Disclaimer: I do not own Cobra Kai, Karate Kid, or any of its characters. Anything you may recognize belongs to Netflix and CK & KK's original creators.


Johnny was currently sitting outside his ex's apartment building in his car. He stared up at the building, feeling his anxiety rising as each minute passed. He looked down at the time on the dashboard. He had roughly five minutes to get up there or he would be late. Johnny knew he should get going, but he found himself unable to move; he couldn't find the courage to go in. This feeling felt almost identical as it did the day his son was born, and he tried to find the courage to go across the street to the hospital; the only difference was he was sober now.

Johnny hadn't expected to be here today. Shannon had called him yesterday to finally after so long, give him the chance to meet his son. Johnny had been trying to convince her for years to let him see him with no luck. Now that he was getting the chance, he felt so unprepared and terrified. He wanted to fix the mess he made on the day he was born by not showing up. He wanted the chance to prove he could be a decent father, but all he could think about is how he could manage to mess this up.

You're gonna screw up if you don't suck it up and get your ass in there! Johnny glanced at the time and then opened the car door and then went inside. He took the stairs, not wanting to waste a second so he could be there on time. He hesitated for a moment once he got to her door. You screwed up five years ago. Now I have to make it right! Johnny found the courage and knocked.

Shannon came to the door a few moments later. "You're late," She remarked. "What a surprise,"

"Good to see you too," Johnny quipped back.

"I guess I should be surprised you showed up this time," Shannon stepped aside, allowing Johnny to come inside as he decided not to comment. He certainly wasn't going to tell her he had been parked outside for a half hour, trying to grow the balls to get up there.

Johnny looked around the apartment and then to Shannon. "So, why the sudden change?" He was curious. Shannon had been dead set on not letting him back in her life or her son's. She had even given him her last name.

"Robby has been asking questions," Shannon admitted.

"About me?"

"A kid will do that when their father doesn't exist,"

"I wanted to be here—"

"You should have been there the day he was born," Johnny sighed, not even bothering with his excuses. He messed up and he had admitted that. "It was the only thing he wanted, so I called you. I figure if you screw up again, then he won't ask again."

"Well, I'm here now," Johnny looked around again. "Where is he?"

"I'll go get him,"

Johnny waited, tapping his foot against the floor and looked around at the toys on the floor, trying to distract himself from all the thoughts running through his head. You're not going to screw this up. I won't get another chance. I can make this right. Johnny tried to convince himself.

"Robby," Shannon placed her hand on her son's back after bringing him into the room. "This is your father." Robby looked up at Johnny, shyly as Johnny offered a small smile, feeling his heart beating fast. "Now he is going to spend the day with you while mommy is gone."

"Where are you going?" Robby turned to his mother, feeling nervous.

"I have some things I have to do," Shannon answered vaguely, though Johnny had an idea or two. "But I will see you later tonight."

"Okay…" Robby glanced over again at Johnny and then back to his mother.

"Now why don't you finish getting dressed?" Shannon had only brought Robby out briefly to meet Johnny before she left. "You don't want to keep your daddy waiting."

Robby nodded before running off back to his room.

"Now it all makes sense," Johnny shook his head.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shannon crossed her arms.

"The only reason I'm here is because you want to go out," Johnny wasn't naïve to think that Shannon gave up the drinking and barhopping because she had a baby. He knew she was still up to her same old tricks. "So, you had to dump him on your only option."

"What does it matter?" Shannon replied, not even bothering to deny it. The truth of it was that she wanted a break. The way she saw it, with this arrangement, everyone got something they wanted out of it. "You're not exactly father of the year,"

"Today of all days…"

"You didn't show up five years ago," Shannon reminded him. "I'm taking a few hours, there's a difference. If you have a problem with it, the door is there, and I'll be sure to tell Robby what a great father you are."

Mother of the year! "Have fun," Johnny took a breath, he was not going to blow this.

Shannon nodded, forcing a small grin as she handed him a piece of paper. "He goes to preschool from 10 to 1, that's the address." Shannon looked back to make sure Robby hadn't come back in yet. "Other than that, try not to kill him."

"I think I can manage." Johnny rolled his eyes.

Robby came back into the room as Shannon opened her arms and then gave him a hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek. "I love you," She said. "Be good for your father, okay? I'll see you tonight." Shannon took her keys, and she was gone.

Johnny took a breath as he looked down at Robby, who was again staring at him. This is going to be an interesting day. "So, kid…" He sat down on a chair, trying to think of something to ask so he could break the awkward staring contest. "What do you like to do?"

Robby shifted shyly, not offering a response.

"Okay…" Johnny sighed. This is going so well…

"I play in my room…" Robby eventually answered. "By myself,"

Why am I not surprised?

"Is there anything you'd like to?"

Robby shrugged. "I don't know,"

Johnny rubbed his temple. "Is there anything you want to ask?"

"Are you really my daddy?" Robby asked.

"Right to the point, aren't you?" Johnny laughed, nervously. "Yes, I am."

"Can you prove it?" Robby asked. He had seen a lot of guys in the apartment over the years. "How do I know you are for real?"

"Has your mom ever lied?"

Robby nodded.

Okay, stupid question… "Has your mommy ever talked about your daddy before?"

"Not really," Robby shifted. "She called you names…"

Johnny chuckled, that he would believe. "Do you think she'd be lying about this?"

Robby thought for a moment. "I guess not,"

I guess I'm not what he was expecting. Johnny looked over to the clock and stood up. "We probably should get going," They would have to leave soon if he was to get Robby to preschool on time. He still had to figure out how to get there from Shannon's instructions. "Go get your stuff."

Robby nodded slowly and then went into his room to grab his stuff, taking his time, wanting to delay as long as he possibly could.

"Come on kid!"

Robby sighed and then went with Johnny out to his car. He crossed his arms and looked out the window, not saying a word to Johnny as he figured out the directions and they went. It ended up not being as far from the apartment as Johnny had originally thought, so they got there early. Johnny noticed a couple kids playing on the playground.

"Here we are," Johnny turned back, noticing that Robby wasn't moving.

"Why do I have to go?" Robby pouted. He didn't think it was fair he had to go today. It was bad enough that his mommy had left for the day.

"Your mom said—"

"Can't I just skip it?"

"Now I would say you could," Johnny admitted. "But I don't think your mom would be happy with me." Knowing Shannon, if he didn't do what she asked, she might kill him. He could handle her, but he did not want to risk blowing this shot with Robby. "It's only a few hours."

Robby didn't respond. He knew that already. But the three hours felt more like three days.

"I'm sure you'll have fun…"

"No, I won't," Robby shook his head. "It's not even real school, it's stupid…"

Johnny chuckled slightly. "Maybe," He couldn't exactly disagree. "But I'm sure it's not that bad."

Robby looked down to his feet, still not making a move to get out of the car.

Johnny frowned. "Is there another reason why you don't want to go?" Though he could agree that three hours at preschool seemed like a waste of time, he was getting the feeling that there was more to Robby not wanting to go.

"You won't care," Robby mumbled. He had told his mommy why he didn't like preschool, but she didn't care. She still made him go every day. He doubted he would be any different.

"Robby, look at me," Johnny made Robby look up at him. "You can tell me,"

"The kids are mean…"

"They are, huh?"

"They say mean things every day and push me around and…" Robby shifted in his seat, not wanting to give him all the details. "I told my teacher and she told them to stop, but they keep doing it. Mommy makes me keep going but I don't want to!"

Those bastards… It seemed kids were becoming assholes earlier now. Johnny wasn't all that surprised, even less surprised at hearing that they did nothing to stop it. Johnny was going to put an end to this.

"How about you go play out there for ten minutes?" Johnny had a plan.

Robby frowned, thinking he wasn't listening to him. "I don't want to! I hate it!"

"I'm going to stay right out here, if anything happens, I'll come get you." Johnny wanted to see what would happen. If there were some kids targeting Robby, he knew it wouldn't take very long.

"What if nothing happens now and I have to go in?"

"I'll stay out here the whole three hours if I have to," Johnny doubted he would have to wait long. It was easier to get away with shit on the playground. "If anything happens, we'll go."

"You promise you'll stay out here?" Robby's lip quivered. "You really promise?"

"I promise you, kid,"

Robby sniffled and nodded, opening the door to the car and getting out. He looked back at the car as he slowly made his approach to the playground.

Johnny rolled down his window. He watched Robby and kept an ear out to listen. He noticed Robby looking back a few times to make sure he was still there and waved to him, so he knew he was watching. Within a few minutes, he noticed a couple boys going over to Robby, just as he expected. He stepped out of the car and watched.

"Hi Robby…" The three boys smiled devilishly. "Sucks you have to be here today." They all knew what day it was. "But we aren't surprised you are here. Since no one loves you."

"That's not true!"

"Then why are you here today?" One of the boys asked. "Not like you have any friends…"

"Leave me alone!" Robby yelled. "Or I'm gonna tell!"

"I'm so scared…" One of the boys mocked.

"We just wanted to give you a present…" One of the other boys said. "You can pretend it's from your daddy since you don't have one." He held up a handful of mud and then threw it in Robby's face before pushing him on the ground.

Johnny started to run over there. He had seen enough.

The boys were laughing as Robby tried to wipe the mud off his face. "Rotten Robby!" They laughed as Robby felt tears in his eyes. "That's why no one likes you!"

"Hey!" The three boys immediately stopped laughing and turned as white as ghosts, standing in front of Johnny.

"W-Who are you?" One of the boys, hesitantly asked as they looked up at him.

"I'm his dad,"

"No, you're not," One of the other boys said. "Robby doesn't have a daddy…"

"He does now," Johnny took a step closer and all three boys took a step back as Johnny crouched down. "And if I hear about any of you three giving him trouble again…" Johnny made a fake move, causing the three boys to fall back into the mud. "I'll be coming back…"

"We're really sorry!" One boy exclaimed.

"Yeah, we really are!" The second boy nodded in agreement.

"We won't bother Robby again!" The third boy added.

Johnny turned to Robby. "What do you say about getting out of here?"

Robby didn't waste a moment before running over to his father. Johnny brought him into his arms and then took him back to the car. He managed find a T-Shirt and half full water bottle in his car so he could clean up Robby's face.

"That's better, huh?"

Robby nodded. "They were so scared!"

"I think one of them was going to shit their pants," Johnny chuckled slightly. It was easy to scare a few five-year-old jerks.

"Do you think they'll leave me alone?" Robby asked.

"If they know what's good for 'em," Johnny intended to keep on his promise. If he heard they were giving Robby a hard time still, he would be back. But he doubted after that he would have to. "So, what would you like to do now?"

"Can we get ice cream?"

Johnny thought for a moment. "How does an ice cream cake sound?"

Robby immediately lit up. "Yeah!"


Johnny knew just the place to get an ice cream cake. He took Robby into the store and had him pick the one he wanted out. Johnny then took him back to Shannon's apartment. He cut two slices of the cake for Robby and then he went to put the TV on. Robby curled up next to Johnny as he was eating.

"Why haven't you been around?" Robby asked. He had been wondering about that for a while.

"You have all the tough questions, don't you?" Johnny replied.

"Did I do something?"

"No kid, it had nothing to do with you." Johnny shook his head. The last thing he had ever wanted Robby to think was that this was his fault. "It's all my fault," He sighed. "I made a mistake—a lot of them. I made a big one when you were born. I didn't show up when I should have and because that, your mom didn't think it would be a good idea if I came around."

"Did you say 'sorry'?"

"I did," Johnny nodded. He couldn't apologize enough. But more than anything, he just yelled at himself for being a pussy.

"Then she should forgive you,"

Johnny grinned slightly. "That's easy to say, kid,"

"Mommy is gone a lot," Robby admitted. "She didn't show up a few times and that doesn't mean she's a bad mommy." Robby remembered a few times she didn't show up to pick him up from preschool. He figured if she did that, then she wasn't much different than him. "I think you're a good daddy,"

Johnny smiled. "Thanks kid," That meant a lot. It seemed today had gone better than he had thought it was going to go. "Oh, I just remembered…" Johnny stood up. "I have something for you."

"You do?" Robby asked.

"It's in my car," He grabbed his keys.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Robby frowned.

"No, I'm just going to grab something." Johnny crouched down to be eye level with Robby. "Close your eyes and I'll be right back."

"Okay…" Robby covered his eyes and then waited for Johnny to come back.

"Kid, open them," Johnny told him once he got back a minute later.

Robby opened his eyes and smiled, seeing a skateboard, a DVD movie, a bag of candy, a blanket, and a teddy bear. "These are all for me?"

"Happy birthday," Johnny nodded. "And for the other birthdays I missed." He had been in the 7-Eleven earlier trying to waste time before he had to be here. Knowing it was Robby's birthday and that he had missed the other four, he felt he needed to get him something. Surprisingly, they had a enough stuff that he thought could make a few decent gifts.

Robby wrapped his arms around Johnny's neck and placed his head on his shoulder. "This is the best birthday ever!"

"I'm glad kid,"

Johnny brought Robby back to the couch. He curled up with the blanket and stuffed animal in Johnny's arms after he put the movie on for him. Robby had fallen asleep halfway through the movie, but Johnny let him be, even after the movie was long since over. He held Robby, rubbing his back gently as he slept, savoring the moment. He knew moments like this were rare. After tonight, he wasn't sure when the next he would get to see Robby would be. He wanted to hold onto this for as long as he could.

Shannon didn't get back in until very late that night. It was so late that Robby's birthday was minutes from being over. "Well, you managed to keep him alive,"

"I did," Johnny nodded. He managed more than that.

"Well, its late so you should get going," Shannon remarked. Now that she was home, she didn't see the point in Johnny staying much longer. "Then I can get Robby into bed…"

"Daddy…" Robby opened his eyes a crack. "Don't go…"

"It's getting late, Robby," Shannon said. "You need to get to bed, and daddy needs to get home,"

"No…."

"Let me get him to bed," Johnny offered. He was in no rush to get going and he didn't mind if that was what Robby wanted.

"Please…" Robby pleaded.

Shannon nodded. "Alright,"

Johnny took Robby into his bedroom and then tucked him in under the covers. Putting his blanket on top of him. He handed him the bear he had gotten him, which Robby took in both arms. "All settled?"

Robby nodded, barely able to keep his eyes open. "I don't want you to go…"

"You'll see me again soon,"

"How soon?" Robby wanted to know.

"I'm not sure," Johnny knew that would be up to Shannon. He couldn't speak for when that would be, but hopefully it wouldn't be too long. If Robby asked enough and Shannon needed another day, then he knew he'd be back soon enough. "But I promise, I'll come see you again."

"You promise?"

Johnny nodded. "I promise,"

Robby slowly closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Johnny stepped out as soon as he was sure Robby was asleep. He grabbed his keys and Shannon went to grab the door for him. "Thanks for letting me see him today," He was grateful for it.

Shannon nodded. "It seemed it went well," She was surprised. It looked like today was a day Robby wasn't going to forget. "At least you managed not to screw one thing up," That was a first for him as far as she was concerned. "Anyways, you should get home. I'll call you if I need you again."

"Please do," Johnny nodded. "Anytime," He didn't care what the circumstances were, he just knew he wanted to see his kid, be in Robby's life in any way that Shannon would let him.


A/N: And here is another Johnny and Robby fic. This one can be seen as a companion to my other One-Shot, "A Visit To Forget" and I figured this would be a great time to post as February 2nd (Robby's canon birthday) has just passed. I just didn't have the time to write and finish this by the 2nd.

Please don't forget to review.