Disclaimer: I don't own the Expendables or the Losers, just my OC, Sky.
The Kids Are Alright
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 8th, 2010
So, I just spent the entire morning with Jake and Gunnar, trying to get as much time with my brother as possible. After my party last night, I realized I only had a certain amount of days with him and I wasn't going to waste them. And thankfully, Gunnar understood that and easily fit me in to the schedule he had planned out for him and Jake. Well, except for the strip club they were going to go to before dinner. That I would not be tagging along for, no matter how good a wing-woman I am for Jake. Anyway, it was while we were at the mall when everything started to go downhill. Apparently, the small community of kids we went to school with was much smaller than we thought. And apparently they still all held onto things from the past. So of course we run into my ex-boyfriend Alec. I honestly have no idea what I saw in Alec, but I'm just accrediting that to being a very dark time in my life in which my brain didn't work correctly; otherwise known as adolescence. Anyway, the whole reason he's my ex-boyfriend is because he decided to break up with me two weeks before Christmas, saying he didn't 'like me anymore, let alone love me' and started dating his ex-girlfriend three days later. Suffice to say I held a grudge—as did the rest of the Expendables team and Jake. So seeing him on a day that I was supposed to be devoting to Jake made me really frustrated really fast; especially when Alec walked over and tried talking to me. That made me—and Jake and Gunnar—about ready to throw punches. I was very frustrated. And I still am.
And when I'm frustrated I'm not a very pleasant person to be around, according to Caesar. So dad suggested an impromptu training session so I can work out my frustration before he goes out on his 'date-not-date' with Lacy and so Jake could get some practice in. Huh, I never really did get around to talking about Lacy did I? I guess I can do that now. I absolutely adore Lacy. She's an amazing person. She met my dad around five months ago when she walked into the bar on a particularly bad night when she broke up with her boyfriend. They started talking and immediately hit it off. They obviously like each other, and I'm sure dad's going to ask her out soon, but so far they've just been playing cat and mouse.
I just hope he asks her out soon before someone else swoops in and steals her away. She's beautiful, smart, funny, and caring. Any man would be lucky to have her. And so far she makes my dad happy, so that's all I can really ask of her. Plus, she also tends to side with me whenever my dad and I have an argument, just to rile him up. Barney says she does it to earn extra brownie points with me since I mean a lot to dad and she wants me to like her. He's probably right, but she's totally earning every brownie point she gets. But that's really all I've got time to write for right now. Jake just walked in to let me know that the rest of the team is down in the garage waiting for me. Time for me to let off some steam; or in other words get my ass kicked by Yin… again. At least I won't be alone. Toll is totally going to crush Jake.
-Sky Christmas
"Patience is a virtue, Sky," Toll said sagely from his spot on the mats just away from the center of the room where Yin was having his training session with Sky. The other men were already there, surrounding the training area with amused looks on their faces. It had been just minutes earlier that Sky had been upstairs in her room before she and Jake came down for their training session. Currently she was getting her ass handed to her by Yin, while she tried to get an edge on her trainer. She was good and she had definitely made some progress in her fights with Yin, but he was a master martial artist. She was outclassed when it came to him. "You can't just let Alec get to you."
Jake who was in the middle of pulling off his sneakers and socks to get ready for his session with Toll after Yin and Sky's, turned to look at his mentor and scowled. "Trust me, that dude can get under anyone's skin. He's totally sleazy. I mean, I'm surprised we didn't go out and try to kill him when he first broke up with her. Well, not that murder is okay or anything, but in this situation I think an exception could be made. And we probably could figure out somewhere to hide the body. I mean, we know a lot of people and I'm sure Roque knows how to dispose of a body. Honestly, I think he may have been a serial killer if he didn't become a soldier."
"Still doesn't matter," Toll shrugged, stretching out outside of the mats. "You still need patience, Baby-Face."
Sky landed painfully on the matted floors of the garage with Yin twisting her arm behind her back. "I know," she muttered trying to wriggle free from Yin's iron-clad grip. It didn't really work for her. "It's just frustrating."
"Well at least you never have to see him again," Barney said from his spot, as Yin tapped Sky on the cheek and helped her to her feet, reminding her to stay focused.
"Ouch, you alright there, Sky?" Jake laughed, thoroughly amused by the sparring session. She glared in response.
"Easy on her, Happy Feet," Gunnar ordered, crossing his arms over his chest with a frown on his face.
"She needs to learn," Yin retorted from his spot, taking another stance in front of Sky while said girl just tossed the blonde man a reassuring smile, showing that she was alright. She shot off again, aiming a punch for Yin's face, and quickly going onto defense when he blocked easily and started sending a volley of punches and kicks her way. She managed to block or evade most of the attacks while taking the ones she knew that she could take. That was something Yin taught her. In a fight there was no way you wouldn't get hit; so you take the ones you can take, the non-lethal ones, and retaliate. But just when she went to retaliate with a kick to his face, he stooped down and swept her legs out from underneath her so she hit the mats again. She barely had time to catch her breath before Yin's hand was around her throat. She huffed out a breath in frustration before Yin tapped her cheek and gave her a small smile. "You're getting better."
"Yeah, but I'm still getting my ass kicked," she muttered.
Yin's smile widened and he let go of her neck, standing up so he could help her to her feet. "Alright, I've got to agree with Gunnar," Lee spoke up from the desk chair he was in, his legs propped up on a small stack of tires nearby. "Take it easy on my baby girl."
"It's nothing I can't handle," Sky assured as she backed up, stepping out of range so she and Yin could set up once again. She smirked slightly when she smelt cologne as she circled around the martial artist near where her dad was seated. "I can't help but notice that you're wearing cologne dad." That comment caused, Caesar to 'oohhhh' childishly, Toll to smile, Barney to smirk and Gunnar to laugh and Jake to look curiously at the knife thrower. Even Yin let a smile grace his features. "So does that mean you're all ready for your date with Lacy?"
"Lacy? Is that the chick that has a thing for Lee that I met last night?" Jake asked with raised eyebrow and a slight smirk on his face.
"That's the one," Sky smirked back.
"It's not a date, Skylar," Lee replied immediately, glaring at each of the men in the room. "And forget what I said Yin, she knows what she's doing."
"Touchy, are you?" Barney taunted before turning his attention back to the sparring duo on the mats in front of him.
Sky just ducked down under a roundhouse kick from Yin and backed out of a right hook before she ducked down, charging at his midsection. She plowed her shoulder into his stomach while using her hands to grab the back of his knees and lift him up, slamming him into the ground in a takedown. "Atta girl!" Toll shouted while the other men whooped and Jake cheered loudly. Her achievement was short-lived, however, since Yin quickly flipped them both over so he was on top of her before kneeing her lightly in the ribs—taking care not to hurt her too much—before flipping her over so she was on her stomach with his knee in her back and her arm bent behind her.
Yin kept her pinned to the ground before looking up at Toll with an almost annoyed expression on his face. The Asian pointed an accusing finger his way before pointing down to his protégé. "You've been teaching her."
"It was just a couple moves," Toll shrugged with an apologetic grin.
Jake gasped in mock horror. "What? Toll, I thought what we had was special! You said you were a one student trainer!"
Toll rolled his eyes.
"No more," Yin ordered seriously before letting go of the squirming girl beneath him and helping her up once again. Once she was on her feet he dusted her shoulder lightly before looking back to Toll. "This what happens when you teach her. She throws her body around without strategy and technique."
Toll frowned. "Her technique was plenty good. But I will admit she probably shouldn't try that against a martial artist."
"Yeah, that's the whole reason I switched to MMA," Jake piped up with a shrug. "I couldn't hack it as a martial artist. Hey, did you get it? Hack? Cause I'm a hacker."
"That was brilliant Jake," Sky muttered, moving her shoulder around to loosen it up. She turned to look over her shoulder at her father and raised an eyebrow. "So, should I be waiting up for you while you're on this 'not-date' or should I bunk up with one of the other guys today?"
Lee glared at his daughter while Caesar started laughing loudly, somehow managing to compose himself long enough so he could smirk at their resident knife thrower. "Yes, Mr. Christmas, what time should we be expecting you back?"
"I'll stab you in the neck."
"There you go again, being all sensitive," Barney added on with a grin.
"I have a knife with your name on it too," Lee threatened before looking back to his daughter, giving her a small smile. "I'll call when I'm on my way back. If it gets too late, you can bunk up with one of the guys. And remember to bring your—"
"My knives with me, yes I know," Sky cut off, nodding at the rule that she had heard ever since she turned ten years old. Whenever her dad wasn't there at night, she would bunk up with one of the others guys to make sure she was protected at all times, and to make sure someone was there if she ever had a relapse in nightmares. It had been years since she had any and she was plenty good at taking care of herself, but she didn't mind. She liked bunking up. It was like a sleepover. "And make sure I'm given a gun by whoever I'm with so that on the very slight chance some idiot decides to break in and attack us on our home turf, I'm properly equipped to defend myself."
"Good girl," he smiled before he stood up suddenly, jumping around in his spot as he reached into his pants pocket. He pulled out his cell phone, looked at the screen before a goofy smile formed on his face. When he looked up he noticed everyone staring his way with smirks on their faces and he promptly schooled his features, narrowing his eyes at all of them. "Lacy's here. I shouldn't be gone long." He walked onto the mats and kissed Sky on the temple before pausing so she could kiss his cheek and hug him.
"Have fun dad," she smiled before nudging him off towards the door. He smiled at her briefly before walking out of the garage. The group of mercenaries all waited in silence until they heard Lee's motorcycle turn on and head away from the garage. The second they were sure he was gone, they all started laughing.
"Hey, if my man doesn't get him some tonight, I'm gonna be outraged for him," Caesar commented, shaking his head. "Those two are so sweet on one another it ain't even funny."
"You can say that again," Toll agreed while Yin and Sky set up once again. "He's just too scared to ask her out."
"You know, you'd think that a man who literally gets himself into life and death situations as his career wouldn't be so afraid of a woman," Sky mused, taking her stance and circling around her master once again. She narrowed her eyes bit before shrugging. "Granted, Lacy's awesome. I still think dad shouldn't be afraid."
"Ha!" Jake exclaimed suddenly, shaking his head as he walked over to his dad to grab his mouth guard from him, allowing his father to place it into his mouth. Thus he couldn't say anything more.
"What?"
"You've got a lot to learn, Baby-Face," Barney chuckled. "You've got no idea how your gender can control a man."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. I mean, you've got Gunnar and Jake wrapped around your little finger, don't you?"
Gunnar nodded, not even denying the fact that he was powerless in the palm of the young teen sparing on the mats while he put his son's gloves on. Jake nodded too trying to mumble through his mouth guard. "This is true," they both chorused, though Jake's was a jumbled mess.
Toll frowned. "A relationship is much more than someone controlling another person. It's about love and respect."
"How you don't have a girlfriend yet, Toll, I'll never know," Sky said, tossing the demolitions expert a smile and earning one in return. "But still, I don't think that dad should be so hesitant."
Yin surged forward and balled up his fist, intending to strike Sky's cheek. She let out a curse and ducked quickly only to get a knee to her stomach, sending her back. She felt her arm being bent awkwardly around her back—this time making a chicken wing—before Yin wrapped his arm around her throat and pulled her back, placing his mouth right by her ear. "Don't lose focus." With that he tapped her cheek lightly before letting go, pushing her away so she could set up again.
"You are actually getting better," Caesar commented, tilting his head to the side.
Barney nodded his agreement. "Yin training you was a good call. Soon enough you'll be able to fight just like your dad."
"So does that mean you'll move my time frame up for joining you guys?" She asked, trying to kick out Yin's knee. He moved his leg out of the way and shifted his weight to try and kick her in the side but she ducked down and connected a side kick to his back, pushing him out of range.
"Hell no," Gunnar answered for them.
"Why not?" Sky pouted, looking over at him. Almost a second after she did it however, she whipped back around and jumped back, seeing Yin about to kick her side. She looked solely on him and got her footing once again. "I know how to use guns because of Barney and Caesar. Toll taught me some explosive work—"
"Come again?" Barney asked with a tone to his voice that she recognized as his 'Godfather' tone. It was the tone he used whenever her father was gone and she had done something she wasn't supposed to or when he was trying to intimidate one of her friends; her male friends.
Sky winced before tossing a punch towards Yin. He quickly caught it and flipped her over his back, before lifting his leg up to connect an axe kick. She rolled out of the way and ended up bumping into something with her back. She blinked in surprise that she hit something before looking up to see that Barney was now standing over her on the mats, his arms crossed and an expression on his face that told her he wanted an explanation. She heard Jake saying 'oohhhh' before he was smacked by someone. It was probably Gunnar.
Sky grinned sheepishly up at Barney. "Remember that you love me."
"When were you learning how to deal with explosives?" Barney asked, reaching down to grab her upper arm and hoist her to her feet.
She shifted around uncomfortably, shooting a look towards Toll who suddenly became very intrigued with the gloves he was placing on his hands; the gloves that were on the wrong hands. Seeing that he wouldn't be any help, she turned back to her godfather and shrugged. "Three months ago. After that job you pulled in Portugal, Toll explained how you guys almost got blown up by some bomb. So I started asking a few questions and one thing led to another and he taught me some basic stuff. It was completely safe and we used duds, though, I promise."
Barney sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking from the teen in front of him to the demolitions expert. He rolled his eyes spotting the incorrectly placed gloves, before barking at the man. "No more teaching her explosives without Lee or I knowing. And you two are going to be the ones to tell him, not me."
"Aw, c'mon, he'll want to castrate me!" Toll complained as he fixed his gloves.
"Perhaps you can use that takedown you showed Sky to fight him," Yin piped up, earning a glare from the demolitions expert.
Barney looked down at Sky once again before noticing the red marks on her right arm, starting at her shoulder and moving down to her elbow. He frowned and touched the area with his fingers. She immediately flinched and pulled away, causing his frown to deepen. "You hurt your shoulder."
"What?" Jake managed to say through his mouth guard. He pulled his hand away from his dad and walked over to the small brunette with Gunnar at his heels. The younger blonde took her arm gently in his hand to run his fingers along the injured arm before he frowned.
Gunnar saw the shape her arm was in and looked over his shoulder to glare at his partner. "I told you to ease up on her."
"She's supposed to tell me when she's hurt so I can stop," Yin replied easily, a frown on his face as he started to move closer so he could examine his protégé's arm. Gunnar stepped in his way, glaring down at the shorter man. Yin glared up at him without fear. "Move so I can see her arm."
"No."
"C'mon Gunnar, it wasn't his fault," Caesar said, already getting up and pulling Toll along just in case they would have to separate the two men. It wouldn't be the first time Gunnar and Yin went at it.
Gunnar still didn't move. Only when he felt a hand on his arm did he turn to look back at Jake and Sky. His son had his mouth piece out and in between the fingers of his left hand, while he had his right hand on his shoulder. He had a smile on his face but he could see the slightly worried look in his blue eyes. It was the same look Sky had as she looked back and forth between her martial arts trainer and Gunnar. "It's alright dad, Sky's good, right Sky?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a bit bruised is all, and it's really my fault for not paying attention or telling Yin my shoulder was bothering me. Just let him see it so he can see if I'm good to keep going or not."
The blonde man looked down at the two for a few seconds before stepping to the side, so Yin could examine her arm. He still hovered around behind Jake and Barney—who was holding onto Sky's good shoulder—while Caesar and Toll circled around, trying to see the bruised arm as well. Yin frowned, moving her arm around. It rotated correctly, but he didn't miss her slight grimace when he moved it a certain way. "Ice it and try not to move above shoulder level. Next time, tell me so doesn't happen."
"Got it," Sky sighed.
"Alright, I guess that means it's Toll and Jake's turn. I'll take care of getting you an ice pack. Go take a seat and rest," Barney said before walking out of the room to get ice.
"Aye-Aye, Cap'n."
Yin steered Sky back off the mats while Gunnar followed behind, still glaring slightly at his partner. Jake noticed and made a mental note to talk with Sky when he got a chance later before he looked forward and saw that he was the only one left on the mat with Toll. Without hesitation Jake stuffed his mouth guard back around his teeth, knowing he would need it against his former mentor. "Get ready. I wanna see what you can do," Toll smirked, placing his own mouth guard in.
With that Toll shot off for the boy, aiming a volley of punches for his face and body. Jake managed to duck or block all of the ones to the face and most of the ones to the body, except for a pretty nasty right hook to the body. He winced but immediately ducked and rolled out of the way of a Spartan kick to the chest, trying to get his bearings. He had forgotten Toll was that good. He'd have to use all his skills. Internally he wished his team was there to see how badass he was. Jake tried to run at Toll's back to get a rear-naked choke in but he was flipped over so he landed on his back painfully onto the mats and Toll's fist stopped flying just an inch away from his nose.
"Ouch, you okay there, Jake?" He heard Sky's voice, full of amusement, mock what he'd said earlier.
"Don't kill my kid," Gunnar shouted, a threatening tone to his voice.
Toll ignored the Viking. "You're a little rusty there, Jake. Let's see if we can't fix that."
Jake sprawled out on the mats and blew out a breath through his nose. This was going to be a long training session.
