Possible Future

I'm too broke to Own Xena.

It was night as Xena quietly woke up Gabrielle who was lying beside Amerielle. They left Amerielle still clutched to Joxer. Gabrielle asked annoyed from being woken up, "What do you want?" Xena signaled with her finger that she wanted to talk more privately. Gabrielle reluctantly got up, shaking the sleep out of her head.

Once they got far enough away Xena said, "I want to know what it is you want."

Gabrielle thought about it for a moment. Then she said, "Why don't the four of us find a place to settle down. Joxer could have his house for him and Amerielle and we could have ours. Two little cottages in a village."

Xena was taken aback by such an answer. She asked Gabrielle, "Are you sure that's what you want?"

Gabrielle looked into Xena's eyes, amazed how even in the darkness, just how much they shown with a beautiful deep blue. She then said, "You've gone on and on about that vision of us dying on the cross. What if this is our chance to avoid it?"

Xena hid her emotion from the bard, hoping that she could not see her desire to save Gabrielle from that fate as she asked changing the subject, "What about all the good we would do in the world."

Gabrielle quickly replied, "How many times must we save the world. Besides who's to say we can't leave and do something good once in a while. Hercules said that back when he had his kids that he would be home and then someone would come to him and he would go help them. Then he would come back and be with his family."

Xena said with a smile, "What would we do for fun?"

Gabrielle replied with a wink, "Enjoy each other's company."

Xena bowed her head as she said, "You really want to be this girl's mother, don't you?"

Gabrielle stopped for a moment as she went deep in thought. Did she really want this? To be this child's mother. She finally said, "Yes I do."

Xena asked, "Why don't you just wait and find yourself a good man and have a child of your own? Unless you're thinking of doing that with Joxer?"

Gabrielle shook her head quickly dismissing the idea as she replied, "No I'm not interested in Joxer that way. But it's like this, I'd have a child, I'd have a good friend, Joxer, and I'd have you."

Xena said pointedly, "If you didn't have Joxer that way, then you'd be more like a live in aunt."

Gabrielle replied as she turned to look at the sleeping child, "Do you think that would really matter to Amerielle? She just lost her mother; maybe replacing her would be the wrong thing."

Gabrielle thought for a moment and then regaining her feelings on the issue she said, "Joxer is a good father, but the two of us could be good female figures for her. That's something she will need. Besides, I can't think of a better place for a child to grow. In a nice peaceful village with just the four of us, and if I find someone, so be it, if you find someone, so be it. If Joxer found someone, then so be it."

Xena said touched the bard's shoulder, "So that's it. Just do that and be happy. I don't think you would be. I think eventually you'll remember that she is not your child. Then you won't be happy because you want a child. Oh you'll love her, but it won't be the same. It'll cause you pain."

Gabrielle turned away from Xena for a moment and thought about as Xena hand remained on Gabrielle's shoulder. Gabrielle then turned around, "Then what do we do about Joxer?"

Xena then said, "You know what, I think Joxer can handle himself in that department. Sure when she gets older she would have questions he won't be able to answer but we could always come back."

Gabrielle extended her hands out as she said, "Not if we get crucified. Maybe it's time we face up to something Xena. If we continue on this path one or both of us will die. Maybe not on the cross, maybe even in some far off place somewhere. How long must we fight all the worlds' battles? If you're right and the world needs us that badly what will happen after we are gone? I don't want to do this anymore. But I don't want to leave you. Follow me instead. Maybe you'll find that this will make you happy too?"

The Warrior Princess was moved by the words of the bard. Xena had to acknowledge that Gabrielle could be right. After the conversation Gabrielle said, "I'm going to lie beside Amerielle, lay beside me. There is no reason why you can't sleep next to me."

Gabrielle laid beside Amerielle and put her arm around the little girl again. Xena thought about it and then grabbed her bed roll and sat beside Gabrielle and then finally laid down. Xena put her arm around Gabrielle as Gabrielle took her free hand and grabbed Xena's hand, holding it firmly.

Xena smiled as the four laid there, Joxer with his own arm around Amerielle who had her arm around Joxer. Gabrielle with her arm around Amereille with Xena' arm around Gabrielle. Xena's last thought before falling asleep was 'This is nice.'