Miguel awoke that morning feeling quite refreshed, considering he had slept on the floor. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, allowing his eyesight to clear. As he got up and stretched, he looked over at the bed and noticed it was empty.

"Hmmm... the shower, maybe?"

Miguel pressed his ear against the door, but heard no noise.

"Interesting..."

Deciding it wouldn't hurt, Miguel opened the door and walked inside the bathroom. He looked over at the shower, which was becoming quite beckoning. Miguel couldn't recall the last time he had bathed. In fact, it was probably even a year...

"Well, she's not here. Guess she can't complain." Miguel said with a grin. He turned the knob and let the water heat up. After stripping completely, he stepped in the shower and was greeted by the loving embrace of piping hot water. As the dirt washed away one layer at a time, Miguel leaned back and groaned with relief as his pain and misery melted away and circled down the drain.

Miguel stepped out of the shower, feeling like a new man. As he walked back into the bedroom, his face twisted when he saw who was waiting for him.

"Did you enjoy my hot water?"

"GAAAAH! Dios mio, where the heck were you?!" Miguel yelled, tightening his towel.

"I was getting you some breakfast!" Josie shouted as she tossed Miguel a hot, steaming breakfast burrito.

"Oh, uhh... thanks." Miguel said with slight nod. He took a bite of the burrito, savoring the taste of diced tomato, bell peppers and eggs.

"It's... good." he said flatly. Josie smiled as she dug into her bowl of bacon-egg breakfast ramen.

"By the way, you are totally ripped." Josie said with a giggle. Miguel looked down and realized he was still in nothing but a towel.

"Guh! Will you look somewhere else!" he said, his face getting a little warm.

"It's kinda hard to."

"How come you get to look at me naked?!"

"My hotel room, my rules."

"Arrrrrgh! Usted es una mujer loca!"

"Dunno what you said, hee hee."

Miguel stuffed his burrito halfway into his mouth and snatched up his clothes, still muttering curses despite his mouth being full. He ran into the bathroom and slammed the door.

"He's so fun to talk to." Josie muttered with a giggle.

"Crazy chick... elbowing me, buying me breakfast..." Miguel grumbled as he slipped on his shoes, black pants, and finally his orange shirt. He left it completely unbuttoned, like usual, and then finished the rest of his breakfast in one bite.

"Are you deceeeeent?" Josie called.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Miguel shouted as he stormed back into the bedroom.

"There you are. Now..."

Josie smiled as she sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the empty spot next to her.

"Umm... what?" Miguel asked, scratching his head.

"Don't 'what' me! You promised you would confess to me today!" Josie said with a frown.

"Umm, yeah... about that...no deal."

"WHAT?!" Josie yelled, jumping to her feet.

"Look, I'm sorry, but you've served your purpose." Miguel said, not a hint of compassion in his voice. "You've given me everything I needed: a place to sleep, a shower, a bite to eat, and time to lay low. I'm grateful and all, but I'm not owing you anything. You're just a naive girl that I took advantage of."

"But... but... I thought we were becoming friends!" Josie whined.

"Are you crazy? I can't stand another five goddamn seconds of you!"

"I... you... that is SOOO MEAN!"

"Yeah, well I'm a mean guy. Adios!"

Without warning, Miguel darted out of the front door. Josie was completely baffled.

"Wha- HEY! GET BACK HERE AND SHARE YOUR FEELINGS!"

Josie took off down the street after Miguel, not caring about the strange glances she was getting from passersby.

"You...can't...out...run...me!" Josie shouted between pants.

"Get away from me, que psico!" Miguel spat as he increased his pace. He was running as fast as he could, but Josie's long powerful legs were catching up to him in to time.

"I let you into my room! I let you sleep on my floor! I showed you my boobs, for pete's sake! Why won't you do this one little thing for me?!"

"Because I don't share my feelings with crying brats!" Miguel retorted

"Oh that's it, you are sooo getting an ass kicking!"

A growl resonated from Miguel's throat; he had had enough.

"FINE! You wanna see who I truly am! Well HERE IT IS!"

Miguel turned around and lunged at Josie, who was still speeding towards him. Josie tried to stop, but her momentum was too great. Miguel drew his fist back; there was no time to avoid it!

"GRAAAAGH!" Miguel howled as he unleashed a vicious haymaker into Josie's gut. All of the air in Josie's body came flying out as she sprawled backwards onto the pavement.

"Guh... gahh... I..can't... catch... my breath..." Josie gasped. She laid in a fetal position to try and recover.

"Yeah, you like that, hijo de puta? This is what I live for! THIS is the real me!"

"But...why...?" Josie gasped.

"This is the only way I know how to FEEL!"

Miguel ran up to the downed Josie and kicked her in the stomach, sending her rolling across the concrete.

"Nothing else matters to me! Friends, family, love, it means nothing! All I have left in this world is my fists. They're the only thing I can believe in now..."

Josie slowly rose to her feet and faced Miguel. Suddenly, she could see it: the pain that he was channeling. He tried to hide it, but his eyes couldn't mask the torment he was feeling.

"Miguel... do you have anyone who cares about you?" Josie asked.

Suddenly Miguel stopped, as if he was hit with a major bomb. All the anger and rage inside him suddenly turned to confusion. What the hell was he doing right now?

"Wh...what did you..."

"Where's your family? Your friends? Don't you have... anyone?"

Miguel's fist started to slowly lower.

"W-well... I..." he stammered.

"Tell me. What happened? What made you so... angry?"

Josie slowly walked up to Miguel and placed both hands on his fist. She slowly lowered Miguel's fist the rest of the way until it was all the way down.

"Why do you care so much?" Miguel grumbled.

"I just do! I mean, I knocked you out last night, and we talked... and now I wanna get to know you better. Please, Miguel... please just do this for me. I want to help you."

Miguel felt Josie's hands tightly squeezing his own. After a few minutes of silence passed, Miguel scratched his head and sighed.

"Alright, fine... I'll tell you. I don't know why in hell, but I'll tell you."

"Yay..." Josie said weakly, before collapsing to the ground.

"H-hey! Josie! Shit, I forgot I hit her..."

"I'm okay... I really just wanna get back to my bed..." Josie wheezed. "Could you... carry me?"

"Agh, you really can't walk on your own two feet?"

"Yes, but you're going to carry me because you feel bad about hitting me. Riiiiiiight?"

"Maybe I should just leave you and walk away."

"Oh! I think I'm going to cry!"

"Agh, fine! I'll freaking carry you!"

Miguel scooped up Josie and began to walk down the street, still ignoring the glances of passersby. Deep down, he was feeling guilt right now; Josie had brought him into her home and nursed his wounds, and he repaid her by beating her up. This was the least he could do.

"Ooh, you're so strong." she giggled.

"Shut up!"

Miguel carried Josie all the way back to the hotel room and laid her back onto the bed. He then plopped down onto the floor, leaning his back against the wall. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he couldn't believe he was about to confide to this girl.

"Okay, you ready?" he finally asked.

"Wait just a second!"

Josie rolled over on her stomach and raised her feet in the air, much like someone reading a book or watching tv.

"Now I'm ready."

Miguel took a deep breath and looked down at his own feet.

"Okay... it all happened just a couple of years ago. Well, the worst part at least. Ever since I was young. my family has always cast me aside. I was... a bane on their existence. They hated me."

"That's terrible..." Josie chimed in, a sad expression on her face.

"There was only one who truly understood me... who truly loved me... my sister. My sister was... everything to me. She was my life. One day, when she was a woman of unparalleled beauty, she was to be wed. And then it happened..."

"What?"

"An airstrike. The Mishima Zaibatsu dropped bombs that day... THEY KILLED HER!"

Josie watched as Miguel's entire body tensed up. He started to shudder... but there were no tears.

"My entire family attended the wedding that day...they were all gone, just like that. I was so angry... I just wanted to punch something. Anything! And I did. Over the months, the drugs became more welcoming and the booze became sweeter to the taste. I became unfeeling, uncaring... a mindless, drunken monster!"

"Th-that's..." Josie tried to find the words to say, but couldn't.

"What I just did to you back there... that's the real me. I only know how to hurt people. It's my purpose in life."

"That can't be true!" Josie finally managed to say. "You may be gruff and kind of an asshole, but... I think that deep down you can be sweet!"

"Oh, spare me your pep talk." Miguel scoffed. "No amount of words will ever make a difference. This is who I am... just a nobody who causes pain to everybody."

"Oh, Miguel... you poor thing."

Josie got off of the bed and leaned down next to Miguel, her arms wide.

"Come here."

Miguel looked at her strangely. "What...?"

"Come. Here. I'm giving you a hug."

"But I don't want a hug."

"What? Who on this planet doesn't want a hug?!"

"I just don't, okay?"

"Well I'm hugging you anyway."

Miguel groaned as Josie pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She sighed happily and nuzzled his cheek a few times.

"There, isn't that better?"

"Not really."

"Well I feel better. See, you brought joy to someone else! You're not just a monster."

"Ugh, whatever! You're just trying to cheer me up."

"Duh. Why do you think I'm gracing you with my loving embrace?"

"Because you're irritating."

"But you like me hugging youuuuuuu..."

"That's enough! Goodbye!"

Miguel rose to his feet and prepared to depart, but Josie grabbed his arm.

"Wait! You don't have to leave, do you?"

Miguel stopped and looked at her. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well... um... because you're a wanted man!"

"That's never gonna change, honey."

"But... don't YOU wanna change?"

Miguel stopped and thought for a second. He looked at his past, at all the bad things he had done. All the people he hurt...

"But... there's no hope for me."

"You're wrong!" Josie yelled, squeezing his arm tighter. "I'm not gonna give up on you, Miguel Rojo!"

Miguel couldn't explain it, but hearing those words made him feel kind of fuzzy inside. He almost felt... encouraged.

"R-really?"

"Of course! You can stay with me as long as you want and have a roof under your head, and I'm gonna help you rehabilitate! Together, we'll get your life back on track!"

Miguel scratched his head a few times. He was at a loss for words. No one had ever been this nice to him before except his sister.

"I... dunno what to say. Th-thanks."

"You're welcome." Josie said with a smile.

"Um... I'm sorry for punching and kicking you. Is there anyway I can repay you?"

A grin spread across Josie's face. "I can think of one thing."

"Wh-what?"

"Huggyyyyyy..."

"Nngah! Alright, fine.'

Miguel took a deep breath and threw his arms around Josie, who happily returned the favor with a huge smile. As the two of them embraced tightly (more tightly on Josie's part), Miguel couldn't help but feel a tinge of joy.

"Huh, you were right. This does make me feel better."

Miguel has made it past confession, now the next step is change! Will Josie really be able to inspire him to make a difference in his life? Find out next time!