A/N: Well chapter sixteen is ready. This got away from me a little bit, they had a lot to say, hence being another two parter. But that just means more next time. :) Still do not own Karate Kid or Cobra Kai.

Chapter Sixteen: Dad Talks and Deep S#%! Part 1

Fuck. Johnny had no idea what to do. The temptation to kick the bastard's ass was pretty damn strong, but his head was spinning, and these kids had to get out of here. He moved his gaze over to Robby, next to Sam, who he noticed couldn't look at him or Larusso. He let the kid get sucked into this freak's game. He let his son down again. The kid thought he was doing something noble, but he knew… better than most, if it weren't for the fact he and his buddies were batshit terrified of John Kreese, he would have kicked Larusso's ass back in 84, tournament or not.

And these kids, Tory, Hawk, well he'd eliminated the fear factor himself. Who's to say a condition like that would even work? Kids were even fucking stupider than he'd been back in high school. That brawl was proof.

He looked to Larusso, then back to Kreese. But before he could speak…

"Think you'll want this back, you'll need to stay in the loop to have any chance of not getting your ass kicked" Hawk brought Robby's cell from the back office.

Robby took it without a word, and with a glare that actually terrified Johnny for the briefest minute.

Kreese cleared his throat. "There's an appropriate place for that, save it for the ring."

None of them bought the peace brokering for a second.

"Yes Sensei,"

The walk back to the parking lot was the loudest silence that Johnny remembered experiencing since he was a kid living in Sid Weinberg's vicinity with only his walkman to drown it. Larusso's daughter kept shooting glances at Robby, but Robby just kept his eyes straight ahead, seemingly unseeing even as Larusso offered him support.

"Daniel," Amanda was there, and it looked to Johnny like there was something on her mind. Johnny knew withholding information when he saw it. "What happened?"

"'S'my fault...Mrs. Larusso," Robby said.

"Bit of a long story," Daniel added with a look, and a silent conversation took place that spoke volumes.

The Larussos sure were masters at minimizing. No wonder their kid had felt comfortable leaving the scene of a car accident.

"Johnny," Daniel took the moment to turn to him. "Here," He handed Johnny the keys. And from the look on his face, it seemed like he also knew there was something going on, the results of that silent conversation. "Get Robby to the hospital. I'll be there as soon as I can." They had to get the others someplace safe. "I promise," His glance went over to Robby's and held it briefly as he looked between him and Johnny, another silent conversation. Johnny felt like he was missing a big part of the book. Well of course you are dumbass.

Johnny nodded taking the keys, only taking a brief opportunity to be surprised by this show of trust, not even making a wisecrack.

Johnny took up the position Larusso had been holding with Robby just a moment ago. "I got you kid," He said. He didn't think his son believed him, but the kid was either in too much pain and shock to give a shit about smartass comments or subdued by the deal he'd struck with Kreese or both because he allowed Johnny to wrap an arm around him and help him to Daniel's Ford.

Once he had Robby situated, he went around to the driver's side, blinking momentarily as he recalled the last time he'd been in the vicinity of this car with a chill of deja vu. Things sure had changed. And yet…

You're gonna kill him!

He already noticed Robby slumping in the seat. "Say, hey…" He said awkwardly, reaching a hand over and tapping him gently. "You gonna say what that whole stunt was about huh?"

Now, Robby blinked quickly as he turned slightly, even flinched slightly, as if being woken from a nap in algebra before goggling his father. It was the most parental thing Johnny Lawrence had ever said to him, the most parental gesture he'd made since that backpack, and it was goddamn extraterrestrial. Robby would almost laugh that it took this if it wouldn't hurt like a bitch. "Uh...nice try…" Robby returned cautiously, still eyeing his dad strangely.

"Just trying to keep you awake," He replied. "Now come on, we got a drive."

"Right," Robby sighed. Concussion..."Can you be more specific?" Robby made his best effort to observe without looking like he was as his father drove, something he'd become pretty good at. And he could tell, he'd really caught his dad off guard. But from what? Going to Cobra Kai or the tournament deal or both?

"Don't be an asshole," Johnny sighed.

"Needed proof," Robby shrugged.

"Needed proof?" His dad scoffed. "What the fuck?"

"Think. About. It," Robby shot back in an identical tone.

"Gonna need a little more than that here, start from the beginning." Robby couldn't tell if his dad was really trying with this whole pissed off parent routine or just trying to keep him awake, but his tone told him either way he should probably say something. He wouldn't put it past him to crash Mr. Larusso's car to keep him awake. It was a very real possibility.

"Went to see Sam," Robby started to explain slowly. "Had...t' explain…"

"About Miguel?"

"Mm…" Robby hummed affirmation as he blinked against the light glinting through the dash, his voice growing fainter, his exhaustion growing more profound with every word. "Wanted her to know…even if she hated me…"

Robby heard the sound of snapping fingers, and sat up as straight as he was able to show his dad he was still up while still leaning his head on the seat back to ease the pounding. Fat lot of good it was doing.

"What'd she say? She put this in your head?" It wasn't an accusation, Robby hoped, but it was difficult to discern, both due to the constant thrum in his head that made piecing this recap hell, and history.

"No!" Robby said. "No way! She wouldn't... She snuck out." He continued. "Met me up the block. But...she left her phone,"

"Fuck…"

"Yeah," Robby readjusted his position, but hissed. "Shit…"

"Almost there," His dad said. In the same way someone would say you're alright.

Great… Robby had to refrain from rolling his eyes. That was supposed to be reassuring? He had to actually clasp his hands together to keep from reaching for the door handle while the car was moving. He really didn't want to get any closer to this place… for a lot of reasons.

"Keep going,"

Robby kept explaining. "I told Sam about Mr. Larusso shutting down the dojo."

"That's what you started with?"

"Yeah…" Robby sighed. He'd had to do something so she would stick around.

He explained about what Sam had heard in the hospital, running into Aisha, telling Sam and Aisha his side, Aisha telling them about Kreese and finally his plan.

"That's… jeez kid. Do you have a death wish?"

Robby clenched his jaw, turning his gaze pointedly for the window, hiding a wince at the action.

"Robby," Not well enough apparently.

"Yeah I guess I do." Robby spat. "But what about you?"

"Hey!" Robby could hear the hitch in his dad's voice. Somehow, he knew he'd hit a nerve. He knew he'd be spinning this around later, this step back when things were well not good but not hell, but right now…

They were in the hospital parking lot. It seemed his father had managed to bring Mr. Larusso's car here in one piece. "Whatever Dad...can we just get this done?"

His dad nodded wordlessly, removing the keys and opening the driver's side door catching himself, Robby noticed from slamming the door.

Here it goes…

A/N: So, yes. The deep S#%! part of this chapter lived up to it's name, but well Robby and Johnny are not going to fix things overnight. I strongly believe that. As much as I love writing the moments of realization for them both, well to paraphrase an earlier Johnny quote from this story , this isn't a Saturday morning special. There's... a lot there. This second half will really dive in to Robby's relationship with both his father figures post trauma leading into some other storylines for the second involving everyone. And I hope that the pace for this first "book", and the coming second won't turn anyone off. But I do want to keep this true to form and as true to canon versions of these characters as I can despite the now AU tag.

Next up in part 2, Johnny and Robby go to the hospital and we rejoin the Larussos as they discuss all this.