Xena slanted a glance at her blonde companion as they walked their horses for a while. "You know, Joxer reminds me of an old friend of mine sometimes."

"You had a friend like Joxer before?" Gabrielle blinked and paused. She quickened her step when she realized Xena hadn't slowed down. Brown Horse snorted and trotted a few strides as she pulled his reigns forward. "So who was it?"

"His name was Don Quixote. I think he was some kind of noble back in his homeland." Xena shrugged. "Haven't seen him since a little after Solan was born."

"So? How did you meet him?" Gabrielle glanced quickly at her friend's face as they walked. "Was he a warlord?"

"Quixote? Nah. Like I said, Joxer reminds me of him." Xena chuckled slightly remembering the sight of her childhood friend charging a windmill convinced it was a dragon. "He called himself a knight, said that he'd been the guardian of a king. We got to know each other when he fell off his horse after charging a store house that he swore was a giant."

Gabrielle tilted her head and frowned. "That doesn't sound much like Joxer to me."

"Only because Joxer's afraid of horses," Xena snorted. "I guess you would have had to have meant Quixote. He wanted so much to be a hero, like Joxer."

"At least the things Joxer tries to fight are really what they look like," Gabrielle said softly. "Even if he gets pounded into the dirt more often than not."

"He is strong but he is weak," Xena muttered. Gabrielle shot her a confused look. The Warrior Princess rolled her eyes and tried to explain. "His heart is strong enough to want to be a hero, but something else keeps him from being very good at it."

"Are you talking about Quixote or Joxer?" Gabrielle asked.

"Both of them actually," Xena answered with a grin. "Quixote's problem was that he was looking for something he'd lost. I'm not sure what, his glory days maybe. Joxer's is that he doesn't have the skills to fight the way you and I do."

"Maybe all he needs is a different way to fight." Gabrielle shrugged this time. "What was Quixote like the last time you saw him?"

"Still charging windmills and barns." Xena glanced away. "He... was disappointed in me I guess. He may have been a little crazy, but I was the one raiding villages. He tried to stop my army, once. It worked too."

"What did he do?" Gabrielle asked, looking any where but at Xena.

"He sat on his horse between us and the village. Reaching for his saddlebag, he took a rusty sword into his hand," Xena said, "and told me that I could either kill him, or turn back."

Gabrielle stopped slack jawed, then hurried to catch up again. "And you stopped?"

Xena chuckled at the memory. "My army was not happy. I just didn't tell them that we could have ridden right over the old man."

"What did you tell them?"

"I just asked them if they wanted to go against one of the few people I never wanted to face in a fight," Xena said.

"They thought you meant he was a great warrior?" Gabrielle found herself blinking again.

Xena stopped pulling the bard with her. "He was a great warrior in his day, Gabrielle. The point is, I wouldn't want to fight Joxer either. They're both too important to me. I'd die first. They are my friends as much as you are."

When they started walking again they changed the topic, but Gabrielle had a lot to think about. Brown Horse and Argo traded looks and rolled their eyes.

Disclaimer:
No windmills or store houses were harmed during the production of this fic.

Please take the time to write to Mac at mac_xavier@yahoo.com, and let her know how you liked the story!

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena, 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. The lyrics to "Don Quixote" 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 © 1999 by Mac Xavier 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.