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Jamie pulls her door open and frowns, "Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

Sam looks to Tory before looking back, "Since the tournament is back on and the boys are training together, I figured we could train together."

"Well, train you." Tory corrects

"Wait, you're not competing?" Jamie asks

"No." Tory says, "But Zara definitely deserves to get her ass kicked and I know for a fact if I can't do it, you can."

Sam's brows raise as she smiles, "We know you can do it, but a little extra training wouldn't hurt."

Jamie looks between the two before nodding, "Okay. Just give me a few minutes and I'll be out."

Sam's smile widens as she nods to her before Jamie walks back in.

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As the girls enter the arena, Jamie and Tory look around. Tory nods, "Breaking and entering. Wouldn't have expected this from Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes."

"If you wanna be the best, you can't be afraid to get your hands dirty." Sam says before shaking her head, "My dad's a former board member, so lifetime privileges."

"Things were a lot different the last time we were here." Jamie chuckles

"Yeah. We pretty much hated each other's guts." Sam says as Tory steps onto the mat

Tory turns to Jamie, "You'd better still fight like you hate me... if you've got any shot of taking me down."

"Is that so?" Jamie scoffs as she and Sam join her

•••

Jamie blocks Tory's kick before blocking a few punches and kicking at Tory. Tory ducks under her leg before blocking a punch. Tory steps back as Jamie kicks again before flipping. Jamie attempts a leg sweep, but Tory flips away.

Tory blocks a kick before blocking a few more punches. Jamie attempts a roundhouse kick as Tory does a kip-up. Jamie bends down and uses her legs to trap Tory and flip her before the two land on the mat and Jamie kicks Tory's stomach lightly.

"Nice one, Jackson." Tory pants

"Thanks." She says as she backs away

Sam steps onto the mat with them, "Kind of feels right, doesn't it? You two being back up here again."

"I guess so." Tory breathes as Jamie shrugs, agreeing

"That's why you can't quit. You've come so far." Sam says before pointing between the three of them, "We have come so far."

"Would you give it a rest already? I told you I'm done." Tory snaps before standing

Jamie stands as well as Sam sighs, "Just help us understand why."

"Every time I put on that gi, it destroys everything that matters to me." Tory explains, "I get caught up in Kreese's messed-up plans. I ruin my relationships with my friends and Robby. I'm not doing any of that. Ever again."

Sam and Jamie are left in silence as Tory storms out of the building. Sam sighs as she starts to walk over to the bleachers.

"I kind of get it."

Sam turns back, "Huh?"

"Why she doesn't want to compete." Jamie says, "I get it."

"What do you mean?"

"All of this karate stuff has changed our lives so much. For some of us, for the worst." She says, "Is competing in this tournament really gonna be worth it in the end?"

"Of course it will." Sam says stepping closer, "You've both worked so hard to get here."

"And have lost so much doing it." Jamie says, "I haven't spoken to my mom once since we've been back here because of what happened with her and my dad in Barcelona. None of it even has anything to do with karate, but how am I supposed to focus when I have much bigger things going on right now?"

"I didn't know about your mom."

Jamie sighs, "Only Miguel and Sienna know what happened. You're the only one who knows she hasn't talked to me."

"Why haven't you told them?"

"They worry about me enough as it is." Jamie says, "And they worry because every time I close my eyes, I see Kwon. Just lying there. And that only happened because of karate."

"What happened to him isn't anyone's fault, Jamie."

"I feel like it's mine." Jamie says. Sam's eyes soften as she watches Jamie become teary eyed, "Sam, all of this isn't worth anything if I can't close my eyes or even run to my mom if I were to win that trophy."

Sam lets out a small sigh as Jamie brushes past her to sit in the bleachers.

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"Mind if I sit?"

Jamie looks up as Tory stops a few seats below her, "Yeah, sure."

Tory nods before taking a seat beside Jamie. The two stay quiet as Jamie picks at her nails, "I'm sorry for pushing. I tried to make sure Sam understood how hard all this is for you."

"I was finally on a good track. Then my mom died, and my whole world blew up. I thought going back to Cobra Kai was my only option." Tory says as Jamie turns to her, "All it did was ruin every relationship I've ever cared about. I'm lucky Robby and I are even talking. If I go back to Cobra Kai, it'll be the thing that ends us for good. You wouldn't understand."

"I actually kind of do." Jamie chuckles softly, "Every time I turn around there's something that I'm keeping from Miguel. All because I don't want him to worry about me."

"Which only makes him worry more."

"Exactly. There's only so many times someone can take being pushed away before they give up."

"What are you keeping from him?"

Jamie sighs, "My mom hasn't spoken to me since Barcelona. Not to mention I've been having nightmares every night about Kwon. That he knows about, but he doesn't know how bad they actually are."

"Just don't do what I did. Keeping secrets from the people you love will only hurt them worse." Tory says, "I regret not talking to you when you came to me. Things probably would've been a lot different if I had just talked to you. You and Miguel will figure it out. Just talk to him."

"That's good advice." Jamie nods, "So here's mine. Nobody's gonna think badly of you for finishing this fight. You might not have gone back to Cobra Kai in the best headspace, but... you're not gonna lose your friends. Or Robby. I can promise you that we have your back... no matter what logo's on it."

"Plus," Sam adds as she walks slowly up the bleachers, "I was kind of looking forward to seeing how hard you could kick Zara in the face."

The three girls laugh together before it goes quiet again. Sam looks to Tory, "Is that like an I'm-back-in-the-tournament laugh, or...?"

Jamie watches Tory stand before the blonde turns to her, "Don't just sit there. Got a fight to train for."

"Yes, Sensei." Jamie chuckles before following her down

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