Rating: G
Violence: Nothing to get worked up about.
Sex: No.
Summary: Xena has a really bad day.
Notes: First, thanks to Kate Campbell for the lyrics. I'd never heard the song, but the theme is nice. I'm not sure I did them justice. I'm all wrapped up in the Jungle Joxer story (those of you who don't have a clue, be patient, it's almost finished) as well as a couple of Round Robins on other lists, plus I'm obligated to write some scripts for a group at my church, and my creativity was a bit overtaxed right now. I just did a sort of sweet story to go with the sweet lyrics. I probably could have worked harder and gotten a dramatic twist out of it, but I didn't. Sorry.

Xena looked out the window, and almost choked on her miserable lukewarm tea. It was raining! Just what she needed. It always made her nervous to leave Gabrielle and Joxer alone together, and leaving them alone together with Eve had her right on the edge of losing it. And they were close to a full day's journey away, even in good weather. Right now, she could barely see from the inn window to the stables.

This hero business sucked sometimes. It had been so all-fired urgent that she meet with King Arkose in order to help him recover his stolen crown, so she dropped everything, leaving the Disastrous Duo alone with her baby daughter so she was able to move faster, and raced right here. Only to find a red-faced monarch who discovered just before her arrival that he had left the damned thing in his vault room, where he had taken it off the last time he'd gone in to get a payment for another hero he'd probably summoned on a purposeless call. Usually, Xena refused payment for her deeds, but this time, she'd made sure she was paid, and well.

Then, he'd been all apologetic, but it seemed the castle was under renovation, and there was no room for her. He could see to it that she'd be well-treated at the local inn, however.

If she had been well-treated, she would hate to see how they acted towards a casual visitor. The owner was obviously not a sincere fan of King Arkose's, forcing a polite smile when the king's aide brought the warrior woman in, but turning surly once the man left. Her mattress had smelled of old straw and mildew, and the dinner had been barely edible. All in all, her whole experience was enough to make her long for her Destroyer of Nations days, just so she could rid Greece of this obviously blighted kingdom.

Throwing a few of her hard earned dinars on the counter, Xena hefted her belongings and slogged out through the mud to where Argo awaited, warm and dry and totally unwilling to change either of those conditions. Usually a cooperative animal, the blonde mare was as tired as her owner from the rushed trip they had made yesterday, and seemed quite balky about leaving the stable. She pulled a trick on Xena she hadn't used in ages, puffing up as the saddle straps were fastened, then blowing out all her breath, causing the Warrior Princess to nearly slide gracelessly into the straw of her stall upon the first attempt to mount. The next time Xena was prepared, though, and upon mounting successfully, rode the horse as far as the stable door before she came to a dead stop.

Several threats, curses and bribes later, the two were heading towards the place the rest of their family awaited, neither horse nor rider terribly happy about it.

Xena was even unhappier around mid-morning, when Argo threw a shoe. Miles from anything, she was forced to dismount and lead the horse for quite some time before they came upon a community large enough to have a blacksmith. Her desire to hurry forced Xena to forgo lunch, since she knew she had tucked bread and cheese in her pack that she could eat on the road. The animal cared for and the smith paid, Xena redouble her pace to make up for lost time, although the rain had yet to slacken in the slightest.

Her stomach finally protested any further postponement of lunch, so the Warrior Princess found a fairly sheltered clearing and pulled out her provisions. With dismay, she found she had a previously undiscovered leak in the saddlebag, and her bread was soaked through. The cheese was satisfactory, but not terribly filling by itself. She was barely surprised when a rain-soaked tree limb narrowly missed her in its fall.

It was only after fighting off the bandits late in the afternoon that she began to wonder what god she had irritated this time. Although outside of perhaps Aphrodite, who she thought of as nearly friendly, most gods were more given to showing their ire in huge displays of power, not constant petty grievances, as she had suffered today.

Finally, she was nearly there - where she had left them. Of course, because of the rain, they weren't in the clearing, and the downpour had washed away clear signs of the direction they had gone. Xena did find the water soaked parchment Gabrielle had left her with directions - the only word still readable being "cave". Okay, that narrowed it down. There was an area pockmarked with caves a few miles away.

Being so close, but still having to search for them was almost the final straw. She could feel the tension building within. Finally she stumbled into the right opening.

Six shining eyes met hers. Gabrielle hopped up, wrapping length of cloth around the Warrior Princess to dry and warm her. Joxer sat by the fire, Eve in his arms. He had apparently just been singing the child to sleep, judging by the half-closed eyes on the little one. Still, she cooed to see her mother there. She could nearly taste the comforting smell of the stew they had saved for her.

Suddenly memories flooded Xena. Waking up in a coffin of ice, and pulling Gabrielle from a matching crypt. Finding twenty-five years had passed, and stumbling into Joxer and Meg's tavern, a loving tribute to herself and her friend. Elderly Joxer and his grown son. Eve as Livia. Livia thrusting her sword into the gentle man, and the pain of watching him die. Eve and Gabrielle almost dying, saved by Ares stunning unselfish act. The horror all three women lived with afterwards. Then Michael appearing, tears on his face, the ghost of Joxer in tow.

"This is all wrong," the angel moaned. "The part that Eve played was written for another, farther in the future. There was a plan here, and Ares interfered. He was to be punished for it, but his act of charity gained him reprieve. However," the heavenly being smiled, "I have been given special dispensation to make, how shall we put it? Repairs."

An unnatural sleep fell over Xena, and as far as she could tell, the others too. When they awoke, they were back in the time they had left, twenty-five years before. The gods still feared Eve, but Ares had been named her Protector by a power none of them could circumvent. He was back in possession of his own godhood, Hephaestus and the others were still alive - only Hera and Zeus were gone. Eve was a baby again. Joxer lived. And apparently, only Xena remembered everything.

She moved closer to the warmth of the fire, but it was nothing compared to the warmth that flooded her soul. She had been given more second chances than anyone deserved, and this one, she wouldn't waste. Gabrielle had already questioned her about the sudden interest the Warrior Princess had in seeing that the bard appreciated Joxer more. Xena had been almost tender to Ares, which had thrown all of Olympus for a loop briefly. And she had vowed never to allow Eve to take up the sword. Blue eyes smiled softly at her child and her friends, the day's disasters forgotten. "Thank you."

The baby was now asleep, but the other two adults looked puzzled. "What for?" Gabrielle ventured.

"For giving me the best day of my life."

Please take a moment to write to Lori at lwbush@charter.net and let her know how you liked the story!

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer, Eve, and all other characters who have appeared in either series, together with the names, titles and backstories are the sole copyright property of StudiosUSA and Renaissance Pictures. The lyrics to "Thank You" are owned by the appropriate copyright holders. No infringement of copyrights or trademarks is intended in the writing of this fan fiction. This story is copyright © 2000 by Lori Bush and is her 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.