Chapter 8

June, eleven years ago

Sportacus was thrown out of the swirling spiral that had consumed him in Pixel's basement. It was dark and he quickly ducked behind some bushes. Looking around, he noticed that Bessie was yelling at his past self. He had landed just before Stephanie would change their lives forever. That's when the Mayor got involved.

"As I was trying to tell Bessie, this is Robbie's doing. He created doubles of Stephanie and myself and then set them loose on LazyTown. Stephanie and I have spent the past six hours trapped in Robbie's lair. We are tired and have had a very trying day. Please you have to understand. Whatever happened, it wasn't us." the past Sportacus had tried to explain. That's when Stephanie had jumped in and tried to get her uncle to understand but it hadn't worked. The current Sportacus could remember the words that Mayor Meanswell had spoken and mouthed them as the leader of LazyTown said them.

"I don't know what to believe, after what I saw today." Those words had stung and Sportacus never forgot them. The fact that the Mayor wouldn't believe his own niece and the town hero had hurt. But then he remembered why he had traveled back in the first place. Quietly, Sportacus slipped away from the scene and climbed up the ladder to the airship.

He hid himself inside the bathroom and just in time too. The past Sportacus and Stephanie entered the airship only minutes after he did. Somehow he had to stop the two from confessing their secrets to each other. This would stop all the pain and suffering the two had been through all those times before.

Sportacus was about to jump into the conversation when he heard the noise that pulled at his heartstrings. It was Stephanie crying. He wanted to help her but Pixel's words rang through his head. You cannot meet your past self or interact with him. Instead he peered through the crack in the wall and watched the scene unfold before him.

Back in the present, Pixel was worrying. He didn't know how long the power source would last or even if he could bring Sportacus back. The above-average hero was definitely not thinking clearly. Everything that had happened undeniably made something slip inside his mind.

Pixel had always admired Stephanie from afar and knew that she was happy with Sportacus. He wouldn't want to change that so maybe Sportacus trying to fix things wasn't such a strange idea after all. It wasn't quite obvious the two loved each other and that they would do whatever it took to be together. If Pixel had been with Stephanie, he'd probably do the same as his hero was doing right now trying to save her.

Eleven years in the past, the current Sportacus watched as the past Stephanie spoke to his past self.

"Sportacus, I have to tell you something, but I don't know how." Stephanie said between sobs. This was it the moment of truth.

"It's ok. You can tell me anything, you know that." He reassured her.

"I… I…" She started. Sportacus moved her head and looked into her dark brown eyes. She looked back into his piercing bright Icelandic baby blues. Then she put her hands on his face. He never took his eyes off of hers as they…

Sportacus watched the very first time they kissed. He remembered how good he felt. Then he listened as the past couple confessed that it was definitely love that they shared. This made him realize something. He loved Stephanie too much to let her go. The above-average hero owed her and their son to stay together. His dream didn't have to be gone. There had to be a way to stop what had happened earlier that day. Then the idea came to him.

To Be Continued…