L A Suka: I know things are moving slowly but don't worry, they'll pick up soon. Robbiewill soon embarkon a plan that might just rip Sportacus away from LazyTown, FOREVER! ;)

Chapter 9

Stephanie ran until she was at the tree house. Quickly, she climbed up the ladder and let herself in. Hugging her knees to her cheeks, she sat there and cried. Here Sportacus was trying to be nice to her and tell her that everything will be all right and she had gone and asked that question. The nine year old wished that the ground would just swallow her up.

Sportacus knew that Stephanie would head for the tree house. It was her favorite place to be alone. He saw that the sun was getting lower in the sky and the hour getting late. Hopefully, he could convince her to come down before the Mayor would come looking for her.

Quietly, the above average hero climbed the ladder leading up to the tree and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, Sportacus wondered if maybe he'd been wrong, but he decided to try it again. This time he listened after he knocked and he could hear soft sobbing. Carefully, he opened the hatch a little way.

"Stephanie, can we talk some more?" He asked. The nine year old moved her head slightly and looked at the above average hero.

"Please. I want to finish our conversation." Sportacus beseeched her.

"I'll just ask something, I shouldn't." She murmured.

"No, I knew that question would come up. I just wasn't exactly prepared. It's ok. I'll tell you what happened. You already told me what happened so this way we can keep each other's secrets." Sportacus smiled. At this, Stephanie relaxed her knees a little and a smile creased her lips. She crawled over to the ladder and Sportacus back down it. The nine year old climbed down the ladder and the two stood in silence for a few moments.

"Let's go sit down again." The above average hero coaxed. Stephanie nodded and they sat on the nearest park bench.

"My parents were spending sometime together while I was sleeping over at a friend's house. It was late when my aunt and uncle showed up at the door. They pulled me aside and told me that there had been an accident. My mother and father had gone to the theater that night. They stopped off at a little shop to buy some flowers. A man came up and tried to take the money from the owner and ordered my mother and father to give him their's too." Sportacus paused, unsure if he wanted to go further. He turned his head, so Stephanie wouldn't see the tears threatening to drop. That's when he felt something touching his hand.

Sportacus turned his head back toward Stephanie. She had put her hand in his. There was a slight smile on her face.

"See now we know each other's secrets." He smiled back. Stephanie snuggled a little closer and put her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." She said. Sportacus wrapped his arm around her and gave her a little squeeze.

"I think we should get you home. I'm sure your uncle will be worried." He said. Stephanie nodded and slowly stood up. Sportacus stood up and the two walked, hand in hand, back to Mayor Meanswell's house.

WWWWWWWWWWWWW

Robbie looked over at his clock. The hands read nine-thirty at night. He yawned and looked at his creation. So far, he had managed to get the torso and arms together. The past hour had been spent testing the joint movement in the elbows, wrists, and shoulders.

"Hmmm. I think all this hard work should be rewarded with cake." Robbie licked his lips and grabbed a piece off a table that was away from his workspace. Then he picked up a fork and moved back over toward his favorite chair. The villain plunked himself down in the big fuzzy orange chair and turned on the television.

"I hope there is something good on tonight." Robbie muttered as he flipped through the channels. He passed some crime dramas and some strange things on the SciFi © channel, until he finally landed on something familiar.

Robbie laughed as he watched the animated characters do their crazy things on the screen. He almost choked on his cake, he was laughing so hard.

"Victory is mine!" Stewie shouted from inside the TV. There was something Robbie had to agree with.

"It certainly will be." He smiled.

To Be Continued...