Money, Power, Glory (Terry Silver Fanfic)

Chapter 12

"Come on guys! This isn't the end of the world yet!" I shouted after them as Terry, Johny, and Mike walked out of the arena. I tried to walk faster to catch up to their fast pace as they rushed outside. As they kept walking Terry grabbed Mike by the hem of his shirt and pulled him closer to his, "You're a disappointment. A shame in the name of karate! I never ever want to see your face again understood?" he yelled at Mike's face. Mike harshly pushed Terry off of him before walking away from us. Terry paused for a moment and untied his ascot from his neck out of frustration as Johny just stood behind him with his hands on his hips.

My eyes went back and forth between the men. Faintly, I heard Terry let out a sarcastic chuckle as he looked at me. Eyes full of anger, "You're wrong, Lana. It's over. Everything is over."

I hesitated, watching the scene unfold with a mix of shock and disbelief. Terry's words hung in the air, heavy with finality. Mike's retreating figure disappeared into the crowd, leaving an uneasy silence in his wake. Johny shifted uncomfortably, his own frustration evident, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on Terry.

"Terry," I started, trying to find the right words to diffuse the tension. "We can't give up now. We still have the dojo and the students. This was just one tournament."

Terry's eyes locked onto mine, his anger seething just beneath the surface. "One tournament? This wasn't just any tournament, Lana. This was our chance to show the world what Cobra Kai stands for. And we failed."

Johny stepped forward, his voice low and strained. "We can rebuild. We always do. We've faced worse before."

But Terry shook his head, his expression dark. "No, Johny. This was different. This was our shot at redemption, and we blew it. Do you understand what this means for our reputation? For everything we've worked for?"

I could feel the weight of his words pressing down on us. The defeat at the tournament had been more than just a loss; it had been a public humiliation. But I refused to believe that it was the end. There had to be a way to turn things around.

"We can't just walk away," I insisted, stepping closer to Terry. "We have to come up with a new plan. We can't let Danny and Miyagi win like this. We have to fight back."

Terry's eyes locked onto mine, his anger seething just beneath the surface. "And what do you propose we do, Lana? What's the next move?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, Johny's voice cut through the tension. "No, Lana. Terry's right. It's over."

I turned to Johnny, disbelief flooding my expression. "What are you saying, Johnny?"

He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping as if under an immense weight. "I'm saying I'm done. I can't keep doing this. The rivalry, the constant fight to prove ourselves—it's too much. Maybe it's time to accept that we lost and move on."

Terry's face twisted in anger and disbelief. "You're giving up? Just like that?"

Johnny shook his head slowly. "It's not just about today, Terry. It's about everything. The anger, the hatred—it's consuming us. Look at what it's done to Mike. To us. I can't be a part of this anymore."

Terry's anger seemed to reach a boiling point, but he said nothing, his jaw clenched tight. Johnny looked at me, his eyes filled with resigned sadness. "Lana, you have to understand. This isn't the life I want anymore."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I realized the gravity of his words. "Johnny, you can't just walk away. We've been through too much."

He placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm yet gentle. "We have. And that's why I know it's time to let go. I need to find a new path. One that doesn't involve all this pain and anger."

Johnny turned and walked away, his steps slow but resolute. Terry stood there, staring after him, his face a mask of rage and frustration. I watched them both, feeling the weight of their decisions pressing down on me.

For a moment, I stood there, caught between disbelief and acceptance. The reality of our defeat was undeniable. There would be no quick fix, no grand comeback. Johnny was leaving, and with him, the heart of Cobra Kai was walking away too.

As the noise of the celebrating crowd echoed behind us, I knew that the fight, for now, was truly over. We had to accept our defeat and face the uncertain future that lay ahead. The era of Cobra Kai, at least for the time being, had come to an end.

The crowd's cheers and celebrations faded into the background as Terry, his face still a mask of controlled fury, turned to me. "Come on, Lana," he said, his voice devoid of its usual commanding tone, replaced by a weary resignation. "Let's get out of here."

I nodded silently, the weight of the evening's events pressing heavily on my shoulders. We walked through the arena's exit, the noise dimming as we moved further away from the epicenter of our defeat. Johnny's departure and the crushing loss at the tournament lingered in the air between us, unspoken but deeply felt.

The parking lot was nearly empty, the cool evening air a stark contrast to the heated emotions inside. Terry guided me to the car, his hand on my back, a gesture that felt both protective and possessive. He unlocked the car, and we both got in, the silence between us thick and suffocating.

As Terry started the engine, I glanced at him, searching for any sign of the fierce determination that had always driven him. But his face was a mask, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as we pulled out of the parking lot and headed home.

The drive was long and quiet, the city lights flickering past us as we sped through the streets. I could feel Terry's anger simmering beneath the surface, but there was also a sense of resignation, a recognition of the finality of what had happened. The defeat at the tournament had not only shattered our plans but had also fractured the very foundation of Cobra Kai.

"Terry," I said softly, breaking the silence. "What are we going to do now?"

He didn't respond immediately, his jaw clenching as he navigated the darkened streets. After a moment, he let out a long, heavy sigh. "I don't know, Lana. I honestly don't know."

I looked out the window, the city's lights blurring as tears welled up in my eyes. The dream we had fought so hard for had crumbled, and for the first time, I felt a profound sense of loss. "We worked so hard," I whispered, more to myself than to him.

Terry's grip tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. "Yes, we did. But sometimes, no matter how hard you fight, you still lose."

His words hung in the air, a bitter truth that neither of us could escape. As we pulled into the driveway of Terry's house, the reality of our situation settled over us like a heavy shroud. We got out of the car, and Terry locked it behind us before guiding me to the front door.

Inside, the house was dimly lit, the shadows seeming to mirror our mood. Terry led me to the living room, and we both sank into the couch, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up with us.

For a long time, we sat in silence, the weight of our defeat pressing down on us. There were no easy solutions, no quick fixes. We had to accept that our plans had failed and that Cobra Kai, as we had known it, was over.

Terry finally broke the silence, his voice low and contemplative. "We'll figure something out, Lana. It won't be easy, but we have to move forward."

I nodded, knowing that he was right. The road ahead would be difficult, and the future uncertain. But for now, all we could do was accept our defeat and begin the long process of picking up the pieces.

As the night wore on, we sat together in the quiet of the house, the echoes of the tournament's chaos fading into the background. The fight was over, and the dreams we had built were shattered. But in that shared silence, there was a flicker of hope that, somehow, we would find a way to move forward.