Title: Love in Full Bloom
Author: Becca
Rating: PG
Summary: The summer after graduating from college, Stephanie returns to LazyTown. She is surprised to find that she is harboring feelings for Robbie, of all people! However, with Robbie avoiding her during her visit, how is she supposed to know if he feels the same way? One-shot Robbie/Stephanie. Stephanie's POV.
Author's Notes: Ummmm, yeah. I don't really think I like this fic very much. But that's just me. I think there could have been more interaction between the two characters. Mostly it's about Stephanie battling with her emotions. It's still sweet and fluffy. This is my first fic with this pairing, so hopefully any other stories concerning Robbie/Stephanie will be better. Enjoy anyway!

Love in Full Bloom

I don't really know when I first started falling for him. It could have been when I hit puberty and started noticing men. It could have been the summer before college, when I realized I wouldn't see him for four years. Heck, it even could have started my first summer at LazyTown, once I discovered he wasn't as bad as he made himself seem.

But I do know when I became conscious of my feelings.

I had just stepped off the train and was greeted very warmly by my uncle and my friends. I was presented with different flowers, one from each person, until I had a small bouquet.

Just before I could express my thanks, he pushed through and approached me. His head hung as if in embarrassment and he pressed a plain white daisy into my hand.

"Here," he said gruffly.

He dared a glance up at me and our eyes met for a moment.

That single moment seemed like an eternity. Then, his face turned pink and he rushed off, leaving me with the daisy, a rapidly beating heart, and flushed cheeks.

That's when I knew.

I was in love with Robbie Rotten.

-----

He avoided me for half of the summer. You can't imagine how lonely I felt, despite the busy afternoons spent with my friends. He was hardly ever out to begin with, but when he was, he pointedly ignored me. It was the most frustrating thing I've ever had to deal with. I couldn't even thank him for the flower without him mumbling that he just remembered he'd left the stove on or some equally lame excuse.

Finally, on a bright Saturday afternoon, I managed to catch him off guard.

He was climbing out of the entrance to his underground home. I had to smile. There was no way he could escape now.

"Hey, Robbie," I greeted him.

He let out a squeak of surprise and whirled around as well as one could while on a ladder.

"What do you want?" he asked after catching his breath.

"I just wanted to thank you for the flower," I answered.

He waved my appreciation away with a hand. "It was nothing. I don't really know what came over me. I don't usually make random acts of kindness, so don't expect anything like it again."

The rough tone of his voice took me completely by surprise. However, my initial reaction only lasted for a full two seconds, after which it was immediately replaced by anger.

"Fine then," I yelled, glowering at him. "You don't have to act so mean! You haven't changed a bit. You're still a cold-hearted trickster. I don't know why I thought—"

I trailed off and dropped my eyes. My fingernails dug into my palms as I willed myself not to blush. I would not let him know how much I cared for him.

"Why you thought what?" Robbie asked, his voice much softer now.

"Nothing!" I snapped. "You don't care anyway."

And with that, I turned on my heel and hurried away before he could see the tears escaping my eyes.

-----

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the rapidly flowing tears. It only made bright spots appear in front of me for a few moments. The tears still came.

It was close to midnight. Unable to sleep, I had snuck out of the house and found my way to the tree house. I had been a bit surprised to find that it was still there, as sturdy as ever. It brought back a lot of memories and I'm sure that if I hadn't been so upset with my earlier encounter with Robbie, I would have smiled as I made my way up into the little structure.

The evening air was cool and full of light, playful breezes. I leaned out of the window and rested my head on my folded arms. The night sky was breathtakingly beautiful. Millions upon millions of tiny, glittering stars sprinkled the black backdrop. The moon, swollen and close to being full was suspended just above the houses down below. I was half certain that if I reached out just a bit more, I would be able to touch everything in the heavens.

"Perhaps I could keep a star," I muttered to myself as another tear slipped down my cheek. "Then all of my wishes would come true."

But it was impossible. Even though the stars looked like they were just inches from my face, they were really light-years away.

"Besides," I continued bitterly as more tears fell, "wishing doesn't help anything."

I had been wishing all summer that Robbie would speak to me. That he would tell me he felt the same way I did.

What did you expect him to do? a little voice in the back of my head demanded. Profess his undying love to you, then lift you onto a snow-white horse and you would ride off into the sunset with him? You're fooling yourself.

I wanted to ignore it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much truth there was in what it said. "Happily Ever Afters" can't happen.

"And even if they did, why would one happen to me?"

At last, too exhausted to even cry anymore, I let sleep take over. My last conscious thought as I was staring up at the brilliant, star-studded sky, was, despite my earlier outlook on wishing, a hazy desire that I would at least find out if he loved me, too.

At least then I could stop wondering…

-----

The rest of the summer was a blur. I wish I could say I remember what it was I did during those last few weeks, but I honestly can't even begin to pick out memories.

All too soon, I found myself back at the train station, surrounded by my friends. Embraces were shared and a few tears shed, but I was rather happy to be leaving. Maybe if I stayed away from LazyTown for a while, my heart would heal and I could get on with my life.

I sincerely doubted it, though.

A column of smoke appeared on the horizon and I closer to the tracks, clutching my two bags.

"Don't forget to write us!" Ziggy said.

I smiled at him. "I won't."

The train slowed to a stop in front of me and I stepped inside. I picked out a seat and set my baggage on the rack above it.

Just as I was sitting down, movement near the end of the platform caught my attention. I turned to look and saw Robbie approaching my window.

"I hoped you hadn't left yet," he gasped to me when he was within hearing range. "I wanted to give you this."

Oblivious to the surprised stares he was getting from the assembled group of LazyTowners, he handed me something through the window.

The conductor gave a cry of warning that the train was about to leave.

"Thank you," I said, turning pink.

"Hope you'll come back soon," he said.

The train began to pull out and I called back, "I will."

It was lost in the shrill whistle the train sounded as it leapt forward.

Settling back into my seat, I looked down at what I held in my hands.

A card with just a pink heart drawn on it.

And attached to it was a simple white daisy.