The apartment was quiet. Too quiet. The only sound came from the low hum of the flickering neon sign outside Johnny's window. Half-empty bottles of beer lined the counter, the TV murmured some static late-night infomercial, and Johnny sat there on the couch — elbows on his knees, head buried in his hands.
He hadn't slept in days. Couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Miguel. That moment. The stillness. The blood.
When the knock came, he didn't move. Just stared blankly at the floor.
"Door's open," he muttered hoarsely.
The door creaked open, and Robby stepped inside — slowly, carefully, as if afraid the entire place would collapse under the weight of the silence. He looked different. Hollow. His eyes darker, his jaw tense.
Johnny finally looked up. "Robby."
Robby didn't answer right away. He glanced around, at the mess, the emptiness, the stench of regret lingering in the air. "You look like hell."
Johnny gave a weak laugh. "You think I don't know that?" He rubbed his face, shaking his head. "Kid… I—"
"Don't," Robby interrupted, his tone sharp but shaky. "Don't start with that 'kid' stuff. Not right now."
Johnny swallowed, nodding slightly. "Alright."
There was a long pause.
Robby leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "You heard, right? About Miguel."
Johnny nodded slowly, his expression breaking. "Yeah… yeah, I heard."
"He didn't deserve it."
"I know."
Robby's jaw clenched. "You trained us to fight like that. All of us. You said no mercy. You said we had to strike first, harder, faster — that we couldn't hold back."
Johnny's breath caught. "I didn't—" He stopped, shaking his head. "That's not what I wanted. Not like this."
Robby laughed bitterly. "Then what did you want? Because from where I'm standing, Cobra Kai turned into exactly what you built it to be. Cold. Violent. Ruthless."
"I was trying to make you strong."
"You made us monsters."
The words hit him like a punch. Johnny stood up slowly, fists shaking at his sides. "You think I don't hate myself for that? You think I wanted this? That I wanted to see my students — my own son — turn into something I barely recognize?"
Robby looked down, silent.
"I lost Miguel," Johnny continued, his voice breaking. "I lost you. I lost every damn thing I tried to fix."
"You can't fix something that's already broken," Robby said quietly.
Johnny took a step closer. "You're not broken, Robby."
Robby met his eyes for the first time — red, tired, full of everything he'd been trying to bury. "Then why does it feel like I am?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
Johnny sat down again, staring at the floor. "You know, I thought Cobra Kai would save me. I thought if I trained you kids, I could make up for all the crap I did in my life. For not being there. For being a screw-up." He exhaled slowly. "But all I did was drag you into my mess."
Robby hesitated. "You're not the only one who messed up, Dad."
They both went quiet again. The weight of the world pressed between them — all the mistakes, the pain, the things neither could take back.
After a long moment, Robby spoke again, voice low. "I can't do this anymore."
Johnny looked up. "Do what?"
"Fight. Hurt people. Pretend like this is what I want. Miguel's gone, and Andrea's losing herself, Hawk's losing Moon, and everyone's either bleeding or crying or both. I can't keep doing this."
Johnny stared at him, speechless.
"I thought joining Cobra Kai would make me stronger," Robby continued, voice cracking. "But all it did was make me numb."
Johnny stood, walking over to him, stopping just a few feet away. "Then stop."
Robby frowned. "What?"
"Stop fighting," Johnny said softly. "Get out before it kills you too."
Robby laughed quietly, a broken sound. "And go where? You think Miyagi-Do will take me back? You think the world's just gonna forget who I am now?"
"I don't know," Johnny admitted. "But I know if you stay, it's gonna destroy what's left of you."
Robby turned away, trying to hide the tears starting to spill. "It already did."
Johnny reached out, hesitating before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Then let me help you fix it."
Robby didn't move for a long time. Then, slowly, he nodded.
The silence that followed wasn't empty this time — it was fragile. Human.
Johnny exhaled shakily. "You don't have to forgive me, Robby. Not now. Maybe not ever. But I'm here. This time… I'm here."
Robby looked at him, eyes wet, the mask cracking for just a second. "Then don't leave again."
Johnny smiled faintly. "Wouldn't dream of it."
They stood there — two broken people in a broken room, holding onto the only thing left worth saving.
Outside, thunder rumbled over the city. The storm wasn't over. But for the first time, inside that small, messy apartment… there was a flicker of peace.
The dojo smelled of sweat, blood, and something heavier — the weight of choices that could no longer be undone. The students were scattered across the mats, warming up, practicing strikes, kicks, and the cold precision that had become the hallmark of Cobra Kai. But the moment the door creaked open, a hush fell.
Johnny Lawrence stepped inside, shoulders squared, face grim. Behind him, Robby followed silently, his expression unreadable, but the air around him carried tension — the kind that could shatter walls.
Kreese leaned against the counter, arms crossed, smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Johnny. Come to watch your students finally embrace their true potential?" His voice dripped with mockery.
Johnny didn't flinch. "I didn't come here to watch, Kreese. I came to stop this."
The room went still. Even the hum of the ventilation seemed to pause. The students exchanged glances — Andrea's eyes narrowed, Hawk's jaw tensed, Tory's hands flexed, and Kenny, Bert, Mitch, and Kyler looked from each other to their sensei, unsure how to react.
Kreese's smirk widened. "Stop this? Johnny… they're mine. Every punch, every strike, every bit of coldness in them — I built that. You left me a mess, and I perfected it. You think you can just walk in and… what? Take them back?"
Johnny's fists clenched. "Take them back? No. I'm here to remind you that you've gone too far. Miguel's dead, Anthony's dead, innocent people… your idea of 'teaching' turned them into killers, Kreese. And I won't let it go any further."
Robby stepped forward slightly. "He's right."
Kreese's eyes flicked to him, surprised, then hard. "You too, boy? Don't tell me your little heart is softening now."
Robby said nothing. His jaw tightened.
"Listen," Johnny continued, stepping closer to Kreese, voice low but carrying. "You may have taught them to fight, but you didn't teach them heart. You didn't teach them responsibility. And if you think you're taking the next step — if you think I'm letting you control anyone else — you're wrong."
Andrea crossed her arms, watching, her cold mask intact. Hawk shifted, fists flexing. Tory leaned forward, smirking but with a flicker of unease in her eyes. The younger Cobras started murmuring, sensing the tension.
Kreese straightened, eyes narrowing. "You sound like a broken old man, Johnny. You lost control of your life, your students, your dojo. And now you want to play hero?"
"I don't want to play hero," Johnny said. His voice was low, gravelly with anger. "I just… I can't stand by while you destroy them. You think you're making warriors, but all you're making is death."
Kenny snorted, whispering to Kyler, "Oh, this is gonna be good. Johnny's losing it."
Bert and Mitch chuckled softly, but the undercurrent of fear in the room kept them quiet.
Kreese stepped closer, the cold, commanding presence that had controlled Cobra Kai for so long radiating off him. "And what if I don't care? What if Cobra Kai wants the chaos? What if they crave the power? You can't save them from themselves, Johnny. They belong to me now."
Johnny's eyes burned. "No. Not anymore." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the room. "I failed them before. I let my own ego, my own past, get in the way. But I'm not failing them now. I won't let you break them any further."
Robby finally spoke, his voice cold and sharp. "You think anyone here cares about your plans, Kreese? We're not just pawns anymore. We… we decide who we are. And if you think we're staying under your thumb, you're dead wrong."
Kreese laughed, low and menacing. "Bold words, boy. But words won't save you when the fight comes. Cobra Kai isn't about words — it's about power."
Johnny stepped closer to Kreese, their faces only inches apart now. "Power without conscience is nothing. You've lost yourself. And I'll stop you before anyone else gets hurt."
The room was silent, every student holding their breath. The tension could have been cut with a knife. Andrea's eyes flicked to Robby, seeing the faint tremor in his hands — the only sign of weakness he would show. Hawk's fingers twitched, as if itching to strike, but he remained silent. Tory's smirk faltered slightly.
Kreese tilted his head, eyes scanning the room, then back at Johnny. "And if I don't stop you? What will you do, Johnny? Challenge me? Fight me? Do you have any idea how far I'll go?"
Johnny didn't flinch. "I know exactly how far you'll go. But I've gone further. I'll fight. I'll protect them. And I'll take this dojo back if I have to."
Robby finally stepped forward fully, his voice shaking with emotion but firm. "And I'm with him. I'm done hiding, done following blindly. I'm done."
Andrea's cold stare softened for the briefest moment, a flicker of approval passing through her eyes. Hawk shifted slightly, tense but nodding ever so slightly. The others — Tory, Kenny, Bert, Mitch, Kyler — were watching, unsure of how to respond.
Kreese's smirk faltered. A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. "So be it. If you want to play heroes, fine. But remember this: Cobra Kai doesn't forgive weakness. And when you lose… it will cost everything you care about."
Johnny stepped back, voice low but firm. "Then I'll take that risk. For them. For Miguel. For everyone you've hurt."
Kreese's jaw tightened. The room was charged with energy — the calm before a storm. He glanced at the students, then back at Johnny. "You'll see, Johnny. Everything you love… everything you try to protect… will burn."
Johnny clenched his fists. "Then let it come. I'm not afraid of fire."
Robby's eyes flicked to Johnny, the silent bond between father and son stronger than any fear in the room. "Neither am I."
The dojo fell silent again, but this time it wasn't tense — it was waiting. Waiting for the inevitable clash. The war that had been brewing for months was finally coming to a head.
Kreese stepped back, letting a cold, calculated smile form on his face. "Enjoy your moment, Johnny. It won't last."
Johnny didn't answer. He just looked around the room at the students — broken, hardened, but still salvageable. Maybe. Just maybe. He met Robby's gaze. "We fix this together. Or we lose everything."
Robby nodded once, tight and determined. "Together."
Outside, the wind howled. Thunder rolled in the distance. The storm had arrived — inside and out.
And for the first time in months, Johnny felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: hope.