Dedicated to @AbbyWatson4, @Robby2Keene, @NewYorkDoll, LOVESTODOODLE, and CamrynKissel for their awesome support!

"I can't believe I let Sensei Silver talk me into going to this stupid party," thought Tory as she and the other cobras obtained a table close to the glowing pink dance floor.

Almost all of the others had already found their way into the mix of people crowding the wide room, with the exception of herself and Robby.

She hated rich snob parties almost as much as she hated being kept in the dark which were simultaneously occurring as she scuffed her black high heel frustratedly against the ground.

I swear if I run into LaRusso tonight, I'm going to kick her butt out that door.

"At least, I'm not the only one who doesn't want to be at this party," remarked Robby, noticing Tory's distant look.

He was dressed in a half unbuttoned black tuxedo, his hair tousled in its usual places.

"It's not like I asked to come here," said Tory, bitterly before stabbing a butter knife into her steak.

She knew complaining wouldn't help anything, especially when Terry Silver was the subject of interest.

If I just keep my head low then, I might be able to live through whatever he's planning tonight.

"What do you have to complain about? It's not like you've come to anything else Sensei's asked you to," stated Tory, tossing her empty plastic cup behind her head where it landed on the middle of the dance floor.

"Not like I'm the only one who gets busy," retorted Robby, fiercely.

That was one of the reasons why Tory actually respected him (a little bit). He didn't just take an insult, he always shot back with a jab.

If he stuck around for more than five seconds then, maybe we'd be able to have some fun together.

"So, I take it you haven't figured things out with Kenny yet?" confirmed Tory, agitatedly.

"No, but I don't blame him. I mean, I'd be just as angry if he up and left me the way I did," admitted Robby, genuinely.

He looked disappointed about his mistake, but Tory could tell there was still something else he was hiding.

It would help if every once and a while he told me what was going on with him without me having to pry it out of him.

"So, why did you leave after the tournament? And don't give me the vague response of "because" unless you want me to seriously punch you in the face," questioned Tory, firmly.

With the way he's been acting recently, I'm fine either way.

"I left, I left to go talk to my dad," Robby replied, sighing a heavy breath.

"Your dad? As in Johnny Lawrence, Sensei of Eagle Fang?" confirmed Tory, incredulously.

Of course, hearing that he'd been working with such a close ally of the LaRussos was frustrating enough to her, but she wasn't one to jump to judgment before hearing an explanation.

If that's what he expected then, he should've talked to Samantha LaRusso. I sure as hell know how quickly she judges others.

"After the tournament ended, I realized just how many mistakes I'd made since I joined Cobra Kai, especially when training Kenny," explained Robby, his voice quiet so as to avoid any unwanted attention.

"He performed great for how young he is," stated Tory, skeptically.

She had a feeling she wasn't going to like the way this conversation was headed.

"I'm not talking about how good he is at karate, I'm talking about how he beats up Anthony LaRusso just because he thinks it's fun," protested Robby, exasperatedly.

From the look on his face, he must've been holding that one back for a long time.

"So what? You did the same thing with Miguel," retorted Tory.

Robby rubbed his right hand against his temple, regretfully.

"You know that was different," said Robby, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke.

She knew that bringing up the school brawl might have been going too far, especially since their view on the situation was mutual, but it did exactly what she wanted it to.

Good, now we're finally getting somewhere...

"Then what's the real reason?" pressured Tory, an air of impatience consuming her irritated voice.

"It doesn't matter," said Robby, brushing off her question, again.

Her hand clenched angrily underneath the table as he sat next to her, silently.

"Well, maybe it matters to me, okay! Have you ever thought that maybe I actually care about you?!" snapped Tory, gritting her teeth.

Why can't he just have an honest conversation like you used to before the tournament!

"Because I don't want to get you hurt," reasoned Robby, looking her in the eyes.

For a mere second as their eyes met, she felt that familiar spark that had only occurred on a few occasions when she and Robby actually opened up to one another.

Being honest is overrated, I guess.

"You couldn't hurt me even if you wanted to," lied Tory, scoffing.

"This will, trust me," said Robby, firmly.

She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the clear desperation in his voice.

"Try me," she declared, throwing her hand out urgingly.

Let's just see how bad this stupid secret of his really is...

"I don't think Sensei Silver is who he says he is. And if that's the case then, I need to stop him before he hurts anybody else," admitted Robby, honestly.

Does he have a death wish?!

She'd always known how threatening Silver was, but only last week had she truly experienced what it felt like to face him. The way he'd so easily punched the neck of the dummy with such little of his force almost scared her.

I might respect Sensei Kreese, but that doesn't mean I can't recognize a lie when I see it.

Tory looked around, catching sight of Terry several feet away, talking to one of the party guests jovially.

"You can't say things like that!" whisper-shouted Tory, her voice almost catching in her throat.

Why was she suddenly feeling so nervous?

"You might not have been around very much lately, but Sensei Silver isn't messing around! He is going to do everything in his path to take down LaRusso, your dad, and anyone else who gets in his way! And I'm not just going to sit around waiting for you to get yourself killed!" shouted Tory, pushing herself out of her chair and storming off.

How could he just sit there and knowingly oblige to fight Terry Silver? Didn't he know how powerful of a man he was willingly opposing without thought?

If he wants to get himself killed then, that's his mistake. But I'm done covering for him. Guess the jokes on me for thinking I could care about someone.