Ella smiled at Joxer as he continued to gail her with stories of his "adventures" with such enthusiasm that Ella thought for not the first time that he was a better bard or story teller than Gabrielle would ever be. Indeed that she had come from the future cemented that fact. If it was not for this man the world would never have known about the wairior princess and Amazon bard.

Ella hadn't noticed that Joxer had stopped talking until she turned and found an adorable pout on his face looking back at her.

"Joxer.." she began but was cut off by Joxer himself.

"Don't! I ..." Joxer then pursed his lips to the side as he always tended to do when he was thinking about sad things or was trying to solve a problem.

"I should know beter than to tell you all those..." he stopped and again looked over at her...not wanting to say the word "lies."

Ella smirked and furrowed her eyebrows.

"What makes you think I mind hearing stories about your adventures with Xena?"

Joxer's mouth dropped open as he tried to speak with the shock of understanding that Ella was not going to call him out on his tall tales.

"You…you don't…"

Ella smiled.

"My father always told me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. Taught me that my imagination was a key to me making something of myself…I think that if you want to be a warrior…if you see yourself being a warrior…then you can be a warrior."

Joxer continued to walk beside Ella, even though his mouth was gaping in shock and his eyes stared into Ella's kind understanding eyes.

"You think I can be a real warrior?" Joxer asked with one of the softness voices that had ever come out of his voice box. It almost sounded like he was little boy asking if his larger than life dream would come true.

Ella smiled and stopped and turned to look at Joxer, who stopped as he looked back into Ella's eyes.

"I think you can be anything you want to be. And if you want to be a warrior…I'd be willing to even teach you…"

Joxer's arms were almost instantly raised in a 'wait' pose and wide eyes in the most excited look that had ever crossed his face.

"You mean you'd teach me how to fight?"

And before the frown could even cross Ella's features, Joxer began a huge tirade about how he 'always wanted to know how to properly use his weapon' and how he couldn't 'wait to show Xena.'

"WHOA!" Ella said after the last comment.

Joxer stopped talking abruptly, his mouth left hanging open as a word had been about to leave his mouth.

"I never said I was going to show you how to use a weapon..."

Joxer's mouth pulled up into a pout as his eyebrows furrowed at the declaration.

"I was about to say that I'd teach you to defend yourself."

The confused look did not leave Joxer's eyes as Ella clarified.

"And if I ever did train you, my price would be for you never to tell or SHOW Xena what I've taught you."

Joxer then stared at Ella with a curious serious stare that rarely graced his face. Sudden doubt of Ella sincerity hitting him at her 'price.'

Ella read him easily though and smiled at him, and he noticeably relaxed.

"Joxer...you have to understand that if Xena found out someone that has issues with her...was teaching you...she's bound to be suspicious. If we do this you can't let her know about me or anything I teach you. It's the only way I can protect myself."

Joxer stood there unsure of how to respond. Ella was being honest. If Xena did find out that a person whom she had taken soo much away from were teaching him how to fight...she would be suspicious.

Joxer pursed his lips to the side like he always did when he was trying to concentrate.

"I'm not going to lie to you Joxer..." Ella began.

Joxer's lips became a line as he looked into Ella eyes...and saw a sincerity there.

For a moment Ella looked into Joxer's eyes and asked herself if she was really going to do this. The soft brown eyes of the man before her stirring things inside her that threatened to ruin all of her plans.

If she taught him to fight, to defend himself...it just might change the future in a good way. But she couldn't risk Xena ever finding out that she was training him. If she did...it could ruin everything. And she couldn't risk everything that she had worked for...but...

Looking into Joxer's eyes she watched as Joxer slowly began to smile.

"Deal."

Ella returned his smile as he accepted her terms.

"Good!"

Joxer smile widened as he saw a twinkle in Ella's eyes at his acceptance.

Ella turned and began once more walking toward the path that led to the shore. "If I remember correctly there's a perfect place to start training down this way! If we travel through the night it should give us a good two days advantage."

Joxer didn't say a word, only nodding his head as his mind began to imagine how he would finally be able to defend himself and help people like Xena did. He wouldn't have to tell me people that he was a warrior...that he was somebody...they would know by his deeds.

"Joxer...focus."

"Huh? What?" Joxer turned and focused his attention on Ella.

Ella grimaced.

"Lesson number one..."

Joxer perked as he concentrated on what Ella was going to say.

"Focus. Be aware of everything around you."

Joxer's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Ella stopped walking and let out a huge sigh as she turned towards Joxer, Joxer also turning towards Ella as he tried to focus all his attention on Ella.

Ella seeing how he was staring at her knew what he was trying to do. Not being able to help herself she let out a little laugh.

"Don't focus on just one thing...I'll show...I want you to close your eyes."

Joxer jerked his head back in confusion.

Ella smiled even wider.

"Trust me."

Several seconds later Joxer closed his eyes.

"I want you to listen to my voice...I want you to do what I ask...nod if you understand."

Joxer nodded a few times.

Ella smile remained on her face.

"Good." Her voice becoming softer.

"I want you to feel the breeze around you...feel the way it turns your hair...the way it sounds through the trees...the sound of the leaves dancing as the wind twirls them around."

And amazingly...Joxer felt it. He felt the soft breeze that almost seemed to flow around him. Felt how it whipped his head to the right and it left a slight chill on his face. He heard the branches of the trees moving as the wind seemed to pass between them. And he heard the leaves on the ground moving as the breeze lifted them slightly and moved them.

"Can you feel it Joxer? Can you heart it?" Ella's voice hypnotizing Joxer, soft and almost assuring.

Joxer nodded his head slowly.

"Now I want you to hear the birds in the trees...the squirrels running along the branches...the deer in the distance grazing on the grass...the horse by the lake lapping at the water..."

It was amazing.

For the first time in his life Joxer heard the things Ella almost seemed to whisper to him.

He heard every single sound...almost as though he were witnessing it with his eyes.

"Can you hear it Joxer?"

Joxer nodded fractionally. So entranced by the sounds he was now hearing, he didn't want to stop hearing them.

"Good. Now I want you to slowly open your eyes...but I want you to still hear the things around you...I want you to listen for them...ok?"

Another fractionally nod, and reluctantly Joxer opened his eyes - afraid he wouldn't hear the beautiful sounds any longer...afraid he wouldn't feel the breeze the way he had when Ella had told him to.

Yet as Joxer opened his eyes...he became hyper aware of just those things. As if his body had become in tune with it.

He saw the soft smile on Ella's face.

"That is the focus of a warrior Joxer. Not many can even do just that...and you...you just did what took me over a year to be able to do."

Joxer's eyes widened at the information...still hearing and feeling the wondrous things around him.

"No matte what Joxer...never lose that focus...that...link with the world around you. It will save your life one day...I can almost promise you that."

Joxer watched the little smirk on Ella's face as she turned and began to continue down the path once more. Joxer stood there for a few seconds...trying to allow everything around him in...still shocked what he was now able to do. What he was DOING!

Slowly Joxer turned and began to walk towards Ella, walking slowly...almost afraid that if he moved faster he would lose what ever it was he had just discovered.

Ella smirked and she heard him begin walking towards her. A second later she frowned as she saw her hand flicker in and out of sight...like a flame in the wind.

Slowly the smile returned to her face...

It looks like I'm already altering the future! Just maybe I can stop it all from happening...

It was this hope that kept her going...her only reason for living now...that maybe...she could stop the future from happening.

Author's Note: I want reviews! Tell me what you think! REVIEW!