CHAPTER 17

After the fight, Sam and Miguel quickly left before security could get involved and hold them and they quickly drove off in Sam's car. Sam was dying to ask Miguel about what the hell had just happened, but she knew it wasn't the time. Miguel looked extremely worn. Getting into a fight that intense, on top of the fact that he hadn't slept in 3 days, had brought him to the brink of exhaustion. In fact, as Miguel sat in the passenger seat of Sam's car, before he could stop himself, he was dragged into yet another nightmare, this one not a flashback and completely a figment of his imagination…

"WAKE UP, BOY!" Miguel heard his father yell, and Miguel's eyes snapped open. This time, he was back in his old home in Ecuador, but his dad was sitting in the living room opposite him, chugging . Miguel and his dad stared daggers at each other for several moments, before Miguel looked down and saw that there was a gun next to him. His heart started beating faster and faster as Miguel picked up the gun and pointed it at his father.

The man, despite the fact that there was a gun pointed at him, merely chuckled and grinned.

"That a boy." His father slurred. "You should have done this a long time ago."

Miguel cocked the gun and aimed it, something he hated that his dad taught him how to do. His hand trembled as his finger curled around the trigger.

"Do it." His dad grinned. "Do the thing you really want to do. Or don't you have the guts? Do it!"

Suddenly, Miguel pulled the gun away from his father and pointed the barrel directly under his own chin, before firing the fatal shot…

Miguel jolted awake from the nightmare, accidentally jerking forward in the car. Sam watched him in alarm as Miguel panted for breath and slowly calmed himself from his nightmare. Once his breathing was back to normal, Miguel relaxed slightly and sat back, putting his head in his hands. His face was covered but Sam could see tears running down his face, and her heart broke for him.

"Bad dream? You were tossing around in your sleep." Sam murmured. Miguel sighed.

"I was? Sorry." He replied, gruffly.

"You wanna talk about it?" She asked, already knowing what he was about to answer.

"Not particularly." Miguel grumbled in reply. Suddenly, Sam screeched her car to a halt, throwing Miguel forward. He groaned in pain. "What the hell, Sam?" He muttered. He then looked out the window and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He had absolutely no idea where they were. Sam hadn't been driving home from Golf n' Stuff. Instead, she had driven into the hilly, less-populated parts of the city.

"Look, Miguel…" Sam started, closing her eyes and then opening them and turning to face him. "I love you. So much. You taught me what it's like to fully trust someone. How to love someone. I've opened up to you more than I've ever opened up to anyone in my life. But I can't do this anymore."

"You're dumping me?" Miguel murmured, not exactly surprised. He had been kind of a shitty boyfriend to her since his dad had come to town. Sam, who had tears rolling down her cheeks, nodded.

"Unless you tell me what's going on with you. Why you're having nightmares. Why you've been losing control. Wanting to join Cobra Kai. All of this anger… unless you talk to someone about it, it's going to eat you alive. Please talk to me."

"You don't get it." Miguel snapped and got out of the car, walking towards the edge of the massive hill they were standing on. Sam wasn't done though. She followed him out of the car.

"You're right! I don't! Because you aren't telling me what the hell's going on!"

"No, you don't get it! I want to tell you, but I fucking can't!" Miguel spat, a bit louder now. He had decided from the moment his dad had called him that he wouldn't tell Sam about it. If she knew, it would potentially put her at risk, and that was something Miguel would never do.

"Bullshit! You can tell me! You just don't want to!" Sam shouted back.

"I CAN'T! I CAN'T! I CAN'T!" Miguel finally exploded, before putting his head in his hands and walking to the edge of the hill. Sam didn't leave though. She walked over and sat next to him, wrapping an arm around him comfortingly. She watched tears stream down Miguel's face to an extent she had never seen him do before. Miguel always had this annoying trait that he felt like he had to be strong for everyone, and to see him break down like this was terrifying for Sam.

"Miguel, please, what's going on?" Sam eventually asked softly when Miguel's tears subsided. Miguel finally gave up and decided to tell Sam. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I've told you about my dad, right?" Miguel murmured. Sam was taken aback. Miguel NEVER talked about his dad. The only time his dad was ever mentioned was once by Carmen when Sam was over for dinner one night and Miguel had gone to the bathroom and Sam hadn't learned that much about him.

"Not really. All I know is that he was an abusive son of a bitch." Sam remarked. Miguel chuckled. He always found it kinda funny when his normally extremely kind, passive girlfriend swore so vehemently.

"Yeah, well he's staying at the Starlight Motel in Pasadena, and he wants to meet me." Miguel murmured. Sam's eyes widened when she realised… she was right. This wasn't about Robby. This was about someone much, much worse. Everything made sense. His extreme anger. His loss of control in fights. His look that made him look like he was possessed.

"So, what are you…"

"I'm going to go see him tomorrow." Miguel murmured. Sam's eyes widened.

"Miguel, you can't be serious!" She exclaimed. "That man was an abusive asshole to you!"

Miguel sighed and nodded.

"I know. But he's an abusive asshole who might have one or two connections with the most fearsome drug-dealing gang in Ecuador." Miguel stated, his voice not angry but defeated. Sam's eyes widened even more.

"He has connections or he's actually in the…" Sam's voice trailed off as Miguel's facial expression told her the answer to the question. "Oh, my God! I'm so sorry, Miguel!"

"It's fine. It's not your fault." Miguel sighed. It was no one's fault. Having an abusive, gang member dad was just a shit hand he had been dealt when he was born.

"I don't think you should go, Miguel." Sam stated. Miguel shrugged.

"I don't either. Not like I've got a choice. He kinda… threatened to come after me if I don't come see him." Miguel said. Sam's eyes filled with sympathetic tears for her boyfriend.

"Oh, my god! Go to the police, Miguel!" Sam exclaimed. Miguel laughed mirthlessly.

"And they arrest him on what charges?!" Miguel snapped. "There's no proof he did anything. He can't be arrested."

Sam realised how hopeless the situation was for Miguel, so she couldn't do much more than just comfort him.

"So have you told your mom?" Sam asked, gently. Miguel's head suddenly shot up as he faced her.

"No, and you can't either!" Miguel demanded. Sam sighed.

"Miguel, she deserves to know!" Sam stated. Miguel shook his head furiously.

"NO! Telling her would just put her in danger!" Miguel stated. "You need to promise me that this stays between us!"

"Miguel, I…" Sam started, but Miguel interrupted her.

"Promise me!" Miguel demanded, louder. Sam reluctantly sighed and nodded.

"I promise." She replied. Miguel nodded and relaxed a bit, now even more worn out than he was before, but it felt a bit better to get it off his chest.

"Thanks, Sam." Miguel murmured. "Could you please take me home? I kinda need some sleep."

Sam nodded and the two of them drove home, barely saying another word to each other. Miguel could tell that Sam was still processing everything Miguel had just laid on her, but thankfully, she didn't act like everyone else he told - they all treated him like he was some baby, defenseless victim.

After dropping Miguel at his house, Sam drove home. The second she walked in, her dad ran over to her and embraced her tightly. When he had gotten to Golf n Stuff, everyone was already gone, including Sam and Miguel. Then, when Miguel was telling her about everything that was going on with his dad, Sam hadn't answered Daniel's calls.

"Oh, thank God! You're okay, sweetie!" Daniel exclaimed in relief, embracing his daughter extremely tightly. As she felt her dad hug her, Sam thought about Miguel and everything he was going through with his own father. She felt guilty, in a way. Guilty that her father had been with her her whole life, when Miguel was being physically and emotionally tortured by his own. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face thick and fast and she was sobbing uncontrollably. Daniel's eyes widened in alarm as he looked at his daughter. "Sam, honey, is everything okay?"

Sam sniffed back her sobs enough for Daniel to be able to understand her.

"Dad…" She stammered, aware that she was stabbing the person who had finally confided in her in the back. "I need to talk to you…"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next afternoon, Miguel drove home from school, ready to confront and meet his dad that evening. However, when he walked into his house, he saw a strange sight: Daniel, Amanda, Sam, Johnny and Carmen were all sitting in his living room, looking at him with extreme sympathy in their eyes. Miguel immediately knew what had happened, and he sighed in annoyance.

"Seriously, Sam?!" Miguel groaned. "How long did it take you to spill my biggest secret in the world?!"

"Miguel, it's not her fault." Carmen started, her facial expression pained that Miguel hadn't told her that his father was in the city.

"Mom, look, I'm really not in the mood to hear it." Miguel mumbled, tiredly. "I'm going to see him tonight. It's the only way to get rid of him."

"Miguel, that's not true." Johnny said, abnormally gently. "You don't have to see him. You shouldn't have to see him."

"Don't you think I know that?" Miguel snapped. "After everything that shithead did to me, you think I want to see him?! But it's the ONLY way!"

"Miguel, look, you could talk to the police. Get a restraining order. They can protect you and your family." Daniel stated. Miguel chuckled.

"Yeah? And how did that work out for your family and Kreese?" Miguel remarked, harshly. Daniel was rendered speechless and Miguel sighed, continuing in a calmer tone.

"Look, Johnny, Sam, Mr. and Mrs. Larusso, as much as I appreciate you guys being here, would it be okay if you guys left? The last thing I want is to put any of you at risk unnecessarily, and this an issue that I'd prefer just my immediate family be here for."

"What? No! We're staying! We want to help you!" Amanda exclaimed. Miguel sighed.

"I know, and I really appreciate that, Mrs. Larusso. But there's nothing you guys can possibly help me with. I've been thinking about every possible option. There aren't any good ones. So please, go home."

Miguel seemed extremely adamant, so reluctantly, the Larussos left the apartment. After they were gone, Miguel turned to Johnny.

"That means you too, you know? Get out." Miguel snapped at his sensei. Johnny rolled his eyes.

"Like hell! If you seriously think I'm leaving, you're fucking high, Miguel!" Johnny exclaimed. Miguel reluctantly sighed and nodded.

"Fine. Whatever. What do we even have to talk about? I'm going, and that's that."

"No, you're not!" Carmen exclaimed, finally speaking. "Miguel, you can't see this man! He tried to kill you!"

"Yeah, I think I seem to remember." Miguel responded, briefly thinking back to that night and shuddering. "But give me another option. Please, give me another option. I'm begging you."

Carmen and Johnny were rendered speechless for a moment as they glanced at each other nervously. Little did Miguel know that they did indeed have a plan, a plan they had made with the Larusso's and the police's help that morning. Johnny sighed.

"Look, let me get you a drink from the kitchen, and then we can spitball ideas." He said, walking into the kitchen. He took out a beer from the fridge and poured it into a glass for Miguel. Then, with shaking hands, Johnny pulled out the small bag of crushed up Ambien (sleeping drugs) and poured it into Miguel's drink, stirring it thoroughly so it was invisible. Johnny then walked back into the living room, handing the glass to Miguel and nodding surreptitiously at Carmen. Miguel accepted the drink gratefully and chugged it. It tasted kind of funny but Miguel didn't think anything of it. He put it down and then turned to his mom and sensei.

"So, I'm interested. What do you think we do?" Miguel asked. Carmen and Johnny spent the next half hour killing time by making up random ideas, until they saw Miguel start to fade with exhaustion.

"So, Miguel, Johnny and I need to tell you something." Carmen said. Miguel yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry, I'm suddenly feeling kind of tired. What's up?" He asked. Carmen took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Miggy, but we were never going to let you go see your father. Johnny is going to go see him instead."

Miguel's eyes widened.

"What? That wasn't the deal I made with him?!" Miguel exclaimed. "And how the hell do you even know where he is?"

Carmen and Johnny looked at each other and Miguel groaned as he realised.

"Damn it, Sam!" He murmured. "Look, you can't stop me from meeting him either way!"

"We actually kinda can, kid." Johnny remarked. "That beer you just drank... enough Ambien in there to knock out a horse. It's bound to keep you out until at least tomorrow morning."

Miguel's eyes widened when he realised that his family never had any intention of letting him meet with his dad at all.

"Sensei, I'm gonna kill y…" Miguel didn't even finish his threat before he collapsed onto the ground, sleeping silently. Johnny carried Miguel into his room and threw him onto the bed. He glanced at his student sleeping peacefully and he knew exactly why he was about to do what he was about to do. Right on time, Carmen heard a knock on the door and she opened it to reveal Sam.

"Is he out yet?" Sam asked. Carmen nodded.

"Like a light." Carmen replied. Sam walked into the house with Carmen, and they walked into Miguel's room and saw him sleeping peacefully. "So you know what's happening right? Johnny's going to the motel to meet with Miggy's father, wearing a wire to record everything the man says. I'm waiting with the police a couple of blocks out. When Johnny manages to get a confession out of him, the police will arrest Miguel's father and he'll be out of everyone's lives forever. I just need you to stay here and look after Miguel, and if he somehow wakes up and comes after us, delay him as much as you can."

Sam nodded. She knew that as bad of a plan as this was, it was infinitely better than Miguel going to talk to his dad alone.

"Now, I'm leaving you here alone with him. No dirty stuff, okay?" Carmen joked. Sam looked at Miguel, who was in an insanely deep sleep and probably wouldn't be awake for a while, and she giggled.

"Yeah, no promises." Sam joked in reply. Carmen laughed lightly and nodded at her son's girlfriend. Carmen absolutely loved Sam, much more than Tory. Carmen had always been suspicious of Tory, and she didn't like the person that Tory brought out in Miguel.

Carmen then walked into the living room and saw Johnny, a determined expression on her boyfriend's face. Johnny would be doing all of the hard work in the plan as Carmen would be safely with police a couple of blocks away. They couldn't risk Carmen - someone with a long history with the evil man - going in and getting hurt. At least with Johnny, with all of the assault charges the police had against him, they knew he could handle himself in there.

"You ready?" Carmen asked, taking her boyfriend's hand and walking towards the door. Johnny took a deep breath and nodded.

"Yeah, let's do this…"