A/N: Chapter three ready. Finally came up with that pesky chapter title. I quite like it but it took long enough. Anyway. As usual, I own nothing but my plot. This may seem like a bit of an aside chapter but I promise, there's a method.

Chapter Three: Clenched Fist, Closed Hand, Cracking Heart

Johnny was doing some shopping. His apartment at this point was empty. He hadn't realized how low he actually was on stuff, and he'd actually managed to do a job to the impossibly high standards of the privileged clientele. May as well stock up. He was in the frozen section when he noticed someone in the aisle next to him looking at a list and muttering as he looked between the words on the page and the items in the freezer. He pulled the frozen pepperoni pizza and macaroni and cheese, and then he turned and noticed Johnny.

"Oh hi," The kid smiled. "Umm...oh sorry did you want this?" He held up the mac. The kid stopped short a second studying him closely. "You're the maintenance guy right? I'm Miguel, my family's in 109."

"It's my day off so if your faucet's broken or the toilet's backed up, you're gonna have to call the number like everyone else," Johnny said. He shook his head. "Keep your dinner kid." He settled on the lasagna and grabbed it out of the bottom of the freezer.

"Oh okay, but it's not, that's not...sorry." The kid replied frowning slightly. He shook his head seemingly undeterred as he followed Johnny to the checkout line not saying a word even as Johnny grabbed a six pack from the fridge. "Oh, it's not actually dinner, not tonight mean. Mom's making it... dinner something else..tonight I mean. Um… this is for Thanksgiving in case...anyway never mind," The kid bit his lip. "Forget it, um…" The kid took his bag and turned to go after paying.

Johnny sighed, and found himself in spite of things calling out as he placed the crumpled bills down on the counter. "Wait, Miguel you said right?"

Miguel turned perplexed. "Yeah?"

"You don't have to call me maintenance guy, it's Johnny."

"Oh, great," Miguel smiled. "Um nice to meet you Johnny."

Johnny nodded. "You too,"

Miguel stuck the two frozen dinners in his backpack which was balanced by the straps on the handlebars. Unfortunately, it wouldn't zip all the way, but it would have to do. He then went to bend down to unlock his bike.

"Hey look who it is, showing your face here again Rhea?"

Oh no...not tonight, please not tonight… Miguel closed his eyes tight before he reached to try to recover his backpack before they got any closer, but then…he felt his face hit the rubber of the tire as he was shoved hard right into his bike.

"Thought we told you this was our spot." Kyler said.

"Technically, this is a public… oough! Shit." Miguel tried to reply, struggled to get back up, but Kyler shoved his face against the bike rack pinning him in place. "Sorry, I'm sorry….it's just this is the closest…I'm sorry about last time but I can't get anywhere else, I only have a bike."

"Shut the fuck up loser," Bruck punched Miguel in the shoulder. "What do you got here?" Bruck reached for the backpack and saw the frozen meals sticking out.

"Please, n...no, that's not, that's put it back come on…guys. That's groceries, it's groceries."

Bruck ripped open the mac and cheese package.

"Come on, aww man!"

"Want some extra cheese Rhea?" Bruck then ripped open the package of processed cheese and proceeded to pour it over Miguel's head.

Johnny was heading out after talking to the cashier for a few minutes when he heard and saw the commotion. He winced as he saw Miguel get cheese poured over his head. Oh shit…

Miguel moved as if to hit, actually hitting and wincing, kid probably broke his thumb form's all wrong, only to get shoved hard back and fall right into the bike Johnny assumed was his.

"Hey!" He called deciding to make his presence known. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Ain't your business old man," Kyler scoffed as he saw the washed up old guy.

"Ain't," Johnny shook his head. "What language is that twatspeak? Come on leave the kid alone man, he's grocery shopping." Johnny said.

Miguel took advantage of the dumb look on Bruck's face and backed away taking shelter under the awning as he picked at the cheese on his hoodie. Ya-Ya was going to kill him if Mama didn't first. They'd just bought this last week.

"What are you gonna do if we don't?" Kyler demanded as he went to make a move toward Miguel in his shelter spot.

Johnny moved with him. "Take another step and find out."

"You see this asshole?" Kyler laughed turning to Bruck before he turned back around and went to punch Johnny.

Johnny blocked the punch and the followup attempt, took both of Kyler's hands in his and shoved, knocking Kyler off the curb and onto the pavement of the parking lot.

Bruck moved toward Johnny. Johnny kicked out right for the kid's sweet spot.

"Fucking shit!" The kid's hands went right there and Johnny was able to shove him back into Kyler who was trying to get up. He groaned slightly, that hadn't probably been the best idea. He was too old for pricks like this.

"My advice, get the hell out of here while you can still walk assholes," Johnny said as he pulled Bruck up by his hood.

"Yeah right," Kyler scoffed now up on his feet. He went for Johnny.

Johnny dodged out of the way and grabbed the kid's arm flipping him onto the pavement.

The kid reached up and pulled him down placing an arm around his neck and squeezing.

"Oh shit!" Miguel shouted. He put his hands to his head as he quieted down. "Shit, shit, shit." He was going to witness a murder on Victory Boulevard. And it seemed Bruck was just as terrified. He looked like he was going to take a dump in his pants.

"Dude!"

Johnny planted his feet and slid out of the hold pinning Kyler down slamming a fist in his face. "I think we're done here... right?"

Bruck immediately went to help Kyler to his feet and both left...fast.

What the hell was that? Miguel blinked snapping out of it as he went to assess the damage on his bike.

"You alright kid?" He looked up to see Johnny.

"Oh um...yeah," Miguel nodded fast, suddenly feeling his eyes stinging and turning away. The adrenaline was gone, and everything goddamn hurt. "Thanks for that," He bent down and worked the lock, trying to hide a wince.

"Don't mention it," He sighed. "Seriously, probably best not to." Beating up a couple of high schoolers, well he was lucky this parking lot was a shithole with businesses run by self absorbed douchebags, and the surveillance equipment was broken half the time. "Need a lift?"

"Um...no that's okay. I...I got my bike."

"Kid, come on," Johnny sighed. They lived in the same complex, it wasn't much of a trip. He only was able to take a moment to realize what exactly he was doing. Normally he would just leave it at that. But something made him think giving this kid a ride back would probably be best. Time of year getting to you Lawrence? He thought to himself shaking his head slightly. Must be...

"Um… alright. Thanks." Miguel said. He followed Johnny to the car and put his bike in the trunk when Johnny opened it. He then went around getting into the passenger side flexing his hand. Trying to punch Kyler had been stupid.

"I think I got one of those mac meals in my bags. You can take it." Johnny said. He studied the kid when he got in the car. "Gutsy move, but you were off," He nodded toward Miguel's hand. "The punch, I mean." He turned the car on and reversed before stopping. "See, your thumb was on the inside." He took his hand and made a fist. "You want it out, covering your knuckles like this," Johnny placed his thumb on the side. "It'll save you pain later. And you'll actually hurt them more that way if they don't see you shatter your own hand. Trust me."

Miguel blinked and looked over, listening taken aback by the impromptu lesson and the offer. "Thanks, so um...that Jackie Chan stuff...that was crazy. When...how….did you learn that?"

"It's karate, and it was a long time ago, don't do it anymore." After the tournament, he'd given it up.

"Really?" Miguel asked.

"Yup,"

"How come?"

"Long story, anyway…" He began driving again. "You'll wanna ice it when you get home."

"Sure," Miguel nodded.

The rest of the drive was made in silence, though Johnny could tell the kid wanted to say more. He wasn't sure whether it was pain or politeness that held him back.

They pulled up to the apartment complex and Johnny got out going to the back to get the kid his bike.

Miguel got out of the car.

Johnny got the bike and gave it to him along with the mac and cheese.

"Thank you again," Miguel said.

"Don't mention it," Johnny said. He went back to his apartment once he saw that Miguel had made it safely into his own, groaning as he turned on the television and saw yet another Christmas movie, but even as he sucked it up and watched, the encounter wouldn't leave his mind.

Robby got to the skate park and sat on the edge of the ramp. It was never really crowded at this time, and Robby was grateful. He pulled the envelope out and studied it. There was only one question on his mind, Why? There had been so many chances, so many. A year ago, five years ago when he was in the hospital with mono, even earlier. Why now?

Fuck this… He was going to toss it, wasn't sure why he actually hadn't when he left the house. Because of Brad finding it and being an asshole? Because of his Mom? He didn't know, but for some reason leaving it sitting in the little kitchen wastebasket seemed too easy, too good. But he couldn't bring himself to throw it aside now.

Even as he looked at it, he couldn't bring himself to open it either. He checked the time. He had to go get ready. He had to be at LaRusso auto in an hour. His father could wait. He'd already waited sixteen years to hear from the guy. Robby wasn't going to make this any easier for him.

A/N: So Johnny met Miguel and helped him with Kyler, and Robby considered the letter but didn't read it and didn't discard it either. And now he is going to go prepare for his interview.

So some behind the chapter: The fight well I did adapt canon, but I hope I made it unique enough. Johnny's whole lesson about the punch with Miguel, well that is actually the first official lesson I ever received before I even started taking official martial arts classes. My instructor had me hitting the bag when we first met and I was getting a sneak peek and stopped me to show me and well it served me quite well over the years. A very very good first lesson for any martial artist or anyone. Even the bags can do some damage if you hit them too hard or don't hit them properly, let alone actually trying to hit someone. :/ But Miguel knows now.

Anyway, the story will start getting more holiday spices soon enough I promise. Next chapter will see Amanda meeting Robby among other things.