Author's note: I'm not the only one who re-watches and freeze frames that scene of Wolf working out, right? Right?

Not sure quite where this story is going as yet, but it's going somewhere. And there was me saying I wasn't going to write any more multi-chapter TLS fics…

Thank you for reading, please review if you enjoy.

Chapter 9 - Gym

"So you're going to the gym this morning, right?"

Hope was snuggled in his arms in bed, and Wolf was sleepily stroking her back as she talked. Between her shifts at the hospital and a couple of assignments he'd agreed to carry out for Tom Chandler, they'd still managed to spend plenty of time together in the past couple of weeks, even if it was sometimes between the end of her late shift and the start of his day, like today, when she'd let herself into his apartment at 4am and crawled straight into bed beside him.

"Mmm hmm." He forced his eyes open. "Why?"

"Thought I might come with you, let you show me a few moves?"

He yawned and kissed her hair. "I thought you wanted to sleep in?"

She kissed his chest and snuggled in closer. "I do, but I also want to see you get all hot and sweaty."

He couldn't help but laugh. "You've seen me like that plenty of times."

"But never enough." He felt her grin against his chest. "And not in public."

"You can see it right now if you like?" He offered, and she giggled as she raised her head for a kiss.

"Thought you'd never ask..."

As he rifled through his drawers for clean workout gear a few hours later, Wolf was still assuming that Hope's remark about the gym had been a joke. That was, until he turned around to see her pulling workout clothes of her own from her overnight bag.

"You're really coming to the gym?"

"I really am." She shot him a grin, "Unless you're worried you can't keep up with me!"

"Babe, do you know what I do at the gym?" He asked, realising he hadn't really talked about his training.

"Jazzercise?" She queried, smirking, and he shrugged. More fun to show her, anyway.

In any case, his more pressing concern quickly became how he was going to chaperone his girlfriend in the gym, given her choice of outfit. Sure, those tiny shorts were technically running shorts, and her tank top was courtesy of a sports brand, but they showcased her figure almost indecently well.

"You might want to wear... more." He tried, but she shrugged.

"I'm good."

He couldn't quite work out if this was one of her teasing games or not, but he figured the only option was to play it straight and see what happened.

The gym was a reclaimed warehouse on the edge of the military district, so although it was technically a public resource, ninety percent of those who worked out there were in the service. Its equipment was whatever had been salvaged from gyms, private homes, and other sources in the area, which meant a line of treadmills and stationery bikes of varying ages, a large but random collection of free weights, and two long, beautiful lines of hanging punch bags, which were the focus for most of its clientele. At the far end, an area had been marked out for sparring, but few were willing to risk that on a concrete floor with little or no protective gear.

Wolf watched Hope take in the place as they stood in the doorway together, unable to read her expression. There were only a handful of people in the large space at this hour, all of them male, and there was a distinct aroma of sweat which he could have sworn he'd never noticed until this moment.

"Well, I guess there's no spa attached." She said, and he swallowed.

"I know it's a little-" He started, but then one of the men who'd stopped working out to stare at Hope decided to take it a step further and let out a piercing wolf whistle.

"Hey baby! You here to drop and give me sixty nine?"

Before Wolf could react, a familiar figure stepped out from behind a hanging bag a few feet away and gave the perpetrator a hard stare.

"Apologise to the lady." Danny Green said stonily.

"Or you'll be apologising to us." Carlton Burk added, stepping up from the other side as Wolf himself took a threatening step forward.

"Oh come on now, boys!" Hope's voice was completely steady and to Wolf's astonishment she seemed unfazed as she looked around at the four men. "It's just a little playing, right? I mean, we all know he ain't putting his oorah in any hooha, with a face like that." Her teasing grin had a hard edge to it that Wolf hadn't seen before, and the guy who'd catcalled her had turned brick red. Eyes on the floor, he hurried off towards the locker room.

Carlton whistled in appreciation. "Looks like you can handle it yourself, ma'am."

Danny was looking at Wolf through narrowed eyes, no doubt recalling whatever Kara had told him about Hope. "Doctor Riley?" He asked, holding out his hand, and Hope shook it.

"Just Riley is fine."

"Danny Green. Wolf and I worked together on the Nathan James."

"We all did." Carlton offered his hand, "Carlton Burk. How did you know your admirer there was a Marine?"

Hope shrugged. "Tattoos were a giveaway." Then she glanced at Wolf before adding, "My daddy and my brothers were all in the Corps."

"So you've heard all the lines, huh?" Danny asked with a smile.

"Every single one of them." She grinned back.

Carlton turned to Wolf, "Now I get why you weren't afraid to bring her here."

Wolf nodded, still processing the new information about Hope's family. "My girl can handle herself." He acknowledged, and he caught a glimpse of her smile out of the corner of his eye.

"Anyway, we were just finishing up." Danny said, shooting a glance at Carlton, who quickly agreed.

"Yeah, we'll leave you to it. Good to meet you, Riley."

"Likewise." She waited until they were out of earshot before turning to Wolf. "You ready to put me through my paces?"

He had about a dozen questions he wanted to ask, but he figured this probably wasn't the time or the place, so instead he grinned at her. "Show me what you got, babe."

As it turned out, what she had was pretty impressive. He supported the bag as she launched an assault of kicks and punches, most of them landing bang on target with surprising force.

"Trained by four brothers, eh?" Wolf asked as she paused to roll her shoulders.

"You know it." She landed a powerful kick to the bag. "Momma wanted me in little pink dresses and ballet class, but I was always out back fighting with the boys."

"What side did your dad come down on?"

"He died when I was eleven." Punch. "On deployment." Another punch. "Chopper went down." Kick. "Son of a bitch!" Her foot glanced awkwardly off the bag, and almost knocked her off balance.

Wolf felt knocked off balance himself by the revelation. "Me too." He managed.

She paused, shaking out her hands. "You too, what?"

"My dad. Died in combat. Navy."

She tipped her head to one side, looking at him curiously. "Well I didn't figure that." She rotated her wrists once more before landing another punch to the bag. "I guessed you were rebelling against a hippy upbringing or something. I mean, your name is Wolf!"

Jolted as he was, he couldn't help but laugh as he braced the bag against three more hard kicks from her before she paused again.

"I haven't done this for a long time, and I'm feeling it." She stepped back. "You want to show me some moves?"

Relieved not to be pressed on the question of his family, he did as he was asked and started in on the bag, soon losing himself as always in the rhythm of it, finding something soothing in the physical challenge. He was dripping with sweat by the time he paused for a breather, and had almost forgotten Hope was there until she offered him a water bottle.

"Well, I'm impressed." She commented, her smile wide. "And I'm not just talking about the way you look in that sweaty shirt."

He managed a laugh as he sucked down water. "You want to take another turn?"

She shook her head. "I'm going to go try out one of those treadmills, you come find me when you're done." She touched his face and answered the unspoken question, "I'm not going to pester you to talk about your family. You tell me when you want."

He reached out and cupped the back of her head with one hand, pulling her in for a kiss, trying not to drip sweat all over her. "Thank you." He murmured as he released her, and she grinned.

"You're welcome, Mister Wolf."