Stephanie Meanswell happily skipped from school towards her Uncle Milfords house. She loved living in the quaint little place called Lazy Town. She had moved here 2 years ago to stay with her Uncle when her parents said they wanted to get their life together a bit more. At first she had been upset, but she had always loved it when her Uncle came to visit, he had always encouraged her dancing and gymnastics. So she settled down for a few years here until her parents could take care of her again.

Lazy Town had changed alot since she had arrived. Originally none of the children played outside and all they would eat was candy! But with help from the blue resident hero, Stephanie was able to get the kids to enjoy sports and fresh air and also eating fruit and vegetables!

Speaking of hero's, she could see Sportacus in the distance, He was doing his usual flips and then stopped to call his ladder from his airship. Starting to climb, he saw Stephanie and waved before continued upwards.

Making her way along the road she stopped in her tracks when she saw police cars outside her front door. Her heart stopping and fear crawling through her she sprinted to the house.

' UNCLE MILFORD! UNCLE MILFORD WHERE ARE YOU!' She called, panic gripping her.

'Stephanie dear I'm over here.' Phew! He's okay! Launching herself into his arms and holding him tightly, Stephanie allowed her heart to finish racing and her breathing to even out.

After a few moments she looked around, there were two police officers in the kitchen, one, a woman, sat on the stool and a male stood behind her. Both had their hats in their hands and had grim expressions.

'Uncle? What's going on? Why are the police here?'

'Stephanie dear, I need you to take a seat.' Allowing her uncle to lead her to the couch she sat down, very confused and slightly scared.

'Uncle Milford?' He knelt in front of her and placed his hand to her cheek. OK something is really wrong. Is it Bessie? or one of the others? Oh god are they okay!'Stephanie, there is something you need to know and I need you to be brave my dear, can you do that for me?' Feeling more and more scared she slowly nodded her head.

' Stephanie, you're parents are dead.'

Sportacus had been having a leasurely afternoon exercising and waiting for the children to finish school. He decided to go for a shower before he would go and see if they wanted to play a game. It would give them time to drop their bags off and get changed out of their stuffy uniforms. Being the beginning of October, they would only be able to play for 45 minutes or so before he became to cold and dark but they would have fun all the same. Flipping back to to the sportsfield he called.

'LADDER!' and down shot the white rope ladder he used to get onto his airship. Being the resident hero he needed to be able to people quickly when they were in trouble, being above everybody gave him the advantage of being able to see for miles and locate the danger immediately.As he climbed he saw Stephanie making her way home and waved. Once she waved back he started to ascend. But half way up he noticed Stephanie start sprinting to her house. Taking out his telescope he looked to see what had spooked the young girl. Upon seeing the police car in her yard he quickly jumped down and started flipping towards the house. But just as he was about to knock on the door it slammed open and out flew a pink blur.

'Stephanie?'

'Stephanie! WAIT!' Turning his head to the sound of the shout he came face to face with the Mayor of Lazy Town. Stephanie's Uncle. Feeling very confused and having already lost sight of the running girl he decided to find out what was going on before he chased after her. Catching the Mayor before he crashed into him he said.

'Mayor? what's going on, what's wrong with Stephanie?' Seeing the tears in the grown man's eyes his heart clenched. Something was really wrong.

'Oh Sportacus it's awful, come in come in, you should probably know.'

' But Stephan...'

' Just leave her, she needs some time.' Sportacus was suprised, usually her Uncle would be the first to ask him to follow her. His instincts were going haywire and his crystal was giving off a low glow. This paticular glow shows that somebody is distressed not in trouble so he reluctantly followed the Mayor into his house where he came across two policemen.

'Mayor? is everything okay?'He asked uncertainly.

' Erm, we'll head off Mayor Meanswell, and again I'm sorry for your loss.' Tipping their hats to them both they walked out the front door, closing it softly behind them. Loss? What are they talking about?' Sportacus was beyond confused, and be really didn't like being confused. The Mayor gave a sigh and indicated for him to sit.

'I received a call from the police station over in Happy Town where Stephanie was originally born.'Sportacus nodded, that wasn't too unusual, he is the Mayor after all.

'They told me that my brother and his wife have been in a car accident. Sportacus, Stephanies parents are gone.' Sportacus froze, Gone? how could they be gone? Oh God Stephanie!' Without another word, Sportacus raced out the door.

Stephanie didn't know where she was going, She just knew she needed to get away, Thinking of going to the woods but deciding against it when she noticed it was starting to get dark she raced towards the tree house. They hadn't played in there since the summer so she knew nobody would look there. Curling up into a ball, She cried and cried. After only a little while, she ended up crying herself to sleep, emotionally exhausted and wanting it to be a dream.

Sportacus rushed out and tried looking for Stephanie, He couldnt see her anywhere! If I was an upset little girl where would I run off to? He thought. But he came up with a blank. Seeing the other children waiting for him at the sports field be flipped his way over.

'Guys have you seen Stephanie?' Maybe they could see the panic in his eyes, or hear the urgency of his tone he didn't know, but they all stopped what they were doing immediately. Pixel looked up from his handheld video game, Ziggy dropped his Lollipop, Trixie shot up from where she was lying on the floor and Stingy stopped polishing his car.

'No, we thought she was coming straight out, that's what she told us right guys?'Trixie said. They all nodded and murmured their agreement. Sportacus started to worry.

' I see, guys, I need your help, she's had some very bad news and is very upset. we need to find her and quickly before it gets too dark. I need your help looking, go and ask your parents for flashlights and make sure you put on a warm coat. Go in twos, we don't want anybody wandering off on their own and getting lost. But whatever you do, if you find her, don't ask her what's wrong, let me talk to her. Just find a grown up and they can get me alright?'They nodded and all scurried back to their houses. Sportacus was worried, he remembered losing his own parents at a young age and the scary thoughts that consumed him immediately after it happened. Come on Stephanie, where are you?'

Robbie Rotten is not a nice man. He doesn't pretend to be, and certainly anybody who had come into contact with said man would back up that he is not very nice. He was lazy and grumpy and wanted everybody to be lazy too. For two years he had tried getting that Sportakook and pink cheerleader to leave Town and for two years he had failed. But he was taking a break at the moment. Currently sat on his orange fluffy armchair and eating cake he startled when his periscope came crashing down and hearing what sounded like a herd of elephants trampling around in Lazy Town. Curious against and against his better judgement, grumbling about the wasted cake spilt on the floor, he looked through the lens to see what was happening.

The first thing he saw was alot of people, police cars were zooming up and down the roads, a police helicopter had their search light on, people had flashlights and were calling for Pinkie?. What the hell? what's going on!' Robbie was confused, this is the most action he had seen in Lazy Town for years and it wasn't even because of him!

Suddenly he heard a BANG BANG BANG on his lair door, curious despite himself he made his way up the tunnel and opened the hatch to see a very frazzled Sportakook. Looking nothing like his usual put together self as his hat had slipped, showing blonde curls peeking out, he had mud on his face and seemed very stressed out Robbie said, with as much malice as he could muster.

'What do you want?'

' Robbie, please, I need your help, have you seen Stephanie since school let out?' Not understanding why he of all people would know he spat out.

'How the hell would I know where the pink cheerleaders gone, maybe she's finally had enough of this place and done us all a favour and left Town.'He turned to go back onto his lair.

' Robbie! Wait, please, please can you help us look for her. I know you hate us but please, It's already dark, and it's getting cold and she has nothing at all to keep her warm. And..' He paused, a look of pain flashing across his face, Robbie was intrigued, he'd never seen the blue elf like this before.

Taking a deep breathe, Sportacus continued..

' I'm worried she's not in a good place, she's just lost her parents and I'm worried she wants to go and join them.' Robbie was in shock. Lost her parents? as in. dead? Sucking in a breathe Robbie did the one thing nobody would expect of him. He nodded, grabbed his coat and flashlight and follow the elf back outside. He may not like the Pink menace, but she was just a child, and as much as he came up with schemes, he wouldn't want a child hurt. He wasn't a nice man, but that didn't mean he was a bad man either.

'Where to elf?'

Everybody had been looking for hours, it was 10pm and nobody had seen hide nor hair of Stephanie since 4 o'clock that afteenoon. The children had finally been told to call off their own search. Their parents promising to help more as long as they stayed home. Not being able to sleep, for fear for their friend they begged and pleaded their parents to be able to stay at Pixels house. It was the only place with a large enough room for them all and he had the technology to keep up with the search from inside. Huddled together in their pajamas and duvets, the kids prayed their friend was alright.

Stephanie remained oblivious to everything going on around her, so exhausted as she was she slept deeply, tucked away in the little tree house at the edge of the woods. So exhausted, that she didn't feel the cold starting to creep its way into her bones.

Sportacus was ready to rip his hair out. They had checked everywhere, the town hall the school, gymnasium, playground, sportsfield, the lake. He had no clue where she could have run off to. His crystal started to glow and beep. He knew Steopanie was in trouble somehow, but it was too dark for him to get a good reading on his crystal. Please Stephanie, Hold on.

Robbie searched alone, He didn't like people, and though he had agreed to help he didn't agree to be somebody's search buddy. Making his way to the edge of town he stopped at the woods. Surely she wouldn't go in there would she?Slowly tiptoeing to the edge he caught sight of that damn treehouse the menaces had made during the summer. He remembered that day very clearly, having been very cross he had missed out on the prized trophy for the best treehouse. I wonder...

Putting his flashlight into his mouth and slowly making his way to the top of the ladder, he gently pushed open the hatch and peered in. He startled, He hadn't really expected to see the pink girl there. But there she was and at first glance he thought she was dead. Reaching out slowly Robbie shook her shoulder gently.

'Pinkie... Pinkie... Stephanie!' Not getting a response, but knowing she was breathing at least, he carefully picked her up and carried her down the ladder. Realising she was just asleep, but extremely cold. He removed his coat from his shoulders, wrapped her up and carried her back to town.

Sportacus was running, he had to find her! He stopped dead when his crystal stopped glowing. Stephanie? Is she alright? has she been found? is she de... no!No! she can't be, she hasn't been out long enough to be in mortal danger, and his crystal would have been burning fiercely if she had been. Not just glowing and beeping. Flipping onto the nearest wall he looked around quickly. Upon seeing Robbie Rotten walking back to the Mayor's house with a bundle in his arms Sportacus shot off shouting

'ROBBIE! STEPHANIE!' Everybody stopped what they were doing and turned towards him and then their eyes followed to Robbie, who had stopped. He didnt like all this attention damn it! Taking a breath Robbie continued walking to the Meanswell house. Everybody started to crowd him and he only just managed to not trip over with the girl when everybody reached out because Sportacus had jumped in front of him, effectively cutting everybody's access.

'Robbie! Thank god, is she alright? Thank you so much for finding her!' Carefully taking the young girl out of Robbies arms and into his own, Sportacus didn't wait for an answer before rushing Into the house to get her warm. His heart was hurting, she was so cold and he could see the layers of tear tracks dried to her cheeks. Laying her on the couch he let Bessie take over in changing her into her pajamas while he went to the kitchen to put the kettle on to make a hot water bottle. Seeing Robbie standing awkwardly in the kitchen with a crying Mayor he walked straight up to the villian and gave him a hug.

Robbie had never felt so awkward in his life. One minute he had a sleeping frozen girl in his arms the next he was ushered into the little kitchen and had a crying man leaning against him continuously muttering thankyou while trying to get a hold of himself. Then to make things worse, the blue elf came in, switched the kettle on and hugged him He froze for all of two seconds before.

'Get off me Sportakook, I'm not your Teddy bear!' Sportacus chuckled and Robbie could feel the colour rising up his cheeks. By this time the Mayor had cleaned himself up and had dismissed the police and the rest of the town to their beds, thanking everybody for the search. He returned and went up to Robbie,

'Thank you Robbie Rotten, thankyou for finding her and bringing her home. I had no idea when I told her her parents had died she would take off like that. I had all thoughts going through my mind. Where on earth was she?' Robbie could see the man was desperate, he felt a bit of sympathy, the man had lost his brother, sister in law and almost his niece in one day.

' Oh um, she was asleep in the treehouse the brats made in the summer, I was going to look in the woods but caught sight of it and thought I would check there first. Um, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go home and um. Sleep. Um goodnight.' And with that he shot out of the house and back to his lair, not realeasing the breath he had been holding until he was in his orange armchair and wrapped in a blanket as he'd left his coat at the Mayor's house.

Time passed slowly for Milford, Bessie and Sportacus, who had insisted on staying to help the older couple. They all sat in the lounge, watching the poor girl sleep.

At 7am, when Milford and Bessie were dozing together on the loveseat, Stephanie began to stir. Opening ber eyes and sitting up she noticed she was on her uncles couch at home. She jumped a mile when she heard..

'Good Morning Stephanie.'