enough she thought we'd bought you like some sort of slave and actually asked us to let her ' rent ' you."
His breath began to speed up until he was on the verge of hyperventilating. The mug in his hand popped and cracked as his hands turned white from clinging to it. He could see Xena's gaze intensify and darken. ' Oh god they know...'
"...but I taught her a lesson. She won't be walking..." She finally trailed off as the cup in his hands completely broke and the wood splintered into his hand. She swallowed as she noticed his reaction. " Joxer? She...she was lying. Right?"
He forced his hand and body to relax, what was left of the cup falling to the table. He ignored Xena, ignored the panic, ignored his bleeding hand and gave his love his trade mark smile. " Of course she was. Do you really think Meg would ever let me work there?"
There was a spark of doubt in her eyes, but her need to believe that he was the same goofy, pure hearted warrior without any ghosts over rode her common sense. She returned his smile and leaned into him. All was right with the world, and her friends honor had been defended. Now she could eat.