Chapter 1:

A/N: This fic is a sort of cross between Expendables and Rocky Balboa. This is not part of The Schizo series however and is more my fantasy world ramble. I hope it will be good enough for all you Expendables/Rocky/Stallone fans. I personally love all three, no matter what happens.

Barney Ross, BR. Rocky Balboa, RB.

Barney Ross had a mean punch, a tightly packed muscular body and a fighter's eye. He could pick out your weak spot, hit it and cripple you with his sheer power. Even the younger members of the Expendables knew better than to try and mess with his punch, in sparring sessions they'd rather suffer in silence from his round house kick than his left hook.

That's because Barney Ross's alter ego was Rocky Balboa. You see Barney was originally born in Philadelphia as Barney Ross but he moved to a more southern area of Philly when he was sixteen, enrolled in the Navy as Barney Ross but quit shortly afterwards. He worked his way through Gazzo's loan sharking business and fought his way through Mighty Mick's Gym as Rocky Balboa, a stage name. He became Rocky, acted soft and sweet. He fell in love too, with Adrian Panina and was best pals with her brother Paulie. He got a shot at the title and kept his false name Rocky Balboa and was nick named The Italian Stallion. He lost but a rematch was inevitable with Apollo's ego.

He won and continued his professional boxing career. He had a son, Robert Balboa Jnr. Only it wasn't really Jnr. Only four people knew that: Adrian, Paulie, Mickey and Apollo. Unfortunately and tragically only one of four is still alive. His brother in law Paulie, he hadn't spoken to him personally in a while but he did phone up and check, same with his son and even Little Marie and Steps.

Now he was Barney Ross once more, assassin team leader for hire. Few years back when he was sixty-one he called an old friend Tool. Wasn't his real name of course but it was the only one worth knowing. At the time Tool was still active with the current Expendables team, Gunnar Jenson, Lee Christmas, Yin Yang, Hale Caesar and Toll Road.

He took over as leader when Tool retired, the other guys didn't approve at first but Tool and he set them straight.

He remembered his first day quite clearly;

The man before him looked different; it had been forty-two years ago since he'd last seen him though. His grey hair was long instead of the black buzz-cut similar to what his had been. His face was lined but the skin was still taut. The once lean and straight body was slightly hunched, still muscular but stockier clearly built for power not speed.

He was pulled in a hug, he didn't use to accept that sort of contact but he'd grown lax in his forty odd years as Rocky. He hugged back slightly.

"Damn! Still firm brother! Welcome back anyhow Barney. How are you?" Tool exclaimed his grin widening.

"Oh good, Y'know. Stayed in shape and all, I can see you did. It's been a long time but anyway what about this team of yours?" He asked curious but damn he needed to stop saying 'Y'know' the old habit always popped up.

"Oh out at the mo'. Actually they should be back soon" Tool frowned thoughtfully and sat on an old sofa in the dusty tattoo parlour. He patted the cushion next to him indicating for Barney to sit. He did.

Tool got a six-pack of beer and handed Barney one. They drank from the cans slowly. They waited and talked meaninglessly for an hour and were silent for short period of time. Suddenly they could hear the purr of a modern motorbike and the mature growl of the old rebels.

A sleek Ducati pulled in the garage part of the parlour followed by an old Harley-Davidson pack of three and an old Honda. Five men dismounted they're bikes. Under the helmets he couldn't see their faces but one was short and thin, his hands showed his skin tone was an Asian complexion. Another short but lean man had white skin which was tanned. There was a ridiculously tall man who was extremely skinny. Two wider more muscular men, one black and the other a rather pale white man.

"Who's this?" Asked the short white man, he had a British accent, as they pulled off their helmets.

"This is Barney Ross, an old friend" Tool introduced. He grinned at them proudly showing off his friend.

"How old?" asked the tall man who was blonde and looked awfully like a particular Russian.

"Hey! Don't be rude" admonished Tool.

"He has a point" Yin butted in.

"Sixty-one" Barney interrupted; his Philadelphian accent was hushed until it was a blank American accent, placeless and rough. His voice growled similar to the old bikes only softer and definitely quieter. The broad black man whistled. The white broad man with the shaven head and cauliflower ears looked disbelieving.

"And your team leader is sixty-three so is there a problem?" Tool asked. They shook their heads.

"Will he be joining us?" asked the young British man. He looked slightly suspicious and resentful.

"Yes?" Tool seemed unsure, he looked to Barney,

"Yeah, I'll stick around for a while" He noticed the Asian man had disappeared. He turned when he heard light footsteps behind him; his arm automatically shot forward in a nasty jab, his face was a meaner snarl. He hit flesh, muscular taut flesh but soft none of the less. It would leave a nasty mark.

The owner of the flesh fell upon impact, his small body not being able to cope with this completely new sort of strength, only Gunnar had hit Yang with some sort of power and that was a lot softer than this. Rocky would have apologised but Barney didn't.

"Ouch" The man griped from the floor head still reeling. The others started forward but Tool looked at them sternly and stood slightly in front of Barney. They stopped but glared at Barney.

"What were you doing?" Tool asked demanding an answer from the man.

"Nothing, I was just... going to sit on the table behind you" he lied.

Tool narrowed his eyes but let is slide, for now.

"Anyway, introduce yourselves" Tool said smiling lightly once more.

The tall blonde spoke first.

"I'm Gunnar Jensen" His voice was rough and quiet.

"I'm Hale Caesar" The large black man said in a clear voice which wasn't as deep as Jensen's.

"Toll Road" The large white male mumbled, his voice was deep but loud even when mumbling.

The British man rolled his eyes and let the Asian man introduce himself.

"I am Yin Yang"

"And I'm Lee Christmas"

Barney didn't even smirk at the last name which Lee amended got him some respect, not much however.

"You hit hard, very hard" Yin stated although it sounded a little like an accusation.

Barney nodded, well he was a boxer after all and had just lost the 'exhibition match' against the current 'paper' heavyweight champion (Since it wasn't a 'real' fight Rocky never actually lost the title) Mason Dixon but he'd kept to the training for an extra two months and now here he was. His sheer bloody power caused quite the bit of blunt force trauma. Unfortunately Duke Evers had passed away two weeks after his match and obviously wasn't his trainer during that time, he and Steps had managed pretty damn well though. He'd grieved briefly but he'd recovered swiftly due to his experience with losing people and of course the strength of his heart. It had hurt and still sent pangs to his heart but he wasn't in a constant state of grief.

"Not going to apologize?" Christmas asked. His eyebrows were raised in a defensive manner.

Barney shook his head, no he wasn't going to apologise.

Barney shook his head like he did all them years ago, to clear his mind. He though about his son, when he said he hadn't seen him in a while, five years was in fact longer than a while. He missed him a lot, he missed Adrian a lot and of course all of his old friends dead or alive. Maybe when he retires he will move back to Philly and spend the last of his days with his son and Paulie, hell maybe even his grandkids if Robert settled down and has children.

Huh he never thought he'd be a granddad, maybe he still won't he could die in his line of business; die of old age or of a disease. He could die through many causes before his son had kids. Maybe he should look into that. Not while the team were around. In fact now was good since he was at home and on his own.

/-/

Lee and Yang were sat on the counter across from the table where Toll and Gunnar leant against. Tool was sat on the sofa to the left and Caesar was stood behind the sofa eyes flickering to the TV, Tool and the rest of the group.

"I know this isn't exactly regular, the lot of us. But remember Vilena?" Lee asked hinting at something.

"Yeah, it was only a month ago" Gunnar replied with his ever so subtle sarcasm.

"Did anyone else notice how Barney looked at Sandra? It was weird" Lee asked he was truly curious, also it was a little weird to see a sixty-plus year old man look all gooey eyed at a woman who was barely thirty.

"Well yeah, and the way he wouldn't let us blow up the building til she was clear. Anyone else would have been sky-high by then" Caesar agreed. He screwed his forehead up in thought. Tool rolled his eyes but he had to admit he was curious about Barney's fascination with the woman.

"Mmm true" Yin stated. Gunnar just sort of nodded his head.

"Has Barney ever been married? Or had a long-term relationship?" Gunnar asked Tool. Tool shrugged.

"If he had then he kept it quiet. He didn't have the tan line when he came here"

/======================/===============

"Oh really? Well Jnr how about I come down and see how the restaurant is going?" Barney acted like Rocky, his Philly accent heavy and slurring.

"Mmm, sure. When? I mean I know Paulie has been missing you and Marie has been asking about you, so has Steps, the lot. I mean poor Punchy, you left him with Steps all alone" Robert rambled in excited caution.

"Soon, I'll clear it with work and take a few days to come down and help you with all the stuff. Does Little Marie still work at the restaurant?"

"Urm... not really. Sometimes she does the day shift on week ends but even that doesn't happen often. Only when she hasn't got any money really. She says since you're not here, people think she's just sponging off you. She even stops eating here unless she can pay full price with a heavy tip" His son relayed to him.

"Oh, well that has to be fixed. Get her to come in with Steps this week end I should be there by then. I'll talk to her" Barney heart twisted at the fact Little Marie thought she was taking advantage, he wouldn't have offered if he didn't mean it. That was something both his ego's had in common.

"Sure, I did try to say it was ok but she wouldn't listen" Robert told him.

"It's ok, really. I'll see you soon son, I love you" Barney said his good byes.

"Yeah I love you too" Robert hung up.

Time to clear it with Tool; the official story was he was going for a brief holiday. Possibly a week long but no longer than two.

/============/===============

"Maybe he had a wife but they divorced a couple of years before he came here" Gunnar suggested.

Tool shook his head, he didn't think so.

They heard the grumbling roar of Barney's big old chopper as he pulled in.

"Hey brother" Tool called not even making an effort to move.

"Hey Tool, guys, anyway I'm gonna be taking a short break. Clear my head y'know (Damn!) and just relax for a while" Barney told them Gunnar nodded as though he though it was reasonable. He wasn't asking for their permission though, just letting them know.

"Sure Barney, how long are you thinking?" Tool asked.

"A week maybe, not too long though. I'll be back before two weeks are up; if anything changes I'll let you know" Barney shrugged.

"Well when are you leaving?" Tool questioned.

"I was thinking tomorrow" Barney told him, damn his Philly accent crept in slightly there. Okay more than slightly. He noticed how the guys furrowed their eyebrows and frowned at his new accent. Well new to their ears.

"Okay, you wanna stay here for a while?" Tool invited sounding slightly hopeful.

"Nah, I think I'll go to mine" Barney said. Then he lamented.

"In a short while anyway" Tool nodded and automatically got him a beer.

"So Lee, when are you going to propose to Lacy?" Yin asked.

"Um... dunno, soon? Maybe?" Lee seemed a little taken aback at the change of topic, or rather the focus of the topic.

"Oh, well ok" Yin nudged Gunnar with his foot.

"What about you Toll? Got a girl yet?" Gunnar asked grinning cheekily.

"Yes actually, she's called Mia" Toll said looking confused as to why Gunnar asked him. Then it dawned on him.

"You Caesar?" Gunnar was still grinning.

"Nah"

"Me either" Gunnar said.

"Nor me" Yin chipped in.

"What about you Barney? Actually have you ever been married or something?" Lee asked.

"Never married" It killed him to say it.

"Oh right"

"Well... what about Sandra?" Lee asked knowing he was treading dangerous waters.

"What about her?" Barney rumbled seemingly unbothered. He was bothered; she had reminded him of Adrian. Always doing what she deemed right. Sandra stuck to her country and tried her best the same way Adrian did for Paulie. Her dark hair and light brown eyes only pushed his vision of Adrian further. Lee shook his head.

"Doesn't matter"

Barney left it. He drank is beer and watched some of a baseball game with Tool before leaving.

A/N: Okay around 2,300 words not including A/N's. What do you think? Please review.