Rating: PG
Pairing: J/G
Setting: Australia 'The Great South Land'
Beta reader: Delkon.
Author's Notes: This is set the first night after Gabrielle fell in love with Joxer in my `Under the Cross' fanfic.

Night One:

As the two lovers fell to sleep after the first day of walking back to the ship, which was a few days journey to the south, they began to dream. They shared the same dream, which was very different to the dreams the god Morpheus gave them. This dream was far more beautiful and more vivid.

On this first night that they shared a dream, they saw what looked like a normal torch that they had both used many times but it looked different somehow. They saw it being carried by person after person after person on a strange black path... All the while people (more than they had ever seen) lined the strange path waving, cheering, and crying. The two lovers knew this must not be an ordinary torch. It was as if this torch meant everything to everyone who saw it. Even the people who carried it cried and laughed as they walked. As the two lovers continued to watch this torch trek across this huge island they realized what it meant. This torch represented the hopes and dreams of this nation. Dreams of peace, friendship and love not only for this nation but for the whole world.

Gabrielle could see a link one of many for the dreams. There seemed to be an incredible innocence and joy to the people as the torch passed them by. It was the same beautiful qualities she saw in her new lover. She remembered that it was those same feelings that filled her soul when he danced with her by the river the previous day. It was those qualities that also made her realize that she loved him.

The dream continued like this until they woke up together the next morning. They then got into a feverish discussion about their shared dream. They continued this as they packed up camp and got ready for the next leg of their journey back to the ship. They were amazed at the beauty of it all as well as the strange buildings in the island's cities. They somehow knew it was being carried across the land they were in which could explain another of the reasons they were having these dreams now. They continued their discussion as they headed south to the waiting ship, feeling more peaceful than ever. It was as if the hopes of all the people in their dream had filled their souls.

Night two:

After the second day's journey, the two lovers again fell asleep very quickly, both wondering what they would dream. They had spent most of the day talking about all the wonders of their previous night's dream.

Again, their dreams were of the torch and its relay through the massive island, though the towns and villages it passed by in this dream were different. At one stage in their dream, they recognized the landscape and the river they had just been to. The town that in two and a half thousand years would be called Maitland. Again thousands watched as the torch passed by.

In a grassy area in the town, Joxer noticed one man in the huge crowd He was holding a strange device in one hand pointing it at the runner with the torch. For some reason Joxer felt a connection to this man. Both Joxer and Gabrielle watched in their dream as the runner made his way up to a stage where he used the torch to light what looked like a large brazier. At that moment everyone cheered. There was music and everyone there had the time of their lives. Again the two lovers were amazed at the innocence of it all. The same innocence that was such an amazing part of Joxer's character.

As the torch relay continued, it passed many more towns, carried and watched by many more people a long the way. In time the torch made it's way to the island's largest city. As it approached this huge city the numbers watching it pass by grew substantially. Neither Joxer or Gabrielle had ever seen so many people. All of them were having the time of their lives. They both knew this relay meant an incredible amount to the nation as a whole, just as their now mutual love for each other meant everything to them.

At that stage, the dream ended for that night. Again, with renewed energy, the two lovers made ready for the next leg of their journey. After a moment to bask in the love, they washed up, ate another beautiful breakfast (thanks to the scroll), and cleaned up the campsite. They then continued the southern journey to the ship. Again they could not stop talking about their shared dream as they went.

Night three:

As the two lovers again fell asleep they were not surprised when the dream of the last two nights continued. This time they saw the torch get passed through the center of the island's largest city. The city that would be known as Sydney. They could only guess at the numbers now watching and cheering the torch relay, it could have been over a million people, although they both could barely comprehend that number.

Once again they were completely astonished at the size of everything. The buildings seemed to reach up to the sky. There was a very large metal bridge going across the city's harbor. At one point the torch made a stop at a very odd looking building. It seamed to be shaped like several ship sails. The torch was even carried to that buildings highest point. The whole scope of it all was almost beyond each of the lover's wildest imagination.

They then watched as the torch made its way to a boat that took the much valued torch up a river in the city. This part of the journey did not take long. Then it was carried from the ship and made its way to a large stadium. It, like the city, was filled to capacity with people.

It was at this point their third night's dream ended. Again they awoke filled with the joy and spirit of all the people in their dream. It gave the lovers hope for the future, knowing that such innocence and visions of peace would withstand the test of time. After their now usual morning routine, they continued the trek to the ship.

As they walked, they got to talking about their dreams up to this point. "Joxer, these dreams are incredible. But they are so innocent just like you. Somehow I can see that same beautiful innocence in you. Its part of the reason why I have fallen in love with you." Gabby's words were the most beautiful Joxer had ever heard.

Her kind words caused his heart to swell with emotion. It began to beat harder and faster. Joxer took his love's face in his gentle hands and, with tears in his eyes, told her, "Gabby that... that... is so beautiful. Thank you, I love you so much." The love he felt for the beautiful bard completely overwhelmed him and the dam burst and he fell to the ground in a torrent of painful tears. All of his life's memories rushed through him. All the emotions he had been bottling up inside him for so long sprang free. The beatings he had received at home as a child. The extreme loneliness he felt when he left home. The happy and sad times he shared with his only real family. The heartbreak he felt when Gabby told him that she found it funny about the idea of her loving him. The incredible pain he felt when his best friend attacked Gabrielle in the Amazon Village, dragging her behind her horse. The agony of watching her fall into that fire pit with her daughter. Despite all of this, his love for the Amazon Queen never faltered, if anything, it just grew and grew. As he knelt on the ground in tears the bard sat down with him and just hugged him gently. She knew what he needed as she sat just hugging and rocking him whispering, 'I love you' over and over as her own tears fell down her perfect cheeks.

The bard felt Joxer's love flood her whole body. It was very similar to the feelings she had experienced in her dreams. "Come on, Pookie, we must keep going, we still have to get back to the ship." With that she took his hand in hers and they continued their easy walk back to the ship.

Night four:

As Joxer and Gabrielle went to sleep in the forest on the northern outskirts of what would, in time, be known as Sydney, the dreams continued. This time their dreams were filled with the amazing celebrations inside the huge stadium they saw at the end of their previous nights dream.

The massive performance in the stadium seemed to be centered around a small blonde girl named Nikki. To the two sleeping lovers, the performance showed what was to be this land's future development. Early in the ceremony a tall woman, a band, plus everyone in the stadium sung what must have been this land's national song. The words 'Advance Australia fair' filled the minds of the two heroes. When the song ended there was a huge cheer unlike either of the lovers had ever heard. A huge swell of emotion filled the two sleeping heroes.

More songs were beautifully performed during this huge ceremony. All of which were incredibly uplifting. None more so than as song called 'Heroes Live Forever'. Both lovers wished that were true. But both knew even while they slept that they may not live forever but their love for each other would.

At one point in the ceremony they saw the torch enter the stadium to the rapturous cheers of everyone there. It entered the stadium to a incredibly beautiful song called 'The Flame.' It filled everyone, including two sleeping lovers, with an amazing amount of hope and happiness. It was carried by several women before it was finally carried by a dark skinned woman up to what looked like a man-made waterfall. To the complete amazement of Joxer and Gab, she used the torch to light the water around her. Then a huge metal disk rose up around her like a huge version of Xena's chakram. The flames blazed at the inner part of the disk. It made its way up to the very top of the stadium and formed a huge torch above the stadium.

With the speeches they heard during the huge ceremony they realized another connection to why they were having these dreams. This whole ceremony they were dreaming was the future ceremony used to open the Olympic Games. Both being Greeks, they knew all about Olympic Games. Neither had seen those games though. Gabrielle could not because women were not welcome to participate or watch. Joxer never did because he was never invited. Both knew though it was about different events competed by nude men. Both wondered if this version of their games were the same. Seeing so many women performing and in the crowd they had spotted the first big difference.

Another big difference they saw was when all the nations who were participating in the games entered into the stadium. Some the two lovers knew, Greece, their homeland. There was Italy, China, Japan, Spain and a few others. Most they never heard of like the United States of America. As all the nations entered they noticed yet another difference to their games, women were allowed to participate in the games. Gabrielle mused in her dream, Looks like the games have improved a lot if this is the future of them. They were amazed again, this time by the number of competing nations. There were around two hundred if they both counted correctly.

Something in their dream told them this was very near to where they were now sleeping in exactly two and a half thousand years from now. Then the two love birds awoke. As they did they could only look at each other in total awe at the memory of their shared dreams. These dreams were filled with complete euphoria, of complete and utter joy. "Wow" was all each could mutter at the memory. Filled with these emotions, they were ready to begin the last day's journey to their ship in record time. Again as they walked, they could not stop talking about all the music, color, songs and events that were played out in their sleep.

Night five through to night twelve:

They arrived on their small ship late in the day. As soon as they had put all their gear aboard their ship, they left the sandy shores of 'Bondi Beach'. The two lovers continued to talk about their recent dreams and what they meant to them over a beautiful dinner and also as they got ready for sleep. They both wondered, now that they were off the island, whether or not they would continue to have these amazing dreams. They did not have long to wait to find out.

As the two lovers fell asleep in each others arms, they continued to have the vivid dreams. However, this time, the dreams were of the competitions of the future games. This night's dreams were of the swimming events. They noticed the intense friendly 'battle' or rivalry being waged between the host nation and a nation called the United States of America. Whenever the Aussies (as the host nation like to call themselves) won, the crowd watching would launch into a euphoric cheer, some even crying. The Aussies' love of Sports was already apparent to the two sleeping lovers.

Gabrielle knew that in their world people would often gather in large crowds but the 'battles' then were far from friendly. Normally the competitors would battle to the death. In these dreams, the people were much happier and the sport friendly but just as competitive. Both Joxer and Gabrielle were amazed by the difference. It also pleased the bard's heart to see women compete on equal footing as the men.

In the following eleven nights of their massive journey home they dreamed about most of the other sports in these future Olympic Games. Both Joxer and Gabrielle loved the wrestling and fencing events as well as the 'track and field' athletic events. As always they were amazed at the friendly happy nature of all the people watching.

They enjoyed the idea that when a competitor won an event that homeland of that competitor had their national song, called an anthem, played. They even heard the Greek National anthem four times. Although neither of the lovers had heard this Greek 'anthem' before.

When it came to the twelfth night of there shared dreams they noticed the last of the links to why they were having these dreams. On this night they dreamed of the games closing ceremony. In that ceremony they heard the announcement that Greece would be hosting the games in four years. Not only that, it was to be held in Joxer's home city of Athens. It was then the two lovers awoke with fresh excitement, both wondering and hoping they would get to dream about those games as well.

The beautiful blond bard, thanks to the dreams, gained even more respect for her lovable dork. She knew how important innocence, visions of peace, fun, and games were. There was so much more to life than fighting and Joxer was certainly proof of that. She knew that even though her clumsy lover could not fight very well, there were many things he was more skilled at. He could always make one laugh even when they were down. He would make long, normally boring treks a lot more fun by inventing silly games. She could see from these dreams that the world needed those things as much as she did and how important those qualities were.

Joxer, thanks to the amazing dreams, found that their mutual love just kept growing and growing. By the end of the dreams he found the courage to ask what to him always seemed impossible. After they had finished their midday meal Joxer got up from his seat and went over to the perfect blonde and knelt before her. With tears pouring from his brown orbs, he ever so gently reached for her beautiful strong hands with his. The moment was so scary, so powerful to him, he was shaking all over. His mouth was completely dry as he spoke.

"Gabrielle Queen of the Amazons, Soulmate to Xena Warrior Princess, Bard of Poteidaia, will you give me the incredible honor of being my wife?"

Gabrielle was stunned for a moment but, with the same love in her beautiful piercing green orbs that she saw in his, answered. "Yes, Joxer the Dreamer. Yes, I will be your wife." With that, both Joxer and Gabrielle hugged each other mightily, tears spilling down their faces. When they ended the hug Joxer gave Gabs a beautifully long and very tender kiss which sent shivers through them both.

When the kiss ended they were amazed to find a glass bottle filled with what looked like a clear watery liquid placed on the ground beside them. The bottle was in a tin bucket filled with ice. Next to the bucket were two long and narrow glasses. When the bard checked the scroll it told her the drink was Champagne and it was to celebrate their engagement. When Joxer tried to pour the Champagne into the first of the glasses, he moved too quickly and the bubbly fluid spilled over the glass. His fiancé offered to poor the drinks instead. With a lot more care she was able to fill both glasses with Champagne.

By the time they both had finished two glasses worth apiece, they were feeling very light headed. But both managed to stumble to the bed to begin to consummate the engagement in a far more entertaining way. (As this is a PG rated scroll...)

Please take the time to write to Howard at hmcgee@bigpond.net.au and let him know how you liked the story!

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Joxer, and all other characters who have appeared in the series, together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of StudiosUSA and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement of copyrights or trademarks is intended in the writing of this fan fiction. This story is © 2004 by Howard McGee and is his sole property along with the story idea. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.