Note: This does deal with slavery, sexual abuse of a minor, and Meg's, however there will be nothing graphic. I'm also not so sure this is going to feature Hera like I originally planned. Joxer decided to take this story and run with it... Also I'm too crazy to know how to write accents, so just imagine Erin with an Irish accent.
Disclaimer: Why should I? They don't want Joxer and I do...
" No."
" Joxer..." Jett growled in a way that made even the hardest of warriors lose control of their body.
Joxer, however, simply crossed his arms and pursed his lips together. " No. I'm not hungry."
The over flowing plate in Jett's hand shook as the assassin tried to control his irritation. He was the oldest, the wisest, and damn it that meant Joxer was supposed to do what he said without question. " I won't tell you again. Now eat or I'll..."
" Or you'll what Jett? Hit me? Knock me around a little, maybe kill me? You couldn't raise a hand to me if you tried. " Joxer's expression darkened. " As for that plate, you can take it and shove up your..."
" Joxer, he's right. You haven't had a decent meal in days."
The wanna be warrior softened minutely under Gabrielle's concerned tone, and almost immediately gave in. The smell of the rabbit hit him and made his stomach churn. He swallowed down the urge to up heave and clamped down on those emotions, collapsing on one of the log's that surrounded their camp instead.
Jett dropped the cold mask he kept in place and sat next to his brother. " Jox, if you keep this up you'll kill yourself... Would you really want to do that to me and Jace? After everything that we've been through.."
" Fine..." Joxer yanked the plate from Jett's hands and mechanically forced the food down.
He was taking a chance using that card, Joxer would probably stay mad at him for a couple of days, but at least he was eating. Not only that but his brothers annoying friends were only a few feet away, listening to every word he said. If he didn't nee... want their help, he'd have killed them already.
A decision he was starting to regret, since the second he'd appeared. All they'd been was trouble. No, that wasn't quite true, Xena had been strangely agreeable. A feat that had left him suspicious. Gabrielle, on the other hand, had been resistant.
Something he only let her get away with, because he got the idea that she was trying to protect Joxer. That gesture had been what kept him from inflicting some major pain, a activity that was becoming more appealing as time went by. Protecting his baby brother was one thing, protecting Joxer from him was another.
How dare that blonde bitch think him capable of hurting Joxer? She deserved to die for that alone. She would die if it wasn't for Joxer. The big lug, just had to go and fall in love with her. A woman who teased, taunted, and played with his emotions. If she also didn't make him so...so...happy he'd put a knife in her that moment.
Unfortunately, happiness and peace was not something his brother had never really known. Not until he'd started traveling with Xena. Besides, they protected him. Something Joxer refused to let him do anymore, which hurt him more than he'd care to admit.
" Look Jox..." He trailed off at the gentle snoring that was coming from the body slumped against his shoulder. With a tenderness, that would've shocked anyone but his brothers into heart attacks, he laid Joxer on his bedroll and draped a warm blanket over him. " Sweet dreams little brother."
He stood up to find himself staring into the coldest blue eyes he'd ever seen. " You want to tell us what's going on?" Xena nodded at Joxer's sleeping form, " Somehow you don't strike me as the comforting type."
Jett eyed her. To answer her question would leave him vulnerable, but if he didn't he wouldn't get the help that he need...wanted from them. He turned his eyes back to his brother, taking in the sunken skin of his face, the haunted look that seemed to cling to him even now when he slept. He cursed himself for hesitating at all. Damn.
He walked a few yards into the woods before turning to the two women. He'd get straight to the point and if they didn't like then so be it. " When we were fifteen we found out that we had a third brother, Joxer, who had been sold at birth as a slave. Uncle Jacob owned him up until he was killed, and Joxer was sold to Meg."
" When we found out what our father did, we ran away and...with a little persuasion Meg agreed to let him go. Ever since I've done everything in my power to make up for what was done to him..." Jett stopped trying to regain his rapidly unraveling composure.
" Last month I heard some rumors that Uncle Jacob wasn't as dead as we thought he was, and last week I managed to confirm it. The problem is that now he's taking back his property, ' all ' of it." He locked his eyes onto Xena, " I need you to protect him while I take care of our uncle once and for all."
" Why bother to tell us? We'd have protected him anyway." Xena asked.
" Because Jacob is one of Ares warriors, one that Ares sent on some special mission that left him with a more powerful army. Even you couldn't take on the kind of muscle he has now."
" We'll need to stash him someplace for a while. I know of a series of caves that would work but it's two weeks away."
Jett grinned evilly at the two women. " Don't worry I have the perfect place..."
" Wow..." Gabrielle breathed as the ranch came into sight.
It sat on a open field in the middle of thick forest. On the right she could see a large lake with a river running into it. On the left was a large fenced in field with dozens of horses running free and playing. An enormous barn was behind the fair sized house.
What gave her a real surprise was the way Joxer shed his armor, letting it fall to the ground as he raced across the field towards the horses. One of the horses, light gold in color, trotted over to met him. She head bunted his chest sending him back few steps.
" Hiya, Gabby..." He whispered lovingly rubbing on her neck as she nuzzled him happily. " I missed you too..."
Xena chuckled as she came up next to him to pat the beautiful horse. " Gabby huh?"
" Yeah..." Joxer replied sheepishly his old self emerging briefly. He pointed to a dark gray horse that was roughly playing with a muscular black horse. " The gray one is Xena and the black one is Ares..." He craned his neck smiling hugely as a light gray and white spotted colt came into view. " And that's their daughter Eve..."
" Only you would name horses after all of us..." Gabrielle muttered distractedly, petting Gabby, already falling for the gentle spirit.
" They fit them. There's Dite..." He exclaimed as a white blonde horse strutted up. " I'll introduce Herc and the others later..."
Xena watched the horses interact with each other, and found herself understanding what he meant. The horse named after her snapped her head around fixing her with intelligent eyes.
" Joxer, where'd you get all of them?"
" He bred them..."
They turned to the soft voice that had the gentle Irish accent. It belonged to a gorgeous woman with a thick mass of wavy red hair, and passionate green eyes. Her lower lip jutted out into a pout, " What, are you too fierce a warrior to give me a hug now?"
Joxer ignored the friendly jab and took her into his arms. The red head seemed to fit perfectly into his arms, her body molding to his easily. " You don't know how good it is to see you again."
She shuddered as she felt how thin he'd gotten. She hadn't missed the how hollow his eyes were, or the way he tensed up. Something had happened to make him relapse. She forced her voice to stay light. " If you missed me so much, then what took you so long to come back."
A loud snort made them turn back, to see Gabby stomping her foot and nodding her head at Joxer. The golden beauty only calmed when he began to pet her again, giving him one good bunt to show her displeasure with him.
Morrigan reached over patting her strong neck, " She's missed you. Every time you go off she becomes restless."
" She has the soul of an explorer." He murmured.
" Which is why she should go with you."
Joxer sighed at her persistence. She was right and he knew that, but he was afraid that Gabby would get hurt. The free spirited horse meant too much to him to let that happen. In an attempt to change the subject he spoke again. " Guys, this is a very old and dear friend of mine, Erin."
" Well, if what Joxer says is true than we should get along fine." Xena said warmly, with a warning glare at Gabrielle who had tensed up.
" Why don't I show you to your rooms?" Erin suggested.
She hooked her arm through Joxer's, subtly leading him towards the house. He was leaning into her for support, practically dead on his feet.
" I thought this was Joxer's house?"
Erin fought back the smile that threatened to emerge at the under tone in Gabrielle's voice. She had wanted to met the bard since Joxer had first admitted to being in love with her.
" It is."
" Then you're just visiting?"
" No, I live here." Erin could hear the bard grounding her teeth, and allowed a hint of a smirk to appear. Oh, this was defiantly going to be fun.
" Oh? How long have you been living here?"
" Since our wedding night..."