Hey y'all. A fair warning here. This chapter is definitely going be completely short and rushed(hopefully not) I've originally had plan to write this chapter. However due to Hurricane Ian and other calling factors, I've sort of lost the sight to continue the direction of this story in that time. However, I've manage to restore back my interest in this developing plot, especially after binging on a few CK stories, including my most favorite one which I'll drop down at the end. Hopefully, I can start developing more chapters in the meantime after. As stated from the previous chapter, this will be a flashback onto Seline's life earlier on; It'll provide little to little context onto one of the arcs that I've established for her. So here you go.

Chapter 4

February 4th, 2002.

6 year old Seline beamed with glee as she rushed out of the school among with the rest of the other students. As soon as she did and stood on the steps of the school, her eyes quickly began to scan around for her mother but there was no sign of her.

Seline sighed. She really hoped that her mother would arrive on time. The women had even said so to her that morning that she was gonna pick up her, since the two of them would be heading to the last-minute flight to California to pay a visit to Aunt Shannon, Mom's sister who was currently undergoing labor and expected to be delivering in a very quick time.

Just then, a familiar car pulled by. Seline knew that it wasn't her mother; she could barely afford their apartment with the salary she earn at the old diner place close by their home to even purchase a such expense as that, but Seline knew definitely who it was, especially as the familiar figure went off the car and went up towards her, revealing themselves to be a women adorned with brown auburn that was complimented with a chopped pixie, her face rare of laugh .

"Mama May" Seline squealed as she ran up and hugged the older African American women,. Mama May was Seline's godmother; she and her grandparents were close friends ever since they were young back in the 1960s and they have been deeply honor that Mama May would vow to look out for Seline since the day of her birth.

"My sweet precious girl" Mama May beamed as she hugged the young girl. "How was school today?"

"It was great. I got another A+ on my spelling and math test today" Seline chatterred with a smile.

"Oh my...wow baby.. you're getting much brighter and smarter everyday, pretty soon you'll be standing in front of the classroom" Mama May teased as the two walked inside the car and head off to the main road.

The rest of the drive down to the airport was completely silent. Seline's eyed glazed over at the window in thought, observing the bright blue sky shining on.

Mama May must have sense exactly what she was thinking. " I know your mother actually promised in picking you up honey, but she just remember that she had the late shift to cover tonight, again."

Seline nodded in reluctant understanding, but her face remained very sullen.

Mama May sighed deeply as she kept on driving. She felt very ashamed of the fact that she had yet again told a very immense lie to a 6-year-old child. However, telling Seline the truth wouldn't be approachably appropriate, given to the extreme context that Mama May herself still found very difficult to fully comprehend at times, especially the way it embeded conflict in how she stands as a strong Christian women. She silently pray deep down to God that hopefully when her goddaughter grew up, she wouldn't think of ever going to resort to 'that' route in her life.

No further words were exchanged throughout the half hour day and then they've finally approached the Columbus Metropolitian Airport.

Needlessly to say, it was a steady 4 hour flight but prior to that, it did not came without incidents. Poor little Seline was strongly terrified at the structured size of the metal detectors and the series of immense selected pat downs by the security officers. It was no help at all that they were outrightly impatient and rude, especially during the inspection. One of the officers yelled profusely loud at the child after she had done the opposite of what was commanded of her.

"Keep your arms straight, NOT HIGH" the officer, a stern bull faced women, have barked. Seline felt her face turning red in shame at being roughly scold in front of everyone. Mama May must've noticed because she'd attempt to go console her but the officer had blocked her and demanded that she waited until the child was done.

Seline felt a stream of tears threatening to rush out of her but she couldn't do it. David Coyle, a roguish third grader from recess with a habit of taunting little kids had told her that the police officers would put little girls in iron prison cells if they got caught crying. Seline had never actually believed David's 'wild stories' as did all the other first graders, who'd thought that they were completely bull but now being faced in such intimidating circumstance, she was certainly not going to test the officer.

After what felt like a long hour, even though it had taken only seven minutes, both Seline and Mama May were finished with their processing and had sat down at the terminal. Seline was still very shaken up, reeling in what had just occurred. It wasn't her first time being in an airport but every of it's surrounding, the line-ups, the loud booming voices of the security officers, all of that took a confusing toll on the six year old's mind. Little did she knew that it was a new awakening of America, barely 5 months in Post- 9/11.

Needless to say, in over 5 hours, they've finally reach the hospital at about 7 pm. There was no line luckily so Seline and Mama May quickly approach the front desk.

"How may I help you?" the secretary asked.

"We're here to see Shannon Keene" Mama May replied as the secretary went to search up the files of the patients.

"Any relations to her" the secretary inquired, a skeptical expression beginning to show on her face.

"I'm friends of the family; they even let me bring her niece; my goddaughter so she can see the baby" Mama May said with a straight face, feeling internally upset that the women try to indirectly profile her on purpose. She'd wanted the secretary to say something else just to give her a piece of her mind.

Luckily, the secretary noticed that she just made a stupid gaffe and said nothing and soon enough, Mama May and Seline, with visitor passes pinned to their shirts, ambled along the hallways of the 3rd floor and eventually reached the designated room. Standing right inside presently were her grandparents and Aunt Shannon, who was slightly sitting up from the bed, her face incredibly worn from the enduring stress of hour long labor.

"Aunt Shannon" Seline exclaimed as she rushed to her aunt's bedside and deliver a gentle hug to her.

"Hi Selly" Shannon mustered a weak smile as she lightly embraced her niece before releasing her.

"How's the baby doing?" Seline asked, her eyes glistening in joy.

"The baby is doing perfectly well." Seline's grandmother, Celia answered. "A wonderful precious baby boy"

He's sleeping right now in the nursery down the next corridor but I can take you to see him" Darrell, her grandfather added in a gesture.

"Okay" Seline smiled with an excited twinkle in her eye as she followed her grandfather out into the hallway. Unbeknownst to her, things were slowly beginning to heat up back in the maternity room.

Mama May sat down in the chair that stood a length closer to the hospital bed. "Have you picked out the name for that wonderful baby"

"Robert" Shannon replied in a curt tone, not even giving her attention to Mama May.

"What a lovely name."

Shannon ignored Mama May's comment as she turn over to the older women, an exasperate look imprinted on her face. "I should've figured you'd be here if Cheryl wasn't" she remark bitterly. "But here you are, always fixing my sister's mess-"

"She couldn't come and I wanted Seline to see her new cousin"

"You didn't have to bother bringing her" Shannon argued. "It's bad enough that my own fucking selfish sister("You watch your mouth" Mama May scolded at the f-bomb) can't even take the time to come to my side and see how I'm doing" She groaned out in bare frustration.

"You need to calm down" Celia tried to place a relaxing hand on her daughter's shoulder but Shannon shrugged it off.

"Why's Johnny not here..he should've been here by now" she whined in frustration.

"I tried calling him three times, no answer." Celia said, her face now growing as exasperated as her daughter. "Don't worry, I'll try again..he'll definitely be hearing a lot from me" she huffed out of the room; Mama May did likewise but went by the other side to go find Seline, leaving Shannon alone in her thoughts.

"There he is, Sel, your baby cousin" Seline's grandfather motion her to a particular crib.

Seline's eye widened at the sight at the baby. He look very precious and so gentle. Seline couldn't tell what it was but she could definitely feel an instant pull towards the newborn, a force that would keep them inseperable.

After a full while of cooing the baby, Seline turned to her grandfather. "Did Aunt Shannon really named him Robert?"

"She did, why?"

"It's not a bad name.." Seline pondered. "But maybe 'Robby' would be a cool fit.

"I like that" Darrell smiled.

"Seline, it's time to go"

Seline turn her head and saw Mama May.

"Can I stay one more minute, Mama May, pplllleeease" the little girl begged.

Mama May look over at baby Robby, her eyes slowly glistening, a slight indication that she too was captivated by the cuteness of the baby.

"Alright" she relented " But just one minute. We gotta get to the motel and get you ready for bed"

"Ok"

Mama May left for a moment. Only Seline and her grandfather remained in the nursery.

In that point, Seline didn't know whether or not her baby cousin would actually be listening, but that didn't dither her as she got close to the crib and whispered the most strong promise to ever be made in a lifetime.

"No matter what, we'll always stick together..."

Present Day...

Seline remain locked silence as seconds and minutes passed by; she could feel herself struggling to even aim a look at Robby, who was seated right across from her.

"How are you holding up?" came the first sentence that uttered out of her mouth. Seline almost mentally scolded herself. That was a very insensitive thing to say, especially to a person who'd just spent the night behind bars.

Robby seem unfazed at the question. In fact, he looked very irritated. Seline couldn't quite tell for sure if he was disappointed to see her or had this been the factor in being placed in a tight-lock up. Finally Robby spoke up.

"I'm fine" he mumbled; even that sentence itself was beyond irony, given the past situation that had transpired over the last 24 hours but he didn't care. "What are you even doing here anyway. Shouldn't you be back home in Georgia?" he asked, his voice edged with a hint of ire.

"Not anymore" Seline added and took a deep breath. "I've actually moved down here, about a few weeks ago. I wanted to surprise you and catch up but the..." Seline paused, as she tried to think cautiously of the next couple of words that were boiling in her thoughts. "I actually tried to look for you when I heard the news, I've even dropped by at your mom's apartment; that was where you'd always be."

Robby chuckled bitterly. "I guess you don't really know me at all that well"

Seline could tell that the conversation was starting to get a little out of turn but she kept going persistently.

"You're wrong. I do. I've always been there for you. You've always turn to my side or at times your mom, if you were in trouble or anything; we both already know your dad's not even up for anything."

Robby almost restrained himself from saying to his cousin that she was wrong, that his dad had recently started to come around and offered him a place in his apartment but then there was a pause in thought and it was there that Robby had realized something. His dad. He must've already heard that he got placed in juvie hall and yet Robby hadn't heard from him. Johnny hadn't even pick up Robby's collect call this morning. Just thinking of it made Robby's made churn irritably.

"Doesn't explain why I haven't seen you in the last three years" Robby retorted.

"Robby, that's-"

"Know what, it's fine. You're here to catch up, so let's catch up" Robby begin in a sarcastic tone. He knew he shouldn't be rude but the stress of the past couple days and hours were really getting to him. "School's constantly been going on my back so I dropped out. Dad of course, still being a lowlife as always, and suddenly he gets concern about me not going to school, so I basically told him to go screw himself like he did the last 16 years." Robby paused for a second as if to catch a breath before continuing his rant. "I thought things were going good when I met Mr. Larusso."

"Mr. Larusso?" Seline was taken aback at the last sentence. Her boss actually knew her cousin?

"The guy that runs the dealership in San Fernando. He took me in a couple months ago; he was very cool, he taught me everything he knew of karate-"

"Look, karate is not bad, I don't get why you think it's dangerous. Mr. Larusso's lessons, it helped me. I use them during the fight..." Robby then trailed off as memories of him kicking Diaz down the railings flashed quickly.

"And you kicked the guy off a railing...what were you even thinking?"

"Does it matter" Robby rhetorically asked. "Mr. Larusso told me he was going to fix everything but he set me up. Next thing I knew, I got handcuffed in a cop car"

"TIMES UP"

Seline slowly rose up from her chair as the guard came towards Robby and begin escorting him out of the visiting room.

"I'll see you again soon" Seline called out.

Robby paid her no heed as the guard pushed him out the door.

It was just around a couple of minutes later that Seline had finally arrived back home. As she entered her house and trudged up the stairs up to her bedroom, the events of the past hour swirled in her head as she tried to process what she had just learned. It was completely unbelievable and it still baffled her.

Seline had been incredibly close with Robby in some of the times that they've been together. She knew that he wasn't always such a saint but Robby had always been a gentle soul underneath. He'd never go into any lengths to ever hurt or put someone's life in the end line. Even during her visit at the juvie center, despite the bluntness that he currently carried with him, Seline can definitely tell that Robby didn't mean for his actions to go beyond the extend in how it happened.

Later on in the night, Seline found herself scrolling through her phone as she look through past pictures of her and Robby. It wasn't until her eyes had caught one particular picture that Seline tapped on it.

It wasn't a special photo but it was one of the last photos she'd taken 3 years ago when she'd come to visit at L.A. It showed her and Robby standing at full face view grin at one of the piers.

This was such a happier time, Seline recalled. Only so much in their lives have changed and set them apart but not anymore, she was here now and in all of her power, she was going to make it right.

However, one thing she knew was importantly certain; Daniel Larusso was going to regret what he'd done to her cousin. Just he'll wait.

What do you guys think? What is Seline attempting to plot on Daniel? Stay tuned onto next time. And in case you didn't catch on to the hints that I've dropped in regards to Seline's mom, I'll elaborate more in the next couple chapters away. And also on an unrelated side note, hope everyone has had a good time in watching the SuperBowl yesterday.

Before I forget this, please feel free to check out LewisHamilton44's work, he's definitely the best Cobra Kai fanfic writer. Several of his CK stories have a very intriguing and engaging spin, especially his latest completed story "Season 6".

P.S: (I'd definitely would envision Loretta Devine from the Netflix series "Family Reunion" to portray "Mama May")