A/N: As usual I do not own Cobra Kai. Belongs to Netflix and the respective creators. Well, chapter eight is ready. It got away from me, that's an understatement, and well Brumation Termination will be split into two parts. The Mercy part 1 and Mercy part 2 of this fic I guess. :) I tried not to, but well it had to happen, though part 1 is a beast anyway. Hope the split is not too disappointing. Here's part 1.
Chapter Eight:Brumation Termination Part 1
In order for this to work, they had to get help and there was only one other person they could ask, and one person that could ask him. And thanks to Facebook, they knew exactly where to find him.
Sam would normally drive to the hospital, but considering she didn't want her parents to know what she was up to, she ended up walking with Aisha to the bus stop after Aisha and Robby had exchanged phone numbers.
"I'm still not sure why you left your phone." Aisha said. "That's like leaving a lung when you're trying to run a 5K."
"Mom and Dad track it," Sam said.
"Haven't they always used find my iPhone, what's—?"
"Just...don't ask..." Sam glanced sideways at her as the bus pulled up.
"Just for the record that was stupid."
"Yeah, I know. Are you done?" Sam said. "We kind of need to focus. Can you text Demetri?"
"He's not going to do this you know," Aisha said.
"He...might…" Sam's voice went up an octave.
"Whatever you say," Aisha shook her head. Her fingers tapped out the message and she hit send.
What the girls didn't realize is who was driving by at that very moment.
"Hey Larusso , pull over. It's your kid and Robinson." Johnny noticed Aisha Robinson and Samantha Larusso at the bus stop as the bus pulled up. "Hurry up! Stop parking like a grandma."
Daniel pulled over and followed Johnny's gaze. "What are they doing?"
"Hitting the mall or something, what are you doing? Get out of the car and get them, let's get some answers."
"Sure," Daniel rolled his eyes. He knew it wouldn't be that easy. He got out of the car. "Samantha!" He called.
"Oh shit," Aisha swore under her breath as she heard Mr. Larusso.
Sam sighed. Great…so much for a clean getaway. "Hey... Dad..." She looked over nervously.
"Sam," Daniel sighed in relief. "Are you okay? Your mom's been worried sick.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sam said. "I just had to get out, I'm sorry. Mom's been...really…"
"I know, but you can't just run off like that." Daniel rubbed the spot between his eyes. "We have rules."
"I know," Sam replied.
"Hi Mr. Larusso," Aisha watched the situation, and saw their plan starting to go up in smoke and decided to jump in.
"Aisha, hey," Daniel said. "How's everything, are you okay?"
"Doing alright Mr. Larusso, thanks." Aisha answered simply. Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she hesitated resisting the urge to check it as her hand clasped it . "Actually," She had to try this. They had to get there. She began to speak, allowing the words to trip over each other, allowing all her parent pleasing instincts and the guilt and fear to enter her tone all at once. Even with the intention, it was simultaneously unCobra, and very Cobra to manipulate her former best friend's father like this. "I was just going to visit Miguel. I know...I know this is crazy and Sam's probably grounded big time, but I just...I could really use the company. So could the whole lecture thing maybe wait, please? Can she come with me?"
It had the desired effect. Sam could see her father's conflict, and felt bad at the same time as feeling proud of her friend. She had developed more than just karate skills.
He sighed and nodded. "Okay, but at least let me give you a ride up."
No...god… Sam kept her expression neutral. "Dad, that's okay I...you don't the bus is—." She turned around.
Great timing. It was gone. Sam looked to Aisha simultaneously conveying and hiding her panic as she grabbed her friend's hand in a way that would hopefully convey supporting her at the mention of Miguel.
"Come on," Daniel nodded his head toward the car.
"Dad," Sam spoke as she and Aisha followed her dad. "What's Mr. Lawrence doing in the car?" She noticed the man in the front passenger seat.
"I was helping him try to find Robby, he ran off earlier today. You haven't heard from him have you?" Daniel asked.
"No," Sam lied. Robby was taking care of his own part of this plan. She couldn't blow it up.
"Really?" Daniel asked. "Huh,"
Sam noticed the worry on her father's face and her stomach flipped as she opened the back door of the car getting in and glancing over to make sure Aisha was following. She hoped this was worth it.
Robby was at the mini mart, hood up. He'd already gotten what he needed: two bottles of soda, some mentos, scotch tape and a bag of chips.
He took his time paying, eyes going back to the door, old instincts flowing in, though, they were mingled with Miyagi Do.
"What you doing with this, science project?" The shopkeeper asked as he tried to place him.
Robby knew the cell phone video had gotten out. It would explain the hood. It's kind of what he was hoping for, the delay, when he heard the bell above the shop door ding, and saw a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, you could say that just killing time man," Robby adjusted his hood as he felt it slipping
"Alright Kid, be careful though, this stuff is volatile. You seen those videos?" But he saw the cashier glancing at the phone as it seemed he was recognizing him. "You go to West Valley? Heard about that big blowup? Like forty, fifty kids fighting in the hall?" He glanced back then forth, then scrolled through his cell phone on the counter.
"Uh, yeah, saw the videos. Um, no. You heard about that? Saw it on instagram. Crazy man." Robby glanced away fidgeting as his fingers tapped his pockets, on edge even as he kept his voice breezy. He wanted to be noticed, have time to scope it out, scope Cobra Kai out, but this was getting risky. This guy was slow with the ringing up. He noticed just who it was that had entered the mart.
She hadn't seen him yet or if she had, didn't acknowledge it, but Robby saw Tory. She was grabbing some powerades, and something that was decidedly not powerade in a glass bottle that she slipped into the oversize workout bag on her shoulder. He didn't need to read the label to know what. She had balls to do this now.
He grabbed the bag once the cashier had finished and left before Tory got to the checkout counter. He wouldn't blow the whistle on Tory. That would mean blowing the whistle on himself, and he couldn't do that yet if this was going to work. He needed to get their attention, but not fully not yet. It had to be on his terms.
He checked his phone for messages from Aisha. They should be on their way to the hospital by now. He knew Demetri only had a limited window. Though he wasn't sure how limited. He only knew his dad's training schedule, not Kreese's. Who knew what changes Kreese had made to the website and the place? And he was sure Hawk would head straight there after practice.
[You hear back yet?]
No response, not even an update. This wasn't a good sign. Robby managed to shake it off.
He stepped off the curb and snuck around , making sure to stay out of sight of the dojo's main windows and entrance as he opened the bag of chips and waited and watched prepping the childhood science project thankful his mom had at least done this staple with him before things went to shit. It would make a good diversion to help Demetri. He kept checking his phone, and watching, saw Tory go inside. And then…
[Wrench in things Keene, Mr. Larusso caught us at the bus stop, and Sensei Lawrence is here too. I'll figure something out. Be careful.]
But Robby couldn't read that message, because just then, just as he reached back for the phone… he felt blinding pain in the back of his head as something hit hard knocking the phone from his grasp, and hands grabbed him before he could pass out completely. As he tried to knock the stars from his vision he saw he was being brought to the Cobra Kai dojo. Of course...He didn't even think to look who had him, just wretched his arms and broke the grip, spinning away and into a fighting position near the door as he finally got a good look. Well, this wasn't exactly what he'd intended but he'd play. He was prepared.
"Ready for a rematch?" Hawk sneered.
"Good luck asshole, I'm not turning my back this time." Robby spat, trying to ignore the pain in his head.
"I wouldn't expect anything less. Your father would do the same." A second voice could be heard,and Robby clenched and unclenched his fists as he realized just who it was behind him, not daring to turn his back on Hawk. "Hello Robby, won't you come in?"
Demetri was in the hallway of the hospital, his leg bouncing as he sent the text. [Wait are you serious? Um...I don't know about this but okay… Miguel has no change, um not much anyway… stable I guess is the right word. It seems wrong though. Anyway I'll be here. It's room 340.] He was surprised to hear… um...read everything that had happened and even more surprised that it came via Sam from Aisha. Apparently a lot more than he thought had gone down since the school fight.
He saw Mrs. Diaz and Miguel's grandmother come out of the hospital room.
"Que tienes comer mija," Miguel's grandma said.
Demetri had taken Spanish so he understood some of what was being said. Comer, that was eat wasn't it? Perfect.
"I can't leave him. I'll eat later," Mrs. Diaz said.
"Mrs. Diaz," Demetri said. "Um...I can stay until you get back. It's just...push the buttons for the nurses right?" He could tell that Mrs. Diaz was skeptical. "I'll call as soon as anything changes, anything. I promise."
"Demetri, that's nice of you but…"
"Mija," Miguel's grandmother spoke firmly. Even though it was rapid fire Spanish, Demetri knew the tone meant that there was probably going to be a surrender. He knew protective mom mode when he heard it.
Mrs. Diaz sighed and nodded. "Here's my cell phone number, call me if anything happens. I won't be more than thirty minutes max."
Demetri took his phone and put Miguel's mom's number in. "Yeah totally, will do Mrs. Diaz."
"Gracias," Mrs. Diaz said giving Demetri a grateful smile.
Demetri nodded and watched as Mrs. Diaz was dragged down the hall. He then went into Miguel's hospital room and sat sentry in the plastic backed chair.
"Dude, you're missing some seriously insane stuff, I don't know if you can even hear me, but you are." Demetri spoke as he glanced over to the bed where Miguel was hooked up to all kinds of tubes and wires. "I know you could probably stop this with some insane karate, like you did in the cafeteria. It's...gone crazy far and I...well we all just want this over. Is that crazy?" Demetri sighed. "Actually no scratch that, we don't need another fight. I don't want to fight you guys, not again, not ever. Defense only, but I don't want to defend myself against my friends. Hawk... Eli...I'm worried about him man. You need to wake up and talk some sense into him. You always could."
Demetri paused studying the hospital bed, his friend lying motionless, and listening to the beeps as he blinked and rubbed a fist across his face. No response, nothing. Just the same as it had been.
Demetri's phone buzzed again with another text from Aisha. [We just got here, but there is one little other detail. Mr. Larusso is here too. And Sensei Lawrence.]
Demetri sighed. Well, great.
"I'll wait here or actually just let me out entirely, I'll walk. I gotta see if I can track down Robby," Johnny said when they pulled up to the hospital.
"Sensei, you're not coming?" Aisha asked.
Johnny shook his head. "It's complicated, it'll be better trust me."
"That's bullshit,"Aisha replied.
Sam was surprised. She knew Mr. Lawrence and Miguel were close, so the fact that he wasn't coming was surprising. She looked to her dad.
"Johnny, no, you can stay," Daniel said. He had explained the situation to Amanda, and at the mention of Miguel Diaz, she had agreed to allow him to take the girls. She hadn't mentioned Johnny Lawrence again, so Daniel wasn't going to kick him out or make him go. This truce however shaky it actually would end up being once both kids were safe, well it still stood at the moment. And Daniel knew if the roles were reversed, if this was Robby or Demetri, he would want support. He knew the Sensei student relationship those two had, although he didn't approve of Cobra Kai's methods or what had ended up happening, he knew it was as crucial as the help he had offered Robby.
Johnny sighed and nodded.
The group went to reception.
"We're here to visit Miguel Diaz," Daniel said.
"Names?"
"I'm Daniel Larusso, this is my daughter Samantha, a friend of Miguel's, and Aisha Robinson, another friend of Miguel's, and this is Johnny Lawrence, Miguel's Sensei."
The receptionist looked on the computer. "Sensei?"
"Karate teacher, can you help us or not?" Johnny said. He caught himself. "Please."
"Johnny Lawrence, you're on the list. I can't let you back." The receptionist grabbed visitor badges for the other three.
"List, what list?" Johnny asked.
"The excluded-visitor's list provided by Carmen Diaz, I'm very sorry Sir."
Sam and Aisha exchanged a look.
"Isn't there some way we can ignore that?" Johnny asked.
"I'm sorry, there are specific instructions provided by Mrs. Diaz. It's too dangerous to allow you back."
"Dangerous?" Johnny scoffed. "You fucking shitting me?" He would never hurt Miguel. He made a fist remembering Miguel's advice as he took a breath.
"Johnny…." Daniel held up a hand, a take a walk motion.
"Sensei," Aisha nodded away in the direction of a nearby vending machine. And Johnny sighed deeply and followed.
"When you say dangerous, what exactly, why exactly?"
"She just said he was the reason for the injuries."
"You picked him up from the school." Daniel said. "The ambulance picked him up from the school. Johnny wasn't there." He knew what they were getting at, he knew better than most, but even he thought this was ridiculous. Were they both culpable, hell yes, but did they stand behind their students chanting fight? No.
"Directly, indirectly, it doesn't matter Mr. Larusso." The receptionist said. "If there's a chance he could be a danger we can't allow him back."
Daniel sighed. "Okay, but isn't there something?"
"I'm afraid not Sir. You and the girls can go back, but Mr. Lawrence will have to wait outside."
"Thank you," Daniel nodded and sighed.
He went to talk to Johnny.
"I told you Larusso," Johnny said.
"You did," Daniel nodded.
"You've tortured yourself enough, go keep an eye on your kid before she disappears again." Johnny cut Daniel off before he could say anything else, what he looked like he wanted to ask.
Daniel nodded walking away with an eye roll. Same old Johnny Lawrence.
"Sensei," Aisha said. "Want me to stay with you?"
"Go see Diaz Miss Robinson," Johnny said.
Aisha nodded and went with Mr. Larusso to where Sam was waiting. They had to get this to work the best they could. There was still no word from Robby which couldn't be good, and she still had to explain everything to Demetri in person. It was up to Sam now. Maybe Sam's plan A could work. Maybe she could get through to her dad.
A/N: Well, are you still there? Sorry for all the words, but I hope they were interesting. Haha, in my process of writing this I considered splitting it after Robby's part, but I really wanted to include the first part of the hospital drama in the first part. Behind the chapter fact numbers 2 and 3. The mentos bottle rocket, well that came to me when I was trying to figure out something that Robby might do to help Demetri if he got caught in some other type of trouble and distract the Cobras, and it seemed a little less risky and just enough to miff them off that Robby would use something that deceptively simple or... attempt to as the case might be. As it seemed it wasn't quite as much on his terms as Robby wanted it to be and without backup too. Now for the other fact. I think this might be my longest chapter in any fic ever. Not sure what to make of that quite yet. Kind of made myself really nervous actually. Next up: Brumation Termination pt 2.