{Now}

"Please tell me how this is good preparation for karate sensei?" I chuckled a little from the mere confusion in Miguel's eyes, one I had way back when I was his age and getting to know the craft in a way I never knew before.

"You can call me Nancy you know. And it's proper discipline. Sure, Johnny and I's teaching methods will differ. But it's a good balance. You'll see." Working to get the dojo in tip top shape, was like a blast to the past for me, remembering so many good memories that I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

"How's it going troops?" I grinned a little from the sight of Johnny, having gone next door to get some much need supplies we would need for our constant sessions. And the Coors bottles were evident in the bag that he was so badly trying to hide. We've got so much to work through together.

"Good! Miguel is doing wonderful." I softly grinned at the now smiling boy, finishing up one of the many projects we need to do to get this place looking good. One step closer to full opening.

"Just remember, discipline. Patience is key." I followed Johnny into the office, closing the door behind me with a little smile on my lips, just watching him put away some things. Simple things always seem to make me happy.

"What?" His confusion only fueled my smile more, sitting atop the desk to gauge his reaction. His usual dark attire that seemed to make him look even more handsome, stirred up even more things for me to remember.

"It's just real. This is real. How did I end up in Cobra Kai?" He chuckled, an actual chuckle that I wasn't used to hearing to be honest.

"I seem to recall you once being a Cobra." I shook my head, a time I wasn't very proud of to be honest. I wanted to be better. Defend better. And I questioned Mr. Miyagi and his easy methods, as Kreese called them. But it wasn't really Mr. Miyagi I questioned to be honest. It was myself and the way my life was going. I wasn't happy. I felt.... angry. Life got ahold of me and turned me into this woman I didn't want to be. And I found myself in the clutches of the Cobra's. But even through all that, Mr. Miyagi never gave up on me. I never will understand how I got lucky enough to have him in my life. As a father. A teacher. A sensei. Everything.

"I learned my lesson. I'm not like that. Not what Kreese was trying to brainwash me into. I defend others who can't defend themselves. Not beat people up for no good reason because I have anger issues." I looked out the open blinds of the office, seeing Miguel suddenly practicing punches on the training dummy, seeing so much of me in him once.

"And I don't want him to become like that Johnny. I don't want the old teachings you once knew to corrupt him. For Kreese to win. He's a good kid." I finally turned back to Johnny, seeing the look in his eyes that I knew all too well. He wasn't upset, because he knew I was right. Kreese was destructive. And we're both glad he's gone.

"Let's just get started okay? Memory lane can wait." I nodded, wanting nothing more than to go all in to forget so many things from the past that I would glad throw away if I could. We exited the office with the gaze of Miguel to greet us halfway to the mat.

"You can't strike first if you don't know how to strike. The Cobra Strike, is composed of two parts. The lunge, which requires the use of the whole body." Johnny immediately went to defensive potion, aiming his gaze on the exact spot he needed to show the move in just the right way.

"And the bite. Which is everything that happens once you make contact." His scream of attack rang out through the room around us, sending a little smile to my lips from the mere sight. I hadn't seen that move in years. I saw it too much to count to be honest. Miguel looked so transfixed on the progress, a student more than willing to learn. I couldn't do anything but watch, seeing Johnny in his true element. And thankful that my advice rendered itself into his teachings in some way.

"Just remember, never use extreme measures unless it's the last resort. If you can't see yourself getting out of a position you found yourself in and you really need to escape, find other ways. Always try before resorting to the extreme." Miguel nodded at the both of us, trying the Cobra Strike out for his self, just as Johnny's phone rang. I stood behind Miguel to watch his form, helping him out in any way I possibly could, but so focused on what was happening with Johnny.

"Yeah, I'm the father but aren't you supposed to call his mother?" I completely looked to Johnny, forgetting my sensei duties from the mention of something having to do with Robbie. Something clearly not good.

"You're doing great Miguel. Just get used to the feel of the move, learn it at your own pace. You got this." I softly patted his shoulder, earning a smile of encouragement from him, all the while my eyes traveled to Johnny over and over.

"Who's Molly? Is that some chick he is hooking up with?" I covered my mouth to muffle the laugh threatening to escape me, knowing it was not a woman they were talking about. And how Johnny acts like a little old man. I need to get him into the new world.

"Just put my kid on the phone." I turned my gaze back to Miguel, watching him punch and punch into the dummy, doing a bit better. He'll get it eventually.

"Do you think it would be a good idea to tell my mom about this eventually?" He punched again with as much might as he could, looking to me for guidance. I felt honored to actually have a student of my own wanting advice, when I was once that exact student.

"I do actually. But, if you need time I understand. I can even help you explain this when you feel up to it. Don't worry." He struck again, grinning without a care in the world now it seemed, released of the worry he once felt about telling his mom, Carmen. She's a sweet lady. But never wants her son in something such as karate to get hurt.

"Robbie, what the hell? You're doing drugs?! You want to flush your life down the toilet?" I looked to Johnny once more with a sigh, wanting to know why this happened. Why would Johnny not raise his son, who clearly needs him. Because it sounds like his mother checks out more than not.

"Yeah, good luck with that." He slammed his phone shut from whatever just happened, looking to me in agitation. And seeing just how Miguel was poised and punching. Great. Here comes the real Cobra.

"Johnny? What happened? Is Robbie okay?" He sighed, deeply from the thought of what did, not seeming to want to talk about it. Which is another problem. It's his son, who clearly wants nothing to do with him. But still, there has to be something that can be done. Or maybe it's just my wishful thinking.

"Nothing. It's fine. His mother will take care of it. Or whatever. Now why are you punching like a sissy? Do you want to be bullied forever and for girls to think you're wangless? Fight back! Use an image of the enemy, and go for it!!" I placed a hand on Johnny's shoulder from the words he spit out, just as Miguel started to lay into the dummy with full force, losing control the longer he did it with so much anger from who he was thinking of. He was so upset, that the rage was oozing off of him.

"That's enough Miguel. You've done well today. Let's just calm it down for the rest of the day okay?" My hand atop his shoulder, seemed to bring him back from wherever he just went, slowly nodding with that little smile of his. I looked to Johnny with a look of warning to calm down himself, before leading Miguel to what we would be doing next. Eventually, Johnny would have to face what's wrong in his life. And not let it end him.
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"You've done so amazing today Miguel. I'm really proud of you." We finally found ourselves with nightfall falling over Reseda, finishing up our last things for the day before finally going home for much deserved sleep. But some things just never seem to end. Like the past. The chime of the door opening, had me turning around to be greeted by someone I wasn't excepting.

"Welcome to Cobra Kai! How can I......" Johnny and I both stood stalk still from the sight of Daniel, standing in the dojo that caused everyone countless problems for years. And he didn't look thrilled.

"Some things never change I see." I looked down to the ground with a sigh, not ready to do what was about to happen. Confrontation. What I knew would eventually happen.

"I heard about you beating up some teenagers. That's great Johnny." I walked over to Daniel with a look of warning to stop talking, not wanting s fight to get started.

"It was in defense of a student Danny. He was getting the crap beat out of him. We couldn't just do nothing." Johnny walked up behind me with clear annoyance on his face, knowing this wasn't going anywhere good.

"I didn't beat up teenagers. I kicked the shit out of a bunch of assholes who deserved it." I didn't know what to do at this point. It's like the past all over again. Split paths.

"Guys that's enough. We're grown adults. Act like it." I stood between the two of them with my stance never wavering in case punches flew, knowing neither one of them would hit me. Unless they want a swift kick to the nuts.

"I'm not here to rehash the past. I just want you to stay away from my daughters friends." I looked at Daniel with such surprise, not understanding what he thinks he knows about her supposed friends. Sam's friends are literal assholes, teenagers or not.

"You don't know your daughter as well as you think you do LaRusso. You should get your house in order man." Daniel moved closer with anger clear as day on his face, just as I put each of my hands on their chests to back them away, my own anger shining through.

"Stop it! Daniel, they were beating up Miguel. He doesn't know how to properly defend himself. So yeah, Sam shouldn't be around them." Daniel looked at me, even more disappointed than before. And I didn't know how to react to it. My brother, and my..... well, Johnny, fighting once again. It felt like the tournament was happening all over again.

"I'm done with everything sensei's! Are you sure you don't need.....?" Miguel seemed to stop the heated fight from happening the moment he thankfully interrupted our little match here.

"Sensei....? Oh man, I don't know what he's told you. But don't listen to this guy, otherwise you'll end up just like him. You, Nance, I, this, we aren't done." My eyes widened in confusion from the moment Daniel eyed us, walking away in a huff.

"I'm right here man!" Daniel whirled around with a little smile of anger more than anything from Johnny's taunt, waving him off while walking out the doors in a huff. And leaving me a mess. My brother and the love of my life are at it again, after all these years. Just like high school. Some things really do never change.