The insistent beeping of the heart monitor cut through the silence of the hospital room like a sharp knife. Jack opened his eyes slowly, the white ceiling spinning above him before steadying itself. Pain throbbed in his right arm, a dead weight trapped in a rigid cast, and the metallic taste of dried blood still lingered in his mouth. He blinked, trying to remember how he'd gotten here, until the images of the school—Robby's shove, the fall, the impact—hit him like a punch to the gut.
"Jack?" Moon's soft voice brought him back. She was beside him, sitting in a plastic chair, her eyes red and her hands gripping his tightly. "You're awake. Thank God."
He turned his head slowly, feeling a sting on his forehead where the bandage covered the cut. "Moon… what happened?" His voice came out hoarse, almost unrecognizable.
"You fell down the stairs at school," she said hesitantly. "Robby pushed you. It was… horrible." Her lips trembled, but she held back the tears, trying to be strong for him.
Before Jack could respond, the door creaked and Tory walked in, her face pale and her fists clenched. "You're an idiot, Sullivan," she said, but her tone was more concerned than angry. "You almost died because of that mess."
Jack tried to sit up, but a wave of pain made him give up. "Trouble? What trouble?" He looked from Moon to Tory, sensing there was more here than just a fight.
Moon took a deep breath, letting go of his hand reluctantly. "Tory announced it on the school radio. About you and Sam. Everyone heard it."
The weight of those words fell over Jack like a stone. He closed his eyes, the memory of Sam's kiss in the pool coming back to him—the heat of her lips, the desperation, the moment he'd almost lost himself. And then, the guilt. "Moon, I—"
"No," she snapped, her voice firm but thick with hurt. "Don't say anything now. I saw it, Jack. I saw both of you. And I don't know what to think anymore."
Tory crossed her arms, shooting Moon a sharp look. "It's not all his fault, Moon. It was that LaRusso. She threw herself at him like a drunken bitch. You can't blame him for that."
"I'll blame whoever I want!" Moon snapped, rising from her chair. "He was my boyfriend, Tory. He should have chosen me, not her!"
Jack tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. "I didn't choose anyone," he finally managed, his voice weak. "It was a mistake. I didn't mean… I didn't mean to hurt you, Moon."
"But it hurt," she whispered, her eyes watering. "You have feelings for her, don't you? Don't lie to me."
He hesitated, the silence answering for him. Moon stepped back as if slapped, and Tory huffed in exasperation. "This is ridiculous. You two need to work this shit out, but not here. He's broken, Moon. Give it a rest."
Before the argument could escalate, the door opened again. Johnny Lawrence walked in, his shoulders tense and a deep frown on his forehead. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked, his gaze flicking from Moon to Tory and finally landing on Jack. "Miguel told me you fell. What was that, Sullivan?"
Jack swallowed, feeling the weight of Johnny's gaze. "Fight at school. Robby pushed me."
Johnny frowned, the mention of Robby lighting something in his eyes. "Robby? Why would he do that?"
Tory answered before Jack could open his mouth. "Because of your other son, sensei. He and LaRusso have history. And now this whole mess has blown up."
"Another son?" Johnny repeated, confused, but suspicion was already beginning to form in his mind. He looked at Jack, examining him as if seeing him for the first time. "Sullivan… where did you say you came from again?"
"San Diego," Jack replied, keeping his tone neutral, but his pulse quickened. He knew Johnny was close, very close, to connecting the dots.
Johnny was silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on Jack. "Martha Sullivan," he murmured, almost to himself. "I knew a Martha Sullivan. Years ago. Dark hair, blue eyes, wore a necklace with a stone that looked like the sea. She was…"
Jack felt the ground drop away from beneath him. "She was my mother," he said, his voice shaking, unable to hold the truth any longer. "She died a few months ago. She left me a picture of herself and an incomplete address. I came to Reseda because of that."
The air in the room grew heavy, as if time itself had stopped. Johnny took a step back, his face pale, processing the bombshell that had just been dropped in his lap. "You… you're my son?"
Moon and Tory exchanged shocked looks, especially Tory for opening her mouth, but neither of them dared to speak. Jack nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on Johnny. "I guess so. But I didn't come to ask you for anything. I just wanted to know who you were."
Johnny ran a hand over his face, the weight of years of bad choices bearing down on him. "Shit," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "I didn't know. I swear, kid, I didn't know." He turned abruptly and left the room, the sound of his footsteps echoing down the hallway like distant thunder.
Jack stared at the door, tears burning in his eyes. He didn't know whether to feel relief or anger—maybe both. Moon reached out hesitantly and touched his shoulder. "Jack… are you okay?"
"I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know anything anymore."
Meanwhile, Robby ran through the streets of Reseda, the hood of his jacket covering his face. The cold wind bit into his skin, but it was nothing compared to the ice he felt inside himself. He stopped in a dark alley, panting, and leaned against the wall, his hands shaking. "What did I do?" he muttered, the image of Jack falling down the stairs replaying in his mind like an endless nightmare.
He pulled something out of his pocket—a crumpled photograph he'd found at the dojo weeks ago, a picture of a young Johnny, smiling beside a woman he hadn't recognized at first. But now, with Jack in the hospital, something about the picture seemed familiar. The woman… was Martha Jack's mother? And if so… "No," he told himself, shaking his head. "It can't be."
But the doubt was already planted. Robby saved the photo and started walking again, aimlessly. He needed to go back, he needed to face what he had done. But how?
At the LaRusso house, Sam sat on the back porch, her legs drawn up to her chest, her eyes fixed on the darkening horizon. Her training with Daniel at Miyagi-Do had kept her grounded for the past few months, but now, after what had happened with Jack, the balance she had gained seemed to crumble. Guilt was suffocating her—the kiss in the pool, the mess that had led to the fight at school, Jack's condition in the hospital. All because of her.
Amanda appeared at the back door, holding two mugs of tea. "I brought you something to warm you up," she said, sitting down next to her daughter and offering her one of the mugs. "You're not well, Sam. Do you want to talk?"
Sam accepted the tea, but didn't look at her mother. "I messed up, Mom," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Jack's in the hospital because of me. Robby ran away. Moon hates me. I don't know how to fix this."
Amanda placed her hand on her shoulder, the warm touch contrasting with the cold Sam felt inside. "You can't change what happened, but you can decide what to do now. Miyagi-Do gave you strength, Sam. What else do you need to get through this?"
Sam was silent, the steam from the tea curling before her eyes. Then an idea took shape in her mind, something that didn't depend on blows or katas but on pure courage. "I need to apologize," she said, her voice firming. "Not just to Jack, but to Moon. And to Robby, if he lets me near him. I can't run from this."
Amanda smiled, proud of her daughter's determination. "It's a start, honey. But take it easy. They're hurting, just like you."
Sam nodded, taking a sip of her tea. She knew it wouldn't be easy—facing Moon after everything, finding Robby amidst the chaos, explaining herself to Jack without breaking down. But it was the only path that made sense. "I'll write to Moon first," she decided. "A letter. Something she can read when she's ready. And then…I'll go after Robby."
"Good choice," Amanda said, squeezing her shoulder. "You're stronger than you think, Sam."
Sam took a deep breath, feeling a ray of hope cut through the darkness. It wasn't the dojo that would save her this time—it was herself, facing the consequences head on.
Back at the hospital, Jack was left alone in his room after Moon and Tory had gone out to get coffee. He stared out the window, the dark sky reflecting the emptiness he felt. His broken arm was a physical pain, but the weight of the truth revealed to Johnny was a much deeper wound. "He's my father," he finally knew. "But what does that mean now?"
He didn't know if Johnny would ever come back, if Robby would ever forgive him, or if Moon could ever get over the betrayal. All he knew was that his life in Reseda had changed forever. And for the first time, he wasn't sure if he could fight his way out of this hole.