**So, I've been gone from fanfic a long time. Figured finishing up or at least getting some minor resolutions to this storyline was a good place to start. Thank you to everyone who coaxed, pulled, supported, and never gave up on getting me back into writing. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have writing it again. Apologies for this less that exciting installment but wanted to show how they were going to make things work… promise future chapters will be more fun. **
Chapter Five
Lita finished helping Kennedy stretch and get ready. The younger woman's raven hair was pulled back into a looped ponytail to keep it out of her face and way. She was already bouncing on her heels and agitated. No amount of coaching from the Hall of Famer was going to take the edge off of her right now.
The morning had gone mostly how she expected. Contract negotiations and going over what would be expected of her and how she would be compensated. It took most of her willpower not to go into shock at the amount of money they were investing in her salary. Trips made it clear that this had to work and there was no room for failing. All the usual bullshit until she read that clause about "creative rights". Took nearly two hours before they compromised. She would go with whatever creative decided as far as plots and storylines, up to and including anything romantic. However, at no point in time would they or could they write in a betrayal or heel turn against the boys. She wasn't going to be the next Seth Rollins. Trips finally understood and got the contract amended fairly quickly, realizing that was the one issue no amount of money or reasoning was going to get her to back down from today. Kennedy was willing to do a lot to make her name. Whoring around and being a traitor wasn't one of them. The fact he'd even had that in there made her blood boil. She moved and started doing runs off the rope to warm up.
Dean slid into the ring first. Still in board shorts and a tank top form working out already, the man had already a solid sheen of sweat to him. Roman stepped into the ring, more than slid. His hair was up in a bun and his attire mimicked Dean's mostly. The long winding black work of his tattoo could be clearly seen. Kennedy was in yoga pants and a black labyrinth tank top showing David Bowie as the goblin king on the front. Her black sports bra peeked out from underneath at times, Dean couldn't help but notice. The woman moved back and nodded to the two men as they entered the ring and Lita moved to the apron.
Stretching once more, her hands locked and over her head, Kennedy looked to the two men. "So? What's the goal for today?"
Roman grinned. "Well figure we start with getting used to working with one another. We gotta trust you out there, and you us. Once we feel comfortable, then work on incorporating some moves together?" He looked between her and Dean. "Sounds about right?"
Dean nodded, trying not to notice as the woman moved her solid abs and the slight curve of her waist was visible. "You comfortable high flying? Anything we need to know about that you could get injured more than normal doing? Injuries? Shit you can't seem to pull off?"
Kennedy shook her head. "Nope, and flying's fun. I don't mind taking hits and can hold my own. I know Ro had hernia surgery and needs to protect his stomach a touch more. You? Other than the infamous shoulder?"
Dean shrugged. "Shoulder doesn't matter. So… figure we'll have to adjust some. You're gonna have to move more for speed and agility in mixed tags. Can't always promise it'll be chicks your throwing down with. You sure about this?"
Kennedy narrowed her eyes. "Little late for cold feet now. Papers are done and you saw me and Finn. I said… I can handle it." She moved closer to the two men. "So… figure do some drills tossing me? I can roll and you can get used to lifting me." They exchanged looks at nodded.
The next hour or so was spent throwing Kennedy around the ring, literally. Both men took turns picking her up in various ways and tossing her as if at someone or something. Each time she hit and rolled like a pro. By the end, Dean and Roman could move her between them or she could climb one of them from the rope as if it was something they'd been doing forever. Roman mentioned during a water break to Dean it was almost eerie how easy moving with her felt. Dean nodded. "She fits." Is all he said.
"Okay, water breaks over." Lita called out. "You're gonna need a finishing move. Something as solid as your old one with the powerbomb, but new. If you just do that again, well..." She shrugged.
Kennedy nodded. "Yeah… I'm not here to just fill if for the old man in the shield." She leaned back on the ropes, letting the top rope stretch and cradle her back. Looking around the ring she started to think. Her eyes moved over to Dean. "So... think we would do a double arm DDT on someone and then pick them up for Roma's spear?"
Dean winces. "That's fucking ugly… I like the way you think." He glanced around the performance center. "So…. We need to find some poor chump that is willing to be the crash test dummy."
Lita shook her head laughing. "Why don't you work on a tornado DDT from Ro's shoulders as well. Change it up a bit. Between that and Double dirty deeds as you said… should be good." She crossed her arms. "Means that two of you have to sell that DDT combo though. Perfect timing and sync." The three exchanged looks and moved to start working on the tornado DDT while Lita found some poor victim that was up and coming and willing to take a few hits to learn.
They started with Dean learning to lift Kens up and over the ropes onto Roman for the set up. After a couple tumbles failed attempts, the two started to get the hang of it. Dean couldn't escape noticing how every time his hands dug into her skin and hips it felt like small static shocks. What the fuck was wrong with him? Kennedy never tensed or flinched, trusting him each time to lift and cradle her up onto Romans shoulders.
Watching the next phase made him catch his breath a time or two. She had to learn to stand with Ro bracing her on his shoulders. Lita and dean spotted until they managed to find their place with balance and trust. It seemed a bit harder for her to get into a groove with Roman than Dean, but she found it. Bending at the knees Roman launched her and she twirled, bracing for a solid land. Gary, the poor crash test dummy, as Dean had labeled him moved to get in place. It took two good pile ups before Kennedy understood how to adjust her angles to catch her opponent. Lita winced every time they started to land the move. After three or four times, Garry was down and not getting back up. Roman and Dean sent him to the shower once they got the poor kid back on his feet.
Roman offered to be the DDT test subject since once the poor soul was back up, spearing them would be a no brainer. Kenned shrugged and moved to head next to him with Dean on the other side. That was the first time her only standing a solid 5'5" compared to the boys 6'4" each seemed to now be an issue.
"Okay… so we need to find a way to get you all on the same level to make this work." Lita leaned on the ropes and started to think. "Something that is going to mean it doesn't matter how tall they are because they are below both you and Dean's center of gravity." Kennedy nodded understanding and looking to the two more seasoned wrestlers for help.
Dean started to pace, playing with the tape on his hands. "Lower… so we drop 'em. Put 'em on their knees or bent over." He looked over to Roman to check is logic a moment, and the large man just nodded. "Means either me or Kens has to set this up and the other watch for it." He nods. "Once their over then we can make it work."
Kennedy immediately caught where Dean was going. "Right… big guys like Ro we put on their knees. Smaller we can just bend them over with a few hits or knock back." She headed back over to the center of the ring. "So. let's say I land a solid kick to the back of the legs and he's on his knees." Roman moved to assume the position, hanging his head some as if he'd just been worked over. Kennedy and Dean moved to slip their arms under his arms, one each, to complete the set up. Then they moved and dropped him. Legs kicking out for momentum at the same time like two book ends. Lita just raised her brows. "Well okay… so not gonna have timing issues." She seems a bit caught off guard. Kennedy grinned, while Roman stood back up and cracked his neck. "Yeah. let's not do that too many times." Dean slapped his brother on the back.
"Let's call it a day for now. We got a lot done today and you all should be able to work with the foundation we started. I can work with Kens this week on more things to compliment your more direct style." Lita laughed and moved into the ring. "Showers?"
Roman nodded and then paused a moment. He put his fist out into the middle of the ring. Without hesitation Dean put his up next and looked to Kennedy. She blinked a moment, as if it was all suddenly real and dawning on her. She nodded to both men watching her and put her smaller fist right up against theirs. That seemed to make the larger man smile. Dean just slowly nodded in approval. "Time to take back what's ours."