Kate was getting ready to head to the dojo one morning when she suddenly heard a knock at her window. She turned, her face brightening at seeing Jack outside her window. He smiled back at her and she gestured for him to come in. Her window was unlocked, allowing him to easily push it open and crawl inside.

"Hi, baby." He greeted her with a soft smile.

Kate grins, stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Hey, you. To what do I owe the pleasure of this surprise visit?"

Jack chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Just wanted to see my girl before we head to the dojo. I missed you."

"Even though you saw me last night and texted me earlier?" She asked with a giggle, blush dusting her cheeks. She felt this giddy feeling whenever she heard him call her his girl, even though they had been together for months now. She loved it and would never tire of it.

"Yeah. I'll always miss you when we're apart." Jack replied, leaning forward to kiss her softly. Kate melted into the kiss, smiling against his lips as his hands slid down to her hips. The kiss was sweet and tender, and they both savored the feeling. But the kiss soon deepened, and Kate found herself pressed against the wall and Jack. He pulled her flush against him, and his hands found their way to the small of her back, holding her close as their kiss grew more passionate. Kate's fingers slid up to tangle in his hair, and she could feel her heart pounding as they lost themselves in the moment. The world outside seemed to disappear, leaving only the warmth of Jack's embrace and the steady rhythm of their breathing.

They reluctantly broke the kiss when they needed to breathe, their faces flushed and their breathing heavy. Kate smiled, leaning her forehead against his as they both tried to catch their breath.

"As much as I love making out with you, we should probably get going. We're already kinda late now." Kate pointed out after glancing at her alarm clock on the night stand by her bed.

"Yeah, you're right." Jack sighs, kissing her forehead and pulling back. "I'll let you finish getting ready."

"Alright." Kate smiled, kissing his cheek before heading into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Once she was done, the couple headed to the dojo together, their hands intertwined.

****

They get to the dojo where they saw a crowd had formed in the courtyard where Rudy was trying to get more people to sign up for his dojo. But Kate could tell he wasn't getting anyone interested yet and she felt bad for him. Business hadn't been that great, he hadn't had any new students in awhile. Rudy glares at the couple as he and Eddie step off the stage. "Hey...Where have you guys been?" He questioned while Kim had joined them eventually. 

"My demo started twenty minutes ago. Only Ashton had been a huge help getting people's attention." He adds, glancing over to the stage where Ashton was showing off his karate skills. He was getting some people interested, probably not just because of his skills but also his good looks. He looks over at the trio with a sigh. "But business has been slow. I was hoping you two could at least help out, you know, get some more people to sign up." Rudy's voice held a mixture of frustration and exhaustion, and it was clear that the lack of new students was starting to weigh on him.

"I'm sorry, Rudy. I forgot to set my alarm clock, and then I couldn't find my gi, and by the time I found it, I missed the bus." Jack explained why he was late, purposefully missing out the fact he stopped by Kate's and let's just say...They got distracted.

Rudy sighs, glancing at Kate. "Why were you late?"

Kate sheepishly smiles. "I, uh, had a little trouble getting out of the house this morning too," She admits, trying to keep it lighthearted. "You know how it is, sometimes mornings just don't go as planned." She gave a playful shrug, hoping Rudy believed her.

"I just didn't want to be here." Kim admitted with a shrug.

Rudy shakes his head. "You know what? It doesn't matter anyway. These people are obviously not into karate."

"They're into Ashton." Kate pointed out, and they all looked over to the crowd. Sure enough, the girls were practically swooning over Ashton as he did some tricks on stage. Kim's jaw clenched, feeling a pang of jealousy in her chest. She let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms as she watched the girls fawn over Ashton.

"Yeah, I can see that," She mutters under her breath. "It's not about the dojo, it's about the guy who's showing off." She couldn't help it though, letting her gaze linger on him longer than normal. He was hot and he was good at karate, two things she liked. She didn't like how much the girls were fawning over him, though. Part of her wanted to tell them to back off, but she had no right to, since she and Ashton weren't a thing. But she still hated the way they were practically throwing themselves at him and the fact he was clearly enjoying the attention.

Kate notices this, her lips curving up slightly as she nudges the blonde. "Jealous much?" She teased.

"Shut up." Kim muttered, turning away from the stage with a glare. Kate couldn't help but giggle. She wasn't used to Kim being jealous. The blonde was usually so confident and not bothered by others, especially when it came to the guys. But now seeing that Ashton had some fangirls, well, it was quite the interesting sight to see.

"Hey, guys!" Ashton's cheerful, breathy voice greets them as he joins the group when he was done, his face brightening when he noticed Kim was finally there. "Kim, you made it! I'm surprised you're here, you mentioned you didn't want to go, but I'm glad you're here." He admitted, earning a soft smile from Kim, who looked quickly when Ashton smiled back at her. Kate smiled fondly, noticing the faint pink tint on Kim's cheeks.

Kim shrugs, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Well, I thought I'd at least give it a chance. Your moves were pretty impressive, by the way. Those tricks were awesome."

Ashton's eyes lit up, his face flushing lightly at her compliment. "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you." Kim looked back at him, her heart skipping a beat at his words and his expression. He beamed at her, making her feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. It was rare for her to feel this way, especially with someone like Ashton, who was so sweet and kind, maybe not the brightest sometimes but he means well. She didn't know why he was able to make her feel so many different things, but she found herself not minding it as much as she thought she would.

Suddenly, loud rock music was playing that got their attention. They turn back to the stage, surprised to find the Black Dragons, now preforming for the small crowd. Kate rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she leaned into Jack's side, his arm now around her shoulders. She sighed heavily, shaking her head. She hated the Black Dragons and she knew the others did too. The Black Dragons were the rival dojo who always seemed to show up at the most inconvenient times, ready to show off and steal the spotlight. Kate could feel her blood begin to boil just at the sight of them. The Black Dragons weren't just any rival dojo—they had a reputation for being arrogant and disrespectful, they were egosticial and loved showing off. And, they had a history of cheating and fighting dirty, which the other dojos didn't approve of. Like theirs. But of course they had to show up here and of course everyone suddenly was interested in them, and not Rudy's dojo.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing here, Ty?" Rudy demands, walking over to the dojo's sensei with a glare. "This is my demo."

"Giving the crowd their first taste of the Black Dragons. Savor the flavor." Ty waves his hand in front of his face, smirking at him. "Mmm, spicy!"

Kate scoffs, shaking her head. "More like annoying." She grumbled, not caring if Ty or the others heard her. She hoped they did. She didn't care about being rude or disrespectful towards the Black Dragons. They deserved it.

Jack's lips curve up, a slight chuckle escaping him as he nods and kisses the top of her head. "Couldn't agree more, Rina." She glanced up at him, her face softening and her anger dissipating a bit. He always managed to calm her down and make her feel better, even if it just was a kiss. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she couldn't help but return a smile, resting her head against his shoulder.

"No, no, no." Rudy quickly says, glancing around at the crowd. "Do not savor his flavor. It tastes bad. Like an old jellybean you found stuck to a toilet." Kate rolls her eyes at her cousin, who grew sheepish and was quick to add, "I'm guessing. I..." He glares at Ty and then glances over at Jack. "Jack! Show him what you got!"

Jack reluctantly pulls away from Kate after kissing her cheek, earning a fond smile from her and follows his sensei on stage. They got into position as Rudy grabs a board for Jack to break. Everyone cheers loudly after Jack easily kicked the board. "In your face, Ty!" Rudy bragged.

"Really?" Ty doesn't look threaten and calls out for one of his students. "Oh, Ryan!"

Rudy and Jack step off the stage as Ryan and some of Ty's others students prepare to show off. Three Black Dragon students held out a board while Ryan kicked each one in half effortlessly. The last one he broke was the most impressive though since he kicked a broken half of the board so far that it landed in the crowd, causing a few people to cheer louder. The Black Dragons soaked up the attention, grinning and acting proud. "Wow!" Jack suddenly exclaims. Kate glances at him with amusement at seeing his shocked expression. She could tell he was impressed by what he had just seen, she was too honestly, but Jack's face wa priceless. After seeing Rudy's disapproving look, Jack scoffs and shakes his head. "I mean....Wow." He muttered, this time trying to sound unimpressed and failing miserably.

Kate sighed, turning back to the loud commotion as many people in the crowd were eagerly signing up to join the Black Dragons. She felt frustration building up again as she watched the crowd flock toward the Black Dragons' signup sheet. They were getting all the attention, leaving the Wasabi Dojo practically deserted by comparison. Despite all the dedication and hard work they'd put into preparing for this demo, it seemed like none of it mattered now.

"Unbelievable," She mutters under her breath, clenching her fists. "They just waltz in, steal our spotlight, and suddenly everyone forgets about us." She pauses when she realized something. "Where's Milton?" She rolls her eyes and huffs when she saw Milton talkign with Ty, overhearing him ask if he signed up for a year would he get a free gi. "Milton, are you freaking kidding me?" She grumbled, her tense shoulders only relaxing when Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders again to pull her close.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay." Jack reassures her softly, placing a kiss on her forehead. "We'll be fine." He wasn't sure how true that was, but he was hoping he was right. The Black Dragons were always a pain to deal with and they always caused them problems.

Kate sighed, letting herself lean into him as she tried to believe him. They'd always managed to get through everything in the past, they'd have to again. Somehow. She didn't have high hopes for this, but she'd have to try to stay optimistic. She turned back to Milton and Ty when Rudy walked over, claiming 'this random stranger' was his, resorting to the two sensai's fighting over Milton, pulling him towards their direction until his shirt is suddenly ripped off. When they both see his lanky frame, they drop the ripped shirts and continued fighting, but pushing him back to the other as Milton covered himself after screaming.

Kate sighed heavily and leaned her head on Jack's shoulder. She was frustrated and upset, but at least she had Jack. She'd always have him, and he would always be there for her. As long as they were together, nothing could stop them.

****

Kate stood by Jack and their friends, watching her cousin worriedly as he paced in front of them. "Come on, Rudy. It wasn't a total failure. Uh, look, one person handed a membership form." Jack tried to cheer Rudy up, pointing at the paper Kim held.

Kim cringes. "Uh, Jack, it hadn't even been filled out yet. It's just a drawing of Rudy with a butt for a face." Everyone gathered around the blonde to see the drawing, not being able to hold back their chuckles at the silly drawing.

Rudy glares at them, snatching the photo from Kim. "Give me that." A chuckle escapes him at the drawing, but he quickly stops and put the paper away. "You guys, this membership drive was my change to get some more students so I could make something of this dojo."

Kate looks at her cousin with offense. "Um, excuse me, Rudy, but the Wasabi Dojo is something. It's not just about getting new students. It's about the community we've built, the effort we put into it. I thought you would know that." She couldn't help but snap, a frown forming on her face.

"I didn't mean it like that." Rudy said, his face softening. "But you guys don't take me or this place seriously." He pointed out.

"Come on, Rudy, that's not true." Jack told him.

"Hey, guys!" Joan, a security guard at the mall, enters the dojo with a grin. "Mr. Gower from the pet store was wondering if his chimp could come back over and wear Rudy's uniform again."

Ashton snickers, but he immediately shuts up at Rudy's glare. "What?" Rudy exclaimed.

"Sorry, but you should've seen him!" Ashton was quick to explain. "It was hilarious." He grinned.

"You guys let a chimp wear my uniform?" Rudy wasn't amused.

"Yeah, it was a riot." Ashton responded, not catching the look Rudy gave him. "Oh, and I have pictures." He shows the picture of the monkey wearing Rudy's gi.

Milton grins. "Yeah, see? It's hysterical! From the back he looks just like you. The only difference is the tail nub. He doesn't have one."

Kate stays silent, noticing the look on her cousin's face. She knows him well enough to know when something truly bothers him, and this was clearly one of those times. She steps closer to Rudy, her tone softening. "Rudy, we're sorry, honestly." She says sincerely, glancing at the others to emphasize her point. "We were just having fun, but we know how much the dojo means to you. It means a lot to us too. You do too. We just got carried away. We didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

When the phone in Rudy office suddenly rang, he sighs, shaking his head and turns to go answer it. Kate frowns, hoping she had gotten through to him. Feeling a hand slip into hers, she turns to see Jack smiling reassuringly at her. She returns the smile, feeling slightly better thanks to his comforting presence. She glances over at Kim and Joan when she heard Kim ask Joan a question. "Joan, what's up with the shorts?" The blonde chuckled. Kate raised her eyebrows when she realized Joan was wearing back shorts instead of the normal black pants she wore with her uniform.

"Oh, oh." Joan smiles. "The owner of the mall, old rat face, is out of town, so I'm going all cas, you know? Shaved my legs for the first time this year. Showing off the old Joanie ponies, huh?"

Kate's eyes widen as she shares a look with Kim. "You didn't shave your legs for most of the year?" She gapes. She couldn't help but feel a mix of shock and amusement. Joan just shrugs and smiles, completely unfazed by their reactions. "That's impressive." She admitted, admiring the fact Joan could go so long without shaving. She couldn't do that, but she had to admire her for it.

"Rudy, you okay?" Kate asks in concern when Rudy walked out, looking more nervous and panicked. "Who called that made you look like you're about to have a heart attack?"

"That was Uncle Blake, he's on his way to Seaford right now." Rudy replied and Kate's face brightened.

"I love Uncle Blake! I haven't seen him in awhile, that's great news!" Kate pauses, grimacing at the look Rudy sent her. "Not great news?"

"Uh, no!" Rudy sassily snaps. "Kat, did you forget the fact that our uncle thinks I'm a successful business man?"

Kate grimaced when she remembered that little detail. Uncle Blake had always assumed Rudy was some big-shot entrepreneur running a thriving business. He even gave Rudy some money thinking he was going to college to study business after graduating high school though instead he bought the dojo. She and her parents were even in on the lie, but they kept trying to convince Rudy he needed to come clean at some point. Though she understood why Rudy was nervous and scared. Their Uncle Blake was a successful and important businessman who was very successful and influential in the business world. He had high expectations for Rudy, for Kate too despite her only being in high school. He had always treated Rudy like he was destined to follow in his footsteps, a path that Rudy had never felt comfortable with. Rudy had worked hard to keep up the charade, afraid of disappointing Uncle Blake, but deep down, Kate knew Rudy felt overwhelmed by the pressure. She would too if she were in his shoes. The weight of living up to someone else's expectations, especially someone like Uncle Blake, who seemed to have it all figured out, was no small thing.

"Oops." She mumbled, sheepishly smiling at him.

Rudy groans. "Oops? Oops?!" He repeats with wide eyes. "Kat, I'm freaking out here! What am I supposed to do? All these years I let him think that I'm this big successful businessman."

"I can't believe you lied to family." Milton said in surprise.

"Lies are the glue that keep families together." Rudy shrugs, grimacing when Kate hit the back of his head. "Kat, ow!" He grumbled.

"That's for lying." Kate scolds, shaking her head. "Honestly, you know you need to come clean. It's about time you stop pretending, Rudy. Uncle Blake is going to find out eventually. The longer you wait, the worse it'll be." She was serious, and her expression told Rudy she meant every word. "And you shouldn't be ashamed, Rudy. You know running a dojo isn't anything to be embarrassed about. Uncle Blake would be proud of you, I mean, you've come so far. You've made the dojo into something special. That's worth being proud of."

"Thanks, Kat." Rudy smiles at her, feeling touched by her words. He appreciated his younger cousin and how much she had supported him over the years. He could always count on her to have his back, but he still couldn't bring himself to come clean. He was too afraid of disappointing Uncle Blake and what his reaction might be. "He's going to find out when he gets here in an hour that I'm just a two-bit, broken down, nub-tailed sensei though." He muttered, moving to retreat to his office, ignoring his cousin's worried call.

"We gotta find a way to help Rudy. I mean, it's about time we're there when he needs us." Kim suggested and everyone voiced their agreements.

"Joan, can we get into your boss's office?" Jack asked curiously.

"Oh, sure." Joan smiles reassuringly and nods. "I'm heading that way right now."

Everyone grimaces at the sight when she turns to walk away. Two hair lines are on the back of both of her legs, as if she missed that hair when shaving. "Joan?" Eddie calls out. "When you shaved your legs, you may have missed a spot in the back."

"Oh, no. That's what makes them ponies, huh?" Joan grinned, chuckling as she pretended to be a pony the rest of the way out of the dojo. Kate chuckled and shook her head. Joan was definitely something else.

****

"This is never going to work." Rudy worriedly voiced. The group were now getting ready in Joan's boss's office before Rudy's and Kate's uncle got there.

"Yes, it will." Jack assures him. "All you have to do is pass yourself as the owner of the mall." He and Milton then helped him get out of his gi and put on a nice polo and blazer that velcro in the back so it easily could be put on and off, earning a surprised look from Rudy.

"Guys, this doesn't feel right. I'm your sensei. I should be creating an environment of honesty, integrity..."

"Rudy, your uncle's here." Joan's voice is heard on the intercom.

"Lie like the wind, people!" Rudy panicked and Kate rolled her eyes.

"I really think you should still tell him the truth, Rudy." She tells him. "It'll be easier. It's going to blow up in your face eventually."

"No time to argue now, Kat. It'll be fine-wait, where are my pants?" Rudy realized he wasn't given any pants and the gang turned to Jerry.

"Jerry, you were in charge of pants!" Kim scolded him.

"Yeah, come on, man!" Ashton adds. "You had one job!"

"Hey, this is not my fault, okay? You people should not trust me with something as important as pants!" Jerry defended himself.

The group stare at him wtih disbelief, but they panic when there's a knock at the door. Jack pushes Rudy to sit down at the chair while Milton pushes him up to the desk. Kate sat at one of the chairs in front of the desk while Jack and their friends stood nearby when the door opened. She smiles at her uncle when he walked in, hoping this didn't go the way she thought it would.

"Uncle Blake!" Rudy called out, smiling nervously.

"Rudy!" Blake replied, grinning back at him. He gasps when he notices Kate in one of the chairs. "Is that Kit-Kat my favorite niece?"

Kate couldn't help but grin at the nickname as she stands. "Uncle Blake, hi! I'm your only niece." She giggles, giving him a hug. "How are you?"

"Good, good. It's been too long since I've seen you. You've grown so much." He pulls away, smiling warmly at her. "You look just like your mother, you know? It's crazy how fast time flies."

Kate grinned, flattered by the compliment. "I get that a lot," she said, settling back into her seat. "How's everything with you, Uncle Blake?"

"Oh, the usual." He waves a dismissive hand and chuckles. "The business is doing well." He then notices Jack and smiles. "Hey, Jack, it's nice to see you again too." He had met Jack when he and Kate were younger and it's been awhile so Jack was surprised Blake remembered.

Jack smiles and nods. "Yeah, you too."

"Rudy!" Blake turns to his nephew, smiling widely at him and opening his arms for a hug like he did with Kate. "Come and give your uncle a hug."

"Can't do that." Rudy sheepishly replied.

Blake furrows his eyebrows. "Rude, give your uncle a hug!"

With a grimace, Rudy stands, revealing he didn't have pants on. "Alright, where's your pants?" Blake questioned.

"Uh," Kim speaks up with a chuckle. "You know, it's business casual."

"Yeah, uh," Jerry chimes, gesturing to the polo and blazer. "See? This is your business, and..." He clears his throat, gesturing down low. "And here's your casual."

"Well, we should get going and leave Seaford's most successful businessman to do more great things." Eddie spoke up.

"Yes, we just want to thank you for your unbelievably generous contribution to our charity." Jack added, playing along with the ruse as the others agreed and turned to leave.

Blake looks surprised, glancing at the kids. "Oh, hang on, kids. What's the charity?"

Kate tries not to look as panic as she felt after exchanging a look with Jack and their friends. She hated lying, and it was bad enough that her cousin had been lying for years. And now they were helping him cover it up. She wasn't comfortable with it, but she wanted to help Rudy. "Uh, the, um...the, uh...." She was struggling, but Jack was quick to help her out.

"We raise money for the..."

"Orphans." Jerry cut in.

"Build homes." Eddie interjected.

"Whales." Milton interrupted.

"To the runaways." Kim added, the group speaking all at once.

Ashton just nods, pointing at them. "Yeah, what they said."

"Right," Kate sheepishly smiles and nods. "We raise money for the orphans...Whales...And homes for runaways," She finishes with a nervous laugh, glancing at Rudy for support. "It's a multi-faceted charity, you know, covering a lot of different causes." Jack and her friends murmur their words of agreement while Rudy nodded with a nervous smile. Kate wasn't sure if their uncle would buy it, but they had tried their best.

"We should go." Jack suggested and they all nodded before they said their goodbyes and quickly left.

"I hate lying." Kate grumbles once they were leaving the office as the others go do their own thing, leaving the couple alone. "I hate it."

"I don't like it either, but we were trying to help Rudy." Jack points out, grabbing her hand and gently rubbing circles with his thumb to help calm her down. "How about we go get some smoothies to take the edge off? We could use something refreshing after all that chaos."

Kate sighs, the unease still lingering, but she appreciated Jack's effort to lighten the mood. "Yeah, that sounds good," She said, squeezing his hand in return. "I just feel guilty, you know? It doesn't feel right, helping him cover up something like that."

Jack nods, leaning ove to kiss her cheek. "I know, babe. Maybe Rudy will come clean later, but we did it to help him." Noticing her gaze fall to the floor and bit her lip, he squeezes her hand. "C'mon, let's get those smoothies." He wanted to bring some ease to her mind, even if just for a moment. "Then we could head back to yours or mine and hang out."

Kate smiles fondly, appreciating his attempts. She had a wonderful boyfriend who was always there for her. "Sounds perfect. Did I mention I love you?"

"Yeah, but I like hearing it," Jack teased with a playful grin, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "And I love you too, more than you know."

They continued walking toward the smoothie shop, the weight of the conversation slowly easing as Jack's lightheartedness began to break through Kate's tension. She couldn't deny how much she appreciated his unwavering support, especially during times like this when she was struggling with the weight of their choices.

****

Once the couple got their smoothies to go, they head back over to her place for a movie marathon and for some much needed cuddle time. Kate loved spending time with Jack, and no matter the situation, she felt comforted when he was near. He always knew how to make her feel better, even when the world seemed a little heavy. As they walked into her apartment, Kate immediately felt the relief of being home—away from the chaos and the tension. She set the smoothies down on the coffee table and flopped onto the couch, patting the spot next to her.

Jack grins and sat beside her, pulling her into his arms. "You sure you're okay?" He asked, his voice soft and concern filling his gaze. He noticed she still seemed tense and upset, even though she had done her best to hide it.

Kate nods, resting her head against his shoulder. "Yeah. I think just being here, with you, helps a lot." She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of his embrace and the comfort of the familiar surroundings.

"Good," Jack said, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "We don't have to talk about any of the crazy stuff. Let's just enjoy tonight."

Kate smiles fondly, butterflies swarming in her stomach. She loves this boy so much. "Deal."

They turned on the movie, but Kate couldn't fully focus on it. Her mind kept drifting back to the lie they'd told, the secret they were helping to cover up. Still, she couldn't deny that being with Jack, feeling his love and support, made it easier to let go of the weight, if only for a little while. As the movie played in the background, they both relaxed, sharing quiet moments between sips of smoothies and soft laughs. The night stretched out ahead of them, filled with comfort and familiarity—a welcome break from the tension that had filled the day. For now, that was enough.

****

That night when Tanner got home from working at his mechanic shop, he wasn't surprised to find his daughter asleep on the couch. And he definitely wasn't surprised when he noticed Jack sleeping beside her. Those two were so in love and had always been close since they were younger. It was no surprise that they'd gotten even closer once they started dating. Though he knew his daughter was happy, and she was definitely safe and cared for, he couldn't help but feel a bit protective of her. Jack was a great kid, Tanner has watched him grow and mature, he knew Jack has a good heart and loves his daughter, but as a father, he couldn't help the protectiveness he felt toward his only child.

He carefully moves the empty smoothie cups and puts them in the kitchen sink to clean later. He then quietly and carefully covered his daughter and her boyfriend with a blanket and smiles when Kate snuggles into Jack's embrace in her sleep, causing the boy to subconsciously tighten his hold on her, shifting slightly, his head now on top of hers that rested on his shoulder.

"Goodnight, kids." He whispered, shutting off the lights and headed upstairs to his bedroom. He was happy to know his daughter had found someone like Jack, he just hoped Jack wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Though he knew, deep down, Jack would never intentionally hurt Kate. They'd been through a lot and they had grown together as individuals and as a couple. And as much as Tanner couldn't help the protectiveness he felt, he would always be grateful for the love Jack brought into his daughter's life and that his daughter would always have him by her side.

****

The next day the couple went to the dojo after having breakfast with Kate's dad, the two holding hands as they walked in. "Hey, guys." Ashton greets wtih a smile. "Guess what? Jerry got some new students to sign up." Kate exchanged a surprised look with Jack.

"Really?" Kate asked, raising her eyebrows at Jerry, who grinned.

"To make up for blowing the membership drive, I got some new students."

"You know, Jerry, every once in awhile you get a great idea." Jack smiled.

The couple were shocked though when an older woman and older man entered the room from the back, both wearing gis. The couple shares a look as the pair stepped into the dojo. Kate couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, glancing at Jack. This was definitely unexpected. Most of the students at the dojo were either teenagers or in their early twenties. To see older adults walking in was unusual, to say the least.

"But this is not one of them." Kim commented, shaking her head and crossing her arms as she stood by Ashton.

"Can you help me?" The older man asks Eddie. "I think I put my jockstrap on backwards."

Eddie cringes. "Not today, not ever."

"They don't exactly look like they're cut out for karate." Kim noticed.

"I'll handle this." Milton assures her, walking over to the two older people. "Murray, Ruth, uh, why don't you guys start out with some push-ups?"

Murray turns to Ruth. "He said we're gonna get some of those Push Pops."

Ruth smiles. "Do they have cherry?"

"Uh, forget the push ups. Why don't you loosen up on the mini-tramp?" Milton suggested.

Jerry then guided them over to the mini trampoline that was part of an exercise. The group of teens watch as Murray cheered while he jumped. But he wasn't jumping high at all like how you're supposed to use it. The group of teens exchanged awkward glances, their expressions ranging from confusion to bemusement. Kate couldn't help but look over at Jack, both of them trying to stifle their amusement. This was not exactly what they had expected when Ashton and Jerry mentioned new students.

"Hey, Rudy." Jack greets with a smile when Rudy walked in. "How was lunch with your uncle?"

"Um...He said that I was a natural at business and offered me a job." Rudy admitted, still sounding confused yet surprised it happened.

"What?" Kim asked in surprise.

"Yeah, it pays over two hundred thousand dollars a year, comes with a company car, and who is that old man who just bounced himself out of his pants?" Rudy cut himself off when he noticed the old man and everyone turned to where he was pointing, all shocked at seeing the old man was jumping higher than before. A lot higher.

"I never felt so free, Ruth!" Murray commented.

"You're going too high!" Ruth warned.

"Rudy, this is an amazing opportunity." Milton continues. "What are you gonna do?"

"It's the kind of thing that would change my life forever." Rudy admitted.

"Yeah, you gotta take that job." Jack encouraged, despite him and the others not wanting him too. They all would much rather him stay here as their sensei, but if this is what Rudy truly wanted, then they wouldn't stand in his way. Plus this was a once in a life time opportunity.

Kate bit her lip to stop the frown that was threatening to form on her face. She wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Rudy had always been a steady presence at the dojo, and the idea of him leaving for a job that would change his life so drastically felt strange. But at the same time, she knew it was his decision to make, and if it was what was best for him, then she had to support it—even if it meant he might not be around as often.

Jack, noticing the concern on Kate's face, gently squeezed her hand. He, too, felt a pang of unease about Rudy's potential departure. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for him; it was the fact that it meant Rudy might not be around anymore. The thought made his stomach turn. He was grateful when Kate squeezed his hand back, and he gave her a small smile. She offered a tentative one in return, understood the mixed feelings he was having. Rudy had been a solid presence in the dojo for so long, and losing him would change everything. The dojo wasn't just a place of training; it was where they all came together, shared moments of joy, frustration, and growth. Rudy's role there had always been so important, and the thought of him leaving felt surreal.

"I never thought I would say these words, but...I guess it's time for me to leave the dojo."

At Rudy's decision, Kate's heart sank and a wave of sadness washed over her. She had known this moment might come someday, but hearing it out loud made it all the more real. Rudy had always been there, guiding them, teaching them not just karate, but life lessons they could carry with them forever. The idea of the dojo without him felt like a piece of the foundation was crumbling.

Jack's grip tightened on her hand, his own unease mirrored in her expression. Rudy had been the steady rock they all relied on, and losing that stability was hard to imagine. But even though part of him didn't want Rudy to go, he understood that sometimes life required people to make choices that weren't easy but were for their own growth. Everyone exchanged sad looks as the reality of the situation sank in. Rudy pulled his students in for a group hug.

"I don't think I will ever forget this moment." Rudy said softly.

At the sound of loud crashing, it startles the group and causes them to look over, all shocked to find Murray was stuck in the ceiling, not wearing his pants. "I told you were going too high!" Ruth scolded him.

"I'll take my Push-Pop up here!" Murray called out.