A/N: SELF CENTERED RANT INCOMING. TURN BACK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE. I'm sure it's blindingly obvious by now that this is all a shameless self-insert fic. Eh. As stupid as it sounds, 'The Karate Kid' is an important part of my life, Johnny was possibly my first love and writing an alternate life for myself in a world that makes me happy keeps me sane while I battle with anxiety and depression so... shoot me. Like I care. (Can you tell I'm having a bad day? PAHAHAHAHAfuck. Sorry, guys. Ignore me and my shit). Like, I know this story is weird. I know! I'm sorry. I am so eternally grateful for the nice reviews I've been getting from you guys! You have no idea. It's such a boost to my self-esteem. You're all wonderful people and I'm glad I built up the guts to post the first chapter of this 5 years ago. I know there are big gaps between updates but I'll try to keep these consistent from now on. This all really just boils down to thank you. And I love you. 3 Xxx

Chapter 22

The Wait Ends

"Jac?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you still like me when you're in your own world?"

"...No. At least... not like I do here."

"I didn't think so."

"Are you upset?"

"No. What difference does it make to me? I only lose you for a minute each day."

"So you think we'd make it here? We could live like any normal couple?"

"Well "normal" might be pushing it a bit but, yeah. I don't see why not."

I giggled and readjusted my head on Johnny's shoulder. Even now we were awake we'd barely moved since last night. Johnny had his arm around me now and stroked my hair with the same hand.

"I'm sorry, Johnny." I said, earnestly. "You're right. It was stupid of me to think I could make a difference with Barnes. I won't do it again. I promise."

Johnny just sighed and rubbed my head in response.

"I'm only going to see you every ten days until the divide is complete. It's OK for you. You only have to wait five. It was hard enough when we were all just friends." I said. Johnny considered this for a moment.

"We'll manage." He answered, simply. "Like you said, the divide's nearly complete. And a few more months and you'll be at my college anyway. We'll see each other every day then. You'll be sick of me." Johnny laughed. I gave him a gentle dig in the ribs.

"Never." I reassured him. Johnny pulled me close.

"Won't Bobby wonder where the hell you went?" He asked, suddenly. I laughed.

"I didn't think of that." I said. "He thought I'd gone to bed already. And, to be fair, I did take a nap but..."

"What?"

"Eh. You know. Nightmares."

"Again!?" Johnny said, concern written all over his face. "That's, like, every night now. That's gotta be medical right?" I just shrugged. "Well, who cares?" Johnny said, a little more upbeat. "About Bobby, I mean. We've got all day with 'em. They can wait around. We know we'll find them at the arcade anyway." There was silence for a while.

"I guess this happened kind of fast huh?" I said after a time. "I've only been here for a couple of months."

"What!? Jac, I've known you for ages. We just had a... bit of a gap in the middle, that's all." Johnny reasoned. I shrugged. When he put it like that...

"I still feel bad about that." I said. "I was away for longer than you'd known me for. I'm sorry."

"Ssh!" Johnny hissed. "You apologise too much."

"I am sorry though." I insisted. Johnny sighed exasperatedly.

"I know and if you dare apologise again, I swear to God, I'm gonna kick you off this bed!"

I giggled.

"OK. Sorry." I said, not thinking. Johnny turned his head slowly to look at me with mock fury on his face. Realising what I'd said, I clapped a hand over my mouth and laughed.

"Right! That's it!" Johnny said. He brought a leg up and pushed me away with his foot towards the edge of the bed. He pushed my shoulders too. I shrieked and scrambled, pulling myself back onto the bed and actually over Johnny.

"OK! OK! I give up! I'm sor... ARGH!" I shrieked. My last apology had been cut off by Johnny actually grabbing me round the waist and trying to throw me bodily off the bed. Eventually Johnny relented and we stayed lying next to each other, giggling weakly. I turned my head and looked at Johnny. He looked back at me.

"What?" He said after a moment.

"Nothing. Just... twenty four hours ago I had no idea." I smiled. Johnny shrugged.

"Can you keep a secret?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah, why'd I even ask? I know you can. Well... I never had a girlfriend after Ali." My eyes went wide.

"Three and a half years? You never had another girlfriend in all that time?"

"Well, neither did Jimmy but that's a different story." Johnny said, making me laugh. "I guess..." Johnny said slowly, "part of me was always waiting for you." I stared at him. He'd waited that long for me. There had to have been a queue of girls who had wanted to take Ali's place. He could have had his pick of them but, no. He was here with me. I threw my arms around Johnny's neck and hugged him. Johnny hugged me back, sighing into my hair.

"Why me, though?" I said. "I'm boring and I'm not exactly attractive." Johnny pulled me away from him and looked at me incredulously.

"You put yourself down way too much. Don't do that." He said, crossly. "You're far from boring. I mean, hell, you're living two lives for Christ's sake! And as for attractive, well... that's in the eye of the beholder right?" He said, smiling. I smiled back at him. Geez, he could be a smooth talker when he wanted to be! Then I remembered something.

"Does my second life bother you? You know, the fact I have someone there too?" I asked. Johnny held my gaze for a second.

"What does it feel like to starhop?" He asked, suddenly. "You know, when the divide's completed and all?" Taken aback, I took a moment to answer.

"Well, er, when you're in one world you're totally engrossed in that world like it's the only one in existence. You're totally consumed by it. When you hop you can remember the events of the other world but condensed like a dream and you lose the emotion."

"So, in other words, when you're here you like me and when you're there you like him. The two don't affect each other right? Because you have two bodies essentially."

"Yeah. That's right. After the psyche is totally divided, the timelines feel right too. So, for example, there will come a time when I can be in each world and not actually feel like I'm living twice as long. The timelines will be contained and will condense whenever I leave."

"Geez, that must mess with your head!" Johnny said. I laughed. "Look, I don't get what you're so worried about. To that guy I'll always be just a name in a story and the same with him for me. Neither of us are losing you to the other. We're not even losing any time with you. One minute out of 1440. That's not exactly a lot." I looked at him, stunned.

"Wow! That was pretty impressive maths!" I said. Johnny shrugged.

"Meh. I got Bs in my maths exams." He smiled. I smiled back and lay back on his shoulder. I suddenly giggled. "What?" Johnny asked, surprised.

"I was just imagining the reactions of all your fangirls who would be spitting tacks if they knew about us." I said, laughing. Johnny thought about this too and laughed.

"Now tell me you're boring!" He said. "Vindictive, yeah. Definitely not boring."