Rage

I Own All Things…Except Everything That I Don't Own…Which Is Just About Everything…

Joxer cooked potato stew for breakfast, since no one had found any game for breakfast. Xena did not eat but rather wondered around the edge of the camp. Xena suddenly felt a prickling of her neck and took off into the woods. She said, "Come on out Ares. I can smell you!"

Ares replied smelling himself, "Oh really, you think I stink."

Xena raised an eyebrow as she said, "You said it, not me. So what do you want?"

Ares then walked around casually approaching Xena, "I see what's going on Xena. Your losing your blonde friend to Joxer the Moron. It's funny too, he doesn't even have half the wit you do and he's still robbing you."

Xena said with a cold glare, "Is this what you here for? To taunt me."

Ares replied as he touched Xena's face on the chin slightly, "No Xena, just to remind of something I once said. No good deed goes unpunished. You spent four years with Gabrielle, you trained her, you loved her, you protected her. The first little blonde child comes along and your son dies. Now here she is doing it again. Obviously she doesn't give a damn. Your just there to feel a void, but when she has someone else, like a child, she don't need you. Even I know that's harsh, to be cast aside."

Xena shouted filled with wrath, "You bastard! How dare you!"

Ares said released his touch and slowly stepped away from the warrior, "Course if Joxer had to leave, Gabrielle would come back to you. Snuggle close to you at night again. That's if you still trust her." Ares felt happy with himself as he saw a look come over her. Ares disappeared.

Xena back towards camp in a blind rage. Gabrielle saw the rage in Xena's eyes and got up to demand, "What!" Xena tossed Gabrielle aside and stepped over Amerielle and grabbed Joxer and threw him against the tree.

She ran to Joxer and punched him in the face repeatedly. She punched him the gut as she shouted, "You think you can take her from me, you pathetic moron!"

Amerielle ran at Xena to stop her from attacking her dad. Xena not looking behind her, thinking it was Gabrielle, shoved the child down with her free hand. As she punched Joxer in the face again she heard Gabrielle shout in shock, "Xena!" however she continued to attack Joxer. Gabrielle continued to shout, "You shoved Amerielle!"

Xena was about to punch Joxer again when she heard those words, stopping herself as Joxer's nose and mouth was bleeding. Xena released Joxer and turned to see Amerielle crying in Gabrielle's lap. Xena's anger got replaced by a severe overpowering guilt. She had not known that it was Amerielle behind her. Xena said, "Gab…." Gabrielle cut her off shouting, "What the hell is wrong with you!"

Xena looked completely shocked her own actions as she replied, "I'm… sorry." Xena suddenly took off as Gabrielle carefully laid down Amerielle and went to check on Joxer.

Amerielle who had stopped crying asked, "Is daddy going to be ok?"

Gabrielle was about to say he'll be fine but Joxer said, "It's ok dear, I've taken worse than this."

Then Gabrielle heard laughing. She turned her head and saw Ares materialize behind her. Gabrielle said coldly, "What do you want?"

Ares replied taunting, "I'm just here to say thanks to Joxer's spawn. I never thought it would take a child to drive Xena away from you." He continued to laugh as he disappeared.

Gabrielle said as she wiped away the blood from Joxer's face, "Should've figured Ares was behind that."

Joxer said staring into the bard's eyes, "We should go find Xena."

Gabrielle asked, "Are you sure? She might still be to enraged to deal with." Joxer looked at Gabrielle questioning her senses. Gabrielle then relented, "Your right. I know Xena would never try to hurt a child, so she is probably out there burying herself in her own grief and guilt. We need to go find her. Can you walk?"

Joxer said, "I can but I'll stay here with Amerielle. I think she is a little scared seeing me get hurt like this."

Gabrielle replied in earnest, "Fine, it might be better for me to go alone. I'll be back shortly."

Gabrielle left as Amerielle approached her father asking, "Father, are you going to be fine?" Joxer pulled her close, careful to keep his blood off of her as he said, "People get mad and do things they regret. I'll be fine. Don't worry your cute little head. Everything will be fine."

8

Xena was now several dozen yards or more away from them. She leaned against a tree and sunk their weeping. Yes it was an accident, but she had struck a child. She was enraged and didn't sense who it was behind her. Xena had never struck a child before. Not even Hope. Xena tossed her chakram mad at herself. It stuck in a tree as Xena continued to weep. Then Ares appeared as he placed his hands on her back, "Aw Xena, things go badly. Course now you can join me. I'll make it all better."

Xena shouted, "Go away from me you Son of a Bitch!"

Ares said, "Hey c'mon now!"

Xena stared back over her shoulder at him as she shouted, "Leave me you bastard!"

Ares put his arms across his chest and said, "Fine!" He disappeared.

She continue to sit their in her own guilt and misery then suddenly a voice said, "Xena, you out here?" Xena tried to hide herself from Gabrielle ashamed of her actions.

Gabrielle said, "Xena you taught me to well and your to emotional to be quiet. I heard you. Xena, c'mon, don't hide from me." Xena stepped up and out from a tree.

Xena said, "I don't know what's become of me. I never dreamed I'd strike a child."

Gabrielle said, "I know you wouldn't have done it on purpose." Xena then said, "But I attacked Joxer on purpose. I imagine he is leaving now, swearing off our friendship forever."

Gabrielle said slowly approaching Xena as who was keeping herself back from Gabrielle, "Actually he is hoping that I can talk you into coming back."

Xena a bit surprised, asked, "Why? I attacked someone who is supposed to be my friend. Why would he want me back?"

Gabrielle took a couple steps closer to Xena relieved that this time Xena didn't step back any as Gabrielle said, "We all get angry and once in a while we do something we regret. I myself have been very cold with you. But I want to know why you've been so cold with me, don't spare my feelings."

Xena said, "I see you with Joxer growing closer to him and I'm worried about you. It looks like your trying to replace Hope. Worst part is, it almost seems like your using the fact that Joxer loves you so much as a door to use to put yourself in that child's life."

Those words did hurt Gabrielle a little but Xena was in part right. Gabrielle with a somewhat sullen look on her face replied, "Since Hope died I've felt a hole right here." She pointed at her heart in chest. Gabrielle continued, "I've desired for a long time now to have a child. So yes, I see Amerielle as a second chance to capture what I lost. But I'm not using Joxer's feeling against him. I don't love him."

Xena saw the bard get a little closer as she said, "Gabrielle, I'm sorry. I let my dark side take over."

Gabrielle finally got within arms reach of the warrior and grabbed her shoulder, "I know, it's ok, but come back with me. Tell them."

Xena pulled the bard closer and hugged her tightly as Xena said, "Ok."

8

Gabrielle and Xena chatted as she emerged from the woods. Amerielle got up and stood in front of Joxer arms across her chest as she looked up defiantly at the warrior saying, "I won't let you hurt my daddy?"

Xena smiled as she bent down to talk to the little girl, "You have a brave heart. Just like your father Amerielle. I'm sorry I pushed you and I'm going to apologize to your dad, is that ok?"

Amerielle lowered her arms slowly and said keeping her eye on Xena, "Ok, but don't try anything."

Xena slumped beside Joxer who was sitting beside a tree. Xena said, "Joxer I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

Joxer said replied warmly, "Ah Xena, nothings broken. We're fine."

Xena bowed her head regretfully as she said, "No it's not fine, I came out of the woods and attacked you unprovoked."

Joxer turned his head and looked into the watery blue eyes of the dark haired woman, "Xena, you're my friend. You taught me to love my friends despite their mistakes, so I forgive you."

Xena smiled and said "thanks, you are a wonderful person Joxer."

Amerielle planted herself beside Joxer on his left as Xena stayed by his right. Gabrielle finally set beside Xena on her other side. Finally they all decided to continue on traveling onward.