Cobra Kai: A Family Affair

35

Robby drove Tory and Brandon to somewhere the teens thought Mike didn't know - the LaRussos' house.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Daniel asked when he opened the door and found them on his porch.
"Just trying to prolong the inevitable." Tory drawled.
Daniel nodded understanding and said "Come on in."

Amanda approached the young girl first "Tory."
"Don't. It's ok. I'm fine." She brushed her off not wanting sympathy or pity.

The adult LaRussos walked them into the kitchen where Chozen and Johnny were sitting at the dining room table.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Robby questioned.
"Just planning some stuff with LaRusso and Chozen over some beers."
"Right, I forgot you two were actually friends now."

Speaking of new friends, hearing all of the voices, Sam came downstairs. "Hey, what's going on?"
"My dad won the court case." Tory told her.
"Oh. That's bad, right?"
"Well, there is one worse option, but I'm hardly celebrating."
"What happens now, to you and Brandon, I mean?"
"I think he'll be coming by to collect us and take us to his house - so we're trying to stall - 'cause I really don't want to sleep in the same house as him."

"You can stay here as long as you like, Tory." Amanda said.
"Why did you think to come here?" Daniel asked curious.
"I didn't. Robby did."
The adults looked at him "Well, as far as I'm aware he doesn't know where you live."
"True."

After almost an hour of welcome reprieve and comfort there was a knock on the door making everybody jump. "Wait here." Daniel said to the kids.

He and Amanda went to go answer the door together. And unsurprisingly, Mike Barnes was the person behind it. "Where's my daughter, LaRusso?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Daniel insisted. "Although it's almost funny, you've only been her legal guardian for a few hours and you've already lost her."
"Oh please, you once hid a stupid tree down the side of a cliff from me, you don't expect me to think you've hidden my daughter from me now." Amanda looked at her husband saying 'Seriously?' with her facial expression. "You know what, I don't trust you to tell me the truth.. think I'll check for myself." Mike said barging past the LaRussos.

It was easy to see the living room from the front door and Mike soon laid eyes on his children and the others calling "Well, hey guys! Daddy's home."
"You're really enjoying yourself, aren't you?" Tory said through gritted teeth but Mike pretended not to hear her. Stopping by some flowers on a table he sarcastically said "Are these new? 'Cause, I like them." He looked up and walked forward clapping his hands "Look, everyone's here. This is great!"

Mike walked towards his children, bending down he spoke to Brandon in a childlike voice. "Hey, little man. How you doing?" Tory placed a hand on her brother's shoulder and pulled him closer to her than he already was. "You know, you and your sister have given me quite a bit to think about lately. Hmm." He smiled up at Tory who continued scowling. Robby squeezed Tory's waist tighter to comfort her.

"What do you want, Mike?" Daniel asked annoyed.
"I want what I came for. I want my children."
"That's out of the question." Amanda snapped moving over to Tory having taken a shine to the girl.
"Well, actually it's not really a question. It's more of a fact. Now those kids are mine and everyone, including the state of California agrees on that so I'm gonna do what I want with them." Mike turned his attention to his children "Victoria, grab the kid we're out of here."
"What? Uh-uh." She refused.
"Come on, Mike. You don't really want to raise them?" Daniel questioned almost confused.
"Of course I do! My daughter's a chip off the old block. I mean, true, we do have a lot of father-daughter bonding we to catch up on. And, Brandon might not be my own blood but even I'm not cruel enough to leave him with a junkie or workaholics."