{Now}
The minute Johnny's car came to a halt, I flung the car door open and scooped Miguel up with the help of Johnny to get him safely in his apartment. But I knew Carmen was going to be livid. She was against the idea of him studying the arts. Th danger it brings upon is the line she doesn't want anyone crossing with her son. But it happened. And it's my fault. Our fault.

"Listen Carmen......" Johnny took Miguel completely from my arms and placed him gently on the couch, while Carmen looked on at me in disappointment. She knew my past with karate and just what it meant to me. But to be fair, I haven't been the best sensei if my student is already getting beat the hell up. Then again, Johnny has been checking out more often. I'm all alone.

"No! I said I didn't want this happening Nancy! I told you this. You can do it all you want. But don't bring my son into it. Stay away from him...... both of you." I sighed in clear defeat with sadness on my face for the kid who wanted nothing more than to learn the art of karate. But at the same time, I couldn't have him in so much danger. Not with how sweet and kind he is. This would change him. And I'm afraid it already has.

"Wait! No mom! Cobra Kai never dies!" With the door of their apartment closing behind us, Johnny and I looked to one another in question, wondering just what we were going to do about the dojo now. Business was rough and well, bills are a pain in the ass. With no students, it's going down the drain. And fast.

"We tried Johnny. But..... she's just worried about her son. Eventually she'll come around when she sees just how much he wants this. How much he needs this." He looked to the dark ground below us with such a look that wasn't unusual on him. The brooding look. But at the same time, pain. He was upset. Furious. Johnny never wanted Miguel to get hurt. He cared. Even though he didn't want to admit it.

"It's useless Nance. Just...... useless." I immediately placed my hands upon his face with my eyes searching his own cold ones, icy even. Not towards me. But towards life. And I hated it.

"Listen to me Johnny Lawrence. It's not useless. We don't give up in this dojo. Not on Miguel. And not on our future students. They will need Sensei Lawrence to guide them through it." His eyes bore into mine with such intensity, that it was almost impossible to breathe from the mere feeling of it all. It brought me back to those teenagers who were just discovering what they meant to one another, knowing life would never be easy on us and our relationship. But through it all, I never stopped loving him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{The Next Morning}
"Look, Daniel I got to go. But tell everyone I love them. And promise me you'll let me know when your Ma comes to town." I smiled a little from the conversation my brother of many years had with me about Mr. Miyagi and the importance of his rules. Our old dojo rules that we have always gone by since we were first introduced to them.

"I promise. And Nance? Just....... be careful with Lawrence alright?" I rolled my eyes from the mere tone of voice he used with his name rolling off his tongue, knowing I wouldn't stay away from Johnny. But just wanted me safe. Not hurt.

"I will. You have nothing to worry about. Johnny needs me. I don't expect you to understand. But he does." After our usual exchanges of family love, we ended the call with mutual agreement between the two of us. But even I knew it wouldn't last. It never does. With those feelings of the past tucked safely away for the time being, I made my way to Johnny's apartment with start the day. And make sure his little nightly endeavors didn't render him unconscious. Of course, it did. The minute I roamed into his apartment with the key he gave to me, was the moment I knew it was a long and rough night.

"Johnny......?" Beer cans littered the living room, surrounding Johnny's laid out body on the living room floor, completely knocked out. He drank himself into a stupor. Great. Usual Johnny I see.

"Johnny? Come on wake up golden locks." I crouched down next to his lightly sleeping body with a nudge to his side, ruffling his hair to get some sign of life out of him. He grunted with such a annoyed sound that I couldn't help but laugh from it. Sleeping Johnny is always grumpy when you wake him up. Word to the wise, don't do it. Then again, I'm just brave. And sometimes, stupid. Stupid in love with this golden haired man.

"Nancy...... come on." I nudged his side once more, before his hands found their way around my waist and immediately pinned me beneath him with such force, it surprised me to no end. We both smiled in humor at one another from the mere feeling of the memory from that day at Cobra Kai all those years ago. When we first kissed.

"You seem to be awake now sensei." I teased him with the name, earning a cocky little smirk from him that I never did stop loving. His lips found their way to mine so quickly, everything else was forgotten. That is, until his phone rang.

"Damn it!" He picked it up from the floor before we both found our way back to our feet, hearing the light conversation on the phone with what I gathered to be from Robby's school. The subject is touchy. But I hope eventually Johnny will talk more about his son.

"He's been missing school. Using me as a excuse. Great. Just great!" He went to quickly get cleaned up and changed like he was on a mission, coming back from the bedroom once he looked his best and ready to go. And clearly on the war path towards Robby.

"Well, you'll get to meet Robby after all." I quickly followed him out of the apartment with the slam of the door behind us. And Miguel to greet us on the outside. Not great timing.

"Sensei's. My mom doesn't want me training anymore. I hate it. But....... I need this." I stopped in my tracks from the sadness in his voice, but could see the look in Johnny's eyes and knew he wasn't having it. He was giving up. And I hated it.

"Don't you get it?! There is no more dojo. I'm closing it down." My eyes widened from the sudden surprise of his words, thinking we would always find a way to keep it going. We have to.

"Johnny! No. That's not happening. I'm not letting you give up. Cobra Kai needs a new leader in the modern age. And it was always meant to be you. So don't let it down." He jumped into his car without another word, waiting on me to finally get in myself. But my emotions were threatening to kill me. At odds with everything in my life, yet again.

"Don't worry Miguel. It will be okay. Everything will work out. Cobra Kai, isn't going anywhere."