Getting to Know Your Daughter

I don't own Xena and if Joxer had owned a condom we wouldn't be having this conversation now

Joxer walked through the Athens streets with little Amerielle's hand in his. Joxer didn't look at her because he really didn't know what to do. He knew nothing about girls, and was now stressed out because he has to raise one. Gabrielle and Xena were close behind. Both were still in utter amazement of the events that had just transpired.

Hard to see who was shocked more, Xena or Gabrielle. Gabrielle had a hard time picturing Joxer with another woman. Not that she wanted him or anything but she was used to him going after her, so the idea of another woman and this woman having a child that was Joxer's was just amazing to her. Xena just found it incredible that Joxer was with a woman, period. She knew Meg liked him but that was different. Course Joxer paid for it. Talk about getting your money's worth.

Finally they exited Athens to travel the countryside. Joxer let go of Amerielle's hand as he did what he always did when he had no idea what to do, he asked Xena, "What am I going to do?"

Xena knew that Joxer was completely lost here as she eyed the little girl in the background saying, "Well for starters you could talk to her." Joxer turned his head back and looked at her and then turned back toward Xena she continued, "Go on, she won't hurt you."

Joxer went to the little girl who was holding very tightly to her teddy bear. Joxer stood over the nervous little girl and said, "Hey." She looked up at the man looming over him and said nothing

Xena said, "Kneel, go to her eye level." Joxer dropped to one knee. Then he said, "Hey." The child still just looked at him wordlessly,

Xena wanted to slap him for his ineptness, however she said, "C'mon Joxer, you can do better than that."

Joxer focused for a moment and then finally asked, "Um. Well. How old are you?" The girl held up five fingers.

Joxer said forcing a smile to hide his own fears of failure, "Five. Wow. What do you like?" The girl made a riding motion. Joxer looked at Xena searching for a clue.

Xena said, "Put her on your back. I think she likes riding, you know, like a horse."

"Um, ya sure," Replied an unconfident Joxer.

Xena smiled at the little girl warmly as she asked, "Would you like to go for a ride?" Amerielle shook her head yes.

Joxer went to his hands and knees and waited for her to on. She stepped back and did not climb on. Gabrielle knew instinctively she just needed a little encouragement as she then reached out and picked up the little girl and placed him on Joxer's back. Joxer, still clueless did not move a muscle as Xena said, irritated at Joxer's ineptness, "C'mon Joxer, do I have to tell you everything? crawl."

Joxer started crawling as the girl started rocking slightly with a smile on her face. Joxer, finally starting to get into it began going left and then right, crawling across the ground. The child who still would not speak began to laugh as Joxer rocked her back in forth on his back.

Xena smiled a little as she looked at Gabrielle who was laughing happily as sight. Joxer grabbed Amerielle's hands to keep her from fall as he reared up roaring playfully while Amerielle laughed. Finally after a bit of playing Joxer set her on the ground. He had to admit that it felt good making her laugh. Then finally the four of them continued northwards towards Thebes.

The entire time, whether or not Joxer or anyone played with her she didn't talk. Not one word. Xena figured that it had to do with a combination of the death of her mother and all these new people. Night fell as Xena choose a nice place to rest up for the night. Xena took an animal skin and laid it on the ground as Joxer held the little girl in his arms. Amerielle stared at him with her vivid green eyes the whole time as he carried her around.

Finally Joxer said, "Ok Amerielle, bed time." He sat her on the skins and wrapped them around her. Xena saw the whole thing and grabbed the man as he left Amerielle's. Xena demanded, "What are you doing? Your just going to lay her there and expect her to fall asleep?"

Joxer replied, "Why not."

Xena, dumbfounded at his response asked, "Didn't anyone tell you stories until you slept?"

Joxer replied, "Not really, dad said only weaklings need to be told stories to sleep. A real warrior just lays down and go to sleep."

Xena smacked him once across the head and said, "You damn idiot. She is not a warrior, she is your daughter and this is her first night like this."

Joxer now understand a bit asked, "But what do I tell her?"

Xena smiled at finally seeing Joxer's look of understanding, "Make something up, your good at that." Joxer walked back towards Amerielle and sat on the ground next to her as she looked at him with her emerald green eyes.

Joxer said touching her hand, "Hey, wanna hear about the dryads." She looked and didn't say anything. Joxer took her lack of reaction as a yes and then said, "Ok, you see me and Xena and Gabrielle were in this grave…. Um field and this dryad jumped out of the ground. Um.. It was made of bones and it tried to atta…. Attack us.. Well Gabrielle and Xena were being attacked by this creature and um, I took my sword and fought it off so they could get away."

Gabrielle was about to say something as she stood beside Xena off to the distance, however Xena stopped her. Xena said, "Let him tell it his way." Gabrielle gave a half smile and decided to let Joxer continue. After about fifteen minutes Amerielle appeared to fall asleep. Joxer got up and was about to walk away but suddenly he felt a tug on his boot.

He looked down and she had grabbed his boot. He knew instantly what he should do. Joxer signaled to Xena and Gabrielle to get him a blanket for himself. Gabrielle moved quicker than Xena as she carried a blanket and set it to the right of Amerielle, where Joxer was standing at that moment. Joxer said quietly, "Thank you." Gabrielle nodded and smiled as Joxer laid down on the blanket next to her. Amerielle put her hand on Joxer's hand as she fell back to sleep. Joxer couldn't help but have a slight smile of his own.

Gabrielle returned to Xena's side as she said, "This is so sweet."

Xena replied impressed in her own right, "Yea, it's something."

Gabrielle asked curiously, "What kind of father will Joxer be like?"

Xena smiled, "An idiot but a very caring idiot. He'll be fine." Xena saw Gabrielle staring at the girl smiling.

Xena noticed Gabrielle's almost longing look as she said, "You'll be fine to."

Gabrielle caught in her own thoughts said, "Oh, it will be nice to have her around you know."

Xena said with a concerned look, "How long could we keep her around before we have to help Joxer find a place to raise her? This can't last. We do to many dangerous things for a child to live with us."

Gabrielle knew Xena was right, and yet she saw the other problem saying, "Joxer will need our help. He'll do his best but I can already see that Amerielle is going to need a mother."

Xena asked jokingly as she saw Gabrielle eye Amerielle again, "Thinking of volunteering?"

Gabrielle hesitated a second before answering and then said, "No, of course not. I mean I'd like to help but I have my own path with you."

Xena was taken aback the hesitation of the bard. She then stated, "You don't fight anymore since you found the way of love. This would be perfect for you."

Gabrielle looked at Xena said, "You think? No, I can't do it." Xena breathed a mental sigh of relief, she didn't want Gabrielle to leave her. Gabrielle turned her head back to Amerielle and said, "Would be nice to do that one day in the future. You know, be a mother." She stopped a single tear fell from her eye as she said, "Again."

Xena pointed, "Look at that."

Gabrielle looked at Joxer and Amerielle. When Joxer fell asleep the girl had climbed out of her cover and climbed next to him putting her arms around him. Xena figured she was starting to adapt to Joxer as a father.