Under Construction

“Kalisha’s right,” said Dean idly, his eyes following Kelley’s every move. He knew her shoulder and knee were still bugging her, still holding her back. It was clear by the way she moved, the way she grimaced every now and then, even when Benny hadn’t touched her. She was still in pain but refusing to let it stop her. “Kelley’s never been fragile. Treating her like she is would be an insult to her.”

This was proof.

Although obvious she was still wary, Kelley had warmed considerably since breakfast. The others, taking cue from him, had gone back to how they normally acted. They’d laughed, joked, picked on each other, and had even drawn a laugh from Kelley in the process.

She hadn’t joined in like normal, but it was a start. When he’d led her down to the gun-range, her mouth had dropped open much like it had ten years ago. She’d been the most animated he’d seen her in weeks.

When he’d told her to spar with Benny, her eyes had positively lit up with excitement.

He turned sideways to Sam, Jack, and Cas as Kelley managed to get Benny down on the ground. Of course, it wasn’t for long. Within seconds Benny had reversed the hold she’d been attempting, but he didn’t get to lock it in as she slipped away.

“Just because she’s forgotten us doesn’t mean she’s not Kelley anymore.”

“What did the doctors say last time?” asked Jack quietly as Kelley dodged Benny’s attack by inches. “About her memories coming back?”

With a heavy sigh, Dean closed his eyes for a moment. He was the only one allowed to accompany her to the doctors these days. Even though she never let him in the room when her appointments were on, the doctors always filled him in afterwards.

“They don’t hold out any hope she’ll remember,” he replied, his tone flat and lifeless. “Kelley’s memory loss is permanent.” She would never remember him.

That didn’t mean she would never love him again. Did it?

Silence fell again as they watched Benny stalk Kelley around the room. He could see their lips moving, telling him they were taunting each other. Flicking a nearby switch, their voices filled the room and brought a smile to his face. “…jump from your ego to your skill I’d die before I hit the bottom,” Kelley was saying, her lips pulled back in her trademark smirk.

“Love to see things from your point of view, Princess,” taunted Benny as Kelley slipped from his attempt at an armbar. “But I can’t get my head that far up my ass.”

Real original, Benny, thought Dean, resting his hands on the dash before him and leaning forward. To his delight, Kelley laughed as she moved in close.

“Am I meant to be offended?” she taunted, skilfully dragging Benny down and getting him in a Kimura lock. She locked it in.

Dean could have laughed then. Not because of her taunting, but because of what had happened the first time Benny had used that lock on her.

“Get off me,” growled Benny, desperately trying to break the hold Kelley had on him. Dean could tell it was hurting her to keep him like that, but she didn’t let him go. “Bitch!”

“Woof, woof, bark, bark,” she joked, jerking his arm back. “I came with a birth certificate, not a dog license.” She tugged his arm back more then, causing Benny to cry out. “Give up?” If she tugged anymore…

“Fine, give!” he called angrily. Kelley let him go immediately, rolling away from him as they both panted heavily. “Asshole,” he growled as he got to his knees and rubbed his arm, eyeing her warily.

Kelley brought her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide as she watched Benny. “I never knew you thought I was so useful,” she mocked, blowing him a little kiss as she laughed. After Benny flipped her off, which she pretended to catch and stuff in her pocket, Kelley turned to the glass wall, her eyes landing on him. “Who’s next?”

“I think you should take a break,” said Dean, pressing another button so his voice could fill the padded room. He could see her shoulder and leg were giving her trouble, and he didn’t want her to overdo it. “We can come down tomorrow and try again.”

“Bullshit we can,” said Kelley, hands on her hips as she glared at him through the glass. “I’ve been couped up in that fucking room for nearly three weeks now. Don’t tell me you’re all too scared to fight me? Benny the only one with balls in this place or what?”

“Watch it, Kel,” growled Benny, his eyes locked on her as his chest heaved. “You don’t remember it, but it’s rare you manage to beat me.”

Dean laughed as Kelley smirked at Benny.

“Aww, you look so cute when you try and act all tough,” she purred, winking at Benny before turning back to face him. “So? Who’s next, or do I have to fight the douchewaffle again?” He laughed again at Benny’s expression.

“Douchewaffle?” repeated Benny, looking and sounding highly insulted as he glared at Kelley. She ignored him, as did everyone else.

Don’t push her too far…

Without looking he knew everyone was watching him closely, waiting for his decision. He kept his eyes on Kelley, trying to determine if she was actually capable of going again, or if she was just trying to play it cool.

She’d held the Kimura lock longer than he’d thought she’d be able to with her shoulder. His eyes narrowed as she raised an eyebrow, as if daring him to go against her himself.

“Jack,” he called, keeping his gaze on her as her eyes lit up again. “Go show her what you’ve got.”

Dean kept his eyes on Kelley as she rubbed her hands together, moving around Benny as he huffed from the room. Jack left them to join her without a word, but Dean heard him cracking his knuckles.

“So, does the computer boy have a better skill-set than the muscle?” she taunted as soon as he stepped into the room. She seemed relaxed, casual as she watched him. But Dean knew her well enough to see the subtle changes in her posture. He knew, without a doubt, that she was ready to fight. Even if it didn’t seem like it.

“Why don’t you find out?” questioned Jack before he flew at her. Dean could have laughed at Kelley’s reaction. Her face paled as she spun out of his way, narrowly missing the swipe of his arm. He’d picked Jack for one simple reason.

Unlike the rest of them, he didn’t waste time taunting his opponent.

“She obviously hasn’t forgotten how to fight,” grumbled Benny as he dropped down on the couch with Sam and Cas. “It’s not fair that she’s gotten better.”

“You’re just pissed ‘cause she beat you for once,” poked Cas, the grin obvious in his voice. “I’m surprised you’re not claiming you went easy cause of her injuries.”

Benny’s face was priceless. While he didn’t say anything, Dean was just as surprised as them that Kelley had beaten him. Surprised and pleased, and highly turned on. Kelley had that effect on him.

Like Benny, Jack didn’t go easy on her just because of her injuries.

At first.

He barely gave her time to fight back as he pushed her backwards around the room. Kelley dodged an uppercut, jumped back to avoid a kick, but didn’t anticipate Jack’s next move. His fist landed on her injured shoulder, making her cry out as she spun out of his reach. Dean leaned forward, waiting to see if she would call it quits.

“Are you okay?” asked Jack quickly, obviously feeling guilty for having hurt her. He moved forward, but even Dean knew what a mistake that was. “Hey!”

Jack stumbled backwards as her fist snuck out and smacked the side of his face. Before he could react, Kelley spun and copped him in the chest with a back-kick, before swinging in close and bringing her elbow up under his chin.

Kelley and Jack had always been pretty evenly matched when they sparred. Even though he rarely needed to use it, Kelley was the one who had taught Jack how to fight as he did. He’d known the basics, but she’d helped him become as good as any of them. For the next quarter of an hour, the two danced around the room trading blows.

“She’s wearing out,” commented Sam after a while.

He was right, Kelley was getting slower in her movements. Her face was flushed from exertion, her hair falling down from her bun in wisps. Jack was landing more blows than she could defend against, and Dean was tempted to call it quits for her.

He didn’t, knowing it wouldn’t win him any favours.

Come on, Kel…

It all came to a screaming halt when Jack managed to get her down on the ground. He wrapped his arms and legs around her frame, and within seconds had her in a neck crank submission hold she had taught him.

Immediately Dean knew that was a mistake on Jack’s part. He was already running from the viewing room when he heard her cry of pain. Kalisha, Benny, Sam, and Cas were right behind him as he burst into the sparring room.

“Shit, Kel, I’m so fucking sorry,” Jack was yelling as he hovered over her. Dean rushed to her side as she clutched her shoulder, her face screwed up in agony as she gasped for breath. “Fuck, this is my fault, I didn’t think! I’m so sor-”

His apology was cut short when Kelley’s fist connected with his jaw. He fell back on his ass with a cry of his own.

“Say sorry one more time, I dare you,” she groaned, trying to sit up on by herself. Surprisingly, she didn’t push Dean away as he rested his hand on her lower back.

“You okay?” he asked softly as she rubbed her shoulder and grimaced.

“I’m fine,” she got out, right before she groaned loudly and sort of fell into him. “Fuck. Little Gnome’s stronger than he looks.” Again, Dean couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Little Gnome’ was what she often called Jack. It was heartening to hear her use the nickname again. “Don’t laugh at me when I’m in pain you cum-candle!”

“Cum-candle?” She’d always been good with colourful insults, but that was a new one to him. Instead of answering, Kelley groaned again as she tried to push herself away from him. “Alright, that’s enough for today. Come on, up you get.”

Instead of just pulling her to her feet, Dean stood and held his hand out for her. She eyed it for a second, before she reached out and took it, pulling herself to her feet.

“I wanna go again,” she said immediately, trying to roll her shoulder and gasping in pain.

“And I wanna visit the moon,” he retorted, pushing her towards the door rather forcefully. “We don’t always get what we want, Princess.” He caught her wrist as she tried to punch him, earning a nasty glare from her. “Enough. Move it, before I make you.”

“You’re an asshole,” she mumbled, but she started for the stairs regardless. Dean just smirked as he followed after her. He’d long ago lost count of how many times she’d called him that.

If only she’d call him big boy again… although, when he thought about it, it was probably a good thing she hadn’t picked the old pet name for him back up. He wasn’t sure he could control himself if she did.

“You lot, back to it,” he said as he followed her to the stairs, turning back to the others. “I’ll be back down soon, I wanna see you working when I do.”

“Slave driver,” he heard Kelley mutter on the stairs ahead of him, bringing his smirk back. It was clear she’d meant for him to hear that, but he didn’t let it bait him. At the top of the stairs, she turned to him, her hands on her hips. “When do I get to fight you, huh? Or don’t you fight the workers, boss?”

God damn it, that’s bad enough.

She’d used the same tone she’d used for big boy, but this time it just aggravated him.

“Patience, Princess,” he replied, walking ahead of her, and waiting for the blow that never came. “You wanna fight the boss, you gotta take out his henchmen, first.”

“You’ve said that to me before.”

The way she said it wasn’t a question, and had Dean turning back in shock. Only then did he realise she hadn’t moved. Hands still on her hips, Kelley watched him with a frown, her lips slightly parted.

“You remember?” The doctors said it was impossible. He hadn’t fully understood the medical terms they’d used, but he’d got that much. Sadly, Kelley shook her head.

“I dunno it just… that, right there, felt like deja-vu to me,” she said slowly, still watching him closely. “I… It’s more of a feeling…” Her eyes widened then, and she looked down before rubbing the back of her neck.

“You called me a dork,” he said gently, raising an eyebrow when she looked up. “You sort of muttered it under your breath, along with what I think was ‘cunt-stubble’.”

Her eyes widened, but she actually laughed. It was quiet and short, more like a chuckle, but it was something.

“Yeah, that does sound like me,” she replied, shaking her head as she moved to catch up to him. “Fine, I’ll take them all on. And when I kick their asses, you better hold up your end of the deal.”

“You need to heal before you think about fighting that hard again,” he chided as they started upstairs. “You could have done serious damage back there.”

Getting too protective again…

“Lighten up, pussy,” she said dismissively, letting him guide her through the house. He could tell it annoyed her, she was a leader not a follower, but she was also still unsure about this place. Still couldn’t see it as her home. She had been the same ten years ago. “What do you expect me to do for the rest of the day? Huh?”

“I don’t really care,” he lied, shrugging his shoulders like it was nothing. “Do what you want sweetheart. Just rest that shoulder for now. You can have another go with Jack tomorrow.” When he started up the second set of stairs to their room, she stopped.

“If you expect me to lay down again you’ve got another thing coming,” she called. Again, Dean just shrugged his shoulders.

“Don’t care if you lay down or not,” he replied, jogging up the last few steps. “But you will get your ass up here and help me move your shit downstairs.”

“Excuse me?” she called almost angrily, and he heard her stomping up the stairs after him. “You’re kicking me out?”

“Not out of the house,” he said quickly as she caught up, her face showing she was still in pain. “But out of my bedroom, yes. This was my bed before you moved in, and I want it back. You’re always welcome to share, baby doll.”

He remembered the night she had crawled in beside him all too well. And she had spent almost every night in that bed with him since.

‘How original…’

He had only been joking. He held no hope she would want to share a bed with him so soon. But as he shoved open their bedroom door and moved for the drawers, she surprised him once again.

“Alright, smart-ass,” she said, freezing him dead in his tracks. He turned slowly, seeing her in her ‘wonder woman’ pose with her smirk playing on her lips. “I’ll share with you, on one condition.”

Wary, he turned to face her properly, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed her off. “What condition?”

He would love to share a bed with her again, hold her close at night. At the same time, he knew her well enough to know it was never good to agree without hearing her proposal first. Thankfully, her request was a simple one.

“I don’t face Jack tomorrow,” she said, confusing him for a second. “I take on you. We’ve obviously fought before. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got, boss?” Dean didn’t have to think twice.

“Deal.”

// || \\

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