Title: Run For Your Life
Rating: PG
Summary: The guys join a gym and meet up with some trouble.
Warnings: One of the first things I wrote a couple of years back...that alone is a warning. It's not the most believable plot, but I spend lots of time at the gym and was doing tons of treadmill running at the time…thus this was born during some of my more awful workouts to distract myself…ha, ha!
'Gotta…keep…running", "gotta…keep…running.' It had become his mantra. But then there was darkness and he came to complete halt crashing into the console in front of him. Flying backwards he landed on the cold, hard concrete floor with a sickening thud.
2 Weeks Earlier
"You gotta be kiddin' Faceman" B.A. chuckled. "You really joinin' a gym?"
"Yeah, what for Facey? You trying to get big and mean like B.A. over there?" Murdock questioned pointing at the larger man and ducking as B.A. threw a mock punch in his direction.
"Knowing Face" added Hannibal, "there has got to be a woman involved. So what's the story Lieutenant?"
Face put on his best hurt expression and said "Couldn't it just be possible that I am trying to get into better shape so I can more of an asset to the team?"
His three friends responded with a simultaneous "no" and Face knew that it was time to come clean. "Her name is Lola".
"She was a showgirl…with yellow flowers in her hair and a dress cut down to there," Murdock sang prancing about the room.
"Shut-up fool…you ain't no Barry Manilow." B.A. chided.
"Lola is a lady I met last week while scamming my new place…which you all seem to be making yourselves at home in." Face shot a dirty look at Hannibal's feet on the coffee table. "She teaches a Boot Camp class at Jake's Gym and invited me to try it out…Lola in a leotard is something I'm not about to miss!"
"Neither are we." Hannibal said removing his feet from the table. "Sign us up Face".
Face placed hi s hands on his hips and protested, "Now just wait a minute. What is this 'we' stuff? No way am I going to join a gym with The Three Stooges."
"Can I be Curly? Can I, can I, can I?" pleaded Murdock.
"C'mon Face…this could be fun. Plus, I could use a good sweat." smiled Hannibal.
"And I could use a good laugh," mumbled B. A. under his breath.
"There goes my chance with Lola," sighed Face as he threw his hands up in the air and slumped down onto the couch in exasperation.
1 Week Later
'I can't believe I let them talk me into this,' thought Face as he walked out of the locker room with Hannibal, B.A. and Murdock in tow.
"Now listen" lectured Face as they approached the group exercise class where Lola's Boot Camp would take place. "You three stay away from me in there. Give me some space to work my magic."
Hannibal and Murdock rolled their eyes as B.A. snarled, "I ain't about to take no exercise class…that's stuff's for girls."
"Are you calling me a girl?" Face asked stepping toward B.A.
"If the leg warmers fit…" B.A. chuckled stepping even closer.
Hannibal stepped between the two men and added "We're just here to observe…we'll leave the boot camping up to you, Face. We'll watch Lola…I mean you…through the window". Hannibal turned and started walking over to the seating area but turned back and added with a grin, "Have fun, Lieutenant…try not to hurt yourself in there."
Face opened the door to the fitness studio and could not help but smile when he noticed all the beautiful ladies warming up. He was beginning to like his chances even if things didn't work out between him and Lola.
There Lola stood at the front of the room looking like a goddess. She spotted Face and gave him a smile and a small wave as she turned around to start the music. 'This is going to be cake, he thought to himself. "After all, this is a Boot Camp class and I've been through the real thing. How hard could it be?"
An hour later, one very sweaty Faceman came walking out the door hand-in-hand with Lola.
"I must say that I am very impressed Temp...most first timers only make it through some of the class. I like a man that can hold his own. I look forward to seeing you next time," Lola said wiping a strand of Face's hair out of his eyes.
"You bet I'll be at your next class. That way we can work up an appetite for dinner," said Face flashing her one of his winning smiles.
Lola laughed and said, "It's a date. I better get back in there and clean my stuff up…see you soon."
Face waited until she went back into the fitness studio and then he slowly walked over to where his three friends sat grinning ear to ear. "I think I'm gonna be sick," groaned Face as he slid into a seat next to B.A.
B.A. leaned away from his exhausted friend and said, "Not so close Faceman…you stink!"
"I've gotta hand it to you Face. You really held your own in there," praised Hannibal.
"He just conned Lola into thinking he was in shape," added Murdock. "She should see him now!"
Face just groaned and wondered how he was going to make it to the locker room. He had just used muscles that no man was supposed to use. And to make matters worse, he had agreed to do it again. 'Why do I always do this to myself?'