The Mayor awoke to the smell of pancakes. He ran into the kitchen expecting Stephanie to be the one cooking them but instead found Bessie there. All the events of the past day hit him at the sight of her and he stifled a sob. Bessie instantly noticing the struggle that went on inside of him went over and hugged him hard, she kissed his cheek and led him to a chair to sit down.
"It's ok, I know what you're going through," Bessie whispered stroking the Mayor's shoulder.
Unbeknownst to many of the inhabitants of Lazy Town Bessie had lost her husband some years before coming to the town. She had kept the title 'Mrs' and her last name out of respect for him. She knew exactly what the Mayor was going through and was the best person to help him out of it. He was her friend and he reminded her a great deal of her late husband and she wanted to do all she could for him. Both of them knew that the next couple of weeks if not years was going to be a tough time for everyone as they tried to come to terms with the death of such a well loved member or their community.
"So you're awake at last?" Robbie said as Sportacus sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Sportacus remembered all to well what had happened the day before and had hardly slept.
"I took the liberty of going up to the surface to find you something to eat, there's no more fruit here and I know you don't eat cake. I hope an Apple and an Orange are sufficient," Robbie handed over the two fruits and Sportacus nodded his thanks.
He was aware that Robbie had gone up to the surface before being told, he'd been pretending to sleep and used the time that Robbie had been away to release his emotions. He'd sobbed for some time and hearing Robbie coming down the pipes laid himself back down and pretended to still be sleeping. His pretence had almost come to an abrupt halt when Robbie barely missed hitting him as he shot out of the pipe and landed in his chair, thankfully he'd managed to hold his nerve and hadn't moved.
He started with the Orange and then went on to the Apple. The 'sports candy' was most welcome to his stomach and he watched as Robbie helped himself to a large portion of cake. Sportacus noticed that Robbie and gotten Sportacus' breakfast before making himself some, 'perhaps he isn't so bad after all' Sportacus thought to himself yet again surprised by Robbie's kindness. Robbie picked up on Sportacus' confusion and thought it time to explain his reasons for helping him,
"I know what you're thinking. You're confused about why I would you when normally I'd be trying to devise some way of making you leave Lazy Town and try to get rid of you forever. The answer is I'm not sure myself why I'm doing this for you. I guess deep down somewhere I feel sorry for you, after all, I know what it's like to be the outcast of the town. Shunned by everyone for being who you are or doing what you do. It gets lonely down here underground. It's why I have the periscope so I can see what is going on and see what things I can meddle in. I enjoy my peace and quiet and solitude to a degree but after a while my own presence to myself becomes oppressive."
"So you take your loneliness out on me and the kids and try to get rid of me, why?" Sportacus interrupted, in some small way he could see where Robbie was coming from.
"Because you're always so happy and well liked. Everyone likes Sportacus; perhaps with you gone everyone would eventually like me more."
"If you forced me to leave no one would like you. If you worked with me instead of against me things would be different for you."
"Would they? You forget one thing Sportakook, after what happened yesterday I should think you'd be as popular as me. I think they call that bitter irony, after all these years of trying to get rid of you and make people dislike you I didn't have to do anything at all, you did it all yourself!" Robbie spoke with rising anger, his indignation had been sparked and his patience worn out thoroughly.
Sportacus didn't know what to do. As much as they hurt, Robbie's words were true. He had turned people against himself without help. He got up from the floor and began to walk over to the pipes with the intention of going up to the surface; he believed that Robbie would tolerate him no longer. He was just about to jump into the pipe when he heard heart wrenching sobs coming from behind him. It took a moment for him to believe what he was hearing, Robbie Rotten crying? It didn't seem real. He turned and saw Robbie bent over clutching his small blanket and shaking with the sobs that overtook him.
Slowly Sportacus walked over to him, his own pain seemingly unimportant at this moment in time, he reached Robbie's chair and placed himself on one arm of it. Carefully Sportacus touched Robbie's shoulder with his hand in an effort to comfort him; he was rewarded with a hit in the ribs. Taking the hint for just a second Sportacus got up but thought better of leaving the older man alone in his grief and sat on the arm of the chair again. Once again he placed his hand on Robbie's shoulder and this time there was no retaliation, in fact Robbie seemed grateful for the touch and rested his head on Sportacus' arm.
After eating a rather poorly sized breakfast the Mayor took Bessie's advice and called the Hospital to arrange a time to see Stephanie's body. Seeing her one last time before she was committed to the ground of the local cemetery would help in some measure with closure for the Mayor. He wished fervently that he wouldn't see or meet Sportacus for a while, every time he thought of that man he became angry. He had liked and even admired Sportacus but now the very thought or mention of that name turned his grief for Stephanie into anger over her death. It was Sportacus' fault that she was gone and he would never forgive him. Sportacus had never been late in saving someone before; perhaps he had done it on purpose to spite him. Yes that was it, Sportacus had done it deliberately. After seeing Stephanie he would make arrangements for Sportacus to leave Lazy Town forever. Once he had put together and signed the right documents he would have Bessie deliver them, if he did it himself he would harm Sportacus and hurt him badly, he didn't want that just then.
Stingy, Trixie, Ziggy and Pixel were just making their way over to the Mayor's house to offer they're condolences when he was just on his way out. They had been tremendously shocked by what had happened to Stephanie but each felt the Mayor's feelings came principally before their own. After a hurried and seemingly impatient greeting the Mayor departed for the Hospital. Bessie explained where the Mayor was going and apologised for his abruptness whilst also adding that the Mayor wasn't quite himself today. With a despondent nod from each child they left and wandered around not feeling quite up to playing anything.
"Feeling better?" Sportacus asked Robbie after he had stopped crying.
Robbie nodded weakly and got up, he didn't know quite what to say. He had spoken the words of anger to Sportacus as they knew they were true but his pride would not accept it. He hadn't meant to say what he had said but his anger had been roused by the pain the truth of those words caused. He felt slightly embarrassed that he had cried so openly in front of the one person he had despised more than anything else. He hadn't expected nor wanted the comfort from Sportacus and had hit out but the second time it was offered he couldn't refuse it, he needed someone with him. Sportacus remained on the arm of the chair sitting in silence waiting for Robbie to make the first move.
"You, er," Robbie cleared his throat before speaking again, "You must be hungry; it's been a little while since breakfast. The only problem is that I have nothing to give you,"
"That's okay Robbie; I can go and get something from my airship. I guess I should go up there sometime and give you some peace. I can come back when I've eaten something if you want me to?" Sportacus hoped that Robbie would say yes to his offer of coming back, he still needed the company.
Robbie was about to shake his head to the offer but changed his mind, "You can come back if you want to. You must get as lonely up there as I do down here. Come back when you're ready to. Be quiet about it though, I shall be having my nap after lunch and hate it being disturbed."
Sportacus nodded his agreement and made his way up the pipes, pausing for a moment to listen for anymore sobs but hearing none. After a little while he came to the surface. Just as he reached town he saw Ziggy, Pixel, Stingy and Trixie walking. He tried to avoid being seen but Trixie spotted him before he could hide, he felt ashamed that he had made them lose their closest friend.
"Hey Bluey!" Called Trixie her anger at seeing Sportacus rising, "I want a word with you!"