A/N: Chapter ten is ready. This one was a gut punch honestly. I do not own anything but the plot.

Chapter Ten: Prisoners of War

There was a flurry of activity in the hospital room, and Miguel Diaz, eyes blinking open, just focusing back, was scarcely able to take all of it in at once.

There was a bleary thick fog eclipsing his mind and pain like hellfire, so much pain. He screamed, he thought, but it barely sounded like more than a puppy's whimper. He couldn't see anyone familiar, and he needed to see someone he knew. The events tried to piece themselves together in his mind, a distraction from the pain and the poking and prodding as though he were that pig from science class, but little more than flashes pierced through at first: Tory, Sam, Robby Keene, him, Hawk, Demetri fighting, all fighting. Merciless.

Like a war zone…

He wasn't sure when he'd heard that, if he really did at all but it seemed apt.

"Miggy!" He finally heard a sound that registered as comfort though the tone was in anguish. He couldn't see the face that went with it, couldn't see his mother though he searched her out. Those nurses and doctors were in the way.

"Son, can you hear me?"

"Mmm…Ma…" Words pushed out much slower than he liked in his just awake state.

"Ma'am, we're going to need some space. I promise your son is in good hands."

Mama didn't say anything more that he could make sense of if she replied at all though Miguel listened. But eventually, the doctors and nurses got back to their job, and liquids were shot up an IV, and the pain became less though it didn't go away, and eventually he lost track of what was happening entirely.

Daniel got straight to business after Miguel's family arrived.

"Okay, what do you say we give them some space?" He looked between the three teens that sat in hard backed chairs in the hall.

The nerves and fear manifested in entirely different ways, and Daniel was struck. Aisha was stoic, still very much Cobra Kai, holding Sam's hand tightly, so tightly, the skin was pale, though she continually worried her bottom lip, a small tell Daniel only noticed because of endless Summer days hosting Aisha at his home.

Sam, clutching Aisha's hand, was focused somewhere else entirely. He recognized that look in her eye, already running several possible scenarios even as her gaze moved every which way: to Aisha, to Demetri to the door with so much going on behind it, and finally landing on him, trying so hard to put a shield over her intentions, trying so hard to check in on her friends, her father, trying so hard to be strong.

Demetri, Demetri's leg was bouncing. His gaze was on the floor and his hands covered his forehead. When he looked up, his eyes brimmed with anxiety, Daniel's heart clenched.

They had really done a number.

"Mr. Larusso," Demetri spoke. "I told my mom what happened. Um… if it's alright, can I stay with you guys for a while?"

"Of course," Daniel replied. He would tell Amanda to set extra places for dinner. He knew Sam would appreciate the company. He still had to help Johnny. Robby was still unaccounted for. As his thoughts drifted, he pulled his phone. He should try to reach him. That is the one thing they hadn't tried. He took the kids back to the front and then went out to make the call.

The first thing Robby felt was an intense throbbing in the back of his head. That was unsurprising. The first thing he saw was Kreese over him, a hand on each side of Robby's head as he lay on the ground. The first thing he heard was a dull ringing sound like being held underwater when the school bell was ringing.

"Welcome back, I wasn't sure you were going to wake up." Kreese said almost pleasantly. Kreese released his grip on either side of Robby's head and backed up.

"An…. you didn'... call the hosp'l?" Robby's voice came out slowly, as he coughed, sitting up slowly and spitting blood onto the ground choking on the metallic taste. Sick bastard. He looked to the words on the wall, in black and white.

"I'm sorry, here," Kreese held out an opened water bottle.

Robby would scoff if he could, but instead he took a hand and knocked the bottle out of Kreese's hand spilling the contents onto him. "Fuck off." He wasn't that desperate.

Someone made a move toward him, he saw the movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Wait," Kreese said simply.

And the movement stopped. "Yes Sensei,"

The ringing continued and it took a moment for Robby to distinguish his ringtone from the ringing in his ears.

He looked around and saw the students lined up. They all turned to look at him, Tory and Hawk's gazes burning brightest, smuggest as he struggled to make sense of just what the game was. You wanted proof… he thought darkly. Here you are in the snake pit... surrounded. He wasn't sure if it was that thought or the hacking that had been that caused all the saliva in his throat to dry suddenly.

He tried to stand up, but was overcome with dizziness, and the sensation of bile and blood. There it was. He bit his lip and felt another wave of pain as he strived to ignore it getting shakily to his feet and swaying as everything jolted... chilled, reminded suddenly of cold cold water, and he consciously or unconsciously assumed that kata stance, the one that saved him from reeling into that pond in the dojo after fifteen, sixteen, twenty failed attempts before closing his eyes briefly against the spinning Focus, sense the movements. You don't need to see everything Keene. He wouldn't fall, not in front of these assholes, probable concussion or not.

"Oh, I keep forgetting," Kreese said. "I grabbed it for you," Kreese held up the phone.

Robby could see the words, the name on the screen blurring and he cursed. He reached out for it, but Kreese held it just out of reach, putting a hand up. "Just a minute. I have to take this."

Bastard. Robby felt panic rising up as his sluggish brain managed to process the name on the caller ID.

Mr. Larusso.

A/N: So, Miguel is awake! :) But it will be a long road. And Robby...well he's in trouble. I am researching the medical aspect both for the affects of the injuries Robby received and Miguel's spinal cord injury. I am trying to get the symptoms and details of a concussion right since Robby was hit in the head at least twice and same with the spinal cord injury but my medical knowledge mostly comes from Googling and medical television shows. So apologies there. If anyone has anything they think I should know feel free to correct me or provide advice. I'm happy to receive it.