Dedicated to @AbbyWatson4, @Robby2Keene @CamrynKissel, LOVESTODOODLE, @madi658, @Krystal1601, @Suz1020, @milkxlawrence, and @lovecrazythings6 for their amazing support of my Cobra Kai stories! I truly could not do this without all of you!

And a special shoutout to my favorite Tobby fan, @NewYorkDoll for their particularly sweet comments on all my work! Love you :)

"I had a shot on LaRusso, why didn't I take it?!" Was the singular thought that had consumed Tory's entire mind ever since the night of the birthday brawl as she sat nearly still on her twin mattress, staring at the messy carpet of her cramped bedroom.

She'd knocked Sam to the ground and could've easily finished her, won like she'd always known she deserved to, but she hadn't. Instead, Tory just stood there, practically frozen to the spot like some idiot unable to hurt the enemy who'd bruised her so many times before.

It was my fault, I let my guard down with Robby earlier and lost my focus on what really mattered, winning.

But honestly, she didn't even know what winning really meant anymore. For so long the tournament had always seemed like the biggest win she could accomplish and even that wasn't a true victory. Yes, she technically beat Sam and won the championship for Cobra Kai, but it cost her the only thing she could rely on every moment of her life, regardless of the endless hardships that were thrown her way. She lost herself.

"Tory, someone's at the door!" Called her little brother from inside the living room where he was currently playing video games, his messy brunette hair brushing unevenly against his face with any given movement.

"Coming," she shouted back, cautiously getting up from the edge of her bed.

I didn't invite any guests over.

She grasped an old rusted knife from the kitchen counter in her right hand before slowly opening the door.

Not that in the case that the uninvited guest happened to be Sensei Silver, she could actually do very much about it.

If he wants to fight me, fine, but he better believe I'm going to fight him if he's trying to hurt my family.

As the door opened, her eyes met those of a familiar face she thought fondly of. Or at least, used to think fondly of.

"Hey, Tory, can we talk?" Asked Robby, his right arm positioned oddly at his chest to accommodate its cast.

Tory said nothing as she stood across from him, her arms crossed angrily over one another.

If he thinks that he can just come here and guilt me into forgiving him just because he got hurt then, he's in for a rude awakening.

But against her better judgment, she gestured for them to head outside to talk.

"Just make it quick because I need to get groceries for dinner," stated Tory, smelling the stuffy air that always filled the rundown apartment complex she so graciously lived her every day in.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay?" Answered Robby, his hazel green eyes never wavering from her's.

At least, he's actually speaking to me this time around. But it's too little, too late for honesty.

"Looks like you should be worrying more about yourself," commented Tory, gesturing down towards his broken arm.

"It's been broken before," replied Robby, dismissively.

"Yeah, well, I didn't really run into anyone at the party so, there's nothing much to tell," shrugged Tory, vaguely.

If he's not going to tell me what's going on with him then, why should I trust him with my secrets?

The two teenagers locked gazes for a moment, neither saying a single word in fear of asking the question that so prominently consumed their minds.

"I'm not a part of Cobra Kai anymore," breathed Robby, finally breaking the icy silence that hung between them.

"So what? It's not like I care," scoffed Tory, barely hiding the pain emulating from her chest.

Of course, he's done. Everyone always is when it comes to me.

"But I do care how you feel," protested Robby, softly.

His voice seemed to carry a layer of kindness it hadn't since before the school brawl. Yes, he'd always understood what Tory was going through, but only because of their mutual feelings of anger towards all the people who'd abandoned them when they needed help the most.

What is he playing at?

"Yeah, and ditching me everyday is the best way to show it, right?" Snapped Tory, turning her back on him.

She didn't like the feeling of pain pounding against her chest, reminding her of how things ended with Miguel.

There's no way I'm letting things happen like that again, regardless of how I feel.

"You're right, about all of it. I should have been there for the dojo, and Kenny and most importantly, you," agreed Robby, his eyes regretfully staring down at the ground.

"Then why weren't you?" Demanded Tory, spinning around on her sneakered heels to face him once more.

"What do you mean?" Asked Robby, confusedly looking back up at her.

"If you wanna show me that you really care about me then, tell me what you've been so busy with recently. Right here and now," stated Tory, firmly.

This is his last chance.

"After the tournament, I went to Mexico with my dad to find Miguel," started Robby, taking another deep breath before speaking.

"I thought you hated Miguel?" Questioned Tory, already getting skeptical of his supposedly true story.

He knows how well I take being lied to...

"I did, but for all the wrong reasons. I was just blaming him for all the mistakes we'd both made, the things I couldn't forgive myself for," answered Robby, honestly.

She wanted so badly to argue that he was just trying to cover up what really happened, but his sorrowful eyes told her all she needed to know.

"Fine, then what did you do once you got back to LA because you most certainly weren't helping us," retorted Tory, her arms still crossed tightly over one another.

"I've been trying to help Kenny, stop him from becoming like me," responded Robby, his face tensing up at the thought.

Why does he think that's such a bad thing?! He's one of the best people I know!

"And did it work?" Pushed Tory, sounding slightly more curious than she would've liked.

"No, not yet at least," replied Robby, still clinging to the small shred of hope that his protege might have some good left in him.

"Makes sense, people can't change who they are," stated Tory, her words coming out just as plain and simple as she wanted them to.

"I know first hand that's not true, Tory. We both do," countered Robby, determination now replacing his softness.

"Really because from where I stand, we're still the same two messed up people we were two months ago," remarked Tory, sarcastically as she threw her arms out in frustration.

I knew this was a waste of time.

"I know that's not true because I've seen you change," urged Robby, slowly taking her left hand in his bandaged one.

"How?" Questioned Tory, feeling his warm fingertips brush against hers.

Considering she hadn't even noticed it herself, she doubted he'd have anything of worth to say.

"You didn't want to cheat at the tournament, Sensei Silver made you. And you want to spend time with Mrs. LaRusso, you just don't want to ask her for it," answered Robby, understandingly.

"Don't tell me what I want!" Yelled Tory, gritting her teeth in anger.

"Then what do you want, Tory!" shouted Robby back, frustratedly.

"It doesn't matter what I want because I'm never going to get it," stated Tory, tears now sparkling in her light brown eyes.

Nobody in this world ever gets what they want, no matter how hard they fight for it!

"You're never going to get it if you don't try!" Yelled Robby as he stared into her beautiful eyes under the morning sunlight.

He wants to know what I want? Then I'll show him what I want!

Tory grabbed the side of Robby's face and pressed her lips against his, letting his warmth consume her. She didn't even care how uncomfortable it was to have his cast pushing against her chest or how much it could change things between them. All she wanted was him.

"Was that a good enough answer for you?" Asked Tory, her voice now merely a whisper of its normal self as she slowly pulled out of their romantic exchange, quiet excitement jumping through her veins.

"Yeah," whispered Robby back, a gentle smile covering his face before he pulled her into another kiss, the world fading away around the two lovers' beating hearts.