Hey guys! So, this is my first one-shot. Please review your thoughts :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Kickin' It. I only own the plot and my unnamed OC, Jack's father.

-every word-

Rudy stood on the edge of the mats, admiring his students and feeling proud of how far they had come. He knew he wasn't supposed to treat one of them different from any other, but Jack certainly deserved to be.

The once trouble-making skater had grown into a well-respected young man, and Rudy felt honored to be the one to put him on the right path. He chuckled to himself as he observed the scene in front of him.

Jack and Kim had been trying to teach Jerry a new karate form, but the Latino was failing miserably. In a way, Rudy felt sorry for him. After Milton left for an internship in England, Jerry was the only remaining brown belt. And being surrounded by two skilled 2nd degree black belts wasn't helping his confidence.

Rudy's eyes moved to Kim, observing her nearly flawless technique as she once again demonstrated the new form Jerry was required to learn. There was no doubt in his mind that she had significantly improved since her days at the Black Dragon Dojo. Her old styles of fighting and the strength used to perform them came from hate and anger instead of the discipline, integrity and determination she now possessed.

Rudy wished he could let his students enjoy themselves a little longer, but tomorrow was the start of another long week of school. Reluctantly, he began making his way over to them and finally spoke up.

"You guys have been working hard," Rudy began. The three friends turned their attention to their sensei. "Let's call it a night."

A relieved smile appeared on Jerry's exhausted face. "Thank god," He groaned. "This pre-black belt training is hard, yo."

Jack chuckled as they wandered over to the locker rooms. "Just wait, man." He placed a hand on Jerry's shoulder. "Tomorrow we're gonna get into the good stuff."

Jerry's eyes widened. "You mean it gets worse?"

Jack nodded and smiled.

"Fuck..." Jerry muttered.

Jack chuckled and followed the Latino into the boy's locker room while Kim headed into the girl's.

As Jerry slid out of his gee and threw on a baggy, dark green sweater and black jeans, he turned to face Jack. A smirk played on the Latino's lips.

"Yo, Jack?"

Now wearing his worn down jeans and loose, white undershirt, the brunette grabbed his plaid flannel from his bag. Without facing Jerry, he replied.

"What?"

"What is wrong with you?"

Puzzled, Jack looked over at Jerry and knitted his eyebrows together. "What do you mean?" He asked, slipping his arms through the sleeves of his flannel and adjusting the collar.

Jerry rolled his eyes. "You and Kim."

"What about me and Kim?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

Jerry rolled his eyes again. "You really are blind, aren't you?"

Still confused, Jack kept his eyes on Jerry. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Jerry sighed irritably. "I know you like her."

Jack opened his mouth to protest, but Jerry continued before he had the chance.

"And I know she likes you too."

Jack's eyes widened and a small smile formed on his face. He quickly suppressed the smile though when Jerry smirked smugly at him.

"How do you know?"

Jerry narrowed his eyes at Jack. "Dude, the whole fuckin' school knows but you."

Jack looked away, deep in thought.

"So like I said before, you really are blind, aren't you?"

…

After changing out of her gee, Kim left the girl's locker room and headed towards the mats. She stopped in her tracks though at the words coming from the boy's locker room.

"Why won't you just admit your feelings for her, Jack?"

There was a pause.

"Because it doesn't matter how I feel, Jerry."

Eyebrows scrunched together, Kim leaned against the wall and continued to listen in on the conversation.

"Yeah, it kind of does. Just ask her out already."

"I can't."

"Yes you can. You just walk up to her and say, hey Kim," The blonde froze upon hearing her name. "Do you wanna do something later?"

"Jerry, I know how to ask a girl out." Kim could practically see Jack roll his eyes.

"Then what the hell is your problem?"

"Jerry-"

"You two are fucking in love with each other and you're just too afraid to do anything about it."

"Shut your damn mouth, Jerry." Jack raised his voice. "Call me a fucking coward, but I am afraid, okay?"

Kim's eyes widened. Jack wasn't afraid of anything, and he definitely had never admitted to being afraid.

"I just can't lose her, Jerry. There are some things that I haven't told you guys...about my – about my past..." Jack seemed to be stumbling over his words.

"Jack, what are you talking about?"

"Look, I'm not ready to tell you guys about it, and maybe I'll never be ready, but my point is, I went through a lot of shit before I got here. Before I got here, my life was miserable."

Kim's heart clenched. The mere thought of Jack struggling through his childhood was unsettling. And she couldn't help but wonder why he had never told her about his life as a kid.

"After everything I went through, I need her, Jerry. If I ever screwed up with her, if I ever lost her, I honestly don't know what I'd do because she is everything to me."

Kim smiled and felt a tear slip down her cheek, caught off guard by how much she meant to him. If she really was his everything though, why had he kept his past hidden? If she really was his everything, why hadn't he felt like he could trust her with his past?

"She is the one person in this world that keeps me sane...I can't lose her."

Kim wiped away her tears and finally made her way onto the mats. Her eyes fell on Rudy conversing with a tall man with a thick, dark beard and messy, chocolate brown hair, much like Jack's she noted. If she was being honest, his appearance frightened her. He seemed unpredictable.

Jack and Jerry emerged from the locker room, completely unaware of the stranger in their dojo.

"Jack," Rudy began. Jack's eyes lifted to meet Rudy's. "This man says he's here to see you."

The bearded man turned and faced Jack, his eyes instantly landing on the boy he hadn't seen for years.

Suddenly, Jack felt like he couldn't breathe, fear coursing through his body. He couldn't move; he was literally frozen.

The man took a step forward, a menacing smirk on his lips. "Hello, son."

Jerry and Kim's eyes widened. Jack never talked about his father and now here he was, standing right in front of all of them.

Jack's eyes darkened. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The man's smirk grew. "Thought I'd check up on you. See what you're up to these days." His eyes wondered the dojo.

Jack's glare intensified, but inside he was trembling. He couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes, however, he managed to hold them back.

Jack's father returned his eyes to his son's. "Hm, karate. I wonder what lead to your interest in this. Did you feel a need to protect yourself, son?" He taunted, purposefully hinting at something from their past.

Jack shook his head. "Don't you dare call me son. You know damn well I'm not your son anymore."

Jack's father seemed unfazed.

"I'm not the same petrified, little boy I was all those years ago."

"Oh really," Jack's father roughly grabbed his son's wrist and pulled him forward. With his face only an inch from Jack's, he looked him right in the eyes. "Tell that to your shaking hands."

Jack yanked himself out of his father's hold. "Get out." He gritted his teeth.

The man smirked. "Gladly." He began his way to the dojo's exit. Right before leaving, he turned to face Jack again.

"But I'll be back, son."

And with that, he disappeared into the night.

Feeling his emotions get the better of him, Jack punched the lockers. He instantly winced and held his bleeding hand. "Shit..." He muttered.

Rudy hurried over to him. "Jack, calm down."

Still holding his hand, Jack lifted his head up and looked at his sensei. He glanced beyond Rudy, his glassy eyes fixing into Kim's soft brown orbs. Jerry stood beside her, but all Jack could see was the girl he had fallen in love with.

Jack returned his gaze to Rudy. Without another word, he backed away from them and headed into the boy's locker room.

"You guys go." Kim spoke up. "I'll stay with him."

"Are you sure?" Rudy's concerned eyes met hers.

"Yeah." Kim replied.

Rudy tossed her the keys to the dojo.

"He needs you now more than ever, Kim." Jerry spoke seriously.

She nodded, waiting for them to leave before heading over to the locker rooms. Her hand lightly knocked on the door. "Jack?"

When the response was only silence, Kim opened the door and hesitantly made her way inside. Her eyes fell on her best friend sitting on the floor and leaning his head back against the lockers. He still held his bleeding hand with the other, resting both of them on his knees that were pulled nearly to chest.

Kim sighed and took a seat beside him. Deciding to wait until he was ready to talk, she stared at the wall in front of her.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Jack's voice was strained.

"Are you okay?" Kim ignored his words and reached for his bruised hand.

Jack grimaced. "Yeah, I think so."

Silence consumed them once again, both of them feeling the warmth of the other's hand.

"Jack?"

"Hm?" He mumbled.

Kim tore her gaze from the wall and looked at him. "You don't have to tell me what that was back there, but I..." She sighed. "I want you to know that I'm here, okay?"

Jack's eyes met hers.

"And you're never going to lose me."

Jack rubbed the back of his neck nervously with his uninjured hand. "You heard Jerry and I talking earlier..."

Kim smiled nervously. "Yeah..."

Jack looked away, not knowing what to say.

"Did you really mean everything you said?" Kim wondered.

Jack returned his eyes to hers. His voice lowered almost to a whisper. "Every word."

Kim smiled slightly before leaning her head on his shoulder. Her smile grew when she realized that he didn't let go of her hand. To the sound of his steady heartbeat, she began to fade, her tired eyes fixed on their hands.

Jack eyes were resting on their hands too, and he felt himself slowly relax. It was almost as if his father hadn't made an appearance only moments ago. With Kim by his side, and her hand in his, he had never felt more comfortable and at ease. He knew his father would return, but right now, all of those thoughts concerning his father had drifted away.

He couldn't feel the pain of his past dragging him down. He couldn't feel anything or think of anything aside from the girl beside him.

Because the girl beside him truly was his everything.

...

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