Johnny looked down at the note in his hand and read it over a few times before crumbling it up inside the palm of his hand. "I have to stop him." He said before he turned over to look Carmen in the eyes. "I should have realized it before. I can't lose him. I can't make the same mistake that I did with Robby." He began before a few moments of silence fell between them. "I don't care what happens to my dojo now, I love him." He confessed. "Just as much as I love Robby." He added while continuing to look at her.
"I can't let him leave without at least telling him that." He told her and he threw away the note and quickly headed back out the door and headed towards his car and headed towards the bus station. Sure enough, there, waiting right on top of a bench was Miguel with his backpack sitting next to him. "Oh, thank God." Johnny said while getting out of the car and slamming the door shut while placing his hand on top of his chest before running over to him.
"Hey Diaz what the hell do you think you're doing!? You had your mother and I worried sick! What the hell were you trying to do give us a fucking heart attack!?" He hollered.
"Sensei Lawrence, what are you doing here?" Miguel wondered while glancing up at him.
"Besides the fact that I'm about ready to kick your ass I need to talk to you." He replied before sitting down next to him. "Come on what's going on, why are you really doing this for?" He questioned him anxiously out of concern but that's when Miguel simply just shook his head.
"Forget it, it's not important." He told him.
"If it involves you, your mom, or Robby then to me it's extremely important." Johnny told him but that's when to his complete horror and utter shock Miguel burst into tears.
"I'm worthless to you! You're only pretending to care about me because you're upset with how you handled being a father to Robby." He sobbed.
"What!? That's bullshit!" Johnny yelled back. "Miguel you're one of the most important people in the world to me. I can't believe that you never figured that out for yourself." He told him softly.
"Then why did you say Robby's name and not mine that night after I told you that I loved you?" He wondered as that's when Johnny started to think back and then suddenly it hit him.
"Oh, that. Is that what this is all about? First of all I was as drunk as a skunk that night, and second of all,.. just because I said that I really want to be a father to Robby, doesn't mean that I don't feel exactly the same way towards you. And I sure wish you would have come and told me about all of this sooner instead of just letting it eat away at you from the inside. Look, I came here to tell you something. Something that I should have told you a long time ago, but I wasn't sure you'd accept until now." He began again.
"What is it?" Miguel inquired while looking up at him questioningly in the eyes.
"You know when you first asked me to be your sensei, I thought that meant that I would just be training you how to fight. I had absolutely no idea that you would also be training me on how to trust people and to love again. And the truth is that I love you and I just had to tell you that. I can't hold you back from leaving if that's what you want to do, but I couldn't also just let you leave without knowing it." He explained. "Also, just to let you know, you've basically been my kid from day one, but if you're interested, I talked it over with your mother and even though we're not married yet, because we're dating and because of our relationship she's agreed to let me adopt you." He told him.
"Wait, you actually want to adopt me?" Miguel questioned him in disbelief but was grinning widely while he asked him that.
"Did I stutter or something?" Johnny questioned him back. "Look, I don't know what's going to happen to Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do and whether or not we're going to be able to remain as sensei and student, so I figured if I adopt you, we can be something even better. Father and son. And I know that so far I've really sucked at being a father and I've fucked it up, but I really do love you kid and I want a second chance at it so I can try and be better. For you and for Robby. So, what do you say Diaz, will you come back and give me that chance?" He questioned him eagerly and hopefully and instead of responding to him Miguel tightly embraced him.
"Of course I will,.. Dad." He replied with a sniff as a stream of tears trickled down his cheeks and he started crying again, but this time they were tears of joy instead of tears of sorrow and sadness. Johnny felt himself starting to tear up as well as he hugged him back.
"Well, Eagle Fang might have lost the tournament, but I still feel like a champion after hearing you say that and that's what you are as well. A champion, and don't you ever forget that or let anyone tell you otherwise." He told him while ruffling his hair and as he stood back up he handed him his backpack and they both headed back to his car to begin their new life together.