Summary: It's TK and Kari's senior year in high school and they take a surprise Thanksgiving trip to America where things get super complicated. It doesn't look good for TK and Kari's relationship when Kari decides to move back to America and have nothing to do with TK. Can their relationship survive the test of time or will Kari's stubbornness keep them apart forever?

Hard to Love You
'I Love Nascar'
(don't own Cletius T. Judd either)

"I'm so excited!' Kari exclaimed to TK as she handed her plane ticket and passport to the lady behind the counter.

"Me too," TK replied and handed the lady his plane ticket and passport as well.

The two teenagers walked through the collapsible hallway to the plane and they sat down in their seats. As they waited for the plane to take off, Kari told TK stories of her and her friends from America. Many of them included Brian which made TK worry about what would happen on this trip. He was glad he talked to Willis about Brian and the rest of her friends before he decided to go. Now he was kinda glad he knew what to expect when he would meet them.

It was a long flight that involved switching flights several times. TK was glad he didn't have to pay for all this, just the airline tickets themselves were expensive, let alone this entire trip. The plane landed in California first where TK and Kari had to get on another plane to New York City. When they got to The Big Apple, they had a five hour layover and finally switched planes to Homestead-Miami, Florida. The plane finally landed in Miami later that night. When they got to the airport, no one had shown up to pick them up. With some time to kill, the two wandered around the airport.

"Hey look what I bought you!" TK said to Kari and held out a little black box.

"Oh my gosh!" Kari exclaimed when she opened the box and pulled out a key chain and read it aloud, "I love my boyfriend but I love Nascar more!"

Kari laughed and gave him a hug. She loved the key chain, it was kinda, sorta true! TK and Kari continued to wander the airport until they found a place to sit. Kari rested her head on TK and closed her eyes. TK couldn't image Kari ever leaving him for Brian or Spinner. He held her small, slender body in his arms, enjoying the moment. It didn't last long before Kari's phone rang, TK was sure it was one of her Nascar driver friends. Kari quickly got up and led TK through the airport to where someone was waiting to pick them up.

"Jeff! Jimmie!" Kari exclaimed and ran to two older men holding a white sign with their names written on it.

"Kari!" They exclaimed and hugged her.

"We've missed ya like crazy!" Jeff said to her as he picked her up and spun her around.

"It hasn't been the same around HMS without ya!" Jimmie said as he hugged her again.

"I've missed you guys too!" Kari replied. She turned around and saw TK standing alone and looking out of place. "Jeff, Jimmie, this is my boyfriend TK. TK, this is Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson."

"It's nice to meet you TK," Jeff said and shook his hand.

"It's an honor to meet you too," replied TK in his best, rehearsed English. "Kari has told me so much about you two!"

"Kari, we have a surprise for ya!" Jimmie said with a huge smile on his face.

"Is Tai here?" She asked anxiously. Jimmie shook his head no but still had a huge smile on his face. "Well, what is it?"

"Turn around," said Jeff as he pointed to someone behind her.

"BRIAN!" Kari exclaimed and ran towards him, almost knocking him to the ground. "I've missed you soooo much!"

"I've missed ya too Kari!" Brian replied, "you've lost your southern accent!"

"Yeah, I don't talk like a hillbilly anymore," joked Kari and hugged him again.

They stood in the middle of the airport hugging each other, waiting for the other one to let go. Jealously swept over TK as he stood there watching his girlfriend hug a guy he knew who liked her more than just a friend. He didn't know what to do but he didn't want to make a bad impression on her Nascar driver friends. Jeff and Jimmie beamed as they watched Kari and Brian hugging.

"I'm telling ya Jimmie, those two are destined to be with each other," Jeff said to his racing teammate. Jimmie immediately elbowed him in the ribs.

TK looked over at Jeff and Jimmie and than back at Brian and Kari. Hearing Jeff say that about Brian and his girlfriend made TK very upset and angry. TK knew what he had to do.

"I...I...I... was just kidding!" Jeff stuttered realizing his mistake.

TK ignored Jeff's apology and walked up to Brian and Kari. He grabbed the back of Brian's shirt and pulled him away from Kari.

"TK! What are you doing?" Kari exclaimed before TK kissed her in front of Brian, Jeff and Jimmie.

"She's my girlfriend, so lay off!" TK threatened Brian.

"TK!" Kari yelled at him.

"How about we get going huh?" Jeff suggested, feeling the tension in the air.

"Come on Kari, Rick is waiting to see ya at the track!" Jimmie said as he and Jeff lead her out of the airport.

"Ya don't own her. She is just as much mine as she is yours. But hey, we'll see who Kari chooses when or if she goes back to Japan." Brian said coldly as he walked by TK, following the Jeff and Jimmie.

"Yeah, that's right. She'll be going back with me," replied TK confidently.

Brian stopped dead in his tracks. He slowly turned around and walked back to TK. Brian angrily starred at TK, thinking of something to say while he tried to control his anger.

"I can make her stay just...like...that" Brian replied has his snapped his fingers.

Hearing Brian say that made TK snap. His jealousy and anger got the best of him. He clenched his fist and took a swing at Brian. Just as he did, Kari turned around to see her boyfriend attacking her best friend. Brian ducked and punched TK in the gut. TK fought through the pain and kept attacking Brian.

"TK!" Kari exclaimed, shocked to see her boyfriend and best friend fighting.

A small crowd had already gathered around them, watching Brian and TK fight. Kari ran back to them while Jeff and Jimmie quickly followed her. Jeff and Jimmie stood there, watching the two fight, not even trying to stop them. Kari felt so helpless but she had to do something. She ran up to TK and Brian, trying to get between them.

"Will you two knock if off?" Kari yelled at them, but they kept fighting.

"Get out of the way Kari," said TK aggravatingly.

"Let us handle this," said Brian as he kept attacking TK.

TK pushed Kari away while they continued to fight. She begged and pleaded with them to stop but they wouldn't. She had to stop them before the airport security would come and throw them all out. Kari jumped back in the middle of the two, trying to push them away from each other.

"Stop it guys!" Kari yelled.

"I told ya stay out of this Kar!" TK replied and he pushed her away again, making her fall to the ground.

Kari wasn't going to let them keep fighting. Brian had to race in three days, he couldn't afford to go to jail and miss the race. She got up off the floor and was determined more than ever to break them up. She tried pulling TK away from Brian but when she couldn't separate them, she decided to get between them again. As soon as Kari did, TK took another swing at Brian. When TK realized what he was about to do, it was too late to stop. Instead of hitting Brian, TK accidentally hit Kari in the face, knocking her into Brian's arms. Jeff and Jimmie immediately ran to her side to see if she was alright. She was already crying from the pain as her left eye was already starting to swell.

"Oh my gosh Kari! I'm so sorry!" TK immediately apologized.

Brian cradled Kari like a little child, rocking her back and forth as she continued to cry in pain. TK tried to get close to her but the shock from him hitting her made her scared of him. The closer he came, the more she wanted to get away from him but Brian's strong arms kept her safe from TK. Brian picked her up and carried her bridal style to the nearest open chair.

"Kari, I'm so sorry!" TK apologized again, trying to get close to her again.

"Just stay away from her! Ya have already caused enough damage for one day!" Brian yelled at him

"I'll go get some ice," Jeff said and jogged away.

"I'm gonna go find one of those airport golf carts," Jimmie said and he jogged away too.

Kari continue to cry in her chair as Brian kneeled down in front of her, examining her eye. Brian wiped away her tears and TK stood and helplessly watched from a distance. TK couldn't believe how quickly things went from so good to so terribly bad. He regretted getting in that fist fight with Brian. He regretted getting so jealous and now he was regretting even coming on this trip.

'Way to go TK. You really fucked up now!' TK thought to himself as he watched Kari cry some more.