Disclaimer: I own nothing G.I. Joe belongs to whomever it does, I'm just playing around with some of the characters.
AN: Since I can't find any mention of ranks for Duke and Ripcord I'm pretty much going with what I can find, and since some of the ranks I could find are pretty long I'm going with abbreviations. Hope that makes since.
Summary: Set before the first movie. When Duke and Ripcord are sent to transport the warheads, they aren't alone, Gabriella (Angel) Grimm joins them on the mission. Angel becomes very important to the team and some of the Joes will just have to learn to deal with her secrets and prickly personality. Will Snake Eyes be up for the challenge or will her attitude turn the ninja away. SE/OFC.
*sign language*
Ch 1
Duke and his partner Ripcord were pacing the halls outside of the briefing room waiting for final orders for their mission. Babysitting some very dangerous warheads, not that they were complaining but both of them were itching for a fight. Duke pulled a worn, dirty and frayed picture from his BDU pocket, the picture was fading from running his fingers over it but this had become his pre-battle ritual. Ripcord stopped himself from snorting as he watched Duke, it had been over four years since that picture had been taken and almost as long since the person in it had abandoned him. Duke's one and only real weak spot, Ana.
Both of them jumped to attention when the doors in front of them opened and their commanding officer emerged followed by another soldier already dressed like them, in full BDUs, full gear and armed. Standing behind their commanding officer an angel, blond hair in a savvier bun was scraped back from her heart shape face and large aqua eyes were filled with fire. Duke couldn't help but notice that her uniform didn't disguise her figure which was all curves and muscles. Their commanding officer snapped them out of their daze and addressed the situation.
"Duke, Ripcord. Orders have changed at the last minute and now you will be traveling with Sgt. Gabriella Grimm." Both of them nodded to the Sgt. "Sgt. Grimm is an expert marksman and is a trained medic. Higher ups figured you could use that just in case. Now all of you head out."
The three of them snapped out salutes and rushed out the doors to the trucks that they would be using to get the warheads to the drop. Duke and Ripcord let Grimm on the truck first and hopped into and yelled at the other drivers to go. Duke sat in the passenger seat and watched as the first two trucks got out before giving his driver the order to head out. Rip watched out the back for the other trucks to follow them out of the yard.
Once everyone was clear and the birds were watching from overhead the two of them sat back and relaxed. This trip was going to take hours and they hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, planning had taken a while and neither of them had even seen their beds before 0300. Duke watched the newest member of his team, he still couldn't figure out the reason that she was added to his detail, sure a medic was always a good thing to have but almost everyone had basic medical training. Looking across the hummer he watched her through his half closed eyes.
Gabriella Grimm could feel eyes on her and huffed, typical even in today's military men just couldn't understand how a woman could be a valued member of the team. Especially if said woman was attractive, and even though she wasn't being vain she knew just how attractive she was. Trying to ignore the stare and just get ready for whatever might come Gabriella pulled out her medic bag and checked it for supplies, even though she had done it earlier. Finally she just got fed up with the staring from the two men she pulled out her rifle and started to check it over.
Rip was man enough to admit that the way she broke down the rifle and checked it was a little unnerving. Even he knew that it took a special kind of talent to break it down, check it over and put it back together in a bouncing vehicle. Casting his gaze over to Duke he raised an eyebrow, Duke raised his in return both of them amazed at her skill and both of them just a little fearful of getting on her bad side. Neither of them wanted to take the chance of offending her, so they remained quiet.
"Okay, this is just getting annoying." Both of the men looked up at her husky voice. It was the first time either of them had heard her speak, it sounded like rough silk.
"Sorry is there something wrong?" Duke braved to ask.
"The silence and the not so subtle glances" Gabriella smirked at the sweat drops on their faces.
"Sorry we didn't mean to offend you." Ripcord glanced at her and was shocked by her open smile.
"I'm more offend by the complete silence than anything else," looking at them she raised an eyebrow "talking doesn't bother me and since we don't know what might happen I think it would be better if we got to know each other better. Ya' know just in case I have to fix one of you up or something. Call me Gabriella, by the way."
Duke and Rip shared a look and both of them let out a breath. Gabriella chuckled and waited for them to finish their silent conversation. She could tell just by the way that they acted that the two of them had been together for years and stuck close even when they went home. These two had a real friendship and that was something that she had never really known. A military brat her whole life and had never had the chance to make any real relationships. Looking at the two she knew that they had figured out what they were going to do sitting back against the truck she waited for the normal questions to start. Gabriella was pleasantly surprised, these two were not like most of the guys she got shipped out with.
"What's your favorite book?" Duke asked watching Grimm's face and smirking at the surprise written across it. "Not what you were expecting huh?"
"Honestly no, the last team I got stationed with were predictable in their lines of questions." Gabriella smirked and winked at Duke. "To answer your first question though my favorite book of all time is Charlotte's Web."
Gabriella closed her eyes and smiled as she remembered the last time that she had read the book. She had sat with her mother and read it to her as she fought to survive the cancer that had quickly consumed her. She had stayed by her mother's side for a month as she fought and laughed at the stupid jokes until she had died quietly in her sleep with a smile on her face, leaving her and orphan. Opening her eyes she looked to see the guys expressions, chuckling under her breath she looked down at her watch and sighed.
"That's an odd choice but so is mine." Ripcord spoke up, Gabriella waved her hand telling him to enlighten her. "Peter Pan and Wendy."
"That makes so much since." Duke exclaimed laughing at the expression on Gabriella's face. "Rip has the personality of a child and an absolute love for flying."
Gabriella nodded her head and chuckled along with them. Rip moved to the front of the truck and looked at the data sheet with all of their stops, while still continuing on with conversation. It ranged from music to movies and just about everything in between. They were laughing and to an outsider it would seem that they had known each other for years not hours. Rip moved back from the front and looked at Duke.
"Hey when were we supposed to rendezvous?" Rip asked.
"Thirty clicks." Duke looked at his partner. "Why?"
"Well we just passed thirty-one clicks and no back up."
Duke ran to the front of the truck and yelled at all of the trucks. Gabriella looked over at Rip and grabbed her gun. Even she knew that that was a bad sign. Just as they moved to the front they all heard it. A sudden blast of light flashed in the night and suddenly one of the trucks up ahead flipped up into the air and crashed into the truck behind it. Gabriella grabbed the case and braced herself for the next inevitable shot. She didn't have long to wait. The hummer rocked back onto its side and loose equipment flew, a crowbar smashed into Gabriella's chest hearing a cracking noise she knew that at least one of her ribs was broken, darkness consumed her.
Within seconds she could hear gunshots and a weird pulsing sound in the dark. Gabriella felt the earth shake and scrambled out of the hummer the case still in her hand. Looking out into the darkness she saw Duke and Ripcord firing at some metal headed guys. Locking the case across her back in a special pocket of her pack she grabbed her rifle and fired. The sound of it made both of the men she was with look up at her and smile. Rushing as fast as her ribs would let her she made it to the trees nearest Duke.
"Next time grab the package before you run out of the hummer." Gabriella ordered as she caught her breath. "And make sure that everyone is out of the transport."
"Sorry, I didn't think I just jumped out and started firing." Duke looked ashamed as her shot another of the metal heads. "We seem to be the only ones left alive."
Gabriella looked over a Ripcord and nodded. This wasn't good there were way to many tangos for them to kill and with the trucks destroyed, no way to get back up. Grabbing her rifle Gabriella braced herself against the tree and fired at something walking toward them. Normally the recoil from her rifle didn't faze her but with a couple of broken ribs it was knocking the breath out of her to fire.
"You okay," Duke asked her as he watched her wince and gasp after firing.
"Yeah just got the wind kicked out of me."
"What happened?"
"Big ass wrench cracked a couple of ribs," Gabriella wheezed "but I'm good."
"Damn it." Duke yelled and looked around there was no way he could wrap her ribs and engage the tangos. "Where are the cases?"
"On me. Don't worry about it."
"Rip!" He called into his head phones. "Ripcord answer me."
"What's up Duke." Both of them heard from their left.
"Gab's got broken ribs and the case." Duke looked at Gabriella and nodded. "We have to keep her safe."
"Copy that." Ripcord replied while shooting at a group of metal heads.
For the next ten minutes there was nothing to say but shoot at the enemy. Gabriella was slowly cracking more ribs with the recoil of her rifle and knew that it was only a matter of time before she passed out. Duke and Rip were running out of ammo since their extra was now on the fireball of the hummer. Gabriella looked up at the sky when she heard a strange noise. Swearing she relayed what she was seeing.
"Duke, Rip we got more incoming." She smirked at their answering cusses.
A new bird was hanging over the burning woods and Gabriella could just make out some figures repelling from it. 'Great' she thought as she checked her ammo supply and swore she was on her last clip, not good. Looking around her she watched as some of the metal heads started to fall. Maybe these guys were reinforcements, if that was the case great they needed them, looking for her team she grinned at Rip. Where's Duke? She looked where she had last seen him and he wasn't there. Looking around for him she saw him chasing someone and sighed.
"Ripcord," Gabriella waited to be acknowledged. "Duke's chasing a tango and I lost my eyes on him and I'm out."
"Damn it," Ripcord yelled on his way over to her side. "I'm on my way to you, hang tight."
"Kay."
Gabriella watched for Ripcord and tried to stay out of sight of the metal heads. She had other weapons that didn't need ammo to fire but with the case on her she didn't want to engage them. Crouching behind her tree she pulled her sais from her boots and dropped her pack so she wouldn't be over burdened. Standing back up she put her side arm back in her holster and stood in front of the pack.
Watching for Rip in the flames to her right she didn't notice the metal head coming from her left and the only warning she got was a thud. Looking to where the sound had come from she saw an arrow sticking out of the metal head. turning around she saw a woman with bright red hair in all black. Crap, she didn't know if this was back up or could it be just another enemy coming for the warheads. Crouching in a defensive position she waited for the woman to make it to her.
"Stand down soldier." The red head ordered.
"Not going to happen red."
Gabriella spun her sais in her hands, one blade forward and the other across her arm. The red headed woman moved closer and aimed her bow at Gabriella. Both women looked around and saw that there was still a lot of gunfire going on around them but the both of them had their own battle to deal with. Red and Gabriella faced off and waited to see who would make the first move.
"Soldier this is your final warning stand down."
"Again that isn't going to happen." Gabriella smirked. "So bring it red."
"Oh it's on."
The two of them started to circle each other, trying to find the others weakness. Gabriella twirled her sais around and shifted her weight away from her cracked ribs. Red grabbed her crossbow and aimed it at Gabriella but before either one of them could attack they heard their teammates yelling at them. Both of their heads turned towards them.
"Duke what's up?" Gabriella stood to her full five foot eight height and kept Red in her line of sight just in case. "Who are these people?"
"Grimm these people are going to take us to a secure location to await our new orders." Gabriella nodded. "Do you still have the case?"
"Yeah it's in my pack," Gabriella moved in front of said pack. "And it's not going anywhere without me, so back off Red."
Duke and Ripcord whistled at that threat to one of the Joes, both of them had talked to Gen. Hawk and it had been decided that Duke's team was primary with the case. Gabriella and Scarlett both glared at one another before lowering their weapons. Both of them knew that this fight between them was far from over. Duke walked up to Gabriella and grabbed her pack with the case and damn near got stabbed by her sais.
"What are you doing?" Gabriella growled at Duke, who jumped back out of her reach.
"Your ribs are cracked and I was going to carry the pack for you." Duke explained.
"No I'm going to carry it, my ribs are fine." Gabriella stuck her sais in her belt and hefted the now eighty pound pack and her rifle onto her back. "Let's go. I'm not letting this thing out of my sight until we're secure."
Gabriella turned to look around her to make sure that she had everything and finally saw the black clad ninja. Something about him tugged at her memory but with her ribs aching she brushed it off and trek to their ride. Duke and Ripcord got on both sides of Gabriella and pestered her with questions. Gabriella ignored them and focused on not passing out on the way to the plane. She watched the interaction between these G.I. Joes, who the hell came up with that name, as she listened to Rip and Duke apologize for leaving her alone.
"Guys it's alright. Rip you had to take out the enemy but Duke if you ever leave me alone to chase after a girl I'm going to make you an eunuch."
Gabriella shot Duke an evil smirk. All the men cringed, even the silent ninja, and took a large step away from her. Scarlett laughed along with Gabriella at the men's expressions and took a seat. Everyone started sitting down and accessing their injuries, Ripcords leg needed a bandage. Gabriella dropped into a seat and instantly cursed, setting down her pack she rummaged through it and pulled out a large ace bandage roll and a tube of cream. Standing up she took off her BDU jacket and regulation shirt. Whistles and groans filled the cabin when her dark purple bruises were exposed to everyone.
"Damn girl, how did you not pass out?" A British voice called out and everyone nodded. "I'm Heavy Duty and that's Breaker." He said pointing at a little guy covered in equipment.
"Pure stubbornness." Gabriella replies as she felt her ribs to see just how many were broken. "That's a new record for me."
"What?" Scarlett asked as she walked over to her. Gabriella looked at her and smiled.
"I've got four broken ribs and at least two are cracked."
"Do you need help wrapping those?" Scarlett asked as Snake Eyes moved closer to Gabriella. "Snake Eyes is our medic."
"I wouldn't mind the help." Gabriella replied while tucking her dog tags into her blue sports bra and smearing numbing jell into the bruises.
Snake Eyes moved in nodding his head and grabbed the rolled up bandage. Gabriella used her bra to brace the end of the bandage and raised her arms to give Snake room to wrap her ribs. She could fell his gloved fingers on her exposed skin and barely resisted shuddering at the feeling. Snake Eyes smirked under his mask when he felt her shiver, glad that his mask hid it, he knew she would deck him if she saw it.
Everyone else watched the two of them for a moment and then started their own conversations. Once Snake was finished wrapping her ribs he helped Gabriella back into her shirt and jacket. Gabriella signed her thanks and carefully sat down, Snake Eyes was surprised that she knew sign language and signed back a question. Scarlett watched the two of them communicate and was shocked, not many people knew how to sign.
You know sign language? Snake Eyes asked.
Very Little. Gabriella replied. Basic words and the alphabet.
Was the last thing that she said before the pain medication knocked her out for the rest of their flight. Snake watched her eye lids dance as she dreamed and was glad that his mask hid his blush and smile. Leaning back in his seat he silently chuckled, he couldn't wait to see what other surprises Gabriella was hiding.
