This chapter was one that I really liked writing, because I am definitely put a bit of myself into Jacoba for this one.

Also, it won't come up until later, but some of the guys (Caesar mostly) will be calling Jacoba by J.D., short for her first and middle names, Jacoba Dixie. Didn't want anyone to be confused.

The legalities: I do not own any of the Expendables franchise (characters, places, and objects especially) and this is mostly au.Rated M just to be on the safe side.

Hope you enjoy!

Prompt: "When I first saw her, I didn't really see her, just the pile of books she was carrying."

"What in the world did you buy this time, woman?!"

Both Tool and Jacoba looked up from the desk at the front of Tool's Tattoo Shop to see the six-foot-five Swede, Gunnar Jensen, barreling into the shop with what looked to be a credit card slip crumpled in his hand. Tool just rolled his eyes and looked back at the books on his desk as Jacoba just smiled and put her elbows on the desk, propping her chin on her hand.

"You'll have to be more specific, big guy. I'll need a date and probably the context of the fight that we had."

Gunnar gave her a look and rolled his eyes before shoving the credit card statement into her face. As she pushed the paper out so that she could actually read it, he pointed at a particular line. "Right there. What the hell could you buy that cost almost three hundred dollars at ONE store?"

Jacoba furrowed her brow before her eyes got comically wide. "Oh, it was the books!"

"The books?!" Gunnar looked at her like she had grown a second head. "What books?"

She smiled. "I got more books! We had been arguing about how I could never be a sharpshooter or shoot any type of gun, even though I had asked you to teach me. So, I went out and bought as many books about guns and how to shoot slash use them as I could." Jacoba handed the statement back to Gunnar before standing up. "I'm gonna grab us all some water," she stated before heading to the kitchen in the backroom.

Not hearing a response from Gunnar, Tool looked up to see the Viking looking after her with his mouth agape. Clearing his throat so that Gunnar was looking at him, Tool began to explain while pointing a pen at the Swede. "If you had just agreed to teach her, this probably wouldn't have happened. Do you remember when she first came here? You all decided to take her shopping before bringing her to me and she saw a bookstore. Which is why the first time I saw her, I didn't really see her, just the pile of books she was carrying. If that girl could substitute her books for real-life, she would." Tool furrowed his brows in confusion. "And where do you think you're going?"

Gunnar turned back to the tattoo artist and just shrugged. "I'm going to take her to the range. Who knows, maybe she'll prove me wrong." Shrugging again, he turned back towards the kitchen, missing the knowing grin that was forming on Tool's face. "Hey doll, want to go to the range? Maybe you can actually shoot a target."

"You're on, big guy! Well only if you got me a helmet for that damn machine you drive."

Tool rolled his eyes again as he listened to Gunnar and Jacoba nitpick at each other as they went out the door. Looked like he was going to do paperwork by himself today. Oh well.