A/N: Sorry this took so long. The long holiday weekend last week kind of messed up my writing schedule. Hope you had a good 4th of July! Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"That's great!" Stephanie exclaimed at the news Sportacus had delivered. She gave him a quick hug and said,
"I have to change!" She was wearing a pink t-shirt that had a hole in it and some faded denim shorts that had once been pants, edges frayed where they'd been cut. She had the day off from her job as a receptionist at Doctor Smith's office and her bumming around the house clothes wouldn't exactly fit for a party. The hero smiled, as he so often did, and watched her run down to her bedroom and shut the door. He walked to the window in her front room and stared out it looking to see if the weather would hold.
His thoughts wandered and eventually they found their way to the place they had been three years ago. Stephanie, after learning of her father's decision had not even hesitated. She called her home and the two of them went at it over the wire. They argued and bickered and said things they both didn't mean. In the end, Stephanie had delivered an ultimatum to her father telling him if he wanted her home, he'd have to come and get her, otherwise she was staying put with the man she loved and the Uncle she adored. He hung up on her and for a long time afterwards, Stephanie cried. She loved her dad; she just didn't understand his behavior. Weeks went by before her mother called her, begging her to at least come home and talk to him. It didn't have to be for long, just so that they could talk like adults. Stephanie had agreed provided that Sportacus would be allowed into their home. Her mother laughed at that, telling her that she couldn't ask for a better man to be by her side and it wasn't the fact that she was dating the hero that was the problem.
"Ready!" Stephanie called out as she reentered the living room. Sportacus turned around; his thoughts vanished as he took in the outfit that she wore. A cute pink polo shirt she had on was just the right fit, showing off her lithe body, and a khaki shirt that was short but not too short.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked him noticing that he seemed distracted.
"Oh nothing. You look great. Shall we?" He offered his arm and she took it. They reached the outer door and he went through first so that she could lock it. They joined arms again and headed for Milford's.
"Do you think you'll ever go back to college?" He suddenly asked as they walked. She paused, thinking it over.
"Well I'd need a loan and somewhere I could go while not leaving my job. I'm not sure LazyTown Community College will cut it for a Master's Degree in Education," Stephanie replied.
"What about a degree in Criminology?" Sportacus wondered.
"Have a Bachelor's Degree in Education with an Associate's Degree in Criminology? Well I suppose so but what would I do with a Criminology degree?" She asked.
"Become a police officer, a consultant, a crime writer, or help me fight crime," he rattled off a few items.
"Help you fight crime? I don't know if you've noticed but crime in LazyTown is practically none existent since Robbie went to jail. Besides I thought you were starting a lecture series on the benefits of Sports Candy and Exercise?" Stephanie said.
"That's true but it would be great if I could roll a little good citizenship into it as well. We all know I can't go on the lecture circuit and leave LazyTown behind," he smiled and leaned over before kissing her left temple.
"This is true. Well maybe we could hold a Web-based lecture series. Why don't we both think on it some more and come up with a plan tomorrow at lunch time?" She asked.
"Sounds great," Sportacus continued to smile as they approached the Mayor's house. Bessie let them in and soon the party was in full swing.
Over at FunTown Correctional Facility, the guards came up to Robbie who was sulking in his cell. Prison had not been kind to him. He was skinnier than he'd ever been, struggled through cake withdrawal, and had been forced to go to a therapist.
"Time to go Rotten. The warden has your release papers and the condition of your restraining order," the one guard said. Robbie only nodded, grabbing his few meager belongings, he followed the guards to the warden's office.
To Be Continued…
