little bird // r.keene

xxviii. taking the blame.

Miguel dug in his pocket and pulled out the Medal of Honor as he and Wren stood outside the LaRusso's. They hadn't spoken about his fight with Hawk on their long walk to the house. Miguel only thought Wren should be the one to return it, since she was the one who took the blame.

"Here." He placed it in her open palm and Wren's fingers closed around the cold metal of the medal.

"Thank you." She told him, softly, taking a deep breath before turning towards the house.

"Hey," Miguel put a light hand on her shoulder and Wren turned back to look at him, "You have nothing to be scared of. Worst case scenario you get in a fight, which we all know you can win but..." he tried to joke but Wren really wasn't in the mood, "Just tell them the truth and you will be fine." He comforted her and Wren gave him a pressed smile.

"Thanks Miggy, I'll be right back." He had offered for them to do it together but Wren said she had to do it for him so he didn't have to see Sam. She knew they still weren't talking since she blocked him and didn't want to put him in that position if he didn't want to be. He was happy with Tory and Wren didn't want to jeopardise that.

Wren saw the side gate was open so carefully trailed down it. She figured someone would be in the dojo, she would drop it off quickly and then she would leave.

No arguments. No fights. No accusations. A peace offering almost but she didn't really care what they thought anymore.... Sam and Robby alike, she just wanted to give the medal back because she knew how much it meant to the LaRusso family and then she would leave. No more. No less.

Wren clutched the medal in both hands and turned into the garden, she took a deep breath and her mind flickered back to her fight with Sam yesterday. It would be wrong to call it a fight. It wasn't a fight. Wren didn't know what to call it but it made her sick just thinking about it. How Sam wouldn't listen. How Robby had looked at her.

"You've done enough... Go."

She swallowed the memory and poked her head round their dojo door, which was now back on both it's hinges only to spy Sam and Robby... Face to face, inches apart...

"So, what did you like better today?" Robby asked her, his hands in his pockets as he looked at Sam, who had her arms crossed. "The heat or the cold?"

"You know, they both have their pluses and minuses, but if I had to pick one, I'd say..." She thought for a moment, "room temp."

Robby chuckled at her answer and Wren pursed her lips together. She knew she should stop looking, stop listening. This was private and she had no right. She should have just rung the doorbell but she still couldn't tear her eyes away.

"That wasn't an option." Robby told Sam, his back facing Wren from where she was watching.

"What about you?" Sam asked Robby and he took a step towards her, Wren dipped her head. She couldn't watch. But she did.

"I like the heat." Robby's words echoed, he reached out a hand and cupped Sam's cheek with it, running a smooth thumb in circles on her soft skin.

"I thought we weren't..." Sam thought out loud, looking up at Robby would was only gazing back.

"We weren't." He told her before leaning down and pressing a kiss to Sam's lips. Wren licked her lips before finally tearing her eyes away and staring down at the medal, still pressed in her palm.

That was enough, she had enough.

Wren silently turned on her feet and left back the way she had come. She gazed at her feet as she found her way back to the end of the drive way, where Miguel was patiently waiting against the wall.

"Hey, how did it go?" He asked when he saw her coming towards him.

"Oh, I err.." Wren held out the medal in her hand, extending it towards him, "I changed my mind, I just don't think I'm someone they want to see right now... Do you mind giving it back? I'll wait for you." She told him, giving him a small smile as she dropped the medal in his hand.

Miguel looked from the small piece of metal back up to her to see Wren had crossed her arms loosely and was now leaning against the wall beside him, looking down at her feet.

"Are you sure?" He asked, not wanting to pry but also feeling she should be the one to do this as she had been the one accused.

"Yeah, no I'm fine. I just don't want to do it if that's alright with you." She told him simply and Miguel nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Wren nodded in responce and Miguel turned to walk up towards the house.

As soon as he was gone, Wren turned to face the wall, which was about waist height and pressed both palms against it and took a deep breath. She had nothing to be upset about.

Stop being emotional.

It's nothing.

You have no right to be upset.

He's not yours.

He likes Sam.

He likes Sam.

He likes Sam.

Shut up.

Miguel rang the doorbell and it was a moment before someone answered. Only his smile dropped when he saw it wasn't a LaRusso, but Robby.

"What are you doing here? Robby asked in a soft voice.

"I'm not here to fight." Miguel clarified, he understood Robby's hostility and it would be a lie if Miguel said he liked Robby but that wasn't what this was about. "I just came to give something back." Miguel held the medal out in front of him.

"Huh," Robby looked from the medal, back up to Miguel, "Did Wren give that to you?" He asked but before Miguel could respond, "I knew she took it." He muttered under his breath.

"No, I had nothing to do with that or what happened to your dojo and neither did she..." Miguel told Robby firmly, "It was Hawk... He wanted you guys to hate her so she wouldn't join your dojo." Robby's shoulders softened and it clicked in his mind. He had seen Hawk and Wren go into The Bookshelf the night Miyagi-Do was destroyed. Hawk must have taken his sweater and planted it to pin the blame on Wren.

Robby didn't let his disgust with himself show on his face, not in front of Miguel as he reached out and took the medal from him.

"This wasn't her fault." Miguel said gently, Robby didn't reply. "We're not all assholes. Just... Know it wasn't her and tell Sam I'm sorry."

Robby closed the door.

It wasn't her fault.