TWENTY SIX.
( and so they keep on twiddlin' them thumbs. )

"There she is!"

Emmy rolled her eyes as she shut the car door, crossing her arms over her chest. "What do you want, Johnny?"

She then paused when she saw the grill and Miguel sitting close to it in his wheelchair. "Miguel? What the hell is going on?"

"He's trying to get me to walk," Miguel bluntly explained.

"To walk? How? You gonna throw him on there?" she walked closer, standing by the opposite end of Johnny.

"If I have to," the blonde man shrugged. He then began to had lighter fluid to the coals, instantly lighting the grill. "You know why they call this a hibachi?"

"They don't. It's a kettle grill," Miguel corrected.

"Hundred years ago in ancient China," Johnny ignored him. "There was a tiny little village of dairy farmers, living fat off their milk and cheese. Then when the drought came, they needed to get water from the river. None of the Chinamen wanted to do their work."

Emmy reeled back. "Dude, you just sound racist."

"China people, whatever," he waved her off. "The point is, they were laying around in hammocks waiting for rain. So a wise man gathered up a bunch of twigs and stuffed it under the villagers while they slept. Know what he did then?"

"Lit a fire under them?"

"Exactly. That's where the expression comes from. Know what that wise man's name was?"

"Hibachi?"

"Damn straight."

"Yeah. Except that hibachis are from Japan, not China, where there weren't a lot of dairy farmers, historically, or hammocks."

Emmy hummed, grabbing Miguel's face in between her fingers. "I love it when you make him look even more stupid." She then leaned down, giving him a peck on the cheek.

She then turned to Johnny with a completely different expression. "What did you text me here for? I'm missing a completely good arcade hang out right now."

"You're his girlfriend now. I figured he'd be more motivated if you were here."

"She's not my girlfriend," Miguel immediately corrected him, and Emmy turned to him, offended.

"Excuse me."

He looked up at her with an innocent smile. "Yet. You didn't let me finish."

"Whatever," she huffed. "So,  what's the plan? How do we make the boy walk? Do you really think we'd fall for that?"

"No, but I knew you'd be too busy calling my bullshit to know what I was really up to," Johnny said.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"Johnny, what the fuck?" he heard Emmy scream, and saw her take a step back. He glanced down at his shoe, seeing his shoelace now caught on fire.

Johnny grabbed his arms, holding onto them tightly so he couldn't use them. "Are you insane?"

"Depends who you ask. Come on, Diaz! Shake a leg."

"I can't!"

"I am being so dead serious right now, this is not the way to go about this," Emmy said, wanting to run forward and stomp out the fire, but she was more scared of what Johnny would to to her if she intervened.

"You can if you want it bad enough."

"It's all I want!"

"Then focus! Tell your brain to tell your legs to get their asses moving!"

"Ok, ok!" Miguel squeezed his eye shut, desperately trying to will himself to lift his leg.

Emmy saw the fire began to travel up his pants, and she panicked. She quickly ran over to the fire extinguisher, and sprayed it all over his foot and ankle.

"I really thought that would work," Johnny solemnly said.

"Yeah, well, it didn't," Emmy breathed out, dropping the extinguisher onto the ground.

"My foot was on fire and I didn't feel a thing," Miguel added on. "Why is nothing working? It's fine. I should probably clean up before my mom gets home. See ya."

Emmy stood still watching him move away. "I'll see you later!"

"Okay!" he shouted back.

She sighed, turning to Johnny. "You are seriously the most idiotic person I've ever met."

She then began to walk back towards the car that Hawk's dad let her borrow.

"You've been visiting Robby?"

Emmy paused and whipped around. "What?"

Johnny huffed out a breath, throwing his arms up in the air. "He said that you've been visiting him almost everyday. Miguel know?"

"No," Emmy avoided eye contact.

"I didn't know you two were close," Johnny shifted on his feet.

"We bonded. You know. Shitty fathers and all," she narrowed her eyes at him, and Johnny looked down at the ground. "Robby has literally no one. That's the last thing I want for him."

"Well... I'm glad he has you."

"He does. But he can have you too," Emmy stated. "So, instead of visiting him at the soup kitchen, how about you go and actually see him in juvie? Because even if he won't admit to himself, I know that he needs his dad."

Emmy didn't give him another chance to speak, turning back around and headed for the car. Johnny stood silent, helplessly watching her leave.

There she goes. He lost her again.

✸

"Open the fucking door!"

Emmy's fist pounded on Hawk's locked bedroom door. Her face evidently showed how stressed she was, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She took a step back when she heard the door unlock, and she was met with Hawk, whose face was covered in tears.

Her eyes widened, phone slipping from her hand and crashing onto the floor. She took a glance behind her, making sure that no one was around and pushed him further into the room before shutting the door behind her. "Well, wanna guess what text I got from my mom? Or Sam? Or from fucking Demetri himself?"

"I screwed up," Hawk quietly said.

"You think?" she raised her voice, making him flinch. "How many times have I told you to not get involved in things like this anymore?"

"I wasn't trying to do anything," he defended himself.

"Really? Because in case you forgot, you broke Demetri's arm!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "Did you do that by accident? Because from everyone is telling me, that wasn't the case."

"Why are you putting all of this on me? I wasn't the only one there," he felt his irritation grow.

"Because for some fucking reason, everything you guys touch and break, I am always the one who has to pick up the pieces," she told him with narrowed eyes. "I wasn't even there, and everyone is finding some bullshit reason to pin it on me. So, I'm sorry if I seem a little agitated right now by your insane actions."

He clenched his jaw, sitting at the end of his bed. Emmy sighed at him, suddenly feeling pity for him. "Why the hell did you do that? Things were going just fine. We don't need another Miguel ⎯ "

Emmy stopped herself, taking a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. "We have had enough of these situations and they never do well in the end. They leave people hurt and torn apart."

Hawk looked up, and Emmy had to stop herself from gasping at his teary eyes. "You don't think I'm torn apart? Because I'm in fucking shreds, Em. I... I wasn't even gonna do it. But, they were all just yelling and screaming at me and I didn't want to look bad in front of them."

Emmy looked sadly at him, and took a seat next to him. "I get that, Hawk."

"Do you though?" he abruptly stood up and stood in front of her. "Because you weren't there. And honestly, I really wished you were. Because maybe I wouldn't be in this situation right now. I wouldn't feel so much guilt or conflicted or anything because this wouldn't have happened. Why weren't you there? I'm always there for you. Why weren't you there for me?"

She felt her own tears start to form, and she stood up, wrapping her arms around him. She could feel his body start to shake in cries and sobs, and held his neck while he stuffed his face into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she said into his ear. "I'm sorry for yelling and not being there."

"Don't be sorry," his voice came out muffled, and wrapped his arms around her. He violently sniffled. "I shouldn't have blamed you for that."

"It's okay," she told him, pulling away and put her hands on his shoulder. "You're gonna get through this. If you got no one, you got me. Okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Good," she quickly helped wipe his tears away. "I'll go make some Mac & Cheese and you pull up a movie."

"Got it," he chuckled, turning around and flopping onto his bed while she ran out of the room.

✸

"Man, it was so sick! Tory was just kickin' ass. I took care of Chris. Oh, and Hawk got that beta Demetri in an arm bar like Chris Jericho and just..." Mitch imitated the sound of a bone snapping. "Cold-blooded. No mercy!"

Emmy glanced over at Hawk, catching the uncomfortable look on his face. She took a step forward. "Mitch, shut up. You're giving me a migraine."

"Oh," his face immediately dropped. "Sorry, champ."

She gave a tight lipped smile and turned back to Hawk. "You're welcome." He gave her a grateful smile.

"You know, I didn't think you were actually gonna do it," Tory entered the picture.

"Yeah, well, they got what they deserved for what they did to Miguel," Hawk swallowed thickly.

Tory looked down at the mention of his ex-boyfriend. "You still haven't seem him yet, have you?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Tory shook her head and then turned to Emmy. "And, before you say anything, I know about you two. I'm happy for you, Emmy. Really. You two are better together."

Emmy gave her a pouty smile, locking her into a tight hug. "I love you."

Tory quietly chuckled. "Love you too." And then she walked away.

"Well," Emmy sighed. "That's one weight lifted off my shoulders."

Hawk lightly laughed at her, before they both turned to the sound of door bell. And simultaneously, their faces dropped.

"Oh, my God," Emmy mumbled.

"Class," Kreese spoke up. "Welcome our new students."

Emmy turned to Hawk, and he looked as if he's just seen a ghost. Then, the sight of Mitch walking up to Kyler and Brucks got her eye, and she watched with a hand covering her mouth.

"I'm gonna call you guys... Chodenose and Taintbreath."

"What the hell did you just say?" Kyler took a threatening step towards him.

Mitch immediately began to stutter. "Oh, uh, nothing. It's just this thing we do around here sometimes."

Kyler raised his fist, and Mitch flinched away before slowly backing away.

Emmy felt Hawk began to drag her away, and she found herself in front of Kreese, eyes still staring at Kyler.

"Sensei, I don't think these guys are Cobra Kai material," Hawk told him.

"Weren't you the one say that we should get new recruits?" Kreese asked.

"Yeah, but not these freaks," Emmy tore her eyes away to face Kreese. "We know these guys, and they are a different kind of evil from the literal depths of hell."

"And natural athletes," Kreese added on. "Which is exactly what's been missing in our dojo. Everyone, fall in."

Emmy scoffed and shook her head at him, but took her spot in the front next to Hawk.

"Joining Cobra Kai is a privilege. It's not a gift. Which is why our recruits must earn their position in this dojo. Prepare yourselves for combat. Only the strong will survive. Class, prepare for combat!"

And then they all dispersed, Emmy immediately grabbing onto Hawk's arm and dragging him to the back. "This can not be real. I never thought I would have to see his ratty face again."

"That makes two of us," Hawk muttered.

Emmy looked at him with sympathy, knowing that he must be having a hard time trying to process that the boys who tormented him for years were here. She squeezed his shoulder in comfort, before feeling someone looming behind her. She froze.

"Holy shit! You remember? Look, it's the kid with the lip!" Kyler exclaimed. "Yo, I thought he moved."

HIs loud voice was catching the attention of everyone around them, and Emmy felt heat creep up her neck.

"Oh, shit," Brucks laughed. "You're right! Right!"

"Dude!"

"Whoa! The hair kinda distracts you from it."

"Okay, back off," Emmy stepped forward, seeing Hawk began to cover his scar. She felt her heart drop. He hadn't done that in a while.

"Still protecting your boys, Em," Kyler chuckled and the two boys stepped into the open space next to them.

"All right, class. Let the games begin," Kreese then began to look around, before pointing at Kyler. "You." And then he turned around, laughing as he gestured to Mitch. "You."

The two boys stepped onto the center of the mat, and once Kreese started the fight, Mitch kicked his square in the nose, making Kyler's head knock back and he quickly swiped his finger under it to make sure it wasn't bleeding. "Now you're dead."

Mitch then threw his fist at him with a grunt, but Kyler quickly dodged it by stepping back, and pushed away when his other arm came out him. He then crouched under Mitch's leg as he went to kick him. Kyler backed up again, before digging his head and shoulder into his stomach, and flipping the two of them onto their backs. He spun them around, arms snaking around Mitch's neck and squeezed as hard as he could. Mitch began to tap out after about 2 seconds, and Kyler let go.

Emmy couldn't even bring herself to look at the fight, but she could feel Kreese's eyes on her and Hawk. "Finish him."

Kyler didn't hesitate, lifting Mitch up by the collar of his gi, and punched him square in the face. The former then walked back to his spot with no problem, and Emmy scooted away from him to avoid even grazing their arms together.

Mitch huffed and limped as he stood up, dragging himself over to his spot.

"Where you going?" Kreese asked him.

"To my spot," Mitch answered in confusion.

"You lost to an untrained fighter," Kreese stated. "He's going to take your spot on the team."

Mitch turned to Hawk and Emmy with a helpless face. Hawk stepped forward. "Sensei. Assface has been loyal to the dojo."

"I'm afraid he's not... Cobra Kai material," he threw Hawk's words in his face. "I told you, only the strong will survive."

"But," Emmy stepped forward, but the words couldn't leave her mouth. She watched as Mitch gathered his stuff and quietly left the dojo. Her shoulders deflated. She turned back to Hawk, who only solemnly shook his head. Emmy just took a step back. "This is such bull."

And then, the sound of a phone ringing made the whole room go silent. Emmy automatically assumed that it was Kreese's office phone so she just stood around.

Hawk nudged her. "That's yours."

Her eyes widened and her head snapped over to him. "Seriously? Really?"

He winced and nodded, and she gulped. She stepped forward with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, that's mine. I'll go get it."

She headed over to the front where her backpack laid, and unzipped the small pocket before taking out her phone. She didn't check the caller id, assuming it must be Johnny trying to get her to get in on whatever scheme he had next.

"Hello?"

"This is a call from the Sylmar Juvenile Corrections Center. Inmate, please state your name. Shawn Payne."

Emmy froze, quickly glancing behind her shoulder to see that everyone was distracted with more fights happening. "Shawn?"

"What's up, Em?"

"Why are you calling me right now?" she asked, quickly turning around when she accidentally made eye contact with Kreese. "I thought I told you I was gonna come see you next week."

"What? I can't call my friend?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying that. But you should save your rare phone calls for someone like Kenny."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"What? Kenny?"

"He came to visit me earlier. And I'm worried about him."

"Did he say something happened?"

"Some assholes were messing with him at the arcade. And guess what one of their names were?"

"What?"

"LaRusso."

Emmy felt herself straighten up. "Did you just say LaRusso?"

"Sure did. Now, if you don't get your punk ass brother to lay off mine, we're gonna have some problems."

"Ok, do not start threatening me now," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I'll take care of it. Don't worry."

"Thank you. See you next week."

"Bye."

She quickly hung up, shoving her phone into her backpack again and quietly walked back to her seat.

"Who was that?" Hawk immediately asked as Tory and the girl she was fighting stopped.

"Shawn," she sighed. "Long story short, the next time I see Anthony, I'm gonna make him cry in a corner."

"Oh, bad?"

"The worst," she groaned.

He rubbed her back in comfort.

"You. Big boy," they both turned away from their conversation, seeing that Kreese had picked Brucks to fight next.

"Oh, yeah!" the boy stepped forward, bouncing on his feet with adrenaline. "Who's going down next?"

Emmy suddenly felt a flag be forced into her hands, and saw Hawk move from the corner of her eye. "He's mine."

"Oh, shit," she immediately mumbled.

"Get him, Lip!" Kyler said in amusement.

"Ok, all right. Let's see if I can fix that lips of yours then," Brucks chuckled, and it made Emmy's blood boil. But then, Hawk began to untie his belt, and pulled off his gi, revealing the giant hawk tattoo on his back and another one on his chest. Emmy raised her eyebrows, and noticed Kreese subtly gesture for a boy to lower the flags. Something was gonna happen.

And without a verbal start, Hawk spun around, knocking Brucks in the face, and then a punch to the face, followed by a swift fist to the gut. Emmy winced at the back to back contacts, but couldn't tear her eyes away.

Brucks, who was a little disoriented, tried to grab Hawk by the shoulders, but the latter was fueled by anger and past altercations, knocking him multiple times again in the face, and driving his knee into his side.

Brucks stumbled a bit, and turned around, showing everyone his now bleeding mouth. He breathed heavily. "Wait, stop."

But Hawk didn't care, only flipping him onto the ground and straddled his waist.

"Finish him!"

And like a fucking machine, Hawk began to throw punch after punch after punch after punch, his knuckles growing bloodier and bloodier, and his shouts getting louder and louder.

Emmy could see Kyler grimacing and looking away from the scene, and it made her feel smug. The two made eye contact, and she couldn't contain the smirk on her face.

What do you think?, she mouthed

Kyler only gulped, looking down at the mat.

She quietly hummed, raising her chin up higher. She smiled as Hawk stalked back to their spot, staring down Kyler who couldn't even look at him. He turned to her, the two bumping fists. Emmy winced at the feeling of blood transferring to her own knuckles, and quickly wiped it on Hawk's pants. "Gross."

AUTHOR'S NOTE !

dont worry we're gonna get more emmy and shawn scenes in s6